Book IV. Jl,.,COl\tng itnto jjcfu.S. Chap. 2.sea. 4· 505 ----------~ - ·------------~ undcrfhnd it, holinefs (though b~t~~ effdl: of the Spirit) is a moll: rore. thing; ho- , Jinefs bils the foul with joy, peace, quiemefs, atTurance; hohnefs entertams the foul with feafb of fat things aud of refined wines; holinefs carries the foul into.the banquet– ting.bouf< of apples and flaggons; holmefsgtves the f~ul a dear commu~wn wuh God aud Chrift · holinefs brings the foul mto a itght of Clmfl:, an acccfs to h1m, a boldnefs in his pref;nce ; holinefs admits the foul_ into the moll intimate wnferences with. Jefus Chrill in hi• bed.chamber, tn Ius galknes of love, and that winch IS an argument of more beouty than all the creatures in the world have bdides; l~olinefs attracts th_e eye, and heart, and longings, and nv10uuems, tbe tender compaflwns,_ and everlafh~g_d~Jights of the Lord Jefu>; andIf hohnefs be thus lovely~ oh what IS the holy Sp1m tt felf? what is the Rife, the Spnn! , the Founrom of holmefs? wh~t? 0 my foul, that . not only grace, but the Spirit of Cltrifl: fhould dwell in thy fpidt? that thou Jhouldfl: be God', building, and titat not as the reil: of the world ts, for hts creatures to mhabu; r Cor. 3• 9• but as aTemple for himfelf to dwell. in, as a Gallery for himfelf to w~lk in? oh what1Cor. <5. ~~. longings! oh what pantings and gafpmgs! oh what famttngs and fwoonmgs lhould there Cant. 7· S· be in thy (pirit after this Spirit! Ctme holy Spirit, 0 come and dwell in my foul! I 1 know thou wilt make the place of rhy feet glortous ; tf 1have but thy prefence, I lhall beaU glorious within: 0 come, come holy Spirit I \ SECT. IV. Of holing on [ifu< in that rcjpe£f. 4· L' Et us hope in Jefu<,carrying on the great work of our falvatiollfor us in tbefe particulars; thus was rhe Apoftks prayer, Now the God of hope fill yo~<With all i•Y R · •· tmd peace in believing ; that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghoft; om. 'I· 1 '' could we abound in hope that Chrift's Afcenfion, Seffion, and Million of his Spirit did belongtom, wclhould never be aOtamed; Hope ma/z!thnot~.Jh~med. 0 then lctusloro.s·S· look to our hope, and be fure that it be of the rightll:amp I which in reference to every of thefe palfages we may examine thus. AsI. If Chrifl:'s Afcenlion be mine, then am I afcended with Chrifl: : I mean not in re– fpetl: of any bodily afcenfion, for that qm(l not be until the ]aft day; nor in refpect of any elfemial, fubfl:antial foul.afcenfion, for that mufl: not be before the feparation of foul and body at our deaths.day : but in refpect of our fpirirual afcenfion, for fo we may afcend into heavenby faith and love; though for the prefent w~ are on earth;- If ye (lo(. 3. ,, ,. berifenwuh Chrift, fcetz tho{e thwgs whteh are above, where Chrift jitteth at the right hand of God; {et your affertions on things abo~Je, f'nd npt 9n things on the earth. If Chrift our Head be afcended, then we that are his Membets mufl: needs.follow after him in our affections: Chrill: tells us, Where our mafure i!. there will our hearts be alfo. . If Chri(l: M t t$ our Treafure be afcended into Heaven, our loves, our affections, our liearis will fola' • 21 ' ~ow after him : and if our hearts be in Heaven, no qmfl:ion liut we our felves both fouls and bodies !hall atlaft afcend; when Chrifl afcended, we afcended·virtually with him, now-we afcend fpirirually, and atlafl: we flnll afcend ·bodily. fQ~ he that afcended !hall defcend, and thenwe }hall meet him in the air, dnd fo Jl~all we be (o/<Y with the Lord. In rhe mean time to maintain our hope. let us afcend daily by faith and love; and this is 1 The~ 4· 1 7 our character, that Chrifl:'s Afccnlion is truly ours. 2. If Chrifl:'s Seflion be mine, then am I fet down with Cbrift in heavenly places: I mean not bodily, but by faith, which faith mak~s it as fure to my foul as if I had a foot already tn Heaven; Fatth u the fnl>jrance·of things hoped for, and the evidence o[Hc&.u.r. ·things not fcen. By faith I now fir in heavenly·places, in that I verily believe I lhall lha\1 do it one cay; my hope is now certain, jn that I am a> fur~ of that I loo~,for, as I <lm of that I have already received, it is the common objection, We foe it not. As the Apoftle faid of Chrifl:, We fee not yet aflthings P"' emder him; but heprefemly anfwers, We fee {ef.u wko w.Mmade a little lower than the .Angels, crowned with glory and honoxr, Heb. 1. 8; 9• and fowe. may befure the thing is a. good as done, for if he be above, all mull come on- . der; tn .!tke manner we fee not our [elves in pr~'renr poll'ellion, b.ut we fee Chrifl: crown- -ed, and our felves fitting wit!l him virtually. and therefore at Jail: we lhall fee our (eh·es actually_ crowned, and fitting together with Chrifl: in heavenly places. In the mean time fatth takes polfeffion of the Kingdom o~ Heaven ; faith makes the foul even
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