9. And yet it surely ought to be with great joy and gladness of heart, that he hath expressed himself willing to accept such as you, and that he hath made you ⟨p. 50⟩willing to yield your selves. The very thought should make your heart leap and spring within you, that he should ever have bespoken such as we are to yield our selves to him! when he might have neglected us, and let us wander endlessly, without ever looking after us more. How should it glad your hearts this day, to have such a message brought you from the great God, and which you find is written in his own Word, to yield your selves to him! Should not your hearts answer with wonder; And blessed Lord! Art thou willing again to have to do with us! who left thee having no cause, and who returning can be of no use to thee! O blessed be God that we may yield our selves back unto him! that we are invited and encouraged to it. And you have cause to bless God, and rejoice, if this day you feel your heart willing to yield your selves to him, and become his. Do you indeed find your selves willing?1 You are willing in the day of his power. This is the day of his power upon your hearts. Many are called and refuse; he often stretches out his hands, 2and no man regards. Perhaps you ⟨p. 51⟩have been called upon often before this day to do this same thing, and neglected it, had no heart to it; and he might have said to you; Now I will never treat with you more; if you should call, I will not hear; if you stretch out your hands, I will not regard it, but laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh. But if now he is pleased to call once more, your hearts do answer; Lord, here we are, we are now ready to surrender our selves; you may conclude he hath poured out his Spirit upon you: The Spirit of the Lord is now moving upon this Assembly, this is indeed a joyful day,3 the day which he hath himself made, and you ought to rejoice and be glad in it. When the people in David's days offered of their substance to God for the service of his house, 'tis said, The people rejoiced for that they offered willingly: 4And David, we are told, blessed God before all the Congregation—saying, Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power—But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine ⟨p. 52⟩own have we given thee.
9. And yet it surely ought to be with great joy and gladness of heart, that he hath exprest himself willing to accept such as you, and that he hath made you ⟨p. 50⟩willing to yield your selves. The very thought should make your heart leap and spring within you, that he should ever have bespoken such as we are to yield our selves to him! when he might have neglected us, and let us wander endlesly, without ever looking after us more. How should it glad your hearts this day, to have such a message brought you from the great God, and which you find is written in his own Word, to yield your selves to him! Should not your hearts answer with wonder; And blessed Lord! Art thou willing again to have to do with us! who left thee having no cause, and who returning can be of no use to thee! O blessed be God that we may yield our selves back unto him! that we are invited and encourag'd to it. And you have cause to bless God, and rejoyce, if this day you feel your heart willing to yield your selves to him, and become his. Do you indeed find your selves willing?1 You are willing in the day of his power. This is the day of his power upon your hearts. Many are call'd and refuse; he often stretches out his hands, 2and no man regards. Perhaps you ⟨p. 51⟩have been call'd upon often before this day to do this same thing, and neglected it, had no heart to it; and he might have said to you; Now I will never treat with you more; if you should call, I will not hear; if you stretch out your hands, I will not regard it, but laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh. But if now he is pleased to call once more, your hearts do answer; Lord, here we are, we are now ready to surrender our selves; you may conclude he hath poured out his Spirit upon you: The Spirit of the Lord is now moving upon this Assembly, this is indeed a joyful day,3 the day which he hath himself made, and you ought to rejoyce and be glad in it. When the people in David's days offered of their substance to God for the service of his house, 'tis said, The people rejoyced for that they offered willingly: 4And David, we are told, blessed God before all the Congregation—saying, Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power—But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine
- 1Psa. 110. 3.
- 2Prov. 1. 24.
- 3Psal. 118.
- 41 Chron. 29. 9.
