on the Excellency of the Soul. 2O5 favi us' there is 'A great deal of evil comes from men and wot ions preCuming to dra4vconfequences; they think that if this bee true, the other will follow, and fo through the weaknefs of their underflandings, they come to draw dan- Ephef. Z. t. gerous confequences from true poftttons : Why, wee are John + s s dead in fins by nature, and wtchóuç mee yee can do nohing, faith Chrifl; upon this here is `this confequence drawn by many ignorant people that pervert the -Word to their own deflru&ton , If God bee not merciful to them; therefore why should wee pray, or read, or hear, or ufe any means, let us lay afide all, wee can do nothing, wee are dead in fins, and the like : Now wee are to know, that though no- thing can bee done by us ( till God bring us into a flare of grace and falvation) that is acceptable , fo as certainly dial! bring us to Heaven, yet if it bee but that that (hall flop us in the contrary way a little, it is worth our labour ; If it be but that that any way may tend towards the bringing of us unto any means that may do us good, why it is worth our labour, and all our pains; but efpecially if wee confider this , that though wee are not able to do that thatíhall fave us, yet God is pleated often to convey his flrength to thole bee doth intend to fave, through the ufe of thofe means; rather at that time when they do improve their natural abi- lities, than at that time when they fit idle and do nothing, and therefore you mua bee up and bee doing. Wee read in theGofpel concerning the young man that I told you came to Chrifl, and inquired what hee fhould do for eter- nal life, Chrifl profef+ to him that bee was not far from the Kingdome of Heaven, hee was not fo far as others ; It is true, if a man abufes his doing, and rel}s in his doing, that fets him as far from the Kingdome of Heaven, as prophane ones, and therefore Publicans and Harlots may enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, as foon as Scribes and Pharifees ; But there may bee many a,}.lions done by a common afli- flance of Gods Spirit, that may bring force nearer to the Kingdome of Heaven than others ; and the denial of fuch a thing as that is, would bee an extrearn boldnefs in any"; Q q for
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