Wilson - BS2663 W54 653

94 An Expofition upon ing for it to injoy it hereafter, as verily as though wee had it al ready.Forit may appear by that which is written of it in this Chapter , that there is great cer- tainty inChriftian hope, becaufe the A- patite faith,T hot hope maktb not a fhamed, which it would doe, were it doubtful! andmight fail us. TIM, What arifeth out of this hope? S r t. Unfpeakable and glorious joy of heart. T i M. What dash yee call this joy, and how doth it difr from worldly joy ? S This joy is an holy affe&ion of the heart being made glad and cheer- full upon this undoubted truth, that the time will come when all evil! (hall bee taken from us, and all good beftow- ed upon us in all perfeEtion; that is, when wee (hall bee glorified With God. This joy doth differ from worldly joy in fundry and many things. Firft,Chri- fllaan joy commeth from the fpirit, the other from the flefh.Secondly,Chrifiian joy arifeth from the fenfe of heavenly Wettings prefent,and hope offul bleffed- nefs to come.But worldly joy fpringeth from the having,and pretence ofearth- ly and perifhing good things of this life. Thirdly, Chriflian joy is lotting, worldly joy is fading. Laftly,Chriflian joy ftirreth up to the praifes of God in whom theyjoy;worldiy joy flirreth up to the commendations of fuch worldly things and pleafures as men love and de- light in.Let worldlings arise to turne their carnal joy,which is as the cracking of thornes,fhort and vanifhing,into fpi- rituall joy,which is alwayes lafting:and let the godly beware they change not their C haft ianjoy into worldly, but learn more & more to joy in Gods pre- fent love, & hope of his promifed glory. DIAtoGus III. Vertes 3. Not fo onely,but alfo we rejoice in tribulation, !mowing that tribulation worketh pa- tience. VV TsuoTUtus. Hat dotb this Text deliver unto us? Chap.5 T r m. Another fruit ofa juftifying Faith,which is joy in attïiaions. T i at. Howdoth be prove,tbat beleever, .rejoyce in affliaien, ? S i t. By this reafon : becaufe God ufeth afi &ion to increafe in them hope of glory. This the Apoflle doth manifeft unto us after this fort : Afi &ion work - eth patience 3 patience worketh experi- ence,experienc worketh hope;therefore aflli &ion caufetti hope. T i m. Ina meanethtbe fìrff word, of the T ext[Not fo bnely ?] S i They imply a comparifon of the more with the leffe,and are thus. Beleevers doe not rejoyce alone under the hope of heavenly glory,but which is a farre leffe likely matter,they rejoyce in and for their affli&ions.Or more plainly thus : If beleevers rejoyce, becaufe they certainely looke to bec glorified with God in Heaven,this is not to be marvel- led at : but this is rare and wonderful!, with gladneffe to imbrace afietions , which have in them both much paine and fhame. In the connexion offenten- ces, note,that it is the propende ofthat joy which arifeth from the hope of ce- lefiiall glory,tocaufe and breed this joy, which beleevers have in their tribulati- ons and fufferings.For the remembrance of that great and bleffed glory which they (hall have in the end, caufeth all things to bee fweet and pleafant unto them, which they meet with in their way, whereby they mull paffe to that glorious and molt happy end, their Country in heaven. Tim. What may be gatheredfrom hence? S I L. If hope of glory fweeten troubles, how much more cloth it make benefits tweet and joyous ? And this is that which we are to learn from hence, that where hope of glory once entreth, it maketh both profperity and adverfity to be joy full and gladfome:and further, that diere is no true and found joy ei- ther in time ofaf lion, or in time of peace and plenty , but that which fpringeth from hope of glory to come. This is the roote of true joy. T I M. What is to bee noted in the next word,[We rejoyce in tribulation ?]

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