34 of theHeartsEfiablifhmentby Grace. S a c r. 8II. No exercife can equalize this , then is he excellently' fettled in GodU.. nefs. 8. 8. GracedothefiabliJhandcanfrmthe heart, by preparing and fitting itforeve- By preparing rygood Work,: Forthe fameHebrew word fignifieth both to prepare and eftablifh it for every or fatten. Hence the Charaéteriftical difference between the good Kingsindeed, good work. and thofe that appeared fo, and were hopeful onely, lay in this, that the one preparedor fetled his heart to feek the Lord, and not the other. The Apoftle Heb. r 3.zr. prayeth, That God would make them perfeel to every goodwor/; the Greek word fignifieth, to let their joynts together, as it were. That as in a man whole arms or legshave their bones difplacedor broken, there is no ftrength for their properoffice, till healed and joynted again : Thus a mandeftitute of the help of grace, is wholly luxated, all hisbones are disjoynred, and grace that repaireth him and confirmeth him, by fitting every part and faculty of the foul, forits proper operation. How much better then were it , in head of whetting thy wits, and preparing thy feif CO argue and dilpute, thou wert furbifhing thy heart, and making it readyto every gracious performance. 9. 9. Grace doth confirmandfettle the foul; in that it is both defenfive andofenfve. By being de. Defenfive, againf all that outward ftrength which combineth againft grace in. Itsu erntive. and of- the heart : The Apoftle faith, We Wrefile net with fiefhandblood, bat with prin. Is. ciprslities and powers in high places, Ephef6.1 z. implymg,that the greate[l ftrength in hell andearth is imployed again(' the godly ; nowgrace onely conquers this. Refill,liedfall in the faith, faith the Apoftle ; and Ephef.6. you may fee howpar- titular graces, arecompared to particular defenliveweapons, fome to an Helmet, fome to a Breafi-plate : That as finis Paid tomake a man naked inthe Scripture, Exod. 32.15, it expofeth him to all judgements, and he bath not fo much as one goard to keep him from the fcorching heat of theSun. So there is a ..row,fa, an univerfal Armour to cover all the parts ofa man by grace ; therefore ourgraces arecalled The weapons of Light, Rom.i3.12. and take we head, left as Saul in his Ileep had hisweapons ofwar taken from him, fo thou by careleff nefs and negligence doeft not dull and blunt theedge of thy graces. As they aredefenfive, fo they are Offenfiveallo: Hence the Scripture commands us to kill, to mortifie and crucifiefin, which is done by grace within us. Thepeople of God are in a continual combate and ,confli&, an bumble heart with a proud, . and a dull heart with a willing quickned heart : Here is fire and water together, Twins ftrugling in his womb, r jrohn 1.4. whatfeever is bornof God, overcometh the World; Grace therefore being the feedof God in the heart, doth at Taft conquer all adverfe power of fin and Satan; ,fo that Sampfonì ftrength in fub- duing enemies is not fo wonderful, as the gracious ftrength of a godlyman, in conflicting with tufts. Behr. r 1, The peopleof God are laid of weak to become firong; and indeed if you confider the inward temptations from Satan, andthe outward perfecutions in the world, you would think that theywere made of brads and iron, that they can endure fo much : O the fpiritual fortitude and courageof the Martyrs, tranfceuding all the humane valour and gallantry of theRomans, that it Ihould not be any longer Paid, Agree pati forciaRamamma ft, but Chri fiiannm. so. Daftly, As allgrace dothfrengthen and confirm thefoul, fo rfpecially faith, that By faith. is mofi admirable to this parpofe; therefore faith is called the fubftaneeorfub- fiflenceof things, Behrr. and its called telling 'and rollingthy felt upon fome prop and fay, when otherwife wewould fall to theground : Thus of Abraham it is laid, sAA'au69n r ,s, e< be waxed f Tong and mighty in faith, and this made him not toconfider difficulties, but Gods ,promife; he confidered not his dead body, and Sarah, dead womb, as i es7f,ó'ivf, he did not dwell inhis confidera- tions upon ir, otherwife he thought of it inhissninde, aeappearcth Gen. 07.17. fee the word, F1eb.3.1 Takeit in thole two.adtsof ;Ideating to the truth, and applying Chritt, or relying on him, .how dbth .iti(tay and'fupport the foal ! Than
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