64 S E R M O N S upon Sam. 1X. tremble at theiç own thoughts of God, fo do wicked men. 'Twere welcome News to them to hear there were noGod. 4. God's enemies carry on a double War againfi him , op:five and defenfive: The effen- five War is when men break his Laws; imploy all their Faculties, Mercies, Comforts, as Weapons of pnrighteoufnefs againftlGod, Rom. 6. 13. Told not your members as in ru- means of unrighteoufnefi to fn, ;um,dh,,,hir 5 but yeild your felves to God. Our Facul- ties, Talents and Intere &s, are itnployed either as armour of light for God, or as wed pons of unrigfiteoufnefs againft God. The defenfive war is when we flight his Word, defpife his Grace, refill the motions of his Spirit, A &s 7. 5 t. Te fliff necked and uncir. cumcifed in heart and ear, ye do always reftft the Holyghofl. When God bringeth his Spiritual Artillery to batter down all that which lifteth up its felf againft the obedi- ence of Chri(f, 2 Cor. ro. 4, 5. When he befiegeth our hearts, and battereth them daily by the rebukesand motions of his Spirit, yet men will not yeild theFortrefs, but ftand it out to the laft; take delight to go on in the obedience of their natural corruptions; will not have Chrift to reign over them ; and fo they increafe their enmity, and double their mifery, by a reufance of grace, and are Rebels not only againfi the Law, but the Gofpel , (land out againft their own mercies. They are Enemies to an Earthly Prince, that not only infe(t his Countrey with continual Inroads and Incurfions, but thofe alto that keep his Towns and Strong Holds againft him. And in this fenfe an im- , penitent perfon, and an enemy to God, are equivalent Expreflions in Scripture: Tho you do not break out into open alts of Hoflility againft God, yet if you will not come out of your bondage, and come out of the mifery and folly of your carnal eftate, you are enemies to him. 5. That herein the enemies of our falvation agree, that they all make us Rebels to God. The Devil, World and Flefh, are equal in this. The Devil's Servants and Subje &sare oppofite to Chrifl's Kingdom, Eph. 6. 12. Rulers of the darknefe of this world : Ana Col. t. 13. who bath tranjlated us out of the kingdom of darknefs, into the kingdom of his dear Son. While we remain in the one Kingdom, we are enemies to the other, Luke 19. 27. But for thofe mine enemies, that would not that .1 fhould reign over them, bring . them hither, and flay them before me. The World, James 4.4, Knew ye not that the friendfhip of the world is enmity with God : Whofoever therefore will be a friend to the world, is an enemy to God. They whole hearts are let upon the pleafures; profits and honours of the World, they are withdrawn from God, as their proper Lord, and chief Happinee, and will neither be ruled by his Will, nor leek his love and favour. Firft, they will not be ruled by his Will; for God and the World command contrary things: The Wórld faith, Slack no opportunity of gain : To ftand nicely upon Confcience, is to draw trouble upon our felves :That to give, is wafteful profulenefs 5 and to forgive, folly and weaknefs. God on the contrary , biddeth us deny our felves, take up our Crófs; telleth us, that giving is receiving, and the glory of a man is to pats by an offence, or to forgive the wrongs done to him. So the Flefh : As the World tempts us to Re- hellion againft God, fo the Flefh fwalloweth the Temptation ; it carrieth us to do what we lift, anerdifpofeth us to a flat Rebellion againft God, and a contempt of his Authority, 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore haft thou finned, -and difpifid the commandment of God? The Flefh will have it fo, Pfal. 2. 3. Let-us break his bands, and call away his cords from us. Affeûation of carnal liberty, is .the very effel of fen£pleajbng, and flefh- pleating; fo that the carnal mind implieth a downright oppofition to the Law of Gnd : All our ways are enmity to it, and a dire& repugnancy, againft it. Secondly : Nor do we feek his love and favour, as our happinefs. The World propoundeth Obje &s that are pleafant to our Senfes, neceffary in part for our -ufes, in fubordination. to other things-5 and Co enticeth us from God : But it could not entice us, were it not for the Flefh, which greedily fwalloweth the bait; 2 Tim. 4. to. Demos bath forfakenus, and embraced the prefent world: And 2 Tim. 3. 4. lovers of pleat remore than lovers of God: And John 5.44 How can you believe that receive honour one of another ? And fo we are detained from God by the Creature, which fhould be a ftep and flair that fhould lead us up to him. The World is full of allurements to the Fleflt ; and thofe mercies which would raite the mind to God, are made the fuel of fenfuality, and the greateft means to keep it from him. None negle& him fo much as thole that have molt of the World, Jer. 2. 3 5. 0 generation! fee. ye the word of the Lord: have I been a wildernefs to 'frail ? a land of darknefs ? wherefore fay my people, We are lords, we will come no more at thee? fo Mat k to. 24. How hard is it for them that traft in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God. They are molt apt to live an ungodly fenfùal life, as having lets occafion than others to drive them to God. 6. This
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