288 HEAVENLY CONTEbLPLEiTION fire to light our candle at, and the best book for a' preacher to study ; and if we would be persuaded to study that more, the church would be provided with more heavenly lights ; and when our studies are di- vine, and our spirits divine, our preaching will also be divine, and we may be called divines indeed. Or if thy heart have nothing to say against the work, it will trifle away the time in delays, and promise this day, and the next, but still keep off from the business. Or it will give thee a flat denial, and oppose its own unwillingness to thy reason. All this I speak of the heart ; so far as it is still carnal ; for 1 know, so far as it is spiritual, it will judge this the sweetest work in the world. § 14. What is now to be done ? Wilt thou do it, if I tell thee? Wouldst thou not say in a like case, " What should I do with a servant that will not work? or with a horse that will not travel? Shall I keep them to look at ?" Then faithfully deal thus with thy heart: persuade it to the work, take no denial, chide it for its back- wardness, use violence with it. Hast thou no com- mand of thy own thoughts? Is not the subject of thy meditations a matter of choice, especially under this conduct of thy judgment? Surely God gave thee, with thy new nature, some power to govern thy thoughts. Art thou again become a slave to thy depraved nature? Resume thy authority. Call in the Spirit of Christ to thine assistance, who is never backward to so good a work, nor will deny his help in so just a cause. Say to him, " Lord, thou gayest my reason the command of my thoughts and affections ; the authority I have re- ceived over them is from thee; and now, behold, they refuse to obey thine authority. Thou commandest me to set them to the work of heavenly meditation, but they rebel, and stubbornly refuse the duty. Wilt thou not assist me to exercise that authority which thou has given me ? O send down thy Spirit, that I may enforce thy commands, and effectually compel them to obey thy will !" Thus thou shalt see thy heart will sub- mit, its resistance be overcome, and its backwardness be turned into cheerful compliance,
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