244 The ninth Sign PART III. However fome 'of thefe, at the fame Tit e, make a great''Profefion of Love to God, and Affurance of his Favour, and great Joy in tatt- ing the Sweetnefs of his Love. After this Manner they truffed'in Chrift, that the Apoftle 7ude fpeaks of, who crept in among. the Saints unknown; but were really Again, p. 232. Mr. Shepard fpeaks of fuch Hypocrites as thofe, 66 Who like ftrange Eggs, being put into the fame Neff, where 66 honeft Men have lived, they have been hatch'd up ; and 66. when they are young, keep their Neft, and live by crying and 66 opening their Mouths wide after the Lord and the Food of 66 his Word ; but when their Wings are grown, and they have 66 got fome Affe&ions, fome Knowledge, fome Hope of Mercy, 64 are harden'd thereby to fly fromGod." And adds, 66 Can " that Man be good, whomGod's Grace makes worfe ? " Again, Part II. p. 167. 6G When Men fly to Chrift in Times cc of Peace, that fo they may preferve their Sins with greater 66 Peace ofConfcience ; fo that Sin makes 'em fly to Christ, 66 as well as Mifery ; not that they may deftroy and abolifh 66 Sin, but that they may be preferved in their Sins with Peace ; 6e then Men may be laid to apprehend Chrift only by a feeming t6 Faith. - ---Many an Heart fecretly faith this, If I can have my 4, Sin, and. Peace, and Confcience quiet for the prefente and cc God merciful to pardon it afterward ; ; hence he loth rely (as 66 he faith) only on the Mercy of God in Chrift And now this 66 hardens and blinds him, and makes him fecure, and his Faith G6 is Sermon- Proof, nothing: airs him.----And were it not for 66 their Faith they fhould defpair, but this keeps em up. And 6G_ now they think if they have any Trouble of Mind, the De- " vil troubles 'em ; and fo make Christ and Faith Prote&ors 66 ofSin, not Purifiers from Sin ; which is m:;ft dreadful ; turn - t, ing Grace to Wantonnefs, as they did Sacrifice. So thefe c6 would fin under the Shadow of Christ, hecaufe the Shadow 6C is good and Tweet, Mich. 3. 1 t.. They had fuhtil- fly Ends in good Duties for therein may lie a Man's Sin: Yet they 64 lean upon the Lord. When Money- changers came into 6c the Temple, You have made it a Den of Fhieves. Thieves 66 when hunted fly to their Den or Cave, and there they are 6C fecure .against all Searchers, and Hue-and -cries So here. KG But Chrift whipped them-out. So when Men are purfued 66 with Cries and Fears of Confcience, away to Christ they " go as to their Den : Not as Saints to pray and lament out c6 the Life of their Sin there ; but to preferve their Sin. This. 86 is vile : Will the Lord receive fuch ? " ungodly
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