Caryl - Houston-Packer Collection BS1415 .C37 v9

3 38 Chap. 3 t. An Expofstion upon the Booke of Jo Be Verf.S. gotten, and holdsk without eytherdanger or difgrace, fuppofe he keepes his gaine,and keepes tiphis reputation too ; yet at laft, or (as we fpeake) at the long run, he muff confeffe he bath wal- ked in a vaine fhadow, and difquieted himfelfe invaine. He will find that he bath made but a very bad market, though his pre- fent profit be very great. Thus Chrift himfelfe concludes ( Mat. t6.2íD.) what it a man profitedifhe gaine the whole world , and loofe his owne foule ? or whet Jha& he give in exchangefor Igor foule ? Suppofe he gets andgets, not only force pieces and patches,fome odd ends ofthe world, but the whole world with all its array and furniture, yet, ifhe repents not, he loofeth his owne foule by the bargaine ; And when he bath let downe the Joffe of his foule upon the one leale of his Booke, and the value ofthe world up. on the other, what will appeare at the Foote ofthe account but Joffe, loffe, Joffe, irreparable lofte. The world bath not enough in its richeft creatures toballance the Joffe ofthe pooreft foule. Thirdly, ()Verve. Agodly man dock not cannot walke on in afinfull or a deceit. full way. Hemay ( very poffiibly) Repout of the way, and turneafide, but he doch notcontinue out ofthe way, he walkes not in croon ked wryes. lob durft not fay, I never did any thing vainely , but he laid it confidently, Ihave not walked with vanity. There is much vanitie in the belt ofmen, and force vanitie paf eth from them, yet their courte, their walke is not with vanitie. This or that act of fin doth not denominateany mans perfon or his con- dition,' ris a habit offinning which denominates both. In this fence the Apoftle john faith (i ep. 3. 9.) who foever la borne of godBoth not commit fin,for thefeedof God remainetb in him; and he cannotfin becatsfe be le borne of God. He cannot remaine in fin in whom the feedofGod (that is, aprinciple ofnew life and grace by Chrift ) remaineth. Sin remaines in him that is borne ofGod, but he that is borne ofGod doch not remaine in fin, eyther as to a fitful! Rate, or a finfull converfation. Againft the latter 70b makes proteftation here, while he faith, If d have walked with vanitie, Or, Ifny foot bathhailed to deceit. The

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