The Gafpel-Myiery Dire(t. V. ceptable to him, while we continue in our natural (late; or to imagine that freedom of will to holinefs is reflored to us by the merit of his death. For, as it hath been already (hewed; Chrift aimed at anhigh- er end, in his incarnation, death and refurreaion, than the reftoring the decay and ruins of our natural Rate. He aimed to advance us to a new {fate, more excellent than the {late of nature ever was, by uni- on and feilowfhip with himfelf; that we might live to God, not by the power of a natural free-will, but by the power of his Spirit living and aaing in us. So we may conclude that our natural (late is irreco- verable and defperate, becaufe Chrift, the only Sa- viour, did not aim at the recoveryof it. It is neither holy nor happy, but fuhjef't to fin, and to all mile- ties, as long as it remaineth. Even thofe that are in a new ¡late in Chrift, and do ferve the law of God with their mind, do yet with their fiefh ferve the law of fin, Ro. vii. 25. As far as it remaineth in them, it lufteth againft the Spirit, Gal. v x7. and it remain- eth dead, becaufe of fin, even when the Spirit is life to them, becaufe of righteoufnefs, Ro. viii. to. and rnuft be wholly abolifhed by death, before we canbe perfe6ted in that holinefs and happinefs that is by faith in Chrift. After God had promifed falvation by Chrift, the feed of the woman, he placed cheru- bims and a flaming fword to keep man out of para- dife; thereby teaching him that his firft (late was loft without hope, and that the happinefs intended for him, was wholly new. Our old natural man was nit revived and reformed by the death of Chrift, but crucified together with him, and therefore to be abolifhed and de(troyed out of us by virtue of his death, Rom. vi. 6 It is like the part of a garment infeaed with the plague of leprofy, which was to be rent off as incurable, that the garment might be clean, Lev. xiii. 56. " if Chrift be not in us, we it are reprobates," 2 Cor. xiii. ç. i e. we are in a Rate which God hath rejeaed frompartaking of his 1ü
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