Preston - Houston-Packer Collection BX5133.P74 S2 1637

arifeth from jultitication. water to move downward,and the fire to go upward:) Think with your felves now,whether there muff not be an Almighty power to turne the courfe of natures be_ caufe the heart of man naturally goes downward to fin, it defcends downward with the fame propenfity,it hath the fame ems+, as we call ir, the fame forwardneffe and proneneff'e to evill that any naturali thing bath to goe the courfe,that is naturallto it. Now unies there be an Almighty power to turn this courfe of Nature,no man will ever come to Chriß. As for example, That rectitude of Gods Image, that is ex. preffed in the word,come to experience,and look upon every mans heart living,and fee whether it be not quite contrary to it in all things, even as contrary as the mo- tion of the hone is from afcending towards the heavens, but when the Spirit commeth he turneth this courfe of Nature. Now when we come to do this,do you think that any man in the world is able to worke it in the hearts of men e It is true,a man may goe thus far; It is poffible for a King, or for a man in authority, to fet preferments on the one fide, and punifhments on the o- ther, to make a man do much, or to Puffer much, but al this while here is but a turning of the adionsof men, but to turne the inclinations of mans heart, it is proper only to God,man is not able to doe it in any particular : if a mans heart be fet upon covetoufneffe, Chrift fai h it is impoffible all the men in the world cats change his heart : But put the cate a man could doe it (as no man can) if bee could turne a mans heart, it would be but in a particular or two, but to turne the whole frame of the heart, to make a generali Change, to make him another man, another Creature : It is impoffible V for 289 SB RM. I. Converfi- on of men as the tur- ning the courfe of nature. To turne the heart proper to God.

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