221 / 808
VE
R.
2.
Ephefianr,Chap,
t.
205
thus much,
that the
cuftome
of
their
trefpaffes did
hold themunder
death
;
even
as
themore the body putrifies,
it
goeth further into death
;
--
So here, the
more the
foule
doth
exerciCe
it
felf
in
evill,
the
deeper
it
finketh
into
the death
of
it. It
is
fitly likened
to the
(tone
of
the
Sepul.
chre,
(I
meanthis
cuftomeofauall
finning) for it
doth
feal
us
up,
and
keep
us
down
more firongly under it; upon this ground
the Prophet
ask-
eth,
How
fha4'the
Leopard change
his
l
otr, thofe
that
are
accuflomed to
doe
evil!,
learne
to
doe
well?
ler.
t
3.23
Which
mutt
make
us
take heed,
how
we goe
on
in
a
finfull
courfe
;
rii.
forit maketh
us
rot
in
fpirituall
death,
and makech
it
more
difficult
for
us
to return.Many that procraftinate repentance,they think not
on
this.
Bcwue
of
(3/,','
ciihomeof
s.
wherein
ye
walked]
Obferve what
is
the
life
of
the unregenerateper
-
fon,
it
is
a
walk, or courfe,
or
full race
in
tranfgreffion
;
for this phrafe
of
walking,
is
fo
to be
taken
as
the gradation
inthe
firft
Pfalme
;
it
is
more
then to Rand,
and
doth
fignifie
anhabituali
converting
:
fo
it is
taken
v,
ER
2,
Dolt.
Gen.6.9.
Noah walked with
God.
Whatfoever
they occupy themfelves
in,
it
is
all
fin ; not
one
that
sloth
good,
none
that
canpo>fibly
doe any thing
truly
good,
till
the
heart be purified
by
faith.
W
tfoever the naturali
man can
think
of,it
is
either apparent vertue, or mañifelt
vice.
If
he walk
in
outward vertue,he walketh
in
gliftering
fins,
if
in
vices, then manifeft-
ly
tranfgrefling
;
and
this
was our eftate.
Which
fhould.make
us
the
m
ore carefullto redeem the time
refpited; Vf.
that
henceforth
we
live
(aemucb time
as
remaineth in
the
/lef)))
not
after
the
lofts
of
men,but
after thewill
of
God ;
fer it
is
fufficient
that
we
have#ent
the
time of
thelif
paft after
the
la/ls
of
our
hearts
be.
.
viccordingto
the
courfe
of
this
world] Here obferve
what
is
an
occafi-
i
Pea 4.3.
Dam.
¡on
which doth
prick
us
forward
in
this courfe,even
the corrupt cuftomes
of
fuch arnongfr
whom we
live
;
fuch
fafhions
as
by
ages
together
have
taken
place,fuch doe draw
us
further
and further on
to
wickednefle; this
Worlds corrupt
courfc,afpc-
to
(tmcenùve
¡is
no fmall meanes
of
holding
us
in
fin,
and
heartening
us in
it,
when we
'
Epi,,s.t.
fee it
the
fafhion
of
many, even
of
all
thofe
in
whom
is
not the
love
of
1
the Father
;
therefore the Apoftle doth exhort
fo
forcibly from it
Rom.
12.2.
Fafhien
not your
Elves
like unto this world.
i
Pet.
r.
18.
From your
vain
couverfalion,
received
by
traditionfrom
your
Fathers.
It
is a
ftrong
ftream, that
comes
by
a
new fafhion, it
is
received
of
all
almoft,
and it
carrieth many
to
fpeedy deftruétion.
Thus the
Devil! by
the
fins
of
the
times and perfons
amongft whom
we live, much weakens
our
love;
Through
abundance
of
iniquity
love waxetb cold,
(Ala.
24.12. The
examples
of
others
like
a
back byas, drawing
us
from the precifeneffe
of
our care
in
forceduties,in
which we endeavoured before to
wal
k
with
God:
Sometimes the
fcoffing and
injurious fpightfulneffe
of
wicked
ones, making
us
afraid
to
Phew
our
love,
as
we
would
and fhould
with
liberty befeeming. Even
as
damps put out
a
light,
fo
this fogge of
fin
fuffocates
and
fmothers
the
lightfome blaze
of
faving graces in
the god-
ly, though it
cannot throughly quench them
in us.
The
times
will be
ready
to
tell us,
that
drunkenneffe,
whoring,
officious
lies, merry mee-
tings
and vanities
of
good fellow-fhip,
are no fuch great fins,
or matters
T
3
of