332. -- V ECAV. V. not mor< high then materiall :which that it may appeare, let me 01ewwhat it is to be A a Chri!lian: You that have fdtit,can fecondmc with your expnience; and fupply the defects ofmy difcourfe. He is the living temple of the living God,where tho Deirie is both refident and worfhipped. The highe!lthing in a man ishisowne fpirit: but in a Chri!lian the Spirit ofGod,which isthc God offpirirs. Nograce is wanting in him; and thole which there are, want not!lirringup. Both his heart and his hands arc cleane:All his outward purity fiowes from within;neitherdoth he frame his foule to counterfeit good actions; but out ofhis holy difpofitioncommands and produces them,in the lightofGod.Let us begin with his beginning,and fetch thcChri!lian out ofthis nature,as another A'r•ham from his Chaldea; whiles the worldlinglives and dies, in nature, out ofGod. The true conv<rt th<reforc, afrer his wilde and fecure courfes,puts himfdfe (through the motions ofGods Spiri~J.to fchoole unto the Law; B there be learn.s what he fhould havedone, what he could not do,what he hath done, what he hath deferved.Thefe le!fons coil himmany a !lripe, & man}' a teare,and not more gti<fcthen terror : for this fharpe mafter makes him fedc what fin is, and what Hell is,and inr<gard ofboth, what himfclfcis.When he hach wdl fmarced underthe whip of this feverc U01er,and is made vile enough in himfclfc, then is he led up into the higher fchooleofChri!l, and there taught the comfortable leffons ofgrace; rhete he learnes what belongs to a Saviour, what one he is, what he lmh done, and for whom, how he becameours, we his: and now finding himfelfe in a true llateofdanger, ofhumility,ofneed,of <!dire, offitneffe for Chri!l, he brings home to himfelfe f-all that he learnes, and what he knowcs, he applies. His former Turor he feared,this he loveth; that !hewed him his wounds, yea,made them; this binds and heales them: C that killed him; this 0Jeweshim life, and leads himmic. Now at once he hares himfelfe,defies Satan, tru!ls to Chri!l, makes accountboth ofpardon and glory. This is his moll precious faith, whereby he appropriates, yea ingroOes Chri!l Jefus to him. fefe: whence he is ju!lified from his finnes, purified from his corruptions, ellabliihed in his refolutions, comforted in his aoubts, defended againll temptations,overcomes all his enemies.Which vertue,as it is moll imployed,andmoll oppofed,focarries the moft care from the Chri!liao heart, that it be found,livdy, growin(l : found,not rot· ten, not hollow, notprefumptuous: found in the ad; not a fuperficrall conceit, but a true,dcepe, and fenlible appreheofion: an apprehenlidn, not ofthe braine, butofrbe heart; and of the heorc,not approving, or affeoting, buttru!ling and repofing. Sound in the objetl:, none but Chri!l: he knowes. that no friend(hip in heaven candoe him 0 good, without this; The Angels cannot;God will not : Ye beleeve in the Father,beleeve alfo in me. Lively; for it cannot give life, unleffe it have life; thdaich that is not f.1irhfull, is dead: the fruits offaith are good works ; whether inward, whirhin the roofe ofthe h~art, as love,aweJforrow, pietie, zeal, joy,and the reft;orom:ward towards God,or our brethren :obedienceand fervice to the ono; to the other rdiefc:and .bc:ntficence: Tbefe he beares in his time; fometimes all, but alway.s fome. Growing : truefaithcanoot !land !lill; but as it is fruitfull inwotks, lo it increafeth in degrees: from a little feed it proves a large plant, reaching from earth to heaven, and froln one heaven to another: every fhower and every Sun addes fomething toir. Neither is_rhisgraccever folitary, but al-:ayes attended rorally; for he thatbdeeves E what aSav10ur he harh, cannot but love htm; and he th>t loves htm,cannnot but hare wharfoever may difpleafehim1cannot butrejoyce in him,and hope to enjoy him,aod defire to enjoy his hope, and contemoeall thofe vanities which he once delired and enjoyed. His mind now fcornerh to grovell upon earth, but foareth up to the things above,where Chri!llirs at the right hand ofGod;and after it hath feenc what is done in heaven, lookes !lrangely upon all worldly things. He dare tru!l his faith above his rialon, and fcnfe : and bath learned to weane his appetite from craving much. He !lands in awe ofhis owne confciencc, and dare no moreoffend it, then not difpleafe himfelfe. He feares not his enemies, yet negleds themnot \ equally avoidina fecn· riry, and timoroufneffe. He fees him that is inviflhle 1 and walks with him "~fully, familiarly. He koowes what he is borne to, -and therefore digells the miferies of his ward01ip,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=