Chap.3. Set1:.3. - ------·--- excurfions from God l fad dejeCl:ions of fpirit ! inordiate affed ,ons of the world! and in the mean-while , 0 the negleCt of i:hts Gof pel· ordinance even amongll Saint£ themfelves ! I know ! oc whet.her through want of skill, or through want of will, but fure I am this du ty lies dQrmant, negleCl:ed of moft of the peopleof God : their faults I may exprdfein thefc refpecl:s.-- I, In not fending out their underltandings, in not pointing their minds towards Jefus. I write unto you (faid the Apo!l:ie) to itin·e up your pure mindeJ' by way of remembrance; it is in the L Per. 3. x. ortgi nal ~')KI ~"' v, to awak,gn pur pure mindes, and it was but . need . See how 'David calls upon himfelf, Awak! my glory! PfJl. 57.s. and fee how Deborah calls upon her felf, Awak.§ , awake Debo- . · rah arMkt ,aw11k!, utter a Jong. Awafe!!ing is a word that J udl' 7· 1 z, imports rou~ing, as birds that provoke their young ones by flight to make ufe of their wing's; now how few are there that thus call upon the~felves ~ it was the Prophets complaiilt , no man ftirres up himfelf to tak,g hold_ of qod: 0 what :dhame is this? t[a. 64 7 • is it fit that our underftandmgs whtch God hath entruG:ed us withal fhou\d be no more improved? is it fit that our rnindes (thofe'golden cabinets which God hath given us to be filled with heavenly treafure) fhould either be empty, or ftuft with vanicy, nothing, worfe then nothing? 0 that fuch glorious creatures as our fouls {hould lacquey afrer every creature, which {hould be in attendance upon Chrift , which fuould be like Angels, waiting and fianding in the prefence .ofour God ! 0 that fuch glorious things as our immortal fpirlts fhould run after vanity, and fo become valne; which if rightly improved, fhould walk with Angels, {hould lodge themfelves in the bofome of the glorious God ! Do we not fee how Chrifi is fending out to us continually? the thoughts of his heart are love, eternal love? and fhall not we fend out our thoughts towards him? !hall not we let our minds run out towards him ? 2. In not bending of' their minds to this work. It may be the minde looks up, but it's fo feeble , that like an arrow {hot frilm a howe weakly bent, i~ reacbeth not the marke. It is the · · wife manscounfel, What(>evrr thinr hand findeth to do, do it 1 with t~ll thy rnif..ht 0 that Gods people {hould be.>fo lazie, Bee · 91 10 ' dulL fluggifu , floathful in this fpiritual work! As Jefus faid to the multitudes concerning John; What went ye out into the wil- , E 2. aernef[c
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