tenVirgins Opened and Applied. 87 world and let che Lord re~lly before rh~;, as David -:Pf~tlm 16. 8. and fo do~ . one ~;nh another. Fonwo things keep from Chriit. Either Firll, rhey care not for him, and rhe caufe is, they make himnot prefe~t, only h~ve anotion and report of h1m. Secondly, They dare not dofe with him, becaufe they fear_he is not willing 'o dofewith them, w1th orhers, not wuh me; io thaD all theScnptures they read,all the Promifcs they he,u are veryfweer, but they look on cllem as fpoken eo others. Hence .Afls 1.. 3 9. For the Promife u .made to FH , and to th.em afar off; be thou ne'ler fo far off, if choureceivelt him, he will receiverbee, Luk; z. !4. Good wilt to men: Oh fee this oood-will in the Lord to have thee receive him , rbough thou ball no money, nay becaufe dead and vile, nay becaufe nor feniible, Rev. 3· I7, I8. Oh wonderful becaufefenfelefs ofmifery, there:ore clofewich him. 1. Is it not hiscommand it fhould be fo? z. Is it nor afin to reJeCt him? will be ·not be angry wirh rhee to reJeCt him? 3.Are nor his conditionse.1fie,f6 as be harh undertaken to do all th,u which thou fai!trhOJ,J canH nor? Why wilt nor? I. Oh if! were a child,a fon in Covenant I would,6ut becaufe orherwife,hence I dare nor.Anf. Joh.I. JZ.Rc::ceive him,ne will make thee a Son. 2.0h but my wanrs are many.Anf. Receive him he will make thee ri~h, lfai. 55. I, 2. 3. Oh but I find my heart"en cleared to creatures. An[. I John 5· 4· Th'is uthe Viflorythatovercameth 'the w?rld, I even 7our Faith. 4· Oh but I fhall fall back. No, J•r·3· zz. Return,and he will he.rl to/ bACI:::fitding. 5. Oh but I J.ball never be able to QO any rhing.Anf.Yes, clofe wirh hLn and tholl (halt. 6. Oh but I am very vile before the Lord after alii do. Anf. YeL Eph. 5·~5> z6, 27. He &all make thee amiable, only receive him, fee rhy heart on him alone. Now do you think he bears agood will toward you ?can you deny it? Sh,11l nor this O\':!rcome thee, that the Lord ofGlory fhould fall in love with thee, and bear good will ro thee aLeper, andrhat canll do nothing for him, and yet for all this, Oh thin\ill dwvthee,Pfa/. 36. 6, 7· Oh h~w grMt u thy loving-kjndnefJ; this makes ahe'rr of{leel to yield, Jer. 31, I, 2, 3. Oh this will cut you in Hell, Oh hard hearts char de!"pired fuch Grace! 4· If rhe ferious th~ughts of this do nor drav:r thee, aD le,lll not fo fully; look up to rhe Lord eo revealhtmfelfunro thee to be rhme. for as no rr.an can cake Chrill unril God gives him, fo no man can fay he is his , unrill the Lord fhews him char he is his. And as thecreaturecannorref,(l, bur take when the Lord gives: fo it cannot bur fee the Lord when he revel!> himfelfas indeed he is. And look to fee him to be yours by fo:ne Promife; for there is afeeing Chri!l mine in gre.1 t fulgor without the light ofaPro:nife,and Spirit ~nit .Is Chri!t yours? Ye;, I fee it.How? by any !Yord or promife? No, this is adeluGon. The other is by pro:nife,& that opened in the; Gofpel, E1 h. I. I 3• I 4· He faith nor in who!U <Tfter ye were fealed you believed,but e contra. And how believed ?by hearing the Gofpel.Hence Saincs return to this, Pfalm p. 8. Let me hear thevoice,I Pet. 2. r,z, 3· And this isthat which harh knit the hems of Saints to Chri(l for ever, Oh theu haft the words of · lif~ : F?r there isavoice of love to rhe.Sainrs en~raven in all mercies, in all affiiCtlOns, m all God~ le,1dings of them, though it be in aWildernefs; but Beloved, only r~e Vllordcan tell me themeaningofthefewords of love. So nhere is love ofChnll revealed according to aPromife, nor by it, and love fpoken in mercie$, bur the Word interprets the:n and clem them to be no delufions; I mem the Spirit there: This is jucged to be agood anfwer to Papills, wh:> lhall be judge of conrroverGes ? We anfwer r"hat which fhall be judge at the !all Day,mu!tbe judge now: but fo, Rom. z. I6. John I z. 48. So whether cloth Gods Spirit feal, or die Devil delude? It's a great comroverGe if you have not a word w fee Gods love by,butthinkyou have away to fee it wir~out, thisWord fhall judgeyqu. Oh look therefore for the Lord by aword to do it , and fay Spea~ Lord; and if by word, l?ok not for it wirhour a work on your own heart. Some Chrillians have relled With a work without Chrill, which is·aboll\inable ; bur after a man is in Chrill,'
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