Bolton - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.B65 A2 1641

I88 e.4 Diftcarrfe oftare haipinef.. prefentpleakes ofthatfpeciall fin; efpecially, towhich byan 111 mdiviti1ua11 pronenef'e ofnaturali corruption, fenfuall choice, and long cuftome, theyhave been longingly addicted, & defpe-; ratelydrowned in.All humane delires are naturally very cove- tous ofcontentment; ifthey do not feelingly tafle fpirituall, and thatofheaven, they will reff unremoveably upon carnall and earthly : if they have it not in the affurance of a crowneof life hereafter, they will in the meane time refilefly hunt after it, and grafpe it more greedily in the comfortsofthis life. Vp- on fuchoccafion therefore, the falfe heart Of the formali hypo. critebeing thus pierced to the quick by a particular and íeafo- I nable difcovery ofits fweete fin, and unrefolved to repent, and leave it,dothprefently begin to diflodge by little and littleall formerliking offuch a faithfiill Phyfitionofthe foule, (for his goodneflè in this kind, as all other of every unregenerate mans is, is like the morning dew, full of uncertainties, in- conffancies, irrefolutions and reciduation.) The cold com- fort bee conceives by fuch plaine dealing, doth quickly quench the formali heate of his former affeetion. The infla- med zeale of the godly Miniffer, in labouring particularly to cleave his beloved finne from his bofome by the fword oftheSpirit, doth eafily diflolve his referred and temporary reverence, into hatred, malice andcontempt. For it fais out many times in this cafe, that if the confcionable Meffenger of God daily digge into, and dwell upon his confcience in fucha heart-vexing and diffaftfull point ; and Sabbath. after Sabbath, Sermon upon Sermon, powerfully preffe himwith -thebitter fenfe and patnefull cogitations of the curfedneffe of prefent condition, for continuing in his darling delight; beingnow clearely difeovered unto him by the light of the Miiuflery, and peremptori y damned by the booke of life:. be either turnes Chriftran upon it, and happily paffeth out offormall Profefion, into the Paradife of Grace; which is -lomethingrare, becaufe he is refedved that be is in the right swayalready : or elfe (which is more ordinary)he afterwards grooves a Per Çutor; though not of Proteftancie in gene- rail ; yet ofthe rower of Religion, under the name of pre. cifeneffe,i,

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