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living God*, and be made an example of divine vengeance: and what else can they expect, who refuse to accept of the sacrifice of Christ, by which alone the fiery indignation of God can be turned away from their own persons? No words are sufficient to express their danger: O that they could see it themselves, and would consider of it, and not trust to such frivolous excuses as will stand them in no stead in the day of visitation!

To encourage us in our Christian warfare, the Apostle sets before us at large the examples of the Saints of old, who were all saved by leading a life of faith †: enduring every trial and conquering every enemy, on this great principle. There never was any other way of salvation from the beginning of the world, but this way of faith. All the Saints of God who found acceptance with him, depended upon his word and promise for such things as they could not see; and either forsook the pleasures of the world, or contradicted its errors, and endured its reproaches, for his sake. We may plead the business of life, and the cares of life; but they had their business and their cares as well as we; yet they loved God, and made it their first care to be saved.

The

* Chap. x. 31. + See Chap. xi. of this Epistle.

The race we are to run may have its difficulties: indeed, if it is a race, it cannot be without them but we are encompassed with a cloud of witnesses*, all testifying that this RACE may be run, and the prize obtained; because they did actually perform it, and are entitled to the crown of victory. What hinders us from doing the same; but that we are retarded by some weight, which we are not careful to divest ourselves of and lay aside? We do not strive against that sin, whatever it may be, which most easily besets us, and is never to be subdued but by faith, and prayer, and selfdenial; faith in better things than this world. can bestow; and prayer for that grace which may assist us in doing what our strength will never accomplish.

Great is the influence which the example of God's faithful servants will have upon our minds, if we meditate upon it. They were men of like passions with ourselves, and were not without their weaknesses: Sin put on the same deceitful appearance to them as to us: and they had the scorn of an overbearing world to resist, as we have now. Their example, while it instructs, will animate and encourage us. But greater than all is the exam

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ple of our blessed Saviour himself: therefore we are directed to look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God*.. What are the troubles we are accustomed to, compared with the agonies of the cross? What is the contempt of silly empty people, who call themselves the world, compared with the disgrace of hanging naked as a malefactor before a multitude, who mocked at the punishment as a proof that he who suffered it was an impostor? Nothing was ever so full of apparent disgrace, as the character of Jesus Christ at his passion. How distressing and almost distracting is it, to be innocent, and yet seem to be guilty? This is a piercing trial to an honest mind. To affect to be great when we are mean, and powerful when we are weak, exposes us to the scorn of every enemy; and this the enemies of Christ laid to his charge, and gratified themselves with every malicious expression that could add to the apparent infamy of his sufferings. Yet all this shame he patiently endured, for the joy that was set before him. This we are 'to consider under all our trials. God does not lay

Chap. xii 2.

upon

upon us any grief or chastening, for its own sake; but to correct our minds, and give us a title to that joy, which shall be the reward of patient suffering. Thus we shall not be weary and faint in our minds. I grant it is a severe trial to mortal man, to deserve good and receive evil: but to this we are all called, as the followers of a crucified Saviour. The Son of God was made perfect through sufferings; and if God is our father, we must expect that he will chasten us; if he does not, then are we bastards and not sons*. Bastards are often forsaken by their parents, and left to grow up without correction: consequently to be brought by the tendency of their unreformed nature to misery and destruction: but no Christian would wish for such a privilege : he judges it far better to suffer in hope, than to be at his ease, as one whom God hath neg:

lected.

From the description given of the Church as a spiritual society, the Christian is to learn the dignity of his own character, and to conduct himself in a manner suitable to his station. He seems outwardly like other men ; but inwardly he has an honourable place in the kingdom of spirits: he is in the company

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of angels, saints, and martyrs; he is under the dominion of God as his king and lawgiver; he is a student of wisdom in the school that has sent out so many sons unto glory; he is within the covenant that is sealed by the blood of Christ for his purification and redemption; his name is registered in heaven, as an heir of immortality: he knows that while the mighty empires of the earth are changing and passing away into oblivion, the kingdom of which he is a member shall never be moved *. The earth shall be shaken, and the heavens shall melt away; but his inheritance is secure. The same God who is a -consuming fire to an impenitent world, will be to him a Protector and a Saviour, if he serves him acceptably, in this short time of his probation, with reverence and godly fear.

The last chapter of the Epistle consists wholely of exhortations, relating to the great duties of charity, purity, submission, and a detachment from the world.

All parties of men are bound together by a common interest; which, though in some cases even wicked and absurd, and little better than a conspiracy, will have its effect in disposing

Chap. xii. 28.

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