3tlJe 1/..tfe of jfattb Chap. 9.Sect.~ ----------------- G•:n. 4· 4• Pf•l. 4'· 4 l!'t't 18. 3' E.t_tel(, 36. >S, 26. D<?ut.Io.I6 V eut.-JO. 6. E.cclef.•• 13 Et_eb6.27 EccJef. u.IJ ]er. 3'• 40 M•t. 7· 7 Zech. 12.1e Jtr· 48. ,. ~tt~tl. I, 14 Pf•1.14J· IO Cllnf•l.4 I'[.J,I '9·J6 hisflock_, and of the fat thereof, an ojftring-;o the Lord. By l'dirh David we1it wzrh rht multitude Hnto the hcrifc ofGod, with thevoyce ofjoy and cfputi{e. it isthc VO)f< offaith, I wdl ftng "ndgive praife with the beft member 1 have. 3. That :o make us chearful, we lhould rowze our felves to awaken to the work of our God : Arife, 0 my foul, 1vhy jleepejl thou! jlir"P thy Je!fwith rcadinrfs to •bey the charge of God in the dmies prefcnbed; louk,.on the Saints who havegone brjore thee, rhq cndxred unprifonmem, lof[e oflrberty, fPodmg of thttrgoods, haz..ard oflife: ThoJt art not jet called toJujfer, bllt to obey, why dojf th011 delay, orgoef/ fmh ~tmvillmgly .' wouldejl th"" reign with them, aud not labour with them? recei'Ve the priz..,e, and not run the race 1 divide the fJioile, and not fight the battell look_on thepromifc annexed to the dmy: 1 faid n.ot '"'" the feed ofJacob, Scek..me in vain, faith God: 0 myJoul,"rife, comendforwilrd tolrards the mari(_e, heaven is worth «11 thy labour. 4- That to remove all remora's the Lord bath promifed to affift us in thefe dutie; by his own fpirit: Befides tbe/romifes to Duties, we have pr•m•fes •fduties, God deals with us (as we do by way o commerce one with another) propounding mercy by con– venant and condition; yet his Convenant of Grace is alwaycs a gracious Convenant; for he not only gives the good things, but helps us in performing the condition by his own Spirit ; he works our hearts to believe and repent, &c. and he gives what he requires: For inllance, in one place he commands, Cajf away from you all your tpmfirejfions, and mak$ )Oil a new heart, tmd a new spirit ; and in another place he pro– mifeth, I willfPrink.!e clean water11ponyo~t, .,ndyou]hall be clean from allyour {ilthinefs: .A new heart alfo will I giveyou, and antw fPirit I will put within you: in one place he com– mands them, Circmncife the foreskin ofyo11r hearts : and in another place he promifeth, That he will cirwmci(e their hearts : in one place he commands us , To kJep his com– mandments; in another place he promifeth to caufe us, To >valk in,his jlatJttes : in one place he commands us, Tofear him; and in another place he promifeth, To pm hisfeaT into our hearts: in one place he commands us, To pr«y, to ask_, feck_and kjJocl<_; and in anoth~.r place he promifeth, To pour upon m the Spirit ofGrace and Supplication: Thefe promifes of duties are the foundation of all our performances, and thofe promifes to dutie.< are the rewards of his Free-Grace and good-pleafure; we do not by working caufe him to fulfil his promifcs, but he bypromijing doth enable us to perform ou·r works, aJ)d fo he rewards us accordingly_ 2. For prayer and the parts of it, obferve this method : I. Acknowledge the goodneffe and Free-Grace of God in thefe ,promifes : 0 Lord, whyJho~tldjl thott allure me to th"t which 1 am every way bound to .' jj 1 had none oftbefc Promifcs, 1have alret<dy in hand a world ofmercies, which do infinitlybind me to dury; apd wilt thouyet adde thi< and that Promife, to this and that ditty .' 0 "'irac/e of mercies! 0 thegoodntf[e of God! - 2. Bewail our own dulne!l'e and !loath to the duty : Adyet (0 Lord) how dui!, andremij[e, and flighty am I in the praEfice of thi) or that dmy I tho~e hdflJaid, Curfed is the man that doth thnvork_ofthe Lord mgligemly; and, Curfed be the deceiver, thae httth in hisflock.. a mAlt, andvoweth andJacriftcethunto the Lord a corrupt thing : 0 then who i< my portion, who haveJacrijiced that which is torn and (ic/cttnto the great King and Lord of Hofls , whofe name is dreadful among the Heathen .' no marvel if.l feel no p~wer, no Jwtet in the Ordinances ofGrace , whilejll deal partially, hear perfunftorily , pray coldly, /,;hour not to feed on the Promij<, and to Juck.. vigor <Ht ofit : 0 Lord, tho" lovejl " chearfulgiver, bi<t my fervices are maimed, 11nd corrttpt, and dead, andJitptrjict~l, and very unchearful, 3 . Importune the Lord to revive and quicken our dead hearts to the duty; fo prays David, Teach me to do thy will, thy Spiritisgood, lead me in the L.ond ufuprightnej]e; fo prays the Church, Draw me, and we w•/1 run afterthee; and fo let us pray, Give me" chearfrt! heart in thy{ervice, animate ~<nd enliven my heart by thy blrf[ed Spirtt,give me to do wh~<t thou rcquirejl,enc/ine my heart to thy jlatktes,and not to <overoufnej[e. 4 . Implore the affiftance of Gods Spirit to every good duty , beg acceptance ofour perfons and performances in the Lord J efus C)uift, pretfe him with his .rromifes to f}t Q1l dmies and to reward dums ; and what ever d11ty we do, prc!l'e htm w1th that efpecL11 Pr~mife'be!onging unto it: Thus if we meditat'e and pray, and pray and meditate, we may live by Faith, in reference to SpirirH~I d!liifl, HCT. •
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