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pure than the blossom of the apple which we beheld in the orchard, because those blossoms are oftentimes somewhat defective, by reason of those creeping or flying insects which stain them. But when the soul of man came first out of the hand of his Maker he was pure and holy, without any stain or defect whatever. But now, by his falling into sin, he hath set himself lower than the meanest weeds of the earth, or the beasts that perish. It is true that the flowers of the earth may have some stain or defect, but yet, in themselves they are sweet, lovely, and pure, and innocent; and even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. But now you may say unto me, then if the state of man be so sinful and so bad, then how can he lift up his soul to praise his Maker, for all these excellent and temporal blessings which thou hast before mentioned. Ah! my little children, speaking of man, that is in his sinful state alone. I say in this state he hath no help of himself whatever, for he lays low like a man under sentence of death. Therefore, seeing that these things are so, then the poor sinner may say, why then was I ever born. Oh! must I for ever die for that holy one that made me, and must I sink into black despair, and so be cast into everlasting misrey, where there is no deliverance nor any escape at all. Oh, is there not so much as one twig for my poor soul to catch at. Oh, must I fall from the top to the bottom, and there never to rise no more at all. Oh, is not there no way whereby my poor soul may bud and blossom again, and so bring forth fruit to my Maker. Yes, my fellow sinners, there is one way whereby we may obtain mercy, and but one, therefore let us not sink into despair. But let us look again to the rock of our salvation, and I say again, that there is one way in which we may be saved. But surely methinks that it cost the great part of the worth of heaven to open it, and now we see that man bath been defiled and stained by sin, and the flowers of the earth have been stained by the insects. But observe—

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And this sweet and pure blossom is the Holy Son of God which came from Heaven and took upon him our sinful nature, and so satisfied Divine Justice by doing and fulfiling and performing the will of his Heavenly Father in our room and stead, so that the father can be reconciled unto us by the righteous merits of his son, because he hath suffered much for us, and hath interposed his precious blood for us, and suffered and died a cruel death upon the cross for us sinful men, and for our salvation. And, after this, he arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and now sits on the right hand of his Heavenly Father, and there to plead for us So that the father is pleased through his son, to bestow upon us again his heavenly grace, so that by grace and faith in Christ we have power to repent, and to turn to our God, and to fersake our sins. And there is enough pure virtue in this pure blossom, which is Christ, to heal us from all our defects and to clean us from all unrighteousness, so that if we embrace the day of his heavenly grace and repent of our sins and forsake them, then we may be again grafted into this pure vine, which is Christ. John xv, 1, 5. And so bud and blossom again, and so bring forth much fruit, to his honour and glory, so then our blossom will appear as sweet and as pure and as lovely and as clean in the sight of him that hath loved us, as any of these sweet blossoms which are upon the earth do in our sight. Because, Christ is the everlasting root of our righteousness, and he is our bright and morning star or the dawning of righteousness, light, and grace to every soul of man. Rev.

xxii, 16 & 17. The same is he.

Who came from his Father,

The holy, the holy,

And left his grand glory,

And fair worlds on high.

And condescended to man,
On earth in the lowest,
And for our transgressions,
He bleeded and died.

John, xvii, 5.

Rom. v, 8.

But who hath believed these things? Who hath believed our reports? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. He hath no form nor comliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and we hid as

it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely, he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him, stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was op pressed, and he was afflicted, yet he oppened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers, is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation; for he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.

Methinks the sweet angels,

Are clad in their mourning,

When they saw the heavens darkened,
And mourn for the lamb.

Which makes my heart tremble,

And shudder within me,

When I behold my Lord's agony,

Who died for our sins.

Luke, xxiii, 44.

Luke, xxii, 44.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death. Because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travil of his soul, and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous servants justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah l. Now this

is one of the most important and remarkable chapters of the Old Testament. Relating to the sufferings of Christ and the good effects thereby, and that for man's salvation, which can be found in the Holy Scripture. And although this prophesy of Isaiah was some hundred years before that Christ made his appearance in the flesh, yet at the same

time Isaiah speaks as clear and as true and as sure concerning him, as if it had been all done and accomplished in his days. Therefore looking into the New Testament and seeing that Christ himself accomplished and performed all that the prophets had spoken concerning him; therefore, by this, it must be a clear proof that these prophets of old was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, or otherwise they could not have known so many years before the will of God in Christ, so completely concerning the salvation of man. But for a subject like this I would advise you to read some of my other books. Especially these four, that "The Goodness of God," "The Proof of Christ," is, 66 The sufferings of Christ," and "Christ Died for All" And if you read these books with a contrition of heart and with humbleness of soul, then I hope that the watery drops will issue from your eyes. O then, seeing that there is such help laid upon one that is mighty, and such heavenly blessings provided for us. Oh, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isaiah, lv, 1, 2, 3. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy redeemer.

Behold how he loves me,
My heart pants within me,
Because of the drops

Of the dew of his Grace.

His life, O how sweet,
His Grace is refreshing,
My soul doth admire,

The joys of his charms.

Isaiah, liv, 7, 8.

John, x, 11.

Sol. Songs, v. 13, 16.

Therefore seeing that thy soul may be made safe and sure in thy Redeemer, hear wisdom my son, and receive my instruction, for behold I will by Divine Grace now give you good counsel and advice, and will talk of the knowledge of God. Pray for heavenly grace and wisdom, my son, so that you

may know how to love and serve thy God aright, which filleth the heavens and the earth with his goodness and his glory, and beareth them up by the power of his will. Which said, Let there be light; and there was light. Gen. i, 3. Which saith to the sun, arise, and she riseth; stand still, and she stayed. Joshua, x, 12. Go down, and she goetu. Rev. vi, 12. Which saith of man, live; and he liveth. Gen. ii, 7. Die, and he dieth. Gen. ii, 12. Therefore, remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain. Eccl. xii, 1. Or before thy strength and thy powers fail, or the healing streams of grace returns. For there is no repentence, no perforinance, no advice, nor knowledge in the grave, where we are all hastening. Therefore, whilst it is day, pray for heavenly wisdom and grace, for behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. Job. xxviii, 28. And by so doing grace becomes more fully established in thee, and takes tuli possession of thy soul. Great men upon the earth are not always wise, neither do the aged always understand judgment. Job. xxxii, 9. But I know he that feareth the Lord is wise, and a good understanding have all they that do his commandments. Psal. cxi, 10. And if you then seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Prov. ii, 5. And if thou be wise, my son, thou shalt be wise for thyself, and thou shalt inherit glory. But if thou scornest, remember that thou alone shalt bear it. Prov. ix, 12. Therefore, happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and ad the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days are in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasan'ness, and and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one' that retaineth her. Prov. ii, 43. Say unto wisdom, thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman. That they may keep thee from the strange women, from the

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