166 Fal('e Signsof Grace. SECT. II I. laws topundit him, yet he humbled himfelf and mournedbefore God, becaufe of Godsjudgementsthat were almotidevouring him ; if then a mans outward Obe- dience may arife from fo many variousgrounds, and they all rottenand corrupt, What comfortcan a man take from it ? Therefore unleffe beyond and above all thefe, there be an heavenly and fupernatural principle within thee, moulding and forming thy outwardconverfation, thou art not to live quietly in fuch an ellate,but feek out for a redreffe. i, Secondly , External Obedience cannot be ground fare enough to fland upon, becaufe it is notfuchWhichdothanfwer the command of God. There is a two-fold Obedience to the Lawaccepted of byGod ; The one isperfect without anyde- fedat all; and thus theLawof God is not fatisfied by any ; The other is true and fincere, but being impeded thedefects are pardoned by Chrift. But exter- nal Obedience meetly, is notthat true Obedience required by the Law ; I doe not fay, the Perfed, but the True ; and the reafon is, becaufe theLaw is ff iri_ tuai, and fo reacheth primarily to the hearts and fpirits of men; andGod calleth for them, yea he rejects all externaladdreffes tohim withoutthis; and therefore being this Obedience, this Righteoufneffe, this Piety, is not Inch as the Law would have ; therefore thinknot to put offthy braffe for gold ; God is not like old *Jac, that takes 7acob for Efau, he regardsnot the garments thou haft on, but looketh into thy heart. 3, Thirdly, Meer outwardmorality Will not affordany comfort, beeanfe this is confs- flent With a prafefed hatred of, and enmity to the prallical power of Godlineff'e. Therefore it'snot godlineffe, for like wouldnever hate like. Yea its an argu- ment that all that righteoufneffe is but acarnal , earthly, fiefhly righteoufneffe, becaufe fooppofite unto that which is true godlineffe ; Now experience will abundantly confirm this, that none commonly are fuch enemies and bitter ad. verfaries to thewales and lifeofgodlineffe, as thofethat aremeet civil righteous men : What needeth all this zeal, all this fotwardnefl"e, all this esadneffe (fay they?) Hence they can no more abide a powerful! and foul-fearching Mini- ftery, then prophane wicked men ; yea Chrift and his Apoftles hadnot fuch op.. pofition and perfccution from prophane Publicans, asfrom thofe righteous Pha- tifees. 5- Fourthly,It is not trueRighteooefneffe,and therefore he that thinks himfelfhappy,be- canfeof this, isas ifaman Jhouldfudge himfelfrich, becaufeof a coffer ofbrafe Coun- ters. It is not true, partly becaufe its butthe outfideonly,theexternallineaments, There is not theinward fouland lifeofgodlinefe, partly becaufe this is notthe image ofGod,which properly is true holines,forthe imageof God confifteth rot in bo- dily adions,but in the allions.of theSpirit aftera godly and holy manner. There- foreas in all yourearthly commodities you buy, youexaminewhether it bethe right and truecommodity indeed,you wouldnot have that which is fophifticate : fodo here.Here are in the world manypretences to righteoufneffe ; fome judge this godlineffe, fome judge that, others thinkthis is enough , others that it is not enough. Let me therefore make a diligent fearch hereinto. For the word of God that only is the ftandard to difcover what is true, and what iscoun- terfeit. 5. Fifthly, Thisis not true grace, becaufe all this external Obedience is done With eafeandfacility : There is no ftrugling or wraftling by the contrary corruption, whereas inall godlyadions, The fleJB lufleth againfl the Spirit, and the Spirit againfl the.fleJb, fo that Wecannot do the things WeWould. It is in matters of good tobe done, asin truths to be believed ; ifa man affent to a conclufion in Religi- on, drawnby the meet power ofreafon, there is no difficulty to believe it, be- cattle this is finable to our nature, but if he do it, becaufe of Gods word, then he findes difficulty, for here is afupernatural motive ; fo ifa man do that which is good upon humane motives, here is no contrariety in him, but if tar. Tiedout upon heavenly confederations, then the unregenerate part gain-Payes.
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