¡ rea. V, OfSanfl acation. PS everlafting fire, they would little regard the enjoy. ntent of God in heaven ; and they would be glad if they might have the liberty to enjoy their luft with- out danger of damnation. The highelf preferment of thole that are born only after the fieth in Abra- ham's family, is but to be children of the bondwo- man, Gal. iv. 23. And though they toil more in God's fervice than many of his dear children ; yet God accepteth not their fervice, becaufe their heft performances are flavith, without any child like af- fe&ions towards God, and no better than glittering fins. And yet thefe natural men are not at all be- holden to the goodnefs of their natures for thefe counterfeit thews of holinefs, or for the leaft ab- ftaining from the grofl`eft fin. If God thould leave men fully to their own natural corruptions, and to the power of Satan (as they deferve) all thew of re- ligion and morality would be quickly banifhed out of the world, and we fhould grow patt feeling in wickednefs, and like to the cannibals, who are as good by nature as ourfelves. But God, that can re. firain the burning of the fiery furnace, without quenching it, and the flowing of water without changing its nature, loth alío reftrain the working of natural corruption, without mortifying it : and, through the greatnefs of his wifdom and power, he maketh hisenemies toyield feigned obedience tohim, Pfalrn lxvi. 3. and to do many things good for the matter of them, though they can do nothing in a right holy manner. He hash appointed feveral means to reftrain our corruptions ; as the law, terrors of confcience, terrible judgements, and rewards in this life, magiftrates, human laws, labour for neceiraries, as food and raiment. And thofe gofpel means that are effeaual for fan tification, ferve alto for reftraint of fin. God bath gracious ends in this reítraint of fin, that his church may be preferved, and his gof- pel preached in the world; and that thefe natural men may be in a better capacity to receive the in
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