Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

88 S E R MONS upon . Seri. XIV. them lyes, they feek to fruftrate the .endertaking of Chrift. But now whillt we are ftriving and warring upon fn, and Peek the deftruaion of it, we are ingaged in the fame defign Chríft is, and therefore may have the more confidence of his help, and re- caving the fruits of his Purchace, 5 his great intent was to bring us back unto God , and laving us from fin, not in fin, and your heart is upon the fame thing. 2. The new Nature put into us, you have an oppofitePrinciple to check h , r Joh. 3. 9. Wbofñever is born ofGod doth not commit fin , for his feed remaineth in him, and he cannot fn, becaafe he is born of God. Since Chrilt hath intrufted us with fuck a Talent as the new Nature , and hath put Grace into our hearts to refitt fin, it is our duty not to fuffer it to be idle and unfruitful. Though there be in the Regenerate a feed of cor- ruption , yet that is or fhould be mortified; there is allo in them a feed of Grace , and that is to be cherithed. Now furely where this is, fin cannot carry a full fway , and break out without flop and.interruption : for the new Nature will appear by way of check and diflike , one that hath a new Nature cannot make fin his trade, cuftom, and delight, why ? becaufe his feed abideth in him, which is the Principle of Grace wrought in him by the Spirit of God : there is a felled, fixed frame and bent of heart towards God , and fo by confegtience againft fin, for it is irreconcileable with the motions and tendencies of the new Nature to live in fin; and therefore it is as rptural to thé new Nature to hate fin as to love God , Pfd. 97. ro. Te that love the Lord, hate evil : there is an irreconcileable hatred and enmity againft fin. There is a twofold hatred , odium abominations, er, odium inimicitiæ. The hatred of abomination or offence is a turning away of the Soul from what is apprehended as repugnant and prejudical to us : fo to fin is repugnant and contrary to the renewed Will it is agreeable and fuitable to the un- regenerate, as Draft- to the appetite of a Swine, or Grafs and Hay to a Bullock or Horfe. Now there being in all thole that are born of God , this kind of hatred , it muff needs weaken fin g for the mortification of fin Itandeth principally in the hatred of it, fin dy- eth when it dyeth in the affeaions, when it is an offence to us, and we have an Anti- pathy againft it, as Come Creatures have one againft another : the new Nature is a Di- vine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. in Come meafure it hath the fame averhations and affeetions which God hath, we hate what he hateth, love what he loveth , Prov. 8. 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. There is another kind of hatred, odium inimicitiæ : now this hatred is nothing elfe but a willing evil or mil-chief to the thing or perlon hated, out of that diflike, offence and dillafte we take againft them , Pfal. 18. 37. I have purfued mine enemies, and over- taken them ; neither did I turn again till they were confirmed. This is different from the former, for there may be an averfation or an offence from Come things, which yet I do not maligne or purfue to the death. But by this hatred alfo do the Regenerate hate their fins, they hate fin fo as to mortifie and fubdue it, and get it deftroyed in them - felves, Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be deflroyed, that henceforth we fhould not flew fin., Gal. g. 24. They that are Chrifis have crucified the f!efh, with the.affetäions and lels thereof Grace within will not let a man alone in his fins, but roufeth up the Soul agaitft it, non ceffat in Ixfione peccati, fedexterminio, it is fill taking away fomewhat from fin, its damning power, its reign- ing power, its being, Rom. 7. 24. 0 wretched man that I am, who fhall deliver me from tie body of this death ! They would be free from all fin, groan under the relias of,it as a fore burden : therefore certainly the new Nature , which path fuch a lively hatred againft fin, muti needs give us a great advantage againft it. 1 would not flatter you with the Phew of an Argument , nor put you off with an half Truth ; therefore I mutt needs tell you, That though the former things alledged be true, yet 1. You mutt not forget the back -biafs of Corruption, and the Flefh, which ítí11 re- maineth with us, and is importunate to be pleated ; and though it be not fuperiour in the Soul, yet it bath a great deal of ftrength, that (till we need even to the very lati to keep watching and ftriving : the belt of Gods Children mutt refolve to be deaf to its in- treaties and folicitations, and not accommodate themfelves to pleafe the flefh, Not fa- fhioning your felves according to the former lulls in your ignorance , 1 Pet. r. 14. that is, they mutt take heed they do not caft their converfations into a carnal mould, and fuffer their choices and anions to be direaed and governed by their Lulls. In your ignorance, when you knew not the terrour of the Lord, nor fweetnefs of the Lord, you could not be deterred from delighting in this flavery ; your lulls influenced all your anions, and you wholly gave your felves to the fatisfalion of your finful deliires, fhaping and mould- ing all your anions and undertakings by this fcope and aim. The Apotiles word is very emphati-

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