Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

The C11ll on Gods part, for the Soul to clofe "·itb, and to relic on Chriff, HItherto of our fiN! gen~ral, to wit, The Preparqtion of the Soulfor Chrifl: The next is The Implantatzon •fthe Soul into Chrifl: and that hath two parts. ' _) t. The putting of the Soul into Chrift. ( 2. The growing of the Soul w(th Chrifl:. . ' · As 3 graft is firft put into the flock, and then it growcs together with the flock : Thefc tw·o t~1 ings arc anfwerablc in ~he Soul, and when it is brought to this, }hen a finner c.'ome.> to be partaker ofall fpll'ltual benefits. .. The firft part is, The puttmg m of the foul : when the foul1s brought out of the world of linne, to lie upon, and to clofe with the Lord jefus Chnft; and this hath two particular paffages : J The Call on Gods part. ) The Anfwer on Mans part. . . The Call on Gods part is this, When the Lord by the Call oflus Gofpel, and work of his Spirit, doth fo clearly reveal the fulnelfe ofMercy, that the foul humbled rttHms .Anfwer: In which obfcrve the ~ ~:~~: ~ whereby God cloth Call. , 1. The Means is onely the Minifl:eryof the Gofpel; the fuin whereofis this, !hrit There is fulnej[e of Mercy, and Grace, and Salv~tion brought unto w through the Lord Jefr" Chrifl. Hence the phrafe of Scripture calls th1s Gofpe!,or th1s 111ercy,A treP.fory; All 'the trea(ures of wifdome and holinef[e are in Chrift: not one treafure,but .all treafures; not -fome treafures, but all treafures: where the Gofpel comes, there 1s J<lY for the for– rowful, peace for the troubled, flrength for the weak, relief feafonablc and fuitab!e to aU wantes, miferies and neceffities, both prefent and future. , If then farrow alfail thee (when thou art come thus far) look not on thy fins, to pore upon them; neither look into thy own fuflicience, to procure any goo1 there. J t is true, thou muflfee thyfins, andJorrow for them, but this is for the lower Form,and thou mufl: get this Jelfon before-hand ; and~hen thou haft gotten this leffon of Contrition and Humdiation,look then only to Gods Mercy and the riches ofhis Grace in Chrill:. 2. For the CattJe : The Lord doth not only appoint the Meam, but by the work of the Spirit, he doth bring all the riches of his grace into the foul truly humbled: if you ask, How? Firfl, with ll:rength of evidence; the Spirit prefents to the broken-hearted linner,the right ofthe freene!Te of Gods grace to the foul : And fecondly, the Spirit cloth forcibly foak in the relifh ofthat gr~ce, and by an over·pierring work, doth leave fom<: pint of fupernatural and fpiritual virtue on the heart. Now the word of the Gofpel, and the work of the Spirit alwayes go together; not that God is tied to any means, but that he tyeth himfelf to the means: Hence the Gofl'el1s called, The pon>er ofGod to Jalvation, becaufe the power of God ordinarily, and m common courfe appears therein: The waters of life and falvation run onely in the channel of the Gofpel ; there are golden mines ofgrace, but they are oncly to be found m the Climates of the Gofpel; nay, obferve this, when all arguments prevail not With co~rupt1on, to perfwade the heart to go to God, on Text of Scripture will ftand a man 111 flead above all humane learning and inventions becaufe the Spirit goes forth in this, and none elfe. ' . This may teach us the worth of the Gofpcl above all other things in the world, for it rs accompanied_ with the Spirit, and brings falvation with it. What if a mall' had all the wealth and pohcy m the world, and wanted this? he were a fool : What if one were ab.le to dive deep into the fecrets ofNature, to know the motions ofthe Stars, to-fpeak · wa~·the ;ongues of men and Angels,and yet knew nothing belonging to his peace, what av01ls rt · Why do ;n~ value a .Mmc, but becaufe of the gold 111 rt? or a C.abinet, but . becaufe of the Pearl m 1t? 0 th1s IS that peariJVeJell allfor. . , _ . Wo.ulde~ thou know w~ether thou art carnal or fpiritual ? obferve then, if tliou ha(t the Spmt, lt ever c~me W1th the Gofpel : See then, how the loui flands affec'ted with the Gofpel, and fort ll:ands affected to the Spirit, ·Is it Jo (may every foul reafon With I 2 tt Col. 2. 3; Jr•. 6r, Vfl Vfe I,

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