5 S E RM.ONIX. 2 Cor. 5.6. - -- .1nowitg that whilji we are at home in the Body, we are abfent from the Lord. FRom the connexion with the former branch, you fee a Chriffians Condition in the World is mixed ; he is comforted, but not fatisfied ; his Faith is fatisfied, for he is confident,but his love is not fatisfied ; For while he is at home in the Body he u abfent from the Lord. And thatnot for a little time only, but for his whole courfe, as long as his Life !hall lait, all the while that he is at home in the Body. This is added to Thew the reafon, i. Of groaning. a. Ofconidence. Of groaning, becaufe we are abfent from Chriffsprefence and full Communion with him in Glory. Of confidence. We mutt be fometime prefent with the Lord. Now we are not, therefore we have a cer- tain perfwafion, that there 1ha11 be granted to us a nearer accefs after Death. Then we look cheerfully upon Death, as that which bringeth us home to God, from whom there earthly Bodies keep us as {hangers. Two points offer themfelves to us. I. That a Chriflian is not in his own proper home, while he fojourneth in the Body, or liveth here in this prefent Work!, in an earthly Tabernacle. 2. The mainreafon why a Chriflian counteth himfelf not at home, is becaufe he is abfent from the Lord I. that aChr Jlian is not in his own proper home, while he fojourneth in the Body, or liv- eth here in this prefent Workl, in an earthly Tabernacle. The Greek words run thus ; We in dwelling in the Body, dwell forth from the Lord. That is, from the Lord jefus, the beholding of whole Glory and prefence we muff want fo long, which is grievous to a Chriftian. Inftances ; Abraham who had heft right by Gods immediate Donation, Heb. it. q. He fojoierneel in the Land of promife, as in a orange Country. As in a place wherein he was to flay but a while, and to pals thorough it to a better Country. David who had moll poffeffion, an opulent and powerful King : Abraham inherited or purcha- fed nothing in the Land of Canaan, but a burying place ; but David counted himfelf a ftranger too, l'fa. 39. 12. I am a oranger and a pilgrim, as all my Fathers were. He that bore fo full a (way in that Land, did not look upon the world as a place of refit and {lability. But it may be he (poke this when he was chafed like a flea, or hunted like a partridge, upon the mountains. No; in the mid{l of all his wealth and opulen- lency, when he had offered many Cart -loads of Gold and Silver for the building of the Temple : See s Chron. 2,9.15. For we are .rangers and fojourners before thee, as were all our Fathers : Nay Jefus Chrifl, who was Lord Paramount telleth us, yob/ i 7. 16. I am not of this World. He that was Lord of all, had neither 'Houle nor home, he pa Ted through the World to fanEtify it as a place of fervice, but he felled not his confiant refidence here as in a place of refit. We do not inhabit, only pafs through to a better place. Reafons. 1. Our birth andparentage is from Heaven, every thing tendeth to the place ofits ori- ginal. Men Love their native foil; things bred in the water delight to return thither; In- animate things tend to their centre; a none will fall to the ground, though broken in pieces by the fall ; airimprifoned in the bowels and caverns of the Earth mules terri- ble Convulfions and Earthquakes, till_it get up to its own place. All things feek to re- turn thither from whence they came: Grace that came from Heaven carryeth the Heart thither again. 5erufalem from above is theMother of us all, Heaven is our native Coun- try; but the World is a {lrange place : And therefore though the man be at home, yet theChritliaü is not; he is out of his proper place. Contempt of the World is ufually made the fruit of our regeneration, i John 5. 4. Whofoever is born of God overcometh the World. There is fomething in them that intitleth it Pelf to God, and worketh towards him,
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