132 SERMONS upon Senn. XX. otherwife than it was before , and the courfe of our Endeavours will be turned into another Chanel, Eph y. 18. And be net skunk with wine, wherein is excefi , but be ye fil- led with the Spirit : we have other work to do, and other happinefs to leek after, Phil. 3. 19, 20. Who mind earthly things but our converfation is in Heaven. 6. When men flake off the yoke of Sin for Righteoufnefs, they (hold be as free from Sin, as formerly they were front Righteoufnefs. Now here I will ('hew, I. How far this should be. II. Why this (hould be. L To (late it, How far this can or fbould be ? For the difficulty lieth here, How we can be as free from Sin as formerly from Righteoufnefs, liince after Converfion there is a mixt Principle in us ? I anfwer, This is to be confidered two ways, quaad Conatum & pond Eventum. t. v_uoad Conatum , as to Endeavour , which is to get rid of all fn ; a fncere Chri- Rian doth fo give up himfelf to a holy Life , as to watch and pray and ftrive againft all fin , this is his endeavour, and if it were pof ible, he would root out all this is his aim, bufinefs, and conftant care : but becaufe he obtaineth not his end, he is troubled, Rom. 7. 24, 0 wretched man that I am l who (ball deliver me from elm body of this death? In the mean time he hath the fetled bent of his Will and Confcience to fatisfe him, Hei,. 13.18. Pray for us, for we trafá we have a good cgnf fence,, in all things willing to live honefily. His Soul is bent, and his Endeavours are accordingly. 2. ;woad Event/am, he is fo far free from fin, as carrieth a good proportion with his freedom with Righteoufnefs in his carnal Eflate. His freedom from Righteoufnefs was contiflent from urgings of Confcience , which pleaded Gods Right with great earneft- nefs; God doth not fo far forfake Mankind , as to leave them without all çonvi &ions of their Duty, or fome inclinations to it, hut it is weak and ineffeflual : So now, his free- dom front fn is not altogether to be free from the urgings of fn; for the carnal Prin- ciple is ftill within him, and a warring working Principle it is, and doth not lie idle in the Soul. But as then, men were free from Righteoufnefs by their carelemnefs of it , or averfenels from it ; fo now they that have changed Mailers and Efiates, are to be fo far free from fin, as not to fin wilfully, and by way ofoppofition to Grace any more, nor yet negligently and carelefly to go on with their former courfe: for if there be any known fin , which they do not hate, but had rather keep than leave it, and do not pray and ftrive and watch againft it , they are not Can &ifed. For the fanetifed hate every falfe way, Pfal. 119. 104. they pray againft it, ver. 133. Order my fleps in thy ward, and let no; any iniquity hove dominion over me : they watch and (hive againft it to Come degree of prevalency, Pfal. t8. 23. I was alfa upright before him, and 1 kept my felf from my ni- gxity: they cannot bear with fin, they have a Nature which beareth an enmity and re- pugnancy to it, as the carnal mind loth to the Law of God, fo doth this new Nature to fin, t job. 3. g. Wholàever is born of God doth not commit fin, for bir feed remained in him, and he cannot fin, beca tfe he io boto. of God. Il. Why rhis,fbould be fo. r. Let us confider the Equity as to matter of Right, it fbould be fo. .3. The Ñece(ty as to, matter of Evidence, it mull be fo. 3. The Conyenieucy as to matter of Benefit. t. The Equity as to matter of Right. All Rules of Equity will oblige you to this, whether you confider the Marier, the Work., or the Reward. Fir fi, The :vlafler, if you confider how great and how good a Mailer you now ferve: if you confider him as great, you can.never do too much for him; or as good , not fo much as he deferveth ofryou. 1. As á great God,, he cannot be too much loved, nor obeyed too exa&ly , nor fer- ved too diligently, all is, flport of the Greatnels of his Majefly. We have mean thoughts of his glorious, Excellency , if we think that any thing will ferve the turn, or that luck aGod will he put off with any thing.; though we have formerly confumed our fttength in the fervice of fin, yet á little flight obedience will be enough. for God, we need not be fo flri& and exa& ; this is as bringing the fickly Lamb inflead of the Male of the Flock. And therefore God pleadeth his Majefly , Mal. 3. 14. lam a great King, faith the Lord. ofHofeo. Therefore if you have a greater Matter than you had, before , you fbould do as much or more. work than you did before , Cola L. to. That ye might walk worthy of the Lard unto all well- pleaftpg, 1 Theft. 2. a2. That ye. would walk worthy of God', who bath called you unto hie kingdom, and glory, 2. As good , he hath deferved at our hands more than ever we can repay him. By experience
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