fin; for that our Saviour tells us, is a state of flavery and bondage; be that committeth fin, is the fervant of fin. This use indeed some made of the Christian doctrine, to encourage themselves in fin, under the pretence of Chritian liberty, and that in the Apostles days. So St. Peter tells us, 2 Epift. ii. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the fervants of corruption, and in bondage to their lusts. But nothing can be more directly contrary to the great design and intention of the gofpel, which indeed pro promises and declares liberty; but not from the laws of God, and the obligation of their duty, but as the Apostle calls it, from the law of fin and death. Chriftian liberty does not confist in being free from our duty, but in doing those things which really tend to our perfection and happiness, in being free from sin, and becoming the servants of God. This is the proper use and exercise of our liberty, to do what we ought, to live according to reason and the laws of God, which are boly, just, and good. The freedom which the Son of God designed, was our being rescued from the bondage of fin and corruption, of the Devil and our own lutts, that being delivered from the hands of these enemies, we might ferve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. Secondly, To perfuade us to affert our liberty, and stand fast in it. The Son of God hath done that which is fufficient on his part to vindicate mankind from the slavery of their lusts and paffions and if we will vigorously set about the work, and put forth our endeavours, we may rescue ourselves from this bondage. And because it must be acknowledged that this is no easy work, therefore by way of di rection and encouragement, I would commend to men these following particulars : 1. To confider feriously the the misery and danger of this condition, and the neceffity of freeing ourselves. from this flavery. I have shewn that it is the worst kind of bondage, and it hath the saddest consequen ces. Some service, though it be hard and grievous, yet men are content to endure it, because it may prove 1 prove beneficial to them, and is in order to a greater freedom; but the service of fin is altogether un profitable. What fruit had ye then, says the Apostle, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. The wages of fin is death. All the reward that shall be given us for this service, is misery and punishment, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, to every soul that doth evil. So that it is necessary that we should shake off this yoke, as we defire to escape the chains of darknefs, and the unspeakable and infupportable misery of another world. He that now makes us his flaves to do his work, will torment us for the doing of it to all eternity. 2. Seeing this condition is so insupportable, and the consequences of it so dreadful, let us take up a firm and manly resolution to free ourselves from this slavery. It is no easy matter to break off a vicious habit, which we have been long accustomed to; nay, perhaps it is one of the most difficult things that human nature can attempt; and therefore it requires great firmness of mind, and strength of refolution. It is next to the going against nature, and the conquering of that; for custom is a fort of nature, and every habit is a bowing of nature a certain way, and when nature hath once long stood bent one way, it is hard to restore it to its former condition; and nothing but a great resolution, taken up upon a full conviction of the neceffity of the thing, will carry us through. 3. For the encouragement of this resolution, consider what assistance God hath promised us. Indeed when we consider the difficulty of the thing, and the weakness and unstedfastness of our own minds, how apt we are to give over when we meet with great oppofition and resistance, we might justly be difcouraged in our attempts, if we had nothing but our own strength to trust to. But God hath promised to stand by us, and second us in the conflict; and if he be for us, what can stand against us? There is nothing too hard for a stout resolution backed by the grace of God. 4. That 4. That we may not be discouraged by an apprehenfion of too much difficulty in the thing, confider that the main difficulty is at first. So foon as we have refolutely begun, the work is half done; if we can but fustain the first brunt, the enemy will give ground apace; every day we shall get more strength, and the habits of sin will be weakened. In all cafes there is difficulty in breaking off a habit, and doing contrary to what we have been used and accustomed to do: but after we have practised the contrary a while, it will every day grow more easy and pleafant; for custom will make any thing so. 5. Consider that the longer we continue in this state, the harder we shall find it to rescue ourselves from it; for fin will every day get more strength, and we shall have less; for vice is so far from being mortified by age, that by every day's continuance in it we increase the power of it; it; and so much strength as any one adds to his disease, he takes from himself. And this is a double weakening of us, when we do not only lose our strength, but the enemy gets it, and will employ it against us. Therefore let us presently fet about this work, to-day, while it is called to-day, left we be hardened through the deceitfulness of fin. The longer we continue in fin, the farther God withdraws his grace from us; and not only fo, but the Devil gets a greater dominion over us, and a firmer poffeffion of us, till by degrees we do insensibly slide into that ftate, in which, without the mi raculous grace of God, we are like for ever to continue, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his Spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. It is next to a natural impoffibility for a man to rescue himself out of this state. 6. And lastly, be not discouraged, though ye do not meet with that fuccess at first, which ye expected and hoped for; though after several attempts to reco ver your liberty, ye be foiled and cast back. It fometimes fo happens tha that fome are by a mighty refolution, and very extraordinary and overpowering degree of God's grace, reclaimed from a wicked life at once: but in the ordinary methods of God's grace, evil habits are mastered and fubdued by degrees; and though we be refolved upon a better course, and entered upon it, yet the inclinations to our former course will frequently return upon us, and may sometimes too prevail. And we are not to think this strange, it is nothing but what is natural, and may reasonably be expected. It is no just ground of discouragement to us, if after we have engaged in a good course, we be fometimes pulled back again, and the habits which we are breaking off from, gather strength, and make head again; as an enemy after he is routed, and hath begun to fly, does frequently rally, and makes as if he would renew the fight again, and may perhaps prevail in a little skirmish: but for all this, we are nevertheless in a fair way to victory, if we will purfue our first advantage, and profecute it vigorously. Nay, this should be fo far from difcouraging us, that it should make us refume new courage, that we may not lose what we have got. I the rather mention this, because many miscarry upon this account, and many good refolutions and attempts to vindicate our liberty from the bondage of corruption, are given over and come to nothing, because men make false accounts of things, and expect to conquer and get a complete victory at first : and indeed they are taught by those who are not well skilled in this spiritual warfare, that this work is done in an inftant, and the habits of grace and virtue are infused into men at once; and if men give back, all they had done is lost, and that they are in a worfe condition than if they had never begun: whereas usually it is quite otherwise, and the habits of goodness are acquired, as other habits are, by flow degrees at first, and with a great deal of conflict; and it is a good while before a man comes to that confirmed state, that he may be faid to have conquered; but if he perfist in his resolutions, and when he hath reLeived fome foil take heart again, he is in the way to victory; and though he be not in a perfect state of acceptance with God, yet his endeavours have the acceptance of good beginnings, and he hath no reason to be discouraged at what he had reason to expect when he began this work, if he calculate things aright: and they that tell men otherwise, have taken up false notions in divinity, but do not confult human nature, and the usual progress of God's grace in the conversion of a sinner, and reclaiming him from a wicked course; and have not taken sufficient care to reconcile their notions of divinity, with the nature of things, and the certain and undoubted experience of mankind. Therefore let no man be faint and discouraged upon this account, and think the thing is not to be done, because he doth not meet with perfect success at first; for this feldom happens, and therefore ought not to be expected: but let him still go on and reinforce his resolutions, and the oppofition and difficulty will abate, and the work continually grow easier upon his hand, and the God of peace will at last tread down Satan under his feet. when SERMON CCXLVIII. The duty of improving the present opportunity and advantages of the gospel. JOHN xii. 35. Then faid Jesus unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, left darkness come upon you. Preached Feb. 15. 1685. : T र Hen said Jesus unto them; that is, upon the discourse he had just before had with them, concerning his approaching death, and departure out of this world; at the mention whereof, they were offended and troubled; but instead of that, our Saviour puts them upon that which would be |