The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behaviour of a man…The doctrine & directions but more especially the practice and behavior of a man…

First, it implies A going out of the soul to Christ: When the soul seeth this, that the Lord Jesus is his aid, and must ease him and pardon his sins, then let us go to that Christ, saith he, it is the Lords call, Come to me all ye that are weary: now this voice coming home to the heart, and the prevailing sweetness of the call over-powering the heart, the soul goes out, and falls, and flings it self upon the riches of Gods grace.

First, it implyes A going out of the soul to Christ: When the soul seeth this, that the Lord Jesus is his ayd, and must ease him and pardon his sins, then let us go to that Christ, saith he, it is the Lords call, Come to me all ye that are weary: now this voyce coming home to the heart, and the prevailing sweetness of the call over-powering the heart, the soul goes out, and falls, and flings it self upon the riches of Gods grace.

Secondly, It lays fast hold upon Christ: when the Lord saith, Come my Love, my Dove, O come away! Behold, I come (saith ¹she) and when she is come, she fasteneth upon Christ, saying, My beloved is mine, and I am his: Faith lays hold on the Lord, and will not let Mercy go, but cleaves unto it, though it conflict with the Lord; Should he slay me (saith Job) yet will I trust in him: ²The case is like Benhadad's, who being overcome by Ahab, his Servants thus advise him: We have heard that the Kings of Israel ³are merciful Kings, we pray thee let us put ropes about our necks, ⟨p. 61⟩and sackcloth on our loins, and go out to the King, peradventure he will save thy life: Thus the Servants go, and coming to Ahab, they deliver the Message; Thy Servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee let me live: and he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother: Now the men diligently observed whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch at it, and they said, Thy brother Benhadad, and they went away rejoicing: This is the lively Picture of a broken-hearted sinner, after he hath taken up arms against the Almighty, and that the Lord hath let in Justice, and he seeth (or hath seen) the anger of God bent against him; then the soul reasons thus, I have heard, though I am a rebellious sinner, that none but sinners are pardoned, and God is a gracious God, and therefore unto him let me go: with this he falls down at the footstool of the Lord, and cries, O what shall I do! what shall I say unto thee? O thou preserver of men! O let me live, I pray thee, in the sight of my Lord! The soul thus humbled, the Lord then lets in his sweet voice of mercy, and saith, Thou art my Son, my Love, and thy sins are pardoned: These words no sooner uttered, but he catcheth thereat, saying, Mercy Lord? and a Son Lord? and love Lord? and a pardon Lord? The heart holds it self here, and will never away.