The Dollrine and Ufefielneff ofSigns. MidtittAt4sitottAtUtglottP44 l 44 i 44 SERMON XI. Sheaving howmanywages men may m f arry in theme wor(ofSelf_examination bySigns. 55 ICoR. 13.5. Examine your felves , proveyour own (elves, &c. IShall nowdoleup this Text, finifhing alfo that Difcourfe about the fgnes of _ Grace. The work that remaineth at this time, is to advertife you againft chore many rocks youmay fplit at, while you proceed by figes ; for although this method (as you have heard ) be lawful!, and a duty, yet there is required much art and skill to mannagethis work, infomuch that herein heought to have his fenfesexercifed to difcernbetween good and evil. Now themifcarriagesabout Signs may bedivers waies : As Fir(l, About theSigns themfelves ; and that either on the right hand, or left ; r. on the right-hand, Byprefcribing to ourfelvesfuch Signs as are impo /ble to be at- Diners rained in this life. Thus there is anAnabaptifticalandaPopifhperfeaion,where- they'd ..hzr by men are taught to finde fuch a perfect mark ofgrace, as that no fin (hall be in them, at lealt for tome (pace oftime : but it is no marvel ifthe foul be perpetual- ly tormented that feeketh for fuch a ground ofcomfort within it own felt. john who I 7019.3. makes the keepingof Gods Commandments a figne whereby we areofthe truth, doth yetChiap.r.8. fay, That ifose ray We haveno finne, We dr- ceive. ourfelves; yet hereinGods children make many fad wounds for themfelves, not diiiingoif aingbetween the truthand effence ofgrace, and thedegrees of it. Whereas the Scripturemakes them bleffedthat hunger and thirfi, yea it doth often ' defcribe the godly by their deflect, and feeking of hisface ; now this error is the more faftened uponthem, becaufe when they reade in books, or hearMiniiiers preachabout the nature and properties ofanv grace, theyare not able to finde it in fuch a vigorous and powerful! manner in themfelves, whereas they ought to know,it is one thing to (peakofgrace in Idea in f e,in itsown nature and definition, another thing to (peakof it,as in fubje£lo,asthe Subjeft partakes of it. When the Miniflers of God preffe any grace upon you, they commonly do it in the ab- firaelednature of ir, as it loath its perfected lineaments and fhape, but as this grace isreceived in thefubje&, fo it is much debilitated. But as force torture themselves byPeeking that in themfelves which cannot be found, So there aremore that tarn to the left fide, making many things igns ofgrace, Dsng Whichare not proper charallers. Thus the Sacraments, outward Ordinances, mat- er on the p' p Left-hand. terofOpinion andJudgement, great Abilities in religious Duties, but all thefe maybe in an heart unregenerated, as appeareth in thofe , who làid, Have not We prophefiedin thy name? Hence theA poftle faith, That neither circumcifion, or uncircumcif:onavailethany thing, but a new creature. They therefore that de- fcribe godlinefs by thefe common Marks, do as Socrates (if 1 millake not) that defined a manto beanimal bipes implume ; andDiogenes brought a Cock plucked of hisfeathers, tofhew thiswas Socrates his man. Asa man is to be defined by that only which is effential, fo mat godly manbe notified by that only which notifieth
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