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And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father....Rev. i. 6.

CHRIST has done a great work FOR US: but does he only call us to believe it, and then leave us just as we were, under the dominion of sin, satan and the world? No; he not only washes us from our sins which he hates in his blood, but he also dignifies our person which he loves by his power.

Hail Jesus, lavish of strange gifts to man!

Thine all the glory; man's the boundless bliss.

O miracle of grace! Christ hath made us kings and priests. Ist. KINGS to rule over sin, the world, death and hell. Sin brought death into the world: death reigned over all that sinned; "but they who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life, by ONE Jesus Christ."....Rom. v. 17. O believer, do not you too oft forget your regal dignity? Then you do not honor your KING OF kings. Consider, you are made a king to reign im LIFE: a spiritual life over all that is earthly, sensual and devilish.. Do you say, how can I reign over sin who am the subject of sin? But you are not a subject to sin; "sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are not under the law but under grace."....Rom. vi. 14. An earthly monarch may have many treacherous and rebellious subjects who envy him and would dethrone him; still in spite of all he may keep his throne: so do you over all rebel lusts and traiterous dispositions; for, Christ is king over you: you reign by his power: you are a king unto God: you reign to his glory. 2d. PRIEST. The priest under the law, offered gifts and sacrifices according to the law: under the gospel we are, "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."..... 1 Pet. ii. 5. Even those of a broken heart and contrite spirit, our bodies and souls, time and talents, prayers and praises, yea to sacrifice our lusts, our sinful selves, our love of the world, our free-will pride, all our carnal reason and self-righteousness, all and every thing which is contrary to our Lord's will and glory for as Christ our high priest has offered up himself to God for us, so we are to offer up ourselves to God by him. O believer, study more and moreyour regal dignity and royal priesthood. Will an earthly monarch so degrade and demean himself as to be the companion, and gratify the humors of traitors and rebels? Will any christian priest sacrifice. to heathen idols? O, when lusts present and satan tempts, consider, Christ hath made me a king to reign over them. When worldly vanities allure, remember, Christ hath made me a priest to sacrifice them to his honor and glory.

Therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. The just shall live by faith....Rom. i. 17.

It is but lost labour that poor sinners rise up early, late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness in order to make themselves righteous. The Lord makes his beloved people righteous in a quite different way. Righteousness is already perfectly wrought out to the honoring and magnifying God's law: it is fully brought into the court of heaven, to the satisfying God's justice: it is clearly revealed in the gospel, for the hope and encouragement of poor sinners. Observe, 1st. By way of eminence it is styled "the righteousness of God:" not as it is essential to his divine nature; for what comfort, what hope can a poor sinner take from that? The more plainly that is revealed, the more clearly that is known, so much the more miserable must it make the poor unrighteous sinner; but it is the righteousness with which God is well pleased, and for the sake of which he can be just while he justifies the ungodly sinner: it is the righteousness which the Son of God wrought out in our nature, to clothe and adorn and make us poor, naked sinners righteous and comely in God's sight. 2d. This righteousness is revealed in the gospel: blessed gospel! It brings glad tidings of an infinitely perfect, and everlastingly glorious righteousness. Soul, where art thou looking for righteousness? In thyself? Poring over thyself, thy frames, and thy works to find righteousness? As well expect to find a saint in hell or a devil in heaven as to find righteousness in thyself. Search the gospel; there thou wilt find it revealed: the gospel is God's testimony of Jesus: he is the only righteous man that has ever been upon earth since sin entered into the world: "His name is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."....Jer. xxiii. 6. $d. It is revealed from faith to faith; from the doctrine of faith in the word, to the grace of faith in the heart: it runs through every page of the sacred word down from the patriarchs, prophets, and Old Testament saints to New Testament believers, to Gentile sinners in every age. This divine and glorious righteousness is unto all, and upon all that believe....Rom. iii. 22. Equally alike, whether faith be weak or strong. For, 4th. The just shall live by faith: this is quite different from living by working; for the law is never satisfied with our doings because we can never fulfil it; therefore we can never enjoy peace of mind, but condemnation of conscience: but by faith we live from day to day upon Jesus our law-fulfilling head. Hence we have peace of conscience, love of heart, joy of spirit, and holiness of life. O what a sweet life is this! None know the glory of it but the faithful: it is living above nature, out of self, d beyond sin. One step more and we shall be with Christ in glory.

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.... Zech. iii. 8.

Jehovah himself takes Sweet to observe, there

SAY, christian soldier, did the captain of thy salvation ever deceive thee? Did he not tell thee, before thou listed under his banner, who were his enemies and what treatment thou wast to expect from them? His word speaks full and express on this point: almost every page furnishes accounts how the men of this world look upon the children of God. Here is Joshua the high-priest, with the prophets and people of God, wondered at. notice of it and acquaints them with it. cannot be a disdainful frown, a contemptuous sneer, nor a reproachful word cast upon God's people, but he notices all. But why are we so much to be wondered at? Why truly we are a set of visionaries; we see invisible objects, walk by faith, and have our conversation in heaven; but carnal men cannot see any of these things. How then can they wonder at us for this? Here lies the mystery; they see plain enough that you cannot live as they do, and enjoy yourself in their ways, (woe be to that christian who does) and therefore they wonder what is come to you and what you would be at. Soul, was you never wondered at? If not, you have a right to question whether you have been faithful to your Lord, who is styled WONDERFUL....Isa. ix. 6. And he says, "Behold I, and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel."....Isa. viii. 18. Better be a wonder of satan's children than a slave to their master; for while the wicked wonder at and despise us, see the reward God gives us: here is a blessed promise for us which infinitely, over-balances all; BEHOLD, I will bring forth my servant, the BRANCH; "Jesus your Saviour: that branch of the Lord, who shall be beautiful and glorious."....Isa. iv. 2. That "RIGHTEOUS BRANCH.' ....Jer. xxiii. 5. I will bring forth to your view; so display his beauty, glory and righteousness to the faith of your hearts, that you shall rejoice in him with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, Now, christian, you have two things to wonder at: 1st. The astonishing rich grace of thy God. 2d. At thyself. Art not thou a mere lump of sin, yet a miracle of mercy, and a monument of grace?

Dear Lord, my soul would thee confess

Before a wond'ring throng:
Thou art my glorious righteousness,
My love, my joy, my song.

Lord, while I live and own thy grace,
Give me to prove its pow'r;
Lest I disgrace thy holy ways,
In an unguarded hour.

M.

Wherefore look ye so sadly to-day?....Gen. xl. 7.

A SYMPATHISING spirit at all times becomes christians: they are called "to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and to weep with them that weep."....Rom. 12. 15. Joseph could not observe the sad looks of his fellow-prisoners without enquiring the cause: they said, "We have dreamed a dream and there is no interpreter for it." Mind the use Joseph makes of the distress: he refers them to the Lord: "Do not interpretations belong unto God?" O, may the Lord help us to make some improvement of this. Consider, 1st. Christians are all fellow-prisoners in a body of sin and death. 2d. We are all subject at one time or another to have cause for sad looks. 3d. We should imitate Joseph; be of a sympathising spirit; feel for one another's distress; enquire the cause of our brethren's sad looks. 4th. As he did, so we should refer to the Lord: aim as enabled by the Lord, to speak a word in season, that if the Lord please we may be interpreters to them of God's mind concerning them; may be a means of unridling the dark and perplexing schemes of providence, of unfolding the mysteries of iniquity which works in them, and of displaying the mysteries of godliness to them. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Consider, you are under the law of Christ: this is a law of love. O, what a blessing doth the Lord make one christian to another! How often are we enabled to solve each other's difficulties, and made a means of setting each other's souls at liberty! But, 5th. Consider Joseph as a type of our dear Saviour: we cannot look sadly, but his eye of compassion is upon us, his heart of love is towards us; "For we have not an high-priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities, but was in ALL POINTS tempted like as we are."....Heb. iv. 15. To one disciple in distress he saith, "Wherefore didst thou doubt?"....Matt. xiv. 31. To others, "Why are ye troubled? Why do thoughts arise in your hearts ?"....Luke xxiv. 38. To another, a sorrowful woman, 66 Why weepest thou?"....John xx. 15. Think of his loving heart and tender speeches to sinners: carry your cases of conscience to him and spread the causes of your sadness before him. He is a blessed messenger of peace, a precious interpreter of the ways of God, to our souls....Job. xxxiii. 23. He will shew us the path of life: "In his presence is fulness of joy, at his right-hand there are pleasures for evermore."....Psalm xvi. 11.

My heart is pain'd, my face is sad,

Thy absence, Lord, I mourn:
Thy presence doth my soul make glad:
Return, my Lord, return.

My sins and follies I confess,
The cause of all my woe:

I plead thy blood and righteousness,
Thro' them let comforts flow. M.

Then is the offence of the cross ceased....Gal. v. 11.

ANOTHER Version reads the words as a question, Is the offence of the cross ceased? No, nor ever will while there is a christian upon the earth. The cross is put for that ever loving JESUS, who hung upon it as a curse for our souls and an atonement for our sins. O, let us be ever jealous of, zealous for the glory of the cross, for the sake of the LAMB, who finished our salvation upon it. The cross of Christ is the christian's glory: the offence the world takes at him, is a proof that he has taken up the cross of Christ and is following him. This no man can do faithfully, but he must give offence. Settle this well in your mind: sit down and count your cost. Are you willing to be Christ's glory and the world's scorn? Do you expect all from the cross? Then give up all for the cross. Here nature recoils, flesh and blood rebels, carnal reason pleads that worldly prudence may be attended to: look at such and such a professor, they go on very quietly; the world takes no offence at them. Why is it? They are either quite dead in sin or fallen into a deep sleep of security. Converse with them; you will find no sweet savour of Jesus upon their tongue, no warm affections to Christ in their hearts, no burning zeal for his glory in their lives: hence, as the offence of the cross is ceased with them, so the peace, comfort and joy of it is departed from them. For the truth of this I dare appeal to my own and every disciple's heart. When was your soul most active for God, most filled with his love; enjoying most fellowship with him, and peace and comfort in him? Say, was it not when you lived nearest to the cross, and found most of the offence of the cross of Christ? You must confess it. Holy Paul seemed to dread the offence of the cross of Christ ceasing. He was jealous lest any should question it. Lord Jesus, hast thou done so much in thy holy life and suffered so much by thy precious death on the cross for our soul's eternal salvation, and shall we be ashamed of thy cross? Shall we be afraid of confessing the faith of our hearts and the hope of our souls in thee, with our lips, and in our lives? O, forbid it! Never, never shall I forget my late dear, dear friend, the Rev. Mr. Jones, with his usual warmth of affec tion to Christ, preaching upon the scandal of the cross; says he, "My dear friends, you who are afraid to lose your good name for Christ's sake, I pity you from my heart. Thank God mine is gone long ago." "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of

Jesus Christ."....Gal. vi. 14.

I'll glory in the cross of Christ,

Tho' men offended be;

'Tis thro' his blood that I am blest, To all eternity.

Say I am foolish, I am mad,

If I Christ's comforts prove,
It ne'er shall make my spirit sad,
I'll triumph in his love.

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