336 SERMONS tpoñ Serín.39 Vfe 2. It is a ground of Hope, we (hall all meet together in one Afembly. Pfal. s. g. The 'Ungodly (hall not fiand in tht f udgment, nor Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous. Now the Saints are fcattered up and down, where they may be molt ufeful, then all (hall be gathered together; then (hall be that great Rendezvous, when the our Winds (hall give 'up their Dead. Then the Wicked (hall be hearded, they (hall be bound up in Bundles ; as Straws and Sticks bound up together in a Bundle, ferve to fet one another on Fite, allot. 13. 4o, 41, 42. Adulterers together, and Drunkards to- gether, and Thieves together, and fo encreafe one another's Torment. So all the God- ly (hall meet in a Congregation, and never befeparated more. You do not only groan and wait for it, but the departed Salmi alto. Rev. 6. 9, ic. I (Ow under the Altar the Souls of them that were flain for the Word of God, and for the Tejiimorzy which they held. And they cried nth a loud Voice, piing; How long, 0 Lord, Holy and True, daft thou not judg and avenge our Blood on them that dwell on the Earth ? As in a Wreck, thole that get firft to Shore, are longing for, and looking for their Companions. This is the Communion between us and Saints departed ; they long for our Company, as we for theirs; we praife God for them, they groan for us : we long and wait, by joint delires, for that happy Day. 'Ufe 3. It is an Engagement to the Churches of all parts, to maintain, a common in- tercourfe one with another. All maketh but one Body. We (hould pray for then{ whom we have not feen in the Fle(h, Col. 2. s.. and fend relief to them, as the Church at Antioch to 3erufalem, when the Famine was foretold ; ACfs r I. latter end. And as God giveth Opportunities, meet and confult for one another's welfare. But the World is not ripe for this yet. 'ZIP 4. It giveth you affurance of the continuance of the Minifiry, as long as the World continueth. As long as the World continueth, there are Eledt to be gathered. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not flack concerning' bis Promu, as fame Men count fiacknef; but is long- fufering to us -ward, not willing that any jhould perifh, but that all fhould come' to Repentance. The Ship tarrieth, till all the Paffengers be taken in, and then they lanch out into the Deep. The great Aim of Chrift .in keeping up the World, is to make his Body compleat ; and as long as the Elea are to be athered, the Mini(try to continue. EpheC4. a I, r 2. He gave fame, Apofiles ; and ferre, Prophets ; and fame, Evangelifis ; and _lime, Pafiots and Teachers; for the perfetling of the Saints,, far the Wary¿ of the Miniflry, for the edifying of the Body of Chr Jl. The Workmen are not difmiffed, till the Houfe be built. Secondly; Undertand it tingly and feverally, that they may be made perfect in one that is, that there may be a perfe& Onenefs between Member and Member of Chrifl's Body, or a brotherly Affe &ion which one Member bath to another. Obferve ; No lets Vnion will content Chr, but what is perfect. This was the Aim of his Prayers ; then Drive for it, wait for it. s. Strive for it. I Cor. I. Io. Now I befeech you, Brethren, by the Name of out Lord f efui Chriff, that ye all fpeak the faine thing, and that there be no div fans among you 5 but that ye be perfectly joined together in the fame Mind, and in the fame yudgment. We Dhould all Drive together, as if we had but one Scope, one Intereft, one Heart. We thotìld grow up to this Perfeftion more and more. Oh what Confcience (hould we snake of keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace ! If we are not one in Opinion, yet we (hould have one Aim and Scope. Let us concur in one Obje& and Lute, and as far as we have attained to the knowledg of it, let us walk together. z. Wait for it. The Perfe&ion of our Communion is in Life Eternal. Here it is be- gun, we are growing to the perfe& Day. Prov. 4. 18. The Path of the NI is as the pining Light, that fhineth more and more to the perfect day. Ibi Lutherus Zuinglius optinie convenrunt.We are going thither,where Hooper and Ridley,Lutber and Zuinglius,(hall be of a Mind. In Heaven they are all of one Mind,one Heart,one Emploiment: there is neither Pride, nor Ignorance, nor Fa &ions to divide us, but all agree in one Confort. II. The End as to the World, their Convitlion, That the World may know that thou haft _lent me, and that thou haft loved them as thou haft laved me. When is the World convinced ?
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