;14 The trial)ofadoption. uTohr,ra, ration, and foChriltonelyis thechildeofGod ..2.By adoption; andfo are the Ele6Godschil dros, itbeingthegoodpleafureo fGod,toadmitthemintohisfa- .. ° Rom,3.17. mily,and tomakethem ;wiresannexedwithChrif!*.As the godly are not thefops' ofGodby generation, foneitherare thewicked thechildrenofthe Diuell,by any z Iohs,44 filch reali defcent or propagation, but they are chiidrenby imitation., because they are (as it were) tranfformedinto his image, and areliketo hilts, anddoe hie Ixßt. Thus youle briefly themeaningandtrathofthefir( point. 7be Vfe. Wee (houldapplythis doetrine, as theDifciplesdidafpeech ofChrHtsî,Ve- yMst.a6.tfs rilylfa, toyou,(faith he) that one era'ball betrayrue. Hereupon theybegan wry as. esetofayvntn him,isaI? The likecare is tobeprel%dvponvsinregardofthis point, when weheart thatall arenot thechildrenof God, but Come the childrenof :beDixell,wee lhould thereupon become inquifitiue touchingour owne e(tate, thatwemay notonlyhauea generaliconceit, but forcegood groundandfirme airurance, that we atein thenumber ofGods children. In the timeofa generali rebellion again(#a Prince, when as, after theconfpirators aredefeated, and their power fuppretled, it is knowne, that it isdetermined thatLomeofthecompany (halt be put to death,andothers receiuedto mercy; Burrymanwill long toknow what isdecreedtouching him, fleewill neuer be merry athísheart till treeknow whether hisnain a beevpon the bill ofthofe that Ihallbee pardoned: And ifany man be fo dül'olnte as not to care to knowthis,but flail fay perhaps, Let itgoe which war it will, ifI fbelbepardoned,IJhalbepardoned, ìfnot,wbat remedy? Iwilnowt trouble,felfeaboutittillitcomes: furelycuery man will aecounthim exceeding defperate,& fay it weregreatpity ifhe Ihould hauemercy. So is it ìe. this cafe:we xRsm:g.to: areall rebels again£} God,and enemies tohim n, the cuiateofonc manby naturels nobetter thenanothers: well itbath pleafed God, out of this rebellious troupe to cull out fóme,vpon whom to thewmercy in Chrift Iefus. How now is itpof- fible that we knowingour ownedefetycan frame ourfeluestoanyioy,vntillwe vnderftandwhat (hall become ofour foules i what thing can givevs any true contentment, fo long as in the maine point wearevncertaine? Ifanyman beof that profanehumorto fay, ifL amone ofggods eletI, then11hallbefaxed, iflamnet Ieannot bdpe i , &e. it is afearful) figne, itis a tokenofa reprobate fenfe,andof aheart given oilerto vngodlinelfe.lpray therefore,lee vslearnt thisfirftout of this text: thatPeeing thereare in theworld two companies, the childrenof god, .vsd thechildren oftheDiuel, we would euen be lesions ofour rebuts, andlabour to know to ourcomfort,that wearé inthe number ofthepeopleofGod. ' Andto remooueall doubts herein, as that it isa matter impofible,&c. let vs prepare to confider that whichfolloweth. DsArMex, The fecondpoint is,thatthere is anexprefTedifirence betwixt thefe two,by which theymaybeknowne. Sofaith mytext, lnthisare thechildrenofgodknowne, and thechildren oftherDinell. This knowing the childrenofGod, and the children oftheDiuell, each fromother, is meantefpecially,in refpeet ofa martsownpri- vate andperfonallknowledge, whichconcernes his owneparticular : Porother- wife no man is able tofayprecifely and determinately,touchinganother,that he is the ehildeofthe Dinell,or that heelsthe childeofGod. Weeare bound by the rCor.e .7, Iawe of charity, to hope thebelt ofall. ; though withallthus ferre a man may lawfullyproceede, as to fay, that fuch, or fach a man, is in the Raze of condemnation. As for example: If I fee a man to beea common drunkard, an ordinaryfweater, a(cornet ofGodswoed, a knowne adulterer, a grofly ig.. norant perfon : it is no breachof charity to fayofhim, that heeis as yet in the flare of perdition,and the very childof de[lrultion. It is atrue rule giuen 6Luh.6.42: by our Saucour, It íe not egoodtree which bringethforth millfrxith : If then I behold aman to bring forth dluellifh fruits, I maybe bolde to fay, that &- thanworketh inhim, althoughtouching his future effete, I maynot takevpon me todetermine, TofollowCistitisGmilitude : IfItattethe &witofameteor' ¡lade
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