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V
E R, 3,
Epheflans,
Chap.
T.
2
Butthe
faith
of
fuck
who
are already bcleevers,
is
onely
filch
as
we may
perceive
(
for there
is
no word revealing whom
God
will give faith
to
hereafter,
I
fay, fo revealing it
that their perfons thereby
are made
evi-
dent to us)
ergo,
we
can
fee
none to be prede(tinate to falvation,
unleffe
wee
can by fruits,
behold
him to bee
in
prefent
a
beleever.
Again,
our
faith and
grace,
is
the worke beginning our falvation
;
till
therefore
faith
is
wrought, there
is
no
worke
of
God
apparent, which
Both
let
us
fee
he
bath
a
purpole
tofave:This
then
is
a
truth,that
the beleeving
and
holy perfon,
is
onely fuch,
of
whom
wee
may fay, that
he
is
blellèd
of
God;yet
this caution
is
to be taken,that
as
wee cannot
fay
any
is
bleffed;
fo
wee
cannot
fay
anyman
in
particular, wanting faith
and
grace,
(hall
not bee blelled, or
that
he
is
not predeflinated.
If
a man
up
afore
day
fhould reafon thus
;
Here
is
no
Sunneup,
ergo,
nonewill
rife
to day,
his
fequell
were frivolous
;
fo
here, &c.
The Vfe
of
this
Doétrine,
is
firft
to comfort the
Lords; who
beleeve
fo
on
Chrift, that
their hearts arepurified, and their
define
is
to
walke
precifely; the vforld accounteth
them,
as
they
did before
of
Saint Paul,
Yj.1;
EPheí5,i5.
Chrifti;ts,and Chrift himfclfe,as
if
they were
off.
fcourings,
r
Cor.4.bafe,
cuffed people, toh. 7.
Curled
and plagued
of
God,
rather then bleffed,
Ifa.53.4But
this
is
our
comfort,God
thinketh,and pronounceth other
-
wife
ofus.
We
fee
the vaine judgement
of
worldlings, they
giving fenrence
according to fenfe,thinke often wicked
ones
happy,
t
tat.3.
r
4.To
ride
on
a
fine
Palfery,
to
have
a
cap and knee given
them, to fat
their hearts
with laughter, and
all
earthly contentments; therethings
our Epicure
-
like
Chriflians count
felicity
;
But
ifthou
haft
not
faith and
grace, cien:
rfi.
fing
thy
heart
and
life,
though
thy excellency doth touch the clouds,
and
thou doeft
feeme
to
make
thy
neaft
in
the
flarres, yet
fhalt
thou
perifh like
the
dung
;
the higher thou
haft beene lifted up, fo
muchthe
inure deadly down-fall
(halt
thou take into thofe
hellifh
tor-
ments,
that
fcarefull deflruEtion.Tbue
much
for
theperfons
bleffed.
Now
for the
bleffrngs.
r
.The
quality;
With
/'iritual.2.T
he
quantity;
With
[all]
f7,irituall bl
flings. Firft ; for Paul, marke
what
kinde
of
benefits
provoke him to
bleffe
God;
even
thofe which
are fpiri.
tuall.
Obferve,
what benefits
make a regenerate man
thankful!;
thole that
are
fpirituall, thofe
bellowed
on himfelfe,
or
on his
brethren
or
fillers
do
make him
thankefull
:
There
are
naturali, civil!, and
fpi-
ritual!
benefits
:
Whatfoever
things live
a
natural!, or
civili life,
na-
turall and
civill benefits
are
w,
!come to them
;
fo are
fpirituali, with
fuch
as
have received
a
life
fpirituall; the very Horfe will fcrape and
neigh,
and
if
he could fpeake, would fay,
I
thanke you, when you
bring him
his prov
ëder. Let
a
civill man
be
taught
skill
in
fomefaculties,
give
him
wealth
,
honour,
and
favour
with thofe
that
are
great,
you win his
love;
give
a voluptuous Gentleman
a
Dog,
or
Debt
Hawke,
you
(hall
have more
thankes,
then for
a
better matter;
when
rhefe risings
befall their friends, it rejoyceth
them:
This
a fpiri-
wall
man
,when be
feeth on himfelfe
or other
fpirituall
things
bellowed,
D
2
it