V it R. 5. Epbefiáns, Chap.2. 7 y and yet theone can no morehclpe himfelte w lit: then the or;tcr. So a Fox and an Affc,the one may bebid neercr to reafon then theother, becaufe in degree of unreafonableneffe, he is not fo much removed ; yet in kind they are bothone,and can do nothing which might change their kind. So here, they are faid neercr refpeétively,in regard of others"innersmore remote, not that abfolutely they are neercr ; as an Ape may be faid Comparatively tobe reafonable. This confuteth theenemies of Gods grace; Papifis,andLutheranes: Whomake man have Tome reliques of ftrength, whereby being cxci- ted,and prefented,and fhoweda fit object, he can of himfelfc turne to God. But what were it availeable to come to a blind man and fhow him the funne and tell himofit e till he have an in fight given him, all is vaine. So here needeth a Creating, renewinggrace, not a bare men- ding, or repairing, what isamiffe. But if wecannot at all difpofe our felvesto life, why are we called upon a why fhould we hear: the word! &c. Becaufe thefe things are good, fuch as God requireth , which we muff not leave off, becaufe we cannot do them pleafingly,but labourto atraine the right manner. Secondly,that we may not let our felves further off falvation,which we may, though we cannot doe that which may helpe forward our calling. It is forlornc defperate folly, when we arein force degrees of evil!, to thinke the crow can be noblacker then her wing ; and fo throw down our felves deeper into tnifchief.Though as we ufe them, thefe prepare us nor,yet as God doethufe them they doeprepare As; as whenone ftriketh a knife into his lungs, God may fo guid it, as to beak an impofthume; A man taking drinke intemperately, and fin- in9,Godmay heale a frckneffc by ir. Hence !carne we to deceit thofe workes of Congruity, and con- feffe we can doe nothing ; cry to God ,Turn thou us, and we Ad(be turned. A mother will not caft away her child& for an Itch , or the riling of pimples, which for the prefent deforme; fhe bought it too dcarc to part with it fo lightly. So our God will not for infirmities caft us off, he bath bought us at toodeare a rate, fo topart with us. ,9 icknedus in Chsif . ] o6f. What is the flare towhich the belee. ver is brought he is made partaker of the life of God. It may be faid of him which is fpoken of the prodigal! child, who thoughhehad hung dead, yet is nowalive. So thefe brought untothe Faith , though before dead, yet now are brought to life: the Apoftle deadin trefpafes and fanner, as the reff, came to have Chrift living in him ; being fet in- to Chrift, he had fellow/hip in the death and ref rreCtionof Chriji. TheColofsians, dead in the uncircumcifion ofhearts, came to be brought to life with Chrift, their fanner beingforgiven them. Wehave experienceof is who wereblind, uncircumcifed in heart , favouring earthly things, walking from trefpaffe to trefpafl'e, utterly unac- quainted with the life of God, now light in the Lord, now our hearts pricked for fine , trembling at the word , preft to obedience , now affecting Vfe t; Confutation of the patrons of nature. objetl. zinfj. 2. yfe: Got out of thy felfand fly ro God. Lam. f.a L. Doti. Beleeyers par- take ofthe life of God. Luke 15.;a. Gal. a.aa. Phil.;.to. Col. ;.;. Eph.ça8.
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