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self. He cannot so exercise his mercy as to give any the slightest grounds for suspecting that he is less than infinitely just, and holy. It rests then with himself alone to tell us, in what way he can thus shew his mercy towards us: and he has told us. He has told us that it is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ being God manifest in the flesh, by his infinite sacrifice on the Cross, has satisfied the Divine Justice and holiThe Almighty by demanding, and providing such a sacrifice, has shewn in the clearest manner his batred of sin, and his full determination to punish it. With this sacrifice then he is well pleased; because while it magnifies his glorious perfections, it leaves him at full liberty to shew mercy in the most unlimited degree to sinners, even the chief of sinners. All then who hope to share this mercy, must seek it in this way, in which alone it is offered to them. They must seek it through Jesus Christ. They must his name; they must plead his merits as the only ground of their obtaining it. If they do not seek mercy in this way, they will never find it. They may desire mercy, and earnestly pray for it; but unless they do these things in the faith of Jesus Christ, there is not, there will not, there cannot be any mercy for them. All then, who will find mercy in that day, thus seek it now. They seek it through

Jesus Christ. They know that

pray for it in and sacrifice,

they can obtain it in

no other way. They desire to obtain it in no other way. And because they seek it in this way, they shall surely find it.-But there is another thing to be taken into the account. The Scriptures teach us, that

those, who will find mercy in that day, not only now seek it, and seek it in the right way, but also,

In the second place, that they are duly affected, and properly influenced by the views and hopes which they have of the rich mercy of God in Christ. There is a sad propensity in man to abuse the Divine Mercy, and to take occasion from this most glorious perfection of the Almighty to run the farther, and continue the longer in sin. How many persons dare to do wickedly, and even to encourage themselves in doing so, on the very presumption, that God is merciful! When re

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proved by their own conscience, when warned by their ininister, when admonished by their friends, they silence these friendly monitors by saying to their hearts, · "I shall do well at last, God hath spared me hitherto; and I doubt not but he will continue to spare me. is gracious, and merciful, and will at least bear with for some time to come. I need not be in so much haste to repent. I will enjoy myself a little longer; and will take a little more pleasure. Whenever I "turn to God, he will receive me, and I have no fear, but I shall find mercy in that day.'-Let us beware how we deceive ourselves by such presumptuous reasoning. Let us beware how we thus turn the grace of God into licentiousness, and increase our guilt, through that very perfection of the Almighty which ought to have a directly contrary effect. Those who thus perversely, and presumptuously abuse bis mercy, will not find mercy of him in that day. Their conduct shews a hardness, and an impenitence of heart, which if retained, must for ever exclude them from mercy. How VOL. II. 27

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differently did a sense of God's mercy work on the pious David. Hear what he says, "O Lord, there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared." He felt that the goodness of God led him to repentance. The rich mercy of the Lord, far from hardening his heart, softened and overcame it. How could he sin against so much mercy? How could he offend, and displease one, who was so good and gracious? Should he presume on his goodness? Should he sin on that grace might abound? God forbid! Perish the ungenerous, the ungrateful thought! "There is for'giveness with thee that thou mayest be feared." Thy abundant meroy, so freely given, so wonder'fully shewn, fills my heart with such holy awe, with 'such constraining love of thy glorious name, that I 'could never forgive myself, should I wilfully sin against so much goodness.'-Such are the feelings, such is the secret language of all those, who have now right views of the Divine Mercy, and are duly influ enced by them. While they anxious!y desire Mercy, and depend on Mercy only, they cautiously avoid all sin. While they pray that they may find mercy in that day, they also pray for grace to resist temptations, to overcome the world, to deny the flesh, to abound in every good word, and work. They also learn and strive to imitate that glorious perfection which they adore, and in which they trust. Hoping themselves to find mercy of the Lord, they now shew mercy to others. 'They are kind, forgiving, charitable. They display in their lives and tempers the blessed fruits of the Spirit, love, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness.

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Such then are the persons who shall find mercy the Lord in that day. If we hope to find it, let us see that we are persons of this character. Let us see that we trust in Jesus Christ alone for mercy: since" whosoever trusteth in him shall not be confounded." Let us see that while through him we hope for mercy, we flee from sin since "the goodness of God should lead us to repentance." Let us see that we shew mercy to others since "Blessed are the merciful, for

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they shall obtain mercy."

SERMON XXV.

THE HOLY SPIRIT THE COMFORTER.

JOHN, XIV. 10.

And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth.

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As the coming of the Messiah was the great

promise of the Old Testament, so the Gift of the Spirit was the great promise of the New. Hence the Gospel is called "the ministration of the Spirit :" and the first gift which Christ on his ascension into Heaven bestowed on his Church, was the Gift of the Holy Ghost. There are many ways in which this Gift may be pro

itably contemplated. ation that view of the Holy Spirit, which is set before us in the text. He is there represented under the title and character of the Comforter. "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Com-forter, even the Spirit of Truth." In three other pla-ces, in this same discourse, our Lord speaks of the Spirit by the same title. He thrice calls him" The Comforter." Hence we might justly infer, that one part of the Spirit's office in our redemption, is to comfort them that mouru And with this inference the whole tenor of Scripture agrees. Whatever peace, consolation, or joy we receive is expressly described to be the work and fruit of the Spirit. Do we abound in hope? It is "through the power of the Holy Spirit.' Are we filled with joy? It is" with the Holy Ghost.” Is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts?" It is by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Indeed the importance of the Spirit as a Comforter, may be strongly proved from the language of our Lord to his Apostles in another part of this discourse. He endeavours to reconcile them to the thoughts of his leaving them, by the assurance that it was for their good that he left them. "It is expedient for you that I go away." And why expedient? Because he adds, "If I go not away, the Conforter will not come unto you :. but if I depart I will send him unto you."a The benefits which they would derive from the presence of the Comforter with them, would be so great, as not only to compensate for the loss of Christ's personal pre

I shall select for our consider

a John xvi. 7

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