u1Difcourfeoftrue hdppinefe. 177 veranee to the Captives, to comfort all that mourn, to fet at liberty them that arebruifed ; to put a fairer flame into the fmoking flaxe, and more ftrength into the bruifed reed ; to take offwith his owneholy hand, theburthen from the backeof all thofe that groane under the weight oftheir fins, and tocoole their fainting fouks withhis faving and facred blood. Bruifed fpirits and mournfull foules only,are capable of the comfortsof grace and divine compaflions. The wife Ambaffadours ofGod then, may be bold in this point; they Ifa.66,3, have their warrant under the Broad Seale of the Kingof Heaven, and cómmiffion from theOffice of his Sonne : if they finde that the Miniftery of the Word hath wrought true remorfe; and that the hammer oftheLaw hath ftrucken thorow the rebellious loynes ofprophaneobftinacy, and the iron (ìnews offenfuall pride; ifthey Ill:et withhearts toucht to the quick,and confciences ranfackt to the bottome : there, there, let them plie it with mercies, and fweetly lull fuch weary foules in the fofteft armes oftenderneffe, reft, peace, and all heavenly delicacies. A concurrenceof their belt elo- quence, ferventeft prayer, fpirituall experience, and compaf- fionate feeling,is too litle tocomfort in fuch a cafe.Let them, let fuch mourners in Sionknow, that ifthey Waite but a lit- tle with patience, longings, and thofe unutterable groanes, in the Wordoflife and truth ; they (hall have eafe,anddrink their fils out ofthe river ofthe pleafures ofGod. Yet a very little while,and he that fhal come,he will comeandwill not tarry ; andwhenhe comes, he will bring with him a pardon writ by Gods owne hand, with the blood of Chrift, and feale it unto their foules by his fpeciall fanétifying power, with fuch aftrong and everlafting impreflion, that neither man nor divell, the ftrengthof hell, or lengthofeternity, (hall ever beable tounloofe. Thefe things are fo: Gods Meffengers are Minifters of mercy, in fuch points as I have pointed at : butyet forall this, theformall Hypocrite mutt not carry it away fo. For the truth is, formali Frofeffours cenfure with fuch feverity, and fretting ; andwithmuch difdaine and indignation cry N 4 out
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