7\) THE BRUISED REED faint love, yet with love ; endeavour in a: feeble manner, yet endeavour. A little fire is fire, though it smoketh. Since thou hast taken me into thy covenant to be thine when an enemy, wilt thou cast me off for these infirmities, which as they displease thee, so are they the grief of my own heart.' From what hath been spoken, it will not be difficult to resolve that case in which some require help, namely, whether we ought to perform duties, our hearts being altogether indisposed. For satisfaction we must know- (1.) Our hearts of themselves linger after liberty, and are hardly brought under the yoke of duty: and the more spiritual the duty is, the more is their backwardness. Corruption getteth ground for the most part by every neglect. It is as in rowing against the tide,. one stroke neglected will not be gained in three ; and therefore it is good to keep our hearts close to duty, and not hearken to the excuses which they are ready to frame. (2.) In settingupon duty, God strengtheneth his own part in us: we find a warmttess of.heart, and increase of strength, the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=