The Passion Resurrection and Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lecture 39
THE XXXIX. LECTVRE, OF THE RESVRRECTION OF CHRIST.
LVKE CHAP. XXIIII.
verse 27 And he beganne at Moſes, and at all the Prophets, and interpreted vntounto them in all the Scriptures the thinges which were written of him.
verse 28 And they drewe neare vntounto the towne which they went to, but hee made as though he would hauehave gone further.
verse 29 But they conſtrained him, ſaying, Abide with vsus, for it is towardes night, and the day is farre ſpent. So he went in to tarrie with them.
verse 30 And it came to paſſe, as hee ſate at table with them, hee tooke the bread, and bleſſed, and brake it, and gaue it to them.
verse 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and hee was no more ſeene of them.
verse 32 And they ſaide betweene themſelues, Did not our heartes burne within vsus, while he talked with vsus by the way, and when hee opened to vsus the Scriptures?
WEE inſiſt yet (Beloued in Chriſt) in this part of Hiſtorie concerning the two Diſciples of CHRIST, who in the daye of His reſurrection vvent out to HIERVSALEM, to a Village neare by, called Emmaus. We heard theſe dayes paſt, what Cleopas, one of the two ſpake by the waye, to Chriſt, whome hee tooke to be a paſſenger, becauſe his eyes were bounde vp, that hee could not ſee Him, nor diſcerne Him, neither by His voyce, nor by His face. All his ſpeach tēdes to this, Our hope is gone, we thought Ieſus ſhould hauehave beene the Redeemer, but He is dead, and continues vnderunder death. Wee entered in the anſwere which Ieſus makes, ſpeaking to Him like a paſſenger. The firſt entrie is rough lāguage: O fooles, ſayes Hee, and dull of heart, to beleeue all that the Prophets had ſpoken of Ieſus! An hard entrie. Thereafter He begins to inſtruct them and to teach them: The chiefe poinct of doctrine is firſt laid downe in theſe wordes, Jt behooued that CHRJST ſhoulde ſuffer, and by ſuffering, enter into his glorie. Of this which wee hearde the laſt daye▪ I repeate nothing. In this TEXT, as GOD ſhall giuegive vsus grace, and as time ſhall ſuffer, wee hauehave the confirmation of this doctrine: Hee prooues this neceſſitie, that hee behooued to ſuffer, by manie teſtimonies: And then, in the ſeconde, wee hauehave howe Hee manifeſted Himſelfe, and howe their eyes were opened, and howe Hee let them ſee, that Hee was Chriſt. And in the thirde parte wee hauehave the effectes which it vvrought in them, after that they knewe Him to bee their Lorde and Maſter. Then to beginne at the firſt, To prooue that Chriſt ſuffered, and ſo entered into His glorie. Hee ſearches the Scriptures, Hee beginnes at Moſes, and from Moſes hee comes to the Prophets, interpreting vntounto them what Moſes and the Prophets had ſpoken concerning CHRIST, interpreting that which concerned His Paſſion, and that vvhichwhich concerned His glorie, after His Paſſion. The matter is ſet downe ſummarilie: Heere no Scriptures are expreſſed, neither ſuch as vvere taken out of MOSES, or the PROPHETS: but ſummarilie it is ſaide, That Hee prooued all out of MOSES and the PROPHETS: There Hee alleadged not a bare teſtimonie: but Hee declared and expounded euerie one of the Teſtimonies to theſe two Diſciples. And then vvhen Hee hath interpreted them, Hee gathered the concluſion, That it behooued himſelfe to ſuffer.
Now, Brethren, we ſee in this place, what the preaching of the Goſpell is in effect: it is none other thing, but the declaration of Moſes, & the Prophets: Chriſt preaches here the Goſpell to them, and yet He does nothing, but interpretes Moſes and the Prophets. So the preaching of the Goſpell, is nothing but the exponing of Moſes and the Prophets: and this Euangell is a plaine commentarie of the Text of Moſes: Moſes wrote not one thing, and the Apoſtles another, but Moſes wrote the ſame thing, that the Apoſtles wrote: only this is the difference: Moſes wrote obſcurely, the Apoſtles more clearly: Then marke well this: They that are preachers of the Goſpell ſeparate neuer the interpretation of the Goſpell from the Text of Moſes, and the Prophets. Some fantaſtick braines hauehave thought the Olde Teſtament not needfull ſince the Goſpell was written: but all is vanitie, Chriſt teached not that way: yee ſee, Chriſt takes His Text out of Moſes, and interpretes Moſes and the Prophetes, and the Apoſtles wrote nothing of Chriſt, but that which they grounded vponupon Moſes: and as for vsus, wee ſhould ſpeake nothing, but that vvhichwhich vvee ground vponupon the writtings of the Apoſtles: and next, wee ground our preachings vponupon the Prophets, and thirdly, vponupon Moſes, that is a ground, & that is a ſure ground, and all the world cannot caſt it downe, that doctrine which is grounded vponupon the Apoſtles, the Prophets, and Moſes, it is good, but if it bee not grounded vponupon theſe three, I will not giuegive thee one pennie for it: Secondly, ye ſee, all the interpretation of Moſes, is concerning Chriſt, and what befell Him, His ſuffering, and His glory after His paſſion, there is the chiefe corner ſtone, whereupon our Faith is builded, and whereupon our Faith is grounded, and whereupon the doctrine of Moſes, the Prophets and the Apoſtles is builded, the corner ſtone, Chriſt, and therefore ſayes the Apoſtle, beeing grounded vponupon the foundation of the Prophets, and the loweſt ſtone Chriſt: and in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians, Chapter 3. verſe 10. He ſayes, No man can lay another ground, but that which is laide alreadie: Ieſus is the foundation and ground of all true doctrine and veritie, Paul Rom. 10. calles Him the end of the Law, in Him is all the Law fulfilled, and Hee put an end to all theſe types and ſhadowes in the Lawe: So there is the chiefe ground of our doctrine, Ieſus Chriſt the loweſt ſtone, vponupon Him is grounded the doctrine of Moſes, the Prophets and the Apoſtles, and we builde our doctrine vponupon Him.
I goe forward: This for the firſt head, now followes the ſecond part of the Text, how Hee beginnes to manifeſt Him, for as yet, they thought Him to be but a paſſenger, yet a gracious man, and bleſſed paſſenger, as yee will heare: they were loth to depart from Him: it is ſaide, When they draw neare to Emmaus, in a towne where they thought to lodge all night, the Lord makes, as though He would hauehave gone further, the wordes are, He faines, as though He were to goe further, that village was not the end of His journey, the words giuegive occaſion of a queſtion: Thought the LORD one thing, and ſpake He another, to ſpeake one thing, and to thinke another, is a plaine lie: I will not inſiſt in this matter, the purpoſe of the Lord at this time was to enter into the village & towne with them, and ſit at Table with them, vponupon this condition, that they ſhould bee earneſt with Him, vrge Him, and in a manner conſtraine Him, but this failing was in them, they not beeing earneſt, Hee purpoſed to leaue them, and to goe further, then when it comes to the doing, and executing of His purpoſe, when He ſaid, Hee vvould goe further, He lied not, for He purpoſed ſo to doe, if they had not beene earneſt with Him, and cauſed Him to abide: Then wherein can it be ſaid, that He vſed ſimulation, except in this, that Hee ſhew not them, that if they were earneſt with Him, He would abide: No, if thou wouldeſt hauehave Him to ſtay with thee, thou muſt be earneſt to ſeeke Him, and conſtraine Him in a manner) I might let you ſee examples both in God, and godly men, that hauehave ſhewed a part of their purpoſe, and kept the reſt to themſelues: God ſaid to Moſes, I will ſlay this people, and none of them ſhall eſcape: Hee kept vp this, except thou interceede: And againe Hee ſayes, Yet fourtie dayes and then Niniue ſhall be deſtroyed: Lied the Lord? Not, albeit He kept vp a part of His purpoſe, except they had repented: for if they had not repented, He had deſtroyed them. So the Lord bids Samuel conceale His purpoſe in annoynting Dauid, 1. Sam. 6.16.
This onelyonly is our leſſon, Bee not curious to ſeeke that which the Lord hath not reueiled to thee, but ſee thou ſtudie to doe that which the Lord hath reueiled: thou haſt no warrand to ſeeke that which Hee hath not reueiled: O Scotland, thou haſt no warrand whether GOD will ſtay with thee, or not, but thou haſt this warrand, to intreat Him earneſtly by prayer, and in a manner to conſtraine Him to ſtay with thee: No, Hee will depart, if thou getteſt not an heart to conſtraine Him, Hee will not ſtay with thee if thou be not earneſt to bid Him ſtay, thou haſt no warrand that Hee will ſtay vvith thee: And I ſay to thee, if Hee be not better intertained in Scotland than Hee is, He ſhall leaue thee: and woe to thee, Scotland, if Hee leaue thee, this colde entertainement, may juſtly make thee to feare, that the Lord ſhall leaue thee, Scotland Many in this Countrie of higheſt rancke would put Him away, but if euer Hee depart, a heauie judgement ſhall light vponupon them. Now vvhen Hee ſeemed, as though Hee would goe further, in a manner they doe Him violence, and they ſticke to Him, taking Him to bee a man, a paſſenger, a gracious paſſenger, and therefore they are lothe to ſunder from Him, and they vſe arguments to mooue Him, they ſay, It is towards night, and the day is farre ſpent, and vvhere canſt thou goe? ſtay vvith vsus all night, then the Lord yeelded, and taried with them: Marke this: We vſe to ſay, Prayer will breake hard weard, and it is true, repentance and ſupplication will holde off judgement, that would light vponupon vsus. The Lord ſayes, in the eleuenth Chapter of Matthew, and the twelfth verſe: The Kingdome of heauen ſuffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. What cauſes Him to tarie? violence is done to Him: and I ſay to thee, if thou entereſt into Heauen, thou muſt doe violence and take it by force: and I ſay more, if thou throngeſt not, & ſeekeſt it not night & day, thou ſhalt neuer enter in it: and if theſe diſciples had not thronged on Him, and conſtrained Him, He had not remained with them: thou ſhouldeſt euer pray to God, and ſaye Lorde, leaue vsus not, tarie with vsus, vvee may not ſunder, if thou ſtickeſt not to Him, Hee ſhall leaue thee. Then yee ſee, vvhat it is to bee humane, they vvould not let Him walke in the night: but vvhat revvarde got they? in ſteade of man, they receiue God, and man bleſſed for euer: ſo I ſay, humanitie to man, hoſpitalitie to Pilgrimes, hath a great revvard. The Apoſt. Heb. 13.2. ſayes: That ſome receiued Angels into their houſes vnawares, when they thought they had receiued men. Abraham receiued Angels in his houſe, Gen. 16.3. Lot receiued Angels, Gen. 19.8. Now, Brethren, I ſay this to you, as ye would receiue God, hauehave mind of the poore, and now eſpecially, in this extreame dearth, giuegive them ſome part of that thou wouldeſt put in thine owne mouth, & that which thou wouldeſt put on thy backe: there is none of you, but yee will ſay, If ye had Chriſt heere, I ſhould feede Him, and if I ſaw Him naked, I ſhould giuegive Him clothes, the reprobate ſhall ſay the ſame in that day: We ſhould hauehave cled thee, if we had ſeene thee naked, &c. But what anſweres the Lord? Whē ye did it not to one of thoſe litle ones, ye did it not to me. Knew Abraham, or Lot, that theſe men that they receiued in their houſes were Angels, and thought theſe two, that He vvas Chriſt: No, they thought Him but a paſſenger. We read, they that hauehave ſhewed humanitie to men, receiued God, but we neuer reade that any that neuer delt humanely with men, & ſought not to entertaine them, got euer God to lodge with Him. So in a word, as thou wouldſt not manifeſt thy louelove to God, be humane, gentle and mercifull to man. He who loues not his brother, whō he ſees dayly, how can hee louelove God whom he neuer ſaw? No, thou louedſt Him neuer, ſay what thou wil: fye vponupon that man, that hath no humane entertainement in lodging of ſtrangers. Now when He is gone in with them, He ſits down at ſupper (for it was Euening) ſitting down, He takes the bread and giues thanks. Take heed to this: ye with prophane hands will pul, rent & ſwallow vp ye Lords benefites, without knowing of God, but the Lorde of glory nowe ſitting dovvne as man, Hee vvould not breake breade, vntill Hee had ſanctified it by prayer: when Hee hath bleſſed the bread, Hee takes it, and diſtributes it to the diſciples: ſo ye ſee, this is an Holy paſſenger, whilſt He makes Him to be a paſſenger, Hee is Holy. Marke this, ye that are paſſengers, all His communing in the way, is holy: then when He ſits downe, He bleſſed the bread, ere He eate: how euer He makes Him to be a paſſenger, he diſſembles neuer His holineſſe, but alwayes Hee is holie, He is holy in the way, He is holy in the houſe, He is holy at the table, that holy Lord will neuer take on the habite of prophanitie, Marke this: Be what thou wilt, if thou be a Lord, trauelling, albeit thou diſſembleſt thy rancke, behaue thy ſelfe as a commmon paſſenger, or as a marchant, &c. yet with the companie thou art in, behaue thy ſelfe holie, be holie in thy journey, be holie at the table, and in thy eating ſhew that habite. Ye that trauell, either in this Countrey, or to other countreyes ſee, how farre men are from this: if they meete with an euill perſon, they will bee as euill, if they meete with a filthie perſon, they are filthier, they will ſpeake two filthie wordes for one: if one goe to Germanie, he wil be an Ʋbiquiter, and in Rome a Papiſt, in Scotland a Chriſtian, in as many places as many formes: ſo thou yt is a Paſſēger, as euer yu would look for reſt hereafter, look yt thou be holy: a holy hearted mā in a company, will not only hauehave great graces in himſelfe, but alſo he will be gracious to yt companie, & communicate theſe graces to them with whome He is in companie: So diſſemble as thou wilt, be euer holy, and as euer thou wouldeſt dwell with Ieſus, be euer like Him in ſome meaſure in holineſſe: and well is vsus, if in word and deede we be holy pilgrimes in this world. This would not be paſſed by, He ſunders not from them in the houſe, He goes not to one houſe, and they to another, but He will goe to one houſe with them, and will ſit at the ſame table with them: then Hee will not ſtay ſtill, till they giuegive bread to Him, but He beginnes to giuegive bread to them, and feedes them with His owne hande: So ye ſee, Brethren, what it is, to be earneſt to entreat the Lord, to ſtay with thee: Now certainly, He ſhall be more homely with thee, than thou canſt be with Him: if thou beginneſt to entreat Him, He will remaine with thee, and feede thee with His owne hand, and they that hauehave found the Lorde, they hauehave ſeene ſuch an homelineſſe, as they could neuer thinke of. In the 3. of the Reuelation, verſe 20. The Lord Ieſus ſayes, I will ſtande at the doore, and I will knocke, hee that will open to mee, I will come in, and ſuppe with him. Once let me in, I ſhall be ſo homely, as thou neuer wouldeſt hauehave thought, I ſhall inſinuate mee in thine heart & I ſhall not only ſit at thy table, but I will ſit in thine heart, and ſhall feede thine heart with joy, and food euerlaſting.
Nowe to goe forwarde: the Lord, who no queſtion bound vp their eyes, before, opens them now: if He cloſe thine eyes, the world cannot open them, He only can oppen them: The meane whereby Hee opens them, apparantly was that forme of prayer Hee vſed before He brake the bread: Next, they vnderſtood, that it vvas Hee by the diſtributing of the bread: for Hee vſed to feede them with His owne hande: and therefore by theſe ſignes they are made to know Him. I ſee here, grace growes: after that once grace begins: none end of grace: after that once He hath inuited them, He ſuppes with them, then He feedes them with His owne hand, and then at the laſt, their eyes were opened: and judge yee, what joy that was to them: No doubt, that was the moſt joyfull ſight, that euer they ſaw. So, hold on, and entertaine the Lord a while, and ſet Him at thy table, and neuer be glad to eat nor drinke, except thou findeſt ſome preſence of thy GOD (for it is a lothſome dinner, if thou wanteſt Him, and if thou entreateſt Him on, thou ſhalt finde in ende, an exceeding joy: Entertaine Him now, as a paſſenger, and in the ende, thou ſhalt ſee Him to thy comfort, thine eyes ſhall bee opened to ſee Him, as He is.
Then it is ſaid, as their eyes were opened, He was lifted from them, yee muſt not thinke, that the Lord made His body inuiſible, it is contrarie to the order of nature, a thicke body to be inuiſible, nor yee muſt not thinke, that He brake out at the houſe ſide, as the Papiſts dreame: this departure was by the holding of their eyes, He was not changed in this forme, or that forme, but the change vvas in their eyes, ſo that, they ſee not howe Hee departes, or in what manner, as before, their eyes were holden, that they could not know Him. To leaue this, yee would maruell, Hee giues them but one blencke: in an inſtant He goes away from them: why ſtayes He not? No, it was not meete for them, that Hee ſhould ſtay, nor yet was it poſſible for Him to ſtay after that manner that they would hauehave had Him to hauehave ſtayed, ſeeing nowe ſufficiently they were aſſured that Hee was riſen it was not needfull that Hee ſhould ſtay with them, as of before, as yee ſee, the Apoſtles in the 1. of the Actes, ſpeaking to Him, they ſay, Lord, wilt thou at this time reſtore the Kingdome to Iſrael: That is in effect Lord, wilt thou not remaine with vsus here on the earth: No, He would not ſtay with them, but giues them a glance of Him: then ſecondly, Hee could not dwell amongſt them, the earth could not be capable of a glorious body: glorifie a man or a woman, the earth cannot keepe them, glorifie a man or a woman, this earth is too euill for them, & they cannot dwell in the earth: No, that Paradice wherein Adam was ſet, that pleaſant Garden that He was placed in, could not keepe a glorious body, and a glorified man. So the Lorde beeing glorified, could not dwell and abide amongſt men, as of before: ſo then, wouldeſt thou dwell with Chriſt, and dwell in that pleaſant place (and thou ſhalt neuer hauehave happineſſe nor joy, till thou dwelleſt with Him) Thinke not to bring Him downe to the earth, but if thou wouldeſt dwell vvith Him, flit out of the earth, make thee for flitting. Paul ſayes, I deſire to flit and to dwell with the Lord: Wouldeſt thou deſire to dvvell vvith the Lord, deſire to flit out of thy bodie▪ for if thou haſt not a deſire, but art afraide to flit, it is a token that thou haſt no langour of God, and that thou ſhalt neuer dvvell vvith Him, but that ſoule that deſires to flit, to enjoy that preſence, that ſoule that hath groaned for it (for the ſoule that is godly, groanes, as a man that groanes vnderunder a burthen) ſhall enjoy the preſence of God, & dvvell with Him, and that ſoule ſhall be glorified: thy body, indeed, ſhall not bee glorified, vntill that time that Hee ſhall appeare, and then thy bodie and thy ſoule both ſhall bee glorified with Him: and then our eyes ſhall ſee Him, and our bodies ſhall dwell vvith Him in the Heauen, in that euerlaſting Paradiſe.
Nowe Brethren, hitherto the Lorde hath manifeſted Himſelfe: then ſee what effect followes, and is wrought in their heartes of this manifeſting. Yee woulde thinke that ſo ſoone as the Lorde had bene taken from them, they ſhoulde hauehave bene ſadde: For who would not bee ſadde to want Him? For if thou ſaweſt Him, for all the world thou wouldeſt not bee content to want His preſence. Yee would maruell, why they make no mone for that ſhort time that Hee abode with them. No doubt, that ſight that they got, left ſuch a comfort in their heartes, as cannot bee ſpoken. And if the Lorde giuegive His preſence to anie man, his heart will hauehave ſuch a joye, that it will feede vponupon it. Yee reade, in the eight Chapter of the Actes of the Apoſtles, howe the Eunuche, who came from the Queene of Candare, when Philippe came, and baptized him, Philippe was carried awaye from him, yet the Scripture ſayes not that hee mourned when Philippe was taken away: No, it is ſaide, that hee went on his waye rejoycing. From whence comes this joye? No doubt, it was the preſence of Philippe that left this joye behinde it. So in a worde: The preſence of God leaues alwayes joye: and if thou get a blinke of Him in the morning, thou ſhalt bee joyefull of Him all the daye, and that joye ſhall feede thee: and when thou art eating and drinking, that preſence will feede thee. Woe to thee who ſeekeſt not to get a blinke of Him: for if thou getteſt not a blinke of Him, thou ſhalt neuer hauehave ſolide joye in thine heart.
But the wordes would bee marked: And they ſaide betweene themſelus, Did not our heartes burne within vsus, while hee talked with vsus by the waye, and when hee opened to vsus the Scriptures? There are the vvordes. When theſe two men hearde Him, the worde was effectuall: but they thinke Him not to bee their Lord, till hee manifeſted Himſelfe vntounto them: and then they call to minde by their burning, that they found that it was Hee that ſpake vntounto them. This confirmes them that it was Hee. The ſame burning of the heart that one will hauehave is a ſure token of the preſence of Chriſt: for if the Lorde were not preſent in thine heart, it woulde not burne at the preaching. No, not an Angell hath power to ſet thine heart on fire. So thou that haſt this burning, thou mayeſt ſaye, that the Lorde Ieſus is preſent in thine heart.
But marke this: We ſee in theſe men, that our eyes are ſo blind, that we cannot diſcerne the Lord ſo long as we liue here: we cannot get full ſight, but we are in a ſtrife: if the heart ſhall ſay, The Lord is here, the fleſh will ſay, He is not here: ſo that we hing here betwixt hope and deſpaire. But when Hee once manifeſtes Himſelfe in glorie, then that burning which we felt in this life, that ſenſe which we then felt, ſhall bee brought to our remembrance. Thinke not that thou ſhalt looſe that ſenſe: No, Thou ſhalt take it vp with thee to the Heauen: and we ſhall ſay one to another, Remember yee not what burning wee had, when wee ſpake and hearde of CHRIST in the earth? Then it behooued this LORDE to hauehave beene then with vsus in the earth. So the remembrance of that joye which thou felt in the vvorlde, ſhall bee a part of thy joye which thou ſhalt hauehave in the Heauens in the life to come: Therefore, get much joye here, and laye it vp in ſtore in thine heart: goe on in feeling, and I promiſe thee, in the Name of GOD, it ſhall neuer depart, but it ſhall euer augment and enlarge thy joye, and glorie in the life to come. No, as the worde of GOD, which is the immortall ſeede of GOD, euaniſhes not: ſo, neither ſhall the effect of the worde euer euaniſh. Then, euer ſtriue to get a ſenſe of the working of this worde in thine heart.
Nowe a worde, and ſo I ſhall ende. Yee woulde thinke this a ſober concluſion, As wee walked by the waye, when hee ſp…e to vsus, our hearts burned, therefore it was he that ſpake with vsus: So they concluded, that it must bee his Spirit onelie which ſettes the heart on fire. May we not in like manner conclude, At the preaching of Paule the Spirite ſettes the heart on fire, therefore Paul is Christ? This is a falſe concluſion. And I anſwere to this, That if theſe men had felt no more, but a common feeling, in an ordinarie meaſure, their argument had not beene good: But they had another feeling, than can be at the preaching of a man: for no doubt, vvith the vvorde Hee ſent His Spirite to vvorke in them extraordinarilie. And I put it out of queſtion, They had ſuch a vvonderfull feeling, as they coulde neuer hauehave had at the preaching of anie man vvhoſoeuer. So their concluſion is ſure, Seeing as Hee ſpake, Hee breathed His Spirite vponupon vsus, Hee must bee CHRIST. It is a vvonder of them, vvho hauehave gotten GODS SPIRITE, howe they vvill diſcerne of GODS SPIRITE in others: And manie are beguiled for fault of this SPIRITE. There is verie much ſpoken of our feeling at the PREACHING: And vvhat ſerues all? They call it a fire: for the Spirite which raiſes that feeling, is like a fire, and therefore He is compared to a fire, Matth. 3.11. And a fire hath euer an vp-burning: and if thou hauehave true feeling, thine heart ſhall bee ſet on fire, & that fire is mightie, & will burne vp the droſſe of thy ſaluation, which is in thy foule heart. No, ſpeake not of feeling except thou be regenerate: Thou that art an Harlot, ſpeake not of feeling, except thou feele it burne vp thine harlotrie. And thou that art a murtherer, ſaye not that thou haſt a feeling, and if it burne not vp thy bloodie heart. So I charge thee before God: heare not one worde, except thou findeſt that Spirit to burne vp thy corruption; thou telleſt mee, that thou feeleſt, and yet thou remaineſt an harlot, fye vponupon thine harlotrie, let not that word come out of thy mouth. Againe, as the fire of Gods Spirit burnes vp the droſſe of thy corruption, ſo it will inflame thy louelove to God, it will inflame thine heart, and all the power of the ſoule to the louelove of GOD, and righteouſneſſe, ſo that it vvill binde thine heart to God, as the Apoſtle ſayes, The louelove of God conſtraineth me, ſo that thou wouldeſt bee content to die, to liue with Him, and to pleaſure Him, thou wouldeſt not care, to liue, or to die: and what more? as a fire is nouriſhed with ſome matter, that is meete for burning: ſo this fire once kindled in our ſoules is nouriſhed, and fed by the continuall preſence of GOD in IESVS CHRIST, and that precious oyle of the Holy Spirit. Further, a flame tendes alwayes vpward, and it will lift an heauie thing that falles downe vponupon it: ye ſee a traine of powder will blow vp an houſe: Wee are heauie by nature, and loadned with ſinne, yet that fire of louelove will raiſe thee vp▪ and place thee with the Lord, whom thou loueſt, and thine heart will bee lifted vp to Him. There is neuer one that loues IESVS in the Earth, but they are dwelling with Him in the Heauen, and ſhall enjoy that preſence euerlaſtingly. So yee ſee, what it is to hauehave the heart ſet on fire, till we meete with our LORD, and then our heartes ſhall hauehave the full fruition of His preſence for euer. To this IESVS, with the Father, and Holy Spirit, be glorie, for euermore.
AMEN.