A choice Bed of Spices. 203 r--.:e.orawa**.mas... grity of heart before the Lord, that if God and Chrift, grace and glory, holinefs and happinefs were offered to him on the one hand, and all the honours, pleafures, profits, delights,. and carnal contents of the world were offered him on the other hand, he had infinitely rather ten thoufand thoufand times chafe God and Chrift, grace and glory, holinefs and happinefs, than the contrary. Certainly fuch a foul has true grace in him, and a faving work part upon him ; for none can freely, ferioully, habitually, refolutely , chafe God and Chrilt, grace and glory, holinefs and happinefs, as their (fionalm bonam)chiefeftgood,but fuch who are really good. Look, as our love to God is. but art effeot of his love to us ; wt, love him becaufe he firft loved us; fo our chafing of God for our God, Alit an effeA of God's chafing us for his people ; we chafe him becaufe he firft chofe us : Such, who in their ferious choice, let up God and Chrift above all other per- Ions and things, fuch God will certainly make happy and blef- fed for ever. God never did, nor never will, rejea thofe, or damn thofe, who'really chufe him for their God,and for their great all. The greateft part of the world chafe their lulls rather than God, and the creatures rather than Chrift ; they Chafe rather to be great than gracious, to be rich in this world than to be rich towards God, to be outwardly happy than to be inwardly holy, to have a heaven on earth than to have a heaven after death, and fo they mifcarry for ever. That foul that with Mary has chofen the better part, that foul with Mary shall be happy for ever ; every ,man mull: stand or fall for ever as his choice has been. Bar, 'Eighteeenthiy, Canft thou truly fay in the prefence of the great and glorious God, that is the fearcher of all hearts, that thou haftgiven tip thy-heart and life to the rule, autho- rity and government of Jefus Chrift ? and that thou haft cho- fen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King, and art truly wil- ling to fubmit to his dominion, as the only precious and rig!- teous government, and as the only holy and heavenly, Nee(' and pleafant, profitable and comfortable, cafe and belt do- minion in all the world, and to refign up thy heart, thy will, D d 2 thy r John 4. 19. Deur. 7.1,7,8;9. Si4.10 7j 8,19. Luke 1Z. 21. Mar. 10.42. 8. Pfal.139.23)24.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=