321 Though the Nee- dle or the Sca- r mans Compafs may jog this way and that way, yet the bent of the Needle w'll (till be Northward. So though a Chrt- . ftian may have his particular finful juggings, this Way or that way, yet the bent of his heart will ilia be God-wirds. :Una aelio non norninat. A 1134,x,of precitwOintment. Or, tat great Apoille Paul, in his fpiritual conflict}, layes a very great.flrefs,upon thefe things, witnefs Rom. 7. giver; 116. If I then "do that Which I would not, I confent untolhe.,LaW,that it is good. So Verfe z 8. F c,r to will is prefent with-me. 'So Verfe Fcr the good that I would, I do tg,:t but the evil which I would not, that Ida. so Verfe 2I) 22.1 find then a Law, that when I would do good, evil is, prefent with me. For I delight in the Law, ff God gfter the inward asan.',If,o Verfent 5. So then withthe mind I my felf ferve the Law of God. Certainly, the truth, the and,powr ofGrace, of Holinefs, of Regeneration, is not fo much teen in our anions, as in the renewing and fan- 4tifying of our minds and wills, according to that Rom. 12. 2. Beye transformed (or Metamorphofed, as the Greek has it) by the renewing of your mind. No man is tojudg of the found- nefs or fincerity .of, his Spirit .b,yfome particular a&ts, but by the conflant frame and bent of hisSpirir, and by his general conVerfationin this world.; If particular aolions might de- termine whether a man had Grace or no Grace, whether he were iii Cur& or not in Chrilt ; Whether he were a saint or not a Saint ; whether he were fincere or unfound, we fhould many times conclude, that thefe had no Grace who indeedl have, and that they. were not in .Chrift who indeed are, and,. that they are no Saints who indeed are, and that they are not fincere, who certainly are true Nathaniels. The befi Saints have had their extravagant motions, and have very foully and ladly milcarried as to particular aolions, (even then when the conflant mirk and bent of their fpirits have been G d- wards and Chrifl-wards, and Holinefs-vvards, and Heaven- wards, &c) witnefs Davids Murther and Adultery. Noahs Drunkennefs, Lots Inceft, yofephs Swearing, Fobs Cuifing,) longhs Vexing, `.Peters Denying, and Thomas his not believ- ing. Siuch twinklings do and will accompany the highefl and faireft ftars. As he who foots it befi may be found fometimes all along, and the neatell perfon may fometimes flip into a flow. He that cannot endure to fee -a fpot upon his Cloaths, may yet fometimes fall into a (.),,iagmire. So, the holieft and exaeteft Chriftians may fometimes be furpri- fed with many infirmities andunevenneffe.s,, and fad mifcar- riages..
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