Greenham - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .G82 1601

God e5Wafter greenhorns 7eadrngr manof God, we can open ourmouthand pant. Now, if WC think that in others it is represe. able, that they have loft their former heat,and broken theirfirft loue; and we fee theholy Ghof{ reprehendeth theNicolaitans, and that they befnulc worthie ,who neither behotte not coId, whom theLord protefteth to feue out of, his,mouth,as hethreatneth the Laodiceans ; andIhai we thinke theCelli fame things not tobe reproneable,or blame worthie inour felues? Wherefore when we fide fuchcoldnefle in atfeetion,fuchJuke-warmnelfe in loue,we mull carnallyfiriue and labour inprayeragainft them. For where there is no fernencie , there is no loue in trueth: andifwe do any thing drowfrly, it is an argument our loueis cooled , and we are to fufpedt the deadreffe anddulneffeofouraffedtions. So that this may be thebriefe feufeofdie manofGods Becauf Ïdefiredtnhauemy loue fati.,fied,[panted. Canticles. If we looke into that heauenly and fpirituall SongofSalomon, wherein is fetdowue both the a, pure loue of Chrift tohis Church, and the ardentaffebtion of the Church to Chrift her fpoufe, n we(hall be a(hamed of thewant of our affeátions, the want whereof lothbreed the want of a, loue. Verfe 13 2. Laokevponme, and bemercifollvntome, as t(aouvfeff tode vero rbofe that ProOry Name. faErethe manof God continueth to (hewhis loue , in that nothingcan fatistie him , inma. kinghis ppetitions,faying,O Lord regardme,lookevpçn me tlyfrmant,not accordinoto thy iufice,but indealingmercifully with thy feruant. We areperadventure accuftomed tothisprai. er,andwe fometimehappily haue this affection, yet we do it not with the Prophet, to thepan. Ling of ourhearts, oropening of ourmouthes. We delirç he Lord tobegood and naerciluil ro vs, becaufewearc inforce miferie and d iltreffe, not that webane any delire ro lee the glorieof Godaduanced, in the accomplifbmentof his promifes. Let vs fee then whether weehave this affe hionoftheProphetinvsorno. Whydowepray for facour and mercieatthe handofGod? becaufc of his promife. This isfomething; but we ought to doit, becaufe wehoue theword: If our prayers, aswe bane faidbefore, could pierce the skieswith their fhrilneffe, ifthey were foe. loquent, as allmen were delighted with them; yet they findenogracenor fauour beforethe throne ofGod, vuleffe they being grounded on thegroin ifes ofGod, grow from a loueof his word. This wee fee, how firfi beeprouedhis loueto theword, inthat heopened his mouth and panted,and afterhe defireth, thathis lonemight be fa tisfìed We mull flrl't fee this¡n ittdgnaent, andafter bealhamcdof our felues. We maruellwhy we goon in love andaffeaian fo little; why we pray fo much andobrainefo little; we choke, we perfwade our felues,toharm askedmuchofthe Lord; yea, but not aright.For wemull foci-sue ofthe Lord to looke vponvs, that if bee fhould lookefrom vs, wee fhould hold our felues tobe moilmiferable. TheyoungRavenscraueofthe Lord when theyarehungrie, theLyonsyelland corefor bode, andboth thecrokingof the Ravens andyelling of the Lyons is Catisfied with mcate. If theLord fodealethwiththefe, which aremore inferiourcreatures then man, much morewillheedoe it to vs , if weewith likeaffedlion (hallcrave it. Effie Lord then looke not onvs, and bemerciful) vnto vs, we aregone, and then we are to !hew our longing to hismet. cie, and to cafeourhearts withprayer , according to the exampleprefcribed veto vs oldiePro. phet. Grlefes. When thenwe have griefes, wee lengui(baway withthem, t - asidmartyr our frittes; weehire upon the hardbridle;but herewe mutt haueour remedie,euen by layingour felues open,inGod his bofome: we arenot topineandconfume away with them,but to lay themdowne in thelap ofthe Lord. .Aloriont. Wiry doe fo fewgood motionscomevutçvs? orwhen theycome ,whyl3eete theyfofoone ' away ? even becaufe wee cherifb then not, norgiue them good entertainement, becaufe wee 'changenotour motionsintoplayer,bytpucthem toflencc, and (motherthem byother roving cogitations. " And6emrrcifullvntawe,; We fee thçrmanof GodPill defirethmercie. This is Atha beer- llcemeth of this is the thingwhich wemnftalwayçs,court, 2ndcoveting this, we may leaned! o ,er thingsaccording to God bùp(eafurc. 8

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=