Ver. 9. the 8th Chapter of the R OM ANS. 77 was only evil continaally. But ours are mixed, flefh and fpirit : They pour out their who`. heart in their finfuland worldly courfes, Jude r r. They run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, aEtzaTerar They were poured forrh, as water out of an open Veffeh and Luke r6.8. The children of this world are wit r in their generation, than the children of light. The Reafon is manifeft ; Grace, tho it be forcible, 'tis weak, like a keen (word in the hand of a Child: But we have the advantage in matter of motive; thé fle(h cannot propound fuch excellent rewards as faith propoundeth, eternal happinefs in the vifion and fruitiion of God 5 but now general motives do little prevail againft in- clination, and our great motives lie in an unfeen world ; therefore our belt fecurity li. eth in the of lifting power, which is the mighty Spirit of God dwelling in us, who che- ritheth and ftrengthneth the newcreatúre not only to keep up the combat, but to get a viecory, and to overcome the carnal inclination more and more: Therefore thanks be unto God, who giveth us the villory through Jeffs Chrift our Lord ! Not only over e.xter- nel temptations, but our indwelling flefh, Rom. 7. 25. I thankGod through yeti Chrifi our Lord. By the Spirit of Chrift we have ftrength to overcome the oppofitions of the flefh, and have grace to perform what God will accept, and fo far accept, that not- with(tanding weakneffes we (hall be.reckoned rather to be in the fpirit, than in the flefh, and obtain the priviledges of the juftilied. 2. It fhewethus the reafon why carnal men think fo meanly of the people of God, and the fpirit that dwelleth in them 5 They think Chriflians are but as other men, and that there is no fach great matter to be found in thofe that profefs ftri &nefs in Religion, no fuch Spirit of God and Glory, but what others have. I Anfwer, No wonder that they who 'are blitided with prejudice and malice, and are loth to fee the excellency of others whom they hate, left it difturbtheir own carnal quiet, will not fee .what elfe would plainly difcover its felf: But fome reafon there is for it. This life is an hidden life, Col. 3. 3. 'Tis hidden, partly under the wail of the natural life : 'Tis a life within a life ; they live in the flelh as others do, but they do not live after the flefh;they eat, drink, fleep, trade, marry, acid give in marriage,as the reft of the world do, but all thefe things are governed by Grace,and carried on to high and eternal ends : The fpirit and life is not feen and felt by others, but only difcovered in the eta, 5 as there things ate carried on holly and with a fincere refpelt to Gods Glory, r Cor. so. 3 r. Betides, the effects are imperfeL and clouded with a mixture of remaining inftrmities5 the belt Chriflians (hew forth too much of the flefh, and do not alt as thofe that have the fpirit of God dwelling in them;now this. is a great hindrance io the convertingbfthe world, and a means of hard - ning to prying Atheifts, who think all ftrietnefsis but a pretence; a Cor. 3. 3. While there is yet firs fe, envyings, and div Eons among you, areye not carnal, and walk as men? Matth. r8.7. Wo to the world becaufe of offences: for itmufi needs be that offences come, but wo to the man by whom the offence cometh.'Tis dangerous to fcandalize the world;but the chief caufe is their fecret enmity to holinefs; they cenfure and traduce good men by re- proaches and bafe mifprifions,and cannot endure that thofe that take a contrary courfe, fhould have an excellency owned that might alarm their confciences to reverence, a Pet.. }. 6. Judged according to men in theflefh, but live to God in the fpirit; as deceivers, and yet true. So reputed in the world as a company ofdiffemblers ; the worlds malice will not give them leave to fee any good in thole whomtheydiflike. 3. eh/hewed) how much it becoriieth Chriflians to give fuch a demonfiration and proof of the fpirits dwelling in them, that others maybe able to fay, they are not in the flefh, but in the fpirit : So did thefe Romans to Paul, they gave_ ground for his charity to think them juttfied, fo fhould all that are fincere do : Now there others may be either the godly or the carnal world. Fir(t, for the godly (who are bell able to judg) they have caufe to think fo, when you are companions with them in the Faith, Holinefe, and patience of the Gofpel; the men in the world are tied to one another like Sampfons Foxes by their tails; tho their heads look feveral ways by their mutual interefis and common agreement in mil:. chief and enmity to the godly, but the godly themfelves fhould be joined together in the communion of the fpirit, loving one another with a Chrift -like love, and feeking each others good as their own, andbeing affe&ed with mutual fympathy towards each others condition, as if it were their own cafe, and with one mind and mouth glorifying God, and promoting the interetisof his kingdom5and by their perfonal holinefs, bringing his honour in requeft in the world;furely whoever do fo,we are to judg them heirs withal of the famegrace of life, and to biefs God for them. Secondly, for the carnal world; you muti keep up the majefly of your profeffion, that hey may fee there is ageneration of men whole r
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