I dare say, if Christians were sober, watchful and of a more self-denying Temper, they ⟨p. 196⟩need not put the Lord Jesus to that to which for the want of these things they do so often put him. I know he is not unwilling to serve us, but I know also that the ••ve of Christ should constrain us, to live […] Selves but to him that loved us, […] us, and rose again, 2 Cor. 5.14. we […] do that which is naught too much […] then when we watch and take care what we can to prevent it. Our Flesh, when we do our utmost Diligence to resist it, will defile both us and our best Performances. We need not lay the reins on its Neck, and say what care we, the more Sin the more Grace, and the more we shall see the Kindness of Christ, and what Virtue there is in his Advocates Office to save us. And should there be any such here I would present them with a Scripture or two. The first is this, Do ye thus require the Lord, O foolish People and unwise? Deut. 32.6. and if this gentle check will not do, then read the other, Shall we say, let us do evil that good may come? their Damnation is just, Rom. 3.8. besides, as nothing so swayeth with us as Love, so there is nothing so well pleasing to God as it. Let a Man love, tho he has Opportunity to do nothing, 'tis accepted of the God of Heaven: But where there is no Love, let a Man do what he will, it is not at all regarded, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. Now to be careless, and ⟨p. 197⟩negligent, and that from a supposed Understanding of the Grace of Christ in the Exercise of his Advocateship for us, in Heaven, is as clear a Sign as can be that in thy Heart there is no Lov• […] ••rist, and that consequently thou ar• […] nothing instead of being a Chri••••• […].
I dare say, if Christians were sober, watchfu• and of a more self-denying Temper, they ⟨p. 196⟩need not put the Lord Jesus to that to which for the want of these things they do so often put him. I know he is not unwilling to serve us, but I know also that the ••ve of Christ should constrain us, to live 〈…〉 Selves but to him that loved us, 〈…〉 us, and rose again, 2 Cor. 5.14. we 〈…〉 do that which is naught too much 〈…〉 then when we watch and take care what we can to prevent it. Our Flesh, when we do our utmost Diligence to resist it, will defile both us and our best Performances. We need not lay the reins on its Neck, and say what care we, the more Sin the more Grace, and the more we shall see the Kindness of Christ, and what Virtue there is in his Advocates Office to save us. And should there be any such here I would present them with a Scripture or two. The first is this, Do ye thus require the Lord, O foolish People and unwise? Deut. 32.6. and if this gentle check will not do, then read the other, Shall we say, let us do evil that good may come? their Damnation is just, Rom. 3.8. besides, as nothing so swayeth with us as Love, so there is nothing so well pleasing to God as it. Let a Man love, tho he has Opportunity to do nothing, 'tis accepted of the God of Heaven: But where there is no Love, let a Man do what he will, it is not at all regarded, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. Now to be careless, and ⟨p. 197⟩negligent, and that from a supposed Understanding of the Grace of Christ in the Exercise of his Advocateship for us, in Heaven, is as clear a Sign as can be that in thy Heart there is no Lov• 〈…〉 ••rist, and that consequently thou ar• 〈…〉 nothing instead of being a Chri••••• 〈…〉.
