6 SERMONS upon Serm. 1. enjoyments, we care not whether God be a Friend or an Enemy. Worldlinefs is carnal Complacency or well- pleafednefsof mind in worldly, Things in the.midf of Soul-dan- gers, Luke i 2. r 9. Iwillfay to my foul, thou haft much goods laid up for many years, take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry. And the very fir(t Faith is a recovery out of this in- fatuation, or a fetling our minds on eternal Life, t Tim. t. t6. For a pattern to them that /7ould afterwards believe on him, to life everlafling ; and fo in many other places. Whole . Chriftianity is a coming to God by. Chrift, Heb. 7. 25. and that is the reafon why faith cannot be in the heart of one that is yet intangled in the falle happinefs, John 5.44. How can ye believe which receive honour one from another, and leek not the honour that cometh from God only. Which is to be underftood not only meritorie, butefeElive, becaufe while they are intangledin the falle happineß, Chrift is of no ufe to them; neither will they mind any ferions return to God as their felicity and portion. a. From felf to Chrifi 5 for we are to flee from wrath to come, or the Condemnation de- fervedby our Apofiacy and Defeelion from God, Mat. 3. 8. 0 generation of vipers, who bath warned you to flee fromwrath to come ? Heb. 6. 18. Who have fled for refage to lay hold of the hope fet before us 5 Therefore none are in Chrift but thole that thankfully receive him, and give up themfelves to him, John a. 12. To as many as received him. 2 Cor. 8. 5. They fsrfigave themfelvesisnto the Lord : That is, Venturing on his Promifes, gave up ` - themlelves to the Conduit of his Word and Spirit, and truf themfelves intirely in Chrilts hands, while they go on with their duty, and purfuit of their true and proper hap - pinefs. 3.From fn to Holinefi both inHeart andLife;for we are called to be holy, and muff flee not only from wrath,but fn,which is the great make -bate between us and God ;and therefore we need not only reconciling, but renewing Grace, which is accompanied in us by the fpirit of Sanrlificatibñ , 2 TheC 2. 13. Who bath chofen you to Salvation through SanElification of tIre fpirit, and belief of the truth. The Spirit beginneth it , as the fruit of Gods Eleílive Love 5 and by faith, and the ufe of all holy means dotti ac- compli(h,it more and more, for he alto in us as the fpirit of Chri(t,and as we are Members of his body, for framing us and fitting us more and more for his ufe and fervice. The Third Propofition obferved in the Text was, 3. Dolt. Thöfe who are in Chrifi, obey not the inclinations of corrupt nature, but the motions of the Spirit. This is brought in here, as a fruit and evidence of their Vnion with Chrifi, and intere(t in Non - condemnation ; for being united to Chrift, they are made partakers of his fpirit ; and they that have the fpirit of Chrift will live an holy and fanbtified life; the fpirit 6rft uniteth us to Chrilt,and fanbtifletb, and feparateth the foul for his dwelling in us ; and the effebts of it are life and likenefs. We live by Vertue of his life,Gal. 2.20. and walk as he walked, r John a. 6. or elfe our union is but pre- tended. But let us more particularly confider this Evidence and &ualifi'calien, They wall¿ not .after the flefh, but after the fpirit; where we will enquire, Firft, What is meant by Flefh and Spirit. By Flefh is meant corrupt Nature, by the Spirit the new Nature, according to that noted place, John 3. 6. That which' is born of fief» is flefh, and that which is born of the fpirit is fpirit. - 2. Both ferve to thole that are influenced by them, as a guiding and inciting principle. The Flefh to thofe that are after the flef/s,and the fpirit to thole that are after the fpirit, Rom. 8. 5. The fleth guideth and prompteth usto thofe Things which are good for the animal life, for Things of fenfe are known eafily, and known by all. Carnal Nature needeth nornftructor, no Spur 5 it doth pollute and corrupt us in all fenfual and earth- ly Things; but fpiritual and heavenly Things are out of its reach,2 Pet.t.9.and it inclines as well as guideth 5 for the Things we fee, and feel, and tafle, eafily fhr our Affections, Demas hat» forfaken us, having loved the prefent world. Yea, 'cis hard to reftrain them, and it is not done without fome violence, Gal. 5.24. They that are in Chilli have cruci- -fled the flefh with the affetlions and lnfis- thereof; that the fpirit or new nature doth both guide and incline, is clear by thofe exprefúons, Heb. 8. to. I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and 1 will be to them a God, and they ¡hall be to me a people. 3. That thole who are under the prevalency of the one principle, cannot wholly obey and follow the other, is clear; for thofe two are contrary, Gal. 5. 17. The fle¡ls lufteth againfi the fpirit, and the fpirit againfitheflefh 5 and contraries cannot fubfì(t together in an bi- tenfe
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=