I0 Chrifis coming if at our midnight. up for him ; yea , he don't come till midnight. And does it argue love , for one man to fit up andwaite for another ? and not love in our foules to fit up and watch , and waite for Chrill ? Chrift loves to fee our love exercifed ; and therefore fayes he , though I intend to Pave , and helpe fuch perfon , yet Ile flay, and flay long ; I will not helpe him prefently , I'le fuffer a night , a darke night to come upon him , fo (hall I fee his love in waiting for me. Real: 2. Secondly , Chrift loves to chewmercy tohis people in fuch a way,, as he may hide pride frommen ; he would not have his people to be proud of mercies. And upon this account fayes the text, in the 33. of 7o6. Hefeales on inftruCtion in the night , that he may hide pride fromman. When a man is a- wake , he tryes things by reafon , and if reafon like them, then theydo paffe for currant ; if reafon don't approve them,, then theywill be rejeaed : but in a dreame , in a deep fleep, the mind receives things, not examining them by reafon. Now in the great things of God , the leffe hand reafon hath, Rationes and the more Faith, the better. Reafons going before Faith, pixceden- do diininifh it but Reafons following Faith, ftrengthen it, fay the Schooles. Faith ennobles aworke. The more a man ufhers in a bufineffe withhis owne reafon , the more apt to beproud thereon : but in adream,in a deep fleep,there is little of reafon to be ufed ; and therefore in a deep fleep he comes upon us , that he may hide pride from us. Thirdly, Chrift loves to come fo, as he may be molt wel- come to his people ; and the Idle expeaed , the more wel- come many times : and when is he leffe expeaed then at mid- night? If a man be in extremity ofmifery, and.a friend comes to vifit him , then he doth not onely bid himwelcome , but admires his love : Oh ! Sir , could you find in your heart to come to me now? what ! now at midnight ? this is love in- deed, Chrift tomes to be admired of all that beleeve, (fayes the Scripture ) and therefore , when his people are in the darke in a darke night, then he choofes to come, and then efpecially; and then a.mans heart doth melt with love to Chrift tes nunu- unt FL- dew, fub lequentes augent. Reaf. 3.
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