S E er. I 146 Fal(e Signsof Grace. I I. pear, I would befiled, thatmy tuft comeoff. It isfsrange to confider what tannes men may live in, andyetnot attend to theconfrderation of fuch. The makingof a prafticall Syllogtfmwould be very introduftory to our full converfion untoGod, in this manner : The Scripturein fèverall places fpeaketh terrible threatnings to fuchand fachfins. ButI livein Euch and fuch fins. Thereforeall thofe threatnings belong tome : ohhow can the foul put off this conviftion ? how can it extinguifh this light (hining upon it ? what have I to do but to repent and turn to God I There is noother courre can be taken by me. 6 From felt- 6. Therefore are men thus fenfelefe, becaufe of that abominablefell: love, and flattery. felf-flattery, which cleaveth to every man. This ruined the Pharifees, our Saviour eels them plainly ofit ; Tonare they thatjab' yourfebvet, but that which ie high. ly efleemed arnongl men ie an abomination before God. Wonder not at this in wickedmen : fee `David a godly man, through felt love, how didhe favour himfelfin his groffefins, and applyeth nothing till Withan (ay, Thoaart the man. And this lay at the bottom in this rich mans ,heart; an over-weaningof a mans felf,' and an immoderate love, whereby we judge every thing we do well done Many times a godly man through pufillanimicy of fpirir, and an holy fear, doch bear falfe witneffe againft himfelf, he will not own or acknowledge thofe good things Gods Spirit inableth him to do, and thereby he walketh.both unthankful- ly, and uncomfortably. But the unregenerate manhe is in the other extremity, he prefumethof good CO be in him, when it isnor ; a' full inflameof this isg the Churchof Laodicea, who laid, fire vows full, and wanted nothing, as if thewere God himfelf, forhe only is allfuficient, yet the boafteth, fee wanteth nothing, not a God, or Chrift, or his grace, when at the fame time, flitmat mi/erable, and Wantedail things. Here was a great differenceßetween Gods judgement about them, and their own ; and it is a poor (mall thing tobe acquitted by our fclvea, when God doth condemn us: Therefore fay, It is thy folly, is is thy madneffe, it is thy fell-love, makes thee conclude thy fell in a good elates Doti: God fay fo ? Do the Scriptures fay fo ? It is a frnne tocall good ends, and evill good, in our felves as well as in others. 7. Fear of 7. Fear of guilt, that alfa makesus hoodwink our eyes that we will neither guilt appear- look into the Law, norinto ourhearts: fo that it is withus as withBankrupts, that ing upon exa- areloth to cart up their accounts, becaufe thereby they (hall fee how undone they mination. are. As it argueth guilt inheretiques that they are lscifagafcrïpturarum, they are fuchOwls that cannot abide the day, such thieves that love not the light : fo it sr- gueth our guilt in our own hearts, when we are walking without anydifquifi Lion toperfwade ourfeines of the good in us. Oh we are afraid to be troubled, we think we (hall finde that which may difquiet us, and foby this means, we ref in generals; thereby todeceive our own fouls. But as it isfolly ina woundedman to tear ehe(hatching of his roar, for if that be notdilcovered he cannever be made whole: No leffe wickedneffe is it in a man not to fearch out the woes by him- felf, and to know the greateft danger be is in, that thereby he may indeed come tobe healed. s. From Ig- S. Therefore are menthus well conceited of themfelves, becaufe they are norance of notant ofregeneration, they know not the neceffity of being born again t yea, they the necefft,y bleffe themfelves theyare no changelings. They havefound no manifeft alteration of Regenera- ofthemfelves from the beginning.WefeeNicodemta a man much converfant in the tíoü: law of God,yetaltogether to learn about this great point.Iftherefore avitofier of lfrael knowethnot their things, is it any wonder that an ordinary difcíple Both not ? Therefore takemolt men,they do as groflymiftake about godlineffe and re- generation, and know no more of it, then a blinde man of colours. If therefore thoudidf know the nature and neceffity of regeneration, thoucouldcf take no more delight in thyPelf, or any thing thou dots. Thou wouldeft fay, I am bet a weed and noflower inGods garden, I ama thiftle and no branchofthe true Vine. And in this cafe thou wouldft crymota bitterly then the blinde or lame did ; for thou needeft life it felf. 9. There
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