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Q. How is the Denial of our innocent Appetites inftrumental in mortifying our finful Defires and difobedient Actions?

A. Because if we gratify them in all Things, where we lawfully may, they will by long Ufe and Indulgence acquire a great Power and Empire over us, and it will be a difficult Tafk to deny them any thing; for our Appetites make no Difference between an innocent and finful En-, joyment, they are only moved by Pleafure; fo. that if we will be fure to conquer and fubdue them in all Inftances that are finful, we must take Care they grow not ftrong upon us in any Inftances whatfoever.

Q. Wherein appears the Reasonablenefs of this Duty of Self-denial in the firictest Sence?

A. Because that as God hath promised to affift and fupport us by his Holy Spirit in the Dif charge of this difficult Duty; fo he hath beengracioufly pleafed to affure us that he will reward the Practice of it with greater Degrees of Eternal Happinefs; and nothing can be more reasonable then to part with Things of small Value for Things infinitely greater and more confiderable. And we are fure that the Suffer- Rom. 8. ings of this prefent Time are not worthy to be com- 18. pared with the Glory that shall be revealed. We are his Creatures, and the Purchafe of our Saviour's Blood; therefore no Confideration whatfoever should stand in Competition with the ferving him. Befides, the bleffed Jefus, who requires it from us, hath given us the greatest Example of Self-denial that ever was, and that in Pity and Kindnefs to us, and wholly for our Benefit and Advantage.

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For the Imitation of Saints.

For the Improve

Grace.

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The PRAYERS.

I.

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlafting Life; grant me perfectly to know thy Son Jefus Chrift to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life; that, following the Steps of thy holy Apostles, St. Philip and St. James, I may ftedfaftly walk in the Way that leadeth to eternal Life, through the fame thy Son Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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II.

Racious God, teach me readily to obey thy heavenly Call; carefully to attend to all ment of the Suggestions of thy bleffed Spirit; entirely to give my Affent to all thofe Truths which have been attefted by Miracles, and carry in their Nature an Evidence that they come from above. And when thou haft thus illuminated my Understanding with a Ray of heavenly Light, rectify my crooked and perverfe Will, by the Practice of thy holy Precepts, and excite all my Affections to a conftant Observation of them. Make me zealous to propagate this fure Way to true Happiness, to all those who fit in the Darkness of Error, or in the Slavery of Sin. Raise up a primitive Spirit of Zeal and Fervour to convert Souls, among those who wait at thy Altar; engage the Minds of the Great and Powerful to countenance all fuch pious Undertakings, and let every Chriftian in his Place and Station contribute to fo good a Work; that the whole World may be enlightened with

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the Knowledge and Love of God, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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III.

Leffed God, who haft fet before us the Ex-For folamples of thy Saints, that our Duty may lowing become familiar to us, fince performed by Men ple of the of like Paffions with ourselves; arm me with Saints. Refolution to confefs thee before Men, as they did; that neither Profit may engage, nor Pleafure foften me into any finful Compliance, nor any Sufferings or Perfecutions fo far influence my Fear, as to make me stagger or move from my Stedfaftnefs; that in all my Sufferings here upon Earth, for the Teftimony of thy Truth, I may fix my Mind upon thofe Things thou haft prepared for them that love thee, and by the Example of thy Saints, pray to thee, for those that cruelly and defpitely ufe me, O bleffed Jefus, who ftandeft at the right Hand of God, to fuccour those who fuffer for thee, the only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

CHA P. XX.

The Ascension of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

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A Moveable Feaft.

HAT Festival doth the Church celebrate
this Day?

A. Our bleffed Saviour's afcending into Heaven in his human Nature, and his fitting at the right Hand of God.

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Q. When

Acts 1.

3.

Ver. 9, 10.

Q. When did our Saviour afcend into Heaven ?

A. Forty Days after his Refurrection; during which Time he confirmed the Truth of his Refurrection by appearing feveral Times to his Difciples, difcourfing with them, and Speaking of the Things concerning the Kingdom of God.

Q. How was the Afcenfion performed? A. While Jefus was blefling his Difciples, he was taken up in a bright Cloud, they all stedfaftly looking after him till he was entirely gone out of Sight.

Q. What Teftimony did the Angels bear at bis Afcenfion?

A. While the Apostles were looking after our Saviour, two of them appeared to them, affuring them, that as Jefus was taken from them Ver. 11. into Heaven, fo he fhould in as glorious a Manner return again to judge the World.

John 14. 28, 29.

Q. Was it neceffary the Apostles fhould be Eyewitnefes of the Afcenfion?

A. Yes, in order to the Confirmation of the Certainty and Reality of it. For though this was not neceffary in his Refurrection, because whatever was a Proof of his Life after Death, was a Demonstration of his Refurrection; yet the Apostles not being to fee him when in Heaven, it was neceffary they fhould be Eye-witneffes of his Act of Afcending, that fo they might be able to bear their Testimony of it.

Q. What farther Proof bad the Apostles of our Saviour's Afcenfion?

A. Before they faw our Saviour afcend, he had told them whither he was going, and what Power and Dignity would be conferred upon him, and, as an Evidence of this his Exaltation

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to the right Hand of God, had promised to send down the Holy Ghost upon them in a fenfible Man- John 15. ner; fo that they, afterwards receiving the wonderful Effects of his being there, had abundant Evidence of his Exaltation in Heaven.

Q. How was Chrift's Afcenfion typically reprefented under the Law?

A. By the High Priest's being appointed once every Year to enter into the Holy of Holies; which fhewed that the High Priest of the good Heb. 9. Things to come, by a greater and more perfect Ta- 11, 12. bernacle, not made with Hands, was to enter into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal Redemption for us; all the Jews believing that the Tabernacle did fignify this World, and the Holy of Holies the highest Heavens. Wherefore as the High Prieft did pass through the reft of the Tabernacle, and with the Blood of the Sacrifice enter into the Holy of Holies; fo was the Meffias to offer up himself a Sacrifice, to pass through all the Courts of this World, and with his Blood to enter into the highest Heavens, the most glorious Seat of the Majefty of God.

Q. How was Chrift's Afcenfion prophetically declared ?

A. By the Royal Prophet David. Thou haft Pfal. 68. afcended up on high, thou haft led Captivity cap- 18. tive, thou hast received Gifts for Men. Which Words, though spoken immediately of David himself afcending in Triumph up the Hill whereon the Temple stood, the Mount Sion, after his Conqueft over the Philistines; yet they had alfo a prophetical Relation to our bleffed Saviour's Afcenfion into Heaven; the Phrafe on high, in the Language of David, fignifying Heaven, is moft properly applied to our Conqueror the

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Meffias

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