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Christ's discourse with Nicodemus: an interpretation that places the superiority of our Saviour's baptism over that of John's in the clearest light; which vindicates the doctrines of the Established Church on this important point from all the attacks of her adversaries; and fully justifies her Articles in holding this plain, precise, and reasonable language: "Baptism is not only "a sign of profession, and a mark of difference, whereby Christian men are dis"cerned from others that be not Christians, "but it is also a sign of regeneration, or "new birth; whereby, as by an instru

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ment, they that receive baptism rightly "are grafted into the church; the pro"mises of the forgiveness of sin, and of

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our adoption to be the sons of God, by "the Holy Ghost, are visibly signed and "sealed; faith is confirmed, and grace increased, by virtue of prayer unto God."

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But high as the privileges of Christian baptism are, and efficacious as its influence may be at the time of its reception, it must not be imagined that this ordinance alone can constitute a Christian, or ensure to the soul the blessing of eternal life. Baptism, indeed, brings us within the threshold of the Temple; but many are the steps which must be taken ere we reach the sanctuary.

We must "walk" (in obedience to the injunction of the Apostle)" in newness of "life," and "shake off the body of the sins " of the flesh." We must "walk" (according to the solemn admonition of our own venerable Church) "answerably to our "Christian calling, and as becometh the "children of light; remembering always "that baptism representeth unto us our "profession, which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died for us, so should we, who are baptised, die from sin, and rise again unto righteousness; "continually mortifying all our evil and "corrupt affections, and daily proceeding "in all virtue and godliness of living."

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DISCOURSE XVI.

Subject. THE ADVENT OF JESUS
CHRIST.

THE CONDITION OF MANKIND IN CONSEQUENCE O THE FALL OF ADAM. THE MEANS BY WHICH THEY ARE RECOVERED AND SAVED. MORAL INFERENCE.

LUKE xix. 10.

The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

I would be impossible, perhaps, to select from scripture any other passage, which, like the text, expresses so clearly and comprehensively, and, at the same time, so concisely, the great end and design of the Incarnation of our most blessed Lord. But it is the declaration of Him, who " spake "as never man spake;" of Him, on whom rested the spirit of wisdom and under

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standing, the spirit of counsel and might, "the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of "the Lord;" and who could therefore include, in one short sentence, the substance of "all that the prophets had "spoken," and all that the inspired writers had penned, respecting himself, from the beginning of the world.

The immediate circumstance which called for this significant and benevolent declaration from our blessed Lord was as follows:

Christ was now on his way to Jerusalem for the last time; fully aware of the approaching completion of the prophecies, which predicted his crucifixion, but altogether unappalled by the awful prospect, and entirely prepared to meet it with fortitude and resignation. His course lay through the town of Jericho. As he passed out of it, Zaccheus, an inhabitant of the place or neighbourhood, anxious to behold the personage of whose celebrity he had probably heard much, ascended a sycamore tree as the best means of gratifying his wish, the throng being great, and he himself "little "of stature.

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Zaccheus was the chief among the publicans of that district; an order of men, for the most part Jews, who collected the custoins and taxes imposed on the inhabitants

of Palestine by their Roman conquerors; and who were hated by their countrymen for their undertaking voluntarily an oppressive office, and exercising its obnoxious powers in the spirit of avarice and extor tion. He was affluent; and, as we may collect from his offer of four-fold restitution, had probably become so by some of those exactions which were commonly exer cised by those who held the like official situation with himself.

But the hour of thought, reflection, and repentance had now arrived; and the heart of Zaccheus was prepared to receive the

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good seed" of sorrow for past sin, and of holy desires, and upright intentions and practice, in future. Our blessed Lord, aware of the change which had taken place in the mind and views of the publican, directed him to come down, and to receive him at his house. Zaccheus joyfully obeyed the order; and confirmed, by the discourse of Jesus, in his good feelings and worthy resolutions, manifested the sincerity of both, by the noble declaration, before his illustrious guest and the assembled multitude, that he would return all his illegal exactions "four"fold," where an opportunity of so doing offered; and that to make some amends for oppressions which could not now be re

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