Perkins - BX9318 P47 1626 v1

and of the [reede. Predeflinatton. indee<le beeoccafioned by our finnes, but it fprings· properly from the approhenGon of the grace and goodnetfe ofGo~.Worldly for· row is a griefe for finne on:ly·~ refpeClofthe punifhmenr;godly farrow 1s almelyrouchand griofeofhearc for fin becaufe 1t lS fin, though r~ere wereno punifhmenr for it. Nowthatno man may deceiue himfclfe in iudging of this forrow,the holy Ghofl:harh fct down< fcauen fruits or fignes thereofwhereby it ltlllybedif.. cerned, 2 Cor.7.11• The·firfl: is,Cm roleaue allour finnes:rhe fecond is, .Ap•l•giewhereby aman is mooued and carriedto accufe &con· dcmne himfclfe for his finnes pall:, borli be· forc'God and man. The third is Indignation, wherby a man iHxcecdingly angrywith him· felfc for his ofiC:nces. Thefourth is Fe.re,lefl: he fall into his former finnes <gaine.The liftis Difiu, wherebyhe crauerh ll:rengthand aiSi– ll:ance that his fianes take no hold on him as before. ThefixtisZ_.I<, in the performance ofall good duties contrary to his fpeciallfins. The feauenrh is Reuenge. whereby he fubdues his body, l~fl:it fhould hereafter be an infl:ru– ment of Gnncasit hath beene in former time. Now when any man !hall feele rhefe fruits in himfelfe, he hath no d<iubt the godly farrow, which here we fpeake of. · Thetoken which is in regard of finnes pre– fenr,is rhecomlwebetweene thejlefh IUid the JPi– rit.Gal.)•l7· proper to tlicm that are regene– rate,who are partly flefh,& partly fpirir. Itis not the chccke ofconfcience which all men finde in rhemfelues bothgoodand bad, fo oft asrheyoffend God: but iris alighting &fl:ri– uing ofthe minde, will, and affeClions with themfelue.s,wbereby fo farre forth as they are renued, they carry the man one way., and as they /Iill remaine corrupt, they carry him flat corrary.Men hauing rhc difeafe calledEphi•l– tts,when they arehalfe al!eep feeleasit were fome weighty thing lyingvpon their breafl:s, ·and holding them downe: now lying in this cafo,rhey lhiue with their hands and fect,and Wlth all the might they haueroraifevp them– fclues,and to remooue the weight,&: cannot. Behold here a liuclyrefemblance ofthis corn– bare.The f!c!h whichis the in-borne corrupri· on ofmans nature, !yesvpon the hearts ofthe ch!ldrenofGod, and preffoththemdewne, as tf 1t wercrhcverywcightofa mountaine:now they according to the meafure ofgracerecei. ucd, flri"e to raife vp themfelues from vnder this burden , and to doe fuch things as.are ac– ceptable to God; bur cannot as they would. The token that refpeCls finne to come, is care:oprrYent it.That this is the mark ofGods children, appearerh by the faying of John, I. 1oh.s.18.H ·etbat uborneofG•dfvmerhnot,b~tt kseperh himftlf,that the wick£done touch himnot. And this care f11ewes it fdte not only in orcle. nng the outward aaions, but euen in the very thoughts ofthe heart. For where rhe Gofpdl J.sofforce, it bringsm~ry thought into captinity rotheobedienccofChrift, 2 Cor.Jo. )· and the -\I Apofl:les ruleis followed: Whatfoener things tJretrx~~ tflhatfimttr thints arehoneft,&c. think.! on theft things, Phil.4.8. , The tokens which concerne Gods merdc are fpecially rwo:Thelid\ is;whe aman fceles. himfclfe d1llreffed with the borden of hisfios, or when he apprehends the heauic difplcafure ofGodinhisconfcicnce fcrthem: then fur– ther to fecle how he fl:ands in need of Chrifl:, and withall heartily defire, yea to hunger and rliirfl: afterreconciliation withGodih the me· ritofChrifl:, & that aboue all other things in the world. To all fuch Chrilt harh made moll: fweet and coajf'ortable promifes, which can apperraine to none but to the eleCl. If B anymanthirfl,let him mnetomeeanddrink!: he loh.7•31• that beleeNnhinmt,as fairh the ScriptureJout of hi<belly]hallflow riuers ofwateroflife. Reu.21. 6. Iwillgi•e vnto himwhichu athirfl, ifthrwe/1 ofthewauroflifefreeiy. Now if hee rharrhir· fl:erh,drinke or'thtfe waters, marke what followerh, l oh+ I 4·Whofomer drinkt,thofthew<>- ter that1fllaiLgUte him,jhalneHePbemore llthirfl: but tht W4ter th.e I Jhallgiue him,jha/1 hein hi'm aweNofwaterjpringingvpwu. eHerW.j/ing life. The focond is a {\range affethon wrough• in the heart by the fpirit ofGod, whereby a man dorh fo ell<eme and value,and as it were, fer fo high a price on c;hrifl: and his righre– o~fiJes, that he accounts euen rhe moll: p«ti– ous things that arc, tGbe butasdungin regard C herof.This atfeftion was in Pau/,and itis ex- Phi!.3.4, pre!Ted in the parable, in whic~1 after a man Mntb,tJ. harh fouodatreati~re,he lirll hides ir:and then H• fels all he harh, and makes a purchafe of the field where it is. Now euery man will . yof himfelfe,rhar heis rhusaffe<'l'ed to Chrill,and that hee mare highlyefl:eemesrhc leafl:drop ofhis blood, then all things in the world befide: whereas iAde<de moll: men are of Efms minde, rather defiringrhe red broth then Ifo. a~ ~ldsing;andofthe fame affe<'l'ion with rhc Ifraelires, which likedbetterrheonyons and flelh-pors ofEgypt, then the blcfsingsofGod in the land ofpromife. Therefore that no·man ~ay deceiue himfelfe, this affetlion may be d1fcerned by two Ggnes.The lirfl:,is to loue & D hke a Chrifl:ianman becaufe heisa Chrifl:ian. For he that dorh aright efl:eem ofChrifl:.doth in like manr.orefl:eemofthc mebers ofChrifl:. And of this very point our Sauiour Chrill: faith,Mat.t0.41· Hethat recc:H:tha Proph~r::-. the n11me of 4 Prophu:{haOreceiM4 Prophets rt– 'W~rd; 1111dhe that rtceiHua righuomm411 in the nt~me 6[ 1t rigiJttOIJI man,flHtll receiNe theTt1V4rd •farighteoUI man.And S.Iohn faith. Hereby we ktJow that wearerrlijlaredfriJdwh to /if,J«auft 1 Iob.J. we/ouer~bruhren: that ts,fuch as are mCbcrs 1 ..., euen becaufe theyare fo. The fecond figne of this affeClion is aloue and defire tothe corn. mingofChrifl:, whether it be by deathvuto an¥ man particularly,or by theJail iudgemenr vmuerfally, and that fJr this end, that thert maybe a tull parricip.1rion offellowf11ip wi:h Chull. And that th1s very loue is anote ofaB b : doption,

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