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contain❜d in Holy Scripture, we must modeftly depend upon God for the Establishment of it in Truth and Holiness; remembring, that in this our State of Trial and Imperfection we can know only in part; that which is perfect will shortly appear, and then that which is in part will be done away: Through Faith alone we must pass unto Vifion; and however to fee may hereafter be our Happiness, to believe is at present our Duty.

VOL. I.

I SERMON

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SERMON VI.

HEBREWS iv. 13. Latter Part. -All things are naked and open unto the Eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

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HE Apostle does here endeavour to excite the Hebrews to a ftrict Adherence and entire Submiffion to Christian Faith and Duty, as from other Motives, fo particularly from the fuperior Dignity and Excellence

of the Gospel above the Jewish Difpenfation; for if feveral of the Ifraelites did not enter into the Land of Promise

VOL. I.

I 2

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upon account of their Unbelief or Difobedience; we Chriftians ought to take more efpecial Heed, left after the fame Example of Unbelief or Difobedience, we alfo fall fhort of the Promife of a more glorious Reft, even of the heavenly Canaan; and to give this Motive its full Force, he does by a beautiful and expreffive Allufion recommend to us the Attainment of Chriftian Purity, the Neceffity of presenting ourselves an holy Sacrifice without Spot or Blemish to that God, who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing ajunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and is a Difcerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart: Neither is there any Creature, that is not manifeft in his Sight; but all things are naked and open unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do. The Terms which we translate naked and opened, are Metaphors taken from the Custom of the Priests in flaying and opening the Bodies of Beafts defigned for Sacrifices, in order

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to view with Exactnefs every Part of their Infide, and to examine narrowly whether they came up to the Standard of legal Soundness; taking therefore along with us the Confideration of this Metaphor, the Paffage of Holy Scripture now before us will evidently make up this Argument, Vain is the Prefumption of finning fecretly against a God who knoweth our most hidden Thoughts and Intentions; for the Word of God, by which we are to be judged, is far more quick in penetrating and difcerning, far more exact in discriminating the inmost Receffes of the Heart, than the fharpest Inftruments which the Priefts make use of for diffecting the Bodies, for feparating and exploring the Entrails of their devoted Sacrifices. There is not any Man whose whole Conduct is not manifeft in his all-searching Sight; but all things, tho' of never fo close and recondite a Nature, are like the Infide of the Sacrifices before the Priefts, made bare and laid open in the Eyes of him with whom we have to do. Which Words, as they

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