Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

Ver. 5, the 8th Chapter of the ROMANS. 47 . and do you think God will fave them againft their Wills ? and ehruft and force thefe things upon them without their content, or betides their purpofe and inclination ? No, it will not be. Surely there is no difficulty in the cafe, to (late their condition, who grotty fet more by their Lufts, than by their obedience to God. The things of the Flefh are the chief (cope and Wind's of their Lives; and they care not whether God be pleafed or difpleafed, obeyed or difobeyed, honoured os difnonoured, a Friend . or an Enemy ; fo the Flefh be pleafed, that is all their defire and aim. 2. There is another fort of men, who do many things that are good ; but the Flefh too often gets the upper hand; and tho they do many things that appertain to the Spirit, yet in other things they fhew they are influenced by the carnal life, as is evi- dent. 3: Some unqueftionably flier they are after the Spirit, by their deep fenf of Heaven- ly things, their care about them, their diligence and watchfulnef over the defires and inclinations of the Flefh, and holding an hard hand over the pafonsand opfionsthere- of, and their ferious endeavours to pleafe God: There is'no doubt but thefe are born of God. 2. All the difficulty is about the middle fort, to underftand their condition : They mull be again diftinguifhed : I. Some are far of from the Kingdom of God. 2. Others are allay admitted, tho Grace be in fame weak degree. I. For the firft : Thofe that are not far from the Kingdom of God, they are fuch as have the Grace of the third ground defcribed, Luke 8. t4. And that which fell among thorns, are they who having heard, go forth, and are choaked with cares, and riches, and the pleafnres of this life, and bring no fruit to perfeAion. They have good fentiments of Religion, and retain them longer than the flonyground doth, but they are over-mafle- red with the cares of this World, and voluptuous living, fo as that they attain not to the perfeEtion of that holy and heavenly life that Should be in Chriflians. They do not lay alide the Profeffton, but have not felt the power of Chriflianity in mortifying their flelhly and worldly Lulls, that they may be more at liberty for God, and the duties of their heavenly calling ; and fo cherifh a kind of imperfé& Chriflianity, which little honoureth God in the World, or doth good to their own fouls : They are neither wholly on, nor off from Religion : The bane of it is, that carnal and temporal things lie too near their hearts, fo that they cannot fully commence into the divine Life, and never took pains to overcome the natural Spirit, which lufleth to Senfisality, Envy, Pride and Worldling?. There are fore good things found in them; but the carnal minding is not mortified, nor doth the meek, holy, heavenly Spirit prevail in them. There are others, 2. Who are regenerate, but Grace w weak in them, and corruptions break out, and (hake off the Empire of Grace for a time, tho it habitually prevail, and governs their A &ions. Now for the former, we mutt perfwade them to get a good and an hongft heart; that is, that their intentions be more fincere and fixed, their way more tho- rough and exa &, lean they get a Name forRelgion, to do a mifchief to it : For molt of the calamities of the Church, and the Prejudices againft Religion, and hardening by kandals and blemilhes, come from that fort of men, and are to be laid at their doors. And for the fecond, we are to advife them, and call upon them to dilinguith them - felves from the carnal fiate, more clearly and explicitely : For tho God may accept them, yet whilltthey border too near upon the carnal World, it is in vain to find out Evidences whereby they may affure their hearts before God : For rho God poflibly bath given them faving Grace, and will *accept them at laft, yet he will not give them affurance 5 and we do but perplex Cafes of Confcience, to reconcile the Tenor of Chriftianity with their weak elate. Exhortation doth better than Tryal : If they be fincere, they will come on in the way of godlinefs, and then that which was doubtful, will be more clear and fatisfa&ory, and their fincerity will be moreunquefli onable. 3. Becaufe God's dear children.write bitter things againft thetnfelves, either out of weaknefs of Judgment, or confcioufnefs of too much prevalency of corrupt afedliors; and tendernefs of God's Honour, and trouble for their own imperfe&ions, it will be neceffary further to (late the point. There is to the very lafl, fiefh and fpirit in the bell, Gal. g. 17. For the flefh lufleth againfi the fpirit, and the fpirit Iufleth againfl the flefbr yet there is enough to diftinguilh them from the carnal World ; and that is the potency and the predominancy of the fpiritnal Principle : *Denominatio ell a potiori ; not from what

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=