tx 8 FalkSigns of Grace. S n c T. I I I. A man may learnedly difputefór the grace of Converfion again(' Arminian and others, yet not feel thepower of converfion upon his own foul. He may learn- edly maintain the true Doctrine ofyuflificatian, and yet not at all be acquainted with the fweet benefit of it in hitlnfelf; and fobe nobetter then thofe fpouts and water-pots that refrefh the garden; and caufe fweet flowers to grow, but they have no fweetneffe themfelves. 4DiCputations Fourthly, That cannot be refledupon as grace, Whichmay breed pride, ambition, óood judge- ,vain - glory, andfuchwretched worms in thee, butfo Many times do doflrinaldifputa- mvenet, aied yyC7rc. d me, y tions andgreat abilities in learning. TheApo('le (peaks of force bale difputants, i vain-glörÿ,Qj't. I Tim.4.6. That rhey turn afrde to vainjangling. Now the Apoálégivéth a con- trary end and ufeofthe Gofpel. The endofthe Commandment is charity out of a pure heart, a nd ofagood confcience, andfaith unfeigned; So t Tim.6.3. 'If a man content not to the D olïrine which is according'togodlineffe, hei<proud, or puffed up. As lickcorrupt bodiesfwell with humours. Therefore faith the Apo('le , From (techwithdraw thy [elf Fifthly, The Devils that are damned in hell have admirable knowledge. They know and believe thethingsof Religion. games faith ; The Devils believe and tremble, not with any faith infufedby Gods Spirit into them, but fromthe evi- dentconviélion upon their confciences; yet theDevil for all this knowledge is an unclean fpirit. Though theDevii tempt men to errors, and herefies, and ache- ífm, yet. he is neither Atheift orHeretick. The light implanted in him , and ac- quired by obfervationofthings, preventsfuch darkneffe and dlodds upon him. Now what a goodly figne will this be to boa(' of , wherein the Devils doe ex- ceed thee ? The Devil bath his very name d drt nr from knowledge, yet that is no advantage, we may fay the Devil is in orthodox Devil in fome fenfe. Vfe t. rife a. Of Infiruîtion, That althoughweare to biofefiad far orthodox Churches, yet that is not enough unleffe webeholy and godlyChurches. Neither maieft thou confide in thy fell, becaufe thouart no heretick, thou art no erroneous perfon; thou love(' the bone(' oldorthodox truths. Alas theKingdom of God, of grace, reacheth further then to the under('andingonely. Now if fo be the orthodmt indeedmay not thus be felt confident, howintollerable is ir, when men for their herefies and falle doilrines, though efleemed truths by them, judge_ themfelves the nearer falvation I What a miferable delufion is this, to be thou' tthe more accepted to God andendeared to him by the falle wayes they walk Scirreup thy heart therefore, that as thou tank notabide herefies nor falle Ines, fo neither tank thou endure impietyor prophaneneffe. It is a fhame to able to confutehereticks by books, andnot ungodlineffe by our lives, yet what La- mentations may thegodly ` +eremiahs of this age make, to fee how poffeffed men arewith their Tenents andDoetrines, whenit may be falfe, as ifnone weregod- ly, but fuch as are found among them, asif the Kingdomof Goddid only confifl in their opinions, and in the mean while, theknown and powerful)way ofgodlinels is laid afide. tife z: life 2.OfExbortation,Toturn all knowledgeand truth intoprailice.Take not the pointsof Religion, as littlechildren do books only to look upon the gay piiures, andnot to read the matter therm contained.If thou tank tell what it is tobe con- verted,what it is tobelieve,what it is to be juftified again(' all falle teachers,iabor experimentally to finde all thefe in thy own felf.Would a painted fire content you in a cold winter? Wouldpainted food fatisfieyour hungry appetite ? No more fhould the meerdoarinal part of Religion, withoutthe praflical part. Alas it is a poor privi ledge to fay, We have the true Church, the true Miniftery, the trueAdmini('ration of Ordinances, Wive have not alfo the true way of belie- ving, heavenly- mindedneffe, and mortification. TheSecinians theymake fport in theirbooks with the Proteflant Authors, becaufe they call themfelves the Or- thodox, and fay, We ufe itas a fpell, thinking thereby to charm all diffentiaat.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=