\?6 BooklV, 1!.ootttng unto jJefus. 9· The motions,. i.nfpirations, bldfed influences of the Spirit of-Chrifl be our helps ; If• 3' • '•· many a ume the Spmt cnes~ and calls on our beans,_ faymg, Th~< u the way wallz. there– in: as the evil fpirir, or devtlm wtcked men ts contmually moving, and inclining them to all evil thoughts, affecbons, and dehres; fo the good Spirit of God in good men doth iodine, and move them to good thoughts, good affections, good actions; and hence 1\om. s. 14· they are fatd t? beled by the Spmt; there are tndeed feveral acts of the Spirit, as fome. umes, there Js :1 bre:nbu~g ~r_fhrrmg ; foJ?etlmes aqUJckemng, or en1ivening,; fome. times a powerful effectual mch111ng, or bendtng of our heartS umo good things , now in fome ~f thefe works the Spmt IS mofl-what, fortn the progrefs of fanctification, we need a conunualhelp,. and mfluence, fro;n Gods holy Spirit; and when we obey thefecon- :::,31. 5. , 4• ducts, we are fatd towalk.. in the Spirit ; and as all thefe are helps in the wayes of Chri– frianity, fo by thefe helps and all!flance of <:;_hrifls holy Spirit, Chrill:ianity is made ve– ry eafie unto us. ro:. The Grace of God is our help; many feeling the ftrength of corruptio 6 cry Rom.;. , 4 . out With Pmtl, 0 wretched man that I am, who jhall deliver me from this body of death.' V.:r. 21 . 0 I find A latv in my members warring 11gainjl the law of my mind; but they confider not > <..c•. 1 '· 9· the comfortable faying of Chrifl to Paul, My grace u flifficient for thee; by the alfi. J?hil. 4 • , 3 _ fiance of grace Pa11! could do any thing; I can do all thingsrhr011gh Chrijl that jfrengthen– R um. 8. 31• eth me; yea In all thefe things n·e are more than conquerors thm<gh him that lovedm: the l £!'. "9· 32. Pfalmifi bath a notable exprefiion to this purpofe, I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou jlMit enlarge my heart; this enlargement of heart was by the grace of God ; grace iscompared to oyI : as a dry _purfe is fofmed and enlarged by anointing it with oyl, f? thdteart drawn together by lin, is opened and enlarged by thepowring of grace UltO tt , and tf grace be prefent, then fauh Davzd, I will run the way of thy commandments; not walfz, but run; tt IS an allufion to a cart wheel, whtch criet)l and complaineth under a fmall bunhen being dry, but when a little oyl is put into it, it runs merrily ,and without noife; and ifDavid could fay thus in his time,how much more flJOuld we that live in thefe Gofpel times, when grace in greater meafure is effufed, and pou– red out? by thegrace ofChrijl ( fi10uld we fay) we will walk!, and run, and fly intheway Vfe. .r Pfal. "9: 91· 174· pr,J.l9· n. of his c~mmandments. Well then, is Chriflian Religion and the practice of it, full of fweetnefs, eafinefs, and pleafamnefs ?in the firfi place for conviction, this may take away the cavills of fome men; what is faid in 1vay of objection I flJall reduce ro thefe particulars.--- !. They objectthat Chrifl himfelf confelfeth it to be a yoak._, and a bzmhen; but to that weanfwer with Chriil, hi< yoa/z.u eafte, andhisburthen is light. Certainly there are burthens which grieve not the bearers at all, as the burrhen of feathers upon a birds back; it is nothing grievous to her, but rather bears her _up; and a bunhen 'of gold and jewels upon a mans back ( fuppofing it the reward of his portage, and the hire of ltis labour) it is nothing grievous to him, but rather cheers him up. Men, brethren, and fathers, if we will but come and clofe with Chrifl, the Spirit is given to enable us, anil, !:;leaven is promifed to encourage us; the one gives ~ower, and the other frirs up our affections., and bow then fbould we complain of preffure? 0 it is a fweet burrheHt fweetned by his Grace, and fweemed· by his Spirit, and fweemed by a principle of love, 0 how !love thy LBw .' and fweemed by a principle of delight, Thy La•v u my delight; and fwecrned with a pxomife of reward, In the k§eping of thy Commandments there is great rewt~yd• • 2:. They object.; we feel no fucb thing; you tell us of fweemefs, eafinefs, pleafmt– Mal. I· I l· nefs. but if we muft fpeak out our own experiences, 0 what a wearinefs is it .'-– Am0sa. s. whe,;willtheNewmoonbegone, rhat1remay fellcorn! and the Sabbath, that wemiJyfit forth wheat? .We feel a fweemefs in thefe prefent enjoymems of the worJd, but as f?r ,Hnlinefs, Grace, Religion, the Difcipline of Chdfl, wewonder where the fweemefs IS, .we can_find no filch fecrec golden Mine, tn thefe fpmmal dtggmgs. ' I anfwer r. This indeed is the fpeech of carnal and prophane men, they feel no .~. fl'(eetnefs, ~afinefs,\ pleafanmefs in Gods wayes ; The nawral manrecei-veth not the things !Cor.t.l4>1 ~·-•f the Spirit of God, fsr they are foolijhnefs unt_o htm, netther can hek.pow them, beca•fe they are fpiritut~/(y difcerned: but he thatts fpmtual 11dgeth or dif:erneth allthzngs. _Poor .fouls! till God fpeak to your heartS you cannot underfland thiS htdden Manna: It ts ob– ferved that God never fent the pleafant Manna unto I(rael fo lo~g as their Flower an~ ,1lr~ag9f Egypda!led; fontverwillyou tall how good theLordts, [olongas yoc doa on lin and vanity. · ·- Th r '- 2 , . oug1
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