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DISCOURSE VI.

St. JAMES, CHAP. i. from VER. 22, to the End.

"BUT BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD, "AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DE“CEIVING YOUR OWNSELVES. FOR "IF ANY MAN BE A HEARER OF "THE WORD, AND NOT A DOER, "HE IS LIKE UNTO A MAN BE"HOLDING HIS NATURAL FACE

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IN A GLASS ; FOR HE BEHOLDETH "HIMSELF, AND GOETH HIS WAY, "AND STRAIGHTWAY FORGET"TETH WHAT MANNER of MAN "HE WAS. BUT WHOSO LOOKETH "INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF "LIBERTY, AND CONTINUETH

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THEREIN, HE BEING NOT A FOR"GETFUL HEARER, BUT A DOER "OF THE WORK, THIS MAN SHALL

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BE BLESSED IN HIS DEED. IF ANY MAN AMONG YOU SEEM то BE RELIGIOUS, AND BRIDLETH NOT HIS TONGUE, BUT DECEIV"ETH HIS OWN HEART, THIS "MAN'S RELIGION IS VAIN. PURE "RELIGION, AND UNDEFILED BE"FORE GOD AND THE FATHER IS

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THIS, TO VISIT THE FATHER-
LESS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR

"AFFLICTION, AND TO КЕЕР НІМ

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N the concluding verse of the last

Sunday's Epiftle, the Apostle, with great propriety, directs us to " receive " with Meekness the Ingrafted Word;" because Meekness is such a fenfibility of our own weak and helpless condition, as alone can lead us to fee the neceffity, and feel the defire, of " being filled with "all the Fullness of GOD."

In order to prevent all error and delufion, and to point out the only method of obtaining a real participation of the bleffings, which flow from such a reception of the Ingrafted Word, he proceeds, in the verses now under our confideration, to enumerate fome of the most distinguishing marks and characteristics of "Pure and Undefiled Religion." These, you will find, constitute an unerring standard of Divine Truth, and a never-failing criterion of Christian Faith and Practice.

"Be ye doers of the Word, and not "hearers only, deceiving your own"selves. For if any man be a hearer "of the Word, and not a doer, he is "like unto a man beholding his natu"ral face in a glass; for he beholdeth "himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner " of man he was."

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The precept is noble; the similitude by which it is illustrated, just and proper. The Word of God is a true and faithful mirrour, which gives us a true and faithful representation of our own perfons. By looking into this, we not only discover the innumerable spots and blemishes, with which we are sadly deformed; but we have likewise a view of the means, by which alone they can be cleanfed and abolished. A tranfient glance, you may well imagine, will not fuffice: a mere contemplation of the disease and its remedy, will avail nothing. We must not only look, but we must act; and whilst our eyes are opened to the view of our deformities, our hands must be stretched forth to receive and apply the remedy.

Naturalists tell us, that our wife and beneficent Creator hath so wonderfully adjusted the whole vegetable system, that in whatever soil the poisonous plant springs

springs up, its antidote will always be found. Thus, the same mirrour that presents us with a view of the spots and blemishes of our fallen state, is likewise graciously appointed to exhibit to us the power and efficacy of that Redeeming Grace, by which we are to be adorned with our primitive beauty and glory. Hear the words of the Apostle : "But "whoso looketh into the Perfect Law of "Liberty, and continueth therein, he "being not a forgetful hearer, but a "doer of the work, this man shall be " blessed in his deed."

Whenever the Apostles speak of a Law, they do not mean a set of external precepts committed to writing, merely to be externally observed; though this, I believe, is the only idea that people in general have of what is called the moral law: but, when they speak of a Law, they mean a Nature, really and truly living and working in man, confifting of a variety

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