22 S E R M Q N S upon the Serm. 1V. But there ever with the Lord, and the Lord with us : Here we get a little from him.-in an Ordinance, and that little is as much as we can hold, but there he is all in all, and the are filled up with the fulnefs of God. trhrifl in us now is the hope of glory, but Chrift in us then is the fruition of glory, Col. t. 27. Here we enjoy ,him in part, and by Faith, there we fhait enjoy him to the full : This mighty Sea is pent up, and floweth now by fo narrow a Channel, that it cannot diffufe its felt ; but his intereft is not crouded up, there is full room for Chrift in the Soul. 2. Our Holineft is not perfefl, and therefore we groan and long for more. There is much corruption left, the newnature is called the Seed of God, r,yohn t. g. and the immortal Seed, t Pet." 23. look, asa little Seed will work through the dry clods, that it may grow up unto its perfe& eftate, fo doth this Seed of God work towards its final perfeEti- on : A Chriftian is not fatisfied with fuck imperfe& degrees of conformity to God, and ¡lender tafts of his love ; he mutt have more : Grace tendeth to the place whence it co- meth,as a fpark of Fire tendeth to the Element of fire, and they groan and long for the time of perfe&ion. 3. His comforts are not perfé&. The Joys of the Spirit are unfpeakable things, but at his right hand there.is fulnefs, pleafures for evermore, Pfal. 16. at. Thefe the Soul Ion. gethtor;therefore thothey are thankful for arefrefhingby the way,yet theygroan,as long - mg tg be at home the Spirit now is a Well fpringing up, but it wafteth its felf in an Ocean of Glory, john 4. 14. Look what difference there is between the Springs head, and the cut -fall of a River: into the Sea, fo between our comforts now and hereafter. idly. The excellency of this eflate requireth it, that we Mould groan after, and ear: neftly delire it. If it be not worth your del res, it is little worth. When happinefs is provided for you, will not youfend a groan after it. 'Tis great ingratitude and folly, That when Chrift hath.procured a flare of Bleffednefs for us at a very dear rate, we lhould value it no snore.... He procured it by a life of labour, and forrow, and the, pangs of a bitter, turfed Death, and when all is done, we little regard it. Surely if we choofe thisfor our happinefs, we !hall be longing and looking for it : No man would flie from his own happinefs. Where a mans Portion is, there not only hismind will be, but his heart will be, Nat. 6. z i. If you,prize it, you will ugh and groan after it; ow chief good is that we can leaft want : you will be waiting, as at Heaven Gates, expe`eting when God will let you in. Surely fomething elfe faits fieth you, are contented to be here al- ways, if ydudo not fend your delires thither, before you can get thither. The Apoftle faith, Ideftre tote difolved, and to be with Chrifl, which is much more better, Phil. 1. 23. z oww ptdcmov. If you count it better to be there than elfewhere, your Souls will be groaning to be there, and longing to be there. For we are always longing for that which is better, chiefly beta of all. There is the bell eftate, the belt work, the belt company, all is better. But if you do not think it fo, though it be belt in itfelf, yet if not bell to you, you will not long for it ; but if you countit. beft, is it fo difficult to bring you ear- neftly to defire it ? 4thly. The three Theological Graces imply it. Faith, Hope, and Love. Therefore we muff feek, and earnefl ly bee it. Thefe Graces, 1 Cor.13. 13. Faith, Hope, and Charity, & i 7híf. 5.8. a. Faith. They that believe that there is another fort of life infinitely more defira- ble than that which we now enjoy, will find their affeétions furred towards it, for found perfuaficn fhewethits felf in anfwerable affections, Heb. t a. 13. If we did believe, that when this earthly Clay Houle is diflolved, there were a building not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, wewould ' groan earneftly, defiring to be clothed upon with that Houle. For a Chriftian, while out of Heaven, is out of hisproper place. Looking for, and hafling unto the coming of the day of God, are joyned together, z Pet. 3.12. The one word implyeth Faith, and the other delire ; furely men do not believe eternal Bleffednefs, who are coldly affeif'ed towards it. For an efiatefo Blefled, if it were foundly believed, it would be earneftlydefned. 2. Love. They that love Chrill, will long to be with him, `Phil 1. 23. I dej è to be dif lved, and to be vvith Chrill, &c. That Chrift is there, is the great motive to draw our hearts thither, Col. 3. a. If ye then be rifen vvith thrift, feek thole things vvlüch are above, vvtereChriflfrttethon the right hand of God. love defireth the neareft union with the party. loved: Is Jefus Chrift the beloved of our Souls'? Are we efpoufed to him, as to one Husband, z Cor. t r. z. do we delire to meet him, and delight in his Pretence, in his Ordinances here t Surely then we would delire to be with him hereafter ; for love Both always delire the neareft conjun&ion, the fulleft fruition, and the clofeft communion. The .4
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