Boston - BT700 B7 1769

go , 'The Corruption if_ rhe Will. .·state If, cannot !land, but th~y'-will have it to fiand: 'it falls, they fet it up again: · but Hill it tumbles down on them; yet they ceafe not to go about to mak-: it fland . But wherefore ali this pains abeut a tottering t ight eoufnefs? Becaufe, fuch as it .is, it is their own. What ails them at Chrifi's righteouf– nefs? ' \Vhy, that would make theni free ·grace's debtors for - all; and that is what the proud heart by no means can fub– mit to . . Here lies the firefs of the matter, Pfa!. x. 4· The wicked through the pride of his countenance will mtfeek_ (to read it wi'thout the fupplement) that is, in- other terms, He cannr-t dig 1 and to beg he is a foamed. Such is the fir uggle , ere the foul die to th,e law. But what fpeaks yet more oL this woful difpofition of the heart, nature ofc-times gets · t~e maftery of .the difeafe; infomuch that i: he f-oul, which was like to have died to the Jaw, while convichons were -. fharp and pie1 cing, fatally recovers of the happy and pro– roiling Gcknefs; and (what ~is very natural) cleaves rnore cfofely than ever to the law, even as a wife brought back from the gates of death would clea,,e to her hufbar.d. This is the iffue of tbe exercifes of many about their fours cafe: they are indeed brought to follow duties more cloft:– ly; but tbey'are as (ar fron1 Chrift as ever, if not.far ther . . (2.) lt is a violent death, Rom.vii.4. Ye are become_ dead · iO :he law, being killed, flain, or put tO death, rCi.S the word bears. The law itfelf pas a great hand in this: the hus– b~nd gives the .wound, Gal. ii. ·19. I th11ough the law am– dead ffJ the !an.JJ. The 'foul that dies this death , is like a lov- . ing wife matched with a rigorous hufband: fhe does wh at fhe can to pleafe him, yet he is never pleafed; but tolfeth, harraffeth, and beats her, till fhe breaks her heart, and ' death fets her free; as will afterwards m·ore fully- appear. ' Thus it is made evident , that mens hearts are naturally beot to the way of the law, and Jy crofs to the. gofpel– contrivance; ,and the fecond article of the charge, againft you that are .unregenerate. is verified, namely, that ,ye are enemies to the So11 o.f God. · ' 3dly, Ye are ~nemies to the Spirit of God. l-Ie is th~ fpirit of holinefs; the n·atural man is unho,ly_. and loves to be fo, and therefore rejijlJ the holy Ghofl,' AB:s vii. 5 l ... The work of the Spirit is to convince the world if )in, righteouf– nefl and judgment, John xvi. 8. But 0 how do men ~rive to ,

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