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Show Vfol. felf, Gods bowels yern, he faith, is Epl>raim my drar Childl Let me rell you, this is one of the great difad vantages which a natu· r.al unregenerate man is at, he can hold up his head in a day of profperity; ·and when all things go on his fide, Gods ordinary influem:eofProvidence is then enough to help him; but he can· not hold up his head in an evil da-y, becaufe then nothing will help him but Chri(ls kft-hand under him. This now Chrif! affords unto his Sprufe, but he a fiords not ro !he wicked and ungodly in the world : Oh that you who forget God would think of this what you will do in an evil day, ·when the terrours of the Lord !lull filfpri2e you! God will in that day put a diffe rence betwixt thofe that have an intcre!l in Chri!l, and thofc that have none. Cain cries out, My p11nijhment is greater tban I calf bear, or, my {r11 is greattr tba11 that it can bt forgiven me. David faith, wben I [aid my foot fl'pf>eth, tby mmy 0 Lord held mt up. In the fecond place, what an engagement fhould this lay upon all ·rcafonable Souls, to look for an Union with Chrill,an V ni1n by f•itb ; this makes the Soul the Spoufe of Chrifi, this entituleth the Soul to the upboldingt of bi!lr(t.band in an evil day. The great' arguments to perf wade this, arc two: r. The fubjeeHon of every Saul to Soul-1roubln of one nature or other. 2. The great> tefi and in[upport•blmrfi of them without the alli!lance of the Lords evrrlaftir.g arm. A wounded J}irit who ca11 bear ? But thirdly and more properly, This calleth to the Children of God,. labouring under their ·Lovc-ficknefs for F&itb and Patience,and Prayer. 1. For Faith, that ,they would believe that God hath not forlaken them, their God hath not forgotten them, and .t-ereforc it is contrary, very contrary to their Duty to repine 4nd mttrm11r, to defpond, or dcfpair: it calls to them to fay with David unto their Souls under 'their difquietmcnts : wby art thou caft down, 0 nry for~/! why art'tbor< difqHietcd withi11 me! truft ftiU in God, for I JhaU yet praifi him; they have now heard that Chrifi is ready to put his lefr· hand under them: Oh! that they would believe it and not ac· cufe tbe God of Love of unkindnefs! ' 2 • . for Patience, feeing Chri!l is able, and wiUing to relieve his people, there is nothing but his Wifdom that can retard help from their Souls; now certainly there is all the reafon in the world, ~hat a poor Soul fhould judg God wifer than it, and bell to know what is good for us; and thi~ fhould !il.ence our Spirits under all our.lroubles. :3· Lallly, LOI~e·l'okt,nfrom Chrifl the Eam. 3. La Illy, It c•Utlo you for prayer; Chrill is ready to comein to the relief of his people, but he feldom comes till he be called he is found oftbofe that feek him in the way of his Ordinances; you therefore that would have his left-ha"d under you, !land concerned toread and hear his word,to pray unto him, to wait upon him in all his app<>intments wherein and whereby he hath faid that he will meet and blcfs his peoples Souls. Cant. 2, 6. His left h4nd "'"' under my he"d, and bit right hand doth [ or lhall J tmbract me. I Have done with the two firll Propofitions, which I obfer'ved from thefe words. The fir!l concerning the fole help, andrelief lor a Soul which is fick.. of Love ; it is in Chrills left and right band. The fecond concerning Chriftt readine[s to lend hi< help. I come now (having conlidered the matter of thefe words) more llridly to confider the form of them ; As to which I obfcrved to you a different reading.' The want of a Verb (in the fleb.) hath given occafion to a latitude which interpreters have taken in the EKplication,lor in the Heb. the words runs thus. Hi! left -hand under my head, and his right-hand {haU imbrace ·me. Hence [orne have interpreted them as a p_(ayer, viz. Let bi< lefi-band be undtr my head; and let his rigbt-hJ;,d imbrace me. Some ( as our tranllation ) in the form of an affirtion. The latteJ I have chofen to follow. But there again Interpreters differ in their notion,fome read both in the prr[ent-tmfi, his lrft-ba!ld is uJtder my bt#dJ his right~ hand duth im.bracr mt. Then the whole Text fpeaks her thankful acknowledgment of the goodnefs of Chrill to her ; [orne again read the lirll brancH in the prefent teofe. Hi1 left-band i1 und<r me, and the latter branch (as indeed it is in the Hebren> ) in the future his right hand fh'U imbrace me;and fo as the former part of the Tex~ is ail ac~Howledgmmt of the Churches thankfulnefs and gratitude fo the latter is a tellimonv ofherf•ith: yet fl1rther fidl fhe faith. h:irl•ft-hand is undrr me;. then l11e faith, his right-band ]halt imbr•c; "'', and fo concludet.h the latter from the former. There are · S two |