• I I '4 Chap. 4.Se&. 8. ab:1incncc fctlcd and fixed in thy heart, not only for fomc fits and feafons, but by the habitual inclination of thy foul? 1S thy repugnancy l)mvetfalm every part, not only in realon and confocncc, but m thy heart, w1IL affc{bons, and m the whole man) is there in thee a difficulty, yea kind of impoflibility to fin with wilfulnefs, and pur~ pofed continuance, or With fuch an un1verfal contenr of foul as wicked men do? and doth this impoffibility to fin ari(e whdlly from a kindly work of grace. within, and not from any terrible rc'tramt upon thy confc1ence Without? doll: thou m good mcafure, and by degrees not only leave outward groffe fins, but even conquer arid crucifie the inward body of fin? dolt thou oppofe and leave fin becaufe of the foul nature offin bccaufc, it iscontrary to God, bccaufc it is a tranfgreflion of his Law? is the bent and inclination of thy heart againlt fin univerfal ? the Ph1rifees were free from· outward wickednefs, yet abounded with heart-defilements, butdo!l: thou as Paul, bemoan the evil motions .of thy heart? doll: thou as H~z..cfz!ab, humble thy fe!Ffor thepndecf thy hum? IS pnde, unbehcf, earthlmefs, and feverallull:s of thy foul difcovered, and crucified by thee? doll: thou abhorre fecret finnes as well as publike, and fe>r Gods knowledge of thy fin more then all the worlds? doll: thou ubhorre defects in holy ordi– nances as well as groffe fins, om1flions of holy dut1es, neglect, lukewarmnefs .and di;lra:tions therein? doft thou not only oppofe fin in thy fclf, but fct againfl: it in o– th:crs ? doll thou chocfe rather to Juffer affliUiom with thepeople of G'od, then to fin auainjl GOd? -.-·· Or on the contrary, ~~not fi'n thy plcafure, thy fweet and delight? or 1f at any tune thy heart c:yes out of I m, 0 tho~t 1vrlr meddleno more with it! is not this op– pofition only from confc1ence Ilhghtencd, from that ternblc rcll:ramt God puts on the conCcicncc, and not from thy heart, whereby thou art carrycd out in all the powersof thy foul agamlt fin? or fuppofc thou haft left fomc outward grofte fms, yet is not the root in thy affections and motions thereunto umnortif!ed fiill'? Peter fpeaks of fome who had efcapea the p;!/tttwns of the world, and y et they were dogges andfwine iil their na– wre:many are tycd up from fin as mall:1ves & wolves arc, their natures not being at all changed; or fuppofc thou art extreamly fet again!l: fomc fins, yet art thou not highly in love with fomc other fins? art thou fuch a one that thou canf! not fin, that darell: not fin, that haft an habittral averfnefs from fin?art thou fuch aone,that thou livcll: not in a cour(e ofknown fin, thou finneil not out of malice, thou makcll: not a trade of fin? r Joh . 3 .6. +- 0 my foul cloit thou perform hoiy duties fpiritually? are thy motives and ends fpiritual in thy fpititua!-adions,foch as the command •f God, enjoynmg cf, and commu– monwlth God, the lrg ht of Gods c·ountenance, increafe •f grace, &c. is there zeal, fer– vency, activity in thy performance of duties? art thou fu!/ of the holy Ghofl i is there in thee a free aod fpontaneous inclination to the duties that God requireth? f01· where the Spirtt ofthe Lord is, there is liberty ; arc there in thee ll:rong oppofitions and com– bats by the f!cfh and unregenerate part i---Or on the contrary, arc not thy du– ties as the Jews fall:s, not ttnto God, even to God? arc not thy formal, cufl:omary, fu– pcrficial performing of holy duties extrcamly oppofite to a fpiri tual deportment in them? art thou not backward to duties, and wholly unacquaintca with thofe combatcs betwixt the f!efh and the fpirit? ' 5· 0 my foul, doll: thou love the brethreu? doll: thou love them becaufe of the image of God iti them, becaufc they are holy, and wrought on by Gods Spirit? doll: thou lov'C them bccaufc they are brethren, and becaufe they are godly ; and fo, the thore godly, the more is thy love? doll thou love all the godly, rich aud poore, high and low, dcfpifcd and honorablc; but yet them moll of all , who excel moll in purity and power, and prac'l:ifc of godlinefs; for if gudlinefsbe the reafort of thy love, then the more godlinels, the more love: Art thou ready and willing to own them as bre· thren, and tv joyn with them in the time of perfecution? doll: thou delight and rcjoyce in other mens godlinefs and abilities, whereby the kingdom of G od is advanced, though it be an umbrage and ovcrfhadow of all thy glory, though thou bcell: layd a– fide, and accounted as no body ? hall: thou an holy zeal againfl: finners, an impatien– cy and holy gricfe at the wickednefs of others? is thy foul vexed by hem-in$ .and focMg the wi,k.!;d Sodomit.es amongfl whom thou livejl? Dolt thou procure all fpmtual good to the brethren, as thou art able? doll: thou pray for them, exhort them, pro– voke them to good? do!hhou prefer their good, and efpecially their fpiritualgood, before, and above all carnal things? in this cafe, wouldlt thou hazard thy worldly happincfs, or thy very life, if thou hadll: a right call? doll thou bear their burd~ns, and forbear their infirmities? or iffometimestllou findcft tome cnvyings, f01ne Impanencles
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