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A42429 A description of the unregenerate and the truly Christian temper or state in a sermon preach'd before the University of Cambridge, on commencement Sunday, in the forenoon, June 30, 1700 / by John Gaskarth ... Gaskarth, John, d. 1732. 1700 (1700) Wing G286; ESTC R10111 23,817 34

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A Description of the Unregenerate and the truly Christian Temper or State IN A SERMON PREACH'D before the University of Cambridge ON COMMENCEMENT SUNDAY In the Forenoon June 30. 1700. By JOHN GASKARTH D. D. Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke-Hall now Vicar of Alhallows Barking London 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nyss Orat. Catechet 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Paed. l. 3. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 12.14 CAMBRIDGE Printed at the UNIVERSITY PRESS for Edmund Jeffery Bookseller in Cambridge 1700. Ephes II. 1. And you hath he quickned who were dead in in trespasses and sins THE Apostle applies this as a general Doctrine not only to the Gentiles but even to the best of those Educated under the Mosaic Discipline himself and his other Fellow-Apostles ver 3. which he likewise declares Tit. 3.3 The word Quickned here is not in the original Greek but the parallel place Col. 2.13 plainly proves that our Author had it now in his mind likewise that 't is well supply'd by our Translators Indeed we find it expresly set down nearer hand even in a continu'd Sentence with the Text and as it were a Repetition of it ver 5. So that we may be sure of our English rendring of these words And as on the one part they belong to all whether in a mere State of Nature or under the Legal Dispensation or those that rest in a formal profession of the Gospel only not being enliven'd by the Grace and Spirit that Christ purchased or as they denote on the other that smaller number of true Christians who from a sinful course of Life according to the corrupt desires of Flesh are recover'd by the Spirit of holiness Rom. 1.4 the great Life-giving Gospel-principle into a Vertuous Demeanour the proper Exercises of our reasonable kind Justice Godliness Temperance Humility in their most exalted Christian degree as the Text has this Latitude or Comprehension in it I shall first explain both these Phrases Dead in sins and enlivened or quickned which divide the two Worlds of Mankind the Ungodly and the Righteous pretenders only and true Believers and then proceed on proper Heads of discourse from them First then dead in sins or thro' their effect cannot here refer to this Animal Life tho' Death often in this sense a shorter period of this Animal-Life than our natural Frame would otherwise arrive at is the consequence of a course of Sin but dead in this place must have another relation to a higher Life and Nature in us which Sin destroys And that is indeed a Spiritual Sensation a just Perception and relish of the Soul as to its proper Objects while it exercises its Faculties more separately from Body that portion of Matter with which it is vitally conjoyn'd not in pursuance of sensual Propensions or ●nder the influence of these but retaining its Liberty or Dominion over them with the true Apprehensions at first given it and by this means chusing or determining it self to right Moral Instances it becomes more capable of the displays of Grace and is more freely acted by them This is the true Life of Man when his Reasonable part lives in him he judges and tasts by his Mind alone and his best Faculties and then enjoys the plentiful effusions and beams of the Spirit and so in His Light sees Light that is knows things with the fullest evidence even in the demonstration of this blessed Agent as I may so speak This true Life is destroy'd by Sin or Men are dead to it thro' the habits thereof while the Mind thus descends from its pure Acts and forms its Judgments only with regard to the Ideas of Sense and in confusion with them and so must also be depriv'd of the freer influences of Divine Grace by that means Now Quickned is when from this sunk this liveless State by a true Repentance and thro' the Communications of the holy Spirit the privilege of Repentance and strength to perform it being both purchased for us by the meritorious Sacrifice of Christ quickned is when from this sunk this liveless State we are thus restor'd to an uncaptivated use of our Minds the true Apprehensions the right Judgments belonging to them and have the Rays of Grace more freely acting our Minds or Spirits to deliver them more from the straitness of Sense enlarge their Capacities beyond themselves and carry them to several advances of Knowledge in the way of Godliness that could be no proper Acquirements of theirs or result from them however honestly prepar'd and exercis'd Thus we attain the utmost advantages of reasonable Creatures or become Christians indeed Let us now see how these two Principles which define the Unregenerate and the Regenerate State Dead in sin and dead to sin so frequent Phrases in the New Testament how each of these will act or operate in the several Obligations Mankind are under with respect to themselves the other individuals of Humane Nature their Brethren and God as likewise take notice of the Fates and Consequences that attend these both And this lower Principle when it determines or governs the Man only prompts to the pleasures of Sense as corrupt Nature has the strongest Byass or stands most inclin'd in several Persons Some it drives on to the grossest Satisfactions an eager pursuance of the Affections of Flesh Lusts properly so call'd That most war against the Soul most hinder its native Aspirings and Powers and even degrade it from the eminency of its Nature its Spiritual Kind that it can employ none of its Faculties on its proper Objects not even on the eternal Being himself whose Image it is and in Communion with whom its truest its chiefest felicity consists but only use them with respect to the Body wherein 't is so immersed to invent some new sensual Entertainments or more enjoy the experienc'd Instances of this Brutish sort or Apologize for them And this the Heathen World who had the Rules of Morality of their own making not being bless'd with Revelation an inspir'd Law true Reason declar'd and enacted by God affords us a dismal example of even in some who were of the most refin'd Thoughts the most rais'd Philosophy among them And 't would be well if many enjoying the advantages of the Gospel in an utter rejection of these advantages and despite of the Spirit of Grace too that more largely accompanies this Dispensation did not still both pursue and defend or maintain such wicked Courses And the reason of these Men is not only thus warp'd to patronize Sin and imploy it self in Fruitless searches of still some new sensual Delights the lawful and allow'd Instances whereof that are without Remorses also ever affording the greatest I say the reason of these Men is not only thus warped but in a great measure defac'd and lost while they so far consent give themselves up to Carnal Relishes confus'd Satisfactions arising from Body as both to destroy those Relishes or Satisfactions thro' too vehement Indulgence of