32 SERMONS upon Serm. V., cation , provided it be found, and fuch a knowledge both for matter and manner as it ought to be. For matter, that it be a thorough knowledge, Eph. 4. 20, 2t, 22. But ye have not fo learned Chrift, if fo be th b ye have heard him , and been taught by him , as the truth is in 7efus, that ye put of concerning "the former converfation the old man , which . is corrupt according to the deceitful lulls. If men were thorougly inftrufted in the Chri- ftian Do trine, they could not fo eafily fin againft God; but a partial knowledge en- courages our boldnefs in finning. For manner, it mutt be lively : 2 Pet. 2. zo. If af- ter they have efcaped the pollutions of the world throregh the knowledge of the Lord and Sa- viene yelled Chrift. Joh. 8. 32. Andyefhall know the truth, and the truth (hall make ye fee. Jer. 31. 19. After that I was in flrulled , I fmote on my thigh : I was a/hamed , yea even eonfounled; becaufe I did bear the reproach of my youth. It is but a form of knowledge, not the lively light of the Spirit, which doth not break the power of our tufts. 2. It may import Confideration , and fo knowing this is ferioufly cónfidering this. Many Truths lye by neglefted, unimproved, for want of confideration, and that is the caufe of mens fins ; they confider not Gods benefits, Ifa. s. 3. The oar ,knows his owner,- and the afs his mailers crib but Ifrael doth not know, my people doth not confider : nor his Judgments, yob 34. 27. They turned back from him, and would not confider his ways : that is made the reafon of their fin, they confider not his ways ; that is, the ways of his Provi- dence towards them and others. If men did confider and ponder with themfelves, how hateful fin is to God , with what feverity he will punifh it , what obligations they have to the contrary, it would much check the fervour of their lufts, and they could not go on fo quietly in a courfe of difobedience againft God ; but they do not ferioufly confi- der what they are a doing. Above all, the Death of Chrift Ihould be confxdered by us, as , e Pet. e. 18, x9. Forafmuch as ye know , that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things , as filver and gold , from your vain converfation , received by tradition from your fathers. But with the precious blood of Chrift, as of a lamb without blemifh, and without f ot. Ifinen -would know, that is, ponder thefe things in their hearts, and difcourfe with themfelves, Why was fo great a price given for our Reconciliation , but that fin might bedeftroyed, and the great Make -bate between God and us removed out of the way ? 3. Ijiowing is often put for agent. For Faith is not a Doubting , but a certain Knowledge. And this enliveneth every, Truth. If you do believe that Chrift came to take away every fin , you have no reafon to cherifh it. The Word worketh not till it be believed : Heb. 4.2. To us was the Goifiel preached , as well as unto them , but the word preached did not profit them , not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. But then it worketh mightily and effeftually ; for it cometh not to us in word only, but in pow- er : r Theff. 2. 13. Te received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which efdfually worketh alto in you that believe. And more particularly in Morti- fication; for it is Faith that purifreth the heart, Alts 15.9. Where the Chriftian Do- t-trine is really entertained and received by Faith, it taketh men off from their old fins : r Pet. 1. 22. Seeing you have purified your fouls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. The obedience of the Truth is nothing elfe but Faith wrought in us by the Spirit upon the hearing of the Gofpel , this produceth in us that purity of heart and life, which becometh Chriftians. II. I will give you the reafons. The Death of Chrift may be confidered as it work - eth morally, or as it worketh nferitorioufly. As it worketh morally, it hath a full and a fufficient force to draw us off from fin : as it worketh meritorioufly, it purchafeth the Spirit for us. As it worketh morally , it layeth a ftrong ingagement upon us ; as it worketh meritorioufly, it giveth great incouragement to oppofe and refill fin, and let about the mortification of it. So that the true way of fubduing fin is by ferious reflexion on the Death of Chrift, which we (hall confider, 1. As it is a ftrong ingagement. 2. As it is a great incouragement. t. As it is a ftrong ingagement, and there, r. It is a pattern to teach us how to deny thetpleafures of the fenfes. Pleafure is the great Sorcerers that hath bewitched all the World , and that which giveth firength to all temptations : Yam. x.14. Every man is tempted , when he is drawn away of his own luft and enticed. There is Come fenfitive carnal bait which firft inviteth, and then draweth us from our duty; and all the Charms fin hath upon us, are by the trea- cherous fenfual appetite , which is impatient to be croffed. So when another Apoftle fpeaketh of a revolt to the carnal life after force partial Reformation, he giveth this ac- count of it : z Pet. 2.20. After they have efcaped the pollutions of the world through the . know-
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