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SERM. lieve. And has not God vouchsafed us this very evidence of the terrors and the joys of the world to come?

LXXII.

Ought not the remembrance of Christ's resurrection from the dead to satisfy, to convince, and to leave us without excuse, if we will not believe that God has determined we shall all rise again: they that have done good, or having done amiss, and have repented in time, to life everlasting; and they that have done evil unto everlasting misery.

And if we do not believe this, I need not tell you what effects this faith will have upon us; we shall live, and we shall die, like Christians, full of hopes of a blessed immortality with Jesus Christ our Lord.

To Whom, with the Father, &c.

SERMON LXXIII.

PREACHED BEFORE THE QUEEN, AT ST. JAMES'S, ON HOLY THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1711.

THE INFLUENCE WHICH CHRIST'S ASCENSION OUGHT TO HAVE ON THE LIVES OF CHRISTIANS.

Where

MATT. vi. 21.

your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

THOUGH Our Saviour applies this proverb to the good or ill use men make of riches; intimating, that they who have laid up a treasure in heaven, by being bountiful to the poor, will be best pleased when they are thinking of heaven, or doing what may bring them thither; for the heart will be most there, where we believe we have the greatest interest; yet it is justly applicable to all the objects of our hopes and desires; that is, we shall always be most delighted with the thoughts of such places, and persons, and employments, as we apprehend may most contribute to our happiness, and from which we have, or expect to have, the greatest advantage.

It is this which the Church had most in view, when the service for this festival was composed; not barely to bring to our remembrance, that JESUS CHRIST, as on this day, ascended into heaven, but to instruct our practice, and to put us in mind of the influence this part of the Gospel history ought to have upon our lives. To tell us, if we believe that Jesus Christ is ascended into the heavens, there to intercede with God, and to prepare a place for us, that we should have this much in our minds, and at heart; that we should follow Him thither with our best affections, and with Him continually dwell. And (because of ourselves we cannot do this) to teach

SERM. and to oblige us, at least upon every return of this season, to LXXIII. pray, that our hearts and minds may be in heaven, where our Lord Jesus Christ is gone before us: He being our greatest treasure, and the fountain of all our happiness.

Now, that our understandings and affections may keep pace [Col. 3. 1.] together, that when we are bid "to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God;" that the reason of the thing may affect us, as well as the authority of Him that bids us do so, it will be fit to consider, what good we may hope for from our Saviour's presence in heaven? Why our hearts should be there rather than any where else? Why should we have Him, and His glory, and authority, most in our eye? What will be the real advantages of such a conversation? And, lastly, what will be the consequence of placing our hearts and affections elsewhere? All which we may consider under these two heads:

First, what interest or treasure we have in heaven, and how the consideration of that ought to affect us.

Secondly, the motives, the consequence, and the danger, of fixing our hearts elsewhere.

I. And indeed, there are many reasons why our hearts should be in heaven; but that which of all others is the most likely to affect us, is this: that Jesus Christ is there, and in such glorious circumstances, as must at once oblige us to think of Him with satisfaction, to serve Him with pleasure, and to desire to follow His steps and directions in the way which leads to that blessed place.

For, first, He is there as a Prince, to whom all power is [1 Pet. 3. given both in heaven and in earth; angels, and principalities, 22.] and powers, being made subject unto Him. The consequence of this is, He will govern the world, as with the greatest authority, so with the greatest wisdom, justice and goodness; that neither the wickedness of men, nor the power or malice of devils shall hinder or disturb the great ends of His government, the glory of God, and the good of the whole creation.

And though we cannot always account for the ways of His providence, nor indeed is it fit we should-we are not let into the councils of earthly princes; yet we are sure, it will one day appear that justice has been executed impartially upon men, upon families, upon kingdoms; that all, even the most

surprising and melancholy events, have been foreseen and directed to ends worthy of the wisdom of God; and that His mercy and goodness was there where we have been most apt to suspect His love.

Thus we are sure it ever will be; because, wherever we have been able to see the reason of things, thus it always has been. He has governed the world with a powerful and steady hand; He has kept the ambitious within the bounds appointed them; called those to an account, whom no power on earth could bring into judgment. He has brought the counsel of the wicked to nought; has received the petitions, pitied the complaints, and has eased the grievances, of such as could have none to hear, none to help them on this side heaven.

In short; it is by the virtue of Christ's authority at the right hand of God, that He keeps the world from being only a place of disorder, of oppression and cruelty, of confusion and misery.

Here then is matter of real concern and advantage to us, and therefore matter of real joy, that we have in heaven a security against all our fears, whether for the public, for our friends, or for ourselves. That nothing can befall us, without the knowledge, without the direction, or permission, of our Prince and Saviour. That He may, indeed, suffer His judgments to be in the world, that the inhabitants of the earth may [Is. 26. 9.] learn righteousness; that we may deserve evils, and bring them upon ourselves; that we may be forced to suffer here, to prevent greater sufferings hereafter. But then, all this is manifestly for the good of the world, as well as for the glory of God.

And the conclusion will be, that our faith, and hope, and confidence, should be where our only help is,-in heaven; that our eyes should be upon Him, who rules the world in righteousness, when we know not what to do ourselves; that neither the vicegerents of Christ, nor their subjects, need to take unjustifiable ways to support their government or interests, while He sitteth at the right hand of God, who is the fountain of all justice and power; that we need not advance principles destructive of Christianity, to bring about our designs, if they are really such as become the subjects

LXXIII.

SER M. and servants of Jesus Christ to be concerned in; that such as are highest in power should not despise their fellow-creatures, since there is One that is higher than they, who takes cognizance of their actions; and that such as have no power to help themselves ought not to despair, since justice will be done, and an amends made them, either here or hereafter, for what they have lost or suffered for righteousness' sake. Lastly; that if we be careful to do our duty, and to leave events, where they ought to be, in the hands of Him who governs the world, we may depend upon it, all will be well for us, and ordered for the best.

-23.

Secondly; JESUS CHRIST is at the right hand of God, as the Eph. 1. 20 head of His Church. "God," saith the Apostle, "God hath set Him at His own right hand, far above all principality 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 gave Him to be head over all things to the Church;" that is, for the benefit of the Church, "which is His body."

The consequence of this has been,-Jesus Christ, after His ascension, according to His true promise, sent down the Holy Ghost from heaven, who in a most wonderful manner inspired and enabled the APOSTLES OF CHRIST, and their successors, to plant the GOSPEL OF TRUTH in the world; not by fantastical appearances and false prophecies, but by real and undoubted miracles, by true and substantial fruits of holiness, in their own, and in the lives of those they converted. By which means we, amongst many other nations, were brought out of darkness and error into the clear light and true knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ.

And though, for ends best known to His infinite wisdom, He afterwards suffered ignorance, errors, and even gross idolatry, to overspread a great part of the Church; yet in great goodness, He was pleased to forewarn His faithful servants of the approaching darkness, of the coming of antichrist, and of his destruction; and this by undoubted prophecies, which have been, and are to be, fulfilled in their

season.

By which means, such as feared God, and acquainted themselves with His Word, were preserved from idolatry, and con

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