Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	justice_n	lord_n	sin_n	5,676	5	4.5877	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02260	The happines of enjoying, and making a true and speedie use of Christ Setting forth, first, the fulnesse of Christ. Secondly, the danger of neglecting Christ, and the opportunity of grace. Thirdly, the Lord Jesus the soules last refuge. Whereunto is added, St. Pauls legacie, or farewell to the men of Corinth. By Alexander Grosse B.D. Minister of the Gospel, and pastour of Bridford.	Grosse, Alexander, 1596?-1654.	1640 (1640)	STC 12395; ESTC S103450	151,344	397

one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and hee that hath no money come buy and eate yea come buy wine and milke without money and without price Sometimes to a Fountaine in whom is all plenty of water Sometimes to the ſ Cant. 2. ● Rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the vallies for the surpassing beautie and transcendent excellencie of graces in hims●lfe and for the sweet and plentifull pleasant and delightfull communication of himselfe to the soules of his people Sometime to the Apple tree among the trees of the wood for his dignity worth and excellencie above other persons as the Apple tree excells the trees of the Forrest in comfortablenesse of shadow sweetnesse of smell pleasantnesse and plenty of fruit and the Spouse describing th● height fulnesse and perfection of the excellencies of Christ her Bridegroome saith of him th●t hee is t 〈◊〉 ● 5 white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand white for his innocencie in himselfe for his victory peace joy and comfort in his God and for his administration of grace and mercie to penitent and beleeving sinners and ruddy for the imputation of our sinne unto him for his suffering and for his justice to punish his enemies and the fairest of ten thousand for his beauty majesty authoritie worth and fulnesse surpassing all Men and Angels The Lord Jesus is exceeding glorious in the eyes of his unfained friends and lovers hee is indeed beautifull onely in their eyes who love him The more man loves him the more cleare and comfortable is his apprehension of that f●●●esse which is in him This perfection and fulnesse of Christ was shadowed in the high Priest being washed with u Exod. 29.7 water and annointed with holy oyle signifying Christs sanctity and his unction with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes The high Priest having his loynes w Exod. 28.2 covered with cleane linnen his body gloriously apparelled and a holy crowne upon his head signifying the clothing of Christs humanity with true holinesse the adorning of it with perfect righteousnesse and the crowning thereof with Majesty as King of his chosen This was likewise figured by the Temple that was a stately and glorious edifice full of light in it was the Arke there God appeared and filled it with his glory so is the fabrick of Christs humane nature immaculate and spotlesse full of heavenly knowledge the full treasure of true wisedome grace and knowledge being hidden in him the God-head personally there x Ioh. 1.14 dwelling and filling him with all grace and glory This was also signified in y Gen. 39.6 Ioseph Ioseph was a beautifull person Christ is fairer then the children of men There was none like Ioseph in understanding and wisedome in whom the Spirit of God was as in him Vers 38. there is no●● comparable to Christ in wisedome Men and Angels are his Schollers Ioseph was set over the whole land in generall over the Kings house in speciall Christ is Lord of the whole earth but chiefly over Gods Church Ioseph had the custody of the Kings garner and therewith fed all Egypt other nations Christ hath all the fulness of God and therewith feedeth Jew and Gentile the beleevers of all nations And such fulnesse of Christ was requisite Three grounds of Christs fulnesse In regard of the dignity of his person As the second person he was the Sonne of God by eternall generation as Man hee was the Sonne of God by grace of hypostaticall union Christ is nearer unto God then Saints or Angels and by how much hee commeth neerer to God then all creatures by so much hee participates more of Gods fulnesse Christ is the Sonne of God after a more high and eminent way then others hee is the Sonne of God by eternall generation others are the sonnes of God by regeneration Christ is the Sonne of God by naturall generation wee are the sonnes of God by voluntary dispensation Christ is the Sonne of God begotten of the essence of the Father very God of very God wee are the sonnes of God begotten not of his essence but by the operation of his Spirit Christ is the proper and onely begotten Sonne of the Father wee are the adopted sonnes of God not borne sonnes by nature but made sonnes by grace Many of us saith * Mulli nos filii Dei sed non talis hic filius est hic enim verus proprius filius est orgine non adoptione veritate non nuncupatione Hilary are sonnes of God but this Sonne is not such for this Sonne is a true and proper Sonne by originall not by adoption by truth not by nuncupation by birth not by creation and who doth inherit his Fathers fulnesse but the Sonne the beloved Sonne the onely begotten Sonne the Sonne of the Fathers delights Thou art my Sonne saith God the Father unto Christ this day have I begotten thee there is his eternall generation Aske of mee and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession there is the fulnes of the gift communicated to him Ioseph gave portions to all his brethren but to Benjamin a portion five times as good as what hee gave the residue God gives blessed and liberall portions to all his adopted sonnes but Christs portion doth farre excell them their receivings are from and through him hee is the z Heb. 1.4 heire of all more excellent then the Angels having obtained a more a H●b 1.4 excellent name then they as the name of a Sonne is more excellent then the name of a Servant and the name of a King more excellent then the name of a Subject Christ is both Sonne and King farre above Men and Angels in all divine fulnesse b Heb. 1.3 being the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and express image of his Fathers person upholding all things by the Word of his power having by himselfe purged our sinnes and sate down at the right hand of Majestie on high In regard of divine Ordination God hath appointed to convey all fulnesse of grace by Christ unto his chosen God hath ordained to convey all fulnesse of light to the aire by the Sunne and therefore hath put a great fulnesse of light into the Sunne all fulnesse of nourishment to the branches by the roots and therefore hath put a fulnesse of juyce into the roots In like sort he hath appointed to communicate all gracious and heavenly fulnesse to the soules of men by Christ hee hath given him to bee the c Ephes 1.22 head over all things to the Church The head is above the members rules the members and communicates sense and motion to the members Christ hath preheminence above all the members of his Church rules and guides them communicates spirituall sense and motion to them And the Father saith Saint Iohn hath d Joh. 5.20 committed all judgement to the Sonne the judgement

will have no pitie no compassion upon us Hear what the Lord hath to this purpose spoken by Solomon Proverbs 1. vers 23. Pro. 1.23 There is Gods invitation strengthened by the consideration of past and present corrections and the promise of future kindnesse vers 24 25. There is their refusall obstinacie rebellion against him their slighting of Gods counsels weariness under his corrections Vers 26 27 28. There is laid open the misery of their condition the wrath of God against them the bitter fruits of their rejection of that mercy which God did proffer to them For this God threatned to leave the people in their sinne Because I have purged thee Ezek. 24.13 and thou wast not purged saith the Lord unto Jerusalem thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will doe it I will not goe back neither will I spare neither will I repent c. To this accordeth that commination of our Saviour against the false Prophetesse and soule-seducing Jezabel Rev. 2 21. I gave her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not there is our Saviours patience mercie long-suffering ve●se 22. Behold saith Christ I will cast her into a bed a bed of affliction them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their evill deeds Heb. 3.16.18 Some saith the Apostle when they had heard provoked thereupon the Lord sware they should not enter into his rest and the estate of such people is very dangerous and fearfull For Reason 1 It is uncertaine First whether God will continue the meanes of grace Propter incertitudinem If a man knock long at a doore and none open he departeth Our Saviour Cant. 5. knocked by his word instructing inviting by his rod chastising by his Spirit moving by his mercies long-suffering alluring he waited long in the dew and in the raine enduring many sorrowes Cant. 5.2 3. troubles afflictions in himselfe and in his Ministers but because his Spouse refused the proffers of his love hee withdrew himselfe hee stopt his eare hee would not heare in her distresse Secondly it is uncertaine whether our life will continue Iam. 4.14 Our life is but a vapour and wee know not what shall be on the morrow Nemo tam divos habet faventes crastinum ut possit sibi polliceri Sen. qui poenitenti veniam spospondit peccanti diem crastinum non promisit Greg. Thirdly if both meanes and life continue and wee for the present refuse to make use of it it is very uncertaine whether God will give his blessing to make the meanes effectuall God may leave us under his ordinances as rockes in the midst of rivers Isa 59.10 as blinde men under the Sunne at noone day hee may suffer his word to prove the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.14 make what should have been for our welfare to be an occasion hastening our ruine It is not in our power to repent and turne to God when we list Propter impotentiam 2 Sam. 3.32 David in his life time complained of the sonnes of Zervia that they were too strong for him And wee may truly complaine of Satan and his sonnes his cursed birth within us I meane our corruptions that they bee too strong for us wee may imagine as Sampson in another case did that we have power to awaken rise up goe forth from the servitude of sinne and Satan when wee please but it will bee at last with us as with Sampson our strength will faile us the Philistines will bee upon us prevaile against us Ezek. 36.26 27. we may as soon turne the stony rock into soft ground raise the dead out of the grave make the brambles bear figges as by our owne power raise our selves to a new life Ephes 2.1 Mat. 7.16 turne our stony into a soft and tender heart bring forth the sweet figges and pleasant grapes of godly sorrow true repentance a lively faith fervent love sincere obedience This is a worke sutable to none but Gods finger Hee that raised the dead Ioh. 11.44 Isa 35.5 6 Exo. 17.6 that turned the barren wildernesse into a fruitful field that fetcht water out of the stony rocke hee alone can change the heart make us fruitfull in the saving grace of the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.6 Paul plants and Apollo waters but the Lord doth give the increase It is God that openeth the heart of Lydia Act. 16.14 When Paul preacheth and the Lord is a free agent hee communicateth his grace when and where he pleaseth Ioh. 3.8 Sinne will grow strong and Satan will fortifie his holds Propter incrementum if the meanes of grace bee neglected the reformation of our wayes procrastinated A disease neglected growes incurable an enemy let alone becomes invincible and sinne gathers much strength by continuance it blindes the understanding dulls the affection hardens the heart seares the conscience makes uncapable of holy counsell unfit for every godly undertaking Difficile est ab usitatis desinere difficile est à familiaribus abstrahi Greg. Can the Ethiopian saith the Prophet change his skinne Ier. 23.13 or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill This serveth for the sharpe reproofe of such as procrastinate their repentance Use stop their eares to present invitations shut their eyes against the present light which shineth to them regard not the day of their visitation I●a 55.6 who seek not the Lord while hee may bee found but like the sluggard cry Pro. 6.10 A little more sleepe a little more slumber a little more folding of the hands upon the bed of sinne till sinne Satan hell come like armed men upon them and they are found unable to resist them Thus the old world all the time of Noahs preaching and preparing the Arke neglected their day till the flood came upon them Mat. 25.1 the foolish virgins slumbred till the bridegroome came entred in and shut them out having no oyle in their lampes Some out of the strength of their love to sinne repose themselves after many warnings in her lap as Sampson did in Dalilahs lap till shee delivered him into the hands of the Philistines Some out of hope to repent hereafter Acts 24.25 Rom. 2.5 Psa 95.10 Job 21.14 or in hope of better leasure some out of the hardnesse of their hearts some out of their unbeliefe some out of their Atheisticall and base conceits of a religious and godly life Rev. 3.17 some out of selfe-conceit thoughts of selfe-sufficiencie and present fulnesse Luk. 14.18 some through multiplicitie of worldly businesse some by the perswasions of carnall friends are hindered from attending the meanes of grace from the reformation of their wayes As the Levite was so long

THE HAPPINES OF ENJOYING AND MAKING A TRUE AND SPEEDIE USE OF CHRIST SETTING FORTH FIRST THE FULNESSE OF CHRIST SECONDLY The danger of neglecting Christ and the opportunity of grace THIRDLY The LORD JESUS the soules last Refuge Whereunto is added St. PAULS LEGACIE or FAREWELL to the men of Corinth ALEXANDER GROSSE B. D. Minister of the Gospel and Pastour of Bridford That their hearts may be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.2 3. And of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 Omniae habemus in Christo omnia nobis Christus Ambros LONDON Printed by Robert Young for John Bartlet at the signe of the gilt-cup neere Saint Austens Gate 1640. TO MY MOST DEARELY Beloved and much honoured friends howsoever dignified or distinguished the Inhabitants of Plympton St. Mary the increase of all saving grace and everlasting blisse LOve among the Ancients was pourtrayed and shadowed out by and under the image of a woman cloathed in a greene garment having written in her forehead Procul Propè afarre off and neere at hand in her breast Mors vita life and death in the hemme of her garment Hyems aestas winter and summer in her side Vulnus apertum an open wound thorough which her heart within might be seen My love to you farre from me be all base flattery and selfe-commendation hath beene very fervent like the love of women greene and never withering alwayes fresh and flourishing not only while I was present with you but since I have been absent from you the sense at least of my love hath beene more abundant towards you such hath been my love to you that you were in my heart to live and to dye with you I could willingly in winter and in summer in all changes have continued your servant as Jacob served Labans flock in the heat and in the cold My heart is open to you as a Bridegroomes heart and house is open to receive the Bride and had your former beene like the last manifestations of your love towards me I am assured all the proffers and perswasions of the world should never have drawne me from you Great is the power and strength of affection with which faithfull Ministers love the Lords people as grace is more powerfull then nature so is their love stronger then the love of nature Non minus vos diligo saith Ambrose quos genui ex Evangelio quàm si suscepissem conjugio gratia quippe vehementior est ad diligendum quàm natura I love you no lesse whom I have begotten by the Gospel then if I had begotten you in matrimoniall conjunction because grace hath more energy and vehemency in the way and worke of love then nature And in my unfained love and as a pledge and testimony of my never-dying love I have sent you these papers part of which is the last Legacy I had to bestow upon you at the time of my departure from you It is very usefull for all Christians to renew the memory of the past labours of Gods messengers Every good child desires a copy of his Fathers will to see his Fathers love to know his Fathers gift to remember and observe his Fathers charge and counsell Children within some few dayes after their Fathers death expect the receipt of their parents Legacie and bequeath and loving children are ever very glad to accept and very carefull to keep their parents last gift though of slender worth the last words of Gods Ministers our spirituall parents doe commonly like the words of dying men take the deepest impression in their hearers True Christians thinke often and put great price upon the last labours of Gods Ministers I therefore here present unto you that which I published as my last ministeriall Will and Testament among you with some part of my poore labours since bestowed on others desiring you like loving children to accept it like provident and carefull children to make the humble true and best use of it A small gift well used proves many times an instrument of great inrichment Though I cease to be your Minister and am now no more your Instructer yet I cannot cease to bee your true though weake and unworthy perhaps despised friend and as ointment and perfume according to Solomon rejoice the heart so would I gladly by hearty counsell distill on you the drops of some friendly some Christian and spirituall sweetnesse to the rejoicing and revivement of your soules and as iron sharpens iron so am I willing by some words of admonition exhortation and excitation to sharpen and quicken your affections Let me therefore as a constant lover of your soules and a carefull remembrancer of your welfare intreat and perswade you all 1. To grow in the sight and sense of your sinne Beware of hardnesse keepe your hearts soft and contrite nourish and maintaine all tendernesse in your consciences sense of misery sweetens mercy the feeling of sin breeds both the loathing and leaving of sinne mans sight of his owne vilenesse makes Christ very precious and breeds a low opinion of all worldly excellencies The Hart feeling within him the operation of the serpents poyson goes from the thornes and thickets and passeth over the greene and pleasant pastures desires nothing but the fountaine sense of the venome of sinne and uncleannesse makes man go from the thornes and thickets of worldly cares and riches and passe from the greene medowes of carnall pleasures the soule being restlesse untill it comes to Christ Jesus the fountain of all spirituall refreshments Secondly take heed deceive not your selves with shewes and shadowes in stead of substance with a forme in stead of the power of godlinesse As the Poets fable it of Ixion imbracing a cloud in stead of Juno or as mothers in haste somtimes catch at the swadling clothes and leave the child behind them It is very dangerous to stay and applaud our selves in the ceremony of Religion and godliness not taking with us the Lord Jesus as sometimes Mary and Joseph went on with the multitude for company and left Christ behind them all religious observations prove complementall frivolous and fruitlesse if in them we see not taste not receive not enjoy not Christ religious exercises are lost labours to the soule that gaines not the Lord Jesus Thirdly Be truely meeke and humble bee emptied of all opinion of your owne worth and wisedome this will make you wise unto salvation He that is in the low pits and caves of the earth sees the starres in the firmament when they who are on the tops of the mountaines discerne them not Hee that is most humble sees most of heaven Bona est via humilitatis saith Bernard quâ veritas inquiritur charitas acquiritur generationes sapientiae

a candle of his owne thereunto to helpe him in his travell Such was the fulnesse of light issuing from the fiery Pillar that the Israelites needed not the light of any lamp besides to guide them in their journeyes to the land of Canaan Such a fiery Pillar such a bright and shining Sun is Christ that wee need no other light to guide us in all our doings in all our progresse to the heavenly Canaan but onely Christ shining in the sacred Scriptures and in the labours of his faithfull Ministers Therefore wee are sent to him as to the onely e Mat. 23.9.10 Master having both authoritie and wisedome to command and instruct us This was commanded by the voyce from heaven f Mat. 17.5 Heare him as if the Lord had said I will not that yee depend on any other whether Moses or Elias but on Christ Moses and Elias vanished Christ remained the Ceremonies of the Law were abolished the predictions of the Prophets fulfilled Christ alone remaineth and him wee must heare as a Scholler his Teacher receiving all instruction from him as a Servant his Lord yeelding ful and constant obedience to him Him we must heare in his Word as a King in his Proclamation in his Ministers as a King in his Embassadours as a Bride-groome in his Friends Him wee must heare in his precepts obeying him in his promises beleeving him in his judgements fearing him in his mercies drawing nigh unto him and rejoycing in him every way quieting and contenting our selves with him And for this cause hee is stiled our Prophet a Prophet g Deut. 18.15 18 19. like unto Moses in nature and office being a Man and a Mediatour as Moses was though more excellent and in a more singular sort Moses as a Servant Christ as a h Heb. 3. Sonne and Lord of his Church a Prophet revealing the counsell of his Father concerning our redemption a Prophet giving power to his Word to worke for our conversion As he called Lazarus by his voyce and raised him by his power so hee calleth us by his Word and converteth raiseth us by his grace And as the eyes of Israel were on the fiery Pillar to guide them and as that moved they moved so must our eyes bee on Christ conforming our motion according to Christs prescription all other doctrines are excluded wee are denied to hearken to them to embrace or entertaine them i 2 Epist Ioh. v. 10. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine the doctrine of Christ but his owne doctrine receive him not to house have no acquaintance with him give him no audience shew him no countenance neither bid him God speed salute him not affoord him no speech wish him no successe shut your eares at him withdraw your selves from him Though wee or an Angel from heaven saith Saint Paul whosoever hee bee be he never so famous for his learning or renowned for his sanctity if hee speake or live in externall appearance as an Angell yet if he preach another Gospel another doctrine k Gal. 1.8 then that which wee have preached unto you let him bee accursed let him be vile and execrable in your eye odious and abominable in your apprehension Looke to Christ cleave to Christ turne not aside from him looke for no other Instructer to make thee wise unto salvation Looke saith Chrysostome for no other Master Noli exp●ctare alium magistrum nemo te potest sic docere Chrys thou hast the words of God no man can so teach thee And I saith our Saviour of himselfe am the way the Truth and the Life Ambulare vis saith Augustine of Christ ego sum via Falli non vis ego sum veritas Mori non vis ego sum vita Wilt thou walke I am the Way Wilt thou not bee deceived I am the Truth Wilt thou not dye I am the life So that in Christ there is such fulnesse that wee have no cause of going to others to joyne other doctrines and observations to Christ Jesus Foure grounds of this truth In regard of the perfection of Christ It l Col. 1.19 pleased God that in him should all fulnesse dwell fulnesse of wisedome to direct fulnesse of power to defend fulnesse of worth to satisfie Gods justice to merit mans salvation fulnesse of righteousnesse to justifie fulnesse of holinesse to sanctifie fulnesse of mercie to p●rdon fulness of sufficiencie to satisfi● 〈◊〉 is stiled a Rocke for his strength to support us a Counsellour for his wisedome to guide us a Fountaine opened for his readiness and preparedness to wash away our uncleanness a Tree of life bearing twelve sorts of fruit every moneth for the plenty and perpetuitie of joy and gladness and other fruits of the Spirit which he ministers to true beleevers To a river of living water cleare as Crystall for that ineffable purity perfection comfort and satisfaction which Christ ministreth to the soules of his children To a pretious Pearle for his worth To a Store-house for his fulness of all spirituall treasure O●●e h●ppiness of the soule that enjoyes Christ He that hath the Lord Jesus n●e● not look elswhere for any perfections H●ving Christ we have all saith Ambrose he may say● Iacob did I have enough The m Rev. 12 1. woman ●ne spouse of Christ is describ●d cloathed with the Sunne and a Crowne of twelve Stars upon her head the righteousnes of Christ cloathing her as the Sun and his doctrine guiding her as the light of twelve Starres and in him are n Col. 2.3 hidden all the treasures of wisedome Surely the man never knew never saw never apprehended Christs fulness that dotes on forraigne d●ctrines that admires humane inventions In regard of the vanity of all humane doctrines and observations They are a o Ezek. 13 7. Lam. 2.14 vaine vision a vision composed of vaine and foolish things they are an emptie Lampe wherein is no light they discover not the sinne of mans heart they doe not reveale God in Christ they shine not into the heart they make not wise unto salvation they are a Schoole wherein men are ever learning and yet p 2 Tim. 3.7 never come to the knowledge of the truth He that is most devoted to humane observations is commonly most ignorant of the mysteries of godliness As long as Saint Paul was a Scholler in this Schoole he remained ignorant of his owne estate hee st●ll beheld himselfe in a false glass q Rom. 7.9 I was alive saith Paul once without the Law Hee knowes little of the Law of God that makes mens traditions a law to direct him in the service of God no light discloseth the heavens but that which shineth from heaven no doctrine shewes forth God and the way to heaven but onely that which God himselfe hath given Of all other doctrines we may say as Iob did of his friends r Iob 13.5 They are Physitians of no value they neither

foole but hee hath no heart to use it There is a transcendent fulnesse in Christ and hee is the choycest of all prices and is even put into the hands of men but many have no heart to make use of him and therefore hee doth not profit them What is the fulnesse of the Sunne to the blinde that doth not see by it the fulnesse of the fountaine to him that doth not drinke of it the fulnesse of the feast to him that doth not feed upon it and what is the fulnesse of Christ to him that makes no use of Christ What is a man the better for a locke if hee hath not a key to use it withall It is not a trade but a trade well followed it is not land but land well tilled that maintaines men that makes men rich It is not Christ but Christ well used that maintaines the soule that makes the soule rich a Eccles 5.18 19. Behold saith Solomon that which I have seene it is good and comely for one to eate and drinke and to enjoy the good of all his labour that hee taketh under the Sunne all the dayes of his life which God giveth him for it is his portion Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to rejoyce in his labour this is the gift of God Christ is a rarer portion then all wealth then all meat and drinke it is a rarer gift of God to make use of Christ and to enjoy the good of Christ all the dayes of his life this is the portion of a Christian of a gracious and sanctified soule indeed As therefore the healthy man makes use of his meat and is strengthened the sick man makes use of his physicke and is healed the Souldier maketh use of his weapon and overcommeth the Merchant maketh use of his trade and growes rich by it Thus let us make use of Christ that our soules may bee healed strengthened made victorious and spiritually enriched Some men live by their wits some by their lands and some by their trades the Christian lives by his Christ Of Christ therefore let us make use in our Understandings to fill us with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome to receive all our direction from him as the traveller maketh use of the Sunne to guide him Of him let us make use in our Meditations thinke upon him as the Bride in her thoughts maketh use of the Bride-groome let the thought of Christ bee frequent and pretious and the meditation of Christ b Ps 104.34 sweet unto us Of him let us make use by our Faith depending upon him as the house upon the rocke casting our selves our care and burthen upon him as the childe upon the parent hiding our selves under the shadow of his wings as the chicken under the wings of the hen resting upon him for a supply in all our wants for a deliverance in all distresses making him in stead of all in the absence of all helpers deriving and drawing more and more from his fulnesse as the thirsty draw waters out of the Well by the bucket and as the branches draw nourishment from the roots Of him let us make use by our Love loving him as the Father begetting the Ransomer redeeming the Physician healing the Husband marrying and Treasure enriching our soules Of him let us make use in our Ioy rejoycing in him as the wise men in the Starre with an c Mat. 2.10 exceeding great joy Of him let us make use in our peace and prosperity looking on him as the authour of all our happinesse as the Sunne that puts a fulnesse into all the lights of our comforts as the Sunne puts a fulnesse into the starres without Christ all is empty as a withered branch without the root all is bitter as the waters of Marah without the tree Of him let us make use in our hearing preaching prayer conference him let us heare him let us learne of him let us speake him let us set forth * Aridus est omnis animae cibus fi non oleo isto insunditur insipidus est si non hoc sale conditur si scribas non sapit mihi nisi legero ibi Iesum si disputes aut conf●ras non sapit mihi n●si sonuerit ibi Jesus Bernard saith All the food of the soule is dry if it bee not put into this oyle it is unsavory if it bee not seasoned with this salt if thou writest it doth not relish with mee unlesse I read JESUS there if thou doest dispute or conferre it doth not relish wel with me unlesse JESUS found there if we make not use of Christ Jesus our use of Gods ordinance is fruitlesse Of Christ let us make use in our distresses as Noah made use of the Arke in the deluge to support us as the Gibeonites made use of Josua in the siege to helpe us to deliver us as Hagar made use of the Well when her bottle was empty to fill us O let not Christ bee to us as Iethers sword to him which hee drew not used not as wealth to many to whom God gives not power to eate as a cordiall to him that doth not receive it or a garment to him that doth not put it on but let us every way make use of Christ make use of his wisedome to guide us of his power to uphold us of his dominion to awe us of his majesty to humble us of his puritie to make us vile in our owne eyes to shame us for our uncleannesse to worke us to holinesse of his justice to drive us from sinne of his righteousnesse to cloath us and cover our sinnes of his mercie to pardon us of his love to comfort us of his presence to encourage us of his fulnesse to satisfie us of his Word to feed us of his Sacraments to confirme us of his death to mortifie our lusts of his resurrection to quicken our soules of his sufferings to suffer with patience of his intercession to settle us in the assurance of the pardon of our sinnes and establishment of the love of God on our soules of his commandements as of a spurre to quicken us in his service and as of a bridle to restraine us from what is forbidden of his promises as of a rocke to sustaine us as of a load-stone to draw us as of a light in darknesse to comfort us and as of a spring in the day of drought to refresh and fill us Excellent is the use of Christ Jesus to the soules of all true Christians it extirpates all cares dispelleth all feares evacuates the minde of distracting thoughts and disturbing passions sweetens all estates mitigates all sorrowes facilitateth all burdens and exhilerates the whole man Very great is the soules happinesse which makes a true full and constant use of Christ Jesus CHAP. X. Perswading to full and constant acquiescence in Christ AS there is all