Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Book. I. Looking unto :Jefus. John 16, ); have not known the Ftttber, nor me; they have not known the Father in his Word, nor me in my natures, offic~s, fufterings, exaltations, communications; very miferable is the carnal mans ignorance ofGod and Chrifr, he hath no faving knowledge of Jefus. z. Such a one is without grace, without holineife; Chrifl u ~Cor. 1.30. our wifdome and fan8:ijication, as well as righteoufneJTe and redemption. Where Chrifr i~ not, there is no fpiritual wifdome, no inclination to the wayes and works of fanCl:ification. / 3. Such a one is without cuntentation; the foul in this cafe findes nothing but emptine.lle and vauity in the greateft abundance. Let a man have what the world can give, yet if he have not Chri(t, he is nothing worth ; Chrift is the marrow and fatneife, the fulneifeand fweetneife of a.ll our endowments; [eparate Chrifl from them, and they are bmer, and do not ple:1fe us, empty, and do not fill us. 1 4. Such a one is without any fpiritual beauty, there u nothing in him but fore.r and [we/lings 1 and wounds and putrefaRic-n.; trom the fole of his foot, to the trowne ofhis head, there is nothing in him but loathfome and incurable maladies; hence the greatefr finner is the fou ldl: monfrer ; bodily beauty without Chrdl: is but as greenegraffe upon a rotten grave; did man fee his uncomelineffe and deformity without Jefus Chrifr, he would frile himfelf as the Prophet {l:iled Pa(bur, Magor-Miffabib,je.Jre. round abottt, every way a terrour to himfelf. • 5. Such a one is without peace : there is no true, fpiritual, heavenly peace, no joy and peace in the holy Ghoft without JefusChrift; {oram asking {ehu, u it prace? was anfwered, 1 Kings 9 , a . what haft thou to do rrith peace fo long M the whoredomes of thy mother 'fez.abel , and her witchaafts are fo many ? a Chrifr- ' leffe man asking, is it peace 0 Meifenger of God ? he can look for no other but {eh,t's anfwer, What haft thou to do, 0 carnal man with peace, fo long as thy lu!l:s are fo frrong within thee,and thy e!l:rangementsfrom the Prince of peace, fo great? the foul that is without J efus Chrifr. is an enemy to the God of peace, a {l:ranger to the Covenant of peace, uncapable of the Word ef Jer. 10. 3• Ifl. 57.~ 1, peace, an a! ian to the way of peace, there uno peace to the wic-kfd faith my God. . ' 6. Such a one is without acceptation with God the Father: · · · Chrift

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