Houston-Packer Collection BV4253 .B85 1649 .B85 1649

2. gmceandLovebeyond ifts. truth, I defire to know nothing but a crucified Chrill ; living things from a living hand do favor bell with me me, and my difpofition lies towards the fimplicityof the Gofpel; I am not fo much taken with the dailies, as with the corn that grows in a Sermon, & in a Prayer ; and through grace I have as good a hand at fuffering, when God leads me to it, as at doing ; and this I can fay in ttuth, That when I do fall into any great fin, that I find Tome abating and quenching, I cannot pray then, as I could pray before. Well, if thefe things be in you, and abound, be of good comfort., here is more than bare gifts, here is grace alfo. This is the &ft Confideration. Secondly, This Doarin looks wifhly alto upon thofe that have no gifts,upon thofe that are weak in gifts,have either no gifts at al,or very weakgifts,& it cals upon you to be ofgood Comfort ; There is many a poor foul complains,and faies, As for fuch & fuch rnen,they have great gifts,but I have no gifts at all, I have no Memory at all, I have no Utterance, I have no Elocution; I have no gifts in Prayr, I have no gifts in con- ference : Well,theway ofGifts indeed is an excellent way And hath not the Lord led you in that way ofGifts, that ex- cellent way ? yet notwithftanding, if he have led you in a more excellent way,have you any caufe to complain?Though the way of Gifts be an excellent way, the way ofGrace is .a more excellent way,the way ofLove is a more excellent way; What then,Soul ? what then? Though the Lord bath not led thee in the way ofGifts, that excellent way, yet, I fay, if he have led thee in the way of Grace,& in the way ofLove,in the more excellent way,certainly you have no caufe to complain. I Will you complain for want of that, which if you had in abundance, you would have leis time to tend your own Soul; ? Gifts are given for to profit with, Gifts are given for the good-of others,to do good to -others ; the more gifts you have therefore,the more you are to tend upon others,and do good to them ; and the more you are to tend upon others, the lefs time you have to tend upon your own fouls : Now,I fay, would you complain for want of that, which ifyou had in abundance, you fhould have lefs time to tend your own fouls ? 2. Or,

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