114 SE Zi1V1-0 N S. upon Serm. XV II now, I Pet. 4. 3. For the time ?aft of our life may fuffce us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we lived in lafeivioufnefi,lofts, excels' of wine, revelling, banqueting:, and abominable idolatries: But fet about the 54,ork, and undertake the Battei againft the Iye- vil, the World, and the Fleth : Your fir( enemy is the Old Man, and it is the Jail, for it is not extingui(bed in us till death ; therefore as foon as we pafs out of Infancy, into Youth, we mutt look upon our (elves under this obligation, not to live after theflefh,but after the fpirit, to weaken the corruption of nature more and more ; there was but one man, and no more, who was firft good, and afterwards bad, and that was the firft Adam: Another there is, who was hever bad, but always good, and that was Chrill Jefus the Second Adam, our Lord,Bleffed for ever : Of all the reft, none proved good, that was not fometimes bad ; th eApoftle faith, fish that which was natural, and afterwards that which is fpiritual ; -'tis true, here Grlt we put off a corrupt nature before we are renew- ed; the duty lieth upon us by our Baptifmal Engagement, though Chrift fupplieth the Grace. 4. The qualities of a Chrifîian, or his condition in the world engageth him not to live af ter the flefh. I (hall mention two ; as they are Strangers and Pilgrims, or as they are Ra- cers and Wreftlers : Firlt, Sometimes'tis prefted' upon them as they are Strangers and Pilgrims, who have no continued abode, r Pet. 2. II: I befeechyouas pilgrims and firan- gers, abftain from flefhly lefts, which war againfi the foul. You are or (hould be travelling into another Countrey, where are the fpirits of juft men made perfea, and where even this body of ours will become a fpiritual body ; and for you to pleafe the flesh is con- trary to your Chriftian Hopes; nothing fo unfuitablefor them that are going to Canaan, as to hanker after the FlefhPots of Egypt ; nothing is fo contrary to our Profeilion,and breedeth fuck an unreadinefs to depart out of the world, as thefe vain delights ; there- fore if you be Krangers and Pilgrims, you fhould not luft after worldly things, left you forget or forfeit your great hopes. Secondly, You are Racers or Wrefilers, I Cor. 9. a4. Knoro you not that they which run in a race, even all but one receivetb the prize: fo run that you may obtain. They that exercifed in the I ftmaickGames,had a prefcribed fet dy- et, both for quality andquantity, and had their rule chalked out to them, they knew their work and their reward ; fo. v: 27. But 14eep under my body, and bring it into fub- jettion, left that by any means, when I havepreached to others, I my felf fhould be a cafI-away ; That is, denied himfelf thofeliberties which otheewife he might enjoy ; having prefcri bed to others the way of ftriving, and getting the vidory; they for an Oaken or Olive Crown dieted themfelves, kept themfelves from all things which fhould hurt them, or difable them in the Race or Combat; and (hould we cocker every appetite, that have an Eternal Crown of Glory in view and purfuit ? our danger is greater if we Ihould mifcarry and mils of it ; theirs, the lofs of a little vain glory ; ours of Eternal Glory; therefore we (hould ftrive that we be not found unworthy to receive it; there thevido- ry is uncertain,here all that are runners may be Pure of the Crown. 5. Confider the malignant influence of tbeflefh, and bow pernicious it is to thefoul. If it were a (mall thing we fpaketo you about, you might refufeto give ear ; but'tisin a cafe of life and death, and that not temporal but eternal ; we can tell you of many prefent and temporal inconveniencies that come by the fle(h ; the body, the part gratified is in many oppref ed by it, Prov. 5. r r. Thou (halt mourn at lall, when thy flesh and body is confirmed. It betrayeth you to fuch Gns, as fuck your bones, and devour your Krength, and give your years to the cruel,to fuch enormities and fcandalous pradices,as bring infa- my and a blot upon thy name s Pleating the fleflt maketh one turn a drunkard, and the very fin carrieth its own puni(hment with it; a fecond a wanton; a third a glutton, a fourth a hard - hearted worldling, and all thefe fins watt e the confcience, and debate the body, and (pend our Wit, Time, Strength and EKates; but we have a more powerful Argument to prefent to you, it will be the eternal lofs and ruin of your fouls: There will a day come when you ¡hall be called to an account for all your vain delights and pleafures, Ecclef. I r. 9. Rejoice, O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart'cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walkin the ways of thine own heart, and in the fight of Mine eyes: but know, that for all theft things God will bring thee to judgment. The young man iscited before the Tribunal of God, and we think fomewhat mutt be allowed to that age, before man have learned by experience to contemn pleafures; and the young man is fpo- ken to in his own dialed; let his wanton and wandring eye inflame the lugs of his heart, and (mother his confcience by all manner of fenfual delight; yet a length he will know the folly of this to his bitter cot. There things which are now fo pleating to the fen - fes, (hall gnaw and fling his confcience, when God whom he now forgetteth, (hall bring him
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=