a Treat f ofthe ecilon r. thou truft he'l help theeat all hañds,that is provok't to undoe thee ? thou art a damned man,it God do not pardon thee. Thou art a woful wretch, better thou hadft never been borne,if Godgive theenot grace.Andcant} thouCraft God he will be good to thee?what and difpleafehim day byday?offènd him every foot ? No,no,thoumayeft truft him, he'l confound thee. Thou which art a lyar, thoumayeft cruft himwhat he layes in the Apocalips, '-ITyars Rev _` g (hall becart into the lakeof brimfione. Thou which art a swearer, mayeft truft him, he'l never hold thee guilticffe, Thou whichart a drunkard, and a company keeper, and a whore-monger,mayeft truer him, thou shalt never inherit the Kingdom ofHeaven; Thouwhich talkeft idly and improficably, n ayeft truft him, he'l call thee to anaccount at the day ofjudgement.Thou which hardeneft thy neckaping the reproofes of the word, mayelt truit him,he'l deftroy thee without remedy ; this he bath part his word he will do,and herein thou rnayeft truft him : thoucant} never truft him for mercy or grace or any good thing;thou difpleafeft him daily,andmakeit him thine enemy. And howcanft thou truft him ? what thinkeft thou ? does no he knowhow little thou careft for his Commandements ? how little thou refpe- Eteft his Ordinances? howbafely thou ufeft him in thy wayes ? indeed if thou wert zealous for hisglory, and zealous topleafe him in holineffe ofhie -, iii zealous to obey him, andLeek him,then thou mightft truft him. Thou canft never truft him otherwife. By this time thotimaycft fee what a woful con- dition thou art in, ifthe zealeofthine affe&ions benot let uponGod. But manypoor foules may demand, how then (hall I know whether the signswhether zeale of mine affeaions befet uponGod ? I atifwer thee : There are feven the zeal of thy affeiions be jet fignes whereby thou mayeft know it. on sod. \ The firft,if thine afe ions be not able to God-ward amanmay have a little iftime hope, and a little griefe, and a little joy, and a little piny, and no body fee it. affeflions be But if it bezealous, it will quickly benotable; every one,when Once it is zea- notable to God. lous,every one will note it. WhenEpaphras was zealous to fave foules in Co-ward. tofe,what (ayes Saint Pawlofhim ? I bearehim record,hebath agreat zeale for you,fayeshe, (o/.4,1 3. Paul could not but note it inhim ; he law fo ma- ny f }rong cxpreffions ofit. This holinefeand forwardnefle isvery remarkable. But ifon the contra I ry therebe no notable cxpreflionsof grace inyóti;álàs, there may be Tome goodneffe,fome pitty,fome griefe,fome motions ; but this is no zeale, it is not remarkable. Ifa manbe zealous for the World,his fcraping and fparin is notable,his toyling,and ftudying, and talking that way is verynota eól . I will Beare him record,he is a worldling ; the world is fo much in his fpee- chcs,thewo ld is fo much in his courfes,and fo much in his face. Look upon his wayes,he is (ocombred with thoughts of the world : Look into his fami- ly,there be fo fewgoodduties of grace, and fomany tokens of the world : Look upon hismeetings, his di(courfes of edifying are fofcarce, and of the world arc fo copious, l will bearehim record, he is a worldling..] erewi zealous for God,therewouldbe diversfignes andexpreflions of ourzeal un- toGod.Saint Paul when he wouldmake it plain to the Corinthians, that he was an Apóftle to them, he tels them, truly the fignes of anApoftle were wrought among you,s Cor.I2.i s. If we were zealous for God, ye mightan- fwer,truly thefignes of truezelots are wroughtamongus : ye thatprófeffe' Chrift,what fignes oftrue zelots are there in you ? ifyour brethren bé'fecurê and grown dull,do ye labour toquicken them ? if the Gospel do not thrive, doye labour to further it ? if gracebe little ftirring in the Parifh, does Hea- ven ring with your groanesand your prayers? it zeal were exiflent among you,it would benotable and remarkable among you,we might fay, I beare you record it is fo,nay thewicked without would obierve it; we beare them record ,theykeep a great ftir about Heaven; our lives would convince them. May be theywouldhate us and reproach us the more ; but this . is certaine, L our
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=