S a C TIX of Converfrén, or Turning töGod. 439 Thereforeas Davidprayed for the people, that offered fo willingly, God keep this always in their hearts, i Chron.29.18. fofhouldflthou; Ó Lord,nót atthis time onely, but always mike my fpirit chus refolute, thus fixedagainft iniquity; let not thefe holy motions of thy good fpirit dye within me. Its not the having of godly refolutions to turnunto God, but the powerful retaining oftheiniand making ufe of them in timeof need; that doth avail and help us : Why then art thou fo difquieted within thee ? the caufe is plain, thou mayeft fee clearly what is to be done : Let not thofe refolutions of thine , be as pilgrims and ftrangers; that lodge but for a night ; let them rather be as the fire upon the. Altar, that never went out. As it is faid of the wicked man that he cannot fleep, till he bath accomplifhed his mifchieef; fodo thou take no rats till the godly purpofesof thy foul be fulfilled. Fourthly, Thou complaineft, that thou art 6Íriven from thy refohiìtions td turn unto God : Then refolvemore in the grace andpower of God, not in thyown humane ftrength and confidence : This makes men fall again as often as they rife, they think to !land by theirown power. Certainly, if in ordinarycommon things,wemaynot peremptorily refolve todo filch and fuck things; but to expet`.t his aid and providence, if Godwill ; mirth more infpiritual duties : fay then to all thy fins, which have fo frequently conquered thee, as Vavid.to Galiah;. I come unto thee in the name of the Lord , Whom thou áf1 defied; I let upon the mortifyingofthefefins, notby my own ftrength, but in the power ofChrifl, whole gloryand honor my fins would take away. When Paulfpakeof that ex. cellenttemperament ofgrace, He knew how to abound, and how to cunt; hecon. cludeth, Icatodo all things through him that flrengtheneth me, Phil.4:13; over= come nature, remove mountains, make the dead to live; thus it will bewith thee, if thou adheareft to God. Alas; what can anhand do, if feparated from the body ? what the branch, if divided from the vine ? no more can thy pur- pofes or refolutions, unlefs partaking of Chrifts influence: If therefore thon would4 not haveyeaand nay, asthe Apoflle excufeth himfelf in another cafe; but thouwould(' be fetled in thy converfion to God,go out ofthy own ftrengrb1 lean no more to thy ownpower, but cryout, Oh thy weaknefs, Oh thy impo- tency, Oh theguile and falfhoodof thy heart ; there is no more crafting of it, no more believing in it; and therefore Lord, let thyright hand uphold me. Do as the little childe, that bath attempted to go alone , but finding if cannot, holds the fatherbyhis hand, and then he is not afraid togo. Doas Peter ; when ready to fink in the waters, then hecryeth out then Chrift holds his hand out to fuftain him. Fifthly, If thoufinde thyfelf thus prone to brealçthy promifel and refolutioni;. this (honid notfo much dilhearten, m make thee the snore Wary and diligent : Diffi- culties do not difheatten, but inflame a refolved fpirit, even as flirting doth the fire. Ifoppofitions and temptations thould takeaway all hope and confidence ? then every man might fit down with fear in the way to heaven, and fay truly withthe fluggard, eflLyon is in the Way, yea$many Lyons ; but God bath made theway to heaven narrow and flraight, that fo wemay the more (hive to en- ter therein ; and the violentmuIt take heaven byforce; even as the Ifraelitesdid the Land of Canaan: So then, though thy turning to God; put thee in many agonies, many fears, fometimes in hope, fometimes again in delpair; yet let not this make thee callaway the Anchorof Hope, and fay asthey did, It is in vain topray, to refolve, to feek any longer : That exprefíion of the Apoftle; calling Hope an Anchor, Heb.6.9. is excellent to this purpofe. Would it notbe a wilde mad thing in a Marriner, when the waves arife, and (bonggulls beat his (hip back if he fhould in that confii(t throw away his Anchor? no lefs is thy folly, while thou art thus unconffantly toffed up and down ; fometimes in high refolutions towards Heaven, fometimes as lowas hell ; thou caftet' away thy hope, which onely would fuppert thee; Oh rather fay,. Thefe difficulties irgue 1
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