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only evidence we can have to give of our sincerity with Christ, and of the truth and soundness of our faith.

And that Christ here speaks only of believers, and of their works done to believers, in faith, and for his sake, not as the ground, or meritorious cause of their reward, but as the fruit and proof of their love to him for the great salvation he has wrought for them, is evident: 1. Because faith is the right Christian principle of action, distinguisheth a Christian from all other men, and whatever proceeds from it is therefore accounted by Christ as done to himself. 2. Because the persons here spoken to are represented as retaining to the last a sense of their unworthiness, and as it were disclaiming all title to the glory now in their view, for any thing they had done. This is the true character of believers, who, as sure as they are such, and know how they are saved, make no reckoning of their works and services. Whereas those on the left hand, blind to the last, boldly advance their pretensions to favour, and seem surprised to have it laid to their charge, that they had left any thing undone. 3. It can hardly be supposed that Christ calls any but believers his brethren; surely not those whom he prònounces accursed. And, therefore, the works on which he sets so great a value, are not indiscriminately those of liberality, or bounty to the poor, how great soever; but only acts of kindness flowing from dear respect to him, and the charity of relieving and comforting his needy, suffering, persecuted members, as such, and because they belong to him. It is not hereby intended to discountenance the exercise of beneficence, from whatever motive it may proceed, nor confine it to those of the household of faith, if they could certainly be known. Doing good for Christ's sake is not only the truest, but the most extensive principle of action, takes in all mankind, and is great in his

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account, whoever is the object of it. But, nevertheless, the kindness showed to believers under that denomination, and owning Christ and his truth in them, though with cost and danger, as being the visible effect, and sure evidence of a lively faith, is that which, in a more especial manner, is here proposed to our imitation.

What now does the awakened soul say upon the whole, knowing, from our Lord's own mouth, that the awful time will come, and that every man's sentence will be according to what he hath done? He says at once, What is all the world to my interest and concern in that great day? God forbid that I should be unmindful of it, and neglect my preparation for it; and may the God of all grace bless this warning to me which I have now heard, and seal the instruction to my heart. Do you not hear this warning and instruction? Are these solemn words lightly regarded by you, and will you still go on careless and unawakened, without ever remembering that God will bring you to judgment? You should tremble to think of your condition. If what you have heard is true, what will become of you? Hear it again, and the Lord strike it deep into all your souls this day" Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And know for certain that the Scripture cannot be broken; God is not a man that he should lie; Christ did not say what he never intended to make good; "these," all who appear before Christ without a living, working faith," shall go away into everlasting punishment." Speak, Lord, thy own words with thy own power; for though we know and believe them to be thine, we shall hear them in vain, without the operation of the Holy Ghost. Blessed Spirit, reveal them to our hearts. And for this let us all pray.

PRAYER.

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God and heirs of everlasting life; grant us, we beseech thee, that having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that when he shall appear again with power and great glory, we may be made like unto him in his eternal and glorious kingdom. Let that day be ever present to our minds, when we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, to give account of the things done in the body, and receive according to that we have done, whether it be good or bad. We are bound to thank thee for the warning thou hast given us of it; for the method thou hast taken to prepare us for it in Jesus Christ; for the gift of thy Spirit to quicken us to a lively expectation of it, and conduct us happily to it through all the dangers and temptations of this mortal life. Let thy word, which we have heard this day, be assuredly believed by us, that renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, according to our vow in baptism, we may separate ourselves to Christ now in will and desire, despise every thing in comparison of our portion in him, and be confirmed in all well-doing, by meditating continually on the glory and blessedness of being owned by him as his faithful servants. Lord, it is of thy grace that we do any thing that is good, and of thy mercy that we are accepted, Purify our hearts by faith, that in the sense of thy undeserved goodness to us we may abound in acts of mercy to all men, especially to them that are of the household of faith, and may inherit the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, for all that unfeignedly love thee in Jesus Christ, our hope, our blessed Redeemer and only Saviour. Amen and Amen.

SECTION LIX.

ST. MATTHEW, Xxvi. 1.

The Fourth Day of the Holy Week *.

WHEN Jesus had finished all these sayings- Either what he had to declare in the course of his ministry, or since his last coming to Jerusalem.

Ver. 2. And the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified -A death inflicted only on slaves, and the worst of malefactors. Mark with what ease and calmness he speaks of it, knowing that for this end he came into the world. Nevertheless, there was one thing, and but one in all nature, that could put his fortitude to the trial, as you will find in this chapter and the next.

Ver. 5. But they said, not on the feast, &c.—Nay, but it must be then, in spite of their subtilty, that the true Paschal Lamb might be offered on the paschal feast; and the same will of God, which delivered him into their hands, appointed also the time.

Ver. 7. There came unto him a woman, having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, &c. - The most precious thing she had, or could think of, to show respect to Christ. There are two other instances of the same kind recorded besides this, Luke, vii. John, xii. and all of women. The tender passions, in which they excel, exert themselves with equal force when they are sanctified by grace.

Ver. 8. His disciples had indignation. - St. Mark also says, some had indignation; which shows it to be a different action, at a different time from that, John, xii.

*

Mark, xiv. 1-11. Luke, xxii. 1-6. John, xiii. 1—30.

where Judas only is mentioned as finding fault, together with the reason of it, viz. because he was a thief. But that censure did not belong to the other disciples, and therefore it is omitted here.

-To what purpose is this waste?-They were not capable at this time of entering into the spirit and tem→ per with which the action was performed. So we, with our cold hearts, may be too apt to censure what Christ highly approves.

Ver. 10. For she hath wrought a good work upon me. →→→→ Let us all think how we may give him occasion to say of us, that we have wrought a good work upon him. He will set a high value on a single word spoken for him.

Ver. 11. But me ye have not always-Notwithstanding, he has told us in the foregoing chapter in what sense we have, and must have, him always with us.

Ver. 12. She did it for my burial. This was a word to the disciples. They thought not of his death, and much less that it was so near at hand.

Ver. 13. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever, &c.-Great was her faith and love; and Christ would have the memory of the action preserved for our sakes, and to show how well pleased he is with the open expression of our love to him. Thou wilt not grudge to be at some cost for him, if thou hast ability. Thy heart may be this box of precious ointment, if thou hast no more.

Ver. 14. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went, &c.-You verily think you abhor Judas and his treachery, and that you would not have sold Christ for the world. But remember every sinner sells him over and over again, and many times for much less than thirty pieces of silver.

Ver. 15. For thirty pieces of silver-The price of a servant; Exod. xxi. 32. Canst thou be so undervalued?

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