Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

IIO The 'Parable of the Ezek. r 4· 3. Should I be enquired ofbythem that Jet the ftumbli,.g block._of tleir iniquities? &c. Come therefore wan Ordinance rh.;r the Lord would take away rhy tm, do not comet.:> tt rh.tt you may be conforred m your fin, fo rhat rhouoh there l:e fin in your hem, yer rhe Lord will nor c.t!t that in rhy difh, when 1 ho~1 comelt to him w rake ir .away. lttmy be you know none. Tot< k.!zow not lPhar Spirit ; 6t<are of. Get the Lord ro dtlcover tt to thee. 5· Ohberh.tnkful, nndcleavetheclofertoChri(Hor a little: For tlm'sthe infinite mercy and love of Chri!l to his people, he lets them fee their end rhe height of Gr.Ke and Glory rhe Lord will bring them ro, bur makes them fe~l the wam of ir, and raft b11r a little, but the fir!T-fruirs. Now rhere is Smns policy to makerhemfleightwhnrhey have, becaufethey have nor wh.tt rhey would h:.ve. Hence_ChriH e!lrangerh himfelf greatly ; Do you rhus defFife my love; Oh therefore cleave clo!e to him for that little, and then fee, Jchn r.5o. Tf.ou fh11lt fee greater things than thefe, the Son of Gcd, and .Angels ll[cmding and dcfanding on him. Think th.tt I feel or h,\Ve the fenfe of any want of Grace, and feace and mercy, and Chrilt, Oh 'tis rr.crcy! That I h.we rhe St•r, oh 1his is rr.ercy, thi; brought rhe::n ro Chrill himfelf afterward. Oh unrhankfulneffe ftops Gods heart 1 . God will nev~r ce.tfe pouring out on thee, that art pouring out pr~ifes on him; for elfe man; kmdnelfe !hould exceed rhe Lords. • Thm you fee the Means, now ufe them, and lorg fer the lord Jefus in them, and fo long as that you m.ty meet him ; and do it prefenrly, dfe you may feek and not find hin~, and die in pur fins, John 8.2 r. A fad and he~vy fFeech. Hath God fingled you out of all reople in the world to enjoy him, and will you now forfake him, and be eaten up with your Lots, and buried in the bellies of your Bea!ls, or fitJ'arieving thJt youre!lates are funk? It may be Hypocrites will forfake the Lor Jefus, but will7ou alfo depart?' Others care not for him, others long not after him, others give him no meeting, will you depart? Lord to whom (hall "we g.?? Oh and long for more of him, forget wh11t u behind, and hear, and pray as if thou never didlf fo before, as if but new to begin. There is a plot afoot ro make you lo1th Ordinances, tha~ fo God may loarh you : Men that are lick and like to die, can eat no common wholfom mear, but are now nourifhed by conferves, and Alchermies, and Spirits of Gold: So when wholfom Truths of God ?.re defpifed, men are deadly fick, when any new-fangled device fhall feed their fancy. The Lord keep you from ir. Oh do you love and long for rhe lord in the•n the more, for his Spirit, his love, his Truth, his ChriH, his company, his Grace, his confolations, and thenwben delth comes, you fhall not need to fear it, but make it welcome, and when Confcience fhall ask , Do you think to be wirh the Lord? Oh it fhall be pe;KC in thy bofom ! l0rd thee have I longed for, thee have I fought for, wept for here, becaufe I could not come ro thee prefc:nrly in Heaven. Now Lord let rr:eco~ne to thee, and fo go triumphing to Glcry. Ufq. SECT. VII. HEnce we fee no Chri!lian ought to content himfelf wirh any meafure of knowledge or fellowfhip with the Lord Jefus here. For iffull, rerfett and immediate fellcwfhip with him in He1ven and at laH day ought to be the mark he aimesat, and journies end of all his c!elires, then he is noc to lie down in the mid-way, but eo breath, and afrire after Hill more and more of him. Thus Paul, rhough fully fealed IVirh rhe Spirit, yet he makes this hisrnark, Phil.3.r4,r 5> r6. I Pet.r.ro,n,I2,13. TheApofile rels them the Prophets l&okedafter the Grace givm in their tirr.es, therefore gird up your loyns, and hopqe-rje[f'J for Grace to be given;•u at t/;e revelation ofChrijf Jefm. Men that have preferment i_n rhe~r

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