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and especially all faulty conduct, proceeding from a worldly frame and too strong affection for earthly things.

When I spake to you of my future sufferings, and thereupon Peter, who before had made a very agreeable confession of my being the Christ, the Son of God, began to remonstrate, saying, " Be it far from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee," Matt. xvi. 22, did I not turn me about, and, in the presence of you all, say unto him: "Get thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offence to me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men?" ver. 23.

And when you had a strife one with another, who should be the greatest in the kingdom of the Messiah: supposing it to have in it places of honour and preferment, such as it really has not: did I not say unto you: "Unless ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven?" Matt. xviii. 1–3.

Do you not remember likewise what I said to the two sons of Zebedee, when their mother came to me with that petition, that "they might sit, the one on the right hand, and the other on the left, in my kingdom?" Matt. xx. 20-24.

And have I not told you, that whereas in the kingdoms of this world they who are great exercise dominion and authority so it shall not be with you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister: and whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant?" Matt. xx. 25, 27.

Thus I have treated you from the beginning to this time. I have encouraged you to follow me, and to continue faithful to me, with the hazard of all things: and have directed you not to seek great things for yourselves here by any means, but riches and honour in the kingdom of heaven. And when I now speak to you of another world, and mansions therein, can any of you doubt the truth of what I say? How strange an idea must you then have of me! how injurious! But far be such a supposition as this. You are well satisfied of my sincerity: you have had full proof of that, and of my knowledge of all things: you must therefore be fully persuaded, that there are, as I say unto you, "mansions in my Father's house" for myself, and for you, and for all whom you, in the service to which you have been called and appointed, shall be able to bring to true virtue and goodness.

7. The relation we stand in to each other may assure you of my sincerity, and that I am to be relied upon in what I now say.'

Do men use to impose upon and deceive, and that in matters of importance, those whom they love, and by whom they are esteemed and beloved? I chose you out of the whole number of my disciples, to be usually with me: and I have taught you in public and in private: I have answered your questions, and removed your scruples: I have treated you as my friends: "for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you," John xv. 15. And is my affection changed, that I should not "love you to the end" of my life? ch. xiii. 1.

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"You" too" have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God," John xvi. 17. You have made a very acceptable profession of faith in me, and respect for me. When " many went back, and walked no more with me,' John vi. 66, 67, you would not forsake me, though I left you to your own choice, to abide with me, or go away :" and hitherto " ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations," Luke xxii. 28, and have shared in the reproach and obloquy cast upon me; whereby, as you cannot but know, you have not a little endeared yourselves to me: and now by your grief for my departure, in the manner I have spoken of, (though that grief be not duly regulated,) you have evidently shown an esteem and value for me, and a concern for my honour and can it be thought, that I should intend to delude you? Is it not much more reasonable to conclude, that the reality is fully answerable to the expressions made use of by me?

8. Once more,

'the circumstances we are in may assure you of my being sincere in what I say.'

Dying men have seldom any inclination to deceit and fallacy. The near prospect of death puts an end to such artifices, though they had been practised before. Moreover the cheerfulness, with which I speak of dying, and such a death as I have in view, may assure you, I am well satisfied about the consequences of it, as to myself. And " if I live, ye shall live also," John xiv. 19. If you love one another, as I have loved you, and perform all other things which I have recommended to you, our interests are the same. You are not now to go with me, nor to follow me immediately: but you shall follow me some time hence.

Let not then any afflictive circumstances in this world deject your spirits, or cause you to abandon a just and wellgrounded expectation. My departure is only like that of one who goes before, to prepare for the rest of the company. And hereafter, if need be, I will come forth, and conduct you into the mansions which I now speak to you of.

So did our Lord comfort and encourage his disciples. III. Having spoken to the two points in the text, I shall now add some remarks and inferences.

1. We may hence conclude, that it is of great importance 'to maintain the hope and expectation of another life.'

Our Lord was pleased to enforce the conviction and persuasion of a future state upon the minds of his disciples, by the consideration of his own integrity, of which there were so many proofs, and which was absolutely unquestionable.

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His apostles afterwards show a like earnest concern to keep up in the minds of christians a firm persuasion and lively hope of another life after this: "Wherefore,” St. Peter, "gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope unto the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ," 1 Pet. i. 13. In like manner the apostle to the Hebrews: "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward: for ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise: for yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry," Heb. x. 35, 36. And it is with warmth that St. Paul expresseth himself to the Corinthians: "Now, if Christ be preached, that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no resurrection of the dead?deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners," 1 Cor. xv. 12, 33. Never let us hearken to such suggestions; for they discourage all generous actions. This life, at its best estate, is then, indeed, altogether vanity: yea this whole system of things, and all the designs of Providence, would then be mean and inconsiderable, and below the great characters of Creator and Governor of the world.

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2. We hence learn how life and immortality may be said to be brought to light in the gospel.'

Allowing, that a future state of recompense or immortal life, may be surely deduced from reason, and argued from divers parts of the Old Testament, it may be justly said to be brought to light through the gospel; it having there received a great deal of additional evidence. Here we have the solemn and express declaration and promise of one teaching in the name of God, and proving his mission by miracles and the expectation is confirmed by every part of his doctrine, by the precepts and rules of life delivered by him, by the whole of his behaviour in this world, toward those who were dear to him, and toward others, by his unparalleled disinterestedness, by his zeal for the glory of God and the welfare of men, and by every virtue of his most ex

cellent and exemplary life, and also by his death and resurrection, and by the sending down of gifts upon those who believed in him.

Moreover here the idea of the future happiness is improved above all the discoveries of reason. The body is to be raised up incorruptible and immortal: good men shall be made like unto the angels: they shall see God; and they shall meet together, and live and reign with Christ. Thus is the felicity of the saints described by the apostle at the consummation of all things: "And so shall we ever be with the Lord," 1 Thess. iv. 17. In like manner speaks Christ himself to the disciples here: "And if I go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." And thus he prays for them: "Father I will, that they whom thou hast given me be with me, where I am, that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me," John xvii. 24. By living with him, and "seeing him as he is," 1 John iii. 2, they will be brought to a most happy resemblance of him in purity and holiness; and their now frail bodies shall be made" like unto his most glorious body," Philip. iii. 21. This is a very delightful and exalted idea of the future happiness. How desirable is it to be with him, who is so excellent and amiable! whose society on earth was so engaging and improving to be with him not only for a while, but for ever; and to be like him in eternal glory, and the perfection of virtue !

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3. This doctrine affords support and comfort under all the troubles and afflictions of this mortal life, particularly 'the departure of dear and valuable friends.'

Our Lord makes use of this argument to pacify his disciples, who were greatly perplexed and distressed at the thought of his going away from them. St. Paul improves the same argument to the like purpose: "But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others, who have no hope for if we believe, that Jesus died and rose again; even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him--Wherefore comfort one another with these words," 1 Thess. iv. 13-18.

It is a happiness to know good and great men: but then it is afflictive to part with them. However the principles of religion afford us comfort upon this, as well as other occasions of grief. Though earthly friends die, God lives for ever: and he will be with us, and bless us, if we fear and serve him. "When Father and mother," and other friends,

"forsake us," we are cast upon the divine care and protection: and then especially he will "take us up," Psal. xxvii. 10, and care for us. As for them, their removal is to their advantage. To" be with Christ is far better," than to abide here, Phil. i. 23. "Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord: they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them," Rev. xiv. 13. This we cannot doubt to be the case of our late excellent friend.

Shall I now take some notice of the gifts bestowed upon him, the use he made of them, the acceptance he met with, and the fruit of his endeavours? Will not this answer some good ends and purposes? May it not assuage our grief, increase our gratitude to God, excite our emulation, and direct our practice?

Dr. JEREMIAH HUNT was born in London, June 11, 1678. His father dying, when he was not more than two years of age: he, with his two sisters, was left, under Providence, to the care of a tender mother: who, when he grew up intended to put him to a trade. But he choosing to serve God in preaching the gospel, and earnestly desiring to continue his studies with that view, she complied with his request: and with the assistance of her relations, of whom she had several in good circumstances, she gave her son a truly liberal education.

When he had been sufficiently instructed in grammar learning, he began his academical studies at Mr. Thomas Rowe's a minister in this city. After that he went to Edinburgh, and from thence to Leyden in Holland.

There is sometimes a happy concurrence of circumstances for forming and qualifying persons of elevated minds for important service; such seems to have been the case here: and, as we may reasonably think, not without a kind and over-ruling Providence: forasmuch as the gifts, bestowed upon any men, are not barely for themselves, nor for vain show and ostentation, but for the benefit of others.

The professors of Leyden at that time were men of great renown for ability and skill in the several branches of literature: and indeed it is so ordered by the wisdom of the government, that for the most part the professors' chairs in that university are filled with men who are an ornament to the republic of letters, and greatly advance its interests by their writings and other labours: and there is a great resort of youth of all ranks, who are designed for law or magistracy, divinity and medicine; and that not only from the several cities of the Province of Holland, but from all the

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