Verb i 6. the fzxtb Chapter to the R OMAN s. I 1 man. Where the Mailers are oppofite, and differ in their implayments and defigns, it is impof$ble that a man can comply with both. Indeed if two men or more do confent to imploy one and the fame man in the felf fame bufinefs and fervice, then , as we fay, many (tones make but one load , and many things of feveral weights but one burden 3 thus two or three men or more concurring in the fame defigns , make but one Mailer. But to execute the will of men , that differ in their defigns , is as impoffrble as to go hi- ther and thither at once. If their commands were fubordinate one to another , they might both have their anfwerable obedience , God in the firit place,, Sin in the next; but their commands are contrary , and both require our full ftrength of mind , heart and life : therefore it is impo(fible, that he that ferveth fin fhould be a fervant of God, for God will have the heart and mind. and whole man to do what he requireth , what- ever the confequence be; and fin will have the whole mind , heart and endeavour, whatever come of it. So that a man mull needs be divided between his obedience to God and his obedience to Sin , and forfake the one, and cleave to the other, if he will in good earneft ferve either Mailer. So much as he giveth to Sin, fo much his mind and heart mutt be drawn away from God and obedience to him, and he mull offend God when his Lull craveth it of him. Or elfe on the other fide , he mutt always be alienating his heart from fin, and devoting it to God, if he be a true Servant of the Lord. Many would compound thefe things, that are fo irreconcileable, they hope to pleafe the Flefh and God too; it may be they have fomething that is good in them , but much more that is bad , the bent of their hearts is more for fin than again(! it ; the good is controuled by the evil, which hath the chief power in the Soul ; for certainly it hath fo, when we wittingly or willingly continue in any fin, and take on a little Religiouf- nefs, either to hide it, or feed it, as in many their Religion maintaineth their Lufts, and they take the more liberty to live in fin, becaufe they have fome kind of love to God, and do fome good thing, that he hath required of them, to excufe the bad. 3. All of us by Nature were fervants of Sin ; it is Grace that maketh us fervants of God. So it followeth verf t7: But God be thanked, that ye were the fervants of fn, but ye have obeyed from the heart that formof dobirine which mar delivered you. God created us , and therefore was our rightful Lord; but Sin bath invaded Mankind and reigned over them, and by a right of Recovery God feeketh to recover the Creature to himfelf, and to poffefs his own again. Therefore in the confultation about the choice of a Ma fter,we muff hot take it, as if the heart of man were a meer Waite, occupied by none, but left to the next Comer to feize upon : No, there is an Ufurper there already , fin com- mandeth and irnployeth our time and ftrength, and we mull be made free from fin, before we can become fervants to God. The bufinefs is, whether we have changed Mailers, and are willing that God fhould be reftored to his Right , out of which he hath been fo long kept. They have a Notion in the Civil Law , which they call Jug pofiliminü, a Right of entring upon their own again, after it had for a long time been poffeffed by another : this Favour was granted to Captives, when carried into a foreign Country ; but denied to Fugitives , that ran away out of Treachery or for fome Crime : after - wards it was inlarged to thofe that were driven away by Famine , or removed them - felves , whilft an inundation of Enemies, whom they could not refer , poffeffed their Country ; they had a Right of entring again upon their Houles and Lands , though by reafon of their long abfence they were poffeffed by another. This was the cafe of the Shunamite, who having left her Country for (even years to avoid the Famine, her Houle and Land was feized on, 2 Kings 8, g. g. which upon interceffion was reffored. This is not direftly the cafe in hand only fo far, that other Lords have had Dominion over us, which is not only by our departure from the Lord, but by our Rebellion ; only in reafon his Right fhould be owned by Repentance and.Refignation of our felves to his ufe and fervice: t Theft r. 9. Te turned to God from Idols, to ferve the living and true God. So much for the third Confideration, that morally fpeaking there are but two Mailers, Sin and Obedience. 4. That by yielding out (elves to obey either of thefe, we become fervants to the one or the other. If we yield our felves to obey fin, we are fervants of fin; and by yielding our (elves to obey God, we become fervants of God. i. I (ball fpeak of Sins Servants, and two things I (ball fay of them. Fill, That they enter upon this Service voluntarily indeed, and draw this woful (!ate very upon themfelves, but not by folemn Contra t and Covenant , the Servants are a., (teamed of theirMailer, and will not owne ihemfelves to be what they are; for they are cheated into their flavery, they are inttced and drawn away, Jam. r. 14. Every PPPPP man
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