Annesley - Houston-Packer Collection BX9327 .M6 1664

Serm. i. towards their own Converfion ? 4T Paul CO Peter, Gal.2.14. Peters example was thecompulfion. There is a kind of compulfion in examples, not violent, but alluring and at- tradting. The example of thebelieving wife may win the unbelieving husband, I Pet.3.I. A prudent gracious Wife gains much upon a grace- leis Husband,by her mode y and obedience. 5. They may fee what equity there is, that they should ferve the Lord, being hiscreatures, and fervants, and not only ferve him, but to ferve hirn as they have ferved their finful lulls, and fomething more, feeing they depend on him. I fpeak after the manner of men, faith Paul, Rom. 6. 19. It's rational, jut+ and equal, that as you have yielded your members fervants to uncleannefs, &c. fo now yield Ap6p60,4, them fervants to righteoufneffe, unto hclineffe, it'6 re fon, justice, and equity that you should do fo. Should not men takeas much pains for Heaven, as for Hell, for their Souls as for their Bodies, for the Lord Chrift as for Creatures ? Should they not he as diligent to weaken their lulls as they have been to ítrengthen them ? Should they not be at as much coil to maintain the pure Worshipof God,as the Inventions and Traditions of Men ?It's a complaint of the Lords, Wherefore doye f end Ifa. 5 5.2.. money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fati.fi- eth not ? They might have fpent their money,labour,tirne,and flrength and as much for true bread which would have fed their fouls, as the did for that which was, as no bread, but rather husks for fvvine. .c 1 '.1, 6. They may remove and abate fin in part, which is c tie by the contrary. Knowledge removes ignorance as light doh darknefs, grief abates pleafure, and fear boldneffe in (inning : Patience keeps under pallion, and falling tames unruly lulls. When the strength of a Feaver is abated by physical means, a man is difpofed towards health : and when a man bathgotten Moralities ( which he may do) and by them made an abatement of his fins and lulls, he is materially difpofed to grace ; as theground when plowed is for feed, though the feed be not yet Town. 7. They may do materially what Converts do.There is no adl confi- dered in its meer natare and kind, which a true Chriflian may perform, but one unconverted may perform alto, and have may like d fno(itions unto thofe they have. They may love God, L_' clear, they loved God, Ti 3 4 who loved pleafures more thanGod. They ma) have Faith : Simon 1lagus Alts believed ; they may hate fin in others, if not in themselves. Abfalom z Salmi 5.z%. hated Amnon, uncleanne«e, they miy delight in God and in his waies, Ifa.58,2. They may have a ze le for God, and fuch a zeale as may pre- vail more with them than temporal things. The Jews were fo zealous G of

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