Chap.2.Se& .z 1 Looking unto Je(su. Book. IV. 3 13 t heywill of chis and that newes, every one ga pes after' it ; bu t there's no newes fo welcome to one even now ready to perifh , asto hear of a saviour ; tell a man in Cckneife of one that will make him well againe; tell a man in capt ivi tyof one tha t will refcue him, and fet him free againe; tell a ma n in prifon condemned to dye ofOEewith a pardon chat wi ll fave his life; and every one of thefe will fay, this is the bet:l: ncwes that ever was heard; 0 then ifit be good tydings to hear of a Saviour, where is only amatter of lo!feo . life, or of this earth, how much more when it comes to the lo!fe of heaven, co the danger of hell, when our fouls are at flake, and likely to be damned for evermore? what glad tydings would that be to he1reof one that could fave our fouls from that deil:royer ? is not fuch a Saviour worth the hearkening after? were not the birth of fuch a one good newes ? 0 my foul, ponder on the(e words, as if a~ Angel feeing thee il:and on the brim of hell, fbould fpeak to thee, even ~o thy foul. . 2. Confider Jefus in his conception, no fooner the newes _heard, but Chriil: is conceived by the holy Ghoil: in the Virgins wornbe ; this cencept,ion is worthy our confideration; what, that the great God of heaven fbould condefcend fo far as to take our nature upon him, and to take it in the fame way, and after the fame manner that we do? the wombe of the Virgin was furely no fuch place, but he might well have abhorred it ; true, but be meant by this to fancbfie our very conceptions : and to that purpofe he is con'ceived in an holy manner even by the holy ',·' Ghoil:; we muil: not be two curious to enquire after the manner of the holy Ghoil:s operation, who therefore overfbadowed the Virgin : thisis workfor our hearts and·not meerly for our heads; humble faith,and not curious inquifition !hall find the fweetne!fe of this myfi:ery. It was Davids complaint, Behold Jw.ufoapen in P[al. p . r: iniquity, and in Jinne ·did my mother conceive me. 0 my foul this 1 was thy cafe in thy very firil: being, or beginning, and hadfi: thou dyed in tbat condition, the word is expre!fe that nothing defiled nor uncleanjha/l enter int9 the City of glory; but here's the remedy, thy fi nful conception is fancl:ified by Chriil:s holy conception : the holine!fe of thy [efm ferves as a cover to hide thy Ori ginal pollut ions from the eyes of God. 0 confider of this! Jefus Chriil: was not conceived in vaine; he was not idle, doing noSf thing.
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