37 8_ What it is tolive dy Fdith touching the 3. tPe¢ 1.4. Ephef.;.c7. John 4.4. by faith thou (haltdraw vertuc fromhim to cure thy in- firmities. Die to thy felfe, renounce the broken reed of thine owne free-will, whichbath fo often deceived thee: andputall thy trull in thegraceofChrill, and it tvill cru- cifie the old man, and give him his deaths wound. Be weake in thy felfe, andfl-rong in the Lord, and through faith thon shalt he more then conquerour. Digge up the fallow groundofthy heart, that the word of the King- dome may take deeper roote in it,rai(e thy foule to anho- ly admiration ofthepromifes oflife , ftirre up thy felfe to cleave andadhere firmely to the grace ofGod:as faith in- creafeth, the power of corruption will languifh and dc- creafe. Admirable is the efficacy offaith wt II planted in the heart, it eaflethdowne (lrong holds,and brings every imagination into fubjeelion. Thirdly, It inableth toobey : for it purifieth the heart, fcafoneth every faculty of' foule reafonable and fenfuall, qualifieth and (lrengtheneth our naturali inclinations to , good , and altereth the talk of every appetite. By faith we arepartakers of the divine rature : by faith Chrill dwelleth in our hearts : by faith we receive the Spirit of promife, who is greater then he that is in the world : No marven then, if that be fwecte and delightful! to the be- lieving heart, which is tedious and irkefòme to the unre- generate. How came `David to that high delight in Gods fervice, that he loved the commandements ofGcd more then thoufands ofgold and (jiver, the honey and the ho- ney combe ? That he rofe at mid-night to meditate in them, was it not by faith? The grace of Chrill, the power oftheSpirit, andthe Wordof life, doe change the difpolïtionof the foule,{o farce as they enterand be recei-11 ved into it : But by faith their venue is diffùfed into thewhole malle. Fourthly, Admirable in force and efficacy is the per- fwalionof faith , aboveall the Oratory in theworld. All the common inducements taken from profit,pleafure,ho. nour, what pooreand weakeengines are they to the irre- fiftible
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