340. Ihe`IlatformeofObedience. whofe feete arewont to carry thee from the houleofGod , fomatime to tha Ale-houfe,fometimes to viewing thygrounds, fometimestoplacesof mifor. der, and fometimes through thine owne backwardneffe, hauevtterly denied todo their office, andhaue flayed thee loytering at home, let them hereafter bring theecheerefully totheworfhipofthy God. In a word,leteuery man enter fecretly betwixt God andhis own Ionicintò a vow, that hereafter bee will denoteall the intention of his minds, all the flrength andpower ofhis body,firft to thevnderftanding,and then next to the pra&efe and execution ofthofeholy duties , which &odhati,ordained, thatwe yEphefs. 1o.lbeuldwalke to them v. Thisis,togiue serfe/seesto Gad,ibia is,togiuevit onemembers at weaponsofboltnef to the Lord. Now followeththe reafon infertd by theApofle , togreffeand perfwade E p h 's'z. thofe twodegrees of Obedience : At they thatarealiaefrem thedead. ByDead, the Apatite vnderflands,thedeathof&sr,in vvhichwe areal' bynature dowit. Foralbeit tá fpcakeproperly,in regardofour forwardneffebynatureto com- revi t Sinne, wee maybe truly laid to lies infinie : yet inafmuch as the wages of flew e hre ref rbRont7.ai. dy fduáhb hettiotte fcigrite fp kinoo our natural] weare ded in (nee : So that by meñalreefrom the dead, the Apoftlemeaneth, menquickened by the fpirit ofgracen sientegotten againe intoa new life by erom.6rr. theGofpcll, and (as himfelfeaifofpeaketh) to Clod in left', Cbrel our Lcrdc. This dew life is in álfEóho are the Lords, inafmuch as bispower towardsrbefe that beeeese,is according to thewer11/ngofhie mightypower,wbicbbewroxgbe in Chrt/f, dEpphLip,so when here+fedhim fromthedead,. The lountaine hereofvoto the Iaithfull, is Je. elo11.6.7. fus Chrift. Feras GodtheFather bathfealedhint c,tefaxe bis peoplefrom theirfies ; f Mhbgb fohe is the lifen, andheyaid¿,eeetbwbemhewillh. The inward andfecretagent bloh.fsr. in'enliuingthe dead fouleofman,isthe Spirit ofGod,who is therefore called theSp ritofLife, freeingthofe which (hall befauedfromtbe LawofSinneaide iRom,s.s. Deaths. The outwurd In/tomcat heeein,istheMini/cry oftheWord, whichis for kiPcrr.s;. that mofetermed, eleimmortall Seed:a andthe WordofLife,. New the force of IARs s" Palk reafin inawordit Ibis, that weearethereforetecenfeceateourfelues, es efade:, endourbodíes,vnto theholy obedienceandrecuite ofGod,beeaufewe arebygracebrought intea moreexcellent effete thenwe were inby Nature; and therefore itwilldeaf/same firvetofie/doer[duet tithefereice offene , beingby the power ofGods Spritfeed from thedeath aadceptiuityof/'nne. The4.Dol?. The doélrine then riling fromhence,isthis; That their veryeonmrffen it felfe from theftate ofcondemnationinto theftate ofgrace, lothvrge thepratlife oferwebe- diencevpbetjiefewhichAlike themfeluestobe Gods ferment:. This is eleere by the courfeand carriageofthis place: ItisPosh reafon, why fangistobee with- flood, and obedience with the fulleft intentionofour endeauour to bee gi- nenvntoGod,becaufeifweebe Chriflians indeed , wee bee freed from the bondage and death ofSinn,, andby the power of the refurreftion of Iefus Chriftare raifedvpto the lifeofRigghteoufneff e: It is the fame with that iii niverfes,s, thebeginningof this Chapter ra, ShallweecontineefidineAnte ? Godforbid :HOW fhaflwe that are deedto /inne,liaeyettherein? That irlfthepower ofChriftsdeath bath killed flewsinvs,andmen deaded the flrength andvigour of our naturall corruption, how fRail we then, nay, howcao weyceldvg our feintato the praâifeofit,and take delight incommitting it? This point, namely,thata dif- ferentmanneròfeonuerfation fromtheir former , is expected of thofe which profeffeReligion, andwill be reputed Chriftians, isas plaine and as expreife in the Scriptureas any can bee. It is the principal! Argument of this pre- frnc Chapter, and Paul in all his Epithet aymçth at it, Iuftification and Sanâi- M
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