rv1n Expqjition of the Epi[lie ~ to the Came Principles the ~enerality of ~he moft ofMen are ; and the generality ~ ofthe moft ofMen, are CIVll Men. It ISalign I Gy of Death, Dead ill Si 11 s and . Trejpaj]u, wherein ye walf.!d according to thecourfo of this World. A FiU1 that is a– live will and can (wim againft the Stream, but a FiU1 that is dead, the Stream car– ries it along with it. And the Truth is, he that walketh in the World, he walk– eth with Satan; why? Its clear, according_ to the Courfo ofthe World, according to the Prmce fa1th he. As thofe that walk With the Samrs walk wnh God: Co he ·that walketh with the World, certainly he walketh with Satan, though he fees it nw nor knows it. I might likewife inlarge upon this, that Men that are holy .; wall~ ~ontrary to the World, but I will not ftand upon it. O'bferv. 4• Obfcrv. Another Obfervation is this, and it is proper to the Text, fo1· I fhall give you no other: I~ IS one o~ the greatell: Mercies m our Salvation and Redemption, to be dehver d from this World, to be turned out of It, to be turned from the Opinions and Prallices of it, from the Stream ofit. This is clearly the Apoftle's Scope here,for all this is but to maf!;nifie the Mercy, and the Grace of God; God, taith he,. Verle 4· who;. rich ill MerC)', according to his Rich Grace, He quic/zned m, and raifod 111, and pul/'d m out ofthh World. I will give you but a Scripture for It, and fo pafs from It, Gal. I. 4· Cpeakmg ofChnfl:, Caah he, Who gave himfolf for our Sins, what to do? Sur~ly Come gr<oa.t matter?_ That he migl·t deliver IH,Ji'om th>.r prefent evd World. There IS never a vam Tradmon that thou fuckefl: in, (and there are I know not how many Traditional Sins, that Men receive in, traditio . nal ill Opinions, that Men have ofthe Wa)S of God, a Company of Apochriphal Sins, as I may C1y,received from their Fathers down from one Age unto another, which Men li.Jck in:) To be delivered fi·om any ofthefe, cofl: the Blood ofChriir. Therefore now not only thy Being pull'd out of the World at fir(\, when firfl: converted, but to be turned from any Carnal Principle, the refl: of the World goes on in, and perhaps fame Godly_Men too, it is a Fruit of the Redemption of Chrifl:. twill give you a clear Place for it; I Pet. u8. For".fimtch a< Je /;_now, that ;e were not redeemed witb corruptible tbi11g.s, ai Silver and Gold, fi·otJJ JOur vai11 Conver[atio11, t·eceived by Trdditio11, fi·om ]OUr Fathers, but wilh the Precio!HBloodof (h,·ift. He Cpeaks to the Jews (for Peter wrote to the Jews, that were difperfl: throughout Pont111, Ga/.ttia &c.) now they had received a world of Traditions from their Fathers, which had made their Converi:Itions even in the Worfhip of God, in many Particulars vain; they had Wafhingsand the like, in Religious Re– Cpells; Bids God, faith he,that he bath redeemed you,from all tbeCe T raditions,and hath !hewed you the Mercy to clear up your Judgments in them; this is the Fruit,faitp he, ofthe Blood ofChrifl: nothing elfe could have done it. Our Lord and S•viour Chrift therefore, Cpent, a great deal of Time, to work out tbefe Traditions; as he Cpent his Blood for it, fo he Cpent a great deal of his Breath for it, as appeareth by many ofhis Sermons, e!pccially that in M,,,, 5· · I have but a Word to open and that is this, According to the Cmtrfo of [ Tbi<} World; and Coin other Ptaces fl:ill you !hall find it, fi·om [Thh J preftnt evil World &c. Now there is a double Sence ofit, which will afford us an Obfervati– on or two,and fo I will end Either It is called Thh World, in oppofition to that to come, as in the Former Chapter, Thu World, t1ith he,and that to come. Or elfe,this World,bath a Rel1tion to that prefent Age, becaufe he fpeoaks of thefe Ephejians,they lived according' to the Co11rft of that World,then, as other unregenerate Men afterward ; let the World alter never fo much, they live frill according to the moir, and the mofl: will £rill be corrupt. And there is Come thing beildes,that which is tranflated 11ow, fignifies the Age, th.e Spirit that now work.!, that is, i11 thh Age. I fhall.joyn both in one Obfervation, and it is this. That though the World do affer in Ceveral Ages in the Courfc and the Fafhion of it, yet frill it will be the World : And it will be fo far the World, for the generality of the Principles of it, that if Men fhould hve according to them, they would ,he .unregenerate. Let the World alter never fo much (as indeed !ince Chnfl: s ume, the World bath had m1ghty Alterati– ons) yet!hll it will be the World. They hved accordmg to the Age of that World, and were unregenerate Men, and others will do fo too, frill as the World alters,
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