ihe Sosalef effLílualEtallingro Chrift. 2 r9 I command thee, goe to that foule, and cheare ir, and comfort it; goe to that foule, and refrefh ir, and fill it; tell him his fnnesare pardoned, his perfonaccepted,and his foule fhallbe Paved; tell him his fighs and groanes are heard, andhis pray- ersobferved in heaven; make this good tohis foule, I charge you , before you come backe againe 5 this, is the admirable goodneflé of the Lord; the foule many times bath fo many trickes, and fhifts,and windings, andyeeldings tocarnali reafon, that no comfort will come in; So that the Lord. is faine to fend Ioving kindneffe to cheare theToule : As it is with force unruly fel- lowes, who will not give a man pofíefiìon of his right , till the high Shcriffecomes,and gives him pffiffefíion by force whether they will or no : So lovingkindnefi'e is Gods high Sheriffe; nowwhen a company of bate fellowes,as carnal] reafonings, and the like, would keepe out mcrcie and favour that is due to a (inner, f he Lord commands loving kindneflle tobreake open the doore, and fpeake comfort to hiin : and now take notice of what I fay, as a good to come was the ground of hope, and if there be any neceffirie excellencie, delire longsfor it : So when the good isnot only prefent, but expreffeth his prefence, and leaves force kindeofremembrance, as it were, and tiif- covers it felfe in force manner effectually to the foule ; that (litres up lovecontinually, and that muff be dcne before any lovecan bs kindled. ( I open it thus :) Looke as it is with touching, which is a facultie ofnature, if the thing 'Ayes up- on
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=