Reafonz. Rcafo, 3, The Detiritio, Dutyand UKfefulneft of Af urance. S E c T. Iä thofeduties which thou truftedft in. Therefore our Saviour at ver.zz. faith, Many Will call tohim at thatday,Havenot Weprophefied in thyName, eat and drunk in thy preface? that is, offered Sacrifices and received Sacraments ? but for all that Chriffknoweth then not. By all this you fee, how neceffary it is we be not deceived about the work of grace , and that we ought to have both our eyes in our head , leaf' we take an whole fpirituall effare in counterfeit coy r. This experimental knowledge is of confequence, beta,[ of the eafineffe andprone- neJfein us to miFlake. What AuJlin laid of the Doctrineof the Trinity, In ni- hilofacilius &periculofixa erratur , in nothing is the errour more calk andmore dangerous ; the fame is applicable to this matter ; for the words of examining and provingdo imply the deceitfulnefs of our heart, that there are many falle Ihapes and forms upon it. Hencearethofe phrafes of [earthing our hearts and communingWithour hearts ; all which argue the difficultyof being fully acquain- ted with what is init. The Tapiffs indeedprelfe this too fare, as if therefore nonecould ever tell when they did truly love God, or had a fincere heart ; but the falfneffeofthis is intime tobe (hewed, only there is much truth in this, that firthere is fo much felf-love and carnal confidencein us, thatwe eaflyperfwadeour ji felvs that we are indeed fuchas weought tobe.Ask every man oneafter another, who is not confident that heis regenerated, that he bath anintereft in Chrill,that hisheart isgood?andwhy are they fo?bot becaufe they donot faithfullycompare thenotes and characters of true grace, and diligently apply them to their own felvs.Thefews andPharifees could never bebeatenout ofthofe vain hopes and car- nal confidences. Hence theApoltle ufeth anemphatical word ofa Jew,Rom.z.rq.' Thourefleji inthe law, nJmmi5, Thouartfetureinthe law, as in tome admirable t priviledgeand fignai teftimony of Gods love ; That whichChrilt promifed,viz. Re.Fi to theirfouls, theyfound in the law, fo thatno loadof finne could burden them, becaufe they had refthere. As it is thus of a Jew, fo we may fay of a Chriftian, he refteth inthe Doctrineofthe Gofpel, and the outward ufeof Or- dinances, not feeling the weightof finne. Infomuchthat it werefarre better to fee people pray with fear, and eat theirbread with trembling and aftonifhment, left they have gone nofarther yet then hypocrites, then to be fo carnally and falfly perfwadedof their goodcondition as they are. How many are indeed but Glow-worms, or white rotten trees, of bafe materials, though force fhinin there be in theirconverfation I Therefore thisText might be faltned upon th gates of the whole world, uponeverydoor, every poll, Examine, prove your felves. Thirdly, Je is very dangerous tomifcarry inthis matter. Oh the confufion that fell upon the foolifhVirgins when their want ofoil was difcovered. Howwary areyou totake clipt filver, or counterfeit coy ? but it is great danger to take I counterfeit Repentancefor true Repentance , counterfeit Faith for true Faith. If that praying, profef ingof thine, be not good and found, thou art undone for ever. When theApof}le, Heb.6. had reckoned up feveral particulars, which many amongusdo not attain unto, Theywere enlightned, they taffedof thegood Wordof God, theyWere partakers of theholy Ghoff, yet, faith he, Ihope better things ofyou, and things that accompany falvation. What thunder and lightnings is Ihere ? better things eben illumination , then participation of the holy things, better things then taftingofthegood word of God ? what, are not thefe things that doaccompany falvation ? May wenot cryout with theDifciples in another cafe, This is anhardfaying, Who then canbefaved ? Yet fo it is, we Minifters of Gods wordmay fay, Except your righteoufnefsexceed that of outward profef-J lion, ofrepeating of Sermons, ofFamily-duties of common works of Gods Spirit, which are in temporary believers,you cannever enter into the kingdom of heaven and therefore wehope and pray for better thingsofyou, even fuch aswill furely accompanyfalvation; Fourthly,
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