3tllt~W:1J4itti;;·:-;-~·-=--- +J.p. -=---- .,_~---- 51, A- p;eparation to receive ana entertain Ch,·ijf, f~mlspt~ uoo, humilia.– tion,voca[lon, union.&com– tnuoion with Chrifb /z. An implantation of the Soul mto Chrift. T~at the!t;.mu~ ~et l'r;paration,i~ the_ firft g~ound we lay; and herein obferve we, :· .,'7" ~'Matte!j ' · ·- ~ ,-, ,.. ~;,~ -3'-bt" Maii~et- ·>Of this Preparation. 1 ~ · \ ~- · · e , . PfaJ. 24. 7. Vje, # : • ' ' ~ ,. J ' MbtneS · ·~ ., ') " 11 <- ·• ( ·,r ·"' 1.__ ··1. F1kMaTter:-·n~e·foul of a finntr \nuft ·bet'rep;red for ehrift-: -be for~ he c~n~n· tert~in him. When Kings go to any place, they fend (to make readinene) their Har– bengers afore them; if Chrift (the King of Sainrs)come into a foul, there mufl: be a Preparation before he enter: and good Reafon, he is not a meer man, an ordinary perfon, but i King, uKing ofGloty. Da•ud in this cafe could call upon his foul, (fo we may expound his Gates and Doors) Ltft up yourheads, 0 yegates, and beye lift up, ye nm·laj/ing D•ors, and the Riilg ofGloryJha/1 come in; as who fhould fay, be eHbr– ged, Lo-ve, Joy, Hope; fetopen, give way, for the Lord is coming: JJ.ut Jvho is tkc .Lord? it is the Lord <f Haft, the Lordftrong and J1rgnry, the Lord mtghtj in Baud: And with that he knocks again, Lift upyour heads, Vyegates, and be ye ltf t ~<p, ye e– -verlafling Doors, and the 1<. mg of &lorjjl>all come 'in; as if he fhould fay, What fhall the Lord knock? fhall the King of Glory fl:and? open fuddenly, and make all prepa– ration. 2. The Mai11itr'oftms Preparation conlifl:s in thefc three paffoges: Firfl:, the fo~l breaks thadeague .which fo[J1ler)y it \iath had with Corruptions,_ancl referves it fclfe for Chrifl:: And fecondly, the foul is mofl: willing to give way to Chri!i Jefus, and to.ill_h.!!.n overthrow whatfoever fhalloppofe him: Thirdly, the Soul is content that God fhould rule all, not only the eye, or hand, or tongue; or ·heart' but the whole man; it open~ all the Gates, and,deflres Chrifl: to come, and take all the Keys of the houfe upon him. • 3· Tl]e A/tans of. this Preparation is the powerful Mi~itlery,, ~vhich <;iod bath ap– point~tl'fjlr this'worl{ ;"and it is difcovered in three,particularS:' flrfl:, in a particular Applidifion of 'the Trui'h to·thefoulso\ men .with courage. Secondly, inac.Qnfir– !lJatio)1 of the Truth by foundneffe c;>f Argument; and pbin evidence of Scriptures: Thirdry·, ~n 'aRihde of Spiritual heat in the-heart and alfediotls of the Miniffer, an– f\verable t<\.tl\1tt which he communicates to the peopls. And this powerful Minifl:epJ works Oil the foul, I. By difcovering what is in a mans heart, fo dfat the foul' fCeth that i't'ne:Ver ~aw before, and fo is driven to a ftand.. z. By driving the .foul into an 0.\v~i ~f 'finne, fo that jt dares not now meddle with finne, as formerly it hath ilo,?e. ,..::;: . ., '!. · '' ( ' · · '"':'£"'!! ::. If ~ilY. (oul th'at hath'enjoy'ed thefc Means any while, is n,ot "yet fitted and prepa– req1 }fi'p fea~fu! fu\picion, that God will neve~ .. co~fer ·anr,:gooa !? ·thRt fouk--Go [Jom,e then, (if there be any fuch) and reafon ,wtth your own .fvuls,- and' plead ·wtth your _~wn hearts, fayil)g, .Lord,why not yet am I hiphbl;d and prepareli ?_ l~i// exhortations J1e-ver pie'}if'ile with me? w•ll Terrors andRe[roofs never brcak_my heart' mto Jmces?I ha-ve ~e('rd;$.f,~ns t~ai wii.ulf haft jhaf)fn t~e -vEry jlo7t:s_, hrod on, thanvould ha-ve mowd the RrC,ij f.: !If If at~ on;tp~ y.;rYfire ofhe// hruh flajhed in :!tJ'facc;Iha-ve feen even the plagnei of Hfll,"'f.4~f any tht~~ c.an do me "ny go~d,why_ not then 'ihofe Exhortartom, Inftruchons, .Ad– mopili~'!~ and Reproofs fh,at[ ha-ve,often_ ,haa J { hMw had as fO~'"["! means as ~ay be, which n~-ver(et did megood. The Lo'?d 1\e·merctflll to' fuch a poor.foul·; t~e Lotd turn ~he hea·rt o fuch a poor finner~19t~·hqnay lay ho~ on mercy mdue tnne. · : , .. T •• . '· Secl:. I. The gme-rai C:;;imnftanc~s of Preparation on ao'ds·part. BUt for a further difl:ribution, which fhall be our method: In this Prepm·ation two Things are conftderable ; { General circumftances. The . Subftantial parts. . - · · .. . , , · .· {Gods part. The general circumthnces a~e tworota, ...>me. oil · .._, ~ Mans part. On
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