746, Book.IV.Part-4- , I.ookingunto$eft~s~ ' Chap,I, Seei,7 nayfn-, -@athrufl his ~tff1d i1;tO his fide, he will not beleeve. Oh why {hould any {inner defpaire ofmercy ? thou fayft I am wick!d· and God {aith to thl!e, as I li'(Je faith th~ Lqrd God, I b,we n; plenfure in the death of the wick_ed, but that the wickfd tHrne from his wa_r, and live : thou fay-ft I am an unq{leever, .(am /but up in Romu.p. Rom, 14. r. 'Jade.:. u 13 .. Oal,6.I, 2.., Tim.~.14, 2$. the prifon of unbelief, under bolts, andfetters, that I cannot fiir one inch tow,~~rds he11ven; why fo w~s DidJmm, and yet he obtained mercy; and the Appltle tells ns, th;;:t God h11th confl'!ded all, or · jbut up a/1ogether in smbeli~f, that he might have mercy ~tpm. a//. He defpifeth none, rejeds none, abhorrs none, unleile taey con-. tinue to defpife , rejcd, and abhor,re the Lord; Oh what afweet poyntis here tQ gaine finners, to mQve, to melt, to thaw hard hearts ? the incredulitie otthis Difcipie turnes to onr profit . and tends more to the confirmation of our faith, if we are bu( ~eak then the very faith ofall the other Difciples of Jefus Chrift . had not Thomas disbeleeved, we had not r~ceived fo great enco;rage. ments, to have bdeevect in Chrifi, as now we have. Excufe me that I fpea,k thus much to encourage finne:s to come in to Chriil, I would be fometimes a Botllurgu, and fometimes a Barnabas; a fon of thunder to roufe hard hearts, and a foo ofconfolation to cheere up drooping fpirits. All Minifters may !carne of the great Shepheard and Bithop of our fouls, to have a refpeet in their minifiry to one finner, to one incredulous Thomas; we cannot be ignorant of thefe Scriptures, him that is weak_ in the faith receive you.-- And to the weak. I became 1u weA, that I might gainetheweak;--Andwe exhort JOU brethren, wlfrne them that arc unruly, comfort the feeble minded, (upport i'he weak_, be patient towards 11/l men.--Andoffome ht~ve compaffhn, makjng a difference; andothers fave withfeare, pulling them out ofthe fire.-- And brethren, if a m.tn be overttJlk.Jn in a fault, ye whic·h are JPiritP~~tl, rtftore fuch a one in the JPirit Bj meek.- nef{e. --And the [ervtJlnt of the Lord mufi not firive, bttt be gentle 1mto all men, apt to tutch, patient in meek_nef{e, inflrdJing thafe that fjppGje themfelves-, if God peradventure -will give them repentancr. Deare fouls! how do we long for yourconverfion and falvation? how are you in our hearts, in our prayers, in our Sermons? my little chi!drm how do we travel in birth againe until/ Chrifi be , t •ormed inyou f how gladly would we JPend and be JPent +or;JOII. ua.. 4·'9• J' J' , ,.,Corot M 6· though the more abundanti}_ we love JOI~, the!efe '!e are loved if )011?
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