IF ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law, Gal. yer V. 18. There are four States thro' which Mankind pass, and thro' which every Child of God generally paffes, which are defcribed by St. Paul. 1st. Without Law, (Rom ii.) 2. Under the Law. 3. Under Grace, (Rom. v. 15.) 4th. In the Peace and Glory of Heaven. In the firft of thefe States he is overcome by Sin, without knowing and without refifting it. In the Second he is overcome, both knowing and refifting it. In the Third, he fights against it, and comes off victorious. In the laft, he triumphs over it without fighting, having nothing any longer to withstand him. In the Peace of Heaven, we are unchangeably fixed and established in Good. Under the Dominion of Grace, where we are led by the Spirit, we really do Good. Under the Curfe of the Law no Good is ever done; because a Man fins either by doing Evil, or by not doing Good. Without the Law, a Man knows neither Good nor Evil, as he ought to know it. HA AVE ye fuffered fo many Things in vain? If it be yet in vain, Gal. iii. 4. -- Such fervent Beginnings, and a Faith fo lively, that it rendered Jefus Christ crucified, as it were, prefent before their Eyes, and had been tried by fo many Sufferings, yet not attended with Perfeverance: And fhall we not tremble! One Moment may make us lofe the Fruit of a whole Life; and yet we reflect upon it fo little! To fear, to humble ourselves, to figh deeply, to put our Truft only in Chrift (yet not an idle and inactive Truft), and to beg earnestly the free Gift of Perfeverance, this is what our Faith ought to excite us to do. GR RACE be to you, and Peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jefus Chrift, Gal. i. 3. In vain would God confer Miffion and Authority on the Pastors, if he did not likewife confer Grace, Love, and Peace, upon the Sheep. There are two Fountains of Grace for Chriftians, which are fubordinate one to the other; God by Goodnefs as Father, and Jefus Chrift by Merit as Saviour. God does not give them there Graces, but only in the Quality of Father, not giving them, but only to, and in his Son, in his Name, and through his Merits. It is by these Merits that Chrift is our Jefus or Saviour, our Sovereign, and the abfolute Difpofer of his Graces. O Father, fave thy Children; O Jefus, fanctify thy Members; O Lord, defend thy ranfomed and redeemed Slaves. Let God the Father live For ever on our Tongues, Sinners from his first Love derive Ye Saints employ your Breath In Honour to the Son, [Death, Who brought your Souls from Hell and S he spake by the Mouth of his holy Prophets, which have been fince the World began ;---that we should be saved from our Enemies, and from the Hand of all that hate us, Luke i. 70, 71. The Devil, Death, and Sin, are the Enemies which Chrift came to conquer. Sin is the most dangerous of all, and properly the only Enemy we have to fear. The Devil is without us, Death is only in our Flefh, Sin is in our Will; and to deftroy this laft there, an Almighty Saviour is neceffary. Lord, be Thou the Saviour and Deliverer of my Will, and exert upon it the Omnipotence of thy faving Hand. Come. O come, all-gracious God, No longer now delay, Bare thine Arm, and give the Blow, And bruise the Serpent's Head. St. James Ap. No WOW about that Time Herod the King ftretched forth his Hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the Brother of John with the Sword, Acts xii. 1, 2. It is a very great Misfortune for a Man to employ that Power against God, which he has received from Him. Human Greatnefs and Power do not much difpofe Men to embrace a Religion founded upon the voluntary Infirmity and Humility of a GOD. St. James was the first Martyr among the Apostles. Men accuftom themselves to the greatest Crimes when once they are embarked in Wickedness: An ambitious Perfon fpares nothing; he makes even a Sport and Diverfion of the Death of the best Perfons: That of St. James is the Price of the People's Flattery towards this impious King, and the Fruit of his bafe Complaifance and Indulgence towards his People.The Lord give us Grace fufficient for every Trial, that we may hold faft our Confidence firm unto the End. Omnipotent King, We give Thee thy Glory, |