Chap. 5. AnExpofttion upon the Book of JOB. Verfe.' 7. 225 Nature is her rute. There needs much teaching againft fin,and it is the bufinefs of all the Ordinancys tobridle us from affing our corruptions But man walkes in a wayesof wickçdnefs, with, out guide or precept. It was the ancient error of the Pelagian!,that the Go of man came only by imitation : they deniedthat man had a_ftock ofcor- ruption in his nature, or that his naturewas corrupted ; but,fee- ingothers fin, he finned ; an opinion which carries its cóndemna- tion in its own face,as well as in our hearts'And though finiilitudes are no proofs, yet, the reafon of a fimilitude is : mans finning is therefore compared to a fparks flying, to thew how naturally he fins. A (pant flyes upward without any to lead it the way ; and a bird would flye, though he fhouldnever feeanother bird flye.: And ifa man could live fo, as never to fee any one example of fin all his dayes, yet that man, out ,.of his_own heart, might bring forth every fin every day. .Example quickens and encourages the principles of tin within us, but we can fin without any extrinfick motionor provocation,without pat tcrnor,prefidentfrom without. Lafly obferve, Tofin, it 'no burden or labour to a natural man : For it is his na- ture. Iris no pains to _the (park, to flye _upwards: what we do naturally, we ,.do eafily. -Holy duties are no burdens to a godly man, becaufe, through grace,he doth them naturally , he hath an, inward.principleawhich diCtates the lawof holinefsto him,though he thould want outward teaching: He hath an untiionfrom ¡be ho- ly Ghojt, and knotvetb all things, r John 2.20, Not that a godly, man becomes like God, Omoifcient, or knowing all, for at molt we know, here, but in part : but he knows all things neceífary, and fo far as neceffary his new birth teaches him : He lives wit meerly upon theoutward teaching,he bath both lightand libe r ty in himfelf , -and Co hath a tendency to thefe things in his own fpirit, as there is a tendency in fire to afcend. We should wonder and rejoyce, to fee how graceconquers the courfe of finful nature The newman is born tomercy and ho- lincfs,ta.graceand glory,as the fparks flye upward. Hence it is Paid, He th.et it born of God,cannot commit fin,for thefeed of God rentairz- eih in him. As, the (park cannot flye downward, becaufe thè hèut of:fìre remains in it : The Apostle affirms it, of hunfelf and his Fellow labourers in the Gofpel, Ire can do nothi tg azainit the trutb,hat fa the truth, a Cor. 13. 8. The pofliibilities and impodi G g bilities
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=