ten Vir?)ns Opened and Applied. ings of Jofeph: ail rhc rim~ ofFami11<=.1V1sforrhis. So rhe f~mine of Spirit is ro la!t Ion" and rhe Lod demes fup;>ly, ro brmg the ·Soul ro fee, embrace, and rejoy~e i~'rhe Lord Jefus: the mott flouriihing Trer.!s. in God> Houfe {hall have thei rwinter feafon<, and ca!l: rhetr ·co,lt, that they mtghr preferve rhemfelves · in their roor. This is rhe great woimd of many a be<ieving foul for a time, ro relt moce comemed wirh what he receives from rhe Lord, than to quier himfe:f and his heart wirh what is in the Lord: Man would h,we his loft hap~inefs in his own hand, and this the Lord will not fufter his people to lye in long, Gen. 26. 4· and rhe bell: an.:! furefl: eouric rh.1r cw be taken, is to cut rhem i1oort of all : for . Faith is an unconquerable Grace, that 1"\ barever it loferh our of irs own haJJd , it will find it andenJO)' ir in ano:her. And therefore fee Gods end, and meer the Lord in this end of his. See all in the Lord, and feeing your ble!fednefs there in aU your w.mrs, layit up rhere, that if you will bo.18:, here you may do it all rhe day !ono : for this is Gods greatdl plot to pull all men down that hi~ S•:m may be fer up, ~o wither all the grafs and be.mry of all rhe flowers of the field , that the "lory oft he Lord might be revealed. I muil: here give y0u a rafl:e, for it dorh me g0od ro chink, and ir will do you m0re good eo enJOY the fweerneffe of rhis Truth. There are four Things y01tdclireall, which are chtefly laid up in ChriH, to that end that you might in all wanrs quiet your hearts with unfpeakable peace rhere. I. The free Grace and love of the father, thisis than I hope which you prize mo!t, pray for mo(t, fear the lofs ofmofl, would reJoyce in the having of mo!l:, wirhoL•t which thy life is death, and bieHings curfes, and de,trh the beginning of Hell. Would you fee this love better than life eo thee? Oh I cannor fee it, or but very little of ir. 'Tis true, loak upon your [elves you can fee bur little , many fears, many rears, many he1rt-forrows, many temptations, many deferrions, many vexing hns, many denyals to your Prayers ; but Oh look up to that Ointment which is po1.1re::l upon this ble!fed he~d , that love that is ihed abundantly upon rhe Son from before all worlds, and look what love, what Grace the Father ihews rohim,rharlove is thine; tharloveinhimisihcwnrorhee, zTim. I. 9, 10. Here Hand amazed all ye reople of rhe Lord , you have heard rhe Lord love> you, and fomerime believe it, bur being under warer , ca1inor conceive of it, nor fee how he love ; you, how dearly, howabundandy; Oh look n01v upon the love ofGod rhe Father in rheSon, as be love' hi'Tl, lobe loves thee aW)rm, a Devil!, norwithfhnding all thy wane, all rhy !ins, all thy miferies, 'fohn 17. z 3, z6. 2. Life: Oh Death \s terrible, and adead hem is woful, 'tis rhegre1r plague rhatliesupoR men without Chri(t, rhat are 8:rangers to the life of God, Eph. 4.18. Is thy hem ever fo joyed as when it's moH enlarged for God , and hatb moH delight and liberty in the wayes of God: alas thy life is but alingering !icknefq, a poor life to rhat1vhich thou hafl: in Chrifl:. Ohlookuprhere, Col. 3· 3· You rhin!Q when your hearts are afieeted, and warmed, and quickened in Prayer by word, or by Divine thoughts,' &c. Oh if it might be ever fo1 how happy! Oh bm it dyes prefenrly, and thou knowefl: nor how. Look up tO the Lord Jefus, he is alive when thou art dead, and his life is thine, and •ris ever thine in him, even eternal life , I 1ohn 5. I o, I I, 12. Thu u the record , that he hath given us .eternal life ; alas I flnd none: Oh 'ris in his Son, in who'll thou livett a better life than Me11, ·rhan Kings, rhan Angels. And I doubt nor bur the L::>rd fulfers Te·nptations to rob you ·of your life, that you might find it when •£is lofl: here, ~nd rejoyce char when you have none, ·yet here it is: ble!fed be God, he will keep our livesaq the life of Jacob was knit up , and bound up in rhe life of the cbild ; nay that life is ours. ~. Conquefl and ViCtory over all Enemies ; it may be you fay often, the Lord bath commanded me eo feek for help, and he will help , he barb promifed fo to do, but I find my DiHempers fiill ra.ging , Smn ilill buffering, and winnowing, · ' and 7I
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=