I 4 Fal(eSigns ofGYRCe. the Chrifhan, and Lycinius the HeathenifhPerfecutour, appointed his Dea- con to refide at Conflantinople, with this Diredion, Thatlse which did prevail in the battel either Conflantine or Lycinius, he fhould gratifie his vidory with fome Prefents to him. This kindeof carnal Self is odious in the eyesof all men. But then fecondly, There in a Spiritual. carnal Self. When a manfetus not outw.erd greatneffe and pomp in the World, but is inwardlyproud, ambitious, sift. ¿ling a Name by forte fangeelar thing; And becaufe this cannot be had in the world, without outward paffages of worldly felt- denial, therefore he is dili- gentto deny himfelf carnally, that he may feek himfelf fpiritually : and this bath been the temper of many Hereticks prizing their Opinion and intel- leduall Abilities above all external! glory. Now this fpirituall carnali felt, is that which may put them upon imprifonments, and all Outward raine; So that herein they be the flefhes Martyrs, Pride- martyrs, n,-t Gods. Hence although they may fuffr like true,Martyrs, yet for the molt part they di. cover a carnali temper then, not fhewing that holineffe, humility , felf refig- nation into Gods hands, as the godly Martyrs doe. So that their very ex- ternal futferings have not fuch fweet Concomitants, as the godly men have. The godly men burring in the fire, being like juniper in the fire, fending afweet finell. The Hereticklike crackling Thorns inthefire, full of difcentent, rage and revenge. z. Swan. a. The Devil Who Was a Man-(layer from the beginning , he through flrong delufions temptsmen to fuck hardine,Qâ, as to be prodigal of their lives. That as when he poffeffed the bodies of Come, he delighted to torment them , and to make them miferable ; fo he doth alfo when he bath bewitched their fouls. It is matter of amazement tome, when I reade the Story of the Do- natifls, efpecially the Ciresmcelliones, how greedy they were to die, threat- ning to kill men, if they would not kill them. Whence fhould this mad.effe arife, and fury to die, but from the Devil ? yet they thought this great piety; and contempt of the world. Therefore the Devil by Gods ¡lift permißï- on, may benumme and harden a man to die., as well as the Spirit of God in a gracious manner imbolden a man:: And this may fuffice to open the Point. Why we rosy Now two grounds among others there are, whyWe may notjudge the firmneffe not judge of o our iritual a ate by the e u erin r our fpiritual f y f ff g effareaby there Fiat, Bccaufe no externals, Whether in eeE/ions or pafons, are any further good, fnfferings turn as they are animated from a primal life Within. Thefe outwards may be s. &caúfe in- informed from a corrupt principles as well as a fpiritual. one. We cannot judge ward life natty of theTree by this fruit, becaufe it will grow both upon good and bad. Now mafterh all ex_ herein we daily delude our felves, becaufe we judge our effàte good, by ex- ternals good. Y 1 g Y ternal Actions, whenyet reprobates maydoe the like. It is not here as it was with Mofes , and 7annes and fambres, Mofer dotb many miracles, and they do the like, but atlatiMofesdothfuch things which they could not imitate. If you fpeak of externals meetly as abflraded from inwards, we cannot judge. Do the godly pray , hear? fodoe the reprobates: May the godly fuller, be impri- foned, die for the truth ? fo may reprobates. It is true our Saviour faith, Greater love then thté canno man Thew, then to lay down ones lafefor another. So one would think, togive onesbody to be burnt , andyet have no Charity, were to fpeak a contradiction. Eut when we confider how ftrong andpotent corruption and afalfe Religion is, thenwe may no more admire. We readein the OIiTe- ftament of fome fuperftitious parents, that would make their childrengaffe tho. rowthefire toMoloch that is, they offered them as a Srcrifice in the fire to Moloch: who would not wonder, how the tender bowels ofa father or mother could ever become thus fenfleffe like a rennet But fuperftition made them thus unna-
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