A49255:544
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.
Thirdly, I infer hence, that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs ascension into heaven: labour to feel in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and ascension, every man applies the benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection, and Christs ascension before they find the efficacy of his Death, & the efficacy of his resurrection. It is the Apostles word, saith he, I labour to find the power of his resurrection; so do you labour to find the power of his Death and the power of his ascension, before you find the comfort of it; It is to make thee less Earthly-minded, more passionately eager, and importunately earnest after the Lord Jesus Christ: dost thou feel the power of the ascension to make thee more heavenly minded, and less earthly minded; O labour to feel the efficacy and power of it, else I might say to you as Jacob said to his mother in Genesis 28. 12. My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a curse and not a blessing. Nay, without peradventure God will feel and try whether you are the men or no that have right to the blessing; that shall have any real advantage and benefit by Christs Death, by Christs ascension. God will try whether you do not seek to deceive your Souls and deceive God himself; if so, you will rather have a curse then a blessing, if you seek to apply the comfort of Christs ascension, before you feel the efficacy of it on your own hearts.
Thirdly, I inferre hence, that before you presume to apply the benefits and the comforts of Christs ascension into heaven: labour to feele in your own hearts the efficacy of Christs Death and ascension, every man applies the benefit of Christs Death and Resurrection, and Christs ascension before they find the efficacy of his Death, & the efficacy of his resurrection. It is the Apostles word, saith he, I labor to find the power of his resurrction; so do you labor to find the power of his Death and the power of his ascension, before you find the comfort of it; It is to make thee lesse Earthly-minded, more passionately eager, and importunatly earnest after the Lord Iesus Christ: dost thou feele the power of the ascension to make thee more heavenly minded, and lesse earthly minded; O labour to feele the efficacy and power of it, else I might say to you as Iacob said to his mother in Genesis 28. 12. My father peradveuture will feele mee, and I shall seeme to him as a deceiver, and I shall bring a curse and not a blessing. Nay, without peradventure God will feele and try whether you are the men or no that have right to the blessing; that shall have any reall advantage and benefit by Christs Death, by Christs ascension. God will try whether you doe not seek to deceive your Souls and deceive God himselfe; if so, you will rather have a curse then a blessing, if you seeke to apply the comfort of Christs ascension, before you feele the efficacy of it on your own hearts.