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heart to chuse him, and consent that God and they may be united in a league of friendship, this is the work of faith.
- 3. Turns the heart from all evil wayes it walkt in; men are said to be pull'd out of the power of Satan.
- 4. Creates in the soul, and stampes in it all the Graces wherein Gods Image stands.
- 5. By administration of the promise and instruction fortifieth the soul, and makes one do all things belonging to this life.
Arminians give too much to man, and too little to Christ. Antinomians and Familists give too much to Christ, and too little to man. They give so much to Christ that they abolish the nature and act of the creature, they say, Christ must do all, and we can do nothing. They dream of an insensible motion without us, place Grace in a naked apprehension, there must be not onely a work for us, but in and by us. The work of the Father is in heaven, of Christ on the Crosse, of the Spi∣rit within us, Col. 1. 29. They deny not onely mans work, but the Spirits work in us, Rom. 16. 20.
Secondly, They say, Christ must do all, and we after we have received Grace, nothing, there is not a coordination but subordination of our wils to his grace, though at our first conversion we were meerly passive, yet when Grace is received we may act, motion follows life. Col. 2. 4.
The Familists deny all inherent graces in the Saints, because it is said we do not live, but Christ, he (they say) beleeves, repents, as if we lived not at all, and he is formally all habits and graces; but the Scripture grants habits and graces to be in a man, Iohn 19. 28. Matth. 12. 33. 1 Iohn 3. 9.
2. The sins of our actions then could not be charged on our selves, but on the faint operations of his grace.
Marks and Evidences of spiritual life:
- First, Every creature which lives values life, A living dog is better then a dead Lion. If one values his life he will prize,
- 1. Pabulum vitae, Attend on the Ordinances, the Word, Sacrament, Prayer, Communion of Saints. 1 Peter 2. As new born Babes. Cantic. 4. lat∣ter end.
- 2. He will avoid what is destructive to life; Beware of grieving and quench∣ing the Spirit, Ephes. 4. 30. 1 Thess. 5. 19. by neglecting the motions of it, or noy∣some lusts.
- 3. He will endure any evil and part with any good rather then part with life.
- Secondly, This new life brings alwayes a great change along with it: when a childe quickens in the mothers womb she findes a great change, so when Paul and Manass••h and the blinde man, Ioh. 9. were converted, unlesse they were religiously trained up, as Timothy from their youth.
- Thirdly, Sense, a spiritual sense in the soul, senses exercised, savour the things of God, Rom. 8.
- Fourthly, Every life hath some kinde of motions and actions that are sutable to it, as in this spiritual life.
- 1. That inward work of adhering to Christ as their chief portion, the fountain of all their good, a true faith.
- 2. Repentance, labouring to cast out corruption, and to turn to God.
- 3. The Spirit of Prayer, You have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby you cry Abba Father. Our Law judgeth a childe alive that was heard to cry.
- 4. The minding of heavenly things, Col. 3. 1, 2.
- 5. Life hath a sympathy, a fellowship with those that are members of the body, the same quickning Spirit lives in all Christians, weep with them that weep, and rejoyce with them that rejoyce.
- 6. If we be regenerated we do that to God which children do to their Father.
- 1. Honour him and stand in awe of him.
- 2. Rely on him as the fountain of all our good, as children do on their parent•• for a supply of all their wants.
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