Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

Verf I 2. the fixth Chapter of the ROMANS. 65 come from fin , are fin , and tend to further fin, Jam. t. 15. Then when lull bath concei- ved, it bringeth forth fin, and fin when it is flnifhed, bringeth forth death. Secondly , The Execution of theme Motions by the Body , when finis brought to her confummate effe&, Micah 2. I. Wo to them that devife iniquity , and work evil upon their beds , when the morning is light they praïfife it , hecaufe it is in the power of their hands This is a fign of the reign of fin, too much room being given to fin in the heart, that it obtains a maftery there , it violently and effe &wally, commands our pra &ice; which if it be a fcandalous enormity, it makes fin to reign for the prefent. Leifer evils flea! into the Throne by degrees, and leaven us with a proud, worldly, or carnal frame of heart; but grofs fins invade the Throne in an militant , at leaft for the prefent, making fearful havock and wale of the Confcience, and the repeated acts Phew our (fate. II. That Chriflians are flrilly obliged to take heed that fin get not Dominion over them. r. By the Light of Nature, which is in part fenfible of this diforder, which bath in- \ vaded all Mankind, namely , an inclination to leek the happinefs and good of the Body 1 above that of the Soul. The very make and conflitution of man Iheweth his Duty, man is cotnpofed of a Body and a Soul , both which parts are to be regarded according to the dignity of each, the Body was fubordinated to the Soul , and both Soul and Bo- dy unto God, his Flefh was a fervant unto his Spirit, and both Flefh and Spirit unto the Lord ; but Gil entring, defaced the Beauty, and diflurbed the Harmony and Order.of Gods Creation and Workmanfhip : Man withdrew from fubordination to God his Ma- ker, reeking his happinefs without God , and apart from him , in earthly and worldly things ; and ado the Body and Flesh is preferred before the Soul, and Realon and Con - fcience enflaved to Senfe and Appetite , Underftanding and Will are made bond -flaves to the tufts of the Flefh, which govern and influence all his a &ions; his Wifdom, Mind and Spirit as it were funk into the Flefh, and transformed into a brutifh Quality and Na- ture. This many of the wirerHeathens law , and fought to ratifie. Maximus Tyrius calls our Paffions and Appetites - 414p the tumultuous Populacy or common People of the Soul , which muff not be left to their own boifterous violence , but be kept under the Law and Empire of the Mind. Philo the yew calleth'them ¡,9ñ)<v, the Woman part in Man, in oppoution to Reafon, which he maketh to be the Malculine part. Simplicius z mradóc , the Child in us , which needeth more flayed heads to govern it. And Come 7feeP7n410v 4415 pipe, the Foot-part of the Soul , as it is a monftrous diforder , if the feet be there where the head fhould be ; to it is for us to serve divers tufts and plea - fures , when we fhould be governed by Reafon. The Stoicks generally ad ,94peov, the beftial part in us, which they counted the Man,, as if the Bea(t fhould ride the Man, as Socrates exprefly calls Reafon árloxos, the Rider or Chariot-driver, as the Body and bo- dily Inclinations the Horses. Now if the Light of Nature taught the Heathens, who knew little of the caufe and malignity of thin' Jitiofity and Dilorder , to obferve this, and labour under it ; surely Chriltians are more ftri&ly bound to curb the flefh, and moderate the lufls and pafflons of it. We know more clearly, what an evil it is to love the Creature above God ; the Body more than the Soul; the World abové Heaven ; Riches, Honours and Plealires more than Grace and Holinefs ; as the Light of Chriflia. nity befriendeth the Light of Nature in this point, we may fee clearly how great a dim= order it is to obey or fulfil theme bodily lulls to the wrong of God and the Soul , and that the true Honour and Dignity of a Man confifts in the Vi&ory , which he bath over himfelf; and that to pamper the flea] is not our honour, but our difgrace; and that there irregular delires fhould not be gratified, but mortified. 2. Chriflian Piety, or the Tenor of our Religion requireth it of us. The drift of this Religion is to recover men out of their Apoflafie, and to promote true genuine Ho- ; liners in the World ; to difpo(fefs us of the Beat, and that Man being reftored to Man, might be allo brought back again tesGod ; or in'fhort, to draw us off from the animal life to life fpiritual and eternal. As appeareth, t. By the Precepts of it , which mainly tend to inforce Self denial, Mortification, Re- cels from the World , that we may not mifcarry in our Obedience to God by our bodily lulls, Mat. 16, 24. If any will come after me, let him deny himfelf. Col. 3, q. Mortifso therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleannefá, inordinate of pion, evil concupifeence , and covetonfnefs, which is Volatry. The whole drift and bufinefs of this Religion is to drive out the Spirit of the World, and to introduce a Divine and heavenly Spirit : r Cor. 2. 12. Now we have received , not the #irit of the world , but the Iiiii Spirit

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