Sermons Volume 2

SERMON XVI.

HERE the Apostle preventeth an absurd Conclusion, which might be inferred by people of a libertine Spirit, from what he had said in the former verse, either from the first, or the last clause, the Privilege or the Reason; from either, carnal men might collect what might be matter of security to them in sin; either because of the Privilege, Sin shall not have dominion over you, therefore they might let loose the reins, sin should not reign, and consequently not damn: Or else from the Reason, Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace: the Negative part might seem to infer an exemption from the Duty of the Law: the Positive, But under Grace, which provideth pardon for the lapsed, they might infer hence, that therefore they might sin impune, without any fear of punishment. So that in short, three Doctrines of Grace are apt to be abused.

• First, The free Pardon or exemption from Condemnation, which the new Covenant hath provided for Sinners, therefore they might sin securely, no harm would come of it.
• Secondly, The Liberty and Exemption from the Rigour of the Law, which requireth things impossible at our hands under the penalty of the Curse, as if this had freed us from all manner of bonds and tyes to obey God, they were not under the Law.
• Thirdly, The Doctrine of Perseverance, as if they might do what they list, the Covenant of Grace would secure their interest, and whether they watched or strived, yea or no, sin should not have dominion over them. All these are rejected as unreasonable Conclusions, What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? God forbid.

In the words we have,

• 1. An Interrogation to excite us to regard what Conclusions we draw from Christian Privileges, What then? that is, What do we conclude thence?
• 2. A faulty Inference or Conclusion is mentioned, Shall we sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace? Where first,
  • 1. The Inference itself, Shall we sin? that is, let us continue in sin, or serve sin, or not strive against sin.
  • 2. The Ground whence it is inferred,

1. From the Evangelical state negatively proposed, Because we are not under the Law, as if we were exempted from the Rule of the Law, because we are exempted from the Rigour of it.

2. From the Evangelical state positively proposed, But under Grace.

1. The Grace of Justification, we may indulge sin, since the Gospel offereth a Pardon, or freedom from Condemnation.

2. The Grace of Sanctification by the Spirit, God will maintain our Right, though we mind it not, and so we turn the Grace of God into looseness or laziness.

3. The Brand upon this Conclusion, or his Abhorrence specified, it is not only unreasonable, but impious, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , far be it from Believers thus to conclude:

1. Because the Conclusion is unreasonable, being a distortion of true Doctrine, or of the Grace of the Gospel.

2. It is ungrateful, what? be more licentious for God's Grace? it is the most abherred use of God's mercy that is imaginable.

Doctrine. That it is a manifest abuse of the new Covenant, so much as to imagine, that it countenanceth any licentiousness or liberty in sin.

I shall 1. prove it by two Arguments,

• First, From the design or end of God in setting up this new Transaction with Mankind.
• Secondly, From the Tenor and Constitution of it.

2. Shall vindicate those Doctrines of free Grace, which may most seem to occasion such thoughts in the hearts of men.

1. From the design of God in setting up this new Covenant, which was to recover lapsed Man from the Devil and the World unto himself, that he might not wholly lose the Glory of his Creation; which appeareth by manifold expressions in Scripture, Luke 19.10. The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost. Now we were lost first to God, as Luke 15. the lost groat was lost to the Possessor, the lost sheep was lost to the Owner, the lost son lost to the Father: these two last Parables show that they were also lost to themselves; but that is but a consequent, the primary sense is, they were lost to God, and therefore Christ came to recover them to his obedience. But to leave Parables, it is said expressly, Rev. 5.9. Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, that we might not only be admitted into his friendship and favor, but fitted for his service, and that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. by which is meant not only to reconcile us unto God, but bring us into a state of subjection and obedience to him. Christ is set up as a Mediator, and Lord of the new Creation, to the glory of God the Father, Phil. 2.11. That every tongue might confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, that his interest in his Creatures might be secured. And the Kingdom of the Mediator is subordinate to the Kingdom of God, all the Authority and Power which Christ hath as Mediator to enact Laws and make a new Covenant, is to bring men back again to the obedience of God upon more comfortable terms: Our subjection to him is not vacated or made void, or only reserved, but established on more comfortable terms, as we have Grace given us for the pardon of failings, and the effectual help of his Spirit to incline us to obedience.

2. From the Tenor and Constitution of it. As to the Precepts, it begins with Faith and Repentance, and is carried on in the way of new Obedience or Holiness. None are admitted to the first Privileges, but those that repent. Upon Mary 's Repentance Christ said, Her sins which are many are forgiven her, Luke 7.47. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins, Acts 5.31. Now Repentance is a serious fixed purpose of returning to the obedience we owe to God. And the last Privilege, Eternal Glory, we have it not without Holiness, Mat. 5.8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Heb. 12.14. Follow peace and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. All the intermediate Privileges do expressly require or imply Holiness, Psal. 84.11. For the Lord God is a sun and a shield, the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will be withhold from that walk uprightly. So that from first to last it is an Holy Covenant, as it is called Luke 1.72. Yea it is holy, not only with respect to what it requireth, but with respect to what it promiseth; it promiseth the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, 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 gift of the Holy Ghost. Ezek. 36.25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean, and from all your idols will I cleanse you. 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are justified, but ye are sanctified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. And the Heaven of Heavens is Perfection of Holiness, 1 Joh. 3.2, 3. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And he that hath this hope purifieth himself, as he is pure. Eph. 5.27. That he might present it (the Church) to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Once more, the aim of it is to promote Holiness, 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature. 2 Cor. 7.1. Having these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Luke 1.75. That we might serve him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without fear (that is the great Privilege of the new Covenant) in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. In short, the Covenant dealeth only with an holy people, and excludeth the profane and unclean; the holy Covenant must have an holy People suitable to it, or else it speaketh no good to them: if you be not holy, you have no part in Christ, nor interest in his Covenant, Acts 20.32. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified. Acts 26.18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that we may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Well, you see the whole scope and great drift of the Covenant is to promote Holiness.

2. It remains to vindicate those Doctrines of Grace, that may seem to occasion these imaginations.

1. God's freeness and readiness to pardon. The Law threateneth Punishment, but Grace offereth Pardon and Impunity; therefore men let loose the reins, they think Mercy will pardon all, and discharge all. But this is a wretched abuse.

1. Though Pardon be offered to penitent Sinners, yet it is on purpose that they may forsake their sins, and timely return to the obedience of God, Psal. 130.4. There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ; that they may not stand aloof from God as a condemning God, but return to his fear and service. It is offered to prevent despair, not to encourage us in sin, so that you quite pervert the end of the offer.

2. This Pardon belongeth only to the Penitent. The offer is made to all, but none have an actual Right to it, till they repent, Isa. 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. And Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins, shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall find mercy. All Sinners are to be told, That God is ready to pardon; but all Sinners are not to believe that their sins are pardoned; for this is an Act that belongeth to God as a Governor and Judge. Some things God doth as a free Lord, and there it is, not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, Rom. 9.16. Other things God doth as a righteous Judge and Governor, according to the Law of Commerce between Him and his Creatures, there it is, So run, that ye may obtain, 1 Cor. 9.24 To apply this to the case in hand. Pardon of sins is an Act of Judicature, dispenseth upon certain Terms, gracious and free they are indeed, but Terms and Conditions they are still, without which we have no right to pardon, or are not qualified to receive it. All the Privileges of the Gospel are a Benefit, but a Benefit dispensed on certain Terms, such as our Sovereign Lord was pleased to prescribe.

3. They are expressly excluded that securely go on in sin, Psal. 68.21. But he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. That exceptive Particle [ But ] relateth to what was said of God before, now twice before God is called a God of Salvation, verse. 19. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation, Selah. And verse. 20. He that is our God is the God of salvation. But he will wound, &c. A man that goeth on still in his sins, is reckoned an Enemy to Christ, whatever he be by outward Profession, and as an Enemy he shall be dealt with, the God of Salvations, or the merciful Savior will not save him, notwithstanding all that lenity and goodness which he showeth to them that are sincere, the God of Salvations will strike home upon their hairy scalp, that is, utterly destroy them. Therefore when men go on in a state of Impenitency, either ignorantly, or against conviction of Conscience, upon a presumption, that God's mercy shall bear them out, they make the God of all Grace their Enemy, his Justice is against you, and his Mercy will not help you. By the Law is the knowledge of sin, and by the Gospel you are excluded from Pardon, till you break off your sins by Repentance, and the more sin you commit, the further off you are from Salvation, every sin is a step further, Psal. 119.155. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they seek not thy statutes; à pari, Salvation is near to the righteous. Rom. 13.11. Now is your salvation nearer, than when ye first believed. Every man every day is a step nearer to Heaven or Hell.

The second Doctrine abused is Exemption from the Rigour and Curse of the Law, Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. Therefore men take a liberty to sin, They are not under the Law. But we must distinguish how we are, and how we are not under the Law.

1. We are still under the Law as a Rule of Obedience, so the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 9.21. Not being without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ. The Apostle still ruled his Actions by Law, both the Law of God and the Law of Christian Charity. To be in this sense without Law, is either to make us God's or Devils; if you plead it de Jure, of Right, it is to make the Creature a God: for it is impossible any created thing can be without Law, that were to make it supreme and independent, as if its own Will were its Rule, without liableness to be called to an account by another. Saul proclaimed, 1 Sam. 17.25. That whosoever would encounter the Philistine, his house should be free in Israel: but it is as impossible to free the Creature from subjection to God, as it is from dependence upon him If you plead it de Facto, this were to make us Devils, to live in direct opposition to God, and rebellion against him, or exempt us from his Authority, Psal. 12.4. Who have said, With our tongues will we prevail; our lips are our own, who is Lord over us? Thus every Creature must be under a Law.

2. There is a good sense, in which we are said not to be under the Law, as here in the Text, and Gal. 5.18. If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the Law ; that is, not under the condemning power of it, spoken of Rom. 8.1. There is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ: or the irritating power of it, spoken of Rom. 7.5. While we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death ; namely, as it did rigidly exact duty from us, and gave no strength to perform it. Well then, we many from hence see what liberty we have by Grace, there is a twofold Liberty, an holy and blessed Liberty, and a wicked and carnal Liberty.

First, The holy Liberty is to be freed from the power of Sin, and the Curse of the Law, that our inthralled Spirits may be set free, to love, serve, please, and delight in God, and so, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3.17. And for this end we are freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works, which required what to us is become impossible, Rom. 8.2. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death ; and freed us also from the burdensome task of Ceremonies, which God thought fit to impose in the Churches Non-age, Gal. 5 1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with a yoke of bondage. These Ceremonies did revive the sense of Transgressions, and the Curse due to them.

Secondly, The sinful Liberty is a freedom from Righteousness, as the Apostle calleth it, Rom. 6.20. When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness, from a voluntary subjection to God and his holy Laws, a desire to be free from that strict and holy manner of living, which God commandeth, or to be at liberty to sin against God, or please the Flesh, and follow our own wills, to be merry, wanton, lustful, worldly, to eat and drink what we have a mind to, to game, and roar, and riot, and revel, and in the general to live as we list, without being curbed by so precise a Law as God hath given us. Now I will show,

• 1. That this is not Liberty.
• 2. That Christ never came to establish it.
• 3. That the contrary is the true Liberty.

1. That this is not Liberty. For Libertas non est potestas volendi & faciendi quod velis, sed volendi & faciendi ea quae lex divina jubet ; It is not a liberty to live as we list, but to live as we ought, Psal. 119.45. And I will walk at liberty, for I keep thy precepts. Man affects the false Liberty, and is impatient of any restraints, Psal. 2.3. Let us cast away his bands and cords from us: they would do what they please without check and control. But all this is but delusion and mistake, in reality they live the freest life that lie under the bonds of Duty, that make conscience of praying to and praising God, and walking with him in the stricter course of Holiness. Carnal Liberty is but a Thraldom or Slavery; for these we are disabl •• from pursuing our great end, which is to be everlastingly happy in the enjoyment of God; they that indulge this Liberty, dare not call themselves to an account for the expense of their time and Employments, which every wise man should do, nor think seriously of Death, or Judgment, or Heaven, or Hell, but presently they feel an horror and torment in their minds.

2. Christ never came to establish this Liberty, for he came to bring us back again in heart and life to God, from whom we had fallen, to fit us to obey the Law of God, by healing our Natures, Heb. 8.10. This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. The great Blessing of the Gospel is Grace to keep the Law, not liberty to break it, and all new Creatures are enabled to keep it, not in absolute perfection, yet with a sincere obedience, Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Luke 1.75. That we should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives.

3. The more we set ourselves to keep the Law, the more we enjoy God and ourselves.

1. The more we enjoy God; for the more obedient we are, the more pleasing we are to him, and amiable in his sight, Prov. 11.20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord; but such as are upright in their way, are his delight. Psal. 11.7. The righteous God loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright ; God delighteth in us not so much as pardoned, but as sanctified. They have most Communion with him, 1 Joh. 1.7. If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another ; they have most of the favor of God, and fellowship with him.

2. The more also we enjoy ourselves. Sin is a wounding thing, Nature looketh upon it as a disorder, therefore where it is allowed it breedeth fear, which is a bondage the wicked are never freed from, though they do not always feel it, Heb. 2.15. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage. But now the more we set ourselves to keep the Law of God, the more happiness and serenity in our own Souls, Psal. 119.165. Great peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them ; partly from the consciousness of having done their Duty, partly as their interest is more clear, and so their comfort more full and strong.

Thirdly, The Doctrine of Perseverance, Sin shall not have dominion over them, whether they strive against it, yea or no; and so instead of a resolute resistance, they cherish a presumptuous security. There is a holy confidence which the sincere cherish, not to slacken Duty, but increase it; such as that of Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. For the which cause I also suffer these things, nevertheless I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day. This is trusting ourselves in God's hands, and keeping his way: But there is a presumptuous security also, when men think they are past all danger, and so look upon cautious watchfulness as a needless thing, whereas the Scripture presseth it everywhere. Now to prevent this, consider,

First, The union of ends and means. The sincere Convert shall be kept blameless to God's heavenly Kingdom, but he is kept in God's way. All God's Purposes are executed by fit means. God had assured Paul, That there should be no loss of any man's life among them, but only of the ship, Acts 27.22. yet afterwards he telleth them, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved, verse. 31. How could that assurance given to Paul from God, and Paul 's caution stand together? God that decrees the end, hath appointed means, whereby he will execute his Decree. Well then, God having shown us in his Word, what means are necessary to such an end, there is a necessity of Duty lying upon man to use those means, and not to expect the end without them: God intended to save all in the Ship, yet the Mariners must abide in the Ship; we must not perverts God's order. You shall not fall away, and revert into your old slavery; but you must remember, you have given up your bodies as instruments of Righteousness unto God.

Secondly, Among other the means required by God, there are these two things to be considered, Fear of Falling, and the Danger of Backsliding.

1. Fear of Falling, Heb. 4.1. Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it. 1 Pet. 1.17. Pass the time of your sojourning here with fear. Phil. 2.12. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Fear is careful and solicitous, what Fear is this? a Fear of Caution, 1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. Of Reverence, Jer. 32.40. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

2. The Danger of Backsliding is often represented to Believers to increase their caution: as Christ said to his own Disciples, Joh. 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. The danger of Apostasy is represented to them to confirm their standing, or laid before them to make them afraid of defection. So Heb. 10.26, 27. If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.

3. The Promise and Exhortation go together, that we may carry an even hand between Despair and Presumption. Compare verse. 12. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof, with the Text, Sin shall not have dominion over you, we must not presume because of the filthiness of our hearts, and the number of the snares that are still before us: we must not despond, because of the unchangeableness of God's Covenant-love. Let us improve the Grace we have received, that we may continue in it. The Act is ours, but the Help is God's, To sin upon a confidence that we are sure to persevere, is to cease persevering; and to fall away, because we are sure not to fall away, which is a contradiction.

Use of Information. It informeth us,

• 1. No Doctrine is so sound, but a corrupt heart will abuse it; therefore as much as in us lies, we must prevent these mis-interpretations.
• 2. How prone sinful men are to take all occasions to indulge liberty to sin: being naturally bent to Licentiousness, they pervert Christ's holy Doctrine to this end.
• 3. With what abhorrence we should entertain anything that lessens the necessity of the Creatures subjection to God, or doth befriend sin, or enticeth you to make light of Obedience; yea though this should be done with the most glorious pretences of Grace, it is but Poison ministered by a Perfume.
• 4. What caution and watchfulness we should use over our own thoughts and inferences. Everyone draweth one Conclusion or other from the Gospel, What use do you make of it? Many that will not say so, that we should sin because we are not under the Law, but under Grace, are apt to think and do so. And since it is natural to us, we should be provided of a remedy.

1. Let every Sacred Truth be digested into holy Love and Practice: Love, 2 Cor. 8.1, 2. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifyeth. And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet, as he ought to know. Practice, 1 Joh. 2.4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. When Truth is turned into Love, it is turned into a new Nature, and deeds discover the reality of our opinions more than words.

2. Let no mystical Truth be set up to avoid God's unquestionable natural Right to govern his Creature, or to infringe the Rights of the Godhead, as to set up Christ against the Moral Law, as if that were abrogated; and if no Law, no Transgression, no Sin, no Duty, no Judgment, no Punishment, no Reward.

3. Do not set up Christ against Christ, Heb. 5.9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. Do not set up his Merits against his Law, he is Savior but to those that obey him.

SERMON XVII.

IN this Verse the Apostle proveth, that it is unreasonable and absurd to conclude, That we may sin, because we are not under the Law, but under Grace ; Why? Because it destroyeth the state to which we pretend, for men cannot be under Grace that serve sin. He proveth it by a general Maxim▪ evident by the common Reason of Mankind, Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are, &c.

So that in the words we may observe two things:

• 1. A general Maxim evident by the Light of Nature.
• 2. The Application of it to the matter in hand.

1. The general Maxim, That whatsoever or whomsoever a man voluntarily obeyeth, he maketh it or him his proper Lord and Master. There take notice of the evidence of it, Know ye not, q. d. you may easily know this by the common course of affairs of the World. Here four things are evident,

• First, That omnis servus est alicujus Domini servus, that every Servant hath some particular Lord and Master.
• Secondly, That the interest of this particular Lord and Master is grounded upon some special Title.
• Thirdly, This Title, as matters are carried in the World, is either voluntary Contract, or Consent, or plain Conquest, getting another into his Power. By voluntary Contract one is a Servant, that bargaineth with another to serve him; either wholly, that selleth himself as a Slave, or in part for such services and ministries: the one is Servus, a Bondman or a Slave; the other is Famulus, an Attendant or Apprentice, not absolutely, but for such a time; and for such ends. By Conquest, 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 into bondage.
• Fourthly, Where a Master hath such a legal Title▪ every Servant is bound to obey his Master. Aristotle maketh it the property of a Servant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to live not as himself listeth, but as his Master pleaseth. All these things are plain and obvious to every man's understanding.

2. The matter of it, there are two things observable,

• 1. Yielding ourselves to obey.
• 2. Actual Obedience.

1. Consent, To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are, as a man contracts with another to serve him.

2. The Act, His servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether there hath been a formal Contract yea or no. He that actually obeyeth another, is to be accounted his Servant, and becometh his Servant. The first Notion teacheth us, That none can be a Servant to another, but by the election and consent of his own proper Will, and whatsoever service men enter, they enter it of their own accord; the Devil cannot force us to evil, and Christ will not force us to good. The second Notion teacheth us, That we must not judge of our service to any, either to Sin or God, by our professed Consent barely, but by our Practice and Obedience: if we obey sin, we are servants to sin, whatever we prosess or say to the contrary; and if we do not live in obedience to God, whatever Professions, Vows and Covenants we make to him, or with him, we are not Servants of God.

2. In the Application of it to the matter in hand, take notice,

• 1. Of two contrary Masters, Sin and Obedience.
• 2. Of two contrary Rewards and Wages, Death and Righteousness.
• 3. The suiting the one to the other, Sin and Death, Obedience and Righteousness.

1. By Sin he meaneth sinning wittingly and willingly, constantly, easily. By Death as the Wages, is understood, the second, or eternal Death.

2. The other Master. By Obedience is meant obedience to God, if you obey God's commands; and as our Duty is expressed by Obedience, so our Reward by Righteousness. He doth not say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which the Law of Contraries would seem to require, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by Righteousness, you may expound it either of our Title to Happiness, or our Reward itself.

1. Our Title, you shall be pronounced and accepted as righteous, and so Heirs of eternal Life. There are many acceptations of the word [ Righteousness ] in Scripture. In short, take them thus.

1. It may be taken in a Moral sense, for a good disposition of mind and heart, Eph. 4.24. That ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

2. In a Legal or Judicial sense, for a state of Acceptation, or the ground of a Plea before the Tribunal of God. So Rom. 5.19. By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous. In this Judicial sense either with respect to the Precept or the Sanction.

1. With respect to the Precept or the Law, as it is sincerely and Evangelically obeyed, 1 Joh. 3.7. He that doth righteousness, is righteous. And Luke 1.6. They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless: this is opposite to reatus culpae.

2. With respect to the Sanction, which is double, the Threatning or the Promise. With respect to the Threatning, so Righteousness implieth freedom from the Obligation to Punishment. So Rom. 1.17, 18. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness: this is opposite to reatus poenae. With respect to the Promise, so Righteousness imports our Right and Title to eternal Life, not from any merit in our obedience itself, but God's gracious condescension in the Covenant, There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, 1 Tim. 4.8. Our Title is first by Faith, then continued by new Obedience.

2. It may imply the Reward itself; for it is said elsewhere, Isa. 48.18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments, then had thy peace been as the river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea. Where by righteousness is not meant any moral Virtue or gracious Disposition, but Prosperity and Happiness. So Prov. 8.18. Riches and honor are with me, yea durable riches and righteousness, thereby is meant Felicity. As Iniquity is put for Punishment, He shall bear his iniquity ; so Righteousness is put for Reward. So here Righteousness is opposed to Death, and signifieth eternal Life.

Doctrine. That it greatly concerneth Christians to consider upon what they bestow, or employ their Time, Service and Obedience.

This will be evident by these Considerations,

1. That the great business, which belongeth to our Duty, is the choice of a Master, or to consider, to what we must addict ourselves, and upon what we bestow our minds and hearts, our life and love, our time and strength: 1 Kings 18.21. How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. He brings the business to a trial, not to give them liberty to be of what Religion they pleased, but on deliberation to choose the best. So Josh. 24.15. If it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve. He doth not leave it to their liberty to choose God or Idols, but would have them to compare the best with the worst, the service of God, or the service of Devils; which will be Life, and which will be Death, which will be good, and which will be bad for them; not as if it were doubtful which to choose, for that is evident to any man in his right wits: nor to blunt their zeal by any demurrer in the case, but rather quicken and hasten their choice; but chiefly that they might choose freely, and be more firm and constant in their Covenant, and to shame them, that they might be more inexcusable, if pretending to God, they divert their obedience from him to other things. Well then, whom will you serve and love? To whom will ye give up your minds and hearts, and whole man? To do what God requireth, or to serve and please your Lusts? Make a right choice, and then be firm and true to it. Will you pretend to be Servants to God, and do nothing for him?

2. The Considerations which must guide us in this choice, are two. (1.) Right and Interest. (2.) The Good or Hurt that we all get by it; for there are wages proportionable and suitable to every work.

1. Where lieth the Right to command, and who hath the best Title to us? Justice is to give everyone his own, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Surely sin is an Usurper, but God is our rightful Lord, for he made us, and to him we must give an account of our time, strength, and employments, Acts 27.23. There stood by me this night an Angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve. And,

2. His service turneth to the best account. Our Apostle telleth us, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

3. That in a moral Consideration there are two Masters, sinful Self, and the Holy God. This distribution comprehendeth all men, either they are servants of Sin, or servants to God: whosoever yieldeth his consent or obedience to sin, doth thereby make himself the true and proper servant of sin; and whosoever yieldeth his obedience to God, is the servant of God If you deliver up yourselves to serve God, to obey his commands, you will be reputed as his Servants, and so accepted of the Lord; therefore one of them you are, a servant of sin, or a servant of the Lord. I shall prove it by these Considerations.

1. That all men are either good or bad; carnal or regenerate; there is no middle state. All that can make us demur upon this must be either this Objection, That all Sinners are not alike vicious, but they are all Sinners, Isa. 53.6. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone into his own way. As the channel is cut, so doth corrupt Nature vent and issue forth; some serve one sin, some another; but if you give up yourselves to any sin to serve that, you are slaves to sin, Psal. 119.133. Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. It may be you are no Adulterer, no Drunkard, yet you have your way of sinning, or some great drain, into which all your corruption emptieth itself. Or this Objection, That some are inter regenerandum, upon Regeneration, as being under some common work of the Spirit, which if God bless, may be the beginning of a new Estate: As for instance, take that Scripture, Mat. 13.45, 46. The kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls, and when he had found one of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. The seeking of goodly Pearls is the inclination of Nature to Happiness; the finding one of great price is common Grace, which implieth Knowledge, some kind of Faith and Esteem of Christ; but his going and selling all to buy it, is special and saving Grace. All men would be happy; none can be happy but by Christ; when we count all things dung and dross, that we may gain Christ, then we are really converted. Now before this, here is some knowledge, some assent, some value for Christ. Do not these things make a middle Estate? Answ. No, though they have some thoughts bubbling up in their minds concerning the Goodness of God, the necessity of a Savior, the Love of Christ, and the Joys of Heaven; yet they are not so rooted in the heart, as to become a new Nature in them, or the Habit and Principle of their daily course of Life; they do not gain the Heart to Christ, and engage us resolvedly to do his Will, and therefore they are to be reckoned among the carnal and unsanctified, though not among the profane. So the young Man had a great deal of good in him, for which Christ loved him; but he went away grieved, for he had great possessions, Mark 10.21, 22. And we read of another, to whom Christ said, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God, Mark 12.34. that is, from being a Christian, but really was not so; for he put the Question to Christ temptingly. Many that come near, never enter, and though they be almost Christians, yet if not altogether, they are not converted, and so to be reckoned among the obedient Servants of God. So that this needeth not stop our way, though they have some Convictions of the good of Holiness, and evil of Sin, and some mind to part with it, yet there is no saving Change, till their hearts be subdued to a resolute obedience.

2. That no man can serve both. This is asserted by our Lord in so many words, M • t. 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. Where the Masters are opposite, and differ in their employments and designs, it is impossible that a man can comply with both. Indeed if two men or more do consent to employ one and the same man in the self same business and service, then, as we say, many stones make but one load, and many things of several weights but one burden; thus two or three men or more concurring in the same designs, make but one Master. But to execute the will of men, that differ in their designs, is as impossible as to go hither and thither at once. If their commands were subordinate one to another, they might both have their answerable obedience, God in the first place, Sin in the next; but their commands are contrary, and both require our full strength of mind, heart and life: therefore it is impossible, that he that serveth sin should be a servant of God, for God will have the heart and mind and whole man to do what he requireth, whatever the consequence be; and sin will have the whole mind, heart and endeavor, whatever come of it. So that a man must needs be divided between his obedience to God and his obedience to Sin, and forsake the one, and cleave to the other, if he will in good earnest serve either Master. So much as he giveth to Sin, so much his mind and heart must be drawn away from God and obedience to him, and he must offend God when his Lust craveth it of him. Or else on the other side, he must always be alienating his heart from sin, and devoting it to God, if he be a true Servant of the Lord. Many would compound these things, that are so irreconcilable, they hope to please the Flesh and God too; it may be they have something that is good in them, but much more that is bad, the bent of their hearts is more for sin than against it; the good is controlled by the evil, which hath the chief power in the Soul; for certainly it hath so, when we wittingly or willingly continue in any sin, and take on a little Religiousness, either to hide it, or feed it, as in many their Religion maintaineth their Lusts, and they take the more liberty to live in sin, because they have some kind of love to God, and do some good thing, that he hath required of them, to excuse the bad.

3. All of us by Nature were servants of Sin; it is Grace that maketh us servants of God. So it followeth verse. 17. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. God created us, and therefore was our rightful Lord; but Sin hath invaded Mankind and reigned over them, and by a right of Recovery God seeketh to recover the Creature to himself, and to possess his own again. Therefore in the consultation about the choice of a Master, we must not take it, as if the heart of man were a mere Waste, occupied by none, but left to the next Comer to seize upon: No, there is an Usurper there already, sin commandeth and employeth our time and strength, and we must be made free from sin, before we can become servants to God. The business is, whether we have changed Masters, and are willing that God should be restored to his Right, out of which he hath been so long kept. They have a Notion in the Civil Law, which they call Jus postliminii, a Right of entering upon their own again, after it had for a long time been possessed by another: this Favor was granted to Captives, when carried into a foreign Country; but denied to Fugitives, that ran away out of Treachery or for some Crime: afterwards it was enlarged to those that were driven away by Famine, or removed themselves, whilst an inundation of Enemies, whom they could not resist, possessed their Country; they had a Right of entering again upon their Houses and Lands, though by reason of their long absence they were possessed by another. This was the case of the Shunamite, who having left her Country for seven years to avoid the Famine, her House and Land was seized on, 2 Kings 8, 9.5. which upon intercession was restored. This is not directly the case in hand▪ only so far, that other Lord's have had Dominion over us, which is not only by our departure from the Lord, but by our Rebellion; only in reason his Right should be owned by Repentance and Resignation of ourselves to his use and service: 1 Thess. 1.9. Ye turned to God from Idols, to serve the living and true God. So much for the third Consideration, that morally speaking there are but two Masters, Sin and Obedience.

4. That by yielding ourselves to obey either of these, we become servants to the one or the other. If we yield ourselves to obey sin, we are servants of sin; and by yielding ourselves to obey God, we become servants of God.

1. I shall speak of Sins Servants, and two things I shall say of them.

First, That they enter upon this Service voluntarily indeed, and draw this woeful slavery upon themselves, but not by solemn Contract and Covenant, the Servants are ashamed of their Master, and will not own themselves to be what they are; for they are cheated into their slavery, they are enticed and drawn away, Jam. 1.14. Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. They yield themselves to obey sin by voluntary inclination, but not by express Covenant; they are not forced, but enticed, and willingly put themselves into this bondage, but they do not openly profess it; but their course of life showeth it, their hearts are upon evil, and so they are Rebels and Enemies to God, and refuse his blessed Government, Col. 1.21. You that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.

Secondly, The second thing which I observe is, That they are not only Servants in legal Reputation, or so accounted before God, as Joh. 8.34. Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin ; but they are so by woeful Captivity, or a sad Necessity they have brought upon themselves; for they are deprived of all liberty to help themselves, 2 Pet. 2.19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage. Our service to God is a debt of Duty, their serving sin is a debt of Fatal Necessity. He is a Free-man that hath right and power to dispose of himself, or his own actions or employments; but he is a servant that is at another man's beck and disposal, and cannot do what he would, be it de Jure, or de Facto. Now then the servants of sin, though it is true de Jure, of Right, they should do it, yet de Facto they are very slaves to their brutish affections, and have no power to resist Temptations, or come out of their wretched condition, when they have some mind to it, and are convinced of better.

2. Of God's Servants I observe two things,

First, That they become so not only by voluntary Inclination, but open Profession, and express Covenant. God will have no servants, but who deliberately adhere to him, and by choice bind themselves to walk in his ways, 2 Cor. 8.5. They first gave up themselves to the Lord, an • unto us by the will of God: a voluntary surrender is necessary. So Isa. 66.4. They choose the things that please me, and take hold of my Covenant: and v. 6. They join themselves to the Lord to serve him. This deliberate voluntary choice is expressed in a solemn Covenant-resignation. God is not a Master to be ashamed of, but may and must be publicly owned.

Secondly, Our consent or yielding ourselves to obey is not enough, but it must be verified and made good by a continual course of actual obedience on our part; for besides the yielding up of ourselves to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey. Many make Covenant with God, but do not keep Covenant with God; they will and purpose, but do not perform. It is known whose servants we are, not only by our consent, but our continual practice; if we live in a constant careful obedience to God, we are his servants, though conscious of many failings. The Trial of our Case mainly runneth upon two things; the Bent of our Hearts, and the Drift of our Lives, our Choice and our Course. We read of some that said, All that the Lord hath commandeth us we will do ; and God answered, Deut. 5.29. O that there were such a heart within them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always. They are now in a good mood, promise fair. Therefore it is not enough to yield up ourselves to God, unless we employ ourselves for God; for besides the purpose and inclination, there must be a constant practice and study to please him.

5. Both sorts of Servants receive wages suitable and proportionable to the work they have done.

1. Of Sin unto Death. The Servants of Sin bring upon themselves eternal Death. Sin and Death go hand in hand; in all the Methods of his Justice God hath put them together: Jam. 1.15. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Now this should be thought of by us, when Satan and your own corrupt Hearts show you the Bait, Faith should see the Hook, this will be Death, or I am going about that which in its Nature doth expose me to eternal Death. The fear of temporal Death inflicted by the Magistrate restraineth much of the evil of the World, and keepeth men from things forbidden by him; and is not God more to be dreaded? There is but one Law giver that is able to save, or to destroy, that hath potestatem vitae & necis aeternae, Jam. 4.12. and shall not we fear and reverence him? Sinners that go on willfully in their sins, seem to make nothing of dying eternally.

2. Of Obedience into Righteousness ; that is, if we be the faithful Servants of God, we shall have the reward of eternal Life, not only non-condemnation, or freedom from eternal Death, but the everlasting possession of Glory and Blessedness. There is none of us can say, that God bids us serve him for naught, or to his loss: he propoundeth endless Rewards and Punishments to procure obedience to his Laws; as he will punish the wicked with endless Miseries, so he will reward the obedient with everlasting Blessedness. Though we merit nothing of him, you cannot say you work for nothing, he is very ready to manifest his approbation of the obedient, Mat. 25.23. Well done, good and faithful servant. It is a delightful thing to him to speak good of his Servants, and that before all the World.

Use 1. We learn hence, whom we should choose for our Master, or to whom we should stand in the relation of Servants.

1. Consider God's unquestionable Title, that will awe the Soul. You are Servants of God by Obligation, before you are Servants of God by Consent; you are His by Creation, before you are by Contract. Our self-obligation is necessary, the more to enliven the sense of our Duty, and make it more explicit and active upon our hearts, and more acceptable to God. God will make the wicked see he hath a right to punish them, without asking their consent; but he will not reward you without your consent, unless you willingly give up yourselves to serve him and obey him. Christ forceth not men to good against their wills, but the effect of his victorious Grace is to make you willing, to bring you to yield up yourselves to obey him, Psal. 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power.

2. Consider the necessity of Obedience. Our service is not abrogated by Grace, but changed: His servants ye are to whom ye obey ; we are redeemed, that we may obey, Luke 1.74, 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. We are pardoned, that we may obey, Psal. 130.4. There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. We are renewed and sanctified, that we may obey, 1 Pet. 1.2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience. And when once we are brought into this blessed estate, and are in Covenant with Christ, to depend upon him and obey him, then all the subsequent Privileges are dispensed according to our obedience; as the further supply of the Spirit, Acts 5.32. Whom God hath given to them that obey him: and eternal Life, Heb. 5.9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal life to all them that obey him: all the effects of God's internal and external Government, all the intervening Communion with God that we have in the World, Joh. 14.21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him ; that is, he will enlighten him with the knowledge of his Salvation, quicken him by the saving operations of his Grace, and lift up the light of his Countenance upon him, give them peace of Conscience, Mat. 11.29. Take my yoke on you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls ; a sanctified use of such good things, as he seeth meet for them, Isa. 1.19. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. It is his obedient Servants that Christ is so tender of, and willing so to cherish, and to give to them the effects of his illuminating, quickening, comforting Grace, and of his fatherly Providence.

3. Consider much what it is, wherein you should obey him; or study to know his Will, Eph. 5.17. Be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Rom. 12.2. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed in the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. Doubtfulness of our Duty doth exceedingly weaken our care of obedience, so it doth also our detestation and resistance of sin, when you are sure a thing is sin, you will be more shy of meddling with it; and when you are sure it is a Duty, Temptations will less draw you from it: for it will strike you with horror in the hour of Temptation, What! shall I disobey God, by venturing to do that which he hath forbidden, or omitting to do that which he hath expressly commanded? When our Duty is once made matter of Controversy, you shall always find people less serious in it; therefore it is the Lord's mercy, that most of the necessary things are unquestionable, and out of debate, otherwise sin would be more commonly committed, and with less regret of Conscience. Therefore it concerneth you to understand what is Duty, or what is Sin, that want of Light may not disable nor enfeeble your Practice, and abate your Zeal for such things as God hath commanded, or against such things as God hath forbidden.

4. To continue your Resolution of obeying God, you should often consider of two things, what is past, and what is to come.

First, What is past, the fruit of serving Sin, and obeying God. The fruit of serving sin, Alas! we cannot look back without shame and blushing, Rom. 6.21. What fruit have you of those things, whereof you are now ashamed? The object of shame is either Folly or Filthiness, now your eyes are opened by Grace, you see both in that former course of Disobedience, wherein you wandered from God; But what fruit had ye then? It filled you with the bondage of anguish and fear, that you could not have one comfortable thought of God, and alas, what was all the vanishing pleasures of sin to this trouble and anxiousness of mind! And you that have tasted of these bitter waters, will you try once again, What an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake God, and walk in the way of your own hearts? Jer. 2.19. They that have smarted before, are wont to be more cautious afterwards: a Child that hath been bitten by a snappish Curr, will not easily venture his fingers again. They reasoned, Joshua 22.17. Is the iniquity of Pear too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day? Will you again fly from the face of God, and grow shy of him? Sin is another thing in the review than it was in the committing; do not lay open your old wounds, and make Conscience bleed afresh. But do not only remember the fruits of your Disobedience, but your experiences of Obedience also in the tastes of God's Love, the Deliverances and Blessings vouchsafed to you, as David, Psal. 119.56. This I had, because I kept thy precepts, this Comfort, this Peace, or serenity of Conscience, this Protection, this Deliverance, and why should we grow weary of God? What iniquity have we found in him? Micah 6.3. Wherein have I wearied you?

Secondly, For what is to come, what will be the fruit of Sin or Obedience? Of sin unto death, of obedience unto righteousness. Sin in itself deserveth Damnation, and Hell is not a matter to be jested with; for this many are now in flames, and will you take that path which leadeth down to the Chambers of Death? But the other, Obedience, hath Righteousness, your Title to Glory is more unquestionable; God would not have you to obey him to your hurt and ruin, no, he is leading you to endless Joy and Bliss. Holiness directly leadeth to eternal Life, and for the present your Right is clear. Heaven is the Portion of serious Believers that love God and live to him.

5. Because the heart is fickle, and the force of an old Consent may be spent, you must often renew your Dedication, and afresh yield up yourselves to God, to obey him. For our Obedience is founded in Consent, and the more fixed and firm it is, the more even will your Obedience be. Therefore we should often solemnly renew the Covenant made in Baptism, and deliver up ourselves to God as his professed Servants and Subjects, firmly resolving upon a stricter course of future Obedience: 2 Chron. 30.5. So they established a Decree to make Proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba even unto Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover unto the Lord God of Israel at Jerusalem, for they had not done it for a long time in such a sort as it was written.

6. When you have again yielded yourselves to God, make more Conscience of obeying him; partly, because the Devil loves to tempt those who are newly consecrated to God, as Christ after his Baptism, the Israelites at the giving of the Law, the Disciples quarrelling for greatness after Christ's Transfiguration, those that were drunk at the Love-feasts: partly, because obeying showeth the truth of your Consent, 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.

SERMON XVIII.

IN the sixteenth Verse the Apostle had laid down a general Maxim, which he applieth, first to the matter in hand, in the same Verse; now to the Persons, to whom he wrote, the believing Romans, in the Text, But God be thanked, &c.

In the words there are three things:

• 1. Their past Estate by Nature, or what they were before Conversion, Ye were the servants of sin.
• 2. Their present Estate by Grace, But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of sound Doctrine, which was delivered to you.
• 3. The Praise of all is given to God's Grace, But God be thanked.

To open these, I shall begin with,

1. Their past Estate, They had been servants of sin, that is, lived long in a course of sin, Joh. 8.34. Whoso committeth sin, is the servant of sin, that is, whosoever doth voluntarily and ordinarily indulge sin, and goeth on in an open course of sinning, he is a servant or slave to sin; for he doth not, yea cannot do that which Reason and Conscience judgeth to be good, or the Word of God requireth from him; but doth the contrary, that which the Word of God and Conscience disalloweth. This was sometimes their Estate and ours also; for we are all hewn out of the same Quarry and Rock. Only let me tell you, that the servitude of sin is either natural or acquired.

First, Natural or hereditary from our first Parents; so we are all prone to evil, and averse from, and unable to that which is good: Gen. 8.21. The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. The word which we translate Youth, signifieth also Childhood, and the Scripture elsewhere runneth up to the Womb, Psal. 51.5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. We see how early Children manifest sin. Now the earliness, and commonness, and universality of these evil inclinations showeth what Contagion hath invaded all Mankind.

Secondly, Acquired, when Time and Custom doth confirm these evil Habits in us: Jer. 13.23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. We use to say, Custom is as a second Nature. It is so here, it is corrupt Nature confirmed, or inbred and native Corruption improved. Thus were they servants of sin, and though all do not improve corrupt Nature to such an height and degree as others do; yet all serve sin, till Grace maketh a change.

2. Their present or converted Estate, where take notice,

• 1. Of their Rule, That form of Doctrine.
• 2. The Manner of applying it, Which was delivered unto you.
• 3. The Effect, Ye have obeyed from the heart.

1. The Rule, The form of Doctrine, that is, the whole Gospel, or at least some Summary of the Christian Doctrine concerning things to be believed and done, called The pattern of wholesome words, 2 Tim. 1.13. Or the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ, Heb. 6.1.

2. The manner of Application, Which was delivered unto you, or whereinto ye were delivered, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Doctrine of the Gospel is the Pattern and Mould, according to which the new Creature is framed; as Metal taketh its form from the Mould, into which it was cast, there is a due impression • eft upon the Soul; or as the Stamp and Seal leaveth a suitable impression on the Wax; but rather the former.

3. The Effect, Ye have obeyed from the heart. There is,

• 1. Obedience, and
• 2. Obedience from the Heart.

The most precious Truths will do us no good, unless they be digested into Love and Practice. When Truth is turned into Love, or received into the Heart, it becometh a new Nature to us; and when it is obeyed and practiced, it attaineth its proper use and effect. For the Truths of the Gospel were not delivered to us, to try the acuteness of men's Wits, who can most subtly dispute of these things; nor the strength of Memory, who can most firmly retain them; or plausibleness of Discourse, who can most elegantly speak of them; but the readiness of Obedience, who can best practice them. Therefore here is Obedience spoken of, Ye have obeyed, that is, begun to obey the Doctrine of the Gospel ; therefore you must go on still, and not return to your old Slavery and Bondage. And this from the heart, which implieth both the Voluntariness and Sincerity of their Obedience.

First, It was free and voluntary, not compelled: for that is said to be from the Heart, which is not done grudgingly and of necessity, but readily and cheerfully: 2 Cor. 9.7. Everyone according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, not of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Secondly, It was sincere and not dissembled, Col. 3.23. Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, not unto men. God seeth all things, what is done to him must be sincerely done.

3. There is one thing yet to be explained, and that is his giving thanks for this; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God be thanked. Here it may be inquired,

• 1. Concerning the Object, for what he giveth thanks.
• 2. The Subject, from whom he expects this performance.

1. Concerning the Object, it respects not the former, but the latter Clause: their being once Sinners is not the matter of his Thanksgiving, but that they had received and obeyed the Christian Faith. However this must be said, That it doth heighten the Mercy, or illustrate the Benefit: it is a great Mercy, that having been once slaves of sin, yet now at length they were recovered by Grace. To be brought into a state of Light and Life by the Gospel were a great Benefit, if a man had always been good and holy, at least not considerably bad: but when God will take us with all our faults, and those of so great and heinous a Nature, surely we have the more cause to give thanks. Well then, he doth not, could not give thanks, that once they had been the servants of sin; God was not the Author of their servitude to sin, but he was of their obedience to the Doctrine of Life, his Mercy turned the former evil to good. Or if you will take that into any part of the Thanksgiving, it must be thus, Since the condition of the servants of sin is so miserable, God be thanked, that you have escaped it.

2. From whom he expects this Thankfulness. I answer,

First, It doth excite their Thanksgiving, he exciteth them to give thanks for this blessed Change wrought in them: he moveth them not to give thanks for Riches and secular Honors, nor so much as consider, whether they had or wanted these things; but for the good estate of their Souls, that they were partakers of so great a Benefit, as from servants of Sin to become servants of Christ.

Secondly, It expresseth his own Thanksgiving on their behalf, as congratulating and rejoicing with them in this mercy: The Angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, Luke 15.10. So should we rejoice in the good of others, especially the Pastors of the Church, 3 Joh. 4. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. Nothing that I more delight in in the World, than to hear that those that are converted by me live after a Christian manner.

Doctrine. That to be turned from the Service of Sin to the sincere Obedience of the Gospel, is a Benefit that we cannot sufficiently be thankful for.

Let me represent it in the Circumstances of the Text.

1. Here is a Reflection upon their past state, Ye were servants of sin. This is necessary and useful:

First, To heighten the sense of our Privileges by Grace; alas! what were we when God first sought after us? Slaves to Sin and Satan, and Children of Wrath even as others. Look as Jacob, by remembering his poor condition, doth raise his heart the more to admire God's bounty to him: Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast shown unto thy servant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. It would cure the Pride of many, if they would remember their mean Originals, and how like the Hop-stalk, they mount up and grow out of the very Dunghil. God solemnly enjoined his People, when they enjoyed the plenty of the Land, to remember the obscure beginnings of their being a Nation; and therefore when they offered the First-fruits, they used this Confession, Deut. 26.5. A Syrian ready to perish was my Father, when he went down to Egypt, and sojourned there with a few men, and became a Nation great and mighty and populous. Thus God taught them to acknowledge, that their first Estate and Original was most wretched and miserable; and so must we. It holdeth more in moral things, Eph. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 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 now worketh 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, and were by nature the children of wrath even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. 1 Tim. 1.13. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious. But I obtained mercy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 all to be mercied. That God should take us with all our faults, and bring us into a better condition, how doth this heighten the Mercy!

Secondly, To quicken us to more diligence in our present Estate. He that hath been a diligent Servant to an hard and cruel Master, from whom he could not expect any recompense worth his Toil, surely should be diligent and faithful in the Service of a loving, gentle, and bountiful Master. This is urged, Rom. 6.19. As you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. And it is illustrated by several Scriptures, 1 Cor. 15.9, 10. I am the least of the Apostles, and am not meet to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the Grace of God I am what I am, and his grace that was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all. And Acts 26.11. I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to strange Cities.

Thirdly, To make the reality of the Change more evident. There is a great Change wrought in those who are brought home to God; it doth much hurt to Believers in judging of their own Case, to forget what they once were, whereas comparing these two, what they are, and what they were, would sooner bring it to an issue, and make the change more sensible and evident. The Scriptures often direct us to this method, Col. 1.21. And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. Eph. 2.13. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. And Eph. 5.8. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Our gradual progress in Holiness is more insensible, and therefore we may overlook the mercy, because we see not such eminent effects, as we found at first. But all that belong to God may see a Change, and say as the blind man, Joh. 9.25. This one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, I now see: they may see plainly, they are not the same men they were before. But when men forget the Estate they were once in, and the great change the Spirit wrought in them, and feel not such alterations continually, they live in doubtfulness and darkness. As our forgetting our poverty and affliction, maketh us undervalue a more plentiful condition, and those comforts which we would account a wonderful mercy before; or as when recovered and in health, we forget the rediousness of sickness, and are not thankful for the comfortable days and nights we enjoy, when we go about our business, and sleep without pain. So we undervalue the present state of Grace, by forgetting the unfruitful works of darkness, or the evil dispositions and practices of our Unregeneracy, and have not such comfortable apprehensions of the mercy, which the Spirit of God shown in our Cure. Cannot you remember when it was once much otherwise with you? that you are not now the persons you were then.

2. Here is a Description of their present state by Grace, which deserveth to be weighed by us. In it I observe,

1. That the Doctrine of the Gospel is in Conversion imprinted on them; for it is said, That they have obeyed from the heart the form of Doctrine into which they were delivered. Their very heart and Soul was modelled according to the Tenor of the Gospel, and the Truths revealed therein.

1. I will prove, that it is so with all Converts by that Promise of the new Covenant, Heb. 8.10. I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts. The thing written is the Law of Christ or the new Covenant, or the substance of the Doctrine of the Gospel, not every lesser Opinion, or minute Circumstance of their Duty, but those Points which are essential to Christianity, smaller matters depend upon a particular gift. The Book is the mind and heart of the Believer, by the Mind is meant the Understanding, by the Heart, the Will or rational Appetite; in the one is the directive Counsel, in the other the imperial and commanding Power of the Soul; the one is compared to the Ark, in which the Law was put, I will put my Laws into their minds ; the other to the Tables of stone, upon which the Law was written, God will convince their Understandings of their Duty, and incline their Affections to receive and obey it. The Writer [ I ] God challengeth it as his proper work, 2 Cor. 3.3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. By this Spirit the mind of man is enlightened, the heart is inclined; but yet we must do our Duty, both to understand the Will of God, and set our hearts upon it, and do the things required of us. To understand, we must dig for knowledge, and cry for understanding, Prov. 2.3, 4. and for inclining our hearts, Psal. 119.112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end: and for actual Obedience, we are solemnly consecrated to God in Baptism, that we may take up that course of living that is prescribed of God in the Gospel; and therefore it is said, 1 Pet. 1.14. Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts of your ignorance. We must not mould ourselves to any form, but that of this Doctrine, cast all our actions into this mould.

2. I will show the fruits of it. They are either internal, within the man, or essential to this work, or resulting from it by immediate consequence. Such as an abhorrence from sin, and a promptitude and readiness to holy actions.

1. For the first, where the Doctrine of the Gospel is imprinted on our hearts, it is an awing Principle which restraineth us from sin, Psal. 37.31. The Law of God is in his heart, none of his steps shall slide: he that knoweth and loveth what is commanded, knoweth and hateth what is forbidden; therefore his heart giveth back, when anything contrary is offered to him, 1 Joh. 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, neither can he sin, because he is born of God. Still something riseth up by way of dislike, he looketh upon sin not only as contrary to his Duty, but his Nature, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God? The heart as thus constituted, is not easily brought to it. By this, Temptations are defeated, whether from Satan, or our own hearts; from Satan, 1 Joh. 2.14. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Or from our own hearts, Psal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Our hiding the word in our hearts is subordinate to God's writing it in our hearts: we must use the means, the Grace is from him.

2. A promptitude and readiness to holy actions; for all holy and heavenly actions are suited to them, and there is a Cognation between the Law within, and the Law without; so that they are carried after them with more love, delight and pleasure, Psal. 40.8. Thy Law is within my heart, I delight to do thy will, O God. There is an inclination and propensity to do the Will of God, and to please and serve him, which maketh our obedience more easy and even.

3. The Benefits of being stamped and molded into the form of this Doctrine.

1. It is ready for our use, they have Principles laid up, to be laid out upon all occasions, either of trouble or temptation, or business and affairs, Prov. 6.21, 22. Bind them continually upon thine heart, tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. So that the Christian is a Bible to himself, as the Heathens were said to be a Law unto themselves, there was something urging them to Duty, restraining them from sin.

2. It preventeth vain thoughts; what is the reason evil is so ready and present with us? because our hearts are not stocked with the knowledge of heavenly Truths. Vain thoughts cannot be prevented, unless the Word dwell richly in our hearts. If a man have many brass Farthings, and but a few pieces of Silver, he will more readily draw out Farthings than pieces of Silver. But a Christian when alone, and destitute of outward helps, Psal. 16.7. His reins instruct him in the night season, when he hath no benefit of the Bible, or other literal Instruction.

3. It furnisheth and supplieth our Speech; for the Tap runneth according to the Liquor with which the Vessel is filled. In Prayer, the new Nature beareth a great part, for its desires and inclinations furnish us with Requests, its annoyances and grievances with Complaints, its solaces and satisfactions with Thanksgivings; and where it is not obstructed, there cannot be that leanness and baseness of Soul, wherewith we are often surprised: Psal. 45.1. My heart is inditing a good matter, I will speak of the things that I have made touching the King, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. As to ordinary Converse, Mat. 12.35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. When the Spring is dried up, there can be no water in the stream.

4. It giveth us greater certainty of the Religion we profess, when we feel the Power of it in our Hearts: 1 Joh. 5.10. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself: he hath a sense of what he hath heard; he hath felt the power of the Spirit inclining him to God and heavenly things, and subduing his carnal affections; he hath tasted the sweetness of God's Love in Christ, and you cannot persuade a man against his own sense; therefore when men have tasted and tried and found the admirable Effects of the Gospel upon their hearts, they will know that which bare Speculation could never discover to them, in order to love, certainty, and close adherence, they find all made good and accomplished to them, they find the Truth doth make them free, heal their Souls, and sanctify their Natures, appease their Anguish, offer them help in Temptations, relieve their Distress, bind up their broken Hearts, &c.

5. Then the Truth hath a power upon us, when it is put into their mind and heart, they have an inward engrafted Principle, Jam. 1.21. Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls: they find not only Truth in the Word, but Life, and obey God, not only as bound to obey, but as inclined to obey, there needeth no great enforcing, 1 Thess. 4.9. Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another: and Prov. 2.10. Wisdom entereth into thy heart ; it becometh another Nature to us, if it enters upon the mind only, it begets but a lazy and faint inclination.

6. It begets a holy Conversation; for those who have the Word of God stamped upon their hearts and minds, will show it in their actions. So it is said, 2 Cor. 3.3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Believers are Christ's Epistle by which he doth recommend himself, and his Doctrine to all men, when they see what excellent Spirits his Religion breedeth. So Phil. 2.15, 16. That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world: Holding forth the word of life.

2. I observe, That the fruit of this imprinting of the Doctrine of the Gospel upon their hearts was Obedience. For so saith the Apostle, Ye have obeyed. All that Knowledge we have must still be directed to Practice, Deut. 4.6. Keep therefore, and do them, for this is your wisdom and understanding: otherwise we do little more than learn these Truths by rote, or at best to fashion our Notions of Religion, that we may make them hang together.

1. We are bidden to inquire after the ways of God, not to satisfy Curiosity, but to walk therein: Jer. 6.16. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: But they said, We will not walk therein. Their disobedience was not so much against the knowledge of the Truth, as against the practice thereof. Men are not against Truth so much in their minds as in their hearts, they will not do what they know.

2. The comfort and sweetness is in keeping and obeying, Psal. 19.11. In keeping thy commandments there is great reward, not only hereafter, but now. There is a sweetness in knowing; for all Truth, especially heavenly Truth, is an oblectation of the mind; but there is more in keeping and obeying, because Practice and Obedience giveth a more experimental knowledge of these things, as a taste is more than a sight, and by a serious obedience • he taste of these blessed Truths is kept upon our hearts. It is but a flush of joy that is stirred up by Contemplation, the durable solid joy is by Practice and Obedience. Besides that, God rewardeth acts of Obedience more than acts of Contemplation with comfort and peace; for Contemplation is an imperfect operation of man, unless the effect succeedeth; yea we are not capable to receive this comfort, for knowledge doth not prove the sincerity of our hearts so much as obedience; therefore it is Practice that hath the Blessing in the bosom of it.

3. Where men receive the Doctrine of the Gospel rather in the Light, than in the Love of it, they do but increase their punishment, Luke 12.47. That servant that knew his masters will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, he shall be beaten with many stripes ; all the Privilege of their exact Knowledge shall be but an hotter Hell.

3. I observe, That it is Obedience from the Heart; and so it must needs be, if we consider the contexture of the words, or the imprinting the Doctrine of the Gospel, it is first upon our Hearts, and then upon our Lives, Isa. 51.7. The people in whose heart is my Law. So Deut. 6.6. These words that I command thee this day, shall be in thy heart ; for by the love of it we are brought to the obedience of this holy Law: So Prov. 4.4. Let thy heart retain my words. Prov. 22.22. Lay up my words in thy heart, there is the proper Repository of the Law of God, it cannot work any good effect upon us till we get it there, there is its proper seat, thence its influence. I shall urge but two Arguments:

First, It is Terminus actionum ad intra, it is the end of all those actions that come inward. The heart is that which God looks after, Prov. 23.26. My son, give me thy heart. He commandeth the Ear, but still his commands reach the Heart. It is the Heart wherein Christ dwelleth, Eph. 3.17. not in the Ear, Tongue, or Brain; till he take possession of the Heart, all is as nothing. The Bodies of Believers are Temples of the Holy Ghost, but still in relation to the Heart or Soul; nothing is prized by God but what cometh thence. Men care not for obsequious compliances without the heart, 2 Kings 10.15. Is thine heart right as my heart is with thy heart? Some content themselves with a bare profession of Religion, or some superficial Practices; but all is nothing to God: though thou pray with the Pharisee; pay thy Vows with the Harlot, Prov. 7. kiss Christ with Judas ; offer Sacrifice with Cain ; fast with Jezebel ; sell thine Inheritance for a public good, as Ananias and Sapphira, yet all is nothing without the heart. Judas was a Disciple, yet Satan entered into his heart, Luke 22.2 Ananias joined himself to the People of God, but Satan filled his heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost, Acts 5.3 Simon Magus was baptized, but his heart was not right with God, Acts 8.22 the great defect is in the Heart.

Secondly, It is Fons actionum ad extra, the Well-spring of all those actions which look outward, as Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. Mat. 15.19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. If the Heart be kept pure and loyal to God, the Life will not be so spotted and blemished; for Principiata respondent suis principiis, the actions suit with the heart, and it is impossible for men so to disguise their Conversations, but that their Principles and inclinations will appear; they may disguise it in a particular action, but not in their course and way; it will appear how their hearts are constituted by the tenor of their actions.

3. Here is Thanks given to God for this Change, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 1. Thanksgiving to God is a great and necessary Duty, the very Life and Soul of our Religion: 1 Thess. 5.18. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Heb. 13.15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. Our great business is to give thanks to God for Jesus Christ both in word and deed. 2. We are chiefly to give thanks for spiritual Mercies. They much excel those which are temporal and transitory: therefore if there be a just esteem of the mercies we praise God for, we will bless God for them, Eph. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Temporal favors we all understand, but a renewed heart is most taken up with spiritual Blessings. Ephraim said, Hos. 12.8. Bessed be God I am become rich ; but it is better to say, Blessed be God I was once a servant of sin, but now I have obeyed God from my heart.

1. These are discriminating Mercies, and come from God's special Love: Eccles. 9.1, 2, 3. No man knows either love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean, &c. And Psal. 17.14. From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure. But Psal. 119.132. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name: and Psal. 106.4. Remember me, O Lord, with the favor that thou bearest unto thy people, O visit me with thy salvation.

2. These concern the better part, 2 Cor. 4.16. Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day: the other concern the outward man, Psal. 17.14. Whose portion is in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure, they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance unto their babes.

3. These are purchased at a dear rate, Eph. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: others run in the channel of common Providence.

4. These have a nearer connection with Heaven: 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of our God.

5. These incline and fit the heart for Praise and Thankfulness to God: Eph. 1.12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ.

6. These are never given in anger, as outward Mercies may be: Jer. 17.14. They that depart from me shall be written in the earth.

7. These render us acceptable to God: Psal. 11.7. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright. 1 Pet. 3.4. The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

8. We need acknowledge these, that God may have the sole glory of them. There are certain Opinions which rob God of his Glory, as that of the Stoics, Quod vivamus, &c. That prosperity is to be asked of God, but prudence belongeth to ourselves. Thus men are taught to usurp the glory of God, this Opinion is sacrilegious, as if we should praise God for our felicities, and not for those things that belong to our Duty and Obedience. The other Opinion is among Christians, that teach you that Peter is no more beholden to God than Judas for his differencing Grace; but 1 Cor. 4.7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou hast not received? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou didst not receive it? Mat. 11.25, 26. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.

3. Among all spiritual Mercies, we are to give thanks to God for our Conversion. It is the fruit of Election, Jer. 31.3. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. It is not from our Merit, but wholly ascribed to God's Mercy: 2 Tim. 1.9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. It cometh not from any power in us, or ability in ourselves, but is the mere effect of his Grace: we cannot break off the yoke of sin, Rom. 8.2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the Law of sin and death ; nor can we fit ourselves for future obedience, Eph. 2.10. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them. Therefore ascribe all to the proper Author.

4. We must bless God not only for our own Conversion, but the Conversion of others. The Body of Christ is the more completed, 1 Cor. 12.14. The body is not one member, but many. The glory of God is concerned in it, Rom. 1.8. First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Gal. 1.23, 24. They had heard only, that he which persecuted us in time past, now preached the Faith that once he destroyed, and they glorified God in me. They are Monsters of men that repine at the riches of Grace poured down on men by their own or others Ministry, as if they could not endure any should be godly and serious: Acts 11.23. Barnabas when he came and had seen the grace of God, was glad.

Use. Is there a Change?

1. Be in a capacity to bless God for spiritual Blessings. Should a Leper give thanks for perfect health? A mad man that he is wiser than his Neighbor? Or a man ready to die thank God for his recovery? A slave of sin for his liberty by Christ? This is to mock God. He may thank God for Redemption, for the new Covenant, for the others and invitations of Grace, for means and time to repent; but for the great change, and for an actual interest in Christ we can never thank him till first it be wrought in us, and given to us.

2. Live in admiration and acknowledgment of Grace. Let this indear God to your hearts, Eph. 1.6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved: and verse. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

3. Make your Qualification more explicit, by being printed and marked with your Religion, in Heart: 2 Cor. 3.18. You are changed into the same image from glory to glory: In Life, Phil. 1.27. Only let your conversation be as becomes the Gospel.

4. Never return unto your old Bondage. The time of slavery is past, 2 Pet. 2.20. If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. They that revert to their old Bondage, have no due sense of the mercy of their deliverance out of it.

SERMON XIX.

THESE words are an Inference and Conclusion from the foregoing Discourse, showing, That as they had changed Masters, they should change their course of life. In them observe two things:

First, The state of the believing Romans both past and present.

1. Past, that is implied, they were once under the bondage and slavery of sin.

2. Present, they were freed from that Bondage, and become the servants of Righteousness; where observe two things:

• 1. The freedom from their former Servitude, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this word is used of them that are emancipated, or brought out of Bondage into Liberty. Sin was a cruel and hard Master.
• 2. Their entrance into a new Estate of Obedience in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ye became the servants, or subjected yourselves, you have given up yourselves to a more ingenious service.

Secondly, The Exhortation hence deduced. Where observe two things,

• 1. The Preface to sweeten it.
• 2. The Matter of it.

1. The Preface to sweeten it, I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh. Some think the Apostle excuseth the earthly similitude, whereby he had represented these matters, as if he were forced to use these Notions of Master and Servants, because of the weakness of their Understandings, which could not brook a more sublime and spiritual way of discoursing. Rather I think it is meant of the Equity of the Proposal, which is set forth by two expressions.

• 1. The Humanity of it.
• 2. The due Consideration taken of the weakness of their flesh, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, Mat. 26.41. that is, your will indeed is good; but you must remember it may be hindered by your natural frailty: So here, the weakness of the flesh is mentioned to intimate their disability wholly and fully to do the Will of God, that is, allow for infirmities; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I speak moderately, humanely, and by way of condescension, I propound that which is common, and judged reasonable among men: that is said to be common to men, that doth not exceed the strength of men, 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 human, or common to men. 2 Sam. 7.14. I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men, that is, not in rigor, but with a gentle and fatherly hand.

2. The matter is delivered by comparison of what is now due, with what was formerly done by them, when they were under the slavery of sin.

1. What they had done, They yielded their members to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity. Mark here, two sins are mentioned, Uncleanness and Iniquity. By Uncleanness some understand carnal sins; by Iniquity spiritual wickedness. Others by Uncleanness understand those sins, whereby the pleasure of the carnal inclination is gratified; by Iniquity the violence of the Passions. But the words are taken in a larger sense, all sin is Uncleanness, as defiling the Soul; all sin is Iniquity, as disagreeing with the Equity of God's Law; but divers words are heaped up, to show, (1.) That they stuck at no sin, and whereas it is said, They yielded up themselves to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, it teacheth us, That seldom doth sin stand alone, one doth as it were impel and bind us to another, venture a little and you have a tie upon you to go further. (2.) That they rested not in the inward consent or lust, but added iniquity unto iniquity, that is, from the habitual inclination they proceeded to actual sin.

2. What they should now do, they should yield up their members servants to righteousness unto holiness, that is, employ their time and strength to serve and please God, and continually to grow in Grace.

Doctrine. Those that are recovered from Sin to God, should show the reality of their Change, by being as earnest in Holiness, as before they were in sinning.

In all reason this may be required of you, and less we cannot require. Let me so open the Point, that you may take along with you the sense of the words of the Text.

1. That there is a great Change wrought in all them that are brought home to God, is evident by the whole Scripture, which sets them forth, as those that have been called out of darkness into light, 1 Pet. 2.9. Who have passed from death to life, Joh. 3.24. Translated from the power of Satan into the kingdom of Christ, Col. 1.13. and many other such expressions. And therefore everyone that would judge of his own Estate, must look after this change of state, and wherein he differeth from himself unconverted, when unconverted, not only from others, but from himself when and how the case is altered with him, since he was acquainted with God in Christ.

2. The difference between the two Estates is chiefly seen in the change of Masters, or the dominating Principle in the Soul; what governeth the man? for that determines our Estate. There are some who are under the reign of sin, even those who are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, Rom. 2.9. But there are others who are under the Empire and Sovereignty of Grace, who are fitted and framed for what is right, good, and holy, and hate the contrary, Eph. 4.24. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness: the Constitution of their Souls is for Holiness and against sin. Therefore we must see what governeth us.

3. The two Masters are Sin and Righteousness, as verse. 18. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Righteousness is the opposite Master to sin, before sin was their Master, now Righteousness governs them; he doth not say, Being now made free from sin ye became the Servants of God, but Servants of Righteousness. All will pretend they are Servants of God; but if you be so, you will be Servants of Righteousness, that is, do those things which Right and Reason calleth for at your hands. Therefore if you be Servants of God, you will not neglect his Precepts: What do you for him?

4. The difference between the two Services is very great: the Service of Sin is a Captivity and Bondage, but the Service of Righteousness is true Liberty. In the general they agree, That both are Service; committing sin or living in sin, is a servitude, Job. 8.34. Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin ; and living to Righteousness is a service also, not a slavery, but a voluntary service, as we oblige ourselves to God, to live righteously, ever after the time we enter into his Peace and Obedience. Therefore both are expressed in the Text by terms that imply serving; our Emancipation from sin implieth a slavery before, and our giving up ourselves to God an Obedience for the time to come: Therefore we are said to be Servants of Righteousness; it is service in regard of the strictness of the Bond, but liberty in regard of the sweetness of the Work; it is service, because we live according to the Will of another; but it is liberty, because of our inclination and delight to do it. In short, though we are said to be the servants to Righteousness, yet there is no work more pleasant, more honorable, more profitable.

1. More pleasant, because it implieth a Rectitude and Harmony in the Soul of man; it is a Feast to the Mind to do those things that are good and holy. The Heathens saw it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. it breeds serenity; surely, much of the happiness of a man is to enjoy himself, which a wicked man cannot do, whilst his Soul is in a Mutiny, and his Heart disalloweth himself in the things which he doth love and practice, and his Convictions check his Affections and Inclinations: The fruit of righteousness is peace, Isa. 32.17. And all the paths of wisdom are pleasantness, Prov. 3.17. In the Body the vigorous motion of the Spirits breedeth cheerfulness; and Health ariseth when all the humors of the Body keep their due temperament and proportion. In the World, when all things keep their place, and the Confederacies of Nature are not disturbed, the Seasons go on comfortably. In a Kingdom, Pax est tranquillitas ordinis, when all persons keep their rank and place, there is Peace: So when all things are rightly governed and ordered in the Soul.

2. No work more honorable, Prov. 12.26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor. Many think it to be a low spirited thing to be godly, and on the contrary imagine it a sort of Excellency to be free from the restraints of Religion, and to live a life of Pomp and Ease, without any care of the World to come. The sensual World esteemeth little of a good man; but alas! that carnal Life, which maketh show of ease, delight, honor and riches, is nothing to the Life of Grace: for if God be excellent, they are excellent, they are made partakers of his Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. admitted into the Communion of his Life, which all others are deprived of, Eph. 4.18. when others live as Beasts, they live as God; when others live as Beasts, their life is employed about the noblest Objects and Ends, and is assisted by the immediate influence of God's own Spirit. Therefore if Honor be derived from the true Fountain of Honor, those who are most God-like, are the most noble and excellent.

3. No work is more profitable; for it giveth us the favor and fellowship of God for the present, and makes way for an everlasting fruition of him in Glory.

1. The Favor and Fellowship of God for the present. What an unprofitable drudgery is the life of an unsanctified Worldling, in comparison of the work of an holy Man, who lives in Communion with God, and attendance upon God, and hath access to him when he pleaseth, with assurance of welcome and audience! He hath a surer interest in God, than the greatest Favorite in the Love of Princes. God never faileth him, Psal. 118.8, 9. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in Princes. A poor Christian, that liveth in obscurity in the World, is never upbraided with the frequency of his Suits, never denied Audience, never hath cause to doubt of success. The Princes of the Earth have uncertain minds, love today, hate tomorrow, as in the instance of Haman ; their Being is uncertain, Psal. 146.4. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day all his thoughts perish. 1 Kings 1.21. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my Lord the King shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders. Therefore attendance upon God is surely a noble work, to be made Courtiers, and Family-servants of the infinite Sovereign, their Hearts are employed in loving him, Tongues in praising him, Lives in serving him, and are constantly maintaining converse with him through the Spirit; surely these have the most profitable service Creatures can be employed in.

2. The everlasting Fruition of God in Glory hereafter, Psal. 17.15. I will behold thy face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. 1 Joh. 3.2. Now we are the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Then we shall be admitted into his immediate Presence to see his Face, and shall be changed into, and satisfied with his likeness: we shall then live with God forever, and be in a larger capacity to know God, and love him; and then our work shall be our reward, we shall be everlastingly loving and praising of God. Well then, though we are not altogether at liberty, when freed from sin, but enter into another Service, yet this Service is no Bondage, but a Blessedness, and a beginning of our eternal Happiness, and therefore to be preferred before Liberty itself.

5. No man can be a Servant of Righteousness, but he that is first by the Goodness and Mercy of God freed from the power and slavery of sin: for the Apostle saith, Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. There is an order in our deliverance, and one part conduceth to another; for Righteousness and the Conference of our Duty can have no hold on us, till the power of our Lusts be broken. As soon as we are freed from the slavery of sin, we are in part righteous; but when we are freed from the Being of sin, we are altogether holy and righteous; but where sin reigneth, there is an obstruction of the Life of Grace, there the Creature is valued above God, Earth before Heaven, the Body before the Soul, neither Faith, Love, nor Hope can produce any thorough work in our Souls; not Faith, Joh. 5.44. How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek the honor that cometh from God only? Nor Love, 1 Joh. 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Nor Hope, 2 Cor. 4.18. While we look not at the things that are seen, that are but temporal, but at the things that are not seen, that are eternal. The person that hath not his heart and hopes in Heaven, and looketh not at that as his only Happiness, and doth not make it the business of his Life to attain it, but setteth his heart more upon the things of this Life, is certainly unconverted: 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. This should be regarded by us, that we may look more after this, whether we have escaped the bondage of Corruption, and that we do not return to Bondage again, but that we maintain our liberty, Gal. 5.1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

6. He that is a Servant of Righteousness, shows it by doing as much for Righteousness, as formerly he did for Sin. This is the end of the Apostles reasoning with them in this place; therefore I shall a little insist upon it.

1. That in Reason and strict Justice more might be required of us; for the Reasons moving us to good, are more than the Reasons moving us to evil, if we consider either Master, Work, or Wages.

First, The Master, shall we not do as much for God, as we did for Satan? Whose are you? Christians! From whom did you receive your Beings? And from whom do you expect your Happiness? From God or the Devil? Whom will you call Father or Master? Pretences will do nothing in the case, it will be tried by your work, Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do, Joh. 8.34. He that committeth sin, is of the Devil, 1 Joh. 3.8. God be merciful to us! we have done too much of the Devils work already, it is time to give over, the business is for the future, whose work do you mean to do? and how will you do it, halfingly, superficially, perfunctorily, or in the greatest earnest.

Secondly, The Work, Sin is a deordination, a prostituting of the noble Faculties of our Souls to our base lusts and vain pleasures, Tit. 3.3. Serving divers lusts and pleasures: whereas by Holiness we obey the rational Appetite, the Will guided by the highest Reason, which is the Law and Will of God: 1 Pet. 4.2. 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. The business is, whether for the future we will be Beasts or Men? and employ our remaining time in the service of the Flesh, or in obedience to the Will of God? Whether the Beast should ride the Man? or Reason and Conscience be put in Dominion again over Sense and Appetite?

Thirdly, The Wages. Surely Reason will teach you, that there should be greater care to secure your Life and Salvation, than to ruin and damn yourselves; now you went on earnestly in a way of sin, as if you could not soon enough, or sure enough be damned: the sure wages of sin is eternal death, ver. 23. determined by the righteous appointment of God's Law; and though t • rough the Patience of God it be not presently executed, yet Conscience showeth the justness of it, and the Word showeth you how that sin had made it your due; and therefore should you not do as much for Salvation, as you have done in order to Damnation? especially when your eyes are opened, and you begin to have eternal Blessedness in view and pursuit. Well then, Reason will inform that you should do more for God, and more for Heaven, and more for Holiness, than ever you did for Sin; so that it is an equitable Proposal, or the Rule of our Duty expressed after a modest manner, there is less than in strict Reason may be required of you. Men are weak, and cannot bear too much severity, what shall we say then? do as much for Righteousness as you did for Sin.

2. That in exact proportion even this equitable Rule will not always hold good; why? because in corrupt Nature our Principles were entire, but in our renewed Estate they are mixed, Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, there is a counterpoise to the life of Grace, therefore our evil works were merely evil, but the good we do is not merely good. Our Lord telleth us, That the children of this world (and such we were all by Nature) are wiser, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in their generation, than the children of light, Luke 16.8. We have the advantage of the World in matter of Motive and Reason; but they have the advantage of us in matter of Principle. Grace is a powerful thing, but it is like a keen Sword in the hands of a Child. The opposition of the flesh causeth weakness. Our Motives are more noble, but their Principles are more entire.

3. Though the exact proportion will not strictly hold, yet there is enough to distinguish the Servants of Righteousness from those that are not made free from sin, as,

First, The main bent of the Heart and Life is for Righteousness, and not for Sin. Where the main bent of the Heart and Life is still for the Flesh and the World, they are far from Grace; for there the Flesh and the World, and by them Satan is superior still, the influence of Corruption is more seen in their lives and actions, than the influence of Grace; but he whose main bent both of Heart and Life is for God, he now serveth God, as before he served Sin; and therefore being made free from sin, is become the servant of righteousness.

Secondly, Because there is some proportion and resemblance between his activity in the new and spiritual Life, and the former activity in a way of sin. To clear this,

• 1. I will show wherein the Resemblance holdeth good.
• 2. The Reasons why it must be so.

1. The Resemblance holds good in these things.

First, We may take notice of a care and solicitude to do evil: Rom. 13.14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Make no provision for the flesh: they are provident in sin, studied to please their Lusts. Surely such a like care should we have of Sanctity, Providing things honest, Rom. 12.17. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.17. When men are solicitous, that the new Nature be not annoyed, as they were formerly, that the carnal Nature might be gratified, it is a sign that serious Godliness possesseth their hearts. Now men were careful heretofore, that their lusts might want no satisfaction, and shall they not be careful, that the course of their obedience shall be carried on without interruption?

Secondly, Industry and Diligence is notable in the servants of sin. We read of some that do evil with both hands earnestly, Micah 7.3. There is an eager disposition in many to sin. Wicked men take a great deal of pains to go to Hell; we all served sin with all our might and strength. Now should there not be such an unwearied diligence in Holiness? Rom. 12.11. Not slothful in business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. As industrious as you were in obeying your base lusts and vile affections, so industrious should you be in obeying the Precepts of Christ. Our vigor is turned into another channel. See Paul 's instance, Acts 26.11. I punished them ost in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange Cities, compared with 2 Cor. 5.13. For whether we be besides ourselves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

Thirdly, With a like promptness and readiness of mind. There need no great deal ado to draw men to evil, as a stone runneth down hill of its own accord, because of its natural tendency thereto, and the smallest temptations seem to have an irresistible force in them, Prov. 7.21. With the flattery of her lips she forced him. Now after Grace received, we should be as ready to obey the motions of the Spirit. There is no greater evidence of the new Nature, than that our obedience becometh more easy and even. There needeth not much ado to persuade the new Creature to such things as belong unto, and suit with the new Nature: 1 Thess. 4.9. For as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write to you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. Inclination preventeth persuasion. Others with much ado are brought to a sense of their Duty, and after all they put off God with a little compulsory service, which they have no mind unto, and had rather forbear than do it.

Fourthly, Resolution and Self-denial. How firm are men to a purpose of sinning, and go on still, though it cost them dear, much expense of time, waste their Estate, bring a blot on their Name, yea many a wound in their Consciences, and flesh and blood is consumed, Prov. 5.11. O that we could thus deny ourselves for Christ! Every lesser hindrance is pleaded by way of hesitancy, and bar to our Duty, a little inconvenience in the Service of God seemeth irksome and grievous to us. Those that do not take notice of the inconveniences of sin, but will easily take notice of the troubles of afflicted Godliness: What iniquity have you found in me? Jer. 2.5. Alas! that we cannot more deny ourselves for God, who gave us all that we have, and can give us greater things, than ever we lost for him.

Fifthly, They stopped at no sin: Ye yielded your members to uncleanness, and to inequity unto iniquity: from habitual sin they proceeded to actual, from one kind to another, rested not in the lust or purpose, but were still accomplishing what their lusts craved at their hands: So will you count yourselves servants of Righteousness, because you have some purpose to do good, or have some wishes to be better, though they never come into act and effect. Alas! a Christian is to be determined not by knowing, or wishing, and woulding, but by doing: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, Joh. 14.21. And whoso keepeth my words, in him verily is the love of God perfected, 1 Joh. 2.5. The carnal Nature venteth itself not in Lusts only, but Practices; so doth the new Nature, it is an Habit and Principle that influenceth your daily course of life; the same God that ruleth the Heart, doth also rule the Life, the root is for the fruit, and the life within to enable us for action without; so we have the root and life of Grace and Holiness, that we may bring forth the fruit, and do the works of Grace and Holiness. Therefore whatever wishes and desires men have, if they live as they did before, neither God nor any wise man will judge, that they are freed from sin, and become the servants of Righteousness.

Sixthly, The Progress, they went forward from one sin to another, and never stopped. Now as they heaped up sin upon sin, so should we add to Grace Grace: 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. You should always grow more pure and holy, and aim at an higher degree of Sanctification, till all be perfected in Heaven, 2 Cor. 7.1. Perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The more Grace overcometh Nature, the more comfortable every day will your lives be, and Religion will grow a more easy and delightful thing to you; the complete subjection of our will to the Will of God is the health, ease and quietness of our wills, therefore study to be perfect.

2. The Reasons, why it must be so.

1. From the Love and Goodness of God shown in our Change, which should constrain us, and awaken in us principles of gratitude towards him: 2 Cor. 5.14, 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us, &c. Luke 7.47. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven her, for she loved much. It is a trouble to them, that God hath been so long detained out of his right, that the Devil hath engrossed so much of their choicest time and best strength, and therefore now they would make some recompense; as Travelers that set forth late, ride the faster. Especially doth this hold good of them that have been great sinners: it is possible that some have stuck at no villainy, but have ingulphed themselves in all manner of dissoluteness; O how zealous should they be for God for time to come, and bestir themselves that they may show forth the sacred influence of Grace, as they have done the cursed rigor of Nature!

2. By Grace we have received a new Principle and Power. Now Principiata respondent suis principiis, a new Heart showeth itself by newness of Life; therefore the power and effect of Grace must as much discover itself as formerly we bewrayed the power of sin, otherwise why is this new Principle planted in our hearts. It is dangerous to receive objective Grace in vain, 2 Cor. 6.1. We then as workers together with him beseech you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain. We frustrate the Method of God, when we suffer the Gospel to be cast away upon us: but to receive subjective Grace in vain is worse, as this is a closer Application, as a Power put into our hearts, and we make the choicest gifts of the Spirit idle and unuseful.

Use. Is to persuade us to make our new Obedience more clear and explicit.

1. By manifesting the Change, 2 Cor. 5.17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.

2. By out Growth and Increase, 1 Thess. 4.1. Furthermore then we beseech you, Brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus Christ, that as ye have received of us, how ye ought to walk, and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

3. By exceeding in a course of Holiness, as ye did before in Sin, 1 Cor. 15.10. I labored more abundantly than they all.

Reasons.

1. It is not an indifferent thing, whether ye be eminent in Obedience, yea or no. God maketh a great matter of it, as appeareth by his strict injunctions, Psal. 119.4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently ; By his ample Promises, Deut. 11.26, 27, 28, 29. Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day : By his Punishment of the Disobedient, 2 Thess. 1.8, 9. To take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power : By the Example of Christ, Heb. 5.8, 9. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them that obey him. You have gained a great point, when you are persuaded of this.

2. That the Government of God is not for the Rulers benefit, but the Subjects welfare. It is as the Physicians Prescriptions, the Pilots Steerage to direct us to our Happiness, the Parents Education, Deut. 5.29. O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.

3. That after Grace received, there is still the weakness of our flesh. The Mind in part is blind and ignorant, in the corrupt Will there is a back bias, Passions are turbulent, Temptations of Sense and Appetite are incessant and powerful; therefore watchfulness and caution are not unnecessary, the Heart is very treacherous.

4. The Honor of Grace is much concerned in our activity and zeal: for the new Creature is formed for somewhat, Eph. 2.10. We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.

SERMON XX.

IN this Verse the Apostle rendereth a Reason, why they should add to Righteousness Holiness, as they had before added Iniquity unto Iniquity, because Righteousness had no whit of their service then; therefore sin should not have any jot of their service now they had devoted themselves to God. He layeth before them the wretchedness of their carnal Estate in two Notions.

• 1. They were Slaves to Sin.
• 2. Strangers to Righteousness. This latter he expresseth by this Phrase, Free from righteousness.
  • 1. What it signifieth.
  • 2. Why used here.

1. What it signifieth. A man may be said to be free from Righteousness two ways:

First, De Jure, so no man is or can be free from Righteousness; for every Creature is under a Law, and an Obligation of Duty to God. Saul proclaimed, That whosoever would encounter Goliath, his house should be free in Israel, 1 Sam. 15.25. meaning not a total exemption from Obedience, but have certain Regalities bestowed on his Family; a Subject remaining a Subject, cannot be altogether freed from Duty to his Prince. Now Man being God's Creature, is also his Subject, and therefore of Right • e neither is, nor can be free from Righteousness.

Secondly, De Facto, they carried themselves as if they were free, never busied themselves with thoughts of God, nor regarded to walk holily before him.

2. Why it is put here, to show we must not divide our Service, but abstain as strictly from sin, as we did before from all good, you must serve Righteousness as before you served Sin. When you were under Sins yoke, Righteousness had no power over you; and now you are under Christ's yoke, the power of sin must, at least, be considerately weakened.

Doctrine. Those who become Servants of God, should be as free from Sin, as before they were from Righteousness.

1. I suppose that there is a Liberty, which is a Perfection of Human Nature, and a Liberty, which is a Defection from God. That Liberty which is a Perfection, is to be willing and ready to perform our Duty to God, Psal. 119.45. I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts ; that Liberty which is a Defection, or a Revolt from God, is properly Licentiousness rather than Liberty, and that is a desire to live as we list, to be free from the bonds of Duty, Psal. 2.3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

2. They that most labor for this carnal Liberty are the most wretched Servants of Sin, because they are overcome and led Captive by it, and wholly give up themselves to obey sin; so, 2 Pet. 2.19. Whilst they promise themselves liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption. The flesh seeketh its peace and quietness, which it cannot enjoy but by giving itself over to its lusts, and so they are pleased with this servile condition, and remain in this Bondage, though it be the worst of all.

3. That the Servants of Sin, or those who are under the yoke of sin, carry it as if they were free from Righteousness, that is to say, either by way of Neglect, or by way of Resistance.

First, By way of Neglect, they made no Conscience, did not so much as think what was holy and pleasing to God, as some go on carelessly, not considering what they do, nor whereunto it will tend. These are said to despise their ways. Prov. 19.16. He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways, shall die. Some care not how they live, but are carried on by their own blind lusts; Righteousness, or a Conscience of their Duty hath no power over them, they do not consider of their actions, much less take care to mend their course.

Secondly, By way of Opposition and Resistance; for they are said to be free from Righteousness, that are opposite and averse from it, as the carnal mind is enmity to the Law of God, Rom. 8.7. Some bewray an obstinate willfulness, as others do a negligent carelessness, they beat down whatsoever standeth in the way of their sins, neither right, nor reason, nor shame, nor fear can restrain them, though a Commandment standeth in their way, they break through, nothing can stop the course of a Sinners violently pursuing his Lusts, as Balaam went madly on against all the rebukes of God, either in his Conscience or external Providence.

4. Though all the Unregenerate are void of Righteousness, yet they are not all alike sinful. There is a difference between unrenewed men, some are more, some less gross in the out-breaking of their sin; some are more filthy, but all are gone out of the way, there is none that doth good, no not one, Psal. 14.3. they all agree in this, That none of them doth, or can do anything at all commanded by God as commanded, from righteous Principles, and for right Ends. Some may be free from outward Vice, as Paul was, touching the righteousness of the Law blameless, Phil. 3.6. Our Lord saith, Mat. 5.20. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven: though there is some external conformity to the Law, outward austerity and strictness, yet no inward purity and holiness.

5. That where men are changed by Grace, certain it is they must away with their former sinful life: partly, because the Gospel-rule requireth it, Mat. 9.13. I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance ; and Repentance is a turning of the Soul from sin to God, God may be reconciled to our persons, never to our sins: partly, because this is the end of that Grace that hath wrought the change in us, Luke 1.74, 75. That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives: partly, because the nature of the thing showeth it. If there be any sound change, we have changed Masters and work, way and end, business and hopes; and therefore our Conversation will be quite otherwise than it was before, and the course of our Endeavors will be turned into another Chanel, Eph 5.18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be ye filled with the Spirit: we have other work to do, and other happiness to seek after, Phil. 3.19, 20. Who mind earthly things; but our conversation is in Heaven.

6. When men shake off the yoke of Sin for Righteousness, they should be as free from Sin, as formerly they were from Righteousness. Now here I will show,

• I. How far this should be.
• II. Why this should be.

I. To state it, How far this can or should be? For the difficulty lieth here, How we can be as free from Sin as formerly from Righteousness, since after Conversion there is a mixed Principle in us? I answer,

This is to be considered two ways, quoad Conatum & quoad Eventum.

1. Quoad Conatum, as to Endeavor, which is to get rid of all sin; a sincere Christian doth so give up himself to a holy Life, as to watch and pray and strive against all sin, this is his endeavor, and if it were possible, he would root out all; this is his aim, business, and constant care: but because he obtaineth not his end, he is troubled, Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? In the mean time he hath the settled bent of his Will and Conscience to satisfy him, Heb. 13.18. Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. His Soul is bent, and his Endeavors are accordingly.

2. Quoad Eventum, he is so far free from sin, as carrieth a good proportion with his freedom with Righteousness in his carnal Estate. His freedom from Righteousness was consistent from urgings of Conscience, which pleaded God's Right with great earnestness; God doth not so far forsake Mankind, as to leave them without all convictions of their Duty, or some inclinations to it, but it is weak and ineffectual: So now, his freedom from sin is not altogether to be free from the urgings of sin; for the carnal Principle is still within him, and a warring working Principle it is, and doth not lie idle in the Soul. But as then, men were free from Righteousness by their carelessness of it, or averseness from it; so now they that have changed Masters and Estates, are to be so • ar free from sin, as not to sin willfully, and by way of opposition to Grace anymore, nor yet negligently and carelessly to go on with their former course: for if there be any known sin, which they do not hate, but had rather keep than leave it, and do not pray and strive and watch against it, they are not sanctified. For the sanctified hate every false way, Psal. 119.104. they pray against it, ver. 133. Order my steps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me: they watch and strive against it to some degree of prevalency, Psal. 18.23. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from my iniquity: they cannot bear with sin, they have a Nature which beareth an enmity and repugnancy to it, as the carnal mind doth to the Law of God, so doth this new Nature to sin, 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.

II. Why this should be so.

• 1. Let us consider the Equity as to matter of Right, it should be so.
• 2. The Necessity as to matter of Evidence, it must be so.
• 3. The Conveniency as to matter of Benefit.

1. The Equity as to matter of Right. All Rules of Equity will oblige you to this, whether you consider the Master, the Work, or the Reward.

First, The Master, if you consider how great and how good a Master you now serve: if you consider him as great, you can never do too much for him; or as good, not so much as he deserveth of you.

1. As a great God, he cannot be too much loved, nor obeyed too exactly, nor served too diligently, all is short of the Greatness of his Majesty. We have mean thoughts of his glorious Excellency, if we think that anything will serve the turn, or that such a God will be put off with anything; though we have formerly consumed our strength in the service of sin, yet a little slight obedience will be enough for God, we need not be so strict and exact; this is as bringing the sickly Lamb instead of the Male of the Flock. And therefore God pleadeth his Majesty, Mal. 3.14. I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts. Therefore if you have a greater Master than you had before, you should do as much or more work than you did before, Col. 1.10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing. 1 Thess. 2.12. That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

2. As good, he hath deserved at our hands more than ever we can repay him. By experience we have felt the evil of sin, and why should we indulge it any longer? We have also tasted, that the Lord is gracious, 1 Pet. 2.3. And why should we not prize and love him, and value his service? The Lord our God is the best Master, and therefore we should serve him cheerfully; he is not true to God, and hath not a due sense of his Mercy, that is indifferent and cold in his service. We are bound to serve God with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, Deut. 28.47. that is, because of our obligations from common Providence; but how should we serve him for his Mercies in Christ, wherein he is infinitely good to us? Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy▪ acceptable unto God, that is your reasonable service. 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 ; there the obligation is much greater. Nature will teach us to love those that love us, and who loves us better than God, who hath provided Pardon and Life for us? Shall we go about his work with backwardness and weariness? You should serve him after another manner, with more zeal, diligence and exactness.

Secondly, The Work, which on the one hand is Sin, and on the other Righteousness; to be hot and earnest in Sin, and cold and negligent in our Duty, when God hath set thee in a better work, how can this be justified, not only before the Bar of God, but of any sound Reason? Surely the best work requireth the best strength; now which is better, to be rebelling against our Creator, and violating the rectitude and harmony of our own Natures, or to be serving our Creator, and regulating our Faculties in their due order and proportion to the great ends and uses for which we were made? There is a great deal of difference between the way we have left, and the way we are put into by Grace, the one is our distemper, the other is proper work for a man, that our endeavors should show, how much we prefer the one before the other; for surely it is better for us to live as a Man, than to live as a Beast, Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.

Thirdly, The Wages, which is eternal Life. Now the Question is, Whether you will seek Heaven as fervently and diligently as before you sought the World, and the fleshly pleasures thereof? Will you now be contented with a sluggish wish, and lazy, dull endeavors, whereas before you thought you could never do enough in the pursuit of your Lusts? Will you not bid as much for a Jewel, as you would for a Bead, or a piece of Glass? In all reason more, if you laid out your strength before for naught, for that which satisfieth not, will you now stand hucking, when a blessed Inheritance is offered to you? Who can excuse you from folly? We are bidden to seek after these things in the first place, Mat. 6.33. Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, and the righteousness thereof. 1 Cor. 15.58. To abound in the work of the Lord. Phil. 2.12. To work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are on the other side bidden to use the world, as if we used it not, 1 Cor. 7.31. Now then, what will you do?

2. The Necessity in point of Evidence, hereby we show, that we have utterly shaken off the yoke of sin; otherwise it will remain as a nice debate, whether your change be sincere or no. It is certain, you did much for sin, Conscience is sensible of that, the only sensible evidence of your change is, when the vigor and fervency of your spirits is turned into another channel, and you are as earnest to please God, as ever you were to serve your Lusts, otherwise you never sensibly and plainly distinguish yourselves, as renewed, from yourselves, as carnal. There is no question then, but that there is a thorough change wrought in you. Therefore that your sincerity may not be a doubtful thing, and hard to interpret, you should be as free from sin, as formerly from Righteousness. When men are unlike themselves, there is no doubt, 1 Cor. 6.11. Such were some of you, but you are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Philem. 11. Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. This is no small or obscure change, but such as may be felt of ourselves, and discerned by others. Paul a Persecutor, and Paul a Preacher showeth the same fervor, but his earnestness was employed about other matters, therefore plainly different from himself.

3. It is convenient it should be so, that we should do as much good, or far more good, than we have done hurt by our ill Example; therefore the worse we were before our calling, the better we must be afterwards. This was that which made Paul go beyond the rest of the Apostles in pains and zeal, because of the hurt he had done by the sins of his Unregeneracy, 1 Cor. 15.10. I labored more abundantly than they all. This made Mary Magdalene to exceed in love to Christ above others, because she had been so excessive before in the love of her unlawful pleasures, Luke 7.47. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven her, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Therefore it concerneth us to repair our Errors, especially when they have been noxious to others, that by eminency of Grace we may awaken those whom we have hardened by our sins, or joined with in their sinful courses. Dives would have his Brethren and Companions believe: surely this Charity will possess the hearts of the converted.

Use 1. To press those that are, or would be accounted renewed by Grace, to free themselves from sin yet more and more. The chain is broken by Grace, and you have had experience of both Masters, now show it, that you do heartily forsake the one, and cleave to the other.

1. Be more tender and fearful to offend. As long as you make little reckoning of sin, you are in danger of committing it. It is said, Prov. 13.13. Whoso despiseth the word, shall be destroyed; but he that feareth a commandment, shall be rewarded. Those are the two opposite parties, those that despise, and those that fear a Commandment, there is not a worse or a better frame than the one or the other; they are properly free from Righteousness that despise a Commandment, and so in the high way to destruction; they say, Tush! it is folly to stand so scrupulously and nicely upon our Duty: but on the other side they are free from sin that fear a Commandment, that dare not venture, when God hath hedged up their way: the one are profane, they will speak and do as they list, say God what he will to the contrary; the other godly, and have a deep reverence of God, and so of his Word upon their hearts, My heart standeth in awe of thy word (saith David ) Psal. 119.161. Many fear the punishment of man, or a Judgment, when to visible appearance it is likely to tread upon the heels of sin; and some may fear a Threatning; but a gracious heart feareth a Commandment, if a Commandment standeth in the way, it is reason enough to a gracious heart to forbear, more than if there were a Lion in the way, or a Band of armed Enemies, or an Angel with a drawn Sword, such as stood in the way to stop Balaam ; they have a deep reverence of God's Authority, and it is no more than needeth; for this direction is given to us, 1 Pet. 1.17. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, to those that take themselves to be renewed ones.

2. Be more resolved against sin. We shake off the yoke by a solemn entering into Covenant with God, wherein we renounce the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, and heartily dedicate ourselves to live unto God; now the more resolved we are in either, the more sincere is our Covenant. A wavering purpose maketh us neither wholly off from sin, nor wholly on upon God's service, but hangeth between both; the heart is not biassed and engaged, and so there is a considerable and notable inconsistency in the life, Jam. 1.8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Therefore till the purpose cometh to be full, we are not freed from the power of sin. Some kind of willingness and unsound consent there is in the half converted; yet for want of this true resolution, their hearts are not right with God, neither are they steadfast in his Covenant, Psal. 78.37. It is long e're men will yield to live to God, and when they seem to yield, are long wavering e're they fully resolve; they see all is not well with them, and that they are not in a safe condition to appear before God in the Judgment, and they have many perswadings of the Spirit of God, and their own Consciences reasoning the case with them, and under these persuasions the mind is under some purpose to take a new course; but these purposes are either for the time to come, hereafter they will be more strict and holy, but still adjourn and put it off; or else they are but half purposes, that reach not to a full resolution; and therefore if they make some kind of change, it is by halves, they are not free from sin, which often returneth, and recovereth its former Power and Reign in their Hearts. But when men are resolved past all contradiction, that this shall be their work and scope to please God, then they do more fully yield up themselves to the renewing Spirit, to be sanctified and prepared for God's use: the Scales are cast, Righteousness gets the Power that Sin had before; the man is new armed with a resolution to cease from sin, and to betake himself to a holy life, whatever it cost him: 1 Pet. 4.1. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin. He is resolved to deny the Flesh, forsake the World, and to cast off the weight that hangeth on him, and the sin that doth so easily beset him, and to run with patience the race that is set before him, Heb. 12.1, 2. Good wishes and good purposes will not now serve the turn, but active and serious endeavors: the man that hath another work to do, that he may actually forsake the sin which he hath renounced.

3. Do not make a light matter of sin, but hate and abhor it. The Soul is never truly converted to God, till Holiness hath our delight and love, and sin our hatred and aversation. When it is hated, it is mortified. While a man is a servant of sin, he loveth not God nor spiritual things, nor the holy ways of God; but rather there is an opposition to them, and enmity against them in the heart: but when we become the Servants of God, the object both of our love and hatred is changed, we love God, and his People, and his Ways, but then they hate sin sincerely, even the garment spotted with the flesh, Jude 13. the very evil actions they do themselves they hate, Rom. 7.15. The evil which I hate, that do I. Sin may break out sometimes, but it is contrary to their liking, but generally this hatred prevents sin, and is a very great help to the forsaking of it: they are so fallen out with sin, that they keep it under, Psal. 97.11. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: their hearts are turned from it, and against it; whereas formerly they lived in fleshly pleasures, their delight is in pleasing God, the main bent of their heart and life is against sin, and their chief design and endeavor is to destroy it: Grace hath taught them, that Sin, Satan and the Flesh are their deadly Enemies, that seek the Damnation of their Soul, and therefore they deal with them as Enemies, and bid defiance to them. Alas! what ado have we with many, to leave a base Lust, because they never truly hated it. There is • ome dislike of their sins for a while; but when the fit is over, they relapse into them, because there is not an irreconcilable enmity and abhorrency: Isa. 30.22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold, thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Hosea 14.8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with Idols? Others stand dallying with sin, but cannot leave it.

4. If you would be free from sin, avoid the temptations that lead to it. If Ravens or Crows be driven away from the Carrion, they love to abide within the scent. Those that will play about the Cokatrices hole, will surely be bitten; therefore we ought to fly the occasions and appearances of evil, 1 Thess. 5.22. Abstain from all appearance of evil. If men would not be drowned, what do they so near the waters side? nor wounded, why venture they among Enemies? or meddle with the Bait, if they would escape the Hook? Therefore Caution is your Preservative.

5. If you would be free from sin, live unto God. For Vivification doth promote Mortification, and the sensual Life is best cured by the Souls delight in God, and care to please him, Job 1.1. Job was perfect and upright, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. True Grace is an effectual Principle, both to produce its own operations, and to restrain sin, Prov. 16.6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil. Iniquity is purged in a way of Sanctification.

SERMON XXI.

THE Apostle pursueth his Argument, why they should be as free from Sin, as formerly they were from Righteousness, by comparing the two Services together, the service of Sin, and the service of Righteousness; he speaketh in the next Verse of the service of Righteousness, in the Text of the service of Sin. As to the service of Righteousness, it is matter of joy and pleasure, while it is a doing, of comfort and confidence in the remembrance of it, and for the future, Life and eternal Salvation: But on the contrary, if we take a view of sin with respect to the three distinctions of time, past, present, and to come, we shall find it evil and very evil, What fruit had you of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Sin may be considered three ways, either as to the time of committing it, or the time of remembering it, or the time of God's rewarding and punishing of it; and you find in all so many Arguments against it.

First, As to the Time of committing it, so the Apostle argueth ab inutili; There is no fruit: then when you lived a carnal life, what fruit had you?

Secondly, As to the present Remembrance, Ye are now ashamed. Now, that is,

• 1. Now, the Commission is over. Or rather,
• 2. Now, after your Conversion to God. Grace breedeth shame in us, because of foregoing sins; so that here the Apostle argueth à turpi.

Thirdly, As to future Expectation, The end of those things is death: there the Argument is à damno, from the hurt and damage that cometh to us thereby. As to time past sin is unprofitable; as to time present shameful; as to time to come pernicious and deadly. By all these Considerations it may be made fearful to us.

First, The Apostles Argument ab inutili is propounded by way of Question, which is the strongest way either of Affirmation or Denial; for it is an Appeal to Conscience and Experience: if the service of sin was at any time fruitful, it was questionless when it was a doing, when you were servants of sin, and had nothing to check and allay it, but were altogether blinded by your lusts, feeding the oblectation and pleasure of your fleshly minds with the vanities of the World; What fruit had you then? that is, you had none at all.

Doctrine. There is no solid Benefit or Profit to be gotten by Sin.

The Scripture representeth it as unfruitful and deceitful.

1. As unfruitful, Eph. 4.11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. A state of sin maketh us unfruitful to God, we cannot gather Grapes of Thorns, and Figs of Thistles, so it is unfruitful to the Sinner himself, who loseth his time and strength, for that which will only occasion shame and trouble, and hereafter Eternal death.

2. As deceitful, Eph. 4.22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. Heb. 3.13. Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. It is so called, because is promiseth much, and performeth but little.

1. It promiseth much▪ Sin smileth on the Soul with enticing blandishments, Satan told our first Parents, Ye shall be as God's, Gen. 3.5. and still we promise ourselves something from sin, some contentment, some profit; for no man would be wicked gratis, merely for his minds sake, or without an aim at some further end; mere evil, as evil, cannot be the object of choice, there is some fruit or benefit expected in all that we do.

2. It doth not make good its word to us.

1. It doth not answer Expectation, the Sinner looketh for more contentment and satisfaction, than ever he doth enjoy, Eccles. 5.16. What profit hath he that hath labored for the wind? it is fruitless enterprise, it may be there is a wind, a short-lived transitory delight, but it is gone as soon as it cometh, nothing cometh of it that may be called Fruit, nothing that may be solid satisfaction to a man that hath a Conscience, and is capable of an immortal Estate, and hath a Maker, or a Judge, to whom he must give an account, how he hath spent his time and strength, and what hath been the business of his Life in the World. Alas! the fruit of sin dieth with the very act, and when the lust is satisfied, it beginneth • o be contemned, as Amnon hated Tamar more than ever be loved her, 2 Sam. 13.15. So short are all unlawful pleasures, enduring no longer than the sinful act, for which like Fools men hazard and lose pleasures for evermore. Reason taketh the Throne when Appetite is satisfied, and scourgeth the Soul with bitter remorse, because Appetite hath been obeyed before it. Sin after the committing appeareth worse than before; when it is too late the Sinner crieth out, What have I done? Esau when he had sold the birth-right, sought it afterwards with tears, Heb. 12.16, 17. Judas when the Treason was over, he saw the worthlessness of the price, for which he sold his Master, Mat. 27.4. I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood. When once Conscience is touched and awakened, Guilt flasheth in the Sinners face, then the bitter effects of sin are felt by Experience.

2. It is not valuable, the Profit will not countervail the Loss; nor the Pleasure the Pain.

1. The Profit will not countervail the Loss, men hazard their Souls, and then gain a little wealth, and that is the worst bargain men can make, Mat. 16.26. What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Besides that, the wealth gotten by sin cometh with a Curse, that within a while consumeth it, Prov. 10.2. The treasures of wickedness profit nothing ; so that to seek to grow rich by sin, is in the eye of Faith at least a fruitless enterpise.

2. Nor the Pleasure the Pain, it is delightful to the sensual part, but at the end it biteth like a Serpent, Heb. 11.26. All the pleasures of sin are but for a season. Sometimes they leave us in the midst, always in •• e end of our days, and then the horror and anguish beginneth. But to speak nothing of what is eternal, but of that which is of present feeling, sin raiseth a tempest and storm in the Conscience, which is not easily allayed, Hos. 8.7. They have sown the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind. The pleasure we fancy in sin is lost as soon as enjoyed, but the sting is not so soon gone; the Crop doth answer the seed, and usually with increase, they that sow the wind can expect to reap nothing but the wind, but they reap the whirlwind; a man that feeleth the gripes of a Surfeit buyeth the pleasant meat at a dear rate, and what a sorry Purchace doth he make, that is at so much cost and expense of time to please the flesh, and getteth nothing but trouble of mind and horrors of Conscience for his recompense.

3. If there be any fruit of sin singly, yet comparatively it is as none, that is, if compared with what we might get by God's Service. The carnal World lives by Sense as God's Children do by Faith; now they that judge of their Happiness by their Senses, expect and promise themselves more good by the Pleasures, Honors and Profits of the World than all God's Promises; but a little Experience confuteth them. On the other side, they that measure their Happiness by the Rule of Faith, God's Promises are Heritage enough to them, Psal. 119.111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, they are the rejoicing of my heart. God promises things truly good to them out of love, Psal. 84.11. He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly. They are all Yea and Amen, of invariable Truth, and of certain Accomplishment. Therefore happy are they that trust in him, when others go a whoring from him, Psal. 73.28. Now though by sin men should get increase of Riches, enjoy variety of Pleasures, indear themselves to the favor of great Men, yet is this Fruit to be compared to that we may have by serving and trusting in God? Alas! the Nature of these things is such, that they cannot make us good, much less happy, and their value is much lessened, when we cannot have them without so spiteful a condition as sin, without committing or doing something against Conscience, or omitting what God requireth of us. Well then, if it seem fruit singly and apart, yet it is none comparatively in respect of what we might have by pleasing God.

Use 1. To rouse us out of a state of Sin. Men would not lie so long in it, if they would recollect themselves and consider, what have I gotten since I was the Devils bond-slave, but a blind Mind, a troubled Conscience, and a hard Heart, and it may be shame and disgrace in the World? Now what a folly is it for any one to pursue that which will bring him no fruit? One beginneth to be awakened, when he beginneth to say, Job 33.27. I have sinned, and perverted that which is right, and it profited me not. Whatsoever sin promiseth, or sinners fancy, it will be found at last an unprofitable course, what do men get by drinking, gameing, chambering and wantonness, what by all the lusts of youth, and the bold attempts of riper years, but an ill Name, and a worse Conscience, a diseased Body, and many times an encumbered Estate? They turn their back upon God to their great disadvantage. God is willing to stand to this trial, that his Service doth us no hurt, Jer. 2.5. What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Yea, that it will do us much good, Mic. 2.7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? But sin cannot stand the trial, it doth us much hurt now, and will do us more hereafter, Prov. 5.11, 12. And thou mourn at last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart hath despised reproof?

Use 2. To prevent acts of Sin for the time to come. It is good often to put this Question, Cui bono? What doth it? Eccles. 2.2. What shall I gain by these vain delights and sinful practices? To take pains to no purpose is folly, to an ill purpose is unnatural and self-destruction. Ask what doth it? To my Body? a modest temperance will keep it in better plight, and freer from diseases than a gluttonous pampering of it. To my Estate? a little with the Fear of God is better than great Revenues with sin. To my Soul? shall I be more cheerful to serve God, or my mind in a better posture for the high uses of Religion? To my eternal Estate? am I in the way to Hell, or to Heaven? If men would but commune with themselves oftener, what am I now a doing? What will come of it? it may be I shall get a little worldly pelf, but what is this to the loss of God's Favor, or to the loss of my Soul? We are often quarrelling with God, what profit is it that I serve the Almighty, and pray unto him? Mal. 3.14. Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his ordinances, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? So Job 21.15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? Surely we should do as much on the other side, what will sin come to? What profit by this sensual careless life, this hunting after the World, and neglecting God and my precious immortal Soul?

Secondly, The second Disswasion or Argument, which the Apostle useth, is à turpi, it is a base thing, implied in that Clause, Whereof ye are now ashamed. You had no solid benefit then, and you cannot review your past sinful life without shame.

The words may be considered under a twofold Reference:

• I. As it is an Act of Repentance in the Godly.
• II. As it sets forth the evil and odiousness of Sin.

1. As it is an Act of Repentance in the Godly; after ye came to better knowledge, ye were ashamed of those things ye took pleasure in before, therefore now meddle no more with them.

Doctrine. That God's People are, and ought to be ashamed of their past Sins.

There are two things in Sin,

• 1. The Guilt of it.
• 2. The Folly and Filthiness of it.

The Guilt causeth Fears and Terrors with respect to the Wrath of God which is to ensue: But the Folly and Filthiness of Sin causeth shame. Man is a rational Creature, and therefore is ashamed of what is foolish, and was at first made an holy Creature, and to enjoy Communion with an holy God, and therefore Turpitude and Filthiness is a cause of shame. Now it requireth a quick and more tender sense to be sensible of the Folly and Filthiness of Sin, than to be sensible of the Wrath due to Sin; but all those who are brought home to God, are sensible of both. A man covered with noisome Boils and Sores, is not only affected with the pain, but abhorreth the sight and smell of them, but first he feeleth the pain; so the first work is Terror, men are pricked at heart, Acts 2.37. before they have a sight of their Folly and Filthiness; the Soul beginneth to come on finely, when it is brought to that, it is gradus in re: to be sensible of this Folly is the first degree of spiritual Wisdom, 1 Cor. 3.18. If any man among you seem to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise: he cometh to himself again, and when sensible of his filthiness and loathsomeness, it is a sign he hath some love and liking to the pure and holy ways of God: as there is more light and love infused into the heart, so do men more loath themselves for their filthiness, Ezek. 36.31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and doings that were not good, and shall loath yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and abominations. To be truly and really ashamed of sin is the effect of saving Grace, Ezra 9.6. I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God.

There are two sorts of Shame, the shame of a guilty stormy Conscience, and the shame of a tender Conscience: there is a confounding shame, and a penitential shame: the one breedeth trouble of Spirit, and is the fruit of Sin; the other an holy Self-loathing, and is the fruit of Grace: the first may be in carnal men; the other is only in God's Children. The differences between these two sorts of shame may be these:

1. The Penitential Shame continueth and increaseth under the greatest assurance of Forgiveness, and dieth not, when we think we are out of danger: the other is presently after the commission of sin, and while the guilt remaineth. As David grew shy of God, Psal. 32. after he got his discharge and his sins were pardoned, Ezek. 16.63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth anymore, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee, for all that thou h • st done, saith the Lord God. There is a dislike of sin, when they are upon the surest Terms with God.

2. The first sort of Shame considereth Sin, as it damneth or destroyeth, not as it defileth; but the second, as it is an act of Filthiness, and Folly; of Folly, as David, Psal. 73.22. So foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a beast before thee ; of Filthiness, Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. They loath sin as sin, because they love Holiness as Holiness, Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. Conscience keepeth its own Court, meddleth not but for moral evils, is ashamed not of calamities and infelicities, but crimes or sins, which are hateful to God, and therefore to the new Creature; for it hateth and loveth on God's grounds and reasons.

3. The first sort of Shame is accompanied with slavish fear, shunneth the presence of God, as Adam did, Gen. 3.10. I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself: or David, Psal. 32.3, 4. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old, &c. The other is accompanied with Love, and causeth the Godly to come into God's presence, but with self-loathing and reverence, Prov. 30.2. Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. Luke 18.13. The Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. The one causeth us to hate God, the other to loath ourselves for our unkindness to him, and unworthy dealing with him. The one is our torment, the other our cure.

4. The trouble and shame of Hypocrites is because of the World, the shame of the Godly is because of God. Saul was not ashamed of his sin, but ashamed that Samuel should reprove him before the people, 1 Sam. 15.30. So the thief is ashamed when he is found, Jer. 2.26. But a Child of God is ashamed before God, and of sins which the world cannot see, Psal. 69.5, 6. O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake; let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel: As if he had said, Sure I have just cause to be ashamed, &c.

5. The effect showeth a difference, the true shame quickeneth the Soul to more resolution, vigilance, earnest striving against sin; so that our Life, Trade, and principal Business in the World is to avoid it, Psal. 119.6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. But in the other it prevaileth no further, than that they may avoid the present trouble, and get a little ease.

The Reasons and Causes of this Shame.

1. A new and heavenly Light to see those things which others see not, and which themselves saw not before, Jer. 31.19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh, I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the commandment once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. They see more of sin, and more evil in sin than ever they saw before, as light discovers what lay hid before in the dark.

2. A lively sense and taste of God's Mercy and Goodness, of his forbearing Mercy, that he did not strike as soon as the offense was committed, Rom. 2.4. The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance: Redeeming Mercy by Christ, 1 Joh. 3.5. Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins: Covenanting Mercy, or the offers of Pardon and Life in the new Covenant, Acts 17.30. The time of this ignorance God winked at, but now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent: His healing Mercy, Tit. 3.5. According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. To offend so good a God, or sin against the Lord of Love and Mercy is a great crime.

3. The new Nature, which is contrary to Sin, Psal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil ; there is Odium offensionis, & odium inimicitiae, a hatred of offense, and a hatred of enmity.

4. Their seriousness: before the deluded Soul is so taken up with fleshly Pleasures, and deluding Objects, that they had no time nor room to consider of their ways, what with business and sensual delights, and the crowd of worldly cares, and the noise of foolish sports, and sensual passions, their hearts were diverted from observing things of the greatest and everlasting consequence, they did in effect forget they had Souls to save or lose, or a God to serve, or a Glory to look after: but now they remember, and loath themselves.

Use 1. To show how much, they differ from the People of God that wallow in all manner of filthiness, and know no shame; Impudency is a great note of Obstinacy and Impenitency, Zeph. 3.5. The unjust knoweth no shame. By long custom in sinning they lose the sense of the filthiness and odiousness of it, and so outgrow all feelings of Conscience.

2. To stir up in the People of God this holy shame, by reason of sin past and present. It is a great help to the spiritual Life; for when we make light of sin, we are in danger of being overcome by it. Therefore rouse up yourselves, Is the offending of the eternal God a slight thing? Surely God doth not make his Laws for naught, nor doth he make such a stir by his Word and Providence against a tame and harmless thing, nor threaten men to Hell for small indifferent matters, neither needed Christ to have died, and done all that he hath done to cure a small and little disease. More particularly,

• 1. Sin is the Creatures Rebellion and Disobedience to the Law of the absolutely universal Sovereign, 1 Joh. 3.4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law.
• 2. The Deformity of the noblest Creature upon earth, Rom. 3.23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
• 3. A stain so deep, that nothing could wash it away but the Blood of Christ, Rev. 1.5, 6. To him that loved us, and washed our sins with his own blood, &c.
• 4. It hath yielded a flood that drowned the World of Sinners, yet it did not wash away their sins, 2 Pet. 2.9. Bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
• 5. Hell itself can never do it, nor purge out the malignity of it, therefore it hath no end, Mark 9.44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
• 6. God himself doth loath the Creature for sin, and nothing else but sin, Zech. 11.8. Three shepherds also I cut off in one month, and my soul loathed them. Deut. 32.19. When the Lord saw it he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters. Psal. 78.59. When God saw this he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel.

II. As it sets forth the evil and the odiousness of Sin; shame dogs Sin at the heels.

Doctrine. That Sin is really the matter of Shame.

1. It is so for the present, it will make you loathsome to yourselves, infamous to others, odious to God. 1. Loathsom to ourselves; therefore a wicked man dareth not to converse with his own Heart, but doth what he can to fly from himself, to divert his thoughts from the sight of his own Soul, or the view of his own natural face in the Glass of the Word, Joh. 3.20. Everyone that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. There is a secret bosom-witness which they fear, Job 27.6. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go, my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. There needeth a great deal of do to bring a man and his Conscience together.

2. Infamous to others: he bringeth a blot upon himself, Prov. 13.5. A righteous man hateth lying, but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. They are a disgrace to the Socie • y in which they live, 2 Pet. 2.13. Spots are they and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings, while they feast with you. Those that love sin in themselves, hate it in another, Tit. 3.3. We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

3. Odious to God, Psal. 14.2, 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good, no not one ; and they are sensible of it, and therefore grow shy of God, 1 Joh. 3.20, 21.

2. It will be much more so hereafter,

First, At the Day of Judgment. Shame is properly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a fear of a just reproof, and that chiefly from one in Authority, most of all from the Judge of the World. This is principally intended, not shame of Face before men, so much as shame of Conscience, a loathness to come into God's Presence, Gen. 3.10. I was afraid, or ashamed, because I was naked, and I hid myself. There was Verecundia before, an awful Bashfulness, but not Pudor, fear of Reproof and Blame, that entered with sin; much more when all things shall be opened and brought to light, as at the great Day, 1 Joh. 2.28. That we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. Wicked persons that are void of Righteousness, and all Hypocrites that have been unfaithful and unthankful to him, will then be ashamed.

Secondly, In Hell. Shame in the Damned is that troublous confounding sense of their lost Estate, past Folly, and evil Choice, having now no hope of his Grace, Dan. 12.2. Some shall arise to shame and everlasting contempt: they shall be rejected by God as much as they now reject and disown him.

Use. Well then, let us walk more cautiously, not return again to our wallowing in the mire, lest we provide matter of grief and shame to ourselves. It is a Grace to be ashamed in a penitent manner; but it is a sin to provide matter of shame anew. The godly and wicked are both ashamed, the one to get sin pardoned, the other would have Conscience deadened; the one to get sin mortified, the other only to have ease within themselves, though they wallow in sin, and be not reconciled to God; God's Children are more watchful for the time to come, but the other would only get rid of trouble. Now if we cannot hope to prevail with the one, we have great confidence the other will weigh his motive. Will you once more render yourselves odious to God, a burden to yourselves, and live contrary to him, whose Favor is your Life. You have more to do with him than with all the World, your happiness is to hold communion with him; will you, now you have eyes to see the odiousness of sin, break through all the restraints, which Light and Love lay upon you?

Thirdly, The Apostles Argument is à damno, it is harmful, the end of sin is death. The End may be taken for the Scope, or for the Effect, it is not scopus peccantis, but finis peccati, this is the issue it cometh unto, we incur the penalty of eternal Death. The Sinner hopeth for a better issue, but the end of the work is Death, it is finis operis, though not operantis.

Doctrine. If we continue in Sin, we cannot expect other or better Fruit, and Conclusion, than eternal Death.

Now we find the Shame, hereafter Death. All that I shall say now, shall be referred to these three Heads: (1.) It is terrible; (2.) It is just; (3.) It is certain.

1. It is terrible, if we consider the loss, a separation from the blessed Presence of God; the Disciples wept when Paul said, Ye shall see my face no more. O what will be our case and plight, when God shall say, Depart ye cursed, ye shall see my face no more. Then for the Pain, it is set • orth by the Worm and Fire, Mark 9.48. Where the worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched. Alas! for momentary Pleasures we run the hazard of eternal Pains.

2. It is just, they sin against an infinite God! refuse eternal Blessedness! have past their Trial, when they were upon their choice! If they had lived longer, they had continued in their impenitency, now they are in their final Estate, in termino, when no change of mind can be thought to proceed from Grace.

3. It is certain, both by God's Commination, Gen. 2.17. In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death. It is sins wages, Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death: and Conscience is in dread of it, Rom. 1.32. Knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death.

Use. Often think of the End: men would be much more wise, if they would more seriously think of the end of things. For the present a Sinner may bear it out confidently, and with some degree of pleasure; but what will the end be? that quite spoileth sins market, Prov. 1.17. In vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. The silliest creature would not run into the destructive snare, if he did see it. But we are guilty of two faults, either we believe it not, or we consider it not.

First, We believe it not. The Apostle tells us, All men have not faith, 2 Thess. 3.2. few have it, and the best have too little of it. Would they live such a careless life, if they were persuaded, that all would end in Hell-torments? No, they would think, they could not soon enough get out of the snare, they would flee from the wrath to come, Mat. 3.7. they would fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them ; but alas! the other World seemeth little better than a Fable to most men.

Secondly, They consider it not, Prov. 9.18. He knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of hell: it is rendered as a Reason, why the Fool counteth stolen waters sweet, and bread eaten in secret pleasant: these carnal delights are taken by stealth, neither allowed by God, nor approved by sound Reason. How come men to be thus infatuated, they do not consider that these Pleasures are salted with a Curse, and that after all their free and licentious Life, they shall be turned into Hell.

To conclude the whole. Since there is no profit to be found in the ways of sin, and they will certainly bring shame and eternal destruction, shame for the present, and confusion of face for evermore: Let all the people of God seriously think of these things;

• 1. That they may be more thankful for their deliverance by Christ. Pliny tells us of a Wood, though of an unpleasant smell, that recovers the pleasure of the Senses again: So that we may not be Gospel glutted, it is good to review the evil of the carnal Estate, that we may the better give thanks for our recovery.
• 2. That we may walk more humbly and watchfully. You should be so far from running into your past sins, that you should never remember them without shame and selfloathing, and considering the fruits of sin, we should meddle with this forbidden fruit no more.

SERMON XXII.

THE Apostle having shown, how miserable their Estate past was, when they served sin, he showeth now the Happiness of the opposite state, into which Grace had translated them; But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. In which words observe,

• 1. The Change wrought in them.
• 2. The Effect of it.

1. Their Change of State, which is set forth:

1. Partly from the Terms from what to what they were turned, from sin to God. Observe he had called them before Servants of Righteousness, now Servants of God. To serve God is heartily to obey his Will, which is called the Service of Righteousness, because of the equity of his Commands, and the strength of the obligation upon us, it is right and equal, it is a due debt. So that the Service of God, and of Righteousness is all one.

2. The Power by which it was accomplished, which is implied in the passive forms of speech 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , before it was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , verse. 20. When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness, now it is made servants, and made free. We are prone enough to sin of ourselves, and ready enough to that which is evil; but God by his effectual working made us to be that by Grace, which by Nature we could never be: we were born servants of sin, but made servants of God by his Spirit.

2. The Effect of this Change, which is either Holiness or Happiness: the one in this Life, the other in the next.

First, Holiness in this Life, Ye have your fruit unto holiness, the Apostles discourse leadeth him to speak of the fruit by Holiness; but he saith, Ye have your fruit to Holiness, for he is comparing the service of God, and the service of Sin; now in the service of sin there is nothing to be had but shame and death, those were his Arguments there, What fruit had you of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. Now he only saith, You have your fruit to holiness, in opposition to shame, which was the consequent of sin; and in opposition to death he saith, And the end eternal life. Why doth he thus speak? Answ.

1. Holiness is a reward to itself, it is its own fruit. If a man doth attain to Purity of Soul, it is enough, Honor and Joy doth accompany it, as shame doth sin.

2. It may be meant of Holiness increased, for the more we serve God, the more holy shall we be; every good work increaseth our Holiness, or our fitness and ability for obedience to God. So that in effect this is the Argument. This good you reap by your subjection to God, that you are in this World sanctified, and fitted to walk in newness of Life.

Secondly, Happiness in the Life to come, and the end everlasting Life, that is the final issue; for the holy Life is a beginning and pledge of that Life which is immortal and glorious.

Doctrine. That when all things are well considered, the only amiable Life is that which is spent in God's Service.

I word the Doctrine thus:

• 1. Because the two Lives are compared, the Life spent in Vanity and Sin, and the Life spent in Holiness and Righteousness; therefore I say, When all things are well considered.
• 2. Because those who are before called Servants of Righteousness, are now called Servants of God; therefore I say, The life spent in the service of God.
• 3. I assert, This is the only amiable Life, because the Life spent in sin is full of shame and horror; of shame, because of the baseness and turpitude of that Life, disagreeable to the reasonable Nature; of horror, because of the dreadful issue, The end of these things is death. On the contrary, this Life spent in the Service of God is amiable,
  • 1. Because of the present Fruit, Sanctification or Holiness, which daily increasing in them, breedeth comfort and confidence, and will never be matter of shame to them.
  • 2. Because of the final issue, Eternal Life is the consummation of it, the matter doth not rest in Sanctification, but looketh further, at last they obtain everlasting Happiness, the hope of which breedeth joy and comfort in us.

Well then, it rests upon me to prove two things, That this Life is the most amiable Life, because of the Pleasure and Honor that doth accompany it: the Pleasure, because of the End; the Honor, because of the Work.

1. The Pleasure of a Life spent in God's Service. Man is ever inviting himself to some delight, and so far Nature and Grace are agreed; but the difference is, where true pleasure of mind is to be found. Man in his natural estate consults with flesh and blood, for then the Beast rideth the Man, and he careth for the Body more than the Soul, and nothing is sweet and pleasant, but what gratifieth sensual Appetite: but this soon bringeth slavery upon us; for it was our old bondage and servitude to prefer Appetite before Reason and Conscience, Tit. 3.3. We were sometimes disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures. These delights corrupt the Mind, and make it an incompetent Judge of what is true and sincere pleasantness to such a Creature as man is, who hath a Conscience, and is capable of an immortal Estate, and to give an account of his actions to the God that made him; and besides, they pervert the heart, and dull our desires and endeavors towards better things, and breed such a peace, as is not the quiet and repose of the Soul in God, but a numness and deadness of Conscience, as may be called carnal Security, rather than a true and solid Peace. But by Grace we are invited to more chaste and rational delights, such as ennoble the Soul, and raise it to God, whose matter is not base and dreggy, but heavenly and spiritual, and cannot ensnare Nature by any excess, but perfect it: so that a man shall live as a man, not as a beast, and have a solid peace, and durable comfort and confidence that will not fail him in any condition, and this pleasure we can only have by having our fruit unto Holiness.

I prove it thus:

1. It is pleasant to do good, there is a pleasure and a peace that resulteth from the very rectitude of our actions, Psal. 119.165. Great peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them. Our Will is conformed to the Law and Will of God, now the compliance of our Will with the Will of God carrieth a quieting pleasure with it, for then it agreeth with its proper rule and measure, all is right as it should be. Our subjection to God is to the Soul as health to the Body, when all the humors and members of the Body keep their due proportion, temper, and place, according to the intention of Nature, a man findeth himself at ease both in his work and in his rest, and as to his Body he enjoyeth himself with full contentment of mind. It is so as to his Soul, when Sense and Appetite is subordinated to Reason, and Reason guided by the Will of God, all is in its proper place, and there must needs be a serenity and contentment of mind.

2. God owneth him that liveth in his Service; for those that love him, and keep his commandments, he will love them, and manifest himself to them, Joh. 14.21, 23. Two ways doth God own them.