Self - government- efential to Wifdom. 239 ners. To encourage and animate us infhak- S E x tvr; ing off the yoke of fin, and returning to God, IL the hope of forgivenefs is confirmed by the facrifice of Chrift's death, in whom God hath declared himfelf well pleafed, and reconciled to finners who obey the gofpel ; and the fpi- rit is promifed and given to help our infir- mities, and. where the fpirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. iii. 17. The tendency of his afiïftance and operations, and of the whole chriftian minifiration, is to refcue fin - ners from the molt reproachful and painful bondage of fin, and teach them to rule over themfèlves, to deny felf, not reafon and con - fcience, the power of which is re-efiablifhed by the miniftration of the Spirit, but the ex- travagançies of paflion, and the irregular de- fires of the flefh and of the mind. Let usa therefore, having fo great encouragement, be prevailed with to ufe our beft endeavours that we may more and more underftand and ac- çuftom ourfelves to this difcipline, that fo making confiant proficiency in wifdom, we may enjoy the fruits of it here in pleafantnefs and peace, and have the affured hopes of the reward which God bath promifed hereafter to the wife, Dan. xii. 3. That they 'hall thine as the brightnefr of the firmament,, not in out- ward fplendor, but true fubftantial glory. S S E R- Y--
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