A49255:543
The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin…
The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin and the privilege of the pardon of sin : together with a discourse of Christs ascension into heaven and of his coming again from heaven : wherein the opinion of the Chiliasts is considered and solidly confuted / being the sum and substance of several sermons preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love ...The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin and the priviledge of the pardon of sin : together with a discourse of Christs ascension into heaven and of his coming again from heaven : wherein the opinion of the Chiliasts is considered and solidly confuted / being the sum and substance of several sermons preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love ...
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1657
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Then secondly, labour thou whilst thou livest on the earth to ascend to Christ in divine and holy Ejaculations and Meditations. Is Christ in heaven? then why should not thy heart be where thy head is, why shouldest thou be grovelling on the earth seeing thy Christ is now in heaven? It is a speech of Christ, Canticles 3. 6. Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like Pillars of smoke perfumed with Myrrh and Frankincense, with all powders of the Merchant? Thou shouldest ascend up to Christ though thou beest in trouble in the Wilderness of this world; O ascend up to Christ in Holy Meditations; this use the Apostle makes of it, Colos. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right Hand of God. The argument is, where Christ sits at the right Hand of God, set your affections there: and so in Phil. 3. 20. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is in heaven, therefore our conversation must be where our head is. It is a notable Text, Mat. 24. 28. For wheresoever the Carcass is, there will the Eagles be gathered together. That Christ is in heaven it should make you ascend in your hearts heavenward; It is true, there are some that wrest these words, and give this sense of them, that they make the carcass to be the Jews, and the Eagles to be the Romans, because the Romans did use the Eagle in their Banner and Ensign of War, therefore they say, where the Jews were the Romans should come▪ though this was a truth, yet not the scope of the Text, it is generally overthrown by most Interpreters; but Gerrard doth chiefly refer ⟨p. 124⟩these words to the day of judgement, where the carcass is thither will the Eagles resort, that is, where Jesus Christ is in heaven, as the Eagles do follow after the carcass to feed upon that, so the people of God shall be gathered about Jesus Christ, and this I do confess is the chief scope of the place, and do believe it is the chief intendment of the holy Ghost: but Gerrard he makes another use of it too, and refers it to the power and efficacy of the Gospel in this life; Christ is now in heaven, saith Gerrard and the Gospel shall be so powerful on men in the world, that it shall make men as eager to come after Christ into heaven as the Eagle is after the prey.