ii8 SERMONS upon. Serm. XVIII, 3. The Effe&, Te have obeyed from the heart. There is, r. Obedience, and 2. Obedience from the Heart. The moft precious Truths will do.ue no good , unlefs they be digefted into Love and Pra &ice. When Truth is turned into Love, or received into the Heart, it becometh a new Nature to us ; and when it is obeyed and pra lifed , it attaineth its proper ufe and effe&. For the Truths of the Gofpel were not delivered to us, to try the acutenefs of wens Wits, who can moft fubtlely difpute of thefe things ; nor the, rength of Me- mory , who can moft firmly retain them ; or plaufiblenefs of Difcourt who can moft elegantly fpeak of them ; but the readinefs of Obedience , who can belt pra&ife them. Therefore here is Obedience fpoken of, Te have obeyed , that is , begun to obey the Do- Urine of the Gofpel; therefore you muff go on (till, and not return to your old Slavery and Bondage. And this from the heart, which implieth both the Voluntarinefs and Sin- cerity of their Obedience. Firft, It was free and voluntary , not compelled : for that is faid to be from the. Heart, which is not done grudgingly and of neceffity , but readily and chearfully : 2 Cor.'9.7. Every one according as he pnrpofeth in hi, heart , fo let him give , not grudgingly, not of ne- ceffìty; for God loveth a chearfulgiver. Secondly, It was fincere and not diffembled, Col. 3.23. Whatfoever ye do, do it hear- tily, as unto the Lord, not unto men. God feeth all things, what is done to him mull be fincerely done. 3. There is one thing yet to be' explained , and that is his giving thanks for this; 2a.'p}s .Tr, esw ", God be thanked. Here it may be inquired, "t. Concerning the Obje&, for what he giveth thanks. 2. The Subje&, from whom he expetts this performance. r. Concerning the Objea , it refpe&s not the former but the latter Claufe : their being once Sinners is not the matter of his Thankfgiving, but that they had received and obeyed the Chrilian Faith. However this mutt be laid, That it -doth heighten the Mercy , or illuftrate the Benefit : it is a great Mercy , that having been once llaves of fin , yet now at length they were recovered by Grace. To be brought into a Date of Light and Life by the Gofpel were a great Benefit , if a man had always been good and holy, at leaft not confiderably bad : but when God will take us with all our faults, and thofe of fo great and hainous a Nature, furely we have the more caufe to give thanks. Well then, he doth not , could not give thanks, that once they had been the fervants of fin ; God was not the Author of their fervitude to fin , but he was of their obedience to the Do&rine of Life, his Mercy turned the former evil to good. Or if you will take that into any part of the Thankfgiving, it mutt be thus, Since the condi- tion of the fervants of fm is Co miferable, God be thanked, that you have efcaped it. 2. From whom he expe &s this Thankfulnefs. I anfwer, Firfl, It doth excite their Thankfgiving, he exciteth them to give thanks for this bleffed Change wrought in them : he moveth them not to give thanks for Riches and fecular Honours, nor fo much as confider, whether they had or wanted thefe things; but for the good elate of their Souls, that they were partakers of fo great a Benefit, as from fervants of Sin to become fervants of Chrift. Secondly, It expreffeth his own Thankfgiving on their behalf, as congratulating and rejoycing with them in this mercy : The Angels rejoyce at the converfoon of a Joiner, Luke r;. to. So fhould we rejoyce in the good of others, efpecially the Palorsofthe Church, 3 3 joh. 4. .1 have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth. Nothing that I more delight in in the World , than to hear that thofe that are converted by me live after a Chrilian manner. Do&rine. That to be turnedfrom the Service of Sin to the fincere Obedience of the Gollel, it a Benefit that me cannot fufrciently be thankful for. Let me reprefent it in the Circumlances of the Text. r. Here is a Refie&ion upon their pal late, Te were fervants of fm. This is necef -. fary and ufeful : FirD, To heighten the fenfe of our Priviledges by Grace; alas ! what were we when God firft fought after us? Slaves to Sin and Satan, and Children of Wrath even as o- thers. Look as Jacob, by remembring his poor condition, doth raife his heart the more to admire Gods bounty to him: Gen. 32. ro. 1 am not worthy of the leali of all thy wer- cier,
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