504 Book IV. Part. 3• L~Didng unto 1-efus. 'Cbap.z.Seet.3 .. Spirit, in his tenders and offers ofgrace; thofe that embrace the world with its pleafures and protits, and make them their portion; all thefe choofe BarabbM, and reject Jefus Chrift; little do we think that every wilful act of fin, is a [edition, a m,utiny againft our fouls, another 'iudM Galilem that ftirs up all the paffions of our mind againft our Jefus. I cannot but think what drawing, and foliciting of our fouls is made by vertue and vice in our pa!fage towards that other world ; on the one hand ftands vice with all her falfe deceits, and flatteries, her ternpta- ·f ' tions are f.trong, Come let m enjoy the good tkings that are preftnt, W1 ,:!.,S17,S,9 and let m ff'eedily ufe the creatures Min youth, let m fill our felv'n with coftly wine and oyntments, aha let no flower of the JPring pajJe by m, let m crown our[elves withrofe-buds before they be withered, let none of m go without hu part of jollity, let m leave tokfns ofour _ioyfulneffe in every place, for thu uour portion,, imd our lot u thu. On the other hand ftands vmue, or grace With all the promifes offuture happine!fe, fhe poyms at Jefus, and cryes, 0 come unto Prov. 8.JJ,I8, Chrift and live; wifdome u better then rubies, her frnit u· better l9· thengold,;ea thmfine gold, and her revenue then choyce fil?>·er; they that love Chrift [hall inherit fubftance, and he wilt fill them with treafures, even Tf!ith durable riches. But oh how many thoufands, and ten thoufands neglect this cry, and follow vice? what millions ofmen are there in the world that prefer 13arabbM before Jefus? ifwe proclaime it in our Pulpits that Chrift i.s the chief eft of ten thoufands, that he is fairer then all th~ children of men, that he is the ftandard·brarer, and there is none to him: that if you will but have Jefus Chrift, you need no mqre-, yet do not many of you fay in your hearts, as Pilate here, what [hall I do with ref~u that u call rd. Chrift ? or as the devilsfaid elfewhere, what have we to do with thee refm thou Son ofGod? nay, hath not , many times the fecret grud,gings of your relm'l:ant fouls accounted the gracious offers offpeedy repentance to be but as a coming of Chrift to rorment you before your time? why alas, what is this now but to prefer BarabbM before Jefus? you that fweare as the devil bids, and as Chrifr forbids, you that prophane Sabbaths, that revel, drink to excefTe, or it may be to drunkenne!fe, furely your. vote goes along with the Jewes, not thu man, but Blil-_ rabba.s. ~~ Q~~~ _ ~cave to look on the love and mercy ot G~d tn
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