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SERMON I.

A GROUND OF REJOICING IN ALL AGES.

PSALM CXviii, 24.

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

THE Church, previous to the coming of Messiah, in faith of the promises made, celebrated the wonders to be achieved over the enemies of God and man; exulting, that despite all the envy, and rage, and corresponding attempts of the wicked, the Son of God would become the chief corner stone, the sure foundation of His living temple. Thus, in the twenty-third verse, we read, "The stone which the builders refused is

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become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." And then follows the declaration in the text, "This is the day which the Lord hath made;" evidently referring to the office and exaltation of Christ as head stone of the corner-identical with that period of which the prophet Isaiah speaks in the eighth verse of his fortyninth chapter, "Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee;" a passage, the meaning of which St. Paul explains to be (in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians), "Behold, now is the accepted time; Behold, now is the day of salvation." Now the entire period of the gospel dispensation, in which salvation has been accomplished, and is proclaimed throughout the world.

We have first to consider the assertion, and secondly the resolution in the text.

The assertion: "This is the day which

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