Ver. 9.. tbe Epifile to the Ptoman§: /59 pride ofour nature,and to comfort our Çonfutaeion. feeble minds. The errors that are here confuted, are firft, fuch as reftrain the wifedome of the fle(h to fenfuality, thinking our appetite or fenfes,only, to be enemies to God, refilling his Law; whereas our very reafon and will, are defiled with tinne, and be thereby tur- ned againfl God, andbentagainft his, Law.Secondly,the error of the Papille, which condemn marriage of Miniflers, becauf it is faid,Cuch cannot jóleafeGod which be in the fle(h. Pope Sjritiue, fo concluded and colle Eted from this text. Thirdly, the error of the 144anteheet, which thought that the very filbltance of the flcfh and body,was the worke of the devil], and f nfull , beteufe it is written, The'wiCdom of the fle(tt is enmity with God; whereas fle(h fignifieth not our fiibffance,but the vicious quality of fin cleaving to our fubftance.Fourthly;the error of the Pelagìans and Papifts,ton- clang free will,of which they teach, that it is able to love God, and to be fubjeét to his Law without grace , or at the leaft being a little holpen by Gods Spi- rit it could refufe grace, or receive it, if it lifl,as the Papifls teach ; whereas in- deed our free will is dead in trefpaffes and fins,an enemy to God, and can no more without grace be fubjea to God, to love and obey his Law , or beleeve hiepromi(es,then an enemy abiding fo, can or will love his enemy, and be fub- jeEt to him. Secondly,, the truths that are here taught, are thefe.Firfi,that Seta nsma- lice againft mankind, is molt eastream, in that he bath poyfoned not only the in£eriour pas is of the foul,but the chief and molt noble parts, even our reafon, mind and will ; yea the whole heart, with the contagion of fin. Secondly, that all men naturally are in a molt wretched and molt wofull effete, be- ing enemies and rebels to God,proudly andobftinatelybentagainft him, and he jualy againft us, to defiroy us with eternal wrath;as that fubjet mutt needs perifh, that hath the King his enemy, and that pot mull needs be broken that fighteth again(! thePotter. nRruâion. Thirdly, this Text ferves to humble Humiliation; us,byremembring and beleeving that wee were once in this wretched ella have in us (till fonie wifedome of the fle(h,rebelling againfl God,Rom.y. 22, 23, Laltly,this Text ferves to comfort as, conro(arion thus:IfChri(t by his death reconciled us to God,when by fin we were his ene- mies, he will muchmore preferve us be- ing reconciled ro him,Rom. 5.1o. A1(Ù Rom. 8.3 z. The conhd era don hereof, fhould provoke all beleevers to greater love and thankfulneffe to Chrift Iefus, the greater his love appeared in refto'- ring unto us the friend(hip of God which we had loft by fin. DIALoous IX. Verle 9. Noavye are not in theffefh,hut in the Spirit, becaufe the Spirit of God dwelleth input bxt if any_ man have not the Spirit óf Chriff, the (ame'is not bit. Timor turtle. at cloth tisitText contain? S i L. An application of the former doEtrin, unto the beleevingand Chriftian Romanes.For that which he before hadgenerally taught of the fan - Etification of the Spirit, and of the de- fire and'ftudy both offpiritual and car- nal( men,he cloth now particularly ap- ply it to the Saints at Rome, as his man- ner ie.The fum whereof is thus much ; That they whichare after the flefh and carnall men , favour the things of the flefla, wholly minding and caring for things that be carnall andevill; and fo with their courCe of life perifh as ene- mies to God; whereas fpirituall men mind and care for fpirituall and good ehings,pleafing God as his friends and children. From whence the.Apoftle doth gather, that feting the. Romanes were not in the flefh, but in the Spirit, fpirituall not carnal( men : therefore they were none of Gods enemies, but his friends and childrenibeing reconci- led unto him, and pleating himy made partakers of his Spirit and of his Son, Z ? and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=