Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

3~6 Book IV. jLrolimg unto 'jjefug. Chap.p·ea+ and no fooner was he in the Spirit, and enrred i~-b~;-he-heard- the n-;;f.;;g of rhe fou; R<v. S· 9· beafts, and four and twenty Elders, faying to Chrift, Th,u art worthy to tak§ the book._ and to open the fca!J thereof, far that< waft flain, and haft redeemed zu to Gad by thy blood. Come now, and gather i~ all thefe feveral paniculus, there is in Chrift's blood in– clufively the perfon of C~mft, the pnce of fo.uls,. a merit and fatisfaction, a copious and full C.ttsfactwn, rem1ffion ?f fins, reconctl1atton wtth God, Immunity from dan– ger<, apaffage mto glory; I mtght add all other pnvtledges, benefits, dignities of the foul, for they all flow from the blood of J efus, and they are all contained either ex– prelly, _or venuaUy ·in the blood of Jcfus ;, and is not aU this worth the looking after? 0 my foul where IS thy languor, and fatnung towards this bloffed object?. Shall Ahab eagerly defire afrcr Naboth's•vineyard; yea fo eagerly defire it, that his defire 1! 13 Ucall: him upon his bed? and is not. Chrifl:'s blood better than Naboth's vineyard? how is it 0 my foul ? that thou art nor fick on rhy bed in rhy defires afrer Jefm? when David ~efired ftrongly after God 's Law, he exp;effed his longing> by rhe breaking and faintPfJI, 119. ,o, mg of hts foul , My foul brcak§th for t.>e langmg th.e it hmh to thy jwlgment at all g,, t''?''~ ;--and my fo~tl famte:h far thy fnlvatlon: Oh where be rhefe breakings and , Cor: i· , , famnngs? ll:rength of defire 15 expreffed by the Apofile bygra.ming, which is rl!e language of ficknefs; Oh where be thefe groanings after Clu·ifl:'i death? when I call ro mind that Chrifl:'s death is my ranfome, rhat Chritt's wounds are my falves, that Chrifl's ll:ripes aremy cures, rhar Chrill's blood is my fountain ro waflt in, and to be dean • how llJOuld I but pray in this fence, Hi< blood be ~tpan tt<, and ap anr children? Ob I am on~one except I have a llme in tbis blood ; why ir is only this blood rhat can heal my foul, ttls only thts Fountam opened to the hou(e of Davtd, and tathe inhabitants af rent· fa/em, that can quench my thirll:; and now I have fcen the Fountain opened, how nwuld John 4 , 5 , I but thirfl:, and cry out with the woman of Samaria, 0 give me thi4 water that I thirft no more ? But alas, I fay ir, I only fay ir. Oh that I could feel it ! oh my J efos that thou wouldll: breed in me ardent defires, vehement longings, unutterable groans, mighty gafpings; 0 that I were like the dry and thirlly ground, that a apes, aQd cleaves, and opens for drops of rain! when my fpirit is in right frame I feel''fome defircs after Chrill: s blood, bat how lhort are thcfc defires, how unworrhy of rhe things defired? come Lord, kindle in me hot burning defires, and then give me the de– firable object. Heb. 6.lJ, H;b. 7·"• SECT. I V. Of hoping in Jef.u in that refpeEl. • 4 · I Et us hope in refm, carrying on the great war~ of our falvation in his futferings "' and death. By this hope I intend only that wluch rheApoll:le calls full affurance of hope. Tbe main quell:ion is, Whether I have any part in Chrifl's (ujferings? they are of excellent ufe, and of great value to believers, but wbat am I the better for them, if I have no part ill them ? or if I fay I hope weD? oh but what grouod~ of t~at hope? it is not every hope rhat is a well-grounded hope ; full affurance. of hope Is an h1gh P,!tCh of hope arid every Chrill:ian ll10uld ftrive and endeavour after Jt; n_ow rhat we may do it, and 'that we may difcern it, that our hope is nor bafe, but rtghr-born, rhar the grounds of our hope in Chrifl:'s death are not falfe, but of the nghr fiamp; I I!Jal!lay down thefc figns.--- . . . . . . . . • 1 • If Chritt's death be mme, then IS Chrtfl s ltfe mme; and convrrfe, 1f Chnll s death be mine, then is Chrift's life mise. Chri[\'s active and paffive ab.edience cann?t be fevered· Chrilt is nor divided: we mull: nor feek one part of our nghrcoufnefs m llis binb ;norher in hi; habitual holinefs, another in the integrity of ·his life, another in his obedience of death. They 1hat endeavour t~ feparate Chri!l:'s active and patli~e obedience, they do exceedingly derogate from Chnll:, and make lum but half a Savt• our ; was not Chri!l: our Surety? Heb. 7. 22. _and thereupon was he nor bound t~ ful– fil allrighreoufnefs for us? (i.) asto futfer tnour!l:ead, fo ro.obeymour!l:ead. oh rake heed of oppofing or fepararing Cbri!l:'s death, and Clm!l:'s hfe; enher we have all rhrill: or we have no parr in Chrill:. now if rhefe two be concomitants, well may the o;e be as the fign of rhe other; 'fearch then, and try 0 my foul , llaft thou any

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