Ver. 2. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep, to the C O R I N T H. 23 The abfence of our beft Friend would be troublefome to us, tjiereföre we would groan' and delre earnefily to be there wherehe is to behold his Glory. How can we love him' when we are fo contentedly pleafed to be long from him. idly. Hope. That is a defirous expeâation, made up of looking and longing, and Ihewingits felfin Hearty groans after, as well as delightful foretafts of the Bleffednefs expelled, what you hope for will be all your delire ; This eflate is a good abfent, polfible, but difficult to be obtained ; as 'tis good It is the object of Love, as abfent and future of delire, aspofììble we look for it, as deferable we groan after it ; well therefore, hope bath a great influence upon there affeEtionate breathings after Heaven and happinefs; when joined with earneft expe&tation, Phil. t. zo. 5thly. The Holy-Gholl, flirreth up in us there groans, or a fervent delre, partly by revealing the object in fuels a lively manner as it cannototherwife be feen, Eph. 1. 17, ig. s Cana. zz. Partly by his fecret influences, as he flirreth up holy Ardors in Prayer, Rom. 8. zq, z6. Inutterable groans after happinefs. He that imprinteth the firm perfwa- fion dothalfoimprint the defires of thefe things in our Hearts. 6thly. All the Ordinances of the Gofpel ferve to awaken theft elefrres and longings in us, and to raife up our affeûions towards Heavenly things. The word is our Charter for Heaven, or Gods Teftament, wherein fuch rich Legacies are bequeathed to us, that every time we read it, or hear it, or meditate upon it, we may get a ftep higher, and ad- vance nearer Heaven ; The promifes of the Word tend to this, a Pet. 5.4. So do the Precepts to put us in the way everlafting, Pfal. i 19.96. All Gods Commandments have an Eternal influence. So for Prayer in company, or alone, 'tis but to raife and at'c thole Heavenly delires: There we groan and long in tlg Lords Supper,forNew wine in our Fa- thers Kingdom: Toput an Heavenly relifh upon ejtir Hearts. All is done in formality and with Hypocrifie if it doth not promote thefe ends. 7thly. Theft deftres areneceffary, because of their effeíl. If we do not defrre, we will not labour and fuffer trouble, and reproach, and perfecution : What maketh the Chriflian fo Induftrious ? So patient, fo felf denying, fo watchful ? Only becaufe he breatheth after Heaven with fo much earneftnefs. Delires are the vigorous bent of the Soul, that bear us out Mall difficulties. The Soul leaneth that way its deliires carry it. If they be weak and feeble, they are controlled with every lull, abated upon every difficulty ; the delire of the other world beareth us out in the midft of the Temptationsofthis world : other - wife a man is loon put out of the humour, brought under the power of prefent things. Whatever it is that getsyour heart, that will command you. Foolifh and hurtful lulls drown and fink you into a bafe Spirit, t Tim 6. 9. that all the Counfel, that can be tiled will not reclaim you. But if you be groaning, and longing for, and detring the happinefs of another world, you have a vi dory over Temptations, you have overcome the world, for you regard it then only as your paffage; you cannot fettle here. Sthly. The fiate of the prefentworld, doth fet the Saintsa groaning and longing for this Houle from Heaven. I or this world is vexatious, the pleafures of it aremeer dreams, and lhadows, and the mileries of it are real and many, and grievous, Gal. r. 4. To de- liver us from this prefent evil world. The prefent world is certainly an evil world; take the belt part of the world, the flate of the Church, here it is quite different from what it will be hereafter. Now Gods Children are pi'grims, and can hardly get leave to pars thorow, as Ifrael could not get leave to go thorow Edam ; at other times enemies come forth to flop them in the very wildernefs: Sometimes the Church is like a Ship in the hands of foolifhguides, that know not the right art of fteerage, át other times fpótted with theCalumnies ofadverfaries,or the flains and fcandals of its own Children; fometimes rent and torn by fad Divifions, every party impaling and enclofing the Common Sal, vatioei within their own bounds, uitchriflianing, and unchurching all the refl,and the name of Chriflians challenged to themfelves, and denyed to others, and like a ball of conten- tion carryed away by that party that can ruffle down others who fland in their way : Though with all this difadvantage'ria better to dwell in the Courts of the Lord than in the Tents of wickednefs ; Yet furely a tender Spirit that mindeth Sions welfare will groan under thefe diforders, and long to come at that great Council of Souls, who with perfeét Harmony are lauding and praifing of God for evermore : That innumerable com- pany of Spirits made perfelï, Heb. sz. z;. That general A_(fembly, gathered together out of feveral Countries into one Body, and one place, who live together fweetly, and ferve God without weaknefs,wearinefs and imperfeftion. obj. But how can Cbriftians groan and bng for their Heavenlyfflate, fnee there is no pelage to it, bat by Death, and "tu s,mataral to de fire our own Death Anfw.
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