rsÚ . fl Tryalof Sincerity, or, simile ample : A man fcrapeth and crouched:, and keeps a-do with a man, _ that he never taw or knew, one that he is ready, it may be (when his back is turned), to code : but yet he will do this for his almes, for his gain, to make a prey, aule of him foine way : this man loveth his alines , loveth his prey , 1:o veth his bounty: but is is1 ao argument of love to.the man. So is is in this cafe for a man co make toward! God, and to Item toown him, and to beone of the generation of thofe that fee% his face, to addrefs himfelf in outward conformity, and many other things, by which anothermay charitably (ifhe have noother ground) judge ofhim : all this is nothing, except aman may difcern fomething that may give hii a talfr, that his fpirit doth uprightly, and fincerely feekGod; that he loveth God; for God him- felf; that he loveth grace, for grace itCeif; he lovetli theCommaitdinrnts ofGod, becaufe they,are Gods commandments, and becaufe they are beautiful, being ac-, cording to the rule' of his Word. But othcrwife, if it be any finder thing, that carricth a manon toward God,it is no argumentof the life,and truthofgrace. You know it is fb in experience : there be many things that move, and yet their motion Simile, is no arguument of life : A wind-mill, when the wind fervcth, rnovcth, andmoveth verynimbly too ; yet you do not fayprefently that that is a living creature : No, it moveth only by an external caufe, by an artificial contrivance it is fo framed, that when the wind fetteth,in fuch and filch A corner, it will move, and fohaving butan external Motet, and caufe to move, andnoinvvard principle, no foul vvithin it tomove it, it is anargument that it is no living creature. So it is here,: if a man fcc another move, and move very faft, in thole things which of themfelves are the wayes ofGod,- fee him move as fall to hear a Sermon as his neighbour data ; is as forward and hafty to thruft himfelf, and bid himfelf a guelt to the Lords Table, (when God hathnot bidhim) as any; the Qtteftion is, what principle fets him a- work t if it bean inward principleof life, out ofaftncere affedfion,and love toGod and his ordinances that carriethhim to this : it argueth that man hath fome.ife of grace. But ifit be forne wind that bloweth him on; the windofState, the wjnd ofLaw, thewindofdanger, ofpenalty, the wind offathion or cuflome, to do as his neighbours do : if thofe, or fuch like, be the things that draw him thither ; this is no argument of life it all : it is a cheap thing , it is counterfeit , andpoor ware.- ;. they :Tuft Thirdly, ( that which I have often faid to he the principal, and the mofl confii- - be pitched on derable thing (that I know) in all practical Divinity, and which is the molt Cha- God alone. radarilticaly of the truthofGrace, and ofthelife ofPiety in anyone) our fpirits,, and fouls, and affeffions towards God, mull be advanced to this height : tobe car- ried toward God, above all other things. I befeechyou ferioufly thinkofit : I have often (poken ofit,but it maybe there I may be Come room left for the mention of it now, and Comeneceffityi of pondering it well. It will be the Charadariffical thing, by which amanmay moft certainly difcern himfelf. And 1 would delire to know wherein anydefect of underltanding. is,if I bemifaken : but it Teemsto me as a clear thing,that every one here,that bath nest a mind to Affront the mindof God, hedares not conteffthisargument, thatit is arational thing, that if God be the belt of Beings, he fhould save the beft por- tion in our lové. All reafon commands us to love that belt, which is beft : and to difpenfe our loveaccording to the degreeof the excellency of the thing. There is no-than but apprehendeth this clearly. A man may fay that he loves his Wife, and he will prove it : and this fhallbe hisargument, I love heras weil,as I do another woman; Is this the proof of conjugal love ? was this the covenant made between them ? bath he fulfilled it in this cafe to her? or the to him? There is noman but feeth that there is more required : there isa peculiarity,andpropriety oflove required in this cafe.- It mull certainly be fo here ; for we contra& and efpoufe our fouls to Chrift, and upon thofe very terms, for better, and for worfe, to forfake all the world, and tocleave tohim alone : and if our fpirits be notrailed and advanced to that degree of affe&ion,- that Chriff and God be fo lovely, andBeautiful, in our eyes, and-fogood (for I nameone fometime, and fometime another,. it is all one upon`
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