Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

Verf. 8. the fixth Chapter of the ROMANS. 45. may be fair in outward guile and (hew , but in heart the moft noifom and polluted that can be. So that no 'Mortification is neceffarily requisite to Vivification, we mull dye before we can live. IL Let me open the Benefit, We /hall a fo live with him. Here, 1. Obferve how Grace is followed withGrace, one part with another, God loveth to crown his own gifts, and we are indeared to him by his own mercies. So it is in the general , Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand plucked ont of the fire ? But fome mercies draw on other mercies, and are given in order to them, as Mortification irr order to Vivification , Grace in order to Glory. God giveth the one , that he may give the other ; he maketh one degree of Grace a ftep to the other. 2. Obferve how Grace is followed with Glory, We /hall alfa live with him. One and the fame word expreffeth both, Life fpiritual and eternal is but one Life. It is good to obferve how many ways the Scripture fees forth the connexion between the Life of Grace and the Life of Glory : fometimes by that of the Seed and Crop , Gal. 6.8. He that foweth to the Spirit, hall of the Spirit reap life everlafting. No feed no crop, now is our feed-time : fometimes the firft- fruits and the harveft , for the offering of the firft- fruits dedicated to the whole harveft; Rom. 8.23. We our felves who have the firfi fruiti of the Spirit, &c. fometimes to the Fountain and the Stream , or the River lofrng it Pelf in the Ocean, yoh. 4. 14. He that ¡hall drink of the water that I (hall give him, ¡ball never thirft; but the water that ]'/hall give him , /hall be in him a well of water fringing up into everlafting life : fometimes of the Pledge and Earneft with re re& to full and a &ual Poffeffton, 2 Cor. I. 22. Who hath alfo fealed us, and given the earneft of the Spirit in our hearts. Sometimes to the beginning and accomplilhment , or the degree with the top and height , life is begun by the Spirit , and perfe&ed in Heaven. There is a mighty fuirablenefs between Life fpiritual and eternal, Job. 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee the only true God , and yefus Christ whom thou haft few. The Life of Grace confifteth in knowing and loving God , and the Life of Glory is the everlafting Vifion and perfe& Love of God : now we are changed by the fight of Faith , 2 Cor. 3. r 8. We all with open face beholding as in a glafi the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image from glory to glory , even as by the Spirit of the Lord; then we Shall be changed by the beatifical Vifion, 1 Joh. 3.2. When he (hall appear we fhall be like him, for we (hall fee him as he it our life here and life there is but one life, begun here , and perfe&ed there ; here are manifold imperfe &ions, but there is compleat bleffednefs : fometimes as the morning to high noon, or light of the perfe& day ; Pron. 4. 18. The path of the full is as the shining light, that fhineth more and more to the perfe# day ; here the day breaks, but it is but a little : fometimes to a man and a child , 1 Cor. t 3'. to, 1 r, 1a. But when that which is perfe(] is come, that which is in part (hall be done away. When I was a child I fake as a child, I underftood as a child, I thought as a child ; but when 1 became a man , t put away ebildifh things. For now we fee through a glafi darkly , but then face to face: now I know in part , but then (hall I know even as alfa I am known : as it is in the change of Ages , fo is it between this and the other Life. Now all thefe things thew both the famenefs of the life, and allo the necefftty of one degree of Grace to another. 3. Obferve how fitly this is mentioned as an help to Mortification; we ihould fwee- ten the tedioufnefs and trouble of the work by thinking of the life that will enfue. 1. The Life of Grace, Confcience calleth upon you for your duty to your Creator, and Lull hindered) it ; now is it not a great advantage to have a vital Principle to in- cline us to God ? By the life of Grace we are enabled in fome meafure to do what is pleafing in his fight , Heb. t 2.28. Let us have grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Set about Mortification, and you (hall have this Grace: This ihould be a great consolation to us, who are fo often vexed With guilty fears, be- caufe of the negle& of our duty. 2. The Life of Glory. ['features, Honours and Profits teem great matters to a carnal' heart, and can do much till you put Heaven in the balance againft them, as Moles did, Heb. t1. 26. Efleeming the reproach of Chrifi greater riches than the treafures of Egypt, for he had ref eel unto the recompence of reward, he looked off from one obje& to another. Alas! when we think of this life, all that we enjoy here is nothing, and should do no- thing upon us to gain us from God and our duty to him : we (houlti have fuch thoughts within our (elves , Shall I take thefe pleafures inflead of my birth -right ? For this pre- ferment (hall I fell my part in Heaven? Shall I call away my Soul for this fenfual de- light ? The Devil ufually prevaileth over men when Heaven is forgotten , and out of fight. Sure the Baptismal Vow andEngagement bath little hold upon us, 2 Pet. 1. q. He

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