Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

ment$ in this addrefs unto you; wherein I (hall crave leave a little further to communicate my thoughts unto you as to thematter inhand. Next to the Sonofhis love who is the Truth, the greareff and moti eminent gift , that God bath bellowed on theSons ofmen, and com- municated to thcm,is his Truth revealed in his word. The knowledgeofhim,his mind and will , according to the difcovery which he bathmade ofhimfelfe, fi om his own bofome, hie ving magnified his word,above all bis name. The importance hereof, as to the eternal Concern ments of the Sons ofmen,eirher in ignorance refuting and refifting,or accepting and embra- cing of it, is that which is owned, and ryes as the bottome and foundation ofal l,that we any way engageour (elves into, in this world:wherein we differ from them;whofe hope perifhetlr with them. Unto an enquiry after and entertainment of this divine and /acreddepofttum, bath God deligned the fruit and labour of that,wherein we retaine the refemblanceof him; which wbilefl we have our being, nothingcan abolifh. Themind ofman,and divine truth, are the two moft eminent Excellencies , wherewith the Lord bathadorned this lower part of his Creation: whichwhen they correfpond,and are brought into conformity with,eachother, themind being changed into the Image ofTruth, there isglory added to álory,and the whole rendred exceedinggloriouc. By what futablenefs and proportion in the things themfelves, ( that is between Truthand the mind ofman, ) as weare men, bywhat Almighty fecret and irrefiflible power, as weare corrupted men,our minds being full ofdarknefs and folly , this is wrought,isnot my bnfinefs now to difcufs. This is on all bands confeffed: that fettingof de the confderation of the eternal iffues of things, every miflake ofdivineTruth, every oppofi- tion to it or reje@ion ofit or any part ofit , is fo farte,a chainingup of the mind,under the power ofdarknefs from a progrefs towards that perfeftionwhich it is capable of. It is Truth alone that Capacitates any Mule togive glory to God , or to be truly ufeful to them who are partakersofffefhand bloodwith him : without being force way ferviceab!e towhich end , there is nothing fhort ofthefulnefs ofwrath , that can be judged fo milerableas the Lifeofa man. Ealily fo muchmight be delivered on thisaccount , as to evince the dread of that judgment , whereto forcemen in the infallibly wife counfel ofGodaredoomed, even to the layingout of the tabour and traveloftheir minds, to fpend their dayes and ftrength in fore labour,in making oppofition to this Truth ofGod. Efpecially is the fadnefsof this Con- fideration encreafed in reference to them , who upon any account what ever, do beare forth themfelves , and are lookedupon by others, as guides of the blind, as Lights to them that fit in darknefs,as the 7nfi lloursof the foolifh,& teachers ofBabes. For aman to let himfelfe,oe to be let byothers,in a way wherein are many turnings & .crots pathes,fomeof them leading and tending to places of innumerable troubles, and perhaps death and (laughter, undertaking tobe a guide to dire& them that travel towards theplace of their intendments , whesethey would be,and where theylhall meetwith refl,for fach an oneI fay, to take hold ofevery one that paffeth by , and pretendinghimfelfe to be exceeding skilful,in all the windingsand tur- ningsof thofe .ayes, and pathes, and to (rand thereon púrpofe to give direaion ifHe (hall, withal his skill and Rhetorick, divert them out of the pathwherein they have perhaps fafly fer out,and to guide theminto thofe bywayes,which will certainly lead them into faares, and troubles,ifnot to death it felfe, can he (.end his time, labour and ffrength,in an employment more to be abhorred ? or can he defigne any thing more defperate!y miichievous to them, whole good andwelfare he is bound and promtfeth toPeek and promote? Is any man's con- dition under heaven more to be lamented , or is any man's imploymentmoreperilous then filch an ones , who beingnotonly endowed witha mind and underfianding, capableof the Truth , and receivingimpreffionsof thewill ofGod , but alto with diflinguifhing Abilities and Enlargements for the receivingofgreater meafures ofTruth , then others, and the more effeival improvment ofwhat he Bothfo receive, fhall labour night and day, difpending the richefl treafare and furnifhmentof his foule,for the rooting out , defacing,and detlruaionof theTruth, for the turning men out ofthe way , and pathes that lead to retl and peace? I ne- ver think of the uncomfortable drudgery, which teen giveup themfelves unto , in laying the hay andffubbleof their vaine andfareConceptions upon the foundation , and heaping up the fruit of their foules to make the fire that confumes them , the more fierce and fevere , but it farces compalironate thoughts of that fad Condition, whereto man-kindhath cafl it (elfe, by it's Apoliacy fromGod.And yetthere isnot any thing in the world,that men more willingly, With more delight and greedinefs ,confecrare the flowre of their Strength and Abilitiesunto, then this,of promoting the delufions of their own minds,in oppofition toThe truth, & wales of God. It is a thing of obvious obfervation and dayly experience, that if by any meanes what ever, anyone clofeth with force now, and by opinion, of'from the faithdelivered to,and tcceived by the generality of theSaints that be it a thingof neverfo fmall concernmentin eel' 2 out

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