Burgess - Houston-Packer Collection BT715 .B85 1652

SECT.L TheDotlsine 'and 2[fefalneffofSims; is a fire ; or Ynlantary by,will and appointment fuch as the Sacraments are; forhowfoever there be fome natural Analogy andfitneffe in the Sacraments be- tween the figees, and the things fignified, yet the determinate appointing of foch a fignifcation, is meerly by the appointment of God ; now concerning theProperries and Effeftsof Grace , as they are lignes, we cannot fay they aremeetlyNatural, normeerly Voluntary, but of a mixt Nature They are nor meetly Naturall, becaufe then whofoever hath grace working in him, wouldperceive and know hehath fo, butexperience confuteth that ; therefore theSpirit of Godwitnefüng and affuring is required betides the pretence of grace inus. It istrue, that Paying of Auguflines is much celebrated and ufed againft Popifh doubting, ilgaes credit, Jentitfe haberefidiwin corde, whofoe- ver kithbelieve, perceiveth in himfelf that he,doth believe. Hence it is that our Divines fay , As hethatbath fire in his bofomfeeleth fire it there; Re that talleth of afweetob'eâl, perceived, thefweetneff e ofit, andhe that is 'awake. , knoweth he awake; fo hethat bath the operationsof Gods Spirit, knoweth that thefe are wrought byGod inhim, andthat bets sot deceived. But howfoever thefe are true in re- fpe&of thegenuineand properworkof that fupernatural life in us , yet there war! be (event impediments from within through finre, efpecially unbelief inter- vening, or obftrudions without, byGodsdefertion and forfaking of us, that we cannot perceivethegoodchidgs God bath done forus, Thus they are not Signes indotter NaturalWay. Noryet canwe fay they Are meerly Vòluntary fignes, for theEffedksof grace are the proper and genuine fruit ofgrace; and wherefoe- ver Sand icatíon is, there isfuppofed Juftification infeparably. They are there- fore evidences ofour intereft inChrift, yet fo as theymanifeul this, Onely'by the light oftheSpirit; a: fame Philofophers fayof the Starres, thatthey have an in-t nitre lightoftheir own, but yet they are notconfpicuous andvifible without the lightof theSarum. Thegracious fruit of thofe fupernaturall principles in us; haveanaptitude and &nelfe tomake usknow that we are in Chrift, but they cannotairaally removeall darkneffe without the Spirit of God, even as the light of the Sonne only, noc that of theStarres, can difpell the darkneffe of the night. Hence in thenine] place, We muß take heed that Wedsnotfogaze uponourfelves to xdegracessnournwnheasts, as thereby we forget thofe Alas of Faith, Whereby 'We dote with C;.riff immediately, and rely upon him onely for our.yufification; The fear ofthis bathmade Come cry down totally theufe of figues, tò evidence OW JP$ifcarion. And the truth is, it cannot be denied but many of the childrenof God, while theyare ftudyin,e and examining, Whether grace be intheir fouls, that upon the difcovery thereof, they may have comfortable perfwsonsoftheirJultificarion, are very much negleltïve of thofe choife and principall Adsof Faith, whereby we hate an acquiefcency or recumbency up- onChrifefor oarAcceprarion with God. This is as if old ?acob Ihould fore joyceintheCbariot7osépbfenr, whereby he knew that he was alive, that he Ihould.not defire to fee fo(eph himfelf. Thus while thou art fo full of joy, to perceive grace in thee, thou forgertelt to joy in Chrift him- felf, who is more excellent then all thy graces : But of this more after- wards. Tenthly, The Scriptureattribotcth Bleffedneill, and Salvation tofevernl Signs thereof: SometimesFear of God is a,tigne, fometimes Poverty of Spirit, fome- times.Fleougréngand ebi'Jli,rg a{ter Righteoufne(fe, fometimes Repentance, fome- timesLove, and fometimesPatience : So that if a godlyman can findeany one of thefeinhimfelf, betraycone/ndeof his Salvation and Juftification, though he cannot feeall thofe in him ; and many times the peopleof God perceiveone figs in them, when they cannot another. So that it is not here in the fignes of our Juftificacion, as theLearned fpeak.about the marks and lignes of Chri.fl and G Anti

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