I 1941 'The'Parable ofthe · they are prefemly bumble enough, and have co~nforr enough, and Grace enou<>h and cannot bebener, and hence God makes their !ins fnares ane thorns to rh~1; ( [or row and nun~.afrerward. Nay Beloved, many a one Wtll quench che Spirit. ) I I l ! I I \0!'11· /Anf,v. I' ·) _ _ Oh rake heed ot tt : Thus, 1. The Spirit not only convincerh, but humble> hi> hearr, and fluke; his ' fpirit wtrh fears of fin. Now what fhould he do? He l110uld welco:n it and I fay, oh bleiTed Spmt, dofl begin to cafl me down to the dull for my fin, before I am cafl to Hell for my fia! What wi,lc have me to do? Oh humble me more. Give me not only an aCl: of heavinefs, but a fptrit of heavinefs ! As l11e faid of I affhcl:ion, I pray God this Plaifter may never ceafe cleaving, till healed. Now what do m.\11y men? Why either g1~e it, or work it, or fleep it away. The young man wtll n:>t fo foon lofe all hts tmrrh: The man thlt h.nh thought hi> eflare goodfo long, will not believe 'ris fo with him now. Or as Solomonfpeaksof Gods hand, he gro.vs we1ry of his cballifemem, and fo calls it off, and catcherh hold on Chri[t and comfort, anrl there !hies, before theSpirit h.1rh done ir. z. lf rhey dare not l11ake it off rhus rill rhe ·spirit eafeth, then rhev farisfie rhemfelvcs with fome hopes rhe Lord gives, and fome rallofhis fweemef>, 1before they are fatisfied wirhir, as rhofedid, Htb.6.4,5. And hence Pfal.9o.x4. \ Oh fatisjie tU with thy mercy, f•fhall we fre gl11d all the daies ofour lives! Sofati>- -fied, as to live upon it alone:. As m.my f.<y, they could be conremed"ir iliould be io, buc they do ''0' live upon it. As if you thould ask aman, could you be content to be m.<de King, and cvme fro'll Beggery ? Yes; but he is left there, 1 1 'ri; nor fo; and hence live; a Begg~rflill. Men :cannot live wirb0ut their IuHs. Yet faith ChriH, My flefh is meat z'ndeed, and drink.Jndud, i.e. This gives real confolation, fHisf.tc1ion indeed. And bere many a ChriHian finks, and goes up and down fi,or-r offaving good. . 3. HetJCe matlJ walk in fome ddi.res which the Spirit barb lVroughr, but to bre.lkthrougha!ldifficultie<, and follow the Lord indeed, and come to that they know they mull: indeed, this rbey will not do, but depart fro'll ChriH forrowful, and hore the Lord will accept of rhem ; and hence the Lord complains, Mal.x.8. / of this generation that had deliresin their flocks, but lame ones. will thy King ,acceptthis? Andfoallrheir work is overly andfuperficial by!limingrhe Spirit. Thusf,1ryoul11allgoburnofmher. Oh Beloved, this is the frame ofa fincere he.m, the Lord e~nprie> him, but he is never conrenr rill the Lord fills; and when he finds ir, re firs not down conrenr that the work is done, bur as his want made hinl beg before, fo his tall mJkes him long more now , as Mofes, to fcemoreofrheLordsGiory: As Paul, Phil.J.n,q. Ohthereforewhenthe Spirit cQmc;, intreat ic to go on and finith. And hence David begs, P(al.I 19. ' I 3 2. Oh the mercy that thou tt[eft to fhew to them that love thy Name! Why fo? I OhD.wid (nv a~ ercy to others, that fets God awork ro do fomwh.1r.fcr rhem,work fomwh.tt in rhe:n, but 'ris not f4ch mercy. Oh beg for that mercy that humbled l orh.ers, quickncd others, rhat arenow in Glory; rh.tt, or no mercy Lord! How (hall I lz.mw whuher the work_ is tnmlj? . I. Iffuddcn and violent, 'tis ufually overly. A PiCl:ure long a drawing is lexaCl:, another f:)on done is lightly done. Aman lurh Leopard-ft:ots, 1~hich in our o,trments cannot he wailied out eafily. Gods through-work ts f<:>ak111g and f<e.u~bing. Hence violent fudden farrows and joyes and reformation vvhich all were in the llony ground, prov.ed unfound, Mat.q.;. . 2. God b.tth thy time of rrymgthee, Mat.IJ. The feed was fown. Wbtch now is o-ood <>round? Wheie. is there fr'uit to be feen and ripenefs of Grace? I.ook upon p~rfecution, if rbar. dorh not dr~ve thee. from Chrifl. If :hat dorh not, /ree ifrhe world dorh not, whtch by a cermn decett and cozenagewtll befoo! )'Qu. I I am perfwaded, as Calvin is, that all rhefeveral trials ofmen are to l11ew rJ:em rothemfdves and the world, rbatthey be bur coul'lterfeJts, and to make Sa:mts know.n
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