Examine thy heart by these marks faithfully, and do not by flattery or self-love (or rather self-hatred) deceive thy soul (no deceit ⟨p. 170⟩like soul-deceit) but pass sentence upon thy self impartially, and if thou findest thy condition good, bless God, keep close to Jesus Christ, and labour that thou mayst walk worthy of the Lord,1 even unto all well-pleasing. The great and extraordinary privileges bestowed on thee, do call aloud for gracious and extraordinary practices from thee. How exemplary shouldst thou live among men, who art to live eternally with God? What singular things wilt thou do for that God, for that Saviour, that hath done such singular things for thy soul? Can any love be too much? Can any labour be too great? Can any honour be too high? Can any service be too holy for that God, to whom thou art by millions of eternal obligations thus infinitely infinitely bound? O let the fruitfulness of thy heart and life in holiness proclaim thine abundant thankfulness for such mercies as for weight and worth exceed the very thoughts of Men and Angels: How abundant shouldst thou be in the work of the Lord, when thou knowest that thy labour shall not be in vain in the Lord? When thou art confessing thy sins, meditate on the choosing calling love of that God, against whom thy sins are ⟨p. 171⟩committed, and try whether the heat of that burning love will not thaw thy heart, and dissolve it into tears, when it is most hard and icy. When thou art backward to a duty that hath some difficulty in it, consider Jesus Christ was not backward to his bitter bloody sufferings for thy sins. As the Soldier told Augustus, when he denied his petition, I did not serve you so at the battle of Actium: So say to thy soul, Jesus Christ did not serve thee so, when he was to drink the cup of his Fathers fierce wrath for thee; and see whether such melting persuasions will not prevail with thee to subject thy self to the hardest precept. When thou art departing away from •od by any sinister course or insincere carriage, remember who thou art, one that art called not to sin, but sanctity; not to uncleanness, but holiness. As Antigonus, being invited to a place, that might probably prove a temptation to sin, asked counsel of Menedemus, what he should do? He bade him only remember he was a Kings Son:
Examine thy heart by these marks faithfully, and do not by flattery or self-love (or rather self-hatred) deceive thy soul (no deceit ⟨p. 170⟩like soul-deceit) but passe sentence upon thy self impartially, and if thou findest thy condition good, blesse God, keep close to Jesus Christ, and labour that thou mayst walk worthy of the Lord,1 even unto all well-pleasing. The great and extraordinary priviledges bestowed on thee, do call aloud for gracious and extraordinary practices from thee. How exemplary shouldst thou live among men, who art to live eternally with God? What singular things wilt thou do for that God, for that Saviour, that hath done such singular things for thy soul? Can any love be too much? Can any labour be too great? Can any honor be too high? Can any service be too holy for that God, to whom thou art by millions of eternal obligations thus infinitely infinitely bound? O let the fruitfulness of thy heart and life in holiness proclaim thine abundant thankfulness for such mercies as for weight and worth exceed the very thoughts of Men and Angels: How abundant shouldst thou be in the work of the Lord, when thou knowest that thy labour shall not be in vain in the Lord? When thou art confessing thy sins, meditate on the choosing calling love of that God, against whom thy sins are ⟨p. 171⟩committed, and try whether the heat of that burning love will not thaw thy heart, and dissolve it into tears, when it is most hard and icie. When thou art backward to a duty that hath some difficulty in it, consider Jesus Christ was not backward to his bitter bloody sufferings for thy sins. As the Souldier told Augustus, when he denied his petition, I did not serve you so at the battel of Actium: So say to thy soul, Jesus Christ did not serve thee so, when he was to drink the cup of his Fathers fierce wrath for thee; and see whether such melting perswasions will not prevail with thee to subject thy self to the hardest precept. When thou art departing away from •od by any sinister course or insincere carriage, remember who thou art, one that art called not to sin, but sanctity; not to uncleanness, but holiness. As Antigonus, being invited to a place, that might probably prove a temptation to sin, asked counsel of Menedemus, what he should do? He bade him only remember he was a Kings Son:
- 1Col. 1.10.
