Goodwin - BV4500 G66 1650

26 The T"ryall of Oh miferable man that Iam ! He that never flinched for outward croffes, never thought himfelfe miferable for any ofthem, but gloried in them, z Cor. t z. when he came to be led captive Winne remaining in him, cryes out, Oh miferable man !`,,.;. And z. it is not the fir-Ines of a fore-pall unregenerate date, that will be enough to doe this througlily : For they might be lookt upon, as pail, and gone ; and force waiesbe an occafion ofmaking the grace after converfìon the more glorious : but preterit fenfe humbleth moa kindly, mof deeply, becaufe it is fre(h, and therefore (ayes Paul, Oh mi rable man that E. am.] And againe, we are not able toknow the depth , and height of corruptions at once ; therefore we are to know it by degrees : And therefore it is fill left in us, that after we have a fpirituall eye given us, we might experimentally gage it to the bot- tome, and be experimentally 1hll humbled for finne : And experimentall humbling is the mof kindly, as pity out of experi- ence is. And 3. God would have us humbled by feeirg our depen- dance upon him for inlittr+eitgrace; And how foone are we apt to forget we have received it ; and that in our natures no good dwells ? Wee would not remember, that our nature were a f ep- mother to grace, and a naturali mother to !As, but that we fee weeds bill grow naturally of themfelves. And 4. God would have us not onely humbled by fuch,our dependance on him, but by a fenfe of our continual! obnoxio^uf- neffe tohim, and ofbeing in his lurch ; and therefore leaves cor- ruption fill, that we might ever acknowledge that our necks doe even lie on the block, and that he may chop them off, and to fee that in him, we (hould not onely live, and move as crea- tures ; but further , that by him we might jufly be deJiroy- ed every moment, this humbles the creature indeed, Ezek, 36.31, 3z. 3. As thus to humble them, fo that they might have occafion to deny themfelvess : Which to doe is more acceptable to God, then much more fervice without it; and therefore the great promifeofhaving anhundredfold, is made to that grace. It was the great grace, which ofall other Chrift exercifed. Now ifwe . had no corruption to entice and (educe us, what opportunities were

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