U[t5• 0/Jjea. .Anfw. 0/Jjeel. .dtJfw. Of,jt£1. 1"!"· The Parable of the efpecially you that are grown weary of means, that f~inj: in your way j <:;od is not yet weary of continuing means, art thou weary of g~ining by means ? Oh confidc:r this you that have had many hopes, defires purFofes , our all bialled , your tlllfe and means neglected : Thmk on th1s you char have had marvellous affections , bur your fpirits are oone ; Norhing eau make ou mend your pace, not all Mini!lry and Word, bur you are' clog'd with meins. Remember that lfaj. 65. 8, 9, Io, u,u,I3, 14. For mJ peo;leth'athavefrntght me, &c. SECT. V. TO all thofc: that do effectually feek the Lord in rh~ nfe of means: Ana for difcovery thereof, Confider : 1, If ever the Lord gave you aheart effectually to feek him in m~an's you will fin~e :llghry opp?ficion, temptarians fpr~nging .up one after another: &c. from wuhm , from wuhout , and the oppofinons w1ll make you feek him the more. Hence Rom. q.u, IZ. he bids us put off the workJ of dark,_nift, ""d put on the lfl'mour of light. When a man defires and lies in h1s floth, he meets With littie oppofition or trouble of his own hem; but here 'cis otherwife, there- ' fore put on armour. And I f~y the foul is made hereby to feek the Lord the more, as the blinde mar;~, Mnk._ Io. 48. Retkem the time, becaufe thd daJI are evi/1. I A_s 'tis with Mariners, they will not only ufe fair, bur fide, and almoll: coatrary I wmds to come neer the ihore they are bound for ; !cr.the Lord give any grace, oh mote of that mercy, as M<ftt, Dc:~t. 3· 24. Let the Lord deny, yetthe foul cries the more ; let agonies come, Chn!l prays the more; let the will oppofe, he will yeeld himfelf ro the Lord to crofs his own will, and deny himfelf; peace makes h1m love, md affiiC\:ion makes him feek the Lord early. Hence becaufe thou art troubled at the feeling of a flothful heart, that will make you feek for more help. :z.. You will feek him with your whole heart, fo that 'tis the L9rd only that the heart is bound for, Pfal. 119. :z.. Phi!. 3· 12. The feeling of the Lords power and eternal life, and chat not only while means laH, but when in wam of, and baniiht from means: As DtWid forgets his Crown and Kingdom, and faith, Pfdl. 2.7. 4· Q11e thing I have dejired. Hence He:ukj11~ had a prornife of life, and ~oing to Gods Houfe when recovered, It was not hfe he mmded fo much as this, What ;. the jign that I fhall go to . the Houfe of the Lord? Hence Saints though they neglect lol!letimes, yet as a S~ip ~riven back by n~glecl:ing winds, or as a Tradefman he ts altogether for h1s gam, yet proves an 11l husband fametimes, but when he hath felt liis lo!fes he falls to his trade ~gain : So here, like Merchants fee"ing pearls, &c. Matth. J 3· 45· Let this co:nfmt you, though you finde nothing, yet Saints are a generation of Seekers, finding rima is not come,yet certainly you ihall come to your end at !all. You have no lappi'W for the fores of yoor floth, but opening them before the Lord, the Lord wdl heal and help in time. But I feel no good, hence! am afraid I feek not aright. Gal. 6. 9• Tou.fhall reap in dstetime, and Hebr.u.q. All thi11gswerecrofs to the promife yet A!Jraham holds on Rill. But I finde my fpirir faint, and grow liatefs and weary. When heart and flrength fail, yet God cloth not. God will defert that you may know where yt'lUr Hrength, and heart, and help lies. But 'tis fo areat, I know no difference between mine and others neglect. Tint is fad, yet as ·~is in all fins, falls into them do but undermine them themore. Peter denies Chrill,aswell asfleeps,yecheisthefirllthat prea~~h
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=