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Christ the purifier, 10 discourses [ed. by A. Serle].
Christ the purifier 10 discourses - ed. by A. Serle Author:Samuel Walker Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: vealed will. There lies your wifdom. Never ftart from that on any confideration. Tis that is the courfe which fhall bring you to increale of grace here, and to a... more »bundance of glory hereafter, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. CHRIST THE PURIFIER, SERMON VIII. Malachi Hi. 3. And he Jhallfit as a Refiner and Purifier sf fther -, and he Jhall purify the fotis of Levi, and purge them as gold andfiher, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righte- oufnefs. have been attempting to fliew the- means which Chrift makes ufe of, for efl'ed- ing that work of purification in the hearts of his people, which is here referred to : and to the inftances already produced, I now, in the 6th and laft place, add, that he overrules their very falls into fin to this happy purpofe. The people of God, though regenerate, are liable to fall into fin. If this were denied, the G 2 confequ:nceconfequencc would be, as far as Scripture example can teach us, that there have been no fuch perfons as have been really regenerate. Noah fell into a very grofs fin in his fecurity ; and fo did righteous Lot after him; and Abraham once and again, not only told, but acted a lie. It is hard to fay of David, whether he was more notable for his fins or his repentance. Peter not only denied his Matter, but afterwards, in the full enjoyment of all his furniture of grace and gifts, fell into a bafe compliance with the fear of his heart, being defirous to pleafe them that were of the cir- cumcifion. The truth is, regenerate perfons are but in part renewed, and have in them ftill the natural, as well as the new and fpiritual, principle; the body of fin dwells in them, and their will is but too ready to clofe in with its motions, which alfo it would always do, were it not that it is fupported a...« less