534 The promife ofthe Spirit, ofwalking SE e r. XI. alimpriwae, the firftet, or fountain, or rife ofall other motions. The Painter hecan gi to external lineaments,and outwardreprefentations; but he cannotgive this esibmprima,, this liie. And the hypocrite or unfound man, he can givema ny cu: ward colours, and glorious reprefentations ofgrace, fo that he may bead- mirable in thedes ofothers, and confident inhis owngoodnefle, but yet not at all acquainted with this grace in the inward parts. This point deferveth a pow- How far this erfull opening, to go to the inwardsof it, as well asthat mull goto our inwards. grace may be And hr(l, Letusdrew how farte this grace may beeither tenderedor received, tendred or re- andyet not put into our inwards. ceived, and yet And firft, it's eafily grantedby all, That aa. long ae the Wordof God founds only not put into in the ear, and itpierceth nofurther, here bno defcendiag ofit into the bowels: and out inwards. yet arenot thegreatefl part of our auditors no further wrought 'upon, then asto theear I They comeand hear, they fit and hear, it may be ; but hill here is no work of the Spirit upon theheart. Our Saviourin his parable compared) fuchto the high-way ground ; the feed fell upon ir, andprefently thedevil, like thebirds oftheair, fetcheth it away. Oh that men thould judge it a great fin if they did not comeand hear, and notalto think it a gteater fin tohear, and not inwardly to receive the power of the word. For the end of hearing is to let the word fall down into thevery bottom of thy foul. Phyfick in the mouth, not received into the ftomack, cannot do any good. Rain upon the furface of the ground, and not foaking_ o the root, willnever make the plant grow ; and thus it is here, Though thou hearefta thoufand fermons, thou that neglefìeft not any Sabbath day ; yet if thouheareft andheareft, and °My heareft ; the word doth notlike Aaron: oil go from thy ear, thy head, but to thy heart, thy inferiour deep parts of thy foul; thou goeft home as ignorant, as prophane, as obflinate as thou cameo hither. Know then that the perfetion and fulneff: of every anion lidth in accomplishing its end, without which it is in vain. Eating without digefti- on Bothnot nourifb,but breeddifeafes ; fo the endof hearing, is to have a po- tent and divine operation upon the very bowels of thy foul. As Saulwhen he was among the Prophets, the fpirit cameon him, and he alto prophefied. Thus while the word ofGod, the infirument of the fpirit, is difplayed before thee, what a mighty change and deep alteration fhouldcome upon the( i Thou fhouldft gohom: praying as others, repenting as others, fearing God as others: Do not then givethe ear only,but the heartalto; otherwife Chrift only (lands at the door and knocks, thou doe(' not let him in. 2. Secondly, A fecund outward and infufficicnt work is, When the word be re- ceivedwith nnderffanding, andthegrace ofGoddoch indeedopenhis ekes fo far, that his mind, is inlightned, that he doch both know and believe the truths of Religion, but itgoeth nofarther. Although this work be inward, being upon the minde ofman ; yet I call it outward, as in refpett of the inward parts, mentioned in theText, for that fpeaks of more then a minde to know, oran undcrftanding tounderhand the things of Religion. Although inlightning be fometimes put for the wholeconvection, and light for grace, yet at other timesit's madeadi- ftin& work from it, and lush even as reprobates have, and apoftatcs, as Heb.6. where inlightning, though it be a good, yea and a great gift of God ; yet the Apoflle hopes for better thingsof them, and things that accompany falvation t Sothat knowledge, parts, undcrftanding in Religion doth not necelfarily ac. company falvation; and wehope better thingsof men, then to be able to repeat or remember Sermons, or with Tome underf{_anding to give an account of the principles ofReligion ; and many times knowing of Gods will, anddoing it, areput as two feparable things ; how far then arc they from the fruit of this promife, whoremain in gro(fe ignorance, whohave blindeeies, know nothing abouttheir corruption and mifery by fin, or about Chrift, and faith in him 1 To whomall our Sermons have been as a bookfeáled up; untowhom, though in Engli(h,yet we have preached uukuown matter : Apeople likely todye, andto be
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