Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

(hap. r .Sect.8 L~aking rmto J efos. Book iV. Part.4. 7 53 that God is more ·to the foul than all the world ; and the teafr difp leafu reof that God is more trouble tG that foul chan all the miferies tha t all creatures under heaven are able to bring upon it. ., 2. It difcovers the reality of this .glery and Ma jefry, , oft his greatnelfe and goodnclfe ofGod. Before anyfaith is planted in a foul, the very ufeof reafon may come to underfrand much of God and Chrifr, but in comparifon it looks upon God and Chrift as notions, conceits, and imaginary things; onlyfait hconvinces{ the foul throughly of the certainty and truth of fuch thi ngs ; . , where true faith is, the things we beleeve are m6re certaine to us than the things we fee, or fede, or handle ; fai th ' is fo lure in its apprehenfions ofGod and Chrifr, that it wi ll venture foul and body, the l_olfe bf all upon that account; it will beare any hard£hip, yea it will venture the infinite Joffe of eternity upon them. 3. It enables the foul to cafr it felf upon God in Chrift for all the good and happinelfe it ever expects. Alas fa ith the foul~ I have formerl y reHed on worldly things, I looked upon them as the only real fure excellencies that l had to enjoy, but nowI find they are vaine things, deceitful things, no better than reeds of EgyPt, vanity of van! ties; and nothmg is real, fure, excellent on this fi de God and Chrifi ; and therefore I wtll rely upon him,and none but him; it is onl yGod is an all - fufficienc good, it is only Chrifr that is the rock rh~t will ne.verfaile, on htm will! ro l my felf, I] A tO him will I make an abfoluce reiignation of all, I will betrufr him with all i have, and alii am; I will commit all unto him for ever, and ever. 4· As fa ith rel)'t:S all Ypon God in Chrifl:, fo it appropriates all God, and all Chrill unto it felfe, 1 11m my brhwds , and my be- C • l d . . . l . I h . Ch "il. d am.G.:. ovr t J mme ; t 1ere IS a mutua propnery . etwtxt rtu an the Church, and betwixt Chrill and the fonl ; Cbri fl bath a pro- , priety in me, and I have a peculiar propriet} in Chrill. Chrift ,tJ. t is min'e, fi) as I have none in the world fo mi ne, whom have I in (; 'heaven but thee ? and there is none Ppon etlrth that 1 dejire bejides p ai.73·3S'• thee. Chrift is mine, and mine in a peculiar manner, there is a propriety with pl'Clvia rity, my Lo,·d and my God. 0 the exceliency of faith! thic; Hep goes beyond all the rell; it is a blefTed thing to have a true tight 6fGod, tbere is much power in it; but D dddd ro

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