Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

6 Heaven l11ould cw~ e down into this world umo you , who were once enemies to this Kingdom , ibut up under the Kingdo:n of de.1th and da rkneffe, !hangers ro the Common-wealth of Ifrael, without God and Chrilt in the world, without promife, withour hope. I do not cry the Te:nple ofrhe Lo:·d, nor Idoaze Order and Ch~rches, but I tell you w~a r your privdedge is, and thereby whar Gods goodneffe 1s: I know the world nettber feerh nor feelerh any fuch heaven on earrh, but foon gro.,y defpifers fecretlycfall Ordinances who if they were in Heaven it feif with their carnal heam, they would no~ abide there with much comencmenc, yet verily Heaven h.1th been , and is found here by Godshiddenotle>, even fuch things wh;ch eye hatb not feen, nor ear ~eard, a~d if it b~ not thu;; with thee, blame tliy fel~, and m;>urn the more, who tn the rntdlt of hght art 111 utter darkneffe, and m the place where Hewen is begun to fome, it !hould be made a little Hell to thee. tlfo z. z. Take heed of defiling fecretly the Church of God: For what do )'OU . do thereby, but pollute t.he Kingdom of Heaven it felf? And the better any ;,~~~!~k thing !s, the greater is rhe defilem.ent ea~ Uf~>n ir. It is fa~d, I Pet.I + th.u thatth: bpfcd the. Kmgdom of Heaven above 1s "." mhmtance u_ndefiled , ne~e r _yet the I Angels did ~ubjeCt place where any fi_n w~ co:nmmed, and rh~s ts on.e pm of rne Glory of not fall in the tt. Take you heed ofco:nmg 11110 Church-fellow!htp Wltn defiled beam, and . thir~ Heaven, f;> defiling Gods holy things, for do you know where you are? I know it is not b~~;i~o~~ in that Helven where yo11 cannot fin, but yet 'tis in fuch a Heaven ":here you ~anh· fot that lhould nor fin , much leffe defik the Church of God. le was 01~e of Gods heais an' inherit- vy indite.Eems ag~in(l: the Church of the Jews, that when the Lord h1d brought anccundefi. hem out of a land of pits, into aplemitul countrey, yet they defiled his Land, led. ,Jcither Pridls nor peoplefaid, whereiuhe Lord ? Jer.2.7;8. It will be much :nore heavy anot~er day wirh y0u, rh a~ walking in the fell?wfhip 0~ Gods people, 1lull be found gmlty of defiling the Kmgdom of Heaven tt felf, whtch you !hould be careful eo keeo as an unde.i led inheritance, which cefile ·.nems whether fpirirual or fenfual, as rhey flaih the very glory of Heaven it felf, fo they keep you from feeling the Truth of this Docrrine, even of this Heaven upon earth in your own experience. 3· Let all Me:nbers of Churches hence learn to have their converfarion in Helttfe 3• ,·en, and walk as men come down from Heaven, and returning thither again, and rhat are as it were already in Heaven. Paul did thus, and wept to fee fo many that did not rhus, but did mind earthly things, Phil.3.19,20. Do not only forl:!ke, but evetl forget yout Countrey, and 7our Fathen hot~fe, fo Jhall the King of Glory dejire your beauty, Pfal. 45· 10,1 r, Let tht! reproach of e.l\thly-mindedneffe call upon the face of Chri!lians, be wifed off by your carriage, being heavenly, holy, loofenedfrom things below. Art thou in Hewen with an earthly hem? Is not Heaven good enough for thee? Cannot that content thee whi'h m;my have defired to fee, and could not fee, even the Lord Jefus, the King of Glory in his beauty, in the affe:nblies of his Saints? Ufe 4· 4· Take heed of pulling down this Kingdo:n. L0yal ~ubject s will rather lofe their lives, th.m thetr Prince !lull Jofe his Kingdo:n. Fear not enemies without, but your [elves at home. The enemies of the Church, did never yet hurt the Church, but the Church•s fin~, Zach.7.14. Oh confider wh1t mercy the Lord bath betruHed us wi rhal, that unleffe the Lord !hould carry us to He<ven it felf, immediatly on the wings of ~ngels, .he ~an !hew us n0 greater outward favour, in this world, than to bru1<> us mw rhts hts Kmgdo:n of Heaven 011 earth. I profelfe one daies fellowfhip here with ammber of bro!<en-hearted Chriflians, e1ther mournino- coaether, or re;oycing in their God and King rogether, it out-bids the many ye~rs Glory of rhe whole world, (howfoever 'ti's hidden from the world) And will you betray this Kingdo:n? SECT.

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