508 An .Expofitilon icpon Chap Reafonr. the broad way : and that of t Pet. 4.4. that we fhould not run with the wick- ed unto the fame exceffe of riot, nor to be companions with the works of darkneffe, Ephef. 5.7.11 . All which do teach us, that in framing our converfa- Lion, we may not imitate the fafhions and deeds of evil' men. The reafons hereof be there : Firft, Gods people are a kingly Priefthood, s Pet. 2.9. there- fore the fafhions of worldly men do not become them. For fince the ele& are made Prielts unto God, it behoveth them to have the whole life, and all the parts of it well ordered (faith Chry- foftome.) The Priefls under the Law might not touch any unclean carkaffe of men or beats, neither may Chriftian Priefts meddle with polluted rotten Tufts, fuch as carnall men wallow or welter in. Secondly, the lofts of the world are not of God but of the 'evil, Yoh. 2.16. But Gods children in their Baptifme have by folemn promife re- nounced the Devil' and all his lulls, and therefore may not follow them, without running into the guilt ofper- fidioufneffe, and promife - breaking. Thirdly,the faithful have put on Chill Jefus, Gal. 3.27. and have him dwelling in their hearts by faith, Ephef. 3. 17. Therefore they may not put on the fin - full affe&ions, and foolifh fafhions of this world; for what communion be- tween Chrifl and the world, from which he hath redeemed us? Alfo his Gofpell and grace teacheth us to deny worldly lefts, Tit. 2. t I .Fourthly, God and the corrupt caflome of fïnners, can- not both be loved; for if we love the world and the things thereof, the love of God is not in us, i Soh. 2.15. Yam. 4.3 The amity of this world is enmity with God, but Gods children are bound to love God above all, yea alone, all things be for him and in him, therefore they ought to abhorre the world. Fiftly, it is dangerous even in this life for the godly to do after the cuftomes, or to delight in the company of finfull men. Peter among worldly men learned to deny and forfwear his Saviour : f ehofapbat was forbid familia- arity with Ahab, Wilt thou love hire whom God hateth? 2 Chron. t9. t.,and J ofiac by convening with, and confor- ming himfelf unto an heathen King, loft his life, 2 King. 23. 29. the Ifrae- lites by framing themfelves to be Egyp- tians in Idolatry, Exod.32 .1,2,3. and to the Moabites in adultery ,Numb.: 25. t, z, pulled due and juit vengeance from God upon their own heads. David among' the Philiftims learned to dif- femble,and was in hazard : fee the title of Pfal.34. Sixtly, the end of the chil- dren of this world, and inch as fafhion themfelves like to it, is damnation, Phil. 3.19. alto fee 2Their: s. 9. I Pet. q. 5. Laftiy, the fafhions, delights, pleafures, and lofts of worldly perlons, do in a fhort time vanifh and part away, as fmoak or as a fhadow, s Cor. 7. 31. Therefore even in this text they be like- ned to a figure or image, (as alfo Pfal. 73. )which bath infolidity,or unfound- neffe in it.Now true beleevers which are born of God unto eternal' glory in the heavens,2 Pet. s.3, 4. mu ft not imbrue things which be fading and withering, of fhort continuance ; it is not for fuch as be called to a bleffed immortality, to glue themfelves to vanities which have no certainty nor durance. T s M. But have thegody any need oftbis dehortation which you have fo firengthene with Scripture and good reafon ? it thauld f em they have, feeing Paul writetb shit to the faithfull Romans. S r L. Yea very much, for God doth nothing fuperfluoufly and in vain, ht would not give fuch an exhortation but on juft neceflïty : and by nature we are prone to fall into that from which G O D diffwadeth us. Moreover, the lulls and fafhions of the wicked be deceitful' above meafure, and exceeding pleafant to the Dells and corruption of nature, which feeing the godly have not wholly put off(for they are partly flelh, and partly Spirit) therefore they had need to be warned, and by many rea- fons (as by bits or bridles) to beheld in from running after the manners of this world : efpeciaily, feeing they cannot (there is a neceffity in it) but live to- then
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