Edwards - BX7230 .E4 1746

PART III. of gracious Affeaions. 249 fervile Fear, by a holy Affurance, is attended with a proportionable Increafe of a reverential Fear. The diminifhing of the Fear of the Fruits of God's Difpleafure in future Punifhment, is attended with a proportionable Increafe of Fear of his Difpleafure it felf : The dimi_ nifhing of the Fear of Hell, with an Increafe of theFear of Sin. The vanifhing of Jealoufies of the Perfon's State, is attended with a pro- portionable Increafe of Jealoufy of his Heart, in a Diftruft of it's Strength, Wifdom, Stability, Faithfulnefs, &c. The lefs apt he is to be afraid of natural Evil, having ' his Heart fixed trufting in God, and fo, not afraid of evil Tidings ;' the more apt is he to be alarmed with the Appearance of moral Evil, or the Evil of Sin. As he has more holyBoldnefs,fo he has lefs ofSelf- Confidence,and a forward of li- ming Boldnefs, and more Modefty. As he is more lure than ethers of Deliverance fromHell, fo he has more,of aSenfe of theDefert of it. He is lets apt than others to be fhaken in Faith ; but more apt than o- thers tobe moved with folemnWarnings, and withGod's Frowns, and with the Calamities of others. He has the firmeft Comfort, but the fofteft Heart : Richer than others, but pooreft of all in Spirit : The talleft & ftrongeft Saint,but the leaft & tenderefiChild amongft them. X. Another Thipg wherein thofe Affe&ions that are truly gracious and holy, differ from thofe that are falfe, is beautiful Symmetry and Proportion. Not that the Symmetry of the Vertucs, and gracious Affeétions the Saints, in this Life, is-perfedt : It oftentimes, is in many Things defective, thro' the Imperfe fflon of Grace, for want of proper In ftruaions, through Errors in Judgment, or fome particular Unhappi- nefs of natural Temper, or Defeats in , Educations and many other Difadvantages that might be mentioned. But yet there is, in no wife,. that monftrous Difproportion in gracious Affections, and the various Parts of true Religion in the Saints, that is very commonly to be ob- ferved, in the falfe Religion, and counterfeit Graces of Hypocrites. In the truly holy Affeaions of the Saints is found that Proportion, which is the naturalConfequence of the Univerfality of their Sandtifi- cation, They have the whole Image of Chrift upon them They have ' put off the old Man, and have put on the newMan' entire in all his Parts and Members. ' It hath pleafed the Father that in Chrift all Fulnefs fhould dwell :' there is in him every Grace ' He is full of Grace and Truth : And they that are Clarift's, do ' of his Fullnefs receive, and Grace for Grace ;' ( John r. 14, 16.) i. e. there is everyGrace in them, which is inChrift : ' Grace forGrace ;' that is, Grace anfwerable to Grace : There is no Grace in Chrift, but there is it's Image in Belieers to anfwer it : The Image is a true Image ; and there is ffinething of the fame beautiful Proportion in the Image, which is in the Original ; there is Feature for Feature, and Membea 4,

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