Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

Io8 ~ Chap. 4· ~ The Harmony of the -Divine Attributes CHAP. IV. T he imprf]ibility of Man's Recovery by his Natural Power. H e cannot regain h}s Primitive Holinifs. The Under- . :fianding and Will the Juperior Faculties are deprav'd. The Mind is ignorant and ir!fer.fible qf our Corruption. The Will is more deprav'd than the Mind. It embraces only Senfual Good. Carnal ObjeCI:s are woundfng to the Confci~nce, and unfatisfjing to the AJfeCI:ions, yet the Will eagerly purjues them. The moral Impotence, that arifeth from a perverfe Difpofition of the Will, is culpable. Neither the Beauty nor the Reward qf Holinefs can prevail upon the unrenewed "\V ill. Guilty Man cannot recover the Fa;.:our qf God. He is unable to make SatisfaCI:ion to Jufl:ice. He is incable qf real Repentance, which might qualify him for Pardon. ~~cb,~:y ~·tN~tt;:;;r:r~ ~~~~ifi%,~ e;~:.at ~c~~~esh~f~~!:;~a~~ W . HEN Adamwasexpell'd from Paradifr, the entrance was guardcould not recover rt by Power. The chrefefl: Ornaments of Pa• radije are the Image and Favour of God, of which he is jufl:ly depriv'd: and there is no poffibility for him to regain them. What can he expcU from his own Reafon, that betray'd him to ruin ? If it did not fupport him ·when he flood, How can 1t ratfe btm when he IS _f~llcn ? If there were a p~wcr in lap. 1/rd ~:1~ J~~:~~&r~1~:-~~1~~~~~vfu~l~ ~;~~at~l~oo~~f~~:~a~of~~~~ l;:vt~d~~nrvt!a;~t f~?rf~ 'Vital AC1ions. For the clearer opening of this Point, concerning Man's ab[ol11te Difability to recover his Primitive State, I will diffinffly confider it, with refpetl: to the Image ~nd Favour of God, upon which his BleiTednefs depends. wl~;t{~ev~~~octOI~~~~~:e~· t~s i~;i:~~ke p~~~~~~~ ~~~~ - '~~~o~~~:afcf{; ~f~(ig~~~~~ ~p~~ E.xternat Agmt is requifite for the . r~covering of its Integrity. This is veri.ficd by innume rable inllances, in things Artijiczal and Natural. If a Clock be diforder'd by a fall, the Ulorkman mufi mend It, be~ ore 1t can be ufeful. If W:ne that IS nch and generous, declines by the Iofs of Spirits, 1t can never be revived wahout a new fupply. In the human Body, where there is a more noble form, and more powerful to re~refs any evil that may happen to the parts ; if a Gangrene feize on any Member, nothmg can refill: irs cmu-fe but the application of outwa rd means ; it cannot be cured by the internal Principles of its ConHitution. And proporrionably in mor:z! Agents, when the Faculties whi~h are the Principles of AfJion are corrupted, ~t is impoffible, without the virtue of a D1vine Caufe, they 01ould ever be ref1:or"d w therr Origin.<! ReCl:itud.e. As the Image of God was at firfl: imprinted on the Hnman Nature by Creatron, ( Epbe(. 4· 24.) fo the renewed Image is wrOught in him by the fame creatin~ Power. Th i~ will ~e more evi.denr, by confidering, that inward and deep Depravatron of the l,Jodcrftandmg and W11l, the two fuperior Faculties which command the refr. 1 . fhe Vnderjlanding hath loft the Ris ht ap_prehenfioo of things. As Sin began (n the Darkne!S of the Mincl, fo one of its w;orll £./JeC!J is, the increafing that Darknt:fs which can only_ be difpell d by a jtpernatnrd Light . Now what the Eye is to rhe llody, tbar IS the Mmd for the drrechog .the W1ll, aud couduCl:rng the L1fc. <iiJJ if r!,e Li:;ht th<t "

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