s N A P L A G U E. Book IV. V. What blind \Vretches are they that make a mock at Sin ? See Fools. VI. Let it be alfo matter of Camion to all, to take heed they refl: not fati,fied with. !light Healing, 'rhey have healed the Hurt of the Daughter of my People jligbJf;·, &c. ']er. viii. 11. This may be done many Ways. (1.) Some rdl: fatisfied, and lick themfelves whole with the Thoughts of federal Holir.efs, think tbey are in Covenant with God, through th<; faith of their Parents; thus the Jews, We are Abraham's Seed, we have Abraham to our Father, M111. iii. 9· My Parents were Godly; and fo they might, and yet thou a Child of the Devil, and be damned for all that. (2.) Some fly to their gorlly Education; but that will never heal their Vlounds; it is not what a godly Family thou waft brought up in, and what good Infl:ruction thou haclfl:, but what thou art, and what aChange there is in thee, what Faith and Fear of God is there wrought in thy Soul? (3.) Others apply the Mercy of God, when they begin to feel Confcience to terrify them, and their Wounds appear, but never confider his Juftice: Remember God is gracious and merciful, &c. but will in no wife clear the Guilty, Exod. xxxiv. 6. (4.) Others truft to a partill Reformation of Life, they are other Men to what they were once. Soul, it is not Reformation, or leaving all manner of grofs fcandalous Sins, but a change of Heart and Regeneration thou muft feek after. (5.) Some apply the Promifes ot God to Sinners, before their Wounds were ever lanced, or their Sores laid open, and the Corruption let out : This is but fkinning over the Sore, and to leave it to fefter and rancle inwardly; the proud Flefh mufl: witll fome corroding Plaifl:er be taken down, thou wanreft thorough Humiliation for Sin. (6.) Many fatisfy themfelves, becaufe they are not fuch great Sinners as fome are. Remember, I tell ye, nay, except ye repent, ye Jhall alllikewife perijh, L uke xiii. 3• 5· (7.) Some fly to their Duties, they fin and are wounded, and they think Prayer will make them whole. (8.) Some boa!1: of their Knowledge and Experiences, &c. they can difcomfe and talk well, nay, and will tell you, they are Members of the Church too : And this may be, and yet they die of their Wounds, and go to Hell. 0 take heed you are not Oighrly healed. ff<gejl. 'Well, but it may be you will fay, What jhould we do to be thorotlghly healed? Anfw. 1. There is but one Phyfician can heal theleWounds; none but the Lord Chrifi: only has the healing Medicine; his Blood is the Balfam, which thou muft apply by Faith. And if thou woulde!1: have a perfect Cure, thou muft be pur to pain: He that would be healed, mu!1: fuffer his Wounds to be lanced, and fearched to the Bottom. 2. Take the Phyfician's Counfel, and carefully follow his Directions; come to him prefenrly, whilft it is ro Day, or thou art a dead Man. 3· If it be fo, that he fays, thy Right-hand muft be cut off, bear the Pain; or thy Right-eye muft be pulled out, fubmit to him. Whatfoever is dear to thee, that hin– ders the Cure, thou muft deny thyfdf of. 4· A Purge thou muft take, or thy Wounds cannot be healed; the evil Humors, or the Filth and Corruption that is in thy Heart, mufl: by the Spirit of Grace be purged out. 5· Thou muft become a new Creature: Except a Man be born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God, John iii. 3· S I N A P L · A G U E. What Prayer and Supplication Joever be made by any Man, or by all Jhy People lfrael, which Jhall know every Ma1t the Plague of his o·wn Heart, &c. r Kings viii. 38. And it be i11 the Skin of the Flejh like the Plague of Leprojj, &c. Le·v. xiii. 2-6. By the Plague of the Leprofy, all Expofirors agree, was reprefented the hateful Nature of Sin. Note, Sin may fitly be compared to the Plague, to the Plague of the Leprofy, &c. PARAL-
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