The triadofeldoptkn. 34 findeit fowre andvnpleafant. I may tritely fayfor the prefent, that the tree ïá naught, butwhat it may beehereafter, I know not, becaufe the owner thereof (perhaps)mayhusband it, andby graftingalterand change and better thena- wreof it. So, though for the timeI may fayofComeman,Heis now a barren and vniruitfdl tree, becaufe I behold inhimnothingbut the vnfruirfnll worksofdark nefec, yet1 can lay nothing abfolutelyfor the time to come, becaufe it may be, e&phpa,; the Lordmay engraffe bun into themylicall bodyofQuilt Iefas. Again, if I beholda man matchingdowne a hill, at thefoot whereof, thereis an emcee- uerable downefall, I may freely fay, that his courfe isdangerous:but that he(hall fall into thegolfe, I cannot lay, becaufefor ought I know, heemay be recalled. After the famemanner, if I lookevpon aman, and fee him iourneying in the broadway that kgdeth todeftrulliond, I may bee bold to tell him, that hiscafe is fearfull : but to fay, that bee(hall be damned, is more then I haue warrant for, d "a'y't3" becaufe (forany thing I know tothe contrary) the Lord maypicare to reclaimé hum. TheApoilles faw more in wens effacethenwe can, yet wereade that Peter whenhehadto doe withSimontheforcerer, andhadPaid of him, that hewas in the bondefirigteicy, andyet did not cut him cl F neoff, but munfelled him by prayerandrepentanceto labourforforgiuenes .SothenthisisthethingthatI fVerreas: aime at TheApofitefpeaking hereofknowingthechildren ofGodfrom thechi!- drenefthe Dioell, fpeeketh not fodirethlyofthe knowledge whichone manmay haue ofanothers efface, as ofthat whicheuety man may attaine vnto forhis own particular: and hischicle intentin this chapter,is to teach ihofe which flareGod how they maybee allured of their owne adoption; And therefore this is the plaine doffrine of the placedrawne out ofthis fecondpoint, that it is poSible for a Chrrlfiao man toknow touching himfelfe,whetherhe be thechlidof God, yea or no. Confider the wordsofmy text, Heereby(faith theApoflle) the chit- drenofgodare lnomne,hereby are they made manifelf, this is thefgneand badge bywhich they aredifcerned. This kindeof fpeech were to no turpofe, ifthe attamementofthisknowledgewere vnpoffible. And to myfeemmg, the Scrip. tare is as plainein this point,as inany whatfoeuer. Gine diligence(faith S. Peter) esmakeyew calling and elellionfierce'. What isthistomake ourcaliwgandeleïlien g Pet.r to fare? Tomake itfede to orwith God, is needlelfe, for thefoundation of God re. mainethf are, andbath thisfeale, The Lordknoweth whoarehish: fothat with him haT.im,a:ro the (fateof tholewhichbelong tothe elefhionofgrace, is fare enoughalready therfore the Apathiesmeaning is, that wee fhouldmake it lure to ourownevn-. derlfanding, that from knowledgethat ourcalling iseffeftuall, ayarifetot the alfuraaceofeleltion. Nowwhereforeis this aduic ,iftheattainementof the thingcommended to our care bee impoflible? Rejoice (faith our Saviour) that yournamesare writtenin heateen'. i ÿk,zo,u0 How can aman reioyceinamatterofvntertainety f Imagination and fancy may breed acertaiac(lathing by, but there ja no perpetuity, nofetledneffof reioycing, where there is doubt ofhauing that which is madethematter of the toy. In thisChapter k, lobo fpeakesveryconfidently: Now arewee theJamie; of lsVerès.&n4 God, andereknow that wee are tranfiatedfromdeath ro!sfe. Thefeare nofpeeches ofconieffure, 'theyare phrafesofrefolution: and in them laha ioynethothers with himfelfe, and deliuereth theftmarker as common direftions for all be' teetaers. Thewordsof theCreede, l beleene,-&c. if they have nothing in them butan alfentto theDoflrineandgenerall truth oftheArticles, wherein is the faiihofaChritflan, moreexcellent then the faith ofands? for -euen they allo doebeleeuethegeneralities t. ifwe confider the properties of failing, faith, de- flare.a.tpî fcribed in theScriptures, it muff needs follow,tl at faithcloth apprehend amans owgeperfonall inrereff intoChrifl. Itis Paid tobe our n,idlory', andtoquench mt Io4t.r.g% allehefieryci to f the wickedn. Who fobath experience ofSatansbickerings,nEphd.tb< knoweth that hetwill not, nor beput to(light with maetefuppofais. Fe 4 Agathe
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