A55299:482
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ,…
An answer to the discourse of Mr. William Sherlock, touching the knowledge of Christ, and our union and communion with him by Edward Polhill ..., Esquire.
London: printed for Ben. Foster, 1675
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Knowledge, Zeal, Repentance, Love to good Men are Graces; when of the right stamp, but mere notion which swims in the brain, is not that sanctifying Knowledge, which influences Holiness into the Heart and Life: Every heat upon a Religious account is not true Zeal, but that celestial Fire, which rightly inflames the heart for the glory of God: Every sorrow or ⟨p. 560⟩pressure from the Law, is not true repentance, but that which melts the heart into tears for the sinfulness of sin; Every respect to good men is not the right love, but that which flows out of love to God, and points to the Divine Image in them: Desires after Heaven may be a mark of a good Estate; but then they must be such as are virtually Grace, and issue out of poverty of spirit. A man may think he hath a good heart, and a godly course, and be deceived therein; yet it follows not, that we must bid farewell to evidences; an holy life issuing out of a pure heart, will still be an evidence to him who hath it.
Knowledge, Zeal, Repentance, Love to good Men are Graces; when of the right stamp, but meer notion which swims in the brain, is not that sanctifying Knowledge, which influences Holiness into the Heart and Life: Every heat upon a Religious account is not true Zeal, but that celestial Fire, which rightly inflames the heart for the glory of God: Every sorrow or ⟨p. 560⟩pressure from the Law, is not true repentance, but that which melts the heart into tears for the sinfulness of sin; Every respect to good men is not the right love, but that which flows out of love to God, and points to the Divine Image in them: Desires after Heaven may be a mark of a good Estate; but then they must be such as are vertually Grace, and issue out of poverty of spirit. A man may think he hath a good heart, and a godly course, and be deceived therein; yet it follows not, that we must bid farewel to evidences; an holy life issuing out of a pure heart, will still be an evidence to him who hath it.
But after all this,