Secondly, By unframing the soul, so that it shall have formal, weary, powerless thoughts of those things, which should prevail with it unto diligence in thankful obedience. The Apostle cautions us, that in dealing with God, we should use reverence and godly fear, because of his purity, holiness, ⟨p. 245⟩and Majesty, Heb. 12. 28, 29. And this is that which the Lord himself spake in the destruction of Nadab and Abihu, I will be sanctified in them that come to me, Lev. 10. 3. He will be dealt withal •in an awful, holy, reverent manner. So are we to deal with all the things of God, wherein, or whereby we have communion with him. The soul is to have a great Reverence of God in them. When men begin to take them into slight and common thoughts, not using and improving them unto the utmost for the ends whereunto they are appointed, they lose all their beauty, and glory, and power towards them. When we have any thing to do wherein faith and love towards God is to be exercised, we must do it with all our hearts, with all our minds, strength and souls, not slightly and perfunctorily, which God abhors; he doth not only require that we bear his Love and Grace in remembrance, but that, as much as in us lieth, we do it according to the worth and excellency of them. It was the sin of Hezekiah, that he rendered not again according to the benefits done to him, 2 Chron. 32. 25. So whilst we consider Gospel truths, the uttermost endeavour of the soul ought to be, that we may be changed into the same image or likeness, 2 Cor. 3. 18. that is, that they may have their full power and effect upon us. Otherwise James tells us what our beholding the glory of the Lord in a glass, there mentioned by the Apostle, that is, reading or hearing the mind of God in Christ revealed in the Gospel, comes unto, chap. 1. vers. 23, 24. It is but like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass, for he beholdeth ⟨p. 249⟩himself and goeth away, and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was. It makes no impression upon him, begets no Idea nor image of his likeness in his imagination, because he doth it only slightly, and with a transient look. So is it with men that will indeed think of Gospel truths, but in a slight manner, without endeavouring with all their hearts, minds, and strength, to have them ingrafted upon their souls, and all the effects of them produced in them.
Secondly, By unframing the soul, so that it shall have formal, weary, powerless thoughts of those things, which should prevail with it unto diligence in thankful obedience. The Apostle cautions us, that in dealing with God, we should use reverence and godly fear, because of his purity, holiness, ⟨p. 245⟩and Majesty, Heb. 12. 28, 29. And this is that which the Lord himself spake in the destruction of Nadab and Abihu, I will be sanctified in them that come to me, Lev. 10. 3. He will be dealt withal •in an awful, holy, reverent manner. So are we to deal with all the things of God, wherein, or whereby we have communion with him. The soul is to have a great Reverence of God in them. When men begin to take them into slight and common thoughts, not using and improving them unto the utmost for the ends whereunto they are appointed, they lose all their beauty, and glory, and power towards them. When we have any thing to do wherein faith and love towards God is to be exercised, we must do it with all our hearts, with all our minds, strength and souls, not slightly and perfunctorily, which God abhors; he doth not only require that we bear his Love and Grace in remembrance, but that, as much as in us lyeth, we do it according to the worth and excellency of them. It was the sin of Hezekiah, that he rendred not again according to the benefits done to him, 2 Chron. 32. 25. So whilst we consider Gospel truths, the uttermost endeavour of the soul ought to be, that we may be changed into the same image or likeness, 2 Cor. 3. 18. that is, that they may have their full power and effect upon us. Otherwise James tells us what our beholding the glory of the Lord in a glass, there mentioned by the Apostle, that is, reading or hearing the mind of God in Christ revealed in the Gospel, comes unto, chap. 1. vers. 23, 24. It is but like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass, for he beholdeth ⟨p. 249⟩himself and goeth away, and streight way forgetteth what manner of man he was. It makes no impression upon him, begets no Idea nor image of his likeness in his imagination, because he doth it only slightly, and with a transient look. So is it with men that will indeed think of Gospel truths, but in a slight manner, without endeavouring with all their hearts, minds, and strength, to have them ingrafted upon their souls, and all the effects of them produced in them.
