Verf. 14. the fzxth Chapter of the ROMAN s. 79 Soveraignty , and Power of God in the heart : as thofe three mentioned , t Job. s. t6. The 1nf! of the flefh, the Tuff of the eye, and the pride of life, either Voluptuoufnefs, or the inordinate love of Pleafures , when men make it their bufinefi to gratifie their Senfes, and glut and throng their hearts with all manner of Delights: or elfe are furprized with an unmeafurable delire of heaping up Riches; or affectation of Credit and Honour. Now thefe evil frames of heart should be the more watched and ftriven againft, becaufe thefe fins rife up againft God , as he is the last End , and chief Good : they let up Idols inftead of God, Mammon inftead of God. All that are carnal and unfan&ified are un- der the power of thefe , Lake 8. r4. That which fell among thorns are they , which when they have heard , go forth , and are choaIed with cares and riches and pleafures of this life, and bring forth no fruit to perfellion 5 they never carry on Religion to any good effeét and purpofe. And there are none of Gods Children but need conftantly to be morti- fying and fubduing them ; as in a Garden the weeds will grow, becaufe the roots are not quite plucked up : fo there mutt be a. confiant Mortification, becaufe they ate na- tural to us, and the back biafs of Corruption is not wholly taken off, even in the molt mortified of Gods Children. S. There is a Dominion of Sin, which is more grofs and fenfible, or more fecret and dole. More open 5 for though fin Both reign in every one by Nature , yet this Domi- nion doth more fenfibly appear in fome than others, who are judicially given up to be under the vifible dominion of fin , as the juft fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke, and are let forth as warnings to the reft of the World , as men hung up in Chains ofDarknefs, they are apparently and in confpeliu hominism inftances of this woful fla- ttery 5 every man that teeth them, and is acquainted with their courfe of life, may with- out breach of charity fay, There goeth one who declareth himCelf to be a fervant to fin. This may be either as to fin in general, or to tome particular fin. Firfi, To Gn in general. Whofoever he be that inftead of trembling at Gods Word, fcoffeth at it, and maketh more account of the comic of this World, than of the Will of God 5 of the Fafbions of men , than of Gods Word , and thinketh the Icons of a bale worm, that would deride him for godlinefs , a greater terrour than the wrath of the eternal God, and the love of his carnal Companions is prized as a greater happinefs than Communion with Chrift , and inftead of working out his Salvation with fear and treat- bling,runneth into all excels of Riot, or carelelly negleets his precious Soul,while he pam- pereth his vile Body , and doth voluntarily and ordinarily leave the Boat to the Stream, and give up himCelf to ferve his Corruptions without refiltance, or feeking out for help; this man is without difpute, and in the eye of all the World, a (lave to fin : Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield your felves fervantr to obey, his fervantr ye are,, whe- ther offin unto death, or of obedience unto righteoufnef? It is an apparent cafe, a toan that giveth up himCelf to go on in the way of his own heart, reftraineth himCelf in nothing' which it affects, is one of fins flaves. So our Lord Jelus , yob. 8. 34. Verily, verily 1 fay unto you, whofoever committeth (in, is the fervant of fin, there needeth no further doubt nor debate about the matter. He that goeth on in a trade of fin, and maketh that his work and bufinefs in the World, never ferioufly looking after the laving of his Soul, this Soul is one in whom fin reigneth. Secondly, To fome particular Sin. As we have inftances of carnal Wretches in the general, fo of fome poor captive Souls that remain under the full Power and Tyranny of this or that Luft, and are to remarkable for their Gayety and bondage under it, that the World will point at them, and lay, There goeth a Glutton, a Drunkard, an Adul- terer, a covetous Worldling and Muckworm,a proud envious Perlon 5 there fin is bro- ken out in Come filth Sore and Scab, that is vifible to every common eye and view, either their Covetoufnefs, or Gluttony, or ambitious affectation of Greatnefs, &s. Obfervers may truly fay , There's one whole God is his Belly , a (lave to Appetite, 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promife themfelves liberty, they them, elves are the fervants of corruptions for of whom a man is overcome , of the fame is he brought in bondage. They grow proverbial for giving up themlelves wholly to fuch a conquering and prevailing Luft. As in natu- ral things, feveral men have their difin& excellencies,fome are famous for a. ttrong fighr, Come for an exquifite ear, Come for a nimble tongue , fome for agility of body 5 lo aide have force notable excels in this or that fort of fin. Or as the Saints of God are eminent for force fpecial Graces, Abraham for Faith, Mofes for Meeknefs, Job for Patience, yo- feph for Chaftity , Timothy for Temperance 5. fo thefe have their notorious and contrary blemilhes. a. There is a more fecret and elofe Dominion of sin, that is varnithed over with 3 Eaif
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