100 Reaf.r. Re11j.2. · - 'The Parable of th~--- --- I breJrhi11gs of Jokn and the Spirit in him. Lord Jefm corr.eqtti<k.!J· But Crm-.8. 1 14. The Church ih~re inrrears her Beloved to JlJ am•y to the Mountains of Spices, that lhe migbt enJoy him out of rbis world. . I SECT. II. I B Ecaufe they are bound to love Chrifi and his an eating : to love his looks when he lhall aprear to the world, 2 Tim-4-8. The ( rown of Gl•ry comes as it were by fucceflion, nor only to me, but to 11/1 tl:em th11t lrn;e l:is appearin•. Now can there be any love of him and his apfearing; and not fo much as any deffre after him and after it? Certainly there is no love, or if there be any, it lies lapouilhing: For anfwerable to our love to any thing, is our defire, what welov:only, wedefireonly; whn we love not at all, or but litde, we defirenotat all, or butlirde; fo here. Now therefore ro quefiion, May a Chrifiiandcfireir? is ro queflion whether a Chri!tian oughtto loverhe Lord Jefus or no. We are bound nor to love eHth, hence bound to love Chrifi and his fellow/hip in Hear en. Let him be An.ttl:ema that cloth not fo. 2, Becaufe the Lord Jefus longs for them, Jol:u 17.24, Throughout which Chapter he prays as if in Heaven already. Hence I "m no more in this world, .tnd where I am, let them h alfo. He was on eanb, but lcoks on himfelf as in Heaven. That as it was wi'rh the High Priefl, he carries the Names of rh« twelve Tribe; on his hearr, be fa with preciom Stones; verydearrohim, into the !folyof Holies, fo Chrifi. Nor rl1at he fees any beauty in rhem of their own, why he fhould de!ire them, but becaufe he freely loves them, and dearly loves them, as being given him of rhe Father, and as having cofl: him dear; and hence if he loves them, helongsforrhem: Now ifhc:longsforchem, ought not they much more to long for him? Pfal.27.8, Thou [aidjf feel:.. my face, th7 face Lord wilt I !••I:..· I. He longs for rhre now in Glory, when one would think his thoughts and heartfhould befwallowed up with it, and lhall nor we long for him herein the valley ofMyrtle trees, in mifery, on rhe dunghill ? 2. He longs for thee when thou h:!fl nothing to make him defire thee, he harh all that thy heart can defire, being rhe very bofom-delighr of God himfelf, Rev. 2 2, penHlr. He did but fay he would come, and John defires, Oh come. But dodi he long for thee ? Now not ro long for him. lf rhis love be not worch longing for, rruJy•ris worch tlorhing. · 3· Becaufe this is our lafiand ultimate end that we are made for, chofen for, bought for, called for, fealed for, that at lafl wemightbewirh theLord, and be made perfe8: in one, 2Cor. 5-5- He thllt harh mnde m for rhis is God, &c. For the whole Trinity enjoying infinit€ fweet fellow/hip with himfelf, hence defire it mi~ht be communicated , in Chrifl 'tis fo, and now the lafl end is attained. No1v if this be our lafi end, ought we nor to defire it ? Then we oughL not ro defireto be ble!fed, nor to defire the Lord may be glorified. Nay you know that whatever we make our lafl: end, it will fwallow up all our cefires afrerany other thing. Thi! isthe Cenrer and rcH and jcurnies end of ourrired wearyfpirits. And rhe truth is, when we make it our b!l ct~d , we ca1111ot but deGre ic. SECT.
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