Ver. 17. the i7th Chapter bf St. J O H N. Z43 happy Mistake, a thing at peradventure, and they are Chriflians upon no other grounds than others are Turks. God loveth a rational Worship; he would have us to render Iioyiv, a'eafon of the Faith that is in ai. But they are Chtiftians by Chance, rather than Choice and folid Reafon ; it is becaufe they know no other Religion, not because they know no better. Well then, that you may be able to justify your Religion (For Wisdom is juftified of her Children, Mat. sr. 19.) that you may take up the Ways of God upon a rational Choice, it is good to fee what Grounds and Confirmations we have for that holy Faith we do profess. 4. That we may know the diflin& Excellency of our Profeftfon, above all other Profe(frons in the World. The Daughters of 3erufalern are brought in asking the Spoufe, Cant.4.9. That is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, 0 thou fairefi among Women ? What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved, that thou deft fo charge us ? What can you fay for your Chrift, and for your way of Salvation, and for your Scrip - tures,above what other Men can fay for their Worthip, or their Superflition. A Chri ftianthould know the diflin& and fpecial Excellency of his Profeffion ? Jer. 6.t6. God bids us, Stand in the way, and fee, and ark for the old `Paths, Where is the good Way ? It is good to furvey the Superstitions we have in theWorld, and compare the Excellen- cy of our holy Profefíion with other Profef ions. In Scripture we are required, not only to glorify GdEl, but to fan &ify him. Ifa. 8.13. Santhify the Lord of Refis in your Hearts. So, I Pet. 3. 15. Sanllify the Lord God in your Hearts, and be ready always io give an .idnfwer to every Man that asketh ,you a Reafon of the Hope that is in you, with meek. net and fear. Now what is it to fan&ify ? It is to fet apart any thing from common Ufes. This is to fan&ify God, when we can fay, he is thus and thus, and none lik''e him. Now it is fit that you should be acquainted with the Grounds and Reasons of your how 1y Profeflion, with the difhn& Excellency that is in it above all other Religions in the World. God counts noAllemblies in the World to be like the Church; therefore we fhould be always ftudying the Excellencies and Perfe&ions of God, that we may fee there is none like our God. That Phrase, Who is like untothee? is twice ufed in Scrip- ture : Of the Church; Dent. 33.29. Who is like unto thee, O People, faved by the Lord? And of God ; Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, who pardoneth Iniquity ? &c. The Church should in gratitude return this upon God; where is there filch a Pardon to be had ? fuch a Satisfaítion for Confcience, and fuch a Fountain of Holinefs? Chrift and the Church are thus brought in, mutually pleating themfelves in one another; Cant. 2.2. Chrift begins with the Church : As the Lilly among the Thorns, fo is my Be. loved among the Daughters. It is not meant in regard of fcratching, as if the Church were in the midst of Thorns; but by way of Comparison: Look as a Lilly excelle Thorns, fo the Church excells all the World. And then the Church begins, Vetfe 3. 1s the Apple -Tree among the Trees of the Wood; fo is my Beloved among the Sons. Look how much the Fruit-bearing Tree excells the barren and rotten Trees of the Forefl fo doth Jefus Chrift excell all others. Upon thefe grounds it will not be amifs to enter upon the Dilcourfe concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures. IV. Whether a wicked Man, remaining wicked, may be convinced of the Truth of the Word ? I fhould think they can have no abfolute Affurance, till they have Come Work of Grace, becaufe that is the Fruit of Grace. Col. 2. 2. That your Hearts might be comforted,. and knit together in Love, and unto all Riches of the full Assurance of 7Jn- derflanding, to the Acknowledgment of the Myffery of God, and of the Father, and of Chriff. 2 Cor. 4.4. If our Gofpel be hid, it is hid to them that are làfl: t Cor. 2. 14. The natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God, for they ate Foolifinef unto him, neither can he know them, becanfe they are fpiritually discerned. He receites not . the things of God, that is, doth not perceive them with demonstration, nor receive them with acceptation. A natural Man may have an Opinion, a light Conje&úres a flight Conviecion upon his Heart, enough to beget an Awe, fo as he knows not how to con - tradi& the Truth of the Scriptures ; but not an absolute Affurance of the Truth of the Word. It is Chrift's Sheep only that are able to diflinguifh his Voice; John to. 27..%lly Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow me. They that look upon the Scripture in the Light of the Spirit, they are only able to fee that it is from God. We may convince them, and ule preparative Inducements, but they cannot be ,abfolutely allured of the Truth of the Do&tine, and that for two Reasons. I. Becaufe all external Arguments, without the Light of the Spirit, work but an hu- mane Faith. He that inspired the Scriptures, mutt open our Eyes to know them, and H h h h a incline
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=