Chap.~.ScC1:.9 . jLOJltmg Utito jlt{u.S'. Book Ill. 113 as-thofe Lepers in Sa~:aria knew they were'Iure to perilh if they fare llill, therefore they re""folved to try whether the .Aramites would fave them ; ?r as Ejfher knowmg all was imdoneiffi,e would not llir, fl.e would try whether the Kmg would hold out Ins golden Scepter . fo the poor foul knowing there is no way but periil1ing if it continue in it> natural Jla~e, therefore it refolves to go to God; Doth the Lord fay,feek_ my face ?. why, Jer. ;. .,. thyface Lord will I feck, .-· Doth the Lordfay, come umo "" ? why, behold Lord, I come umo thee,for thou .m the Lord ollr God•. And now rheJoul berakes it frlf umo God; it fends up complaints of 11 felf, 11 laments tts own linfull rebellious, 1t puts ou~ awhole~ol- !ey of!ighs, groans, and !lrong cryes rowards heaven ; tW>nfeiTcrh wah gnefand bmer mourning all its former 1mqmnes : 1tfm11es, with repemmg Ephra<m, upon Hs rhtgh; it !yes do~n at Gods footftool, it puts its mouth in the dult ; it acknowledgeth Gods riehreoufncfs ifhe ilwuld condemn , and call off for ever ; and yet wahal 1t pleads for g.:-ace that it may be accepted as one of his ; it fayes unto God, Lord I bve nothing to plead why thot< ,·ayft not condemn me, but if thott wilt receive me, thy mercy ]hall appear in me; 0 let thy mercy apper.r, rakg away all iniquity, and receive me gracioujly. Thus rbe foul lies at Gods Throne, and plead> for Gro<e. S. As faith is rhus earnell in fuing to God for grace,fo it is no lefs vigilant and watch· ful in obferving what anfwer comes from the Lord ; even as the Pnfoner ar the Bar, not only cries for mercy, bm he marks every word which falls from the .J u1ges mouth, if any thing may give him hope; or as Benhadad's fervanrs lay at catch with the King .of Ifrnel, to fee if they could take occaf10n by_ any.rlung ':'.luch fell from hun ro plead for thdife of Bcnh~dnd; fo rhe poor foul rhar IS now pleaumg for L1fe and Grace, 11 watch-. eth narrowly to fee if ai•y.thing may come from God , ony intimation of favonr, any word of comfort, tlur may tend to pekcc. 0 let me bettr joy and gladrcefs.--: I will ~car what the Lord will fay, for he will fpea'z peace unto hi< people. , 6. Asfairh waitsfor an anfwer, fo according:y it demeans it felf. .. x. Sometimes God anfwers nor, and faith rakes on, and follows God flill, and crie.s after him with more !hengrh, as refolving never to give over, rill rho Lord either fave or de!l:roy ; nay if the Lord will dellroy, faith chuferh to die at Gods feet; as when Joabwasbiddento come forth from the Horns of the Altar, and to take his death in another place; Nay, faith Joab, but I will die here: or as 'when Chrill faw no delive– rance come in his agony, ht prayed more earnrftly; fo a poor foul in the time of,its Agony, when it is llriving as for life and death, if help come not at firfl: call, it prayes Luke z: ;44' again, and that more earnellly ; faith is very urgent with God; and the more llack the Lord feems in anfwering, the more earnell is fait!' in plying God ·Vlilh irs prayers; it will 'wrellle with God as Jacob with the Angel; it will rake no denial, lmr will crave Hill ; Blefs ml, evm me alfo ; 0 fend me not au,ay without able!Jing. · ,, 2. Sometimes God anfwers in part ; be fpeaks as it were om of a dark cloud ; he gives fome little eafc, bur be fpeaks not full peace ; in this manner he fpeaks to the woman, go thyway and fin no rr:or&; he doth nor fay}. ~oo in pettce, thyfin isforgh.Jen rhee ; John 8 · ~~~ no,no; butgo thy wa)', and ji-1 ;ro more: hereby tanb ufually gersa little ftrengrh, and looks afrer the Lord wttb more hope; 1t begws to plead With God as Mo(es did> 0. Lord, tho11 haft begun to Jhew grr.ccuntothy fervant, go on:~ Lerd, to man1f~ft unto me all rhy goodnefs. Here faith rakes a little bold on the Covenant of Grace. it may be the hand of faith is feeble, fhakingand trembling; yet it takes a littlehold,' it receives fome encouragement, it finds that its former feeking is not in vnin. · 3. Sometimes God anfwers more fully and fatisfaC\orily; be applies fame 'promife of Grace to the Conf,ience by his Spirit; he lm tlie Soul feel ancltafle the comfor.rs ofhim– felf, or of fuchandfucb a promife, more effectually than ever before; Fear net (lairh · God) for I •m thy God: here faith waxeth bold .. and with a glj!d hear~ entertains the H-- .. promtfe brought home untoit. The Aponle calls this the emb>-acing of..tb, pror.nifes; .now H~~~~·,:~;; embracmg Im~bes an affer'honate receiving witl1 both arms opened; fo the foul .embracerh the promtfe,.and the Lord Jefus in the promife; and having him, li~e Sime 0 n, in-his arms, lt !ayes h•m 1n thebofom, it brings him imo the chambe~ ,of r!1e heart, there to reft and abtde for. ever. And now is the Co~enam rtruck bttw•xt,Godand rheSo)ll; oow ~~~Soul. po!Te!I:erh God in Chri!l as her Qwn;; it refts in him, ~~d i;; farisfied wiih ~tm, lt ~ra!ferh God for his mercy,..as Simeon did, when he had Chrill in his ·Arros; \t ~.ommlts tt felfwholly and"for ever to_rhat goodnefs ~nd mercy whicll bath been revealed [0 lt· 0 my Soul, hail: thou come thus by little an~ tittlqo touc~ the top 'iif'Chrifls golden CL · Sceprer?
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=