II4 SERMONS upon Serm. XVII. man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lnfi and inticed. They yield them- (elves to obey fin by voluntary inclinatiof, but not by exprefs Covenant ; they are not forced, but inticed , and willingly put themfelves into this bondage , but they do not openly profefs it ; but their courte of life (heweth it, their hearts are upon evil , and fo they are Rebels and Enemies to God , and refute his bleffed Government , Col. i. ar. Tou that were fometimes alienated, and enemies in yo}tr mind by wicked works , yet now bath he reconciled. Secondly, The fecond thing which I obferve is , That they are' not only Servants in legal Reputation, or fo accounted before God , as Yoh. 8. 34. Whofoever committeth fief, it the fervant of fin ; but they are fo by woful Captivity , or á fad Neceffity they have brought upon themfelves ; for they are deprived of all liberty to help themfelves, 2 Pet. 2. i9. While they promiJe them liberty , they themfelves are the fervants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the fame ù he brought into bondage. Our. service to God is a debt of Duty , their ferving fin is a debt of Fatal Neceffity. He is a Free-man that bath right and power to difpofe of himfelf, or his own a &ions or imployments; but he is a fervant that is at another mans beck and difpofal , and cannot do what he would, be it de Pure, or de Falco. Now then the fervants of fin, though it is true de Jure, of Right , they ( hould do it , yet de Facto they are very (laves to their bruti(h affeáions, and have no power to refit Temptations, or come out of their wretched condition, when they have Come mind to it, and are convinced of better. 2. Of Gods Servants I obferve two things, Fist, That they become fo not only by voluntary Inclination , but open Profefíion, and exprefs Covenant. God will have no fervants , but who deliberately adhere to him, and by choice bind themfelves to walk in his ways, 2 Cot.. 8. 5. They firß gave up themfelves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God : a voluntary furrender is neceffary. So Ifa. 66. 4. They chafe the things that pleafe me, and take hold of my Covenant : and v.6. They joyn themfelves to the Lord to ferve him. This deliberate voluntary choice is ex- preffed in a folemn Covenantretignation. God is not a'Mailer to be ashamed of, but may and muff be ptiblickly owned. Secondly, Our content or yielding our felves to obey is not enough, but it mutt be verified and made good by a continual court of altual obedience on our part; for be- tides the yielding up of our felves to obey , his fervants ye are whom yewobey. Many make Covenant with God , but do not keep Covenant with God; they will and pur- pofe , but do not perform. It is known whole fervants we are , not only by our con- lent, but our continual practice ; if we live in a confiant careful obedience to God, we are his fervants, though confcious of many failings. The Tryal of our Cafe mainly run- neth upon two things; the Bent of our Hearts, and the Drift of our Lives, our Choice and our Court. We read of fotne that Paid , All that the Lord bath commandeth us we will do ; and God anfwered, Dent. 5.29. 0 that there were fisch a heart within them, that they would fear me , and keep all my commandments always. They are now in a good mood, promife fair. Therefore it is not enough to yield up our felves to God , unlefs we imploy our felves for God; for betides the purpofe and inclination , there muff be a confiant practice and Lindy to pleafe him. 5. Both forts of Servants receive wages (Bitable and proportionable to the work they have done. i. Of Sin unto Death. The Servants of Sin bring upon themfelves eternal Death. Sin and Death go hand in hand ; in all the Methods of his Juftice God hath put them to- gether : yam. i. 15. Then when loft hath conceived, it bringeth forth fn; and fin when it is Jtisìfhed, bringeth forth death. Now this Ihould be thought of by us, when Satan and your own corrupt Hearts thew you the Bait , Faith thould Gee the Hook, this will be Death, or 1 am going about that which in its Nature doch expofe me to eternal Death. The fear of temporal Death infliCted by the Magitrate retraineth much of the evil of the World, and keepeth men from things forbidden by him; and is not God more to be dreaded ? There it but one Lawgiver that is able to fave, or to deflroy, that bath potefla- tem vita dá necir eterne, Jam. 4. 52. and than not we fear and reverence him? Sinners that go on wilfully in their fns, feem to make nothing of dying eternally. 2. Of Obedience unto Righteoufnefr ; that is, if we be the faithful Servants of God, we (hall have the reward of eternal Life, not only noncondemnation, or freedom from eternal Death, but the evetlating pgffefiìon of Glory and Bleffednefs. There is none of us can fay , that God bids us ferve him for nought , or to his lofs : he propoundeth endlefs Rewards and Puni(hments to procure obedience to his Laws ;-as he will puni(h the
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