Direet. XIII. Of Sané1 jj cation. 259 to walk in the trutlt,.Pfalm xxvi. 3. and, by " behold- ing as in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, you will " be changed into the fame image, from glory to 4 glory, even as by theSpirit of the Lord," 2 Cor. 13. This kind of meditation is fweet, and delight- ful to thofe that are guided to it by the fpirit of faith; and it needs not the help of Inch artificial methods as the vulgar cannot eafily learn.. You may let your thoughts run in it at liberty, without confining them to any rules of method. You will find your fouls much enlivened by it, and enriched with the grace of God ; which cannot be effeit_ed by any kindof meditation, though it be never fo m.ethodical,andcu. rioufly framed according to the rules of art. 4. The facrament of baptifm muff needs be of great ufe to promote the life of faith, if it be made ufe of according to its nature and inftitution be- caufe it is a feal of the righteoufnefs of faith, as cir- cumcifion was formerly, Rom. iv. i i. But then we mull take heed of making it a feal of the contrary righteoufnefs of works ; as the carnal Jews did, that fought to be juftified by the law of Mofea and as i many Chriflíans do, that transform the new cove- nant into a covenant of works, requiring fincere obe- dience to all the laws of Chrift, as the condition of our juftification; into which new deviled covenant they think themfelves to beentered by their baptifm. I may fay of baptifm, thus perverted and abufed, as the apoffle faith of circumcifion, " Baptifm veri- " ly profiteth, if thou keep the law :.but, if thou be " a breaker of the law, thy baptifm is made no bap- " tifin," Roth. ii. 25. If thou be baptifed, fo long as thou continueft in the abufe of that holy ordin- ance, "Chrift fhall profit you nothing; he is become " c of none effect to you; ye are fallen fromgrace," Gal. v. 2, 4. Beware alfo of making an idol of bap- tifm, and putting it in the place of Chrift; as the Papitts do, who hold, that it conferreth grace by the ye y work that is performed in the adminitrátion of K k 2
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