( . ' Opened and Applied. ; 149. io. 17· Rom. 9· 2 3· prepared to gl•T} ; therefore pray, nor that prayer 'can move the Lord to it, but becaufe it is a means appointed of God to 'execute his eternal purpofes of gra~e unro the Vefiels of grace'· Ails 9· 9 r r. Paul was rhreedayes mourn1ng, and he dtd nor eat and dnnk, and y~t was not difcouraged, bur ~epc on praying, an.d. ceafeth nor , rill the Lord fends AnaniM char he m1ghr recerve the Spmc, Verfe r 7· So fay 1 eo you, Time hath been thou h~fl nor pr~yed, mornings, even;ngs _, yoor Jleep would nor fuft:er you, or 1f fo, ye~ 1t bath been WHhour mourmng f~r living without ChnH, abufing of Chnft, and the fin of your nature ; or 1f fo, ir harh been on"y_by fi.ts, and Y?U could hold up yo~r.head aga ·ne., before God fends Anam.u with a Mefia~e of peace, or rh?f: Melfa~;e wt thouc rhe Spi rir of grace ; kre you now prepared ? Oh no ! oh rherefore now begin this work; fay, I am thy-clay, Lord, and h~ve been. a _broken unclean Ve!ld, unfit for any ufe, to hold any grace ; 1f mercies come, I forger ! t hee, and grow worfe ; if ficknels, I am blockilh; if Ordinances, I dcfpife chem ; 1f thou forfakdt me, I forfake thee; if rho" draweft neare to me I refi fl thee ; if Chrifl be offered, I rejeCt him; if nor, I prefume , anJ rurn h .s orace ro wamonnefs; now Lord gather a broken Vdfel; if I live, I !hall fhll"'fi n ; if I die, I lhall blafpheme; if I forfake aas of fin , yet lufls of fin remaine ; if they be quenched, yet my polluted nature re'!laines not cleanfed ; and che guilc cries; Now Lord undertake for me , begin thou the work, and cake the glory ; and h~re mourn rill rhe Lord comes; •know rh~ woa h, and prize the prefence of the Sptric , land then praJ, John '4· 11. The world cannot receive ir, becaufe they kno..y it not , with 1ohn 4· xo . acrifice is unfit to be offered , till_ by lh!=dding blood , life is taken ai"Vay. Be verJ watchful over JIHr hearts, that theJ grow not too gentle, tmd handle tenaerlJ finnes arijing after faith , ~tnd pr• feflion Pf your intereff in MMnes · '2 • · efm C hrift, fins of the fecond growth ; fome fins grow up before pro- !Iion, as all manner of ignor~nce, and hardnc:ls, and lafcivioufnefs ; and vanity; now many grow terrified for thefe, and eomforted.by the - ~ofpel againH chefe , and now peace is made ; Oh but Ehere are fome mens natures like fome fields , which when they are mowen and weeded, yettbey have .a ferond growth; it may be as with pther kinde of Weeds, you may never fall to th 'l f~ fins you lived in 0 •1ce; bur other (i 1s more clofe, mor~ fpirirual; like the Ho11[e Luk$ u. 24. (wept and empt~ed , buc [even other fpirits worfe than the former, may at la/1 enter in; Oh take Heed of t befe, for they will make your latter end miferable ; you know habiraci'>l1S of ·Satan, are nor fit manlions for the Spirit of Chrift i you kn •Jw Velfels not only of Wood, but of Gold; if filthy and poyfoned, are unfit for Princes ufe till cleanfed ; and look through all rhe Scriptures on the faces of che befl hypocrites, you !hall finde fome filth _growing up after their Profe!Iion" or together wi th it , like blood and facrihce mixt together·, r_Matth. 1· 23. Luk! 13· 27. Notthofe that have iniquity, but thofe that work it ; nQt thofe that work againft it, and are deftroyers of it by little and little, but workers of it• .I f you ask me, whatthefefins be? Ianfwer1 Thefe tares, and choaking Thornes, as rheyare fmvn, andgr?Wn whiks.yoube aileep, fo they may be feen when they are grown up , 1fyou walk tn your fields, and medtrare on your hearts. l'le only name fome. ' J . P ride, a-ffe8:ing fome excellency above others, and thinking your felf fomebody. :a. S iritual
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