Yen' 3. the 8th Chapter to the ROMAN S. ïï o 7 2. Their workand trade, or the bufinefs of their lives ; men are laid to live after the flesh, that wholly mind the things of theftefh, Rom. 8. g. That take no ot her care, but to fpend their time, wit, and eflate upon the Cervice of their own &fitly funs ; their whole life, (tudy, and labour is to pleale the flesh, and fatisfie the flefh : If God gets any thing from them, 'tis but for fa(hion fake, and 'tis only the fle(h's leavings, fo Gal. 5.8. To fow:o the flefh ; there is their bufinefs, To make provifon for the flea,. loom. 13. 14. Negle6ting God, and the eternal welfare of their precious and immortal fouls; be it in the way of fenfuality, or be it in the way of worldlineßs, all their toiling, and exceffive care and pains, are for the worldly life; in(hort, they follow after earthly things with greater( earneftnefs, and fpiritual things in an overly, formal and carelefs manner. A car- nal man may do many things in Religion, which are good and worthy : Man that hath an Appetite, bath alto a confcience; tho the flefh is importunate to be pleafed, and un- willing to be croffed, that it giveth way to a,little fuperficial duty, that confcience may be pacified , and fo its felf may be pleafed with the lela disturbance. Religion is but taken on as a matter by the by, as yougive way to a fervant to go upon his own errand: Nay, fometimes the flesh doth not onlygive leave, but it lets them a work to hide a luit, or feed a lust ; to hide a I u(t from the world, as in Hypocrites, as the Pharifeer made their worship ferve their rapine, Matth. 3. 14. Or from their own confciences ; every man muff have Come Religion ; therefore the flesh alloweth a few fervices that it may the more fecurely poffels the heart ; 'tis not for the intereft of the flefh, to have too much Religion, nor none at all the carnal life mull have Come devotion to cover ir, that men may take courage in fin the more freely : Or feed a lust; pride or vain-glory may put men on preaching or praying before others, Phil. r. 16, 17. The one preacheth Chrifl out of contention. Or give alms, Matth. 6. 1. take heed that yon do not your alms before men, to be feen óf bun ; and a facrifice may be brought with an evil mind, Prom, 2r. 27. The devil careth not what means we ufe, fp he may have his ends; that is, to keep men in a carnal condition. 3. That make it their fcope, end, and happinefi. That is our (cope and end that folaceth our minds, and fweetneth our labours ; that which they aim at is to be rich and great in the world, or enjoy their pleafure without remorfe, Phil. 3.19. Whofe end is deli roüiè on, whole God it their belly, they mind earthly things. That is our God which Beth next our hearts, to which we offer our allions, and from which we fetch our inward compia- cency,be it the pleating of the flesh, or being accepted with God ; all their delight and contentment is to have the flesh pleafed in Come worldly thing ; this giveth them a joy and ref( of mind, andquencheth all fentiments of ,Religion, and delight in God; the that dint at Pardon, Grace, and Glory, no worldly thing will fatisfie them: God and Heaven are preferred above all the Pleafures, Honours and Profits They can enjoy here, Pfal. 4. 7. Thon haft put gladnefs into. my heart, more than at the time when their corn and mine increafed. But tis otherwife with the carnal, for their hearts run out more plea - fingly after Come worldly thing, and when they obtain it, it keepeth them quier, under the guilt of wilful fin, and all their foul-dangers, and forget eternity, becaufe they have their hearts defire already, Luke sa. 19, 20. And I willfay' to my foul, thou haft much goods laid up. for many years, take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry ; but God Paid unto him, Thou fool, this night thy ford¡hall be required of thee, then whole (hall thefe things be thou hat provided ? And the peace'and pleafure which They dayly live upon, is fetched mote from the World, than from God, and Chrift, and Heaven ; the Ileib is at cafe, and hat h nothing todiiturb it; and they defigned. the conveniencies of the AA in their whole lives ; this is their principle, their chief fcope and aim ; whatfoever he doth, he frill defigneth the contentment of the flefh, or fome temporal good that (hall accrue to him. Thus you fee who live after the flefh : Where no contrary principle is let up to check k, where 'tisour daily work to pleale the flefh, and our great'fcope and folace to have it pleafed. 3. What is this death that is here threatned (ye ¡hall dye ). Surely the natural death is not intended, for that is commonto all, both to thole that pleale the fle(b, and thole that crucifie the flesh, Heb. 9.27. 'Tis appointed for all men once to die; And betides, to thegodly it is matter of comfort, a thing which they should rather delire than fear, 1 Cor. 3. 22. Death is theirs ; therefore death is but a fofter word for eternal damna- tion, yet ufed with good b,eafön ;the Apofle faith, 2"e that! die, rather than ye'fhall be 813 2 datáned;
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