up

after him the daily Sacrifices of our moft joyful Thanksgivings? The Royal Pfalmift, to encourage our gratitude, becomes our Præcentor, he puts his triumphant Songs into our Mouth, and goes before us in the moft elegant PP. 47. Strains of Devotion and Fancy. God

9 Pf. 68.

'(fays he)is gone up with a merry Noise, ' and the Lord with the found of the 'Trumpet. O then fing Praises, sing Praifes, fing Praises unto our God: Ŏ fing Praises,fing Praifes unto our King. For God is the King of all the Earth: Sing ye Praises with Understanding. 'God reigneth over the Heathen; God 'fitteth upon his Holy Seat. The Prin

ces of the People are join'd unto the People of the God of Abraham. ¶ And in another place, Thou art gone up on high, thou haft led Captivity Captive, and received Gifts for Men ; yea, even for thine Enemies, that the Lord God 'might dwell among them Praised (therefore) be the Lord daily: Even 'the God who helpeth us, and poureth 'his Benefits upon us. He is our God, even the God, of whom cometh Sal 'vation: God is the Lord, by whom we ' escape Death.

2. Since

2. Since our Lord is afcended up on high,fince he has led Captivity Captive, and gives his Gifts unto Men, we have all imaginable Reafon not to be troubled, or afraid, but in all the most difficult Circumstances of our Lives unfeignedly to rejoice. For are we in danger of our Enemies? Alas! what Enemies can hurt us, when we have fo gracious and mighty a Protector? He who rode upon the Clouds to Heaven, is our help and refuge; and can (if he fees it neceffary, or for his own Glory, and our good) rain down Fire and Brimstone upon the Heads of all that hate us. Do our manifold Sins and Wickedneffes affright and terrify us? We have now an Interceffor at the right Hand of the Father, an Advocate even in his Bofom, Jefus Chrift the Righte ous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins. He continually prefents to his Father the merit of his Death and Paffion, fhews him the print of the Thorns in his Sacred Head, his Hands and Feet bor'd through with Nai's, and his Sides pierc'd with the Spear, and thereby pacifies his Wrath, and reconciles him to repenting Sinners. Are we deftitute of Q 3 Ne

Neceffaries to sustain our Lives? as long as he fees fit to continue us in this State, he will not fail, in his due time, to fend down a gracious Rain upon his Inheritance, and to refresh it, when it is weary. The Lord is my Shepherd, may every faithful Chriftian fay, therefore can I lack nothing: He will feed me in the green Pastures, and daily lead me forth by the Waters of Comfort. Laftly, do we ftand in need of fuch Graces as are requifite for our Chriftian Calling? Out of his fulness (if we ask of him in Faith) fhall we all receive, and Grace for Grace, xdew avi xáеTO.. Grace enough of his mere Bounty to prepare our Souls for Heaven, and to render them acceptable to himself and to his Holy Father at their coming thither.

3. Is our Lord afcended up into the highest Heaven, and there reigns over the bright Companies of his Saints and Angels in Majefty and Glory? Let us then seek those things that are above, where Chrift thus fits at the right Hand of God. Let us fet our Affections on things above, not on things on the Earth. We are Pilgrims and Strangers

here

We be

r

· Eph. 2.5.

6.

3.

here, as all our Fathers were. long to another Country, are Citizens of Heaven, Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of the Houfhold of God. God (fays St. Paul) bath quickned us together with Chrift, and hath rais'd us up together, and made us fit together in Heavenly Places in Chrift Jefus. We fit in the Heavenly Manfions already (you fee) in Chrift our Head, and we shall hereafter, in our own Perfons, be feated by him there, when he fhall be glorify'd in all his Saints. Igo (fays he fohn 14. to his difconfolate Disciples) to prepare a place for you, and will come again, and receive you unto my self, that where I am, there ye may be also. Let us then (I fay) elevate our Thoughts above the trifling, infignificant Concerns of this World, and by Pious Meditations and Holy Affections, afcend and dwell with our triumphing Saviour. Let our Converfation be in Heaven, always fuch, as becomes the Difciples of the Holy and Immortal Jefus, the Sons of the Living God, and the Heirs of his everlasting Kingdom. Let us make our Garments white and clean, cleanse our selves from all the filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, and perfect Holiness in the fear of God, that

Tit. 2.13 at the glorious Appearance tμeyda Θεῖ καὶ Σωτήρα ἡμῶν Ιησέ Χρισέ, of our great God and Saviour Jefus Chrift, when he shall fulfil his Bleffed Promife, and come again to receive his faithful Followers unto himself, we may not fall fhort of our Expectation and Hope, but be exalted by him unto the fame place, whither he now is gone before, there to reign with him, World without end, in Happiness and Glory. Amen,

SER