Ver. 9. the 8th Chapter of the ROMANS. 79 heart,,: And all ferious people will take the advantage, Gal. 1.16. Immediatcíy 1 confulted not with flefh and blood. Pfal. 119. 6o. I made hale, and delayed not to keep thy command- ments. 2. Obey him thoroughly. Many will yield to him in Come things, but referve others. He mutt be obeyed in all things, even in renouncing our fweeteft and deareft luis, Matt. 5. 29, 30. Nothing muff be fpared5 every way of pleating the flefh muft be renounced 5a partial obedience is rather a following our own humour and inclination, than an obey- ing the fpirit , for he is contrary to all fin g and one fin let alone and allowed, is Satan's Nef -egg in our hearts, that he may come thither again, and lay more. 3. Obey him confiantly, for he is [till your guide and monitor, to put you in remem. brance of your fnares and duties , Eph. 4. 3o. grieve not the holy fpirit, whereby you are fealed to the day of redemption: When he hath fealed you, and (tamped Gods image and imprefs upon your hearts, he mutt not be grieved by your folly and difobedience. The children of God that are fir[t regenerated by the fpirit, are [till guided and led by him, Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the fpirit, are the fans of God. You are not only to obey at firft, but obey (till. Jefus Chrift that Was at firft conceived by the Holy Ghoft, was led by him, Luke i. 4,14. So Chriftians are always under his conduCt. You inter- rupt the courfe of his love, when you are deaf to his motions. 3. ...1$ E is To put us upon ferions reflePions. Are we in the flefh, or in the fpirit ? We are never Chriftians indeed, till we are in the fpirit; you will have Flefh in you, but which principle is the molt predominant ? Surely that principle is predominant, whole Objeâ is our chiefeftgood, or efteemed as our felicity ; ObjeCts of the Flefh are content - ments of the prefent world g the Objeûs of the fpirit are God and Heaven; what do you count your happinefs? Pfal. 144. s5. Happy is the people that is in filch cafe. Many judg them happy that have much of the world : Tea happy is the people whole God is the Lord : There is the natural happineft, and the fpiritnalhappinefs;which is molt valuable, or molt prized by you? Secondly, That principle is molt predominant, which doth molt ins- ploy us g What do wemolt indu(trioufly purfue ? The pleafure and profpérity of the body, or the happinefs of the foul ? All the care of tome is about the body, and the bo- dilylife,but their negleCted foulmay'complain of hard ufage;what have you done to get the foul furnifhed and adorned with Grace, or eftablifhed in the comfort and hope of the Gofpel? Matth. 6. 33. Firflleek the Kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs, and all theft things (hall be added, John 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perifheth, but the meat that endureth to everlafting life.T hirdly,l'V hen to the hurt of the foul,and difpleafure of God, you frequently grate the fiefb. This is fuch a conftant difobedience to the fpirits difci- pline, that you cannot be Paid to be influenced by him. SE R=
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