Vi:r. i i. the 8th Chapter pf the ROMANS. 97 the body : Chrif expeeteth fervice from the body, and gave up himfelf for the re.- demption of it, as well as the Soul, z Cor. 6. 20. The body is his in a way of duty, and his in a way of charge ; this reafon fhould the more fink into you, becaúfefpirit and flefh are fo oppofed in Scripture : Flefh figoifyerh our inclinations to the bodily life,- as fpirit doth'the bent and inclination of Soul to God and Heaven : the great work of the Holy Spirit is to fubdue the lugs of the fleth, Rom. 8. r g. If ye through the fpirit do mortifj the deeds of the body,ye flsa!'lives if we obey him in his ftrivings againft the flefb, Gal. 5. 16. Walkin the fpirit, and you fhall not fdfìl the lulls of the fief,. Chrift giveth us his fpirit to draw us off from bodily pleafures, that tailing Manna, the diet of Egypt may have no more relifh with-us. So Gal. 5. 24. They that are Chrifls, have crucified the fief, with the affèlâions and lulls thereof: They hold a levere hand over all the appetites and paffion of the flefh; and Rom. 13. 14. Make no provton for the fief,; to fulfil the lugs thereof. Dó nor addi& your felves to pamper and pleafe the body. One great part of praítical Religion, is to bring us to love the pleafures that are proper to the immortal Soul, above the fottifh and bruitifh pleafures of the body. Well then, was Religion intended only to make a great part of us miferable, which part yet is the workmanfhip of Gods hands, when there is fo much hardfhip put upon the body, fuch labours, and pains, Inch care and watchfulnefs ? his very Pelf- denyal is an argument, that the fpirit in us thus commanding and. governing us, is a pledg of Glory. 7. There is in the Soul a defre of the happinefs of the body : not only a natural defire to live with it, as its loving mate, and companion, which inaketh us loth to part with it : and if the will of God were fo, the Saints would not be uncloathed, but 'cloathed upon, that mortality might be fwallowed up of life, 2 Cor. 5. 4. They would delire not to put off thefe bodies, at leaft not to part with them finally. But a fpiritual defire in- kindled in us by the Holy Ghofi that now dwelleth in us 5 for the Aponte addeth, v 5. He that wrought us for the Pelf fame thing is God. God bath framed us to defire this Impaf able, Eternal, and Immutable life in our bodies, as well as our Souls. More plainly elfewhere, Rom. 8. 23. We that have the firft fruits of the fpirit, groan within our felves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our bodies. That is, the Reruretti- on of the Body 5 to be redeemed from the hands of the grave : Mark, thefe groans are Marred up in them by the firft fruits of the fpirit; now would the Holy Ghol flit, up thefe groans and delires, if he never meant to fatisfie them ? That were to mock- us, and vex us, which cannot be imagined of the Holy Spirit. Well then, lince there delires are of Gods own framing, raifed up inns by his (pint, they will not be difappointed, but will in time be fulfilled. 8. From the nature of death: Death is that power which God bath given the Devil over men, by reafon of fin, Heb. 2. 14. That he might defiroy him that had the power of death, even the Devil. The power of feparating Soul and Body and keeping us from eternal life; God infliQeth it as a Judg, but the Devil as an Executioner : he is not domiate: mortis, fed minifier mortis: The Devil inticeth them to fin, by which they deferve death, and the fling of death' is fin, z Cor. x5. 56. The Devil bath the 'power of death ; as carnal men are taken captive in his fnares, 2 Tim. 2. 26. And when they die, he may have an hand in their torments; while men live, they are in the Houle of God, are under the proteetion of God, and have the offers of grace ; but if they harden their hearts, and defpife thefe offers, they are call forth with the Devil and his Angels: The judg giveth themover to the Gaoler, and the Gaoler calls them into prifon, from whence they come not forth, 'till they have paid the utmoft farthing, Luke 12. 58. But Chrift came to deliver us from this; and all that imbrace his falva- tion, the fpirit puts them into a (late of freedom, and liberty of the children of God. And as to them, Satan is put out of office, he cannot keep them from entering into eternal life : The power of death is taken from him, and therefore though their bodies be kept for a while under the (late of death; yet at length the fpirit freeth them from the bondage of corruption, and bringeth them into the glorious liberty of the Children of God : They (hall at length rejoyce and triumph in God ; O death where is thy fling! 0 Grave where is thy victory ! i Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. They die at well as others, but death is not the power of the Devil over them ; but one of thole faxing means by which God worketh their life and happinefs; 'cis the beginning of immortality, and the gate and entrance into life They are not in the cuftody and power of the Devil, as the fpirits in prifon, and the bodies of the wicked are, but in the hand'and cuflody of the Holy Ghcf..2'y dead man fhall live ; with my body 8 N fhall
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