Ver. 2. Fifth Cbap. 2d Ep. to thé C O R I N T H. 2 ï verfe 4. We are preffed under an heavy weight, búrthen d both with fin and mifery, and both fet us a groaning very forely. r. With fin. To a waking Confcience, and a gracious Heart, this is one of the greateft burthens that can be felt; fee that, Rom. 7. i4. Oh vvretch- ed man that I am, vvho (hall deliver me from the body of this Death.. If any had caufe to complain of his affli &ions, Paul much more : He was Whipped, Imprifoned, Stoned, in Perils by Land, and by Sea, but affli &ions did not fit fo clofe to him as fins. The body of death was his greateft burthen, and therefore did he long for deliverance. A Beall will leave the place, where he findeth neither food, nor reft. 'Tis not the bare trouble of the world which fees the Saints a groaning, but indwelling corruption,which may be caftdown, but is not raft out. This grieveth them, they are finning, whil'ft others are pleafing God, ferving him with weakness, and manifold defe&s, whil'ftothers areferving him without fpotand blemish. They fee clearly what We fee darkly, and as in a glafs, and adhereto God perfe&ly, whil'ft we are diftrated with fenfual and worldly affètions, and many incident fears and cares. They are enjoying and praifing God,while we are mourning under fin,' and fuch an heap of remaining infirmities. Surely 'tis weari- nefs of finning which makeththe Saints groan. As light and lave increafeth, fin groweth a greater burthen to us : they cannot get rid of this curled Inmate, and therefore are longing for a change. A graciousheart feeththis is the greatest evil, and therefore would fain get rid of it, not only of the guilt and power, but of the very being of it, which will never be, till thisTabernacle be diffolved. Then fin !hall gafp its Taft, becaufe death removeth from us this finful flesh, and admits into the fight of God. And therefore the Saints aregroaning and longing for the partingday, when by putting off flesh, they (hall put off fin, and come and dwell with God. z. They are alfo burthened with toifèries, and thefe are not the only caufes, yet they are a cause of the Saints groaning. For they have not devededthemfelvesof the feelings of nature, nor grown fenfelefs as Stocks and Stones. The Apoftle telleth us, Rom. 8. 20, 21. That the whole freationgroaneth,becaufe 'tis put under mifery and vanity. 'Tis a groaning world, and Gods Children bear a part in the Confort, becaufe they live here in a valley of Tears and Snares ; Bleffed be God that there are any hopes mingled with our Tears : therefore they groan, and delve earneftly. Fevv and evil are the days of the years of my Pilgrimage, faid holy Jacob, Geo. 47. 7. Our days are evil, and 'tis well they are but few : That in this Ship- wrack of mans felicity, we can fee banks, and fhores, and a landing place, where we may be fafe. Here all our days are Sorrow, and our Travel grief,but there is our repofe. There are many things towean a Chriftian from the prefent life. Manifold temptations from Satan, grievous Perfecutions from the world, and fharp affli &ions from God him- felf. All their may be ranked under the head of miferies, r. Manifold temptations from Saran, who feeketh all advantages either to difluade us from ferving God, or di- ¡had us in it, r Pet. S. 8, g. All thefe things are accomplished in our Brethren which are in the flefh. They are all acquainted with a bufy Tempter, who feeketh to infnare their Souls, and this is one of a Chriftians burthens, that in this world, which is Satans walk and Circuit, they meet with fo many fnares laid for them. z. Bitter and grievous Terfecutions, which fometimes make them weary of their lives; hard Task-mailers that trouble them, z Thef i. 6,7. To you that are troubled, re/i with us; but before the reft corneth, they groan and long. 3. Sharp qfflillions from GodhimJelf. God is jealous of our hearts, becaufe we are not watchful over them, we are apt to take up with an earth- ly happinefs, and to root here, and look no farther ; whil'ftwe have all our comforts about us, our hearts fay, 'tis best being here, but God awakeneth us out of our drouzy fits Arife, depart hence, this is not our re/l, Micah z. io. We are fo pleafed with our enter- tainment by the way, that we forget home. God is fain to imbitter our worldly portion, that we may think of a remove to force better place and fiate, where all Tears (hall be wiped from our eyes. We would sleep here, and reft here, if we did not fometimes meet with thorns in our Bed. zdly. The next Reafon of our groaning is our having hada tall of better things, Rom. 8. 23. We that have within our felves thefrjl fruits of the Spitit, groan within our felves, waiting for the Adoption, the Redemption of our Bodies. A Chriflianliere is unfatisfied, he waiteth for a better and furer !rate of Bliss and Immortality. The firft fruits Phew us what the Harveft will be, and the taft what the Feaft will prove. r. This Vnion and Communion with ChriJl is not perfeíl. We are one Spirit by being joyned to the Lord: but yet many things finder this Union from being full.- we have but a glimpfe of Chrilt, as he fheweth himTelf through the lattis : But there we !Ball fee him with open Face. Here fometimes he affords, fometimes hewithdraws his prefence. But
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