Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.S5 B6 1641

' - . 81 \ Eat 0 friends,Drinke. _~ Sua. III. drunk~ largelyofthiswine, it made them forget ; friends,riches,honours,life it felfe : .the joy Hir- \ red upby it, carried them through all torments. : i \ Pf•i•7l··· I I ' 1 If any be hindredby conceitofunworthines) i ifaffeCted deeply with it,let them confider what i kindofmen were compelled to the banquet, the \ blind, the lame. See a lively picture of Gods l mercy 1n theexample pfthePrBdigaU, he feares 1 fharpchiding, and theFatJJerpnvides 4 rich PAn· : quet;hegoeth to his Father,but the Ftttherrtms te \ meet him. Did Chri!l: ever turne backe any that 1 came umo him, if they came out ofatrue fenfe of their wants 1 Ettt o friends. I Chrifl: out of the largendfe of hisaffcCt:ions I mulriplyeth new titles andcornpdlatioas [Belo- ~ vedand friends] Chrift providesa banquet, and 1 invites his fiends not his enemies. Thoft good' things thttt neithereyehath_(etn, nor earehatb heard, that are above our conceit to apprehend, thefeare pro-. videJforthofe that /{)vehim,not that hate him :he \ . minglesanother cupfor them, a cup ofwrath, and they are to drinket~p the very dregs ifit.Friendf.hip is the fweetndfe, intimateadfc and firength of love. In our friends our love tiwels, and refl:s it Jdf.Conjugall fri~ndlhip is the fweetefi: friend- !hip. All the kinds and degrees of friendthip ,meet in Chrifr towards his Spoufe ; it is the . fri~ndihip ofa hosband,ofa brother,and ifthere i heany relation in the world wherein friendibip l 'is,all is tooHttle eo expre1fe the loveofChrift. Jn friendfhipthere is mutuall confent,anunion I __ ' of\ t \

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