taxi The e bridgenment of the C/ofpel. How mutts Chrift, there is no footing left fot humane=rite*: Light and darkneffe, God Pzpifsa&dbe and the diuèll are not in amore dire& line ofo ofitiona then to ofher , then to mer,t, nzy Pp Y eppeúe by Mercy and Merite t It is vnpofsible that their two fhould admit any cempefiti- meeh. Bai.de on It is raid.by Pbilofophers, that in lowerdegrees, contraries mayhue (bate Merit,oper. concurrence : as light and darkeneffe in the twilitchtt But take twocontrary qba- p.". fides, and let one of thembe inthe'heightand full flrength,their is no pofsibili- tie of placefor the other. So then,feeing inthe wocke offaluation,the Lord hack intended tomake thew, not offonre parries (asit were)but Ochevery fulnelfeof his Mercy, thereis uomore roornefor Merite, then there was for Daltonbefore I t.5am4.3. the Arke oflehoaah'. I remember what is faideofhimthat went into thefieldero gather hèsrbs, he found a wilds Gonrd,and fbredde it into thepottage : But when the m n.Bln.ç39 thePap fls are : be hey takevpon them tomake it inshe poìionof comfort.' forea 40. perplexed foule; but when they temper with this hearbeofGrace, the leauesof oBellar.dc tl}!s wilde gourdof humaneMerite*, which neuergrew inthe Lordsgarden, or Iulhf,lib.t. at leali was neuer planted by him, but crept in (as aweede) by the negligence of the dreffets, theyhaue giuen occafion tomakethe farnecry , Death is inthe pot, and with it they haue poyfoned aworld offoules, and haue dealt an ioiuriosfly '. with the Chbrchof God,as thePhililhimsdid with¡face, when theyfloppedand n Gen.s6.1ç. filled up Wishearthall his lets°;fo with thisearthly trafh they haue choaked op the oZ,ci,,r3.r. foantaine ofGrace°, that itcannot &came out comfortably,for Therefrefhing of the wearied foules ofGods people. Thus (as lob faithtohisfriends) they baud p lob t3:4. forged lies,and by that meanes are ThyfciaasofnovalneP. Neither is this tobee obferued,onely becaufe Of Papifls, buteuen bemufe of thecommon people, inafmuchas thedoârineand opinionofMerite (that is, of doing fomewhat whereby to futcher our bwnefaluation) isgraven with anpan gIor ep r. pen g, in the tablesofeuery naturallheart. Experience lheweth, that the fowre: neffe ofhis Popiftleaders remaineth in many : Good praiers,andgoaddoings; meane well, anddoe well e thefe and the likeare the flakes they leaneonto. It is laid, that the childrenof the Iewes whichmarried wines of o4fhded,j ake halfe inthefpeech r Neh,t344, ofu4Jhdodr:'Such is the religionofmany e Talke with them offaluation, they fpeake halfe popilhly , andhalfe foundly : Theywill fpeakeofmercy andgrace , and frets tomagnifie and cfteesse it; yet fomerhingoftheir own fhalbebrought in too, anda thanMallhave fomewhar adoe before hecan coniurcoutthisdiuell, and bring themto an abfoluee dependances'pon the freedomeof Galt mercy. Remember we then the doetrise of thisplace: God intended the myfletie of Chrift, in which to let out to' thefull; the vnfearchableriches ofhis mercy t to couple with itought elfe, more or leffe, is iniurióuflÿ todarken the beauty of that which the purpofeofGodwas to have tobe feeneand beheld inwhole with- out impeachment. Ofe t. Secondly, this d&Ctrineisa matterofcomfort. There cannot beeamatter of greaterfecurity tothe fouleofaChriffian thento layhis whole hopevpon Gods mercy. The reafon. is, becanfe'che mercyofGod is (ashisnfelfe) infinite, eter_ call, and vnchangable. Where £hall I finde amore certaine refuge P WhenI feeaplailter as large asmy fore', there ismy comfort. Theperplexed confeience groaning ondee the weightoffins, and panting for grace, is the ficteft fudge in Itehnotr , pointsofthisnature. Wellthen,leta mans bassi befxllafibeftnneofhis yosth'',let t lob16, r s. his heart be broken With one breakinguponanother ', Iethis confcience bee let upon u Iobq, 26, the racke, the Lardwritingbitter thingsagainft him °;.youwill tell hint ofthe mer- cyandgrace ofGod. Youdoe well; but you will addewirhall,that his comfort in thismuft bee eyked outwith fomerhingof hisowne: Heemuff cryoutvpon z fob16,s. you as lob didupon his friends, Miferablecemfortersye areall x. He will fee Poch weakneffe, fach fcantneffe, fahmaimedneffe, filch imperfe&ion inhis beitper- formantes ,that her will not daie robring them into a reckoning beforeGod , yea
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