284 The twelfth Sign. PART III. walk in them. Holy Praaice is as much the End of all that God does about his Saints, as Fruit is the End of all the Hufbandman does about the Growth of his Field or Vineyard : As the Matter is often repre- fented in Scripture ; Matth. 3. to. Chap. 13. 8, 23, 24,----30, 38. Chap. 21. 19, 33, 34. Luke 13. 6. John 15. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8. r Cor. 3. 9. Heb. 6. 7, 8. Ifai. 5. 1,- --8. Cant. 8. 11, 12. Ifai. 27. 2, 3. And therefore every Thing in a true Chriftian is calculated to reach this End. This Fruit of holy Practice, is what every Grace, and every Difcovery, and every indi- vidual Thing, which belongs to chriftianExperience, has a directTen- dencyto. t 1. CC CC CC CC GG CC CC CC CC GC cG CC of + cc GG GC CC GC GG GC GC GG GG, GG GC CC CC GC CC CC CC The To profefs to knowmuch is eafy ; but to bring your Affec- tions into Subjebtion, to wreftle with Luffs, to crofs your Wills and your felves, upon every Occafion, this is hard. The Lord looketh, that in our Lives we fhould be ferviceable to him, and afeful to Men,. That which is within, the Lord and our Brethren are never the better for it : But the out- ward Obedience, flowing thence, glorifieth God and does Good to Men. The Lord will have this done. What elle is the End of our planting and watering, but that the Trees may be filled with Sap ? And, what is the End of that Sap, but that the Trees may bring forth Fruit ? What careth the Hufbandman for Leaves, and barren Trees ?" Dr. Prellon the Church's Carriage. What is the End of every Grace, but to mollify the Heart, and make it pliable to fome Command or other ? Look, how many Commandments, fo many Graces there are in Virtue and Efficacy, altho' not fo many feveral Names are given them. TheEnd of every fuchGrace is to make us obedient : As the End ofTemperance is Chaftity, to bow the Heart to thefe Commands, Be ye fober, &c. not in Chambering and Wantonnefs; &c. When the Lord commandeth us not to be angry with our Brother, the End of Meeknefs, and why the Lord infufath it, is to keep us from unadvifed rafh Anger. So Faith., the End of it is to take Jefus Chrift, to make us obedient to the Command of the. Gofpel, which commands us to believe in ,him.. So as all Graces do join together, but to Frame and Fafhiòn, the Soul to Obedience ; then fo much Obedience as is in your Lives,fo much Grace in your Hearts, and no more. Therefore afk your Hearts, how fubjedt you are to the Lord in your Lives ? It was the Counfel that Francis Spira gave to them about him, faith he, Learn ail of GG me
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