164. .Sermon 3. There are three or four particular díre6tions in this ge- neral one ; IV, Such as would be at the knowledge of God's mind, would betake themfelves to him, and fir up themfelves to be at more immediate nearnefs to him, that, when the Çonfcience fpeaks not to them, they may go to the Lord himfeif, to get force word of anfwer from him, as Habakkuk did, Chap. 2. v. i. while he Pays, I will get me to my watch- tower, &c. The prophet had his own darknefs there, and was in fame 'little dump ; the vifion did not fpeak for the time : What courfe takes he in this cafe ? Ike refolves to aft the part of a watch- man, who goes up fame fleps higher, and yet again fame ífeps higher, even till he come to the top of the watch- tower, that he may thence fee the more clearly : Even fo,the nearer that any be to God, they are in the greater capacity to take up the mind of Confcience ; for then there is both the greater awe on the Confcience to make it fpeak, and the greater clearnefs in us to help us to take it up : And when we win not to clearnefs in the outer - room (to fay fo) of Confcience, we would go in to the holy place ; and, if we win not to clearnefs there nei- ther, we would go in to the molt holy place, till we come even to the mercy -feat itfelf, where God ufeth not to fail to give his anfwer : For there is one thing that loth Chriftians much wrong, which is, That,when they cannot win to take up God's mind fo foon as they would, they pray more faintly, and are difcouraged to approach the nearer to God ; whereas they fhould do the juíf contrary, after yob's example, who rays,. in his dark condition, Chap. 2.3. v. 2. 0 that I knew where I might find him, that I might even come to his feat! The fecond direction in reference to this is, That perfons would obferve well what meafure or degree of light God gives them, and would welcome it thankfully, and carefully make ufe of it ; tho' they come not to clearnefs in the whole cafe together and at once, if they win to know what to do to -day, or for the prefent none, they would (as I laid) welcome that, and make ufe of it : Thus 'ris faid of Abraham, Heb; rt. S. That by, faith being called of God, he foojook his country, and went out, not knowing whither he went. Sometimes God will call a perfon to go this
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=