Remains of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…Remaines of that excellent minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Joseph Alleine being a collection…

Sixthly, Labour, we must take pains in duty, Eccl. 9. 10. What soever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. There must be labour before the duty, to break thorough difficulties and to bring the heart to it. There must be labour in the duty to keep the heart close to it. The heart will be unwilling to come to it, and therefore must be compelled. It is apt to wander, and therefore must be restrained and held in. We must not only do well, but be patient in well-doing. The flesh must be crossed: carnal ease and contentment must be denied, when they stand in the way of our duty, or would steal away the heart from God. God required that the Male should be offered up to him in sacrifice, because that was stronger than the other: to signify to us that we must take pains and lay out our strength in duty. Beloved, wheresoever you are when you should se• about this work, say to your souls as Christ to the disciples, Arise, let us go hence. If the heart be backward, lay the cord of Gods command upon it; and by this cord hale it to the duty. Tell it, that the work must be done and shall be done. When thou art come to ⟨p. 36⟩the work, bind thy heart to the good behaviour. When thou art in it, often call upon thy heart to mind the work that it is about. When it would give thee the slip, hold it fast. When it would run from any question before it hath given any determination to it, pull it back: adjure it before the living God, in whose presence thou art, and whose honour is concerned in it, to speak out the truth concerning this matter: whether thou art guilty or not guilty.

Sixthly, Labor, we must take pains in duty, Eccl. 9. 10. What soever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. There must be labor before the duty, to break thorough difficulties and to bring the heart to it. There must be labor in the duty to keep the heart close to it. The heart will be unwilling to come to it, and therefore must be compelled. It is apt to wander, and therefore must be restrained and held in. We must not onely do well, but be patient in wel-doing. The flesh must be crossed: carnal ease and contentment must be denyed, when they stand in the way of our duty, or would steal away the heart from God. God required that the Male should be offered up to him in sacrifice, because that was stronger than the other: to signifie to us that we must take pains and lay out our strength in duty. Beloved, wheresoever you are when you should se about this work, say to your souls as Christ to the disciples, Arise, let us go hence. If the heart be backward, lay the cord of Gods command upon it; and by this cord hale it to the duty. Tell it, that the work must be done and shall be done. When thou art come to