Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v2

Chap. 4, An Expof tion upon the Bookof J O health is committed with greateft privacy ; and to fay a thing is brought by Health, is as much as to fay, it is brought privately, Thirdly,a thing done by fiealth,is done unexpec` edly. A man fel- dom looks for the Thief, he is upon him in the way, upon him in his houfe,before he is aware. A Thief is ufually as unexpec` ed, as he is an unwelcome guea. So this word came or was brought in by Health, becaufe it carne fuddenly, it came tilently, and it came unexpectedly to Eliphaz. And in thefe three retpe±s,Chrifl him - Red rs,, 5. felt is faid to come as a Thief , Behold I come as a Thief in the night. As the word of Chrifi comes to many ofhis people now,fo the perfon ofChria will come at the !ail unto all, He will come by ffealth,or as a thief, fuddenly, fecretly, unexpefkedly, when the world (hall little dreamof him, and his Church fcarce be awake for him. Note from this,£trfl,Tbat divine truths are infufed into us,not born in sts,er bornwithus; every thing which is ofHeaven conical un- to us from Heaven;it is either Holn in fecretly,or thundred in loud - ly:fometimea the Prophets and Minitlersof Chri},fpeaking aloud, carry truth into the foul:fometimes God whifpers it into the fouls one way or othcr,truth muf bebrought in,for it grows not in us: our hearts by natureare not only like white paper, having rro in- . fcription, not a letter of Gods will written in them, but they are like paper blotted or blurred, written all over with the corrupt principles anekpofitions of our own wills, God by his Spirit fiat croffes or wipes out thofe, and then writes down his own golden tules,oflaoly truth andheavenly wifdom. This he Both, lira in converiì®st from tin to grace and holinefs, and afterward in all the increafes of grace,and growths of holinefs, 7bere is not 'a/ÿllable of the law ofGodin any mans heart,till the finger ofGod writes it there; Iwillput my law in their mind,and writeit in their hearts, which is an allufion unto the two Tablesof the Law. They were firft written by the finger of God, and then put into the Ark : So God fire} writes the Law inour hearts,and then puts it intoour minds; he layes it up in the Ark of our underflanding and memory. Secondly obfrrve, That Godjiieals truths into the hearts ref bit people unawares. As they often expetl and wait long for ktiow- ledgc,fo they íbmetimes know before they expcd. A truth either in wholeor part, in the matter or clearer light ofir, comes like a Thiefinto the heart,fuddenly,fecretly,unlookedfor,in whichcafe it is ever true,tbat truth unexpeîicd it dautlywelcorrid. The wayof the

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