Ver. 7. the 8th Çbapter of the R OM AN S. 65 6. This enmity arifng from the flefh, is the more firengthned and,increafd, the more it gaineththe mind,and corrupts the mind,for two ReaCons; Firft, Then the leading part of the foul, which (hould guide and command the reft; is corrupted alto. There is in the upper part of the foul; a directive and imperial power to fit him to obey God : Now 'tis blinded as to the diretive power, and weakned as to its imperial and commanding pow- er ; all mull needs fall into diforder, and man will live a rebel to the law of his creati- on, and fo be an enemytoGod. Finui, as to theleadie'g and direlling part of the foul, that is the underftanding, there is a great blindnefs come upon us by the heft of the . flefh, fo that we have neither a due fenfe of our happinefs, nor our duty; not of our happinefs,for till the eyes òf our minds are opened by the fpirit, we have no real perfwa -, lion of the world to come, Eph. t. 18. The eyes of your underflanding being inlightnedi that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the Saints in light: and 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh theft things, is blind and cannot fie afar of Nor of our duty ;for tho Come moralities be evident to corrupt nature, Rom.r 2. 14. Yet for a full refignation, Obedience, and Love tó God, Nature owneth little of it, and depraved lteafon is blind, or fleepy, fo that we may have no clear, deep fenfe of our duty imptefjed upon our hearts, fo as that confcience ( which is applicative reafon) fhould warn us of fin, or mind us of our duty upon all neceflary occafions. 2. The commanding power is weakned; For our fences are fo malterly, inordinate,' and eagerly fet upon the Objetls, that we yield our felves to thecondutt of them, how unreafonable foever the aids are, Tit. 3.3. For see ourfelves were fometimes foolifi, and. difobedient, ferving divers Infs and pleafures, living in malice and, envy, hateful, and hating one another. We give way to that which is evil, and oppofe that which is good, even againft the urgings of Confcience. The law of our members, warreth againfi the law of Our minds, Rom 6. 22. And'tis a trouble to the flefh to be reftrained from what it deli- reth, as an headitrong Horfe is loath to be curbed. 2. Becaufe, as the leading part of the foul cannot hinder fin, fi it doth promote it : and the more Wit and Wifdom we have, if it be carnal, the more is our enmity againft God, as appeareth by Chore men in a carnal eftáte who have molt of natural Acquifitions ; the Devils caufe is varni(hed by them, and they profitute all their Inefficiencies to the iute- reft of the fle(h; and to call off the Government of God; how many Wit themfelves in» to Hell ? But it is common to all, as appeareth by the two principal effets of the car- nal minding, Arguing and Contriving, by thefe two the Malignity of the flefh cloth' molt bewray its felt. e. By the arguing: of the flefb. What carnal Reafons have men for every fin, and againft every duty ? which fheweth the corruption of Nature hath not not only taken hold of the Appetite and Senfes, but bath over- fpread the Mind and. R eafon; letany Temptation come to inordinate Pleafure,they will palliate it and honefl it with fame mc, cute, that the bait is loon fwallowed .; or to unlawful gain ; by it they pretend they (hall be inabled to do good to the Church of God : if to honour and applaufe, they will fay, Religionfhall have the advantage of it ; fo if the Temptation be againft duty, they will fay that they will recompence it another time. 2. By contriving, Rom. 13. 14. and make no more provifion for the flefh to fulfil the lufft thereof Wherein do men ufually fpend their Time, but in ftudying to pleafe the flefb, of to fulfil their fleQily delires? all their Wit is wholly imployed to this end. I. V SE is Caution, Not to firoI(e the carnal minding with agentle cenfure , as if it were no great matter; it is enmity to God; and if you indulge it, you live in a Rate of Rebellion againft, him; 'tis an evil; firfb, as a wrong done to God, whole we are, and whom we fhould ferve ; becanfe 'cis an ufurping of the Government of our felves againft Gods right, as if we were at our own,dilpofal; as if we might del with our felves and fa- culties as we lift, without giving an account to an higher Lord ; now to rob God of his Authority over his Creature, is no (mall evil, Pfal. 12. 4. Who bave faid, with our tongue we will prevail, our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? To challenge any thing as our own, is to affell to be as God. Secondly, 'tis a wrong to our felves, for fo we let up our fences and appetite above our Realon, and make the Beaft ride the Man ; for the lower faculties rule, when the mind is debauched to ferve the flefh, and to eater for it, and contrive about it, when it ( hould govern our fences in order to our true happi- nef and felicity, Jude to. In what they know naturally, in thofi things as brute Beal -s, they corrupt themfelves. That is, againft the light g f nature they ingulph themfelves in all manner of fenfitalsty. Thirdly, 'tir a contempt. of that glorious happinefs which God bath it I pro,
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