Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

-ten Virgins Opened and Applied. \is but an inhrmiry, and \..Jod will accept of his defires, , and here perifheth, Mat· 7-14. For jlraight isthe gate that IC~Zds nnto lift, hencefow there he thllt find it. LoJk as ir was with the !fraelim, Ca;Man they were' bound for, they came at1afi: ton, but when their Spies had told them of the difficulties,they f.1nk, only Caleb and Jofhua of that mighty Hoft rhat had upright hearts here. Heavy things muR defcend, rhouoh calt up; for their place is downward. Light things. , cafi: them downwarl yetthey mutt up :!gain, for their place is upward; So 'tis here: A floggifh hearr'may be lift up by me.ms, but they cannot hold it, their pface is downward, here is their rell ; fo S~ints ~· e contr<f, like fire will confume all difficultie>, their reft is upwJrd. SECT. III. I)) HEnce we fee one ground ofmany co:np!ainrs th.lt are in the mouths of many Ufe 1 . Profe[ors of the waies ofGod, that never find the fweec which is th~& end of their Chriftian courfe, char are ever complaining ofwants, bu~never feel fupplies, . ever learning, never knowing, ever hoping, never having, everconfetftng of their fins, never triumphing over their fin, ever wifhing thu they had the Lord, but never po[efling the Lord. And henc(! have mi!ilds full of fem, and :mouths fuU ofcomplainrs, and hence finding no fweet in their courfe, could be content bur for !lume, ro throw by their Profeflion. V{hy ? Where is the caufe of this ? Is He,wen fo barren and be5garly, thlt there are no Jewels to be had there? 'Are the fields of Gods Or<l inances fo e:npty, chat there is no Treafureto be found there? Oh yes! there ' tis, but Chriffians are idle, there is the Treafure, bt~t theycmnotbeg, muchle[e dig for it, Prou.:q,4,),6. Iftherebe atreafurein the ground, and aman cm find nothing, and fo is ever co:nplaining, the fault is in the man, he doth not dig long enough, nor deep.enough; fo 'cis here: There is never an .Ordin,mce, but the Lord is in it; heneverfaid to the Houfe of .Jacob feek__hu face j,. vain. , Men pray, and if a few fighs will fetch in relief, well and good, if nor, they caR that Shovel by, Jig 1 canmt; they fpend fo•ne rime in lnyingGncohem, butiflc.mnotprefemly feel rhe biqerneffeofit, I cannot help it, dig 1 cannot. A man can. be conreno to hearrhe Word, and to liften after it, bur to l1ir up the foul to lay hold on eh~ Lord, thlt their f!eep fo~bids, Prov. 1 3 ·'~'' ' The {on!ofthe diligent fhall bemadefaf. Why d0 you famifh under means? Is it becaHfe the L)rd is unwilling' or unable to relieve? No, John 6.l7. Youldbonr for th«<t bread that peri(htth. L1bour not for it, but for the or her, and rhe S0n of man will give it you, for he is fealed for that very end. 'you comphin your hearts are alwaies out of frame. Tell me, do you ke~p tke'U with all diligen-ce? Prov-4-1.3, With all your Guard about it? Y6u complain you never get alfu• ranee. Doyouufe all diligence to make it fure? You complain you feek and find not. po youfeek him diligently? Hib.I 1,6. Oh this is the caufe! ·.The Lord hath gwen 7ou the Spirit ofJlumbe'r. Oh lay not the fault on the Lord, but on thine own careleffe heart, and la:nent over it, ~nd fay, this bath been the caufe of all rytY complaints and woe. Oh I remember whlt the Lord by Jeremy fpeJks! G• mtotheftrongHold!, forthe-Lordhathpouredup.n m the Spirit ofdeepfleep, andgi- •Jtl<tu.the waters ofGall to drink_: I confelfe the Lords choice!l [ervanrs have their complaints, their fighs and groans unutterable, they have their fears, temptations and rears; Who more abundantly? Yet Beloved, methinks 'tis with chem as 'ti<witb Palfengers and Travellers towards their ho'lle, that rhey fee it Twenry' Mt lesoff fo'Uti 'Tle, when they be on the Top of an Hill, a,fter they have gone a lrctlefarther, they co:ne into aValley, and then they complait! rhey have !oH thefig_ht of~t, and ca,nnot fee iragain fcarce till ,rhev be upon in; yet they fit not down m thetr V.alley, bur are going cow;1rds ir. They, gg frmJ ftrength to ftrength, · X 1. rhou"'fi

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