here in the Fear of God. Though we are in the World, yet we must not live as those that are of the World, but behave our felves as Strangers, fetting our Affections on things above.

:

Secondly, THE Belief of Chrift's Afcenfion into Heaven should move us to afcend in Mind after him, and to fet our Hearts on heavenly Things. As Chrift, our Head, is afcended, and reigneth in Glory So we, his Members, muft follow him with the Wings of Defire, feeking the Things above where he is, and preferring the bleffed Hopes of the next World, before all the Interest of this. For it doth not become those, who profefs themselves Followers of Chrift, to faften their Affections on earthly Things, and employ their chiefeft Care about them. But if we love Chrift truly, we fhall long to enjoy him. And if we defire to be happy with him, we fhall most esteem the Things above, and walk as obedient children of God; not fashioning our felves according to the former lufts in our ignorance, but be holy in all our converfation, as he who hath called us is holy, 1 Pet. i. 14, 15.

CHAP.

CHAP.

XVIII.

Of CHRIST'S SESSION at GOD's Right HAND.

HE third Degree of Chrift's Exaltation is his Seffion at God's right Hand. The right Hand is improperly afcribed unto God: For God is a Spirit without any bodily Parts. But in a figurative Senfe, the right Hand is attributed unto God; and it fignifies his great Power, Dignity, and Felicity. And the Phrase of fitting at God's right Hand fignifies Chrift's reigning over all, his having all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him: And this Honour and Power of Chrift was clearly foretold by the Prophet David, Pfal. cx. 1. The Lord faid unto my Lord, fit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footftool. And, Pfal. xlv. 6, 7. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever; the Scepter of thy kingdom is a right Scepter. Thou loveft righteousness, and hateft iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the ail of gladness above thy fellows.

AND according to these Prophecies our Blessed Saviour, when he had by himself purged our fins, fate down on the right hand of the Majefty on high, Heb. i, 3. For that fame Jefus, who was crucified

for

for us, hath God made both Lord and Chrift, A&t. ii. 36. And when God had raised him from the dead, he fet him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principalities, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the head over all things to the Church, Eph. i. 20,

21, 22.

AND Chrift hath this great Glory and Power given him, that he might perfect the Work of our Redemption, and confer on us the Benefits which he hath merited. For both to merit, and also to bestow the Bleffings merited, belong to the Office of the Mediator. And Christ being a compleat Mediator, hath not only purchased Salvation for us, but also as our heavenly Prieft and King he doth all things needful on his part to confer Salvation on us. He fits at God's right Hand, as our Lord and King, to rule and govern us in the way of Salvation. And if we fubmit to his Government, and depend on him, he will defend us from Evil, and keep us by his Power in well-doing unto Salvation. And Chrift alfo, as our Priest, fitteth at God's right Hand, to make Interceffion for us, Rom. viii. 34. And he, with whom Chrift intercedeth, is a Father, and therefore most willing, and Almighty, and therefore most able to grant what Bleffings we want. And if we come unto God, by Chrift, we may be confident that he will fave us to the uttermoft, Seeing he ever liveth to make interceffion for us, Heb. vii. 25.

THE Duties required of us, in answer to this Article of Faith, are two.

First, IF Chrift be exalted at God's right Hand, to be our Lord and King, then we fhould. be fubject and obedient to him. The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, which hath fent him, Joh. v. 22, 23. And this is the great End of Chrift's Exaltation, that he may be honoured by us, and confer on us the Benefits which he hath purchased. And thofe Benefits are promised to us only on Condition that we ferve and honour him. For Chrift is the author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him, Heb. v. 9. And unless we become obedient Subjects to him, we fhall receive no Benefit from him.

Secondly, IF Chrift fitteth at God's right Hand, as our Advocate, to intercede for us, then we ought to come unto God by him, and depend on him for all Graces and Bleffings. The best Service which we perform unto God would be rejected, if it were not for the Merits and Mediation of our Saviour. For it is Chrift alone, being sprinkled with his own Blood, that offers our good Works to God, and procures Acceptance. And if we fue unto God in Chrift's Name, he will be gracious unto us, and deny us nothing that is truly good. For this confidence we have in him, (faith St. John) that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we defired of him, 1 Joh. v. 14, 15.

CHAP.

CHAP.

XIX.

Of CHRIST's coming to JUDGMENT.

T

HE fourth Degree of Chrift's Exaltation fhall be his coming to judge the World. As Chrift is Lord over all, and governeth all things in Heaven and Earth: So by him will God judge the world in righteousness, A&t. xvii. 31. For he is ordained of God to be the judge both of the quick and dead, A&t. x. 42. But before the General Judgment be defcribed, it will be requifite to speak fomething of that Particular Judgment, which is fuppofed to pass upon the Souls of Men at their Death. For as foon as Men leave this World, they are affigned their State in another, and are sent to a Place of Happinefs or Mifery, according to their Works; which is a kind of Judgment, though it be not performed with all the Solemnities of Judgment. When wicked Men die, their Punishment in another World begins, and they are caft with Dives into a Place of Torments. And when the Righteous die, their Souls immediately enter into a State of Happiness in Heaven. For they that live unto Chrift here, when they are abfent from the body, are prefent with the Lord; that is, when they die, they go into Heaven, where Chrift is, 2 Cor. v. 8. As Lazarus, when he died, was

carried