296 Pauls Conl,erfion. and David, but the one proceeded from the Spi- rit,and the other from the flefh : it muff bee found repentance, if it bee acceptable : now this no man can doe of his owne power or ftrength, except there bee a fupernaturall worke of grace in the foule. There are two caufes why God dothaf hick his children; Eirft, God Aids his children, be- caufe of fome fcandall, I fpeake now of Gods children,and thus David was w.ftlied, bccaufe he gave a juft occauon of fcandall in the matter of Vriah; therefore God .affh s him : Secondly, to weane them from the world,becaufe God knowcs till they bee humble, and bafely efteeme of them - felves, and the world, they will not prize Chrift, or grace; but when they are throughly humbled then they will come in and take Chrift ; and there- fore it is, that wee preach Chrift generally unto all, that whofoever will come and take him, may have him : and therefore this is the queftion that wee move and propound unto all men , whether they will receive Chrift,that is, whether they will take him above all things for better or worfe , to be their Lord, Matter, and King : if they will thus receive him , they aid! have him : it is no matter, as I laid, what a man is, or what a man was, onely if he will be another man for the time to coma; and therefore it is falle preaching,to fay, they muff come thus and thus , as if Chrift were purchaft with our owne gift; but we preach Chrift freely, without any condition, without any exceptions of perlons, Whofoever will Iet him
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