Shepard - Houston-Packer Collection BV4500 .S43 1657

2® A wholefdy;ae Caveat ,flrangers to Chrift, and live without God and Chrift in the world, and Chrift tronmthem, and fo Satan takes poi ,felfion, and rules them , and fo men are under the king= dome of darkneffe,fo that the deviil himfelffpoí%f es eve- ry naturali man, as the Apoftle fpeaks, he worked) in the c'.7ildren of difobedience, to run on fo, and remain fo. Ncw the Gofpel of the kingdorne,'and the meanes to advance Chrift in his kingdorne, makes a free offer of Chrift him- felf; indeed it offers pardon, grace, mercy, life, glory,but all thefe are in Chrift himfelf, and we poffeffe them by po.fetfngand receivingof Chrift himfelf; as a poor wo- man i o hath all the wealth ofthe man by entertaining ofthe man. So that the Gofpell firftly and primarily offers Chrift himfelf, and faith doth pitch on Chrift himfelf,and d. ugh open thofe- everlaf ing doore.t, that the King of glory may come in, John i . 12. 'ris Paid, So many as receivedhim, hegavepower to he the fons of God, a John g. la. He that bath the Son, bath Life ; fo that now let a man refufeor reiea the Lordhimfelf ashe is thus offered in the Gofpel, he does refufe the kingclome of the Lord, and does re- fute to be under the power of the Lord. True,it may be laid the kingdom of God hath been nigh to him, when Chrift is offered in the Gofpell, and God (ayes as it were nothing fhall pleafeme fo much as this, it thou doti_re- eeive me. Luke io. Go andpreach to thefe and thefe Cities, and if they will not receive you, fhak.e off the duff - of your' feet, and It t ticem l`now the itingderne of God bath been nigh to them; then Chrift comes into the foul when the whole foul takes the Lord for himfelf; Chrift,and all that Chrift bath, Chrift in . a pardon, and Chrift in a promife : at that very day ti:e Lord gave the heart to receive him, then is the kingdorre of God come in that heart, and with him all, life, peace, Joy, and glory, God, Spirit, and all. Now the whole foul receives him, when i. The mind fees him in the glory ofhis grace , that though it had low, mean thoughts of Chrift before, for which it mourns; yet the rir o of this glorious Sun upon him, he efteems all things loge forhim that he may win Chriff, and befoundin Chrift, in him, and He in me, in vocation : -andnot having my own righteoufnef re, in juftification: And tofeel the life of Chriff and death alfo,in,fandification :And to attain to the re- furrafion ofthe dead, in glorification: and now nothing is dear to the foul but Chrift. 2. When thewill, after the foul hath had fonae hopes theLord may look towards

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