Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

Di fcourfi oftruehappineffl gluedunto the fathions ofthe world ; ifhe were fenfible of it,would tell him that it is many times not fo fweet unto him as his pleafares: His clofe covetoufneff,, orother uaconfcio- nablenefle in his calling, ifhis confcience were illightened, would informe him, that many times it is not fo Beareunto him as gold. Thirdly,the child ofGod bath an .humbleand gracious re- folution, a fvveete andwilling fubmiflìon ever mixt with his divine knowledge, of being maftered, guided and gover- ned by it ; though againft the violent bent of his owne inclination, and the current of the time : but the formall hy- pocrite, (ifhe deale faithfully withhis own heart)mayEde inhimfelfe a fecret fubordination and fubjeéion of his un- derftanding therein,to hiswealth,honours, and worldly pre- ferments. Fourthly,in apprehenfionof divine truth in the formalthy- pocrite,the power of naturali difcourfe, and light ofreafon beares the chief& fway; and therefore he flickes(as it were in thebone and: barke, in generalities, and uncertainties : but inthe childofGod,the facred illuftrationofGods Spirit Both plentifully concurre; andtherefore he is able toprie into,and pierce the marrow andpith ofGodsholy truth, theparticu- lar veines,andthe Paving fenfe thereof: I come now to theother habit, which theÁpoftlecalleth cr ms7rpetpazz4, fpirituáll prodence,bywhich the Word and Nth takeno roote in theunderftanding ofthe form all hypo- crite. This habit, I told you, is a fpirituall prudence, or afanJi- fedunderftanding in the pra&icall affires ofthe foule; by which a regenerate man is inabled with a judicious fincerity, to deliberate anddetermine incafes ofconfcience,in the per- plexities of tentations, in all {Traits, ambiguities,and difficul- ties incident to the confideration and carriageof a Chriftian; and with fvirituall difcretion to guide and conduct all the ( actions ofgrace, and every particular both in his generalt and 1 fpeciall calling. This vvifedome (as I take it) is an attendant upon juftify- ing

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