' CHAP. I. uptm the Epifllt of JAM J s. cxdujivt: M~rk!, their intent is to deceive afalfe hope, or to fimt cut bold pretenders, by lhewing them how far they come thort of an inten::ft in Chrift;and ufually they are taken from a neceffary com– mon work,as hearing the Word, praying i~fecre;, lltte~da~te upon_ the Ordinantts ; He that <loth not thefe thmgs, ts cerramW none of Gods: but in cafe he cloth them, he can.1ot conclud( his efiare to begracious. 'Tis the Paralogiftn mentioned in the Text, to reafon from NetTt:£tive 'MatkJ, nnd the common works of Chrio . fiianity: 'Tis true, all go not fo far; therefore Athanajimwi!hed, Vtinam omnes cJfent Hypocrit.e, wo.uld toGod that All were Hypocrites, and could undergo the tryal of thefe exclufive Mark!. All atenot diligent hearers; but however, 'cis not fafe to be hear– ers onc!y. But then there are other Marks, whichareincluftve, which are layd down eo !hew the mettfureJ and degrnr of Grace, and are rather intended for comfort then conviflion ; wh(ch if they are found in us, we ate fah:, and in the fiate of Grace; but if noc_, we cannot conclude a nullity 6f Chace : Thus Faith is often defcri– bed by fuch effects as are proper to the radiancy and eminent degree of it, and promifes are made to fuch or ftlch rai-led operations of other graces : The Ufe of thefe Notes is to comfort, or to con– tz;ir;rc of want ofgrowth. But again, there is a middle fort ofMarks between both thefe, which I call pojitive, and they arefuch:as are always and ontly found in an heart truly·gracious, becaufe they are fuch as netdfarily infer the inh'lbitation of the fpirit_, and are there wh~tre gr.tce is at tbe ldwtil; fuch the ApoHle calleth,-rd. sxb~a. 7;:;~. crr-.>7~ilrM, Hr: b. 6. 9· Thing~ t hitt .accompa~y SalwaioJJ, or which neceliarily have SalvatiotJ in them, the fme fymptomes of a bleif– ed efiate: He had fpoken befor€ of a C01Utl1on work, enlightening, . ~tndjligM taftuandfeelings, Verf. 4, 5, 6. Bttt, faith he, "U?e are prrjw,jdedbetter things ef you, and chat you have thofe necelfary 1:\lidences to which Salvation is'infallibly~nne-xed :Now thefe moll be by gt eat care collected om of the WGrcl, thllt we may be fure thef0undation and principle is right. 'Secondly, That Confcience as a wimefs may not fail you, take thefe Rules: J. Obferve the natural andjirfl rep<Jrt _of .it, ere An harh pail: upon it :Sudden and indehbetate checl<s:Qt the Word, or-in Prayer, being the iriJmediate 6int?t of Confcieoce, hllv~ th~ lefs df d<tceit in thetn. I have obfervtd, That the·'decei tfulnefs that is.in awicked ·mans heart is no t fomucb .in the teftifilGny it Bb 3 felf
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