W Hereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises; that by these you might be Partakers of the divine Nature, having escaped the Corruption that is in the World thro' Luft. 2 Pet. i. 4. The Grace of JESUS CHRIST is truly precious, being purchased at the Price of his Blood: It is truly great, working in us, after fuch a Manner, as is proportioned to our Weakness, and to the Majefty of God: It is a Grace promised in the Old Testament, and given in the New: A Grace, which makes us love God, which caufes us to accomplish his Law, by engraving it on the Heart, which changes the Heart, heals it and frees it from the Love of the World, and from a fond Affection for the Creatures; and which Renews in it the Image of God, unites it to him, and makes it partake of the Holiness of his Being in JESUS CHRIST. Love divine, all Love excelling, All thy faithful Mercies crown : Jefus, thou art all Compaffion, M Y beloved Brethren, be ye ftedfaft, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, forafmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord, I Cor. xv. 58. The Victory is never fo compleat in this World, but that there is always Occafion for us to fight, to watch, and to pray. There is not one Moment wherein we have no Need that God should work in us by the Grace of Jefus Chrift. Without him, there is nothing in us but Inability and Unworthinefs. Our only Refuge is, to addrefs ourselves, and adhere to him, by a lively Faith and humble Prayer; to labour in him by an abundant Love; and to expect from him, by a firm and unmoveable Hope, the eternal Recompence. Come, Almighty, to deliver, Let us all thy Life receive, Suddenly return, and never, Never more thy Temple leave: Thee we would be always bleffing, Beloved, feeing ye look for fuch Things (new Heavens and a new Earth) be diligent, that ye may be found of him in Peace without Spot and blameless, 2 Pet. iii. 14. Let the Expectation then of eternal good Things quench in us the Thirst of all earthly, which deprives us of Peace; let it make us hate the World which corrupts us; and let it feparate us from Sin, which renders us unclean, and altogether unworthy of God, of Happiness, and of Heaven. Thou Judge of Quick and Dead, O may we thus be found Obedient to his Word; Our Lot among the bleft, THAT which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have Fellowship with us; and truly our Fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift, 1 John i. 3. The Chriftian Religion is the Fellowship of Men with Jefus Chrift, and by him with God, and with other Men in Jefus Chrift, for the Sake of God, by the Means of Faith. Faith joins us in Fellowship with God, that we may be filled with him as his Temples; be made Partakers of his divine Nature, as his Children; be received into his Glory, nourished with his Truth, and confummated in his Love, as the Members of his Son. Is there enough in one Heart to comprehend fo great a Love, to receive fuch divine Graces, to acknowledge fuch ftupendous Mercies? Let us at least give it him all intire. Our heavenly Father calls, And Chrift invites us near, God pities all my Griefs, IF We resemble God only by our Spirit and Manners. By these we enter into Fellowship with him; by these we feparate ourfelves from him. All the imitable Perfections which are in God, fuch as Truth, Love, Purity, Juftice, Mercy, are the Light in which we ought to walk, and the fhining Pattern which we ought to imitate. It is to this End that we have been cleanfed from our Sins by the Blood of Jefus Chrift, and it is by the fame Blood that we cleanse our felves daily. Prince of Life! for Sinners flain, Grant us Fellowship with Thee, Fain we would partake thy Pain, Share thy mortal Agony ; Give us now th' amazing Pow'r, Now bring back the dying Hour. Surely now the Prayer he hears, Pierc'd his Feet, his Hands, his Side, |