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ever think he can pay too much; fuppofing this was actually the cafe, (which it cannot poffibly ever be) it is but a right-hand mistake, and a pitiable failing, for which we might humbly hope for pardon; but, on the other hand, fhould it turn out, that Jefus is God over all, bleffed for ever; and that He, against whom have been employed the fhafts of farcafm and ridicule, or the more fpecious weapons of fallacious reafonings, will vindicate his injured Deity; the miftake may be fatal indeed! Before then to ufe the words of an eminent divine a) we venture to dethrone our God and Saviour, and bring him down to the rank of creatures; before we prefume to ftrip him of thofe honours, and that worship, which he has held in the chriftian church, thefe 1700 years, by the wifeft, the greatest, and moft eminent men, that ever adorned humanity; it will be but the part of wisdom, to have every veftige of fufpicion removed, that our conduct will not offend the fupreme Judge, and fo not rufh upon irreparable ruin. For the time faft approaches, when the fcene of human affairs wil vanish away, like a fleeting dream; when the globe itself, and all its ftupendous works, fhall diffolve, and, like the baseless fabrick of a vifion, leave not a wreck behind! Then, that fame Jefus, whom men are too apt to defpife, will afcend the great white throne, and fummon the univerfe to attend his procedure! For, behold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall fee him, and they aljo which pierced him. This mighty event, Daniel, through the revolution of ages, faw, in prophetic vifion, and has defcribed it in language that might make the heart of the boldeft difputant to quake! I beheld till the thrones were caft down, and the ancient of days did fit, whofe garment was white as fnow, and the hair of his head

a Dr Waterland.

head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, &c. his wheels as burning fire. A fiery ftream fued, and came forth from before him; thousand thousands miniftered unto him, ten thousand food before him; and the books were opened a.

and ten thousand times the judgment was fet,

"Confider, O my foul, fhalt thou be there."

YOUNG'S LAST DAY.

Then ten thousands of worlds, could they be offered, to be found of him in peace, would be offered in vain! But I hope better things of you, my refpectable, and worthy audience, and things that accompany falvation. I turn now, with pleasure, to the friends of Jefus, whofe Deity they adore, and on whose atonement they reft their hopes.

II. I congratulate you then, upon two things, the principles you have adopted, and the company of whom you have made choice.

As to the firft, you have believed that the Divine Nature is the alone object of worship; and that whatever perfonal characters or offices, we confider the perfon worshipped under, divine goes along with all. Thus, Jefus, is a divine Mediator, a divine Prophet, a divine Prieft, a divine King; and fo your worship of him never wants its proper object, never moves from its proper foundation, but remains conftantly the fame. And all the acts and offices of Chrift, relative to us, are only fo many manifeftations of his goodness, power, wifdom, and other Attributes, which attributes are founded in the divine nature, which nature is common to Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. Thus all our acknowledgments center and terminate in one

• Dan, vii. 9, 10.

and

"

and the fame divine nature, one God, over all, bleffed for ever.-Hold fast, therefore, these facred truths; beware of a difputatious fpirit; avoid the fociety of thofe who have fit down in the chair of the fcornful, of thofe mockers, whofe bands, alas! will be made but too ftrong. Pray daily, for deeper infight into the perfon and glories of Chrift; and, in proportion as your knowledge is encreafed, fo will all your graces acquire additional growth and vigour, till you shall know, even as you are known, and be loft in eternal wonder, love, and praise.

I congratulate you upon your company. Seeft thou a man diligent in bufinefs, he ball stand before princes, and not before mean men, faid the wifeft of men. And truly a found faith, and holy life, entitle you to the beft of company. At the head of thefe is the Deity himself. You heard his voice from the excellent glory, exprefling these majestic words, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. And fo am I too, re-echoed back your faith, He is all my falvation, and all my defire. This Immanuel fhall be my God for ever and ever, he shall be my guide, even unto death. Angels join with you in adoring and admiring, with out-ftretched necks, the endless glories of the Son of God. Those mighty potentates of heaven, who, in comparison of men, are called Gods, the appearance of whofe glory ftruck prophets almoft dead with fear, and tempted an apoftle to idolatry; yet thefe Gods are commanded to worship him, and, with joy, they fing a new fong, Worthy is the Lamb, &c. Adam, and all the Patriarchs; Mofes, and all the Prophets, faw his day, afar off; they faw it, and were glad; or, as the Greek word fignifies, they leaped for joy. The whole Old Teftament Church cried out, with one voice, Make hafte, our beloved, be thou like a roe,

or

or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bether. The holy Apoftles made him the theme, and delightful fubject, of that Gofpel, with which they filenced philofophers, ftruck oracles dumb, and overturned the religion of the world; and faithful Minifters, in every age, have made Jefus the fcope and center of all their difcourfes a. The illuftrious army of Confeffors, and Martyrs, who came out of great tribulation, having wathed their robes in his blood, furround his throne, and make heaven refound with eternal anthems of joy. All holy and good men, in every age, and of every denomination of chriftians, however they differed in leffer matters, uniformly agreed in faying, In the Lord alone have we righteoufnefs, and ftrength; Chrift is all in all.

And now, that I may close the subject, suffer a fhort word of exhortation:

Let obedience to Chrift, and his holy precepts, run, like a thread of gold, through the whole web of your life. By this hall all men know that ye are my Difciples, if you do whatfoever I command you. He is thy Lord, therefore worship thou him. In your fervices of God, let fincerity be your chief aim, and his glory your leading motive. In your focial dealings with men, be ftrictly juft, and fincerely kind; and let your benevolence have no other bounds than the whole human race. Maintain in your minds a conftant correfpondence with heaven; enthrone God, and his law, in your hearts. And when your fhort day of life fhall come to a clofe, and the fhadows

a Said one of the renowned fathers, "Were the highest heavens, my 66 pulpit, and all the angels, with the numberlefs hofts of the redeemed, my audience, and eternity my day, Jefus, fhould alone be my text." And an eminent Minifter, in Scotland, repeating this magnificent fentiment, in his fermon, added, (with more piety than precifion) and I would go up after him and preach from the fame text, in the afternoon.

shadows of death fet down on your eye-lids, then, O then, repofe your fouls in the bofom of him, who faid, Come unto me all ye who labour, and I will give you reft. He will bear you up, and carry you over the cold waters of the Jordan of death, and with his own gentle hand will wipe away all your tears, and introduce you to an innumerable company of angels, and to the fpirits of juft men made perfect, and to God, the Judge of All. Where may we all be, in his own good time, may God grant, for Jefus' fake.

Amen.

FIN I S.

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