VerC 1 z. the fixth Chapter off'the ROMAN s. 63 and though the body be put off fora time, yet in time it ¡hall be.partaker of this life alto. 3. To chew us the tranfitorinefs of there delights. You gratifie a mortal body with the negle& of a precious and immortal Soul; now the mortal body ihould not be pant- pered with fo great a lots an4inconvenience to our Souls. All the good things which the flefh aimeth at , they g rifh with the mortal body ; but the guilt and putii!hment of this diforderly life re aineth for ever. All fle(hly pleafure ceafeth. at the Graves mouth , and wealth, pleafure, carnal reft, worldly honour are no longer of ufe to us, when we are to be laid in the duft. One would think this ihould cure the mad delires of all mortal Creatures: .I Ph. 2. 37. The world pafethaway, and the lugs thereof-, but he that doth the will of God, ¡hall endure for ever. When we come to die , neither can the thing do us good , and the. very lust and delire is gone, and is bitter in the remen= brance ofit. Pray, how little can all the World then do for you, when you. have molt need of comfort, the carte of there things is gone, and the fling remaineth, the pamper- ed flefh mull then becall into the duft, and all its pleafure will then be at an end. Which will be a doleful day to thofe that had their good things here, and all their portion in this life, when that is gone, which is fo much valued and fought after, and the true Fe- licity forfeited; becaufe it was undervalued and contemned ; how will they be afhamed of the folly of their perverfe choice! Therefore if we would joyfully bear , or con- tentedly yield to the diffolution of our bodies, we fhould now matter and mortifie the delires of the flefh. 4. To (hew, that in this [late of Mortality and Frailty we may prevent the reign of fin. Many will fay , We are frail Creatures, we are not glorified Saints, the delires of Nature are impetuous; Ay , but you may refill them , and that with (uccefs : The mortalitg of the body doth not excufe fin, but aggravate it, that for a little brutifb plea- Cure, that is but for a while, we will forfeit eternal Joys, and run the hazard of eternal Pains. But can we avoid the pleating of delres fo natural ? Yes , many that live its the flefh do not live after the Adis, their fleafon is not en[laved by fence, but illuminated and dire&ed by Faith to higher things. The Apofle produceth himfelf as an in[tance, Gal. 2. 20. I am crucifiedwith Chrifl, nevertheleß I live, yet not I, but Chrifi,liveth in me, and the life which I now live in theflefh I live by the faith of the Son of God , who loved me , and gave himfelf for me: And he fpeaketh no more of himfelf, than what is com- mon to all Believers ; furely they may or can , if they be not wanting to themfelves, crucifie the flefh with the aßêflions and paßïonrthereof, yea they have, if they are true Be- lievers. Gal. 5. 24 They that are Chrifis have crucified the flefh with the afec ions and hefts. Indeed nothing feemeth harder and harfber, than for men to get filch a Vi &ory over their own Flefh , and to contradi& motions that are fo: pleating. They are not flocks and (tones (they fay), How is it poffible to be fo dead to the interefts of the ani- mal life, as not to be moved, and fometimes greatly moved 'with thefe things , which either gratifie or difpleafe the flefh? I anfwer in Chrilts words, Mat. so. 26. With men this is imporble, but with God all things are poßible. There is the Spirit of Chrift to change our Natures ; and the Spirit ofChrill to dire& and influence our motions ; and Ordinances andmeans appointed to convey this Spirit to us, as the Word, whichreveal - eth better things; Sacraments which affure to us our great hopes, and oblige us to live anfwerably ; there are many Providences to deaden the talle of the flefh , and train us up for better things in anotherWorld, and we are to be watchful, ferious, heavenly. 5. To fhew that the tedioufnefs of our Confli&, and this troublefom reft(tance (hall endure but for a little while. All our buftnefs is , that tin may not reign in our mortal body; there will a time come, When this mortal ¡hall put on immortality, r Cor. t 5.53 and long before that, our ¡iritr mull return to God that gave them, Ecclef t a. 7. Now the more we think of another life, the ltronger we are againfl fin, the troublefom part of our duty is but while we are in the flefh or in the world; and if we can but efcape ,the corruption that is in the world through luft, we (hall be happy for ever. Thirdly, When is fin fold to reign? I anfwer in general, That iefaid to reign,.which attaineth the chief power in the Soul; and particularly, fin is faid to reign. r. Negatively, when it is not oppofed, or but (lightly oppofed. We mutt take in this part of the defcription , becaufe there are contrary Principles in us. There is no queiion but fleshly lulls will folicite you; but your butinefs is to inquire, whether you oppofe them, it may be you do ; for it cannot be imagined , that whilfl a fpark of Con - fcience remaineth alive in us, a man can apparently be tempted from his duty, but his heart will give back ä little : but an ine(fe&ual (hiving will not acquit us; even the unregenerate
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