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by representing to them the neceffity of his Suffering, That thus it was written, and that thus it behoved Chrift to fuffer; by giving them the Promise of the Holy Ghoft, who fhould both Comfort, Inftruct and Guide them; by affuring them this Comforter could not be fent, untill himself first returned to the Father, and by his Interceffion fhould obtain the Miffion of him; that although his Bodily Prefence should be taken from them, yet that it was for their good; and that he would ever continue to be prefent with them, by the influences of his Government and Bleffed, Spirit, by interceding for them continually with the Father, by promoting their Requests in the Court of Heaven, by pouring down, his Gifts and Graces on them, and watching over them with a conftant Eye of Providence, but above all, in preparing Manfions for them in Heaven, to receive them after Death, and the Final Completion of their Labours upon. Earth.

Upon all these Accounts he bids them not be troubled in their Hearts for his Departure, and the temporal Calamities which they fancied would enfue upon it; and for an Argu.. ment of Confolation, fays to them, Te believe in God, believe alfo in me. As if he fhould fay; You cannot deny that it is both your Duty, and Safety alfo to truft in God, confidered only as the Creator and Governour of the World; to refign up your Wills to his difpofal, and upon firm affurance, that he

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both knoweth and willeth what is beft for you, reft contented in all the various Conditions of Life. If you confider him as the Author of your Religion, in which ye have been brought up, ye have yet much greater Reafon to rely upon his Care and Providence in all doubtful Cafes and Diftreffes; as having often experienced his peculiar Kindness to your Church and Nation, in many and wonderful Inftances, which were therefore at firft recorded, that ye might from thence conceive affured Hope of the Divine Goodness and Providence, interpofing in your Behalf in all Calamities; as it is in the lxxviii Pfalm. He gave Ifrael a law, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children: To the intent, that when they came up, they might fhew their children the fame. That they might put their trust in God, and not to forget the works of God. If for thefe Reasons you are content to truft in God, and depend on him for relief in your Afflictions; for much greater Reasons ye ought to confide and rely upon my Promises of Affiftance to you, and conftant Care of you, even after I fhall be removed from you; inafmuch as ye have received from me more manifeft Affurances of the peculiar Favour of God to you, than ever were indulged to any part of Mankind, to the Patriarchs or the Jews.

My Ability to do all this you cannot doubt; As knowing who I am, and what Place I bear in Heaven; or if ye fhould not be lieve this merely for the Confideration of

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the Divinity of my Perfon, yet believe me for the very works fake, Ver. 11. being convinced by fo many Miracles, as I have wrought for your Satisfaction; that I am able to perform whatfoever I promise to you. And then for my willingness to do it, you have all along experienced my Affection to you; and if and if you do ftill doubt, I do now give you fresh Affurances. For if it were not Jo, I would have told you, Verse 2. And if ys fball ask any thing in my name, I will do it, Verse 14. Even my Crucifixion is for your fake, for to purchase Redemption for you; and after that, my return into Heaven is for your fake alfo, to fecure your Reward, and prepare you Manfions there. For in my Fathers houje are many Mansions: As it followeth in the fecond Verfe. I go not to take poffeffion of the Joys of Heaven for my felf alone, but in your Name alfo, and in your behalf. Let not your hearts therefore be trou bled, neither be distracted with the Afictions that may fall upon you. For whatsoever Shocks you may meet with in this World; although you be perfecuted, injured, and oppressed; let not this afflict you, or caufe you to defpair; this is not your abiding Place, your Manfion is in Heaven: Let this be your Confolation.

This was abundantly fufficient to dispel the Anxiety, and raife the drooping Spirits of the Apoftles; and not only fo, but also in fome manner to fupport all faithful Chri

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ftians in difficult Emergencies to all Ages This was spoken indeed to the Apostles, but written for our Inftruction, whom it doth no less concern. For the Church fucceeding the Apostles, was not by any peculiar Priviledge exempted from Difficulties and Dif afters. The Promifes made unto her were not to take place in this Life; and therefore if fhe were affaulted with Tempefts, and oppreffed by the Malice of Men or Devils, fhe fuffers no more, than her Lord and Mafter did before her; than her Founders, and his beloved Difciples alfo did. A greater Calamity cannot befall the Church, than what befell the Apoftles at this time? Nay, all that ever the Church fuffered, all that it can fuffer, come far beneath it: And yet our Saviour thought this Confideration a fufficient Remedy to their Affliction. Much more therefore will it fuffice to remove our leffer Troubles, and continue a conftant quiet and tranquility in our Minds, who are Followers of the fame Faith, and Heirs of the fame Hopes. And that it may do fo, I will take occafion from the Text to Difcourse of these two Heads.

I. What reafon and ground Natural Religion, or the Mofaick Difpenfation giveth us to truft in God, and receive Comfort from thence in all Difficulties and the ap prehenfion of Calamities; infinuated in thofe Words, Te believe in God,

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II. What force the Chriftian Religion hath fuperadded to thefe Reasons of Trust and Confolation, Believe also in me.

First then, What Reafon, &c. I joyn Natural Religion, and that of the Jews herein together, because no certain hopes or promife of Happiness in another Life were given to either; and upon that account the Reasons of depending upon God in this Life were common to both. The Jews indeed had stronger reafon to rely upon the Divine Providence, as having had more frequent and apparent Experience of it; but it was a Reason of the fame kind with that common to Natural Religion; which proceedeth no farther with any certainty, than the confideration of the Divine Government of the World in this prefent Life.

Let us then enter into the fame Confide ration; where the firft Thought, which prefents it felf, will be, that fince God created Man by his own good Pleasure, and continueth to govern him and all other parts of the Creation, according to his own Primary Decrees, it is but reasonable that Man fhould acquiefce in the Laws of his Government. For if God bestowed on him the Benefit of Exiftence, and con tinueth it by a conftant Prefervation, he may juftly expect that Man fhould thankfully receive that Benefit, without repining that it was no greater. All other parts of VOL. I.

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