117 / 674
SERM.
XXXVI.]
OF
CHRISTS
ATOVEMENT.
97
ment of Jesus our
Saviour. We
are ready
to,
look on
popery
now as lying
afar
oft
across
the
seas, as an
evil
'thing at
a
great
distance, and are
not
so
much
impressed
with
a
grateful
sense
of
our preservation
from
it.
We
are too
soon forgetful
of
our narrow escape
from this
mischief, by
the
late revolution, and the
protestant
suc-
cession
;
by
the
arm
of
God, and
by
the
two
best
of
kings,
William
our deliverer, and George
our defender.
Had
it
not been for these
providences
of
heaven,
and
these princes on earth,
our land
might have been
filled
with
these superstitions, and they might have been im-
posed on
us,
under
the
penalties of imprisonment and
poverty,
torment
and death.
And
how
could
we
stand
in the fiery
trial?
Awake, O
my
heart, and
let
my
tongue awake into songs
of praise
and salvation,
that
I
am
not tempted or compelled
to
disgrace the blood
of
my
_Saviour
by
having
other atonements
for
sin
imposed on
my
conscience. And
in
the midst
of
thy praises to
God,
O
my sold,
drop
a
tear of
pity
on thy
brethren,
who
dwell
in
the midst
of
these
temptations,
and
in
the
language
of
Christian sympathy,
lift up
a
groan
to
heaven for them,
and
say,
How
long,
O Lord,
how
long?
But let
my
thoughts
return
home from the popish
coun-
tries and
their superstitions.
It
is
not
enough for me'to
renounce the inventions of
men,
as
any
part of
my
right
-
eousness, to
procure
my
pardon and acceptance
in
the
sight
of
God, but
even
the duties
which
God
himself has
required,
the duties
of
faith and
love,
of repentance and
new obedience,
must never
stand
in
the
room
of
the
atonement.
of
Christ. They are
all
poor
defective works,
and want
to be
sprinkled
with
the blood
of
his
sacrifice
!
They
were
never designed
to
join
with
the obedience
of
Christ,
in
procuring
the favour
of
an offended
God.
Have a
care,
therefore,
O
my
soul,
of
resting
in
the
best
of
thy
holy
services,
or
of-
making them
a
matter
of
merit,
to
introduce
thee
before
his
presence. When thou
art
raised
nearest
to
heaven
in
the
practice
of
christian
graces and duties,
fall down
before the throne, confess
thy unworthiness,
and.
say,
Ps.
cxxx.
3,
4.
"
If
thou,
O Lord,
shouldst mark iniquities,
-,
who can
stand?
But
there
is
forgiveness with thee,"
and
plentiful
redemption
by
the blood
of Jesus. There
lies all my
hope.
Thus
I have finished the two
inferences
for
instruction,
VOL.
II,
}I