rya True Signs of Gracv. S u c T. II. earth : And inwhat age may the abfenceof it be more deplored thennow, when Parties, Faction, Interefis, have devoured and eatenup fincerity i' But as the body is a carkaffe without the foul, fo is all religion without integrity. It is a blazing Starre though it make a great luftre for the time, yet it ends at laftin noi- fome vapours. This wasa comfort to Hezekiah in his fad diftreffe , That he had Walkedbefore God, Withan upright and perfehl heart. He that Walketh uprightly Walkethrote/y. He that liveth uprightly, anddieth uprightly, liveth and diet, fafely. This is acceptable even where many failings are, and where this is abfent, the molt perfe/Sacrifices are rejeâed. +I« * +* ±4 44 ? ** tt"At SERMON Xliii. That Oppofition againfi and4bftinencefromfin ism Sign of grad. a Jot'. 3.9,10. Whofoever is born ofGodfinneth not, becau . a the feed abieleth in him, nei- ;her can hefnne, becaufe he is born ofGod. In this she children ofGod are manifefled. THe Apoftle at the fiat verle having declared the glorious priviledge of be- ing the fons of God, he doch verf.3. mention alfo their Duty : for exter- nal grace and inherent are infeparably joined together : Their Duty is to avoid fin, which is preffed from feveral Arguments ; a. From the native filthinefs of ìt, It is a tranfgrefion oftheLaw. 2. From the end of Chrifts coming, which was To deflroy the Works of the devil. 3. From a collation or compacifonbetween the two Fountains or Fathers of him thatdothfinne, or him thatdothrighteoufnejfe; theone is ofthe Devil, the other is born of God; and thisdifference my Text amplifieth : So that in the words you read, youmay obferve five Propofitions; firft, He that is bornof God finneth not ; what it is to beborn ofGod is eafily known, viz. to have the image and holinefs of God flampt uponus by his Spirit quickningof us; we muff not ima- gine any communicating ofthe DivineEffence to us ; in which fenfe the fecond Perfon ei born of the Father, and fo called, TheSonne of God ; but by participati- on of thofe fupernaturall graces which make us refemble him ; The greater doubt is about the predicate, He finneth not ; which bath much exercifed the thoughts of men : fome underftand it ofaperfeffion attained to in this life, not to fin at all. Thus Papi(is, Pelagian, fome Anabaptiffs and divers of late; but if this were the meaning, the Apoftle within a very little fpace would exprefly contradiahimfelf for Chap.'.8,ro. he faiih exprefly, IfWefayveehave tiefinne We deceive our (elves, andmakeGod a liar. Not to fin therefore is not wholly to be without (inne. Others limit it to a certain kindeof fanne, in this fenfe, Hefin- ned) not, viz. unto death, fo that he (hall be damned ; and without quefiion to this purpofe the Apoftle fpeaketh Chap.5.16,17,18. But this feemeth to ftraiten it too much. Others, as Arminians, he finneth not, viz. in this refpeel , and fo £arre ashe is bornofGod; but what an abfurd fenfe would this be, and who knoweth not that a godly mancloth not (inne in thathe is godly, or becaufe he is
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