d laying
out itself towards him, God so far descending, as in a manner, to become
the creature's, to expose and dispose himself, and all in him, for poor
man's use and comfort.

How joyful was that amity! But the breaking of this bond of peace is as
sad and grievous. There was a woful interposal between God and us, which
hath separated these chief friends ever since the beginning, and that is
sin, the seeds of all enmity and discord, this hath rent asunder the bond
of amity, this hath made such a total aversion of the soul from God, and
imprinted such an irreconcilable enmity in the heart against the holy will
of God, that there is no possibility to reunite them again, and restore
the old friendship, as long as the soul is not quite changed and
transformed. That first creation is so marred and defaced, that there is
no mending of it till a second creation come. The carnal mind is not
simply an enemy, but enmity itself; an enemy may reconcile again, and
accept terms of peace but enmity cannot reconcile to amity, without the
very destruction of itself. The opposition of the heart is so perfect,
that as soon may enmity unite with amity, and become one with it, as a
carnal natural mind can submit to God's holy will. That which was at the
beginning voluntary, is become necessary, and turned into the nature of an
inbred antipathy, that no art can cure. The fall was such a disjointing of
the soul from God, that no skill but infinite wisdom, no strength but
Almighty power, can set it right, and put it in the first posture again.
It is true, there are not many who will openly and expressly denounce war
against heaven, it is not so incident,(184) that any man should have
explicit plain thoughts of hatred against God. There are some common
principles engraven by God in all men's minds, which serve as his
witnesses against men, that God should be loved, served, adored, and
worshipped, that there is nothing so worthy of the desires of the soul.
Now, this general acknowledgment deludes the most part, for they take it
for granted that they do love God with their heart, because their
consciences bear witness that they ought to love him, as if it were all
one to know our duty and to do it. Who is there but he entertains himself
with this good opinion of himself, that his heart is good and true to God,
for, say you, whom should I love, if I love not God? I were not worthy to
live if I love not him. It is true indeed that you say, but if y