Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

The Ghrilliàns Iouria, firfi openeth theirhearts,and maketh themto petceiuc that they are in acourfe, the iffue whereof iseternal! death ; with this their hearts are (mitten and appal- led, and they are euen woe with thetnfeluestoconfider it. Marko then this :-Art thou onethat neuer yet law theerrour and mifery of thine owne naturall eflate, that netterhadfl yet anycompun&ion of heart toconfider thine owne wande- ring,that was never grieued to thinkevponrhy life pall, tofee how thou haft all this whilehitherto beetle miftaken ? Mt thou one that hat}alwaies pleated thy felfein thine owne cormes, frarcelyCo much as calling it intoqueffion, whether thou walkefl as thououghteft to doe yeaor no ? Surely thy cafe is fearefull and damnable; and I may fürelyfay vntothee, that if thouholdeffon fo, thou theft metier belaved. Let vs in the feareof God :coke veto it it isamatter that con_ rentes the greateftpart ; we blelfeour {glues in our ownehearts, weebane hued hitherto after ourowne Mfrs, worfhippingGod, when, and inwhat manner our retriespleated, caking toour Celtics theliberty ofgrotre flanes, hatred, envy, co- uetoufnes,opprefsion,drunkennes,and the like ; andwee benot yet perfwaded, norcanbe, that the way we go,and the courir we hold,isotherwife then it ought tobe. There is not the vilest wretch, behis fafhionof life neuer fovile,but he will fay,he hopes heis right, nay hewill be veryconfident in it, thathe is fo, and yet neuer in his life had any trueremorfe, nor neuer kneworperceiued, what it was to wander froto thewaicsand pathsofhahpinr llk. Dceiuewe not ourIelues,ei- tirerwe mull begin here atthe fight ofour olderrors, or elfewee canneuer tread the path that leadeth vntolife. Dentine a. The next thing which by the ruleofmy text mull be in eueryone thatwould be faced, is,care ro feekeout the trueway, andthat path,whichleadeth and brin- geththegoers in it vetolife. This is plainalto (as tome fecmeth)by thisScrip- ture; for as the light ofa mensancient wandering, mull goebefore his entrance into anew courte ; fo ofnecefsity when heperceitieth his errours, the right way mull$e fought out, and certainely vndcrflood, before hee canrnter thereinto: fo that he whichbids me enterinto the gate oflife, bidsmewìthall toreekwhere that gate is,for other wife my defrre of entrance is in vaine. Ifa mallerdoe will hisfn cant togoe to inch a hoofe, it isprefuppofed that either'heecloth know the way to it, ocelle stuhl wake enquiry for it. And thiscare to enquireout thetrue way inthis particular, is theplain do&rine ofthe Scripture; Standin the wages, andbeholds andstatefor the sidewo hhick frthe Aned way, andwelüe thrrein, andyee blet. e,ué. fho/l fnde rei&foryearJenks': there is aplaine charge, and auexpreflecomman- dement, in the multitude and variety oflùppofed wayesvntofaluaeion, to make ci Thef, 5,24 diligent enquiry which isthegood waydianti m theWay andaxle, Try allehingre, faith the Apoflle, it is a rule giuen principally touching doéirrne and precepts dire/ing to eternal! life t Paul willeth them toexamine and ponder them all,and neuer leauetrying till they hauebonited out the truths, as themenof Bereadid, d A1Lx7.u, that heard Pini, _theeyfearched the Scripture day", Whether tirafe thing were 04. Tohalt betwixt twoopinions, and to bee in fulpence, not knowingwhich way fpecially to incline, and tobee in Religion as idle Beggars arein their way, rea- dieto go whichwayfoeuer the flaffe falleth, how hatefull athing it is inthe fight ofGod, weemayconceiue by the lharpe reproofe vied by Eliasvitro the wane: euKinaß,zt ring people, Ho* long willyee haltbetWeene tan; npinion's? Whenthere werediff_e_ tenets ofopinions in the world touching Chrift,Conte taking him for loin Bap- ti Come for Eliáe,-Come for lereìniac, Come foe one ofthe Prophets ; our Sa- uiourcalled his Difciples together, and would nettles know their judgement, CMa,t6,,s, Bewhomfay yee that I amt ? thrillwould teach thereby, thatWhen there are varieties ofopinions in matterof Religion; Come fay this isthe way, and tome fay that, menshould not (asthe manner is) rakeoccalonthereby to {landdoubt- full, and adhere tonothing certaiùe}y, but fltonld enquirewith the greater care, that they may be certainely and roundly refoleiedif the truth. There is noman profeffeth

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