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 with reſpect to the greateſt part of the hearers of the goſpel, Who hath believed our report? 2dly, God's Iſrael are a happy people, becauſe they walk in the light of his countenance, in the cloſe of the 15th verſe: they are privileged with the ſpecial intimations of his love, which puts more gladneſs in their hearts, that when corn, wine, and oil doth abound. 3dly, Whatever diſcouragement they may meet with from the world, yet ſtill they have ground of rejoicing in their God. In thy name ſhall they rejoice all the day, and Thanks be unto God, ſays the apoſtle, who always cauſeth us to triumph in Chriſt. 4thly. Their happineſs is evident from this, that they are dignified and exalted above others, by the immaculate robe of a Surety's righteouſneſs; as you ſee in the words of my text, In thy righteouſness, ſhall they be exalted.

In which words briefly we may notice, 1ſt, The believer's promotion, he is exalted. In the firſt Adam we were debaſed into the loweſt hell; the crown having fallen from our heads: but in Chriſt, the ſecond Adam, we are again exalted, yea exalted as high as heaven, for we ſit together with him in heavenly places, ſays the apoſtle. This is an incredible paradox to a blind world, that the believer, who is ſitting this moment upon the dung-hill of this earth, ſhould at the ſame time be ſitting in heaven in Chriſt his glorious head and repreſentative; and yet it is indiſputably true, that we ſit together with him in heavenly places. Eph.ii 6. Yea, in him, He rules the nations with a rod of iron, and triumphs over, and treadeth upon all the powers of hell. 2dly We have the ground of the