4 choice Bed of Spices. 0.....;=.0. and apply Chrift, and ref} upon Chrift alone for pardon, peace, reconciliation, juftification and falvation ; he that pores fo long and fo much upon his graces or z'oracious evi- dences as than hinder him from the frail and frequent aet- ings of faith upon Chrift, he cafts, contempt upon Chrift. Though the fight of a Chriflians graces and gracious eviden- ces be very comfortable and delightful to him, yet the fight of Quill thould be ten thoufand times more comfortable and delightful to him. 0 Sirs ! what are the favourites to the King himfelf ? What are the fervants to the Lord they vvlit.on ? what are the friends of the Bridegroom to the Bridegroom himfelf? what are all the bricelets and jewels to the Husband that gives them ? no more are all a Chrifli- ans graces or gracious evidences to the Lord Jefus himfelf. A Chriftian thould fay to all his gifts, grace, evidences and cervices, Stand by, make room for Chrift, make room for Chrift. Oh ! none but Chrift ; Oh !none to Chrill. Living by figs is moft natural, pleafing and comfortable to us, but living by faith is molt honourable to Chrift. It is faid, the juft fhall live by his faith, not by his evidences. When men pride themfelves in their evidences, and when men fecretly lean upon their evidences inflead of leaning upon Chrift,and when men bottom their hopes and comforts upon their figns and evidences, when they thould be bottoming of all their hopes and comforts upon Chrift ; on a fudden Chrift with- draws, and the foul is immediately filled. with clouds, fears, doubts, darknefs ; and all a mans graces and gracious evi- dences are eclipfed, and he can fee nothing, nor feel nothing, but deadnefs, hardnefs, barrennefs, hypocrifie, unbelief, felf- love, guilt, &c. Which makes him a Magor-zIAITabib, a terror to himfelf. Now the defign of Chrift in all this is to train up his people in a life of faith, and to teach them in the want of their figns and evidences, how to live above their figns and evidences upon himfelf, who is their life, their hope, their heaven, their happinefs, their all. Now Chriftians, the belt way to prevent thefe fore` foul-diftreffes, is in the mode- rate ufe of your figns and evidences,to live much in the frefh and frequent a&ings of faith upon the Lord jefUs5 and in fo D d 2 do- Chrift is ail in- cemparabie cordial, he is worthily called the canfolation .)f IfrAel, Luke L. Z Rah. t. 4. fieb.lo. 38, Col. 3.3, Col. j.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=