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Show ~.Prop. Chrijl1 rw!inefs t11 jupp11rt 3· ln the lafi plo~:e, loU the Sot<ls relief from Chri{r in tile tl•y •f iuSpiritualdijtrefi? Learn then the great duty of the Children of God, both ill order to the obtaining of it, and alfo when they have received it. 1. In order " their obtaining it, praytr i< their great work ; it is not their only work: Thev are to read, to hear,coadvife with the Minillers ofChrifi,<o look to their walking with God: 0 but betides all thefc (I was about to fay above all thefe) Prayer is their work. Prayer is that ~uty wherein the Soul immediately deals with God , wrefiles with him, lays hold upon him; and the great work is Gods. · Secondly, If they do at any time receive any fuccour, let tbe111 II.,n o"' wbm to pay their homagr ofthank[ulnefi. It is Chrills left or right hand which hath done it. But this is enough to have fpoken ro the tirfi Propotitio.n, Cant.2.6. H'H left bantl ..,., Hnder my be•rl; at.d bis ~igbt hand imbmnh me. I Have done with the lirll Propotition which I obferved from ~h~fe words, and proceed to the fecond;which was this: Cbr1~ II ready tofnpport, a11d to comfort tbe.Sonls of bif people jick_with lovt. . 1 2. I !hewed you the lafi day, thatjupport anel comfort are thole two things which ore lignified to us under thefe two metaphorical exprelfions of the left b;~nd being ~tnder, and the right hand im· bracing his people. I fay, Chrifi is r~ady to Jupport and comfort his peop.le; rudimfs imports two things: r. Ability. 2. WiUingnefr, they are both lignified in the Text. . Firfi his Ability, he hath a left b>nd, and he hath a rig!Jt band: as he who hath both his hands is able to hold anothers head,or to imbrace another; fo Chrifi is able to fupport and comfort his people. I fay there is no trouble, no dillrefs fo great but,Chrifi is able 10 relieve his Servants Souls under it. ' 2. It imports JPiUi~tgn•Js; the had no fooner cryed out to the Watcbmell, to j11pport and comfort hil people. 1Vatchmen, and to the daughters of Hiemfo/em,faying thy me with F laggons and Comfort me with Applu; but her beloved comes in to her relief and !he thaFlkfu.\ly acknowledgeth, that his left band was undrr her and hi< right hand did fopport her. It is a point of exceeding fweetnefs unto troubled Souls, I will therefore enlarge my felf a little in the proof it, efpecially confidcring its tendency to ad vance the riches of my mailers grace. I will fir it prove to yoll Tbat be it aUe. 2. Tb>t he i< wiUi~tg and at ba11d, · I. Th4t be i1 able. To prove this let us confider two things: J,TbuSouhExizency. 2. Tbe Spiritrul Ph)'ficiJHI capacity. 1. The Souls exigency; what ai!e<h this Spiritual patient ? it is Sick, Sick how > or of what? it is fick of Love, mentally Sick; what is this to be fick of Love> it is to be firaitned with defim afterChriflthat areunfoti<jied. Thlls the moll of thole Souls that may be laid to be tick of Love may be ranked under there' four heads. I . Tbe Soul fmfible of ill Sins, tbeir 1/umber, tb<ir aggravJtions, · ,hmgrult,and not fenfible of the pardoH cf them; but fearing the <oltdemntng p """ of them , 11nd defir ing to be frud from it, i< Sick_ of Love. It harf) ~pprehended an in fin ite excell~ncy in Chrifi,that he, and he alonG 1s able to remove the guilt of. Sin from it.; it feeth that by,J'iin it i> ruined, and '!ndone;that ifits Sin remaius upon it: Heaven and Earth can do it no good ; it ddires the fenfe of the pard?n ofits Sin, but it walk! in the dark_aitd {eetb no light; and nothtng now can do the Soul good, but either, 1. The Seal of pardq~ ; or elfe fome feqet infiumcr of Grace, inabling the Sou.! to h~pe 1n God for pardon to call itfelf upon him,. and to wait for h1m. 1 . . , • Secondly, Tbe Sou/ po!Jiffed oft be e~ceUency •f grace, and ther~fore rnjinmly ~efirmg the mbting and grqwth ofit, within it fe!f, but not findmg 1t IS fick_of Lo~e ; fuch Souls there are and thofe not. a few in rhe world of that little number, that attend Spiritual concernments. T~1ey ~re (I fay ) poffdfed of the excellency of Grace, and therefore mtimtely defire to lind in their own Souls the inbeing a~d t.ruth ?f it, and alfo the increafe and growth ~fit, as th1~ wh>ch IS thm firength and life, and from the due exerdfe of wh1ch. they fetch the moll of their fpiritua.l Cemfort, &c. and now no.t bemg abkt? lind any certain notes of the truth of it, nor any evu;lence o( the 1ncr~afe? and growth ofit, they are tick of Love: the Sympfjmu ot tb1s Stcknefs, are their forrowsand fighings that ·' J R 1they |