Baxter - BT785 B39 1657

Spiritual Peace and Comfort. examinings : It is the heart that God requireth cí`Ily fon, give me thy heart, Prov. 23 .. 26. If he hath the Will , he path the heart. He may have much of our Knowledge, andnot our heart : but when we Know him fo thoroughly as to Will himunfeignedly, then he bath our heart. Af- fedionate workingsof foul to God in Chrift, are fweet thing;,and high and noble Duties,and fuch as all Chrìftians fhould firive for : But they are not the fafell Marks to try our hates by : i. Becaufe there may be a folid, fincere intention and choice in and of the Will, when there is little flirting perceived in the Affehions. z. Becaufe the Will is theMatter, Commanding Faculty of the Rational foul; and fo if it be righr,that man is upright and fafe. 3.Becaufe the Paflions and Affe8ions are fomutable and un- certain:The Will can command them but imperfe&- ly; it cannot perfectly Refrain them from .vanities: much lefs can it perfectly raife them to that beight,as is futable to the excellency of our heavenlyobjet`s. But the object it felf, with its fenfible manner ofap- prehenfion moves them more thenall the Command ofthe Will. And fo we find by experience, that a godly man, when withhis utmoft private endeavour he cannot command one flirting pang ofdivine Love or Joy in his foul, yet upon the hearing of fomemo- ving Sermon, or the fudden receiving offome extra- nrdtnaryMercy, or the reading ofTome quickning book,he (hall feel perhaps fomeflirting of that Affe ' aion. So when we cannot weep in private one tear for fin , yet at a furring Sermon, or when we give vent toour forrows,andcafe our troubled hearts into the bofom of fome faithful friend, then we can -,. _.___ find

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