I · Opened Jnd Applied. I th~e, and(as hefaid) he will then ferve thee, Luk_; rz. Oh his coming woLdd fwallow up all our farrows; Chrilt tells themofnotbing burthis,Joh.I4• I won1 der ac Chriflians chat are fadded at Ioffes and evils here; Why the Lord will come! . S E' C T. . V. ~ell. H. Ow fhall I k.?;ow wl:eth!r the Lwd will came or no? · A"fw. r. If the Lord ever bath or cloth make this the reil: and flay of thy heart, not only for righteoufnefs, but for'all fulnefs o f comforr, and rhac nor onely to thy confcience, but to thy heart andwill : for many rei! on Chrifl for righceoufnefs; bur what comforts their hearts? the y joy in other . things, and are greedy after rhings in rhe world,&c. Now as a man rh a r refls on Chrilt for rishteoufnefs, he abhors all other righreoufnefs ; fo if a Chriflian refl on Chrill for confolarion, you will deny all other thin gs to comfort youalfo, Jer.r 7· ),6. Curfed 1S the man that trufte th in man, heJhall not fee when g01d comes. Pfal.z:~.J. Oh Lord, why haft thou for{a/z!n me ? I m<ft in thee; onr f athers trnfted in thee and were delivered: Yes, but not you chat are fo poor and vile : True,I am fo in the eyes of the world; but on God ha ve I been caLt; To crufl to Chri!Hor righteoufnefs,but not for confolation,is to marry a man to pay debts, but not to liveupon his houfe; try if ic be fo or no; thou feelelhhe Lord gone,yet thy faith is not gone from him. , . · z. If the Lord bath given thee a heart, whether the Lord comes or n o, not to trouble thy felf about fuccefs, and time of c;oming,'as to minde the doing of his work againfl his coming, that chy heart is refolved and will live to him though he never comes eo thee. Joh.z. ;. When Mary faid that wine was wanting;fairh Chrifl,it u not my hour; then,what evtr he bidsyondo,do it; He6.ro.36. you have need of patience ;.for all impatience ariferh from mind ing inordinarelyrhe fuccefs, what tbeevemwill be, anddiflraCl:ing the mind th ere; bur (as a poor fervanr) when a man thinks whether Chrilt come or nor, thefe fins /hall . down; this argues love never to be forgotten; Judges ro.r6; nothing grieves the Lord and makes the Lord abfenr,but becaufe grieved with fin, mifery comes; now fin is removed ; it may be no a!furance while thou dielt o r Iivert; yet if refolved my foul /hall follow the Lord, now it is right,&c. But if while rhe Lord is now gone, your hearts are jolly,and loofe every way,why delire you rhe day of the Lord ? it is darknefs to you. Fff CHAP. 4.1
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