A57966:686
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the sovereignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the soveraignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...
Edinburgh: printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Brown, 1655
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.
Ans. The desire simply is natural, and the Ants and the Conies do desire. But the desire 1. beyond measure. 2. With a sinful doubting that they shall not have it, which reproacheth Omnipotency. 3. A desire wider then that of Ants and Conies, of ⟨p. 271⟩that which is more nor sufficient, which would destroy and not feed but over-feed, is the faulty desire; as sickness desires drink more then sufficient, not for health, but to feed the disease, it is the desire of the disease rather then of the man diseased; and the forbidden desire is the sin.
Ans. The desire simply is naturall, and the Ants and the Conies do desire. But the desire 1. beyond measure. 2. With a sinfull doubting that they shall not have it, which reproacheth Omnipotency. 3. A desire wider then that of Ants and Conies, of ⟨p. 271⟩that which is more nor sufficient, which would destroy and not feed but over-feed, is the faulty desire; as sicknesse desires drink more then sufficient, not for health, but to feed the disease, it is the desire of the disease rather then of the man diseased; and the forbidden desire is the sin.
Obj. 2. May not a child of God desire more then enough, how then is he mortified?
Ans. If the desire of more then enough come from the habit of covetousness, the man is not mortified to Mammon: all sinful habits in the child of God are broken, and lessened,1 and chased in to inclinations, or to the habit of Original corruption slackened and by grace subdued; but in every child of God there is sin dwelling and the flesh,