Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

57z How arawe comp?ésit in Chrift ? Sere. 25i pared with this, are but like Rehoboarns Government compared to his Father Solomons, the haft finger, of whofe Dominion he threatens fhould be heavier than hid Fathers loins, J. King. t 2.1o. We read in Scripture of an Egyptian [livery ; in Hiflory of the Spartan flavoty, and of the 7urki/h, all there fad and lamentable ; but yet all there reached but the body, and that for a time onely whereas the [la- very of Corruption reaches the foul , and that for ever unlef; Chrift become our +efus in faving us from our fins, Match. 1,2r. He bath purcllafed our fre dome, and that with a great fumme, as the Cen:urtion fpeaks of his Roman fretdomts A1?. 22 26,27,28. There are none can fay with St Pa 1, they are born free, except they who arc born again, and they are free indeed, 7uh. 8.36, Chriflis All in removing this impediment alfo in letting our poor captive fouls gat lib:rty , from the bonds and fetters of cur cor- ruption, Rom 6.6,7,8, &c. Rom. 7.25. ' Fis he alone can conquer- there great Goliaks, thole untamed affeaions; hut yet even this deliverance is alfo incompleat in this world, he delivers his people from corruption as to the reign and dominion of it, though not as to the pretence, and diflurbance of it, tst non rrgn5t fed nondssm tit non fit. 3. The oppoftions of Satan, his wiles and fubtilties, there are another impediment, and that no fmall one neither ; for if our firm parents in whom there was nothing of ignorance, but a fufficiency of knowledge, there was indeed a nefcic cbeuof many ny things, there allo in the Angels, Match. 24.3 yet knowledge was both full and clear in things neceffary and pertinent, Col. 3.1o. This was no (mall advantage againft the methodsof Saran, becaufe his ufual way of mifchieving poor creatures hath not been fo much by force as fraud, not as a Lion, but as a Serpent, not fo much by conquering, as cheating ; acing all bis enmity under a pretence of friendfhip, and tempting us to no evil, but under the pretence cf force good. The advantage of our fir[l Parents was in this refped great in refped of their knowledge. Betides in them was nothing of weakness, but a fufficiency of ftrength, in them was nothing cf corruption, but an univerfall rectitude and uprightnefs. The wages by which Satan ordinarily prevails, i3 either by our igtorance, or by our weakness, or9 elfe by making a party within us againfl our felves. The advantages of our firft Parents were in all thefe refpeds far greater than any have against Satan now, yet Satan prevailed againft them. What caufe therefore have we Co fear, z Cor. 11.3. t

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=