33. as in the finding out of Achan Jonathan Jonah and Matthias and in dividing the land of Canaan to the Tribes of Israel Gen. 49. 13. c. So that you may not attribute to Chance as if things were of themselves or to Fortune as if she ordered your good or evil if it were so then there could be no order in things but all confusion whereas you behold a blessed harmony in all things save onely in the corrupt actions of men which yet the wisdom of God orders to his own glory How can that exact and regular motion of the Sun giving heat and light to and making Summer and Winter so orderly in all parts of the world be ascribed by any sottish heart to blind Fortune the Axel-tree whereof is infinitely too weak for the least motion of the world to be turned upon it As bad as those Assyrians were yet did they ascribe their afflictions not to Fortune but to the god of the Land 2 Kin. 17. 26. 8. The fourth discovery of the Hearts deceitfulness in adversity is your impatiency and weariness under Gods afflicting hand oh how weak are our hearts to endure tribulation Ezekiel 16. 30. Solomon saith If we faint in the day of adversity our strength is small Prov. 24. 10. Man hath no tryal of his strength till he come into trouble faintness then discovers weakness and weakness then causeth weariness and impatiency As is the man so is his strength said they to Gideon rotten or weak boughs do break when weight is layd upon them and so do earthen vessels when set empty to the fire unsound lungs cannot abide the frost-air but a Josephs bow will abide in strength though many Archers shoot at him and both hate and hit him yea and sorely grieve him Gen. 49. 23 24. being strengthened by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob but alas how soon are we crying out of weariness because of our weakness in running a while with the footmen of lesser troubles Jerem. 12.5 although God calls us not for he calls none but his champions to run with the Horsemen of greater Tryals hence affliction is called our infirmity Prov. 18. 14. because of our natural imbecility to bear it as well as to free our selves from it we cannot so much as bear words much less wounds for Christ and if we so startle at a reproach for the Truth surely we should never as one saith fry with a fagot 9. The fifth discovery of the hearts deceitfulness in Adversity is you will be very apt to restrain prayer in it as Job 15. 4. Alas when the body is out of frame by distempers or by external distresses the spirit also sympathizes and will often be out of frame with the body and the weakness of the flesh many times according to that in Matth. 26. 41. over-â—ometh the willingness of the spirit A man at â—uch a time hath work enough to bear the burâ—en of his own affliction therefore death-bed Repentance is said to be very seldome true Repentance sera poenitentia rarò est vera late Repentance is rarely true saith Augustin yet nun-quam serò si seriò 't is never too late so there be but a real and a serious frame of Spirit but alas there is all the danger for penitent words may at such a time be onely squeezed from us by pressing and oppressing pain when such words flow not naturally from a living principle within you may howl upon your bed you may brawl and murmure which is as the howling of a dog and no better unto your God Hos 7. 14. and not pray one prayer in the Holy Ghost Jude v. 20. all that time your Spirit which is the lending part will have then work enough to sustain the infirmities oâ— the flesh which is the borrowing part Prov 18. 14. Hereupon Job is charged by hiâ— friends for casting off fear and for restraininâ— prayer before God Job 15. 4. 't is true Joâ— might possibly omit his stated times of prayer which he observed day by day continually Joâ— 1.5 through the bitterness of his grief anâ— the unreasonableness of his foe-friends whicâ— discomposed his spirit for Prayer but that hâ— should altogether refrain and restrain prayer iâ— his misery was but a meer cavil against thâ— good man who could not be so bad as to foâ—â—ear all prayer himself and discourage otheâ— from it too this would have been a foul faâ—â— indeed for while prayer stands still the whole trade of godliness stands still and to cast off prayer is to cast off God Jer. 10. 25. yet as domestick discords may hinder prayer 1 Pet. 3.7 so may bodily distempers 10. The sixth discovery of the Hearts deceitfulness in afflicton is that the Soul of man many times will choose Iniquity rather than affliction as Elihu layeth to Jobs charge Job 36. 21. take heed be very wary for time to come because of thy natural proneness to it 't is with the hair of corrupt nature and the strong byass thereof may carry you down the hill before you be aware regard not iniquity turn not your face as the Hebrew word signifies towards iniquity by way of approbation as men do usually turn their faces towards that which they like and love or give not so much as a leering look towards sin Psal 66. 18. for this thou host chosen rather than to bear thine affliction or thy poverty patiently that is thou wouldst rather be a sinner than a sufferer and wouldst better be a wicked than a poor man this is a bad choice for there is more evil in the least sinning than in the greatest suffering inasmuch as the latter is a physical or natural evil and comes from an Holy God but the former is a moral evil and ever comes from the cursed devil Therefore should you not do the least evil though it would procure the greatest good Hence the antient Martyrs would not accept of deliveranc upon sinful terms Hebr. 11. 35. and they would not do so much as to cast in one single grain of Frankincense to an Idol although thereby they might have saved their own precious Lives well knowing that God stood in no need of their lye for his glory Rom. 3. 7 8. Sin is the greatest evil as God is the greatest good so it can never be in it self a matter or object of free choice Quas non oportet Mortes praeeligere saith Zuinglius What Deaths ought not a man rather to make choice of what torments not rather undergo yea into what deepest gulf of Hell it self must he not rather enter than wittingly and willingly to sin against God Daniel chus'd rather to be thrown to the Lions than to violate his Conscience and so to have that lion through guilt roaring against him in his own bosome The Armenian Mouse some say will chuse rather to dye than to be defiled with any filth insomuch that if her hole be besmeared with dirt her choice is rather to be taken
to us should Salvation depend upon her actings Therefore Austin saith well Sub laudibus Naturae latent inimiâ—i Gratiae Cryers up of Nature are always enemies to Grace 11. The third grand Question in order to your undeceiving to be answered is How doth Moral Civility differ from true Gospel-Sanctity To this I answer You may know that your Civility and Moral Honesty and a well-ordered Conversation towards men doth only grow upon and flow from the stock of Nature and not of Grace or from some supernatural Principles infused into your â—eart not from any New-birth or Spirit of â—anctification that sanctifies and renews the whole Man Body Soul and Spirit 1 Thes 5. â—3 and so is no better than a wild Olive Rom. 11. 17. 24. by these following Characters First If you be civil only and not thus sanctified you will be top-ful of spiritual â—lindness Ignorance and vain Imaginations â—bout the things of God and the good of your Soul You will then look upon Faith as an â—asiâ— work 't is only believe and on Salvation â—s a work of no such difficulty as is pretended seeing that God is as you will then think All Mercy and the tender of this Mercy is to â—ll and 't is but crying at the last gasp Lord â—ave mercy upon me and this will be enough to vast you over into Heaven These and such-like â—otten Reasonings will abound in your ignoâ—ant Soul whereas none can read the new Name â—ave only they that receive it Revel 2. 17. And â—hese receivers do read no otherwise than that â—oth Faith and Salvation are matters of very great difficulty their own Experience and â—he truth of Gods Word doth meet exactly â—ogether and they do smartingly finde 1. That it requires as much Almighty Power â—o work Faith in their hearts as to raise Christ from the dead Ephes 1. 19 20. And 2. that the righteous themselves are scarcely faâ—â—â— 1 Pet. 4. 18. that is they have much ado to â—et to Heaven 12. The second Character is Civility wanders in general Duties only but mindes not special Duties such as Self-examination Self-abhorrency c. And it consists more in the Negative than in the Positive part of the Law yea and is more conversant in the Duties of the second Table than of the first Whereas true Sanctity is of a more extensive property and observes special Duties such as Self-trial Self-denial c. as well as general yea and doth make Conscience of both Tables and parts of the Law to wit 't is for the Positive part as well as for the Negative and is as much for Holiness to God as for Righteousness to Man The third Character briefly is Civility or Moral Honesty takes cognizance of those sins only that make a great noise both in the Courts of the world and in the Court of Conscience yet while it scruples at Murder Adultery Drunkenness c. called the Filthiness of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. all along overlooks the filthiness of spirit such as privy Pride secret Hypocrisie Security in an evil state Formality in Duty c. which make but little noise in the world and less noise in the Conscience Small and secret sins which lye not in view upon the borders of the Isle of man but lye up in the heart of the Countrey undiscerned undiscovered those Civility overlooks but true Sanctity in the man whose eyes are opened Numb 24. 3. may not will not cannot do so The fourth Character is Civility will venture no further for its piety than may consist with its peace it likes neither foul way nor foul weather in its passage and progress to its long home 'T is exactly of the Duke of Bourbon's minde who told Beza he would adventure no further into the Sea of Religion than to get safe home to shore at night The fifth Character is Civility can never count all its own Duties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Dogs-meat as Phil. 3. 6. 8. For this is a piece of natural Popery born with us to be Saviours to our selves and to be saved by our own Righteousness and not by the Righteousness of another to wit of Christ 13. The sixth Character is Where Civility is alone without Sanctity there is always retained an Enmity in them against all those that over-run them in the practick part of Godliness and that spend more time for God and the good of their Souls than they do such persons will proclaim war against those zealous ones for being too precise and for being Righteous and Religious over-much Eccles 7. 16. Those Civilians would fain finde a more compendious way of worshipping God saying with wicked Jeroboam 'T is too much for you to do so and so 1 Kin. 12. 28. Religiosum oportet esse non religatum you need not be so very strict and strait-laced in matters of Religion you may provide more for your owâ— ease and better accommodation Thus theâ— do plainly slander the sweet Laws of Christ'â— Kingdom and the pleasant ways of heavenlâ— wisdome Prov. 3. 17. as if too heavy bondâ— and too sharp cords Psal 2. 3. not knowinâ— that Christ's yoke is easie and his burden lighâ— Matth. 11. 29 30. and therefore not to bâ— cast away no more than their own Garterâ— or Girdles Thus also those Devout persons were Opposers of Paul for his out-runninâ— them in his Devotion Acts 17. 17 18. Anâ— 't is very observable that no Church could bâ— founded by the Apostle at Athens the moâ—â— famous City for Wisdome in all Greece foâ— they were too wise to be saved by the foolishnesâ— of Preaching 1 Cor. 1. 23. those wise Greeâ— foolishly jeared at Jesus and the Resurrection 〈◊〉 at a couple of strange gods Acts 17. 18. 2â— their Philosophy and Enmity to the Power 〈◊〉 Godliness consisted together The seventâ— and last Character is Civility can never maâ— Gods Glory its ultimate End as true Sanctiâ— doth but its utmost Aim alas is onely foâ— pacifying but not at all for purifying the Conscience And the very height of its Ambitioâ— is to be pleasing and acceptable to men morâ— than to God Hence Augustine calls mere Civility splendidum Peccatum a shining Sin 14. The fourth great Question to be answered in order to your undeceiving is How may Restraining Grace be distinguished from Renewing Grace Answer 1. Restraining Grace is no more than an awful fear that God puts upon the Conscience of Man which constrains him to forbear that Sin which he doth not yet hate and to leave what he doth not yet loath Such a man is only chained up by his own fears the dread of God is upon him he is not yet changed from his sin As the Dog forbears the Carrion because his chain is too short or his Masters Cudgel is over him Whereas the grand Evangelical Motive is not formidine poenae sed virtutis amore fear of punishment but love to Christ Joh. 14. 15. If â—ye love me keep my Commandments and this Love
into his Wine-cellar Gant 2. 4. So besides him there is no Saviour Isai 43. 11. And though Christ must sit upon the Throne himself alone yet then will he have his Train to wit Holy Duties to fill the Temple Isai 6. 1. So that you must distinguish them and know the one from the other as your Father Abraham knew his Lord Christ from the two created Angels Gen. 18. 2 3. You must give to duty the things that are duty 's and to Christ the things that are Christs The three Wise-men when they saw the Star that was their guide to Christ did not fall down to worship it but Christ himself to whom it led them They did not offer their Gold Myrrhe and Frankincense to the Star but to Christ who is called The bright and Morning Star Revel 22. 16. 5. As the Dyal cannot tell you what is the hour of the day unless the Sun do shine upon it so your best Duties cannot show you any hour or time of Joy any further than while The Sun of Righteousness the Lord Christ Mal. 4. 2. doth shine upon them Alas what doth Elijah's Mantle signifie to Elisha unless he have also the Lord God of that Mantle 2 Kin. 2. 14. Therefore take heed you rest not in bare Duty you must not live upon duty but upon Christ in duty for your life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. You must let go your Duties in point of Justification and yet hold them as your life in point of Sanctification for Duty should not dye while you live you must do them but you may not glory in them Let him that gloryeth glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 31. Thus blessed Paul suffered the loss of all his duties Non quoad substantiam sea quoad qualitatem officium justificandi Phil. 3. 7 8. He did not depend upon his Duties for his Justification as before he had done in his Pharisaical state nor laid he now the stress of his Salvation upon them but he cast the great burden of both upon the Lord Psal 55. 22. Alas as your goodness in Duty extends not to God Psal 16. 2. and you cannot be profitale to him Job 22. 2 3. God receives nothing at your hand by all Job 35. 7. So when you have done all you can you are still but an unprofitable Servant Luke 17. 10. Your best Duties are but filthy rags Isa 64. 6. though they be pure in the fountain as flowing from the Holy Spirit yet are they muddy in the stream as they run through the dirty channel of your corrupted heart and therefore those Popish Doctrines of Merit de Congruo and de Condigno and of Supererogation are no better than lying Doctrines 6. The third Deceit of the Heart is After you have been an overvaluer of Duty some time Satan and your own heart may beguile you 2 Cor. 2. 11. to become an undervaluer of Duty again in the days of your Knowledge as before you had been in the days of your Ignorance Thus the Adversary of your Soul will toss you into extremes backward and forward yea and backward again making you to sleight and contemn Duties again but upon another bottom now to wit under a pretence of making Christ your All As if Christ had given you now a license to be lazy But surely you never so learned Christ Ephes 4. 20. As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so should you walk in him Col. 2. 6. and being delivered by him therefore must you serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all your days Luk. 1. 74 75. And seeing you are bought with the price of his blood therefore must you Glorifie him with your body and spirit 1 Cor. 6. 20. for you are not yet come to your rest Deut. 12. 9. and until you be come to your eternal Rest or Sabbath you must not cease from your spiritual work labour or duty Hebr. 4. 10. So that Duties must not dye while you live and as long as you are on this side Heaven so long must you be doing Duty on Earth This is the place of our performing work and that of our receiving wages You may not transfer all your work from your self upon Christ as if nothing were due from you and to be done by you 'T was a good Saying of Austin's Acti agimus servati sumus ut serviamus We are acted by the Spirit of Christ that we our selves may act for Christ and we are saved by our Saviour that we may serve our Saviour Though God made us without our selves he will not saith that Father save us without our selves There is a triple-Homage to wit of Reverence of Obedience and of Thankfulness which is your poor Pepper-corn you must carefully pay to the Lord and Landlord of all your Mercies They that would have healing there is something required to be done by them they must step into the opened Fountain Zech. 13. 1. as the diseased did into the Pool of Bethesda Joh. 5 4. 7. If you compare Revel 1. 6. with 7. 14. together these two Scriptures will shew you that not only Christ doth wash you but that you must also wash your self in the blood of the Lamb and hence is it that the Lord calls upon you to this washing work Isai 1. 15. God will give you Grace just as Boaz gave Ruth corn Ruth 2. 15. He could have given her an Ephah of Barley ready winnowed to her hand without more ado but mark she must gather it up into gleanings and beat it out of the ears c. Though the corn was Boaz's gift yet all this was Ruths duty which was all the price she should pay for it Thus the very Heathen could say Dii laboribus omnia vendunt God sells all his blessings for mans labour 't is all one charge to him yet thus he gives both Grace and Knowledge and God's promise of Mercy is no exemption to man from Duty He promis'd deliverance from the Babylonish Captivity yet for that will he be enquired after Ezek. 36. 12. 37. Ora labora admotâ manu invocanda est Minerva were good Sayings of wise Heathens Duty is the way to Mercy Oh then take heed of being weary of duty which is near of kin to a reprobate minde A Child of God may be weary in it but never of it for he is a serving Son Mal. 3. 17. If once you become too good for duty you 'l assuredly prove too weak for holiness A little Child gathers strength by its due and daily sucking the breast but if it be Tongue-tyed or hindred from sucking by any other impediment 't will sensibly as well as insensibly soon pine away Our Spiritual life is as our Natural life both which Lives are within us yet neither of them do arise and are nourished from our selves but from something that is without us Hence is it that you stand in as much need of daily bread for your Soul as you do
therefore eye your self less and your High-Priest more in all your Duties especially considering that 't is he who carries the names of all the Tribes of Israel upon his Breast-plate into the Holy of Holies Exod. 28. 29. 'T is he who must present your person with acceptance to his Father saying Lo here am I and the children which thou hast given me Hebr. 2. 13. Yea and 't is He that must present your actions too or they will never come with acceptance upon Gods Altar Isa 60. 7. 'T is Christs work to pick out the Weeds from the Flowers in all our Duties he takes away the Iniquity of our holy things and what Flowers and Fragrancies of his own Spirit he finds in our Duties Cant. 4. 16. those he binds up in Nosegays and so presents them to the Father for us He Eekes out all our defects with his own fulness of sweet odours Revel 5. 8. and 8. 3 presenting nothing to God but what is pleasing to him as perfumed by his Merit 12. The eighth Deceit is You may be puffed up with Pride after enlargement of Duty When Spiritual Fire is at any time vouchsafed to be sent down from Heaven upon your Heart in Duty then is Satan's time in tempting you unto Self-admiration whereby you may forfeiâ— the heart-warming presence of God at anotheâ— time This is Satan's Chymistry to bring evil out of good to wit Spiritual Pride ouâ— of a divine enlarging presence which iâ— quite contrary to God's Chymistry in bringing good out of evil to wit a sanctified Use of temporal trouble Indeed God would never suffeâ— any sort of evil Natural or Moral to be in thâ— world if he knew not how to extract somâ— good out of all evil The spirit of or spiritual Pride is the worst sort of Pride as thâ— spirit of poison is the worst sort of poyson Corruptio optimi est pessima As this sort oâ— pride is the corruption of the best thing to wiâ—â— divine Duty so it becomes to be of the worâ—â— nature Morbus Satanicus the Devils Disease 'T is the worst kinde of Theft as it is a stealing from God his declarative Glory 't was Bernard's Descant Vxor gloria viri gloria uxor Dei as the Wife is the glory of man 1 Cor. 11.7 so Glory is the wife of God and therefore God is as jealous of his Glory as a man is of his wife His Glory he will not give to annother Isa 42. 8. 12. Will a man rob God Mal. 3.8 't is as sublime an Impudence as to rob the King of his Queen and yet this you may do in robbing God of his Glory the chiefest Flower and Jewel of his Crown when you exalt your self after enlargement more than your God which is a grosser and greater Crime than that which proud Haman was charged withal Will he force the Queen before my face Esth 7. 8. Hence arose that harsh-sounding Sentence of Austin Duty damus more than Sin and Duty damus more than it saves the sound sense whereof must be this When men are found priding for duty and resting in duty the Devil deceives them and so far their duties have accidentally a damning nature especially when they are deceived with seeming for saving Duty As the Witches in Lorain which Dr. Preston speaks of were deceived by some seeming broad pieces of Gold which proved at last no better than an heap of yellow dryed leaves of the Aspin-tree thus when we write up service and God writes it up sin Satan cheats us with seeming Service and in this sence Duty accidentally madamn Duty indeed saves none that â—â— Christs work to save and not the work oâ— Duty Duties be good Evidences as Grace be but both be bad Saviours 13. Thus far of the first thing to wit the Malady The second particular is the Remedâ— briefly Would you have relief against those deceits aforesaid then take these following Rules Rule the 1. Minde the Principle youâ— act from in Duty God looks more at the principle of Duty than at the performance or Duty it self he looks not so much at what you do as with what spirit you do your duty Alas a Cain may offer sacrifice as well as an Abel Gen. 4. 3 4. and a Doeg may step as far into the Sanctuary as a David I Sam. 21. 7. yea a proud Pharisee may step far further into the Temple than a penitent Publican Luke 11. 10 11. 13. yet with differing spirits and principles All your Deeds and Duties should be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. that is from a good principle as well as from a good End Jehu did excellent things for God 2 King 10. 16. yet that which spoiled all was that all his high and noble exploits did spring from a low and ignoble spirit and principle in not pursuing Gods praise so much as his own promotion The 2. Rule is Go forth in the strength of the Lord into every Duty Psal 71. 16 Take heed of fetching Materials of Duty from your self making Duty a matter of Wit of Memory and of natural Abilities Alas this is but a lifting up your own tool upon Gods Altar which will not polish but pollute it Exo. 20. 25. Duties that are made up of parts words and wit as Abanah and Parphar rivers of Damascus may indeed scour but 't is Duty done in Gods strength as Israel's Jordan can cure the Leprosie 2 Kin. 5.12 14. As Elisha's staff in the hand of Gehazi cannot cure 2 Kin. 4. 29 31. so Duties performed never so gloriously by our own abilities cannot help what cares Satan for all their Adjurations Act. 19. 13 14 15. where he sees not feels not the evidence and demonstration of God 14. The third Rule is Never sit down satisfied in Duty without the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 19. who must help your infirmities Rom. 8. 26. Gre. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift with you as at a log and bearing up the heavier end of Duty for you God said betimes 'T is not good for man to be alone Gen. 2. 18. 'T is not good that man should be alone at any time but especially in Duty he stands in as much need of an helper for his Soul as he doth for his Body Martha would not serve Christ alone but she would have Christ to bid her Sister Mary help her Luke 10. 40. So do not you serve Christ alone in Duty but desire him to bid his Spirit help you therein Christ tells you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim a me without me and my Spirit you can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. you cannot pray as you ought Rom. 8. 26. As you must do Duty from a principle of Life habitual Grace or a renewed frame of heart in Faith and Love so you must call in the help of the Spirit to excite that spring and principle crying Awake O North-wind come thou South blow upon my Garden c. Cant. 4.
which we are commanded to covet earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 zealously affect as 't is the best Ambition 1 Cor. 12. 31. Yet is there a more excellent way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces are better than Gifts 1 Cor. 13. 1. c. Gifts are indeed excellent things as they are Spiritual things flowing from the Spirit assisting if not indwelling in this respect they are better than all the Gold of Ophir which is but a natural thing and hath only a natural excellency but spiritual Gifts are not only spiritual things but be a part of the purchase of Christs Blood and a blessed fruit of his Ascension into Heaven Ephes 4. 8. And it must needs be an excellent thing to become a Saviour of Souls by Ministerial gifts to save souls and to pluck them out of the fire Jude 23. This is an excellency denied to Angels who are but ministring spirits and the Word of Reconciliation is not committed to them The Office of preaching the Gospel is taken from the Angels who first preached it to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 to 15. and given to the Ministers Though an Angel certified Cornelius that his Prayers were accepted yet doth not the Angel preach the Doctrine of Redemption to him but refers him for that unto Peter Act. 10. 3. 5. Notwithstanding all this a man may save others and not save himself but be a cast away 1 Cor. 9. 29. at last Hence the Apostle exhorts Timothy that he be careful to save himself as well as others 1 Tim. 4. 16. Those Hypocrites Preachers that in Christ's Name had cast out Devils were as unknown to Christ at length cast out to Devils Matth. 7. 22. 3. The second Answer is more particular for distinguishing Gifts from Graces They differ 1. In their original though both come from one and the same Holy Spirit yet 't is in a different respect for Gifts do flow from the Spirit as he is an assisting Spirit only and not an indwelling Spirit also But Grace always flows from the Spirit as both Assisting and Indwelling too 't is thus illustrated As a Carpenter may both build an House and beget a Childe yet one and the same individual man is the original of both these but with this difference the house that he builds partakes of his Art only and the Child he begets doth partake of his very Nature So Gifts though they do come from the same Holy Spirit that works saving Grace yet are they but Opera ad extra external Operations and not the proper and genuine fruits of an Indwelling as well as of an Assisting Spirit A Pilot is said to be in Philosophy the forma assistens to guide the Ship in its Navigation but 't is the Soul that is the forma informans to guide the Body in all its Motions and Operations Oh see that the Spirit be your Soul in Grace as well as your Pilot in Gifts 2. In their Object Gifts are more for Honour than for Holiness but Grace is more for Holiness than for Honour 'T was Saul's cry who had got the Gift of Prophecy when he was among the Prophets 1 Sam. 10. 10. Yet honour me now among the people 1 Sam. 15. 30. Let gifted men have but the Honour and let who will for all them take the Holiness Gifts are all for a Glory that is without but Grace is all for that Glory which is within Psal 45. 13 Reverend Mr. Bridges saith excellently Thaâ— as Gifts are the fruit of Christ's Ascension Eâ—phes 4. 8. so they are all for Ascensions and Glories for the fine-spun Notions for the quaint and quirking Speculations of sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals But true Grace falls in with a crucified Christ saying with the Apostle I determined to know nothing to profess no other skill among you than Chriâ—â— and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. 'T is not aâ— Children are for the gawdy flowers among the Corn but as the Husbandman for the Corn it self 4. Gifts and Grace differ 3ly in their subject Gifts may be given to a wicked man iâ—ordine ad aliud for the good of others as a Nurse may meet with bountiful gifts and good keeping in her Masters house not so much out of respect to her self but for the sake of her Masters Child which she hath in her Nursery But Grace is special favour the Receiving subject whereof is onely those that are Elected and Accepted in Christ 't is a Favour which God shewes only to his people Psal 106. 4. He useth to do so only to those that love his Name Psal 119. 132. Whereas a wicked Judas a Devil may be the subject of receiving Gifts he undoubtedly had as shining Gifts as any of the Disciples insomuch that they were so far from suspecting him for betraying of Christ that each of them rather suspected himself saying Master is it I Yet all his Gifts though shining were but as those Torches and Lanterns which he abused to betray his Master So that a man may perish with Gifts but never any man can perish with Grace Noah's Carpenters were gifted to build an Ark for saving Noah and his Family yet had they not Grace to save themselves from the universal Deluge 4ly They differ in the Effects 1. Gifts are Ministrantia but they are not Sanctificantia They do administer ad lucrum Ecclesiae to the advantage of the Church yet do they neither sanctifie nor save every gifted Administrator such an one may cast out Devils yet at last be cast out to Devils Matthew 7. 22. 2. Gifts fit a man only for a common Profession effecting a form of knowledge Rom. 2. 20. and a form of Godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. yet cannot renew the heart nor raise it up beyond a common frame 3. Gifts and Sin may consist together for though they be divers yet they are not contrary There is as much room for the Devil as ever yea possibly more For the Gift of Knowledge may make room for the Devil of Pride 1 Cor. 8. 1. 4. As Gifts cannot break off Vnion with Sin so neither can they bring into Vnion with Christ 5. Gifts are only good at doing they are very bad at suffering-work Lastly In Duration Gifts continue not 1 Cor. 13. 8. they dwindle into nothing Heb. 6. 6 7. but Grace is contrary in all these respects 5. The second Deceit which is the second enquiry is your taking and mis-taking seeming Grace for saving grace or false for true grace that you may be undeceived herein learn to distinguish them by these following Characters 1. False grace in an unsound and hypocritical heart hath evermore its actings and exercise from forreign and extrinsick motives as carnal respects by and base ends the applause of men c. Just like Puppits in a daunce that have no principle of life in them but are acted by an external force but true saving grace hath not onely an inward principle but also a propensity to
123 Chap. 8. Of the Hearts Treachery in Adversity Of the Malady wherein it consists and the Remedy whereby it may be cured 136 Chap. 9. Of the Hearts Treachery as to the Spiritual State both in falsly conceiving what we are in Gods thoughts and what we are in our own 1. In Gods thoughts that we are elected c. 2. In our own thoughts where the grand Objection is largely answered to wit whether a man may be an Hypocrite and not know it 159 Chap. 10. Of the false grounds of Self-deceiving to wit 1. Outward Peace and Plenty 2. A good Nature or Disposition 3. Morality or Civility of Life 4. Restraining Grace 5. External Profession And 6. a resting in Notional Knowledge Helps for undeceiving which do demonstrate the difference 1. Betwixt Nature and Grace 2. Betwixt Civility and Sanctity 3. Betwixt Restraining and Renewing Grace 172 Chap. 11. Of the Hearts Treachery as to our Actions especially those that are Religious The Hearts Treachery 1. as to performance of Duties in our undervaluing or overvaluing of them c. and what fit Remedies may be against those Maladies 196 Chap. 12. Of the Hearts Treachery in the exercise of Graces especially in mistaking 1. Gifts for Graces 2. False and seeming Grace for true and saving Grace And 3. That which is but common Grace for that which is special even the Grace of Gods Elect Lastly How all those differ one from another 217 THE Christians Mirrour OR Looking-glass that flatters not CHAP. I. Of the Heart in general 1. THere be two great concerns of faln Man most necessary to be known though much neglected to wit Hearts Treasure and Hearts Treason or Treachery the former of these to wit the inestimable Riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. cannot be prized or pressed after without some true and due knowledge of the latter which is called the Plague of the Heart 1 Kings 8. 38. and which every one ought to have a sensible and an experimental knowledge of even the Plague of that fretting Leprosie which is as Physitians do call it Corruptio totius substantiae universally spread over the whole Man that dryes up and draws out the very Vital Blood and life of the Soul the spots whereof are deeper than the skin like the spots of Leopards which no Art can cure no water can wash off they are not onely seated in the hands and in other outward parts but they are sunk down into the Heart and ingrained or ingraffed into the very spirit Levit. 13. 2 3. Jerem. 13. 23. The spots are not onely in the flesh and bones but also in the very sinews and inner parts where then is Mans free-will to good c. so that all the scraping in the world will not fetch it off Levit. 14. 41 43 44 45. Mans heart cannot be mended but by making it new and by renewing it Moses putting his hand into his bosome found Leprosie there and there he left it also Exod. 4. 6 7. there he found it and there he left it putting his hand into his bosome again 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a golden Sentence given to Mankind by one of the seven wise men of Greece That every Man might know himself and that this might be better done Mans gracious Creator hath left him a Looking-glass to wit the Holy Scriptures wherein Man may behold his Maker and himself also 1. This Looking-glass represents God to Man 2 Cor. 3. 18. and though that Representation be but through a Glass darkly 1. in opposition to Mans seeing God face to face in another World 1 Cor. 13. 12. yet holds it out the clearest discovery of God that Man is capable of in this lower World 2. In opposition to the Law of Moses which was but a dark dispensation in shadows and ceremonies compared with the Law of the Messias the Gospel that blessed Looking-glass of the Law of Liberty Jam. 1. 23 24 25. Alas poor mortal man cannot behold the face of God otherwise than in his Word and Works Rom. 1. 20. or the brightness of his glorious Presence the Majesty whereof would swallow up mere Mortality Exod. 33. 20 22 23. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Vehemens sensibile destruit sensum The object is over-violent for the faculty Man cannot see the Sun in Rotâ in the Circle but onely in the Beams Moses saw Mercaboh velo harocheb the Chariot in which God rode but not the Rider in it as the Rabbin saith he saw his back-parts onely but his Face and Essence could not be seen 3. And 2ly this Looking-glass of the Word of God represents Man to himself and gives him a distinct and impartial character of himself if rightly improved History makes mention of Momus the carping Heathen that found fault with mans Maker for not setting a Glass in mans Breast that so his Heart might be seen But assuredly God hath set such a Glass in his Word that Man thereby may see his own heart when Christ opens his blinde eyes to improve it and this is a Mirrour that flatters not a Looking-glass that makes a real discovery not like that famous Glass we read of at Athens which would represent the most deformed and discolour'd person to appear very beautiful nor like any of those Artificial Glasses that have all Impostures in them as the Magnifying-Glass that makes a thing look bigger than it is in quantity or the Multiplying-Glass that makes a thing more than it is in number or as other fallacious Glasses that represent things under our feet to seem above our heads contra things afar off to seem near hand contra yea to seem of another Colour and Figure of another Posture and Scituation than indeed they are of in themselves In all these there is deceptio Visus a deceiving of the sight but no such thing is in this divine Looking-glass 4. Augustine writing to Nebridius wondered at this strange Secret in plain and common Looking-glasses inasmuch as the lesser they are according to their Module or Size they do represent any thing lesser than it is in it self yet let these same Glasses be made never so large they never make the thing bigger than it is indeed Upon this observation that antient Father cryeth out saying In hoc aliquid occultum latere putandum est Some marvelous Mystery lyes hid herein Thus you see there are many deceitful and false Glasses that make false Representations but the Looking-glass of the Word of God is no false or flattering glass But as it is the Word of Truth Dan. 10. 21. Joh. 17. 17. and replenish'd with the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14.17 so it gives no other than a true representation of the complexion of your Heart all its defects and deformities are discovered thereby Hebr. 4. 12 13. Mark 4. 22. As the Word is a curious Critick judging exactly so 't is a faithful Friend representing impartially Never say you as ignorant ones usually do that you have a good heart God-ward when
practical knowledge of it and therefore is he said not to know it As Christ knew no more of evil than he did practise which was none at all so you know no more of good than you do practise Knowledge and Profession without Power and Practice will make you indeed as Rachel beautiful but barren and as Ephraim a Cake not turned Hos 7. 8. baked on the one side only but plain dough only on the other side these are cast-away Cakes that are raw on the one side and burnt or scorched on the other as unpleasant to the palate in both the sides amongst men accordingly dough-baked Duties will not down with God Irreligious Honesty and dishonest Religion are both alike check-aside Groats and Cakes not turned to the Lord the former is for a Second-Table man and nothing for the first Table the latter is for a first-Table-man and nothing for the second Table Whereas the two Tables are clasp'd together and should not being all but one Copulative be disjoyned or disjoynted by any dispensatory Conscience 8. Now having discovered the false Grounds of Self-deceit which are the true Causes of your Spiritual Distemper in order to the compleating of your Cure and to an effectual Application of the right Remedy 't will be expedient to inform you how you may distinguish betwixt false grounds and true that you may be undeceived And that this may be done the more distinctly and particularly the second Question to be answered shall be How you may put a difference 'twixt Nature and Grace that you mistake not the former for the latter To this I answer You may have a good Nature yea a Nature better than others yet this is but a beautiful Abomination and a smoother way to Hell and Damnation to mistake Nature for Grace speaketh out as much blindness and bewrayeth as much gross and sublime Ignorance as to mistake the burnt Temple for the built one Ezra comes to Jerusalem findes the Temple burnt but leaves it built Could any Jew be so sottish as to put no difference 'twixt the Temple as it lay in its own ashes a ruinous heap and as raised out of those Ruines a glorious Fabrick much admired by Christ's own Disciples Matth. 24. 1. Alas Nature is the burnt Temble burnt down in the Fall Christ our Ezra or Helper Hebr. comes and findes the Temple and Image of God demolished in you he lays a new foundation rejoyce in this as they did Ezra 3. 11. but mistake not the one for the other as if no need of Christ 9. Grace is Christ's rebuilding the burnt Temple and his restoring the lost Image of God in you when he changes the old Nature and makes you to partake of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Thus when Christ comes to repair his Temple he is said to be then as the Refiners fire and as Fullers soap Mal. 3. 2 3. to shew how the dross and dirt of sin is even so incorporated in the best yet depraved Nature of fallen Mankinde that Christ must be both fire and soap to the soiled Soul of man in a Similitudinary way before man can be a new-man a new creature created even out of Nothing or out of that which is worse than Nothing in Christ Jesus unto good Works Ephes 2. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. This corrupt nature is called the wild Olive Rom. 11. 24. which must be broâ—en from the old stock and not only so but it must be engrafted into the noble Vine John 15. 1. Christ Jesus or into that good Olive-tree Rom. 11. 24. This same spiritual engrafting of the branch which is wild by Nature is there said to be done contrary to Nature which Phrase plainly sheweth that Nature cannot contribute any thing unless it be Contrariety and Contradiction or Contrafaction in this mighty work of Grace Plutarch wonders at the Fig-tree that it should be so bitter in its root branches leaves stock and stem and yet the fruit of it so exceeding sweet and luscious But 't is more to be wondered at that such sweet fruits as those of the Spirit should ever grow upon the bitter stock of Nature for Gratia non tollit sed attollit Naturam Grace doth not destroy but refine Nature Man being by Nature in the very gall of bitterness Acts 8. 23. Alas none of his actings can be of a sweet savour unto God until he be engrafted into Christ and so partake of his sap and sweetness and thence become a tree of Righteousness Isai 61. 3. 10. After this first Answer which is general the second Answer is more particular to shew that Nature in her highest exaltation can never become Grace for these following Reasons drawn from corrupt Nature's defectiveness since the Fall As 1. mere Nature can never teach a Man to feel the weight and curse of a sin that was committed above five thousand years ago to wit Adam's eating the forbidden fruit which brought in all Misery on mankinde 2. Nor can it make a man sensible of original Corruption and that he not only carries about with him a very body of sin but also that the very spirits of sin runs in his blood the feeling of which makes him cry out Oh wretched man Rom. 7. 24. 3. Nor can it make a man see the sinfulness of sin especially of that great Gospel-sin the sin of Unbelief nor to see sin as the chiefest evil and accordingly to hate it and to love Jesus Christ as the chiefest good Joh. 16. 8. 'T is the work of Gods Spirit and not of mans to convince hereof 4. Neither can Nature instruct a man in the Doctrine of Self-denial which is a Lesson that could never be learnt in Nature's School For corrupt Nature can never teach a man to mortifie and destroy its own sinful self 5. Nor can mere Nature enable a man to prefer God before himself upon this bottome of being perswaded that his Well-being dependeth more upon God than upon himself Natures Lesson is Quisque suae fortunae faber as if man were a God to himself Gen. 3. 5. Which was Satan's first Insinuation into the first Man 's sinning heart 6. Mere Nature can never make a man so resolute for Christ as to endure abundance of evil and to refuse abundance of good that Christ may be retained Hebr. 11. 36 37. 7. Neither could it ever yet reform and rectifie its own Irregularities no not in the two greatest luminaries in her own School Natural Knowledge could never straighten or set to right natural crookedness This is evident in Aristotle the most Rational man and Seneca the most Moral man that ever the Heathen-world saw yet the one kept his Strumpet and the other was a biting Usurer to their dying day Oh bungling Nature that was screwed up ad ultimum potentiae to her highest peg in those her two darlings yet could she not redress those evils nor can she act any thing in a gracious manner or acceptable to God Wo
for your Body And this Bread of Life comes dish'd up to you in divine Duties Therefore by these things you live and herein is the life of your spirit Isa 38. 16. 8. The fourth Deceit of the Heart herein is 'T will wander from God in duty it cannot watch with Christ one hour Matth. 26. 40. nor attend the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 much less can you abide with Christ one whole day as those Disciples did Joh. 1. 41 c. your spirit will not be stedfast with God Psal 78. 8. 37. but your heart will deal unâ—â—ithfully with him and start aside from him â—â—ke a deceitful bow as above vers 57. 't will bâ— like Reuben as Vnstable as water Gen. 49. 4. This is for Lamentation and should be for Lamentation to you that you should bring such a slippery heart before the Lord in Duty that will not serve God so entirely as it has served sin Alas you have served sin with your whole Heart Soul and strength but you could never serve God so your heart hath been divided in his service Hos 10. 2. We are all of us too much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 double-soul'd or double-hearted as James phraseth it Jam. 1. 8. hence cometh our unstableness in Duty and our halting and halving 'twixt God and the world and 'twixt Christ and sin This is that corruption which that Apostle calls upon us to cleanse away cleaving so fast to us Jam 4. 8. and then there would be more Constancy and Evenness more Stability and Entireness in our Minds Mouths and Manners before the Lord This is absolutely necessary in all those that draw nigh to God Levit. 10. 3. and the contrary is abominable Isai 29. 13. We may all of us say in this case as Joseph's brethren said in another case We are verily guilty Gen. 42. 11. Therefore you have need to watcâ— your heart Prov. 4. 23. like a thief that will either steal away from you by fraud or â—eak away from you by force ere ever you be aware And to pray with David Lord fix â—nd unite my heart that as thou art God alone so my heart may be to thee alone Psal 86. 10 11. Lord bend it and binde it fast with cords as a Sacrifice or untamed Heifer to the horns of the Altar Psal 118. 27. that you may serve God with singleness 2 Cor. 1. 12. cleaving to him with full purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. Deut. 30. 20. and sitting close to him as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 7. 35. signifies as close as Mary did to Christ Luke 10. 40. while Martha was distracted with many things 9. The fifth Deceit of the Heart is 'T will be weary of Duty as well as wander in and from Duty this usâ—ers in that If your heart be divided disjointed and thereby disenabled for Duty for Aninia dispersa fit minor a stream divided into several channels runs the weaker Vis unita fortior if contracted into one the same becomes the stronger 't will soon also grow weary of Duty and cry Oh what a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. where the Jews come puffing and blowing into the Temple as if they had lost their pant with carrying some Carrion-sheep upon their shoulders for Sacrifice as if God had called them to no other service but servile drudgery but God knowing the language of their hearts detects their Hypocrisie telling them he presseth upon no man neither liketh he that service that is pressed out of people as Verjuice is pressed out of Crabs All his Saints Subjects and Soldiers are Volunteers a willing people that bring their Free-will-offering to him Psal 110. 3. They dare not cry out of weariness as those did nor account the Sabbath a burden as they did in Amos 8.5 who were as it were in the stocks or little-ease all the Sabbath-service though they do themselves perform no better works than dead works all the time either for fashions sake or for fear of the Law Oh let it not be so with you let the Sabbath be a day both of desires and of delights to you Isa 58. 13. and take as much pleasure therein as one walking in the Spring-garden of Spiritual Duties arm in arm and heart in heart with your dear Lord Jesus you must not only Deo servire sed adulari be unsatisfiable unwearied in his service as one that never does enough for him that hath done and suffer'd so much for you 10. The sixth Deceit is You may look more at the Acceptation of the Action performed than at the person performing 'T is true in the Covenant of Works the first Covenant God first accepted of the Action and then of the Person for the tenure of that Covenant runs in those terms Do this and live Ambrose the Father hath an excellent descant upon it to wit Homo priùs probandus quà m approbandus Man must first be proved in this Covenant of Works before he be approved When God the Creator called all his created things good and very good at the end of every days Creation yet when he had created Man he speaks not one word of the goodness of his creature Man and why so 'T was because Man must first be tryed and then if he deserved it commended but alas Man bal Jalin non pernoctavit abode not one night as the Hebrew word signifies in his honourable estate wherein he was created Psal 49. 12. He failed in his action so God accepted not of his person But 't is otherwise in the second Covenant the Covenant of Grace for herein the person is accepted first and then the action from that person As in the case of Abel Gen. 4. 4. and Hebr. 11. 4. his Sacrifice was respected and accepted because by Faith his person was justified The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering God's respect there was first to his person and then to his Action or Offering Whereas the first Covenant was made betwixt an holy man and an Holy God Man then stood upon his own legs and by his own strength and he had then no back-door no surety But this second Covenant is made with us in Christ and 't is now Live and do as the first was Do and live because we live in Christ that therefore we do our actions acceptably in him Ephes 1. 6. 11. The seventh Deceit is You may look that your person may be accepted in Duty more for the Actions sake than for Christs sake If your heart be not lifted up and raised to a due height in Duty 't will be a low creeping heart and then will it pore too much on self and the Duty done and too little on Christ Whereas no Israelite was to offer up his own Offering but he must put it into the hand of the Priest who was a type of Christ our High-Priest and he must both bring it and burn it before the Lord for the Israelite Levit. 1. 15. You should
16. and praying Lord quicken me in thy way Psal 119. 37. As endeavours withou God cannot so God without endeavours will not quicken that spiritual principle the flint must be struck upon the steel or there is no fetching of fire out of it You should stir up your self for and interest Christ in all your Duties that the sword of the Lord and of Gideon may go hand in hand together Jud. 7. 18. 20. The 4. Rule is Do Duties for right Ends as well as from a right Principle by a right Strength and with a right Supply Right ends of Duty are 1. That God may be honoured by it 2. That your thankfulness to the God of your Mercy may be expressed 3. That those Duties may be profitable to others Tit. 3. 8. And lastly That your Soul may meet with Christ in them You should cry in every Duty have over Lord for Heaven getting a full tide of Affections and cry with David Oh that I had wings Psal 55. 6. and winde in my wings Zech. 5. 9. Revel 12. 14. even the wings of a dove wherewithal you may flye to the Ark of Mercy as Noah's dove did 15. The fifth Rule is See that your heart rest not short of Christ in any Duty Let go your hold of no Duty until you finde something of Christ in it and until you get not only an handful but an armful with old Simeon Luke 2.28 yea an heartful of the blessed and beautiful Babe of Bethlehem therein Indeed you should have commerce with Heaven and communion with Christ in duty which is therefore called the presence of God or your appearing before him Exod. 23. 17. and Psal 42. 2. Your Duties then must be as a Bridge to give you passage or as a Boat to carry you over into the bosom of Christ Holy Mr. Bradford Martyr said He could not leave Confession till he found his heart touch'd and broken for sin nor Supplication till his Heart was affected with the beauty of the Blessings desired nor Thanksgiving till his Soul was quickned in return of Praises nor any Duty until his heart was brought into a duty-frame and something of Christ was found therein Accordingly Bernard speaks Nunquam abs â—e absque te recedam Domine I will never depart in duty from thee without thee O Lord. Augustine said hâ— loved not Tully's elegant Orations as formerly because he could not finde his Christ in them nor doth a gracious Soul empty Duties Rhetorical flowers and flourishes expressions without impressions in praying or preaching are not true bread but a tinkling Cymbal to it and cannot be put off with the empty spoon of aery Notions or lovely that are not also lively Songs If Christ talk with you in the way of duty your heart will burn within you Luke 24. 16. 32. 6. The sixth Rule is Neglect not the Magnalia or great Duties of Christianity while you do observe it may be oversolicitously even to Superstition the Minutula or lesser Duties as the Pharisees in their straining at gnats and swallowing camels Matth. 23. 23 24. As Saul that scrupled eating flesh with the blood 1 Sam. 14. 33. yet not at all the shedding of the blood of the Lords innocent Priests 1 Samuel 22. 16 17 18. And as those wicked Priests seemed to make Conscience of putting the price of Blood in the Treasury but none at all of imbrewing their hands in the innocent Blood of the Lamb of God Matth. 27. 6 c. the price of that Blood may not lye in their chest yet the Blood it self may lye on their Consciences v. 25. 7. The seventh Rule is You must persevere in Duty all your days as before You may not be a young Saint and an old Devil like the New-moon that gives light for a while in the former part of the night but goes down into darkness long before the Night is gone You may not be a lightsome Professor in your Youth and have your light wrap'd up in darkness in your old Age but your Grace like good liquor should run fresh to the bottom and your last days should be your best CHAP. XII Of the Hearts Treachery in exercising of Graces 1. THe Deceits of the Heart concerning Grace are manifold to be here discovered as 1. You may mistake Gifts for Graces 2. False and seeming Grace for true and saving Grace 3. Common Grace for special Grace which accompanies Salvation and is peculiar to the Elect of God All these are over and above those Deceits aforementioned in mistaking Nature for Grace Civility for Sanctity and Restraining for Renewing Grace You may think that you are exercising the very right and real Grace of God when 't is only some Mock-grace that is exerted and exercised in you In order to the undeceiving of your Soul herein you must 1. know what this Grace of God's Elect is which Spirit of truth the world cannot receive Joh. 14. 17. And 2ly how to distinguish it from those other falsly supposed Graces which the Non-elect world may and do receive First of the 1. to wit What right Grace which the Apostle calls true Holiness is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4. 24. the Holiness of Truth Gr. or true Holiness in opposition to that which is falsly and feignedly supposed only to be so This right and real Grace or Holiness is called in Scripture The Riches of his Glory Rom. 9. 23. The Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. and the very life of God himself Ephes 4.17 yea the very Image of the heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15. 49. wherein we resemble Christ not only as a picture doth a man in outward Lineaments but as a Childe doth his Father in Countenance and Conditions This resemblance consists not in Corporeal Substance so much as in Divine Qualities Grace in truth is the choicest frame and excellency that flesh and blood is capable of 'T is as Reverend Mr. Robert Bolton defines it the most glorious Creature of the Father of Lights flowing immediately from his blessed face As in the hand of Moses the Serpent was turned into a rod Exod. 4. 4. so in the hand of the Messiah our crooked Natures are made streight by Grace the Lion is changed into a Lamb c. Isa 11. 6 7 8. and our rough spirits are made plain thereby Isa 40. 4. 'T is the work of this blessed Carpenter so Christ is called Mark 6. 3. to hew and square many a knotty piece of Timber that it may become fit materials for his holy Temple 2. The second thing you are to know is how to distinguish the right from the wrong and first how Grace is distinguishable from Gifts which may be your first enquiry To which I answer 1. in the general 'T is possible a man that hath Grace may think he has nothing but Gifts and 't is as possible that a man which hath nothing but Gifts may think that his Gifts are Graces He that hath Gifts hath indeed an excellent thing and that