Ver. 4. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the CO R T N T H. 3i more;no,butyou mutt beelaily renewing and keeping afoot this friendfhip byGodly forrow for fin, and a lively Faith in the Mediator. Repentance and Faithmuf be ftill renewed, that all breaches between God and us may be prevented. 2dly. Every day, we mull labour more to deck and adorn.the Soul with the graces of Gods Spirit. For thefemake us lovely in the Byes of God, Eph. 4. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in Righteoufnefs and holinefs. When the Soul is cloth- ed and adorned with thefe Spiritual qualities of Righteoufnefs and Holinefs then 'ris like God, thefe are Ornaments and Garments which never fade and wait old. The Lord delighteth in his own Image in us. 3dly. That we fhould Honour God in the world by an Hoy Converfation. His people that are reconciled to him, God will not take them into his immediateprefence by and by (as Abfolom 2. Sam. 14. 2.4. The King faed, let him turn to his own Hoafe, and let him not fee my face,) &c. That his people, maybe exercifed and tryed, that hope may fet them a longing, and that God may have Glory from the Heirs of Heaven, here on Earthy in their Converfation, Matth. q. 16. Letyour light fo thine beforemzen, that they May fee your good works, and Glorifreyour Father which is in Heaven. R M ® N VI. 2 Cor. 5.4 For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we Mould be unclothed, but clothedupon, that mortality might be fwallowed up of ,Life. IN thefe words the Apofle fill perfihls in explaining the nature of that groaning, and defiring, after the Heavenly elate which is in the Saints, by declaring the rea- fops and ends ()fit. They do not defire limply Death, it felt; which lip fruit of fin; but that happy change; not altogether out of a wearifopsnels of this Life, but out Of a fenfe of a better. Inthe words obferve. 1. The time .when wegroan. For we that are in this Tahernacle groan. . idly. The accafon of groaning. Being burdened. 3dly. The end of groaning; Expreffed, 1. Negatively, not that we would be unclothed. z. Pofitively; Expreffed, r. Metaphorically. But clothedupon idly. 'Literally. That mortality might be fwallowed up ofLife. Let me explain thefe Clanks. . r. The time when wegroan. We that are in this Tabernacle ; that is, while we are in thefe Bodiesof Clay. idly. The occafon. Being hardened; fcit.. with fin and affliêtions. We have many pref..- fures upon ui, which are very grievous, and give us a great wearinefs. ;dly. The end. a. Negatively expreffid. Not for that we would he unclothed. Thofe who interpret the Apofle, to fpeak of the change of the living atClarifs coming, fay the mean- ing is, We would not at all put offthe Body, as others do at Death. But this conceit I have alreadydifproved. The words therefore may have a threefold fenfe. a. With ref. pefl to theground of this defire; not that we would part with the Body out ofimpatience. There is a double groaning ; one of Nature, another of Grace. i OfNature, out of a bare; fenfe of prefent mìferies. idly. Another of Grace, out of a confidence and earnef delire' of Eternal Life, which the Spirit kindlerh in' us. And fo the fenfe will be ; As weary as we are, yet We are not fo weary, as if for afflictions fake, we would part with the Body where- in we may be ferviccable to Chrift, and ïnjoy fomething of him. No; this groaning arifes not fo much from a wcarinefs of fife natural, as from the hope of a better Life. For there- fore he' faith; through they were burdened and grieved in the Body, yet they did not de- fire to be unclothed of the' Body. idly. The manner. They did notftmply delire to be uncloth- ed, but only in fome refpe&, that theymight be clothed upon with a better Life. 'Tis natural to all living Creatures to delire the Continuance of that being which they have. No man ever yet hated his own flefh. Therefore the Saints do not (imply delire to be unclothed, S E
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