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hold! how good and joyful a Thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity. It is like the precious Ointment upon Aaron's Head, that ran down to the Beard, and from thence to the Skirts of the Clothing," viz. to all Believers. In this Communion of Saints is included the Forgivenfs of Sins: For the Showers of Grace in Christian Fellowship (where God beftows his Bleffings) are compared to the Dew that defcended upon the Mountain of Sion, where the Tribes of Abraham affembled, and where God promifed his Bleffing, and Life for evermore, Pfal. cxxxiii. 1, 2, 3. For God's Care of his Church is fo great, when they wander from him like filly Sheep; which too often is the Cafe, that he orders the Trumpet to be blown in Sion, and to found an Alarm in his holy Mountain, that his People might be gathered together into a folemn Affembly, that they might fanctify a Fast, by Weeping and Mourning for Sin. Then will the Lord be jealous for his Church, and pity his People, Joel ii. 1, 12, 15, 18. Then this heavenly Dew, by Virtue of their Union with Chrift their Head, and through the Operation of the Holy Ghost, falls down on every Member of the Church, the mystical Body of Chrift. All who are united to him, and become Branches of the true Vine, fhall partake of his Fulness, and receive in the Affembly of Saints, fresh Manifeftations of God's everlasting Love, which was fo bountifully poured on them by the divine Unction, or Anointing of the Holy Ghoft, whereby they were fet apart from the World, on the Day of their Efpoufals with Chrift. Which Anointing the Apostle faith abideth in them, and will teach them all Things, and lead them into all Truth. Such are they to whom God hath promised eternal Life, 1 John ii. 25, 27. and fuch is their Priviledge; they are juftified by

9, 10.

Faith, having made Peace with God through Christ. They are now of the Circumcifion, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jefus; and have no Confidence in the Flefh, Phil. iii. 3. but acknowledge their Sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. iii. 5. and that through Believing they enter into Reft : 66 For there remaineth a Reft for the People of God." And he that hath entered into his Reft, he also hath ceased from his own Works (from Working for Life) as truly as God did from his when he fanctified the Sabbath Day, Heb. iv. 3, Yet the Believer ufeth all Diligence to make his Calling and Election fure, 2 Peter i. 10. which he is enabled to do; having through Grace followed Chrift in the Regeneration, Matt. xix. 28. He proves him to be "the true Light which lighteth every Man (who is enlightened) that cometh into the World," John i. 9. And therefore he that followeth Chrift fhall not walk in Darkness, but fhall have the Light of Life, Jahn viii. 12. are the Salt of the Earth, and Light of the World; who are like a City on a Hill, which cannot be hid, Matt. v. 13, 14. Therefore the Apostle exhorts Believers (who have tafted that the Lord is gracious) not to forfake the Affembling of themselves together, as the Manner of fome is, Heb. x. 25. Because in the Midft of fuch Counsellors there is Safety, Prov. xi. 14. They being capable of directing Sinners in the Way to Heaven; for it is faid, The Saints fhall judge the World, 1 Cor. vi. 2. They being Heirs of God, and Joint-heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 17. Having their Understanding enlightened to know the Mind of Chrift, he faith unto them, "Whofefoever Sins ye remit (or declare to be remitted by the Direction of the Spirit) they are remitted unto them; and whofefoever Sins. ye retain, they are retained," John xx. 23. The

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Such

Spirits

Spirits of the Prophets are fubject to the Prophets, fo are the Spirits of Believers, 1 Cor. xiv. 32. When the Apostles perceived the Grace that was given to Saint Paul, they gave him the Right-hand of Fellowship, Gal. ii. 9. They being thus enlightened judge with the Wisdom of the Juft, whofe Path and Judgment fhines more and more until the perfect Day, Prov. iv. 18. He that hath believed in the Merits of Chrift, and firmly fixed his Hope on him as his fure Foundation (difdaining every other Prop) having viewed him by an Eye of Faith, knows him to be the only tried and precious Corner-stone, which God (and not Man) hath laid in Zion, viz. the Church (he will not because God faith) he fhall not make Hafte, (to run from his Anchor of Hope) Ifa. xxviii. 16. He will not be Diffident; for he knows there is no other Way (than what God hath appointed) to fave his immortal Soul. And therefore will not be carried about to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine, Eph. iv. 14. "To whom shall we go, faith Peter, (when Unbelievers went away from Chrift) thou haft the Words of eternal Life," John vi. 68. "Chrift is the Way, the Truth, and the Life," John xiv. 6. And in this Way Believers go from Strength to Strength, 'till every one appears before God in the Wedding Garment of Chrift's Righteousness, in the Affembly of the Juft, in Sion above, Ifa. lxxxiv. 7. Thus fhall the Juft arrive from one Degree of Grace to another, and grow in the Knowledge of Jefus Chrift, 2 Peter iii. 18. And he will inftruct the Ignorant; for to whom fhall God teach Knowledge, or whom fhall he make to underftand Doctrine? them that are weaned from the Milk, and drawn from the Breafts; them that are yet childish and to them he will give Precept upon Precept, Line upon Line, here a Little, and

there

there a Little. That their weary Souls might reft in God's Ways, and be refreshed, Ifa. xxviii. 9, 10, 12. By Pureness, by Knowledge, by Long-fuffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Ghoft, by Love unfeigned, by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteoufnefs on the right Hand and on the Left, by Honour and Difhonour, by evil Report and good Report; being reviled as Deceivers, and yet true, as unknown to the World, and yet well known to Chrift; as dying to the World and Sin, and behold we live; as chaftened, but not killed; as forrowful thro' much Tribulation, yet always rejoicing that we are counted worthy to fuffer Shame for Chrift: as being poor in Spirit, yet through Grace making many rich in God, and Heirs of his glorious Kingdom; as having nothing, and yet poffeffing all Things in Christ our Head, 2 Cor. vi. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. For by Prayer and Supplication our Requefts are made known unto God, Phil. iv. 6. whofe Eyes are over the Righteous, and his Ears are open unto their Prayers, Peter iii. 12. Who commands his fanctified Ones, and his mighty Ones who rejoice in his Highness (which none but his mighty Angels, and Souls juftified by Faith can do) who are willing to obey God's Commands, to execute his Anger against his Enemies, especially by the twoedged Sword of God's Word, Pfal. cxlix. 6. Isa. xiii. 3. Angels are miniftring Spirits, fent forth to minifter for them who fhall be Heirs of Salvation, Heb. i. 14.

TEACH thy Church, O Lord, to lie before thee in

the Duft, on Account of her great Obligation to thee for fending protecting Angels to guard her upon Earth. And likewife for thy fanctifying Graces whereby he is become the true Circumcifion, which worship

thee

thee in Spirit, and have no Confidence in the Flefb. Help us, O Lord, to live to thy Glory, never to tarnife the Cross of Chrift, which bath freed us from the Dominion of Satan. Neither let us grieve thy boly Spirit, whereby we are fealed to the Day of Redempti

on.

And although the Wicked, like prickly Thorns, are often vexing the Righteous (as was the Cafe with Lot in Sodom) yet we pray thee, forgive them, for they know not what they do, left at last they be bound up in Bundles, and according to thy Word, caft alive into Hell, Matt. xiii. 30.

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CHRIST appears a Man of War, teaches his Difciples to be Soldiers. Promifes them glorious Titles, and to keep them from the Power of the Devil, which overcometh the World by bis Temptations. The Bride views her Beloved on the bloody Cross, he groans and dies unto Sin.

NOW

TOW behold, and wonder ye Hofts above! and be aftonished, ye Sons of Men! that Emmanuel himself fhould ftand in need of Affiftance from Heaven, to compleat Man's Redemption. For lo a mighty Angel was fent from God to ftrengthen our bleffed and for ever adorable Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, in his Agony and bloody Sweat; who had juft entered his laft ConAict against the Powers of Hell, and by way of Sympathy with our feeble Flefh, he prayed if it

was

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