was ofallthings nothingtothe.Want of COO. There is not the leaft charaaer or cognizance of Chrift upon them : they are without the power of Chrift ftreng- thening them, without the holinefe of Chrift fan,5tifying thm, without the fullneffe of Chrift fatisfying them, and without the goodnefe of Chrift fweetning their troubles, and turning all for the belt unto them : and mans thus be- ing without Chrift is matter and occafion of great abafe- meut and humiliation to the foule of man : man that is without Chrift hath nothing whereofhe may truly glo- ry. The want of all things is nothing to the want of Chrift : If c..2(ofer want a guide in the wilderneff: Ho- tab may be inftead ofeyes to him ; if Noah have not where to reff his foot upon the Earth, the Arke miy beare him up in the waters : l f Hagar have no water in her bottle, her eyes may be opened to fee a well : If there be no corne in the Land of Canaan, ,..Egypt mAy fupply them : If the Gibeonites be befieged,9oJhua may refcue them: If Peter be in prifon the Angell may free him: If the woman of Shunems fonne be dead, the Prophet may raife him. There is a fupply in Chrift Jefus for all mans ne- ceffities , a helpe for all mans diftrefl'es, a comfort for all mans forrowes ; but if man want Chrift there is none to quicken and rettore him to the firft refurreeion, there is,none to free him from the bondage of Satan, there is none to guide him in the way to Heaven , there is none to reple- nifh him with grace and fanétification , there is none to refcue him from the fpirituall enemies which doe befiege him. In the abfence of the Lord Jefus there is no re- dreffe for foul-diffreflès, no helpe againft foul-difcomforts; the having -:,f all things is as nothing if man have not Chrift with them ; what if thou haft the nature and ar- mour of Çoliah ? yet without Chrift, thou wilt fall in the battell : what if thou haft the favour and honour of Ha- man ? yet without Chrift, all this Will availe thee nothing, and at length fhame will be thy portion : what if thou haft the riches of him in the Parable ? yet not having Chrift, thou wilt eat the bread offarrows, be in firaights/ in the midit of thy fufliciency, andat lit the evill fpirits
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