Lastly, Whatever Soul opens savingly to Christ, it opens finally and everlastingly to him; the Heart once opened to Christ, must stand open for ever to him, never to shut out Christ any more: And here is a very observable difference betwixt a Man that comes to Christ in a sudden fright of Conscience, and parts with him again when that fright is over; and a Man that receiveth Christ not to sojourn, but to dwell in his Heart by Faith, Eph. 3. 17. when Christ comes into the Heart, he saith, Here will I dwell for ever; and Lord, saith the Soul, So I receive thee; this is the day of union, O let me never know a day of separation; let it never be in the power of Life or Death, Angels, Principalities, or Powers, things present or to come, to make a separation between thee and me. Soul, saith Christ, thou shalt be mine whilst I am in Heaven; and Lord, saith the Soul, I will be thine whilst I am on Earth. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee saith Christ; Oh my Lord, saith the Soul, hold me fast in thy Hand, that I may never leave nor forsake thee; my Estate, Liberty, and Life, may and must go; but it is in the fixed purpose of my Heart never, never, to let thee go. The espousals betwixt Christ and the Soul are for ever, Hos. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea for ever; and here lies another great difference betwixt the Hypocrite that takes Christ with a ⟨p. 75⟩politic reserve, that will venture with Christ at Sea no farther than he can see the shore; and the upright Heart that embarks it self with Christ without reserves, come what will; that saith to him, as Ittai to David, when persuaded to go back in a time of danger; nay, saith he, where my Lord Jesus Christ is, whether it be in Liberty or in Prison, in Life or in Death, there also will I be. Flesh may persuade to a retreat, nay saith the Soul, I cannot retreat; but wherever the truths of Christ, the interest and glory of Christ are, there also must I be; for upon these terms I first received him, and opened the door of my Heart to him. These things are no surprises to me, Christ and I have debated them long ago; he dealt fairly with me, and I must deal faithfully with him.
Lastly, Whatever Soul opens savingly to Christ, it opens finally and everlastingly to him; the Heart once opened to Christ, must stand open for ever to him, never to shut out Christ any more: And here is a very observable difference betwixt a Man that comes to Christ in a suddain fright of Conscience, and parts with him again when that fright is over; and a Man that receiveth Christ not to sojourn, but to dwell in his Heart by Faith, Eph. 3. 17. when Christ comes into the Heart, he saith, Here will I dwell for ever; and Lord, saith the Soul, So I receive thee; this is the day of union, O let me never know a day of separation; let it never be in the power of Life or Death, Angels, Principalities, or Powers, things present or to come, to make a separation between thee and me. Soul, saith Christ, thou shalt be mine whilst I am in Heaven; and Lord, saith the Soul, I will be thine whilst I am on Earth. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee saith Christ; Oh my Lord, saith the Soul, hold me fast in thy Hand, that I may never leave nor forsake thee; my Estate, Liberty, and Life, may and must go; but it is in the fixed purpose of my Heart never, never, to let thee go. The espousals betwixt Christ and the Soul are for ever, Hos. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea for ever; and here lyes another great difference betwixt the Hipocrite that takes Christ with a ⟨p. 75⟩politick reserve, that will venture with Christ at Sea no farther than he can see the shore; and the upright Heart that imbarks it self with Christ without reserves, come what will; that saith to him, as Ittai to David, when perswaded to go back in a time of danger; nay, saith he, where my Lord Jesus Christ is, whether it be in Liberty or in Prison, in Life or in Death, there also will I be. Flesh may perswade to a retreat, nay saith the Soul, I cannot retreat; but whereever the truths of Christ, the interest and glory of Christ are, there also must I be; for upon these terms I first received him, and opened the door of my Heart to him. These things are no surprises to me, Christ and I have debated them long ago; he delt fairly with me, and I must deal faithfully with him.
