VerC a, 2. the fixth Chapter of the ROMANS. 3 to morrow we fhall dye : with t Cor. 7.'24, 3o. But thin I fay, Brethren, the time is fhort4 it remains that both they that have relives, be is though they that had none ; and they that weep, a though they wept not ; and they that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not ; and they that buy, as though they pot feffed not. So 2 Sam. 7. 2. The King laid unto Nathan the Prophet, See now I dwell in an houfe of Cedar, but the Ark of God dwelleth within curtains with Haggai t. t. This people Jay , The time is not some , the time that the Lords hotefé fbouldd be built. So 2 Kings 6. 33. Behold, this evil is of the Lord , what fhould I wait for the Lord any longer ? with r Sam. 3. r 8. It is the Lord, let him do what feemeth him good. So Mary Magdalen upon Chrifli pardoning her fin; was More abundant in duty, and mourning for fiirí, Luk 7. 47. Her fins, which were many, are forgiven for the loved mach : and in the Text , the directly contrary conclufion is drawn , fin becaufe grace doth abound, maketh work for pardoning mercy. But particularly, k is very natural to us to abufe the Gofpel , and plead Gods grace to quiet and ftrengthen our felves id fecurity and fin ; the thoughts of men do eaflly incline them to fuch concluflons. That which bath been may be ; that this bath been, appeareth by the Writings of the Apo- flies, who every where feek to obviate this abufe, and alto by evident Reafon. r. We all affe& liberty to a degree of licentioufnefs This is natural to ús, as ap- peareth by our dilta(te of Chtilts (kid Laws, Pfal. 2.3. Let us break their bands afun. der, and call away their cords from sas, and our ready hearkening to Seducers, who pro - mif liberty, though they bring we into bondage to fin , 2 Pet. 2. 19. and we be the more enflaved to bafenefs and frlthinefs. 2. The flefh taketh all occafions to indulge it Pelf, and that it may be done in a plaufible cleanly manner, and with lets remorfe from Conscience , it catcheth at every pretence to countenance it. Sometimes it makes ufe of bodily Aufterities, as a com- penfation for their fins; and fo Hypocriifie, Superflition and Prophanencfs grow' on the fame Root. The fenfual Nature of men is fuch, that it is loth to be croffed, which produceth Prophanenefs; for therefore do men indulge themfelves in all manner of fenfuality , becaufe they are loth to deny their natural appetites and delires, and row againft the ftream of Flefh and Blood: but if Nature mull be croffed , or elfe they cannot palliate their carnal indulgences, then they will not mortifie the Tuft, but a(Bit the body for a while , and in fore flight manner, which produceth Hypocrifie , and we excufe the partiality of our obedience by force outward (hews of ftri1nefs : as Ife. 58. 5. They mall the foal for a day, or bow down the bead lik? a bulrrifb : and fo in the external a &ions of other Duties. That this deceit may be more prong, they exceed in outward Obfervances , and that produceth Superflition , or fome by -Laws of our own, by which we hope to expiate our fins; as to whip , and galla our felves. Micah 6. 6, 7. Wherewithal (hall l come before the Lord, and bow my felf before the high God ? (hall I come before him with burnt - offerings , with calves of a year old ? Will the Lord be pleafd with thoefands of rams, or with tentheufands of rivers of oyl? (hall Igive my fart- born for mytranfgreJon, the fruit of my body for the fin of my foul? On the other fide; if mens Tempers, Education and (train of Religion carry them to another way, and they are all for the Grace of the Gofpel , without the Rudiments of men, the Devil knows how to charm and lullSouls afleep in fin by that way of Profefüon alto; and fo many take liberty ro fin under the pretence, that God may have more occafion to exercife his mercy ; and our pronenefs to pleafe the'flefb is countenanced by prefumpti, ons of Grace , and the fuppofition of unreafonable Indulgences of God to the faulty Creature : Pfal. 50. 2 t. Theft things haiTi thou done, and I kept Hence , thou thoughtei that I was altogether fuch an one as thy felt God will not be fo revere, as is commonly imagined, and fo leff ping Gods Holinefs , they abate their Reverence of him. Pfal. 68. rg, 20, 2 t. Bled be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our falvation,_Seiah. He that is our God is the God of falvation, and unto God thé Lord belong the ¡gees from death. But God Jhall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy lealp of fach an one as goeth on frill in his trefpafs. He feeketh to obviate their' conceit, how great foever the riches of his Bounty and Grace offered in Chrifi be, yet he is irreconcileable to thofe that ceafe not to follow a courfe of fin. 3. This conceit is ftrengthened in us , becaufe many that profefs Chriftianîty live li- centioufly : All fins propagate their kind , and among others abate of Grace t we fee others have great hopes and confidence in Chftft, notwithffanding their carnal and worldly courfe of living, and feff-love prompteth us, that we may hope to fare as well as they ; and fo we leaven one another with a dead, loofe, carnal fort of Chriftianity, inftead of provoking each other to love and good work! , Heb. to. 24. Self-love is very A a a a a 2 partial
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