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and to co-operate with us in all our AIpirations after him, till at length he accomplish his own Work in us, and to the immortal Praise of his Free Grace and Mercy, reward our Sincere and Perfevering, though imperfect, Obedience with a Crown of Glory. Amen.

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SERMON IV.

PSALM 84. 1.

O how amiable are thy Dwellings: Thou Lord of Hofts!

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Hefe Words (I conceive) are a paffionate Ejaculation of the Royal Pfalmift, when he was unnaturally driven by his Rebellious Son Abfalom, from the Houfe of God. bears his other Afflictions with wonderful Patience and Refignation: The Revilings of his Enemies, the Revolts of his Friends, the Rebellion of his own Son, the Difgrace of his Family, and the Eclypfe of his Glory. But to be banish'd from the Prefence of the Lord, to be forc'd from the Place of

V. 2.

may

his peculiar Abode, to be depriv'd of the publick Worship of the San&tuary: This is a Meditation that finks his Pious Soul almost into Impatience, and causeth him even to cry out for the Disquitness of his Heart. My Soul longeth, fays he, yea, cven fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: My Heart and my Flesh cry out for the Living God. Tea, the Sparrow (he goes on in his Elegant Complaints bath found her an House, and the Swallow a Neft where she may lay her Young; even thine Altars, O Lord of Hofts, my King, and my God. But I am debarr'd that Liberty, which those little Birds, that know nothing of thee, enjoy. Whilft they fecurely fly about and fing, yea, build their Nefts, and hatch their Young Ones in thy Holy Place. Thy Servant wanders up (a)28am. and down in the Solitary (a) Moun17.22, 29. tains, overwhelm'd with Sorrows, overwhelm'd with Vexations, because vaftly remote from thy Dwelling-Place (b) Pfal. in Sion. (b) O then, send out thy Light 43. 3,4 and thy Truth; let them lead me, let them guide me unto thy Holy Hill, and to thy Tabernacle. Then will I go unto the Altar of God, unto God my ex

ceeding

ceeding Joy; yea, upon the Harp will I praise thee, O God, my God. In a word: In all his Afflictions he seems to be griev'd at nothing elfe, but his unhappy Banishment from the Sanctuary of the Lord. This makes him fadly to call to mind his former happiness. How he went with the Pfal. 42. Multitude, and brought them forth into 4, s. the House of God, in the Voice of Praise and Thanksgiving; among fuch as keep Holy Day. How his Soul was then fill'd, not with Heaviness, as now; but with Extafies, and Raptures, and Joys. How ravishing he always found the Beauty of Holinefs, how transporting the Courts of the Lords House, and how unspeakable the Confolations and Refreshments of his Service. All which is elegantly compris'd in this most Affectionate and Seraphick Ejaculation: O how amiable are thy Dwellings: thou Lord of Hofts!

This (fay) was the Cafe of the Royal Pfalmift; nothing fo lovely, nothing fo defirable, nothing fo amiable in his Eyes, as the Beauty of Holiness. And thus is it likewife with all the Children of G 2

God.

(c) As

(c) Pfal. (c) As the Hart panteth after the Water42.1, 2. brooks, fo do their Souls pant after God. Their Souls are athirst for God, yea, even for the Living God: and they rejoyce to come publickly, and appear before the prefence of God. And

that,

ift. Because here they are fure to meet him, whom their Soul loveth; to meet him with all his Endearments and Careffes, and to be wonderfully refrefht with the Solaces of his Love. Here efpecially they experience the kind Affiftances of Angels, and the Extraordinary Visitations and Blandifhments of the Holy Spirit. Here they are delighted with Anthems of Praise and Adoration, and feast upon Allelujah's, Here they melt in Calentures of Devotion, and feel the most Extatick Afpirations after God. Here they converse with the Brightest and Best Being, which oftentimes vouchsafes them fuch clear Perceptions, and lively Impreffions of his Divine Beauty, that they seem to be with Saint Paul in Paradise, encircled and furrounded with Amazing Glories, lifting up their Voices with

the

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