A49252:438
The natural mans case stated, or, An exact map of the little world man…The naturall mans case stated, or, An exact map of the little world man…
The natural mans case stated, or, An exact map of the little world man considered in both his capacities, either in the state of nature or grace / as is laid down in XVII sermons by that late truly orthodox divine, Mr. Christopher Love ... ; whereunto is annexed The saints triumph over death, being his funeral sermon, by that painful labourer in the Lords vineyard, Mr. Tho. Manton ...The naturall mans case stated, or, An exact map of the little world man considered in both his capacities, either in the state of nature or grace / as is laid down in XVII sermons by that late truely orthodox divine, Mr. Christopher Love ... ; whereunto is annexed The saints triumph over death, being his funeral sermon, by that painful labourer in the Lords vineyard, Mr. Tho. Manton ...
London: printed by E. Cotes for George Eversden, 1652
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
WE come now to enquire further, what is the reason that wicked men do nourish in their hearts most hopes for heaven, seeing the Scripture says they have none: the last time I answered this Question, by naming three false props, that they build hopes for heaven upon; I shall now give you three or four more.
WEE come now to enquire further, what is the reason that wicked men doe nourish in their hearts most hopes for heaven, seeing the Scripture sayes they have none: the last time I answered this Question, by naming three false props, that they build hopes for heaven upon; I shall now give you three or four more.
4. Another false prop that wicked men build hopes for heaven upon is this; their frequency in the performances of religious duties; and thus they reason with themselves; Shall I use duties, all the days of my life, as my way to heaven, and shall I not hope for heaven at my journeys end? though a wicked man does notionally hope for heaven through Christ, yet he lays the chiefest foundation of his hopes in his own good works; as Christ says, ⟨p. 202⟩in the last day they shall come to him & cry, Lord, Lord, open to us, for we have prophesied in thy name, and eat and drunk in thy presence, we have heard thy word, and done many miracles, and cast out Devils in thy name, and the like; they shall boast of their hearing, and praying, and good works, and make that a plea for heaven, when Christ shall say unto them, Depart from me, I know you not. Now I shall show you the rottenness and in sufficiency of this prop to build hopes for heaven upon; but I would not have you mistake me, as if I went about to beat down good works, and make duties useless; for I would have you so to perform duties, as if you were to be saved by duties, but when you have done all that you can do, to lay them down at the feet of Christ, and wholly depend upon him, as if we had done no duties at all; but if you make the bare performance of duties, to be a prop for your hopes of heaven, it will be a very rotten and deceitful prop, as I shall show you in these four particulars: For,