V a>a.14. Ephefan.r, Chap. 4., 497 3. They are void ofdifcerning , they cannot well judge of things , this is made a property of ripe age, tò difcerne good from evil! : thus in us, while we arc children inour profeffion , we arecafily carried about , but becaufe we wantthat wifdom which fhouldmake us cautelous,looking And alto us in before we leap,tryingbefore we truft,and are too too light point of Reli- of beliefe. z.- We are inconftant and fickle,becaufe we arc not yet rootedand grounded while we are children. 3. Wee have not the fpirit of difcerning, that fhould make us fee things that differ, that fhould make us be able to difcerne ofthe fpirit, to try all things, and therefore, no wonder if this be incident to thofe thatare children, to becarried toand fro. Nowwe mull apply it; for thus it is with us that are flillchildifh, rfe 1 experienceproveth. When the doarine of theBrownifts began,how many, not of the worft,were tranfported in it? howmany applauded them, which commeth fromour childifhneffe, that our fenfes are not exercifed to difcerne betwixt goodand evil!. Wemuff labour,feeing wee know the caufes ofthis difeafe,to take rfe z. them away,that the frckncffe if fclfe may be removed: we muttfeche for witdome, reektobe ettablifhed, fecke elpecially for that fpirit of difcerning. For needhavewee, when fuch feducers, fuch books,fuch Preachers, that neitherhave wholefome forme of wotds, nor matter, are fo frequent amongft us. This is the propertie ofchildren, they will be eafilycarried, a truthfor the mat part provedbyexperience: though inthis doctrineyou mutt adde this exception; That fometinie children it pleafeth God to makechildren Rand fteadie, when old ones (hake, fou when ivicodemen and tofeph, when all the Difciples withdrew themfelves, old oncsfnake. freely profeffed. The z. thing laid dowse, is a duty that tyeth usall, viz. That we Dolt. muffgrew to refolution in the de-trine we profefe ; Be not wavering, thus r elcuk grow the Apoltle fpeaketh, Heh. 13. g. Be not carried about with divers and poin[ of rdigi_ flrange dohirines, for et is a good thing that the heart be eftablifleed with on. grace. Wu mutt not hold the points ofReligion'as uncettaineopini- ons, but as matters of beliefe, not haltingly, likethofe Ifraelites that walked, hanging betwixt God and Baal;but like lofteah who refolved, though all fhouldgoe to othergods, yet he and his houfhold would feare the Lord. And this is fleecing to be urgedupon us , who hold as opinions rather then as articlesof beliefe, the truthof God,whoare Scepticks in our Religion, and knownotbut other things may be truer then thefe which aretaught us. ,;Zefl. But youwill fay, Howmay we come to be rcfolute in the truth e Anfw. By thefe 4.meanes. a. Uwe receive this or that truth fincerely , asthe truth in the me anw robe' love of ir, not for novelty, asthofe,loh.5.35. Becaufe johnwits co ne reiom[e. afhining candle, they wouldrejoyce in his lightfor ofaboa; for X x then
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