Ofthe NATIVIT'IE. Sermon 16', orgathering. For foit is, in itfelfe: .for, at the celebration of it (thoughwe gather to l~r~y.er, and to Preaching, yet) that is the principal!gathering, theChttrch hath, Hcb.••·'f· wh!Cn IS ( ttfelfe) called a Collellion too (Heb.X.) bythe famename, from the I.uk.•7·l7· Chiefc: For,where theb9dJ u,theretheEagles will begathered: Andfo,oneSynaxii begtrsanother. And !all:, there is aDif/enfation: that word, in it, too: That, moll: cleerely.For it is our office, wee are fiyled (by the ApojUe) Diflenfers ofthe myfteries of Go o; t &or•.p. and, in and by them, of all the benefits that came to mankinde, by thisdiJFenfation in the{itlnelfe offea(on, ofall that are mapitulau in C H R 1 s ·r. Which benefits are too many to dealewith. One!hallfcrve, as the Summo.ofall: 5 Thattlie very endoftheSa.:rawent is, togather againetoGo o and His, favour ifit happen (as oft it doth)wefcatter, and ll:ray from Him. Arid to gatherus,as dale and neere, as aftmentum alito, (that IS) as neere, as neere may be. · :z. And as,togather us to Goo; folik~wife,e'ach to othermutually: Exprefi'edlivdy, in the Symbolcs, ofmanygraines into the one, and manygrapu into the other. The 'Cor, ro. 17; Apojlle is plaine,that we are all one bread, andom body, fomany .uarepartakers of one bread: So,moldingus (as it were) into one loafealtogether.The gathering to Go o refea ll:il to things in heaven: This other,tomen, to the things in earth. All under one Head, by the commonfaith: All inm oneBody "'Jfticaft,~y mutuAl!charitie. So /hall we well enter into thediJPenftng of th1s feafon, to begmWith. And,even thus to be recoflelledat this Feall:,by the hblyCommunis»,into that blef. fed vr~ion, is the higheft perfeCtion, we can in this !ife afpire unto. Wc(then) are at the highell' pitch;at the very bell: we lhal ever attainero on earti);What time we new– lycomefrom it: Gathered tochrift,; a~,by chrijl,.ro God;_ ftar~d.in all whatfoever Hehathgathered,and layd up agalnft H1s next commtng. W1thwhtchgarhmflghere ih this world we muft content and fray our felves, and wait for theconfummarionof all,at His comming againe. For,there is anEcce ve~io, yet to CEmie. - · • This gathering thus here begun,itis to take e11d and to have the full accomplilh~ Mac.• s.; l'· ment,at the!aftand greatgatheringofall,which lh'all be ofthe'quick and ofthedead. =H•· WhenHelhal!fendHi• Angels,and theyJballgather Hi&EleEHromall the corn,ers of ~bt.J, .;o. rheearth : lhallgather thewheat into thebarne;andthe tares t6 thefire. And then (and • Cor., 1.:s. never,till then) lhall be thef!'lne!fe indeed, when Goo llpll be, not (as nowHeis) Jlpo<.• 0 • 6 • fomcwhat in every one,but Allin all. Et tempm n~li eritamplim,·and therefhall be nel. I' ther time, norfeafon any more. No[~tl~<iffe then, butthef~tlnelfufeternitie, and in it the fulnej[c ofall joy. To which,in the feverallfeafons of our beingga. theredto otlrfathm, He vouchfafero bring us ;that Eas the yeare, fo) the frtlnelfeofbur lives may end inaChriflmaj[e,·a merry _ , " T joyfu!LFeaft 1 a~ tham. A-nd fo G o n make . - this 'to us, in Him', &c. .>' ; { . ,, ..... , \\• ., '·'t \ l' •' .. ' J .~\ -r,. 'I, I if l ~. _. /I'JNC:. v1 1r r '.J(IP ' . ':.. ,.~ ......... :.:r.. l '. I
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