78 Excellency of Chriís power. hath excellent power, fo ftrive to feele this power of Chrift I john 3 .8; inwardly in thy heart and foule, in di9olving the works of Sa- zCo .Io. ,s tan, in calling downe his kingdome and mighty holds within Ads thee ; as Peter felt the power of the Angel in fnfiting off his fetters, and bringing him forth of Herod: prifon ; as they who were poffeffed,felt the power ofChrift in cafting ont the Devil. Labour to feele this power healing all thy ipirituall maladies, as the difeafed woman felt the vertue of Chrift cu- ring her fickneffe ; fuftaining thee in all aflii &ions, as the Arke fuftained Aroah in the deluge ; reftraing all the fiery darts of Satan, as he reftrained the fiery furnace from hurt- ing the three children ; filling thy foule with all fpirituàll and heavenly might, making thee ftrong in knowledge as Sun in Iight, ftrong in faith as the tree in roots, ftrong in love as a fire of much wood in heat, thong in motion and comming home to God, as a River of much water is ftrong in comming home to the Ocean. Man that feels Chrifts gra- cious power and vertue, is the man that difcerne Chrifts ex -1 cellency : Chrift is even nothing in mans apprehenfion un- till man hath experience of this his powerful! and mighty working. When Ifrael faw the mighty work of David in overthrowing the great Goliab, then David was much fet by. Mans experience of Chrifis mighty and gracious working, makes Chrift very precious to him. Look upon the excellency of thrifts love, fee him loving and embracing the humble and penitent foules of men, as the Bridegroon:e his fad and forrowfull Bride ; fee him bind- ing up the broken hearts of men, as the tender and carefull Phyfician the wounds of them that are difeafed, with Lades hands, with fingular tenderneffe and compaffion ; behold him gathering to himfelfe, and bearing in the bofome of his love, and comforting with the promifes of his Word the wounded in fpirit and afhid in confcience, as the carefull Shepheard gathers and carries'the weal¿ and feeble fheep ; behold him like Jacob in his love ferving in the heat aitd in the cold for Rachel ; ferving him in manifold afiliitions from his eradlc to his croffe for our fakes, to make a Spoufe unto himfelfe; fee him in his Empathy and fellow- feeling aftli &ed in all the - a it7oin Marke f. Gen,7.I 7. Cal. II. I Sam.' 8. 3. Excellency of love.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=