Ver.><3. the 8th Chapter to the ROMANS. 117 5. Refer all things to your ultimate End : And confider whether what you do, doth binder or further you therein : for all things are to be regarded and valued as they con- duce to Gods fervice, and your falvation, EccIeC 2. 2. What doth it ? r Cor. i o. 3T. Whether ye eat or drink , or whatfoever you do, let all be done to the glory of God. Be true to your fcope. 6. Take heed of the fervitude and bondage which the flefh is wosat to bring upon the foul, where it reigneth: It maketh men very ¡laves ; the heart groweth weak, and loft ( trong, Ezell t 6. 30. They are not under the government of the fpirit, but under the tyranny of their Fleflily lugs, doing whatever it commandeth, be it never fo bate, foolifh, and hurtful; if Anger provoke them to revenge, they mull fight, kill, and (lay, and hazzard th eir worldly intereft for Angers fake, or at lead cannot forgive injuries for Gods fake.; if filthy lulls fend them to the lewd Woman, away they go like a fool to the correcti- on of the flocks ; and tho they di(honour God, ruin their Eflatesi (lain their Fame, hazzard their lives, yet loft will have it fo, and they mull obey ; IF Covetoufnefs fay they muft be rich, however they get it ;. they rife early, go to bed late, ear the bread of forrow, and pierce through themfelves with many cares; yea, make no queftion of right or wrong, trample Confcience under foot, call the fear of God behind their backs, and all becaufe their imperiousMiflrefs Ambition urgeth them to it : If Envy and Malice bid Cain kill his Brother, he will break all bonds of nature to do it : If Ambiti- onbid Abfalom rebel againft his Father, and kill him too, it (hall be doue, or he (hall want his will. If Covetoufnefs bid Achan take a Wedg of Gold, he will do it, also he know it tobe a curled thing ; . if it bid Judas betray his Lord and Matter, tho he knew if he (hould do it, it had been better he had never been bórn, yet he will do it': Thus they are not at their own command, to do what Reafon and Confcience inclineth them to do; if fenfible of their bondage, would think of God and the world to come, and the (late of their fouls; luft will not permit it ; if to break off this:fenfual :couife, they are not able, they are fervants of corruption: Some God hangethup:in_chaiiruef.dÿrk= nefs for a warning to the reft of the world, of the power of Diunkenbefs,rt'ilúttory, Avarice and wretched worldlinefs: Yea, of every carnal man,'tís true, John 8.341 h0_ foever committeth fn,is the fervant of fin. Therefore if the flavery, and imperious difeafe begin to grow upon you, the fle(h hath prevailed very far, and you need more to look to it, and that betimes. 3. U S E. Hereit ground of trying your efiate before God. 'Tis a queftion you ought often ferioufly to put; Shall Ibe faved, or (hall I be damned s? If you have any fpark of Confcience left you, when you are lick or dying, you will put it with anxioufnefs and trembling of heart; Poor Soul, whither art thou now a going? 'Tis better put it now, while you have opportunity to corre& your error, if hitherto you have gone wroñg; we fee in worldly things, men would fain know their deftiny ; the King of Babylon flood upon the head of the ways to make Divination; we would fain know what God hath hidden in the Womb of Futurity ; no deftiny deferves to be known fo much as this ; not whether I (hall be poor or rich, good fuccefs in this enterprize, or bad ; 'cis not of fo great moment; therediflin &ions do not outlive time, but ceafe at the graves mouth; but'ris a queftion of greater moment, Whether eternally miferable, or eternally -happy ? 'Tis foolith curiofity to enquire into other things, when we have a good God to truft to, but it chiefly importeth us to confider whether we are in the way to Salvation or Damnation. Nothing will fooner determine this great queftion, than this Text, If ye live after thefiefh, ye /hdl die ; but if ye through the fpirit do morti. fie the deeds of the body,ye (hall live. The latter Branch we (hall examine afterwards, now for the fir(t Claufe. t. Some live in defiance of the fpirit : Cherifb the flefb, fulfil the works of the flefh, Gal. 5.19. 'Tis no fubtil matter to find them out, they declare their fin as Sodom, while they are drinking, whoring, fporting, quarrelling, fcof &ng at Godlinef. 2. Others pleat the flefb in a more cleanly manner ; but have no due regard to that fpiritual and eternalhappinefs, which lieth in the enjoyment of God; tho their car- riage be blamelefs, and feparated from the grofs pollutions of the world : They care not whether God be pleafed or difpleafed,honoured or di(honoured, angry or reconciled; and betides, the works of the fle(la are not always interpreted in the grofs fenfe, but ac- cording
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