Head T. , th1ir Regeneration refolved. 187 gence t~ make their calling and eldlion /ure, 2 Pet: i. 1 o.' Therefore lhe attainments of hyp9crites and apoO:ates fhould not difturb you in your ferious inquiry into· your own fia t e. But l_'ll tell you two things, wherein the meaneft faints go- ' beyond the moO: refined hypocrites . (1.) In denying t11em– felves ; renou'ncin_g all confi-dence in themfeives, and their own works, acquiefcing in, beiNg well pleafed with and venturing their fouls upon God's pJat') of fah;at ion thro' J e– fus Chrift, Mattf;. v. 3· Bl~/fed are the poor in JPirit, fo r thetrJ iJ the kin,dom orheaven. And chat>. xi. 6; B!effed ir · o ~ 4 4Ut he whifoeve-rfhall nol b~ offended in me . Philip. iii. 3· 11/eare the circumcijion which ·wor!/;ip GQd in the JpiJ-it; and . r ejoice in Chrtfl Jefiu, and have no confidence in theJltjh. ( ?.. ) In a real hatred of all fin; be i~ g willing to part with: every lufl, without exception, and to comply witb every duty. the Lord makes, or lhall make know-rno them, Pfal. cxix. 6. 'ThenJhali I not be afoamed, rwhen I ha1.1e refpec1 unltJ all thy CIJ1JJ71Jandmen!J. ' Try yourfelves by thefe. . . CA s~ 6. !fee myje/ffallfa farJhort of the fainiJ men· t i iJned·in the fcriptureJ, and of feveta! excellent perfomof my o•w11 acquaintance; · that, 'when !look on' them, l can hardly Look en myjel(as on.e oft·he fame fanzily wi-th them. A nf. It is ir;1deed matter of humiliation, that we do-not get, fon>.•ard to that meafure of grace 'and holinefs, whi~h we fee is attainable in this life. · This lboulcl make us more vi– goroufly prefs towards the mark: But fnrely it is from the– devil, that weak -chrifii.ans make a rack for themfetves of' the attainments of the thong. ~ And to yield to this tempt– ation, is as ume'afonable, as for a. 'child' to difpute -away , his relation to his fa.ther, . becaufe he is ·not of the fame {la– t,ure with his elder ·brethren. There are faints of feveral f:izes in Chrifi's family; fome fathen, fomey,ou1~ men, and fome little ohitdren, 1 John ii. 1 3· T4· CAsE 7. 1never re_adin.the wond of God,. nor did I ev!r ~ /wow of a child of God fo tempted, and fo left rijGod, ar l. am; and the-rifore no fai4Zt'J cafe being like mine, I cannot– but conclude I a.m mne riftheir number.. Anf. This objec-– tion arifes.to fome from their unacquaintednefs with the fcri– ptures, and·with ~xperienced Chri!Hans. It is profitable in . this.·cafe, to impart the matter to fome e~perienced Chri,– ~iaa frien~,_ or to fome ,g9dly minitlc;t•. · 'Ihis. has been a. - ' bldfedr
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