Sermons Volume 2

SERMON IX.

THE Protasis or Foundation of the Similitude was laid down verse. 9, 10. the Apodosis or Application of it to the case in hand in this Verse. The Foundation is Christ's Example and Pattern, dying and rising; now after this double Example of Christ's Death and Resurrection, we must account ourselves obliged both to die unto sin, and rise again to newness of life. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves, &c. In which words,

• 1. Our Duty, which is Conformity or Likeness to Christ dying and living.
• 2. Grace to perform this Duty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , through or in Jesus Christ, by virtue of our Union with him we are both to resemble his Death and Resurrection.
• 3. The means of enforcing this Duty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , reckon; Vulgar, existimate; Erasmus out of Tertullian, reputate, consider with yourselves. Others, colligite & statuite.

Doctrine. That all who are baptized and profess. Faith in Christ dying and rising from the dead, are under a strong obligation of dying to sin and living to God through the Grace of the Redeemer. Here

• I. I shall consider the Nature of the Duties of being dead to Sin, and alive to God.
• II. The Correspondency, how they do answer the two States of Christ, as Christ dieth to sin for the Expiation of it, and after Death reviveth and liveth to God; so we.
• III. The Order, first Death, then the Resurrection from the dead; so first dying to sin, then being alive to God.
• IV. The certain Connection of these things, if we die we shall live, and we cannot live to God, unless we be dead to sin; neither can we die to sin, unless we live to God.
• V. In the two Branches the Apostle opposeth God to Sin.

I. The Nature of the Work. It consists of two Branches, dying to Sin, and living to God. Mortification and Vivification.

1. Mortification is the purifying •• d cleansing of the Soul, or the freeing it from the slavery of the flesh, which detaineth it from God, and disableth it for all the duties of the holy and heavenly life. The reign of sin was the punishment of the first Transgression, and is taken away by the gift of the Spirit upon account of the Merit of Christ; however it is our work to see that sin die: it dieth as our love to it dieth; and our love to sin is not for its own sake, but because of some pleasure, contentment, and satisfaction that we hope to find in it; for no man would commit sin or transgress merely for his minds sake: mere evil apprehended as evil, cannot be the object of our choice. Now then our love to sin dieth, when our esteem of the advantages of the carnal life is abated, when we have no other value of the pleasures, honors and profits of the world, than is fully consistent with our duty to God, and may further us in it. Therefore we are dead to fin, when we endeavor more to please God, than to please the flesh, and mind more our eternal than our temporal interests: Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. What we mind and value most, showeth the Reign of either Principle, the Flesh or the Spirit.

2. Vivification, or living to God is the changing of the Heart by Grace, and the acting of those Graces we have received by the Spirit of Regeneration. All that have received the gift of the spiritual Life are bound to exercise it, and put it in act by loving, serving, and obeying God: 2 Pet. 1.3, 4, 5. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, &c. They that have received Grace, are not to fit down idle and satisfied, but to be more active and diligent in the exercise of Grace, and whatever remaineth of their lives must be devoted to God. To live to God implieth two things.

First, To fulfil his Commands with a ready mind, and so they are said to live to God, who show themselves ready to obey him in all things: Psal. 112.1. Blessed is the man that feareth God, that delighted greatly in his commandments ; not who is greedy to catch all opportunities of pleasure and profit and worldly preferment in the world, and careth not how he cometh by them: but is most observant of God's will, and careful to follow it, he that delighteth to know, believe, and obey God's Word.

Secondly, To glorify his Name; for as we receive power from the Spirit of Christ to live as in the sight of God, so also to the glory of God. Sin till it be killed and mortified in us, as it disposeth us to a wrong way, so to a perverse end, to seek happiness in the satisfaction of our lusts; but grace wrought by God inclineth us to God: Phil. 1.11. Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Christ Jesus to the praise and glory of God. As they do good, so to a good end, not for any bye-respect, but to please and honor God.

II. The Correspendency, it is such a dying and living, as doth answer Christ's dying and living. We must so die and forsake sin, as that we need not to die anymore: we may never return to our sins again, so as that they may have any dominion over us, and that is done, when sin hath its deaths wound given it by a sincere Conversion to God, then we put off the body of the sins of the flesh, Col. 2.11. though the final death be not by and by, yet as a man is said to be killed, when he hath received his deaths wound; so he that never reverts to his old slavery, is said indeed to be dead unto sin. On the other side, for our new Christian life we are to take care, that it may be eternal, carried on in such an uninterrupted course of Holiness, as may at length end in everlasting Life. When we are first converted, we see that man was made for other things than he hath hitherto minded; therefore we resolve to seek after them, and so must persevere in living to God, till we come to live with him. God or none, Heaven or nothing must serve our turn: Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth I desire besides thee: nothing else will satisfy and content the Soul. When we live from an everlasting Principle to an everlasting end, then we live to God as Christ did.

III. The Order is to be regarded also. We first die to sin, and then live to God; for till we die to sin, we are disabled from the duties, and uncapable of the comforts of the new Life.

1. We are disabled from the Duties of it; fo •••• hout Mortification the Duties will be unpleasant and unacceptable to you, as being against your carnal inclination and design: Rom. 8.7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. We may affect the repute of Religion, but cannot endure the work of Religion. And besides, sin allowed and indulged begets a trouble in the Conscience, and then no wonder if we be loath seriously to exercise ourselves unto godliness; for when the bone is out of joint, and the wound unhealed, a man certainly hath no mind to his work. The Apostle telleth us, Heb. 12.13. That which is lame is soon turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. A worldly carnal Bias upon the heart will make us warp, and decline from our duty. There can be no spiritual strength, and vigor of heavenly motion, whilst sin remaineth unmortified; for the love of ease and worldly enjoyments will soon pervert us. Well then, sin must be mortified before we can live unto God. On the other side, grace cureth sin, as fire refresheth us against the cold, and health taketh away sickness; so far as God is admitted, Satan is shut out, Eph. 4.25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor ; and as Christ is valued, worldly things are neglected and become less in our eyes, Phil. 3.8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and I do count them but dung, that I may win Christ: as heavenly things are prized, the world is undervalued. When grace hath recovered the heart to God, the world, that first stole it from God, is despised; but the first work of grace is to cast out the Usurper, and then set up God: darkness goeth out of the room when light comes in; so doth the love of the world depart, as the love of God prevaileth in the Soul.

2. While sin prevaileth and reigneth in the Soul, we are uncapable of the comforts of the Spirit, and are full of bondage and guilty fears; afraid of God, that should be our joy and delight, deprived of any sweet sense of his love; for the Spirit of Adoption is given to those that obey him, Rom. 8.13, 14, 15, 16. If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby ye cry Abba, Father. The Spirit itself also beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God. Others are tormented between their Corruptions and Convictions; and can have no boldness in their access to God, nor freedom in their commerce with him.

IV. The certain Connection of these things, this dying to sin, and this living to God must be both evident in us, for they are intimately conjoined. A man cannot remain in his sins, and be a Christian, or a Believer, or accounted one that is in Christ, and hath right to the Privileges of the new Covenant, these have but a name to live, and are dead, Rev. 3.1. Again on the other side, some never break out into shameful disorders, but yet love not God, nor do they make it their business to obey him; they never felt the power of the heavenly Mind, or make conscience of living godly in Christ Jesus: as the Pharisees Religion ran upon Negatives, Luke 18.11. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Publican. These seem to be dead to sin, but are alive, whilst worldly things sit nearest their hearts.

V. The Apostle opposeth God to Sin, that by the consideration of both Masters we may return to our rightful Lord. It is otherwise expressed elsewhere, 1 Pet. 1.24. That we might die unto sin, and live unto righteousness ; but here it is, die to sin, and live to God: And this for two reasons.

First, That Christ came to restore us to our rightful Lord and Master. Sin and the Devil and the World are Usurpers, and therefore are exauctorated, we are no longer bound to serve them; but God hath a right to require love and service at our-hands, Acts 27.23. The God whose I am, and whom I serve. He hath a title by Creation, as our proper Owner, Psal. 100.3. Know ye that the Lord he is God, it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves. By Redemption, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Christ came to recover us from our slavery.

Secondly, To show the disadvantage between having Sin and God for our Master. What is more filthy than sin, and more mischievous than sin, and more holy and beneficial than God? To serve sin is a brutish captivity, and will prove our bane in the issue; but to serve God is true liberty, and it will be our present and eternal Happiness: Rom. 6.22. But now being made free from sin, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Secondly, The Grace to perform this Duty. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are to die to Sin and live to God, not only ex praescripto Christi, according to the precepts of Christ, which everywhere run strongly against sin, and pleading God's right with us: nor only ex imitatione Christi, to imitate our Pattern and Example, that we may be like Christ in these things, and express his dying and rising in our conversations; but virtute Christi, by the power of Christ's Grace, as by the force of his Example. This power of Christ may be considered as purchased, or as applied, or as our interest in it is professed in Baptism.

1. As it is purchased. He died and rose again to represent the Merit of his Death to God, that he might obtain Grace for us to kill sin, and live unto God, and that in such a continued course of obedience, till we live with God: 1 Thess. 5.10. He died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him; i.e. to redeem us from all iniquity, and to preserve us in our obedience to eternal Life. While we wake, or are alive, we live with him, and when we sleep, after we are dead, we still live with him, we live a spiritual Life here, and afterward an eternal Life in Glory. So that place, which otherwise hath some difficulty in it, may be expounded by Rom. 14.8, 9. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: Whether therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this Christ died.

2. As it is applied. It is applied by the Spirit of Christ, by virtue of our Union with him. Jesus Christ is the Root and Foundation of this Life, in whom we do subsist: For it is in the Text, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and in the Context it is said, verse. 5. we are planted into his likeness: so that this conformity is the fruit of our Union, and wrought in us by his Spirit, which is the sap we derive from our Root.

3. As our interest in him is professed in Baptism; for then we are visibly graffed into Christ, Gal. 3.27. As many as are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Thence an obligation resulteth, we ought to be like him: So that in short, the sum of the whole is this, the Precepts and Example of Christ do show us our Duty; the Grace whereby we perform it is wrought in us by the Spirit, by virtue of our Union with Christ; and our Baptismal engagement bindeth it on our hearts. Or thus, it is purchased by Christ, effected by the Spirit, sealed and professed in Baptism, which partly bindeth us to our. Duty, and assureth us, we shall not want Grace, but have help and strength from Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, The means of improvement, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , reckon yourselves. It may be inquired, why the Apostle faith not simply, we are dead, or be ye dead indeed, but reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, &c. Shall our reckoning ourselves dead or alive make it so? Answer.

• 1. Let us consider the import of the word.
• 2. Why it is used.

1. For the import of the word. It is equivalent with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 8. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ver. 9. what they signify this signifieth. It is an act of judgment, the power of the mind is put forth in it.

2. The Use of it here.

1. It is Actus Mentis cogitantis, it is an act of the mind considering or meditating upon this matter, and the effect here mentioned doth much depend upon meditation as the means. The weightiest things work not, if they be not thought of; therefore we must not slightly pass over this Mystery of Christ's dying and rising, but consider how they concern us, and what we were before Regeneration, and what we are now to be, who profess to follow our Redeemer unto Glory.

2. It is Actus Rationis concludentis, an act of reason concluding from due Premises, and inferring, that this is our Duty. Because the heart is averse from God, we need positively to determine upon rational deductions, that it is our unquestionable Duty; for we must certainly know a thing to be our Duty before we will address ourselves to perform it, and herein Reason is a good Handmaid to Faith, for sanctified Reason ever concludeth for God: whilst it improveth Principles discovered by Faith, it is our Light to discover many things evident by natural Light; it is our Instrument to improve other things, which it cannot discover, but depend on God's Revelation. We ponder and weigh things in our minds, then determine what is our Duty. So that Reckon is by Reason collect, as often in Scripture, 1 Cor. 10.15. I speak as to wise men, ye have reason, Judge ye what I say.

3. It is Actus Fidei assentientis, it is the Syllogism of Faith. It is not the bare knowledge, nor the bare discourse of these things doth make them operative and effectual; but as Faith is mingled with them, Heb. 4.2. The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. This is not matter of conjecture or opinion only, but of Faith, to own the obligation, which dependeth on the Authority of Christ, which is a supernatural Truth; (2.) to believe the Power, which doth assist us, which is also a matter of pure Faith, and seemingly contradicted by sense. For though Mortification and Vivification be begun in us; yet because of the troublesome relicts of corruption, to reckon ourselves with any degree of confidence and trust to be dead unto sin, and alive unto God, is an Act of Faith; the thing is not liable to external sense, and internal sense contradicts it, we being oppressed with so many remaining corruptions.

4. It is Actus Fidei applicantis. We must not only know and discourse of these things, but apply them to ourselves. The best and the most profitable knowledge is in applying general Truths to a man's own case: Likewise reckon ye yourselves also to be dead unto sin, &c. This is a Truth which concerneth us in Mortification, I profess Faith in Christ, am baptized with Christ, I must die unto sin. Omnis operatio est per contactum, the closer the truth, the more effectual the operation, Rom. 8.31. What shall we say to these things?

5. It is Actus Judicii decernentis, we do determine, this we must do, or be undone, 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. We thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that be died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

6. It is Actus Voluntatis consentientis, this Death and Life is much promoted by the firm purpose and resolution of our minds: 1 Pet. 4.1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin. The sum of the whole is,

1. That we should think of it seriously, and here many are defective, who little think of dying to sin, or living to God; all their thoughts are how they may please the flesh, Rom. 13.14. To make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof ; or thrive in the world, Luke 12.17, 18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room, where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do, I will pull down my barns, and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. Or as those, Jam. 4.13. To day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain: and so their great work lieth neglected.

2. That by Reason we should so evidence it to ourselves to be our Duty, that we should make conscience of it. A sluggish heart needs to be awakened by plain and evident Conclusions; for wherefore was Reason given us? to lie asleep? No, we must argue and conclude for God, that we may bring it to this issue, that either we are flat Rebels, or must do those things he hath given us in charge.

3. We must assent to those Principles of Faith, from whence this Conclusion is deduced by necessary consequence, as namely,

1. That Christ is set up as a Pattern, to whom all the Heirs of Promise must be conformed.

2. That our Conformity is mainly seen in resembling his two Estates, his dying to Sin, and living to God.

3. That our Baptism obligeth us both by way of Dependence and Obedience. By way of Dependence waiting for his Grace, whereby this Conformity and Likeness may be accomplished. By way of Obedience, using all those holy means and endeavors, that conduce to this end and purpose, Faith assenteth, Reason concludeth.

4. We must resolve upon it as an unquestionable Duty, that we may not play fast and loose with God. For the Judgment determintaing, and the Will consenting, make up the strength of Resolution, which in this case is very necessary, because we are likely to be assaulted with many enemies; and seeing we are too often secure, and forgetful of our work and welfare, therefore we must stand fast in the purpose of our own hearts still to pursue this work till it be finished. Those who are regenerated by the Spirit, surely will have such reasonings in themselves, and are not only in profession, but indeed (as the word is in the Text) dying to sin and living to God. And it is ordinary in Scripture to exhort by affirming, that is, to speak of the Duty of Believers as already done by them, thereby to assure them it shall be done, and to oblige them the more strongly to the endeavor of it.

Use. To press us to two things.

• 1. To regard your Duty.
• 2. To own the Grace of Christ.

1. To regard your Duty of dying to Sin and living to God. The Arguments to press it are these.

1. From the Work itself, which is so noble and excellent, that if there were no benefit to ensue, it were enough to engage us. It consists in these four Branches and Parts.

First, To have the sensitive Appetite subject to Reason, which is nothing else but to have the order of Nature preserved, or that Man should carry himself rather like a Man, than a Beast; nor serve divers lusts and pleasures, but be governed by his Reason and Conscience. Now it should not be a hard Precept to us to persuade us to walk upon our feet rather than our heads; let the head guide the body, and the feet obey its direction, put Reason in the Throne.

Secondly, To have Reason illuminated and rectified by Faith, which discovereth things to us out of the ken and view of Reason: Heb. 11.1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. The Heathens had the highest opinion of those, who were admitted into secrecy with their God's, and had things revealed to them, which other Mortals could never have known. This Honor have all his Saints, They shall be all taught of God, Joh. 6.45. higher Mysteries than Nature could discover.

Thirdly, That this Faith should make us alive to God, or enable and incline us to persevere in our Duty to him. Faith is our life as begun, Gal. 2.20. The life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. As consummated, Heb. 10.38. Now the just shall live by faith ; the Spirit working in us a practical fiducial assent to the saving Truths of the Gospel, or affiance on God according to the Promises, doth beget life in us, or a resolution to obey God, whatever it cost us.

Fourthly, That this Faith working by Love, doth incline and enable us to live accordingly. The property of Faith is to work by love, Gal. 5.6. Now see what these two Graces do. The property of Love is to incline us to God, it is the bent and bias of the Soul; and the property of Faith is to enable us by presenting greater encouragements to the holy and heavenly Life, than the World and the Flesh can produce to the contrary. Now is this a toilsome and tedious life to have Appetite governed by Reason, Reason elevated by Faith to the sight of God and the other World, and Faith acting by Love and Hope, which incline us to God and Heaven, and fortify and strengthen us against all the delights and terrors of sense. This is nothing but dying to sin, and living to God.

2. From the consequent Benefits, which are,

1. Pardon of all their sins, these have an interest in Christ, a Pardon sealed by his Blood. They that die to Sin, and live to Righteousness, have passed from death to life, not only as death to sin implieth Corruption, but Condemnation, or the righteous Sentence of the Law dooming it to Death, Rom. 8.1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, there is dying to sin▪ but after the Spirit, there is living to God.

2. These are adopted into God's Family, and have the Privileges and Right of Children. For Adoption followeth Regeneration, Joh. 1 12, 13. But as many a • received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name. Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

3. These have Communion with the Father by the Son, through the Spirit: 1 Joh. 1.7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. For God's Children have the Spirit of Adoption, Gal. 4.6. Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba Father.

4. That Spirit dwelling in us worketh us to further Holiness and Joy; for he is both a Sanctifier and a Comforter: as a Sanctifier he doth further enable us to die to sin, and Mortify the deeds of the body, Rom. 8.13. and to live to God, Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit: and so the Duty is a reward in itself. As a Comforter he doth assure us of our interest in God's Love, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and it causeth us to live in the foresight of everlasting happiness, 2 Cor. 5.5. Now he that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

5. Entrance and actual admission into Glory: Joh. 3.3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, compared with verse. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Mat. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Heb. 12.12. Without holiness no man shall see God.

2. Owne the Grace of Christ, without whom we can do nothing acceptable to God. Lapsed man is unable not only to redeem himself, but unable to live unto God without the Grace of the Redeemer; he doth sanctify us by his Spirit, and change our hearts, and is a Savior to us, not only by Merit, but Efficacy. To be a Sanctifier is his Office, which he hath undertaken, and it is his Glory to perform it, we only work under him. Which teacheth us,

1. Humility, whatever good things Believers have, which concern spiritual and heavenly Life, they are beholden only to Christ for it, we can never die to Sin, nor live to God, but only through Christ, and Christ not only enlightening, but sanctifying. A speculative Error vanisheth as soon as Truth appeareth; but Lust is a brutish inclination, bare Reason cannot master it.

2. Thankfulness and Love to Christ, by whom we have all our Grace, and look for all our Glory.

3. Dependence, he is ready to give us Grace, Phil. 4.19. But my God shall supply all our need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus.

SERMON X.

THE Apostle having undeniably proved, that the justified are dead to sin, he now beginneth his Exhortation, that we should not obey sin by indulging bodily lusts. The Exhortation is short, but of great weight, Let not sin therefore reign, &c.

In the words take notice,

1. Of the illative Particle [ therefore ] which leadeth us to the Principles, from whence the Duty is inferred, namely, the Tenor of Christianity, which is considered, (1.) as professed by them; for they have submitted to Baptism, and so are obliged to die unto sin, and to live unto God: (2.) as having obtained its effect in them, as in charity he presumeth them to be regenerated or real Believers, and therefore chargeth them with this Duty: for Christ's Grace must not lie idle in the Soul.

2. The Duty to which they are exhorted, is to take care to prevent the reign of sin, which is described and represented,

• 1. By the Seat of it, In your mortal body.
• 2. The Nature of it, That you should obey it in the lusts thereof. To obey bodily lusts is the Reign of Sin.

Doctrine. That Christians are strictly obliged to take care, that Sin get not Dominion over them by the Desires and Interests of the mortal Body.

• 1. Let me explain this Point.
• 2. Give you the Reasons of it.

I. In explaining this Doctrine, I shall handle three Questions.

• 1. Why is Sin said to reign in our Bodies, rather than our Souls?
• 2. Why doth the Apostle call it our mortal body? the use of this Term, and
• 3. When is Sin said to reign?

First, Why is Sin said to reign in our Bodies, rather than in our Souls? And again [ lusts thereof ] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as agreeing to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as relating to 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

1. Negatively, it is not to be understood that sinful lusts are only in the body, or have their Original only from the body, and not from the Soul; for that is repugnant to what Christ saith, Mat. 15.18, 19. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts▪ murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

2. But positively he saith, In your body.

1. Because these lusts mostly manifest themselves in the body, and belong to the body and the flesh. Therefore the Apostle saith, Mortify your members which are upon the earth, Col. 3.5. and Rom. 7.23. I see a law in my members, warring against the law of my mind. Jam. 4.1. Lusts that war in your body. When the Devil would set up a Kingdom in the hearts of men, he doth it by the body; for what is nearer and dearer to us than our bodies? and things present and grateful to the bodily senses promote his designs; these blind our minds, and corrupt our hearts, and entice our affections, so that we follow after them earnestly, with the neglect of God and our precious immortal Souls. There are various desires according to the variety of objects, which tend to please and gratify the flesh, by occasion of which sin doth insinuate itself into us.

2. Because they are acted and executed by the Body or Outward man, and therefore are called the deeds of the body, Rom. 8.13. Now though some sins are seated in the mind, as Heresies, yet they are works of the flesh, Gal. 5.19, 20. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies: because usually they begin at • alseness of the heart, and are bred in us by some corrupt affections, such as Pride, Vain-glory, Self-seeking, &c. Gal. 2.18. Puffed up with his fleshly mind: and for sins of Omission, they arise in us from some inordinate sensual affection to the Creature, which causeth us to omit our Duty to God. But generally most sins are acted by the body. Therefore as in Grace, or in the Dedication of ourselves to God, the Soul is included, when the Body only is mentioned, Rom. 12.1. Present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service: all the service we perform to God is acted by the body; so in the destruction of sin, let it not reign in your body.

3. Because the disorder of the sensual Appetite, which inclineth us to the interests and conveniencies of the bodily life, is the great cause of all sin: and therefore man corrupted and fallen, is represented as wholly governed by his sensual inclinations, Gen. 6.3. For that man also is flesh: and Joh. 3.6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh: as if he had nothing in him but what is earthly and carnal. Our Souls do so cleave to the earth, and are addicted to the body, that they have lost their primitive excellency; our Understandings, Will and Affections are distempered by our Senses, and enslaved to serve the Flesh: which is a matter well to be regarded, that we may understand why the Scripture so often calleth sin by the name of Flesh, and sometimes a Body, or it is said to dwell in the body, not as if the Understanding and Will were not corrupted and tainted, but to show how they are tainted and corrupted, that this corruption which hath invaded human Nature, cometh chiefly, though not only, from the inordinacy of our sensual Appetite. I will prove it by two Considerations.

First, One is a Supposition: Suppose that Original sin, so far as it concerneth the Understanding and Will, consisted in a bare privation of that rectitude that should be in these Faculties (I do not say it is so, but suppose it were so) yet as long as our Senses and Appetites are disordered, which wholly incline us to terrene and earthly things, this were enough to cause us to sin; as a Chariot must needs miscarry, where the Driver is weak, sleepy, negligent, and the Horses unruly and disorderly: So here, we have not so much light and love to higher things, as will restrain the sensual Appetite: the Understanding hath no light, 2 Pet. 1.9. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off. Eph. 1.18. The eyes of your understandings being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, &c. The Will hath no love, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: and therefore man that obeyeth his bodily lusts and desires, must needs be corrupt and sinful.

Secondly, The other is an Assertion, that there are habitual, positive, inordinate inclinations to sensual things both in the Understanding and Will For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the carnal mind is enmity against God, Rom. 8.7. The mind doth not only befriend the lusts of the flesh, and seek to palliate and excuse them, but opposeth whatever would reduce us from the love of them. And the Will is biassed by such sensual inclinations, 1 Tim. 6.10. For the love of money is the root of all evil. Our Reason doth often contrive and approve sin, and the Will embraceth it. So that you see the reason, why sin is said to reign in our bodies, because of the strong inclination of our Souls to present things, or things conducing to the contenting of the flesh, or gratifying the bodily life.

Secondly, Why doth the Apostle say, In your mortal bodies? I answer, For sundry reasons.

1. To put us in mind of the first rise of sin; for sin brought in death, Rom. 5.12. As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. And so while we live this mortal bodily life, we are subject to these desires, swarms of sinful motions and inclinations to evil remain within us, we are prone to them, and give way to them, and are too slack in the resistance of them, and through the ignorance and unattentiveness of our minds cannot discern or distinguish between what regular Nature desireth, and Lust craveth. There are lawful desires of the body, and prohibited desires of the body; through the crafty conveyance between the Understanding and the false Heart, we easily give way to what is inordinate, under the pretence of what is lawful and convenient: and so insensibly slide into compliance with the plain prohibited desires of the body. Lust is head-strong, and the Empire and Government of the Will feeble, and so we are led on to obey them, that is, we become servants and slaves to sin. And though the Regenerate be delivered from the power of sin, yet much of this corruption remaineth in them for their exercise and humiliation; and if they be not watchful, and obey not the motions of the Spirit, it will soon recover its power, and men will be brought into their old slavery and captivity, Gal. 5.16, 17. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh. So that this mortal body giveth sin many advantages.

2. This term mortal Body puts us in mind of its punishment, it tendeth to death and destruction. We considered it before as it pointed at the rise, now at the fruit itself. The Apostle telleth us, Rom. 8.10. The body is dead, because of sin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. He speaketh there of Believers, or those who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them, who being once sinners, the punishment of sin, death, befalleth them, and so their bodies must die and return to dust, yet they shall live a happy and blessed Life both in Body and Soul. If they labor to mortify and suppress sin, and return sincerely to newness of life, though they are still mortal and subject to corporal death because of sin, yet it shall not be eternal death. The renewed Soul is a partaker of eternal Life, and shall always live with God in Glory; and though the body be put off for a time, yet in time it shall be partaker of this life also.

3. To show us the transitoriness of these delights. You gratify a mortal body with the neglect of a precious and immortal Soul; now the mortal body should not be pampered with so great a loss and inconvenience to our Souls. All the good things which the flesh aimeth at, they perish with the mortal body; but the guilt and punishment of this disorderly life remaineth forever. All fleshly pleasure ceaseth at the Graves mouth, and wealth, pleasure, carnal rest, worldly honor are no longer of use • o us, when we are to be laid in the dust. One would think this should cure the mad desires of all mortal Creatures: 1 Joh. 2.17. The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he that doth the will of God, shall endure forever. When we come to die, neither can the thing do us good, and the very lust and desire is gone, and is bitter in the remembrance of it. Pray, how little can all the World then do for you, when you have most need of comfort, the taste of these things is gone, and the sting remaineth, the pampered flesh must then be cast into the dust, and all its pleasure will then be at an end. Which will be a doleful day to those that had their good things here, and all their portion in this life, when that is gone, which is so much valued and sought after, and the true Felicity forfeited, because it was undervalued and contemned; how will they be ashamed of the folly of their perverse choice! Therefore if we would joyfully bear, or contentedly yield to the dissolution of our bodies, we should now master and mortify the desires of the flesh.

4. To show, that in this state of Mortality and Frailty we may prevent the reign of sin. Many will say, We are frail Creatures, we are not glorified Saints, the desires of Nature are impetuous; Ay, but you may resist them, and that with success: The mortality of the body doth not excuse sin, but aggravate it, that for a little brutish pleasure, that is but for a while, we will forfeit eternal Joys, and run the hazard of eternal Pains. But can we avoid the pleasing of desires so natural? Yes, many that live in the flesh do not live after the flesh, their Reason is not enslaved by sense, but illuminated and directed by Faith to higher things. The Apostle produceth himself as an instance, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me: And he speaketh no more of himself, than what is common to all Believers; surely they may or can, if they be not wanting to themselves, crucify the flesh with the affections and passions thereof, yea they have, if they are true Believers. Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Indeed nothing seemeth harder and harsher, than for men to get such a Victory over their own Flesh, and to contradict motions that are so pleasing. They are not stocks and stones (they say)▪ How is it possible to be so dead to the interests of the animal life, as not to be moved, and sometimes greatly moved with these things, which either gratify or displease the flesh? I answer in Christ's words, Mat. 19.26. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. There is the Spirit of Christ to change our Natures; and the Spirit of Christ to direct and influence our motions; and Ordinances and means appointed to convey this Spirit to us, as the Word, which revealeth better things; Sacraments which assure to us our great hopes, and oblige us to live answerably; there are many Providences to deaden the taste of the flesh, and train us up for better things in another World, and we are to be watchful, serious, heavenly.

5. To show that the tediousness of our Conflict, and this troublesome resistance shall endure but for a little while. All our business is, that sin may not reign in our mortal body; there will a time come, when this mortal shall put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15.53. and long before that, our spirits must return to God that gave them, Eccles. 12.7. Now the more we think of another life, the stronger we are against sin, the troublesome part of our duty is but while we are in the flesh, or in the world; and if we can but escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, we shall be happy forever.

Thirdly, When is sin said to reign? I answer in general, That is said to reign, which attaineth the chief power in the Soul; and particularly, sin is said to reign.

1. Negatively, when it is not opposed, or but slightly opposed. We must take in this part of the description, because there are contrary Principles in us. There is no question but fleshly lusts will solicit you; but your business is to inquire, whether you oppose them, it may be you do; for it cannot be imagined, that whilst a spark of Conscience remaineth alive in us, a man can apparently be tempted from his duty, but his heart will give back a little: but an ineffectual striving will not acquit us; even the unregenerate have a remnant of natural Knowledge, and Conscience, which in its measure resisteth sin, as Light resisteth Darkness, as is seen in the Gentiles, Rom. 2.14, 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law, these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves; which show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another. And where supernatural Revelation is added, it may do more; for Christians know what is evil more than Heathens do, and so may escape through the knowledge of Christ the common pollutions of the world, 2 Pet. 2.20. or be much troubled if they fall into them: and God may give unto many some common internal Grace of the Spirit, Heb. 6.4, 5. which may occasion many convictions of the evil way they walk in. But the business is, whether there be such a Principle of resistance set up in the Soul, that you walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8.1. so that your hearts are habitually bent to God, and your course of life is altered, you dare not wittingly nor willingly give way to any known sin, or live in the neglect of any known Duty, (as they do that live in any customary practice of sin, or constant neglect of God) or ordinarily break out into enormous offenses. It may be after all your care, caution, watchfulness, resistance, you may be overtaken or overcome by some violent temptation, and may feel in yourselves some infirmities: you find you are guilty of many idle thoughts, passionate words, unwary practices; but what is this to iniquities? So those that say, they relent, and strive, and have many wishes to be better, but still continue in a carnal and ungodly life, these do but sin against Conscience, and never conquer the sin, which they strive to resist; till the opposite Principle be the ruling Principle for the main bent of your hearts, and course of your lives, the opposition and striving is but ineffectual. If there be no sin, but what you are truly desirous to know, and no sin, but what you are truly desirous to get rid of, so that the chiefest care of your hearts, and endeavor of your lives be to serve and please God, and it is your daily desire and endeavor to please God, and master its rebellious opposition to the Spirit, and you so far prevail, that for your drift and course you are not led by the Flesh, but the Spirit, then you are sincere and upright with God: otherwise you must not think every striving will excuse you, if it be such a striving as may consist with the dominion and customary practice of sin. There are few Wretches so bad, but they may have some wishes, that they could leave sin, especially when they think of the inconveniences that attend it, and Conscience may strive a little before they yield, but they live in it still. A Christian striveth, but cannot be perfect, there are infirmities; but the convinced sinner striveth, but cannot live holily, there are iniquities. This striving hindereth not the dominion of sin, because he doth not conquer, and master it so far, but that it breaketh out in a gross manner: his striving cometh not from the renovation of the Spirit, but the conviction of his Conscience, which is ever condemning his practices.

2. Positively, when we obey it, and follow it, and do that, to which sin enticeth us. For the end of sins Reign and Empire is our Obedience, the commands and urgings of it are in vain, if you obey them not, but rather rebuke and suppress them. Now we may obey bodily lusts two ways.

First, By the inward consent of the mind; for what sins you would do, you have done in God's account, though the outward Act follow not: Mat 5.28. He that looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart, though you be impeded and hindered in the Action. The life and reign of sin is in the heart, in the love of the heart, though it may be it may not appear in outward deeds. Restraint is not Sanctification. Practices may be restrained by bye-ends; but if you like the sin in your hearts, you let it reign, and do not oppose it by gracious motives. Your hearts are false with God, if his Empire be not set up there. Therefore obey not the lusts of the body, that is, consent not to them; if they arise and bubble up in your hearts, let them be disowned and disliked. We are to abstain from fleshly lusts, 1 Pet. 2.11. before they break out into our conversation: for the governing of the heart, and the regulating of the life are two distinct acts of our obedience to God: they are required indeed, the one in order to the other, but you must be careful of both. Your love to God and his Law must be shown by abominating the motions that would draw you to the contrary, Psal. 119.113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. The first motions are sins, for they proceed from corrupt Nature, we had none such in Innocency; and the consent is a farther sin, because then you begin to give way to its reign. The delightful stay of the mind showeth our love to it, these pauses of the mind come from sin, are sin, and tend to further sin, Jam. 1.15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Secondly, The Execution of these Motions by the Body, when sin is brought to her consummate effect, Micah 2.1. Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds, when the morning is light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hands. This is a sign of the reign of sin, too much room being given to sin in the heart, that it obtains a mastery there, it violently and effectually commands our practice; which if it be a scandalous enormity, it makes sin to reign for the present. Lesser evils steal into the Throne by degrees, and leaven us with a proud, worldly, or carnal frame of heart; but gross sins invade the Throne in an instant, at least for the present, making fearful havoc and waste of the Conscience, and the repeated acts show our state.

II. That Christians are strictly obliged to take heed that sin get not Dominion over them.

1. By the Light of Nature, which is in part sensible of this disorder, which hath invaded all Mankind, namely, an inclination to seek the happiness and good of the Body above that of the Soul. The very make and constitution of man showeth his Duty, man is composed of a Body and a Soul, both which parts are to be regarded according to the dignity of each, the Body was subordinated to the Soul, and both Soul and Body unto God, his Flesh was a servant unto his Spirit, and both Flesh and Spirit unto the Lord; but sin entering, defaced the Beauty, and disturbed the Harmony and Order of God's Creation and Workmanship: Man withdrew from subordination to God his Maker, seeking his happiness without God, and apart from him, in earthly and worldly things; and also the Body and Flesh is preferred before the Soul, and Reason and Conscience enslaved to Sense and Appetite, Understanding and Will are made bond-slaves to the lusts of the Flesh, which govern and influence all his actions; his Wisdom, Mind and Spirit as it were sunk into the Flesh, and transformed into a brutish Quality and Nature. This many of the wiser Heathens saw, and sought to rectify. Maximus Tyrius calls our Passions and Appetites 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the tumultuous Populacy or common People of the Soul, which must not be left to their own boisterous violence, but be kept under the Law and Empire of the Mind. Philo the Jew calleth them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Woman part in Man, in opposition to Reason, which he maketh to be the Masculine part. Simplicius 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Child in us, which needeth more stayed heads to govern it. And some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Foot part of the Soul, as it is a monstrous disorder, if the feet be there where the head should be; so it is for us to serve divers lusts and pleasures, when we should be governed by Reason. The Stoics generally 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the bestial part in us, which they counted the Man, as if the Beast should ride the Man, as Socrates expressly calls Reason 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Rider or Chariot-driver, as the Body and bodily Inclinations the Horses. Now if the Light of Nature taugh: the Heathens, who knew little of the cause and malignity of this Vitiosity and Disorder, to observe this, and labor under it; surely Christians are more strictly bound to curb the flesh, and moderate the lusts and passions of it. We know more clearly, what an evil it is to love the Creature above God; the Body more than the Soul; the World above Heaven; Riches, Honors and Pleasures more than Grace and Holiness; as the Light of Christianity befriendeth the Light of Nature in this point, we may see clearly how great a disorder it is to obey or fulfil these bodily lusts to the wrong of God and the Soul, and that the true Honor and Dignity of a Man consists in the Victory, which he hath over himself; and that to pamper the flesh is not our honor, but our disgrace; and that these irregular desires should not be gratified, but mortified.

2. Christian Piety, or the Tenor of our Religion requireth it of us. The drift of this Religion is to recover men out of their Apostasy, and to promote true genuine Holiness in the World; to dispossess us of the Beast, and that Man being restored to Man, might be also brought back again to God; or in short, to draw us off from the animal life to life spiritual and eternal. As appeareth.

1. By the Precepts of it, which mainly tend to enforce Self-denial, Mortification, Recess from the World, that we may not miscarry in our Obedience to God by our bodily lusts, Mat. 16.24. If any will come after me, let him deny himself. Col. 3.5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection; evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. The whole drift and business of this Religion is to drive out the Spirit of the World, and to introduce a Divine and heavenly Spirit: 1 Cor. 2.12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God. That part of the World which is mad and brutish, is enslaved to lower things; but the other part, which hath submitted to the healing Institution of Christ, should be wise and heavenly. The Cure which Christ intended, was of the great Disease of Mankind, which was that the immortal Soul being deprest and tainted by the Objects of Sense, doth wholly crook and writhe itself to carnal things, and instead of Likness to God, the Image of a Beast was impressed upon man's Nature, and the Divine part enslaved and embondaged to the brutish.

2. By its Promises: 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Cor. 4.18. That man may seek his happiness in some higher and more transcending good, than the beasts are capable of, something that suits with his immortal Spirit. In short, to draw us off from things we see and inordinately love, to a Glory and Blessedness wholly unseen and future.

3. By the Grace provided for us, namely, the Spirit of Christ, whose great design is to free man from a state of subjection to the flesh, and by overcoming the lusts thereof to make him ready for all the Graces and Duties of the spiritual Life, Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. He is first renewed by this Spirit, Joh. 3.6. That which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit: and then acted and assisted by him, Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

4. By being baptized into this Religion we are bound to this strict care; for in our Baptism we did solemnly renounce the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, as the Usurpers must be thrust out before the rightful Lord can take Possession, Joshua 24.23. Put away the strange God's which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel: and we are dedicated to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier; as before, We are to count ourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God, verse. 11. Now it is the greatest Hypocrisy that can be, to be under this solemn Obligation to God, and let sin reign in us. Baptism is a Sign and Seal of Grace on God's part, and on ours a Bond of Duty; on God's part, that he will cleanse and wash away sin, Acts 22.16. Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins. On our part, it obligeth us to do what in us lieth to destroy sin, a Bond never to be forgotten by us, 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Use 1. To humble us, that we have so much forgotten our solemn Covenant, so much cared for the Body, and so little cared for the Soul; that time and heart hath been so much taken up about those things which belong to the present life. The mortal Body is minded at every turn, and how much may the immortal, but neglected Soul, complain of hard usage? We profess subjection to the Gospel, and therefore should seek first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to us, Mat. 6.33. but we walk too much according to the course of the carnal careless World: Eph. 2.2, 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience; Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.

2. Strengthen the Bonds, and anew devote yourselves to Obedience, verse. 13. Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Bind yourselves for time to come to make it your work, not to indulge the flesh, but save your Souls: Heb. 10.39. For we are not of them that draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

3. Take great heed that sin reign not by bodily lusts.

1. The Necessity of this. These Lusts are represented as deceitful, Eph. 4.22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And as violent and imperious, Rom. 7.20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me: both together, Jam. 1.14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. We are by subtlety blinded by the delusions of the Flesh, and it is always endeavoring to get the Throne, and hurry us to destruction, and seeking to divert us from the Love of God; the more we indulge them, the more imperious they are, the more caution and resolution therefore is necessary.

2. The danger of not doing it.

1. They do not only unfit us for God, but for human Society: Jam. 4.1. From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? They make you disquiet all others near you, as Dogs snarling at one another for a bone or piece of Carrion.

2. They destroy the welfare of our Bodies, the part gratified is depressed by them, Prov. 14.30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy is the rottenness of the bones. Prov. 5.11. Thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed.

3. These Lusts war against the Soul. The perfection of the Soul consists in the Image of God, which is defaced by these Lusts: yea against the Graces and Motions of the Spirit, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit: against the comfort of the Soul, which dependeth on the holy sanctifying Spirit; he is grieved when his work is hindered in us.

4. These Lusts oppose our everlasting Felicity and Happiness, when to gratify the Flesh we run the hazard of losing Soul and Body forever.

1. By Efficiency they steal away our hearts from God, take up our time, turn our thoughts from the one thing necessary. The great end of Faith is the saving of the Soul, they make it the great end of their living, to pamper the Body. They put Heaven away from them, sell it for a trifle; in effect bid God keep his Heaven to himself: Heb. 12.16. Profane Esau for one morsel of bread sold his birt • right.

2. By Desert, Gal. 6.8. He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. Rom. 6.13. Neither yield ye your bodies as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin. God is provoked, and so our Damnation is sure, they spend their strength, time, estates on the service of fleshly Lusts, surely these can look for nothing but everlasting perdition.

SERMON XI.

HERE is the second Branch of the Exhortation, which concerneth Vivification; for expressly the Apostle speaketh to them, as those that are alive from the dead. This part of the Exhortation is propounded negatively, Yield not, &c. positively, but yield, &c.

1. The Negative is necessary. For further declaring the sense of which, he had said before, Let not sin reign in your mortal body. The body is mentioned as the seat of sin for two Reasons:

• First, Because these Lusts gratify the Body and bodily Life, and so pervert the Soul, that is spoken to there.
• Secondly, Because they are executed by the Body, this is spoken to here, if they gain the consent of your minds, yet yield not your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, let them not be acted by your bodies.

2. Positively it is expressed, But yield yourselves unto God. There observe the order set down, first yield yourselves unto God, then, your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. The general Dedication is the ground of the Particular: first I am God's, then I bestow my time and strength for God: first we give ourselves to him, nor in part, but in whole, to serve him with all our heart and all our might and strength, then sometimes the outward or inward Man, as the nature of the business calleth for.

3. In both take notice,

• 1. Of the two opposite Masters, Sin and God.
• 2. The opposite Employments are Righteousness and Unrighteousness.
• 3. The Instrument used by both, and that is the Body, or the members of the Body.

1. The two Masters, Sin and God ; the one is an Usurper, the other is our rightful and most gracious Lord. God is our proper Lord, for he is our Creator, and therefore our Owner and Governor, and he is our most gracious Lord jure beneficiario, he hath obliged us to him by many benefits; so that a Christian should say as Paul did, Acts 27.23. His I am, and him I serve.

2. The two Employments, Unrighteousness and Righteousness. Unrighteousness is put for all evil works and actions; for all sin is unrighteousness, whether committed against God or man. By sin we deal unrighteously with God, whom we disobey and dishonor, Mal. 1.6. If I be a Father, where is mine honor? if I be a Master, where is my fear? we deny God his due. We deal unrighteously with ourselves, whom we defile and destroy, 1 Cor. 6.18. He that committed fornication, sinneth against his own body: and Prov. 8.36. He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul. And also in many sins we hurt our Neighbor, either in Soul, Body, Goods, or good Name, as is evident. On the other side, Holiness is Righteousness, or giving God his due. Righteousness is sometimes taken strictly for that Grace which inclineth us to perform our duty to man, as 1 Tim. 6.11. Follow after righteousness, godliness, &c. Rom. 1.18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Sometimes largely, for newness of Life, for all those holy actions which are required of a Christian, 1 Joh. 2.29. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that everyone that doth righteousness is born of him.

3. The Instrument used in both is the Body, or the members of the Body. For our Body is of a middle Nature, which may be used well or ill; and the members of the Body are weapons, with which the Soul is armed to do well or ill; and it is notable, that the word used by the Apostle is not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , instrumenta, as we render it in the Text, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , weapons or arms, as we translate it in the Margine. The work on both sides is a kind of Warfare.

1. They that serve sin or indulge bodily lusts, sight for Sin and the Devil against God and their own Salvation, 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. Rom. 7.23. I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind. While ye suffer the body to be thus employed, ye wage war against God, whether ye know it, or own it, yea or no.

2. The other work is also a Warfare, our Graces are called Armor of light, Rom. 13.12. though you fight for your Duty, you must perform it.

Doctrine. That sincere Christians should not suffer themselves to be employed by Sin, but offer up and present themselves to God to do his Will.

• 1. Let us explain the Duty.
• 2. Shew you the Necessity of it.

1. In explaining the Duty here enforced, let me observe to you.

1. That there are two Masters, which divide the World between them, Sin and God, every man doth serve one of these; but no man can serve both. Every man serveth one of these, Sin or Righteousness, God or Satan; for there is no neutral or middle state; either their time and strength is spent in the service of the Flesh, or in the service of God: Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Gal. 6.8. They that sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but they that sow to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Now it concerneth us to consider, what or who it is that employeth us. Our Bodies are worn out, and the vigor of Nature is daily spent; but in what? in pleasing the flesh in that which it craveth; or in serving, pleasing, and glorifying God? The Prophet saith, Isa. 55.2. Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Every man is at the cost and expense of his time and labor, and bestoweth it on something or other; but in what? Do not think of compounding the matter; for as every man serveth one of these Masters, so no man serveth both, Mat. 6.24. No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and Mammon. They both require our full strength, and both command contrary things; therefore as a man cannot go two contrary ways at once, so he cannot obey these two Masters: if sin reign in our Souls, it draweth all things into obedience; the consent of your minds is not enough to satisfy it, but it will employ the body to fulfil its cravings, and especially those two Adjuncts of the bodily Life, Time and Strength. And Grace doth the like, the Faculties and Powers of the Soul and Body must be employed one way or another, they cannot lie idle in such an active restless Creature as man is.

2. Both these Services are entered into by consent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . (1.) Some men pronely yield up themselves to do what sin would have to be done; therefore they are said to give themselves to work wickedness, and where sin is vehement and obstinate, they are said to sell themselves to work wickedness, and in other Phrases, Eccles. 8.11. The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Eph. 4.19. They have given themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness: when they have cast off all remorse of Conscience, and fear of God's Judgments, with full consent they abandon themselves to their brutish lusts and filthy desires, there is no check nor restraint can hold them. But this is when sin is grown an height, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Jude 11: They have ran greedily, &c. as water is poured out of a Bucket: But generally in all sin there is a voluntariness, if not a willfulness in it, as a stone runneth down hill, because it is its own proper motion. (2.) To God we consecrate ourselves with a thorough consent of will, Rom. 12.1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And 2 Cor. 8.5. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the word either alludeth to Servants, who stand before or in the presence of their Lord and Master, to show their readiness to be commanded or employed by him; so present yourselves to show your readiness to obey all the commands of God: or in allusion to the Sacrifice, which was presented before the Altar, in token that the party did design it, and with it himself to God: so do we yield up ourselves to God, Bodies and Souls, all that we are and have we resign it to him. There is this difference in both these resignations, the Devils Servants do not what they do in love to him, but to their own flesh; but Christ's Servants do what they do in love to him, as well as to themselves, they know him, and love him, he is not a Master to be ashamed of. The giving up ourselves to sin is a concealed act, we would not be seen in it; for there is somewhat in their own hearts to check it and condemn it, some Conscience of good and evil, as also a fear of blame from God and the World, and so men do it covertly; but do we give up ourselves solemnly and professedly?

3. The service of sin should not be allowed by us, (1.) Partly because Sin is an Usurper, whereas God hath a full and clear right both to our Bodies and our Souls, for he made them both. Sinners so far as they own a God, and their obligations to him, cannot but look upon sin as a disorder, for it alienateth our subjection from him, to whom it is due. All sinners are not Atheists, and therefore can never get off this Conviction, that God is their Owner, for he is their Maker, and framed them for such an use and end, namely, to keep his Laws; therefore to lend or give their bodies to sin, is disloyalty and rebellion against the great and just Sovereign of the World, 1 Joh. 3.4. Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law. Men do not only say, but notionally know, that God is their Owner; but if they did practically improve it, the reformation of the World would not be so desperate a Cure as it is; but alas! professing to know God, in their works they deny him, Tit. 1.16. their lives are quite contrary to their notional acknowledgement of God, what could they do more or worse, if there were no God? Reason will tell us, that it is impossible for us to be our own; for we neither made ourselves, nor can we subsist of ourselves for one moment. All wicked men are God's, whether they will or no, yea the Devils themselves not expected, they are his against their wills, and therefore do not live as his. (2.) Sin is God's enemy and ours too; it destroyeth us while it seemeth to gratify us, The end of these things is death, Rom. 6.21. Now he is a Traitor to his Country, that supplieth the Enemy with Arms: you wrong God, and wrong your own Bodies and Souls; Therefore yield not your members us weapons of unrighteousness unto sin. It is a miserable thing to be Traitors to God and ourselves: Thy d • struction i • of thyself, Hos. 13.9. our misery is of our own procuring; God is not to be blamed, but our own perverse choice, we cherish a Serpent in our bosoms, that will sting us to death.

4. Since sin cannot challenge any just Title to us, it is unquestionably our Duty to yield up ourselves to the Lord. Let us see in what manner it is to be done.

1. It must be done with hearty and full consent of Will. In the Covenant of Grace God demandeth his Right to be given him by your Consent, it is indeed a due Debt, but it is called a Gift: My son, give me thy heart, Prov. 23.20. because you become his People not by constraint, but by consent: Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power ; and therefore it is resembled to Marriage, than which nothing should be more free and voluntary: Cant. 2.16. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. Thus freely and willingly should we resign ourselves to him.

2. It must be out of a deep sense of his Love and Mercy: Rom. 12.1. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, &c. and especially his great Love in Christ: 2 Cor. 5.14. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, &c. There must be thankfulness in the Resolution to become the Lord's, for no bands will so strongly hold us to our Duty as the bands of Love; when the Soul is filled with admirations of his Grace, and the ravishing sense of the wonders of his Love in Christ, we do most kindly, heartily, and thoroughly surrender ourselves to God.

3. It must be with grief and shame, that his Right hath been so long detained from him, and that we have: wasted so much of our time and strength in the service of sin: 1 Pet. 4.1, 2, 3. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin, That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquettings, and abominable idolatries. Therefore we should the more earnestly make restitution. O how sad a thing is it to grow old and grey-headed in the Devils service, and to spend the fresh and flower of our time so vainly and unprofitably! Alas, how hath our time, strength, and parts been wasted, and unprofitably employed! Let us at length seek to do as much for God, as ever we have done for sin.

4. This Resolution must be full and entire, of all that you are and have. All your Faculties, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price; Therefore glorify God with your bodies and souls which are God's: All that the Soul can do, and the Body can do, it is all due to God, and all to be devoted to him. In every state, Rom. 14.7, 8. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. Whatever you are and have, you must have that, and be that to God, living, dying, sickness, health, in prosperity, in adversity, in every action: Zech. 14.20, 21. In that day shall there be upon the balls of the horses HOLINESS TO THE LORD, and the pots in the Lord's house shall be like the bowls before the Altar, yea every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be Holiness to the Lord of Hosts. There must be God's impress on all we do, our Civil and Sacred actions; all Reserves are hypocritical; what one Faculty you keep back from God, you do what you can to cut it off from his Blessing. Would you be contented, if God should take the Soul to Heaven, and leave the Body in Hell? or the contrary. What estate is not given to God, is not sanctified: what action is not ordered towards him as our last end, is not rewarded, so that you give all or none rightly.

5. The end why we give up ourselves to God is to be governed, disposed, and ordered by him, to be what he would have us to be, and to do what he will have us to do, to submit ourselves to his disposing Will, and subject ourselves to his commanding Will.

First, To submit ourselves to his disposing Will, or the Dominion of his Providence. Let God carry you to Heaven in what way soever he pleaseth, if by many afflictions, or sharp pains, and infirmities of body, you dare not prescribe to God. You must say as Christ, Heb. 10.5, 6. A body hast thou prepared for me, Lo I come to do thy will. God is wise, and knoweth that if we had a more healthy body, we might be in danger of neglecting the Soul; or if we had more of the World, we should neglect Heaven. Therefore you must except nothing out of your resignation, better the Body be pained, than the Soul lost, the thorn that sticketh in the flesh may occasion rich experiences of Grace. It may be God will have you to glorify him by Martyrdom, Phil. 1.20. Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death ; that is, either by living in the body to preach the Gospel longer, or signing the Truth of his Blood, if he died. So see David's resignation, 2 Sam. 15.26. Let the Lord do unto me what seemeth good to him. So we should humbly submit to the good will of God. Dan. 3.18. But if not, Be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy God's, nor worship the golden image that thou hast set up. They yielded their bodies to be burned, that they might not serve any gods but the Lord.

Secondly, To subject ourselves to his commanding Will, or to do what he will have us to do. This is principally considered here, we give up ourselves to God, that our bodies may be employed as instruments of Righteousness. All external Duties, or fruits of our Love to God in Christ are acted by the Body, therefore we resign up ourselves to him to obey him in these things: surely it is meet that God should rule the Creatures that he hath made; therefore we should be able to say as the Psalmist, Psal. 119.94. I am thine, save me, for I have sought thy precepts. One that maketh Conscience of his resignation to God, will be careful both to know and do his will; Paul as soon as he was smitten with Conviction, cries out, Acts 9.6. Lord! what wilt thou have me to do?

5. When you have thus dedicated yourselves to God, you must use yourselves for him; for the sincerity of our Dedication is known by our Use. Many give up themselves to God, but in the use of themselves there appeareth no such matter; they use their tongues as their own, to talk what they please, their hearts as their own to think and desire what they please, their bodies, their wealth, their time, their strength, as if it were all their own, and the hand of Consecration had never been upon them: Psal. 12.4. Our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us? This is the language not of their mouths, but of their lives, these re-assume the possession of that which they had surrendered to the Lord. No, you have, as to disposal, lost all property in yourselves, and must look upon yourselves ever after not as your own, but God's; they are vessels set apart for the masters use, 2 Tim. 2.21. and accordingly we must live not to ourselves, but to God: 2 Cor. 5.15. And that he died for all, that they that live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them, and rose again. Nothing must be alienated from him, but used as he shall direct and appoint. All your powers and faculties are his, and to be employed for him.

II. Let me show you the Reasons of it. They are taken from the Right God hath in you and to you. Justice requireth that we should give everyone his own, to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, to God the things that are God's. We do but restore to God that which is his before, when we give up ourselves to him. Now we are God's,

1. By his creating us out of nothing, It is he that hath made us, not we ourselves, Psal. 100.3. Surely God hath a propriety in all that we have; for we have all by his creating Bounty, as the Potter hath power over his own Clay. So saith God in all the Vessels which he hath formed, he formed them for himself. If the Husbandman may call the Vine his own, which he hath planted in his own ground and soil, God may much more call the Creature his own, which he hath made. The Husbandman cannot make the Vine, but only set it, and dress it; but we are wholly and solely of him, and from him, and from nothing else, and therefore we should be wholly and solely for him, and nothing else.

2. By Preservation, God is Lord of all, because he preserveth all, Nehem. 9.6. Thou even thou art Lord alone, thou hast made Heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are therein, and thou preservest them all, and the host of Heaven worshippeth thee. Preservation is the continuation of our Being by his providential influence and supportation, Acts 17.28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being. Heb. 11.3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. If we could any moment exempt ourselves from the dominion and influence of his Providence, we might be supposed to be exempted in that moment from his Jurisdiction and Government: But man wholly depending on God for Being and Preservation, we cannot lay claim to our time and strength, not for one minute or moment; for we can hold neither Body nor Soul, nor anything that we have a minute longer than God pleaseth. If you will serve yourselves, and please yourselves, live of yourselves, if you can.

3. By Redemption, that Right is pleaded, 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your bodies and souls, which are God's. By Creation and Preservation we are God's; but Redemption constituteth such a new Right and Title, as doth not only strengthen the former, but also is comfortable to us. If a Slave were not killed out-right, but continued a day or two, though he died by the stripes given him by his Master, there was no Plea or Accusation could be commenced against the Master for the life of his Slave, Exod. 21.21. He was his money, that is, purchased by his money; God hath bought us at an higher rate than money, 1 Pet. 1.18. For ye are redeemed not with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversations, received by tradition from your fathers: but with the precious blood of the Son of God, as of a Lamb without spot and blemish. Therefore the Redeemed are bound to serve him that ransomed them. All our time and strength belongeth to the Redeemer, who hath ransomed us from the worst slavery, the bondage of Sin and Satan, and with the greatest Price, his own Blood. This was Christ's end, Rom. 14 9. For to this end Christ both died, and rose and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

4. Christians have owned this Right by their Covenant consent. Our Bodies and Souls were consecrated to Christ, when we gave up our Names to him in Baptism: Thou entredst into Covenant with me, and becamest mine, Ezek. 16.8. then were we enrolled in God's Cense-book, Isa. 44.5. One shall say, I am the Lord's: and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob: and another shall subscribe with the hand to the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel. By voluntary Contract and Resignation we gave up ourselves, and all that is ours to God. Baptism is our Sacramentum militare, our military Oath, we were then listed in his Warfare and Service. When Christ was baptized, he was consecrated as the Captain of our Salvation, and there presently after his Baptism he entered into the Lists with Satan. We are entered as private Soldiers: now it is Treachery and breach of Covenant, if after we have owned and acknowledged God's Right in us, we shall alienate ourselves from him, and use ourselves for ourselves at our own list and pleasure.

5. By Regeneration, whereby we are actually taken into Christ's Possession, and fitted for his Use. This Right is pleaded in the Text, As those that are alive from the dead, yield up yourselves to God. There is a double Argument in it.

1. As it puts an obligation upon us. It is by the tender Mercies of the Lord that you are recovered out of the death of sin to the life of Grace: Eph. 4.4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. We that were once wretched and miserable, liable to death, utterly disabled for the service of our Creator, that he of his Grace hath called us and quickened us, and made us alive, who were formerly dead: we have this spiritual Life from him and for him. This should be an everlasting obligation upon us, while we have a day to live, to remember God hath renewed you for himself.

2. As it puts an inclination into us. Men that are raised to a new Life are fitted to do him service, they are delivered from the power and death of sin, have received Grace to serve him acceptably; the new Creature is fitted for the operations that belong to it: Eph. 2.10. For we are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus to good works, that we might walk therein. The withered branch is planted into the good Vine-stock, that it may live again, and bring forth fruit unto God. So that if we have been made partakers of this mercy, we are bound, and we are inclined, this shows God's propriety in us, that he expecteth to be honored by us.

Use 1. Information.

1. It shows how vain the Plea was of those Libertines in Calvin's time (against whom he is justly severe) and their Adherents, who thought they might serve sin with their bodies, as long as they did dislike and disallow it with their Souls, they were safe enough. They were wont to say, Non ego, s • d Asinus meus, it was their Drudge the body that sinned, not they. No, the Apostle saith, Give not up your members as weapons of unrighteousness, &c. and elsewhere, Glorify God in your bodies and souls, which are God's. And the Apostle pleadeth the dignity of the Body, and how it is defiled by Fornication and other inordinacies, 1 Cor. 6. per totum.

2. That it is not enough to abstain from evil, but we must do good; for the Apostle saith, Yield not, and then yield. So the Apostle saith, 2 Tim. 2.21. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel of honor, sanctified and meet for the masters use, and prepared unto every good work. So 2 Cor. 5.15. And that he died for all, that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. They are sinners that hide their Talent in a Napkin, though they live not in apparent gross sins: all that time and strength that is bestowed on sin is used against God; but what is idly and impertinently lost, is not used for him. Both deprive God of his Right, the one alienate their time and strength, the other mis spend it. Some do not run into Gluttony, Drunkenness, Oppression, Adultery, (these apparently use their bodies as weapons of unrighteousness) but they do not live to God, and so are defective in the other part.

3. It showeth what care we should take, how we employ our bodies; for the members of the body are instruments of the Soul to execute that which it willeth and desireth, and sin without the body is unfurnished with Arms. But chiefly two things should we take care of in the body, the senses by which we let in sin, and the tongue by which we let out sin; for it is the Interpreter of the Heart.

First, For the Senses, a Christian should not be guided by his Senses, but by his Reason, and Conscience as sanctified by Grace. Our Lord would teach us, that it were better to want senses, than gratify them with an offense and wrong to God, against them that cannot deny the pleasures of senses: Mat. 5.29, 30. If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast if from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Better be blind, than by wanton gazing run the hazard of damnation; not that we should maim ourselves, but of the two count it the less evil. Therefore to want the sinful pleasure should not be so grievous, when we should be content to want the sense itself. The far greatest part of the world are merely guided by their senses, because the far greatest part of the world are unconverted and unsanctified, and the world is full of allurements to the flesh, and the more we enjoy the good things thereof, the more is corruption strengthened within us: and as the heart stands affected, sensitive objects make a deeper or slighter impression on us. Some temptations, which are nothing to another, may be great matters to some, who cannot deny themselves without great difficulty. Therefore when such temptations as suit with our fancies and appetites, assault us with more than ordinary potency, we must remember Sense is not to be the ruling Power in our Souls, but Grace. Sometimes sin is brought to our hands, and the bait is played to our mouths; as Joshua 7.21. Achan saw, coveted and purloined the wedge of gold. Prov. 6.25. Lust not after her beauty in thy heart, neither let her take thee with her eye-lids. 2 Sam. 11.2. David saw Bathsheba, and so his heart was fired. In short, Sense is an ill and dangerous Guide, it was never given for a Judge or Counselor to determine or direct, but an Informer to represent the outward forms of things; partly natural, to inform us of things profitable or hurtful to the outward man; partly spiritual, to transmit the objects of God's Wisdom, Power and Goodness to our minds, or to be the ordinary passage, by which the daily effects of God's Love and Mercy are conveyed to our hearts. God instituted them for helps, but we make them snares. Well then, better want senses than gratify them with the displeasure of God; to lose an Eye is a far less evil than to lose a Soul.

Secondly, For the Tongue. The Apostle saith it produceth a world of evil. It hath a great use in Religion, to vent the conceptions of our minds to the praise and glory of God: Jam. 3.9. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. In the general think of this, every member must be an instrument of Righteousness: is my tongue now employed for God or for Satan, when you are apt to run into censuring, detraction, vain and frivolous talk?

Use 2. To press you to this solemn Dedication of yourselves to God, entirely, unreservedly, irrevocably.

1. God giveth himself to you in Covenant, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all their infinite Goodness, Wisdom, Power, &c. and will not you give yourselves wholly to God?

2. You are already absolutely wholly his, and will not you consent that he shall be your God, and you his People? that is all that is wanting: Jer. 24.7. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. This God worketh by his renewing Grace.

3. You are never so much your own as when you are God's, not as to disposal, but as to enjoyment: 1 Cor. 3.23. All are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's: There lieth your safety, glory, and happiness; it is the foundation of all obedience, and of all comfort. (1.) Of obedience, you will not easily yield to temptations, a Christian hath this answer ready, I am dedicated to God: 1 Cor. 6.15. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of an harlot? God forbid! Nor will you stick at interest, 2 Cor. 8.5. They first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. (2.) Then for Comfort, Joh. 14.1. Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me. 1 Tim 6.8. Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. 1 Pet. 5.7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. This easeth you of all your cares and fears, you are God's; nay it secureth you against eternal miseries, Joh. 12.20. Where I am, there shall my servant be.

Use 3. To put us upon self-reflection. Is your Dedication to God sincere? If so,

1. In the whole course of your Conversations you will prefer his Interest before your own, and when any interest of your own riseth up against the interest of God, you will set light by it, as if it were nothing worth, and then no self-respects will tempt you to disobey God, though never so powerful; no hire draw you to the smallest sin, nor danger fright you from your Duty, Dan. 3.17, 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King! But if not, be it known unto thee, O King! that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image, that thou hast set up. Acts 20.24. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. If we can but forget ourselves and remember God, he will remember us better than if we had remembered ourselves. We secure whatever we put into God's hands, and venture in his service.

2. You will make Conscience how you spend your time and strength, God keepeth account, Luke 19.23. Wherefore gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury? So you will keep a faithful reckoning, how you lay out yourselves for God, that share he hath in all things we have and do. God observeth, so must we, whether God have his own, and we do not defraud him; whose work are you a doing?

3. You will have a liberal heart, you will think no service too much, or loss too great for God: Phil. 1.21. For me to live is Christ, all other things come from God. Certainly you must not put him off with what the flesh will spare.

SERMON XII.

THE Apostle had exhorted them to Mortification, verse. 12. to Vivification, verse. 13. in both to Caution, that sin may not usurp the power and place of God, who alone should command and govern both our Souls and Bodies. To fight for sin is to fight against God, which should be an horrid thing to Christians, who should employ all their powers and faculties to keep up God's interest in their Souls, by maintaining that new Life that is given them by God. If we have any Weapons or Instruments, they should be employed for God, and not for sin, because sin was not their Lord now as heretofore, it neither had, nor shall have dominion over you. If a man should speak to any City (suppose in Hungary, or other Frontier of Christendom) newly freed from Turkish slavery, Care not for the commands and threatenings of the Turks anymore, they do not Lord it over you as they were wont to do: the very same is the Argument of the Apostle, Sin hath not the same strength against you, which before it had, now you are regenerate and alive from the dead. Nay he speaketh with more advantage of expression, than any can in an outward case, sin hath not, sin shall not have dominion, &c. if you keep striving and fighting against it, this Tyrant shall not recover the Kingdom in you, which he hath lost; but you shall become victorious by Christ. There are two things which encourage us to fight, (1.) the goodness of the Cause, (2.) the assurance and hope of Victory. The Cause is good; for the business in debate is, to whom we should yield up ourselves? to sin, or to God? or in whose Warfare we shall employ the faculties and powers of Body and Soul? If we take to God's side, the Victory is clear, that Grace which hath freed us from the Tyranny of sin, is able to free us still, that we shall no more come under that bondage. Strive we must, for unless we fight and make good our resignation, sin will reign; but let not the sense of our weakness discourage us in our endeavors against sin: though there be some relicts of the flesh, yet the Sanctification of the Spirit shall prevail, and therefore it is laziness and cowardice, if we do not strive duly against sin; For sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.

In the words observe,

1. The Privilege of the renewed and striving Christian, Sin shall not have dominion over you.

2. The Reason of the Certainty of it. For ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. This Reason is both Negatively and Affirmatively expressed.

• 1. Negatively, For ye are not under the Law.
• 2. Positively, But under Grace. Both Expressions have their proper Emphasis, as you will see by and by.

1. The Privilege of the renewed and striving Christian.

1. That the renewed Christian is here considered is plain from all the foregoing Context, he speaketh of those that were dead unto sin, ver. 2. not only in Profession and Baptismal Vow, but really by virtue of their Union to Christ, ver. 5. But how is a Christian dead unto sin? not so as that it should be wholly extinguished in us, but so as that it is a dying, and the Victory is sure to those that strive against it. Again, he speaketh of those that are alive from the dead, v. 13. had a new Life begun in them, and have renounced sin, and effectually presented and resigned up themselves to God's use and service.

2. That the renewed Christian is here considered as striving, because they are the same Persons, who were exhorted, ver. 12. not to let sin reign, what is here a Promise, is there an Exhortation: Again, they were such as had presented their Members and Faculties to the Lord as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , weapons or instruments of righteousness, now what are weapons but for Warfare: they had undertaken in their Covenant-resignation not only to work, but fight for God. Rom. 13.12. the Graces of the Spirit are called Armor of Light: Christ doth array us non ad pompam, sed ad pugnam, not for show, but use. A Christian can do no good, but he must fight first. Again, carnal inferences are rejected with indignation, ver. 15. What then, shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid! and therefore the Christian here is not considered as loose and lazy, but as warring and fighting against sin. Once more, the Argument here implieth it, ye are under Grace, which impelleth and urgeth us to resist sin, and the lusts thereof. God giveth power to overcome it. So then the Apostles purpose is, to exhort the renewed Christian strongly to resist sin, because through Grace he is sure to carry away the Victory; whilst we work and concur with our wills and endeavors, God worketh in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2.12.

2. The Reason of it,

1. Negatively expressed, Ye are not under the Law. By the Law is meant the Covenant of Works, which requireth exact obedience, but giveth no strength to obey; the Law requireth what we must do, but giveth no power to do what it commandeth, it forbiddeth sin, and denounceth Judgment, it terrifieth by its Threatenings, and raiseth a tempest in the Conscience, but it doth not afford us any help and relief, and so rather irritateth and provoketh the power of sin, than suppresseth it: Rom. 7.8. Sin taking occasion, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence; for without the Law sin was dead: as a River swelleth, the more it is restrained by any lett or damm; so is corruption stirred, and then a man is discouraged, giveth over all endeavor of repressing it. So 2 Cor. 3.6. The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. The first Covenant did only denounce and aggravate our condemnation, and put us in despair.

2. Affirmatively and Positively expressed, But under Grace, under the new Covenant, or under the Grace of Jesus Christ, who hath not only redeemed us from the guilt of sin, but also from the power of sin. The Grace of Remission is our encouragement, and the Grace of Sanctification our help and relief.

First, The Grace of Remission is a great encouragement, freeth us from the bondage of despairing thoughts, which weaken our endeavors. Therefore the Apostle opposeth the Spirit of Power to the Spirit of Fear, Christ offering a Pardon upon Repentance, doth strengthen our hands in our work.

Secondly, The Grace of Sanctification is our help. God by his Spirit giveth life and strength to do what he requires of us, and power to resist sin, that we may overcome it: Rom. 8.2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the Law of sin and death. 1 Joh. 5.4. Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory, whereby we overcome the world, even our faith. Lex jubet, Gratia juvat, The Law commandeth, but Grace helpeth.

Doctrine. That sin should not, and shall not reign over those who are under the sacred Power and Influence of Jesus Christ.

(1.) De Jure, it should not reign over them, it hath no right to rule, it is an Usurper. They who are redeemed by Christ should bind this Duty upon their hearts, charge themselves with it, to take heed that sin doth not reign: it was once our Lord and Master, but we have changed Masters, and profess ourselves now to be dead to sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord; therefore we should strive against it, lest it recover its old dominion over us.

(2.) De Facto, it is not fully obeyed, it doth not absolutely get the Victory, and bear rule in our hearts, but is weakened more and more in them, who have given up themselves to the Regiment and Government of Grace. Here

• 1. What is the Dominion of Sin?
• 2. What need the Children of God to take heed it be not set up in their hearts?
• 3. What hopes and encouragements they have by the Gospel, or Grace of Jesus Christ, whilst they are striving against it?

1. What is the Dominion of Sin? That will be best known by some Distinctions and Propositions.

1. We must distinguish between the Being and Reign of Sin. The Apostle doth not say, Ye shall not sin anymore, because ye are not under the Law, but under Grace ; but sin shall not have dominion over you, it shall not get the better. Sin doth remain and dwell in the Saints, though not reign over them, as the Beasts in Dan. 7.12. Their dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. It is cast down in regard of Regency, but not cast out in regard of Inherency; Grace doth not wholly extinguish it, but only repel the motions of it. Sin will rebel, but it shall not reign, they do not give way to it, nor actually obey and embrace the commands of it, they do not do all that sin would have them to do. If the Apostle had said, Let not sin be in your mortal bodies, as long as we carry flesh about us he would not have expected the Exhortation to have been fully answered; but he saith, Let it not reign, which as well can as it ought to be complied with.

2. Sin doth reign, when either it is not opposed, or when it is opposed weakly, and with a faint resistance. Where it is not opposed, there it remaineth in its full strength; and where it is opposed weakly, and without any victory and success, it argueth only a sense of Duty, but no effect of Grace.

1. Sin reigneth when it is not opposed, when a man doth yield up himself to execute all the commands thereof, and doth fulfil and obey its lusts: as the Ambitious, the Worldly, and the Voluptuous do whatsoever their lusts command them with a miserable bondage, yea they willingly walk after it: Prov. 7.22. He goeth after her straightway as an ox to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks. Sin is as a Guest to evil men, but as a Thief and Robber to the godly, welcome to the one, but the other would not have it come into their hearts. It is one thing to wear a Chain as an Ornament, another as a Bond and Fetter; to give way to sin, or to have it break in upon us; to put it on willingly, or to have it put and forced upon us. It may be they may be sensible of it, they may purpose not to do it, or may complain of it; but this is a constant Truth, That we oftener complain of sin than we do resist it, and oftener resist it than prevail against it. It is not enough for men to see their sins, or blame them in themselves, or to purpose to amend them, and forsake them, but they must strive to overcome them, and in striving, prevail. But we speak now of the first complaining of sin. There is a double deceit of heart, whereby men harden themselves in complaining of sin without resistance of it. (1.) Either men complain of other sins, and not the main, as if a man should complain of an aking tooth, when the disease hath seized upon the Vitals; or of a cut finger, when at the same time he is wounded at the heart; of wandering thoughts in Prayer, when at the same time the heart is habitually averse or estranged from God, through some Idols which are set up there, Ezek • 4.3, 5. Son of man, these men have set up their Idols in their heart, and put the stumbling-block of their iniquity before their face, should I be inquired of at all by them? And verse. 5. That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their Idols. They complain of want of quickening Grace, when it may be they want converting Grace, as if we would have the Spirit of God to blow to a dead coal. So when we pray for strengthening Grace, when we should ask renewing Grace, and confess only the infirmities of the Saints, when we should bewail the misery of an unregenerate carnal estate. And we cry out of some incident weaknesses, when we should first see that our habitual aversion from God is cured. As Moses pleaded many things, why he should not be sent to Egypt, he was not eloquent, and the like: Exod. 4.19. Go return into Egypt, for all the men are dead which sought thy life: he had never pleaded this, but God knew where the pinch was, and that was the main ground of his tergiversation, and therefore gently toucheth his privy sore. So some complain of other things, this and that is amiss, but the main thing is neglected and slightly passed over. (2) We rather complain than give over sinning, resistance is certainly a greater evidence of a sincere heart than complaining. We should not be so haunted with Temptations, if we did resist more, Jam. 4.7. Resist the devil, and he shall flee from you. Satan only hath weapons offensive, as fiery darts; he hath none defensive, as a Christian hath, namely, sword and shield, and we should not be so much troubled with the ill consquents of sin; who will pity that man that complains of soreness and pain, and doth not take the gravel out of his shoo? If you wound and goar yourselves, no question but your smart and trouble is real, you do not complain in Hypocrisy; but who is to be blamed? your business is to remove the cause. We read of the young man, Mat. 10.22. He was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions. His grief was a real grief, but the cause was in himself, he would have Christ, and yet keep his love to the World still; so many complain of their Lusts, not as a burden, for they indulge them, but because of their inconvenience, they cannot reconcile their sense of Duty with those corrupt affections which it apparently disproveth.

2. When it is opposed weakly, and with a faint resistance. It is not enough for men to see their sins, and blame them in themselves, or purpose to amend and forsake them, but they must strive to overcome them, and in striving prevail, for otherwise sensuality carrieth it, because our Reason and Will make too weak an opposition. Jesus Christ our Head and Chief resisted Satan's motions with indignation, Get thee behind me, Satan ; so must we, when we speak faintly and coldly, the Devil reneweth the assault with the more violence; therefore our resistance must be valid and strong. Many purposes there are that come to nothing, because they are not deep and serious: Pharaoh in his qualms proposed to let the Children of Israel go; and yet when it came to it, he would not let them go: Saul purposed in his heart not to kill David, yea bound it by an Oath; yet afterwards he attempted it, 1 Sam. 19.6. compared with 10, and 11. So many times they purpose to avoid the sin, by which they have been foiled; but when the Temptation returneth, they are over-born with it, as marish ground is drowned with the return of every Tide. Many are persuaded that sin is evil, as contrary to God, and hurtful to themselves; hereupon they have some mind to let it go, yea some wishes and weak desires, that Christ would save them from it; yet still have a Love that is greater than their Dislike, the bent of their hearts is more for it, than against it, and their habitual inclination is more to keep it, than leave it. Therefore we must look not only to our endeavor, but to the success, that we have against sin; for if our Will were more strong, and our endeavor more serious, we should have more success; if there were a firm ratified resolution of mortifying and crucifying every sin, and an endeavoring against sin with all speed and diligence, the old man would more decay in us, and the life of Grace be set up with greater power and efficacy. I would not leave this point without distinct information.

1. Then there are certain unavoidable infirmities, which the Saints cannot get rid of, though they fain would; such as the Apostle speaketh of, Rom. 7.19. When I would do good, evil is present with me. As those swarms of noisome and unsavory thoughts, which are injected on a sudden, and do hinder us and distract us in the best employment, wandering thoughts in the time of Prayer, never distinctly consented to, rash words spoken of a sudden, sudden unpremeditated actions. In these cases watching and striving is conquering, for you do prevail in part, though not in whole, it preventeth many of them. Of this nature are want of degrees of Love to God, and that liberty and purity in his service, which the holy Soul aimeth at, and the first stirrings and risings of corruption in the heart.

2. There are a smaller sort of sins, as the sins of daily incursion, Jam. 3.2. In many things we offend all of us. There is no man so exact but his watch is intermitted, and then he will be sinning; other cannot be looked for in this state of frailty, wherein we now are. We bewray too much dullness, weariness formality in our Duties to God, our domestic crosses put us into fits of anger and discontent; in our public actions some intermixture of Hypocrisy and vain Glory, some high-mindedness in our Prosperity, some distrust and uncomely disquiet of spirit in our Adversity. Our Lord telleth us, Joh. 13.10. He that is washed, needeth not, save to wash his feet ; they that are in an holy state by walking up and down in the World in the several businesses and employments thereof, contract some filth, which must be washed off every day by a renewed application of the Blood of Christ, which is the Fountain God hath opened for uncleanness. Though the Saints do not (like Swine) voluntarily wallow in the puddle, yet in a polluted World they contract some filth. In this case every failing must make us more wary and watchful, and teach us wisdom, that we do not lapse another time.

3. By the sway of great and head-strong Passions, some that make Conscience of their ways in the general, may fall into sins more heinous; but they do not make a trade of it, or settle in such an evil way. To lapse ordinarily, frequently, easily into these sins, will not stand with Grace. The Saints may fail in their Duty strangely on occasions, as David, Peter, Lot, &c. as a man sailing into France, a Tempest may drive him into Spain, or some other Country: their face is towards Heaven, but a sudden Passion may drive them another way; as the wicked are good by fits, but evil by constitution; so the Children of God, the constitution and bent of their hearts is towards God, for a fit or so they may do things misbecoming the new Nature, but as soon as awakened, they retract their sins by a special Repentance: Psal. 51.3, 4. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.

3. As sin in general should not bear sway in our hearts, so no one sin should have dominion over us, Psal. 119.133. Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me: neither this nor that. One sin allowed may keep God out of the Throne, and may keep afoot Satan's interest in the Soul. Certainly he that is in the state of Grace, lieth in no known sin. Every known sin sets up another God and Lord, and all his actions will have an evil tincture from that sin, every action will be levelled with the main thing which he affects, be it what it will be: therefore it is dangerous to know anything to be sin, and yet to go on still to commit it, though it be not in materia gravi, in an heinous case; as for instance, vain speeches, wanton gestures, &c. he knoweth it is a sin to be idle, it cometh into his mind, his Conscience telleth him that he should not, yet he will: so for immoderate Gaming, as to the expense of Time or Money, if one convinced that he should not, yet will use it, these lesser failings persisted in, and kept up constantly against the light and checks of Conscience, may amount to a dangerous evil. Surely all that fear and love God, should be very tender of displeasing and dishonoring him. The domination of acts of sin is dangerous, though they be not settled so as to damn him, ye they may cause God to afflict you, hide his face from you, and humble you with a sense of his displeasure. Small sins continued in against checks of Conscience, may do us a great deal of harm, and get the upper hand of the Sinner, and bring him under in time; after, if habituated by long custom, so as he cannot easily shake off the yoke, or redeem himself from the Tyranny thereof, they steal into the Soul insensibly, and get strength, as multiplied acts; but gross presumptuous sins by one single act bring a mighty advantage to the Flesh, weaken the Spirit, advance themselves suddenly.

4. As particular sins get into the Throne by turns, sometimes one, sometimes another; so there are evil frames of Spirit that do more directly oppose the Esteem and Sovereignty, and Power of God in the heart: as those three mentioned, 1 Job. 2.16. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, either Voluptuousness, or the inordinate love of Pleasures, when men make it their business to gratify their Senses, and glut and throng their hearts with all manner of Delights: or else are surprised with an unmeasurable desire of heaping up Riches; or affectation of Credit and Honor. Now these evil frames of heart should be the more watched and striven against, because these sins rise up against God, as he is the last End, and chief Good: they set up Idols instead of God, Mammon instead of God. All that are carnal and unsanctified are under the power of these, Luke 8.14. That which fell among thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring forth no fruit to perfection ; they never carry on Religion to any good effect and purpose. And there are none of God's Children but need constantly to be mortifying and subduing them; as in a Garden the weeds will grow, because the roots are not quite plucked up: so there must be a constant Mortification, because they are natural to us, and the back bias of Corruption is not wholly taken off, even in the most mortified of God's Children.

5. There is a Dominion of Sin, which is more gross and sensible, or more secret and close. More open; for though sin doth reign in everyone by Nature, yet this Dominion doth more sensibly appear in some than others, who are judicially given up to be under the visible dominion of sin, as the just fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke, and are set forth as warnings to the rest of the World, as men hung up in Chains of Darkness, they are apparently and in conspectu hominum instances of this woeful slavery; every man that seeth them, and • s acquainted with their course of life, may without breach of charity say, There goeth one who declareth himself to be a servant to sin. This may be either as to sin in general, or to some particular sin.

First, To sin in general. Whosoever he be that instead of trembling at God's Word, scoffeth at it, and maketh more account of the course of this World, than of the Will of God; of the Fashions of men, than of God's Word, and thinketh the scorn of a base worm, that would deride him for godliness, a greater terror than the wrath of the eternal God, and the love of his carnal Companions is prized as a greater happiness than Communion with Christ, and instead of working out his Salvation with fear and trembling, runneth into all excess of Riot, or carelessly neglects his precious Soul, while he pampereth his vile Body, and doth voluntarily and ordinarily leave the Boat to the Stream, and give up himself to serve his Corruptions without resistance, or seeking out for help; this man is without dispute, and in the eye of all the World, a slave to sin: Rom. 6.16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? It is an apparent case, a man that giveth up himself to go on in the way of his own heart, restraineth himself in nothing which it affects, is one of sins slaves. So our Lord Jesus, Joh. 8.34. Verily, verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin, there needeth no further doubt nor debate about the matter. He that goeth on in a trade of sin, and maketh that his work and business in the World, never seriously looking after the saving of his Soul, this Soul is one in whom sin reigneth.

Secondly, To some particular Sin. As we have instances of carnal Wretches in the general, so of some poor captive Souls that remain under the full Power and Tyranny of this or that Lust, and are so remarkable for their slavery and bondage under it, that the World will point at them, and say, There goeth a Glutton, a Drunkard, an Adulterer, a covetous Worldling and Muck-worm, a proud envious Person; there sin is broken out in some filth Sore and Scab, that is visible to every common eye and view, either their Covetousness, or Gluttony, or ambitious affectation of Greatness, &c. Observers may truly say, There's one whose God is his Belly, a slave to Appetite, 2 Pet. 2.19. While they promise themselves liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. They grow proverbial for giving up themselves wholly to such a conquering and prevailing Lust. As in natural things, several men have their distinct excellencies, some are famous for a strong sight; some for an exquisite ear, some for a nimble tongue, some for agility of body; so these have some notable excess in this or that sort of sin. Or as the Saints of God are eminent for some special Graces, Abraham for Faith, Moses for Meekness, Job for Patience, Joseph for Chastity, Timothy for Temperance; so these have their notorious and contrary blemishes.

2. There is a more secret and close Dominion of Sin, that is varnished over with a fair appearance. Men have many good qualities, no notorious blemishes, but yet some sensitive good or other lieth nearest the heart, and occupieth the room and place of God; that is, it is loved, respected, and served instead of God, or more than God: that which is our chiefest Good or last End, is our God, or occupieth the room of God: Mat. 6.24. No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Joh. 5.44. How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? Luke 14.26. If any come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. We must be dead not only to carnal Pleasures, but to Relations, Estate, yea Life and all, nothing on this side God must fit nearest the heart, nor bring us under its command and power: 1 Cor. 6.12. I will not be brought under the power of anything. We are besotted and bewitched with some temporal thing, cannot part with it, or leave it for God's sake, or notwithstanding all the mischief it doth to his interest in the Soul: though a man serve it cunningly, closely, and by a cleanly conveyance, yet all his Religion is to hide and feed this Lust.

6. There is a Predominancy of one Sin over another, and the Predominancy of Sin over Grace. In the first sense renewed men may be said to have some reigning corruption, or predominant sin, namely, in comparison of other sins. That such predominant sins they have, appeareth by the great sway and power they bear in commanding other evils to be committed or forborne, accordingly as they contribute to the advancement or hindrance of this sin. As in the Body, a Wen or Strain draweth all the noxious humors to its self, and thereby groweth mo • e great and monstrous. It appeareth also by the frequent relapses of the Saints into them, and their unwillingness to admit admonition and reproof for them, and sometimes their falling into them out of an inward propensity, when outward Temptations are none, or weak, or very few. Well then, there are some sins which are less mortified than others, or unto which they are naturally carried by Constitution, or Education, natural Inclination, or course of Life. Thus David had his iniquity, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity, whether it were hastiness or distrust of the Promise, or also an inclination to revenge himself, some sins that men favor, or withstand less, or which are most urgent and importunate upon them, and steal away their hearts most from God, the great Pond into which other rivulets or streams of sin do empty themselves, or that bough or limb which taketh away the nourishment from all the under-shrubs, that which is loved and delighted in above other sins, and when other sins will not prevail, the Devil sets this a-work, as the Disciples looked on the Disciple whom Jesus loved, Joh. 13.23, 24. Now there was leaning on Jesus bosom one of the disciples whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned unto him, that • e should ask, Who it should be of whom he spake. Well then, in regard of other sins, one may reign and sit in the Throne of the Heart, or be loved more than another; but not in regard of Predominancy over Grace, for that is contrary to the new Nature, that sin should have the upper hand constantly and universally in the Soul. For any one thing, though never so lawful in itself, habitually loved more than God, will not stand with sincerity: Luke 14.33. Whosoever be be that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple: if we must not keep our natural Comforts, certainly not our carnal Lusts. To love anything apart from Christ, or against Christ, or above Christ, is a dispossessing of Christ, or a casting him out of the Throne.

7. There is a twofold Prevalency and Dominion, actual or habitual. Actual is only for a time, habitual for a constancy: though a regenerate man be not one that lets sin reign over him habitually, yet too often doth sin reign over him actually, as to some particular acts of sin.

First, The habitual Reign of Sin may be known by the general frame and state of the heart and life, where it is constantly yielded unto, and not controlled and opposed, but beareth sway with the contentment and delight of the party sinning. Men give the bridle to sin, and let it lead them whither it will, and generally walk after the flesh, and not after the Spirit, no doubt that is peccatum regnans, cui homo nec vult, nec potest resistor, the sinner hath neither will nor power, because usually after many lapses into heinous sin, God giveth up men to penal or judicial hardness of heart, they first voluntarily take on these bonds and chains upon themselves, these are said to walk after their own lusts, 2 Pet. 3.3. to continue or live in sin, Rom. 6.2. to be dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2.1. to serve divers lusts and pleasures, Tit. 3.3. to draw on iniquity with cartropes, Isa. 5.18. to addict and give up themselves to a trade of sin with delight and consent. But more closely, the reign of sin is never broken till the Flesh be made subject to the Spirit, that will be found by examining every day, what advantage the Spirit hath gotten against the Flesh, or the Flesh against the Spirit, how Providences and Ordinances are blessed for that end, or for the weakening of sin; for every day the one or the other gets ground. Dough once soured with Leaven, will never lose the taste and smatch, but the sweetness of the Corn may prevail above it. Sin dwelleth in the heart, but doth it decay? Gal. 5.16. This I say, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.

Secondly, Actual Sin may now and then get a Victory over the Faithful, but not a full quiet Reign. Sin actually prevaileth, when we do that which is evil against our Consciences, or yield pro hic & nunc to obey sin in the lusts thereof. It gameth our consent for the time, but the general frame and bent of the heart is against it. In short, when sin is perfected into some evil action, or lust hath conceived. and brought forth sin, Jam. 1.15. that is, some heinous offense, for that time no question it hath the upper hand, and carrieth it from Grace, and the Flesh doth show itself in them more than the Spirit. A man may please a lesser friend before a greater in an act or two, but every presumptuous act of sin puts the Scepter into his hands. Note, That the Predominancy spoken of in the former distinction, and this do much prejudice a Christian, waste his Conscience, hinder his Joy or Faith: and if not broken in time, or we sin often, we cannot be excused from the habitual reign of sin. Note again, Every dislike doth not hinder the reign of sin, it doth constantly govern our lives, though there may be some resistance.

SERMON XIII.

II. I Now come to handle the second General. There is a Necessity incumbent upon them,

• 1. From their own proneness and proclivity to fall into Sin.
• 2. From the mischiefs arising from reigning Sin.
• 3. From the unsuitableness of it to their renewed State.
• 4. They cannot other ways maintain their hopes of Glory.

1. Because of their own proneness and proclivity to this evil. That appeareth,

1. Because there is sin still in us, a Bosom-enemy which is born and bred with us, and therefore will soon get the advantage of Grace, if it be not well watched and resisted. As Nettles and Weeds, which are kindly to the soil, and grow of their own accord, will soon choke Flowers and better Herbs, which are planted by care and industry, when they are neglected and not continually rooted out. We cannot get rid of this cursed Inmate, till this outward Tabernacle be dissolved, and this House of Clay be crumbled into dust, like Ivy gotten into a Wall, that will not be destroyed till the Wall be pulled down. The Israelites could not wholly expel the Canaanites ; and therefore we are the more obliged to keep them under. Our Nature is so inclinable to this slavery, that if God subtract his Grace, and we be altogether negligent, we shall soon rue the sad effects of it.

2. It is not only in us, but it is always working in us, and striving for the mastery. Sin is not as other things, which as they grow in age, they grow more quiet and tame: no, it is every day more active and stirring, Jam. 4.5. The Spirit that dwelleth in us, lusteth to envy: it is not a sleepy, but a working stirring Principle, Rom. 7.8. Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. If it were a dull and an unactive habit, the danger were not so great, but it is always working, and putting forth itself, and seeking to gain an interest in our Affections, and a command over all our Motions and Actions. Therefore unless we do our part to keep it under, we shall soon revert to our old slavery: it is like a living Fountain, that poureth out waters, though nobody cometh to drink of it; though there be nothing to irritate it but God's Law and the motions of his Spirit, there is a continual fermentation of the corrupt humors in our Souls.

3. It is always warring, as well as working, Rom. 7.23. I see another Law in my members, warring against the Law of my mind, • nd bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members. Sin seeketh to deface all these impressions of God, which are upon the heart, which bind the Conscience to Holiness, and to stifle all these motions that tend to it: that it may alone reign in the heart without control, it sets itself in direct opposition against all those dictates of Conscience, and holy motions and inspirations, that the Sinner may be fully captivated to do what the flesh requireth to be done by him; therefore it must be kept under as a Slave, or it will get up as a Tyrant and domineer. One sin that we least suspect may bring us under this slavery, it doth not only make us flexible and yielding to Temptations, but it doth urge and impel us thereunto. We think and speak too gently of Corruption, when we think and speak of it as a tame thing, that worketh not till it be irritated by the suggestions of Satan; no, it riseth up in Arms against everything of God in the heart.

4. The more it acteth, the more it getteth strength, as all Habits are increased by multiplied Acts, and when we have once yielded, we are ready to yield again, as a brand that hath been once burned, is more apt to take fire a second time: Deut. 29.19. And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. After men have once committed a sin, they are more vehement to venture on it again; at first we cannot get down sin so easily, till an Habit and Custom hath smoothed it to our throats. Well then, this bondage is daily increasing, and more hard to be prevented; by multiplied Acts a Custom creepeth on us, which is as another Nature, and that which might be easily remedied at first, groweth more difficult to be subdued. As Diseases looked to at first are easy to be cured; but when once they become inveterate, the Cure is more desperate: so are sins before we are hardened into a Custom, Jer. 13.23. Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. No means will then prevail to work it out of them, or bring them to any good; the more we sin, the more are we enthralled to sin, as a Nail, the more it is knocked, the more it is fastened into the wood. A Sinner is often compared to a Slave or Servant; now there were two sorts of Servants or Slaves: such as were so by Covenant, and by their own consent; or such as were so by Conquest, or Surprizal in War. The first similitude is used, Rom. 6.16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. The other Servant by Conquest is spoken of, 2 Pet. 2.19. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same also is he brought into bondage. Now these Notions I would rank thus, every carnal man at his first entrance into a course of Vanity and Sin, is a Servant by consent, hire, or contract, for he doth consecrate his Life and his Love, his Time and his Care, his Actions and Employments to please his Lusts; we first willingly and by our own default give up ourselves to this course. But the customary Sinner by Conquest, that hath so crippled and maimed his Faculties, that he cannot be at liberty if he would, then they grow complete slaves to their Lusts, as Captives in War are servants to their Conquerors: for whilst they do voluntarily and ordinarily give up themselves to serve the Devil, and their own Corruptions without resistance, or crying to Christ for help, they are very Bond-slaves and held in chains of darkness, till the Supreme Judge execute deserved wrath upon them. Augustine complaineth, Ligatus eram, non ferro alieno, sed meâ ferreâ voluntate, velle meum tenebat i • imicus, & me • ihi catenam fecerat & constriuxerat me: Lord! I am bound, not with iron, but with an obstinate will, I gave my will to mine enemy, and he made a chain of it to bind me, and keep me from thee, quippe ex voluntate perversa facta est libido; & dum servitur libidixi, facta est consuetudo; & 〈◊〉 consuetudini non resistitur, facta est necessitas : a perverse will gave way to lustings; and lusting made way for a custom; and custom let alone, brought a necessity upon me, that I can do nothing but sin against thee. Thus are we by little and little enslaved, and brought under the power of every carnal Vanity. Well now, put all together, are these things spoken of ourselves or of another? Is it so indeed, that there is such a warring? and are we not obliged to be watchful and careful?

2. From the mischievous Influence and heinous Nature of reigning Sin.

1. When sin reigneth, it plucketh the Scepter out of God's hands, and giveth it to some vile and base thing which is set up in God's stead; as the setting up of an Usurper is the rejection of the lawful King. The Throne belonging to God must be kept for him alone; therefore every degree of service done to Sin includeth a like degree of Treason, and Infidelity to Christ. Our Lord telleth us, Mat. 6.24. No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and Mammon. As no man can serve two Masters, God and Mammon, so everyone serveth one of these, God or Mammon, for the Throne is never empty; but between both of them you cannot divide your heart. Neither Dominion nor Wedlock can endure Partners; so that by cleaving to the one, you refuse and renounce the other. To serve God is to give up a man's mind, and heart, and whole man to know, and do what God requireth, whatever be the consequences: now this doth necessarily imply a renunciation of all those things which cross and contradict the Will of God, be it Devil, World, or Flesh. So to serve Mammon is to give up a man's mind, heart, endeavor to find out, and follow after the Riches, Honors, and Pleasures of the World, whatever may come of it. He that would serve God, must do nothing but what God alloweth him in the matter of Pleasure, Profit, or Preferment, or any other thing; for God is not well served, unless he be served as a Master commanding and governing all our actions. On the other side, he that serveth the World, giveth God only what the World and Flesh can spare, so much Religion, strictness, and good Conscience as will stand with his carnal ends▪ and affections; for then the World is served as a Master, when men dispose of themselves and all their concernments, and rule themselves, and please themselves, according to that fleshly and worldly appetite and fancy that governeth them, and God is no further loved, obeyed, pleased, than that love of Honor, Profit, or Pleasure will give leave. Well then, by this you may plainly see, that the setting up of any Lust to reign, is a laying aside and a deposing of God; for if a man be bound absolutely to resign up himself to the will and disposal of God, and to obey him, and love and serve him with all his powers; and this man on the contrary giveth up himself into the hands of some carnal affection of his, be it Pride, Sensuality, or Love of worldly things, and this ruleth him, and this governeth him, and this he studieth to please and gratify; certainly these Pleasures, or Profits, or Honors are set up in God's stead, it is a plain refusing one, and a cleaving to the other, a despising God and Christ, and a preferring the World and Satan: And it will not help the matter, though we profess Christ to be the Lord, all formal Titles are a Mockage, Mat. 7.21. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Luke 6.46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Many who profess Christ to be their Lord, are as true bond-men to Satan, as the Heathen who offered Sacrifice to him; and a drunken and unclean Christian is as true a servant to the Devil, as the Votaries and Worshippers of Priapus, or Bacchus, or Venus ; for he doth as absolutely command your affections as he did theirs; and though you are Christ's by Profession, yet you are Satan's by Possession and Occupation, and the bond of your servitude is altogether as firm and as strong, though it be more inward and secret, than their Rites of Worship. Neither will it help the matter, that as you do not profess, so you do not intend so: though we do not formally intend this, yet virtually we do, and so God will account it; it is finis operis, though not operantis. If a Wife be false to her Husbands bed, will it be excuse enough to say, she did not intend to wrong him? or will such a saying excuse a Subject that is disloyal to his Prince, and sets up an Usurper? Well then, what horror should this beget in our minds? and what care should we take, that sin may not reign?

2. The Reign of Sin is mischievous to us. Sin when it once gets the Throne, it groweth outrageous, and involveth us in so many inconveniences, that we cannot easily disintangle ourselves, and get out again.

1. This is one, that it turneth the man upside down, and degradeth and depresseth him to the rank of Beasts. A brutish Worldling that once gratifieth his carnal affections, is but a nobler kind of Beast, he employeth his Reason to gratify his Appetite, and puts Conscience under the Dominion of Sense, and so inverteth the whole Nature of a man, Tit. 3.3. Serving divers lusts and pleasures. The worldly bait taketh advantage of the brutish part, when Reason is asleep, and then the Beast rideth and ruleth the man, and Reason becometh a slave to Sensuality.

2. This servitude is so burdensome as well as base, and attended with so much pain and shame, that those that know the service of sin (as we all do by sad experience) should use all caution, that it never bring them into bondage. Again, the Apostle dissuadeth from the reign of sin by this Argument, Rom. 6.21. When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness; what fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? As if he had said, You have full experience of the service of sin, and the fruits of it, what fruit then? before you had a contrary Principle set up in your hearts; you are ashamed now, that is, now ye know better things; but what fruit then? nothing but toils, and gripes, and fears, and sad twinges of Conscience; for what other thing can be expected of him, that every day liveth within a step of Hell. The Devil hath one bad property, which no other Master hath, how cruel soever, and that is, to plague and torment them most, who have done him most continual and faithful service; those that have sinned most, have most horror, and every degree of carnal indulgence hath a proportionable degree of fear and shame and punishment. I speak nothing all this while of the wasting of Estate, and Health, of the loss of Credit and Interest, of the cost and pains which the Drudgery of sin puts men upon; many suffer more hardship in Satan's service, than any man in God's; their sin costs them dearer than any Martyr ever endured to go to Heaven. Lastly, the reward of all is everlasting destruction, Rom. 6.21. For the end of these things is death; but being made free from sin, and become the servants of righteousness, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. After all your time and strength hath been spent in the pursuit of Vanity, what is the issue but everlasting horror and punishment? O then, when you see the bait, remember the hook; when you hear the Serpent hiss, see its sting, and reckon that everlasting death is attending the eating of forbidden fruit. When it seemeth most pleasant to the eye, let not the Pomps and Vanities of the World entice you into a forgetfulness of God, before whom you must appear as your Judge; nor of your immortal Souls, which must one day be rent from the embraces of the Body, and will survive them, and be commanded into the everlasting Regions of Light or Darkness, Ease or Sorrow. Hell and Heaven are not matters to be trifled with, nor should we easily hazard the feeling of the one, or the loss of the other.

3. The mischievous influence and heinous nature of reigning sin appeareth in this, that it rendereth your sincerity questionable, yea rather it is a sure note of a carnal state, where it is habitual. There will be Pride, Earthliness and Sensuality dwelling, stirring and working in the best of God's Children, but it hath not its wonted power over them. Christ will not reckon men slaves by their having sin, nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities, nor by their falling now and then into foul faults by the violence of a temptation, unless they settle in a constant trade of sin, and set up no course of Mortification against it. Though there be not a good man upon earth that sinneth not, yet surely there is a difference between the Regenerate and Unregenerate: there are some whose spot is not as the spot of God's children, Deut. 32.5. There is a difference between sins; God gave the Priest under the Law direction, how to put a difference between leprous persons, some of which were unclean, others clean, Lev. 13.38, 39. there was some Leprosy that spoiled the skin, but did not fret the flesh, which the Priest was to pronounce clean. God showeth himself hereby merciful to the infirmities of his people, not esteeming every spot and deformity in them as malignant sin: so verse. 23. If the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil, and the Priest shall pronounce him clean, to wit, from the contagion of Leprosy; which signified, that though the signs and marks of sin, which God hath healed by Forgiveness, remain still, yet if they spread not, that is, reign not in our mortal bodies, they shall not be imputed to us, but forgiven; because we are not under the Law, but under Grace. On the other side, if the spot were turned bright, and deeper than the skin, the Priest was to pronounce him unclean: verse. 25. And if it did spread much abroad, the Priest was to pronounce him unclean, it was the plague of leprosy, verse. 27. And again we read in verse. 44. When the Priest was to pronounce him utterly unclean, his plague was in his head ; if • o infirmity there be added malignity and presumption, it maketh the sinner a spiritual Leper in the sight of God: and he did rend hi clothes, and make bare his head, and cry out, Vnclean, unclean, verse. 45. importing thereby humble and penitent acknowledgment, or broken hearted representing of our sin and misery, or sense of our own plague and grief: and he was to dwell alone till he was healed, v. 46. that is, he was deprived of Communion with God, till a through Cure was wrought in him. As it was in the Ordinances of the Law, so it is true also in the Gospel: there is a difference between sins and sins, and sinners and sinners; there is a difference between dimness of sight and blindness, between numness and death, between want of sense and want of life, between slumbering and sleeping, between slipping into a ditch and tumbling ourselves headlong into the mire: so there is a difference between infirmities and iniquities, a failing out of ignorance and weakness, and some powerful temptation, and a running headlong into all ungodliness. God's Children have their failings, but a burning and earnest desire to be freed from them, in others there is a wallowing in sin without any care of remedy; in the one it is a failing in point of particular Duty, in the other a Rebellion. Judas and Peter both sinned against their Master, the one denied him, the other betrayed him, the one was overcome by fear, the other inclined by covetousness of a little money, the one plotted, the other was surprised: a purpose and a surprise are two different things, the one went out and wept bitterly, the other was given up to raging despair. David did not make a trade of Adultery, nor bathe himself in filthy lusts. Noah was drunk, by not knowing the force of the juice of the Grape: they do not lie in this state, but seek to get out of it by Repentance: closer discoveries I reserve to the Use.

3. My next Argument is the unsuitableness and uncomeliness, that sin should reign in Christians who are Christ's, and should live to him, and for him. It misbecometh them as they profess themselves to be Christ's. We have no power to dispose of ourselves, being wholly his by Purchace and Covenant.

First, By Purchace, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price. Quod venditur transit in potestatem ementis: The buyer hath a power over what he hath bought. We were lost, sold away, had sold ourselves against all Right and Justice; but Christ was pleased to redeem us, and that with no slight thing, but his own Blood. Now how can you look your Redeemer in the face at the last Day? If you have any sense and belief of Christian Mysteries, you should be afraid to rob Christ of his Purchace, 1 Cor. 6.15. Shall I take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot, God forbid! He hath bought us to this very end, that you may be no longer under the slavery of sin, but under his blessed Government, and the Scepter of his Spirit, Tit. 2.14. He hath redeemed us from all iniquity, that was his end to set us at liberty, and free us from our sins; and therefore for us to despise the benefit, and to count our bondage to be a delight and privilege, this is to build up again that which he came to destroy, to put our Redeemer to shame, to tie those cords the faster, which he came to unloose, and so it is as great an affront and disparagement of his undertaking as possibly can be. Therefore let not sin live and reign.

Secondly, We are his, not only by Purchace, but by Covenant, Ezek. 16.8. I entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine. We wholly gave over ourselves to his use and service; this Covenant was ratified in Baptism, wherein we were planted into the likeness of his death, Rom. 6.3, 4, 5. How into the likeness of his Death? To die unto sin, as he died for sin, that is explained by the Apostle, ver. 9. Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him, his Resurrection instated him in an eternal Life, never to come under the power of death again: so are we to rise to a new life, never to return to our sins again. Now shall we rescind our Baptismal Vows, and after we have resigned ourselves to Christ, give the Sovereignty to another; the hands of Consecration have been upon us, and therefore to allow ourselves in any course and way of sinning, is to alienate ourselves, and to employ ourselves not only to a common, but a vile and base use. When Ananias had dedicated that, that was in his power, and kept back part for private use, God struck him dead in the place, Acts 5. And if we alienate ourselves, who were not in our own power, and were Christ's before the Consecration, of how much severer vengeance shall we be worthy? God complaineth of the wrong of Parents, Ezek. • 6.20. that they took sons and daughters born to him, and sacrificed them to be devoured by Moloch. Children born during the Marriage-Covenant were his, they were circumcised, and so dedicated to him, yet they gave them to Moloch ; as many Parents dedicate their Children to God by Baptism, and bring them up for the World and the Flesh. This is veri • y a great sin in Parents, but we are more answerable for our own Souls, when we have owned the Dedication, and ratified it by our own professed consent; and if we shall willingly yield to the World and the Flesh, and suffer them to have a full Power and Dominion over us, how do we defy Christ, whom yet in words we profess to be our Lord? It is said, Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. How shall we interpret this Scripture, and reconcile it with the Carriage of most Christians, de jure all will grant, that they should crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof: But the Apostle seemeth to speak de facto, they have, and that maketh the difficulty. All true Christians indeed have done so; Christians in the letter are bound to do so, and let them look to it, how they will answer it to Christ another day: All in their Baptism have renounced the desires of the flesh, and the passions of it also, they are engaged to do it, and all that are serious and real have begun to do this act of mortifying sin, and must go on yet more and more to smother the endeavors and effects of it. Because this is a momentous business, and it is charged on us as we are Christ's, as we profess ourselves to be so, and take ourselves to be so; let us see what it importeth. They must, all are bound; they really have crucified the flesh, mortified and deadened the root of corruption, that it shall not easily sprout and put forth its lustings; carnal Nature in them is weakened, it is not so vigorous and stirring as it was wont to be, there is some preventing of the first risings, though sin dwell in them, and work in them: so far all that are Christ's have put to death their fleshly corruption. But now as to the several ways of venting of it expressed by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , either by sinful Passions, as malice, envy, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, they do in a great measure and considerable degree get above these: or by Lust is meant all fleshly and worldly desires, which carry us out of the Pleasures, and Profits, and Honors of the World, the pleasing baits and enticements of Sense, they are dead to these also: all motions to Uncleanness, Intemperance, Ambition, Love of Riches and vain Pleasures: all the Children of God have actually begun this work, and are still suppressing these things; for they have resigned their hearts for Christ to dwell in, and they are advancing his Scepter and Rule continually, for they have given up themselves to be guided by him; whether they be pleasant sins or vexatious evils, the heart of a Christian is set against them: and therefore you see how unsuitable it is for those that are Christ's, his redeemed ones, and his covenanted ones, to give way to the reign of sin.

4. My last Argument to evince this necessity that is incumbent on the People of God, that this Dominion of Sin be not set up in their hearts is, because otherwise they cannot maintain and keep up any lively hope of Glory. That I shall evidence by some Scriptures, Rom. 6.8. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. If we die to sin so as never to allow it, or to return to the love and practice of it anymore, than the Christian Faith promiseth some good to us, we have hopes of living with Christ, or a joyful Resurrection to eternal Life: for the Christian Life is an entrance and introduction into the Life of Glory. So Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The Scripture is plain in setting down the Characters of those that shall go to Heaven, or to Hell, and very decisive and peremptory, If we live after the flesh, we shall die ; it doth not say, if we have lived after the flesh, for that would cut off the hope of all the living; one man was first good, and after bad, as Adam ; another never bad, always good, as Christ; of all the rest, none ever proved good, who was not sometimes bad, we all lived after the Flesh, before we come to live after the Spirit: But if we do still accommodate ourselves to obey and fulfil the motions of the flesh, Christ speaketh no good to such. But now see the Promise of God to those that keep mortifying of sin, striving against sin, they shall live, not only the Life of Grace, for surely by their progress in Mortification, Vivification is furthered and increased; as we grow dead to sin, we are more alive to righteousness; but the Life of Glory is a greater Boon than we can deserve, as much as we can desire, more than we can make any part of requital for. There is scarce any one Scripture, by which a man may sooner come to a decision of his spiritual Estate than this, for it puts it to a short issue; prevent the reign of sin, and your Title to everlasting Glory will not be so dark and litigious; make conscience of subduing and suppressing the secret inclinations and desires of the flesh by the Spirit, and you have by Warrant of Scripture a full and sufficient evidence: all the deeds of the flesh must be mortified before we can see our interest, though not universally and totally, yet still we must go on with it: Sin is mortal, if it be not mortified; so that a necessity is laid upon us of killing our Lusts, or being killed by them. The Apostle doth not say, If the deeds of the flesh be mortified in you through the Spirit ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body. We must not dream of a Mortification to be wrought in us without our consent or endeavors, as well whilst we are asleep, as whilst we are waking, as if it were wrought in our Cradles, whilst we are passing our time in childish play and pastime, or should be done in our riper age, without any careful watch over our works and thoughts; or it may be by a sluggish wish, or slight prayer, as if this would master sin: no, all renewed ones must seriously address themselves to the work, the flesh must be mortified, and mortified it must be by us through the Spirit, if we would cherish the hopes of eternal Life. The Spirit alone giveth victory, but we must be active in it, for his Grace and powerful victorious work doth not license us to be idle; but rather calleth for an assiduous, diligent and faithful use of means. The less earnest the conflict is between the Flesh and the Spirit, the longer will the old man live in us, and our peace and hope will be the more doubtful; but the more serious our endeavors are, the sooner shall we come to a determination in the great affairs and interests of our precious and immortal Souls.

SERMON XIV.

III. THE hopes of Victory and Success through the Grace of Jesus Christ. Now many things there are which give us hopeful encouragement in our conflicts with Sin.

1. The undertaking of our Blessed Redeemer. Freedom from sin was a part of that Salvation which he purchased for us, Mat. 1.21. He shall save his people from their sins. Tit. 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity. It is not only an Evidence, but a Part, yea a principal part, as those means which have a more immediate connection with the end, are more noble than others which are more remote; the last End is the Glory of God; now our conformity to God, and the holiness and subjection of the Creature is a nearer means to it than our comfort and pardon. Christ's end was to fit us for God's use, and therefore his business was to sanctify and free us from sin, 1 Joh. 3.8. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil ; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies to dissolve, untie, unloose a knot. This was the end of his Coming, and will he come in vain, and miss of his end? The work of the Devil is to bring us into sin and misery, and the Lord knoweth we are miserably entangled in the corruptions of our own hearts, we know not how to loose these knots, Christ came for this purpose to 〈◊〉 them for us, and surely he cannot miss of his purpose. If we consider the Merit of his Humiliation, what a Price hath he paid for sanctifying Grace? 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot. So great a Price was given, not only to heighten our esteem of the Privilege, but also to increase our confidence, while we are endeavoring and striving against sin; Christ wanted not any Merit to make the Purchace sufficient and effectual. Or if we consider the Power of his Exaltation, having paid our Ransom, he is let out of the Prison of the Grave, gone into Heaven, and is fully commissioned and impowered to instate us in this Blessing of freedom from sin, Eph. 3.20. Unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Now what an encouragement is this to keep under that Enemy which Christ hath done so much to slay and destroy! What is his business now in Heaven, but to sit at the right hand of God, and see the fruits of his Mediation accomplished? Those indeed that cherish that, that Christ came to dissolve, as much as in them lies, they seek to frustrate the undertaking of Christ. But now whilst we are striving and warring upon sin, and seek the destruction of it, we are engaged in the same design Christ is, and therefore may have the more confidence of his help, and receiving the fruits of his Purchace; his great intent was to bring us back unto God, and saving us from sin, not in sin, and your heart is upon the same thing.

2. The new Nature put into us, you have an opposite Principle to check it, 1 Joh. 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. Since Christ hath entrusted us with such a Talent as the new Nature, and hath put Grace into our hearts to resist sin, it is our duty not to suffer it to be idle and unfruitful. Though there be in the Regenerate a seed of corruption, yet that is or should be mortified; there is also in them a seed of Grace, and that is to be cherished. Now surely where this is, sin cannot carry a full sway, and break out without stop and interruption: for the new Nature will appear by way of check and dislike, one that hath a new Nature cannot make sin his trade, custom, and delight, why? because his seed abideth in him, which is the Principle of Grace wrought in him by the Spirit of God: there is a settled, fixed frame and bent of heart towards God, and so by consequence against sin, for it is irreconcilable with the motions and tendencies of the new Nature to live in sin; and therefore it is as natural to the new Nature to hate sin as to love God, Psal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: there is an irreconcilable hatred and enmity against sin. There is a twofold hatred, odium abominations, & odium inimicitiae. The hatred of abomination or offense is a turning away of the Soul from what is apprehended as repugnant and prejudical to us: so to sin is repugnant and contrary to the renewed Will; it is agreeable and suitable to the unregenerate, as Draff to the appetite of a Swine, or Grass and Hay to a Bullock or Horse. Now there being in all those that are born of God, this kind of hatred, it must needs weaken sin; for the mortification of sin standeth principally in the hatred of it, sin dieth when it dieth in the affections, when it is an offense to us, and we have an Antipathy against it, as some Creatures have one against another: the new Nature is a Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. in some measure it hath the same aversations and affections which God hath, we hate what he hateth, love what he loveth, Prov. 8.13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate. There is another kind of hatred, odium inimicitiae: now this hatred is nothing else but a willing evil or mischief to the thing or person hated, out of that dislike, offense and distaste we take against them, Psal. 18.37. I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them; neither did I turn again till they were consumed. This is different from the former, for there may be an aversation or an offense from some things, which yet I do not malign or pursue to the death. But by this hatred also do the Regenerate hate their sins, they hate sin so as to mortify and subdue it, and get it destroyed in themselves, Rom. 6.6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Gal. 5.24. They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof. Grace within will not let a man alone in his sins, but rouseth up the Soul against it, non cessat in laes • one peccati, sed exterminio, it is still taking away somewhat from sin, its damning power, its reigning power, its being, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! They would be free from all sin, groan under the relicts of it as a • ore burden: therefore certainly the new Nature, which hath such a lively hatred against sin, must needs give us a great advantage against it. I would not flatter you with the show of an Argument, nor put you off with an half Truth; therefore I must needs tell you, That though the former things alleged be true, yet

1. You must not forget the back-bias of Corruption, and the Flesh, which still remaineth with us, and is importunate to be pleased; and though it be not superior in the Soul, yet it hath a great deal of strength, that still we need even to the very last to keep watching and striving: the best of God's Children must resolve to be deaf to its entreaties and solicitations, and not accommodate themselves to please the flesh, Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance, 1 Pet. 1.14. that is, they must take heed they do not cast their conversations into a carnal mould, and suffer their choices and actions to be directed and governed by their Lusts. In your ignorance, when you knew not the terror of the Lord, nor sweetness of the Lord, you could not be deterred from delighting in this slavery; your lusts influenced all your actions, and you wholly gave yourselves to the satisfaction of your sinful desires, shaping and moulding all your actions and undertakings by this scope and aim. The Apostles word is very emphatical, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , though now you have more knowledge, more grace to incline your hearts to God, and so by consequence against sin; yet former lusts are but in part subdued, and therefore our old love to them is soon kindled, and the gates of the senses are always open to let in such objects as take part with the flesh, and there is an hazard in the best of complying with the sinful motions of corrupt Nature; and therefore you must not so take it, as if there were no need of diligence, and watching, and striving, and constant progress in Mortification: even holy Paul, mortified Paul saw a continual need of beating down the body, lest after he had preached to others, he himself should be a cast-away, 1 Cor. 9.27. This great Champion after so many years service in the Cause of Christ, was not secure of the Adversary which he carried about with him: And therefore though we speak of the advantage of the new Nature, it is only for our encouragement in the Conflict, there is still need of caution, that we do not revert into our old slavery. And though it be troublesome to resist the pleasing motions of the Flesh, yet there is great hopes of success, we do not fight as those that are uncertain; the Grace given us is a fixed rooted Principle, and the Lusts we contend with are but the relicts of an Enemy routed and foiled, though not utterly and totally subdued. Though there be a contrary Principle in us, that retaineth some life and vigor, yet surely in the Regenerate it is much abated, there is not such a connaturality and agreement between the heart and sin as there was before; Grace is a real, active, working thing, and where the new Nature doth prevail, certainly old things are passed away, 2 Cor. 5.17. Every Creature acteth according to its kind, the Lamb according to the nature of a Lamb, and a Toad according to the nature of a Toad; as a Thorn cannot send forth Grapes, nor a Thistle produce Figs; so on the contrary, Vines do not yield Haws, nor the Fig-tree Thistles. Men, now they have renewed Principles, cannot be at the power of Satan, nor at the command of every Lust, as they were before. How are all things become new, how are old things passed away, if it should be so, if they had the old thoughts and disigns still, the old affections still, the old passions they used to have, the old discourses, the old conversation? Surely Grace will not let a man alone, nor give him any rest and quiet, if he should act and walk according to the old tenor and manner; certainly the Grace given serveth for some use, and giveth some strength.

2. I must interpose one Consideration more for the full understanding of this Truth, That Grace is operative indeed, a real, active, working thing; but yet it doth not work necessarily, as fire burneth, or light bodies move upward, but voluntarily; therefore it must be excited and stirred up, both by the Spirit of God, who worketh in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2.13. and by ourselves, we must 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , stir up the grace of God that is in us, 2 Tim. 1.6. we must still be blowing up this holy fire, as the Priests do the fire of the Altar, still keep it burning; and its motions must be hearkened to and complied withal, Gal. 6.16. Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh: cherish and obey the directions of the renewed part, and this will keep the carnal part under; so that though the motions of it be not totally suppressed, yet they shall not be completed and fulfilled, not so easily consented unto, nor so often break out into shameful acts; but as these are slighted, sin reigneth.

3. The Spirit of Sanctification still dwelling and working in us. Herein the Law was a dead Letter, it only afforded us bare Instruction, without the help and power of Grace; but the Gospel is the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8. There is a life and power, which goeth along with every Gospel-truth, to enable us to do what it requireth of us. The Renewed certainly feel this benefit by it; and the Truths of the Gospel, which to others taste are like ordinary running water, cold and spiritless, are to them like strong water, comfortable and full of virtue; strong water and running water are alike for color and show, but not for virtue and taste. All that repent and believe in Christ, have the gift of the Holy Ghost, Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gi • t of the Holy Ghost. He dwelleth and resideth in their hearts, and is the great cause of the mortifying of sin, Rom. 8.13. If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. The Spirit will not without us, and we cannot without the Spirit subdue our sinful inclinations; at first indeed he worketh upon us as objects, as a Spirit only moving upon us, but afterwards he worketh by us as instruments, as a Spirit indwelling: at first he regenerateth us and converteth us, when we were dead, and wholly senseless; man at first was a passive subject, when the Holy Ghost infused life, and made him partaker of a Divine Nature; we were by Nature all dead in trespasses and sins, did not only deserve death by Original sin, but did also deserve to be denied the Grace of Jesus Christ by some following actual sins; but when we were all equally involved in misery, the secret working of Divine Grace did begin the difference: Eph. 2.4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved. This saving Grace is not given to all, though all have many both external and internal helps sufficient to make them better; that any have his special efficacy and converting Grace is the mere favor and bounty of God; if any want it, it is long of themselves, because by their neglect and abuse of common Grace they deserve that want. Well then, at first God giveth the Spirit, and all his purifying and sanctifying works upon the Soul are by his mere Grace, which the Gospel offereth to all, till they exclude themselves; but then after we are converted, we shall have more sins to remove by further Sanctification, now the Spirit dwelleth in us to give us his special assistance. But more closely consider,

• 1. The Necessity of the Spirits concurrence.
• 2. The Encouragement we have thereby.

1. The Necessity of the Spirits concurrence, we cannot begin, carry on, and accomplish the work of Mortification, without the operation, help, and power of the Spirit. (1.) That we cannot begin it is evident, because before Conversion we were dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2.1. had only a life of resistance and enmity against God, and the work of his Grace left in us, Rom. 8.7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be: and we were under the power of the Devil, who holdeth the fallen Creature in bondage till he be dispossessed, Luke 11.21, 22. When a strong man armed keepeth the house, his goods are in peace; but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. There is no Faculty in man that can work the Cure, the Understanding is dark, and blind, and weak; if it warn us of our Duty, it cannot break the force of sin, Rom. 1.18. The Will is enslaved to Corruption. Now nothing will seek to destroy itself, but rather to preserve that life that it hath; therefore the heart of man, which is by Nature corrupt, wedded to the interests and concernments of the Flesh, will never seek to mortify and subdue the flesh; for a thing will never be opposite to itself. The Scripture saith, Joh. 3.6. That which is born of the flesh, is flesh. A man wholly addicts himself to sin, while under the power of corrupt Nature, and a sensual carnal heart cannot make itself holy and heavenly. But, (2.) After Conversion, when Grace and the Principles of a new Life are put into us to weaken sin, yet still we need the help of the Spirit, partly because habitual Grace is a Creature, and therefore in itself mutable; for all Creatures depend in esse, conservari, & operari upon him that made them, Acts 17.26. In him we live, and move, and have our beings. If God suspend the influence, the Fire, which is a natural Agent, burneth not, as in the instance of the Three Children, who were cast into the fiery Furnace; if necessary Agents, much more voluntary Agents, and if there be this dependence in natural things, much more in supernatural. Therefore Grace still dependeth on God's influence, and there must be a concurrence of the Spirit to maintain what he hath wrought, Phil. 1.6. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Partly because it doth not totally prevail in the heart, but there is opposition against it, there is flesh still, Gal. 5.12. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would. Habitual Grace non totaliter sanat, it worketh not a perfect, but a partial Cure upon the Soul. Therefore there needeth new Grace to act, and guide, and quicken us still, and to stir up the Principles of Grace in us. Partly because this Grace, as it meeteth with opposition from within, so it is exposed to Temptations from without; from Satan, who watcheth all advantages against us; now when Temptation cometh with new strength, we must have new Grace to oppose it: Heb. 4.16. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Adam had habitual Grace, but he gave out at the first assault. When a City is besieged, the Prince who would defend it, doth not leave it to its ordinary strength, and the standing Provisions which it had before; but sendeth in fresh Supplies of Soulders, Victuals, and Ammunition, and such things as their present exigence calleth for. So doth God deal with his people, his Spirit cometh in with a new Supply, that they may the better avoid sin, and stand out in an hour of Trial. So from the World, which is continually obtruding itself upon our embraces, and it is hard to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Pet. 1.4. The new Nature was given us for that end, and also the Spirit of God is necessary, 1 Joh. 4.4. Ye are of God, and have overcome the world; for greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. The Spirit is necessary as against the Terrors, so the Delights of it, 1 Cor. 2.12. We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God, that so the World may not corrupt us, nor entice us to affect its Riches, Honors, and Pleasures above God and the Conscience of our Duty to him.

2. There is great encouragement to us to set upon the work of Mortification, because it is carried on by the help and power of the Spirit, if we were to grapple with sin in our own strength, then we might sit down and despair and die; but the Spirit is appointed for this end, and purchased for us by Jesus Christ, for all that come to him with broken hearts, and do not by their carelessness, negligence, or other sin, provoke the Lord to withdraw his exciting Grace: if you do humbly implore his assistance, wait for his approaches, attend and obey his motions, you shall find what the Spirit is able and willing to do for you. He is able surely, though you are ready to say, I shall never get rid of this naughty heart, renounce these bewitching lusts; there are none so carnal, but he can change them, and bend and incline their hearts to God and heavenly things, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. He can turn Swine into Saints, a Dunghil into a Bed of Spices: none should give way to sottish despair, God never made a Creature too hard for himself. And when he hath begun an interest for God in our Souls, he can maintain it, notwithstanding oppositions and temptations, Phil. 1.6. He that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. God is willing to give the Spirit to them that ask it, as a Father is to give a Child what is necessary for him, Luke 11.13. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him? Be careful you do not grieve the Spirit, and make yourselves uncapable of his help, Eph. 4.30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption. The Spirit of God will not forsake us, unless we forsake him first: The Spirit is grieved when Lust is obeyed before him, when his Counsels and holy Inspirations are smothered, and we yield easily to the requests of sin, but are wholly deaf to his motions; if so indeed, he ceaseth to give us warning, and to renew and continue the excitations of his Grace: water once heated, congealeth the sooner; so they are most hardened, who have been notably touched with his sacred Inspirations, but go a quite contrary way. But the Renewed need not doubt of his help; for God hath promised the Spirit to them, to cause them to walk in his ways, Joh. 14.16, 17. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comfor • er, that he may abide with you forever: Even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Well then, do not complain, but up and be doing against sin; Laziness pretendeth want of power; but is anything too hard for the Spirit of the Lord? It is a lamentable thing to see what a cowardly Spirit there is in most Christians, how soon they are captivated, and discouraged with every slender assault, or petty temptation, and their resolutions are shaken with the appearance of every difficulty. This is affected weakness, not so much want of strength as sluggishness and cowardice, and want of care, men spare their pains, and then cry, they are impotent; like lazy Beggars, who personate and act a Disease, because they would not work. Surely where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3.17. Many are not able to stand before the slightest motion of sin, because they do not stir up themselves, and awaken that strength which they have, or improve that which God continually vouchsafeth to them by the motions of his Spirit. It would be more for your comfort to try what you can do in the resistance of sin, than idly to complain for want of strength. The two Extremes are Pride and Sloth. Pride is seen in self confidence, or depending upon our endeavors and resolutions; and Sloth in a neglect of the Grace given, or help afforded to you; Christians should improve present strength against sin, and still labor to get more. Every Conquest will increase your strength against the next assault, and one limb of the body of death mortified is a means to cause the rest to languish by consent.

4. The next encouragement is the Promises of the Gospel, which secure this benefit to us; and surely the watching and the striving Person may take comfort in them. There are two sorts of Promises, some that do assure of necessary assistance, some that speak of arbitrary assistance, as Ezek. 36.26, 27. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of fl • sh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Now such Promises must be improved, for the Covenant of God is the ground of our stability. Adam had a seed of Grace, but it was not secured by Promise, and therefore he sinned it away; the Victory is assured to us by Promise, Rom. 16.20. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. In ordinary Conflicts it is a good Rule, Non aeque glorietur accinctus ac discinctus ; but a Christian may triumph before the Victory, for all those who are really and earnestly striving against sin, are sure to conquer: these Promises may be pleaded to God, as his own words, by which he hath invited our hope; and to ourselves in case of fainting and discouragement, that we may not coldly set upon the practice of Christianity. Let us depend upon God's Promise, as Paul, 2 Tim. 4.18. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever, Amen.

5. There are certain Ordinances, whereby this Grace is conveyed to us. The Spirit joineth his power and efficacy with the proper instituted means for the subduing of sin. The Word is a powerful instrument, which the Holy Ghost useth for the cleansing of the Soul from sin, Joh. 15.3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you: yea for the killing of sin, therefore it is called The Sword of the Spirit. When we come to hear, some new consideration is still given out for the further sanctifying of the heart, Joh. 17.17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. In Prayer we come to act Faith and Repentance, looking up to God for help; and with brokenness of heart mourning over our corruptions, Zech. 12.10. I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplications, and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one 〈◊〉 for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. By every Prayer offered in the brokenness of our hearts, sin receiveth a new wound. So the Sacraments; as in the Old Testament, Circumcision signified a sanctifying of the heart, Deut. 30.6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that that thou mayest live: and the Paschal Lamb was a Type of Christ, Who taketh away the sins of the world, Joh. 1.29. So Baptism and the Lord Supper. Baptism signifieth the washing away of sin, Acts 22.16. Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, and he that liveth in sin forgetteth, that is, neglecteth his Baptism, 2 Pet. 1.9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins ; as forgetting the Law is neglecting the Duty of it, Psal. 119.153. I do not forget thy Law, he carrieth himself as if he were never baptized, for Baptism is a vowed death to sin. So for the Lord's Supper. Every serious remembrance or meditation of Christ's Death should quicken us anew to crucify sin and to make it hateful to our Souls. (1.) As it representeth the great Act of Christ's condescending Love, which is a moving forcible Argument to persuade us to deny our inordinate self-love: 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead, and that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2.) It is a viewing the heinousness and odiousness of sin there represented to us in the Agonies and Sufferings of Christ, the more we consider of them, the greater apprehensions should we have of the evil of sin, the exactness of God's Justice, the terror of his Wrath, Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Christ was made sin for us, and then endured these things, 2 Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. When we look upon sin through Satan's Spectacles, or the cloud of our own Passions, or carnal Affections, we make nothing of it; but it is a terrible spectacle to see the fruit of sin in the Agonies and Sufferings of Jesus Christ, which are there represented to us, as if he were crucified before our eyes, Gal. 3.1. O never have slight thoughts of sin more! (3.) As it implieth a solemn mutual Surrendry between Christ and us: Cant. 2.16. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. Christ giveth himself and his Grace to us, as our Redeemer and Savior; we accept Christ and his Benefits upon his own Terms, and surrender ourselves to him, as his redeemed ones, with thankfulness for so great a favor and benefit: Rom. 12.1. I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy; acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Now all this must needs be a great weakening of sin, both the remembrance of Christ's Love, the representation of his great Sufferings, necessary for the Expiation of it, and our solemn renewed Dedication of ourselves to God and his service, and doing this in an holy Duty instituted by God for this end and purpose: for the Spirit of God works by the appointed means, and the use of instituted Duties is no fruitless labor, for God would not set us a work in a Duty that should yield no profit and benefit to us.

6. Providences are sanctified to this use, as helps and occasions of subduing sin: as Afflictions, which do remove the occasions, and subtract the fuel of sin, and awaken seriousness for the future: Isa. 27.9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin. 2 Cor. 12.7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, left I should be exalted above measure. The thorn in the flesh was given to mortify his pride. By these kind of Dispensations the Spirit worketh serious Humiliation, and brokenness of hear • , maketh sin odious to us. These are ordered with exact wisdom and faithfulness, Psal. 119.75. O Lord, I know that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me: and they are accompanied by the Spirit; therefore God is said to teach us out of his Law, when he chastiseth us, Psal. 94.12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law. Job 36.10. He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity: the Rod is made effectual by the Spirits motion.

Object. Some have frequently resolved to forsake their sins, but their resolutions have come to nothing; they have striven against it, but as a great stone that is rolled up hill▪ it hath returned upon them with the more violence, or as a man rowing against the stream, the Tide hath been strong against them, and they have been forced the more back; yea, they have prayed against sin, yet found no success, and therefore think it is in vain to try anymore.

Answ. 1. If all the Premises are true, yet the Inference and Conclusion is wrong and false; for we are not to measure our Duty by the success, but God's injunction; God may do what he pleaseth, but we must do what he commandeth. Abraham obeyed God, not knowing whither he went, Heb. 11.8. Peter obeyed Christ's word, Luke 5.5. We have toiled all the night, and caught nothing, howbeit at thy command we will let down the net.

2. Though the first attempt succeed not, yet afterwards sin may be subdued and broken. In natural things we do not sit down with one trial, or one endeavor, A man that will be rich pierceth himself thorough with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6.10. And after many miscarriages and disappointments, men pursue their designs till they complete them: and shall we give over our Conflict with fleshly and woe • ldly Lusts, because we cannot presently subdue them? That showeth our Will is not fixedly bent against them. Therefore let no man excuse himself, and sit down in despair, and say, I am not able to master these Temptations or Corruptions; this is like those, Jer. 18.12. They said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will everyone do the imagination of his evil heart. Do not throw up all, thy condition is not hopeless.

3. God's Grace is free, and his holy leisure must be waited; for it was long ere God got us at this pass, to be sensible, and anxiously solicitous about ou • Soul-distempers. Grace is not at our beck, The Spirit bloweth when and where he lifteth, Joh. 3 • 7. We must still lie at the Pool for Cure, nor pettishly free against the Lord, or cast off our Duty, because he blesseth not our first Essay.

4. Grace is ready, as it is free. He that begun this work, to make us serious and sensible, will carry it on to a farther degree, if we be not impatient: Surely the bruised reed will be not break, and smoking flix will be not quench, Mat. 12.20. Bemoan thyself to God, as Ephraim, Jer. 31.18. I have surely heard Ephraim be • oaning himself thuo, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a b • dlock unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. He is not woe • t to forsake the Soul that waiteth on him, and referreth all to the power and good pleasure of his Grace, Isa. 40.30, 31. Even the youths shall saint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall 〈◊〉 up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.

5. Examine whether you seek the Lord with your whole heart, and you have done your endeavor. You say, you purpose, you strive, you pray, but yet sin increases, there is a defect usually in these Purposes, in these Strivings, in these Prayers.

1. Let us examine these Purposes.

1. These Purposes are not hearty and real, and then no wonder they do not prevail. There is a slight wavering purpose, and there is a full purpose of heart, Acts 11.23. If thy Purposes were more full and strong, and thoroughly bent against sin, they would sooner succeed. Is it the fixed Decree and Determination of thy Will? When you are firmly resolved, your affections will be sincere and steadfast, you will pursue this work close, not be off and on, hot and cold, and unstable in all your ways. If the habitual bent of your hearts doth appear by the constant drift of your lives, then is it a full Purpose.

2. This Purpose may be extorted, not the effect of thy Judgment and Will, as inclined to God, but only of thy present fear, awakened in thee on some special occasion. Many are frightened into a little Religiousness, but the humor lasts not long: Psal. 78.36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant. Ahab in his fears had some relentings, so had Pharaoh, the Israelites turned to the Lord in their distress, but they turned as fast from him afterwards, they were resolved not from love, but fear; so these resolutions are wrested from you by some present terrors, which when they cease, no wonder that you are where you were before. Violent things will never hold long, they will hold as long as the Principle of their violence lasteth.

3. It may be thou restest in the strength of thine own resolutions: now God will be owned as the Author of all Grace, 1 Pet. 5.10, 11. But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory forever and ever, Amen. Still we must have a sense of our own insufficiency, and resolve more in the strength and power of God; the grace of Jesus Christ you must rely upon, both for confirming and performing your resolutions, as knowing that without him you can do nothing; men • ll again as often as they think to rise and stand by their own power: there is such guile and falsehood in our hearts, that we cannot trust them. The Saints still resolve, God assisting, Psal. 119.8. I will keep thy statutes, O forsake me not utterly: and verse. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

2. As to Striving, let us examine that a little, if it be so serious, so diligent, so circumspect as it should be.

1. That is no effectual striving, when you are disheartened with every difficulty, for difficulties do but inflame a resolved Spirit, as stirring doth the fire. No question, but it will be hard to enter in at the strait gate, or to walk in the narrow way, God hath made the way to Heaven so narrow and strait, that we may the more strive to enter in thereat, Luke 13.24. Now shall we sit down and complain, when we succeed not upon every faint attempt? Who then can be saved? This is to cry out with the sluggard, There is a lion in the way. Should a Mariner, as soon as the waves arise, and strong gusts of wind blow, give over all guiding of the Ship? No, this is against all the Experience, and the wont of Mankind.

2. This striving and opposing is but slight, if not accompanied with that watchfulness and resolution, which is necessary. Many pretend to strive against sin, yet abstain not from all occasions of sin. If we play about the Cockatrices hole, no wonder we are bitten: never think to turn from thy sins, if thou dost not turn from the occasion of them: if thou hast not strength to avoid the occasion, which is less, how canst thou avoid the sin, which is greater? He that resolveth not to be burnt in the fire, must not come near the flames. Job made a covenant with his eyes, that he would not look upon a maid, Job 31.1. Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away, Prov. 4.14, 15. Evil company is a snare. Our Savior taught us to pray, Lead us not into temptation, he doth not say into sin, the temptation openeth the gate.

3. For Praying, we oftener pray from our Memories, than from our Consciences, or from our Consciences as enlightened, rather than hearts renewed by Grace. Prayer as it is the fruit of Memory and Invention, is but slight and formal, words said of course, a Body without a Soul; as dictated by Conscience, it may be retracted by the Will; timebam ne me exaudiret Deus. Or at best, they are but half desires, faint wishes, like Balaam 's wishing, which will never do good: The soul of the sluggard desireth, but hath nothing. God never made promise, that such wishes should be satisfied.

SERMON XV.

USE 1. of Reproof, to reprove,

1. The security and carelessness of many that never look to the state of their hearts, nor regard whether Christ reigneth, or Sin reigneth, or at least do not take good heed which way things tend to the greatening or increasing of God's interest or Satan's in their Souls. Many count an holy jealousy or heedful watchfulness to be but Preciseness, and that we make more ado than needeth, and make the lives of Christians burdensome, when we press them to a constant watchfulness and holy jealousy of themselves: no, this is no burden, but a blessing, Prov. 28.14. Blessed is the man that feareth always. Sin gaineth upon us for want of taking heed at first: They that see no need of this caution, are little acquainted with the practice of Godliness, or the state of their own hearts, have not a due sense and apprehension of the danger of displeasing God, or of their own proclivity and proneness to sin; therefore live by chance and peradventure, and leave themselves to be transported by their own affections, to do anything which Occasions and Temptations invite them unto. Were we as sensible of the dangers of the inward as outward man, we should surely stand more upon our guard, and resist the first motions and tendencies towards a sin: certainly we would not give such harbor and indulgence to our Corruptions, as usually we do, lest we nourish and foster a Viper in our own bosoms, which will at length sting us to death. Surely it is no wisdom to carry till the dead blow cometh; an inclination to evil is best mortified at first; and the longer we dally and play with a Temptation, the harder will our conflict be.

But when may we be said to omit our Watchfulness?

1. When we grow bolder with sin, and the Temptations and Occasions of it, and think we have so good a command of ourselves, and can keep within compass well enough, though we cast ourselves upon tempting objects and occasions unnecessarily, and without a call. Surely these men forget themselves and the danger of sin, as if they had some special Amulet against it, which the People of God had not in former times. They know exactly how far they may go in everything, even to the cleaving of an hair, and will not lose one jot of their liberty, and seem to make a sport of it, to show how far they can go, and how near the pit, and not fall in. They can allow themselves in all kind of liberty for lascivious Songs, wanton Plays, and yet look to the main chance well enough, please themselves with all kind of froth and folly, yea sometimes execrable filth, yet never any kind of infection cometh near their hearts. Alas poor deluded Creatures! they that do all that they may, will soon do more than they should; and those that come as near a sin as possibly they can, without falling into it, cannot be long safe: yea and they are infected already, that have so little sense of the strength of sin, and their own weakness. I confess some are more liable to Temptations than others, but yet all need watchfulness for their preservation; for sin is not extirpated and rooted out of any. And again, when I am in my Calling, I am under God's Protection, as a Subject is under the Protection of his Prince, travelling in due hours on the Highway; but none can presume their Knowledge is so found, their Faith so strong, their Hearts so good to God, as to think no hurt will come when they cast themselves voluntarily upon occasions of sin.

2. When you make a small ma • ter of those Corruptions, which were once so grievous, even intolerable to you: Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? You lose tenderness of Conscience, remit of your care.

3. When you content yourselves with the customary use of holy Duties, though you find no profit, nor increase of Grace by them, rather perform them as a task, than use them as a means to get and increase Grace. Nunquam abs to abs{que} te recedam, Lord! I will never go from thee without thee, Gen. 32.26. I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

4. When you neglect your hearts, grow strangers to them, find little work to do about them. Every Christian findeth work enough from day today to get his heart quickened when it is dead, enlarged when it is straitened, prepared when it is indisposed, to be made serious when it is vain and frothy, cured when it is distempered, settled when it is troubled and discomposed: But sin becometh easy, and Conscience becometh patient and quiet under it. Surely you are not watchful, and mind not your Covenant-vow.

2. It reproveth those that hope to have sin subdued and kept from reigning, though they never strive against it. It is the striving Christian which is here encouraged, those that have given up themselves to Christ's conduct, and to fight in his Warfare. Many run of their own accord into sin, others make no opposition against it: now Christ undertaketh not to keep these. The Captain of our Salvation only taketh charge of his own Soldiers, to lead them safe to eternal Glory and Happiness, others are excepted; Grace received from him is of little use to us, if we fight not. Therefore besides watching, there must be resisting. This Resistance must be,

First, Earnest and vehement, such as cometh from an hatred of sin as sin. The Light of Nature will rise up against many sins, especially at first, as sin is a disorder and inconvenience; but this is but partial and soon tireth; but the resistance required of Christians is such as ariseth from a constant hatred, Rom. 7.15. That which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. When Eve speaketh faintly, the Devil reneweth the assult, Gen. 3.3. Of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. She speaketh too warmly, and with an impatient resentment of the restraint, and too coldly of the commination, God had said, In dying ye shall die. A faint denial is a kind of a grant. Our Lord rebuketh the Devil with indignation, Mat. 4.10. Get thee behind me, Satan.

Secondly, It must be a thorough universal Resistance. Take the little Foxes, dash out the brains of Babylon's Brats; the Devil would frighten you by propounding great sins at first, but he approacheth by degrees. Therefore Eph. 4.27. we must not give place to the Devil. You set open the door to Satan by yielding a little; a temptation is better kept out than gotten out; when he hath but the narrowest passage, or least opportunity, he seeketh to re-enter, and seat himself in the heart, and exercise his former Tyranny, and doth excite the person to commit more sin. When the stone at the top of the Hill beginneth to roll downward, it is an hard thing to stay it; I will yield but once, saith the deceived heart: But the Devil chargeth us further and further, till he hath left no tenderness in our Conscience; as some that thought to venture but a shilling or two, by the secret witchery of gaming have played away all their Estates.

Thirdly, It is not for a time, but perpetual. It concerneth us not only to stand out against the first assault, but a long siege; what Satan cannot gain by argument, he seeketh to gain by importunity; but resist him steadfast in the faith, 1 Pet. 5.9. as Joseph 's Mistress spake to him day by day, Gen. 39.10. Deformed objects, when we are accustomed to them, seem less odious. As you rate away an importunate Beggar, that will not be answered. To yield at last, is to lose the Glory of the Conflict.

Now many resist not. You may know it,

1. When you cannot bring your hearts to let sin go, though Conscience worry you, and condemn you for it, as many men sin while their hearts condemn them, Rom. 1.18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they hold the truth in unrighteousness.

2. When you slightly purpose hereafter to amend, but do not presently resolve, Acts 24.25. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and said, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season I will call for thee. The contrary you may see in David, Psal. 119.60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

3. When you do not consent to the necessary effectual means of your recovery, which if you were truly desirous to get rid of sin, you would do. They that will not use the means, do not desire the thing, Prov. 21.25. The desire of the slothful killeth him, for his hands refuse to labor.

4. When in actual Temptations you interpose not a strong dissent or negative, either by serious dislikes, or rebukes, deep groans, hearty defiance, or strong arguments, which are the several ways of resistance.

Use 2. Exhortation, when God affordeth to poor captivated Sinners such help, if they will but take it, and make use of it in time: surely then we should watch and strive. And that I may deal the more effectually in this Use, I shall distinctly unfold the Duty of watching and striving, the means to curb and check sin.

First, Watching.

1. The spring and rise of it in the Soul are these three fundamental Graces of Faith, Fear, and Love; otherwise it is but moral Prudence and Caution, which will be too feeble a restraint to sin, unless it be animated and inspired with these Graces.

First, Faith puts upon watchfulness, that Faith which looketh to things to come, and maketh them in a manner present to the Soul, it is a realizing sight, Heb. 11.1. Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. The more lively sense we have of the concernments of another World, and the more mindful we are of our eternal Enjoyments, the more watchful. In every sin it is our eternal Enjoyments are in danger, and Heaven and Hell are not things to be sported with, or ventured and put to hazard for a little carnal satisfaction. Many expound that, Eph. 6.12. We wrestle with spiritual wickednesses in high places, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , about heavenly things, for the word Places is supplied; it is in the Original only in or for the heavenlies: the main quarrel between us and Satan is about high and heavenly things, which tend to the honor of God, and the eternal good of our Souls; it is not our temporal and worldly, so much as our spiritual and heavenly concernments, which are struck at. The Devil would fain cheat us of our Souls, our God and our Happiness, and by propounding some base and unworthy trifle deprive us of everlasting Glory. Now a man that hath a sense of Eternity deeply impressed upon his heart, and hath made eternal things his scope, 2 Cor. 4.18. he hath his eyes in his head, is careful not to lose his interest in and hope of these things, who knows that the whole World will not countervail the loss of his Soul, and that one glimpse of Heavens Glory and Happiness doth so much out-shine all the Pomp and gaudy Vanities of the present Life, that he dareth not let his heart linger after these things, lest he should forget or neglect those better things. He is cautious of coming short of the heavenly rest, which his eye and his heart is upon, Heb. 4.1. But they whose Faith about these things is either weak, or none at all, are bold and venturous, as if there were no such danger in sins and temptations; they forgets God, and their Souls, and the great account they must give of all their actions to their impartial Judge, and the eternal recompenses of Heaven and Hell, into which all the World shall at last issue themselves.

Secondly, Fear, or a reverend and awful regard of God's Eye and Presence, they are afraid to do anything unseemly in his sight, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this wickedness • , and sin against God? How will God take it to be affronted to his Face? As Esther 7.8. Will he force the Queen before me in the house? So, Shall we give vent to our sin, when God seeth and heareth? Void our excrements in his presence? The Israelites were commanded to march with a paddle, Deut. 23.12, 13, 14. Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad. And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon, and it shall be when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back, and cover that which cometh from thee. For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy, that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee. The Masters eye makes the Servant diligent; the presence of a Reverend Man will hold us in some order; if Gehazi had known that the Spirit of Elisha went with him, would he have run after Naaman for a reward? 2 Kings 5.26. his prophetic Spirit went with him. We can no more be removed from the presence of God, than from our own Being; he is the continual Witness and Judge of our Conversations; he seeth us in secret as well as in public. Now when the Soul is habituated to this thought, how awful and watchful shall we be? Psal. 119.168. I kept thy precepts and thy testimonies; for all my ways are before thee.