aa of thaNen) Creatrtre. S á cr. Nfl ofold and be troubled : See howare ?ob and Davidaffe$ed with thefins of their youth; yeagodly menare fo far from fear of condemning themfelves from for- mer fins, that when their finshave been fcandalous to the Church of God , they have acknowledged , and bewailed them in the publick affemblies: And this was that publickconfenah of fin and penance , which afterwards bypopifh Doftrines. was focorrupted. If any of the Church hadbeen overtaken by a foul fin , they had no peace in their hearts till they had thrown themfelves down in the publick afTerhblies , cryingout with him, Caleate me infpidumfalcm, Tread upon meas unfavotyfalt; Nolelswouldeh thou do,ifthe glory ofGod , and the edification of the Church did require it for thy own linful wales. Know therefore,that thisex. toting thy, feif, is but fo much accufingof thee with God. Thou art aftaid to be thoughtanewman, that thou hall done amilfe heretofore : Oh if thou werttruly rvroúght upon, all theworld couldnot make thee keep in thofe accusationsand ino diLStments which thou makell againft thy felt daily atGods tribunal. 4. 4, foie* creatureflicks not a; thie fell: condemnation, 6ecan /e thofefermer mom repented of , are tied áe anadvantage by him tofeeup thepraife andglory of Clod in [hewing mercy to him. Thur Paul, he is often willing to make mention ofall for- mer impieties , that fo the grace of God may be made the mote illulirious ; and this is one reafon why you havethe fins of the Godly recorded in the Scripture to all eternity as it were. Noah; drunkennetfe,:Nofeshis unbelief, ILOombafc com- pliance in Idolatry, David, Adultery andMurthr, Peters Abjuration.of Chrift, not to defame them,but to haveperpetual monumentsof Gods grace & goodnels to them.Thus the Apoftle when he would flit tip the Ephefians andothers to thank- faint fie, and to admire the riches of Godsgrace to them, he cuts them in misdeal their former converfationwhatthcy wereonce, Ephef. a. and this they did not take ill , as a matter of upbraiding ofthem, but as a whethone to sharpen their thankfulneffe. Why theta flaouldhlthou beafraid to confrlh thy tell oseeour of the way ? teeingthis will make forGods grace,which left the ninetynine (beep a and fetched thee homeupon its (boulders who wasOne affray. Óbjell. A fecond Scarcrow thatmenpretendaping thU newcreature de,That hereby they mti(l begin allanew, andpoll down that wholebuildingofreligion which they thought ittugoodandlure. An/. t To Anfwer this, confider it is no new thing for many men to be fuch fodlith mallet builders inmatters of religion , as that all mull be taken down again ; there is nothing moteordinary then to haveTome crack in the foundations : our Saviour doth fullyclear this,when he [peaks of one who builtupon the fand,thewindsblew, and tempelfs acofe, and thenthefall of that hoofe mitt great, Mat. 7. a6. Thus alto the Apoftle chargeth the Galatians, Have yefee, Bredfo many thing' invain, Gala. So that it is very ordinary for a people to go onmanyyears ina rode of religion , and in theprecce of holy dotico,yet theydo all theIr things in vain : All mutt be undoneand a better foundation hid. Ifthou haft L chit hay andfuble,the fire will confumo itall at lull r Do not thereforedo in thy fpiritualcondition, as bankrupts Me to do intheir temporal, nevercare to look to their accounts afraid toconfider of theirdebts, but 11111 hope tombit Out, till at laft ail be too late So many a man bath inwards-thoughts and fears thathis efface is not right , that this will never hold whenhecomes toaccount, but he is unwilling to dwel in his thoughts upon tilde things. 2. 'a. As this isordinary,fo we haveplain inflances inScripture ofmen accullomed a tang timein the way of religicus duties, yet this bath been carnally urged to them ro become New : Nicodemua a teacher in Israel, and foof long handing, and acquainted with the Scripture,in prayer often ,yet unleffe hebeborn again,he can- not enter into the Kingdomofheaven, 7okn 3. And thus allthole Jews thatwere convertedby74033 Ind, by Chrift and theApohles Minility, they were all di. hunt in that outward worfirip ofGoi he had commanded,but by their preaching they law a necetfiry of beingbornagain: And this is the moil happy, and neci ú
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