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fhall work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to bis purpose. You are predeftinated, fays our text, to be conformed to the image of his fon; and your very afflictions and forrows are appointed to bring you to this conformity to Chrift, who was himself a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief. You may reft fatis fied, that nothing you meet with can hinder the purpofe of God concerning you from taking effect,but rather all things fhall be fubfervient the reunto. Therefore you may not only take the comfort of your mercies, but get above your afflictions, and rejoice in tribulation. Read the believers fecurity and triumph, in the verfes following our text; Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth: Who is be that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather, that is rifen again, who is even at the right band of God, who also makerb interceffion for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Chrift? fhall tribulation, or distress, or perfecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or fword? As it is written, For thy fake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as fheep for the flaughter) Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am perfwaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come,

nor

ncr height, nor depth, nor any other creature, Shall be able to feparate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5: Forget not to pray for all that belong to the election of grace. For thofe that are not yet gather'd. Other Sheep Chrift bas which are not yet bro't into the fold; pray that these may hear his voice, and follow him. Some of the elect are not only uncalled, but unborn: It is therefore a futable petition in the publick liturgy of the church of England, which we can join in, That it may please God of his gracious goodness shortly to accomplish the number of his elect " †

And pray for them that are gather'd and added to the church, That they may be boly in all manner of conversation, as he who has called them is boly: May walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the HolyGhost; and be preffing on towards perfection May be guarded and fafely carried thro' this evil world,till they joyfully enter upon the rewards of the next. Pfal. 28. 9. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance, feed them alfo, and lift them up forever.

Once more,

+ See the Burial Office in the Common Frayer"

Book.

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6. Let the fecond coming and appearing of our Lord Jefus Chrift, be the matter of your earnest prayer, and object of your joyful bope and expectation. For in this day the Lord will make up his jewels. Now Chrift will raise up all that were given him by the father, without letting any be loft or wanting; faying to his father, Here I am,and the children which thou hast given me, I prefent them all together, a glorious church, not baving Spot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing. This will be done with exceeding joy, both on the part of the Father who chose them, theSon who redeem'd them, the Holy Spirit who fanctified them, minifters who were inftrumental to gather them in, and on the part of the chofen and redeemed themfelves.

We have a pleasant vifion of Chrift at the head of a happy remnant, preferv'd from the corruptions and carried thro' the perfecutions of antichrift: Read it; and then think what a glorious fight it will be to see him at the head of the whole church of the elect in the great day. Rev 14. I, to 5. And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Fathers name written in their foreheads. And I beard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as

the

:

the voice of a great thunder: and I beard the. voice of harpers barping with their harps: And they fung as it were a new fong before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders and no man could learn that fong, but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were. not defiled with women; for they are virgins: thefe are they which follow the Lamb whitherfoever be goeth these were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God, and the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne. of God.

Thus I have been carried thro' what I propos'd on this fubject. Many things which belong to it have been omitted; and others but touch'd, which I could with pleasure have enlarg'd upon: but I have ftudied brevity.

And now, I defire to bow the knee in thanksgiving to the God and father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who has given me this opportunity to bear a fmall teftimony to these important truths. I truft I have had a fingle aim at his glory in these difcourfes; and fo I look to Him, in his fon JESUS, for his gracious acceptance of what has been his own, and his merciful forgiveness of

what

140

of Predestination unto Life.

what has been otherwife and on him I humbly depend to fucceed them.

I close all with the apoftles prayer and benediction, in 2 Thefs. 2. 16, 17. Now our LORD JESUS CHRIST himself, and GOD even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting confolation, and good bope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and ftablish you in every good word and work.

THE END.

II.

CORRECTION S.

P Age 4. line 1o. in the margin, r. cognofcuntur. p. 11. 1. 6. r. reverent p. 41. 1. 9. r. apofileShip. p. 44. 1. 24. r. acquiefces. p. 45. 1. 19. r. Hymeneus. p. 72. 1. 11. dele to. p. 88. 1. 8. r. creature. p. 101. 1. 10. r. tell. P. 102. 1. 5. from the bottom, r. confciences. p. 119.1. 2. from the bottom r. partakers. p. 125. 1. 8 dele, or not.

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