38o And having done alit°fland. John, and the hopeful buddings which appeared in the tender- nefreof his confcience, and begun Reformation. One root of bitterneffe or other will fpring up in fuch a one. If the corn® plexion of the foul be profane, it will at laft come to it, how - ever fora while there may forme religious colour appear in the mans face from Come other external caufe. Vie. This thews us what is the root of all final apoftafy, and that is the want of a through change ofthOheart.The Apoftate cloth not lofe the grace he had, but difcovers he never had any ; and 'cis no wonder to hear that he proves bankrupt, that was worfe then nought when he firft fet up. Many take up their Saintfhip ti upon truft, and trade in the duties of Religion with the credit they have gain'd from others opinion of them. They believe themfelves to be Chriffians, becaufe others hope them to be fuch, and fo their great bufineffe is by a zeal in thofe exercifes of Religion that lie outmoit, to keep up the credit which they have abroad, but do not look to get a flock of folid grace within, which fhould maintain them in their Profeffion, and this proves their undoing at laft. Let it therefore make us in the feare of God, to confider upon what fcore we take up our Profeffion. Is there that within which bears proportion to our outward zeal ? Have we laid a good bottorne ? Is not the fupetftru- dive top heavy jetting too far beyond the weak foundation ? They fay trees (hoot as much in the root under ground, as in:the branches above; and fo doth true grace. 0 remember what was the perifhing of the feed in the ftouy ground 3 it lacked root,and why fo? but becaufe it was ftony. Be willing the plough fhould go deep enough to humble thee for fin, and rend thy heart- from finne. The foul effe6tually brought out of the love of fin as fin, will never be through friends with it again. In a word, be ferious to finde out the great fpring that fees all thy wheels on motion in thy religious trade. Do as men that would know howmuch they are worth, who fet what they owe on one fide, and what floelt theyhave on the other ; and then when theyha ve laid out enough to difcharge all debts and engage= rnents ' what remaines to themfelves they may call their own Thus do thou confider what thou Itandeft engaged to, thy worldly credit, profit, .flavifh feare of God, and felfifh define of happinefre and when thou haft allowed for all there, fee then
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