Hopkins - HP BR75 .H65 1710

True Happinefs. W.h:t s~- C~m~ands . And this, indeed, is a tru: Saving, Juftifying Faith; for Savin :'mo Flf,tb Fatth ts a firm Alfent unto the Truths ot God revealed in che Holy Scripture~ u. working in us proportionable Affeaions and Adions. }le who fo believes zh: Glory of Heavm,as eo haTe his Endeavours thereby quickned eo ufc his urmoft Diligence for the obtaining of it : He who fo believes the lvrmt1 tr if H:U as rhereb to be terrified !rom doing any_ chinp: char might cxpofe him to 10 grea~ and fcJrf!t a Condemn~tton: ~e who fo ~eheves th~..r::.uribm;J~(God, a~cher:by eo be excited to fear htm for lm Greatnefs,r~ love htm for lusGoodnefs, eo unitate him in hisBounry,Puricy,andHolinefS; l-Ie who fO believes theA/1-jllj}icimq iv.t:1·iu ·nJ Mediatmy Office of Jefiu Cbrift, as thereby to be engaged with all his Sour eo· love him, to rruit in him, eo rely upon him alone for ~ah•acion, <tnd to yield to him all fincere Obedicnce,as the I.aw requires j filch an oot:'s faith is Saving and Juftifying. So that you fee there is no fuch Dikord between Faith and Works as Gat. ~- 6. fome would imagine; for rhac Faith that faves us, mujf ?vork by LO'Ue; and ch~fe Rom: 16 • Works which c2pacitate us for Salvation, mu!t be the <;>bulienc,: of l"aith, as it is :6. called, Rom. r6. 26. · uje, Now, whatisrheEndofallrhis, burroprefs you to true pratlicalHolinefs and a firiCt Obedience to the Commandments of God ? If I Jhould go from on~ Perfon to another, aad ask you one by one, Do you hope eo be faved ? Where is the Man that would not teftifie the Confidence of his Hopes, by his Difdain at the .ff!.!!efticn? Yea, but remember that Salvarion is a litigious Chlim, and you have a powerful Adverfary chat puts in a firong Plea againit _you, even the J u~ fiice of God, and his Eternal Wra_th and Venge~nce; whofe Ticlc eo us, were it but better weighed and confidered, would wolul,ly fl~gger the Hopes of moll Men, and make their Faces gather Blacknefs, ana fmae chetr Hearts with Amazement, and their Knees with Trembling. In a Matter of fuch infinite Importance, it hi~hly concerns us to examinc.our Right and. Title, an_d eo perufe and try our E'T.ndences, left at the Day_ of Trtal we be caft m our Su1t, <Uld pay dreadful Damages unto the Jufiice of God. Only thofC who do God's Comma.ndments have this ~ight to the Tree of Life. Heb. ~.19.Chrift hathinde:ed purchafed Salvauon for all, but he 11 !he Author of Snlvaticn Heb. :t'. 14.onQo to tbofc who cbcy him, as the Author to the !febrew! fpeaks: And, I:Vithout Holimfs no Man pudl Wfr fee the Lord. The Inhemance IS mdeed purchafed, but where are your-Evidences of your Heirjhip? ?irs, fl~tr~r noc your felves.with any vain Conceits of the Mercy of the Gofpel, m preJUdice to the Authoncy of rhc Law: The Commandments are the Statute-Law of God's Kingd01i1, che Gofpel is his Court of Chancery; bur neither Juftice nor Equity will relieve thofe who have not done their unnoil eo obfervehisStarute-Law; andthercforerhofewho indulge themfetves in their Sloth, a.nd wil~ul Neglec~, bot~ of what they ought, and might have done, do but decetve the_1r Soul~ With vam Hopes; tb~y have no Right to the Eternal Inheritt~nce,. but the~r Porcton muft fo: ever be wtth Dogs and Swine wichout the Ho!; CitJ, m to wh1ch no unclean dung fhall ever enter. And if ar:y think this Legal Preaching, lee mine ever be fo. THE

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