CHAP·.3. upon the Epijfle of JAM B s. Ooe was lea:ving his fa~thers-boufe, Gen. u. t. ' wher~in he ~enyed bimfelf in his po(effi~ns: The other was the facnficmg of h1s fon, . Gen. 22. I. wherein he denyed himfelf in ·his hopes. 0 look_ to the Rock..from Whence you were hewn, the hole of. the pit out of Which you were tUgged, to A'br~hamyour father, lf:u 5 I. I, 2. Do you receive mercies fo humbly ? improve them fo _thankfully ? Who would not fiick at thofe Commands, wherewlth Abrahamwas exercifed and tryed ? God calleth every Beleever more or lefs tq deny fomething ·that is near and dear to him. . z. 13eleevers muft fee that they honour. and juftijie their faith Obferv. z. by Work!. Never content your fdves with an empty profeffion; · Profeffion·theweth to what parry we add1tl our fdves, but holinefs iliewech we addict our felves ro God~ Difagreeing parties may accord in the fame guile and practifes; What d? you more ? Mat• 5. 47· Chrifiianity may be profdfed ,out of Faction, by themthac have a Pag~nheart, under a Chriflian name: All natural men, how ever they differ in intereft, agree in OJ}e commrm Rebellion againfi God. Bm the chief thing which I would urge, is to prefs them·that profefs themfdvts to be jufl:ifi~a ~y grace, to make good their interefl: in grace, to look to the evidence of \\ 7 or/zs : Libertines prefs men abfolutely eo bdeeve that they are jufiified from all eternity; and to lull them afleep inacompleac fecuriry, make it a fin to doubt of, or quefiion their faith, whether it be · right or no. -!< Salrmf!.rfh faith, That We are no more tfJ queftion faith then ta ~< Saltmarfh in , queftitm th~ promife, and that Chrift and his Apoftles did not prefs hisFree-Grace, men tfJ tU/z the queftion, whether they did believe or no, ,rznd thPlt cap.s .pag.6:., Chrifts commands to believe arc not to be difjuted,but obeyed,&c. 6 L 64 · Vain-allegations! There is a difference between quefiioning the Command, and quefiioning our obedience; thoughwear~not todiffUte againfi the Duty, yet we are to examine whether we.perform lt : The Apofile fpeaketh diretlly to this purpofe; Examinepur {elves, whetheryou be in thef:;ith, 2 Cor. 13·5'. There is no other way to undeceive the Soul, and ro difcover falfe con~eptions from true graces. How (ad was it for th~ foolifb Virgins that never doub_ced of their faith, till it was'too late? Tis the Vulgar mifiake, to thmk that the excellency of faith lieth in thefecurity andftringth ofpcrfwajion ; and that who ever can make full account that Cl:irift dyed _for him,or that he iliall go to Heaven, doth beleeve: whereas the dttf~rence between faith and prefumption doch not .lie in the Sf fecurit]·,
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