16 SERMONS upon the SERM.III: or that holy Ardor whereby we reprefs thofe affeaions, unruly motions and de- fires which are contrary to his Will, and do excite and fir up our felves more and more to honour him, and pleafe Milk; Titus a. 14. Zsalous of good works : Some- times Alacrity and Chearfulnefs, as we prevail in ftriving agamft fin, and our Love to God increafeth, -r 7ehn 5. ;, 4. All thefe are as fo many degrees. Firf, We make Confcience of doing our Duty, but that's not enough ; a Convinced man may have his Confcience furring and pleading for God ; but a Converted man, or a renewed Heart, bath an inclination, and not only an inclination but fome ñtnefs, and not only fome fitnefs but there is an impulfion, which difcover- eth its felf either by furring or exciting to that which is good, ( though with difficulty ) which is the lowef degree. All Grace is furring, and would fain break out into anion ; for 'tis not a dead and fleepy habit, but feeketh to break forth, and is called by the Apofle, The Lulling, of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 1 y. Ano- ther Degree is Zeal and Love to the glory of God, whom they honour and de- fire to exalt continually ; which maketh them complain of Corruption, and to frive againf it, and to flake off floathfulnefs, and the weights of fin that hang upon us, when the Spirit gets the upper hand, but the flefh is not eafily fubdu- ed. Then we are more at liberty to ferve God, and fo Alacrity followeth, when a man hath Pleafure in good anions; and the Flefh is fò overcome and fubdued that it can make little or no oppofition, and fo we perform our Duty with more cafe and delight, which is the higheft degree. SERMON III. MATT H. XXV. v. 3, 4. They that were foolifh, took their Lamps, and took no Oyl with them. But the wife took Oyl in their Ve ff is with their Lamps. Come now to the Second Effea. Secondly, An habitual Averfation to that which is evil, Pfal. 97. ro. Tethar love the Lord, hate evil: 'Tis as natural to Grace to hate evil, as to love good. As Love was made for God, and the things which he hath Commanded, and tends to the enjoyment of him ; fo Hatred was made for fin, and what is contrary to God. Man bath an efchewing faculty as well 'as an embraceing and choofing faculty, and Grace falleth upon both, and fanaifyeth the one as well as the other, Amos 5.15. Hate the .evil, and love the good. Love was given us for good, and Hatred for evil ; Love was made for the chiefef good, and all things that tend to it ; and Hatred for that which is truely and properly evil. Now concerning this Effea of Grace, I fhall obferve thefe things. e. Grace produceth an Hatred of fin, not a bare abfinence from it : Sin may be refrained by forreign reafons not proper to Grace, as a Dogg that bath a mind to the Bait, may abfain for fear of the Cudgel. So Men may abfain becaufe of the Penalty of Laws, Infamy, fhame in the World, or other rea- fons; as Haman refrained himfelf, that he might the better take Revenge upon the whole race of the yews. Men may refrain from fin, when there is not a root- ed Enmity againft it ; whereas in the Saints there is a confant Principle of re, Lif}ante,
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