Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

viours fake to encline thine heart to believe thofe promifes. If thou hall: the repulfe, pray ~<gain and again, yea, ·refolve never to make prayer, but to ufe th1s pet1t10n, that the Lord weuld pleafe to let thee have fome feeling •f the life of tho{e promife:· Some foul may object,! have no heart or fpirit to pray: yet ufe thy endeavour,and m thy ~ndeavours God may come in· and whenfoever thou feel ell: any of them to be fpmt and life to thee whenfocver thou feelefl: (by a certain tafl:e) the joyes of the holy G"hoft to fall upon thee'; 0 happy man that ever thou wall: born ! then art thou (to thy o~vn knowledge) new born indeed : then hall: thou (without doubt) done this moll: glortous exerc1fe of Muth S' 4 paffing through the new birth, and then hall: thou caufc (as rho~ canlt not ch~fe) to ling and praif~ God day and night world Without end: So true IS that of Chnll:, BleJ!id "lire they that m01trn, f or they Jhall be comforted. Amen. Seer. 8. 7he 6:onclujion. T_1 Ere is an end, and to you to wh~m I have dedicated this work, my Conclufion is .rJ this: The year hath now run h1s round fince I firll: came amougll: you, and how the Lord hath wrought by me, you your felves know bell:: for my part, if I did but know one poor foul amongll: you truly converted by fuch a weak unworthy mll:rument, I would ever think my felf moll: happy in that foul, and richly payd for my pains. I know it, neither Paul, nor Apollo can do this except God give~the increafe:. howfo– ever, I mull: tell you, with Paul, my defires have have been th1s way I have fince my coming travelled of you, and travelled again, that Chrift might be formed inyou. And what"s the iffue? once could the Lord fay, Shall I bring to the birth, Gal. 4 •9 and notcaufe to bring forth? and (to joyn iffue with you)havel travelled ofyou in birth, Ifa. 6 6· P and not one ofyou brought forth ? The Lord forbid. I confcffe (beloved) I have received from you many kindneffes of love ; now, for the Lords fake do me this one · kindnelfe more; give me at leafl: one foul among you, that I may give it unto God: 0 what a kindnefs would you then do me ! not all the wealth in your Town, nor all the increafe of your ll:ate, nor all you have, or ever fhall have, would do me fo much good in the day of my Lord Jefus, as this one boon I ask: then could I fay, Lord, I have not loft the fruits of my labot<r in this Town, fee here the foul now jhining in glory which I converted by thy power; fee here the foul of foch a one, tmd [11ch a one which through thy grace and my miniJfery were converted unto thee. If this were thus, why then (beloved) you would blelfe me for ever, and I fhould blefs you for ever, and we fhould all blcfs God for ever, for this fo gracious and fo bleffed a work. Now the Lord of hisgoodneJTe giueyou a fight of your fins, and a true farrow for ji11; and ifnot afore now, yet now, this day, the Lord this dayJet his print, andfoal uponyou. The time draws on, and I have but a minute, a little time to fpeak to you ; fors farewel then, let thefe !all: words take a deeper impreffion in your hearts : if you ·· would do all I would have you do, I could wifh no more, but that to this humiliation or repentance, you would adde charity or love: the firll: you owe to G"od, and the fecond to Y?Ur neighbour: by the firll:you might become new creatures, by the fecond true Chnlbans, l1ke them m the Churches infancy, ofone mind, one heart, and onefoul· fure it is notpoffible that we fhould have fw gi<·eneJJe offins, but that we mull: be ~f the commu:'wn ofSamts. A thoufand pities it is to hear of the many factions in our Church, and Kmgdomes,and Towns,and Families; 0 pray for the peace of Jerufalem, they jha/1 profper that love tt; and let tts pray (as need we have too) for our own peace one with a_n"ther: You cannot come to a Communion, but you hear this leffon in the invitation, J 0 " that do truly, and earneft!y repentyou ofyourjins,and be in l•ve and charity withyo~~r , ~:~ghb~urs, &c. Here"s both repentance to G"od, and Charity (nay more thancharity, as Ju~g. S· ;j ufc the word commonly) even lfYVe ofyo11r n<•ghbours. For my part, I w1fh that my 2 Cor. 13.11 ;ery h~art·blood could cement the diviftons of Reuben (for which are great thoughts of ctart) mtlus Town, in this Church, in thefe Kingdoms. I will fay no more, but onJiudc Wtth thofe words of the Apofl:le, Finally, lmthren,fareye well: be perfe11 be of good comfort, be ofone mind, live in peace, flnd the G"~d oflove andpeace be wirhyoufo~ evet an ever, · 11 I N I s.

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