Senn. 28, = of the ordinances may abide 'Neon them 637 of the Ordinances , Hide from you through this neglect. And no wonder it is fo gi eat a damage to you fence it is fo great a fin : you caft the Word behind your backs , and throw the Ordinances at your heels, when Y ou do not minde them after you have done with them; and will the Lord encourage any with a durable bleffing, der fuch guilt ? will not this provoke him rather to curfe your blefiìngs , and Waft them in the bud ? Meditation is a known duty, and commonly infifted on , and therefore you may be tempted to fleight it; whereas indeed upon this account you should the more regard it ; for fence it is a known (tiny the ncgled of it is a known fin ; now to fay nothing how inconfìftent it is either with grace or comfort, to live in a known fin , how can you expert the efficacy of Ordinances ihou'.d be continued , while you neglect the means, which the Lord hach appointed , and commer to you, as molt effcdual for the continuance thereof ? The bang of the Ordi- nances will not abide upon him , who continues in fin efpecially when bis fin, is the neglect of chat medism, which fbould fix the blet flrg upon him. 4. Let the efficacy of the Ordinances be purfued prefently into ad, if theyconvinte you of any regl led duty, fall immediately upon the pradife of ir. If they make you more refolute , agaìnft any carnal! or worldly luft , betake your- felves prefently to the mor- tifying of it. if they kindle any holy affe&ion to Chrifk or Isis people , give fore real expreffi >n thereof without delay. If they revive any langmfhing grace, le: it he forthwi,h exercifed. This was David' practice, Pfal. i i9. 6o. you will find, chis one of the beta expedients , for the hying and fecuring of chofe good morions, which are railed in your mindes and hearts by the Ordinances. When the bloffjrns of a fruit -tree are once knit though the flourith thereof be gone , and you fee nothing but the bare rudiment of the expected ff nit; yet you think it more fecured from the injury of Trolls and winds , than if ir were Rill in the flower ; good motions when !.hey are once reduced into ad, are thereby as it were knit, and brought to more confificncy. They are then well pall one of their critical periods where moll mifcarry, and fo are more like to live, and continue with you. Befides the ad ftreng'hens that good mo- tion and difpofïrivn which leads to it, and fo makes you more ready for another ad and char difpofeth to more ads,and.chofe to better, arid repeated ads beget a habit , and this (as thf Rhilofopher Ali m m tti z tells
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=