72 SERMONS upon Sean. XI. and Title, as doth not only ftrengthen the former, but alto is comfortable to us. If a Slave were not killed out- right, but cóntinued a day or two , though he.died by the flripes given him by his Matter , there was no Plea or Accufation could be commenced againft the Matter for the life of his Slave, Exod. 21. 21. He mar his money, that is, pur- chafed by his money g God hath bought us at en higher rate than money , 1 Pet. 1. 18. For ye are redeemed not with corruptible things, as Elver and gold , from yoìr vain converfa- tions, received by tradition from your fathers : but with the precious blood of the Son ofGod, as ofa Lamb without #ot and blemifh. Therefore the Redeemed are bound to ferve him that ranfomed them. All our time and tlrength belongeth to the Redeemer, who hath ranfomed us from the worn Gayety, the bondage of Sin and Satan, and with the great - eft Price, his own Blood. This was Chrifts end, Rom.14_ 9. For to this end Chrifi both died, and rofe and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. .4. Chriftians have owned this Right by their Covenant-confent. Our Bodies and Souls were confecrated to Chrift, when we gave up our Names to him in Baptifm ; Thou entredfl into Covenant with me , and becamefi mine, Ezek. 16.8. then were we enrolled in Gods Cenfe -book, Ií, 44.5. One fball fay, I am the Lords : and another (hall call him - felf by the name of Jacob : and another fhall fubfcribe with the hand to the Lord, and firname bimfelf by the name of Iliad.' By voluntary Contra& and Refignation we gave up our (elves, and all that is ours to God. Baptifm is our Sacramentum militare , our military Oath, we were then lifted in his Warfare and Service. When Chrift was baptized, he was confecrated as the Captain of our Salvation , and there prefently after his Baptifm he entred into the Lifts with Satan. We are entred as private Souldiers : now it is Treachery and breach of Covenant , if after we have owned and acknowledged Gods Right in us , we (hall alienate our (elves from him , andufe our (elves for our (elves at our own lift and pleafure. 5. By Regeneration, whereby we are a &ually taken into Chrifts Poffef(ton , and fit- ted for his We. This Right is pleaded in the Text, Ai'thofe that are alive Pramthe dead, yield up your felves to God. There is a double Argument in it. a. As it puts an,pbligation upon us. It is by the tender Mercies of the Lord that you are recovered out of the death of fin to the life of Grace : Eph. 4.4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, fir his great love wherewith he bath loved us, even when we were dead in trefpaifis and fins,' hath quickened iss together with Chrß. We that were once wretched and mi- ferable, liable to death, utterly difabled for the fervice of our Creator , that he of his Grace bath called us and quickened us , and made us alive, who were formerly dead : we have this fpiritual Life from him and for him. This fhould be an everlafting obli- gation upon us, while we have a day to live, to remember God hath renewed you for himfelf. 2. As it puts an inclination into us. Men that are railed to a new Life are fitted to do him fervice, they are delivered from the power and death of fin, have received Grace to ferve him acceptably ; the new Creature is fitted for the operations that belong to it : Eph. 2. 10. For we are the workmanfhip ofGod, created in Chrifi Yell's to good works, that we might walk therein. The withered branch is planted into the good Vine- ltock, that it may live again, and bring forth fruit unto God. So that if we have been made partakers of this mercy, we are bound, and we are inclined, this thews Gods propriety in us, that he expeð to be honoured by us. Z)fe s. Information. r. It thews how vain the Plea was of thofe Libertines in Cabins time (againft whom he is juftly levere) and their Adherents, who thought they might ferve fin with their bodies, as long as they did diflike and difallow it with their Souls, they were fate enough. They were wont to fay, Non ego, fed Afinur mews it was their Drudge the body that finned, not they. No , the Apoflle faith , Give not up your members as wea- pons of nnrigbteoufnefs, &c. and elfewhere , Glorifie God in your. bodies and fouls , which are Gods. And the Apoftle pleadeth the dignity of the Body , and how it is defiled by Fornication and other inordinacies, 1 Cor. 6. per tot um. 2. That it is not enough to abftain from evil , but we mull do good; for the Apo - ftlè faith, Tield not, and then yield. So the Apoftle faith, 2 Tim. 2.2 1. Ifa man there- fore purge himf if from theft , he fhall be a veffil of honour, fanIfifted and meet for the ma- ßers ufe, and prepared unto every good work So 2 Cor. 5. 15. And that he died for all, that they that live fhould not henceforth live ùttto themfelves,, but unto him which died for them, and rofe again. They are (inners that hide their Talent in a Napkin, though they live not in apparent grofs fins : all that time and ftrength that is bellowed on fin is ufed againft ; .
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