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demption, and was not yet Glorified; but now, whatfoever we fhall ask in his Name, he will do it.

For now he prefents our Prayers, by his Powerful Mediation and Merits, whereby he ftops the Mouth of the Adverfary;as is it written, If any Man Sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous: Tho' we be Unrighteous, yet fays the beloved Difciple If we confess our Sins, and forfake them, he is faithful, and juft in his Promifes to forgive our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteoufnefs: He is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for our Sins only, but allo for the Sins of the whole World.

Again, it was expedient that our bleffed Lord fhould go away in respect of his Bodily Prefence, and afcend in- 2. Cor. to Heaven, that we might have occafion for the Exer- 5. 7. cife of our Faith, and Hope, and Patience, that they might have their perfect Work, and Merit, and Reward; For we walk by Faith, and not by Sight but Hope that is feen, is no Hope; for what a Man feeth, why doth he yet Hope for; But Bleffed are they that Joh.20. have not feen, and yet have believed.

Again our bleffed Lord is afcended on high to prepare a Dwelling for us in Heaven, and in our Name to take Seafin of that glorious Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Here we are Strangers and Pilgrims, and have no abiding City; but look for one which hath Foundations, whole Builder and Maker is God; For we know that if oure, Earthly Houfe of this Tabernacle were diffolved, we have a Building of God, an Houfe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens; for in this we groan earnestly, defiring to be Clothed upon with our House, which is from Hea

ven.

29.

2. Cor.

5. I.

Let not your Hearts be troubled, (fays Chrift)) Te believe in God, believe alfo in me. Look yonder beyond Joh.14. the Clouds, and behold there, in my Father's Houfe are 1, 2.

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many Mansions; if it were not fo, I would have told you.
go to prepare a place for you, and if I go to prepare
Place for you, I will come again and receive you into my
Self, that where I am, there
be also.

ye may

O the ravishing Pleasure of that bleffed Sight, which I cannot think* upon without an Extafie! That I fhall behold his Glory, and hear his Wisdom, and partake of his Joys, and dwell for ever in his Arms and Imbraces! In fine, Our bleffed Saviour afcended into Heaven to purchase for us the Holy Ghoft, to be our Guide and Comforter; therefore faid he to his Difciples, I will pray Joh.14 the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that 16, 17. he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the World cannot receive, because it feeth him not. neither knoweth him; but je know him, for he dwelleth with and shall be in you.

you,

you?

will not leave you comfortless, like Orphans, I will come unto you; and again I tell you the Truth, it is expedient for you that Igo away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come; but if I depart, I will fend him unto you.

O how great is thisComfort to have fuch a Comforter in all our Tribulations, and fuch a Guide to direct us in all our Doubts, and affift us in all the Duties of our holy Religion; which is nothing elfe but a continual Exercife of Faith and Repentance, of fuffering patiently, and doing all the Good we can!

Blessed be God,even the Father of our Jefus Chrift, the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort, who Comforteth us in all our Tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any Tribulation by the Comfort wherewith we our felves are comforted of God.

For if the Sufferings of Chrift abound in us, our Confolation also aboundeth by Chrift.

Thou wilt guide me by thy Counfel, and afterwards receive me into Glory.

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This Doctrine is a fpecial Confolation to all pentitent Sinners, as our blessed Saviour faid to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had caft feven Devils, Go to my Brethren, and Jay unto them, I afcend to my Father, and

to my God, and your God.

your Father, Well might the Apoftle cry out, and give Defianc to all the Enemies of our Salvation, Who fhall lay any Rom. thing to theCharge ofGod's Elect, it is God that juftifi8. eth. Who is he that Condemneth? it isChrift that died;yea rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right Hand of God, who alfo maketh Interceffion for us; who fhall feparate us from the Love of Chrift? Shall Tribulation, or Distress, or Perfecution, or Famine, or Nakednefs, or Peril, or Sword; as it is written, For thy fake are we killed all the Day long, we are counted as Sheep for theSlaughter,nay,in all these things we are more thanConquerors, through him that loved us. For I am perfwaded that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities,nor Powers, nor Things prefent, norThings to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, fhall be able to feparate us from the Love of God, which is in Chrift Jefus our Lord.

Rev.

Now is come Salvation, and Strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Christ; for the Accufer of our Brethren is caft down, which accused them before our 12. 10. God, Day and Night.

In full Affurance of this Confolation, the Apostle exhorts us to present our Prayers unto God, and to per fevere in our Holy Religion, without wavering.

Seing then, we have a great High Prieft, that is paffed into the Heavens, Jefus the Son of God, let us hold faft our Profeffion, for we have not an -High Prieft, which cannot be Touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, but was in all things Tempted, like as we are, yet without Sin.

N.2

Let

Let us therefore come unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need.

Now, what remains, but to wean our Affections from the Things of this World, and to afpire to the Things a Col. 3. bove; as alfo faith the Apoftle, If ye then berifen with Christ 1,2,3,4. Seek these things that are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God; fet your Affection on Things above, not on things on the Earth. For ye are dead. (to things in this World) and your life is hid with Chrift, in God. When Chrift, who is our Life, fball appear, then shall ye also appear with him in Glory. Let us look up unto Jefus, and long to be with him; for whilft we are at Home in the Body, we are Strangers to the Lord, and to his Glory.

Arife, O Chriftian, this is not thy Reft, here we have no certain Dwelling-place, as it is faid of these ancient Pilgrims and Believers, of whom the World was not worthy; they wandred in Deferts and Mountains, and in Dens and Caves of the Earth, like their bleffed Mafter, who had not where to lay his Head.

What is there below the Sun (befides the Contemplation of God's Works, and the Occafion of doing good) worthy to Command our Affections, for all that is in the World, the Luft of the Flesh, the Luft of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, is not of the Father, but is of the World, and will perifh with the World.

Let us purify our Hearts by Faith, and the Meditation of thefe Glories above, which will overcome the World,and all thefe Temptations of the World, therefore fays the Apostle, Above all,taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Devil.

Beloved, Now we are the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we fhall be, but we know the

when

when he fhall appear, that we fhall be like him; for we fhall fee him as he is, and every Man that hath this Hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

One Sight through this Looking glafs of Faith, tho' darkly, and at a Diftance; one ferious Thought of our Lord's Glory, (as it is faid of Mofes the Man of God, that he faw him that is invifible)would antidate our Happiness, and make us defpife both the Pleafures, and the Perfecutions of the World, and defire to be with him, in whofe Prefence there is Fulness of Joy, and at whofe right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore.

The Sun fhall be no more thy Light by Day, neither for Brightness foall the Moon give Light unto thee; but the Ifa. 60. Lord fhall be unto thee an everlasting Light, and thy God 19, 20. thy Glory

The Sun fhall no more go down, neither shall thy Moon withdraw it felf; for the Lord fhall be thine everlasting Light, and the Days of thy Mourning shall be ended.

When St. Peter faw but a Glance of Chrift's Glory on Mount Tabor, he was aftonifhed beyond Measure, and cried out, faying, It is good for us to be here. O fo good and defirable a Bleffing it is to be with Chrift, and the Spirits of juft Men made perfect.

As the Hart panteth after the Water Brooks, fo panteth my Soul after thee, O God. My Soul thirfteth for God, for the living God,when fhall I come and appear before God?

Wo is me, that I fojourn in Mefech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar.

Who will bring me into the ftrong City, into the New Jerufalem? Who will bring me unto the HolyCity? Wilt not thou O God, who art my God, and the Guide of my Youth.

My Soul followeth hard after thee, O thou that dwelleft in the Heavens, draw us, and we will run after thee, Amen, and Amen.

Now

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