of the PERSON Of 71 ourfins inbis own blood, and loath made us Kings and Priefls unto God and his Father, to himbe gloryand dominionfrever and ever, Amen, Rev. i. S, 6. This therefore is another feafon that calls for this duty. (3.. Times ofperfecution far his name'sfake, and for the profefiion of the gofpel, are another feafon rendering this peculiar invocation ofChiift both comely and neceffary. Two things will befall the minds of believers in filch, a feafon. Firft, that their thoughts will be geatly exercifed about him, and converfant with him. They cannot but continually think and and meditate on him, for whom they fuffer. None ever fuffered perfecu= tion on jolt grounds, with fincere ends, and in a due manner, but it was fd with them. The invincible reafons they have to fuffer for him, taken from his perfon, love, grace and authority, from what he is in himfelf, whathe hash done for them, and what account of all things is to be given unto him, da continually prefent themfelves unto their minds. Wilder- neflks, prifons and dungeons have been filled with thoughts of Chrift and his. love. And many in former and latter ages have given an account of their communion and holy intercourfe with the Lord Chrift under their refhraints and fufferings. And chafe who at any time have made an en- trance into fuck a condition, will all of them give in the tellimony of their own experience in this matter. Secondly, fuch perfóns have deep and fixed apprehenfions of the efpecial concernment which the LordChrift hat in them as unto their prefent condition as elfo ofhis power to fupport them, or to 't-ork out their deliverance. They know and confider, that in ad their afjlitlions, be is aelilded, fuffers in all their fufferings, is perfecuted in ell their perfecutions. That in themall he is full of lave, pity and un-, fpeakable compaffion towards them; that.his grace is fufficient for them, that his power (hall be perfected in their weaknefs, to, carry them through all their fufferings unto his, and their own glory. In thofe circumftances, it is impoffible for them who are under the conduft of laS, fpirit, not to make efpecial applications continually, unto hiss, for thofe aids of grace, for thofe pledges of love and mercy, for thofe fupplies of confolation and fpiritual refrefhments which their condition calls for. Wherefore in this flate, the invocationofaril is the refuge and fheát anchor of thefouls of them who truly believe in`him. So, it was unto all the holy martyrs Of old, and in latter ages. This doetrine and duty is not for them who are at eaf . The afhifted; the tempted, the perfecuted, the fpiritually difcon- folate will prize it, and be found in the praftice edit. And all thofe holy fouls, who in molt ages, on the account of the profeflion of the gofpel, have been reduced unto outwardly unrelieveable diftreftes, have, as was fail, left their teftimony unto this duty,, and the benefits of it. The refrefhment which they found therein, was a. fufficient ballance againft the weight of ell outward calamities, enabling them to rejoyce under them withjoy un- fpeakable andfull ofglory. This is the church's referve againft all the trials it may be exercifed withal, and all the dangers whereunto it is expofed. . Whilft believers have liberty of aecefs unto him in their fupplications, who bath all power inhis hand, who is full of ineffable love and compaffion towards them, efpecially as filtering for his fake, they are more than con- querer: in all their tribulations. (q. When we have a due apprebenfion of the eminent skiing: of any grace in Chriff Jefive, andwithal a deep and abiding fenfeofour ownwant of'the fame grace, it is a. feafonofefpecial application unto him byprayer for the encreafe of it. All: graces; as unto their habit were equal inChrift ; they were all in !him in the higheft degree of perfeátion. And every one of them did he exercife in its due manner and meafure on all juft occalons. But
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