234 Of COMMUNION with blinded that they fhould not behold his glory. The fouls of men do na- turally feek fomething to reif and repofe themfelves upon; fomething to fatiate and delight themfelves withal, with which they hold communion; and there are two ways whereby men proceed in the purfuit of what they fo aim at. Some fet before them fome certain end ; perhaps, pleafure, pro- fit, or, in religion it felf, acceptance with God ; others feek after fome end, but without any certainty, pleating themfelves now with one path, now with another; with various thoughts and ways, like them, Yes. xlvii. to. becaufe fomething comes in by the life of the hand, they give not over tho' weary ; in what conditionfoever you maybe, either in greedinefs purfuing fome certain end, be it fecular or religious, or are wandring away in your own imaginations, wearying your felves in the largenefs of your ways, compare a little what you aim at, or what you do, with what you have al- ready heard ofJefas Chrift; if any thing you defign be like to him, ifany thing you defire be equal to him, let him be rejefted as one that bath nei- 'ther form nor comelinefs in him ; but if indeed all your ways be but va- nity and vexation of fpirit, in comparifon of him, why do you fpend your thoughts for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatis- fies not? Ufe r. You that are yet in the flower of your days, full of health and ftrength, and with all the vigour of your fpirits, do purfue fome one thing, fome another, confider I pray, what are all your beloveds, to this beloved? what have you gotten by them ? Let us fee, the peace, quietnefs, affurance of everlafling bleffednefs that they have givenyou, their paths are crooked paths, who eregoes in theta (hall not know. peace. Behold here a fit obje& for your choiceft affections ; one in whom you may find reff to your fouls, one in whom there is nothing will grieve and trouble you to eternity. Be- hold he Rands at the door of your fouls and knocks, oh rejeft him not, leaf} you feek him and find himnot; prayRudy him a little; you love him not becaufe you know him not. Why doth one of you fpend his time in idle- nefsand folly, and wafting of precious time, perhaps debauchedly; why cloth another affociate and offerable ltimfelf with them that fcoff at religion and the things of God ? Meerly becaufe you knownotour dearLord Jefas, oh when he }hall reveal himfelf to you, and tell youhe is Jefas whom you have flighted and refufed, how will it break your hearts, and make you mourn like a dove, that you have neglefted him. And if you never come to know him, it had been better you had never been, whileft it is called to day then harden not your hearts. We 2. You that are perhaps feeking earneftly after a righteoufnefs, and are religious perfons, confider a little with your felves, hatla Chrift his due place in your hearts? is he your all ? does he dwell in your thoughts ? do you know him in his excellency and defirablenefs ? do you indeed account all things lofs and dung for his exceeding excellency ? or rather, do you prefer almoít any thing in the world before it ? but more of thefe things afterwards. CHAP.
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