6313 !1$k ARE 1)1,114G CIttA2'VRE5. ferings, and yet he is saved ; in all these deaths, and yet he lives-: he speaks with a sort of admiration, Behold we live. He tells us, the apostles carried about the trea- eure of this glorious gospel in earthen vessels, 2 Ceri iv. 7. One would wonder that his earthen vessel 'had not been broken to pieces long before : this makes him re- eemble his life to the life and death of Christ, for the life of Christ was full of sufferings and sorrows. Q Cor. iv. 10, I 1. Or the words, Life of Christ, may be construed ill another sense, viz. 'Notwithstanding all these deaths, yet I.live, to shew that Christ is alive, and bath power in heaven to preserve such an earthen vessel from being broken ; and that partly according to the promise of Christ, Because I live, ye shall live also :" John xiv. 19. Now, as it was with this great apostle in a most eminent degree, so it is in some measure with every christian. lire appear as dying creatures in many senses, and yet behold, we live. Give me leave to employ your medita- tions this day, in paraphrasing these words of the apos- tle in a sense somewhat larger than is precisely designed in my text, and accommodating or applying them to our own case. First. We may be considered as dying creatures, with regard to the natural life of the body. Secondly.' With regard to the courage of our hearts, and our hopes, and our comforts in this life. Thirdly. With regard to our spiritual estate, or the heavenly life that is begin in us, which consists in holi- ness and peace. And though we are poor dying creatures in all these respects, yet to the gloryofthe grace of God, " E Behold we live." 'And; as the apostle expresses it, Acts xxvi. 22. " Having obtained help of God, we con- " tinue to this day." Under each of these general heads, I shall briefly represent our dying circumstances, and then put you in mind of the methods which providence and grace make use of to continue us in life. First. We are dying creatures with regard to the natural life of this body. What continual need of fresh renewal of life, lest hunger and thirst shoulddestroy our nature and dissolve our frame ? What seeds of weak- ness and disease lurk within us, and often break out and bring down our tabernacle near to the grave ? And when we think them gone, their symptoms return again with new. terror. What perpetual danger are we exposed to
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