-~~)._· ____:t_h_eP_4r_a_b_l_e.....::of_t_he____ 1 Il.!!eft· An[w. Ufe6. what u th.a ? .pld how fhalll fetch it from h~ ? 1. 'Tis nor a q1ans own {hiving, aman may imitate 11:!.tute, but cannot make nature : All the \'(Orld ca1;1not lll~ke one poqr flie. And as 'ris ar~is celare artem, fo when he bath do.ne he may docqive himfelf ~nd others, bur nothino elfe. Bom ,.t of the .,il! of m~~P : A 111an is in great di(trefs of Confcience for f~ pill, fear 9fdeath for ume to come,_aqd no~\' be c0m~ Ju!l: a~ f~r as a Devil ; then prays Lord fave me, aqd 11.ow comes ~s far as niltljre can carry him and therefore i.s eafed, and now h; hath Sar,n& bl~ck feal upqn hi!1J, and felf-flat'tery bath carried him on. The fountain of life is not her~. z. 'Tis nor the Law, it convincer_h o1;1e, and h~ l=Oqlplains, it condemns an.o- ' ther, and he cries ou~, it irritates another, and h11 folls to dowhathe can· but the I,aw cannot give life, G11l. 3. z I. . ' 3· •ris not bare Ordinances, which are of rhemfelves but husks and fuels 11nd empry pipes ; wimefs rh1= cri~ qf m~ny amall S4bbath after Sabbath, no life: and that for a long rime: Nay, hCigrows worfe. 4· •ris not God ftmply cqnlidc:red, He is indeed the fountain of life, but fm bath fealed that fountain ; ~ence m~ny aone goes to him, and departs from him with frowns. 5. Where is life tbc:n ? In Chri!l : I kP.o\V he is Lord-··md Prince of iife. Yet confider,as God-man no life is in him (or you, as to ~- communicared to you. Where rhen? 'Tis ill rhe blond and dc;arh of the Lord oflife: You a;e ready roul)dervalue.this life. Ohconftder, wh~t irmu!lco!l the Son of God t and where it m.uH lie, Hebr. 9· 14. If l,lltls ~U~d Go~~ts hloo4 11'11/lied the flefh, mHch '?}ore thu blood, &c. Many aman feels ablind dead bem, ~d all duties dead : And hence uferh many perfwaftAns to himfelf, yes. they continue fo !till, bc:caufe he: nt:ver looks ro this blood. There is this excellency in Chril.ls blood, not only to deanfe from guilt, and power of ftn, bur from d,ad works, and none elfe can. Now therefore repAir hither for it; know what yo.llr lives wil.l and muil co!l. _ Now how l11all rhi~ be done? 1 Anfw. I. Prize this blood, and fatisfj~ thySPlll witbic,choofe·ir, and reil in it, in rhe Lord bimfelf a_~ fufficienr, Joh.- 6. 53· E~ctpt JOiteaumd drinl:_, &c. m~ny a~counr it acommop rhing; yourecejve ir not then, bur er ample it under their feer , ll);my elt~em cf it, but they feqci not themfelves with ir, nor qui~:t thl!ir hcans wirh life t!Jc:lfC: 6r!l : and hence i[ falls out thus. z. Keep rhi~ Rule, content nor ,thy fc:lf with that meafure which thou hall: fromChri!l,but be thankful fpr ir,md falling lhort, call ever for more ; but fatiate thy felf wirb tbar which is in Chri!l. ' · lf thou can!l not do this, aJlc\ it is heyond thy !lrength, then confider Chri!l harh wprds of life, Jphn 6. Oh beg for that, and for thofe words I Hear wh11t tk#Lardwillfab ffol.p.8: You cannot fee nor come to Cbri!l: Thephm, and ;o,r f•u{~ Jhi!U live. Who knows wh.Jc rbe.V.lrd may do. 'Tis not.pofiible fqr man.ro do it, b4t the Lord Jefus may and can. Qh then you cb~t have this Pripciple, Lee all your aaions ilf11e and fprlng from hence! As P.wl.exhorted TimotbJ, Stirupthlftgi[t th.au in thte. UpDeborah, up. AF.t/t! H1f111V!d Ll4tf,faithDav(d. Do nQrfay,Ican do nothing, and fQtbe Lord ll\u!tdoall. Dq not fay,Ihaveadead hearr,andcan do nothing,butRir it up-. It was tb~ Lords complaint, Ifa.64·7· Npne tOQl:_hold oftht Lord tWrjlirred~p himf~lfto that e11q. It /TilY b~ fome of you have fome·f.lrength. Oh. puttt forth ? I ki\OW all fifen_gth is from Chrill, but there is a permanemdrength in you. You areno,tde~d to aa, you wrong -the Lord and his Grace•ifyouthink fo. .t}.s 'tis a lle~vy tin to lhut up and imprifon natural truth, ~-.,t.IS. So much morethepowerof Grace. Others have loll: it, oh recover tt! And·hence Pa11l prai~ for this eame!Hy~ Epb.3,1 s, The Lord ftret~gthen .JIII "~Pith might i~ thl zmter
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