Chap. VIII. Of DE A .T~. 445 A• when the Ifraelites were to go through the River Jordan, that opened it felf to make a free and dry Paifage for them; the lower part of irs Waters ran into the Dead Sea, and . , utredy fail'd,_ Jofb. J· 16. but the Waters that came ("rom above, rofe up _and appcar'd Ad ;,n,. li ke aMountam. Thus when Men come. to the umverfal Paffage fro.m this _to the next mo~m .mru~ Life, ioferiour things abfolute.ly fail_, and are loft in the de~d Sea ; but the thirig~ above, ~~~~~;··P;~ that are eternal, then appear m thetr true Greatnefs, excced~ng; all Humane Comprehenfi& cu.1. on : from hence is the change of Mind and Language concer~mg the. one and other. 5· Solemrt, affellionate, and frequent <:;onverfe w1d1 God m relrgr~us Duties, will ren; der Death not fearful to us. The whole Lrfe of a Chnlhan, as fuch, IS a continual Commu, nion with the Father, and with Jefus Chrijf. i John 1. J· For he performs all good Works by Divine Gr.tce communicated from _above, and refers ~ll to the J?tvm~ Ho~our. As i~ a pair of Compaifes, one Foot is lix'd mthe Centcr, ~vlule the other moves 1~ the Circum-. ference: fo the Heart of a Chnfban IS m Heaven, li1s ~tms are for ·God, wlulft hetsatlive here in the World. His Natural and Civil Aaions are heightened to a fupernatural end : And thus his Converfation is in Heaven. But this was fpoken of before: and that which is now fpe.cilied, is the more immediatr; Service of God in holy !\1editation, Prayer, and the Ordrnances.of the Gofpel, wluch IS the nobleft part of the fprntual Lrfe.. an~r~~~~~~bry~~~~~; l~lsh~,:;si~<;~~~~~:~n[~~ b~~1~f~~iai1~i~:sr~r ~:~::,c:~~ ~~~: venly Communion with God, and the moft glorious Teftimonies of his Favour in thofe times. Our Communion with God here is as true as in Heaven, but the Influence and Fruition is different according to our Capacity. When the Soul feels the vigoro~s Exercife of the Tho11ghts and AffeEiions upon God, and the ra.fed Operauons of Grace in holy Duties, 'tis as certain a fign of God1S favour and accepta~ce, as wh~n F1re defcended from Heaven to confume the Sacrifice. A ad often our affeChonare Dunes are rewarded with fenfible Confolations, and holy Souls are difmifs'd from the Throne. of Grace, as they iJJall be received at the Throne of Glory, With the revrvrng Teftrmomes of God's approbation. Now the affurance of God's Love conquers the Fear of Death. This Communion muft be frequent. As Love and Refpeas between Friends are main·- tained by conftant Vifitsand Letters, and mutual Confidence anfes from acquaintance: fo by the interchange of holy_Dudesand divine Favours, we preferve a lively fcnfc of God's Love, and a humble Fa.mdranty with hiS Ma)efiy, that ius Prefence IS not a Terror to us. A Chri!lian that walks with God here, when he leaves the World, (to ufe the Words of a dying Saint) &hanges !Jis Room, b11t not his Company. God was always with him on EartH, and he il1all be ever with God in Heaven. But told and feldom Converfe begets ftrangenefs, and that makes us il1y df God. When Religious D~ties are perfor~ed as a Co!l'plemcntal Vifit without zealous Ai!eaions, or ufed ?nly m ume~ of Afllraron and Exrgency, as Cordral Waters m fwoonmg Fits, thi: D!VlnePrefence rs uncomfortable to us. 1 hey who prefer carnal Sweets before acq11ain• tance with God, cannot with Peace and Joy think ofappearing before him. 0 how unwelcome is Death to fuch! for then the Spirit returns to God that gave it. 6. Let us ftrengthen our Belief of the bleifed State after Dearh. Divine Truths lofe their influence and efficacy when the~ are not fredfaftly believed. Faith is t!Je fr~bjfance of t/lings ~:{:;;;h:n~~;;,~v;d~;::rr,onfi;~i~i, ~~;t:r~~~~~i~bR~~fo~ J;l~e ~f:\::~~o~prt~~- Gofpel. The Life of Chri~ fo glorious in Holinefs, his Doarine fo becoming th& Wif- ~~g'b~~~li~~~r ~~~e~~:e~t:~~~:~~~e t~:~~~~~t~:: ~:h~~~f;0fh%~~:: b~~~~~~~h0fi~ci~ Heam ; his Death foretold by the Prophets, and exaaly agreeing in all the Circ11mftances of the Prediaions; his RefurreB:ion the moft noble Operaiion of the Divine Power, are' the frrongeft Pr<X?fstha~ what he has rev.eal'~ asthc Counfel of God for our Redemption, and the Preparations ot Glory for the Samts mHeaven, are d1vme Truths. And the efficacy of the Spirit of Chrill: in fanaifying his Difciples in all Ages, is a continual and as fa~ :~~~r~~:~/Ji~~~;,~ t~~:~o~~~ets i~sdi~~~~~r:bf~ ~~~P~;~J~r~~~~~i~rN~tu~~e:~ Omnipotence, and the Sanailication of the Soul as divine an Etrea as the Rcfurreaion of theBody. Now in theGofpel God enters into Covenant with obedient Believers, to be ~~~t?~:' t~i;~~rlddca~~~:'f'~i'lit'.hat.J~~~~~~~;r:st~~t~~~l~;grJY h~~~t~~~}~~ ~~~(.; ~~~s~¥eh~;tg~~~; ;;,"dtlo~~ l~~~~~~~~;; fifu.an~~r ~~~~~~:::,u~·~re 1:~s f~~~:C:t~1~l ~~Kd::; · to him. The Pfalmift declares that he has magnifed /m Word above all !Jis Name. No PerfeE\:ions of his Nature are more facred and inviolable than his Truth. The foundati• Onf
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