30 Folly of not comming fully home to Chrift. ohn h,Mat.:; .37. their greateft good. Men are commonly very evill choofers, Ivery unhappy refiners in matters concerning their everla- fting happinelie. Chrift, faith the Evangelift, came among bit g owne, and his owne received him not He came among his own by incarnation, taking our nature upon him, appearing in the forme of a fervant, but they refuted his fervice ; he carte in the riniftry of the Gofpell as an Embaffadour,publithing the tidings of falv.ation,but they ftopt their eares,and would not hearken to him;as a glorious and a thining S.ua,but they flux their eyes and,would not behold him ; he came as a Phi- fitian to heale them, but they regarded not his medicine ; he came as a- Shepheard to gather them home into his Fathers fold,but they would not be gathered by him ;he came asa ful and living fountain to fil them,but they -would neither draw nor drink ofthe wets of falvation which he opened to them; they received him not by knowledge as their counfellour to inftruft them, -by faith -as their garment of righteoufneife to cloath and cover them, as their rock to fupport them ; by love as their Bridegroome to marry their fouls unto him, by fear as their Prince to fitbjea their (elves unto him. Chrifts bleffed,free and gracious tender ofeternal happineífe is very tlenderly efteemed, very ungratefully refitted by many per - fons:ordinarily nothing is moreunwelcome then that which mott concerns mans favation. h O Jerujalem, Jeruf alem, thou that killeft the Prophets, and fionefi them that are Pent unto thee, How often, faith Chrift, would I have gathered thee together, even as a ben gathers ber chickens under ber wings, and ye world not ? Chi ft, like a Hen to her chickens, (hewed his love to them, his care for them,his willingnelfe to gathet them home unto hinifelf his readineffe to hide and prote& them under the wings of his power, his grace and fulnefP, from the Devil and other inftruments of cruelty,which like Kites in the aire,fought to make a prey of them ; but they would not, they wonld not come unto him, they would not beleeve in him, they would not embrace and receive hin,.The fouls ofnten are great ene- mies to, their own happines,very,prophainiy refitting Chrifts choicefi: mercies,highly valuing the cmptiiieffe of the world, bafdy prizing Chrills fulneffe `: fo that as fomctime Diogenes taxed
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=