Watts - Houston-Packer Collection BX5207.W3 S4x 1805 v.2

DISC. XI.] AND JOY AT THE RESURRECTION. 569 in the grave at his Father's command, and he arose with joy at the appointed hour at thehead of the newcreation; as the first born from the dead ; and he has orders given him by the Father to summon every saint from their graves at the long appointed hour. Because Jesus arose and lives, they shall arise and live also. O may my flesh lie down in the dúst with all courage and composure; and rejoice to escape into a place of rest and silence, far away from the noise and tumult, the hurry and bustle of this present life ; being well assured that the next sound which shall be heard is the voice of the Son of God, "arise yedead !" Make haste then, O blessed Jesus, and finish thy-divine work here on earth : I lay down my head to sleep in the dust, waiting for thy call, to awake in the morning." Observation VI. God takes delight in his works of nature, but much more when theyare dignified andadorn- ed by the operations of divine grace." " Thou wilt have a desire, saith the good man in my text, to the work of thy own hands." Thou hast moulded me and fashioned me at first by thy power, thou hast new createdme by thy Spirit, and though thou hidest me for a season in one of thy secret chambers of death, thou wilt raise me again to light and life, " and in my flesh shall I see God." When the Almighty had created this visibleworld, he surveyed his works on the seventh day, and pronounced them all good, and he took delight in them all before sin entered and defiled them And when he has delivered the creatures of his power from the bondage of corrup- tion and has purged our souls and `our bodies from sin and from every evil principle, he will again delight in the sons and daughters of Adam whom he has thus cleansed and refined by his sovereign grace, and has qualified and adorned them for his own presence. " He will singand rejoice over them, and rest in his love ;" Zep. iii. 17. He will love to see them withhis Son Jesus at their head, diffusing holiness and glory through all his members. Jesus the Redeemer will love to see them round him, for he has bought themwith his blood, and theyare a treasure too precious to be for ever lost. He will rejoice to be- hold them rising at his call into a splendour like his own, and they " shall be satisfied when they awake from death intQ his likeness ; Ps. xvii. 15. and appear in the

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