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Walk as among

an enemy. Regard it with caution. fnares. Be circumfpect; be watchful; and if you would pass through the world with fafety, recollect,

IV. THAT THE DIVINE PROTECTION IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUR SECURITY. The more valuable things are, the more dependent will they be found. Sheep require more care than wolves; vines than brambles; a garden demands more attention than a wilderness; and children are reared with far greater folicitude than animal young. Nothing equals the dependence of the christian; but herein lie all his spiritual refources; for when he "is weak, then he is strong." When in himself he can do nothing, he forms an alliance with Omnipotence, and can do all things.

Be fenfible of your inability to sustain and defend yourselves. Bring under your review all thofe, who poffeffing every advantage, have drawn back unto per dition. They advanced far, and promised well; but like a ftone urged up the fide of a hill, which, when the impelling force is removed, rufhes back with greater velocity, and bounds further into the plain below; so these have entered again into the world, and are more diftinguifhed by its vices and follies than before.

"For if after they have efcaped the pollutions "of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord "and Saviour Jefus Chrift, they are again entangled "therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse than "the beginning."

Mark the falls of good men themselves, who have been "recovered from the fnare of the devil." When they went forth, but not "in the ftrength of the

"Lord," they were found unequal to the trial, and by bitter experience were convinced of their weakness. When our Saviour had informed the disciples, that, "the Shepherd would be fmitten, and the fheep scat"tered abroad;" Peter faid, "though all men should "be offended because of thee, I will never be of"fended." When our Lord gave him the premonition "before the cock crow twice, thou fhalt deny me "thrice;" he exclaimed, "though I should die with "thee, yet will I not deny thee." He was fincere, but felf-confident; and what was the confequence? His refolution failed him; and he denied his Lord with" oaths and curfes."

Weigh well the language of One, who knows what is in man, and who has faid "without me ye can do nothing:" compare your experience with it; and painful as it will be, call to your remembrance the numerous variations, inftabilities, declenfions, backflidings of your lives.

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Be equally perfuaded also, that the divine power is as adequate, as it is neceffary to your prefervation. "Even the youths fhall faint and be weary, and the young men fhall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord fhall renew their strength; they fhall "mount up with wings as eagles, they fhall run and "not be weary, and they fhall walk and not faint." It is his character, and his prerogative; "he is able to "keep you from falling, and to present you faultlefs "before the prefence of his glory with exceeding joy." He preserved Abijah in the wicked family of Jeroboam. He fecured "faints even in Cæfar's household.' Behold yonder illuftrious "multitude standing before the throne, with palms in their hands." Full of

weakness, they paffed through a world of danger; their fufficiency was of God; he enabled them "to "hold on their way, and to wax ftronger and ftron"ger;" he "girded them with strength, and made "their way perfect;" by "him they ran through a "troop, and leaped over a wall;" by him they "trod 66 on the lion and adder, the young lion and the drag"on they trampled under feet ;" and He is the fame. His "hand is not fhortened that it cannot fave, nor "his ear heavy that it cannot hear." "The Lord re

"deemeth the foul of his fervants: and none of them "that truft in him shall be defolate."

As the divine protection is neceffary, and adequate to your defence, fo it is attainable; and the last divifion of our subject fhews us how it is to be obtained

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BY PRAYER.

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Ask, and it shall be given you; feek, and ye fhall find; knock, and it shall be open❝ed unto you." Hence the practice of the faints; "Set a watch, O Lord, upon my lips, keep the door "of my mouth." "Hold thou me up, and I shall be "fafe." "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." "Uphold "me according to thy word, that I may live; and let "me not be ashamed of my hope." "Lead us not "into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

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Christians however are fenfible of the imperfections of their own performances. They can fcarcely call their weak efforts, prayer; "like a crane, or a fwal“low, so did I chatter. Could I fee an inspired rec"ord of all my prayers; could I fee as God does the "manner in which I have always addreffed him; the

"vain thoughts; the numberless distractions; how of "ten I have asked amifs; fometimes without ardour, "sometimes without confidence." Hence it is a pleafing relief to their minds, to know that their brethren pray for them; that God is daily hearing from lips more devout than their own, "Do good, O Lord, un"to those that be good, and to them that are upright "in their hearts." "Let all thofe that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee: let fuch as love thy falvation, fay continually, the Lord be magnified." Is my character here defcribed? How pleafing is it to reflect, that I am peculiarly interested in the daily fupplications of all the people of God; and that "the ef"fectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth "much!"

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But their chief confolation is derived from a higher fource. "And another angel came and stood at the "altar, having a golden censer; and there was given "unto him much incenfe, that he fhould offer it with "the prayers of all faints upon the golden altar, which 66 was before the throne. And the smoke of the in"cenfe which came with the prayers of the faints, af"cended up before God, out of the angel's hand." Thus Jefus perfumes and prefents our fervices; thus he obtains for our fupplications audience and accepWhether the interceffion of our High Priest in heaven be verbal, or mental only, it is not neceffary for us to determine. We know it is real; we know that "he appears in the prefence of God for "us ;"we know that having been "reconciled by his "death, "we fhall be faved by his life ;" and that "he is able alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that

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έσ come unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to "make interceffion for them." however to caution you, not to and defign of his interceffion.

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God, as if he were ignorant; to remind him, as if he were forgetful; or to perfuade him, as if he were unThe appointment is entirely his own; it sprang from his mercy, and exemplifies his wifdom. What a view does it give us of the majefty and holiness of God, that he will not fuffer us to approach him without a Mediator! How powerfully does it remind us of our unworthinefs and vileness! How loudly does it preach to us reverence and humility! What becomes of felf-righteoufnefs, if we can bring nothing deferving the divine regards; if our beft duties need forgiveness, rather than recompenfe; if "the iniquity "of our most holy things" would be fufficient to deftroy all our confidence? But, O how it meets the fears of the returning finner, and the difcouragements of the dejected faint! "We have boldness and accefs "with confidence by the faith of Him." If this difpenfation were not defignedly typified, it is beautifully illuftrated in the addrefs of God "to Eliphaz, and "his two friends.” "You have not spoken of me "the thing that is right; therefore take unto you "now feven bullocks, and feven rams, and go to my "fervant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my fervant Job fhall pray for you, for "him will I accept: left I deal with you after your folly."

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We conclude by obferving, what a view this gives us of our Lord and Saviour. What an infinitely im

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