Sermons on Various Subjects Volume 1, Sermon 5
SERMON V.
The Extent and Reaſonableneſs of SELF DENIAL.
LUKE ix. 23.
And he ſaid unto them all, If any Man will come after me, let him deny himſelf.
WHOEVER reads the Goſpel with a ſingle Eye, and ſincere Intention, will find that our bleſſed LORD took all Opportunities of reminding his Diſciples that his Kingdom was not of this World; that his Doctrine was a Doctrine of the Croſs; and that their profeſſing themſelves to be his Followers would call them to a conſtant State of voluntary or Self-ſuffering and Self-denial.
The Words of the Text afford us one Inſtance among many, of our Saviour's Behaviour in this Matter: For having in the preceeding Verſes revealed himſelf to Peter, and the other Apoſtles, to be The Chriſt of God; le…t they ſhould be too much elated with ſuch a peculiar Diſcovery of his Deity or think that their Relation to ſo great a Perſonage would be attended with nothing but Pomp and Grandeur, He tells them, in the … Verſe, that the Son of Man was to ſuffer many Things in this World though He was to be crowned with Eternal Glory and Honour in the next: And that if any of them or their Poſterity would ſhare in the ſame Honour, they muſt bear a Part with him in his Self-denial and Sufferings. For He ſaid unto them all, If any Man will come after me, let him deny himſelf.
From which Words I ſhall conſider theſe three Things:
I, Firſt, The Nature of the Self-Denial recommended in the Text; and in how many Reſpects we muſt deny ourſelves, in order to come after JESUS CHRIST.
II. Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to prove the Univerſality and Reaſonableneſs of this Duty of Self-Denial.
III. Thirdly and Laſtly, I ſhall offer ſ…me Conſiderations, which may ſerve as ſo many Motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in the Practice of this Doctrine of Self-Denial.
I. And firſt then, I am to ſhew the Nature of the Self-Denial recommended in the Text; or in how many Reſpects we muſt deny ourſelves in order to follow JESUS CHRIST.
Now as the Faculties of the Soul are diſtinguiſhed by the Underſtanding, Will and Affections; ſo in all theſe muſt each of us deny himſelf. We muſt not lean to our own Under… …, being wi…e in our own Eyes, and prudent in our own Sight; but we muſt ſubmit our ſhort ſighted Reaſon to the Light of of Divine Revelation: For there are Myſteries in Religion, which are above, though not contrary to, our natural Reaſon: And therefore we ſhall never become Chriſtians unleſs we caſt down Imaginations, and every high Thing that exalteth itſelf againſt the Knowledge of GOD, and bring into Captivity every Thought to the Obedience of CHRIST. It is in this Reſpect, as well as others, that we muſt become Fools for CHRIST's Sake, and acknowledge we know nothing without Revelation as we ought to know. We muſt then, with all Humility and Reverence, embrace the myſterious Truths revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures; for thus only can we become truly Wiſe, even Wiſe unto Salvation. It was Matter of our Bleſſed LORD's Thankſgiving to his Heavenly Father, that he had hid theſe Things from the Wiſe and Prudent, and had revealed them unto Babes. And in this Reſpect alſo we muſt be converted and become as little Children, teachable, and willing to follow the Lamb into what ſoever Myſteries he ſhall be pleaſed to lead us; and believe and practiſe all Divine Truths, not becauſe we can demonſtrate them, but becauſe GOD, who can not lye, has revealed them to us.
Hence then we may trace Infidelity to its Fountain Head: For it is nothing elſe but a Pride of the Underſtanding, an Unwillingneſs to ſubmit to the Truth of GOD, that makes ſo many, profeſſing themſelve wiſe, to become ſuch Fools as to deny the LORD, who has ſo dearly bought them; and diſpute the Divin… of that Eternal Word, in whom they live, …, and have their Being: Whereby it is juſtly to be feared, they will bring upon themſelves ſure, if not ſwift Deſtruction.
But to return: As we muſt deny ourſelves in our Underſtandings, ſo muſt … deny, or, as it might be more properly rendered, renounce our Wills: That is, we muſt make our own Wills no Principle of Action, but whether we eat or drink, or whatſoever we do, we muſt do all, not merely to pleaſe ourſelves, but to the Glory of GOD. Not that we are therefore to imagine we are to have no Pleaſure in any Thing we do (Wiſdom's Ways are Ways of Pleaſantneſs) but pleaſing ourſelves muſt not be the principal, but only the ſubordinate End of our Actions.
And I cannot but particularly preſs this Doctrine upon you, becauſe it is the Grand Secret of our Holy Religion. It is this, my Brethren, that diſtinguiſhes the true Chriſtian from the mere Moraliſt and formal Profeſſor; and which alone can … any of our Actions … in GOD's Sight: For if thine Eye be … our Bleſſed LORD, Matth. vi. 22, that is, if … aimeſt …mply to pleaſe GOD, without any regard to thy own Will, thy whole Body, that is, all thy Actions, will be f…ll of Light; agree able to the Goſpel, which is … Light But if thin… Eye be evil, if thine Intention … v…ted any other Way, thy whole Body, all the Actions will be full of Darkneſs, unprofitable, and capable of no Reward. For we muſt not only do the Will of GOD, but do it becauſe it is his Will; ſince we pray that GOD's Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. And no doubt, the bleſſed Angels not only do every Thing that GOD willeth, but do it chearfully, out of this Principle, becauſe GOD willeth it: And if we would live as we pray, we muſt go and do likewiſe.
But farther; as we muſt renounce our own Wills in doing, ſo likewiſe muſt we renounce them in ſuffering the Will of GOD. Whatſoever befals us, we muſt ſay with good old Eli, It is the LORD, let Him do what ſeemeth him good; or with one that was infinitely greater than Eli, Father, not my Will, but thine be done.—O JESU, thine was an innocent Will, and yet tho renouncedſt it: Teach us, even us alſo, O our Saviour! to ſubmit our Wills to thine, in all the Evils which ſhall be brought upon us; and in every Thing enable us to give Thanks, ſince it is thy bleſſed Will concerning us!
Thirdly and laſtly, we muſt deny ourſelves, as in our Underſtandings and Wills, ſo likewiſe in our Affections. More particularly we muſt deny ourſelves the pleaſurable Indulgence and Self-Enjoyment of Riches: If any Man will come after me, ſays our bleſſed LORD, he muſt forſake all and follow me. And again (to ſhew the utter Inconſiſtency of the Love of the Things of this World with the Love of the Father) he tells us, that unleſs a Man forſake all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple.
Far be it from me to think that theſe Texts are to be taken in a literal Senſe, as though they obliged rich Perſons to go ſell all that they have and give to the Poor, (for that would put it out of their Power to be ſerviceable to the Poor for the future) but however they certainly imply thus much, That we are to ſit looſe to, ſell and forſake all in Affection, and be willing to part with every Thing, when GOD ſhall require it at our Hands: That is, as the Apoſtle obſerves, we muſt uſe the World as though we uſed it not; and tho' we are in the World, we muſt not be of it. We muſt look upon ourſelves as Stewards and not Proprietors of the manifold Gifts of GOD; provide firſt what is neceſſary for ourſelves and for our Houſholds, and expend the reſt, not in Indulgences and ſuperfluous Ornaments, forbidden by the Apoſtle, but in cloathing, feeding, and relieving the naked, hungry, diſtreſſed Diſciples of JESUS CHRIST. This is what our Bleſſed LORD would have us underſtand by forſaking all, and in this Senſe muſt each of us deny himſelf.
I am ſenſible that this will ſeem an hard Saying to many, who will be offended becauſe they are covetous, and Lovers of Pleaſure more than Lovers of God: But if I yet pleaſed ſuch Men, I ſhould not be the Servant of CHRIST. No, we muſt not, like Ahab's falſe Prophets, have a lying Spirit in our Mouths, nor fail to declare (with St. Paul) the whole Will of God; and like honeſt Micajah, out of Pity and Compaſſion, tell Men the Truth, tho' they may falſely think we prophecy not Good, but … concerning them.
But to proceed: As we muſt renounce our Affection for Riches, ſo likewiſe our Affections for our Relations when they ſtand in Oppoſition to our Love of, and Duty to GOD: For thus ſaith the Saviour of the World: If any Man will come after me, and hateth not his Father and Mother, his Children, and Brethren, and Siſters, yea and his own Life alſo, he cannot be a Diſciple.—Strange Doctrine this! What, hate our own Fleſh! What hate the Father that begat us, the Mother that bare us! How can theſe Things be? Can GOD contradict himſelf? Has he not bid us honour our Father and Mother? And yet we are here commanded to hate them. How muſt theſe Truths be reconciled? Why, by interpreting the Word hate, not in a rigorous and abſolute Senſe, but comparatively: Not as implying a total Alienation, but a leſs degree of Affection. For thus our bleſſed Saviour himſelf (the beſt and ſureſt Expoſitor of his own Meaning) explains it in a parallel Text, Matth. x. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me: He that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me. So that when the Perſuaſions of ſuch our Friends (as for our Trial they may be permitted to be) are contrary to the Will of GOD, we muſt ſay with Levi, we have not known them; or, agreeably to our bleſſed LORD'S Rebuke to Peter, Get you behind me, my Adverſaries; for you ſav…ur not the Things that be of GOD, but the Things that be of Man.
To conclude this Head: We muſt deny ourſelves in Things indifferent: For it might eaſily be ſhewn that as many, if not more, periſh by an immoderate Uſe of Things in themſelves indifferent as by any groſs Sin whatever. A prudent Chriſtian therefore will conſider not only what is lawful but what is expedient alſo: Not ſo much what degrees of Self-denial beſt ſuit his Inclinations here, as what will moſt effectually break his Will, and fit him for greater degrees of Glory hereafter.
But is this the Doctrine of Chriſtianity? and is not the Chriſtian World then aſleep? If not, whence the Self-indulgence, whence the reigning Love of Riches which we every where meet with? Above all, whence that predominant Greedineſs of ſenſual Pleaſure, that has ſo over-run this ſinful Nation, that was a pious Stranger to come amongſt us, he would be tempted to think ſome Heathen Venus was worſhipped here; and that Temples were dedicated to her Service. But we have the Authority of an inſpired Apoſtle to affirm, that they who live in ſuch a Round of Pleaſure, are dead while they live: Wherefore, as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, Awake thou that ſleepeſt, and CHRIST ſhall give thee Light. But the power of raiſing the ſpiritual Dead belongeth only unto GOD.—Do Thou therefore, O Holy JESUS, who by thy almighty Word commandedſt Lazarus to come forth, tho' he had lain in the Grave ſo many Days, ſpeak alſo as effectually to theſe ſpiritually dead Souls, whom Satan for theſe many Years has ſo faſt bound by ſenſual Pleaſures, that they are not ſo much as able to lift up their Eyes or Hearts to Heaven.
II. But I paſs on to the Second general Thing propoſed, viz. To conſider the univerſal Obligation, and Reaſonableneſs of this Doctrine of Self-Denial.
When our Bleſſed Maſter had been diſcourſing publickly concerning the Watchfulneſs of the faithful and wiſe Steward, his Diſciples aſked him, Speakeſt thou this Parable to all, or only to us? The ſame Queſtion I am aware has been, and will be put concerning the foregoing Doctrine: For too many, unwilling to take CHRIST'S eaſy Yoke upon them, in order to evade the Force of the Goſpel Precepts, would pretend that all thoſe Commands concerning Self-Denial, renouncing ourſelves and the World, belonged only to our LORD's firſt and immediate Followers, and not to …s or to our Children. But ſuch Perſons greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of Godlineſs in their Hearts. For the Doctrine of JESUS CHRIST, like his bleſſed Self, is the ſame Yeſterday, To Day, and for ever. What he ſaid unto one, he ſaid unto all, even unto the Ends of the World; If any Man will come after me, let him deny himſelf: And in the Text it is particularly mentioned that He ſaid unto them all. And le…t we ſhould ſtill abſurdly imagine that this Word all was to be confined to his Apoſtles, with whom he was then diſcourſing, it is ſaid in another Place, that JESUS turned unto the Multitude and ſaid, If any Man will come after me, and hateth not his Father and Mother, yea and his own Life alſo, he cannot be my Diſciple. When our bleſſed LORD had ſpoken a certain Parable, it is ſaid, the Scribes and Phariſees were offended, for they knew the Parable was ſpoken againſt them: And if Chriſtians can now read theſe plain and poſitive Texts of Scriptures, and at the ſame Time not think they are ſpoken of them, they are more hardened than Jews, and more inſincere than Phariſees.*LAW's Chriſtian Perfection.
In the former part of this Diſcourſe I obſerved that the Precepts concerning forſaking and ſelling all did not oblige us in a literal Senſe, becauſe the State of the Church does not demand it of us, as it did of the Primitive Chriſtians; but ſtill the ſame Deadneſs to the World, the ſame abſtemious Uſe of, and Readineſs to part with our Goods for CHRIST'S ſake, is as abſolutely neceſſary for, and as obligatory on us, as it was on them. For though the Church may differ as to the outward State of it, in different Ages, yet as to the Purity of its inward State, it was, is, and always will be invariably the ſame. And all the Commands which we meet with in the Epiſtles, about mortifying our Members which are upon the Earth, of ſetting our Affections on Things above, and of … being conformed to this World; are but ſo many inconteſtible Proofs that the ſame Holineſs, Heavenly-mindedneſs, and Deadneſs to the World, is as neceſſary for … as for our LORD's immediate Followers.
But farther, as ſuch an Objection argues an Ignorance of the Scriptures, ſo it is a manifeſt Proof that ſuch as make it are Strangers to the Power of Godlineſs in their Hearts. For ſince the Sum and Subſtance of Religion conſiſts in our Recovery from our fallen Eſtate in Adam, by a New Birth in CHRIST JESUS, there is an abſolute Neceſſity for us to embrace and practiſe the Self-denial before recommended. Becauſe we have not only a new Houſe to build, but an old one firſt to pull down; we muſt neceſſarily therefore be dead to the World, before we can live unto God. In ſhort, all Things belonging to the Old Man muſt die in us, before the Things belonging to the Spirit can live and grow in us.
When JESUS CHRIST was about to make his publick Appearance, and to preach the glad Tidings of Salvation to a benighted World, his Harbinger John Baptiſt was ſent to prepare his Way before him. In like Manner, when this ſame JESUS is about to take Poſſeſſion of a converted Sinner's Heart, Self-denial, like John the Baptiſt, muſt prepare the Way before him: For we muſt mourn before we are capable of being comforted; we muſt undergo the Spirit of Bondage, in order to be made meet to receive the Spirit of Adoption.
Were we indeed in a State of Innocence, and had we, like Adam before his Fall, the Divine Image fully ſtamped upon our Souls, we then ſhould have no need of Self-denial; but ſince we are fallen, ſickly, diſordered Creatures, and this Self-ſuffering, this Self-renunciation, is the indiſpenſable Means of recovering our primitive Glory; methinks, in that Caſe, to endeavour to ſhake off and reject ſuch a ſalutary Practice, on account of the Difficulty attending it at firſt, is but too like the Obſtinacy of a perverſe ſick Child, who nauſeates and refuſes the Potion reached out to it by a ſkilful Phyſician or tender Parent, becauſe it is a little ungrateful to the Taſte.
Had any of us ſeen Lazarus when he lay full of Sores at the Rich Man's Gate; or Job when he was ſmitten with Ulcers, from the Crown of his Head to the Sole of his Foot: And had we at the ſame Time preſcribed to them ſome healing Medicines, which, becauſe they would put them to Pain, they would not apply to their Wounds, ſhould we not moſt juſtly think, that they were either fond of a diſtempered Body, or were not ſenſible of their Diſtempers? But our Souls, by Nature, are in an infinitely more deplorable Condition than the Bodies of Job or Lazarus, when full of Ulcers and Boils: For, alas! our whole Head is ſick, and our whole Heart faint, from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, we are full of Wounds and Bruiſes and putrifying Sores, and there is no Health in us. And JESUS CHRIST, like a good Phyſician, in the Goſpel-Doctrine of Self-denial, preſents … with a ſpiritual Medicine to heal our Sickneſs: But if we will neither receive nor apply it, it is a Sign we are not ſenſible of the Wretchedneſs of our State, or elſe that we are unwilling to be made whole.
Even Naaman's Servants could ſay, when he refuſed, purſuant to Eliſha's Orders, to waſh in the River Jordan, that he might cure his Leproſy, Father, if the Prophet had bid thee do ſome great Thing, wouldſt thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he ſaith to thee, Waſh and be clean? And may not I very properly addreſs myſelf to you in the ſame Manner, my Brethren?—If JESUS CHRIST, our great Prophet, had bid you to do ſome great and very difficult Thing, would you not have done it? Much more then ſhould you do it, when he only bids you deny yourſelves what would certainly hurt you if enjoyed, and behold, you ſhall be made perfectly whole.
But to illuſtrate this by another Compariſon: In the 12th Chapter of the Acts, we read, that St. Peter was kept in Priſon, and was ſleeping between two Soldiers, bound with two Chains: And behold an Angel of the LORD came upon him, and ſmote Peter on the Side, ſaying, Ariſe up quickly: And his Chains fell off from his Hands. But had this great Apoſtle, inſtead of riſing up quickly, and doing as the bleſſed Angel commanded him, hugged his Chains and begged that they might not be let fall from his Hands, would not any one think that he was in love with Slavery, and deſerved to be executed next Morning? And does not the Perſon who refuſes to deny himſelf, act as inconſiſtently as this Apoſtle would have done if he had neglected the Means of his Deliverance? For our Souls, by Nature, are in a ſpiritual Dungeon, ſleeping and faſt bound between the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, not with Two but Ten Thouſand Chains of Luſts and Corruptions. Now JESUS CHRIST, like St. Peter's good Angel, by his Goſpel comes and opens the Priſon Door, preſcribes Self-denial, Mortification, and Renunciation of ourſelves and the World, as ſo many ſpiritual Keys which will unlock our Shackles, make them fall off from our Hearts, and ſo reſtore us to the glorious Liberty of the Sons of GOD. But if we will not ariſe quickly, gird up the Loins of our Mind, and deny ourſelves, as he has commanded, Are we not in Love with Bondage, and deſerve never to be delivered from it?
Indeed I will not affirm that this Doctrine of Self-Denial appears in this juſt Light to every one. No, I am ſenſible that to the Natural Man it is Fooliſhneſs, and to the young Convert an hard Saying. But what ſays our Saviour? If any Man will do my Will, he ſhall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or whether I ſpeak of myſelf. This, my dear Friends, is the beſt, the only Way of Conviction: Let us up and be doing; let us ariſe quickly, and deny ourſelves, and the Lord JESUS will remove thoſe Scales from the Eyes of our Minds, which now, like ſo many Veils, hinder us from ſeeing clearly the Reaſonableneſs, Neceſſity, and inexpreſſible Advantage of the Doctrine that has been now delivered. Let us but once thu… … ourſelves Men, and then the Spirit of GOD … move on the Face of our Souls, as he did … upon the Face of the great Deep; and cauſe … to …erge out of that confuſed Chaos, in w… they are moſt certainly now involved, if we … Strangers and Enemies to Self-Denial and Croſ… of CHRIST.
But notwithſtanding this Doctrine of Self-denial is, when rightly underſtood, ſo reaſonable and beneficial; yet many, it is to be feared, like the young Man in the Goſpel, are ready to go away ſorrowful.
III. Proceed we therefore now to the Third and laſt general Thing propoſed, viz. To offer ſome Conſiderations, which may ſerve as ſo many Motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in the Practice of this Duty of Self-Denial.
1. And the firſt Means I ſhall recommend to you, in order to reconcile you to this Doctrine is, to meditate frequently on the Life of our bleſſed Lord and Maſter JESUS CHRIST. Oh! may we often think on Him our grand Exemplar! Follow him from his Cradle to the Croſs, and ſee what a ſelf-denying Life He led! And ſhall not we drink of the Cup that he drank of, and be baptized with the Baptiſm that He was baptized with? Or think we that JESUS CHRIST did and ſuffered every Thing in order to have us excuſed, and exempted from Sufferings? No, far be it from any ſincere Chriſtian to judge after this Manner: For St. Peter tells us, He ſuffered for us, leaving us an Example that we ſhould follow his Steps. Had CHRIST, indeed, like thoſe that ſat in Moſes's Chair, laid heavy Burthens of Self-Denial upon us, (ſuppoſing they were heavy, which they are not) and refuſed to touch them himſelf with one of his Fingers; we might have had ſome Pretence to complain: But ſince he has enjoined us nothing but what he has firſt put in Practice himſelf, Thou art inexcuſeable, O Diſciple, whoever thou art, who wouldſt be above thy perſecuted ſelf-denying Maſter: And thou art no good and faithful Servant, who art unwilling to ſuffer and ſympathize with thy mortified, heavenly-minded LORD.
2. Next to the Pattern of our bleſſed Maſter, think often on the Lives of the glorious Company of the Apoſtles, the goodly Fellowſhip of the Prophets, and the noble Army of Martyrs; who by a conſtant looking to the Author and Finiſher of our Faith, have fought the good Fight, and are gone before us to inherit the Promiſes. View again and again, how holily, how ſelf-denyingly, how unblameably they lived: And if Self-denial was neceſſary for them, why not for us alſo? Are we not Men of like Paſſions with them? Do we not live in the ſame wicked World as they did? Have we not the ſame good Spirit to aſſiſt, ſupport, and purify us, as they had? And is not the ſame eternal Inheritance reached out, as a Reward of our Self-denial and the Renunciation of the World, as was offered to them? And if we have the ſame Nature to change, the ſame wicked World to withſtand, the ſame good Spirit to help, and the ſame Eternal Crown to reward our Obedience; why ſhould not we lead the ſame Lives as they did? Do we think they did Works of Supererogation? If not, why don't we do as they did? Or why does the Church ſet a part Feſtivals to commemorate the Deaths and Sufferings of the Saints, but in order to excite us to follow them as they did CHRIST.
3. Thirdly, Think often on the Pains of Hell… Conſider, whether it is not better to cut off a Right Hand or Foot, and pull out a Right Eye, if they offend us (or cauſe us to ſin) rather than to be caſt into Hell, into the Fire that never ſhall be quenched; where the Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched. Think how many Thouſands there are now reſerved with damned Spirits in Chains of Darkneſs unto the Judgment of the great Day, for not complying with the Precept in the Text. And think withal that this, this muſt be our own Caſe ſhortly, unleſs we are wiſe in Time, and ſubmit to thoſe eaſy Conditions our Saviour has preſcribed us, in order to avoid it. Think you they now imagine JESUS CHRIST to be an hard Maſter; or rather think you not they would give ten thouſand times ten thouſand Worlds, could they but return to Life again, and take CHRIST'S eaſy Yoke upon them? and can we dwell with everlaſting Burnings more than they? No, if we cannot bear this Precept, Come, deny yourſelves, take up your Croſſes; how ſhall we bear this irrevocable Sentence, Depart from me, ye Curſed, into everlaſting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels? But I hope thoſe, amongſt whom I am now preaching the Kingdom of GOD, are not ſo diſingenuous as to need to be driven to their Duty by the Terrors of the LORD, but rather deſire to be drawn by the Cords of Love.
Laſtly therefore, and to conclude, often meditate on the Joys of Heaven: Think, think with what unſpeakable Glory thoſe happy Souls are now incircled, who when on Earth were called to deny themſelves as well as … and were not diſobedient to that Call: Lift up your Hearts frequently towards the Manſions of eternal Bliſs, and with an Eye of Faith, like the great St. Stephen ſee the Heavens opened, and the Son of Man with his glorious Retinue of departed Saints ſitting and ſolacing themſelves in eternal Joys, and with unſpeakable Comfort looking back on the… paſt Sufferings and Self-denials, as ſo many glorious Means which exalted them to ſuch a Crown. Hark! methinks I hear them chantin… forth their everlaſting Hallelujahs, and ſpending an eternal Day in ecchoing forth triumphant Songs of Joy. And do you not long, my Brethren, to join this heavenly Choir? Do not your Hearts burn within you? As the Har… panteth after the Water Brooks, do not your Souls ſo long after the bleſſed Company of theſe Sons of GOD? Behold then a heavenly Ladder reached down to you, by which you may climb to this Holy Hill. … If any Man will come after them, let him deny himſelf and follow them. It was this, my Brethren, exalted the Holy JESUS himſelf, as Man, to ſit at the Right Hand of his adorable Father. By this alone every Saint that ever lived aſcended into the Joy of their LORD: And by this we, even we alſo may be lifted up into the ſame moſt bliſsful Regions, there to enjoy an eternal …eſt with the People of GOD, and join with them in ſinging Doxologies and Songs of Praiſe, to the Everlaſting, Bleſſed, All-glorious, moſt Adorable Trinity, for ever and ever.
Which GOD of his infinite Mercy grant, &c.