Chap.1 3 . Se&+·~· 3L:UHLorns ~upper. 'l69 ' -~ ---- may be addition concerning one and the fame graoe, as when a mans grace and the fru· ts thereof grow biggcr,and more plentiful,when there are new degrees of the fame, ex.' gr. for faith, when from a mans calling himfelf on Chrilt, he c~:>1nes to finde fweetnefs in Chrift and from that grows up to an affierancc offaub: So for prayer, when we finde our prayers to grow better; .when more fpiritual corruptions are put into our confdlions, and ftrongcr grounds of fatth arc put tnt•> our deprecattons .or pettttons for pardon. when we have more enlargedncfs to thankfulnefs, more zeal to pray for the Church~s, when we go to pray with all prayer •md jitpplicariun m the Sp,rit: So for Eph. 6. 1 g obedience, when we abouud more and more m the work._ofrhe Lord,as tt ts fatd of the Church of Thyatira, tliat their !aft work! tverc more than their firft; when as the boughs are .Rev. z. •9 laden and we arc filled with thefrHm •frighteo,ifne[s : this is to adde grace 11nto grace, I or one'degree ofxrace unto another. Now if in this fenfe there be an addition of graces, Pbil... I or an addition of degrees, cxammc what ts the grace l or what ts ~he degree of any .(race that we want? - . . . . , 3 . Pray we fervently for a fupply of thofe wants m thts Ordmance : Imagme we faw Chrifl: compaffet! with all his priviledges, and protllifcs, and pardons, and mercies-, and merits;inugine we heard him fay,Comehither poor fonls,yolt that arefcnfible of)'OIIr wants, and of y 11 er fpiri.tual pov~rt);thtre is in me b~wels.of compajfion.r~ an_dpardons i~ft.ore; it is I that amyottr J¥ifdom, Rz.ghreoufnefs, SanClijicatwn~ and Redemption; lVhat ts tt y ou want? wh~t is it yo" rv01<ld have me do for you.' fhaU PlOt thefe fugarcd words of our Saviour melt your hearts , and bring you low on your knees? 0 Lord (lhould the foul fay) I beg ofthee faving J(nowledge, Juflify.ng Fauh, jinccr<.Rcpemanae,feY'Vent love: 0 Lord, 1 would fain have ajfitranL'< of pardon, ftrength offaith, power agamft fome fpec,allnft, healiuo vertue.r, to ffanch my bloody iffitu: 0 Lord, thatthou wonldjt beftow on me meek: nefs, ~r temperance , or patience, fJr obedience;, or quic~nings in thy Spirit: Lor.d, that a p~~Ydoil mig!Jt be[ealcd for all myfins, thitt Inught rc.·"vethe vertlle ofthy death, the com– forts of thy Spmt, the nwrtifymg offuch and fuch a htjf: Lord, thAt my Jmclean heart may beJan[iijied, that I may be enabled with more ftrengthto perform[11<-h a duty:------ 0 Lord, 11po" this very errand, andfor this very end do I now come to thee, for help, in this or that part:cular do I now come to thy Ordinances: .And, 0 Chrift, I bcfc.ch thee, fupply "/l my wants, and let me draw vcrtue from thee: If thus we w<:>uld pray, and come to Chrifl:, then would Chrift orit of his bowels and mercies, anfwer our fouls: Receiv~ (would he fay) the Grace youfeelwanr of; receive my Spirit, receive power againft tufts, ~ receiveftrength to obed.ence , rece.ve all the Graces of my fpmt ; for I am all in a/! to you. 4 . Raife and rowze we up our fouls, and go we to the Ordinances, with ll:rong ex– pectations to receive the benefits and Graces, we have prayed for; never any came to Chrift to be healed, but they came with a lhong expct'l:ation to receivo health· ifa leper came, he came with expectation of clcanfing; if a blinde man came' he ~ame with expefiation of feeing ; if a lame man came , he came with expefiation of walking, and we never read that any coming with fuch c.'epefiation, was turned empty away; the Crc~ple asking an alms of Peter and john, they faid to him, AliS:l· 4 · LoolzpntU, and then (fatth the Text) hegave heed unto them, expecting to receive famething ofthem: If we would come to the Sacrament, with our eyes on Chrift, to his John 1 • t4 Graces and Promifes, Ofhis fuln,fs (for he is full of Grace, a foutuain ever-flowing, and ovcr-flowmg) t•e fhould reccwe grace for grace; fay then, Chrift hath promifed to give in tile Sacrament his body and blood, the benefits of his death and precious bloodlhed; he hath promifed to feal pardons, to manifcft himfe.lj, to give power againil: lufl:, I wtlluow therefor~ go to thts Sacrament, with a particular expc[fationoffuch and fuch a bleffing as my foul ~ands in need of. SECT. 5· Examinationefthetruth ofourGraces,andjirfttifourConverji'on. ·ovr fins and want of Graces thus examined,the foul is in good meafure prepared; yet b~caufe the Lord Jcfus abhors to be food to nourilh, where he was not feed to beget, tt concerns all who deftre to tall:e of the fealing power of the fecond Sacrament firft to prove th~ fealing power of the former Sacrament, before they come to b: pounlhed as Samts , let them know whether they are begot and ma\le Saints : and to' that end they mufl: exlminc further, · !· Tht
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