!7~ ThegrtAt ExAltersefGracu: eitber they mav be generally a people ignorant or prophane; and at the mofi: refiing in a formall way of religious_duti-cs, or clfe they ntay be a people of a broken and contrite fpiric, fuch who huriger and t~irfi after ri~hteo-u,fneff~, who mourn and are call down for their unworthinetfe ;· and now/accor– ding to thefe different difpofitions, fo thefe diflinct truths have. their appropriated feafonableneffe. To ;t pharifaicall and formall people, the difcovery of finne in all the inward filthineffe of it, ,The opeming of all the fecret hypocrifie of the heart, ·The difconring ofmens principles, aimes and ends, is very ne4f:ffary, and to fuch our Saviour preached: whereas if a people be wounaed, and cafi down with their finnes, to fuch we_are to bring theglad tjding.r ofthe Gofpd, and with the Angc~s to cry, G!fJr} he ·t9 (JQd on high, peace on tarth,andgood Will to men. When Felixdefircd to hear P~ttd about faith in Chrifr, he prefently prc:tcheth about righrumf nejfe and ttmperance, which Felix groOy failed in, and the judgement to come,ACt.s 24· This Paut did, as thinking it the ' . -bell way to fave Felix his foul,and to make him happy ind~cd, as well as -in name. But generally in our times,the number ef :affiided,mourning Chrifliansare very fe~; the greater put, . are either pr~phane, or formalij/J, and felfiufticiarie.r, and therefore fearching and pier'cing d.ifcoveries of the falfhood and guile bfmens hearts, whereby they are fo apt to . daub, and make ha.Jf or impe"rfect works in Chriftianity, ar~ the moft ncceffary fubjea: we can preach upon. As therefore its the skill_pf Husbandmcn, to know what feed is moll proper for his particular ground, and th·e prudence of the Phyfit!an, · to difiinguifu of the .difeafes and confiitutions of his pa· ticnts, fo it fhould be of the Miniflers of the Gofpc!l,to preffe duties exceedingly to fome, and the gracious promifes very much to the other. In the next place let us confider, what is the due and right methodizing of thefe difiintl fqbjeds, vi,z:,. rhe werk of grace within us,and the gif~ ofgrace without us. · And' 1. Its nece.f[ary to k.,eep Mr heArts in the fl~idJ of our own /elves; 11nd examination· therein, (o tllat we do not put in fuch abitter hcrbc ofdotlrine as Papifts and fome others do, - - ~ - · ab out
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