on the It9. P)ame. thefe if theymightbee refuted, could not fatisfie him, vnleffe licemightallo bee inthe houseofthe Lord. Then letvs labour tohaue this defrre,chat ifwe cannotwith ioy find it, wemay withforrow labour after it. Verletia . 'bare applredmice heart tofsfll thyJfatuteralrmy,uunontotheend. IN the former verfe he !hewed hisfaith, and his ioywhich camethereof; now he Iheweth that here in this ioy he will keepe the commaundements : wherebyhe flrewetb that this wasa. true ioy,becaufe it wrought a careto doegood.For ifwe beleeue thepromifes tersely, thenwe alfo loue the commaundements, otheiwifefayth is vaine ; a caretohuea godly life, nourilheth faith in Godspromifes. Here is thecaufe then why many regard not the wordand Sacraments; or ifthey doea líttle,it is tono ptirpofe,becaufethey labournot to keepethe commaundements. Forvnleffe they haue care to doethis, theword of God to themcannot be profitable,northeSacraments facred. Hefurther fheweth that this was a truecare,in thatit beganat hisheart : for here is the beginning ofall goodnes,here is therooteofreligion,and here the foundation ofour faith mutt be laide.It is not the refrainingfrom outward aaions,it is not the refrainingof the outwardman: but itis the heart that wemuft trauell about,and take care for. Hereofit came topalle, that manyoftheKings and people in thebooks of Chronicles continued in godlines,and keptaneuen and equallcootie, becaufethey prepared their hearts ; as Ewe- chias,ioJîas,and onsets: and hereofit cametopallethat many fell from the faith, becaufe theyfought not God in their hearts 's as the Scribes and Phanfees, whichdented theout- warda&ions onely. It muff then be ourJeflon whichwemuff ftudie on, to takecare to ourhearts aboue all risings, and to make the beginning there. For the deannes of that pleaferhGod,and the filthof thatdifpleafeth biro. But when he faithWage inclined) dotshe meant that of himfelfe he couldapplie his heart as he lilted? No no, he usent nothing Idle. For he was conceiued in finne; and how thenwerethepreparations of hisheart inhis ownehand ? Againe, he prayeth portion f. Inclinemine heartvnto,&c. where heBoth plainely thew, that it was God that turnedhis heartat his goodpleafure. Andno tnaruell truely, fortheheart of man can no further be tryed out, orfpyed, then the Lorde Both gageand open it,that wee may fee thereinto,. ierern. r 7.9. And againe,the hardnes ofmansheart isfucñ,that it will sooner breake then bend ; andmay fooner beappliedvnto any thing,thenvntogoodnes. Wherein thefollyof Papills,and other heretiquesis more then manifeft, which by this and fuck like places, would prouethe freewill ofman, andthat he can incline himfelfeto goodnes; fetingthat here is nothing elfe ment,then thatmen doethen incline theirhearts, when God-dotls in= cline them ; fo thatthe Lordheworketh all,andyet is it attributed to men, whenthey re- tense andpurfue theworking of God : fo theheart isfree ifGod maketh it free, notrife: Ifwepprefume ofour freewill,wben we haueit not,we!hall purpofe, and Godwill other- wife difpolè: forhereofcommeth it thatfomany fall from their purpofes. God is not pleafed,butwith voluntarie offering,thereforehe appliethhis heart; andwe mutt beware okmilekruice. The conitantnesof hispurpofetacontinueinthis obedience,hefheweth,when he faith, he willdoe itfor euer and euer, and that at alltimes, not onely at a communion, or at a faft,or in ficknes,but at all times. PORTION. 15. Vert. i 13. Mal-ermine inventions:bar thy Lomedoe 1 loose. E Ihewed in the halt wordsof theformer part, that seewill beconfiant; nowhe Ihewethfourereafens thereof : the firlt realoss is die hatredthat lite hadof all wickednes,conteinedin this fir11verfe. He bath vfed many arguments toproue to lus heart that he lourdGod, and to commendit toothersby his exanrple,asPaul doth: This 573
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=