186 The Parable oftbe Tenflirginr, f him , never can he hunger againe ; otherwife the foul will fay , It was becrer\' w;th me once , than now it is ; Solomon, though he taited all good of the creatures after be knewGod,and Cod had appeared rwice ro him,yet he felt tbem j fall ihort of what be one~ found, and at Jait he remembred his re!t. When vtbram gave his children gifts, be did not lay hold on them wich fpecial love, bur to him to whom he gave his Inheritance; So the Lord may rake hold on _a man , and giv~ him 1ha~y abil!ties , but when he gives himfelf as an Inbencance and pomon, this IS fpec1al love; and when is rhat known ? .' (v;z:,.) whenthdoul is fullyfariatedwirhir, Pfalme r6. 2, ), 4· And hence the Prodigal he did nor know he lhould be received; bur when h~ came, <.JI;lakf me a fervan t , i F mt a Son (faith he) tmd his Father hNng about his neck._, &c. So here. E:o dm 6. 3· God bath two wayes ro fatisfie his people. ' t. By fclfilling his promifes. ' z. BymanifeHingbimfelf, audtharrotheir farisfying, as fufficienrtodo all what he barb promifed. Oh Conlider of rhis, you that have feen mercy, but ir harh nor faciared you' nor doth yet ! bur you have other bread to feed Oil ; the Lord never rook holden you. 3· Degree. This apprehending love of Chriit , havinE rhus fatiated the fouk, ir conHraines rhe foule to live and acHor Chriit. Now, what lhall I do for the Lord, and the poor foule b~gi ns ro lament dayes pafi of folly; andfecretly deliresof theLord, ir might rather not live , than not live to him ; and though happily it often ferve~ !in and felf, yet the foul accounts rhat life death, andfo laments it before the Lord , :~Cor. 5· 15, r6. ThattheJ that live, might live to him. John· 6 . 57· H' that believeth in "'' , fha!l live by me; i . e. both by me, and for me; and Chriil apprehends the foul fait now; for Chriit mutt rather lofe his life, than lote this foul. Look as 'tis with a Graft, put rhe fcience dole by the Hock, rye it fait, if there ir withers, and rather lofeth life rha ,, gers ir, we fay , Surely it's not put in right; for_if it were, rhe living Stock woul? convey fap and nourilhment to ir. So '[Is here ; fome herbs are very precious , but fo r ornamem, rather than uf6 • fo Chri(~ is deare, bur what ufe do you make of Cbriit ? whac life do fetch from Chri!t ? the lea!t joynt in a mans finger united to the foul , hat life of it; but Signets rhough near to the finger, yet they~ have no life, and hence no wnion, and hence no members ; fo the Saints have life, though weak; but unregenerate men (as Stgnets) may be near life , 'I and near the true Members of Chriit that be quickened , but receive no L~ , Gluttons will feed, that they may go eo {]eeping; others, thar rbey may fa'laworking; So, manytakeChrill:, andgetfomepeace, and tbenturn 1 Grace into wanronnefs, and fo {Jeep m their £loch; but a gracious heart, all his prayers and feeding, is, that he might have ll:rength , and heart, to live and work for Chrifi ; Hath the Lord pitied, pardoned ? how Lord !hall I now Jive in my Calling ? now his friends are by him piryed; no1'1 he is fruitful, and mourns, when others be not fo. • 4· Degree. This apprehending lo~e ?f Chriil having thus conitrained r~e foul, iteverfollowsir, and dwells m tt, Joh. 14. 17. For afrer Chuill bath apprehended rhe foul, fo as rhar the !Oul thinks it !hall never be as it bath been before; yet oh the lamentable decayes and lo!fes that ir f~els! it lofeth favour and life coo afterward, and livesagain!t Chriit fomerimes (a thing never ro be Jamemed enough ) .but m. ark, if Chr~!t hach apprehended, \ he will nor for fake the foul , though tt bath forfaken htm ; and hence the Lord by his conilant afii!lance of the Spirit , recovers it again , brings it · · b.tck
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=