4d2 Of Cover er?árìliwf Warn G'ad6 á crats'1X, 3 vet fionHereds was,that did many thingsglad ly,but not all things : fucha Convert was 7uebo,Did it hoc Seem a gloiiotis thing in f a'lae tó fdtfake all , .and follow ChriR ? but yet fhb hekept part ofhis heart for lodging to receive Some Lugs, And Inchhalf. hearted Convcr(ionsare frequent in the world:Experience teacheth us ofmany who turn fromdivetsfinsthey once lived in; but there is one or two endeared fins, and tholetheyxvéuld joyn Vifiki Gbd, `Thus they attempt a contra- di&ion, tomake light and darkneflc have communion , tocaukan agreement be- twixt Chrilt, and Belial. As the Idolatrie ofSome is recorded , who feared .God, and yet worfhipped the Idol gods ofthe1 takbbdsi They meld Ifáve theArk, and Dagonalfo; fo thefe would turn toGod, and tófomebeloved finalfo,-asifa manatche famed= could turnone eye towards heaven , and the other down- wards, Oh fear leaft it bePaid to thee, as it was to e/Inaniva and Saphira,,Why haft thou detainedpart of the price ? 7heuhaft not lyed to MAti, Put to God, A&s'5:3. and fo thou dealeft deceitfullywithGod,who will not be mocked, as if thouhadit par- ted with all rhy fins, diftroyed-all thyenemies, et deft lot e, as Raha6 did the fpies,that they might not be difcovered. Know then that he who turneth to God, withall his heart, dothnot Wittinglyor willingly (pare any one Agag, he doth not keep any one Ifaa¢ alive whomGod would have facrificed. Oh what s fad conviaion is ttnsoftheinfufficient,and imperfedt converlonof theulands: If it be with thywhole heart,How comes fin and theworld to havefo great a (hareof it ? Remember thefielt Commàndmenr, Thou fhalthaveno other Gods before net. God is a jealousGod yams Cutelywhen his worlhip is given to other nuneupative Gods, Luc when thy heart and affe Lions are given up toany Obje&befrdes him. Secondly ,To turn to Godwith thy wholeheart re withourtetmoli might andendeavoi andhigheft perfellion we are able to clofewithhim. It is muchdifputed inWhat fenfe the whole heart is required in that commandment, ThouJIale love the Lovewithati thy heart, Withallrhyfoul, andwith all thy might. The Papilla give too low an Ex- pofuion, making it to beno more then fincerely or truely. Thus they bring down the Commandment to our power, and notmake that to rifeup to the Command- ment , but by the concomitant phrafe, With all thy might, it isplainlymeant the utmoft perfe&ionof a man,and therefore can never beperfe&y fulfilled in this life; yet a perfe&ion the godly have,though it daily needmore perfettion,dt in this fulfil we turn to Godwith the wholcheart,when we cleave rioteranddoter to him;and draw nearer andnearer: Sothat this oppofeth all faint, wearifome, and imperfect turnings toGod. Godcomplained of the Ifraelites,That they were wearyof him; and filch is the liftlefne(feof man towhat is good, that hequickly turnethout of the way, or fits down beforehe comes toan end. Then they didsot turn to God,that be- Sgan in the f iris and ended in thef(efh, Gal.;. a. and that with Lott wife look back, walling for their old lulls again. It was nowonder that the Prodigal (hould with all hisheart go From his (wine,and his husks, to thedainty food inhis fathers houfe; but ifal ter that heShould havegone from the fatted Calf, and been weary of his Fathers mufick tohis old husksagain,this had been intollerable Apoltacie.Do thou fay then when turned to God, as theChurchdid, I heldhim andwouldnot let him go,Cant. 3.4. Do not go fotwards and backwards as thechildrenof Ifrael did in thewilderneffe: Oh if thy whole heart were in thiswork, thouwould(t be mom carneft, violent, and purfuing theenjoyment of God, Thirdly , To turn togod with the whole heart, is todo it fsneerely andsprightly. Oh thisGodbath complained ofin the I(raelites, that in their teeming converfions, their hearts were not upright, and unfeigned in them : theydid but dilfemblewith their tongues, and as it is laidoffaith, may wenot altofay ofuprightnelfe,When the Sanofmass /had come,'hall he finduprightnejfe en theearth? He may find the Chei- ftian faith, he may find praying and hearing, but fhalihe find fincerity ? Than the whole heart is veryoften ufed in theScripture for a lincere andupright heart, as on thecontrary a falfc hypocritical heart is excellencycalled an heart and an heart. 04 this is too ordinary CO pray with an heart and an heart; toconfeffe feu withhm
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=