;;o. The Platforage of Obedience. Rom,7.as, Cmineffeg, in the world. Now to this wordBody, theApo(' leaddethmonad, to °l he :.Doi. fhewthus much, that the nature ofminis nothingbut euen a compound, a thing of it thevte madeofthefe twp,Corruption andDeath:there is nothing in itbut euill,andthere is nothing due unto it but deftruftion. Out ofwhich (bythe way) wee may learne thusmuch, what is theRateand condition ofthebelt ofvs all bynature. Forthough the greatenpart bee fecure, having no conceitof their ownenatu. rail wretchedneife; and others, popilhlyafleeted , thinking theinfduestohaue freewill, and anaturali difpofition togood, yetthe truth is, that weeare ofour films no better, butteen agrotteToayofDeath,a confufed malle ofcorrupti- on, our vnderftanding nothingbut ignorance and dulnelte, our will nothing but obftinacy,our affet:fionsnothing but miforder, ourmembers weapons of vn- righteoafneffè, our Cluesnothingbut the bafevalfalsofnne. This is the ftateof the greatelt Monarches in the world, no manor woman is exempted, but the fame bath a (hare in thiscommon mifcry, and happywere wee, ifave didtruely feele this, and woewill be ontovs, vnrill wee doe vnfainedly açd throughlyac- knowledgeit: thenwill Godsmercy be fweet vntovs; then will theDodtrine offaluation inChrift behearkened after byvs. Therefore letvs remember this IhortLelton ; fowreindeed at thefirlt, but yet full of fweetnefte in thevfe, and let vs often thinke vponit; that weare in nature, asweecome ourofthe loynes ofourparents, nobetter then a very lumpe ofrottennelfe and corruption. If thou Ihouldeft feea man, that from thefole ofhtsfoot to the cre,aneofhis head, had hIfa., . nothingwholeinhim: butwounds andfwelings ,andforesfrill ofco,ruptionh, he could not butfeemeaveryloathfeme creaturevnto thee : yet know this whofoeuer thou art,be thou neuer Cooell defcended,neuer fo rich, wife,beautifull, &c. thy foule is through fin a thoufand timesmoreodious andabominable before God. :PCaL»;6: Thinkewell on this, communewith thineown,heart' 'about it willmake thee ab., klob 4a.6. horrethyfelfe indueanda/liesh, andcausaral/thing, tobe dung,that thoumight f win I Phil,3.s. left. Chrft i, The third thingto be enquired into, is,whatis meant by 'Keigne. I toldyou before that t{;e follow ing clanfesare an expofition to the firll, and fo it is true. Forfnnodoth then reign, when weegist our members as weaponsofosrighteoufnefe Onto it yet for their lakes whoare not fowell acquainted wich.the languageof the Scripture, this will require force betteropening. Know this then (totakeall the three elaufes together, reuse, obeyin the lafts, &e. giereop yourmembers, ¿yc,) that the Apoille doch in this place compare the /hoe andcorruption which dwelleth in vs, to ComeEmperouror great Commander, wholabourethbyall meansto ellablilh hisownefoueraigncy, and to bring all into obedienceunder him. This great man to try the obedienceofchofewhom beedelires socorti. (nand,fendethfoorth his Edicts,makethLawes, publifhethProclamations, en- ioyneth fuck andfuch thingsto be putinpraCtice. Now theywhich are hisvaf. falo, and doe feurehim; ptefentlyapplythemfelues by all meanes to put thoÑ thingsin executionwhich hee commands. Sucha tyrantisfosse: being within vs, it lltiueth by all meaner to haue dominion over vs : Euill motions, lulls and provocations to iniquity, they are (as it were) the lakes of/none, wherebyfuse triethourobedience, and feekcth tokeepe vswithin bondage. Now the wicked and vngodly,who arethe feruants offinne, they be like fouldiersvnderpay,who beaiwaiesinarmes,and as foone asthe watch-wordis glues, prefeotly fctthem- felues to the doingof that which their leadercommands ; fo they line op their membcre, anal employ all the powers andfaculties both of their fouies and bo- dies, for theoutwardpra@iceofthat euill,whereuntotheirfecretfmne dothper fwade. Sinne then it laid toceigne, when as it hath that intent} intoa man, that bee dochboth chicly with hisminde, and labourwith his body to let forward that whereto thein-bornecorruption of his natuaodoth encline. This-beeing well obferued, the meaningofPaulinhis fir((exhortation, willfoone beedifco- ucred,
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