Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n
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A42429
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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 ...
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Gaskarth, John, d. 1732.
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1700
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Wing G286; ESTC R10111
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23,817
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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 â—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
it were a flash in our Minds as also Thoughts often long detain'd or continu'd on our Spirits and press'd upon them these still pursuing us with great Importunity towards some Instance of Vertue or to heighten our Remorse for some ill Behaviour when as our Minds so beset with the Affections of Sense are roving and inconstant and especially not apt to fix on a Pious Meditation and least of all on such as causes Trouble to them these so haunting our Souls and overcoming all the Pastimes of the World to remove them nay sometimes mastering our utmost Contrivance the whole command we have of our Wills against them and at last obtaining their happy Effect These with the other particulars at least must be thankfully acknowledg'd to the loving Spirit of God preventing us and as Convictions thereof And this blessed Spirit with all his saving Gifts or Influences is the Procurement of our holy Redeemer who by his so highly Meritorious Sufferings besides the Pardon of our Trespasses on the only true Term thereof John 7.38 Tit. 3.6 obtain'd such liberal Measures of Grace on our account to attend our smallest Endeavours with them nay even excite these first of all as if we fail not our Compliance with those Heavenly Succours will rescue us from the Power of our past Offences secure our Christian Behaviour or Vertues against every Temptation that shall at any time be permitted to befal us and while we duly peruse the written Revelation vouchsafed to us replenish our Minds with all Sacred Knowledge influential on Godliness every necessary Article of a Saving Faith We have these Advantages this common Treasure thro' our Lord's Mediation for all Mankind as it were extraneous or without our selves but which may be brought into the Faculties of our Souls and rendred an inward might of theirs if we please The Graces of the Spirit if we hinder not their force will enable us for the highest Exercises of Piety every inveterate Appetite of our Natures all the Assaults of Sin upon us must submit to him being allow'd to possess our Minds and display his infinite Efficacy in them that can only be resisted by our selves or the obstinacy of our Wills against him God will exhibit the same invincible Strength in us and along with us for Moral Purposes that he wrought in Christ after a Physical manner when he rais'd him from the Dead Eph. 1.19 20. Hence then being thus throughly furnish'd unto all good Works we must be sure to reduce these Heavenly Vertues or Powers into Act Crucify the whole Body of Sin the old Man after the Image of the disobedient Adam with the Affections and Lusts Gal. 5.24 so that we pronounce not of our Satisfactions nor establish our Notions and Estimate of Things thro' the Instigations of these or with respect to them we must thro' these gracious supplies afforded us that are only effectual in our Endeavours with them repress and keep under the Appetites of Body rescue our Minds from the most unnatural subjection to them that they may be able to exert themselves freely possess a clear Reason retriev'd and set at liberty from sensual Byasses which so being a right Conduct of Life and discerning things truly as far as its natural Sphere reaches will easily submit to the farther Enlightnings of Divine Grace that always both prevents us contributes to the forming of such a just Habit of intelligent Creatures and then more plentifully comes in with it Now this true Christian Principle our reasonable Natures or Faculties recover'd into their free Estate and then attended with more liberal or less interrupted Influences of Grace where it informs or directs the Man in respect of himself it prompts to the strictest Temperance or Purity even with regard to the inmost Propensions or Motions of the Heart that these ever be repress'd where they are enormous and being brought into Act would be a Transgression of the Gospel-Law It inspires a Man with the truest Thoughts both of the Entertainments or Delights of Sense and those relating to Mind that the one are mere Brutal Instances if some kinds of Intemperance be not worse than those without any Example in inferiour Creatures quite unbecoming a reasonable Being and that when the Soul once consents to such or entertains it self with polluted Phansies the Resolution of this our thinking Part one way or other being that which determines the quality of our Actions the Trespass is over in a right account there laying no difference between our allowing the luscious and unlawful relishes of Sense within our selves and the acting there of but the Contagion of the Fact or the Injury reflecting and redounding on others in the latter case and 't will suggest to us that the use of our upper Natures as independently as we can of their gross Companions the pure and abstracted Exercises of our Spirits on their right Objects being our suitable Acts or proper to our kind must constitute all our unallay'd Pleasures our true Delights And with respect to our Brethren who partake with us in the same nature it will incite an equal regard the same common Offices where opportunity is afforded to all of these that it would insist on in the nearest Interest or Instance of Self It helps a Man as it delivers him from the confinements of Sense to a true notion of the Grounds and Reasons of a general Beneficence or undistinguish'd Advantage where he is capable thereof as well to others as his own Soul not only that every Person stands in the same Prerogatives both with regard to the parts he consists of and the Gospel-Promises or the Heavenly Bounties he may enjoy if he pleases so that according to an equitable Verdict no Preference lays but because the Benefits we confer on others are more so on our own account reflect larger and better Advantages to our selves when we supply the wants of any in any respect there not only springs up a great satisfaction in our own Breasts the Results of Love the sweet the most delightful Passion of Joy as we have defeated the Afflictions of our Brethren in some measure at least afforded them a present Relief if not mended their case for afterwards which must needs communicate the same comfort wherever the true Christian Temper and Sympathy is not to reckon the Pleasure that so belongs to beneficent Persons of their being in the favour as they may well suppose and better regard of all People which gives them the confidence of their own Kind that they can freely address any of them and affords all the benefits of Converse and Society that Men are so made for that is so necessary in Humane Life with one another Or if because of their other Vertues all which are link'd in a Chain together so that one cannot really and in truth be without the rest the Reproofs these are in a wicked World they be disappointed of the due Treatment they might reasonably expect and meet only with