Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v4

Chap. i i . An Expofitiòn upon the Book of J O B. Verf. 13. is confcience which chideth and reproacheth the tanner and tells him his own. It is confcience that fpeaks fair , and gives good words to thofe who walk uprightly, My heart (faith upright, job) flail not reproach me ; tliat is , I have walked in my integrity, therefore I am not afraid what confcience can doe , or fay againil me. When job is advifed to-prepare his heart , we mull enlarge it to the whole inward man , not fix upon any one ofthefe faculties in oppolition to, or exemption from the other., If thinprepare thine heart. This preparationconfiateth in two things. I. In removing and fweeping out the filth which is in the heart, Dúit cortuum Mat. i 5.19. Out ofthe heart proceedevil thoughts, murders, acial-non labia rua, quod Lt hypocr Cen es; fornications, thefts, fall¢ witneffe, blal7hemt¢S. Now, asit rum rff, horta. is the continual work of an evil heart to fend out thefe ; fo it is cur yobumut the firat !work of preparing a good heart to purge and call out ad Mum re thefe.`They comeout of the heart eafily, but, O how hard is it,to deal atop fátz thrufl them out ! yet this muff be done or elfe nothing is done Dmaf..tierbu towards thepreparation of the heart. Ifyou were to prepare an 11.3 houle for the entertainment of a great Prince , What would youfemper acciri doe ? Would not your firfl care be to carry out the dirt and tur inherum; wafh the floor; Down with the cobwebs there, (cries one) away with every unclean thing. (faith another) Thus we begin to pre- pare our houfes for fuch noble entertainments. Again, when you are to prepare a plot ofground to receive feed , what doe you ? Doe you not firft pick out the llenes , pull up and bury the weeds, and then fowe ? Thus theLord dealt with his vineyard (Ifa.g.2.) He fencedit, andgathered out the (tones thereof, and then plantedit with the choifejt vines. He gathered out the (tones before he planted it , he would not let vines among atones. The 6tí1 work in all preparations is to get out the rubbifh, and remove impediments. 2. The heart wherein Chrift is to be lodged, mua not be a sneer vacuum; only fwept and empty : holineflè doth not con - till in negatives, in removing and throwing out'of evil, though that be a great part of it . Therefore the next parr . of preparation is the adorning and beautifyingof the heart the quickning and heighrning of it to tholeduties and fervicesw,hich Cod calls for. If you entertain a Prince, or but a fpecial friend , as you (weep your

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