t o d L f r ol w V i e SAINT S. I 229 innployed in Prayer, to be confiant in the hurnbl mg of the foule, or the abftamine from our naturali inclinations, to be diicourling of repentance, or fltidying of Gods heavenly King- dome ; to be impioyed in the word, or to goe through dirty and frozen wayes to it, to go and repeat it in our Families or to urge it upon our hearts, O what weary tedious duties are thclè, when the heart is a dead heart ! This is the reafon why the world, lets them all generally alone, and never troubles their hearts with them at all, becaufe they have no life in them ; and many that are better minded, find them very tedi- ous becaufe they are dead- hearted ; as Solomon (ayes eor- reáion W grtevotas to hint that forfa!Zeth the way, Pray.' 5.10. now as long as we are out of the way of life, while we are dead - hearted, we forfake the right way, and therefore cor- reâion is grievous unto us, nay, all the commandensents of God are grievous unto us ; does a dead heart rejoyce to goe to Prayer ? Nay, g nerally he is loth to goe to it ; is he clad that the Sermon Bell rings ; is he glad as an opportun"ÿtt doe good ? Nay. does he not fhrinke, and winch, and draw back ? We fee thus in the jewes, how irk Come the Sabbath was to them, when they were held from buying and felling ; O that the Sabbath were over, Amos,8.5. It maybe men doe not find the Sabbath fo tedious now, becaufe they helpe them - lelves by talking of the world, by taking liberty that way ; but if they were held to it, as they ought to bee, would thee not wills it to be over, The like we may fee in the young man, what an irkfome thing was it to him, to heare that he midi fell away all ? The text (ayes, be was fad at that fly- ing, Mark to.. Now is not this too a very hideous thing to bedead- hearted, when it makes all the wayes of God tedi- ous ? Nothing fhould be more delightful) unto us then they ; they are perfe t freedome; there is great reward in them, they are the belt wayes of pleafantneffe, and all his patties are peace; and if we were quickened in our hearts, we would fav fo too ; as the Apoffle fpeakes ; when he had laid, That nett of Goads Comwaandemsnts are grievous; t Jolts.;, In G g i the i
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=