S.RM.

That he did fo continue, is certain ; and VI. as certain, that, for many wife Reasons,

known to God alone, and as unnecessary as they are impoffible to be by us discovered, it was requifite, that he should so continue: But those, which the Scripture hath pointed out to us, we may warrant ably affign. And from thence it appears, That his Stay here upon Earth, after his Refurrection, was intended for the Good of his Church, which he was about to establish, and for the Instruction of his Apoftles in all things relating to the great Work, in which he was about to employ them.

They doubted of the Truth of his Refurrection; and therefore he stayed to give them fuch convincing Proofs, and Affurances of it, as might enable them to convince Others, and become Authentick Witnesses of that great Matter of Fact, upon which, as upon a chief Corner-Stone, the whole Frame of his Religion was to be founded.

They laboured under great Prejudices, in relation to his Character and Suffer

Sufferings, and expected that by Him SERM. the Kingdom should have been restored VII. to Ifrael. These Prejudices he himself refolved to remove, and dispell; co inform them of the Spiritual Nature of his Kingdom, of the Ends for which, and the Methods by which, it was to be erected and propagated.

Sorrow had overwhelmed their Hearts, upon the Loss of him; and therefore, upon his Return to Life, he stayed fome time with them, to comfort and chear them. They were by Degrees to be Weaned from their Fondness for his Perfon, and their Defire of his Bodily Prefence; and to this end it was requifite, that he fhould not withdraw himfelf from their Sight, at once, but appear, and disappear to them, at fit Intervals; discontinuing, and refuming his Conversation with them, in fuch a manner, as might beft difpose them to be willing entirely to part with him.

He was leifurely to fatisfy them, that it was expedient for him to go away, fince if he went not away, the Comforter would7. not come; but, if he departed, he would Send

VOL. I.

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Joh. xvi.

SERM. fend him unto them; and that when He, VII. the Spirit of Truth, was come, he would Ver. 13. guide them into all Truth, bring all things to their Remembrance, and shew them

things to come; would impart to them all Spiritual Powers, Gifts and Graces, and fill them with all Confolation and Joy in believing, and, by that means, make an Amends to them for his own Bodily Abfence. For the Reception of this Comforter, for the Entertainment of this Heavenly Gueft, he was to prepare, and qualify them, that, when he arrived, he might find them meet to be Partakers of his bleffed Influences and Illuminations.

These Accounts of our Saviour's Continuance upon Earth, for fome time after he arose, are plainly enough afferted, or intimated in holy Writ; and therefore we may build upon them with Affurance. And may we not also, without Prefumption, although with lefs Certainty, venture to fay, That he intended, by this means, to add one yet further Proof, to thofe he had already given,

of

of his exceeding Love to his Spouse, the SERM. Church, of his great and difinterested VII. Concern for the Good of Souls? For, though from the Moment of his Refurrection he was entitled to that Glory which his Humiliation had purchased, yet would he not immediately enter into it: He fnatched not at the Reward, the high Reward of his Sufferings, with Eagerness and Hafte; but delayed for fome time his folemn Inauguration to the Regal Office, his taking Poffeffion of the Joys of Heaven, and fitting on the Right Hand of God, while there was any thing yet left undone for his Church, and his Elect, which it was requifite for him to tranfa&t here in Person. A noble Inftance of Self-denial! which feems to have wrought mightily in his Apoles, and to have produced excellent Fruits; particularly in S. Paul, who, though he earnestly defired to be abfent from the Body, and prefent with the Lord, to depart and be with Chrift, yet, for the Sake of his Flock here below, reprefed those Defires, and was content

SERM. ed to want, what he fo earnestly longVII. ed after: To abide in the Flesh (faid he to then) is more needful for You; and on that Account, and that only, he chose to abide in it.

Phil, i.

24.

Expedient therefore it was for the Disciples of Chrift, that he should tarry Jome time with them after he arose: And that time was, it seems, forty Days; a Circumftance, not to be neglected by us, fince the Pen of S. Luke hath thought fit to record it; probably, for this Reafon,- Because Mofes, and Elijah, the Types of Chrift, on two very folemn Occafions, and Christ himself, just before he publickly exercised his Ministry, had, for the fame Number of Days, retired into the Wilderness. Our Lord therefore having, in Conformity with thefe Types, taken forty Days, to prepare himself for the Discharge of his Prophetick Office on Earth, did in like manner retire, as it were, and separate himself for forty Days alfo, e're he entered upon his Regal and Mediatorial Offices, in Heaven, and there fat at the