The Chrïflian.f Iournall. all thòfe that areyet vnconuerted, andofrefolutionand confirmation to filchas haue trulycared to walke theway that leadethvntolife. ba trine 1. The firft thing which by authoritieof thisTestof Scriptureought to bee in every one that h Bath faluation , is;a right vederlanding , and a trueacknow- ledgement of hisowne wandering. For euen in reafon, before a man can frame himfelftoenter hitoa right courfe , bee mull berefolued and perfwaded ofhis owneformer mi(taking; for why elfe (lrouldhe change his fashion? if hee haue not erred before,to whatend Ibouldhe relinquifh his prefect courfe , and betake himfelfetoaguile, towhich he hath not hitherto beeneacculomed? Reafon itferremuft needs ytd to this brother things,-and it moftneeds bee true in thin. HowlhallIperfw, adeaman toenter into the traitegate,ifhedoe not reek and perceiue himfelfe to be in a way in which it isnöt fafefor him tocontinue?If we looke into theScripture we (hail feegood proofe forthis point, namely, that . theacknowledgement ofourbypaltrrour, is the very fitldegree vnto found conuerlion. Towhatend (ehinke we) is it,that by Gods fpirituallappointmenr, the terrours of the Law fhouldfir} be preached , and fhoulergoe like the migh- gLKing.r4. tie flocirigwinde (whichinGods appearing toEliae g, rent mciuntaines) be- fore the calmeand gentle and í}i11voyce of the Gofpell; Ì fay, to what end is that, and what did the Lord aymeat herein, but onelythis, that menmight fee wheretheybee, and in whatcafe they (land r andthat, holding on in the way, whichNature bath fet them in, there can nothing follow but, de(lru&ion ? As the Lord himfelfe at the firlebeganne, with our grandfather Adam after heehad finned , loftinghim by varietie ofdemands to fee his errours,, *hereart than ? hGen ; ;, andwho tolde thee that then waft osisd? haft thou eatenofthe tree t' ?foall the Pro- phets and Apoftlesafter, held thefamecourfer the finI thing they laboured in, was.tomikemen fee that there was nohopeof happine(fe, without aprcfent forfakingof theiraccufomedbehauiour; Icrerbie, when hee would thew that a. mong the peopleof histimes,there was(for thegeneralitie) no true conuertion, reporteth thematter in theft words, l inearlçned but nonelake, al a aright; nonisi repen- tedLimofhiswielfedneffe.faying,volat haveI done i?as ifhe had faid,there was nota man,thathad any fo muchas aeonçeicofhis owneerring, theywire alllrongly perfwaded,that their courfes were right &vnbiameable,and thereforeeùeryman turned tohis race,esthe herfe to theband. TheCarrie Prophet defcribing therepen_ tanée of theelate ofIfraelunder thedameofthe TribeofEphraim (with bare the fway in that kingdom)relates itthus,lheardEphraim lamentingtbm,Thon bats àorretled me, and I Was ehaflifedas anstnamed Golfe ;Conner) thou me and¡pal be hier, ;r, A. consorted, for thou art theLordmyGod k. Nowamongotherfignesandcuiden- eesofrepentance,beefaith,Ephreimfmner onhie thigh. as who Ikosid lay, phraim hauing all this while tonne a lubborne courfe in the very depthoffe- euritie, nowbeganneto recallpimfelfe, and tothinke, that queffionlelîehee was outofhisway; the courfe wasdangerous, and it was now high time to re- forme it. It is noted in the Prodigallfonne (theperfeet patterneofatruecon- nect) that when he had tonne a lewd courfe , walefullyconfurt,ing the portion ofgoods which fellunto him , 1uppofing (as many yonkers doe) his locke to haue beenasa liningCpring , whichcould newerbe drawnedrie; at lal hecams I Luker;i0, tohimfelfe (l): the bethinking himfelfeofhis by.paft folly ;was the firft lisp into his recouerie. Mee ;hinges, whenI remit that Parable, Idoe fee the youngPro- digall; like toa manridingfal-ina wrong way , andatlaft, vpona fuddaine, by, the call of fome that teeth hismilaking reining vphis home , and menin- wardly chafing and fretting withhimfelfe for hiscarelefnes ; (hecameto himfelfe bethoughtall well before,but now he perceiued howthings went,&whatwould be the isfue, ifher focontinued. When the Lordwaspleafedtocall Paid, who before (as himfelfe confelfeth) wasaperfecaror, andableNewer, andanop'pref. m n.Trm's' der°', fuddainely there came a voycefrom Ireases laying, Saul,.Saul, whyper- *3. *me;
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