viilabiwilmm=1111...4140' andcare for, hisPeople under Temptation. 237 And beloved in the Lord ; Labour to keep the fine's. of his love warm upon your hearts; Look as it iswithwater in win- ter; fo with your hearts in this refpeEt : So long as the fire is under the water, and thewater is hot, it freezes not; but when the heat goes off, and thewater is cold, then ice comesupon it. And fo long as your heart is kept up in the fence of Chrifts love, and warm with Chrifts love; fo long the ice comes not, the temptation comes not. The (lumber ofgrace, is apreparation to fin,and apreparation to temp- tation. When onceour hearts grow cold, and grow re- miffe ; then way ismade to temptation : and therefore, if you would anfwer Jefus Chrift; Oh ! labour tokeep the fence ofhis love ftill upon your hearts. And when the temptation is come: Then lookupon yip's Chrifi. No temptation fo violent, or fierce, but a thought may fleal out, and get a look upon Jefus Chrift. The fight ofCbriff on the Croft, is a judge upon theBench againfr all temp- tation. The confiderationof 1hree things, keeps one from the power of temptatio. The worthofa foul :The hainoufneft offin: And the love ofChrifl. And you fee all thefe in Chrift upon the Croffe. When temptationcomes, Rand& look upon him. You know, that when the Ifraelites were flung, they were then to look upon the brafenfirpent, and by their very looking upon it , they were cured thereby. The Lord Jefus Chrift is our brafen-ferpent, lift up upon Gofpel poles , having more excellency than any brafen-ferpent : That was but a piece of braffe : he is the God of glory. That for a time : he is our High-Prieft, and lives for ever. That for the Jewes only : but he for Jew and Gentile. That for thofe that could fee ; and ifany poor, blind man was flung, it was a'cafe, what fhould become of the blind man, how fhould he look upon the brafen ferpent? how fhould he be cured ; but this our brafen ferpent, is able to give you an eye. Beloved! this Ordinance is ftill on foot spiritually. And therefore Chrift faies by the Prophet kfay, Loo&unto me from all the ends ofthe earth, and be faved. Oh ! when a temptation comes; poor tempted foul, ad- a a dreffe
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