Ver.' 3. the 8th Chapter to the R O MANS. i 25 He that bath this hope in him, purifieth himfelf as Chrill is pure: Always laying afide the weight, and the fin that doth fo eafily befet us, Heb. 12. 1. Since fin is not nullified, it therefore mull be mortified ; the war mull laft as long is the enémy liveth, and háth any ftrength and force. 2. It flill worketh in su, is very aâive and refilefs, not as other things, which as r. grow in age, grow more quiet and tame, James . 5, The fpirit that dwellethin us lufieth to envy. The fle(h is not a fleepy habit, but a working flirting principle, Rom. 7; g. Sin wrought in me all manner of concupifeence: That is, ,finning nature "; 'cis always inch- ping us to evil, or hindring that which is good : t. Inclining us to that which is evil: It doth not only make us flexible and yielding to temptations, but doth urge us, and impel us thereunto, Rom. 7'. 23. But I fee anotherlaw in my members warring againfl the law Of my mind. We think and fpeak too gentle of fin, when we think it a tame thing that worketh not till it be irritated by the fuggeflions of Satan : No,'tis like a living foun- tain that poureth out its waters, thono bodycome to drink of them ; 'tis irritated by the law of God many times, and the motions of the fpirit ; thefe corrupt humors with- in us, are in a continual fermentation, Gen. 6.5. And God few that the wicI ednef of mais was great upon earth, and that every iniagiriátion of the thoughts of his heárt was only evil continually. Temptationsonly make them more violent. 2. Hindring us froth that which is good ; either it draweth away the heart from duty, or di(tratteth the heart in duty ; it draweth away the heart from duty, Rom, 7.21. I find then a law, that when t would do good, evil is prefint with me. It abateth the edg of our affections, difcourageth us by many unbelieving carnal thoughts, and fo the heart is drawn away from God o that fin may the more domineer; ordiftrating our minds in duty, Ezek. 33. 35. Their hearts go after their coveteoufnefr ; filling our minds with thoughts of the world, vain pleafures ; revenge turneth our duties into fins. 3. The fad confequence of letting fin alone. When fin is not mortified,it groweth out. ragious, and never ceafeth adting till it hash expofed us to theme before God, Men, and Angels; or hardneth us in a carnal, carelefs còurfe': Lulls let alone end in grofs fins, and grofs fins in a calling off all Religion : Love of pleafures let alone, will end in drunkennefs and uncleannefs ; Envy, in murther and violence : Judas allowed his Co- vetoufnefs, that brought him to betray his Mailer; Gehazi firth blafled with Covetouf- nefs, then with asking a Bribe to Gods dilhonour, then with Leprofie,'fo became a flame and burden to himfelf : Annanias and Sapphira taken off by a fudden Judgment. The Devilloveth by luft to draw us into fin, and by fin to lhame; and by thane to horror and defpair 5 fin is no tame thing : But do the people of God run into fuch no. table exceffes and dilforders ? Yes, when they let fin alone, and difcontinue the gxercife of mortification ; witnefs Ddssid, that run into luft and blood; and Peter into corks and execrations ; Solomon into fenfuality and idolatry ; old fins long laid afleep may awaken again, and hurry us ftrangely into mifchief áííd inconvenience. 3. In regard of grace received. s. The grace of juflification. Relyance upon the Righteoufnefs of Chrill for Juftifica- tiondoth not (hut out the work of Mortification, butconducetlh much towards it; it doth not exclude it, for the jufifiedmull be mortified ; it pleadeth for it ; Grace teach- eth us to deny ungodlinefs, Tit. a. l t. That fin may be mortified and put to death for Chrills fake ; Chrill was crucified and put to death for our fakes : God doth not require it in point of Soveraignty, but pleadeth with us upon terms of Grace : Grace bath de- nied us nothing, it hash given us Chrift and all things with him, and (hall we 'flick at our lulls? Grace thought nothingtoo good for us,not the Blood of Chrift, nor the Fa- vour of God; nor the Joys of Heaven, and (hall we count any thing too dear to part with for Grapes fake? Mortification is an unpleafing task, but Grace commands and calls for it, and that with filch powerful Oratory as cannot be withftood. 2. In regard of the Grace of SanEifr'cation . To exercifi it, preferve it, and increafe it. r. That we may exercife it to that end for which it was given to us : It was given to us to avoid fin, 1 John 3. 9. Whofoever is born of God dtoh not commit fin, for hir feed re. maineth in him, and he cannot fin becaufe he is born of God 5 and r John 5. s 8. We know that whofoever is born of God finneth not, but be that is begotten of God keepeth himfelf, and the wicked one toucheth him not. There is a feed and principle within us to curb and reftrain fin too, and keep us from falling into the power of the Devil, orr eing brought back into our old bondage ; this other principIF was fet up in us on purrbfe as to excite un t.
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