Sibbes - Houston-Packer Collection BX9339.S5 B6 1641

1 19S :SEa. VII. 1 Cor.t. kiJVndefiled. our faith muft anfwer Chrifts carriage to us; we mufi therefore account our felves in him undefi– lcd, becaufe he accom1ts us fo, not inom felves, bnt as we have a being in him, we are undeji!ed. Againe, fee here Chrifl:accounts us (even in rcogard of habituall grace) rmdefiled~ thoughvve / have for the prefemmany corruptions. Let us I therefore learne a ldfon ofmoderationoffoex. cellent a teacher;let us not be ailiamed to Iearne ofour Saviour. What Spirit fhall we think they 1laveJthatwill unch urcb Churches)becaufe they have fome cefilement and un~rotheriy bre– thren,accounting themno Churchk,noBrethrenJ becanfe they have fome imperfeCtions. Why hath not Chrifi a quarreli to the Church then'!' is he blind~doth his love makehim blind'! No_, he feeth corruption, but he feeth better things, fomwhat ofhis owne that makes him overlooke thole imperfections, becaure they are fuch as he meanes to mortifie, fubdue, weare away, ana ro fire out by the power ofhis Spirit, which as fire fhall wafie all thofc:: corruptions in time. So it is with the Church;putthe cafe)lhe harh fome cor– ruptions, that it be not with her, as it fhould be, yet ihee is a Church notwithfranding. The Church of(orintb( we fee)Pttul fiiles them Saims and Brethren, with all thofe fweet names, not– wichlbnding theyhadmany corruptions among them. Wee have a company <;{malignant fpirits worlc:: then thefe a grear d<::·aie, Atheifticall per- ---------------- fons

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