Indeed this is the way of the Hearts coming in at first; I but saith God, I will not only have thy sin renounced, but thy Estate, and Liberty, and Life at my dispose; and thou shalt enter into Bonds to lay down all; yes Lord, this is the very English of the Covenant: The Soul seeing the glory of God in Christ, saith the Soul, Lord I will not only renounce my sin, but Lord, whatsoever I am, whatsoever I have, whatsoever I can do shall be at thy dispose; and here I enter into Bond Lord, that is, I Covenant, and Vow, and bind my self by the strongest Bonds that a poor Creature possibly can do, that whensoever thou shalt call for any of my Estate, of my Liberty, or my outward Comforts, when thou shalt call for my Life, Lord they shall be at thy dispose. Now have you sold all? have you thus bought the Pearl? When we come to bring the Pearl of the Gospel to you, have you embraced it? O if our Ministry prevails, this hath been the frame and working of your hearts; but if not, our Ministry hath not yet prevailed with you; but when your Hearts begins to work thus, then our Ministry begins ⟨p. 248⟩to work to purpose in your Souls. But we may come to most People and open the Pearls of Christ, and open the Ministry of Reconciliation, and they will do neither of these Two; neither lay down any thing for the present, renounce no known Sin; and as for Entering into Bond, to have their Estates, and Liberties, and Lives, and all to be at Gods dispose, so as they are resolved that they will never enjoy any of them, but only in God, and for God: O how far are People from this? No, they love their Estates too much, and they will see what they shall have before they part with them: And thus that all the Ministers of the Gospel Preach unto you concerning God and Christ, are but mere Notions; but we are sure our Money and Estates have something in them, and so their Hearts embrace this present World, and reject Jesus Christ: and do you so? Well saith God, Pack up your Commodities again, I have no more People in this Place, therefore go and carry them some-where else; there is another People that will know the worth of these things; there is a People in the World that will be willing to renounce their Lusts, and to give up all that they have unto me, if they may have but this Gospel preached to them; therefore go somewhere else: Just as we Read of the Apostles in the Acts 13. 46.
Indeed this is the way of the Hearts coming in at first; I but saith God, I will not only have thy sin renounc'd, but thy Estate, and Liberty, and Life at my dispose; and thou shalt enter into Bonds to lay down all; yes Lord, this is the very English of the Covenant: The Soul seeing the glory of God in Christ, saith the Soul, Lord I will not only renounce my sin, but Lord, whatsoever I am, whatsoever I have, whatsoever I can do shall be at thy dispose; and here I enter into Bond Lord, that is, I Covenant, and Vow, and bind my self by the strongest Bonds that a poor Creature possibly can do, that whensoever thou shalt call for any of my Estate, of my Liberty, or my outward Comforts, when thou shalt call for my Life, Lord they shall be at thy dispose. Now have you sold all? have you thus bought the Pearl? When we come to bring the Pearl of the Gospel to you, have you embrac'd it? O if our Ministry prevails, this hath been the frame and working of your hearts; but if not, our Ministry hath not yet prevail'd with you; but when your Hearts begins to work thus, then our Ministry begins ⟨p. 248⟩to work to purpose in your Souls. But we may come to most People and open the Pearls of Christ, and open the Ministry of Reconciliation, and they will do neither of these Two; neither lay down any thing for the present, renounce no known Sin; and as for Entring into Bond, to have their Estates, and Liberties, and Lives, and all to be at Gods dispose, so as they are resolved that they will never enjoy any of them, but only in God, and for God: O how far are People from this? No, they love their Estates too much, and they will see what they shall have before they part with them: And thus that all the Ministers of the Gospel Preach unto you concerning God and Christ, are but meer Notions; but we are sure our Money and Estates have something in them, and so their Hearts embrace this present World, and reject Jesus Christ: and do you so? Well saith God, Pack up your Commodities again, I have no more People in this Place, therefore go and carry them some-where else; there is another People that will know the worth of these things; there is a People in the World that will be willing to renounce their Lusts, and to give up all that they have unto me, if they may have but this Gospel preached to them; therefore go somewhere else: Just as we Read of the Apostles in the Acts 13. 46.
