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But here he will fet us right, and through the Power of that Grace which goes along with his Miniftry, not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able. He will difplay unto us the natural Clemencies and Mercies of our God; and that he is the great Lover of Souls. He will fet before us the Gracioufnefs and Comfort of the Chriftian Promifes; the readi 51 nefs of Jefus Chrift to embrace returning Penitents and the good Hopes we have, when this Life is done, of going to God, and living with him in Immortality and endless Bleffednefs.

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Secondly, He will eftablish and confirm us in our Stedfaftnefs, againft all Ambiguity and Wavering. Having taken account of our Faith, he will exhort us to continue therein to the End, as being that which was once delivered to the Saints. He will put us upon looking up to God, by an immovable Truft and Confidence. He will move us to a hearty Confeffion of all our Frailties; and to a penitential Sorrow for all our Sins. He will difcourfe unto us Edifyingly and Feelingly, of the Subftantial and Comfortable Doctrines of Religion; fuch are Repentance towards God; Faith towards our Lord Jefus Chrift, and an unlimited Charity towards all the World: Thefe are the proper Topicks of Comfort; and the Confcience and Practice of them will be more fatisfactory to us, when we came to die, than all the Fine-fpun Controverfies, the modern

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Syftems

Syftems and Theologies, the vain Inventions of Fancy and Enthufiafm.

Thirdly, Having thus quieted our Fears, and bound up our Confciences, and confirmed our Faith; he will then addrefs to our Hopes; by raifing them above this perishing World, and placing them upon Heaven, our eternal Abode. Here he will be very copious and eloquent; and by all that Sense he has of the Love of Chrift upon his own Soul, by the moft melting and pathetical Arguments the Gofpel affords, he will endeavour to affect us with the highest Degrees of Faith and Devotion to our crucify'd Redeemer. He will plead his Sacrifice in Prayer; and Seal unto us the Remiffion of all our Sins in the Blood of the everlasting Covenant. Then may we fing our Nune Dimittis; and with a gentle" Sigh refign up our Souls in the Words of good Old Simeon. Lord! now letteft thou thy Servant depart in Peace; for mine Eyes Luk. 2.29: have feen thy Salvation.

I have now done, and the Conclufion of all

is this.

Let us, I beseech you, be careful in the firft Place; to live well, and to walk before God in all Chriftian Converfation and Godlinefs. And then, when Sickness comes, and and God calls, let us make good the End of

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our Lives: Let us fend for the Elders of the Church; and in the Prayer of Faith, commit our Souls to the Mercies of God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord; to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all Hanour and Glory, &c.

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SERMON XVI.

The Security and Comfort of Living under the Belief, that our Sins are forgiven.

St. MATT HE w ix. 2. Latter PART.

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Son, be of Good Cheer, thy Sins be
forgiven thee.

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HESE Words were fpoken by our Blef fed Saviour, to a Man fick of the Palfie, whom his Friends had brought to be healed of that Distemper. Our Lord immediately, without any Hefitation, or further Enquiry, pronounces him whole, and pardons his Sins. A fudden Cure, and a very furprizing Mer-. cy this! And therefore muft proceed from fome extraordinary Signs of Grace; from fome very good Temper and Difpofition of Mind, which our Saviour knew to be in this Paralytick.

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No doubt but the Man had heard of the Fame and Miracles of Jefus, and fecretly believed in him; and was very defirous to be healed by him. But being under the Senfe of his own Unworthinefs, and Conscious of his former Sins, which had brought that Affliction upon him; this fomething fhock'd his Mind, and damp'd his Confidence. It wrought in him an honeft, but an anxious Faith.

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Our Saviour knowing the Probity of his Heart, and the Sincerity of his Defires, is moved with Compaffion towards him; at once abfolves and cures him. Son, be of good Cheer, thy Sins be forgiven thee. Arife take up thy Bed, and go unto thine Houfe.

In which Inftances of extraordinary Grace and Favour, we have at once a very lively Representation of the uncomfortable State of Mankind by Nature, and under Sin: And what it now is, as it is reftored by our Saviour Chrift, and put under the Means of Grace, the Affiftances, and Promises of the Gofpel. Here we may easily discover what a gracious Alteration God hath made in the Terms of our Duty and Happiness; after what manner he now deals with Penitents of what Efficacy Faith and Repentance are; how carefully he obferves, how readily he cherishes the firft Beginnings of thefe; and if they be fincerely entertained, and carried on, how much they incline him to Mercy and Pardon,

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