34. eiVindicationofOrdinances. Gofpel, and not the Gofpel ? for our Gofpel, becaufe he (peaks of the Gofpel, as it was preached by them in the Mi- niftry in the difpe.nfatio.n thereof ; for our Gofpel came not to you in word only ,but alfo inpower ; it came in power, and not in word ; therefore faith he, Hereby it appears that ye are elected : Would you know whether you are ele6led or no ? hereby it appears, For our Gofpel came not unto you in word only,but alto in power. But how may it appear that it came in power ? At the 6verfe, Andye becamefollowers of to, andof the Lord ; having rtceived the Nord in muchafflifli- on, with joy ofthe Holy Ghoft ; here's Faith, Faith exercifed here ; fo Lfay, it Ihall be an Argument toyou, that ye are chofen and precious,when as you mingle theAppointments of Chrift with your Faith ; Come unto Chrifts Appoint- ments, but Oh ! come be leeving, come beleeving. It may be fome poor-Soul will fay, Oh ! but I cannot beleeve, I can keep clofe to Ordinances ; but I cannot beleeve, I can- not receive them fo, Why but if thou dolt leave off thy parly with Satan in the time of temptation meerly upon Urals Command , thou doll hear him, and hear himeffectually : for fuppofe now that a mans .Son beTreating ( in a way of Marriage ) with another mans Daughter, and the Father doth not like the Match,the Father comes unto the Son, & faith, I would not have thee fon to marry there;but I have a match for you in fuch a place, fuch a woman that is fit for you every way; Son, Iwould not have you go on where you do : then faith the Son, Father, I amwilling with all my heart to hearken to you, but my affe&ions are not in mine own hand, I can- not love where I lift; as for the perfon you point at, and the motionyoumake, my affections donot yet come unto it,but this I wil do Sir, I wil prefently knock offwhere I am, and I wil fttive to love where you would, have me : doth not this Child hear his Father now, in that he knocks off, and will go no more to the perfon that he was in parley with, although for the prefent he cannot love the per- fon his Father would have him love ? So here, the Lord would
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