Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

t1! Diossrfé aftr:oe bappine. i45 God is Yet further very much differenced from the formali Hypocrite, by his skill and dexterity in ruling; by his holy wifdome, and godly jealouie in watching over his thoughts. The heart in which Cods Spirit is not refident with fpeci- all grace andf tineiifyingpower (howfoever the words may be wi tched over, and the outward aFlions reformed) lyes commonly frill naked and open, without fpeciall guard or fetled government. ror thebell naturali man is too impa- tient ofreftraint and feverity, over the power cf imagina- tionand freedome ofhis thoughts ; they being naturally ex- empted and priviledged from all humane and created fo- veraignty;and theunceffantneffe oftheir workings and per- petual) pretence is the mind, would make the abridgement oftheir liberty more fenfible and difraftefuil. I t may beout ofthenaturali grounds ofcivili honefry, and fome generali apprehenfionof the powers of the world to come; he maybe fo farre folicitous about his thoughts, that if any flart up of more foule and monftrous fhape, enticing him to force groffe and infamous tìnne, whichwould difgrace him in the world, orbreed extraordinary horrour in his Confcience : he prefently fets againft it, difclaimes, abandons, andexpels it. He may beofexperience and skill to conquer and fup- prefle thoughts of heavinefle, and melancholy ; although in this -Joint he many times fearefully deceives himfelfe, takingtieholy motions ofGods Spirit, enclining him to godly forrow for his fìnnes, to be melancholike thoughts, tending towards too much ftrieìneffe and unneceffary dif- comfort : So grieving the goodSpirit, and flopping againft himfelfe the very firft and neceffary paflage to falvation. Thus the formali Hypocrite may have fometimes and in part,a hei ht, mif-guided, andgenerali care and over-fight of his thoughts : But becaufe the depthof' his deceitfiill heart, and themany corruptions that are daily and homely hatch- edin it, were never ript up and revealed unto 1 :irn by the power and light offaving grace, he cannot hold that hand over his heart as he ,ought he doth not keepe a folemne L 4 parti-

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