644 Book.IV.Parq. LDokingunto 1e(us. Cbap.J.-Sect.4 Rom.7.1B, within us; many fouls nave their ague.fits, fometimes hot, and fometimes cold; it may be now they are in a very good fi·ame, and within an houre or two a mighty tyde comes in, and they are borne down by fin and corruption: in this cafe mortification is very weak: But on the contrary if we.finde our fianding more firme and fure, if for the maine we walk evenly, and keep clofe!y to the Lord, it carries with it an evidence that our morrification grows. - · . · 3. Growing mortification feeles tuil: more weak, and the fpirit more ilrong in its ordinary adings. If we would know the truth ofgro·mh, let us look to our ufual fits of!inning, for then a mans firength or weakneffe is difcerned moil:; as a mans weakneffe to good is difcerned when he comes to ad: it, towill i..· prefont with me, btJt how to performe that which i& good I jinde not; fo a mans Vfeakneffe to fin is beil: difcerned wt..:n he comes to act it: marke then the ordin~ry fits · (a we·call them) offinning.; fometimeg God is pleafed to appoynt fome more frequent affaults, as ifhe would on purpofe fuffertqe law in the members to war, and to mufier up all their forces; that fo we might the rather know what is in our hearts; at fuch a time,if we finde that refillanceagainll fin growes llronger, that fin cannot advance and carry on his army fp as formerly' that fin is encountred at firfi ormet withall at the frontiers ,and there overchrown,this is a good !Jgne lhat now our mortification grows, as. fuppofe it be a luil: of fancy, it cannot boyle up to fuch groffe fancies as it wai wont ; or fuppofe it be a luil: of pride, ·it boyles not up to fuch a fpirit of pride as formerly; infiead of bringing forth fruit, it noiv bring> forth bloffomes; or infiead of bringing forth bloffomes it now brings forth nothing but leaves; why this is a fure figne that this lufi is withering more and more; when the inordinate thirfi is not fo great in the time of the fit, when the inward luil:s pitch upon lower ad:s than they had wont, when the waters abate, and fall fhort, and leffen , and overflow Jeffe ground, we may conclude certainly, that mortification grows. · 4· Growing mortification hath more ability to abfiaine , from the very occafions and b\"ginnings of lufi. Thus. {ob (whom we look on as a man much mortified) made a covef!ant "With bu eyes, that he would not thinb., upon amayde,and ne quefiion as .·
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