AND to wait for his Son from Heaven, whom he raised from the Dead, even Jefus which delivered us from the Wrath to come, I Thess. i. 10. To ferve God, and to expect or wait for his Son Jefus Chrift, is the whole Life of a Chriftian. He who expects, defires; and he who defires, is impatient of Delay; he who is impatient, groans: he who groans, is ienfible of his Mifery, and very far from feeking Pleafures and Diversions. Vouchfafe, O Lord, to teach us thyfelf, to wait for thee, as a Captive does for his Deliverer; an Exile, for his being recalled Home; a fick Perfon, for his Phyfician; a Child for his Father; a Bride for her Bridegroom: a Sheep for her Shepherd; a Debtor for his Ranfom; and an oppressed Orphan for his Judge and Protector. Let us imitate him whom we expect, if we are unwilling to fall back into that Wrath from which he has delivered us. Jefus, God of my Salvation, Give us Eyes thyself to fee, Waiting for the Confolation, Longing to believe on thee; A a Now vouchsafe the facred Pow'r, Now the Faith divine impart, ΤΗ HIS is the Difciple which teftifieth of these Things, and wrote thefe Things: and we know that his Teftimony is true. And there are alfo many other Things which Jefus did, the which if they fhould be written every one, fuppofe that even the World it felf could not contain the Books that fhould be writ. ten. Amen. John xxi. 24, 25. We know only the leaft Part of thofe Things which Jefus did and taught upon Earth. If we do not make Ufe of that which is written, to what End would that which is not have ferved, but only to our greater Condemnation? Let us be content to adore that of which we know nothing; let us put in practice every Part of his Word which we do know; let us beg the Grace that we may be willing to perform what we are able, and that we may be able to perform what we are willing, and let us labour, without Intermiflion, defiring earnestly that Happiness which we expect. Yes, Lord Jefus, come quickly, for it is thou whom we expect, and we look not for another. Come, OThou greater than ourHearts, Take us into thy People's Reft, And we from ourown Works fhall cease With thy meek Spirit arm our Breaft, And keep our Minds in perfect Peace. WHEN ye faft, be not as the Hypocrites, of a fad Countenance: for they disfigure their Faces, that they may appear unto Men to faft. Verily I fay unto you, they have their Reward, Matt. vi. 16. It is difficult to avoid Hypocrify and Oftentation in external Mortifications, and chiefly in fafting. God turns from the Sinner the Eyes of his Mercy in the fame Proportion that he endeavours to draw upon himfelf those of Men. When a Man affects a fad Countenance he has but little godly Sorrow in his Heart. The Love of God makes us do that with Joy, which we do for him. Our Heart is the fame in refpect of God, that our Head and Face are in refpect of Men. It is by the Heart that he knows us, and judges of us; it is by this that we 'please him. Let us not be afraid that our Heart will be conceal'd from God; but let us be afraid, left he should discover it to be greedy of the Glory which comes from Men, and little filled with Defire and Efteem of that Glory which he alone can confer. That true Remorse, that Grief divine, Saviour, I long to know, Indulge me at thy Feet to grieve Till Thou my mournful Soul receive, ONE NE of the Soldiers with a Spear pierced his Side, and forthwith came thereout Blood and Water. John xix. 34. Chrift would not have one Drop of his Blood remain unfhed for the Salvation of Mankind. It is all for us, he reserves not the leaft Part of it for himself. The Wound in our bleffed Saviour's Side ought to be most dear and amiable to us, fince it is from this myfterious Opening of his Heart after he was dead, that the Sacraments of Life proceed. It is not fufficient that our bleffed Saviour wash us; he muft likewise feed and renew us. O wonderful Transfufion of the Blood of God, from the Head into the Members, from his natural into his myftical Body, from the Side of Jefus into the Chriftian's Heart! Let Faith and Gratitude continually open mine to receive the quickening Virtue of this Blood, which conveys eternal Life to us. O Thou dear fuffering Son of GOD, O that my Soul might burft the Shade, ND as they (the Women) were afraid, and bowed down their Faces to the Earth, they (the two Angels) faid unto them, Why feek ye the Living among the Dead?- He is not here, but is rifen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. Luke xxiv. 5, 6. We never feek Jefus Chrift without Benefit and Comfort, when we feek him fincerely, and with our whole Heart. How full of Confolation is this Gofpel of Life, to thofe Souls who are wholly taken up with contemplating the Death, and Burial of their Saviour. The Belief of the whole Mystery of our Salvation is founded upon the Word of Chrift. It is to this Word that the Angels refer those very Souls, whom they inftru&t with their own Mouth by the Direction of God. Render our Minds intent, O Jefus, make us always remember that thou art no longer vifible here below, that Heaven is the Place where we must feek for thee, and that thou art to be found only by Faith. The rifen Saviour foars Beyond the Creature's Ken; Yet whom th' angelic Hoft adores, He pleads the Caufe of Men. Our Counsellor we praise, Our Advocate above, |
