Burgess - Houston-Packer Collection BT715 .B85 1652

5 a c T. III. Falfe Signs IIfGrace. i2, trot an infaíliblef:gnofgrace. And, ` Firfi', Becaufe enlightninq themink to receive traih, irbatanintrodablionorantecedent, andthat not a neceffary one tó godfineffe, L Becaut'eea- lightning the it is net aconfutativepart ofit. Hence it is thata man may bevery orthodox and minde is nó knowing ofthe truth, "yea zealous for it, yet .hating the powerof godlineffe in conftiturive others, and refuting to reform in hisown life. The Scripturemakes a difference Parr of godli- between thofe that knowGods will, and thofe thatdo it. Boaft not thenof this neffe. that thou art among the orthodox, thou haft hot forfaken the truth, running af- ter thefe newerrors ; Thou holdeft the truth iii Juftification, about the Law of God ; thou art no Arminian, Socinianor Antinomian, all this is well. But this is not plea enough forfalvation, and the judgement of difcuflïon at that great day, will not be, Howmuch good knowledge.thouhaft had ? What a good faith only, but what ágood life alto? Therefore if thou artgone no further then to the doftrinal part of-Religion, thou haft no fure arguments of comfort within, thy feif. Secondly, Seeing thatcorraptionis in everypast, not only blindenefe in thewinde, i. Theewe is but contumacy and rebellion in Will andofeffionr, those haft no fullcare opon thee, an- not pexfeft, by l cffegrace harkhealedthy affeblionatepart asWellas thy inte llebbosal. Ifthy fpiritual removing eyes beopen, yethaft no legs to walkin Gods Commandments, thou canat never blindeeli from y P l' g theintellektual attain to theend ofthe way which is eternal happineffe ; fo then think with thy withoutchange fell, if Iwould ever have any truecomfort about my fpiritual efface, I muff have ofthe affeitio- a piailler as broad as my fore, nownot only my understanding was darkned with natepart- ignorance, errors, foolifhneffe, &c. but my heart altowith finfull and corrupt affelions. Thereforeifthe grace ofGoddonot give mea good heart, as well as a good head, I amhill undone.. Hence the promife of Regeneration is not only expreffed inwords relating to the understanding, They !hall all know Gods and be taught ofGod, but inphrafes concerning the affectionate part, I Will tako awaythe heart of(lone.andgivean heart of f efh; and 'will writemy Lawin their in- wardparts. Examine then thy felf, whether thegraceof God converting, is as olniverfal and extenfcveas fine infeEling ? For as an hand ofa man, or an head of a man, is not a man; fo neither is anyparticular revelation or illuminationof the minde with faith, the whole imageofGod. Thirdly, Know that orthodoxy or a right judgement iséafier obtained then the reno. 3 A right vationofthe other faculties ofthefotel.We are eafierperfwaded tobelieve the truth, Iudgement then to love the truth ; Howmany times were the Pharifees convinced of the mmstedthen a truth, andof thelight, yet they couldnot love it, or delight in it ? And as mo- thorow renca rat Philofophy tels us, The underflanding draweththe objedl toit, but in the will ration, and affeftions the objedldraweth them to it ; fo that ifa manloveth the earth, he is earthy; if he lovesthe luftsof theflelh, he is flefhly t but if a manunderftand or know thatwhich is fpirituaa,he is not prefently fpiritual; and this is the reafon, whyGod and Angels doScire malum,know evil,buttheycannot vellemalont, will thatwhich is evil,becaufetheunderstanding abllralls from all the imperfeftionsof the objel,as it is in itsfelf,but the objeft of the will draweth downthe faculty to it,as it isin its fell. There is altoanother reafon, why it iscaller to know thetruth then to love it, Secaufe theunderflanding isatneer¡aivefaculty , andcannot refufo the objePPoftrutb,when laidbefore it. But thewill and affeftions areactive and re- bellious, notneceffarily carriedout'to theirobjefts : and this is the reafon why many a man believed: many a truth, which yet he hateth, andwifheth it were falfe,becaufe the objeft works on the understanding irreuillably. And therefore till grace comeandwork fo infuperably and irreli lably upon thewill alfo,it never bowethor yields to God. Oh therefore fay, that betidesthat generalknowledge ofthe truth, and the zealousmaintaining ofit, there is neceffatya further, more peculiar, particular, and operative "way ofgrace upon thy heart. What is the rea- fon that you may havemany an orthodox man write manylearned books againft errors, yet knownot themeaningof thofe truths upon hisheart ? But onety be= caufe trueDoftrin is toot enoughwithout a graciousalterationof the wholeman, A

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