f INDWEL I.ING 445 takes up fo much of their time. This is but an endeavour to mock God, and deceive their own fouls. Would you therefore take the true meafure of your felves : confider how it is with you as to the duty of your minds which we have enquired after. Confider whether by any of the deceits mentioned, you have not been diverted and drawn away ;; and if there be any decays upon you in any kind, you will find that there hath been the beginning of them. By one way or other your minds have been made heedlefs, regardlefs, flothful, uncertain, being beguiled and drawn off from their duty. Confider the charge, Prov. iv. 23, - -- 5 26, 27. May not fuch a foul fay, If I had attended more diligently, if I had confidered more wifely the vile nature of fin, if I had not fuffered my mind to be poffeffed with vain hopes and foolifh ima- ginations, by a turfed abufe of Gofpel grace, if I had not permitted it to be filled with the things of the world, and to become negligent in attending unto efpecial duties, I had not at this day been thus fick, weak, thriftlefs, wounded, decayed, defiled ? My carelefs, my deceived mind, hath been the beginning of fin and tranfgreflion unto my foul. And this difcovery will diced the foul unto a fuitable way for its healing and re., covery, which will never be effected by a multiplying of particular du- ties, but by a reftoring of the mind, Pfal. xxiii. 3. And this alfo doth hence appear to be the great means of preferving our fouls, both as unto their general frame and particular duties according to the mind and will of God ; namely to endeavour after a found and fteadfaft mind. It is a fignal grace to have the fpirit of power and love, and of a found mind, 2 Tim. i. 7. A ftable, folid, refolved mind in the things of God, not eafily moved, diverted, changed, not drawn afide, a mind not apt to hearken after corrupt reafonings, vain infinuations, or pretences to draw it off from its duty. This is that which the apoflle exhorts believers unto, r Cor. xv. 38. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be llead/'àfl unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. The ftedfaftnefs of our minds abiding in their duty, is the caufe of all our unmoveablenefs and fruitfulnefs in obedi- ence. And fo Peter tells us that thofe who are by any means lead away, or enticed, they fall from their own ftedfaftnefs, 2 Pet. iii. 7. And the great blame that is laid upon backfliders, is, that they are not ftedfaft, Pfal. lxxviii. 37. Their fpirit was not fledfafi For if the foul befafe unlefs the mind be drawn off from its duty, the foundnefs and ftedfaftnefs of the mind is its great prefervative. And there are three parts of this ftedfaftnefs of the mind. Firfl,. A full purpofe of cleaving to God in all things. Secondly, A daily renovation and quickning of the heart unto a difcharge of this purpofe. Thirdly, Refolutions againft all dalliances or parlies about negligencies in that difcharge which are not here to be fpoken unto. U u u u u CHAP.
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