Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

I :the 'Parable of the Veffels of rhe Lords Houfe in ma'king them quaffing bowls, and rurnin<> th~m to common ufe. When. a man is brought to chat mifery. char he bath no~e, nor knows of none eo be a fnend to take care orthoughtfor htm,none chat loves him then he lhifrs for himfelf and becomes a fervant. But rhofe that know,as wo~ men rh.tt rbey have rich husbands to live on, they cake care I Cor. 7· 34· how ro pleafe rhem : So here. Whars rbe re.1fon chat men are mad for this world ? Becaufe they poor crearures have no friend, know no friend ; bar Saim~ have him, and know him1 .John I 7~ 2, The Saints are given eo Chrifi, Chrill: to them, and all the world pur mto Chnfis hands for us, (for the creatures are not <>iven to us immediarlycoourown.difpof~, andhenc~ we have nor much o~ t~is wgrld) to what end? That fo he mtghr giVe eternal hfe begun here. This rs the only gtfr, and !aft, and be(l, and woahyof himfelf, and this only we receive. z. In regard of that bleffedLiberry all [he faithful are brought imo, for what is a Chnftians Liberty? Is ir co ferve men? No, I Cor. 7· .23· Therefore ferve nor your [elves: Is inben co ferve your own lulls? No, Rom. 6. 22. You are made free from Jin, andfervants unto God. Is it then to ferve any Cre.lture out of your felves ? No, Gal. I. 4- The world is yours already, I Cor. 3. 2 I, 22. given co you, boughtforyou,fpend nor therefore one groat more eo purchafeic, but keep rhofe affeCl:ions and hems for the Lord ; much lefs imprifon nor, and imbondagenot your felvesforir. A Chriftians liberty which God crowns him,wirh above all the Princes of the world, is to be onely for the Lord, which liberty all cre.1tures groan to be in, Rom. 8,2I, 22. To be for God and a lull, for Chrill: and rhis world, its a lhameful bondage, and moll lamentable, and you are noc ar Jiberry yer, if not onety for the Lord. When che children of Kings and Peers, of Pmices !hall be made eo come at the call ·of iheir Grooms and Kitchin-boys, if ever rhey Hood before rhe face of Princes, they will count this a heavy thraldome and bondage: So if ever yoil Hood before the God of the whole earth, you wilt account it an heavy bondage, eo have an heart fomerime for, and fometime not for the Lor-d. Is nor this liberty ? No, but to have a heart only determined to che Lord; as 'ris in Angels, and in che man Chrill: Jefus. Verity look as the Lord leaves his Feople for a time to·their liberty in fm, fo that rheir hearts are .determined onely eo lin, that rqey are fir onely !-'?receive che fuggeflions and pkafu.res of it , but fit to quench the Lords Spmc : So the Lord Jefus making himfelf and grace more fweet than their lulls, their hems are determined onely for him, cheir Veffels areonely for his Oyle, Rom. 6. 19. The liberty of wiH that Armini11!1s pleat! for is nothing but the hypocrifie of a falfe hearr, whofe be.m being roucht partly wirh God, and pardy wirh the crearure ; hence is a!way f.11ling from one to the·other,Jam. I, Donble minded men; but rhe Saints are determined unto one, and hence made perfect in one. 3· In regard of r!·e fulnefs and alt~fufficiencyof rheSpirir of Grace which their hearrs are made fit velfels ro receive, and do receive; they finding enough there, God relerves rhem, and rhey referve themfelves onety for che receiving of this, Joh.6.68. will;ou depart? Lord, to whmJ {hould~ego? Thou haft the words of life; and fo che Spirit of jife;that have quickned our beans 1vhen dead,chac do put frelh life ro us when dying; chat comfort our beans when forrowing. Here is the life. glory, the life of Chftft, ~he life of God; orher things do but dead out hear~s, thou hafi words of life, John 4· 14. The W~~ter that I give (hall, I. Be than whiCh lhall quench all his thirfi to other things; fo chat diough a man wants them, yet his ftoma~k is gone, which the damned fhall findotherwife. 2, A Well ?f Water in him, ever pear him; men have their accommodations far off, ~ut. ch.rs is in him. You\: hearts wirhin are ~roubled, perl'ltxed, and bth~ld this IS m you. 3. Springincr up, continually increafing,'for ro have agood tht_ng, ana .not to be fatisfied in o~r defires with ic, what is it bur a mifery ? Hence rt fprings up unto everla!ting life, which is che Fourth, Viz:., The Continuance of ir, this vv~~

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