Be firong. the facrificing knife of mortification into the very heart of it, and this freely, joyfully, (for it is no pleafing facrifice that is offered with a countenance caft.down,) and all this now, before thou haft one embrace more from it. Truly this is a hard chap- ter, flefb and blood cannot bear this laying_; our lull will not lie lo patiently on the Altar, as Ifaac, or as a Lambe that is brought to thefliughter, which is dumb, but will roar and fbreek, yea, even (hake and rend the heart with their hideous out-cries. Alho is able to expreffe the confl,ds, the wreftlings, the convul- fions of Spirit the.Chriflian feels, before he can bring his heart to this work ? or who can fully fet forth the Art, the Rhetorical infinuations, which filch a lufl will plead with for its life? one while Satan will extenuate and mince the matter, It is but a little one, 0 fpare it, and thy foule fball live for all that : An- other while he flatters the foul with the ferrecyof it, Thou mayeft keep me and thy credit alto.; I will not be fan abroad in thy company to fbame thee among thy neighbours : (hut me up in the molt retired room thou haft in thy heart, from thehear- ing of others (if thou wilt,) only let me now and then have the wanton embraces of thy thoughts and affeections in fecret; if that cannot be granted,then Satanvdill feem only to defile execu- tion may be flayed a while,as 7epbtkol's daughter of her fatl,ei ;Let udg. 17 me alone a monthor two,and then do torts? arcordiq to that which bath .2,;37. Proceeded one of thy mouth: well knowing few fuch reprieved tuns, but at laft obtain their full pardon ; yea, recover their fa; your with the foule. Now what refolution doth it require to break through fuch violence and importunity, and notwithfiand- ing all this, to do preterit execution: Here the valiant Sword- men of the world, have (hewed themfelves nicer cowards, who have come out of the field with victorious banners, and then li- ved, yea, died flaves to a bale tuft at home. As one could fay of a great Romane Captain, (who as he rode in his triumphant Chariot through Rome, had his eye never off a Courtizan that 4PWAIk't along the flreet ) Behold, how this goodlyCaptain that conquered fuch potent Armies, is himfelf conquered by one filly woman. z. Secondly, the Chrillian is to walk fingularly, not after the worlds guise. Rom. 12. 2. we are commanded not to be con- formed to this world, that is, not to accommodate our felves to the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=