290 VuU.13· AnExpr;fition,witbNotes CHA!~. on their great gifts, employm€'nt in the Minifiry; urge every petty thing as an engagement upon God. 2.. Wh~n they take more li· berty to fin, hoping to make amends by their duties, ConviCl:ion would not let them profecute their fins fo freely, if they did not make f-air promifes of reformation: 'Tis ufual with men to carry. . on a fin the more fecurely, cmt ofa prefumprion ~fa former or afte-r dnty. Sir Edwin Sands obferveth, that the lt~tNilns are embolden– ed to fin, that they may havefomewhat to confefs: And Solomon fpeaketh ofSacrifice With an evil mind, Prov.2I. 2.7. And Nu'IP..b. 21. Balaam built feven Altars; and offered/even Rams,&c. out · of a vain hope to iJ?gratiate God, that he might curfe the people :' And the Prophet fpeaketh of crnnmitting iniquity out ofa truft in righteoufnefs, Ezek•H•I3· · 3. You may colletl: much from the unfuitablenefs of your hearts to the {bee of grace: As, r. Ifyou liveunder the raign ofany fin, when 'cis confiant and allowed, .that rule h(!)ldeth good, Jam.z. ro: He that isguilty afone,isguilty·bfail:':f.hen'theDevil bath an·ime– refi in yoo, not Clfri/l ; habituate(!{ diCpofitions~ good or bad,lhew whois your Father~'Tis notable that·of Rom;6. I 4.Sin foal not·have domi;Jion over you; for you are not uwder the Law 1 'but under G;·ace : An intereft in grace cannot confi£1: with a lznown fi'~'~· 2. If7ou ahu(egri:ice; for then you make grace an enemy, and then 1uflice will tak.§·up the quarrel of abujcd.Mercy. Ufually men pleafe themfelves in this,iftheybe right in dottrine;but1do'noNake notice of that -taint that is infenfibly conveyed into their man"ners. Oh confider, when out Of~ pretenceofGofpel you growneglect– ful ofduty, lefs circumrjefl and wary in)9Ur ways, tn(Jrefc{ure, jJ:ightin.g the thteatenings oftheWord. You offend Grace-fo much, chat it ·mrneth you over to Jufl:ice: There ·are fA>ntin{)mifbs in life, as well as dotlrive. .Good Chrifl:ians· are angt:y'that other-s make thatGn occajion to ·lptjl, which is to themfdws a·gro:una ofhope: They turn the Grace Pjour God, &c. Jude 4· Therefore that man that maketh it fuel for fin, h:nh ainaksd appr~benjion of it, not a Jure ilttereft. Obfervt~t. z. · 2. v·nm~r-ci~l ·mcn find no •merc'J• Y: 'Tis a fin moft•unfuita:. . ble ro .grace ~ ikmdnefs maket-h us :ptty mtfel'y : 7!lhof/J Waft a'for:fl.n– gcr,ln kind tojlr.angerJ. ·He that" ':Vas forgiven,_:and·piN.c/zed ·hit fellow fervrmt ·by t;he ·ehrodt, had his pardon ranved, Matth. 118. yYt'•pray~Fcrgiv~ ~ ~~~~,prejpaj{es$P.4 .w~ forgi1/e..tbcmPhat trtfP.14(1. flgarn;~.,
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