Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

Ver. 6. Fifth Chap. 2d Ep. to the C OR 1 N T H. 53 bound for, and what Commodities grow currant there, what will (lead you when other things fail. 3. Mort *e Carnal defires,r Pet. z.rt. Asflrangers anil pilgrims, abflain fiomflefbIj lulls which war againJt the Soul. The Flefh pots of "Egypt made 'frail defpife Canaan. Flelhly lulu do only gratifie the Body, as corrupted with fin, and there,fore they muff be fubdued and kept under by thofe who have higher and better things to care for. If we were to live here for ever, it were no fuck abfurd thing to gratide the flcfh, and pleafe the body ; though even fo it were not a practice fo fuìtable to the rational life; yet not altogether fo abfurd, as when we mull be gone, and Ihartly dillodgc, and when we have great and precious Promifes of happinefs in another World, z Cor. ;. s. Ht. ving therefore thefe Promifes, let us cleanfe our felves from all fdthimfs both of Kfa and fpirit. That bindeth it more upon us. ihefe lulls blind the mind, befot the heart, bur- den us in our Journey homeward, divert our thoughts and care ; yea, being in- dulged and allowed, they make us forfeit Heaven, and will prove at length the ruine of our Souls. Sowing to the Befit cuts off the hopes of happinefs, Gal. 6. 8. Well then, bethink your felves, if you look for Heaven, will you cherilh the fief!), which is the Enemy of your Salvation? Doyou expe& a room among the Angels, and will you live as thofe who are (laves of the Devil ? The World is not your Countrey, and will you wholly be occupied and taken up about worldly things, . what you (hall eat and drink, and what you (hall put on? 4.. Patiently endure the inconveniencias of your Pilgrimage. Strangers will meet with hard ufage : 'Tis no news that all things do not fueceed with the Heirs of Promife ac- cording to their hearts define here in the World. The World will love its own, but they are chofen out of the World, 7oh. s S. 19. Ghrift died not for this, that we fhould be dandled upon the Worlds knees : As long as the mill-tall be happy, let us bear the in- conveniencics of the way with the more patiepce. A Ghriftian that is convinced of a Life to come, fhouldd not be greatly difmayed at any temporal Accident. The difcourfe between Model/at a Governor under Valence, and Ba /l the Great in Naz. his twentieth Oration is very notable to this purpofe, when he threátned him with banifhment. I know no baniflament that know no abiding placcdicre in the World: I cannot fay that this place is mine, nor can I fay the other is not mine, where-ever God (hall raft 'me ; rather ail is' the Lords, whofè Stranger and Pilgrim I ant:. Every place is alike near to Heaven, and thither I atn tending, This is to carry nor felves as Strangers and Pilgrims. Indeed, to be more indifferent as to the good things of this life, and to take them as God fended' them ; but Heaven will make amends for all: Many times the World proveth a Stepmother. The ground that bringeth forth 'Ihiflles and Nettles of its own accord, will not bear choicer Plants : But 'its your comfort you !hall be tranfplanted,Heb -io. 34. Prom. whence do you fetch your lupportsinany crófs ? tSohn r. A Prince that travaileth abroad indifguife, may be flighted and ill treated, but you have a Gloriousinheritancerefervedfor you, therefore'thts fhould be your comfort and fupport. 5. Beg direflian from God, that you may go the'Jhortefb way home, Pfa. t t 9. re. I am a franger upon Earth, hide not thy Commandments from me. It concerneth a ftranger to look after abetter and a more durableeftate ; there is no direétion how to attain it, but in the Ward of God, and there is no laying underftandingof it but in the light ofhis Spirit ; this we mutt earneftiy feck, that in every 'thing we may underhand our duty, that WC be not found in a falfe way: Saved as by fire, r Car. 3. 13. Make an hard shift to fcram- ble to Heaven. 62 Get as much of home asyou can inyoar pilgrimage, in the earnefl and fr/t fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 23. And not only they, but our felves alto which have thefrrfl fruits of the Spirit, even we our felves groan within our felves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our Bodies. In Ordinances, Matt h. z6. z9. But Ifay unto you I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine, until that day when Idrink it new withouin my Fathers Kingdom. Meditation, Word, Prayer and Communion of Saints. 2. Dora. The main reafon why a good Chrif ian countetb himfelf not at home is, lecaufe he ie abfent from the Lord, while he is in the Body. I fhall here enquire, a. How believers are abfent from the Lord. 2. Why this maketh them look upon the World asa ',range place, aad Heaven as theirHoufe. s. How

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