Serm. i a . AQurace po fsìbde. 287 with a Pcn- knife, will as certainly kill a man , as a thoufand wounds N. ich a Cword ; one difeafe tt:at is mortal, will as certainly bring a man to his grave, as twenty ; and one leak in a ship will fin;: ir, as more. Herod did many things , but yet he would not let. go his Herodias, Mark 6. 17,18, 19, 20. It is a fore rule , that which a man loves moil , he will endeavour to keep longe(l , skin for skin , all that a man hath will he give for his life. A man prizech his sight hand much, buz his head more, and therefore to fave his head, he well hold up his hand, and venture the lofs of the one, ro Cave the other. There may be many fins a man might love, but one efpecially,and he may be willing the one tlaould be pared off to preferve that , but when he is willing to leave all , co indulge himself in none , no not his darling fin; it is a fign of fincerity. Confult these Scriptures, Psalm 17. I, 3, 4. ?Calm I 19. I, 2, 3,6. yob I. and 2, 3, and 31. cap. throughout. Now a man may by diligent enquiry find out his beloved fin, and he may know, and his Confcience may bear him witness of his wil- lingnefs to part with this, to have it fubdued, and that by the grace of God he doth keep himself from ir, that is bears not rule, nor domi- nion in his foul, Psalm 18.23. I was alfo upright before him. How doth David manifeR this, by the obfervarion of his heart, and wayes in this particular, for it followeth, and I kept my fel f from mine iniqui- ty. There is as much power of God required , and llrength of grace to make a man part with his beloved fin, as all the refl. Thus Hew- kid) knew his fincerity, Ifa. 38.3. He had the teflimony of his Con - fcience , and was Cure of it , elfe how could he have made his ap- peal to God ? Remember sow , oh Lord , I befeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth , and with a per fell heart, and have done that whit') id good in thy fight. Likewife that a man might certainly know he bath juflifying Faith is proved from, 2 Cor. 13. S. Examine your felves whether ye be in the Faith, prove your own felves : Know ye not your own felves, hora that C'hrifl is rn you,except ye be reprobates. 1)oth God fo fl;ridtly charge us to know that, which cannot be known ? that Faith here fpoken of that we muff enquire after, is a juflifying Faith appears from the Text. I. By this Chrifi dwelleth in us,and fo not by any other faith. 2. Becaufe without this faith. we are ciAmiLult Reprobates , not as oppofed to the Eledt, but denoting perfons unfound and hypocritical. It alfo not a conjeaure, but a certain knowledge that we are pref- a o fed A man may know whether he be thus vvil ling to part vvith 1h). True Faith might be dlfccr vered in us.
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