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hearts of his obedient children; and while we cherish the sacred influence, its good fruits will be evident in all circumstances of this transient life: every change of situation will produce some new virtue. In prosperity, love, joy, and peace, will be conspicuous. Under injuries and other occasions of distress, longsuffering will be called forth into exercise. Our intercourse with others, and particularly with our inferiors, will be regulated by gentleness and goodness. Every trust will be discharged with faith, that is, with fidelity and constancy. Provocations will be sustained with meekness; and the power of temptation obviated by the exertions of temperance. Thus will the fruits of the spirit flourish and abound: they come from God, and are, therefore, inexhaustible. Thus supplied, whatever our temporal condition may be, we are thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Let us, then, from a general review of what has been now said, be persuaded, by the aid of this blessed Spirit, so to regulate the affections of our hearts, that no earthly attachment may interfere with the love of God, and with the performance of any of our religious duties.

His favour is better than life: to obtain it, the dictates of reason, the precepts of our religion, and consequently, a regard for our best interests require, that we should never hesitate to relinquish the choicest treasures, or the sweetest gratifications of this world.

If our hearts have hitherto been alienated from God, and fascinated with the delusive pleasures of this transient scene; let us resolve at once, to have no more to do with idols; and God will hear and observe our good resolutions: he will encourage the first pious desire:

he will assist the good exertion, however feeble it may be: the small spark will soon be kindled into a bright flame of piety: we shall proceed from strength to strength, till we come to the fulness of the stature of perfect men in Christ Jesus.

And, for our comfort and encouragement, let us often reflect, what an amiable object the good Christian is, in the sight of all considerate men, of the holy angels, and even of God himself. Flourishing like the green fir-tree, even now he withstands the summer heat and the wintery storm. But, ere long, he will be removed to a more friendly clime, where no tempests will assail him; where the light of God's countenance will afford perpetual serenity and joy.

Lastly; let us look forward with transport to those heavenly pleasures which will be found at the right hand of God for evermore. The fruit of his Spirit, under all the imperfections of our present state, is very fair and delightful: how much more so will this fruit be found to be in the paradise of God, where the worm of sin can never enter, to sully its beauty, or diminish its sweetness! If love, joy, and peace; meekness, gentleness, and temperance, be productive now of such transcendent delight in the intercourse of men with each other; surely, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor can it enter into our hearts to conceive the perfection of that bliss, which will be the portion of the celestial world, the harmony of which is disturbed by no jarring passion; where the slightest sin gains no admittance; from which every species of sorrow is banished for ever. That it may be the great business of our present life, to obtain the ineffable joys of this

future and heavenly state of existence, may God, of his infinite mercy grant, for Christ's sake, our Lord and Redeemer; to whom be all praise, honour, and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON XXIII.

On the Resemblance between Jehoshua and Jesus.

NUMBERS xiii. 16.

These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Jehoshua.

WHEN the children of Israel, in their journey through the wilderness, were now approaching the promised land, Moses, by the commandment of the Lord, sent out twelve men who were rulers in their respective tribes, to search the country; to see what the land was, whether it were good or bad; and the people who dwelt therein, whether they were strong or weak, few or many. Among other chiefs who were despatched on this business, was Oshea the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, whose name on this occasion was changed, no doubt by divine inspiration, to that of Jehoshua. He was to be the leader of the people, after the decease of Moses, and under his direction they were to be put in possession of the promised inheritance. The Hebrew word Joshua, signifies a Saviour. Among the Greeks, Jesus was a name of

exactly the same import; as appears by several passages in the New Testament, the greater part of which was originally written in the Grecian language. Joshua, then, was called the saviour of the children of Israel; and as, in this respect, he was an eminent type of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is my intention, at this time, to point out the resemblances between them, and then to draw some practical use from the doctrine inculcated in the preceding parts of this discourse.

And, 1st. In his name, which was given by imme, diate direction from heaven, he prefigured the Saviour of mankind: he was called Joshua, or the Saviour; and, in the New Testament, he has received the very appellation of Jesus. Thus, St. Stephen, in his apology to the Jews, recounting some of the principal circumstances in the history of their forefathers, reminds his brethren-" that their fathers had the taber"nacle of witness in the wilderness; which also they "that came after, brought in with Jesus," meaning Joshua, "into the possession of the Gentiles, whom "God drove out." Thus also St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, maintaining that there is a future and a better rest than that which was provided for the Israelites in the land of Canaan, declares" If Jesus," that is, Joshua, "had given them rest, then would not "God afterwards have spoken of another day, in "which his faithful people will enter into that rest "which remaineth for them." It was the custom in ancient times, when the Divine Providence more immediately interposed in the management of the affairs of his people, to impose names upon the special ministers of God's grace and glory, answerable to the design, which was, by their ministry, to be accomVOL. II.

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