'Iht great Exalters 8{Grace...J~ hoth. To fpeak much of ChriO:, and yet not preffe people to digg deep and to lay a fure foundation of godlineffe, is to _ build high roofs of aHately houfe,and to take no c.are for the foundation, which will not abidefiorms and tempefis. Again, to be alwayes cutting and harnering into the foars of the heart and fearching into the wounds, never preparjng the oyl o'r balm of the Oofpel, is like the unwife Phl'Ucian, to apply Corrofives, but not to ufe healing and fuppling re– medies. And fidl to fatisfie this Ohjed:ion, Confider the example andpraElife of Chrift f"lnd the Apoftles in their predching. Cer·· uinly we are ROt to affetl an higher way then they walked in, :md you ,{hall obferve how carefull they were to keep up , both thefe points : To fee that- we made fure work in the matter of grace ; and alfo that we depended oncly on Chritl: for our acceptance. Concerning Chrifi, we· know he bad the tongue ofthe learned, to [peak._a Word in feafon to the cont>"ite In heart, Ifa.4o.)-; yel fo tender was he, that he would not 'I:Jruife the brQksn reed,nor quench the (moak.f:.ng ftax, Mat. I 2. 20. {Where he faw any hopefull beginning, he woafd give great ~encouragement : Yet there i5 no !object that. he doth more vrdinarily treat on, preffing over again a~d again, then thi§, nbout looking t~ themfelves that they do not take th't for . grace which is not grace; that they be fure to fearch deep ~nough in thefe things. He i5 often in telling them, how far re hypocrites and reprobates may go. This being a: theme bedid fo contlantly difcourfe upon, its plain, h~ fa~ the,ne• ceffity of it. He (aw multitudes ofthofe.that followed him, not fake up their profeffion upon fure and lafi;ng grounds, therefore would he touch them ta the very quick, and get out alJ the rottennelfe in the boccom of the wound,before he did heal them. ThePttr11ble ofthe feverall kindes ofgroNnd, which is of feverall hearers, is very punctuallto t~is purpofe: ~o alfo that famo,t;ts,one oftheff)Q/ifo Virgins, befides feverall other difcourfes of out Saviour, they were whoJJy to in· flruct ·in this, That godlinelfc is a farre_more ·difficult and rare thing then mofi are convinced of: Then when men have · prayed vehemently, crying Lord1LGrd~ when they have been · . famous "'··~J.: --~ - -
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