Answ. Yes. For ye know, a Watch, or a Jack, or a Clock; they all move, and act, and work, and yet they have no life. Though a wicked man may act, and move, and work towards God; yet notwithstanding, that motion does but arise from the natural perfection that is left in him by the fall. Take a Civil man, and though he have many moral virtues, what is there in him that lies beyond the reach of Nature, with the dye of Gospel-Education. Put now, this Spiritual life, it is a Supernatural perfection. Indeed it is said of Hypocrites, They have a Name to live: I but, they are dead; they are accounted living, but they live not: why? because they are not united unto Christ by the Spirit, which is the other property of the Spiritual life. This Spiritual life (I say) It is the Supernatural perfection of the Soul, whereby a man is able to act, and move, and work towards God as his utmost end. Now there is no wicked man, that is able to move towards God as his utmost end: for, (as the Schools well speak) wicked men, they do Use what they should Enjoy, that is God: and they do Enjoy what they should Use; that is, the World. What wicked man is there in all the world; that is able to move, and ⟨p. 10⟩work towards God as his last and his utmost end? There is a Twofold End: There is an Hither-End, or a Proxy: and a Remote-End: A Hithermost-End, and a Remote, or ones Utmost End. A wicked man indeed, he may have God at the Hither-End of his action; but Himself is at the Utmost End. Look I pray into the 2 of Samuel, the 3. Chapter, at the 17, & 18. verses, and there you shall read to this purpose. Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be King over you: Now then do it, for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel. Here now he hath God in his eye, and the fulfilling of the Lords promise; here is one End, why he would bring about the Kingdom to David: For the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel. But now look a little higher, and you shall see, what his Utmost End was, in bringing about the Kingdom to David: He falls out with the son of Saul; and Sauls son comes to him, and says, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my fathers concubine? verse, 7. Whereupon Abner was very angry (at the 8.
Answ. Yes. For ye know, a Watch, or a Jack, or a Clock; they all move, and act, and work, and yet they have no life. Though a wicked man may act, and move, and work towards God; yet notwithstanding, that motion does but arise from the natural perfection that is left in him by the fall. Take a Civil man, and though he have many moral vertues, what is there in him that lies beyond the reach of Nature, with the dye of Gospel-Education. Put now, this Spiritual life, it is a Supernatural perfection. Indeed it is said of Hypocrites, They have a Name to live: I but, they are dead; they are accounted living, but they live not: why? because they are not united unto Christ by the Spirit, which is the other property of the Spiritual life. This Spiritual life (I say) It is the Supernatural perfection of the Soul, whereby a man is able to act, and move, and work towards God as his utmost end. Now there is no wicked man, that is able to move towards God as his utmost end: for, (as the Schools well speak) wicked men, they do Use what they should Enjoy, that is God: and they do Enjoy what they should Use; that is, the World. What wicked man is there in all the world; that is able to move, and ⟨p. 10⟩work towards God as his last and his utmost end? There is a Twofold End: There is an Hither-End, or a Proxie: and a Remote-End: A Hithermost-End, and a Remote, or ones Utmost End. A wicked man indeed, he may have God at the Hither-End of his action; but Himself is at the Utmost End. Look I pray into the 2 of Samuel, the 3. Chapter, at the 17, & 18. verses, and there you shall reade to this purpose. Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be King over you: Now then do it, for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel. Here now he hath God in his eye, and the fulfilling of the Lords promise; here is one End, why he would bring about the Kingdom to David: For the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel. But now look a little higher, and you shall see, what his Utmost End was, in bringing about the Kingdom to David: He fals out with the son of Saul; and Sauls son comes to him, and saies, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my fathers concubine? verse, 7. Whereupon Abner was very angry (at the 8.
