PART III. f gracious AjeHions. 309 according to the Fruit ofhis Doings. But if by his Pays, and the Fruit of his Doings, is meant only the Aaions of his Body, what need of fearching the Heart and Reins, in order to know them ? Hezekiah in his Sicknefs pleads his Pra&ice as an Evidence of his Title to God's Favour, as including, not only his outward A&ions, but what was in his Heart, Ifai. 38. 3. Remember now, O Lord, I befeech thee, how I have walked before thee, in Truth, andwith a perfeét Heart. Tho' in this great Evidence of Sincerity that the Scripture gives us, what is inward is of greateft Importance ; yet what is outward is included & intended,as conne&ed with the pra&icalExertion ofGrace in the Will, dire&ingand commanding the A&ions of the Body. And hereby are effe&ually cut cff all Pretenficns that any Man can have to Evidences of Godlinefs, who externally lives wickedly : Becaufe the great Evidence lies in that inward Exercife and Pra&ice of the Soul, which confiffs in the A& of the Will, commanding outward A&s. But 'tis known that thefe commanding A&s of the Will are not one Way, and the A&ions of the bodily Organs another : For the unalterable Law of Nature is, that they fhould he united, as long as Soul and Body are united, and the Organs are not fo deftroyed as to be incapable of thofe Motions that the Soul commands. Thus it would beridiculous for aMan to plead,that the commandingAa of his Will was to go to the publick Worship, while his Feet carry him to a Tavern or Brothel Houfe ; or that the commanding A& of his Will was to give fuch a Piece of Money he had in his Hand, to a poor Beggar, while his Hand at the fame Inftant, kept it back, and held it fait. Secondly, I proceed to Phew that chriftian Praaice, taken in the Senfe that has been explain'd, is the chief of all the Evidences of a faving Sincerity in Religion, to the Confciences of the Profeffors of it; much to be preferr'd to the Method of the firft Convi &ions, En- lightnings and Comforts in Converfion, or any immanent Difcoveries or Exercifes of Grace whatfoever, that begin and end in Contempla- tion. j- The Evidence of this appears by the following Arguments. Argument L t " Look upon john, Chrift's beloved Difciple and Bofom Coro- " panion ; he had received, the anointing to know him that is Lz true, and he knew that he knew him, I John 2. 3. But how " did he know that ? He might be deceived (as 'tis f.Irange to CC fee what a melancholIy Fancy will do, and the Effe&s of it ; ,c as honeft Men are reputed to have weak Brains, and never << faw the Depths of the Secrets of God) what's his LAST cc Proof ? Becaufe we keep his Commandments." Shepard's Par, Part I. p. 13r. X 3 « A
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