Verf. o. the fixtb Chapter to the ROMANS. 13 Secondly, De Fa5fo, they carried themfelves as if they were free,' never bated them- felves with thoughts of God, nor regarded to walk holily before him.. 2. Why it is put here, to Phew we muli not divide our Service, bnt abftain as ffri& ly from fin, as we did before from all good, you muff ferve Righteoufnefs as before you ferved Sin. When you were under Sins yoke, Righteoufnefs had no power over you; and now you are under Chrifis yoke, the power of fin muft ,' at leaft, be confiderately weakened. Do&rine. Thole who become Servants of God, fhould be as free from Sin , as before they were from Righteoufnefs. I. I fuppofe that there is a Liberty, which is a Perfe&ion of Humane Nature, and a Liberty, which is a Defeaion from God. That Liberty which is a Perfe&ion, is to be willing and ready to perform our Duty to God , Pfal. 119. 45. 1 will walk at liberty, for 1 feek thy precepts; that Liberty which is a Defeaion, or a Revolt from God , is properly Licentioufnefs rather than Liberty, and that is a delire to live is we lift, to be free from the bonds of Duty, Pfal. 2. 3. Let us break their bands afunder, and cefi away their cords from us. 2. They that molt labour for this carnal Liberty are the molt wretched Servants of Sin , becaufe they are overcome and led Captive by it, and wholly give up themfelves to obey fin ; fo, a Pet. 2. 19. 'Whit they prom/ ft. themfelves liberty , they themfelves are the Srvants of corruption. The fleth feeketh its peace and quietnefs, which it cannot injoy but by giving,it felfover to its lufts, and fo they are pleafed with this fervile con- dition, and remain in this Bondage, though it be the worft of all. 3. That the Servants of Sin , or chofe who are under the yoke of fin, carry it as if they were free from Righteoufnefs, that is to fay, either by way ofNeglea, or by way of Refiftance. Firfi, By way of Negle &, they made no Confcience, did not fo much as think what was holy and pleating to God, as fome go on carelefly , not confidering what they do, nor whereunto it will tend. Thefe are laid to defpife their ways , Prov. 19. t6. He that keepeth the commandment, keepetb his own foal; but he that defpifeth his ways, ¡hall die.- Some care not how they live, but are carried on by their own blind tufts; Righteou- fnefs, or a Confcience of their Duty bath no power over them, they do not confider of their allions, much leis take care to mend their courfe. Secondly, By way of Oppofition and Refiffance; for they are laid to be free from Righteoufnefs, that are oppofite and averle from it, as the carnal mind is enmity to the Law of God, Rom. 8.7. Some bewray an obitinate wilfulnefs, as others do a negligent carelefnefs, they beat down whatfoever ftandeth in the way of their fins, neither right, nor .reafon, nor fhame, nor fear can reltrain them, though á Commandment ftandeth in their way, they break through , nothing can flop the courfe of a Sinners violently purfuing his Lufts , as Baalam went madly on againit all the rebukes of God, either in his Confcience or external Providence. 4. Though all the Unregenerate are void of Righteoufnefs, yet they are not all alike finful. There is a difference between unrenewed men, tome are more, Tome lets grofs in the out-breaking of their fin ; tome are more filthy, but all are gone out of the way, there is none that doth good , no not one, Pfal. 14.3. they all agree in this, That none of them doth , or can do any thing at all commanded by God as commanded, from righ- teous Principles, and for right Ends. Some may be free from outward Vice , as Paul was, touching the righteoufnefi of the Law blamelefs, Phil. 3. 6. Our Lord faith, Mat. 5. 20. Except your righteoafnefs exceed the righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees, ye ¡ball in no cafe enter into the kingdom of Heaven : though there is tonne external conformity to the Law, outward auflerity and ftri&nefs, yet no inward purity and holinefs. 5. That where men are changed by Grace, certain it is they mutt away with their former finful life : partly , becaufe the Gofpel-rule requireth it , Mat. 9. 13. 1 am not come-to call the righteous, but frnners to repentance; and Repentance is a turning of the Soul from fin to God, God may be reconciled to our perlons, never to our fins: partly, becaufe this is the end of that Grace that bath wrought the change in us , Luke I. 74, 75. That we being delivered out of the hands ofour enemies, fhould ferve him without fear, in holinefs and rig before him all the days of our lives : partly, becaufe the nature of the thing fheweth it. If there be any found change, we have changed Mailers and work, way and end, bufinefs and hopes ; and therefore our Converlation will be quite Farm z other-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=