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try every man's work, will try, not of what bulk it is, but of what sort it is, 1 Cor. iii. 13. Now, ye may know what bulk of religion another has; and what though it be more bulky than your own? God doth not regard that: Why then do you make such a matter of it? It is im possible for you, without divine revelation, certainly to know of what sort another man's religion is; but ye may certainly know what sort your own is of, without extraordinary revelation; otherwise the Apostle would not exhort the saints to give diligence to make their calling and election sure, 2 Pct. i. 10. Therefore, the attainments of hypocrites and apostates should not disturb you in your serious inquiry into your own state. But I will tell you two things, wherein the meanest saints go beyond the most refined hypocrites. (1.) In denying themselves, renouncing all confidence in themselves, and their own works, acquiescing in, being well-pleased with, and venturing their souls upon God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, Mat. v. 3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." And chap. ix. 6. "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Phil. iii. 3. "We are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." (2.) In a real hatred of sin; being willing to part with every lust, without exception, and comply with every duty the Lord makes, or shall make known to them, Psal. cxix. 6. "Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments." Try yourselves by these.

Case 6. I see ryself fall so far short of the saints mentioned in the scriptures, and of several excellent persons of my own acquaintance; that, when I look on them, I hardly look on myself as one of the same family with them.-Ans. It is indeed matter of humilia tion, that we get not forward to that measure of grace and holiness, which we see is attainable in this life. This should make us more vigorously press towards the mark; but surely it is from the devil, that weak Christians make a rack for themselves of the attainments of the strong. And to yield to this temptation, is as unreasonable as for a child to dispute away his relation to his father, because he is not of the same stature with his elder brethren

There are saints of several sizes in Christ's family; some fathers, some young men, and some little children, 1 John ii. 13, 14.

Case 7. I never read in the word of God, nor did I ever know of a child of God so tempted, and so left of God as I am; and, therefore, no saint's case being like mine, I cannot but conclude I am none of their number. -Ans. This objection arises to some, from their unacquaintedness with the scriptures, and with experienced Christians. It is profitable in this case, to impart the matter to some experienced Christian friend, or to some godly Minister. This has been a blessed mean of peace to some persons; while their case, which appeared to be singular, has been evinced to have been the case of other saints. The scriptures give instances of very horrid temptations, wherewith the saints have been assaulted. Job was tempted to blaspheme; this was the great thing the devil aimed at, in the case of that saint, Job i. 11. "He will curse thee to thy face." Chap. ii. 9. "Curse God and die." Asaph was tempted to think, it was in vain to be religious, which was in effect to throw off all religion, Psalm 1xxiii. 13. "Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain." Yea, Christ himself was tempted to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple, and to worship the devil, Mat. iv. 6, 9. And many of the children of God have not only been attacked with, but have actually yielded to very gross temptations for a time. Peter denied Christ, and cursed and swore that he knew him not, Mark xiv. 71. Paul, when a persecutor, compelled even the saints to blaspheme, Acts xxvi. 10, 11. Many of the saints can, from their sad experience, bear witness to very gross temptations, which have astonished their spirits, made their flesh to tremble, and sickened their bodies. Satan's fiery darts make terrible work, and will cost pains to quench them, by a vigorous managing of the shield of faith, Eph. vi. 16. Sometimes, he makes such desperate attacks, that never was one more put to it, in running to and fro without intermission, to quench the fire-balls incessantly thrown into his house, by an enemy designing to burn the house about him, than the poor tempted saint is, to repel satanical injections; these horrid temptations, though they are a dreadful affliction, they are

not the sins of the tempted, unless they make them theirs by consenting to them. They will be charged upon the tempter alone, if they be not consented to; and will no more be laid to the charge of the tempted party, than a bastard's being laid down at the chaste man's door will fix guilt upon him.

But, suppose neither Minister nor private Christian, to whom you go, can tell you of any who has been in your case; yet you ought not thence to infer, that your case certainly is singular, far less to give over hopes; for it is not to be thought, that every godly Minister, or private Christian, has had the experience of all the cases a child of God may be in. And we need not doubt, but some have had distresses known only to God, and their own consciences; and so, to others these distresses are as if they had never been. Yea, and though the scriptures do contain suitable directions for every case a child of God can be in; and these illustrated with a sufficient number of examples; yet it is not to be imagined, there are in the scriptures, perfect instances of every particular case incident to the saints. Therefore, howbeit you cannot find an instance of your case in the scriptures, yet bring your case to it, and you shall find suitable remedies prescribed there for it. And study rather to make use of Christ for your case, who has salve for all sores, than to know if ever any was in your case. Though one should shew you an instance of your case, as an undoubted saint, yet none could promise it would certainly give you ease; for a scrupulous conscience would readily find out some difference. And if nothing but a perfect conformity of another's case to yours will satisfy, it will be hard if not impossible to satisfy you. For it is with people's cases as with their natural faces; though the faces of all men are of one make, and some are so very like others, that at first view we are ready to take them for the same yet if you view them more accurately, you will see something in every face, distinguishing it from all others, though pos sibly you cannot tell what it is: Wherefore I conclude, that if you can find in yourselves the marks of regeneration, proposed to you from the word; you ought to conclude, you are in the state of grace, though your case were singular, which is indeed unlikely.

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Case last. The afflictions I meet with are strange and unusual. I doubt if ever a child of God was trysted with such dispensations of providence as I am.-Ans. Much of what was said on the preceding case may be helpful in this. Holy Job was assaulted, with this temptation, Job v. 1. "To which of the saints wilt thou turn ?" "But he rejected it, and held fast his integrity. The Apostle supposeth Christians may be tempted to think strange concerning the fiery trial, 1 Pet. iv. 1. But they have need of larger experience than Solomon's who will venture to say, See! this is new, Eccles. i. 10. And what though, in respect of the outward dispensations of Providence, it happen to you according to the work of the wicked? You may be just notwithstanding, according to Solomon's observe, Eccles. viii. 14. Sometimes we travel in ways, where we cannot perceive the prints of the foot of man or beast; yet we cannot from thence conclude, that there was never any there before us; so, albeit thou canst not perceive the footsteps of the flock in the way of thine affliction, thou must not therefore conclude, thou art the first that ever travelled that road. But what if it were so, that thou wert indeed the first? Some saint or other behoved to be the first, in drinking of each bitter cup the rest have drunk of. What warrant have you or I to limit the Holy One of Israel to a trodden path, in his dispensations towards us? "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known," Psalm Ixxvii. 19. If the Lord should carry you to heaven, by some retired road, and let you in at a back door, so to speak; you would have no ground to complain. Learn to allow sovereignty a latitude; be at your duty; and let no affliction cast a veil over any evidences you otherwise have for your being in the state of grace: For, "No man knoweth either their love or hatred, by all that is before them," Eccles. ix. 1.

USE II. Ye that are strangers to this new birth be convinced of the absolute necessity of it. Are all in the state of grace born again? Then ye have neither part nor lot in it, who are not born again. I must tell you in the words of our Lord and Saviour, (and O that he would speak them to your hearts,) "Ye must be born again,"

John iii. 7. And for your conviction, consider these few things:

First, Regeneration is absolutely necessary to qualify you to do any thing really good and acceptable to God. While you are not born again, your best works are but glittering sins; for though the matter of them is good, they are quite marred in the making. Consider, (1.) That without regeneration there is no faith; and, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi. 6. Faith is a vital act of the new-born soul. The Evangelist, shewing the different entertainment our Lord Jesus had from different persons, some receiving him, some rejecting him, points at regenerating grace as the true rise of that difference, without which never one would have received him. He tells us, that as many as received him were these which were born of God, John i. 11, 12, 13. Unregenerate men may presume, but true faith they cannot have. Faith is a flower that grows not in the field of nature. As the tree cannot grow without a root, neither can a man believe, without the new nature, whereof the principle of believing is a part. (2.) Without regeneration, a man's works are dead works. As is the principle, so must the effects be: If the lungs be rotten, the breath will be unsavoury; and he who, at best, is dead in sin, his works, at best, will be but dead works. "Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure-being abominable and disobedient; and unto every good work, reprobate,” Tit. i. 15, 16. Could we say of a man, that he is more blameless in his life than any other in the world; that he macerates his body with fasting; and has made his knees as horns with continual praying; but he is not born again; that exception would mar all. As if one should say, There is a well proportioned body, but the soul is gone; it is but a dead lump. This is a melting consideration. Thou dost many things materially good, but God saith, All these things avail not, as long as I see the old nature reigning in the man, Gal. vi. 15. For, in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

If thou art not born again, (1.) All thy reformation is naught in the sight of God. Thou hast shut the door, but the thief is still in the house. It may be thou art not what once thou wast, yet thou art not what thou must be,

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