Ve Cofpvl.-My,/lery Direrÿ}. `EI. DIRECTION V. We cannot attain to the PraRice oftrue Holinef by any of our Endeavours, while we continue in our natural State, and are not Partakers of a new State by Union and Fellow/hip with Chrifi through Faith. EXPLICATION. T is evident, all have not that precious faith, whereby Chrift dwelleth in our hearts; yea, the number of thofe that have it is fmall, comparatively, to the whole world that lieth iri wickednefs, a John v. 19, 20. and many of thofe that at length attain unto it, do continue without it for fome confiderable time, kph. ii. i 2. And though fome may have the fpirit of faith given to them from their mother's womb (as John the Baptit , Luke i. 15, 44.) yet even in them there is a natural being by generatiotï, be- fore there can be a fpiritual being by regeneration, I Cor. xv. 46. Hence arifeth the confideration of two flares or conditions of the children of men, in matters that appertain to God, and godlinefs ; the one of which is vaftly different from the other. Thofe that have the happinefs of a new birth and creation in Chrift by faith, are thereby placed in a very ex- cellent (late, confiding in the enjoyment of his righ- teoufnefs, for their juftification ; and of his Spirit, to live by, in holinefs here, and glory for ever ; as hath already appeared. Thofe that are not in Chrift, by faith, cannot be in a better state than that which they received together with their nature from the fxrit Adairi, by beingonce born and created in him; or than they can attain to by the power of that na- ture, with any fuch help as God is pleafed to afford to it.. This latter I call a natural itate ; becaufe it
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