620 Chap. 31. An Expofition upon the Boole of Jos. Verf.;cs. we have been tempted toTooke wantonly, we have not fuffered our hand to fin, whenwe have been tempted toa& unrighteouf- ly. A truely godly man can fay , that he fuffers when he fins, that is, he is rather paffive then adive in finning, being harryed and violently over- borne by temptation, but this will be the charge and condemnation of the world, that theyhave fuffered themfelves to fin. Teter rebuked Ananias ( Ad. S. 3.) becaufe he had yielded up his tongue, an inftrument unto fin, why bath Satbanfilled thine heart, to lie to the haly Ghofp, and to keepe backe part ofthe price ofthe laid ?Why didft thouyield up thy tongue at the command of thy covetous, or thy unbelieving heart ? why hath Sathan filled thy heart? Thoumighteft have denyed Satan when he tempted thee todeny part of the price. Thus the Lord may fay to moft finners, why hash Satan fo prevailed ? why have you yielded your hearts and confciences as llaves and captives to him, without ever ftriking tiroake for it ? Confider this thing, It is matter ofgreat glory not to yield our (elves at thecall or com- mand of corruption, and it is not only the fin but the fhame of man,to fuller himfelfe to be captivated by the command,or to be at the becke anddifpofai ofhis tufts. Tocleare thisa title further, I (hall flew bywhat ¡ceps or de- grees the Judgement ofGodads towards finners inthis thing, as allo by what fteps or degrees the lulls of men worke towards the enflavingofthemfelves in this moft miferable bondageofcorrup- tion. Firft, God in way ofpunifhment fuffers men to be overcome . and drawneaway by their Tufts. Thus the Apatite faith (9£f.t 14, 16. ) God fnffered allnations (except the Jewifhnation) to sralke in their owne wayes ; that is, he didnot checke or flop them in their finfull wayesand workings, as he did his owne people the Jewes ( for we are not to underftand the Apoftie abfolutely, but; comparatively) there never was any man, much leffea Nationof men in the world, who had not force flop againft fin, the flopof the light ofnature at leaf ; but every nation bath not had the flop ofordinances, the preaching ofthe word,the motions ofthe Spirit, there the Jewes Gods peculiar people had when the old Gentiles had them not ; they were fuffered to goe onne in their owne wayes without the light of the word, or helpe ofholy or dinances. Thus it is fayd (Pfal.147. 19, 2o.) Ha Jhetetb bit Word
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