PART III, of gracious Affections. 341 may be given with equal Force, why they fhould have an Averfion to the Words Holihefs, Godlinefs, Grace, Religion, Experience, and even Faith it felf : For to make a Righteoufnefs of any of thefe, is as legal, and as inconfiftent with`the Way of the new Covenant, as to make a Righteoufnefs of holy Pra&ice. - 'Tis greatly to the blurt of Religion, for Perfons to make light of, and infift little on, thofe Things which the Scripture infift molt upon, as of molt Importance in the Evidence of our Intereft in Chrift ; (un- der a Notion that to lay Weight on thefe Things is legal, and an old Covenant Way) and fo to neglea the Exercifes,and effectual Opera- tions of Grace in Pra&ice, and infift almoft wholly on Difcoveries, and the Method and Manner of the immanent Exercifes of Con- fcience andGrace in Contemplation ; depending on anAbility to make nice Diftinc`tions in thefe Matters, and a Faculty of accurate Difcern- ing in them, from Philofophy or Experience. It is in vain to feek for any better, or any further Signs, than thofe that the Scriptures have molt exprefly mention'd, and molt frequently infifted on, as Signs of Godlinefs. They who pretend to a greater Accuracy in gi- ving Signs, or by their extraordinary Experience, or Infight into the Nature ofThings, to give more diftinguifhingMarks,which fhall more fi GG You fay you know Chrift, and the Love and Good-will of " Chrift towards you, and that he is the Propitiation for your " Sins. How do you know this ? He that faith I know him, " and keepeth not his Commandments, is a Liar, i John 2. ¢. « True, might fome reply, he that keeps not the Commands CC of Chrift, hath thereby a fure Evidence that he knows him " not, and that he is not united to him ; but is this any Evi- " dence that we do know him, and that we are united to him, " if we do keep his Commandments ? Yes verily, faith the A- Ge poftle, Hereby we do know that we know him, ifwe keep his " Commandments. And again, Ver. 5. Hereby know we that we " are in him. What can be more plain ? What a Vanity is it C4 to fay, that this is running upon a Covenant of Works ? - - - -- " O Beloved, it is a fad Thing to hear fuch Queftions, and fuch _= cold Anfwers alto, that Sanctification pof ably may be an Evi- " dence. May be ? Is it not certain ? Affuredly to deny it, " is as bad as to affirm that God's own Promifes of Favour are cc not fure Evidences thereof, and confequently that they are " Lies and Untruths. ----Our Saviour, who was no legal Prea- " cher, pronounceth, and confequently evidenceth Bleffednefs, 64 by eight or nine Promifes, exprefly made to fuch Perfons, as cc had inherent Graces, lilatth. 5. 3, 4, &c," Shepard's Sound Believer, p. 221, 222, 223.
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