Vert i q.. the fixth Chapter to the ROMANS. 93 God , that ye preftnt your bodies a living facrifièe, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reafonable fervice. Now all this muff needs be a great weakening of fin, both the re- membrance of Chrifts Love, the reprefentation of his great Sufferings, neceffary for the Expiation of it , and our folemn renewed Dedication of our felves to God and his fer- vice, and doing this in an holy Duty inftituted by God for this end and purpofe: for the Spirit of God works by the appointed means , and the ufe of intituted Duties is no fruitlefs labour, for God would not let us a -work in a Duty that fhould yield no profit and benefit to us. 6. Providences are fan&ifted to this nie, as helps and occafions of fubduing fin : as Afi &ions, which do remove the occafions , and fubtraft the fuel of fin, and awaken ferioufnel for the future : Ifa. 27. g. By this therefore '!,tall the iniquity of Pcob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his fin. 2 Car. 12.7. Left 1 fhould be exalted above meafare through the abundance of the revelation, , there was given to me a thorn in theflefh, the m finger of Satan tobuffet nee, left I fhould be exalted above meafare. The thorn in the fiefh was given to mortifie his pride. By thefe kind of Difpenfations the Spirit worketh fir-ions Humiliation, and brokennefs of hears, maketh fin odious to us. Thefe are ordered with exa& wifdom and faithfulnefs, Pjd. t 19. 75. 0 Lord , I know that thy judgment, are right , and that thou in fathfulnefs haft aflitled me : and they are accom- panied by the Spirit; therefore God is laid to teach us out of his Law , when he cha- (tifeth us, Pfal. 94. 12. Blefd is the man whom thou chaieneft, O Lord , and teacheft him out of thy Law. Job 36. to. . He openeth a fo their ear to drfcipline, and commandeth that they returnfrom iniquity: the Rod is made effe&ual by the Spirits motion. Ol jet!. Some have frequently refolved to forfake their fins, but their refolutions hava i come to nothing; they have Driven againft it , but as a great tone that is rolled up hít1. it hath returned upon them with the more violence, or as a man rowing againft the Dream, the Tide hath been (bong againft them, and they have been forced the more back ; yea, they have prayed againft fin, yet found no fuccefs , and therefore think it is in vain to try any more. Anfw. r. If all the Premifes are true, yet the Inference and Conclufion is wrong and falle; for we are not to meafare our Duty by the fuccefs , but Gods injun &ion; God may .do what he pleafeth , but we mull do what he cgtnmandeth. Abraham obeyed God, not knowing whither he went, Heb. r r. 8. Peter obeyed Chrifts word, Luke 5.5. We have toiled all the night, and caught nothing, howbeit at thy command we Will let down the net. 2. Though the fir(t attempt fucceed not, yet afterwards fin may be fubdued and bro- ken. In natural things we do not fit down with one tryal, or one endeavour, A man that will he rich pierceth himfelf thorough with many farrows, 1 Tim 6. so. And after many mifcarriages and difappointments, men purfue their deligns till they compleat them : and (hail we give over our Confli& with flefhly and worldly Lofts, becau(e we cannot prefently fubdue them ? That (heweth our Will is not fixedly bent againft them. Therefore let no man excufe himfelf, and fit down in defpair, and fay, I am not able to wafter theme Temptations or Corruptions; this is like thole , :er. 18. 12. They faid, !here is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices , and we will every one do the imagi- nation of his evil heart. Do not throw up all, thy condition is not hopelefs. 3. Gods Grace is free, and his holy leifure mull be waited; for it was long ere God got us at this país , to be fenfible , and anxioufly folicitous about our Soul- diftempers. Grace is not at our beck, -The Spirit bloweth when and where he lifteth, Joh. 3.7. We mutt Dí11 lye at the Pool for Cure, nor pettiifhly fret againft the Lord, or cat off our Duty, becaufe he blefèth not our firt Effay. 4. Grace is ready , as it is free. He that begun this work, to make us ferious and fenfible, will carry it onto a farther degree, if we be not impatient : Surely the bruifed reed will he not break, and fnoaking flax will be not quench, Mat. 12. 20. Bemoan thy / Wm God, as Ephraim, Jer. 31. 18. 1 have lardy heard Ephraim bemoaning himfelf thus, Thou haft chaflifd me, and I was cha/Ii/Id, as a bullockunaccuftoened to the yoke. Turn amine, and 1 fhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. He is not wont to forfake the Soul that waiteth on him, and referreth all to the power and good pleafure of his Grace, I 7'.40, 30, 31. Even the youth, fhall faint and be weary, and the young men (hall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord (hall renew their ftrength, they fhall mount up with wings as eagles, they fhall run and not be weary, and they fhall walk and not faint. 5. Examine whether you Peek the Lord with your whole heart , and you have done your endeavour. You fay, you purpofe, you ftrive, you pray, but yet fin increafes, i there
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