16 The Delfrine, Duty andU f e f ulne f o fAlfurance. S e c T. 1: v%e. I Hence a Pharifee praying, a Pharifee giving alms, wasa Pharifee in all the pow- er of his corruption. john3. He that ie hot born of the Spirit, is fleJh; and this flefhdoth extendnot only to his fins and corruptions, but alto to his duties; Therefore obferve whether theduties thatfor the matter of them be fpiritual, are alto fpiritual in the effeet,that they leave thee morehumble,outed ofthy felf, more dependingupon Chrift and his grace, more mortified to theworld, and the temptations thereof. It may fall out that a mans religious duties be thefiageup- onwhich.all a mans lulls doeminently aft, as the Pharifees who did all things to befeen ofmen. We might be larger in givingyou fymptomatical differences, but becaufe they will fall in upon the feveral particulars, or in the nextDoftrine about the figns and charafters of grace, I forbear, concluding with aUfe of Exhortation, not to be tno credulous and facile in believingour felves to begood and_light Wo_ full may the cofenings and fupplantations of thyown heart be. What may you not be? What may you not do and yet be unfound ? Oh how burdenfome will it bewhen men(hall fay; Lord, Have we not been enlarged in thy fervice ? Lord, Have we not mourned in thy prefence ? Have wenot rejoyced in the good Word that bath been preached tous ? and yet God to return this, Inal much as you did it not upon found and fincere grounds, you did it not to me, Depart ye Workers of iniquity. Draw off all yourthoughts, difputes, medi- tations from other points, and mind this one neceffary thing. Thou difputett, Whether therebe a trueChurch, a trueMiniftety, true Ordinances, Oh con- fider, Whethertherebe true grace in thy heart. ThePharifees kept the feaft of purifications, orcleanfingof theTemple , but were foul and unclean in their own fouls. AsGod declared hisinvifibleAttributesofwifdom ,powerandgood- nefs by theyiÇj eworks hedid inthe Creationofthe world, fo do thou mani- fell thatfecceL nd hidden efficacy of Chriftin thee, bya powerfull and vigor- ous lifeof godlinefs; Thefe are miracles that will confirm thee to come from God. Good isthat of Anflin, when pride tickleth thee and would puff thee up, fay, Ovemto puree, hircumforte novit to `Rent , Thou thinkefl thy Pelf a fheep, but it may be Godknoweth theeecl be a goat a and again, when defpair and unbelief affaults thee, fay, Hircum to putaa, ovem to forte Deus novir. Thou thinkefl thy felf a Goat, but God knoweth thee to be a !beep it may be. Not as ifwe perfwaded you to doubting, or commended uncertainty, as the Papiftsdo, but an holy fear and tremblingtomake ourcallingand election fine, which theApoflie Peter doth r stmg/ s44et.44'a 4 sq2,AR7'i4hitn s,U W " S ER M Shearing that eA1Jfurancemay behad, 2Con. 13. y. Examine your feóves, &e. E come eo thefecond Doctrine, which thoughimplied only, yetis of Vneceffaryele. TheApofilepretiìngthem to try, whether they be in Chrift, and in faithor no, cloth therebyfuppofe, thatthere are fuch figns and fymptomes of this fineand condition, that a mandiligently attending thereuntoby the helpof Gods Spirit,may come tobe affured thathe isin fuch a fate ;
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