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Again; the atonement of Christ ought to lead us to humility and lowliness of mind.Christ humbled himself for our salvation; and should not we to follow his example? Our greatest Benefactor lived in poverty and distress: our greatest blessings were procured by sufferings and death: ought not we, then, to live contented in every situation of life, ought not we to be unambitious of grandeur and power, ought not we to be inoffensive to all men, to be submissive to our superiours, to be condescending and obliging to our equals and inferiours; in a word, to be the servants of our brethren? Our Lord gave his disciples the very same advices, and enforced them by his own example. Matth. xx. 28.—“ Whoso"ever will be great among you let him be 66 your minister and whosoever will be chief "among you, let him be your servant, even "as the Son of Man came not to be minister"ed unto, but to minister, and to give his life "a ransom for many."

As I do not propose a complete illustration of this part of the subject, I shall, only, observe, farther, that, the atonement of Christ is a strong inducement to us to mortify our evil desires and passions, and to withdraw our pur

suits and affections from the things of this life. Jesus Christ did not pay so enormous a price as his own blood to redeem us and our faculties from sin and death, that we might employ them in any vicious or unworthy pursuit.He did not purchase the Holy Spirit, and bestow him upon us, that we might employ our bodies, which are his temples, in the service of the flesh. Nay, the Apostle, to the Galatians, tells us that "they who are Christ's have "crucified the flesh, with it's affections and "lusts." Neither ought we to set our hearts upon the things of this life. Thus says the Apostle Paul: "If ye be risen with Christ, "seek those things which are above, where "Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."— If it were necessary that the Heir of all things should renounce the pleasures and conveniences of life in order to accomplish our salvation, the same self-denial is undoubtedly binding upon us. If this work was so difficult to him, may we indulge in ease and pleasure? No we are engaged in a race wherein we will, infallibly, come short of the prize, if we stop every moment and entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life. "Let us, therefore,

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lay aside every weight, and the sin which

"doth so easily beset us, and let us run with

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patience the race set before us, looking un"to Jesus, the authour and finisher of our faith; "who, for the joy that was set before him, "endured the cross, despising the shame, and "is now set down at the right hand of the "throne of God."

5. The doctrine of atonement is highly comfortable to every true christian. It assures him of the complete salvation of all those who were chosen before the foundation of the world. Christ hath paid his ransom, and he cannot be lost. He hath destroyed the hand-writing which was against him, by nailing it to his cross. It, also, assures him of the complete perseverance of the saints in a state of grace. If they fall away, either finally or totally, it must go to impeach, either, the perfection of Christ's atonement, or the sufficiency of God's grace to keep them from falling. But Christ hath made complete atonement, and hath purchased grace sufficient for them in every trying hour. How, then, shall believers be moved? The winds may beat, and the rains may descend, but they cannot be overthrown, for their foundation is on a rock.

In confirmation of this precious truth, we may add, that, Jesus hath not only purchased salvation, but, is also exalted, a Prince and a Saviour, in order to make a perfect application of it. Thus, says he himself, "I give un"to my sheep eternal life, and they shall nev"er er perish, neither shall any be able to pluck "them out of my hand." It was It was promised to him, from eternity, that, when he should make his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, and the travail of his soul, and be satisfied. This promise must be fulfilled; for, in him, all the promises are, yea and amen. But, how could it be fulfilled, if any of those who had been made partakers of the heavenly gift, should fall away? What satisfaction could he have in seeing those, for whom he died, perish? Could it answer, either, the will of the Father, "that of all given him, he "should lose none," or, the intentions of his own love, in giving himself for us? But, it must be, entirely, to his own, and to his Father's satisfaction, for him to be able to say, "here am I, and the children whom thou hast

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given me those that thou gavest me, I "have kept, and none of them are lost.'

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How pregnant with comfort and consolation are such doctrines to the believer! They fill him with assurance of grace, peace of mind, and joy in the Holy Ghost. When conscience harrows up the soul, when the law presents it's terrours, when the accuser of the brethren suggests his fears, he may refer them to Christ, He will answer and point out his atonement. all accusations, he will satisfy all demands.He is their sun and shield, he will give grace and he will give glory, he will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly.— They may adopt the language of St. Paul: "We know that all things shall work together "for good to them who love God, to them "who are the called according to his pur"pose." For, as he argues, "he that spared "not his own Son, but delivered him for 66 us all, how shall he not, with him, also free

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ly give us all things?" If he gave us so great a gift, he will not, surely, refuse to give us the trifling comforts of this life, if they are for our advantage. In whatever situation of life, then, we are placed, we may be sure, that, we are not beyond the reach of our Father's love. The rays of his goodness can pierce the darkest cloud of adversity. If we are in

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