Ver. 7. the 8th Chapter of the ROMAN S. 57 3. ß reachethalfo to praJife; and implied: earne(t prosecution 5 and fo to be carnally minded is to make the things of the felh our work and Ccope ; to be fpiritually min. ed is to make that our work and trade, to Leek after the things of the Cpirit ; ,therefore the courfe of mens a &ions, and the trade of their lives, is to be confidered. Our bufi- nefs fheweth our bent; and what we conftantly, frequently, and easily pra &ice, difeo vereth the over - ruling principle. Wicked men have their good mooch, and godly men have their carnal fits, the confkant pra &ice fheweth the prevailing inclination ; to mind the things of the feih or fpirit, is to Peek after them itt the first place, when men are ferioufly, conftantly, readily, willingly carried to thofe things which pleafe the Beth, with- out any refpe& to God and eternal life. Effe &s thew their caufes 5. if the drift and bent of our lives be not for God and falvation, and our great bufrnefi in the world be not the pleating of God, and the Laving of our own fouls, and this be not chiefly minded and attended, more than all the pleafnres, honours and profits of the World, God hath not the precedency, but the fleth : Walking after the flesh or the fpirit, is the great diß: criminating note in this place; propounded, ver. a. amplified afterwards by minding the things of the fefh, and then living after the fleth, ver. 13. fo Gal. 6.8. He that faweth to the flesh, /hall of the flesh reap corruption : but he that fometh to the fpirit, Asti of tie fpirit reap life everlafiing. We mull fee whether our lives be a (owing to the Hefh or the fpirit : The mind leaveth a (tamp upon the a &ions ; as a godly man fheweth fpirit in all things, fo a carnal man fheweth flesh Mall things. Zach.14. 21. On every pot in Jerufalem, and in Judah, (ball be holinefi to the Lord of hoar. As God fheweth his Divine power in every creature; in a Gnat, or Pile of grits, as well as the Sun ; fo a Chriftian (hew - eth grace in all things ; on the contrary, carnal men (hew their mind in all things , not only in eating , and drinking , and trading , but in preaching , raying, and co: f r- ence about holy things. The one goeth about his worldly butmefs with an bea- . venly mind , cafts all into the mould of Religion; the other goeth about his heavenly bufrnefs with a carnal and worldly mind ; the Befit doth not only influence his' common a &ions, but his duties, either to feed or hide a luft, toferve his Worldly mindand vain glory ; or else that he may more plaufibly carry it on without blame be- fore men, or check of conscience; and fo maketh one duty excufe another. 'Tis the flesh maketh him pray, preach, confer about holy things, give alms, and seemingly for- give enemies, or do that which is outwardly and materially just. Thus you fee what is the carnal minding; only I mull tell you, that because the Apo- file faith it is death, or the high way to everlafling deftrufkion, we mutt more acurately Bate the matter. 1. The minding of the flesh, mutt ba interpreted not barely of the ella, but the flare. Who is there among Gods children that doth not mind the Beth ?. and too much indulge the fleth ? but yet he doth not make it his bufinefs to pleafe the feth, but rather mortifi eth and fubdueth it, Gal. 5. 24. and they that are Christy have crucified the flesh, and they are Bill labouring that they may fubdue it more and more. 1 Cor. 9.27. hut lkeep under my body, and bring it into fubjellion. 2. This minding of the flesh or fpirit , mull be underllood at to the prevalency of each principle -, that is to fay, when we mind the flesh fo as to exclude the minding of the fpirit, and the things that belong to the fpirit , 1 Joh. 2. 15. If any man love the world, and the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. And fo on the other fide, when we fo mind the fpirit, as that it deadneth our affe&ions to the world, . and baits of the flesh. Gal. 6: 14, the converfation in heaven, is that which is oppofite to minding earthly things, Phil. 3. 19,20. Therefore if the Beth can do more, conftantly and ordinarily, to draw us to fin, than the fpirit to keep us from it, we are under the power of the flethly mind. 3. This minding of the flesh mull be interpreted with refpeil to continuance, not with re- fpell to our former fate For alas! all of us in time pall pleafed the 11db, and walked according to the course of this World, in the lulls of the Befh, Tit. 3.3. We were fame - times foolifb and difobedient, ferving divers lulls and pleasures ; and if we het pleafè the fief6, we are not the fervants of Chrifi. But if we break off this fervitude, and do at length become fervants of righteoufnefs, God will not judg us according to what we have been, but what we are ; therefore it is our duty to confider what principle livesh in us, and growet h, and encreafeth ; whether the intereft of the Befit decreafeth, or the intereft of the fpirit; if we grow more brutith, forgetful of God, unapt for spiritual things, the Beth governeth 5 but if the fpiritual life doth more and more difcover it fell with life and power, in our thoughts, words; and anions, the Flelh is on the wane, and 8 H' we
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