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earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up." Now, I say, put all these things together, and see if there be not weight in them to wean your hearts from this world, and to engage you to follow the practice of the spouse, and come up from the wilderness.

2. Consider, that there is a better country beyond the wilderness of this world. Heb. xi. it is said of the worthies, that "they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly." It is a better kingdom than the kingdoms of this world, even "an everlasting kingdom;" a better inheritance, even "an inheritance that is incorruptible, and undefiled, which fadeth not away;" a better city, even "a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God;" a better house than our cottages of clay in the wilderness, even a house of “ many mansions, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

But, more particularly, to encourage you to come up from the wilderness to this better country, consider,

1st, That there are better joys and pleasures to be had there than in the wilderness. This world is but at best a Bochim, a valley of tears, a house of mourning; but the land afar off, that lies on the other side of the wilderness, is a state of pleasure, of continual joy and pleasure, where “the ransomed of the Lord shall have songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall ever flee away." The joys and pleasures of this world, do not satisfy: "He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver;" hence, in the midst of their sufficiency, the covetous worldling is in wants; and in the midst of their laughter, their heart is sorrowful. But now the joys of the land of glory, are full joys: Psal. xvi. 11: "In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” The joys of the wilderness, are transient: hence "the triumphing of the wicked is short. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They spend their days in wealth" and ease, but "in a moment they go down to the grave." But the joys of the land of glory, (as you heard just now) are everlasting, and shall run parallel with the endless ages of eternity.

2dly, There are better riches in the land afar off, than these that the wilderness of this world affords. As for the riches of this world, the moth and rust corrupt them, thieves break through and steal them; Solomon, who was master of more of this world's riches than any man else, pronounces them all vanity and vexation of spirit. But now the riches of that better country beyond the wilderness are far better, in

145 respect of plenty; for the riches of that land are unsearchable, Eph. iii. 8: better in respect of value; for the gold of that land is better than the gold of Ophir; it is "gold tried in the fire, yeu, the gold and silver cannot equal it:" it is better in respect of perpetuity; the riches of this world make themselves wings and fly away, but the riches of glory are durable and everlasting; hence Christ exhorts to provide for ourselves " bags that do not wax old."

3dly, The honours of that better country are better than the honours of this world. What is it to sway a sceptre on earth, in respect of "ruling the nations with a rod of iron?" What is it to sit upon an earthly throne, in respect of sitting on the same throne with the Son of God? Rev. iii. at the close. What is it to be an heir of an opulent estate, or of a kingdom upon earth, in respect of being "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ of an inheritance that is incorruptible, and undefiled?" &c.

4thly, We invite you to come up to a far more peaceable land than is the wilderness of this world. O sirs, you and I may know to our experience, that this is a fighting world, it is a place of strife; and some may say with Jeremiah, “Wo is me, my mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth.-Without are fightings, and within are fears.-Deep calleth unto deep, at the noise of thy water spouts." We must "run with the footmen, contend with horses," and then go down to the "swellings of Jordan." But, O sirs, come up from the wilderness: for the land beyond it is a land of peace and quiet, and everlasting rest; and this rest remaineth for the people of God, where wars and jars, and contentions and strifes, shall come to an eternal end: "They shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his upright

ness."

5thly, That land beyond the wilderness is a far more pure and holy land than this wilderness is. This world cannot be your rest, for it is polluted; the inhabitants of it are of polluted lips, lives, and hearts; and it is hard for a man to keep his garments clean, as he is travelling through it to eternity. But that land of glory beyond the wilderness is the holy land, in the most proper sense; for "there can in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.” All the inhabitants are such as have "washed their hands in innocence, washed their garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

6thly, That land that lies beyond the wilderness is a far more durable land than this is. This world is subject to in

numerable vicissitudes and sorrows; a fertile land may be turned unto barrenness, a peaceable land may soon be turned to confusion; the "confused noise of the warrior, and garments rolled in blood," may be seen and heard in it; and ere it be long, the whole visible frame of nature will be unhinged, &c. But now heaven is an abiding country, an abiding city; it "hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." The city of the new Jerusalem is built four square, to show the stability of it; it fadeth not away, and the inhabitants of it shall go no more out, &c. O then be persuaded to come up from the wilderness to this better country, the proper country of the saints.

3. Consider, by way of motive, what a lightsome way is opened from the wilderness to that better country that is above; and let this invite you to come up. The way to heaven, after the breach of the first covenant, was blocked up by the law and justice of God; the offended majesty of heaven had rolled mountains of fiery vengeance in man's way to heaven; the cherubim with his "flaming sword, turning every way," rendered it altogether impassable. But O thanks to the glorious Emmanuel, who, as the "breaker, has gone up before us;" he has rolled these mountains out of the way, he has opened up the passage from the wilderness to Canaan by his death and blood; yea, he, as our King, Captain, and General, has gone before us, JEHOVAH is on the head of the travellers to glory: and therefore be encouraged to come up from the wilderness, set your faces toward Zion. And, to encourage you, I will give you a few qualities of the way you have to travel.

1st, It is a new way, Heb. x. 20. Adam's way in innocence by the works of the law is abolished; but here, by the gospel, there is a new way opened; a way that is cal culated, not for a righteous or innocent person, but for a sinner, a lost sinner: and Christ" calls not the righteous, but lost sinners" of Adam's family, to take this way. And then it is new, because it never waxes stale, will never be out of request.

2dly, The way to that better land is a living way, not only because it leads to everlasting life, but a living Christ is the way; and so soon as ever a sinner sets the foot of faith on this way, he begins to live a life of justification, a life of sanctification, a life of consolation; for "he that hath the Son, hath life; and whoever believes in" the name of Christ, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and shall never come into condemnation."

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3dly, The way to glory is consecrated for us; the great God has opened and devoted this way for the travellers to glory.

The revelation of it is to us, and the revelation from him to walk in it is to us. Oh then, let us come up from the wilderness, since God had a view to your salvation in opening it.

4thly, The way is a free way; it is free to all comers; it is like the king's high-way, that every man has a privilege to walk in: "Whosoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely." And then it is free, in regard that the traveller has his charges borne, and every thing needful for carrying him on laid to his hand, " without money and without price," all fulness is in the way, and "out of this fulness we all do receive and grace for grace.

5thly, It is a cleanly and a holy way: Is. xxxv. 8: "A highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it." The way of believing in Christ, as it is the first and fundamental act of obedience to the law of God, so it is a spring of holiness and obedience to all the other commands of God; hence all true obedience is called the obedience of faith. The man that is heartily engaged in the way of believing, has his "heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water;" and his daily work is to cleanse himself from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord."

6thly, It is a safe way, in which you come up from the wilderness; for "the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein. Though he may fall, yet he shall arise; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." The Lord is the man's strength; and therefore "he shall hold on his way, and wax stronger and stronger," till he come to Zion.

7thly, It is a pleasant way: Prov. iii. 17: "Wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." And how can it be but pleasant? for here is every thing needful to the traveller. Here is meat for the hungry traveller: "I am the bread of life." Here is drink for the thirsty, even "the water of life, issuing from the throne of God and of the Lamb." Here is clothing, yea, "white raiment," and the "garment of salvation," for the naked soul. Here is light to the soul in darkness: "The Lord shall be thy everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." Here is a shadowy rest to the traveller when he is weary: "I sat down under his shadow with great delight. The Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day; nor the moon - by night." Here in this way you have a good guide to lead you, one who "leads the blind in the way they know not," and who at every turn is crying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." And that which contributes much to render it pleasant is, that the way is well beaten, it is a trodden path, and

you have a whole cloud, an innumerable company of travellers, both going before you, and coming after you, and going along with you: Heb. xii. 1: “ Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run the race," &c.

8thly, The way that comes up from the wilderness to the land of glory is a peaceable and a quiet way. There is nothing but noise and din, and perpetual disturbance in the ways of sin, and the way of the men of this world. But oh! there is perfect peace in this way that leads to Zion: Is. xxvi. 3: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." Indeed, you may and will have disturbances from without, "In the world ye shall have tribulation;" but all the noise and disturbances from without cannot mar the quiet the soul has within; no, no; "In me ye shall have peace: be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." Thus you see, that every thing invites you to come up from the wilderness towards that better country that is above.

I shall conclude this exhortation with a few words by way of counsel and advice. If after all that has been said, you have a mind to come up from the wilderness towards the land of glory above, then take the few following advices:

1. Keep your eyes fixed, as you come up from the wilderness, upon an invisible God, on the glorious Emmanuel, upon the unerring rule of the word, upon a well-ordered covenant, upon the cloud of witnesses that have gone before you, and on the glorious land that lies on the other side of the wilderness.

2. Another advice I give you is, If you would make your journey comfortable, or ever arrive at the end of it, study to keep in with these three:

1st, Keep in with God; do nothing that may provoke him to hide his face; for if you do, it will cost you dear: you will walk in darkness through the wilderness. But oh, "in his favour is life;" every blink of his countenance exhilarates the spirits, and then "the joy of the Lord is the soul's strength," &c.

2dly, Keep in with conscience: "This is our rejoicing, the testimony of a good conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world," &c.

3dly, Keep in with them that fear God, and cleave to the word of his testimony; keep close with your fellow-travellers that are bound for Zion. "My delight," says David, is with the saints, the excellent ones of the earth," &c.

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3. There are some things that you should endeavour to keep

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