indrawingpoorfinnerr unto his son. Terence in fome; but truth hath witnefíedit that every man bath fnned,and is at an infinitediflance from the LordGod of mercy ; and there is nofalvation, nor no power, but in the handofthe Allmighty, and that he alone is able to make peace and bring together thofe two Infinite diftances, and to make them One. Now judgewhether this, or the way of theworld brings tie greateft inconveniency, and whether this way ofman do not fet hint at a farther diftance from his true re' ; for if man thinkhe can come to Chrift by any thing of himfelfe, by any Religious anions, andperformances : then from this it muff needs follow, that he fees not his own wealnefs nor wickedneffe; nor there is no fin, nor wickedneffe, nor mitt ry made manifeff unto him : And he makes lyes his refuge, and underfalfhoodhe bath hidhimfelfe, and drawnway his heart from the living and eternalGod,to depend upon the lyingand deceitful power andwifedome of man, and digged to himfelfe broken Cifl erns. So that Secondly, thiswill follow , that this man hath made aRock to flay himfelfeupon ; for if thou thinkeft that thy ya£Wions and performances will bring thee neerer unto God then other men, orthat any thing can draw thee neerer, but the meer hand and fpirit of the Father : is not this (I fay) to fet upfomething againft the power of the Father ? Is not this to Jet up errour againft truth, and darknefs againft light, andAntichriff againft Chrift ? for here it is manifefi that there is nothing but the power ofthe Father to draw men un- to Chrift. Now feeing thou haft made Lyes thy delight, andvanity thy truft, fee what is pronounced againft thee, for all thy confidence and ftrong opinions of thy fafety and'fe- curity : Curfed is the man that trufleth in man, and maketh fï'efb his Arm, and whole Heart departetb front the- Lord: So, I fay, this meetly leads man from a denial of himfelf, to aJetting up ofhimfelfe ; from a waiting and depending on the power of God, to a depending and hanging on the rife- dome andpower ofthe flefh; now when the foule has made experiment ofthis in it fèlf to finde, fee, and fede it really in his own heart, that nohand drawes to the Father, but the Spirit Efa. z2: r5 'Cr. 2. 13.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=