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530
TxE
FIRST FRUITS
OF
THE
SPIRIT;
OR
DISC. Q.
;pentance,
mortification
of
sin,
weanedness from
the.
world, 'likeness
to
God, heavenly mindedness,
&c.
These
are, indeed, the
usual'preparatives
for
glory, and
the surest
evidences
of
a state
of
grace.
Therefore, let
not
any person imagine he
is
not a true christian,
because
-he
bath not
enjoyed these special favours, and
signal
manifestations.
Caution
II..
"
If
there
be any
who
have been
favoured
with these
peculiar
blessings,
they
must
not expect
them
to be
constant
and perpetual, nor
always to
be
given
in
the
same manner, or
same
measure
;"
they
are rare
blessings
and
special .reviving cordials
;
they
are not
the
common
food of
ehristians,
nor
the daily
nourishment of the
saints.
.The word
of
God,
and
the grace
of
Christ
in
the
pro
-
mises,
is
our
daily
support, and the constant nourish-
ment of our
souls.
Cordials are
not
given
for
our
daily
,nourishment
in
the
life
of
grace.
Caution
III. "
however
great and rapturous
these
foretastes
may.
be,
let
us
not
so
depend
on
them
as
to ne-
glect
the more substantial and
solid evidences for heaven,
and
those
steps
for
preparation,"
which
I
have elsewhere
mentioned. Let not
those
who
have enjoyed
them, give
.a
loose
to
their
souls,
and let
go
their
watchfulness, or
neglect
their
daily mortification and diligence in
every
duty.
Some
of
these divine
raptures
have sometimes
been
so
nearly
counterfeited
by
raptures
of
fancy,
by
warm
self
-love, or,
perhaps
by
the deceit
of
evil angels,
that
they are
not
so
safe
a
foundation,
for
our
depend-
.ence
and assured hope,
as
the soul's experience
of
a
sincere
repentance, and
general
turn of
'heart
to God,
.and
mártifieation.of
sin, a
xd
delight
in
every
practice
of
holiness.
The
devil.
sometimes
'has.
"
transformed
hiin-
self
into an angel
of
light,"
2
Cor.
xi. 14.
And
there
have
been some
who
at
first
hearing
of
the
gospel have
had
wondrous
raptures.
Heb.
vi. 5.
It
is
said,
`they
have
tasted
of
the world
to come,
"
-
-who
have yet
fallen
away again,
and
haying lost
all
their
senseand
savour
of
divine things,
have
become'vile apostates.
Caution
IV.
If
you seem to
enjoy.
any
of
these
affec-
tionate
and
rapturous
foretastes of heaven,
be
jealous of
the
truth
of
theìn,
if
they have
nót,a proportionable
sanc-
(tifying
influence
upon your
souls and
our
actions."
If
yen
find
they
incline
you
to
negligence in duty, to