Reynolds - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.R485 T47 1642

The Jinfulneffeof Sinne. refpeEt (amongti others) men are faid to bee Sealed by the Spirit, becaufe that Spirituali Holineffe which is in the Word, is fafhioned in the hearts of the Saints, as the Image, of the Seale is in the Waxe. As the light of the Sunne Both by refleEtion from the Moone illighten that part of the earth, or from a giafle that part of a roome from which it felfe is abfent : So though the Church bee >here abfent from the Lord,yet his Spirit by the Word doth illighten and governe it : It is not the Moone alone, ner the glaffe alone, nor yet the Sunne without the Moone or the glaffe that illightneth thole places upon which ti felfe doth not immediately thine, but that as the princi- pall, by them as the inftruments; fo the Spirit doth not, and the Word cannot alone by it felfe convince or con- vert, but the Spirit by the Word as its fword and inftru- ment. So then when the Spirit turns a mans eyes inward to fee the truth of the VWotd written in his owne heart, makes him put his Seale unto it, frameth the will to fearch, acknowledge and judge the worft of it felfe, to fubfcribe unto the righteoufneffe of God in condemning fin, and him for it, to take the office of the Word, and paflè that fentence upon it felfe which the Word doth, then doth the Word spiritually convince of fin. W hich fhoul.i teach us what to look for in the mini, iry of the Word, namely that which will _convince us, that Arch puts an edge upon the word,and opens the heart and makes it burn,namely the fpirit of Chrift, for by that only we can' be brought unto the righteoujnede ofChri fl,wc are not to defpife the ordinances in our efteem, when we find them defaitute of fuch humane contributions and attem- perations which we haply expeóted, as Ná4man did the waters of Jordan, for though there bee excellent ufe of Humane learning when it is fanctified for opening the Word, as a baler colour is a good ground for a better ; yet it is the Word alone which the Spirit worketh by, the flefh, and flethly,accefrions of themfelves profit no S 2 wore 159 Eph. 4.;0;

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