2. To whom he makes known his requeft, viz. to his Father, in whofe love his intereft can never fail.

3. What he defires, viz. heavenly glory: which, how great foever, is no more than infinite mercy defigned, and refolved to give from everlasting; and which was promised him before the world began, and which having laid down his life to obtain, he now fues for in right of his purchase.

4. The perfons for whom he here intercedes, those whom thou hast given me: those which by an early love thou haft had in thine eye and heart for their good, having from the beginning chofen them to falvation, and committed them into my hands to bring them thereto. O deny them not those provifions thou haft declared thy-, felf fo willing to bestow.

5. The time when he puts up this defire, when he was about to leave the world, and that by the most painful death, in obedience to his Father's will, and for the advancing of his glory. O let not my request be denied, which I now lay down my life to obtain, that whom thou haft given me, be with me.

6. The manner in which he puts it up, with the greateft earneftnefs of heart, with a temper very different from what he shews in his own cafe. When in view of his own fufferings, he prayed, O my Father, if it be poffible, let this cup pafs from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt, Mat. xxvi. 39. In his own cafe, we fee, he prayed conditionally for a favour from his Father: but here, in his peoples, he A a 4 feems

feems to pray abfolutely, as knowing he asked for what his Father had promifed, and would grant. O thou that hearest me always, as thou: haft regard to thefe that lie next my very heart, and whom thou haft given me by covenant, I will that they may be with me.

Lafly, The end for which he put it up, that they may behold my glory. O let me not want their company above, nor they the felicity of being where I am. The glory thou wilt give me is truly worthy thy love to me: O let it be feen by these my friends; that they may rejoice with me, and be happy in that love of thine. I have told them, in my Father's houfe are many manfions, and that I go to prepare a place for them therein and have promifed, that where I am, there fhall olfo my fervant be: O let not my word, and their expectations fall to the ground. If in this life only they had hope in me, they were of all men most miserable; feeing they meet with the hardest treatment in it, and have nothing to fee ar enjoy that can fatisfy their fouls. Wherefore, O Father, as I am coming to thee myself, I will that they alfo that thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may bebold my glory. Amen

and Amen.

་་

APPLICATION.

1. How conftant and comprehensive is the love of Chrift to his people, and how earnest is his defire of their compleat falvation!

He was pleafed with the forethoughts of being with them, before he appeared on earth among them. Being fet up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was, He was rejoicing

in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delights were with the fons of men, Prov. viii. 23, 31. And he came down in time, from his throne to a crofs, with the greatest willingness to fave that which was loft. And he would not only fave the loft from fin and hell; but as about to afcend to heaven, he prayed, Father, I will that they alfo be with me where I am; that fo they might obtain falvation with eternal glory.

2. With what feriousness should we enquire, whether we belong to him, yea or no.

And for this you need not afcend to heaven, to turn over the book of the divine decrees: it is to be determined by what hath paffed between Christ and your fouls, in conformity to the calls and directions of the gospel. Have you received.. him, as offered, and committed yourselves with firm trust into his hand, as your only all-fufficient Saviour, to be to you, and do for you all that he is appointed to be and do for loft finners in order for their recovery? Do you own his authority, and bow to the fceptre of his grace; cafting yourselves intirely on his meritorious facrifice and prevalent interceffion, for pardon, acceptance and eternal glory? All that the Father giveth him, thus come unto him; and him that cometh, he will in no wife caft out.

Pray for the divine Spirit to perfuade and enable you to do this, and do not put a bar in his way, by floth, oppofition, or delay. How fad is it to live upon the brink of eternity, and to have no hope when taken hence, of being with Christ, and beholding his glory?

3. Having done this, let the confideration of Chrift's

Chrift's prayer and promife, his faithfulness and love, confirm your trust in him under all the burdens of the present ftate. What a powerful cordial have they to keep them from fainting, who can fay, I know whom I have believed, and that he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day?

4. Be not careless of your walk: do not neglect your duty, or let down your watch. Tho' Chrift hath prayed that all his may be with him where he is, whatever he asks is agreeable to the will of God. Now, this is the will of God, even your fanctification, as, without holiness none can fee his face. Thus runs the command and promise together, If any man ferve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my Jervant be, John xii. 26.

5. Greatly delight in Chrift's spiritual prefence, till you are called up to be with him, to behold his glory.... Where two or three are gathered together in his name, they have his promife, that there he will be in the midft of them; and, to fuch affemblies, the believer goes, in hopes of fitting down under his fhadow with great delight, and finding his fruit fweet to his taste.

6. Earneftly long, and yet patiently wait for your remove, that you may be with Chrift. Earneftly long for it for what is there on earth in comparison of the glory to be revealed? Patiently wait for it remembering that he that has expreffed his defire that you may be with him in glory, knows the fitteft feafon wherein to fend for you, and will affuredly remember you when

that feafon comes..

SER

SERMON XIX.

I THES. II. 19.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the prefence of our Lord Jefus Chrift at His coming?

TH

HESE words are expreffive of the Apoftle Paul's high value and efteem for these believing Theffalonians; and are a pattern of that which every minifter of Chrift, who breathes after the falvation of fouls, fhould have for all thofe among whom his labours have been bleffed with fuccefs.

It has been observed, that where the gofpel hath come, it hath ufually been attended with the greatest fuccefs at firft. The fun of righte oufnefs, at its firft rifing over fuch as have long fate in great darkness, hath often been more gladly welcomed, and fo hath brought healing in his wings; and great hath been the change that hath followed upon it.

This the Apostle recounts with thankfulness as the fruit of his preaching among the Thefalonians