Fenner - Houston-Packer Collection BX5037 .F46 1651

a:. 14 An Enquiry after a mans Oat?, 2. Prefumption is another impediment. Men pray and hear and do other good duties, and fo take all to be well without Rev.3.17. ferions examining. This was the cafe of the Laodicean people : They thought they had that in them which they had not, and that their ePate was good, when it was nothing fo. Another let are the cares of this life . Whereby the heart is fo occupied that it doth not find time to fearch its own eftate, Therefore our saviour faith, Takte heed that you' hearts be not Luk, u. overcharged with the cares of this life, left that they come upon 34 you unawares : intimating that theft cares are great lets from confideringour eflates. 4, Another let is an evil confcience, which affrighteth a man fo loon as he beginnethtoítirre, and maketh him afraid to go on to look foundly into his eftate, He that doth evil hateth the Joh. 3, so. light. S. Another let is ignorance. There is none thatunderftand- Rom 3.r 1 eth, none that fee,f eth after god. Mark ; they did not feek in what cafe they Rood before God, becaufe they did not under- hand. 6. Another let is,fpiritual (loth and fluggifhneffe ofheart.Men cannot endure to take pains with their own hearts tit they have made out a true judgment in what cafe they are : They begin and quickly give over; and fo for want of diligence and painf- taking make nothing Pure. The laft ufe is for exhortation : That all mien would beftirre f ex' then',felves and fet in earneft upon this enquiry,That we may e- very one know in what flare we Hand. hortati- i. Confider, this is an enquiry about our fouls. We enquire on. obout our outward man ,about the eflate of our bodies and worldly affairs, &c. Oh, let us not neglect this main enquiry. ei4''n 1 in Chrifl,yea or no ?Am la new creatsore,yea or no ? Doth my foul live to God or no? 1. Confider, this is a queflion about our everlafling eflate. We can never have comfort until! we have put this out ofque- Hion : and therefore this is a queition which all queftions mufl'give way unto. If ye be not in Chrif, ye had need lay afide

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