Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	full_a	lord_n	psal_n	2,435	5	7.5110	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96661	Mount Ebal levell'd or Redemption from the curse. Wherein are discovered, 1. The wofull condition of sinners under the curse of the law. 2. The nature of the curse, what it is, with the symptomes of it, in its properties, and effects. 3. That wonderful dispensation of Christs becoming a curse for us. 4. The grace of redemption, wherein it stands, in opposition to some gross errors of the times, which darken the truth of it. 5. The excellent benefits, priviledges, comforts, and engagements to duty, which flow from it. By Elkanah Wales, M.A. preacher of the Gospel at Pudsey in York-shire.	Wales, Elkanah, 1588-1669.	1658 (1658)	Wing W294; Thomason E1923_1; ESTC R209971	189,248	382

money Isa 52.3 Although it cost Jesus Christ the price of blood in an accursed death yet it was according to the riches of Gods grace Eph. 1.7 In regard of Christ our Surety it was not free but dearly bought for as Almighty God the person offended did require satisfaction to be made to Justice so Christ undertaking for us answered his demands accordingly But in all other respects it is free The appointing of such a thing as Redemption for lost sinners the providing of such a Surety to undertake the work the managing of it all along in such a way as it might not faile of its accomplishment the accepting of it when it was done for full satisfaction the particular application of it to the needs of all the Elect all these were acts of free grace and mercy Poor soul the Lord doth not expect the worth of one farthing from thee towards the purchase of thy Redemption Look thou upon it as the meer fruit of rich grace 2 It is full and plenteous Psal 130.7 Jesus Christ hath gone thorough-stitch with it he hath done it to the full for there is no defect or flaw in it at all He doth not work one or some few parts of it making an entrance for us and leaving us to grapple with the rest to bear the heat and burden of the day and to wrastle out as we can but he makes compleat work of it he redeems us from all our iniquities he delivers us out of the hands of all our enemies he takes off from our backs the whole curse and sets us in a state of true freedom Therefore in the bringing of it home to poor sinners they are said to receive abundance of grace Rom. 5.17 1 Tim. 1.14 I grant it is not made out to us at present in all the parts and degrees of it but it shall be entire and perfect in heaven there shall not an hoof be left behinde Take it in the whole from first to last and it is every way plenteous he will save to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 3 It is eternal and without period Heb. 9.12 The liberty whereinto Christ Jesus brings the Elect is permanent it shall never turne into bondage it abides irrevocable and unchangeable to all eternity The Jews which had sold themselves to bee servants were to be set free at the Jubilee yet that Jubilee lasted but for one year therefore the same persons might afterwards become bondmen again but this acceptable year of the Lords Redeemed Isa 61.2 63.4 is an everlasting year it shall never end therefore they shall never be subject to bondage any more When the Lord would comfort the Jews with hopes of a return from Babylon he usually annexeth Evangelical promises respecting the deliverance of poor sinners from the slavery of Satan whereof that captivity was a type some of which promises do plainly express the perpetuity of that spiritual freedome which they shall enjoy Isa 35.10 Isa 51.6 60.19 20. Jer. 31.11 12. 32.39 Ezek. 37.25 26. 39.29 and these shall begin to be fulfilled most visibly at the calling of the Jews 2 Redemption by Christ doth beget and bring with it many rare spiritual benefits It is a rich Mine containing a mass of treasure of unspeakable worth Could we dig into it we might finde variety of the choisest pearls in comparison whereof the most orient pearles that this world can afford are no better than dross What the Lord said once to his Anointed Cyrus a temporal deliverer of his people the same he hath spoken much more to his Anointed Jesus the Churches great Redeemer I will give thee the treasures of darkness the hidden riches of secret places Isa 43.3 These are the unsearchable riches of Christ Suscepit mala nostra ut ●hueret bonasua Aug. Eph. 3.8 The things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard c. 1 Cor. 2.9 He hath taken upon him our evill things that he might bestow upon us his good things That we may rightly understand the nature of these several benefits in reference to the mother-benefit from whence they spring I shall briefly make way to them by these three considerations 1 The Redemption that is in Christ hath in it not onely satisfaction Impunitas pramium but also merit from the former ariseth freedome from deserved punishment from the latter the conferring of everlasting reward Hence it is that some benefits consists in deliverance from evil and others in bestowing of good things 2 As the woful condition of the sons of men through sin is made up of two sorts of evills some referring to what they are in Gods account others to what they are in themselves answerably the condition whereinto Redemption brings them consists of two sorts of benefits 1 Relative importing a change in Gods account of them 2 Real standing in an alteration of qualities in themselves 3 The benefits which flow from Redemption do not immediately follow the sufferings of Christ on the Cross so as thereby and thenceforth to be actually existent and to enure to all the elect but are onely made feasible by them yet so as to be communicated infallibly in due time They are contained in the womb of redemption but yet their several births are according to the time of life I mean they are in it virtually as the fruit in the seed but not actually laid in the bosomes of sinners till redemption it self be applied unto them I may compare the whole fabrick of the salvation of sinners to a mighty tree the root of it is upward in heaven the decree of it election the boil of it is redemption having many spiritual benefits as so many branches growing out of it virtually contained in the boil breaking forth and deriving their several fruits to poor sinners at the time of their conversion These things being premised let us take a view of them as they are scattered here and there in the Scriptures I shall present them in that order which I conceive to be most proper These things being premised let us take a view of them as they are scattered here and there in the Scriptures I shall present them in that order which I conceive to be most proper Falling out with God was the beginning of our Apostasie and Reconciliation is the beginning of our actual recovery 1. Reconciliation This is so near a kin to Redemption that for substance it is the same differing onely in some respects As treason murther or the like crime commited against the Law of the Magistrate doth not onely make the offender liable to the penalty of the Law but also sets them at a distance and provokes the wrath of the Magistrate against him Even so the sin of man did not onely make him a prisoner under the Curse of the Law of God but brought on a wofull enmitie betwixt God and him The Scripture often presents the Lord displeased with sinners and gives all men as they stand

year all our life long to a careless and disobedient people Rom. 10.12 Our words came to their eares but they would not suffer them to reach their hearts Oh then how can you lift up your heads or whether will you flie for relief And now I could heartily wish that his word might follow you home and the sound of this trumpet grow more and more shrill in your eares till it hath awakened you thoroughly Still remember that it is a business of the greatest importance requiring your choicest pains and diligence if S. Austine said truly He that hath made thee without thee will not save thee without the understanding it of full savation or the whole course of it means as well as end then may we say as truly he that hath paid the price of thy redemption without thee will not give thee the full possession of it without thee That which a man seeks he may probably finde if thou wilt bestir thy self in the use of means there is hope that thou mayest injoy this mercy But if thou sleightest and neglectest it thou shalt be sure to lose it As free a gift as it is God will not drop it into your mouthes while you snort and sleep if you think it not worth your most serious endeavours you shall never bee better for it I have delivered mine errand and I must leave it with you Now advise and see what answer I shall return to him that sent mee CHAP. X. Sect. 1. Exhortation to sensible sinners 2. THis precious Truth holds forth an Olive-branch of peace to sensible and broken sinners which are convinced of their misery by the curse and lye under the bondage age of it unable to get out Poor soul thou feelest thy self accursed thou hearest that Christ by becoming a curse hath ransomed sinners from the curse yet something still knocks thee off that thou canst not reach up to the enjoyment of this happines but walkest mournfully as a meer stranger to it expecting the uttermost mischief that it can work against thee I beseech thee in the bowels of our dear Redeemer take special notice of this weighty Truth and bring it home close to thy spirit Ar● thou perswaded that Christ hath done this for wretched sinners Why then dost not thou set thy heart upon it and improve it seriously for thy best advantage Thou poor weather-beaten soul be of good chear the Lord Jesus hath paid thy ransome and now he bids thee come out of prison Wilt thou not give him leave to redeem thee but chuse to lye by it still Oh do not nourish this bondage of conscience any longer by holding off from this blessed remedy Say to thy soul I see the Redeemer hath paid a price which is abundantly sufficient to redeem many thousands and hath made them prisoners of hope Well I will humbly hope that I am one of that happy number And that thou mayest be really happy in the personal possession of this grace of Redemption I will give thee counsel and God shall bee with thee Take it in three particulars 1. Seriously ponder the weight and strength of this great design It is bottomed on the everlasting love of God and managed by his admirable wisdome The spring from which it flows is love and wisdome carries it on from first to last It is the good pleasure of his will founded on his everlasting decree that sinners should be delivered and saved in this way and in none other Hearken what the Lord saith to thee poor sinner I have given my Son to take upon him thy curse that thou mightest be freed from it And here I give thee my faithful promise that if thou wilt heartily accept him for thy Lord-redeemer and resign up thy self unto him thou shalt both be acquitted from all the mischief which the curse would bring upon thee and moreover instated in all that righteousness and glory which he enjoyes as Mediator and that by a sure Covenant never to be forgotten my word may be sufficient security to thee but if that will not serve behold here are my seals the Sacraments visible evidences of my well-meaning which may put all out of question Oh then I beseech thee bring thy heart to rest satisfied in this unless thou darest sleight the Lords free love or thinkest that thou canst disanull his eternal purpose and resist or alter the counsel of his will and be wiser than thy Maker what may hinder but thou shouldest lay hold on this strength and make peace Isaiah 27.5 2. I suppose thou art skared out of thine old prophane temper and seest great need of plying the Throne of grace a with supplications for mercy deliverance pardon and acceptation Psal 130.1 Lam. 3.55 56. Well continue still instant and watch thereunto let not thy sales fall especially pray earnestly for grace and strength to perform the condition Although the benefit of Redemption be far out of thy reach and seem impossible in thine eyes Mar. 9.23 yet if thou canst beleeve it is thine all things are possible to him that beleeveth And because faith is the gift of God and no man can Come to Christ unless the Father draw him Joh. 6.44 therefore it behooves thee to bee importunate for this drawing power to bring thee to Jesus Christ that thou mayest rest upon him and be happy And unto prayer joyn other Ordinances waiting on God in the use of them all in their several degrees and seasons till the Spirit shall breathe a spark of faith into thy soul Hearken not to those which bid thee lye still Prov. 19.15 and wait but do nothing idle waiting may lull thee asleep in security and lay thee open to delusions and false hallowS concerning thy spiritual condition which may tend to thy undoing but it is not the way wherein the Spirit of God delights to draw near to the soul of the humbled sinner Wait on the Lord and keep his way Psal 37.34 The Lord is willing to do great things for poor sinners yet he will bee enquired of by them they must seek unto him for the performance of them Ezek. 36.37 3. While thou art thus sighing towards heaven and begging faith to be ransomed and freed from thy sore bondage be careful to learn self-denial trampling under-foot not onely thine own righteousness which I presume thou dost already but also wisdome reason sense and whatsoever else may unhappily stop thy way and keep thee off from Christ and still ever and anon be trying thy heart towards the acting of faith do not sit down in the sullenness of thy spirit saying I do well to hold of but struggle with thy unbeleeving heart Set thy foot upon this way and lift up one foot after another that at last thou mayest come to close with thy Redeemer See he is here waiting for thy coming Oh saith he Hos 13.13 How long will the poor child stay in the place of breaking forth of children Stick at it

will is carryed towards him in desires and longings to injoy him for thy All in all So that now poor soul Christ is willing and thou art willing the match is made thou enjoyest him by faith although thou dost not perceive it onely stand not here but endeavour to scrue it up to more sensible resting on him and so to the riches of full assurance CHAP. XI Sect 1. Exhortation to the Redeemed in two Duties 3. THis Doctrine calls upon the Lords Redeemed ones for such a carriage as is most suitable to their condition Every remarkable change of estate requires an answerable change of course and practise If a prisoner suppose Joseph be hastily brought out of the Dungeon to stand before a King he must shave himself and change his rayment his speech apparel gestures and all his behaviour must be quite of another strain than they were in his low condition Even so beloved Christians if you feel your selves bought out from the slavery of the curse I beseech you to consider that this excellent benefit layes a strong engagement upon you to walk as it becomes the Lords ransomed people And this walking must be manifested and held forth in sundry remarkable duties Gen. 41.14 Ergo tu dignum te gere tali pretio Ambros which I shall rank in such order as I conceive to be most proper The first duty which the Redeemed soul hath to do is this Admire the riches of the mercy of God in Christ laying this benefit in thy lap and let it stir thee up to an holy rejoycing yea glorying in God and let this joy break forth in praises 1. Let this glorious work take up thy heart and fill it with an holy wondring Say Oh what admirable condescension is here that Jesus Christ should be at such cost for me to buy out such a wretch from the curse of the Law and to make me actually partaker of this blessed liberty The thought of this incomparable design thus brought home to my soule doth even astonish me that the Lord should pluck me as a brand out of the fire and when I had little savour or desire that way did break open the prison doores and set me free Psal 126.1 2. Tune and teach thy soul to rejoyce in Jesus Christ Entertain this gift with all gladness Let the inwards of thy heart be much affected with joy in the consideration of the Lord's mercie to thee Mary rejoyced in God her Saviour Luke 1.46 47. When the Jewes were rescued from destruction by the dashing in pieces of Haman's bloodie project they had joy and gladness Esther 8.16 17. Thou hast now received the atonement by Jesus Christ therefore thou mayest now glorie in him Rom. 5.11 Thou seest sinne the Curse condemnation vanquished by the Cross of Christ and thy self a Conquerour through faith in his blood therefore thou hast abundant cause to rejoyce in him and in his salvation Hab. 3.13 17 c. 3. Let this joy vent it self on all fit occasions by thanksgiving both in songs Psal 126.2 and other expressions of his praise speaking good of his Name When the L rd hath redeemed his people they shall come to Zion with singing everlasting joy shall be upon their heads sorrow and mourning shall flee away Isa 35.10 This Prophesie doth either wholly or chiefly concern the Churches spiritual deliverance and shall be most fully verified when their deliverance is compleat The four beasts and Twenty four Elders sing a new song unto the Lamb upon this account because he was slain Vide. Pareum in locum and had redeemed them c. Rev. 5.8 9. which some apply to the Church triumphant in heaven Solomon in Type but Jesus Christ in truth should redeem the poor and needie and shall dayly be praised Psal 72.14 15. Psal 71.23 Take notice of this and practise it Oh It 's a mercie that calls for all that is within us to praise him and all little enough Psal 103.1 2 c. Keep in thy heart the remembrance of this benefit Let it still be warme upon thy spirit that thou mayest express some thankfulness every day but especially on the Lord's day which being the day of Christ's resurrection Psal 118.24 is applied by the Fathers to the Lords day is therefore to be observed as a solemne weekly Commemoration of the work of Redemption which was perfected thereby and that I doubt not by Divine or Apostolical warrant Let this be the principal work of the day and let it have an influence into all the parts of your lives It is to be bewailed that too many of the Lords ransomed ones spend their dayes in sorrow lowrness and dejection of spirit Whereas they should rather give up themselves to delight in him who hath plucked their feet out of the net 2. Hold fast the Libertie which Christ hath given you Seing you are now set free inslave not your selves again unto a second bondage which may be 1. More gross and palpable by apostasie from Jesus Christ in the Doctrine profession and obedience of the Gospel When thou hast entertained this truth of Redemption by Christ and hast gone so farre in applying it to thy self that thou darest claim a part in it beware now of backsliding that thou leave not Christ on the plain field in casting off the truth and abandoning the profession of it before men If thou drawest back the Lord will have no pleasure in thee Heb. 10.38 Let these terrible thunderclaps be ever in thine eares that those which fall away cannot be renewed unto repentance Heb. 6.4 c. That if we sinne willingly by a totall Apostasie from the truth received there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but an expectation of Judgement and fierie indignation c. Heb. 10.26 27. See also 2 Pet. 2.20 21. 2. More covert or refined and that either of conscience or of conversation 1. Bondage of conscience is when the redeemed soule gives way to the threats and terrours of the Law and suffers them to get so farre within him as they cause him in some degree to lie down under the power of them Yield not to this slaverie Onely know and make account that every sinne is in it self of such a malignant quality that it would certainly bring the curse and wrath of God upon thee If it were not prevented And therefore when thou art overtaken with it thou must judge thy self worthy to be destroyed and that the Lord might justly charge it upon thee and follow the Law against thee to thy condemnation and hereupon it will be necessary that thou be often renewing thy repentance in Godly sorrow with faith on the Redeemer for pardon and fencing thy soul more against thy sinne by hatred of it and resolution against it Do all this and spare not but let not the Law throw the fire-balls of hell into thy conscience Look not on thy self as one that lies under the Curse Thy Redeemer hath cleared the

distinctness to his heart and conscience for doubtless every natural man may say of the Law as the Eunuch of the Text in the Prophecy of Isaiah How can I understand it except some man should guide me Act. 8.31 God sends Moses to conduct the children of Israel towards the Land of Canaan but they must go thorow the wilderness and there the Law must be promulgated in a terrible manner with thundrings and lightnings c. that the fear of the Lord might be before their faces Exod. 20.20 Sinners must come to mount Sinai before they come to mount Sion Jesus Christ himself when he comes with healing in his wings and his heart and mouth full of blessing for sinners yet even then he will send his messenger before his face to prepare the way before him they must remember the Law of Moses in the mean time and before his coming he will send them one to go before him in the spirit and power of Elias c. lest he come and smite the earth with a curse Mal. 4.2 4 5 6. Luke 1.17 So that to shut up this use we must crave your excuse if we harp sometimes on this harsh string for although it be not toothsome physick yet it is wholsome We should be both unfaithfull to our great Master and treacherous to your souls if we should withhold from you this so necessary a part of Gods counsel We were not worthy to be admitted Counsellors at Law if we would not plainly tell our Clients the worst of their causes We know the terrour of the Lord therefore we perswade you by the light of the Law to consider of your misery 2 Cor. 5.11 That speech of the Pharisees is a truth though ill meant and worse applied by them John 7.49 The people which know not the Law are cursed When people cannot endure to hear of their sin and curse by the ministery of the Law it is too probable a sign that they lie fast bound hand and foot under the curse Oh my brethren were it not better to hear the curse ringing aloud in your ears in this world while there is a possibility of escaping it than to feel it lying on your souls and bodies in the full power and fury of it in the world to come when the time of mercy and blessing is expired Oh consider it and the Lord give you understanding Sect. 6. Vse 7 8. 7. SUffer the words of exhortation and give me leave to impart unto you counsel from God Oh that your ears were open and your hearts pliable that this counsel mght be acceptable unto you about a matter of so great importance Let this exhortation run in two streams 1. To all the sons and daughters of Adam you see in what wofull case you stand by the just verdict of the holy Law of God I beseech you weigh it well it s the great curse of Almighty God that you lie under Would you see it yet more clearly in its hideousness then look upon it in all its dimensions for breadth it wraps in all mankind Adam and his whole generation to the last man that shall stand upon the earth and all creatures which serve for his use for length it reacheth to eternity for depth it goes down to hell and there puts forth its greatest mischief for height it gets up to heaven and in●ects it the moon and stars are not pure in his sight Job 25.5 Review the sad effects and strange properties before mentioned and then tell me are you now convinced of your misery is it come so near to your consciences that you cannot now shake it off any longer Oh then I intreat you for the love of your souls get from under it how dare ye abide in this condition how can ye eat or drink or sleep with such a massie weighty curse lying upon your souls Say Oh wretch that I am I was born at first to blessedness but I am now implunged into a most wofull curse and shall I lie still under it and not go about to recover my first estate Oh no haste away and escape for thy life the longer thou continuest under the curse the more sinfulness and guilt thou contractest and so makest thy self more accursed Deliver thy self betimes how long wilt thou linger in this blacke Sodome 2. To parents and such as have the charge of others alas your children are under the curse of the Law Suppose that some of them were infected with the leprosie pestilence or any contagious disease threatening death or were under any calamity at present which would certainly be their ruine if not timely prevented would ye not use the best means for their help especially if your hearts can tell you that you have had a great hand in bringing them into this danger Oh then if you have the bowels of parents earning in your bellies you will spare no cost nor pains but lay out your selves freely in all ways possible for their seasonable recovery you you have been the immediate instruments of putting them into this lamentable pickle you have begotten and brought them forth and from you they have derived together with their being this dolefull curse and will you suffer them to lie under it still and not put forth your hands to help them out Do ye not tremble to think into what a deep gulf you have implunged them Oh what joy can you have in them in their beauty comeliness towardliness or their sweet natural parts whiles this sad thought is ever and anon coming into your mindes Alas these tender babes these hopefull children are in themselves no better than accursed creatures But we may well mourn over the desperate carelesness of the greatest part of parents and masters which suffer those that are under them to continue in that wofull plight without looking after their recov●ry yea give them leave in these licencious days to run up and down from one sect to another and from one wickedness to another and to make themselves still more vile and yet do not restrain them as it is said of Eli 1 Sam. 3.13 And what shall we think of those parents that encourage their children to sinfull ways they may swear scorn at godliness break the Lords day profane his worship neglect yea trample upon his Ordinances and they give them good leave to do so saying in effect to them as Rebecca said to her darling Jacob when she set him on to get the blessing Upon me be thy curse my son Gen. 27.13 While you carry thus towards them I tell you you may bless them morning and evening yet God curseth them Ah cruel father mother master dame you must one day answer for their souls and their blood will be required at your hands You say you love them and would see them do well but I beseech you love them better than thus or you will one day waile and wring your hands to see them irremedilesly miserable 8. This truth being duly

basely unthankful to the Lord Jesus Hath he laid aside his majestie and descended into the lower parts of the earth yielding himself a prisoner to the Curse of the Law and all that he might rescue thee from it and make thee a freeman of heaven Hath he purchased thy ransome with so great a summe and made so hard an adventure to hale thee out of hell Hath he brought thy deliverance even to the very nick of enjoyment and now is readie to lay it in thy lappe and to thrust it into thy bosome and dost thou shrink back from the gift wilt thou render all this coste and labour of love to be as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Oh! do not requite him so badly There be some that draw back and that threaten's their perdition and there be some few that believe and this tends to the salvation of their soules Heb. 10.39 Now consider whether of these two companies is the more desirable and betake thy self thereunto without delay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It 's the most commendable Self-love 8. Yea and besides thou art else very injurious to thy self If it might be any gain to thee or at least no loss to be so unthankfull to thy Redeemer and yet this can admit of no excuse something might be spoken towards the extenuation of thy folly but truly thy loss will be invaluable thou foregoest that commodity which can never be recovered and implungest thy self into that mischief which will stick by thee for ever If thou wert floating on the Sea or some deep river in danger of present drowning should any well-willer of thine come and venture his life to save thee if thou shunnest him and refusest his help is not this to destroy thy self But oh thou hast cast thy self headlong into the Sea of God's curse and Jesus Christ hath as it were put his life in his hands that he might fetch thee out If now thou wilt not apply thy self to him but holdest off from him thou perishest through thine own default for there is no salvation in any other Acts 4.12 If thou missest it here thou mayest bid it farewell for ever 9. It is a blessed thing to believe when there is nothing visible to the eye of reason which may give encouragement thereunto but all things speak the contrary this is the excellency of faith it presents things which are not seen and convincingly evidenceth them to the soul They that reach up to this height are pronounced blessed John 20.29 Mary was eminently blessed in bearing Christ and this was an addition to her blessedness that she believed the message of the Angel concerning it though cross to her reason Luke 1.28 42 45. God's appearances are sometimes dark he threatens to condemne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11 ● when he mean's to save he rejects when he will embrace as the woman of Canaan to whom he gave sundrie sad repulses and yet both entertained her and highly commended her faith Matth. 15.28 The tender Mother doth sometimes set her self out of her childes sight yet even then her eye is upon it she takes care of it and it is then safest when it apprehends danger neerest Thus doth the Lord deal with thee therefore now stirre up thy self to trust in his name There is a choice promise Isa 41.17 If thou seekest water and findest none and thy tongue faileth for thirst yet then the Lord will hear thee and not forsake thee Every word hath weight and sweetness Take hold upon it and let it not go 10. Consider that thousands of poor captive souls have gone this way and have sped well When David said he was cut off and gave himself for lost he did but cry and the Lord heard him Psal 31.22 The Psalmist sighing out of the depths hoped in the word waited on God and at length was able to say out of his own experience With the Lord is mercy and plenteous redemption Psal 130.1.5 7. The Jaylour comes trembling to Paul and Silas and being exhorted to beleeve on Christ he followes their counsel and rejoyceth Act. 16 29.-34 This use we may make of the Parable of the Prodigal when he comes to himself and resolves to return his Father meets him falls on his neck kisseth him puts on him the best Robe with a ring on his hand and shooes on his feet and kills for him the fatted Calf which holds forth Gods wonderful graciousness to impoverished sinners that return to him by faith and repentance Luke 15.20 c. and the Publican in sense of unworthiness crying to God for mercy goes away justified rather than the Pharisee Luke 18.13 14. But especially look upon the example of Saul who is after called Paul the Lord meeting him on the rode as he was posting to persecute the Saints having convinced him of his sin sends him to A●anias by whose Ministry hee is brought to imbrace Christ and to preach him zealously Act. 9.6 17 20. and herein he is set forth for a patterne to others in time to come that they might be encouraged to beleeve 1 Tim. 1.15 16. Do thou so too and expect the same success Thus the Lord speaks to thee O desolate soul as Laban to Abrahams servant Gen. 24.31 Come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without as a meer stranger to mee and to the grace of Redemption my Sonnes satisfaction by his bearing thy curse hath made room for thee in mine house and he hath provided for thee all spiritual accommodations to make thee happy I am loath to leave thee till thou art perswaded therefore I shall adde one thing more Thou sayest I do not I cannot beleeve But what if I make it appear that thou dost beleeve even now when thou verily thinkest thou dost not Observe then the very stress of faith lyes in the wills hearty consenting to the offer of Christ in the Gospel Thou art a wretched sinner accursed by the sentence of the Law utterly unable to help thy self Thou hearest the good news of Redemption by Jesus Christ The Lord invites thee and saith If thou wilt renounce all confidence in thy self and the creature and unfainedly accept of Christ alone for thy Redeemer to save thee and thy Lord to sanctifie and rule thee he shall both free thee from the curse and bring thee to the Kingdome of glory See here he is for thee Art thou willing to have him Thou sayest yea with all my heart if I might And is it even so with thee thou canst not deny it else what mean those breathings and groanings towards him in prayer those solicitous inquiries and searchings after him in addresses to Gods Ministers Oh where shall I finde Jesus Christ Whither is he turned aside When will he own me That restlesness of thy spirit that thou canst not be satisfied without him These are plain demonstrations that he hath thy heart and that the strength of thy