the whole Armour ofGod. ter there will be in the conftitution of thy grace ; thou who a/ t now fo poor, fo pale, that thou art afraid to fee thy own face long in the glaffe of thy own confcience, fhall then refkft with joy upon thy owne confcience and dare to converfe with thy fell without thofe furprizals of horrour and feare , which beforedidappale thee ; thy grace, though it fhall not be thy rejoycing, yet it will be thy evidence for Chrift, in whom it is : and lead thee in with boldneffe to lay claim to him, while the Toole Chriftian, whole grace is over-grown with lufts (for want of this weeding hook) fhall nand trembling at the door, queftioning whether his grace be true or no ; and from that doubt of his welcome. Secondly,if upon enquiry thou findefl that thy Armour decays, rather for want of fcouring, then by any blow from fin prefum- ptuoufly committed, (as that is molt common and ordinary, fiat will foon fpoil the heft armour, and negligence give grace its bane, as well as groffe fins,) then apply thy fell to the ule of thofe means which God bath appointed for the ftrengthening grace ; if the fire goes out by taking off the wood, what way to preferve it but by laying it on again ? Firft, Mall fend thee to the Word of God, be more fre- quently converfant with it. David tells us, where he renewed his fpiritual life, and got his foul fo aft into a heavenly beate, when grace in bim began to chill. TLe Word (he tells us) quick- ened him. This was the Sunny bank he fate under. The Word drawsforth the Chriftians grace, by prefenting every one with an objet fuitable to aft upon, this is of great power to route them up ; as the coming in of a friend, makes us (though flee- py before) fluke off all drowfineffe to enjoy his company. Affeftions they are aftuated when their objet is before them ; if we love a perfon, this is excited by fight of him, or any thing that mindes as of him;if we hate one,ourblood rifeth much more againft himwhen before us. Now the Word bring the Chrifti- an graces and their objeft together. Here love may delight' her fell with the beholding Chrift, who is let out to life there t in all his love and lovelineffe ; here the Chriftian may fee his fins in a glaffe that will not flatter him ; and can there any god- ly forrow be in the heart, any hatred of fin, and nor come forth, while the man is reading whAt they coft Chrift for him ? Y y Secondly, 345 z. I.
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