36 "Preparation to beare Chriff. Intere,fl in Chrifiti. z.Holy prep:- ration. ;.Gracious in- tereß inChrt4}. mind, and exalt our felves, but deny our felves ; in refpec} of trufb, we mull not trutc in our felves, but be jealous of our felves, diftrutt our owne hearts, accule and condemne our felves ; and in refpec`ì of the end, we mull not intend our felves, propofe our owne ends, but intend Chrift, and the glory of Chrift. Thus we mull lay afide our felves , and empty our felves of our felves, that wee may receive Chria ; the empty vef ell'receives the liquor, there is noplace for it in the full. 2. Holy,llrife, and carefull preparation to thehearing ofChrift in Ms CoFfiell. Elifha before he prophefed before 9ehofa. ghat and 3ehoram, called for a Mufitian to play fore facred Fong, the better to appeafe his fpirit, and put his mind in a quiet and heavenly frame, and then the hand of the Lord was upon him, and he prophecyed : Thus before we come into the prefence of Chrifl, to heare, we (hould by fume holy meditation , and fervent prayer, gather home oúr thoughts, take off our felves from the world, li ppreffeand put away the diftemper of our fpirits, worke our hearts into a holy and gracious frame and temper, and compote our felves to heare ; fo {hall the hand of God be upon us in hearing, and we (hall heare , and receive Chrift with much joyfulneffe ; the preparednefíeofthe eye to fee,of the care to heare, and of the pallate to tafle, makes them.joy- full in feeing, hearing, tailing ; the fcules joy and com- fort in hearing is ordinarily futabic to mans preparation.. Man is ashamed and grieved to receive his Prince into a. forded and filthy house ; but having his houle clenfed, gar- nifhed, and all things fet in order, he is joyfull in the en-. tertainment. Want ofpreparation is the caufeof much dif -. comfort, fadnefi;, anddulneffe in hearing : Chrift comm in in the Gofpell is very co.ìifortably entertained by the ffule which is duely prepared. 3. Sure and gracious interfl in Chrift. Beleeve in Chritl, lay hold on Chrifl, felec`l, and take Chrifl unto your felves,, make him yours : As the Merchant fold all for the preci- ous pearlein the parable, and made the pearle his owne : fo fell all, put away all your faunes , remove all, worldly vanities,
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