The (econd S E R M 0 N on Fifthly; When Chrifl:, and all of Chrifl:, every Beam of him, is not only known, but takes and affells [my Heart. You fee the Heart is made the Sub– jell of Chrifl:'s dwelling; it is not to dwell in the Notion, in your Brains: You have no more ofChri!l: dwelling, than as your Hearts are affelled. This is exprefs, 2 Cor.3.11lt. We aU behold With open face the Gloryofthel.ord, and arechanged into the fome Imago, from Glory to Glo;y, by the Spirit of the Lord. Firll:, there is fpiritual beholdmg; he fpeaks of Chnfl:: and of what of Chnfl:? not only of his Perfon but of all that is to be.known of Chri!l:. Ada"':'s Grac~s had not Glory, bu~ all of Chnfl: bath. It ts fuch a beholdmg, as lettmg Chnfl: and his Glory into the Soul, tloth change it, turn it, leave the Impreffions upon a Man ; and this is done by the Spirit of the Lord. By the Spirit ofthe Lord, the Holy-Ghofl: is not meant; for he fatd m the words before, The Lord is that Spirit : Chrifl: him– felf is, and he by his force .and power, when he comes into the Soul doth change it, fill it, quicken, firengthen it, and leaves Im~?reffions upon it. 'As the Burning-Glafs contracts all the Beams of the Sun to a pomt, but it is the Beams of the Sun, that fets on fire the Cloth ; fo it is the Spirit of the Lord that fires out Hearts. Thus to know Chrifi, is to dwell in him. Loftiy; I C1id, in a Confl:ancy; that is it. PaHl prays f?r, the very word [dwelling]_tmportsfomuch: Wha~! by ~atth as lleepy,_tdle_? No, itis by Faith as allmg : What! to poffefs htm by Ftts? No, to enJOY htm, and to have the Heart taken with him, for fame confrancy. The expreffions for dwel/i?;g in Scripture are-plain: Abide in me, ( fays he) do not fiir out of doors from me for I dwell In you, do yo11 abide in me, and I in yo11. Jefus Chrifl: is ordained t~ be (if we had Faith enough to keep him in our Hearts) a confl:ant Dweller by Faith, and he dwells allually: We will come and n1ak!-our Abode with him, fays he John 14- 23. By this you have explained, what it is for Chrill: to dwell in the Heart by Faith. To give you fame Particulars. Firfl ; Take the Perfon of Chrifr, to have a fight of his Perfon, to have that along in the precioufnefs of .it, in the valuation of it : I have ften the King of Glory, faith Efay: He fpeab it of Chrifl: : To have Cbrifl: dying, and Chrifl: riling, and Chrifl: afcending, and not only fo, but Chrifl: himfel£ Bre– thren, the Intercourfe between this Indweller and our Souls, is between Perfons, thofe that dwell in the fame Houfe, the familiarity is between Perfons : therefore our Eyes are to him: To yo11 he is precio11s, fai~h he, John 14. I will manijefi 111 y felf to him. That is one Particular. . This is attainable, nay, it is the frrength of the Import of Chrifl:'s dwelling by · Faith, as you heard out of the 16tb Pfalm, 1 rr>i/1 always fit the Lord before me. This !hould fo take the Heart, that your Souls !hould always have the Im– preffion, the Image of the Grace of that Perfon, of his Meeknefs, Holinefs, Fear of the Lord: He was quick in underfl:anding,difcerning what was theWill of God, and what not ; he had the .Fear of God upon him, he was aiming and feeking the Glory of God continually: Thefe were the Graces of his Perfon. To have the Impreffions of thefe Graces left upon the Soul : this is for Chrifl: to dwell in you by Faith. You !hall not need to be told, Chrifl: was meek and lowly; no, this is more than a Sermon concerning Chrifl:. Again, It is to know Chrifr in all his Work of Mediation, what he did : That he was circumcifed, that he was derided, crucified, died, role again, afcended, fits in Heaven; Faith taking all thefe things of Chrifl:, if it be high, raifcd, fpiritual Faith, fuch as PaHI here prays for, it will leave the Image of all thcfe Ails upon your Hearts. Brethren, tho we content our felves with an inner Man, which inner Man is a Conformity to the .Law of God, and his Grace, fuch as Adamhad, and fuch as Saints under the Old Tefl:ament bad; and that it is true, and perfell, and good Grace, I acknowledg: and it is a pie~e of Cbrifl: ; for Jefus Chrifl: had the Law written in his Heart, hating Siu, loving Righteoufnefs, as we)! as we, as Pfol. 40. !hews
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