Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

938 Book.IV Part.Vf. LookJng unto!}e{e~1. Chap.r.Sett.5 your comfort, you are not able to performe any duty to God but there is a great deal offin in the fame; · yop cannot hear' nor pray, nor confer, nor meditate, without much fin; but Chrift bearcs all thefe fins, even the iniquity of your holy things and he prefents your perfons and prayerswithout the leaft fpot Rev .8. 3 •. to his Father; he is the Angel of the Covenant that fland1 at ·the Altar, having a golden Cenfer with much i»cenfe, to offer it with theJ.ra)Crs of hi& Saints, and fo they are acceptable before theLor • j. The Jewifh high Priefts, boar the name1 of' the cbi/aren of 1 Jfrael on a brefl-plt~~te of judgement upon their heartJ for a memo-- !i:JCog.lS! 19• rial before the Lordcontinu.tlly; and fo doth Chrift our great high Prieft bear the names.ofhis people upon his he:trt before the Lord continually. But how is Chrift faid to bear the names oftheSaints upon his heart? I anfwer. .- I. Continually, in prefenting of them to his Father as they are in him : how is that? why,he prefents them without fpot as !ph~~ 5,17; righteous in his own righteoufnelfe; Chriflloved the (hS:rch, thathemightprefentit tohisFathel', andinhim to himfe!fe, a glorious Church, mt having Jfot, or wrinkfe, or any fuch thing,. / 6ut that it fbou/d be hely, and without blemifb. 2 •. In his continual remembring ofthem: the righteous foal! p;alme 1 u.6. be had in continual remembr.mce; this is the fou\es comfort in a time ofdefertion , or in an evil day; if any cry out as fomePialme 13 . 1 • timesDaviddid, how long wilttbouforget me Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Let fuch a one remember that Chrifts redeemed ones are upon his heart, and he can !(a.4o. 14, 15, not forget them, But Zion [aid, the Lord hathforfak!n me, 11~d 16• my Lord hathforgotten me; Ohno !' can aw~manforget her fuck.,~ i.ng chi!de; that foefoould'not have,comp4Jion on the fonne of her wombe? ]ta,theyma'J forget, yet I will mt forget thee, behold I have grttven thee upon,he palmes of my hands, thj walls Are continually.before me ; the fons.of Zion are upon Chrifts heart, and' llan4s, and they are ever in his fight; 3 ~ In his perperualloving of tbern ; they ar~ ne~r and deare unto him, be hath fet them as a feale upon his heart; fo was the prayeroftheSpoufe; fet me 111 afeale upon thine heart, as afeal Ca,nt.S.6. upon thine .lrme, and then it followes, for love is as {frong ar death. Chrift hath ~n entire love to his Saints; he dyed for them, and · - now

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