2g6 g infi fpiritnal rptckedneffe. perfeaion before, now he makes a iuppoficion, (indeed quad non ell f4pponendum:) IfI were perfect, yet would I not know my own foule ; I would not enterra in any inch thoughts as fhould puffe me up into fuch a confidence ofmy holinefle, as to make it my plea with God, like to our common phrafe; We fiy, Such a one hash excellent parts,but he knows it, that is, he is proud of it. Take heed of knowing thy own grace in this fenfe, thou canit not give a greater wound both to thy grace and corn. fort then by thus priding thy felfin it. S E CT. III, Firft, thy grace cannot thrive fo long as thou thus reit& on it. A legal fpirit is no friend to grace, nay, a bitter enemy againft it, as appeared by the Pharifees in Chrift time. Grace comes not by the LaW,but by Chrift; thou .mayeit ftand long enough by it, before thou getteft any life of grace into thy foule, or further life into thy grace. If thou wouldeft have this, thou mutt fet thy Pelf under Chrills wings by faith ; from his Spirit in the Gofpel alone, comes this kindly natural heat to hatch thy foul to the lifeof holineffe, and iEcreafewhat thou haft,and thou canft not comeunder Chrifts wings, till thou cornett, frotri under the fhadow of the other, by renouncing all expeclation from thy own works and fervices,- You know Rewbens curie, that he fhould not excel, becaufe hewent up into his fathers bed; when other tribesencreafed, he Hod at a little number. Ey trufting in thy own works thou doeft worfe by Chrift, and fhalt thou excel in grace? Perhaps fome ofyou have been long Profefrours, and yet come to little growth in love to God, humility, heaven- ly.mindedneffe, mortification , and 'tis worth the digging to fee what lies at the root of yourProleffion, whether there be not a legal principle that bath too much aced you. Have you not thought to carry all with God from your duties and fervices, and too much laid up your hopes in your own aftings ? Alas, this is as fo much dead eIrth, which mutt be thrown out, and Gofpel- principles laid in the room thereof; try but this courfe, and fee whether the fixing of thygrace will not come onapace. David gives an account how he came to (land and flown, when-fome that , s ...........
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