Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

Ehe Delirudionofthe Carele 1 57 to the things of the world. Do worldly bunttets with heavenlyminds, in ooedience to God : Do them with waking hearts ; to repent for the fins of your Callings, to avoid the fins of your Callings. And that that I fay of labouring inyour Callings, L fay ofpleafarcs, and ofevery thing elfe;welhouldbewatchfulandlober: as S.Peter faith, BeJober and watch. Secondly, If you would be free from fecurity , which is a forerunner of judge- z.Spiritual ment, be fure to keep your felves in exercife. A man that would keep himfelf a- exeteife. wake, will bufie himfelf in Mine exercife and imployment or other. What exercife should a Chriltian efe ? The exercife of Grace, andof the dutiesof Obedience. Be Cure tokeep your !elves in the exercife of all the advantages that God givech you in your lives to imploy your Graces in. Indifficulties and (traits, exercife your faith. In provocations to anger and difcontent, exercife meeknefs. In croffes and troubles, and aBì &ions, exercife patience. In the miferies andwants of others, whether fpiritual orcorporal, exercifemercy. And what I fay concerning Grace, I fay con- cerning duty. Keep your felves in the exercife ofprayer, and reading, andmedita. (ion, and conference, Come one thing or other, fonie holy imployment or other , that may keep the foul waking. For I tell you , you (hall find , that whenfoever you let fall fpiritual exercife, youwill at that very id/ant fall intocarnal fecurity inCome kind or other. Thirdly, Would you keep your felves from this dead fleepofcarnal fecurity , then 3. Continual keep your Ipiri.s in fear. Sorrow and grief makes a man heavy, but fear keeps a fear manwaking: when 7acob feared Efate, he kept a watch that night. Sampfoa fear- ed the Philiflims, and it wakened him out of his fleep. Fear make, a man watch- ful. You may petceive it in your own experience. In that meafure that the fear of God preva leth, fecurity is expelled. Keep fear therefore. Bleffed is the man that feareth always, but he that hardeneth his heart falleth into evil. Mark how heop- pofeth the hardning ofa mans felf in carnal fecurity, to thefear of God. Keep your heart in a confiant fear. Reafon thus; Alas fhallldo this thing, andfinagainft God? Will not God be offended and difpleafed? Shall I boon in this vanity ? Would I have the judgement of God findme in this company? would have it feize upon mein this irnploymenr, in this hufinefs, in chis a&ion? Fear left God fhould (hike thee in fach an a&, left Deathfhoold teize upon thee in fuck a place, and let that makethee keep a confiant watchagainfi the hares that are in tholeplaces. Four:hly, Keep good company. Company you know is a good means to keep aGoodcom- men awake. Twoare better then one, and wo to him that is alone, firth Solomon. pang. I fay,good company;for there are a company that will infe& you. Keep not combery Ecdel.ç. with a frowardperforo,lefl thon learn hilfrowardnefs. So, keep not company with drunken, and (wearing perlons, there are the Devils infiruments, to keep a man in carnal fecurity. No, keep company with chofe that have a charge given them to exhort one another daily, and to confider òne another, to provoke to love, andgood works. Keep company wit/ the Saints,andmake ale ofall opportunities co provoke others,and to be provoked by others. That is the fourth help. Fifthly, Would you be kept from this finful fecurity, then keep God always in s, gealwaya as your fight. lc is a good way for a man that would keep himfelf awake, to fix his iu God, pre-' eye upon fomeobje&. Fix your eye upon this main obje&, God. Whether (hall s fence. departfrom thy pretence, faith David. This is that the Lord would have his people pfal't sa. to confider, to keepthem from fin, in 3er.2 3.23. e/Iml a Gedathand (faith the Lord) andnot a God afar of ? Do not 1 fill heaven and earth, faith the Lord ?,ler.a3.a3. Cana man hidehimfelf fromGod Many ferretplace ? Think in thy Chamber, in thy Parlour, in thy Shop, in thy Houle, in chi Friends Houle, in the Street, in the Church, in every place wherefoever thou art, that there God is allo. If a man had but always tome one before him as a witnefs, he would not venture upon many things that henow cloth. If a malefa&or Ihould fee the judgebefore him, if thechild had always his Fathers eye upon him , or the fervant had always his Mafter fitting about him, and above him (though there are many that are unjuft fervants) yet neverthelefs he would ferve him , at 'call with eye-fervice. Now fee your !'elves in the eye of God, that fees you in thedark, hears you inyour melt feetet

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=