strong in the behalfe of them, whose heart is perfect towards him: Howsoever they may be weake in themselves, in him they shall be victorious: his power shall be perfected in their weakenesse. For as it is in the Psalme, Psal. 18.25.With the perfect man, thou wilt shew thy selfe perfect: thou wilt not faile him in his need. This is the nature of God, that he frameth himselfe to the dispositions of men, good to the good, hard to the stubborne, intire to the perfect that waite upon him. Psal. 37.18.The Lord knoweth the dayes of the perfect, and their inheritance shall be for ever: that is, he seeth to what evils they lie open, what help they need, and ordereth all events to their speciall good. Prov. 28.16.
& 10.9,29.He that walketh in his integrity is safe: no danger can overtake or meete a man in that way; because he is under the shadow and protection of divine providence. Righteousnesse preserves him that is intire in the way, but wickednesse overthroweth the sinner, Prov. 13. 6. & 11. 5, 6. Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve me, Psal. 25. 21. Integrity is a guard, that doth continually keep watch and ward; and doth not only leade men to a good way, and tell them what is their duty, and fit to be performed; but maketh the way passible for them, and them prosperous in it. An intire heart, is a channell or Barke in which the graces of the Spirit are contained, and faith doth swimme above all stormes and tempests: but a mind void of all integrity, is full of slifters and chincks, that if the most holy liquour of piety be offered, it is powred in and out together and at once. This is the nature of integrity, that by it the soule is intire in it selfe, and hath a spirituall continuity, which may be shadowed forth by the similitude of things corporall: and therefore so long as integrity is preserved, the heart is apt to containe and keep safe the graces of the Spirit: if it be cracked grace would be lost, should not God make up the breaches of it. A soule destitute of grace, is starke dead; an heart without integrity, not well compacted, is next to death or destruction; as a ship full of holes, or a body unloosed or dissolved. An heart well compact and knit fast together in the Lord (as is the intire) Prov. 10.29.is valiant and couragious in all dangers, trials, temptations. It is not put out of countenance with slanderous tongues, nor shaken with feare of troubles. Though mine adversary should write a booke against me, would I not take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crowne unto me, saith Job? The hypocrite in peace and security may seeme strong and valarous: but let God by some afflictiondrag
Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/94
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82
Of the Covenant of Grace
