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done in our strength can profit our souls, if offered in the way of merit, atonement, or justification. Further, the regenerate cannot undervalue the law.

4th. Because it admits of a surety.

Though no surety was promised to Adam, in case of his transgressions, nor yet after his transgression till he was tried and condemned; yet it may be gathered from this, that had none been admitted, we should have had no need of a gospel. The whole of the law must have consisted in threatenings; the coming of Christ himself would have been needless, and man himself must have been either his own surety, or suffered the punishment his sins deserved. And further, of what use would have been the types and shadows of good things to come, which are unfolded in the law, if thosegood things never were to come; if a surety was not admitted; and if a priest, intercessor, and dying ransom were not allowed, in the wisdom of, nor sent forth by the power of God.

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We see however a surety promised under the Old Testament, sent under the New: typified under the Old, fulfilling the types in the New. Born under the law, (whose dispensation, though it decayed gradually from the destruction of the first temple, was not totally abolished, till the coming of Christ and the final ruin of the second temple), the law acknowledged its sovereign Lord, received

into open arms the Lord Jesus, a babe at Bethle hem, yet the king of Kings: supported the purpose for which he came, viz. to magnify the law and make it honorable by fulfilling its requirement, sav, ing sinners agreeably thereto; by fulfilling its requirements in his own person; in his sufferings and obedience to the death of the cross. And feeling that the law for Christ's sake submits to the blotting out of the hand writing of ordinances against them: for this cause the regenerate prize the law; count it holy just and good whilst it condemns, seeing it acknowledges the coming, suffering, merit, death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and eternal kingdom of Christ in bliss, over all whom he hath chosen.

13th. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. John xiii. 38.

Boldness in the cause of God and truth is an admirable feature in a Christian's character, and zeal is laudable when it has the honor of God for its end. Yet much humility is wanted that the boundaries of grace may not be passed, and that an unsupported arm of flesh be not lifted up for a divine end. We see an instance of Peter's boldly defending his master, with an ardent, but not with an humble zeal; and even when reproved persisting in his determination, without duly considering the weakness of flesh and blood. To consider the subject a little more fully, we will 1st. trace the par

ticulars of Peter's conduct, and 2d. The consequences or the awful nature of denying Christ.

Peter had been lately reproved of Christ, for his unwillingness to suffer our Lord to wash his feet, and when he was forewarned of the consequence, viz. that if Christ washed not his feet, he had no part with him, his excess of zeal hurried him to the other extreme. So that he cried out, "Lord not 36. my feet only, but also my hands and my head." The strange conduct of Judas, and the inexplicable language of our Lord, declaring that one of his disciples should betray him; the explanation thereof, that he to whom he should give the sop, should betray him; the giving of the sop to Judas; the hasty departure of the latter on receiving it, the language of Christ on the occasion, "That thou doest, do "quickly." The apostrophe of Jesus whose meaning the disciples knew not, " Now is the Son of "Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

Ye shall seek me, and as I said unto the Jews, "Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say "unto you;" these things roused a spirit of enquiry in the mind of the disciples, and kindled a flame of love for their Lord. Peter burning with zeal and affection for Christ," said unto him, Lord "whither goest thou? Jesus answered him whi"ther I go, thou canst not follow me now; but "thou shalt follow me afterwards. Peter, (in"flamed still more in his zeal, by any opposing "circumstances) said unto him, Lord why cannot

"I follow thee now? I will lay down my life "for thy sake." Another Evangelist has added that Peter, "spake the more vehemently, If I "should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any "wise," Mark xiv. 31. See also Matt. xxvi. 35. Alas! the sequel informs us how sadly Peter kept his resolution, how he was unmanned, and unchristianed too, (if I may so speak) that thrice hẹ denied his blessed Lord, once before a weak and harmless damsel, and once with bitter oaths and Well was it for Simon Peter that his master had prayed for him, that satan should have him not, to sift him as wheat as he desired. Hav ing premised these things, I observe

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2dly. The consequences or awful nature of denying Christ, and these are two-fold: 1st. To those so denying. 2d. To those who hear the denial.

1st. To those so denying; and this according to their general character, as first, witness Judas, he denied and betrayed his master, the awful nature of which was soon visible, for he hanged himself and his bowels gushed out. Alas! this man from a devilish principle denied his Lord: he went to his own place, to suffer for ever the punishment due to the foulest crime. 2d. Witness Peter, he went out and wept bitterly. He suffered pain of conscience, and anguish of heart, and remembered with bitterness, yet with humility and circumspection, his fatal denial all his life; yet he could not fall into perdition, because Christ prayed for him

and determined to defeat the devilish designs of Satan, to enlist this saint of God under his banners. Oh the blessed effects of being in Christ, Satan may desire to sift us as wheat, yea he may have his will so far as to sift us as wheat, yet if we are in Christ, he can only get the chaff for his portion, and after all the wheat must be gathered into the of God.

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2d. To those who hear the denial. If the character of Jesus were unknown to those around the

judgment hall, what must they think of the religion of Jesus: that if it leads men to lie, to curse and to swear, little indeed then has it to boast; and it is to be laimented that the imperfections of God's people in all ages, have caused the wicked to speak ill of our Lord. Oh how circumspect should Christians be in their lives, and conduct, and conversation; and if the character of Christ was known, how little and mean, must a denying and blaspheming Peter look in the eyes of all around him, for observe the men of this world are the most quicksighted on the failings of the righteous; nor do they hold for the latter that charity, nor bear them that love, that would lead them to put the best construction on their unjustifiable conduct. The consequences of God's people denying Christ are awful, as they lead God's enemies more to blaspheme; more to degrade a precious Saviour, and more to shut their eyes, and harden their hearts against his gospel: and for these things God's peo

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