io8 SERMONS upon Serm. XVI. not callthemfelves to an account for the expence of their time and Employments, which every wife man ftiould do, nor think ferioufly of Death, or Judgment, or Heaven , or Hell, but prefently they feel an,horroúr and torment in their minds. 2. Chrilt never came to eftablifh 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. 1o. This is the Covenant that I will make with the hoof of Ifrael, after thofe days , faith 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 (hall be to me a people. The great Bleffing of the Gofpel is Grace to keep the Law , not liberty to break it , and all new'Creatures are inabled to keep it, not in abfolute perfe&ion, yet with a fincere obe- dience, Eph. 4. 24. And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in rights - oufaefs and trueholinef. Luke 1.75. That we fhould firm him without fear in holinef and righteoufnefì before him all the days of our lives. 3. The more we fet our felves to keep the Law , the more we enjoy God and our felves. r. The more we enjoy God 5 for the more obedient we are, the more pleafing we are to him , and amiable in his fight , Prov. r I. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an abomination to the Lord ; but fuch as are upright in their way , are his delight. Pfal. I I. 7. The righteous God loveth righteoufnef ,his countenance doth behold the upright; God delighteth in us not fo much as pardoned, but as fandified, They have molt Commu- nion with him, I JAI. 7. If we welkin the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowfhip one with another 5 they have moff of the favour of God, and fellowfhip with him. 2. The more alto we enjoy our (elves. Sin is a wounding thing , Nature looketh upon it as a diforder , therefore where it is allowed it breedeth fear, which is a bon- dage the wicked are never freed from , though they do not always feel it, Heb. 2. IS. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time fubjeït to bondage. But now the more we fee our felves to keep the Law of God, the more happinefs and ferenity in our own Souls, Pfal, 119. 165. Great peace have they that love tht Law, and nothing (hall oft end them 5 partly from the confcioufnefs of having done their Duty , partly as their intereft is more clear, and fo their comfort more full and ftrong. Thirdly, The Doctrine of Perfeverance, Sin ¡hall not havedominion over them, whe- ther they ftrive againft it, yea or no; and fo inftead of a refolute refinance , they che- ri(h a prefumptuous fecurity. There is a holy confidence which the fincere cherifb, not to flacken Duty , but increafe it; fuch as that of Paul, 2 Tim. I. 12. For the which cattle I a f fier thefe things, nevertbelefs I know whom I have believed , and I am per_ /waded , that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him again¡ that day. This is trufing our felves in Gods hands, and keeping his way : But there is a prefumptuous fecurity allo , when men think they are patty all danger , and fo look upon cautious watchfulnefs as a needlefs thing , whereas the Scripture preffeth it every where. Now to prevent this, confider, Firft, The union of ends and means. The fincere Convert (hall be kept blamelefs to Gods heavenly Kingdom, but he is kept in Gods way. All Gods Purpofes are exe- cuted by fit means. God had allured Paul, That there fhoald be no lots of any mans life among them, but only of the ¡hip, Ads 27. 22. yet afterwards he telleth them, Except thefe abide in the ¡hip, ye cannot be Paved, verf, 31. How could that affurance given to Paul from God , and Pauls caution nand together ? God that decrees the end , bath appointed means, whereby he will execute his Decree. Well then, God having (hew- ed us in his Word, what means are neceffary to fuch an end, there is a neceffity of Du- ty lying upon man to ufe thole means, and not to expel the end without them: God intended to Cave all in the Ship , yet the Mariners mutt abide in the Ship 5 we mutt not perverts Gods order. You (hall not fall away , and revert into your old .flavery 5 but you mutt remember, you have given up your bodies as innruments of Righteoufnefs unto God. Secondly, Among other the means required by God , there are thefe two things to be confidered, Fear of Falling, and the Danger of Back(liding. 1. Fear of Falling, Heb. 4. 1. Let no therefore fear, left a promife being left its of entring into his refs, any of us fhould feem to come Port of it. 1 Pet. I. 17. Pafs the time of your fojourning here with fear. Phil. 2. 12. Worll out your own falvation with fear and trem- bling. Fear is careful and folicitous, what Fear is this? a Fear of Caution, r Cor. 10. la. Let him that thinketh he fandeth , take heed left he fall. Of Reverence, per. 32, 40. 1 will put my fear in their hearts; that they ¡hand depart from me. 2, The
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