Shepard - BT378 T4 S44 1660

ten Vir.~i~s_Gpened and Applied. wbich confcicncc and comp<llllon moves me ro; no't ro begin , bll.t if poiTible t9 flill divi(ion,aP.d what I l11all fFe•k iliall be by way ofprevenudn. · ' I, Take heed of making Grace< in a chriHian the weJkne!fes of a chrifl:iari, for this is to mJke darkneffe light, and Cracc wamonneffe tndecd: Is it- not? Take. heed then ofrbinking or faying coumerf~it o~ falfe Saneti6cJti~n confifl:s i!l fceliHt fornerhing in a mans felf, as love to, delight m the Lord and hts IVJyes : 1 rue SanCi:ification,in feell1g nothing, no luve,no dehgbt: why the Apoftle Paul kne\v that , in him , i. e. in hu Jlefh dwelt. no g~od thing , but_ he calls it ~eili there, and "t1J.1ns under it, yet he felt a Law wtthm clofing Wtrh the Law Without, .and bleffed rhe Lord for ir, and rhmva' himfelf. Do you thinkthe Holy Ghof! cmnes on a man :~s on Ba}eam, by imnwdi.ue ~cling, and then leaves him, and then he harh norhino : Yes Beloved , know_you not Chrifi is in you :( ~ Cor. I 3. 5 :)~ as well as out of you; in you,comfoning, dwellil'lg, fmetifying, preparing the hearr for himfelf. . Indeed to be pufr t~p 1\irh Gr.lCe, or .reil 1n it·is a fin, yet that Grade · is not th.1tfin. · z. T•ke heed of making 1veakne!fes Crates or Dmies :· as Firfl:, To m~ke poverty offpirit, the fight ofrwthing in a mans felf; why, he that is roar barh Hea,•en for his, and fa Chrilt and Promifes his, and path P.1ith his, at lca!t fo:t;e feed>. .1'\ow t::> fee nothing now, is to fee an unuurl\, and to tell a fhr lie to ~od , and Mel'l, and Scripture too. Indeed a man that is poor dorh ufually fee norhing, butth.n is his weakne!fe, noony Grace. , Second! y,To r.,y there is no aitference between Graces of Hypocrites and Saints. Why fo? Becaufe I cannot fee' any. Is this)'our weakneffe or your wi!d0m? you can fee no;'e,.md will you make_your weakne!le your Religion ? :, Thirdly, That aman muH nor evidence his Juflification by his SanCtification, I fpeak of th;~t which accompanies Salvation. Why fo? Becaufe then rhere will be romf0rrro <'t<y, and forrow to morrow ,granrir,but then confider, ·I. That is eitl)er a ~Uans weakneffe and igt\grance that he doth not fee ir, or 2, his 1vickedneffe aud ca.felefneHe that h.uh !birled that work : And will you make ·this a D· ry , a Gracq ? Oh but many have been deceived here ; gram ir: anil will you wl e your wrc:rched bafene!fe of.heart the:fom,dation of this c011ceir? ' Founhly ' :rhato:l man mutt fee no faving work,nor take COT.forr frb!n any promire timi,l he is bled : No1 why fo? Becaufe many tall chrifl:ians have decetved themJelyes fo, •od .deluded ..rhemfelves rhere , and been kepr offfro in Ghrill,and truly I believe it·in prr. Bur•whar of that? Sh~Jl mens 1veakneffe be my Religion or work _? No Beloved,rfor a man bcl.eeve; before he iSfe•led, Ephef. x. I 5· And hence Chri!t is his , ~nd now for him ro deny Chrifl: to be his oyvn , 'tis to make ChriH ~ lyar, I John 5· IO, 12, q. not that I would-havechrillians content the:nre:ves here (it's a fign you never knew what Chri!t tr.eam if fo you do) till he iliall fend a rr:ore full gJie of his Spirit. - ' 3· If you,do account rhemw_eakneffes, yet take heed your dofingwirli ChriH do nor caufe you to m•1ke a light matter of fi11 , either nor to take notice of fins ar all, only look ro Chrill, ('ris nor I bm fin, as being the ac1: of the outward man: one calls rhis rounkno1V.a mans felf) or notto be deeply fenfible of them, and fo ufe ·Chri!t QS your ihoe-clour ro wife them off, Oh this is dangerous ; the Spirit of joy never quencherh the Spirit of Sorrow. _ Capernaum entertained Chrifl:, and yet \ perif'hed, On ffie repented not! What mull we repent after we be in Cbri!t? Yes, Jer. 30, 19. After I wM tHrned I repented: It argue! a bold confcience, wheR men as they look to no good in themfelves , fo to no fin in rhemfelves , but wholly to ChriH:. · _ 4.'Take heed ofthof~ DoCtrines which in iliew lift up Grace, bur _indeed pull Jt dolvn, or any part o(tr , as Firf!, to rllink that the letrer of the whole Scripture holds our no more rhall a Covenant of Works, a moLl: prodigious Speech, though coloured wirh advancing a S Spiri-

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