Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Ioh.t4.6. Maaha ç.8. gab Of the ioyetofhearten. fines which are in earth, fo much let ourloue,care,&paines exceed in deliring and fecking to obtaine them. And that wee may not fpcnd our paints in the trauelling of a wrong way,and fo in the end complains that we haue laboured in vaine,let vs make choice of that only tvay Ictus Chrift, dcfii ring to be true members ingrafted into his gloriousbodie by a liucly faith,that loin himwe may be the fonnes ofGod, and the adopted heires of his glorious kingdome. Let vs adioyne our felues to the kingdome ofgrace, profeffing our fubieaionvnto God, and communicating with the rcflof the Saints in the excrcifes of the true religion;as calling vp- on God, hearing his word, receiving his Sacraments, and fubmicting our felues to be ordred and ruled by the outward difcipline and gouernment of the Church. Yea we muli not only outwardly profef courfelnes the fubieEls and feruants ofGod,but wee muli allo bue like his fubie &s in obedience to his will and word. For in vaine doe ?he draw were vnt o god with our lips,if our heart; ke forre from him ; in vainc w c heare the word, vnlefte wee obey it; in vaine doc we receiue the Sacraments with our hand and mouth, vuleffe wee allore- ceiue,and applie Chrift veto vs with a true faith, and (hew the vigour and vertue ofthis holy vnionin our vnfained re- pentance, dying vnto finne, and rifing againc toncwnes of life; in vaine doe wet fubmit ourfeluesto the outward go- uernment of the Church, vnlelfe alto thrift doe inwardly raigne and rule in vs by the fcepter of his word and holy fpi- rit : finally,invaine doe we profcffe our felues Gods fubic &s and feruants,ifwee hue like the feruants of frnne, and flaues ,ofSatan. Whereas contrariwife, if wee fo line in holy obe- dience to Godswill,withfaith and a good confcience,aswe maybe affured thereby, that wee arc true members ofthe Icingdome ofgracc,we may alto be afcertained,that we fha11 be heires oldie kiogdoincofglorie,.this being the porch or fuburbs whereby we enter into our heauenlymaniions, and the new Ierufalem,the citie ofGod. In.a word, if euer wee thinke to raigne triumphantly in thekingdome of heauen, and to haue our portion and (hare in that eternal! glorie; we tnuft haue the kingdoms ofGod begun in vs in this life, and be