Hieron - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.H54 S4 1624

TheSpiritual"Sonnefhip. or improued according to the meafureofgoodneffewhich is inthem :wherein notwithfiandiog,GodrerpeEts notany thing whichis properly tùans,buton- ly that vvlich isofhisownebdfowing.Butifwefpeakeofperfonstobeadop- t three is no caufe ofGodsloue to one,ro adopthim.rthcr rhenaisother,but euely it felfrin the party there was nouaturalldt poitionto delire it,nopow- erorability to deferue it.And indeedthisone thing,that thekingdomeof hea. urn is (as it is called by Paul) a rewardofmberitance , breaketh the'neckeofall gCo1,3,a4. merit inallableneffe in man (asof him(elfe) toaduancc his owne happinelfe, becanfe ineuery mans vuderfidding,thereis nothing more free then a matter ofinheritance. Ifheauen werethe hier offeruants, orthe bootyof purchafers; it were fomethingto thepurpofe ; but being the rewardof tonnes , andthat which we receiveonely,as heires,there is nocolour ofdefert.He thatbath itci. ther in poffeflion,or in affured andwell groundedexpeetation,muff fayas la- cob didofhis wealth;God kalehodmercyeome, edtbereforeitis mine h. born. 3345 The fecoud aduerfary which is vnableto (land before the faceofthis doc- trine,is the prideofmans heart. I -may fay truly toyou,that heknoweth no- thing touching himfelfe as heought, whoknoweth not this , that thedebafe- ment ofhim(elfe,ishuen as agall andwormwood to anatural nian.Long was it ere lobwasbrought to thisdeieftedneffeoffpirit ,toadhorrebimfelfei: And ilob,µ.6 doubtleffe,`Dawdhadattained toa great meafure ofgrace, when he laid; !saill beyetmoreaik in'nine°onefight=.WMich ofvs all isable to fpeake foofhimfelf, k aSams.a;, without forceIrcretcheck, hatliefpeakesnotasheihinkes ?Topaffeouerthe matter with a certaine flight &fuperficiall acknowledgement, that weare all finners,&hauede feruedthe wrathofGod,isnothing. Many a churlifh NAM, manya proud Pharifeeconfeffeth fo much;but toconfeffe fincerely, and from thehearr,thatwhatfoeuer f am in the world,honorable,uoble,gentle,wealthy, learned,welIreported of; yet I am in mineownenature, thechildof Sachan, . theheire ofhell,the Ioniseofperdition,an alientfromGod, an enemy tohim, a haterolhim, one vnabie ,- fo much as bya motion of nsy mind, toaduance mine ownetrue ft good : this is a hardmatter, they be butas the fnmmergrthe- ringt,winch arecome fo farin gosdlineffe. Now this do&rine is ofgreat vfe to K anaka. the amatingofthishumor, which lathe very height ofpride ,&may beaswell inthemaid, arthemill,asinhimthatfittetho, ithetbrone ^.Forfceing(asbathbinsEeod.n.f, proued) the wholebody ofour faluátiondepends vpon theCole &'onely grace ofGod,there being nothinginvs,which might incline Mtn towardsvs(vnlef e it wereperpetually and finallytotae& vs)what haue wewherein to reioyce? what is thereleft vistovs,wherofto boonour felues?Nay, what caufe hauewe not rathereven toblulh,and to beafhamed ofoùr (clues, inwhom therein nod thing but matter ofGods deepen indignation , and even tòfps, vs on:of hie mob^ ?.Oh,that outhearts might melt within vs at the confideration hereof, nRea. 3,56, andthat we might at lati effe&ually perceiue &feelethat(which few imagine) euenthein,omprehenfiblemeafure ofourowne vnworthines.Theignorance, or flight conceiving hereof,is thecaufe ofall the profane contempt which is at this day call vpon good things: andvntillour heartsbe bruited& broken,and essenplowedvp, and pierced throughwith the feeling, yea,the more thenor. dinary feeding of thewofullwretchedneffe ofour naturali eflate;we may(per. t,áps)make tome idle andverbal" difcourfes ofthe mylteryof Chrifl,and ofthe dodtr i ne of,,?doprt.s,but that we fhouldfind any true fweetnelfe therin,it is vtr ctrl; in'pcfiible.No maneakethehae comfort inthe beginning of henlrh,ashe whichhash been moil fenfìble ofTomewallingand tormenting fickneffe. He 'iliiarhbath yet frelhiy in hismemory, and euen inhis very feeling, themile- e the damnable and hellilltmifery ofanvnregenerate⪭ oh, at what u rase doth firth an ons valise the loue of the Father, by wich bee is called to bee ale Sonne ofgod I Would wee then truly cbnceine the largeneffe Sik 3 of

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