S a c T. IX. ofCon or Turning WOGad. ana_Amery , acrdoar eanverfonunto gel, patsat in aflate òf freedom, andliëertjf. Of what avian re overcome , that uheafervantto, faith theApoffle,2 per. 2.10. Now then,thou being dailyMaftered by filch mils, dailyovercoat by fuch fins, thou art made a Slave and Vaffaf: And if liberty be Bonum ineflimab`ile,,a good that cannot beprized, yea, as theRabbins fay, If the heavens were Parchment,and the fea Ink, it couldnot fufficiently contain rhe praifes ofLiberty ; How much rather is this true of fpiritual Liberty, when the fonof God bath indeed made Us free? Why then canif thou endure to lie in the Dungeonoffin tobe kept prifoner and Captive in the Divels Mares And if thoufai:ff, I finde no thraledome, I feel no miferie or bondage in ferving fin: It may be fo ; but therefóre chy mifery is far the greater : A man may defyrattly be tick, andyet not feel he is fo : And fo maiet thou be kept fart in the Chainsoffin,and yet apprehend no burthen at alI,liut thou art to believe the Wordof God againff thyown fenfeandPeeling; that makes it fuch a Captivitieand flavery. Oh thereforepray to have this Captivi tie tutned Why do I live in a Dungeon, when God bath glorious manfion places ? Why do I feed on husks,whenGod bath fachdainties fora true convert?leave offthis drudg:- ry to fin: The dtvel is an ill maffer;fils thee withmudhtrouble here,and eternal tor- ment hereafter. Seventhly , Turnonto God, becaufe hewill then tarn untothee, for fa he promi_ Pith. Do thou turn wish an holy change , and he will With a gracious change: Thou hadll thy backon God, andGod turned theback uponthee. Thou wait an enemy to God , andGod was an enemyto thee : Bitewho can fraud under his enmity ? Whocan endure his wrath ? Sue Upon the fouls turning coGod, what an happy change and turn ismade in all Gods difpenfations ? The Creatures are now turned whenhe is turned ; for theygroaned under him as under a burthen. TheAngels are now turned rohim whenhe is turned ; for they aie reconciled ; and cake him fora fellow fervant. The Scripture that iscorned allo; for whereas beforeevery page did fpeak terror,and breath forth anger, now it breaths onely comfort andconfolation to filch. The providence ofGod is now turned ; for whereas before every thing was a Curfe, and Wrought to thy Damnation , now eve- ry thing worketh to thy good,attd furthers thy falvation, Tea nowGod isturned; ( to fpeak after the manner of men , though the change is properly in us, not in him) for he that was an enemy, thát was angiy, that accounted all thy prayers Abhominatrons , that askedil thee, Whatchoti hàdft todo totakehis Name in thymouth: Nowhe becomesa gracious 'Father , anfwereth prayers, and welcometh thee into hispretence. Thus you feehow Happy a thing it is to turn toGod, for then every thing in Heavenand Earth, becomes lfo turned for thy good. Eighthly, Turnunto(brig, forheis the triteand refs fór the foal. Toni heard converfion was a motion , andall motion is at laft for Tome reft : Now all the while thyheart moveth after any fin, or Creature, as if happineffe were to be found there, thou art carried out in reftleffemettions, thou turnetf toone thing; and thento another,and in all there is vanity. Turn then to that God, which if once cartedof, thyfoul will thirff no more , thou wilt beat thy imam ës end, thou wilt delire to have nothing elfe. Thus David, when have I ínHeaven but thee,and *ham in earthbut thee? When his foul was turned to God, he was like the Dove returned to the Ark : He was Ike anhoule on the rock. Whereas every wicked man is like a man ina burning fever, or in esquifitepains and torments of body; he turneth on this fide, and curneth on that fide, and cangetno rat or eafe. Thus it is here; the wickedman turned)from one Mil to another, from one fin to another, but canhave noeafein all. Iftherefore thy foul be wife, thou wilt thinkon chele things : Thy aftìonsarea way, as'the Scripture oftencalls-them, and fo theywill lead to lone end : if they be the way of fin,'they lead to death and damnation i Why docfIthounotthinkof turning to God? for in any thingthat is not God, --- there
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