Downame - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.D76 C552 1611 v.2

Ofthe manifoldmifries ofmats( lift, S rg fo whollydefiledwith that corruption ofnature which hath beenderiued vntovsfrom our firft parents,thar we are onely aliue to finne,but dead to grace and all goodnçffe; vnable fomuch as tomoue in the wayof righteoufneffe which lea- deth vnto life,althoughwe runne with headlong haft in the way ofwickednefl'e, whichbringeth thole who goe in it,to perdition and eternall death. And from thisfountains of o- riginall finne, iffue the poyfonous ftreames ofa&ualltranf- greflions, whereby wee breake continually, through the whole courfeofourlife,all the commandements of Almigh- tieGod, omitting the duties which heebath commanded, and committing the finnes which bee bath forbidden. In whichmiferyoffinwe arewhollypl gedbeforeweare cal- led and conuertcd vntoGod, committing all maner ofwic- kednes with ful fwinge& cófent ofwil,delighting our (dues and reioycing in our rebellion; by reafon whereofwee are naturally llrangers and enemies vnto God, fubic& to his wrath,tothe curfe ofthelaw,and to al thofe fcareful plagues and punifhments,which therin are denounced againff tranf- greflburs, theflaues offinne and Satan,aud heiresof eternal( death. Yeaand after wee are conuerted vnto God,thef3efh continually lufteth againft the fpirir, and the corruptions of Rom nature remaine fo ftrong in vs, that wecannot doe the good we would,but the euiil which we wouldnot doe, that doe we. And as we areby this law of our members rebelling a- gainfl thelaw of our mind, daily ledcaptiuc veto finne ; fo are we thereby in fuch fort difablcd, that weecannot,to the dayofour death, offer vnto Godany one pure and perfc& dutie,without the filthy fpots and ftainesof our corruption. Now what a miferie is this, thatwewho were created Gods gloriouscreatures, according to his owne image, tothe end that we fhould ferue him in holines oflife,fhould,as though wee had forgotten the end wherefore wee came into the world, negleft all dutic to our Creator, and becomevolun- tarie flaues to finne andSatan,ready to doe his will; though we hauenothing for our wages buteternal( death ?yea euen afterwee are calledand reconciled vntoCod, how great is ournúfàiewhileft wee continue in this life, fecingwee are L I 4 daily

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