"Belial, than there is communion between

light and darkness;" nay, the very end of his "manifestation in the flesh, was to destroy the "works of the devil." In this new and bleffed covenant, he offers his purchased bleffings, upon condition of our entering faithfully into his fervice; he expects us to "die unto fin, " and live unto righteousness."

(3dly) We may learn how odious is fin in the fight of God, by the greatnefs of the perfon of our Mediator. God, of his mercy, did not banish us his prefence for ever, but he would admit no lefs perfon, than his own beloved Son, to mediate between him and us, and would accept no less ranfom than that of his life. Confidering then, that "God fent his "only begotten Son into the world, that we "might live through him," we should enquire ferioufly of ourselves, whether the end of his miffion be answered? He has made our obedience to be our intereft, as well as our duty. He forbids us nothing but what is unbecoming our nature, and deftructive of our prefent, as well as future, happiness. Let us, therefore, be perfuaded not to make fuch a trial of his mercy, as to tranfgrefs his laws, and

"caft

"caft his commandments behind us.' If a Saviour be born to us, let us, from this day, labor to have an interest in his merits. Let the day on which the Son of God took upon him our flesh, be the day on which we become true and fincere Chriftians. And to ftrengthen our refolutions, and encrease our faith, let us all," with one confent," commemorate his nativity, by partaking in the Holy Sacrament of his body and blood: thus, by going on from ftrength to strength, when "he fhall appear the fecond time unto falva"tion, we may also appear with him in glory.” Which God of his infinite mercy grant, for

the fake of Jefus Chrift our Bleffed Saviour and Redeemer!

در

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SERMON XXVI.

JOHN XVI. 7.

Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away Ι the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will fend him unto you.

HESE are the words of our Bleffed Sa

Tour to his

viour to his difconfolate Difciples, not long before his paffion, whofe minds were de preffed, and whofe apprehenfions were alarmed, with the melancholy news of their Mafter's fufferings, the ill treatment He foretold they fhould alio meet with in the world, and his leaving them in this comfortless condition, to go to the Father who had sent him. They must be defponding with grief, and overwhelmed with anxiety, as often as it occurred to them, that they were " to be hated and perfecuted; put out of the fynagogues; yea, that "the time fhould come when he who killed

"them

"them fhould think that he did God fervice." And as an aggravation of their forrow, he with whom they had been fo happy and fecure; for whose fake they had left all that they had; he who, amidst all their distresses and sufferings, was to be the joy and rejoicing of their hearts; even he, from whom alone they expected affistance, protection, comfort, and happiness, was fhortly to be taken from them. But to difpel that forrow, he promised them another Comforter, who, by being prefent with them in fpirit," fhould make amends for their master's being abfent in body." "Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away the Comforter "will not come unto you; but if I depart l' " will fend him unto you.

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In difcourfing on thefe words, I fhall fhew, firft, why the Feast of Pentecoft was inftítuted.

(2dly) How Chrift's going away was expedient for his Difciples.

(3dly) The great bleffings the Apostles received by the coming of the Holy Ghost, the promised Comforter.

I. This Feaft the church now celebrates, the

day