16o l The Spiritual-ailings ofFaith people in theway of a fpeciall mercy , but firft of all the fen- tenceofdeath came upon the bufineffe,and upon all the means that did lead unto it ? When did the Lord ever give any grace to his people , but firft of all the fentence of death pail ? when ever did the Lord give any incouragement in duty to any of his children , but firil a fentenceof death pail ? When ever did the Lord give any great injoyment of himfelfe to any ofhis children,but tirit a fentenceof death paft ? When ever was a poore foule madefruitfatll, but firfl a fentence ofdeath pail ? Oh ! never any more barren then I , never any more dead then I; Our Lord and Saviour Chrift , he promifes his Difciples , that he would fend them the Holy-Ghoft , the Comforter : but before the Comforter came, he goes away himfelfe from them, and they were left, and never in filch a fad condition as immedi- ately before the COPIrOrt r came. And ifyou mind it here, though Abraham had many ads of Faith, yet this ael offaith is tingled out from all the reft ofthe athngs of e4brahams faith ; wherein Abraham is held forth as a patterne for all beleevers. The grace of a godly man, is his foulesRefurreEtion, We are rifen, being rifen with Chrift, bygrace we. rife : Now fayes the Apofile , 'tis in regard of the Refurreaion, is with feed that is fown : it lira dies , and then it riles. The Saints,, and people ofGod , they have all their graces, and all their comforts in a way of Refurreaion. This is the way therefore God takes with his people. Onely, take along with you, thefe three or foure cautionall conii- derations. T. Firff, this is to be underftood concerning the great and the fpeciall bleffings and mercies which beleevers have. There arefome bleffings and mercies that are more commonand ordinary i fome that. are morefpeciall and greater. I do not fay, that this is true concerning every common andordinary bleffing that a beleever hash , that he hath no bleffing , no mercy ; but fitil ofall a fentence of death is put upon it, and upon all the meanes that do lead. unto it , but (I fay) its true concerning thegreat , and the fpeciall bleffings and mercies
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