Imatges de pàgina
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in the Beauty of Holiness, we are employ ed in his immediate Service; and fince it hath always been juftly reckoned very honourable to have fome Office near the Perfon of one of the Kings of the Earth, then doubtless it must be far more honourable to be employed in the immediate Service of him, by whom thofe Kings reign, and from whom they receive all their Honour and Authority.

Thirdly, To worthip God in the Beauty of Holinefs, will fill us with the most exquifite Pleafure. Pleasure is nothing else but that Satisfaction or Complacency which we perceive in us, when our Appetites are gratified with that which they defire. And because we all naturally defire Good, therefore the greater the Good that we defire is, the greater proportionably muft our Pleasure be in the Enjoyment of it. Now the fupreme, the greatest Good that is in the World, is God. And if we are truly holy (as we are fuppofed to be, if we worship God in the Beauty of Holiness) their we shall really esteem him to be fo, this Estimation of our Judgments, will naturally beget a Choice of him in our Wills; and this Choice of him in our Wills, will as naturally produce a Defire of him, in our Affecti

Affections; as it did in the holy Pfalmift, who, enflam'd with this Affection, cryed out, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I defire in Comparison of thee. So then if this Defire is gratified with the Enjoyment of him, we must neceflarily be filled with a most exquifite, and fublime Pleafure, fuitable to fuch an Enjoyment. But this Enjoyment of God we have, when we worfhip him in the Beauty of Holiness: For then we hold a near and fweet Communion with himi: Then our Souls do as it were fealt upon God, and God refreshes and entertains our Souls; and confequently then we cannot but feel a moft exalted and inexpreffible Delight: A Delight of the fame Nature, with that which is imparted to the Saints in Heaven, from the like Enjoyment of the Divine Being. As we Communicate with those Saints in worthipping God, in the Beauty of Holinefs, fo we have Fellowship with them too in the happy Effects of it. Whilst They are folac'd with the immenfe Pleafures, which are at God's right Hand above, We ate biefs'd with a Participaton of that Fullness of Joy, which doth aways'arrend his more immediate PrePhee here below.

Laftly,

Laftly, To worship God in the Beauty of Holiness, is neceffary in order to our Well-being hereafter. God hath often fignified his Will to be worshipped fo. This implies that we can worship him fo; and therefore if we don't take care to worship fo, we live in a Difobedience to his Will; and that is the ready Way to be excluded from his Kingdom hereafter; out of which we cannot poffefs the least Felicity, but muft fuffer the greatest Mifery.

Vain then, extremely vain and foolish, are the Fancies of thofe Men, who, if they pay fome Regard to the Worship of God, think to fare well enough in another World, altho' they be not righteous in other Refpects. And as vain are the Imaginations of others, who, if they be righteous in other Refpects, think to fare well enough, altho' they neglect to wor fhip God as they ought: For into Heaven will be admitted heither godly Knaves, nor ungodly honeft Men. If ever we arrive at that blissful Place, we muft walk in the Paths of univerfal Obedience; we must be holy in all manner of Conversation, and Godliness.

Well then; fince it appears, that so great Profit, Honour, and Pleafure, will

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be conveyed to us by worshipping God in the Beauty of Holinefs; and fince it is fo necellary in order to our future Wellbeing, let us embrace all opportunities of being exercised in it.

I need not I fuppofe exhort you here, to be frequent likewife in your private Devotions, that fo you may worship God the more beautifully in the Assembly of the faithful, This, I fay, I need not do now, because it is virtually contained in the Other. For, very certain it is that unlefs we do worship God devoutly in Private, we cannot be well deemed truly holy, and for that Reafon, cannot worship him in the Beauty of Holiness in Public.

Let us then cleanfe ourselves from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God. Let us praise him, and put up our Petitions to him, with decent and humble Poftures of our Bodies; and with Zeal, Fervour, and Attention of our Minds. Let us orderly joyn in all the Parts of our Worfhip; and not maim our Service by Sleeping, Inattention, or late Coming. If we thus behave and qualify ourfelves, then from Worthipping God in the Church Militant on Earth now, we fhall be advanced to worship him in the Church

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triumphant in Heaven hereafter, there to fing Hymns and Hallelujahs, to him that fitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.

SERMON xi..

John iv. 7.

Beloved, let us love one another.

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HESE are the Words of that Di ciple whom JESUS loved: Whom the Saviour of the World, in a more pe culiar Manner, placed his Affections upon; whom the great Lover of Souls, had a diftinguishing Love and Kindness for.

And as the Author of my Text had this uncommon favour beflowed upon him; fo he made what Requital he could by returning Love for Love; by loving his Lord as much as his enlarged Soul esabled him, tho' 'twas impoffible he should ever love him, as much as he was beloy'd by him.

And as St John was thus eminently beloved by his Lord, and did thus entirely Jove him; to having perceived what a noble Pleasure and Delight, naturally flow'd

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