Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

et as

1.

>

favour is his life ; the light of his countenance is more than corn, or wine and oil, the good that formerly he inquired after, and set his heart upon, Pfal. iv. 6, 7. This is the convert's voice ; « The Lord is my portion, faith my soul : Whom " have I in heaven, but thee? And there is none

upon earth that I defire befides thee. God is “ the strength of my heart, and my portion for “ ever,Pfal. lxxiii. 25, 26. Lam. iii

. 24. Secondly, “ It turns ine bias of the will, both to means and end."

“ The inten• tions of the will are altered," Ezek, xxxvi. 26. Jer. xxvi. 33. Isaiah xxvi. 8, 9. Now the man kath new ends and designs : Now he intends God above all, and desires and designs nothing in all the world so much, as that Christ may be magnified in hím, Phil. i. 20. He counts himself more happy in this, than in all that the earth could yield, that he may be serviceable to Christ, and bring him glory in his generation. This is the mark he aims at, that the name of Jesus may be great in the world; and that all the sheaves of his brethren may bow to his fheaf, Gen. xxxvii. 7.

Reader, Doft thou view this, and never alk thyself, whether it be thus with thee? Pause a while, and breathe on this great concernment.

2. “ The election is also changed,”' fo that he chooseth another way, Psal. cxix, 15. He pitcheth opon God as his blessedness, and as the principal, and holiness, as the subordinate means to bring him to God, John xiv. 6. Rom. ii. 7. He chooseth Jesus for his Lord, Col. ii. 6. He is not merely forced into Chrift by the storm, nor doth he take Christ for bare necessity; but he deliberately resolves that Christ is his best choice, Phil. i, 23.; and would rather have him to choose than all the good of this world, might he enjoy it while he would. Again, He takes holiness for his path; he doth not of mere neceflity submit to it, but he likes and loves it : “ I have chajin the way of thy precepts,Psal. cxix.

upon Christ

173.

He takes God's testimonies, not as his bondage, but as his heritage, yea, heritage for ever, ver. 111. He counts them not his burthen, but his bliis ; not his 'cords, but his cordials, 1 John v. 3. Pjad. cxix. 14, 16, 17. He doth not only bear, bur taktis

up Chrift's

's yoke, He takes not holiness as the ston mach doth the lothed potion, which it will down with rather than die, but as the hungry doti his beloved food. No time passeth so sweetly with him (when he is himselt) as that he sperds is the exercises of holinels; these are both his aliment, and element, the defire of his eyes, and the joy of his heart, Joi xxiii. 12. Pjal cxix 82, 131, 162, 174, and lxiii. 5. Put thy contcience to it as thou goeft, whether thou art the man; O happy man, if this be thy case! But see thou be thorough and impartial in the search.

Thirdly, “ It turns the bent of the affections," 2 Cor. vii. 11.

These run all in a new channel : the Jordan is driven back, and the water runs op. ward, a ainst its natural course.

Christ is his hope, Tim. i. 1. this is his prize, Phil. iii. 8.; here his eye is, here his heart is. He is contenced to cait all overboard (as the merchant in the storm ready to perish) so he may but keep this jewel.

The first of his defires is not after gold, but

[ocr errors]

grace, Phil. ii. 12. He hungers after it, he seeks it as silver, he digs for it as for hid treasure ; he had rather be gracious than be great; he had rather be the holiest man on earth, than the most learned, the most famous, the most prosperous. Wnile carnal, he said, O! if I were but in great esteem, and roll d in wealth, and swimmed in pleasure ; if my debts were paid, and I and mine provided for, then I were a happy man. But now the tone is changed : 0! faith the convert, if I had but my corruptions fubdued, if I had such measures of grace, luch fellowship with God, tho' I were poor and despised, I should not care, I should account myself a blessed man. Reader, is this the language of thy soul ?

His jas are changed. He rejoiceth in the ways of God's testimonies, as much as in all riches, Psal. cxix. 14. He “ delights in the law of the « Lord;" he haih no such joy as in the thoughts of Christ, the fruition of his company, the prosperity of his people.

His cares are quite altered, he was once set for the world, and any scraps of by-time were enough for his soul. Now « he gives over caring for the « affes,” and sets his heart on the kingdomn : now all the cry is, " What shall I do to be saved ?" 1&s xvi.

30.
His
great

folicitude is how to secure his fool: 0, how he would bless you, if you could put him out of doubt of this!

His fears take another turn, Heb. xi. 25, 27. Once he was afraid of nothing so much as the loss of his estate or esteem, the pleasure of friends, or the frowns of the great; nothing founded fo terrible to him, as pain, or poverty, or disgrace : now

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

these are little to him, in comparison of God's difhonapr or displeasure. How warily doth he walk, left he should tread upon a snare ! He feareth always, he looks before and behind; he hath his eye upon his heart, and is often cafting it over his shoulder, left he should be overtaken with fin, Pfal. xxxix. 1. Prov. xxviii. 14. Ecclf. ii. 14. It kills his heart to think of losing God's favour, this he dreads as his only undoing. Pfal. li. 11, 12, and cxix. 8. No thought in the world doth pinch him and pain him so much, as to think of parting with Chrift.

His love runs a new course. My love was $ crucified,” saith Ignatius'; that is, my Chrift. “ This is my beloved,” faith the spouse, Cant. v. 16. How doth Augustine often pour out

his love upon Chrift? “O eternal blessedness,” &c.--He can find no words sweet enough: « Let me fee “ thee, O light of mine eyes ! Come, O thou joy s of my Spirit. Let me behold thee, O life of my “ foul ! Appear unto me, O my great delight, my “ sweet comfort ! O my God, my life, and the “ whole glory of my soul. Let me find thee, O “ desire of my heart. Let me hold thee, O love of my foul.' Let me embrace thee, O heavenly “ bridegroom. Let me possess thee !", His sorrows have now a new vent, 2 Cor. vii.

The view of his fins, the fight of a Chrift crucified, that would scarce ftir him before, now how much do they affect his heart !

His hatred boils, his anger burns against fin, Psalm cxix. 104. He hath no patience with himself; he calls himself fool, and thinks any name too good for himself, when his indignation is itirred up against fin, Psalm lxxiii. 22. Prov. XXX. 2.

[ocr errors]

9, 10.

« Commune with thy own heart," and attend the common and general current of ihire affection, whether it be towards God in Christ, above all other concernments.

Indeed, sudden and strong commotions of the affections and sensitive parts, are often found in hypocrites, especially where the natural inclination leads thereunto : and contrary-wise, the sand themselves are many times without sensible stirring of the affections, where the temper is more flow, dry; and du'l. The great inquiry is, whether the judgm. t and will be steadily determined for God, above all other good, real, or apparent ; and if the affections do sincerely follow their choice and conduct, though it be not so strongly and sensibly as is to be desired, there is no doubt but the change is faving,

Throughout the members.Those that were before the instruments of fin, are now become the holy utensils of Christ's living temple, Rom. vi. 16. 1 Cor. iii. 16. The eye, that was once a wandering eye, a wanton eye, a haughty and covetous eye, is now employed, as Mary's, in weeping over its fins, Luke vii. 38. in behold. ing God in his works, Pjälm viii. 3. in reading his word, A&is viii. 30. in looking up and down for objects of mercy, and opportunities for his ser, vice.

The ear, that was once open to Satan's call, and that, like a vitiated palate, did relish nothing, so much as filth, or at least frothy talk, and the fool's laughter, is now' bored to the door of Christ's house, and open to his discipline : it faith “ Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth ;" and

ҫ

2.

« IndietroContinua »