·. 294 ·The Trial (!)f indeed, that he has no fpecial interefi in Chrift and his rig~teoufnefs ; but he would fain have it: all i~ faplefs to him without it ; his foul within him cries, . Give me Chrijl, or el{e I die: and he is content to part with all for him, and to take him for all. This, i~ taught us in the parables of_the treafore hid in the , field, and ofthepear! oftreat price, the finding out of which moves to fell all and to buy the,m, Matth.' :x.iii. 44, 45, 46. Howbeit this efieem and defi.re of Chrifi, is differ– ent fi·o·m that, which follow ' upon the foul's union with qhri~, when once faith harh taken poifeffion of him arid. his benefits, and hath got a view of his in· trinflck fupereminent worth, ;md value, the which is mentiot1ed; ·1 Pet. ii. 7. Pfal. lxxiii. 25. The true. , fpring of all this efieem and defire, is the .principle offel.fpre.feruation, and the v~ew of Chrifl is fuited to that end. The merchant-man is Jc~~ing goodly pearls for his own enriching i and fceing that the ime pe(lrl will anfwer that defign, he is refilefs till he have it. The poor finner is hotly pur'fued with the , . . law's curfe,which is fiill ringing death and damnation in his ears. In the mean time, he gets a difiant view: 9fthe .ciry ofrefqge; and . therefor~, he makes for- · ward to i't with all fpeed : but what makes him run~ bu't life, life~ precious life, that he may not perHh ? Verily, h'e cannQt be expeCl:ed to act from ' a more Jtenerous principle,. before he is united to Chrifi~ John xv. 5· Without me ye can do nothing. But let bim not fe-ar, ,he is welcome to Chrifi, ev~n coming to him from no highe,r prindple. The truth is, The . Lord JefU!~, by his· Spirit, fets the princip-le of felf. · prefervation ·aftir, being a thing in itfelf good, and ufeth it as-a mean to hafien finners unto him. This is evident from the tom plain-t, John v. 40. Andy e will not come to me, tha,t ye mig!Jt have life.Can one lmasine our Lord willn-j ect a finner coming to him · . for
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