S n c r. I. TheDoarineandufeftilneffof Signt. chaftened for fin, fo that he utterly refufeth all comforts, makes it a great mercy to have a meffenger that can thew to fuch a man his uprightnefs. This meffenger he cals one ofa thoufand,: make therefore this good ufeof fuch temptations, God hereby would raife me up to be a 7ofephto my brethren in their need. Let the tile be to raze up the foundations of all carnal prefumers. This is a oft, common fn anddamneth thoufands, infomuchthat prefumption is made a more grievous fin then defpair, for in defpair a man is weary ofhimfelf, abhorrethhis owneftate, would if he could admit better counfel ; but a prefumer pleafeth himfelf, and fo will not hearkento anygood admonitions; Oh how fadly art thoudeluded, how frufratedwill thy expeétations be, when thou (halt fee no.. thing but hell and confufon in fiead of all that joy and comfort thou didit promife to thy own felf ! The foolifh Virgins law their undone condition, when itwas too late to help themfelves : do thou fear Waft thoube plunged into fuch horrid extremities. The nearer the haven thou art, ifthou fufferfhipwrack, the more lamentable it is. The Church made this an aggravation ofmifery,We looked for peace,bat behold trouble. 4roWfNGïi4:4 Ai`t tid i/ri`hrtMt`WFi(tW; tFìr l SERMON VIII Holding forthdivers Propoftions and V ind-ions about e:71/farks and ei ffurance. 37 zCoa. Y3. N. Examine your/elves whether ye dein theFaith, &c. VV s E come nowto the fecond general partof the fecond Doctrine, which is, That there arefach Charailersand Signs of Grace, Whereby a man may knowWhetherhe be in theflate ofGrace orno. It is a point worth du- cuiïìon, and I know not any thing more neceffaryat this time, feeing there are many who wholly cry down Minifiers that preachfigns of Grace, anddifcourage Chriftians that alefuch a method fora trial. It is alto neceffary, becaufe there is muchprudence.required in theMinifter, while he preaches about figns ; and it isan art ofarts fora Chriftian, tomanage that way, fo as not to fplit himfelf uponCome rock or other. Therefore that this whole Dodrine maybe moreexad- lydsfcoyered, confider thefe in troduftory particulars. Inrrod&ocy Firft That by the inherent Graceof Saottifcation in us, Wecome to havea filer- Propofrruions, natural So that as natural things have a natural being by that naturalform and diftin ti- which is in them : Thus alto thegodly have a fpiritual and fupernatural by that on about Af- infufed principleofan holy life in them, z Pet,1.4. we are hereby faid tobe Par- foránce, takers of the divine aseare, z Cor. ç, 07. Such a regenerated man is called a new r creature, and indeed the very word ofregeneration, or new birth , fuppofeth a Brace we crone newbeingnot effentially, but inrefpetl of chofe gracious habits and qualities rahave Co- whichthe Spirit of God worketh in him ; This allo is called the inward man, pernatural be.. z Cor.4.16. Nerimbergius the Jeluite thinketh Paul fetcheth that diftinPion of ing. an inward and outward man from Plato, who maketh fuch a difference ; This work ofGrace is thatimage of God in us, whereby we refemble him, fo that godlinefs is not a notion, a meet &lion, but a fupernatural powerfull reality, wherebya manbath a new denomination, ofungodly he is become godly , even F 3 as
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