Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

comfortable walking withGod. 367 yee that are upright inheart, Pfal.32, I I . It is not an arbitra- rieorindifferent thing,as force may fuppofe,to rejoyce,or to be fad. But a comfortable commandement is fweetlyenfor. cedupon us,by thefountain of all comfort, to rejoyce and webreake a commandement, ifwe rejoyce not. And there- fore we are bound in confcience to (hakeour felves from the duffto pluck upour fpirits,to expoffulate,anI be angrywith our hearts, ifthey grow heavy,as Daviddid:Why art thoucalf dome, 0 my foule, and why art thou di¡quieted within me 3 For we muff anfwer as well for not rejoycing, asfor not praying : for breaking this Commandement,Reilee evermore; asthat other, Thou!halt not kill (I know full well there are difference anddegrees in finne.) But here a weakeProfeffor being preffed to theentertain ment andexcellency ofthis joy, maybe troubled and temp- ted upon the furveyof thedefinition and natureofir. For this fpirituall Chritlian joy, is a delicious motionofthe minde, flirtedupby the holy Mott, from the prefence and poffflion of Chrill Iefnsour SoveraigneGod, dwelling in the foule by faith : whereby the heart is extraordinarily ra- ghtd and,faithdhe if be to I muttitell ne lindee and de- light. Now, you, feele no fuck fentible grafping ofIefur Chriff,in the armes of my faith,or atfuredpoti !lionofhim,that Idaze admit ofthis joy, ormeddle with it. But know that in the time ofthyfpirituallinancie,temp tarions, defertions,and otherdam pesanddeje&ciousoffoule efpecially; let thy feeling and acknowledgement be what it will ; thoudot} rnofr certainely enjoy theLord 7fur, even k!a aá bya tincere hunger and thir[f after him, and his righteouf neffe, andby thine uprightheartsadhering andcleavingun- tohim, as thyonely and chiefett joy : and byconfèquent art upongoodground, and by true right intereffed to all that joy, which the bleffed Spirit doth fo importunately prefle upon thee in fo many places. Here refreth thy memory with the revileofmy former diffinEtion of affurance ofevidence, andadherererce,: 4.Whav

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