Ver. 6. Fifth Chap. 2a Ep. to the C O R I N T H. 55 whom the Lord bath feot to walk to and fro through the Earth. As if he would try how 'twould:fit him to become bone of our bone, and flefh of our fletlr. --When the fulnefs of time was come, i 7ohn 1. 4. The word was made flefb and dwelt among us, as long as it washeceffary ; when he departed he had a mind of returning; before he went away, and removed his bodily prefencefrom us,his heart was uponmeeung,and fellowfhip again, and getting his people to him, lobe 14. 2. In my Fathers Houfe are many Manfions ; Igo to prepare a place foryou ; I will come again, and receive you to my felf, that where I am you may be alfo. Until the time that the meeting cometh, he vouchfafeth his powerful prefence to us, Matth. 18. zo. Lo I am with you to the end of the World,he would never have gone from us if our neceffities did not require it ;'twas neceffary that he Mould die for our fins. That nothing might hinder our believing and coming to him 'twas neceffa- ry that he fhould go to Heaven; if our Happinefs had lain here he would have been with us here, but it doth not. 'Tis referved for us in the Heavens: Therefore he mull go there to prepare a place for us; before he went he defined we might be there wherehe is. As if he could not take content in Heaven, till he bath his faithful with him. Now he is gone away, he will tarry no longer than our affairs require. To have our Souls with him that doth not content him, till he come and fetch our Bodies alto: That we may follow him in our whole perfon, and then we and he (hall never part, when all the elea fnall meet in one Common Rendezvous and Congregation. Now hhall not all this breed a reciprocal affeltion in us ? z. Out of Love to Chrift. We would fain get near high who is our great friend, Pfa. 73. 2.5. Whom have I in Heaven but thee ? And the Saints are defcribed to be thofe that love bis appearing, z Tim. 4.8. if we have heard him, if we be Chriftians indeed, if we loved himwhen we taw him not, and delighted in him, and tailed his grace in truth, and felt his power, we (hall long to be near him, and fee him, and converfe with him intimately. ;. Taft. Communion begunmaketh us long for Communion perfeéted, Pfa. 63. 1, z. O God thou art my God, early will fleck thee, my Soul thirtieth for thee, my flefh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirfly Land where no water is: To fee thy Power and thy Glory, fo as I have feen thee in the Sanfluary. q. Their compleat Happinej dependeth upon it, a John ;. z. We fnall fee him as he ú, and be like him. John 17. 24. That they may be where I am, and behold my Glory, Chrift cannot be fully feen on this fide time. a: Ufe is, to condemn and difprove themfrom being true Chriftians that cannot abide the pretence of Chrift. The Gadarens defined him to depart out of their Coafts, Matth. 8. Yet carnal men have fach a Spirit, fob zz. 17. Which fay unto God, depart from us: Can- not abide Chrift in their neighbourhood, that he fhould come near their Confciences. z. Oft is to prefs us to two things. s. To prize the Communion and fe/lowihipof aria for the prefent. 'Tis confiant and habi- tual ; that he may dwell in your hearts by Faith, Eph. ;. 17. Where Chrift taketh up his abode, there his Spirit is the Fountain of Life, Gal. z. vo. Our defence againfiTemptations; a lohn 4.4. Greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the World. The feed and hope of Glory, s Cot 27. Solemn and adual in holy duties, there is Heaven begun, there we be- hold his Face in Righteoufnefs, Pfa. 17. 15. And a day in his Courts is better than a thou- fond elfewhere, Pfa. 84. 10. 1. Let us long to be with him, to get out of the peflhoufe of the World, and the Prifon of corrupt Nature. I allude to that, Gen. 2.4. 57, 58. and they faid,we will call the damfel, and enquire at her mouth,and they called Rebekah and Paid to her, wilt thougo with this man? and fbe faid,I will go. Wilt thou go to Jefus ? Lord I will go with thee.Hindrances are thefe. 1. A forfeit on theflnful pleafures, and contentments of this World. This weakens your defires, and taketh off the edge of your affektions, Lot lingeredwhen he was to go out of Sodom, Gen. 19, 16. 1. Do not darken your confidence by your fin and folly. Then you will as a Malefaftor fly from him as a judge,rather than rejoice to be with him as a Saviour. SE Rm
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