Sn c T. VII: of thehearts efiabliAlmon byGrace. 327 when fin' is at quiet ina mans life , and thou art ungodly, prophane, and there is no relutiency,no oppofition; this isan argument oflittleor no grace in thee. Oh con- fider this all yewho lye down infin with fecurity ; there is no complaining in rhy heart, no trouble in thy confcience, noftruglings inthy breafl, no flirrings in fer- vent prayer , Lordhelpnee elfe 1am overcom. Truely as the pfalmift faith of fome wicked mens death , They haveno head!, they are not in pain as other men fo al- fo in their life time they arenot in that fhame, grief, and trouble about fin, as the godlyfometimes are. 2. There is a formaloppofttion. They are two immediateforms, (as it were) in II. the foul as health and frckneffe, white and black: and howfoever it is a rule, that twocontraries cannot bein the fame fubjel,yet that is tobeunderftood in the intenfe degree, otherwife as there is acrepufcrelsem, when its partlynight, and part- ly day, fo there is filch a temperament inevery godly man, a twilight; Come fin and fame godlineffe. Laftly, There ú amoral oppofirion. Where fin Bothabound, there it procureth Ìtïa atGods hand either the denial, or withdrawing of fome meafureof grace already bellowed ; and thus where grace is improved, there God hath madea promife to fubdue tin,to overcome thofe rebellious rebufites that yet lurk inour land t'fo that if gracebe in aman, it lieth not idle : This will quickly be difcovering it felt, by crucifying andmortifying of fin. Therefore the next thing to be done, is to thew the chara&ersof a gracious man: in the mean while make this ufe i Ifgrace be f this nature , rhea it plainly difcovers the(e to be graceleffe men that live in thewilfull committingofgro fins, without repentanceor re formation. Oh thou of no grace, How is it that thouart not affraid, and afhamed of thy fell? If grace werein thy heart, would it not bein thy tongue, inthy life, in thy converfacion? Ifgrace be the chiefeft excellency of a man, fets a man above allother creatures; then fin which is the immediate contrary,mult needs be the greateft debafemenc of aman : all wickednefle is a fhame, a reproach ; it makes a man like a beatt, likea divel. Oh then let all tanners tremble, and be confounded attheir wofll eftate ; whenGod comes in glory to judge thee for thy life, Whatgrace (hallhe finde in thee? Thou' haft defiredwealch,but notgrace ; thou haft defrredtobegreat, but not gracious. Ule a.How vain a thing it ú to hope fir the graceof Jgod,andhafavour without ue, ifwehave notgrace within us.Yoù heard god lineffe is called grace,becaufe it comes from Godsgrace; it comesfrom hislove : fo that when he loveth graciouly, he maketh gracious : fin flail not have dominion over you , becaufe you are under grace. Invain therefore do men hope for grace ¡unifying, where they do not findá it fanftifying In vaindo theyprefume that Gods grace will pardon their times, when it (lothnot deliver them from the power and dominionof it. Oh then, that men would not wilfully deltroy their own fouls by, damnable prefumption.Thout . hopc(i in Gods grace whoart an inordinate liver,aprophane fwearer, and riotous perfon : ftlo, thewme the grace that fanttifyech thee,and then I dare promife theé (the grace that will jullifie thee.' tatAtlatliAW**4414*.ktAt Ssicrs:.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=