146 ) The bet men before degeneration SE R, vi I is good and ufefull: But Corne and Flowers of the chief &$ fort the earth cannot bring forth without plowing and Lowing; fo it is with mans nature.T ake it as fecluded from grace,it is able to doe two things, ro bring forth Sinne and Lull, which comes from the corruption of it, and likewife many excellent vertues which proceed from common narure,which is in a man unregenerate, as well as finfull nature. Thefe things be good and very commendable, but this is their fault, they goe no further, there is no more than nature in them, they are very like true Grace, as falfe jewels are like true ones, and as your wilde corne is like true corne ; there is a great fmili_ tude betweene them, but yet there is a great deale of difference, if you looke anthem with a curious eye, and judge of them with a righteous judgement. 4 Fourthly, for matter of Anions, it is true they In at41ons, doe many things, but they fall fhort in theft two Intwore- refpeEts. fpetts. Firfl, they doe not all, they are alway wanting in Th,e doe not fomething. It is not Paid Herod did all, but many all. things, He heard John gladly, and did much ; this rule will net faile,they are not generali in their obedience, there is not a generali change : Now the effefd can- not goe beyond the caule, but it is true of the regene. raçerThey are New Creatures every way, and tiler- Sore there is a generali obfervation of the Law of God, I fpeake of an Evangelicall obfervation compe- tenvo the Saints, I fay, they have a relped to all the Commandements; the other have nor, becaufe their hearts are not fully, not generally changed, they have light, but it is Phut up within the compafle of one
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