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A16314 The carnall professor Discovering the wofull slavery of a man guided by the flesh. Distinguishing a true spirituall Christian that walkes close with God, from all formalists in religion, rotten hearted hypocrites, and empty powerlesse professors whatsoever. By that faithfull servant of Christ, Robert Bolton B.D. late preacher in Northampton Shire. Bolton, Robert, 1572-1631, attributed name.; I. T., fl. 1634. 1634 (1634) STC 3225; ESTC S111236 58,877 294

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wholly stripping thee of all that righteousnesse and holinesse wherein at first thou wert created like a disease overspreading the whole man filling thee with a generall pravity to all that is good and a constant propensity to all that is evill 2. It cleaves as fast to thy nature even as blacknesse to the skinne of an Ethiopian which cannot possibly bee washed out thou mayest loppe the branches but the roote will never die till thou expirest with it As long as corne is in the field it will have chaffe about it so as long as thou continuest in this miserable world the remnants of olde Adam will stil abide in thee A man may as easily shake off the skinne from his backe as ridde himselfe of this evill inhabitant wee beare our snare with us and carry our enemie about us where ever we goe 3. Consider the great contagion and pestilentiall humour that followes this sinne it derives venome upon every action that comes from us Sinne in the soule is as poyson in the fountaine that sheds infection into every performance wee take in hand Whensoever thou art going about any good this evill will be present with thee This is that which in thy prayers deads thy Zeale humiliation and importunity with God causing thee to rest in the worke done never enquiring after the truth of thine owne heart or Gods blessing thereupon This is that which fills thy minde with impertinent thoughts and wrong ends in religious duties This is that which in thy calling makes thee so unmindefull of God and his service so froward vain and unprofitable in thy Christian course ayming at nothing but thine own advantage 4. Consider the temptations that arise from this sinne the daily and hourly solicitations wherwith it sets upon the soule to withdraw it from good things and incline it to evill A man is tempted of his owne lusts saith S. Iames when he is drawne away and entised If a man shoote an arrow against a rocke it may be broken but can never enter No more can Satans temptations prevaile against the soule without something within to give them admittance when he tempted Christ hee could not hurt him because hee found nothing in him to receive his darts but in us the flesh holds treacherous complyance with Sathan and this wicked world and is ready to let them in at every assault Seede will never grow in any creature without a womb to foster it temptations may vexe but they cannot defile us without our owne sinfull entertainement It may grieve a chast woman to be solicited by base Ruffians but it cannot corrupt her whiles shee retaines her chastity If wee can keepe in our hearts from imbracing Sathans offers and shew our distast of them the sin is his then not ours but here is the misery Sathan knowes how our inclination stands hee searcheth out our dispositions and thereunto frameth his temptations therefore wee have great neede of spirituall wisdome to observe where wee lie most obnoxious where Sathan doth most plant his forces and ever to apply our strongest watch our most importunate prayers to those gappes 5. Consider the warre and rebellion of this sinne the flesh lusteth against the spirit and fleshly lusts warre against the soule saith the Apostle whilest wee are in this militant condition we shall have hourely experience of this traytor in our bosomes And this warre is not at a distance but an intimate and close contrariety in the same part the same soule that cōmands obedience doth it selfe resist it in the same will there is a delight in the Law of God and yet a counter-motion to the law of sinne In the same heart singlenesse and sensiblenesse of sinne and yet much secret fraud and hardnesse in the apprehension of wrath In the same affections love of God and love of the world feare of God and feare of men trust in God and doubting of his favour Lord I beleeve helpe thou mine unbeleefe was the cry of the poore man in the Gospell and such must be the complaint of the best of us Lord I remember thee helpe my forgetfulnesse Lord I presse towards thee helpe my weaknesse Lord I rejoyce in thee helpe my heavinesse Lord I desire to have more communion with thee help my strangnesse I am dull and dead hearted doe thou quicken me I desire to please thee helpe my failings We must not only wrestle with God by strong and importunate prayers but with the lusts and frowardnesse of our owne hearts 6. Consider the strength and power of this sinne to bring about what ever it hath projected for the advancement of Sathans kingdome it raignes like a King and hath the strength of a law in our members and a law without strength is no Law for Lawes are made to binde and keepe men in order therefore the wicked are called servants to sinne and the best of us all are captives that is unwilling servants So much flesh as remaines in any man so much disability he hath to withstand sinne The choisest vessell of mercy and most peculiar Saint of God is no way able to keepe his standing as of himselfe for this is certain that to be preserved from the strength of our owne lusts wee have not onely use of the good graces which God hath given us already but of a continuall support and underpropping Grace in the best here is but like the putting of hot water into cold which may bee warmed for a time but yet presently returnes to its former temper cold is predominant however the preserving of fire under it keepes it hot for the present It is not the Grace which any of us receive can overcome sinne in us if God should there stop and leave us to our selves without a fresh supply that which preserves us is his promise of never failing us of healing our back slidings and following us with his mercy all our dayes For grace doth not onely prevent a wicked man to make him righteous but followes him lest hee become wicked againe 7. Consider the indefatigablenesse of this sinne how unwearied it is in every mischiefe it sets about If we resist the devill hee will flye from us but this fleshly heart of ours will never sound a retreat it is like a wounded wolfe that runnes up and downe to doe mischiefe a man that hath in some measure overcome his lusts will bee farre more sensible of their stirrings and struglings then another in whom they rule without disturbance Sin is kindled by that which quencheth all other fires and surely grace which extinguisheth other temptations doth occasionally enrage the flesh though in regard of exercise and actuall power it dye daily The reason is because a thing in its proper motion is never tyred who ever knew the Sea give over raging or the streame grow weary of running Now corrupt motions are as naturall to a man as the course of a river Though there may be