344 Wherefore take unto you this, then Satan do thy errand to God for thee. Secondly, when thou haft renewed thy repentance , forget not, delay not then e.o renew F hy faith on the promife for par- don. Repentancethat is like purging phyfick to evacuate the peccant humour; but if faith come not prefently with its reit°. rative, the poor creature will never get heart, or recover his ftrength. A fouls' may die ofa fluxe 9f forrow as well as offin; faith bath an incarnating vertue, as they fay of fome ftrength- ening meats, it feeds upon the promife, and that i. perfeil, con- verting for rather refloring) the Pule, Pfal. x9.7. Though thou wert pined to skin and bones, all thy ftrength wafted, yet faith would loon recruit thee, and enable every grace toperform its office chearfully. Faith fucks peace from the promife,call'el peace in beleeying; from peace Howes joyes, 73eingjullified by faithwe have peace with god, Rom. 5. i. and, v. 2. We rejoyce in the hope ofglory ; and joy affords ftrength < The joy of the Lord i3 onr firength. 3. Thirdly, back both thefe with a daily endeavour to mortifie thole lufts which moll pevail over thy grace. Weeds cannot thrive, and the flowers alfo ; when grace loth not ati vigorouf- ly and freely, conclude it is oppreff with fome contrary luft, which weighs down its fpirits, and makes them lumpifh ; even as fuperfluous humours do load the natural fpirits in our bodies, that we have little joy to flit or go about any bufineffe till they be evacuated ; and therefore ply this work clofe, it is not a dayes work or two in the yeare, (like Phyfick at fpringand fall) nothingmore vain, then to make a bull; as the Papifts do at their Lent ; or as fome unfound Profeffours among our (elves, who teem to beflir themfelves before a Sacrament or day of Fail,. ing, with a great noifeofzeal, and then let thole very hilts live peaceably in them all the yeare after. No, this is child-play to do and undo; thoumuff room'fie daily thy bags by the Spirit, Rom. 8. i 3. Followbut this work confcionably in thy Chri- than courle, making it thy endeavour, (as conftantly as the la- bouring man goes out every day towork in the field where his calling lies) to watch thy heart, and ufe all means for the difco- very of fin, and as it breaks forth to be humbled for it, and be chopping at the root of it with this axe of mortification ; and .thou shalt fee by theWelling of God what a change for the bet- ter
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