VerI 20. the ftxth Chapter to the ROMANS. 13 5 before him, Heb. 12. 1, 2. Good willies and good purpofes will not now ferve the tutor but a&ive and ferious endeavours : the man that path another work to do, that he may a &wally forfake the fin which he bath renounced. 3. Do not make a light matter óf fin, but hate and abhor it. The Soul is never truly Converted to God, till Holinefs bath our delight and love, and fin our hatred and aver- ration. When it is hated , it is mortified. While a man is a fervant of fin , he loveth not God nor fpiritual things, nor the holy ways of God ; but rather there is an oppofi_ tion to them, and enmity againft them in the heart : but when we become the Servants of God, the obje& both of our love and hatred is changed, we love God , and his People, and his Ways, but then they hate fin fincerely, even the garment fpotted with the flefb, Jude 13. the very evil a &ions they do themfelves they hate, Rom. 7. 15. The evil which I hate, that do I. Sin may break out fometimes, but it is contrary to their liking, but generally this hatred prevents fin, and is a very great help to the forfaking of it : they are fo fallen out with fin, that they keep it under, Pfal. 97.11. Te that love the Lord, hate evil: their hearts are turned from it, and againft it; whereas formerly they lived in fiefhly pleafures, their delight is in pleafing God, the main bent of their heart and life is againft fin, and their chief defign and endeavour is to deftroy it : Grace hath taught them, that Sin, Satan and the Flefb are their deadly Enemies, that leek the Damnation of their Soul, and therefore they deal with them as Enemies, and bid defi- ance to them. Alas! what ado have we with many, to leave a bare Luft, becaufe they never truly hated it. There is force diflike of their fins for a whiles but when the fit IS over, they relapfe into them, becaufe there is not an irreconcileable enmity and abhor - rency : Ifa. 30. 22. Te fhall defile alfa the covering of thy graven images of Elver, and the ornaments of thy molten images of gold, thou (halt call them away as a menflruoses cloth, thou fbalt fay unto it, Get thee hence. Hofea 14. 8. Ephraim 'ball fay , What have Ito do any more with Idols ? Others ¡land dallying with fin, but cannot leave it. 4. If you would be free from fin , avoid the temptations that lead to it. If Ravens or Crows be driven away from the Carrion, they love to abide within the (cent. Thofe that will play about the Cokatrices hole, will furely be bitten; therefore we ought to fly the occafions and appearances of evil, z Thf. 5.22. Abflain from aß appearance of evil. If men would not be drowned, what do they fo near the waters fide ? nor wound- ed, why venture they among Enemies? or meddle with the Bait, if they would efcape the Hook ? Therefore Caution is your Prefervative. 5. If you would be free from fin, live unto God. For Vivification doth promote Mortification, and the fenfual Life is belt cured by the Souls delight in God, and care to Tpleafe him, yob z. r. fob was perfelt and upright, one that feared God, and efihewed evil. rue Grace is an etfe&ual Principle, both to produce its own operations, and to reflraiii fin , Prov. 16. 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged, and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Iniquity is purged in a way of San &ification. S E R
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