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It is Zion that faid the Lord hath forfaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me; but what faith the anfwer of GoD again unto her? Can a woman forget her fucking child, that she should not have compassion on the fon of her womb? Yea, they may forget, but 1 will never forget thee: Behold! I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thus the faints, at certain feasons, are flow of heart to believe, but God abideth faithful, and be knoweth them that trust in him: which all GOD's people continue to do, in their most diftreffing circumstances; altho' they may be fometimes inclined to think otherwife of themselves, because of their great weakness, and the hidings of GOD's face.But when at the worst, they can adopt the words of Job and fay, tho' he flay me, yet will I trust in him: or of the Pfalmift; my confufion is continually before me, and the shame of my face bath covered me: For the voice of him that reproacheth and blafphemeth; by reason of the the enemy and avenger. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falfly in thy covenant. Tho' thou haft fore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the fhadow of death: we have not forgotten the name of our God, nor ftretched our hands to a ftrange godt. The believer never changes the living God, his Savipur; for that which is not God.-Fear not therefore, S 2

+ Pfal, xliv. 16, &c.

ye

ye who are weak in faith; only take heed to your daily walk and converfation, that it be fuch as becometh the Gofpel of CHRIST, diligently holding faith and a good confcience: For the Lord will fulfil the defire of them that fear him: be will bear their cry, and will fave them.

But art thou, Reader, ftrong in the faith? Then help the weak, comfort the feeble minded, and fhew forth thy fuperior measure of faith, by the meeknefs aud gentleness of CHRIST towards the weak of the flock, in all long fuffering, brotherly kindness, and love unfeigned: If thou dost not excel them in the mind and tempers of CHRIST, and in all good works, no wife Chriftian will believe that thy faith is ftronger, or even equal to theirs, for by works is faith made perfect; but all things of GOD: To whom be glory for ever, thro' JESUS CHRIST. Amen.

Pfal. cxlv. 19.

SERMON

SERMON VIII.

I PETER I. 12.

-With the HOLY GHOST fent down

from Heaven,

HERE are Three that bear record in hea

TH

ven, the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY SPIRIT; and thefe THREE are ONE. This is the living and true God: who, in nature and effence, is neceffarily and eternally One; but, in mode of fubfifting, is Three, perfonally diftin&t, the fame in substance, eternity, power, and glory.

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In the covenant of grace concerning the redemption and falvation of mankind (which covenant was from everlasting) the Sacred Three in the effence were mutually concerned; and eternally engaged to sustain, and execute their diftinct parts and offices refpectively. The FATHER chofe his people in CHRIST, and gave them into his hand; the WORD was made flefh, and bought them with own blood; and the HOLY SPIRIT makes a faving difcovery, and application of this great falvation to every one of them.

Hence believers are baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Thereby fignifying their mutual agreement, and concurrence in the redemption and falvation of mankind:-Had not the FATHER chofe, and given his elect into the hands of CHRIST, to be redeemed by him from fin and wrath, he had never laid down his life for them; and had not CHRIST put away their fins by the facrifice of himself, and thereby made peace between them and their God; the HOLY SPIRIT would never have come down from heaven, favingly to make known to them, by his illuminating and regenerating operations, the electing and redeeming love both of the FATHER and the Son. If GOD had not firft loved us, we

fhould

fhould not have loved him; and had not CHRIST made peace for us by the blood of his cross, we could not have come unto GOD, nor been reconciled to him: But after all this amazing grace of God to man, if the HOLY SPIRIT did not enlighten, and regenerate our fouls, we should be utterly ignorant of, and neglect this great falvation. For, thro' Chrift we (believing) have an access by one Spirit unto the Father +.- -Thus,

The FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY SPIRIT, who now bear witness in heaven, were doubtlefs in covenant, and fworn together, before all worlds, to redeem, and give eternal life to GOD's chosen among men.

The FATHER chofe in CHRIST of his mere good pleasure, whomfoever he would.

The WORD engaged to become man, bear their fins, be made a curse, and give his life a ransom for them.

The HOLY SPIRIT engaged to make them favingly acquainted with, and obedient to the fal vation of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS.

Thus the grace and love of GOD, even the FATHER, towards man, appeared in giving his only begotten Son to die for us, when we were yet enemies and finners.

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