Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

66 Ail that are in account Cognes ate not natural, Rom.p.6. & a.28.:5i, The adopted forme; of God, are che naturali tonnes of his minificre. Pfal.;a.a. Try thy felfe by thde fparkles of Guds image. Philip.a.as. .l,1Commentarie vpon the fauour: and to imitate the circumfpeéìion oftheApoffle Iohn, in the t s. ofhis thirdepiRle;Demetrius bath agoodreport ofallmen,and of the truth itfelfe ; yea, andwe otsrfeints bearerecord, andyee k,saowe that our record ú true. `Doîtr. 3. All arenot naturall fonnes that are fo accounted; many that feeme to bebegotten to the faith,are no better then baleborne,begotteu onely after the fl:fh,as Ifmael,and 1E11 remainea ftrange (cede. The A- poftle had a cleave eye, whoperceived many falle challenges, and vniufl claimes to be made to the inheritance, by a number who were neuer na- turall Connes, butonelymadea flourifl$.asthough they had beene the next heires: and hence euery where we aretaught, that all are not Ifrael, whoare oflfrael:andheis not alewe,whois one without : and though Ifinael feeme a long time to haue the right ofthe firft borne, yet in the ende hee is cats out ofthe houle, andprooucth difinherited. Vfe. It flandeth then all of vs in hand, to looke to our legitimation, leali we loofe the inheritance. It is not outward fhewes that will intirle vs; he that will be theadopted forme ofGod,mufl: be the naturali bonne ofhis minillers, and filch an one as flandeth not in thecercmonie, but feeleth in his heart the Cinceritie ofreligion: it is more to be the naturali bonneof the Church,then to conic toChurch there to heare, pray, & re- ceiue theSacraments; it is more then to glue good words to religious perlons and exerciles,which ate good cheape: for a man may pertorme thcfe outward feruices, and get praife of men, and yet want theprai le of God : there things thenmull bedone, but not Willed in , if wee would haueGod topraife vs. Qefl. But what may we doe to get,approbati- onof God ? anfw. Becaufe the Lord who loueth , prayfeth allo truth in the inwardparts, wemuff bewareof guile; become Nathaniel!, men withoutguilfull f irits, get our hearts circumcifed , that we may be Iewes within, andnot iu the letter onely. Examine then thy fpiritinto which the eleof fiefla cannot peirce; but that fpirit which is all an ele doth dif- cerne, &enquirethwhether thy heart behis Ternple,in which the Chri- fî;ian facrifices ofprayer and praife be-dailykindled : Whether thy foule be his Ark, keeping the Tables, and,pot ofManna: that is,treafuring the word as apearle, and thyportion? Whether that precious Iewd offaith, the cleanfer and purifierof it be there ? Whether his feare, that vigilant Centinel of thy ionic, caufe it todepart from euery euill way ? Whether a good coticience like a Cynthius or monitor, be euer watching thee,and- pulling theeby the care in thy flidings?he lookethhow his fpirit is enter- - talned,whether fuitfull in his graces, quenched in his motions, or grie ued by thy ónnes: he feechhow thy heart affe&eth his Minifiers , whe -. ther thou withTimethy, as,a naturall forane with thy father, ferueff in the

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