indrawingpeor f nners rinkhis Son. heart, and tell mewhat is the endof all thy Religious aEti- ons ? are they not done for this purpofe, that thereby thou mayeffgain and get a good opinion to andof thy felf, that thou haft ferved God in away he commands, and when thou haft done, thinkeft thou now art accepted? is this thinkeft thou the free-will offering that is in Jefus Chrift, wherein we fervehim not as Slaves or as Servants, but as Sons ? Sons that are begotten out of love, and out of love ferve himwithout fear all the dayes of our life. Now, I fay, when thy Religious ations are onely made ufe of to hide o- ver thy fin, and to get a good opinion of thy felfe, this is not thework ofthe fpirit ofGod, this is not a drawing to Godbut fromGod : this is a drawing into thy felfe, to de- pendon fiefh, and to feed on the dead afhes ofthy own heart, and not to know that there is a lye in thy right hand, But now ifthoudidff but fee thy owne finne, and thy owne evil heart, thouwouldeft not dare to fpeak of God but with much trembling : but know if thou fpeak of him or of Divine things, thou fpeakeft as vainely, and as difl'emblingly as wickedly, and haft nothing of Divine nature more then another : then the world of men for all thy many words and largeprofefliions ; thou wilt not 'fay We fee; for then thy fin remaineth. But if thou goeft out mourning and weeping over thine owne mile- ry, and over thy curled heart , to thee I fay , the Lord will draw thee and lead thee in the everlafling pow- er, fo that thy own carnalheart, and all the ower of hell (hall not be able to keep thee from Chrifi; but thou ¡halt underffiand and find that it is the power ofthe Father onely that draws every man untoChrift; And hewill caufe thy cap- tivity to return as the fireams, in the South : and thou fhalt Pfal: 126. find that he that goethforth weeping,¡hall doubtleire come againe 4. 6. with rejoicing, bringing his (heaves with him : that fo thou mayeft rejoiceandmagnifie him alone,utterly renouncing thy felfe,and all the power ofunan, as having no hand in His Almightywork.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=