Baxter - BT767 B28 1662

Part II. / burden of any :O:r'ong corruption, now he would value the mortifying and quickninS· gra.cc ~f the H.oly Gho!l:, that would break his bonds, and gtve h1m !Jght and hfe and firength ; and by his anfwer judge of the value of a S~crament. We ~ave here the gre~tdl: mercies in the ~orld, brought down to us m fen fible Reprefe.ntatioru, that they m1sht be very neer. us, and the means might be fuited to the fra1lty and mfirm1ty of our prefcnt flare~ · lf the fealed meffage of Gods Reconciii11tion with us, and a Julied pardm of all our fins, and a fealed grant of Everla{fing life, be not more pleit{ant and defir~tble ro your thoughts, then all that earth and fleih ~an yield you, it is becaufe youli are alive to fin and dead to God, and want thatfpiritual fence and appe– tite, by whi{;h you might be competent iudges. If God, if Chrifi, if grace, if the foretafl:s of glory can afford no pleafure to the foul, then Heawen it [elf would not be pleafant. But if tlufo arc fweet; the Sacrament is fwect that doth convey them. . Well, poor fiubborn carnal finners 1you have been invited to this fcaH: as well as others ! we are fent to call you, aDd even compel you to come in (though upon the terms and in the W<J.Y of Chrifi ! ) but you have no gre~t lift ; but fomewhat elfe doth pleafc you better ! And will it ·prove l:>ettcr indeed to you at the end ? Wcl\, take -y<:mr own choice 1 If an Alehoufe be better then the Table of the Lord ; if your merry companions do pleafe yolil better then the Communio.n of the Saints, or if you cannot (ubmit to thewder and difcipline of the family of Chrift, that you may partake of his provifion, you may follow your own ~o.rrupt defires, and fee whither they will lead you ! But: ~ere tt 1sthuHhal\ choofe my plea[urts till I reach the e~erlafimg plcafure~. And though in this low communion of imperfeCt Saints, we fee but in a glafs, and have but fome fl'Qall imperfeCt: rafts of the glorious things which Hope expecteth; yet this is more then all that earth and fl.dh can yield : and it is mofi per– fect Pleafure that by thefc is re~ealed, fealed., and Reprcfented. ~acra~cn~s can affure us of pcrftU joys, though theygiveus but ltttle JOY m han,d. Obj. But if Sacraments ~e fo ple~tfant, why then (faith adif– confolat~ foul,J have !found no.more pleill[are er comfort in them? tA~~Jjw. Evenm the foul thats made alive by Grace difeafes may · _P p 3 - , fl.iUCO

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