111VÍotivé tòaholy Cfinverfatioli. i 99 heart forrowethmoft for fin, a heavenlyaffe &ion rejoycethmoftin Chrift: Many fay: who will/hew ue anygood,bitt Lord lft thou up the light of thy countenance upon no : thou haft given me morejoy of heart than they had, when their corn, and wine and oyle aboundeth. A heavenly affecaion hopethmoft for heaven, and that not fo much, that thereby he may be releafedfrom worldly troubles, as that he may be , poffcffedof thofe heavenly joyes, that are to be had in theprefenceofGod, and in a perfea communion with him; that he maÿbe freed from fin, and fully brought into theglorious liberty of the funs ofGod. And this is that which ftirreth him up with all induftry and endeavour, and car- rieth himalong mainly, and chiefly to leek after, not the wealth, andhonour, and pleafure of the world, but how hemay get into the Covenant of gracel and an in- tereft in Chrift, hovv he may attain evidences ofheaven, and teftimontes of the love of God. He fpeaks ofheaven, asthe vvorldlyman fpeaks of the vvorld. Avvorld- ly man ,Beaks of the world, and the world heareth him (faithChrift) every table ringethofhis vvorldly talk ; every company foundethof his vvorldly affections ; in every meeting he fhevveth his vvorldlydifpofition. So a heavenly-minded min is alvvays talkingof heavenly things : alvvays labouring to dravv heavenly ufes out Of earthly things : let croffes come, he can drays, comforts from thence, he makes them means to takeoffhis heart from the vvorld, to fet it moretovvardheaven : as NoahsArke, the more thevvaters increafed, the nearer it vvas railed to heaven: fo a heavenly man, the more vvorldly croffes come, the higher hisfoul rifeth tovvard ; heaven : the vvorldly man finketh under aflli&ions, but he is lifted up nearer to Chrift. This is a heavenly converfation. But I vvill not ftand on this. the fecond thing vvhich I told you vvas obfervable from the firft part ofthe Text, Obferv. i. vvas this ; That in this very life the children ofGodare (fated ina heavenly con- sWaihnitlse are on lotion. Our converfation is now in heaven, faith the Apoftle earth he are (taicd in hea- When a man is brought by repentance and faithuntoChrift,he is brought into a vest. heavenly Rate aCtually poffefled ofheaven. And that in tvvo refpe&s: T. In refpe&of right and title. n. In refpe&ofpoffeffion. Firm in refpe& of right and title, and that alfofirftin refpe& ofEle&ion : God t- Ìn tefpeii bath elected them to it. Secondly in refpe& of vocation : they are begotten again oflright and toalively hope. They havenovv the Word vvhichgiveth them apromileofheaven. Theyhave novv the fpirit, vvhich is thefaiof their inheritance, youarefealedby the fpirit ofPromife, to the dayofredemption, Eph. Secondly, in regard of pofieffion : they are novv already inprefent poffeffion, i. In rcfpea not in full pofleflion, but in prefent poffeffion: A poffeffion not in themf Ives, io rrenentpof- but in Chrift, byvertue of the union and communion they have in him. By the únionand contra?3 that is between Chrsff and the foul; Chriftis'becomethe Huf- band, the Chriffian the Spoufe. So that as a Wife ifher Husband fhould travel into a far Country,atid in her name fhould take poffeffion of thofe lands,that were left her by herFather, the Wife now ispoffeft ofthofe lands, in her Husband, who in her name bath taken poffefftonof them : fo Chrift entring into heaven, bath took pof eflionofheaven, which is given to us by the will ofGod ; It isyour Fa- john tq: tbers' pleafure.to give you a kingdom : Chrift bath poffeffed it im our name : Igo (faithhe) to prepare aplaceforyou : and it is my will thatthey bewhere I am : 1 :go to my Father, andyour Father; to myGod, andyour God. All that Chrift hath' in heaven, He hath it for us r He is gone before, that we mayfollow after we Cannot poffibly lay claim to heaven, we cannot hope hereafter fully, and perfonally to poffefs it t if Chrift had not first taken poffefli'on of heaven for us. The File of this in a word, (hill be to hair up every one to look to his hopeof heaven. Ít is ufual for men to profefs their hope tobe fatted, andfcaree any, but tiheywillfay, they hope, if theydie, they £hall go to heaven. Yea, but thoumuft píow.poffels it, if ever hereafter thoumean to enjoy it : and thoumußpoffefs it firft
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=