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A97271 A touch-stone to try (by our knowledge, belief, and life) whether we be Christians in name onely, or Christians in deed. Or, The character of a true beleever, that walks in some measure answerable to the gospell, his Christian profession, and the millions of mercies he hath received. / By R.Y. of Roxwell in Essex. Younge, Richard. 1648 (1648) Wing Y193B; Thomason E1150_4; ESTC R208624 54,772 52

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grieving that he can performe no better service to so good a Master He will not as too many most sordidly doe take liberty to sin because God is mercifull and forbeares to execute judgement speedily or deferre his repentance because the Thiefe upon the Crosse was heard at the last hour but he will even therefore the more feare him because he is mercifull and therefore be holy because he is not under the Law but under grace § 66. And lastly having thus done and performed his utmost not to merit by it but to expresse his thankfulnesse to him that hath done performed and suffered so much for him he confesseth himselfe an unprofitable servant and that in all he comes farre short of performing his duty yea he ackcowledgeth that it were just for God eternally to condemne him Well may he be comforted by the graces which God hath given him as an earnest penny of those eternall Mansions in Heaven but he will not be exalted by them because they are not his graces but the Graces of God in him and wrought by his Spirit yea he so abhorres to attribute or ascribe ought to doing that he counts his very righteousnesse no better then filthy raggs ascribing every good thought word and action which proceeds from him to Free Grace for he lookes back to the rock out of which he was hewne and is not onely humbled thereby but forced with an holy admiration to wonder at the marvellous and extraordinary change which God hath wrought in him and also instructed to trust onely to Christs obedience in whom onely our good workes are accepted and for whom alone they are rewarded To shut up all he indeavours so to live as if there were no Gospel and so to dye as if there were no Law § 67. Onely it remaines that you looke your selves in this glasse and try your selves by this touchstone for though others may give a shrewd ghesse yet the Mother knowes best whether the Childe be like the Father or no and the signes of Salvation are to be sought in our selves as the cause in Jesus Christ our Justification is to be proved by the fruits of our Sanctification and though faith alone justifieth yet justifying faith is never alone but ever accompanied with spirituall graces the beauties of the soule and good workes the beauty of graces yea they are as inseparable as the root and the sap the Sunne and its light and as Fire may be discerned by heat and life by motion so a mans faith may be discerned by the fruits of it Nor can any one be deceived except he desires to deceive himselfe for every particular man is either the Childe of God or the Childe of the Devill as Chrysostome hath it for there is not a meane betwixt them and there be more differences betweene the Children of God and the Children of the Devill then there are between Men and Beasts whereof I have named not a few for whatsoever you may find the one herein set forth to speake think or doe the other does the contrary and to have the true Character of an unbeleever you need but read this Character of a true Beleever backward understand all by the rule of contraries and be satisfied I speake this to Naturians onely for the regenerate man knowes the one to be so by what he is and the other by what he hath been neither is there one of all these signes or characters but each experienced Christian findes it in some degree written in his heart as his conscience can beare me witnesse And would you know whether you belong to Christ This will informe you you will by helpe from above endeavour to bring into captivity every thought and thing to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 1 John 2.4 but so have not you in the least so long as you love not or any way oppose the people of God for the very first part of conversion is to love them that love God 1 John 3.10 yea in reason if the Image of God by faith were repaired in thee thou couldest not but be delighted with those that are like thy selfe And what saith St. John He that pretends interest in God or Christ and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 John 2.4 and in the third Chapter and eighth Verse he affirmes plainly That all wilfull sinners are the Devills servants And indeed let men flatter themselves or pretend what they will it cannot be denyed but the fruit tells best the name of the Tree the conversation above all shewes who carries the bridle of the will whether God or Satan and did not men purposely shut their eyes and stop their eares and harden their owne hearts least they should see and heare and so be converted as our Saviour himselfe speakes Matth. 13.15 they could not but know that the whole Bible beates upon this It is Saint Pauls everlasting rule Rom 6.16 Yea are his servants to whom ye obey And Saint Peters infallible Doctsrine 2 Pet. 2.19 Of whom a man is overcome unto him he is in bondage And Saint Johns In this are the Children of God knowne and the Children of the Devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God but of the Devill 1 John 3.8 10. And after this manner does our Saviour reason with the Jewes John 8.33 to 48. See then whose commands ye doe Gods or Satans if Satans then saith Saint John Let no man deceive you through vaine words for he onely that doth righteousnesse is righteous and he that doth unrighteousnesse is of the Devill 1 John 3.7 8. wherefore if thou art a common Drunkard or a continuall Swearer or an usuall companion of Harlots or an accustomary Deceiver or a frequent slanderer of thy Neighbour or an open and common Sabbath-breaker or canst thou boast of sinne and mischiefe or defend it If thou makest no conscience of Praying in thy Family if thou callest evill good and good evill if thou hatest thy Brother for doing that which is good as Caine did Abel if Ismael-like thou mockest or Cham-like thou scoffest at the religious or usest bitter iests against them though it be under the notion of Round-heads Puritanes Sectaries Black-coates or the like if thou raisest slanders of them or furtherest them being raised if thou dost rejoyce at the secret infirmities of the godly or open scandalls of Hypocrites if thou dost carpe and fret against the Word refusing to heare it or withstandest the preaching of it if being a Minister thou disgrafest or revilest the godly in thy preaching so making sad the hearts of the righteous or justifyest the wicked so strengthening them in their evill courses by preaching unto them peace if thou hast a base esteeme of Gods people and their wayes and thinkest the worse of a man for scrupling small matters if thou makest Religion a cloake for villany if thou dost borrow or run in debt without care to pay againe if thou delightest in