tion may make, it is really the greatest discouragement to true holiness that can be; as taking away the certainty of those future eternal rewards and punishments, which are the great security of our obedience to the Christian law. And how ludicrous would this make the threats and promises of religion, and be infinitely unbecoming Him that is the source of truth and goodness; and prove, as I doubt it often does, a prevailing temptation to utter atheism and infidelity.

Wherefore let us all, that pretend to be Christians, give due attention to the great evidence of this fundamental article, and with all possible care and watchfulness guard ourselves against the artifices of him that would remove us from this foundation of our faith; and hold fast the profession of it without wavering, remembering that he is faithful that hath promised, and in due time will do it.

And as it highly concerns us to be thus steadfast and unmoveable in our belief, so it equally concerns us to take care that our practice be agreeable; and always to abound in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we have such assurance that our labour shall not be in vain.

Our labour shall not be in vain, but our idleness can expect no reward, unless it be that of the slothful servant, who knew his Master's will but did not do it.

And if the endless and inconceivable glories of heaven shall be the recompense of our poor, imperfect services here, and the degrees of that our future happiness shall be according to the degrees of our honest diligence in obeying the will of our great PP

BRAGGE, VOL. I.

Master now; and the least degree of bliss and glory there shall infinitely exceed what our best and longest obedience here can ever pretend to deserve: what abundant encouragement have we with the utmost zeal and cheerfulness to do and suffer any thing that so bountiful a Master shall think fit to require at our hands! looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearance of our blessed Lord, when he shall come to receive to himself those that are his, and this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality, and he shall change this our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

Wherefore, to conclude, with what triumphant joy should we welcome every return of that great festival which is kept in remembrance of our allpowerful Redeemer's conquest over hell and death, and opening to us the gates of everlasting life! And how should we bless and magnify our divine Champion's ever glorious name, who hath been thus mighty to save, and resolve to make an entire oblation of ourselves to be his servants for ever; and that as he died and rose again for us," so will we die unto "sin, and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godliness of living."

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For now we are assured, beyond all reasonable doubt, that this short life is but a state of probation for another endless one; and that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust, which shall let us into it, and where our condition will be eter

nally happy or miserable, according to our works here below. Wherefore, let us make it our constant endeavour now, with all sincerity and diligence, to prepare for a happy immortality, by sowing the seeds of righteousness and true holiness in this life, which shall then spring up to everlasting glory.

To which the good Lord bring us all in his good time, through the merits and mediation of Jesus our Redeemer! Amen, Amen!

XII.

Our Saviour's glorious ascension into heaven.

LUKE XXIV. 50, &c.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.

OUR blessed Lord, having shewed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs, as we have heard, and speaking to his apostles of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God; opening their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and discern how all things were fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning him; that it behoved him to suffer, as he had done, and to rise from the dead the third day, of all which they were witnesses: he gave them commission (blessed be his goodness!) to preach repentance and remission of sins in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem; and to teach them his holy religion, which they had learned of him, and require their observance of all things, whatsoever he had commanded them; receiving into his church whoever would profess to believe in him, by baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the a Acts i. 3. b Luke xxiv. 45, &c.

Son, and of the Holy Ghost; assuring them, as they might assure others from him, that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned d

And then, to encourage them in a vigorous prosecution of a work of so much difficulty and danger, he tells them, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth; and assures them that he will send the promise of his Father upon them, that is, the Holy Ghost, who should miraculously assist them; but in the mean time he bid them tarry in Jerusalem, and not enter upon their ministry, until by his descent they were endued with power from on high, to enable them to discharge it effectually. And then he lift up his hands and blessed them, and as the seal of their high commission, breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained; and while he was blessing them he was taken up from the earth, in that very place where he got upon the ass to ride in triumph into Jerusalem, and was parted from them, and triumphantly carried up to the heavenly Jerusalem upon a bright cloud, like that which covered him at his transfiguration; and at length mounted out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went up, with wondering eyes and ravished hearts, behold two angels, like men in white apparel, stood by them, and said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into hea

c Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. d Mark xvi. 16. e Matt. xxviii. 18. f Luke xxiv. 50. g John xx. 22, 23.