oftrue conuerfaon.. zGrf heart God bathtouched, hisheartis open totreafure vppe the words ofgr"ace, and to lay holdeeuenvpon thefeafl inkling offaluation, So that faire tolofe theblefiing, begetteth a care to hide the Melling. The next thing that loth moouethe childrenofGod tohide intheirhearts the doétrine offatuation of- fered vnto them in thepreaching of the Gofpell, h, an intent and purpofe which they haue, feriouflytofcanneand thoroughly to examineit; cue': as a man (accordingas I faidbefore) that bath founda treafure, keepeth it dole, till hce beelurethat it is as goodas hee tooke it to be: There is nothing fo fe. cure and prefutning ,as ignoranceándblìndnelfe: andnone feeme to bee freer from alldoutbilthat theyare in thewayto life, then they whicharenot as.yet entred, nonot thevery firs ftepvoto it: on the other fide there bee none fo jealousouerthemfelues, none that calffomanyperils, none that are foinquifi. tine, andfo diligent to featchout touching mattersof Religion, and themeans `offaluarion, as tholewho are now as it were in the firlidegree ofcouuerfion. They thinkewith themfeluns, theydoe indeed heare ofa way and meanes to cometoheauen,which ifit be the right way, isvery worthythe entertaining j thereforeas they will notrafhly embrace it, till theyknow moveof it, fo will they neither vttcrly difclaimeit, bot will ¡ay itsp in their hearts; (meaning by prayerand hearing, and obieruing the Scripture, and by thevfe ofall good meanes, to labour to know whether it be the very thing which it is faid tobee) thegareafgrace, and theway to happineffe. This is a thing whereof wehauen memorable exampleinthofeofRereas;theyfoundatreafxre inPeals preaching, Ag,t7: ye: becaufe theyknewwel theymight be mifled,therfore they laid it vpin their hearts, andbrought it to thetonchfione, tofee whether it would holdethere. TheyfearchedtheScripture (faith the Text)whhethher thole' things 'merefab: they did I Verfe.tr; neitherreieftthe doftrine under a pretence that the Apollles were but men, and might dcceiuethem, neitheryet did they hand oiler headwithout enquirie entertaine it ; but they heard it with reuerence, and then examined it. Itis the thing whichtheApotfle exhortseueryman vntò,P roueyaurfelues(faithhe)mbe- theyeeore in thefaith c. Try againeand againe howit farethwit u; it is an u ;Cot,í,>s eafiething tobe deceiued, and in filch acafe as this is, whi dies, your foules, ii isa dangerous thing to be naiflaken. Thisis thefeci, e ufeofhiding and (loringthis rreafure, the meanesoffaluation, the knowledge and under-, handing ofit inthe heart, euen that by that meanes le maybe tryedand esami ned,that foa man mayfay withputrid; OLord, thy Word is proud-mafpure, wndthyferuantleuethitd: I haue tryed the worth ofit, and Icannótcboofebat tlPl.irgisga imbrace it. Thus much forthis hidi:g(which I maycall the fieli degreeina fin- :nersconuerfion) the meaning, andcaufes of it. Let vs make vfeof ittoour felues. The vfeofit is, to teachvswhat weemuttfirfldoe, uwedefineto beefaned, The wee mull endeauour tolodge wen in the WI and fafell clofet ofour hearts,- the true knowledge, and right vnderlianding oftheiteanes ofeternall life, with which theLordhathbeene; anddaily is pleafed tomakevs acquaintedby his Word. If wee fuller our thoughts to bee fraughted andfluffed with other idle matters (incomparifon) asofworldly profit, of vainepleafures, fo that Acre is no roomefor theWord oftruth toharbour; ifwe let ignorance,blind. netfe, vnchatitablenelie,obiinacy,frowardnes,fotokeepe asit were thedoom ofourhearts,that the thingswhich belong to theKingdome ofGodcan haue noentry, wee{hall but deceiueourfelues in hoping to befaued. As Iprooued that there, is no happinelle in the world tocome, except itbe bcgunnein this sa world;foitis certainertruehappincffecannotbe begunin this world, without the right vnderflandingofthedoftrineoffaluation. grounded vpon Chrill Ie- fus' except this pearlebeltotes}*carnfully, and hidden inour hearts,weecan As reithet
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