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which entereth into that within the veil; where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.'

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5. These points do likewise serve to excite and encourage our devotion: for having such a mediator in heaven, so near God's presence, so much in God's favor; having so good and sure a friend at court, having such a Master of requests ever ready to present up, to recommend, and to further our petitions, what should deter, what should anywise withhold us from cheerfully, on all occasions, by him addressing ourselves to God? We may therefore, as we are exhorted by the Apostle, come to the throne of grace with boldness, that we may receive mercy, and find grace for seasonable aid.' We cannot, considering this, anywise doubt of those promises being effectually made good to us; Whatever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive; whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do.' There is nothing which he, enjoying such power, cannot do for us; and there is nothing which he, loving and merciful brother, will not do, that is good for us, if we do with humble confidence apply ourselves to him for it. And what greater incitement can there be to devotion, than an assurance so firmly grounded of fair acceptance and happy Yea, what an extreme folly, what a huge success thereof? crime is it, not to make use of such an advantage, not by so obliging an inducement to be moved to a constant practice of this so beneficial and sweet kind of duties?

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6. It may encourage us to all kind of obedience, to consider what a high pitch of eternal glory and dignity our Lord hath obtained, in regard to his obedience, and as a pledge of like recompense designed to us, if we tread in his footsteps, running the race that is set before us, and looking up unto Jesus, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God.' As God, in respect to what he should perform, did offer to him so high a promotion; so doth he likewise, on condition of our obedience to his commandments, oblige himself to put us into a like excellent and happy state: so our Lord himself declared, when he said, 'I covenant to you a kingdom, as my Father covenanted to me a kingdom' it goeth before, 'Ye are they which have

continued with me in my temptations:' there is the condition, faithful and constant adherence to Christ in doing and suffering; on performance of which condition our Lord tendereth that glorious reward of an eternal kingdom: and the divine covenant being thus effectually fulfilled unto him, doth ascertain us that his overture will likewise be made good to us; 'It is,' saith St. Paul, a faithful saying, (that is, a word on which we may confidently rely,) if we be dead with him, (dead to sin and vanity,) we shall also live with him, (live with him in glory and joy ;) if we endure, (or persevere in obedience and patience after him,) we shall also reign with him:' and, To him (saith our Lord in the Revelation) that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne.'

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7. Lastly, the consideration of these points should elevate our thoughts and affections from these inferior things here (the vain and base things of this world) unto heavenly things; according to that of St. Paul; If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.' To the head of our body we should be joined; continually deriving sense and motion, direction and activity from him: where the master of our family is, there should our minds be, constantly attentive to his pleasure, and ready to serve him; where the city is whose denizens we are, and where our final rest must be, there should our thoughts be, careful to observe the laws and orders, that we may enjoy the immunities and privileges thereof; in that country where only we have any good estate or valuable concernment, there our mind should be, studying to secure and improve our interest therein our resolution should be conformable to that of the holy psalmist; I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help.' • Christ is our life,' saith St. Paul; and shall our souls be parted from our life? 'Christ,' saith he again, is our hope;' and shall our mind and hope be asunder? Christ is the principal object of our love, of our trust, of our joy, of all our best affections; and shall our affections be severed from their best objects? By his being in heaven all our treasure becometh there ; ' and where our treasure is, there' (if we apprehend and believe rightly, there naturally) our hearts will be also:' if they be

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not, it is a sign we take him not for our best treasure. in our bodies sojourn from the Lord,' as St. Paul saith; but in our spirits we may and should be ever present, ever conversant with him; contemplating him with an eye of faith, fastening our love on him, reposing our confidence in him, directing our prayers and thanksgivings to him; meditating on his good laws, his gracious promises, his holy life, and his merciful performWe should not, by fixing our hearts and desires ances for us. on earthly things, (on the vain delights, the sordid interests, the fallacious and empty glories, the sinful enjoyments here,) nor by a dull and careless neglect of heavenly things, avert, estrange, or separate ourselves wholly from him. No, sursum corda, let us, unloosing our hearts from these things, and with them soaring upward, follow and adhere to our Lord; so shall we anticipate that blessed future state, so shall we assure to ourselves the possession of heaven, so here enjoying our Lord in affection, we shall hereafter obtain a perfect fruition of his glorious and blissful presence; the which God of his mercy by his grace vouchsafe us, through the same our ever blessed Saviour; to whom be for ever all glory and praise. Amen.

O God the King of glory, who hast exalted thine own Son Jesus Christ with great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven; we beseech thee leave us not comfortless, but send thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us to the same place whither our Saviour Jesus Christ is gone before; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.' Amen.

SUMMARY OF SERMON XXXII.

ECCLESIASTES, CHAP. III.-VERSE 17.

THESE words stated to have been the result of a serious contemplation on the state of human affairs and common occurrences in this world: various observations on the same. The reasonableness and equity of a future judgment entered on,

and shown.

1. Seeing that all men come hither without any knowlege or choice; having their life, as it were, obtruded on them; and seeing ordinarily that the pains of this life overbalance its pleasures, &c.; it seems but equitable that men should be put into a capacity of bettering their state hereafter, by means of their good behavior here; otherwise God might seem not to have dealt fairly with his creatures.

2. Seeing that man is endued with a free choice and power over his actions, and thence capable of deserving well or ill, it is just that a respective difference be made, according to due estimation, &c.

3. Seeing that there is a natural subordination of man to God, it is just that men should be accountable for the performance or violation of their obligations.

4. Seeing also that there are natural relations of men to one another, and various duties thence ensuing, it is fit that a reference of such cases should be made to the common Patron of right, &c.

5. Whereas there are many secret good actions and dispositions, to which no profit or pleasure is annexed; and likewise

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many bad ones concealed or disguised, so as to have no check, disgrace, or damage here; it is most equal that both kinds should be disclosed and recompensed hereafter.

6. There are also persons who, though highly offensive to God and man, cannot be reached by human laws, on account of their authority, power, &c.

7. Hence equity requires that a judgment should pass on the deeds of men ; and this the common opinions, and the private dictates of each man's conscience attest, &c.

8. Every man also who has committed any notable crime, naturally accuses himself, and in his own heart sentences himself to punishment; whilst the virtuous man anticipates the blessings of reward, &c.

Other reasons adduced why it is requisite men should have an apprehension of a future judgment, and consequently that such an one should really be.

1. It is needful to engage us in the practice of any virtue, and to restrain us from any vice; for without it, no consideration of reason, no provision of law here, can be available for those purposes: this fully shown.

2. Whence manifestly the same supposition is also needful to the welfare of human society; the which, without the practice of justice, fidelity, and other virtues, can hardly subsist, &c,

3. Farther, it is shown that no authority, on whatever reason or equity grounded, if it do not present competent encouragement to obedient subjects, if it do not hold forth an armed hand, menacing proper chastisement to the refractory, will be able to sustain the respect due to it: this applied to the doctrine in question.

Case of the Jews considered, who could not be kept in obedience, though God declared his law to them in the most awful manner, and inforced his will with promises of the greatest possible blessings, and with menaces of the greatest mischiefs

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