S P c r. VIE. Of the Marts Effabl/Jhment by Grace. 317 it not a particular application. If then Solonven obfervedit asagreat vanity in the world, that Godgave fome men riches, and yet theyhad no power to life them, Eccles.f,t9. how much more is it to have great intelle5 ual abilities, and continual exercifes of the underftanding, and in the mean while to have no powerto make ufe of them for the goodof their fouls : To be often eating of the treeof knowledge, but never to tafte of treeof life. Thevery Hea- thens, though they had but fome few fparks of a true knowledge about God, having no other Book but that of nature to learn by, yet in bow grievous a meafure are they punifhedby God, becaufe they did not liveaccording to their knowledge, neither did they glorifieGod as they knew him, Boma. 5o then, though thou theweft thy felf a rational man, and not abean, in that thou fearcheft into the grounds and reafons of thy Divine hope, yet it is but labor in vain. if theft eyes to fee, be not alto accompanied with feet to walk in the Commandmentsof God. Secondly, It id far better to eflablifhtheheart VoithGrace, thenreafon withDi- zä fpates, becaufe themore quickandoopprehenftve a mans underftaitding zs, ifhis heart be not ballafled Vtithgodlinefs, its thegreater enemy andfroward ádverfaryunto God. The Apoftle calls the wifdom of the flefh, enmity toGod, Rom.8.7. fuch as is not or cannot be fubjeft to the will or truths of God : Thus the wife of this world, have the myfieries of Religion hid from them, and they are revealed to babes : Aworkinghead,without a working heart and hand inthe ways ofGod, is like a fword in amad mans hand. Thegreaten oppofition to Chriftianity, was from Philofophers, which made'Tertullian call Philofophers,the Patriarchs o Heretiques : Therefore the fire thing the Gofpeldoth, is o captivate theuú; dernanding, and to bring down everyhigh thing that exalts it felf againnGQllf zCar.io.f. Oh then,'thoudoe( not choofe the better part in.Religion, when thy intelleltuals arecontinually exercifed and whetted, but thy heart and life is barrenof allgoodnefs : Its true, nothingrevealed in Scripture is contrary to right reafon, though it be much aboveit; but corrupt and carnal reafoncanno more receive the things of God, then a Dwarfcan meafure the Pyramides : So 'all the while thou art increafing knowledge, if Grace be not accompanying, thou art but nourithingan enemy againn God ; corrupt underftandings have prejudicedmens Salvations, as much asloofe and diffolute lives; therefore faith wohnBaptifï to thePharifees, Thinknor to faJ in your hearts, &c. Their teak* ings and difputeswithin, kept off the powerof Gods word upon them ; What brought in all that Angel Worfhip, and defertion of Chrift as the head,but that men were puffed- upin theirfilthymindes? Col.z.18. Thirdly, Therefo eits better to yer Grace zasly heart then Netions¡is thehead, 3. becaufe allbrain-knowledge and Difputesmaybe perverted to anill Ondnngydly end,; onely Gellte in the heart cannot be abufed: Its true, theprofellì.on of Grace, and the outward appearance of it may be abufed to ungodlydeigns : The;game and reputation of piety, may be acolour for iniquity ; bun teal piety itlfeel:fan never be overruled for any fioful end, becaufe its the nature of Grace t¡btgake a manrefer all things toGod. yehu had butthe outward body of Retigiatlt, not the foul, thereforehis intentions werecarnal andearthly,while bis pip one were fpritual and heavenly`: But where true Grace is, there is: Apt djggrs feeds fowen together, but his inward and outward man are both aiike i ¡wit isnot thus' with Knowledge, Opinioil9iand Difputes in Religion. Tii¡kfigig may belike that ofa blaaìngStart'`{*ltioh'is mutinied onely by filmy and tdacjt- fomeexhalations.Sevetàlways,androfeveraIcorruptendsmayallthisIhi pg be abufed ; As .: ' At9;té, Firn,Togain applaotfeiaid eeta täbeadmired byfome followers; Thielttle I' ` How Difputes Phárdees; they dtdall,t`äóe kentiisli_nren; this the Apo.$fegalúPl?ffìzgrf8in maybeabufed theirfilthy minks This the Apoftleexpreffocb, hvhenhefàitb; Kno?vis e - tocoauptends ethup,'batcharity ed, ekll; t Coe.5 .'Yts:a very hard thingif God hardxgken a man
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