A51839:429
XVIII sermons on the second chapter of the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians containing…
XVIII sermons on the second chapter of the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians containing the description, rise, growth, and fall of Antichrist : with divers cautions and arguments to establish Christians against the apostasy of the Church of Rome : very necessary for these times / by that late reverend and learned divine, Thomas Manton ...XVIII sermons on the second chapter of the 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians containing the description, rise, growth, and fall of Antichrist : with divers cautions and arguments to establish Christians against the apostacy of the Church of Rome : very necessary for these times / by that late reverend and learned divine, Thomas Manton ...
London: printed by J.D. for J. Robinson, 1679
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.
5. Gods concurrence may be stated by these things. (1.) His withdrawing, or taking away ⟨p. 208⟩the light and direction of his Holy Spirit, Deut. 29.4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear▪ unto this day. Now when God lets them loose to their own hearts Counsels, then they fall into damnable errors. A Greyhound held in by a slip or Collar, runneth violently after the Hare, when it is in sight: as soon as the slip and Collar is taken away, the restraint is gone, and his inbred disposition carrieth him. So men that are greedy of Worldly things, are powerfully drawn into errors, countenanced by the World, when God taketh off the restraint of his Grace, and giveth them up to their own lusts. Now herein God is not to be blamed: for he is Debtor to none, and the grace of his Spirit is forfeited by their not receiving the love of the truth. He is so far from being bound to give grace, that he seemeth to be bound in Justice to withdraw what is given already, by mens wickedness and ingratitude. Voluntary blindness bringeth penal blindness; And because men will not see, they shall not see. And when they wink hard, and shut their eyes against the light of the Gospel; it is just with God in this manner to smite them with blindness: And since they had no love to the truth, they are given up to errors and deceits: And because they despise the Holy Scriptures, they dote on vain Fables: And would not take up a course of ⟨p. 209⟩sound Godliness and Holiness, he suffereth them to weary themselves with sundry superstitions.
5. Gods concurrence may be stated by these things. (1.) His withdrawing, or taking away ⟨p. 208⟩the light and direction of his Holy Spirit, Deut. 29.4. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear▪ unto this day. Now when God lets them loose to their own hearts Counsels, then they fall into damnable errors. A Greyhound held in by a slip or Collar, runneth violently after the Hare, when it is in sight: as soon as the slip and Collar is taken away, the restraint is gone, and his inbred disposition carryeth him. So men that are greedy of Worldly things, are powerfully drawn into errors, countenanced by the World, when God taketh off the restraint of his Grace, and giveth them up to their own lusts. Now herein God is not to be blamed: for he is Debtor to none, and the grace of his Spirit is forfeited by their not receiving the love of the truth. He is so far from being bound to give grace, that he seemeth to be bound in Justice to withdraw what is given already, by mens wickedness and ingratitude. Voluntary blindness bringeth penal blindness; And because men will not see, they shall not see. And when they wink hard, and shut their eyes against the light of the Gospel; it is just with God in this manner to smite them with blindness: And since they had no love to the truth, they are given up to errors and deceits: And because they despise the Holy Scriptures, they doat on vain Fables: And would not take up a course of