SERM. in his Life, and at his Death, he obtainVI. ed of God, not only a Release from the Punishment of our Sins, but new Powers to qualify us for a further Increase in Vertue; not only the Pardoning, but Sanctifying Grace of his Spirit; by the Gal.v.24. Means of which, we can now crucify the Flesh, with the Affections and Lufts, mortify and fubdue all our Irregular Paffions, undervalue Pleasures, rejoyce in Afflictions, and walk even as he walked, in Humility and Patience, in Purity and Holiness. Weak and Impotent We 2Cor. xii.are, but his Grace is fufficient for us: We can do nothing of ourfelves, but Phil. iv. We can do all things through Christ that Strengthneth us; and, in Confidence of this Affiftance, we may venture to take

9.

35.

to ourselves the Words of his fervent Rom.viii. Apostle, and fay, Who shall feparate us from the Love of Chrift? Who, or What fhall hinder us from obeying his Precepts, and from transcribing his Practice? Ver. 37. Shall Tribulation, or Distress, or Persecu→ tion, or Famine, or Nakedness, or Peril, or Sword? Nay, but in all thefe things

we

we are more than Conquerors, through SERM. Chrift that loved us.

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VI. 73

Iflam lifted up from the Earth, (faid he, John xii. fpeaking of the powerful Efficacy of his 32. Cross and Sufferings) I will draw all Men after me; I will lift Them alfo up above their Earthly Affections and Pursuits, and raise them into the Participation of a Divine and Heavenly Nature.-Look down then upon us from thy Cross, blessed Jesu! Draw us, and we will run after thee, not Cant.i.4. only with Willing, but Chearful Minds with Alacrity, and with Pleasure. We will trace all thy Steps from Bethlehem to Calvary; we will imitate thee, to the best of our Power, in all the Stages and Conditions of thy Life, in what thou didft, and in what thou fufferedft; we will set thee before us, in every Cafe, and fay, Would my Saviour have thus, or thus behaved himself in these Circumstances? would he have yielded to fuch a Temptation? or declined fuch a Conflict? Would he have resented such an Injury? or felt the least Discomposure of Mind, upon fuch an Affront? Would he have been

M 4

SERM. been Elated upon fuch a Success? have VI. funk under fuch a Preffure? or confult

ed with Flesh and Blood on fuch an Occafion? Why then fhould I, who have his Example to guide, his Promise of an exceeding Reward to encourage, and his Grace to sustain me? Nay, but draw us, bleffed Jefu, and we will run after thee; we will follow thee, O thou Lamb of God, whitherfoever thou goeft! Particularly, we will often refort to that lively affecting Representation of thy Death and Sufferings, the Sacrament of thy Body and Blood, which thou haft instituted for us: There, we will inure ourselves to the Contemplation of Chrift crucified, and to the Contempt of all the vain Glories of this World, which were, together with thee, nailed to thy Crofs, of all the bewitching, but empty Pleasures of Life, with which we are furrounded. There we will endeavour to instruct ourfelves in those holy Leffons of Refignation, Humility, Patience, and Perseverance unto Death, which thou in thy Gospel haft taught us, and to furnish ourselves

ourselves with such Spiritual Supplies of SERM. Grace, as may enable us to trace the VI. fuffering Example which thou hast set us; that foresembling thee in Meekness, Piety, and Purity here, we may also resemble thee in Happiness and Glory hereafter!

6.

Now unto Him that loved is, and Rev.i.s, washed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and bath made us Kings and Priefts unto God, and his Father; to Him be all Glory and Honour afcribed, in all Assemblies of the Saints! Amen.

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