ariaspeople a n'illingpeople. .VV** 2...01/...a Z4,....11 deceitfulneffe of heart, fuch mifperfwations and pre- VER S E 3. fiunptionsofourprefent peace, or at leanofthe eafineffe ofour future reformation, fuch flrong furmifes ofcar- nal! hopes which will beprevented, or worldlydangers incurred, or private ends d tfappointed ; fuchkills to be denied, fuch members to be hewed off, fuch friends to be forfaken, fuch paffions to be fubdued, fuch certain perfecutions from the world, Inch endlefl'e folicitations ofSatan, fuch irreconcilable contentions with theflefh ; in the midfl ofall thefepull-backes, how canwe thinke thewill fhould efcape and breake thorow, if God did not fendhis Spirit, as once the Angell unto Lot, gen. 19. I 6. to lay hands upon it while it lingers and hankers after its wonted courfe, to ufe a merciful! conquefi over it, and, as the Scriptures expreffe it, to lead it,todraw Rom,s r it, to take it by the acme, to carry it in his Wows, to ioho6.44. Beare it as an Eagle heryoung onher wings,nay, by Hof. r1. 3. the terrours of the Lord, and the power of his Word Efay401 Dcur.ri and wrath, to pull and match it as a brand out of the fire ? Certainly, there is fo much extreme perverfeneffe, Jude yerf.z3. fo much helhihneffe,and devillifhantipathy to Godand his fervice in the heart bynature,that ilkwere left to its ovine flubborneneffe tokicke, and rebel!, and fall backe and harden it felfe, andwere not let upon by the grace of Chrifi, noman livingwould turne unto him, or make ufe of his blond ; by the fame reafonthat any one man perifheth, every man would too, becaufe inall there is as fundamental! and originall enmity to the warsof grace, as there is inany. The confiderationwhereof may jutily humbleus in our reflexion upon our felves, whom neither the pro- miles ofheaven can allure, nor the blond and paffions of Chrift perfwade, northe flamesofhell affright fiom our finnesitill the Lordby the fvveetand gracious power of his holy Spirit fubdue and conquer the foule unto himfelfe. ifa man (holed rife from the dead, and truly Z q. relate 344
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