JLrolttng unto 'jjdu.S'. Chap. 2.sea. s. pt 1-n-b-an_i_f}-,m-e_n_t_ ,im_p_r_i-f<o_n_m_e_nt_a_t_g_r~e;t~frdifl:a-nc_:e::_f_ro_m_t_hy-d:-ea~r-e_,. [l...,fr-ie_n_d_cs ? fee Paul's re– frelhment when they were ready to pulll)im in pieces, and threw him into the caflle, Book IV. even the night followir~g the Lord ftood by him, and [aid, be ofgood ch<R.r Paul. Chri£1: Ails 23. "· will fl:and by thee, nay, Chri!l: by his Spirit dwelleth in thee, and will fpeak to thee \ comfortable word• in thy greatefl: preffures. . 4 . Chrifl:'s Witneffings, if his Spiri~ dwell in us, we may th~n be affure_d of future glory, Chrift i>I you thehope of glory. TIS a fweet note of a D1vme upon Jt, The ex- col. 1 • 27 • ijftnr:y of Chrift'JSpirit in believer!, giveth exiftencc t• their hopes of glory. The Spirit in Mr. Afb in his us ;, God's _.rneft of glory ; the Spirit '" u& doth prcp_are tu for parti_cip~tion ir. that glory. I ~~;r~"tl~! look upon this i.t-dwelhn& of the Spmt as that whiCh no hypocr~te lrl the world can ~ay riches of the any claim unto ; as for g1fts, or graces, an hypocme may ~tta~n them, or fometlung Gofpe!. like them· it is faid of Simon Mag:u, that he believed; lt IS fatd of 'fudM, th~t he re- A1ls 8. '3· pented; a~d of Eja~<, that he [011ght hi< birth-right with tearJ ; it is faid of fome, that Mat. 27. 3· they pa:toolt of the heavenly gift, and of the power! of the world to come, tlnd yet fell ~way;~~~:~~· . 1 J: and i~ IS fatd of fuch others, ~hat they trampled upon rh: blood of Ch;ift whe~ew<th they Heb. 10 : 2 9. were f4nfli(ied. Thus we find mScnpture-phrafe, that m an hypocme or WICked man, rhere may be a kind of faith ,and repentance; a taft of Heaven,and of fanCl:ification ; but where do we find in all the Bible, dmChri!l:, or the Spirit of ehrill:, is faid to dwell in an hypocrite, or wicked man? this only is the great priviledge of a true believer, Chrift in him the hope of glory. .- 0 the comfort of this in-dwelling of Chrifl: I If Zak li chem bearing that Chrift would abide in his houfe, received him joyfully; how much Lu e I9· ~ greater caufe of joy have rhey who have already lodged him in their hearts? Theft John 15. u. thing! have I .fPo11£n to yote. fatd Chnfl, that my JOY m<ght remain in you, and that your joy might be full. And now, 0 my foul, fpread thy felf on this great good, Chrifl:'s Afcenlion, Chril\'s Seffion, and Chrifl:'s Miffion of his holy Spirit. What is joy_ bur an effufion of the appetite, whereby rhe foul Jprtads <t felf on what M good, to pojfefs tt more perfeflly ? the objeCt is fweet, and large, and therefore the fo\ll had need to fpread it felf, that it may be more united to the objeCt, and touch the good in more of its parts, yea if ic were poffible in every part. There is not any particular here before thee, b~t 'tis fewel for joy : 0 what joy was in H.aven, when Chril\ afccnded, and when Chrilt fate down at God'sright hand, and whenChritl fent down the holy Spitit? howfl:ood the Angels wondering and admiring at thefe .feveral paffages ? how did they !loop, and look_ with the bowing of the he<!d, ·and bending of the nee"-, as the word implies? and is I Pet I 12 not thy iriterefl: in thefe tranfaCtions more than Angel.? 0 rejoyce, and again rejoycel · ' ' fnppofe thy felf in !leaven, and rhat thou badfl a vilion of Chrifl afcended · fay, is he nor a pleafanr objeCt? In hi1 facethere is fulnefs of joy. Suppofe"thy felf ;o, havebeen Pfal. Ili. d. in Heaven when he firft enrred into it, and. when he fir£1: fate down at ~od's right hand, and fenr down the Comforter ro hJS Samts, was not Heaven full of JOY ? methinks the very thought of Chri!l:'s brigo_t Face, and Chrifl:'s whiteThrone, and Chrifl:'s Harpers, and heavenly Troops furroundmg the Throne, and Chrtfl's welcome to his Father both for himfelf and all his Saints, and Chri!l:'s carrying thy name upon his Breafl: before his Father, lhould fill thy foulasfullof joy, aspofsiblyit can hold. Othefirfl-fruitsof Emanuel's land, that Iyes beyond rime and death I 0 the joyes that were in Heaven at Chrifl:'s firftenrrance into Heaven l 0 my foul why doll: thou not check thy felf, and lay afK!e thy fad complaint:, and for&et rhi: ea;th, and earthly troubles? why doll: tholl notlook up to Jefus Chrtfl, and reJoyce mhtm who hathdone all this for thy falvatiou? ~i~her the Spir,it of God is riot thy Comforter, orthou can£1: not but receive comfort in thtfe paffages. - SECT. VIII. Of calling on Jefiu in that refpefl. 8.LEt uscallbn 'je[ll< ; I mean--. · I. Lee us pray that we may have our part in thefe tranfaCl:ions; or let us pray for more and m~reaffurance thereof unto our fouls; for though we do believe, yet we may not be Without our doubts; and in cafe of doubts, what better means than prayer? I believe, L ord help my 1mbeliif; Lord jfrepgthen my faith till I come to that
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