AND when he had fpoken these Things, while they beheld, be was taken up, and a Cloud received him out of their Sight. And while they looked ftedfaftly toward Heaven, as he went up, behold, two Men stood by them in white Apparel. Acts i. 9, 10. How adorable is this Moment, which puts Jefus Chrift into Poffeffion of all his Rights and Prerogatives at the right Hand of God! let it be fo much the more present to the Eyes of our Faith, the more remote it is from those of our Flesh.The Elevation of our Heart toward God, and the Attention of our Mind to the Mysteries of Chrift, generally draws down upon us the Graces and Confolations of Heaven. Let thofe fix their Eyes upon the Earth who have their Treasures there. The Treasure and Life of our Heart is in Heaven; thither it ought stedfaftly to look, thither it ought directly to tend. Parted in the Act of Bleffing, First the Comforter is given, Proof of his continued Prayer, A ND they were all filled with the Holy Ghoft, and began to speak with other Tongues, as the Spirit gave them Utterance. Acts ii. 4. The Heart of Man cannot be empty. The more he endeavours to clear it of himself, and of other Creatures, by Faith, Prayer and felf-Denial, the more does God fill it with his Spirit. The Fulness of the Holy Ghoft is the Apostles, and all true Minifters, is not a mute and unactive Fulnefs. They preach Jefus Chrift, they inftruct the People, and bear Witness to the Truth, as foon as ever they are thus filled. O defirable Fulnefs, which is fo far from loading or depreffing the Soul, that it lifts it up, carries it forward, and caufes it to go to God! Vouchfafe, O Holy Spirit, to fill us, that we may learn of thee both to speak and to keep Silence, when thy Glory, the Good of thy Church, and our own Profeffion require us to do either. Rejoice, rejoice, ye fallen Race, It now comes ftreaming from the Sky, Marvel not that I faid unto thee, Ye must be born again. John iii. 7. Adam being a Sinner, could beget only Sinners, and propagate no other Inclinations, but fuch as tend to Sin: It belongs to thee, O holy Jefus, as the Principle of our new Life, to give us thy Spirit, and to infpire into us thy fpiritual and holy Inclinations. He who is throughly fenfible of the Corruption of the Heart of Man, is far from wondering that it is necessary for him to be changed into a new Man, and that he muft receive a new Spirit, a new Heart, and a new Principle of Life and Action. It is this new Birth which gives us a Right, on all Occasions, to pray for the new Spirit. GOD of unexhaufted Grace, Of everlasting Love, For fo poor a Worm as me! Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, Thy Godhead we adore, All Glory be to Thee. N I S. |