f Ver. 3 t. the 8th Chapter to. the R OM A N S. 31;e Do &. When ws hear divine truths, 'tis good to put gneflions to our own hearts about things. There are three ways by which a truth is received and improved : By fund belief, fe- rious canfideration,and dole application 5 found belief, a Thee 2. 13. For this cafe elfo we thank God, without ceafing, becaufe when yereceived the word of God, which ye beard of ws, ye received it not as the word of men, (but as it is in truth) the word of God, which cf. felluallyworketh alfo in you that believe. Serious confideration, Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts unto all thewords I teflifreamong you this day, Luke 9. 44. Let thefe fayings fink down into your ears. Clore application, Job 5. 27. Lo this it is, we have fearched it our, know thou it for thy good. Now thefe three as of the foul have each of them a di(tinh and proper ground 5 found belief worketh Upon the clearnefi and certainty of the things afferted ; ferious confideration on the greatnefs and importance of theta ; clofe ap- plication on their pertinency and fuitablenefs to us; fee all in one place, 1 Tim. 1. 15% . This ii a fait hfsd faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that kiss Chril came into tle w.?rld to favefinners, of whom ¡am chief. Theft are all necefftry to make any truth operative; we are not affehted with what we believe not; therefore to awaken diligence, the truth of things is pleaded, 2 Pet. t. 5,10,-16., And befides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, vertue, and to vertue knowledg, &e. wherefore the rather brethren, give all diligence te' make your calling and elellion fare, &c. for if ye do theft things, ye ¡hall never fall; for we have not followed cunningly deviled fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Nits Chrifl. So 'for Conlideration, Heb. 3. r. Wherefore holy bre thren,partakers of the heavenly calling, confider the Apofile, and high priefí of our profeffion, yefus Chilli. The weightieft things lye by, and are as if they were not ; fleepy reafon is as none, and the molt important truths work not till confideration make them lively 5. fo for application, what'concerneth us not, is palled over; unlefs we hear things with a care to apply them, wé (ball never make ufe of them Eph. 1. 13. After ye beard the word of truth, the gofpelof your falvation. 'Tis not enough to know the Gofpel to be a DoCtrine of Salvation to others ; but we Inuit look upon it, as a Doctrine that bring - eth falvation to our own doors, and leaveth it upon our choice 5 a plainer doth not heal at a di(tánce, till it be applied to the fore ; truths are too remote till we let the edg and point of them to our own hearts. Now this Queftion in the Text relateth to all Three. t. It challengetb our faith: What(ball we fay to theft things ? Do we believe them, and affent to them as certain verities ? The Apofiledoth in effei demand what we can reply or fay to there things ? The unbelieving, dark and doubtful heart of man hath many things to fay againft divine truths; let God fay what he will, the heart is ready to gain - fay it ;yet'tis good to preis our felvesthoroughly with the light and evidence of truths, to compel the heart to bring forth its objetions and fcruples ; if any mind to contradi&, have we any folid arguments tooppofe ? truth wanteth its efficacy, when 'cis received with an half convi&ion ; and doubts fmothered, breed Atheifm, irreligion; and grofs ne- gligence ; certainly the weighty truths of Chrillianity are fo clear, that the heart of man bath little or nothing to fay againft them 5 therefore follow'it to a full conviltion 5 doth any fcruple yet remain in our minds ? 'tis good thoroughlÿ to lift things, that they may 'appearin their proper loftre and evidence, John 11. 26. Believe¡¡ thou this? Pore your hearts. 2. This quefltan doth excite confideration or meditation: We ihould not pal's by com- fortable and important truths with a few glancing and running thoughts ; 'tis one part of the work of grace to hold our hearts upon them, Ads t 6. 14. Whofe heart the Lord opened, that the attended to the things that were fpoken. Otherwife, in feting we fee not, and in hearing we hear nor, when we fee and hear things in a crowd of other thoughts ; as when you tell a man of a bufinefs, whore mind is taken up about other things; no, your minds mutt dwell upon there things,till you are affected with them ;a full Curve), of the óbje& iheweth cis the worth of it What _hall w e fay to thefe things ? That is, what can be laid more for our comfort and fatisfa &ion? Or what do we delire more ? Flow thould we be fatisfied with this felicity and love of the Ever-blefled God to his peo- ple! 3. It awakeneth application to our flves; that we may make ufe ofthefe things for our own good : Application is twofold, direhl or reflexive; and the queflion may be explain- ed with refpeít to both. A. Di
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