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044 - Satans Devices · Sermons on Several Occasions, First Series

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  Speaker 1: Section forty three of Sermons on Several Occasions A first series.
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  Speaker 1: This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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  Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
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  Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Greg Geirdano. Sermons on
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  Speaker 1: Several Occasions, First series by John Wesley. Satan's devices. We
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  Speaker 1: are not ignorant of his devices Second Corinthians two eleven.
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  Speaker 1: The devices whereby the subtle God of this world labors
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  Speaker 1: to destroy the children of God, or at least to
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  Speaker 1: torment whom he cannot destroy, to perplex and hinder them
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  Speaker 1: in running the race which is set before them. Are
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  Speaker 1: numberless as the stars of heaven or the sand upon
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  Speaker 1: the sea shore. But it is of one of them
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  Speaker 1: only that I now propose to speak, Although exerted in
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  Speaker 1: various ways, whereby he endeavors to divide the Gospel against itself,
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  Speaker 1: and by one part of it to overthrow the other.
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  Speaker 1: The inward Kingdom of Heaven, which is set up in
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  Speaker 1: the heart of all that we pent and believe the Gospel,
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  Speaker 1: is no other than righteousness and peace and joy in
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  Speaker 1: the Holy Ghost. Every babe in Christ knows we are
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  Speaker 1: made partakers of these the very hour that we believe
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  Speaker 1: in Jesus. These are only the first fruits of His spirit.
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  Speaker 1: The harvest is not yet. Although these blessings are inconceivably great,
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  Speaker 1: yet we trust to seek greater than these. We trust
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  Speaker 1: to love the Lord, our God, not only as we
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  Speaker 1: do now with the weak though sincere affection, but with
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  Speaker 1: all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul,
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  Speaker 1: with all our strength. We look for power to rejoice evermore,
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  Speaker 1: to pray without ceasing in everything, to give thanks, knowing
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  Speaker 1: this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. Concerning us,
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  Speaker 1: we expect to be meet perfect in love, in that
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  Speaker 1: love which casts out all painful fear and all desire,
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  Speaker 1: but that of glorifying Him we love, and of loving
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  Speaker 1: and serving Him more and more. We look for such
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  Speaker 1: an increase in the experimental knowledge and love of God
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  Speaker 1: our Savior, as will enable us always to walk in
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  Speaker 1: the light, as He is in the light. We believe
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  Speaker 1: the whole mind will be in us, which was also
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  Speaker 1: in Christ Jesus, that we shall love every man, so
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  Speaker 1: as to be ready to lay down our life for
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  Speaker 1: his sake, so as by this love to be freed
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  Speaker 1: from anger, and pride, and from every unkind affection. We
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  Speaker 1: expect to be cleansed from all our idols, from all filthiness,
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  Speaker 1: whether of flesh or spirit, to be saved from all
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  Speaker 1: our uncleannesses, in word or outward, to be purified as
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  Speaker 1: He is pure. We trust in His promise, who cannot lie,
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  Speaker 1: that the time will surely come when in every word
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  Speaker 1: and work we shall do His blessed will on earth
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  Speaker 1: as it is done in heaven. When all our conversations
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  Speaker 1: shall be ceased with salt, all meet to minister grace
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  Speaker 1: to the hearers. When whether we eat or drink, or
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  Speaker 1: whatever we do, it shall be done to the glory
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  Speaker 1: of God. When all our words and deeds shall be
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  Speaker 1: in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks unto God,
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  Speaker 1: even the Father through him. Now this is the grand
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  Speaker 1: device of Satan, to destroy the first work of God
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  Speaker 1: and the soul, or at least to hinder us increase
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  Speaker 1: by our expectation of that greater work. Is therefore my
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  Speaker 1: present design, first to point out the several ways whereby
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  Speaker 1: He endeavors this, and secondly to observe how we may
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  Speaker 1: retort those fiery darts of the wicked one, how we
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  Speaker 1: may rise the higher by what he intends for an
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  Speaker 1: occasion of our falling. I am first to point out
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  Speaker 1: the several ways where by Satan endeavors to destroy the
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  Speaker 1: first work of God and the soul, or at least
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  Speaker 1: to hinders increase by our expectation of that greater work,
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  Speaker 1: and he endeavors to adampt our joy in the Lord
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  Speaker 1: by the consideration of our own vileness, sinfulness, unworthiness. Added
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  Speaker 1: to this, there must be a far greater change than
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  Speaker 1: as yet, where we cannot see the Lord. If we
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  Speaker 1: knew we must remain as we are even to the
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  Speaker 1: day of our death, we might possibly draw a kind
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  Speaker 1: of comfort, poor as it was, from that necessity. But
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  Speaker 1: as we know, we need not remain in this state.
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  Speaker 1: As we are assured there is a greater change to come,
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  Speaker 1: and that unless sin be all done away in this life,
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  Speaker 1: cannot see God in glory. That subtle address Sarah often
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  Speaker 1: damps the joy we should otherwise feel what we have
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  Speaker 1: already attained by a perverse representation of what we have
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  Speaker 1: not attained in the absolute necessity of attaining it, so
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  Speaker 1: that we cannot rejoice in what we have, because there
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  Speaker 1: is more which we have not we cannot rightly taste
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  Speaker 1: the goodness of God, who hath done so great things
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  Speaker 1: for us, because there are so much greater things which
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  Speaker 1: as yet he hath not done. Likewise, the deeper conviction
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  Speaker 1: God works in us of our present unholiness, and the
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  Speaker 1: more vehement desire we feel in our heart of the
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  Speaker 1: entire holiness he hath promised, the more we tempted to
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  Speaker 1: think lightly of the present gifts of God and to
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  Speaker 1: undervalue what we have already received because of what we
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  Speaker 1: have not received. If he can prevail thus far, if
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  Speaker 1: he can damp our joy, he will soon attack our peace.
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  Speaker 1: Also he will suggest, are you fit to see God?
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  Speaker 1: He is of purer eyes than to be whole iniquity?
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  Speaker 1: How then, can you flatter yourself so to imagine that
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  Speaker 1: He beholds you with approbation? God is holy, you are unholy?
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  Speaker 1: What communion hath light with darkness? How is it possible
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  Speaker 1: that you, unclean as you are, should be in a
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  Speaker 1: state of acceptance with God? You see indeed the mark
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  Speaker 1: the prize of your high calling. But do you not
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  Speaker 1: see it is afar off. How can you presume, then,
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  Speaker 1: to think that all your sins are already blotted out.
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  Speaker 1: How can this be until you are brought nearer to God,
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  Speaker 1: until you bear more resemblance to Him. Thus will He
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  Speaker 1: endeavor not only to shake your peace, but even to
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  Speaker 1: overturn the very foundation of it, to bring you back
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  Speaker 1: by insensible degrees, to the point from whence you set
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  Speaker 1: out first, even to seek for justification by works or
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  Speaker 1: by your own righteousness, to make something in you the
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  Speaker 1: ground of your acceptance, or at least necessarily previous to it.
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  Speaker 1: Or if we hold fast other foundation, can no man
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  Speaker 1: lay than that which is laid even Jesus Christ. And
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  Speaker 1: I am justified freely by God's grace through the redemption
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  Speaker 1: which is in Jesus. Yet he will not cease to urge.
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  Speaker 1: But the tree is known by its fruits. And have
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  Speaker 1: you that fruits of justification? Is that mind in you
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  Speaker 1: which was in Christ Jesus? Are you dead unto sin
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  Speaker 1: and alive unto righteousness? Are you made comfortable to the
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  Speaker 1: death of Christ? And do you know the power of
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  Speaker 1: His resurrection? And then, comparing the small fruits we feel
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  Speaker 1: in our souls of the fullness of the promises, we
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  Speaker 1: shall be ready to conclude. Surely God hath not said
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  Speaker 1: that my sins are forgiven me. Surely have not received
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  Speaker 1: the remission of my sins? For what lot have I
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  Speaker 1: among them that are sanctified? Or especially in that time
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  Speaker 1: of sickness and pain? He will press this with all
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  Speaker 1: his might. Is it not the word of Him that
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  Speaker 1: cannot lie without holiness? No man shall see the Lord?
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  Speaker 1: But you are not holy? You know it well. You
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  Speaker 1: know holiness is the full image of God. And how
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  Speaker 1: far is this above out of your sight? You cannot
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  Speaker 1: attain unto it. Therefore, all your labor has been in vain,
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  Speaker 1: All these things you have suffered in vain. You have
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  Speaker 1: spent your strength for nought. You are yet in your sins.
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  Speaker 1: You must therefore perish at the last. And thus, if
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  Speaker 1: your eye be not steadily fixed on him who hath
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  Speaker 1: borne all your sins, he will bring you again under
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  Speaker 1: that fear of death, whereby you so long subject unto bondage,
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  Speaker 1: and by this means impair, if not wholly destroyed your
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  Speaker 1: peace as well as joy in the Lord. But his
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  Speaker 1: masterpiece of subtlety still behind, not content to strike at
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  Speaker 1: your peace and joy, he will carry his attempts farther.
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  Speaker 1: Yet he will level his assault against your righteousness. Also
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  Speaker 1: he will endeavor to shake thee yea, if it be
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  Speaker 1: possible to destroy the holiness you have already received by
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  Speaker 1: your very expectation of receiving more, of attaining all the
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  Speaker 1: image of God. The manner wherein he attempts this may
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  Speaker 1: partly appear from what has been already observed. For first,
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  Speaker 1: by striking at our joy in the Lord, he strikes
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  Speaker 1: likewise at our holiness. Seeing joy in the Holy Ghost
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  Speaker 1: is a precious means of promoting every holy temper, a
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  Speaker 1: choice instrument of God, whereby he carries on much of
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  Speaker 1: his work in a believing soul, and is a considerable
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  Speaker 1: help not only to enward but prossit to outward holiness.
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  Speaker 1: It strengthens our hands to go on in the work,
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  Speaker 1: to faith in the labor of love manfully, to fight
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  Speaker 1: the good fight of faith, and to lay hold on
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  Speaker 1: eternal life is peculiarly designed of God to be a
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  Speaker 1: balance both against inward and outward sufferings, to lift up
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  Speaker 1: the hands that hang down and confirm the feeble needs. Consequently,
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  Speaker 1: whatever damps our joy in the Lord portionately obstructs our holiness.
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  Speaker 1: And therefore, so far as Satan shakes our joy, he
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  Speaker 1: hinders our holiness. Also, the same effect will ensue if
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  Speaker 1: he can, by any means either destroy or shake our peace.
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  Speaker 1: For the peace of God is in other precious means
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  Speaker 1: of advancing the image of God in us. There is
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  Speaker 1: scarce a greater help to holiness than this, a continual
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  Speaker 1: tranquility of spirit, evenness of a mind stayed upon God,
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  Speaker 1: a calm repose in the blood of Jesus. And without
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  Speaker 1: this it is scarce possible to grow in grace and
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  Speaker 1: in the vital knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For
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  Speaker 1: all fear, unless the tender the layal fear freezes and
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  Speaker 1: benumbs the soul, it binds up all the springs of
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  Speaker 1: spiritual life and stops all motion of the heart toward God.
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  Speaker 1: And doubt, as it were, bemires the soul, so that
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  Speaker 1: it sticks fast in a deep clay. Therefore, in the
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  Speaker 1: same proportion as either of these prevail, our growth and
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  Speaker 1: holiness is hindered. At the same time there a wise
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  Speaker 1: adversary endeavors to make our conviction of the necessity of
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  Speaker 1: perfect love and occasion of shaking our peace by doubts
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  Speaker 1: and fears. He endeavors to weaken if not destroy our faith. Indeed,
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  Speaker 1: these are inseparably connected, so that they must stand or
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  Speaker 1: fall together. So long as faith subsists, we remain in peace.
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  Speaker 1: Our heart stands fast while it believes in the Lord.
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  Speaker 1: But if we let go our faith, our falle confidence
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  Speaker 1: and a loving, pardoning God, our peace is at an end,
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  Speaker 1: the very foundation on which it stood being overthrown. And
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  Speaker 1: this is the only foundation of holiness, as well as
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  Speaker 1: a peace. Consequently, whatever strikes at this strikes at the
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  Speaker 1: very root of all holiness. For without this faith, with
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  Speaker 1: an abiding sense that Christ loved me and gave himself
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  Speaker 1: from me, without a continuing conviction that God, for Christ's
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  Speaker 1: sake is merciful to me, a sinner, it is impossible
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  Speaker 1: that I should love God. We love him because He
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  Speaker 1: first loved us, and in proportion to the strength and
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  Speaker 1: clearness of our conviction, he hath loved us and accepted
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  Speaker 1: us in his son. And unless we love God, it
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  Speaker 1: is not possible that we should love our neighbor as ourselves,
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  Speaker 1: nor consequently that we should have any right affections, either
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  Speaker 1: toward God or toward man. It evidently follows that whatever
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  Speaker 1: weakens our faith must, in the same degree obstruct our holiness.
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  Speaker 1: And this is not only the most effectual, but also
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  Speaker 1: the most compendious way of destroying all holiness. Seeing does
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  Speaker 1: not effect any one Christian temper, any single grace or
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  Speaker 1: food of the spirit, but as far as it succeeds,
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  Speaker 1: tears up the very root of the whole work of God.
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  Speaker 1: No marvel therefore, that the ruler of the darkness of
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  Speaker 1: this world should here put forth all his strength. And
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  Speaker 1: so we find by experience, For it is far easier
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  Speaker 1: to conceive than it is to express. The unspeakable violence
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  Speaker 1: worth its temptation is frequently urged on them through hunger
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  Speaker 1: and thirst after righteousness, when they see in a strong
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  Speaker 1: and clear light, on the one hand, the desperate wickedness
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  Speaker 1: of their own hearts, and the other the unspotted holiness
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  Speaker 1: to which they are called in Christ Jesus. On the
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  Speaker 1: one hand, the depth of their own corruption, of their
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  Speaker 1: total alienation from God, on the other, the height of
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  Speaker 1: the glory of God, that image of the Holy One.
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  Speaker 1: When they are to be renewed, there is many times
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  Speaker 1: those spirit left in them. They can almost cry out
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  Speaker 1: with God, this is impossible. They ready to give up
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  Speaker 1: both faith and hope, to cast away that very confidence,
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  Speaker 1: whereby they are to overcome all things and do all
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  Speaker 1: things through Christ's strengthening them. Whereby, after they have done
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  Speaker 1: the will of God, they are to receive the promise.
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  Speaker 1: If they hold fast the beginning of their confidence steadfast
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  Speaker 1: unto the end, they shall undoubtedly receive the promise of God,
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  Speaker 1: reaching through both time and eternity. But here is another
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  Speaker 1: snare laid for our feet. While we earnestly pant for
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  Speaker 1: that part of the promise which is to be accomplished.
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  Speaker 1: Here for the glorious liberty of the children of God,
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  Speaker 1: we may be led unawares from the consideration of the
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  Speaker 1: glory which shall hereafter be revealed. Our eye may be
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  Speaker 1: insensibly turned aside from that crown which the righteous Judge
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  Speaker 1: hath promised to give it that day to all that
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  Speaker 1: love is appearing, and we may be drawn away from
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  Speaker 1: the view of that incorruptible inheritance which is reserved in
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  Speaker 1: Heaven for us. But this also would be a loss
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  Speaker 1: to our souls in an obstruction to our holiness. Or
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  Speaker 1: to walk in the continual sight of our goal is
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  Speaker 1: a needful help in our running the race that is
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  Speaker 1: set before us. This it was the having respect unto
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  Speaker 1: the recompensive reward which of old time encouraged Moses, rather
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  Speaker 1: to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
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  Speaker 1: enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the
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  Speaker 1: reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.
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  Speaker 1: Nay is expressly said of a greater than He, that
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  Speaker 1: for the joy that was set before him, he endured
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  Speaker 1: the cross and despised the shame till he sat down
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  Speaker 1: at the right hand of the throne of God. Whence
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  Speaker 1: we may easily infer how much more needful for us
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  Speaker 1: than the view of that joy set before us, that
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  Speaker 1: we may endure whatever cross the wisdom of God lays
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  Speaker 1: upon us, and press on through holiness to glory. But
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  Speaker 1: while we are reaching to this, as well as to
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  Speaker 1: the glorious liberty which is prepared towards to it, we
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  Speaker 1: may be in danger of falling into another snare of
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  Speaker 1: the devil. For by he labors to entangle the children
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  Speaker 1: of God, who may take too much thought for tomorrow
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  Speaker 1: so as to neglect the improvement of to day. He
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  Speaker 1: may so expect perfect love as not to use that
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  Speaker 1: which is already shed abroad in our hearts. There have
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  Speaker 1: not been wanting instances of those who have greatly suffered hereby.
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  Speaker 1: They were so taken up with what they were to
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  Speaker 1: receive hereafter, as utterly to neglect what they had already received.
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  Speaker 1: In expectation of having five towns more, they buried their
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  Speaker 1: one talent in the earth. At least they did not
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  Speaker 1: improve it, as they might have done to the glory
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  Speaker 1: of God and the good of their own souls. Thus
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  Speaker 1: does the subtle adversary of God and Man endeavor to
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  Speaker 1: make void the counsel of God, by dividing the Gospel
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  Speaker 1: against itself, making one part of it overthrow the other.
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  Speaker 1: While the first work of God and the soul is
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  Speaker 1: destroyed by the expectation of his perfect work. We have
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  Speaker 1: seen several of the ways wherein he attempts this by
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  Speaker 1: cutting off, as it were, the springs of holiness. But
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  Speaker 1: this he likewise does more directly by making that blessed
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  Speaker 1: hope occasion of unholy tempers us. Whenever our heart is
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  Speaker 1: equally athirst for all the great and precious promises, when
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  Speaker 1: we pant after the fullness of God, as the heart
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  Speaker 1: after the water brook, when our soul breaketh out in
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  Speaker 1: fervent desire. Why are his chariot wheels so long in coming?
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  Speaker 1: He will not neglect the opportunity of tempting us to
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  Speaker 1: murmur against God. He will use all his wisdom and
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  Speaker 1: all his strength, if haply in an unguarded hour, we
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  Speaker 1: may be influence to repine in our Lord. For thus
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  Speaker 1: delaying his coming, at least he will labor to excite
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  Speaker 1: some degree of fretfulness or impatience, and perhaps of envy
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  Speaker 1: at those whom we believe to have already attained the
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  Speaker 1: prize of our high calling. He well knows that by
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  Speaker 1: giving way to any of these tempers, we are pulling
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  Speaker 1: down the very thing we would build up. By thus
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  Speaker 1: following after perfect holiness, we become more unholy than before. Yea,
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  Speaker 1: there is great danger that our last state should be
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  Speaker 1: worse than the first. Like them of whom the Apostle
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  Speaker 1: speaks in those dreadful words, it had been better they
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  Speaker 1: had never known the way of righteousness than after they
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  Speaker 1: had known it, to turn back from the holy commandment
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  Speaker 1: and delivered to them. And from hence ye hope to
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  Speaker 1: reap another advantage, even to bring up an evil report
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  Speaker 1: of the good way. He is sensible how few are
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  Speaker 1: able to distinguish, and too many are not willing so
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  Speaker 1: to do, between the accidental abuse and the natural tendency
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  Speaker 1: of a doctrine. These, therefore he continually blend, together with
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  Speaker 1: regard to the doctrine of Christian perfection, in order to
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  Speaker 1: rejoice the minds of unweary men against the glorious promises
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  Speaker 1: of God. And how frequently, how generally, I had almost said,
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  Speaker 1: how universally as he prevailed herein. Who is there that
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  Speaker 1: observes any of these excidental ill effects of this doctrine
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  Speaker 1: and is not immediately conclude this is its natural tendency,
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  Speaker 1: and is not readily cry out. See these are the fruits,
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  Speaker 1: meaning the natural necessary fruits of such doctrine. Not so,
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  Speaker 1: they are fruits which may accidentally spring from the abuse
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  Speaker 1: of a great and precious truth. But the abuse of
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  Speaker 1: this or any other scriptural doctrine does by no means
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  Speaker 1: destroy its use. Neither can the unfaithfulness of man, perverting
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  Speaker 1: his right way, make the promise of God in non effect. No,
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  Speaker 1: let God be true and every man a liar. The
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  Speaker 1: word of the Lord it shall stand. Faithful is he
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  Speaker 1: that hath promised, he also will do it that not
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  Speaker 1: us then be removed from the hope of the Gospel. Rather,
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  Speaker 1: let us observe, which was the second thing proposed, how
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  Speaker 1: we may retort those fiery darts of the wicked one,
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  Speaker 1: how we may rise the Higher by what he intends
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  Speaker 1: for an occasion of our falling. And first to say,
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  Speaker 1: endeavor to damp your joy in the Lord by the
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  Speaker 1: consideration of your sinfulness. Added to this that without entire
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  Speaker 1: universal holiness, no man can see the Lord. Ye may
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: cast back this dart upon his own head. But through
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: the grace of God, the more you feel of your
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: own vileness, the more you rejoice in confident hope that
• 16:33
  Speaker 1: all this shall be done away, while you'll hold fastest hope.
• 16:36
  Speaker 1: Every evil temper you feel, that you hate it with
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: a perfect hatred, may be a means not of lessening
• 16:41
  Speaker 1: your humble joy, but rather of increasing it. This and this,
• 16:45
  Speaker 1: may you say, shall likewise perish from the presence of
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: the Lord. Like as the wax melteth at the fire,
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: so shall this melt away before his face. By this means,
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: the greater that changes which remains to be wrought in
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: your soul, the more may you triumph in the Lord,
• 16:58
  Speaker 1: and rejoice in the God of yourselvation, who has done
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: so great things for you, will do so much greater
• 17:03
  Speaker 1: things than these. Secondly, more vehemently, he assaults your peace
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: of that suggestion God is holy, You are unholy. You
• 17:10
  Speaker 1: are immensely distant from that holiness without which you cannot
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: see God. How then, can you be in the favor
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: of God? How can you fancy you are justified? Takes
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: the more earnest heed to hold fast that not by
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: works of righteousness which I have done, I am found
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: in Him. I am accepted in the Beloved, not having
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: my own righteousness as the cause, either in whole or
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: in part of our justification before God, but that which
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: is by faith in Christ, the righteousness which is of
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: God by faith. Oh, by this about your neck, write
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: it upon the table of thy heart, where it is
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: a bracelet upon thy arm, as frontlets between thine eyes.
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: I am justified freely by His grace, through the redemption
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: that is in Jesus Christ. Value and esteem more and
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: more that precious truth. By grace we are saved through faith.
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: Admire more and more the free grace of God in
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: so loving the world as to give his ownly son,
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: that whosoever believeth on him might not perish, but have
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: everlasting life. So shall the sentence of the sinfulness you
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: feel on the one hand, and of the holiness you
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: expect on the other, both contribute to establish your peace
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: and to make it flow as a rever So shall
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: that peace flow on in an even stream, in spite
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: of all those mountains of unguidliness, which shall become a
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: plain in the day when the Lord cometh to take
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: full possession of your heart. Neither will sickness or pain
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: with the approach of death occasion of any doubt or fear.
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: You know, a day and hour alone with God is
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: as a thousand years. He cannot be straightened for time
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: wherein to work whatever remains to be done in your soul.
• 18:39
  Speaker 1: And God's time is always the best time. Therefore, be
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: thou careful for nothing. Only make thy request known unto Him,
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: and that not without doubt or fear, but thanksgiving is
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: being previously assured. Ye cannot withhold from thee any manner
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: of thing that is good. Thirdly, the more you are
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: attempted to give up your shield, to cast away your
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: faith your confidence in His love, so much the war
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: take heed that you hold fast that where until you
• 19:02
  Speaker 1: have attained so much, the more labor to stir up
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: the gift of God which is in you. Never let
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: that slip. I have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ,
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: the Righteous, in the life I now live. I live
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: and gave himself from me. Be this thy glory and
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: crown of rejoicing, and see that no one take thy crown.
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: Hold that fast. I know that my Redeemer liveth and
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And
• 19:27
  Speaker 1: I now have redemption in his blood, even the forgiveness
• 19:30
  Speaker 1: of sins. Thus being filled with all peace and joy
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: in believing, press on in the peace and joy of
• 19:35
  Speaker 1: faith to the renewal of thy whole soul in the
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: image of Him that created THEE. Meanwhile, cry continually to God.
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: Thou mayst see the prize of thy high calling, not
• 19:45
  Speaker 1: as Satan represents it, in a horrid, dreadful shape, but
• 19:48
  Speaker 1: in its genuine native beauty, not as something that must
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: be or thou wilt go to Hell, but as what
• 19:53
  Speaker 1: may be to lead THEE to heaven. Look upon it
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: as the most desirable gift which is in all the
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: stores of the rich mercies of God, holding it in
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: this true point of light, Thou wilt hunger after it.
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: More and more thy whole soul will be a thirst
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: for God and for this glorious conformity to His likeness.
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: And having received the good hope of this and strong
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: consolation through grace, that will no more be weary or
• 20:14
  Speaker 1: faint in thy mind, but wilt follow on till thou
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: attainest in the same power of faith, press on to glory. Indeed,
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: this is the same prospects. Still, God hath joined from
• 20:24
  Speaker 1: the beginning pardon holiness heaven. And why should man put
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: them asunder? Oh, beware of this, Then not one link
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: of the golden chain be broken. God, for Christ's sake
• 20:33
  Speaker 1: shall hath forgiven me. He is now renewing me in
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: his own image. Shortly he will make me meet for
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: himself and take me to stand before his face. I,
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: whom he hath justified to the blood of his son,
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: being thoroughly sanctified by his spirit, shall quickly ascend to
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: the New Jerusalem, the City of the Living God. Yet
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: a little while and I shall come to the general
• 20:52
  Speaker 1: assembly in Church of the First Born and to God
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: the judge of all, and too Jesus, the mediator of
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: the New Covenant. How soon will these shadows flee away?
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: And the day eturnedly dawned upon me? How soon shall
• 21:02
  Speaker 1: I drink of the river of the water of life,
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: going out of the throne of God and of the lamb.
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: There all his servants shall praise him and shall see
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: his face, and his name shall be upon their foreheads,
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: and no knight shall be there, and they'll have no
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: need of candle or the light of the sun, for
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: the Lord God enlighteneth them, and they shall reign for
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: ever and ever. And if you thus taste of the
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: good Word and of the powers of the world to come,
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: you will not murmur against God, cause you are not
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: yet meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: Instead of repining at your not being wholly delivered, you
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: will praise God for thus far delivering you. You will
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: magnify God for what he hath done, and take it
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: as an earnest of what He will do. You will
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: not fret against him, could you are not yet renewed,
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: but bless Him because you shall be, And because now
• 21:43
  Speaker 1: is your salvation. All sin nearer than when you first believed.
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: Instead of uselessly tormenting yourself because the time is not
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: fully come, you will calmly and quietly wait for it,
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: knowing that it will come and will not tarry. You
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: may therefore more cheerfully ignore it as yet the burden
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: of and that still remains in you, because it will
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: not always remain yet a little while, and it shall
• 22:04
  Speaker 1: be clean gone. Only tarry thou the Lord's leisure be strong,
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: and ye shall comfort thy heart, and put thou thy
• 22:11
  Speaker 1: trust in the Lord. And if you see any who appear,
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: so far as man can judge, but God alone searches
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: the hearts to be already partakers of their hope, already
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: made perfect in love. Far from envying the grace of
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: God in them, let it rejoice and comfort your heart.
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: Glorify God for their sake. If one member is honored,
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: shall not all the members rejoice with it? Instead of
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: jealousy or evil surmising concerning them. Praise God for the consolation.
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: Rejoice in having a fresh proof of the faithfulness of
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: God fulfilling all his promises. And stir yourself up the
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: moor to repprehend that for which you also are apprehended
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: of Christ Jesus. In order to this redeem the time,
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: improve the present moment, Buy up every opportunity of growing
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: in grace or of doing good, that not the thought
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: of receiving more grace tomorrow make you negligent of to day.
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: You have one talent now, if you expect five more,
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: So much the rather improve that you have, and the
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: more you expect to receive hereafter, the more labor for
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: God now sufficient for the days. The grace thereof God
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: is now pouring his benefits upon you. Now approve yourself
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: a faithful steward of the present grace of God, whatever
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: may be tomorrow, Give all diligence to to day to
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: add to your faith, courage, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, in
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: the fear of God, till you obtain that pure and
• 23:23
  Speaker 1: perfect love. Let these things be now in you and abound.
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: Be not now slothful or unfruitful. So shall an entrance
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: be ministered into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lastly,
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: if in time past you have abused this blessed hope
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: of being holy as He is holy, you do not
• 23:39
  Speaker 1: therefore cast it away. But the if you cease the use,
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: remain Use it now to the more abundant glory of
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: God and profit of your own soul, and steadfast faith
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: in calm, tranquility of spirit, and full assurance of hope,
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: rejoicing ever more for what God hath done. Press ye
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: on unto perfection, daily, growing in the knowledge of our
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: Lord Jesus Christ, and going on from strength to strength
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: and resignation in patience and humble thankfulness for what ye
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: have attained and what ye shall run the race set
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: before you, looking unto Jesus, till through perfect love ye
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: enter into His glory. End of section forty three. Recording
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: by Greg Giardano, new Portragi, Florida,