Verf. the fzxth Chapter to the R o M A N S. i ? i 3. It furnifheth and fupplieth our Speech 5 for the Tap runneth according tò the Li- quor with which the Veffel is filled. In Prayer, the new Nature beareth a great part, for its delires and inclinations furnifh us with Requefts, its annoyances and grievances with Complaints , its folaces and fatisfa &ions with Thankfgivings 5 and where it is not obftrutted, there cannot be that leannefs and bafenefs of Soul, wherewith we are often furprized : Pia 45. I. My heart is inditing a good matter, I will (peak of the things that I have made touching the King , my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. As to ordinary Converfe, Mat. 12. 35. Agood man out of the good treafure of his heart bringeth forth good things : and an evil man out of the evil treafrre bringeth forth evil things. When the Spring is dryed up, there can be no water in the ftream; 4. It giveth us greater certainty of the Religion we profefs, when we feel the Power of it in our Hearts: 1 gob. 5. to. He that believeth on the Son ofGod , bath the witnefo in himfelf: he hath a fenfe of what he hath heard ; he bath felt the power of the Spirit in dining him to God and heavenly things, and fubduing his carnal affebions5 he hash tailed the fweetnefs of Gods Love in Chrilt, and you cannot perfwade a man againft his own fenfe ; therefore when men have tatted and tryed and found the admirable Effetts of the Gofpel upon their hearts, they will know that which bare Speculation could ne- ver difcover to them , in order to love , certainty , and clofe adherence, they find all made good and accomplifhed to them , they find the Truth doth make them free , heal their Souls, and fanttifie their Natures, appeafe their Anguifh, offer them help in Tern - ptations, relieve their Diftrefs, bind up their broken Hearts, &c. 5. Then the Truth bath a power upon us , when it is put into their mind and heart, they have an inward ingrafted Principle, yam. s. 2 Receive with nieeknefs the ingraft ed word , which ü able to five your fouls; they find not only Truth in the Word , but Life, and obey God, not only as bound to obey, but as inclined to obey, there needeth no great inforcing , i Theff. 4. 9. Te your Pelves are taught of God to love one another and Prov. 2. to. Wifdom entreth into thy heart ; it becometh another Nature to us, if it enters upon the mind only, it begets but a lazy and faint inclination. 6. It begets a holy Converfation 5 for thofe who have the Word of God (tamped upon their hearts and minds, will (hew it in their a &ions. So it is fàid, 2 Or. 3.3, Te are manifeffly declared to be the Epifile of Chrifl, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of (lone, but in fefhly tables of the heart. Believers are Chrifts Epiftle by which he doth recommend himfelf, and his Dottrine to all men , when they fee what excellent Spirits his Religion breedeth. So Phil. 2. 15,16. That ye may be blrmrelefo and harmlefo the fens of God , without rebuke , in the mida of a crooked and per: verfe nation, among whom ye _thine as lights in the world: Holding forth the word of life. 2. 1 obferve, That the fruit of this imprinting of the Dottrine of the Gofpel upon their hearts was Obedience. For fo faith the Apoffle, Te have obeyed. All that Know- ledge we have muff Rill be direhed to Prah`tice, Dent. 4. 6. Keep therefore,and do them, for this is your wifdom and underflanding : otherwife we do little more than-learn there Truths by rote , or at belt to fa(hion our Notions of Religion, that we may make them hang together. 1. We are bidden to inquire after the ways of God, not to fatisfie Curiofity, but to walk therein : yes. 6. 16. Thus faith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and fee, and ask for the old paths, where le the good way, and walk therein, and ye (hall find refs for your fouls : But they faid , We will not walk therein. Their difobedience was not fo much a., gainft the knowledge of the Truth, as againft the practice thereof. Men are not againft Truth fo much in their minds as in their hearts, they will not do what they know. 2. The comfort and fweetnefs is in keeping and obeying , Pfal. 1 g. 11. In keeping thy commandments there is great reward, not only hereafter, but now. There is a fweetnefs in knowing; for all Truth, efpecially heavenly Truth, is an oblehation of the mind but there is more in keeping and obeying, becaufe Praaice and Obedience giveth a more experimental knowledge of thefe things, as a tafle is more than a fight, and by a ferious obedience the tafle of thefe bleffed Truths is kept upon our hearts. It is but a flufh of joy that is furred up by Contemplation, the durable folid joy is by Pra &ice and Obe- dience. Betides that , God rewardeth alts of Obedience more than alts of Contempla- tion with comfort and peace; forContemplation is an impeded operation of man, un- lefs the effete fucceedeth 5 yea we are not capable tore ceive this comfort,for knowledge doth not prove the Gncerity of our hearts fo much as obedience; therefore it is Prahtice that hath the Bleffing in the bofom of it. 3. Where men receive the Doctrine of the Gofpel rather in the Light, than in the Qggqq Love r
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