Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Virgins Opened and Applied. without bun, and !poke without him., him mar ll.l[b pitied me, fpared me, overco:ne me, laid down his life, fent his Spirit w rne! rh.lt then you f1ull more or leCfe fe~ the Lord, and feel the power and prefence of the Lord. Ob Beloved, Hull not He.wen be fweeno you without him, and fhall earth be fweeter th.ln Heaven, rhar you can l_ive here without him? Belo~ed, wbar.e~er Y?u acc_ounr of it now, in Hell rbe fhng of all forrowes fhall be rbts, Ob Chnlt htdes brs face? One frown fhall be more bitter than death , than a rboufand deaths, and f1ull it be fo in Hell, and (hall nor many frowns, many daies be more bitter than dearb ? Shall it be fo w Devils, and nor to Saints ? S.ball the hiding of Cbrilts face from enemies be heavy, and fhall not his friends lake it to he~rt? If you do nor, then rhink not w meer him, bur rbat Word and Prayer fhall be dead drink to rbee ; bur if you do, I tell thee if be manifetls bimfelf ro any , be will reveal bimfelf eo thee. z. Prize and love his prefcnce, his face, the lifcing up of the light of his countenance. Princes will nor come, or if rbey do, not ll:ay, if they perceive their company is a burden, and is nor elleemed ; no more,will rbe L_ord ]efus: !hey that are fallen in love together IV!Il find our each other though Lt be at mtdmght ; prize ChriHs company, and you will not complain for want of rime, and fay you cannot, but you will find him out in Word, in prayers, though others be faH aileep,Mat.l3·44· When the manfellsa/1, now he bapsthefield, hathit,and enjoye> it. You would have the Lords company and fellowfhip, I believe you; Bur what will you give for ir l I will reil you. It may be you will give him the hearing for it, and give him a few good wit11es, and a few good words, and a litde Ieifure. But will you turn me whole world behind your back, and whatever you have out of doors, thlt he may come in: That now 'ris not honour, nor wealth, nor life, nor eafe, nor Heaven, but him, and tha~ nor only ia Heaven, but i~ his Swadling-clouts, his Ordinances here, beleeve it falvation is at your doors. ZacheUI being a low rnan of ltature, gets out of the crowd, itan<'s in the way, and the Lord ~ids him come down. Do rhus when you come ro my Ordinance, I tell you '£is bettt:!r than an bolt of Angels compafling thee 'boutwith oraifes·. Oh chat you had the life of experience! Haft not found him better than friends, than means, than thy felf? Oh that you would believe experience! 3· Makeitnotyour cask bu~ yourmdetofeekfor him, chatyoumayenjoy · him he re. Make this your buiineCfe. Men make it nottheir main buiinelfe ro feek our Chrifl, but onlyfomc work they mull difpatch by che ·by. They make it not their Trade but their Task which mull be done. Efat< would have rhe blefiing, but 'tis his huntingthat he delights in. You iliall have a man chat is a clofe worldling, come and hear, and JOY therein, but his trade his heart is ;~fcerrhat, E:uk_:3 3-3 r. Look but on a Chri!\ian at his firlt converiion, what great gains gets he rhen? Oh 'tis his rrade to follow the Lord, afterward he is idle, and rhen feels liule, Mat.! 3.46. Like a merchant, he ventures all, and then finds. Now you fhall find him, Heb.n.6. He is the rewarder, notofthemthat feek_him f1uggifhly, but diligently. What do yoll elfe feek for ? why fpend you your moiJey for that which is not bread ? Or if there be ought elfe that is necelfary, fer thy care be for him, and his care fhall be for thee. 4· Lookbeforerhou comeflto an Ordinance, if there bef!O !till, no Llumbling block of iniquity rhat ·thou harboure(l: in thy heart, or fufferelt to remain in the ' fight of God, Ifa·59·r,z, I have known in experience, and feen it in !cripture, m~ny of Clods people and orhers have taken on chat God bides his face, &c. And · thts bath been found to be the caufe, either'fome Gn not yet fubdued or mortified, or fame fin that they have not gone for pardon of to the Blood ofChrilt, and fo unpardoned. When both there have been removed, the Lord ham appeared, Exod.24.1 o. After che Coveuan,t made by Blood, they fow the God of lfrael. P 3 Ezek:

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