CHAP.2. upon the Epiflle of JAM E s. folemnly .declared. So for Redemption; we thall not underfiand that priviledg, till we.arc rede~med from. death and the grave, and have a full and final deltverance from all evtls: therefore we are faid toWait for the redemption of our bodies, Rom. 8. 23. and lift up JOUr heads ,for your Redemption draweth nigh, · Lu~ 2 I. 2 8. And that poffibly may be the reafon, why the Apofile,when he number– eth up the fruits of our Union with Chrifl:, he puttethRedemptiorJ lafr, I Cor. 1. 30. Here we have Righteoufnefs, Wifdom, Grace, but in the world to come we have Redempti011 1' therefore the Day of the Lord is called th~ Day of Redemption, Eph. 4· 30. So alfo for Union with Chrifr; 'cis begun here, but {o often interrupted, that 'cis rather an abfence theo an union: · 2 {or. )• 6. Whiles We are at home in the body,we are abfent from the Lord: The Apofile fpeaketh fo, becaufe we do not fo freely enjoy the comforts of his prefence. SoThil. I. 23. I defire· to .be dif{gfved; and to be With Chri.ft: AChrifl:ian is U1 ith Chrift here, but rather without him: Then !hall we know what 'tis to be with him, when \\le !hall in Body and Soul be tranOated into Heaven, and be always in his eye and prefence. So for Santl:ification ; There is fo much of the old nature remaining, 'that th<;re is fcarce any ~hing of the new; and therefore theDay of Judgment is called ?rct.A.IJI'folhcilt:t, the Rege– neration, Matth. 19. 27. that's the time when all things are made new, when we come robe feded in our everlafring frate ; and that may be the occafion of the Apofrles expreffion, I Thef{al. 3· uft. SanElifid at Chri{fs coming. Thus you fee, in all points of Chri– flian priviledg, we are, thoughheirs, yet but heirs. · Well then; You that have the firft fru its of the Spirit, come and rejoyce in · your hopes; e Behold What manner of .lo.ve th·eFather hath jhew- e xJohn 3, x. ed 1ou! We were flrangers, yet we are made jons, nay heirs: We were of lorv aegree,· it may be poor, beggarly in the world, yet have we ' t this ~~~a-l(tll, thu dignity, put upon us, to be chofen f Iohn 1 1 z. to the fairefl Kingdom char ever was and will be. ·We were ene- ) ' mies, rebelliomaswellasdefjicable,yetfiillheirs; fromchildren · tJjWrathmade heirs of glory. God needed not fuch an adoption : he chad a Son ~ho is called hu delight and rejoycing before. all wqrlds, Prov. 8. 3r•.and yet h~ would ·make ' thee, that waft a flro,~,ngcr to hisfamiiy~ arebel to his crown, [o bafe in the world, a joynt heir with his onely Son. ·oh, what leve and thankfuloefs thould this beget in us 1Every perfon ofthe Godhead Lhewech·his · I i 3 love . '
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=