g TheDoCfriroe,ployAnd ZffefalneffefAffurance. sa;cT._Í. fe& ions; theymoveand inflame himmorethenever theydid; now though the former way of increafe be neceffaryand pleafing to God, yet this is much more. Take he thenthat we be notlike PharaohsleanKine, that devour many Qne- ions, butyet are asftarved and ill- favouredas before. When one came with a curious Queftibn toour Saviour, asking him, whether many ¡hold be faved ? Howpertinently doth our Saviour anfwer him, Strive to enter in at the /trait gate. This therefore difcoverstheneceiflty of importunatepreflìng and urging pradical knowledge upon people in thefe dayes , Obi mama homines diffutare quàmvivere,th,ey had rather argue then live. As little boyes in fport firive whò (hall [hike molt parks out of their iron, not intending to kindle thereby for their ufe, fodo Chrifiians firive who fhall ftrike out the molt fubtil and fineft sfpunnotions, not intendingtheprofit oftheirfouls therein. I I I. Thirdly; By this praltìcal experience, a Chriftian fhall attain to the end of all And to attain knowle, Which iá to do. Ifye know there things, blefed are you if do them. to the end of Itwas laid of forne people that they had money only to tell it, theymade no knowledge,vi ;. other ufe of it ; it is as,vain whenwe,have knowledge in matters ofreligiononly to do. toknow, Tim. it is called, The acknowledging of the truth aftergodlinefe; info- much that in theScripture phrafe, TheyWho havenot the pratticalpower of know- ledge, are denied to have any knowledgeat all. Hence are wicked men fooften cal- ledfools, and Paid notto knowGod. By this meansa'private Chriftianmay be laid toknow moreof God, then a learned Doltor that bath nothing butorthodoxy; for you may have anorthodox learned man write and preach admirably about juftifying faith, converfion, ec. yet in regard of the prallical knowledge of thefe thingsno wayescomparable to fameprivate man or woman, who feel the power of there things upon their own hearts : It is difputed, Whether Divinity be fpeculativeorpractical, and it is refolved bymany upon good grounds, that itis praétical, there being nothing inall Religion butwhat is to beimproved for for práftice one way or other, i i:£ye:v lcdvov avà of sh ete 70r.7" xemeero. It is well done that orthodoxyand trueDo/Itine be defended bybooks, difputations and Sermons; but above all things we are to indeavour that our life anfwer our Chriftianprofeffion. When Chriftlooked upon the fig-tree that had only leaves on it, he turfedit. Tohim that knoweth how to dogood, anddoth it not,there is the greaterfume as if he lhould have Paid, faith Bernard, Sumenti cibnm', & non digerenti, perniriofnmeft ei ; tohimthat takesmeat, and doth not digeft it, it isvery dangerous. There muffbe trueDo/nine, and a godly life joyned toge- 1ther. Cyril confidering Abrahams fervant , who gave to Rebecca ear-ringsand bracelers, applieth it to,Chrilt andhis Church, who vouchfafeth to her both true art thatcometh by hearing, and a godly life the praftice or work of our hands. 1111. Tourthly, By thisexperimental knowledgea man will be Titled in the truth, and And be felled endar7lperfecsstion rather then forfake it. He will believe no fallacies or fo in the truth to phifms, hewill notbe frighted out of it by any dangers. Its called tatting of endure Petro- god andhis Word, and the rule is, Noneft dífputandum degnftu, there is no do- cation, fputing_againft tafie. The fence oftafle and feeling do herein differ from the of erfences, thattheyarejoynedrealytorrthe 'ojjedsthemfelves, whereas fee- ing and hearing do receive only the intentional fpecies and therefore cannot makefuch a real and powerful( imprefflon, as is in tafting or feeling. Paula ex- perimental knowingWhomhe didbelieve, made him boldly to fpeak : at mak men have amonthly oryearly faith, change their opinions as o ten as t CIE garments, but becaufe they have not felt the power of truth upon their ow The code of foul? The Schoolmen fpeak ofagiftof the holy Ghoft, which they call Sapi- changesinRe- eure, which theydefine tobe RtLtoddam lumendivinorum, fobgoovidentur'"drgo. ligion. laneur divinaper experimentum, A certainlight of divine things, whereby they are feenand tailed by experience : orothers defcribe it,Ar contemplationof God o tygf ove,, with a certain experimentalfweetnefs in the affeétions. But what foever
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