VAR. 17. 6phefanr,ChaN. 411 never Peronhim;their joy,and.love were never.abouthim. It is a true thingofmanyamongft us: We may fay thatmany now in hell, have gone before manyofus in their affeótions toward the Gofpell , the heartsofmen being altogether clfewherebeftowed. Hereby learne to judge aright whether we have grace or no : Remember,the heart snuabe fet right by Chrift himfelf: and if Chrift dwell in you, he will enlivenyou're. everyduty: If youwould be full of the life ofgrace, if you would haveit flowing more abundantly, then fatten your eyes upon Chriftthe fountains But it is your fault, yes delire graces, remiffion offinnes and the parts of fandtification abftraéfly from Chrift, we goe to God andthink not of Chrift : But get Chrift into yourhearts,get him knit to you, and thenyou (hall re- ceive grace from him. Andas youareneerer inunison with him, fohe dwels more in your hearts: As there are degrees of light from the funne, as it is higherand lower; So there aredegreesof 'Chrifts union and habitation, and ofall the effectsof his Cohabitation. Laftly it is raid, by faith : givingus to t nderftand, What it is which bringeth to to have unionandcommunionwith Chrifi,itis beliefon him:I f yeteat myAlb ¿rdrinke myblood, then t abide inyou andyou in me,that is, if by faith:hey fhould incorporate themfelves with Chrift, then there fhouldbe a mutual! dwellingofoneinthe other: For thoughChrift in regard ofhis humane nature is in heaven and wee on earth, yet neithertime nor place, nor the abfenceof being in thenature ofrhings, doth hinder the workoffaith; as víbraham by faith (Ow chrift in the wordofPromife, and rejoyced , when thoufandsof years afterChrift were not in the nature of things , in regard of his kilt : Andfo for place, it hindereth not the pretence of faith, though the thing be leevedbe never fofarreoff remwed fromus. But looke as the foule, by vertueof fight enlightned with the beams of the funne, dothjoyne it felfe with the bodyof the twine, and touch it in a manner , though it be in heaven and wee here: So the eye -of faith inlightned with the beamesof the Spirit,which come from the Sunne of righteoufnes in the word and facraments, dothtouch and joyneit felfe in a fpirituall manner withChrift his bodyand blood,though his body be in the hea- vensand wee onearth. Which first ferveth to Phewwhat kind of pretence we have, even that whichour beliefe touching Chriftin the heavens,bringeth about; there is no other true prefence ofhis body on earth, but this which is fpirituall, notaking his very body inatthe mouth,for he isnot meat for the ftomach, but for the heart. 2. Whatfoever pretence we have of Chrift in the facrament, itis ei- ther that offaith, or mutt ferve to confirme that of faith, but to have his body prefent bodily,would not confirme faith, nay it hinde- reth beleefe,as our Saviourteftifieth, It is better for them he 'boldgee from them: And it is contrary if byfight,nttby beliefe. Again, fuch as the giving is and receiving, fuch muff be our union, whichfolloweth uponthe giving andtaking : but there is no bodily conjunction and union. This vfi Z.. DoEI: Lohn 6.56. We have our Union with Chrift by faith. Iohn 8.56. Iohn i6.7: 4
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