Grosse - Houston-Packer Collection BT268 .G91 1632

h AEt, t 3°49a 48. Ioyfüll receiving ofCbrig:. and the fliadow of death, all light is but darknefle, and all i *' joy but heavineffc, in reípe& of that light and joywhich arifeth from the comming of Chrift Iefus ; and with great joy and gladneffe bath this comming of Chrift been cele- bratedby theAngels: Fearenot (faith the Angell to the Shep- beards) f behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which! 'hall be to a& people, for unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Savioor,which is Chrift theLord, andfisddeny there was with the dngell a multitu.ie of the heavenly bogy praifing God, andfaying, glory to god in the highefi , and in the earth i, peace, good will toWards men. 1 bus likewife the multitudeOf Difciples beholding and feeing Chrift come, obterv-ing his tniracles, and embracing. his ,do:tr.ine, they beSran to reioyce andpram godWith a loud voice for all the mightyWorks that they had teen, faying, Blefed be the King that commeth in the name of the Lord, grace in heaven , and glory re the highet. The true and faxing difcerning of Chrifis come ming, and mighty operation in the Gofpcll ever makes the foule joyfull : It is faid of the Gentiles hearing Saint maul to cite that prophecye ofour Saviour, I have fet thee to be al light of the gentiles, that thou Jbouldet be for fálvation to the ends of' the world , that they Were glad and glorified the Wordof the Lord ; they were glad, as a man that fits in dark- neffe is glad of a light, as a man that is arrefled is glad of a I furety to pay his debt ,. as a man that is mortally ficke is glad of a Phyltian to .heale his difeafe , as a man that is condemned is glad to heare of his comming thatbrings him a pardon; very fweet and ftrong is that foules joy and gladneffe which hath a lively tafte of the eomforts and be- nefits fpringing from tile comming ofChrift in the Gol- pell : They were not onely glad, but they alfo glorified the word of god , by underftanding .it as a word of wifedome, by beleeving it as-a word of truth, by obeyk It as a word of power, by loving it as 'a word 'of goodnefÍe, and by de- lighting in it as a word of .furpaflìng and comfortable fweet- neffe ; the foule that looks on Chrift with joyful] appre-' henfions is very aetive, and ready to glorifie Chrift by faith and obedience. Zacheus was-very, induftrious to fee Chrift very Au,?. Gzadeat fant7ua quanta' î, reoipíet rem.ne- rationem, gau f"deat peccator,j ¡ quoniam íavi- ry tamp ad veniá, i g,audeat,&c. s Luk. ;6,6,

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