2 .An.Expofition upon Chap.6. whole felves (as it is expounded in the next part of this verfe,) and the reafou, why the Apofile doth call our members [Weapons,] itis to aggravate the matter, tjsweapons even to teach and (hew thus much unto may be urea us, thatwhen we put forth that llrength b1 Sxbiea, n good or and force that isin us, to hive for the a aebell,ro' tufts of finne, to execute them, therein we doe fight again& God, and in Giant- like manner beare weapons against hea- ven,(though finners think not fo,) as if wee would provoke the Almighty unto battaile : as the Philiftims waged warre again& the Ifraelites,fo our perverte re- bellious nature with her faculties figh- teth against God. T m. What is meant by fin, and why is righteou:rnef(e joyned with it ? S r r.. By finne is meant the naugh- tineffe of our nature,fprirsging from the firft fin of our parents, wherewith the Apoftle Both yoke untie tcouîneffe in this place, to teach us that we can dono fin but that herein we (hall deale un- righteoully with God, whom we difo- bey and difhonour; with our (elves, whom we defile and deftroy ; with our neighbour, whom we flu t in body, foule,name,or goods;or with all three. T 1 b. Now that ye haze expoundedunto ue the wordr,tefl to what we are further to learne,out of the former part of :hit verse? Sir.. Theft two things : firft, what all men would do naturally,if we were left to follow our owne corruption; namely this, we would break out into open rebellion, to make warte againf? God in defence of our finfull lufts, as mutinous fouldiers and fubje &s beare weapons against their lawfull Captaine or Soveraigne. And this indeed is the efiate of all naturali unregenerate men, howfoever they perceive it not, all the powers that be in them do fight againft God, not a finew nor a veine of theirs but it warres againf? their Creator, as Achab fold himfelte to do wiekedneffe, and the Epheftans finned with greedi- neffe: which is a molt perillons eftate, when in a man(if he could chufe)would not live a minute of an houre for a mil - lion of worlds.For ifit be a dangerous matter for a fubjeét to rife up in armes the body is an indiffe- rent thing, Theophy- aa. again!? an earthly King; how txtream ly dangei ous mutt it needes be to wage warre ar_aintl the King of heaven, u ho in one in ()rant can cleftroy both body and foule in hell fire ? Secondly, wee learne hence what it is that every Child of God by grace may doe and ought ro doe,to wit, to drive and fight molt wil- lingly, not for the lulls of fin, front the tyranny whereof they are ehlivered,hut todee the will of Chrift Jefus their new Lord ; to whom they are fubjett in re- Ipefi of creation, redemption; confer - vation,and dominion. T s M. Come now untothe latter part of the fentente, and tell art what is meant [by your flees, and by giving your felvet up to God 7] S a L. Body and foule with all the faculties of both,which we doe give un- to God, when we are ready to take knowledge what is the will of God,and to live thereafter,fighting now as much again{i fin, as we were wont to hive for it, T t M. But how can we give our [civet to God,feeing we ourfelvea can da nothing? it it God muff doe at in us? S r L. T his text fpeaketh to regene- rate perfons, and there are laid to doe cirri twhich Gods grace makes them a- Naátrt ble to doe. Secondly, Gods grace and Paul) but mans indevour agree well together, as cóá i ma efficient and inftrument; here our ende- r tor. your is called for, that we ftirre up the ,ts'a' grace that is in us,and not fuffer it toile (till and be idle. T r is What u meant by the[dead] and what i, it tobe (alive from the dead?] S h L. By [dead ] he meaneth thole which were fpiritually dead in fin: there are laid to be made alive when they are railed upby Chrift front their fins to live the life of grace having the (pint of Chihli put into them to move and lead than to doe good things unto his glo- ry,in the obedience of his will. T rm. What Mil-rut-lions are we to learn from hence ? Sr s. We learn from hence our du- ty,and the reafon of ir; our duty is this: that being regenerate we muff be as prompt and forward to five God, as other Ephe. s. I Helpe the poor with trote hands with which ye oppreC- red the poor tiroirriet f et ran to Church which once ran to I. dore r let chut tong e Ste. Gal. f. 117. I
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