S n C T. 'VII. of tbe4earts Eftabltjhmentiy dace: . 3xÍ T. By rattingus upon Chrift, and Imitdiwg ur upon him ; by which means the i. gates of hell cannot prevail againft fuch an one : Where grace is in the heart, ByRooting us there alfoChrift dwells, and grace is butthe fruit, Chrift is the root, Col. 2.7. uponChrift. Grace is like the navel firing, efpecially faith, whereby thefoul is united to Chrift, and fetcheth nourifttment from him. Our Saviour maketh a difference of two builders inChriflianity, both raife up and edifie, have a profeffion, an outward form of Religion, but one buildeth Uponfands, and anotherupon the rock. Now he buildeth on farads, whofoever takethup the wayofReligion upon anyworldly, carnal or corrupt principle : Ifit be built upon education, cuftom, formality , this is like a floue not fafíned to the corner ftone, and fo a fuddentempeft will hurl it down; therefore Ephef.'3. when the Apoltle had prayed, that theymight be ftrengthened in the inward man (thewords fpoken of in my Text) he addeth, Rootedand grounded in love, in the love of Chrift ; till therefore thou art homogeneous with Chrift, as it were, and doff love him becaufeof holinefs and godlinefs fake, thy heart is loofe and uncertain : If the tree had no rooting in the earth, it would be as fubjeftto fall as any leaf it bear,. eth : If the fhip be not anchored, its carriedwith everywind; fo unlefs grace fettle thee upon Chrift, and thou cleave tohim, there isno temptation but will hurry thee this wayand that way : Even a reed that is apt to be shaken with every wind, if tyed to a rock, Rands unmoveable; fo thy heart natural.. ly falle, deceitful, inconftant, and full of treachery to God, if fanned to Chrift, thenas Chrift is the fame yefterday, and today, fo art thou; As the times did not, nor have not changed Guilt, fo neither will they thee, when groundedon him ; if therefore youfee men leaner in theways ofgodlinefs then before, not fo much in thepraftical exercife of Grace, it'sbecaufe they run as fheepamong thebrambles and bryers of difputes, and lofe their wool, they donot keepdole by faith to the liveTree, which would convey fweet fulnefs : Happy therefore is that Chriftian, who daily goeth out like that woman to touch Chrift, that fo he may finde vertue come from him toheal him : If thou haft bottomed thy felt upon any thing but Chrift, thou art not a pillar in the templeof the Lord, which cannot be removed, as is promifed to the godly Revel. 3.12. a. Grace effabliJherh the heart, by fixing it to one objell,fo that the main ftream and current of his heart runneththat way : Its the great corruption in our na- By fixing did tures, that wewould fervetwo Mailers, God and the Creature : we are divided heart to one between thefe two, and fometimes God andReligion hath our heart, and force- obfefï. times the worldand earthly comforts have our hearts : Now grace comes and fixeth the heart uponGod ;whereas before the fcales were even,or rather that to- wards the world did weigh down, now grace weigheth heavieft : This the Scripture calls haltingbetween two, and the Apoffle lames ',linos' ìp a double minded man, ?am.r. or a man with two fouls he is even forty hebath not a foul forGod, and a foul for the world alto : But this is a notable effeft of grace, to make the heart cleave to the Lord ; as the Scripture often calls it, even as Blew makes things to adhereto oneanother, fo thatthey become one. A man of Difputes andNotions meetly in Religion,is like a fhip toffed in the fea, with- out Pilot or Anchor; whereas a man ballaffed With Grace, and anchored on Chrift, is not indanger of fhipwrack : Oh then let not thy foul be like a Meteor; tofed up and down, butlike a fixed Star in its Orb; chufe Chrift for thy por- tion fo asto leave the world, takeup Davidedifpofition, My heartis fixed, my heart isfixed : Hence the godly foul is Paid to be married unto Chrift, becaufeit .leaveth all other objeds, and chufeth himonly. 3. Gracedeth ellablifb theheart, becaufe it remeveth incenfiancy, and enableth thefaultoperfevere : Itsnot fo much grace, as perfeveranre in grace that crown- 3' erh a man. Adam, though he had all good things bellowed orshim, yet becaufe By `emo.fng he did not -perfevere, he loft all hishappinefs : Now this is aditlinft work of tnco ìftancy. grace,
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