Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

On LuKE XIV. 13; the Tafle commends our proper Food to the Appetite, and the Appetite to the Stomach; but a foul Stomach <Jifaffeetsthe Appetite, vitiates the Pallate, and the mofl favoury and wholfom Meat is loathfom when the Difeafe is the Tafler; Thus if the Soul be in its due Temper, the doing the Will of God would be our Meat and. Drink, mixt with a fweeter Pleafure than thofe natural Operations are: but the Soul is fo corrupt and carnaliz'd, that it has no Tafie of the pure Delights ofbleffed Spirits in Communion with God : like the Jfraelites who defpis'd the Bread of Angels, and Impatiently longed for the Onions and Garlick and Flefl1-pots of Egypt. Till Men die to Sin the Supper of the Lamb will be inf1pid and naufeous. . . ·. . 733, The Carnal Mind as grofly mif<akes about Liberty. 'Tis horrible Folly to think true Freedom confifis in doing whatever the vicious Affed:ions require, in converlincr with fuch Perfons as foment and gratify them. Is that Perfon free that is fetter'd with as many Chains of Hell, as he has Predominant Lufls ! Was the poffell Perfon free who Jived affiong the Tombs, an:to_ng contagious CarcafTes ? Then a Sinner, that without the fear of Hell obeys his depraved Appetites, and affociates with thofe who are corrupt, :md Corrupters by their wicked Example, is free. But 'tis evident that the Mind, the fuperiour leading Faculty, is in Bondage while the Pallions reign , and the fenfual Worldly Wretch with his imaginary liberty, is the moll accurfed Slave. TiU the Son m'alces us frte from the ty_ramtoUI Power ofSit;, we are not free i11deed. Till Reafon enlighten'd by the Word, refumes its Right and JurifdiCl:ion, and leads the Will to 1choofc what is be!l: for a fpiritual immortal Creature, and the other Faculties to obe)r, we are the Slaves of Satan. Wben we are made free from Sin, and become the Servants Rom. 6 , of Righteoufnefs, and yield an ingenuous deli!lhtlul SubjeCtion to God's Laws, we enjoy a State ot L1berty. Nay, tl1e Serv1ce ot God IS our Glory. He that IO'Ved us, and wajh't! us from our Sins in bis Blood, has made us.Kings and Priefls to God. The moH: eminent Ads of Royal Authority are to govern the SubjeCts by equal Laws, and to fubdue the Enemies of the Peace and Profperity of the Kingdom: and when Divine Grace reigns in the Heart, and regulates all the Thoughts and AffeCtions, the inward and outward Faculties, accordmg to the holy, jufl and good Law of God, and fubdues thefe rebellious Lufls that di!turb the Order and Tranquility of the Soul. ( l·) Experience proves that a State of Religion is moll deligh;ful. Whenever the captive Soul IS refcued from the Bondage of hiS Lufls, and pretcr d to the Serv1ce of God, how fweet is the Change! and how bitterly w1~l he complain, other Lords have had Dominion over me, but thy Service IS the trueft Freedom? Dtd ever any of the Saints complain tha.t God is an auflere Mafler, that. his Service is a melancholy joylefs Condttion? No, m thetr EO:eem and AffeChons, hts L~w IS the mofl pure, prec1ous, fweet and profitable Good. His Commands are !'ot gnevou~ : they obey them froq_t pfal. r9: Choice and Complacence. They love the Lawg1ver, and hke the Laws. Communion with God in his holy Ordi~ances, is ~ ~eaven upon Earth to them. 011e Day in thy Pfal. 84 • Courts is hetter than a thou/and m the Vam ties and Bufmcls of the World. In t!Je Prefence of God is Fulnefs of Joy 1 and the more we are admitted into his Prefence here, the ~~r~1i;~::~f~~n~~~~ ~~t~s~11!!~ih~ ~~~~eo~1~~~~e~e~~~ 0~n~~~n~~ai~:~gG~~~~- t~~v~ who was fo acqu::tinted with God, declares, There be ma;,y that fay, Wbo wiU fhew us any 7,;:: ~Y 7;;~t,'i{~::~::t._1~~/;~::. ·{.1w7::~:e:,::;:/t"';J~y ~~;e "t!ril:~d'f.~iJiing than carnal Men rece1ve 10 the Spnng-ude of the~r Frult!ons. As one Spark of God's Wrath finng the ConlC!ence, 1S more ternble than the moll fearful Evils in the World : fo one Beam of his Favour enlighrning the Soul, is more fweet and ravilhing, than all the moll valued and delir'd th10gs 10 the World. SERMON XI LuKE XIV. 13. The Lord Jaid to the Serl!ant, Compel them to come i11, that my Ho11je may be full, 111. I Shall now prove 'tis the great Duty of the Minillers of Chrill to apply them• [elves w1th a holy Zeal to bnng men to partake of the Caving mercies of the Gofpel, This

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