66' SERMONS upon Serm. X. provided for us Heb. 3. 2. When Soul, and Heaven, and God, and all Things are defpi- fed fbr our carnal ends, how can we look upon it as a light fin ? Is it nothing to call off God and Chriff, and defpife our own fouls, and all the happinefs of the world to come, which God hath encouraged us to expe &, as if a little worldly tranfitory plea - lure of fin, were much better. Fourthly, 'Tis the werfe becaufe it is natural ; your ve- ry natures being deftitute of original Righteoufnefs, incline you to pleafe the Beth be- fpre God; fo that this oppofition againft God being natural , 'tie firft, the more lofting for natural Antipathies are not eafily broken and cured, as that between the Wolf and the Lamb, the Raven and the Dove ; and the fpiritthat dwelleth in us, lufteth to envy, Jam. 4. 5. and Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the thought of bis heart is only evil conti. nually. We find it early, we find it to be confiant, after Grace received; the underftand- ing is riot fo clear and watchful, as it ihould be, but a dark, imperfe& guide to us, our will not fo powerful as it ought to be ; the Wifdom of the flefh is kneaded into our na- tures that we cannot get rid of it, and there is too great a rebellion in the Appetite and Sences, and in the belt a great averfenefs to their duty; our reafon flip too often ftoop. eth to our fenfuallity. 1. 'Tis the left to bepityed ; Accidental evil is matter of compaffion ; but natural, of in- digestion; we pity a Dog poifoned; but hate a Toadthat is poifonous; if it were only a flip of our natures, or a frailty, it were another thing ; but 'tis the rooted difpofition of our hearts; we can better difpenfe with a fit of Anger, than with cankered Malice; a blow and away may be forgiven, but an abiding enmity provoketh us to take re. revenge. Thus 'cis neceffary to know the evil, that we may leek after and admire the cure. 2. USE is, To pref us to come out of this efface of carnality: Will you live in enmity againft God ? t. Can you make good 'Mar part againfi him ? 1 Cor. to. 22. Will you provoke the Lord to jealou ie? are you fironger than he ? Secondly, He bath poteflatem vita, & necis, Jam; 4. 12. There in one lawgiver, who is able to fave and to defiroy. Thirdly , God is an enemy to theft that are enemies to him, Pfal. 5. 5. He hateth all workers of iniquity : And Pfal. 7. 11, 12. He is angry with the wicked every day : if he turn not, he will whet his fword, he will bend his bow, and will make it ready. Gods Juftice, if it doth for a while fpare the wicked, yet it doth not lye idle; he can deal with us, comings and minas, at a dillance, and near at hand ; he is whetting his fword, and bending his bow ; if he fall upon us, what (hàll we do ? if a fpark of his wrath light upon the confcience,how loon is man made a burden to himfelf? Pfal. 2. 12. much more when he (tirreth up all his wrath againft u"s. What (hall we do ? Firft, Accept of the conditions of peace God path provided, 2 Cdr. 5. 19, 20. to wit, That God was in Chrifi reconciling the world tohim- Pia imputing their trefpafes to them; and hath committed to us the word of reconcilia- lion. Now then we are ambaffadors of Chrifi, as though God did befeech you by us , we pray you in Chriflr ftead, be ye reconciled to God. We read of Princes that, Luke 14.31. while their enemy is yet a great way off, they fend an Embaffy, and delire conditions of peace; God fendeth theEmbaffy to ùs, let us accept of the offer; we are no match for God. Scondly, Get corrupt nature healed, and the heart renewed by the fpirit : for there is no peace as long as the old heart remained); when renewed, we are reconciled, we receive the atonement, if God fan &ifieth ; he is a God of peace. Be once after the fpirit, and then you will befpiritsiallyminded; and to one that is fpiritually minded , there is life and peace. 2. The next thing is our impotency to recover our felves out of this dilate ; for it is not fsbjetá to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Hence obferve : Do &. That while we 'remain carnally'minded, there is no breaking of this enmity between Gad and us. The reàfóns of this repugnancy, or why the carnal mind (tandeth in fuch dire& oppofition to the Law, are: r. The lain is fpiritual, and we are carnal, fold under fin, Rom. 7. 14. Men in an ha- bitual.ftate of carnality, cannot obey a fpiritual law. 2. The law is pure and holy, Pfal. 11 g. 140. Thy law is very pure, thereforethy firvant laveth it; but it is otherwife with`Itefhly creatures, impuritas eft mixtura vilioris, 3. The Law is direfly contrary to the ftefhly mind, and therefore the tlefhly mind is direltlÿ contrary to it. The Law of God forbiddeth many things that are pleating to carnal
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