The souls humiliationThe soules humiliation

First,¹ labour to see an absolute necessity of a Christ in all these privileges that thou hast, and in all the duties and services that thou performest. First, in all thy privileges. See a need of Christ to make all these powerful to thy Soul. Hearing, and reading, and fasting, will do thee no good, except thou have a Christ to go with all these. As a Ship that hath fair Sails, & strong Masts, except there be a wind it can never go. So, the Soul is like the Ship; and the precious ordinances of God are fair Sails and good Masts; and it is good hearing, and good reading, and good fasting, but except the Spirit blow with these, thou canst get no good by them: the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, and except the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of his Spirit, go & breath upon thy hearing, Preaching, and upon all the ordinances, they can do thee no good. When the Lord was to come into his Garden, which was the Church. The Spices are the graces of Gods Spirit. The Spices could not grow, because the Spirit would not blow upon them, and therefore the Spouse saith, Arise oh North, ²and come (oh South) and blow on my Garden, that the Spices thereof may ⟨p. 72⟩flow out, As if she had said, Good Lord, blow this way, and that way, and give a blessing to the means, and then comfort will come indeed. And as there is need of Christ to bless all means, so secondly there is need of Christ to make all thy services acceptable to God the Father. Oh send to heaven for a Christ, that he may hide all thy weaknesses, and present all thy duties to God his Father, in his merits and righteousness. They that brought a Sacrifice in the time of the Law, were to offer it upon the golden Altar, and no Sacrifice was accepted without it: So, if thou wilt have thy hearing, and praying, and fasting acceptable to God, lay them upon the golden Altar, the Lord Jesus Christ. And know that thou hast need of Christ to cover all the failings & weaknesses in thy duties.

First,¹ labour to see an absolute necessity of a Christ in all these priviledges that thou hast, and in all the duties and services that thou performest. First, in all thy priviledges. See a need of Christ to make all these powerfull to thy Soule. Hearing, and reading, and fasting, will doe thee no good, except thou have a Christ to goe with all these. As a Ship that hath faire Sailes, & strong Masts, except there be a winde it can never goe. So, the Soule is like the Ship; and the precious ordinances of God are faire Sailes and good Masts; and it is good hearing, and good reading, and good fasting, but except the Spirit blowe with these, thou canst get no good by them: the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, and except the Lord Iesus Christ, by the power of his Spirit, go & breath upon thy hearing, Preaching, and upon all the ordinances, they can doe thee no good. When the Lord was to come into his Garden, which was the Church. The Spices are the graces of Gods Spirit. The Spices could not growe, because the Spirit would not blowe upon them, and therefore the Spouse saith, Arise oh North,