Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

----~---- 11-oolung unto jjdu.s'. Book I. Chap.:: SeCt. r. -;-:·&;;~re Clui!t is a je:dous Chri!1; now jealoufie is a paffion in th~ foul that will not endure any O:aring in the object beloved; the woman that bath a Jealous husband mufl kavr alll:e>· old companions: if fhe cafl any amorous looks or glances after them, the husband will be jealous, and jealo11jieis cruel as thegrave. Chnlltans, our God is" C>nt.s.6• 1 (, 1 iow God, our Chrifl: is a jea:ous Chrifl:, he cannot endure that we ihould Ieo\._ on any Exod.>o.1• other things, fo 1> to lull alter them. . 6. J)ecaufe all other things can rever fati;fie the eye; all thhtgs ~refull oflnbow (fatth Ecclcf.t.S; So'(n:on) man cannot utter it, the.~ye is_notjati.~fiedwith feeitl,g; tr ts.b~r weaned wnh looking on divers objeCls, and yet fnll deilres new ones : but onceadmtt tt to behold that glorious li oht of Chnil, and then 1t refls fully fausfied: hence tt IS rhat the daughters of , Zion 31~ eo.!led to come forrh ; Goforth0 )'edaughters of Zion, £md behold J(ing Solomon Cam. 3.11. 1rich rbr crownwh:rcwirhhis moth(r hath crOnmedhim in the day ofhiJ efpot(als, and in the ~ dey of thrgladnrfl of hi; hrarr. Go forth 0 ye daughtersofZion,lay alide all privatea~d emhly affc·Cl ions,,od look upon tbrs glory ot Chnfl. Asthe daughters of Jmifalcm htting or remaining in th~ir cha~bers, clofets, houfes, could not behold !he glory ofKing So!o•P.011 pafling by, and therefore thry were wtlled tO comeforth ofthetr doores: even fo, ifwe will behold the great King, Jelus Chrifl,in his mofl excellem glory (a fight able to fJtislie theeye , and to ravif11 the heart) we mu!t come out of our doores, we mufl corn~ out of our fe!ves, otl:erwife we c1nnot fee his glory ; we are t11 our felves Hmt up in a d:tr k dungeon, and therefore we are called upon to come forth into the clear 'light of IHh , and with the eyes of faith to behold in daily medltatton the glory of Ghrift jtfus. S E C T. IT. A n T:xborwion to look off all other things. 01\e word of Exhortation. Chrirtians :. I befeech you 16ok.,ojfall other things, efpe– cially all ev il things. I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing; I had t,.ed of rhe Rbetorick ot an Angel to perfwade you to turn your eyes from off rhefe rhings ; nay, if I h•d, all were too little, ir is God only muft pcrji•adc {aphet to dwell in1he mm Jf" Shmt; and ye, let me offer afew confideratiom, ..enrure at a perfwading ofyon, G • and !rave the ifTue withGod. on.9.. 1· 1 . Confider that all other evil things are in Gods account as very nothing; verily , ·~·ay m.1n at hi< bejf ejlate is altogether vanity; not only man, but every man; nor every Pfal , n1ln iv his worH conduion, bHt every man at his beft ejlate; nor every man, man " 39 S· at his beil eflote is little worth, but every man lt his befl: efhte is vanity, empti;;e{s, nothinl ; it tmy be fo in part, nay, bur in every parr,he is wholly, totally, altogether vanity• would any tmn think, rhar a great, rich, honourable man, whom we look upon with fuch ltigh admiring thoughts, ihouldbe laid rhus low in Gods eHeeme? 0 wonder, wonder! and yet 'tis no fuch wonder, but one day you !hall find ,the experience of this truth your felves. Richmen ha_vejlepttheirjleeps,andnoneofthemcn of might hnvefound their hand;, l'f•lmo 76. r. or as others render lt, tiny have found noihing in their ha•ds ; that is, rich men have palfed · over thislife as men Jo pafsover a fleep, imagining themfelves to have golden mountains, :md r9cks of dilmond , but when they awake at the day of death, they find themfelves to have nothmg. VJhy Chriflian, wilt thOle Jet thine eyes upon that which i< n•t? I. Ob- p ferve that ruhcs are not; they are nothing, thofe things that niake men great in the eyes of cov.•J·S· theworld , are norhing in the eyes of God. 2. Obferve t{JJt God would not have us fo much a. {<tom: <yes~tpon them, they are nor object> worth the looking on. 3. Obferve With whar rndtgnauon he fpeaks again!! thofe thar will fer their eyes upon thefe vanities, n"lt thouftthiilteyes upon a 1hingwhich is not? q.d. what a vain, unreafonable , fottifh ,. fenfelefs thing isrhis? 2 · Confider that all fuel; things (if they are any thing) they are but tri~es, deceits, rhon1es, mrfenes, uncertain things; this is an ordinary them~; it is every mans object, :md every mansfub)ect,1nd avery eafie thing it is to declaim upon rhennity,mifery,uncer– '-"'?tY ot the creatures; ay but do you make it the matter of your meditation, and beyo·u knousm tt, tlnnk of lt deeply, and defire God to qe in yo11r thoughts; Oh what 'Work wtll tt then make tn your breafts? 0 how would it weim your lol'<s and delires off all thefe tlnngs! Chrifli1ns 1 confider all thefe adjuncts ofall fublunary things; when the c_reatures ~empt you, be not inriced by the beauty of them, fo as ro forget their vanity· lJy, here IS~ flower, f~ire, but fading; hereisa gla!s that's bright,but very brittle. ' · 3. Confider

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