Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Chap:z.Seet.9 LDoking &into fe[m. Book. IV.Part.VI• 1007 own inftitution ? in this refped: he thllt deJPifethyou,dejpi[eth me, faith Chrij, and be that defpifeth·me, defpifeth him that fenr m~. Luk. ro. 16 • ,Are not ~he Minifters ofChrift as ftt4rs in the right hand of Chrift ? they that would do them any deaaly harme, mufl: pluck them t!lence. Chrifl:ians! conforme you to Chrifl: in this poynt; you fee how Satan fl:ands at the right hand of our 'fofhua's to refift them, now then plead you their caufe, and anfwer the adverfarycs accufations. 6. Chrift by his interceffion [111wnu to the uttermoft ; 0 let us Hcb p ~. ferve him to the uttcrmoft; furely all we can do is too little to anfwer [{)great a love as this. Oh Chriftians! why tbould it hcc:fteemed a needlelfe thing to be mofl: rigoroufly confcionable, and cxa&ly circumfpe&? Chrift payed our debt to the uttermofl: farthing, drunk every drop ofour bitter cup; and now prefents all unto hii Father by way of. in_terceffion, and [aves us , ~~?ra.mhi~, throughlj, .to the uttermoft; why tbould not we Ia. hour to performe his fervice,and to fulfill every one .of his com- . mandemcnts, throughly and to thc·uctermoft alfo? certainly there is a duty which concernes us Chrifl:ians, as to be hot in religion, Rev.3 . I6. to be z..ealoJU ofgQ()dworkJ, Tit.2.I4, to walk circumfPeEtly, or precifely, as the Word·carryes it, Eph. 5. I 5. to be f ervent in JPirit, Rom. I 2·l I. to ftrive to enter in at the Hraite gate, Luk. I 3. 24. to coptend fw the faith, Jud. 3. with an holy kinde of v iolence to la; hold upon the JGngdome of heaven, Mat, 1 uz. Oh what ever men tbould be afraid of taking Gods part too much, or fighting too valiantly under the colours of Chrifr, ·. of being too bu(le about the falvation or their own foulsi . of being fin gular (as they call it) in the duties ofReligion; I,obferve men are content to be Gngular in any thing,.fave in the fet:vic('of • God; you defireand labour to be Gngularly rich, and Gnguhr!y. wife, and Gngularly valourous, and fingularly proud; ·bot you can by no meanes endure Gngularity or eminency, in zeale, and the Lords fervice; in matters ofReligion yo.u are ·refolvc:d to do a> the moll: do, though in fo doing you damn your own fouls, tJVtat.7. r 3. 0 come and learn thidelfon of Chrifr, he fa ves us to the uttermofr, and let us ferve him to the utrermoft, with all our hearts, and with all our fouls~ and v,ri~h all our mights. Thus . · '

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