J .I ! I . l The Parable of the Ten Virgins, I' rlntal a!faults are eo detlroy fdith. 7'/a l. 22. S. He trufred in q od , let him deliver htm ; and therefore you had need make fure of this; time may come, that eo fence and feeling , hope. and heart may faile ; V\ hac fup- \' po rrs now ? yer ChnH doth nor , Chritl: will not , Chri ll can- . nor. ' · · I Qtefl. How m,zy this anrehending love on Chri fls part bek!town ? j .Anfw. In thefe five Degrees of ir , it manifetts it fd f ; for ir is j I unknown in it felf; bur in the manifethtion of it , there '.is feen' l of us. ' . . I I I· Degree, When rhe love of Chnfl: appreher:ds the foul efteelually , it J overcomes the foul by fence of love, ar;d thereby draws the foul from rhe I !trong holds and bondage of fir.m~ to C~r~fl ; . w~e reve r the re Is excwilng 1 deare love of the one unto the other , It ts wmnmg, tt 's of an overwmino ! natu re; and though ChriHdoth th reaten, or rerrifie his people fome times" l yet rhe end is love ; rbe love of ChriH is of a winning , overcoming ve r~ l cue; and he overcomes by love; and where pe fers his hea rt on any , he will fooner or later overcome by love ( if he can ) the hearts of his, ro forfakeall other Lo~e rs, and cleave unto him. Jer. F . 3· I hftve lo·7.Jed rbt; I with an everlafrt ng love ; .What follows ? hence , I have d,-awn thee ; How ? · by loving-kj ndne(?. Cant. I . 4· Draw me , a11d I wilt fo /J•rv tl.w; this,is rhe prayer of all chafe whom rh<! Lord efpouferh ro himfelf; and 'ris I as if they ~l1oul.d . fay, I have neid1er Hrengrb ! nor heart, ro come Mr fol~ j low ; my mtqumes ~ log me , and my feares dtfcourage me, &c. bur yec L.. ord I draw me. Let a man believe in Chrifl:, and accept the offer of Chrifl when he can ; but he cap never do it , unrill-his hearc aver'fe to Chri!t, and unbelieving, be drawn eo che Lord Jefu~ ; and that not violenrly only by cerrour , but by I flronger cords, even the cords of Love, which perfwadesmightily rhe fou l of unwil~ing to become ~illing; che Lord revealing ~be glorious grace anq righteoufnefs of Jefus Chnlt, and all the benefits of htm, ai1d r.hereforc he offers this eo it , and requires nothing hue faith to receive it-; -rllis which !lirs I nor rhe heart of another , overcomes rhe hearts of the I.ords own , even wirb an holy admiradon at this grace ! What , Lord , am I ! fo vile I am, a n.d filthy, ·and helliih, after fo longabufing God and Grace, now ro reveale, offer on fuch rermes ChriH and Grace to me ! Oh Lord, I am fwallowed up wich rhis kindnefs! how canfi thou think fuch thoughts of love ! yet I fee ir. Rem. 1. I7. Tl:e Gofpel u the power of God to f.al varion ; f, r tha ein u \ righteoufnef? revealed fiwn faith to f aith. And mark, 'ris fuch a drawing of \ love, as pull s rhe foul from all rhe firong holds of fi nne, to Cb rift ; for that j whichchc Prophercomplainesof peopJeinhistime, is crue of <1lt rs, Jcr. ?·l 5· ThtJ took..f(lft hold of d~ceit, and refufed to re111rn ; they bold Jt as tbeu I life, and it holds them as fafi as fpirirual bonds of death ; either rbe plea- , fure .offinneholdsthem, orthepower of unbeliefin refufing grace, at- i tended with finkings, and fadnefs ofheart, or objeeling againfl grace through/ pride of ~earr, when the Lord com~s .to ~pprehend it; hereupon the I.o ~d ~ Jefus Chnfl, 11110 & eodem llfJU cfr zau, IQ drawlllg rhe foul [0 hunlelt, draws it from the captivity of finne; rhus, v1fJs 26. 18. from darf:.!te(S to light: I The f. I . 9· and che foul faith as rhey , Jer. 3. 2 <, 24, , &c.. Th_ei Lord Jefus doth not fo draw it ro himfelf , as chat ar the fJme wne m abides in finne; nor fo from finne, as char ic ab;des without Chrif1 ; bur una,\ &c• I For I obferve a double errour in mens drawing ro Cbrilt. \ Firfl, Either they come only from mifery (I fay, Only ) and fo are ra· I rher driven , than drawn eo Chrifl:; thl:y rather come themfelves on the legs \ -~£1
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