488 Book. IV. Looking ur.to :Jefus. chap. 5. sect.; 1 John 3' 9· R'Om. 6: 14, of infi rmity ; and others grant the name ofreigning fins, but with this limitation, that this is not a total reigning. Sin reigneth as a Tyrant over them, not as a King ; at fometimes (as in Davids cafe) the will and corJent may run along with fin, no actual refiftance may be made againll: !in at all; and yet at the very fame time, thefeed of qod remaincth in them, though it feem dead., and in Gods good time, · that very feed will revive againe, and throw out the Tyrant, there is not, caooot be that antecedent and confequent confent to fin in the godly, as in the wicked ; 0 my foul confider this ! if the vertue ofChrifts life: come in, it will take down that foveraigne high raigne offin which the wicked fuffer, and will nor it rive againfi; the flelh indeed may fometimes luft againft the fpirit, but it {hall not totally prevaile, or get the upper hand , fin futit not have dominion over you. Sin may tyrannize it in me for a.time, but it {hall not King ir in me: look to this ! doth the power and dominion of Chrifts life throw out of thy heart and life that Kingly power and dominion ofmy fin? here is one ground of hope. . 1 Job. l, 6. Eph. 5. : . J oh,. •j-15·· 1 Pet . I. I 5· 2. IfChrifts life be mine, then 01all I walk., even as he walked: fuch is the efficacy of Chri fts life, that it will work fu itablene!fe, and ma~e our l fe in fome fort like hisli fe. The Apoft le obfervt'S that our communion with Chrift works on our very converfa tions ; he that abideth in him, walk,;s e"..en as he wa!k.fd: and to this purpofe are all thofe holy admonit ions; w.d~ i1- hve, as 'Chrijf alfo loved us.·-- and I ha~ c given you 11n ex.m,ple, tht<t you fhould do ,u I have done unto ycu. - - and, as he Jrhich ·httth called y cu i.< holy, fo be ye huiy in ,1f/ m.:mm o( converf.-:tion. . Then .is Chrifts life mine, whm my actions refer to "him as m)> copy , when 1tranfcritt the origina l of Chr ifts life, (as it were) to the life Alas wha t am l b,::ner to ohfcrve in the !if.: ofChrift his charity co his enemies, hi s reprehedions of the Scribes and Pharifees, his fc~burd i narion to hi sh-::avenly Fa ther, his ingcnui.ty towarJs all men, his effufi ons of love towards a !I t · e Saims, if there be t;o likene{fe of dl this in my own aft ton~? The hfe of Jeftis is w t d~fcribeJ to be He a pict ure in a cha.mb~r of pleafu.e, only for b . ~ uty and entertainment-of the eye, burl ike the Egyptian hyregliphicks,whofe very feature is a precept, whofe images convcrf•: wilh men by fenfe , and Ggnificarion of excellent difcourfes; to t ~1 i s purpoldaith Pad, "PN till with open fa>e, ' b,-t·oldiM 111 in a · • "' glttjfe
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