O f Ineffefual Hearing the Word. till the Lord do bring it into fome fad affiiaion ; now a man begins to think, I remember what my Father fpake tome once, and I regarded it not then,; Now this feed which was cafl when the child was young, it fhall fpring up twenty years after. 'John 2. 22. Chrift had faid, Be would deftroy the Temple, and raife it again in three dayes Now when he was rifer: from the dead, his difciples remem- bred that which he hadfpoken to them, but they regarded it not before; Thefe things, faith Chrift, have Ifpoken tot you whiles I was withyou ;but when the comforter is come, hefhall bring all thefe words toyour remembrance that I have faidunto you. One fentence it may be that bath difcover- ed a mans fin, it lies hid; but when the time ofripening draws near,you Thal fee the word will have marvelous in creafe ; and that fin it may be will bring to mind twenty fins ; and that promife of God which gives but a little confolation, confider'd in it felf, it /hall give marvelous confolation. One would wonder to fee what one word will do, when the Lords time of blefling it is come. , 2. After that a 'Chriítian hath had the feeling of the efficacy of the word, he may lofe the feeling of i t again, and yet the being of it may remain; and the reafon is this, partly becaufe there is not alwayes need of feeling the like efficacy in the word. A man may have by the word a marvelous deal ofaffurance of Gods love, and fenfe of mercy and joy in the holy Ghoft, he may have this in the feeling of it : This word, it did lye hid for a time; afterward it fprings up and gives him peace. But he lofes. his peace again, his Sun do's fet, and it is midnight with with him within twenty four hours, and he is as much in the dark as before ; Now the being of this peace is there, but he hath no need of the feeling of it atall times; the Lord he will referve that till fome time of:tentation, that he fhall meet withall. As Paul, he had marvel- lous Revelations ; but Pau/hadmore need of humiliation, than exaltation ; andthere was not that ufe ofPauls ha- ving thofe glorious manifeflations to him ; I will glory in my infirmities : There was need for Paul to know the evils of his heart, that he might walk humbly ; and it did not make fo much for the glory of the Lord, as this, that Paul fhould fay, I have thismifery and darknefs, and fins, and yet ]efus Chrift he will take away all : There was not need for Paid to have thofe joyes at all times, that he had at one time, So the Lord he gives a Chrifiian joy 14 a and 99 24
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