/' J84· The 'Parable of the ~-------------------- .----------------- when he fells his commodity,he fhould lofe muc:hof his cul1ome e!re; and hence the Mini11er preacheth con.tionably rhar his gaine may come in, I. Tl:ef. z. 4; 5 . Hence people would be as good as the bet1, they cannot gee a lot•m all rhe Country elfc. Hence aman_is fomrime content ro forfake all for Chriil:, char he may make a bo,oty of Chn11, as Juda; dtd. Hence when ChnH feeds rhem with Loav~s, th~n the people will m~ke him_a King, John 6: thou~h afterward they cry Crucifie h.m. So men deal wnh Chnll as the Sou!dters dtd, that cauobt him rhac they might 11rip hi~ of his gar~ems. And hence many men if rhey fee for~ rows and wa,nts attendtng them, tf they mend on Chrrft, forfake him. Look uron our own Lmd, many [o long as they could enjoy Chrift with fair weather cry our of Ceremonies, and pro, haning of Sabbath : yec this nor being to be had', creep to them, and read the Book for proph.ming thereof. Mmy lhadows have been feen fmcc our Sun hath rifen here , and this way they looked : but viewing other_ mens want~ , a~d fea:in g their own lolfes, and conceiving rhey Imy meet with Maffah m thts Wtldernefs, refu[e to follow. And le.Jll rhis lhould feem to be the caufe, cry out we are Separarifl:s, or 11rongly polfefs themfelv.:s again11 all relations, there is n0li,•ing at all here • . Look buc at home,how manyDove; (that prove but Ravens,and live on rheprey) come hither ro our windows, and have followed Chri11 ro this Worlds end ;when he fed themWith lo.wes, rhey tmde himrheir King: but now he harh rakell away wha~ once they delired; becanfe there is bem:r Bread ro be laboured for ; now they forfake him, and live on thefpoyl. This is no inward Principle. And hence when mens Expences for Chrift, exceed their Receipts from Chri11, rhey ceafe fpending, and fall in rhe high way to begging at the door of the World. ~. Th?fewhofe Principle is norhin~ elfe but ~h~ 11rengt~ of natural Confcience, whi ch will fer men a domg, when they have netrher pwfe from men, nor gain from Chri11 fo~ their !.1bour. Forrhe Lord de1Is with fome men, :as rhe Romans qid with fome of their Prifoners ; they would chain aPrifoner aad his keeper together, and letthem go up ·and down: fo God chains many a poor Prifoner of hell a11d his confcience oogerher, and lees them go together. And hence many a man keeps pace with his ronfcience, and cannot give it the flip for all the world heaped up with gold, as Balaam faid. · Now there are two things in a natural confcience, Rom. z. I 5. I. To accufe, Hence <l man dares not omit prayer, dares not commit a fin he bath a mind ro; conrcience would then roar. Hence many keep con11anrly fe r durie; in private, and tremble at fmalllim: nor becaufe they take any delight in rhe one, or are weary of rhe other ; but becalJ{e rhey are ever under tlie eye of this Judge. z. ToExcufe, and ro give much fweemefs whenaman follo1vs: thediCl:ares thereof; bence aman though carnal, will die for his Religion, and that with fome che1rfulnefs, bec.mfe confcience chears within, and lings him a!leep in trouble. And hence a man will cry out of all rhe glorious hypocrilies of men, becaufe ro w.1!k according to Confcience is fweeter ro him. And hence a man comforts himfdf, tis my Confcience, Mark_Iz. 33· To love God is better than burnt Offerings. Hence a man will profit exceedingly in what he holds, Gal. I. 14. hecaufe zealous for ir for Confcience: and yet rhis is but a Principle of Nature; not an inward Prin.:iple of life, whofe prorerry is to feek the fubverlion of corrupc N.1wrc , as turur,Jl Confciet1Ce feeks the garnifhings of it and the aCl:ions tbereof. 6. Thofe whofe Principle is the fe.1r of delth, and hell; raifed not [o much by rhe power of Confcience, as by the fOWer of the Word. And hence_come cornplaints about a mans Eftate ; that a man can have no reil by all duties that he ha rh done, or doth. Hence following of the means, running to rhe bell Miniflry, mourning, and lameming, andconfeffing fin, Mat-3-7· Oh generation of vipers
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