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making God a liar. He has declared (and is he "a man that he should repent?") that without holiness none shall see his face. "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." Repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ are insisted upon as necessary. In short, "old things must pass away and all things become new." Cease then to trust in such refuges of lies-place not your dependance on uncovenanted mercies. God is merciful, my brethren-rich in mercy-infinite in mercy. Bear witness, ye countless hosts that surround his throne, evermore praising his glorious name, for what is it that you praise him? to what are you indebted for these golden crowns, and stainless robes and palms of victory? Could mortal ears catch their reply to the challenge, it would be"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved," According to his abundant mercy he saved us. But then it is all covenant mercy, made over to the penitent believer in Christ Jesus as such, and for his sake. In him are hid all the treasures of grace, mercy, and peace. In him is an ocean of mercy; out of him not a drop. Trample under foot the Son of God, and you must perish without mercy. Flee to him for pardon and grace-for guidance and comfort-for strength and teaching -for "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption "—for all you need, and all you desire -and as the Lord liveth, and as your soul liveth -"Ye shall not surely die."

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SERMON XI.

II. CORINTHIANS XII. 7, 8, 9.

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AND LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE THROUGH THE ABUNDANCE OF THE REVELATIONS, THERE WAS GIVEN TO ME A THORN IN THE FLESH, THE MESSENGER OF SATAN TO BUFFET ME, LEST I SHOULD BE EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE. FOR THIS THING I BESOUGHT THE LORD THRICE, THAT IT MIGHT DEPART FROM ME. AND HE SAID UNTO ME, MY GRACE 1S SUFFICIENT FOR THEE: FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. MOST GLADLY THEREFORE WILL I RATHER GLORY IN MY INFIRMITIES, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME."

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"ALL things," says the wise man, come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked." But though this may be true as regards the circumstances and incidents of life, it is not true as respects their tendencies and results. Nothing in short can be wider than the difference between the effects of the same dispensations on the different characters alluded to. To the ungodly, even their very blessings are cursed by

being perverted into occasions and instruments of sin. Health is wasted in dissipation; wealth is lavished in pomps or pleasures; the means of grace themselves, being received in vain, become a savour of death unto death; so that in short, that which should have been for their welfare, is turned, through their own corruptions, into a snare and a trap to them. With the righteous it is not so.

All things work together for good to them that love God." Dispensations, however trying, providences, however seemingly adverse, afflictions, however multiplied, all combine with more than the precision of the most consummate machinery to work out for the believer" a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Many, I doubt not, can set their seal to the truth of this position, and reviewing the end of the Lord, can say, "It was good for me that I was afflicted." The text, however, presents us with a still more remarkable phenomenon, by exhibiting an eminent servant and apostle of Christ, triumphing in, rather than triumphing over, the temptation of Satan himself. The history is as familiar as it is interesting; but as it furnishes a new and important illustration of our general subject, it cannot be a vain repetition to put you in remembrance of its leading features.

The Corinthian Church, with that levity and inconstancy which is the invariable accompaniment of spiritual pride, had manifested a disposition to depreciate the gifts of the apostle to whom they owed so much, and who had the care of the

Church, and the welfare of every member of it continually in his heart; and to mar the unity of the body, by separating into different sects or parties, each with some new light, and independent teacher at its head. To convince them of their sin and folly, and evidently with the utmost violence to his feelings, the apostle becomes, according to his own expression, "a fool in glorying," asserts his equality with the very chiefest apostles, nay reminds them of his more abundant labours, and pre-eminent sufferings. At last he comes, in the opening of the chapter before us, to visions and revelations of the Lord, and with the utmost simplicity of manner, and humility of spirit, recounts the astonishing history of his rapture into the third heaven, the paradise of God. Never had eye seen, nor ear heard, nor had it entered into the heart of man to conceive" the glories which were then unveiled to the apostle's eyes, or the unspeakable words which fell upon his ears. But though so highly favoured, he was left frail and fallible still, a man of like passions with his brethren, and liable as they were to temptations to sin. Indeed it would appear, that his danger was imminent. Of all sins, the most universal and easily-besetting is pride; and of all the varieties of pride, the most hateful and perilous is spiritual pride. As a Pharisee, the Apostle felt that if any were entitled, he was more than most, to have confidence in the flesh. Now he was advanced to an infinitely loftier eminence, as having been

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actually admitted into the palace of the great King, and his temptation would be to have confidence in the spirit.

The text gives us the history and success of the antidote, which was ministered to this eminent

servant of Christ. "And lest," he says, "I

should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." We discover then, this remarkable fact, that the antidote against one temptation was supplied by another and counter-temptation-so that our God is able to make not merely the wrath of man, but the malice of Satan to praise him. The subject, my brethren, is full of interest and instruction. Let us endeavour to address ourselves to its investigation in an humble and prayerful spirit. It I will lead us to notice

I. THE DESIGN OF THE TEMPTATION.

II. THE NATURE OF IT.

III. THE APOSTLE'S RESOURCE UNDER IT.
IV. THE ANSWER VOUCHSAFED TO HIS PRAYER.
V. HIS AFTER ESTIMATE OF THE WHOLE.

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