56 TheDolirrineandlifefulneßof Sirlr.s. S 11,c r. L notifieth godlineffe. Therefore thofe many Symptoms, by which many inipro- priaté race and godlineffe to themfelves, as ,outward Ordinances , a different wayof Church-Government, great inwardenlargements of it, are no infallible tokens Therefore todrive people out oftheir holds, I (hall in time felea the choifeft falle figns, and make diftinti Sermons upon them,; for as the falfe Pro- phets andAntichrifi (hall comewith falfefigns, which thall be fo fpecious that . the very elect willbe in danger tobe deceived ; fo the hypocrífie and guile of ourown hearts is fo exceeding great that we many times take our copper graces forgold. Know then that whatfoever fignsare takenupby thee, if they be not fuch as areeffential, from which there is a neceffary inference of the !late of grace, thou ventureft thy foul upon uncertain reeds. 2. Secondly, There is a danger about mark! of grace, When We trynot ourgraces by There isdan- Rtraetouchfíone. When theApofile commands usto examineandproveauefeiner, gee when we it fuppofeth there is afu reCanon and Rule togoby, which is tomeafure and re- try not out ac atrue gulate thófe things we doubt of. And that is the word ofGod, which David g rsirchtlllone. cols the light and lanthornaohisfeet ; andTaadcommends them as thofe that are able to make us Wife to Salvation; So that as when weare commanded to try the .Spirits, andDotirines of men , there is implied a recourfe to the Scriptures, which is the only Starre to lead us, infomuch that the whole building of our faith muffbe cut out of this Mountain, and from this brook are all Davids to fetch their ¡tones, which they (hall fling in the head of every Goliah ( I mean every heretick) infomuch that in matters ofDoctrine, amandoth truly fay, Non credo, quia non lego, I do not believe it, becaufe I donot readit. Thus it is alto in thole injun&ions, which are to fearch and try our hearts, for thofe do fup- pole the Scripturetobe the true Standard, andwhatfoever is too light or faulty, mutt be difcovered by this; for as God isthe Principium effendi, thebeginningor caufeof thebeingof grace; fo Gods word is the Principium cagnofceadi, the principle by which we know what is true grace; now from this it is that molt men do foeafily perfwade themfelves of their being in good eftate, becaufe they judgeofgodlineffe, by theprinciplesofthe worldand humane grounds, not by Scripture-direftions ; Scripture- godlineffe is as different from the moral mans godlineffe as theSunne is from a Glowworm. Though this bath a little luftre in a dark night, yet indeed it is nothing but a (limy, earthyworm, infomuch that we may truly fayofall thecivil, moral and refined_lives of men in Chfinis nity, who have not thepower of Regeneration in them. What Erafmau Paid of Se- neca Si ir(ficias damut Pagan'ss, Chriflianefcripfst, fa at Chrifiianuo, Paganice. If you look as anHeathen upon him, then he feemeth to you to write as if he were a Chriflian ; but ifyou look uponhim as a Chriftian, then be feemeth to writeas anHeathen. Thus it is here, look upon manymens lives, they are fo full of ingenuity, righteoufneffeand juftire in their dealings, fo much fweetnefs and candour in their fpirits, thatifas an Heathenyou would look upon them, you wouldcall them divine and holy men, but then look upon them as a Chnth- an infrutted out ofthe Scripture, and obferve how unacquainted they are with a brokenand contrite heart, how ignorant ofFaith and the inward work of Re- generation, then you will fay, they are only baptized Heathens,for even among themwe can thew fuch men. If therefore you would not precipitateyour foul into agulf, takeup the right rule,before you goto meafure your felves. Thou maieft-be admired and much applauded by others for thy goodnefs and piety (as the Pharifees were) and yet he abominable beforeGod. 3 Thirdly, Then do We mificelrryabout Signs, When Wemake, of them in a preju- Or when we diciàlWity to thofe diretl and immediate ails of Faith, whereby we receive and apply make ufe of Chrifl toourfonls. For the great workofa Chriftian is out ofthe fenfe andfeeling figns in a pre- of its own want and fpiritual poverty, to roll himfelf, 'and reft only uponChrilt judtoal way ro for Atonement and Reconciliation, that is thatfaith -rdrxe<sìe, (a phrafe not the faith. h. alts known tohumane AnalOUTS, which the Scripture fo often requireth and com- mands of
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