Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

Book 11 Chap j.Se~ 7· z, Conlidet wh<Jm he colkth: Is it not thofc who are weary and he,wy hden? Is ir not thole who ate tyred and <'Wr-burtl~ened with the_weight of fi n) Chrifl,and all Gofpel-pro· m&s bdong; to them that mourn mSzon:T!Je Spmt oftbe Lord ts up•>t me([oirh Chril\)be· c.mfi be batb a~wi~tted me topreach thcGofPeltot~e pJor,be batbfont me toheal rhdro~en-h;amd. --- 0 tbou-affliCicd, aud tojJrd witb tempejls,tbat hafi ""cO>rifm,bebold I will/ay thy jlone 1 with fair coulm,a.zd la:,ziJ.yfoundations withSaphiw,(rc The fpirinnl excel! ncy offilCh a foul " declared by a hmthtude o! a goodly, coflly, !lately flruCl:ure, whtch theLord would bnild for himfelt. 'lbtts faith t}Je high a1td lofty one that inb;bitetb Eternit)l>wiJ/fe name is Ho0, I dll>ell i;t the high and boly pl<ce, n;itb him al[u t!m is of an_Jmmble cmtrite fpirit, torev~ve the fptrtts of tbe humble) and torevwe the bearts oftbe cmtt:te auts : He that lnth heaven for his Throne, and earrh for hisfoottlool,luth yet another T~rohc on earrh even in thehearts ofhumble contrite !inners: They tiJ.rfow in tears, {h. /I reap in j y; be t!Ja:goetb fo.rtb ami wuptt~, beating precious feed, ]hall d.ttbtlef come_#g•in with rijo)•:i11g, brinJ!.ing hujheaves wtth hzm: As fure as hatvefl follows feed ttrne, wtll comfort follow mourning ; for therefore Chnfl call~, that he may wtpe away all tears from fuch as wceep for fin; Indeed forrow for fin gives not the Soul an interefl in Chrifl as any caufe; in flrict lpeoking there is noother condition in theCovenant of Grace, but ot~ly bdievingin Chrifl; -yet bccaufe no man will come to a Saviour, but he mufl know '""at need he bath ofa Soviour, therefore we n,ufl fir!\ be convinced of fin, and mu!\ befmfible offin; they only will attend to Chrifi> Call, who feel fin a burthen; as ifa man be under an heavy burthen in fomcc dark night, and hears butthe noyfe of the feet ofone palling by, then he cryes out ror help ; fo the foul under the heavy burth:n offin isglad to hear of any direCl:ion out of the Word of God to come to Chrifl, and therefore Chrifi only calls them who arc thus qualified, Cume to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden. . 3• Confrder why, or to what end he calleth ; ls it not to ta~e poffdfion ofChrifl and all his graces? Is it not to come to a necr, and fwcet, and everl•fiing fellowihip with -Ouifl himfelf? Is it not to have his perfon, and to have his pri~iledges, rcfi, and peace, and reconciliation with his Majefly ) If Chrifl fuould fay to thee, Come into the garden, And there r.>atciJ and praj witb me, farrow andjiiffer witb me, would!\ thou not count it an honour> what is it then to fay, Come, a11d l»verell; c,me, and I ,.;/lufe , thee of thy burthett of ji11; Come, a11d I willfpril!k,/e thy CJnfcience with my blood, that thou"fh•lt be #bleto give ait aufwer toalithe temptationsofSatan; t/" " jh'lt havetl1y par· dDn n~w, and at the greH day of Judgement tby pardon jhn/1 be[u lwmized by men and Ange/J. Ah poor Soul ! why weepefl thou) Is it not time w wipe thine eyes with M.ry, and to fay Rabbani>Surely ifGod gives thcebuton heort tomoke this real to 10 thy foul, thou may!\ depart in peace, and go away, and blcfs thy God, acd fay with the Pfalmift, 0 now my [oulret11rn unto thy rejt, for tbe Lord batb de.zh very b0111t1ifu/!y withthee. . Ifyet thou fayfl, when is my farrow f~tllicient) and when mat I receive comfort indue fcafon) I anfwer-- 1· when tlie fG~I is weary of its bondHnd fetters offin, as much, or more than of the fetters of trouble; when· the chains of corruption arc grievous >' pangs of confciences; when thefoul hates Satan as atemptet, as mnch as a troubler,then is it ripe for comfort ; but when the cry is louder, Oh myforrow ! and oh my gri<f ! then oh my fin I and oh my guilt! When it follows G\)<1, aAd mea~• with, Oh give me comfort I but never with, Oh give me grace ! this fo'ul is not ripe for comfort. . . 2 • when the foul is contented, ifGodfeeit lit and necdfll! for the foul to be longer without comfort ; when a foul can pray in finccrity, Lord, if my rotte>t heart be not brokpt enough, brea"-it more; ifmy ft~rc~ed w~unds be HOtthrougbly [tare/m!. l•nc~ them, and fearcb them nme; if thil·e be any wzc1t.gdnefi J/1 me, fe.rcb me Lord, a11d_ try me tzllth9H. find it ottt; ifl wou/J be proud o!· thy [avo~r, or i[I >Va~ld ttlrJtthy grac"nto w•ntonnefi, or get ~bove Ordhwtces •11d duties o[Relzgt_O>t,orproudly,defpife m)' brethrw that art lvTPtr th•n I, _let tnt faft l• 11 ger from oomfort; here'' a foul ( tl any) that IS npe for comfort; but till a man come to this frame , it is a fign ,~e is not truly brokcn,and therefore eomfort to fuch a one wOLM be like raw meat, that would never dtgefl WJth hu~, the Lord hath not yet gotten th<; Maficry .over his will, anclthcrefore no wonder 1fhe la¥ morq iro11.s yet upoR him. SECT.

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