1 1 ~ Book Ill. rLroking unto jjeftt.S'. firll: with us, he is the firfl mover, be begins wi~h~~ b-;fore we begin " .ith h~· bring them (faith God) into the bond of the Coven,wt. Now in this let us conform. doth he offer ? 0 let us embrace the offer ! doth he lead the way? 0 let us follow bin; fkp by !lep in that very way as he goes before us! let usnot prefcribe unto God, ler not us prtfume to appoint the eonditions of the Covenant; let not us feek to wind about the promife of Grace to our own mind and will: let us fl)t fay, We 1 vi/l bave it thnr, thusandth;u_ itJhall be~ or elje we will admit of no conditions of pe.1ce : Bur, 0 come, take God and Chnft U(On]us own terms; fubmit to that way of the Covenant, and to thofe conditions of peace which the Lord prefcribeth ; why, this is to conform to his gracious offers. There is much in this offer of Chrir1 and conforming to Chri!l:, aiR! there– fore g~ve me leave to enlarge. As in the offer God ufually fcatters fome litde feeds of Fauh m the heartS of thofe that he will bring to himfelf; fo it is worth the while to ob– ferve the w.ork of Faith in receiving and accepting of this gracious offer; only llhall not herern hmnthe L01d; butiwilllhew what tome conceive the moll ufual and ordinary courfe of Faiths working, and of the fouls conforming to Jefus Chrifl: in its d oling with Chrilt. As thusI. Faith hearing th<great things propofed in the Corenant of Grace, it ilirs up in the hean a ferious conlideration of thm b!efled condition that are in Covenant wi.h God; Dcut. 31· >9. BleJ!edart thouO Ifrael, apeoplefaved by the Lord-What Nation in the Earth u li~ diam.7. •J thy_pcoplr, even likf Jfrael, rrhomGodwenctoredeem for" peopleto himfeif.' Tiihewas, (fa1th the Soul) that I counted the proud blelfed, and the rich blelfcd, and the honoura– ble bleiTed ; time was when I placed my blelfednefs in other things,' as in Ricbes, Pre– ferments, Favour, Credit with men; but now thefe are become vile, and things p;,•; , 44 . 1 s. of no value; Faith mokes mchange our voice, and to fpeak as the Pfalmill, JJirffed are thepeoplnvhofe Cod tithe Lord. 2. Faith ftirs in the l,eart a longing delire arter this condition; good being believed, cannot but be delired and longed for; Defire naturally fprings from the apprehenlion of any good being made known; hence Faith (we fay) isboth in theunderilanding and in the will ; as it is in the underflanding, it opens the eye to fee, and clearly to difcern the blelling of the Covenant; as it is in the will, it purfues and defires the attaining of the Grace revealed; nor are rhefe defires faint defires, bur very earndt, eag<r, violent ; fometnnes it is called a thirftin,'! ll{ter God; and fometimes ~ pmiting afar God; and fometimes agafpingafrcr God: it is fuch a ddire as cannot be fatisfied by any thing with– out God himldf. 3. Faith flirs in the heart fome hope to enjoy this condition; I fay fo"'e hope; for Faith being ao yet in tire bud, or in the Seed, though its defire be ilrong, yet hope of obtaining isbut feeble and weak ; hence Faith is taken up with many thoughts : fain would the Soul be joyned to Chrifl, but being as yet difmayed with the fenfe of fin, it !lands like the Publican, .afar off; as yet Faith can fcarce fpeak a word to God, only with Jonah, it can l•olc towards hu Holy Temple. As a poor weak Babe who lies in the Cradle lick, and weak, and fpecdrlefs, only it can look towards the Mother for help; the call of dre eye exprelfeth in fome fort what it would fay; thus Faith being weak, it would fpeak to God, but it cannot, or dares not; only it hath its eye tO· , Chr. >o. "· wards H.~aven ; as Jehojhaphat fometimes faid., Our eyes are towards thee. It feels a need, and fdin would have · but fenfe of unworthinefs and the fenfe of the Law flrikes fuch a fear into the heart, ;hat it dares nor come near: Confider Ifraels Cafe, and we fl~all find it parallel to this : God proclaims on the Mount, I am the Lord thy God: what was this, but Gods offer to be in Covenant with Jfrael.' and yet the terrour of the Thunder was fo great, that Ifr,ul durll not come near: a poor Soul hearmg the Lord ro offer himfelf to bein Covenant in -him, Come Soul, I am the Lordthy God. Why alastt dares not come near : What am I Lord.' or what is my Fnrhers Ho1<[e, that I jhould enttr into a Covenant with the mojl high God? The Soul is unquiet within it felf, it is hurried roo and fro and finds no reil· it hears of peace with God, but feels it not; the,·e is much ado witil the Soul to funai~its hope; only Faith fets tbe mind again and a– gain to confider the promifes, invitations, and all other encouragements whic!J God hath given in his Word.• 4- Faith llirs in the heart fome refolves to go to Gods Throne, and to fue for Gnce ; Faith fpeaks within as they did, Who can tell whether the Lord will return-' And, " ma~ Jonah 3; 9· be th' Lord G•d of Hofts 1vill be gracious to the remnant of Jofeph. So, Who can tell· t.mos 5·•5· faith the Soul· It may bethe Lord will, faith the Soul: and this begets fome refolves, ' - as
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