134 SERMONS upon Serm. XX. his Unregeneracy, r Cor. 15. 10..1laboured more abundantly than they all. This made Mary Magdalen to exceed in love to Chit above others , becaufe (he had been fo ex- ceffive before in the love of her unlawful pleafures, Luke 7.47. Her fins, which are ma- ny , are forgiven her , for the loved much; but to whom little is forgiven , the fame !meth little. Therefore it concerneth us to repair our Errors, efpecially when they have been noxious to others , that by eminency of Grace we may awaken thofe whom we have hardened by our fins, or joyned with in their tinful courfes. Diver would have his Bre- thren and Companions believe : furely this Charity will poffefs the hearts of the con- verted. 21íe 1. To preis thofe that are, or would be accounted renewed by Grace, to free themfelves from fin yet more and more. The chain is broken by Grace , and you have had experience of both Mailers, now (hew it, that you do heartily forfake the one, and cleave to the other. 1. Be more tender and fearful to offend. As long as you make little reckoning of fin , you are in danger of committing it. It is Paid, Prov. 13:13. Whofo de#ifeth the word, ¡ball be defiroyed; but he that feareth a commandment , fhall be rewarded. Thofe are the two oppofite parties, thofe that defpife , and thole that fear a Commandment, there is not a wont or a better frame than the one or the other ; they are properly free from Righteou(nefs that defpife a Commandment , and fo in the high way to defirulli- on ; they fay , Tuth ! it is folly to (land fo fcrupuloufly and nicely upon our Duty : but on the other fide they are free from fin that fear a Commandment , that dare not venture, when God hath hedged up their way : the one are prophane , they will (peak and do as they lilt, fay God what he will to the contrary ; the other godly, and have a deep reverence of God , and fo of his Word upon their hearts , My heart fland- eth in awe of thy word (faith David) Pfd. t i9. 161. Many fear the punifhment of man , or a Judgment , when to vifible appearance it is likely to tread upon the heels of fin ; and Come may fear a Threatning 5 but a gracious heart feareth a Commandment, if a Commandment ftandeth in the way , it is reafon enough to a gracious heart to for- bear , more than if there were a Lion in the way , or a Band of armed Enemies, or an Angel with a drawn Sword, fuch as flood in the way to flop Baalam; they have a deep reverence of Gods Authority, and it is no more than needeth; for this dire &ion is given to us, 1 Pet. r. t 7. Pafr the time of your f journing here in fear, to thole that take them- felves to be renewed ones. 2. Be more refolved againft fin. We shake off the yoke by a folemn entring into Covenant with God, wherein we renounce the Devil , the World, and the Flefh, and heartily dedicate our felves to live unto God ; now the more refolved we are in either, the more fincere is our Covenant. A wavering purpofe maketh -us neither wholly off from fin, nor wholly on upon Gods fervice, but hangeth between both ; the heart is not Naffed and ingaged , and fo there is a confiderable and notable inconfiflency in the life, Jam. 1. 8. A double-minded man it unfiable in all his ways. Therefore till the purpofe cometh to be full , we are not freed from the power of fin. Some kind of willingnefs and unfound confent there is in the half converted ; yet for want of this true refolu- tion, their hearts are not rit with God, neither are they fledfafi in his Covenant, Pfal. 78. 37. It is long e're men will yield to live to God , and when they feem to yield, are long wavering ere they fully refolve ; they fee all is not well with them, and that they are not in a fafe condition to appear before God in the Judgment, and they have many perfwadings of the Spirit of God , and their own Confciences reafoning the cafe with them, and under thefe perfwafions the mind is under Come purpofe to take a new courfe ; but thefe purpofes are either for the time to come, hereafter they wiu be more aria and hdty, but (till adjourn and put it 'off; or elfe they are but half purpofes, that reach not to a full refolution; and therefore if they make Come kind of change, it is by halves , they are not free from fin , which often returneth , and recovereth its former Power and Reign in their Hearts. But when men are refolved pail all contradiaion, that this (hall be their work and fcope to pleafe God, then they'do more fully yield up them - felves to the renewing Spirit, to be fanaified and prepared for Gods ufe : the Scales are caft , Righteoufnefs gets the Power that Sin had before; the man is new armed with a refolution to ceafe from fin, and to betake himfelf to a holy life , whatever it coif him: 1 Pet. 4. 1. Forafmuch then as Cbrifi bath fufered for us in the flefh arm your fives alfo with the fame mind; for he that bath fuffered in the flit!, bath ceafed from fin. He is re folved to deny the Flefh; forfake the World , and to raft of the weight that hangeth on him, and the fin that dotb fo eafily befit him , and to rim with patience the race that is fit. before
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