The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 8
SECT. 8.
8. VVAnt of ſound conviction of the miſchief of original 8. Want of conviction of original corruption, is a cauſe of turning the grace of God into wantonneſs.corruption, and ſevere mortification thereof, is an experimented account why grace is abuſed: Here are two branches.
1. Want of clear convincement of the old mans miſchief: The Character of his wickedneſs is very large, when it is not known at all, or but ſlightly; no wonder if the boſome Enemy play Rex, and rule as he he His ſinfulneſs, as followeth not diſcerned nor regarded, begetteth high abuſe of the Grace of God. Were theſe things known and believed concerning original corruption, profeſſed Chriſtians could not be ſo licentious: Sad experience will give this evil report of it. One ſaith truly of carnal concupiſcence.
'Tis a numerous pregnant mother of ſins, and hath a vaſt Womb, Faecunda peccaetorum mater.in which infinite tranſgreſſions are conceived, out of which they are by the Midwifry of Satan and the World brought forth.
'Tis the ſtanding Foreſt, in which Beaſts of prey are nouriſhed and abound, harmful deſtructive luſts are fed and grown, that ſpoil the bodies and ſouls of men.
'Tis a deaf Adders ear to the Words, Wiſdom and Whiſpers of the Spirit, that will not hearken to the ſaving voice of the Charmer, charm he never ſo wiſely; will never hearken to the Counſels of true Wiſdom, till miraculous grace open and boar the ear.
'Tis a rooted, and deeply faſtned evil in all the faculties of man, written as with a pen of Iron, the point of a Diamond, graven upon the hard Table of the Heart, Jer. 17. 1. The deep Characters of its malignity are not ſoon and eaſily razed out.
'Tis a vaſt Sea, that notwithſtanding the infinite ſtreams that Inexhauſlum malum peccatum originis. Lu…h in Gen.flow from it, is not drawn dry, but as full as ever, without the exhauſting miracle of grace, gradually leſſening, and at length quite drying it up.
It hath an Whores face and tongue: it's beſotted Lovers believe it's permicious bewitching flatteries, are enticed by its luſts, as Fiſhes by baits, Birds and Beaſts by ſnares, Jam. 1. 14.
'Tis like an untractable Heifer, that will not bear the yoak of Cum carnis voluptatibus la… amus habenas, caro redditur intractabilis. Pet. Mar. in Rom 13. Cupiditates effraenes Deo adverſantur. Pe…petuo velut è regione Deo opponūtur:Grace, but kick and winch, and run away from ſervice, Deut. 32. 15. A wanton and unbridled Nag, that will not be handed by the Riders pleaſure, will, if left to it ſelf, neither be backt by reaſon, nor the Spirit of God.
'Tis not onelyonly an enemy, but in the abſtract enmity againſt God, his Laws, Soveraignty, Holineſs, yea his being: The Divine nature, and corrupt nature, are tearms which can never be reconciled: The fleſh uncrucified will everlaſtingly luſt againſt the Spirit, Gal. 5. 17. Jer. 13. 27.
'Tis fortified in its ruining Art, by divers Luſts and Pleaſures, Titus 3. 3. like an old Souldier, hath many ſtratagems, and an old Angler, many Baits of ruining deceit: In its methods of deſtruction, if one way miſs, another will hit.
'Tis the Sin that eaſily beſets, Heb. 12. 1. and like an heavy foreign, ad nos circumcingendos (& in curſu proinde impediēdos) proclive. Glaſſ. Philolog. Sae. Mollis carnis educatio atque indulgentia, nos in ſpirituali ſtudio magnepere remorantur. Grana…Chain tied to the affections, the feet of the ſoul, hinders ſpeedy motion in the Heavenly race ſet before us; or like a begirting Army, or long Garments that hinder running, obſtructs ſpeed in the way everlaſting; over pampering, even to an heavy, ſluggiſh, ſweating fatneſs, tires the Racer; So ſoft indulgencies to the fleſh, are a great Remora and conſtant ſtop to ſpiritual and heavenly motions.
'Tis a ſubtle Orator to defend it ſelf, when its wickedneſs is impeached, decried, diſcredited, condemned; it is the witty Mother of crafty Inventions, to prove it harmleſs, ſecure its Indemnity, to elude all Indictments of reaſon and the word; hath a wily head in all thoſe diſtinctions, extenuations, mental reſervations, Paintry of deceiving Sophiſtry, miſ-naming and miſ-naturing things, for ſelf preſervation and ſoul ruine.
It's it alone that hath made the heart deſperately wicked, a Concupiſcentia eſt lenge majus malum, quam ut ejus magnitudo à ratione perſpici poſſit. Melancton Catech. p. 24. Rara hora, brevis mora.bottomleſs pit of ſin, a nemo ſcit of abomination, Jer. 17. 9. They that with longeſt Plummets would ſound it, cannot reach the bottom of it: Hence to the old ſtock of corruption, new ſinful inventions are added.
'Tis the heavy Pully that hangs upon the ſoul, when with much adoe, it hath a flight Heaven-wards, not more ſweet then ſhort; 'tis like the ſtring tied by the leg of the Bird, whereby the Boy pull'd down the nimble Creature when he pleaſed, which occaſioned Anſelmes ſerious Meditation, making it the Emblem of corrupt cuſtomary ſins, which pulls down the ſoul, when aloſt in Heavenly things; It never flies in a free air, till the ſtring of corruption be cut from it.
It turns ſpirits into Rocks and Adamants, hardens them in evil, yea, rejoyceth and triumphs in it.
'Tis a ſtout Enemy, which though often worſted, is not quite E…ugata redeunt. Putata repullulant. Sopita denuo accenduntur.overcome, will rally and recruit: Though it be forced to depart the Siege, yet it will ſet down again: Like the Luxuriant Vine, though pruned, grows rank again: Like fire, though much quenched, yet flames again.
This ugly hideous Monſter, the old Man, is not ſeen but by ſpiritual eyes: Hence it is, that its wanton abuſes of the Grace of God are ſo frequent and prevalent.
2. Want of ſevere mortification of the fleſh, conduceth much to the wrong of Grace. Theſe falſe Chriſtians in the Epiſtle of Jude, who turned the grace of God into wantonneſs, and their fellows are ſaid to walk after their own luſts, v. 16. their ungodly luſts, v. 18. to walk after them, not to cruciſie them: Indeed it cannot be otherwiſe, for if grace be not ſo ſtrong as to ſubdue luſt: Luſt will be ſo ſtrong as to baniſh grace, ſo impudent and daring as to abuſe it. Corruption fed and nouriſhed will wantonnize; The hugging, dandling, kiſſing, feeding, carnal luſts, makes wanton profeſſors: They dare ſport with edge tools, & riot in the ways of damnation: Study, O you that profeſs Chriſtianity, and you will finde it Fleſh-pleaſers, that in a delicate tenderneſs, neither dare, nor will, nor can mortiſie their corruptions, theſe eminently abuſe Gods grace.