SERM. abject a Difpofition, as to prefer an ÆgypVII. tian Thraldom before the free Enjoyment

of the promised Land; we are justly shocked at their vicious Stupidity, we deride their mistaken Folly, not confidering, how much greater is our own, when we throw off a light and gentle Yoke to load our Necks with one altogether infupportable. And this is in Truth the Cafe of every Chriftian, who chufes to return to the Slavery of Sin, and to enjoy its low Pleafures for a Season, rather than bear a few Difficulties, with the Profpect of the most defirable Advantages, in the Service of him, who cannot himself be profitted thereby, and who demands the Homage and Fidelity of his Servants, only as it will procure them an eternal and exceeding great Reward, even an unspeakable Weight of Glory.

BUT as the Jews heretofore replied to our Bleffed Saviour, who would have made them free indeed, free from Sin and Mifery, we are Abraham's Seed, and were never in Bondage to any Man (s), fo may many among Christians pretend to vindicate themselves from the Imputation of being in Subjection to Sin and Satan, by pleading, That they

(s) St. John viii. 33.

are

are the profeffed Servants of the Lord their SERM. God, and him only will they own for their VII. Master: And this must be allowed to be a good Profeffion and a worthy Refolution, when accompanied with a fuitable Practice; though of little Benefit to fuch as make them, unless they were found to be better grounded and more ftedfaft, than they often are feen to be.

HE, that faid, I go, Sir, and went not (t), was wide of performing the Will of his Father. Nor will the calling our Saviour, Lord, Lord, be reckoned a Service wellpleafing in his Sight, fo long as we are not careful to do the Things, that he says or commands (u). As in all paft, fo in all future Ages, it has and will be esteemed fafer and more advisable to judge of Men by their Actions than their Expreffions in whatever Inftances these two difagree, nor will that known Liar the Tongue often gain Credit to Words, where it has not correfponding Deeds for a Voucher.

THAT whosoever committeth Sin, is the Servant of Sin (x), is the Language of Scripture.

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(a) St. Luke vi. 4.

(t) St. Matth. xxi. 30. (x) St. John viii. 34.

SERM. Scripture and the Dictate of Reafon: But VII. we are not to understand either fo, as to

conclude, that the various Backflidings of Error or Weakness, which all Men are daily exposed to through the Degeneracy of Nature, or even fingle Acts of more wilful and prefumptuous Tranfgreffions, provided they are immediately repented of and forfaken, are fuch a Commiffion of Sin, as fixes on us the ignominious Title of its Servants, or excludes us from the Houfhold of God.

THE Servants of Sin are they, who indulge themselves therein with Greedinefs, or continue in a hardened Course of it, in fpite of all the Reftraints of God's Grace, the Admonitions of their Friends, and the Checks of their own Confciences. People of this Stamp may be truly faid in fome Degree or Measure to be brought under the Power of Sin: And of these none more truly, than fuch as incorporate Wickedness into their Religion,---make moft Crimes venial and fome meritorious, and teach Men to believe, whilft they are committing the vileft Actions, that they are doing God Service: Such Perfons we may venture to say, are

fold

fold under Sin, are abject Slaves to it, and SERM. fettered in an irredeemable Captivity. VII.

SAINT Peter, fpeaking of fome seducing Teachers in his Time, defcribes them under this Character, that whilst they promised those, whom they perverted from the Faith, Liberty, they themselves were the Servants of Corruption and enthralled to their own ungodly Lufts: For of whom a Man is overcome, of the fame is he brought in Bondage (y). When Men have long and eagerly given a Loofe to their debauched Inclinations, Vice gets fo far the Afcendant over them, that they are reduced to the Condition of fuch, as cannot ceafe from it. The Prophet puts the Question concerning these Men in very strong Terms, Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? Then may ye alfo do Good, that are accustomed to do Evil (z). Confirmed Habits are not eafily rooted out, when they take their Rife only from the moft indifferent Things; and much lefs, when they have grown up from the Seeds of depraved Nature, and been watered with the Overflowings of wanton Appetite.

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WHAT

(y) 2 St. Pet. ii. 19.

(x) Jerem. xiii. 23.

SERM.

VII.

WHAT the Wife Man affirms of those who are addicted to Wine (a), is equally true with Respect to all other inordinate Offenders; no fooner do they awake, no fooner are the Fumes of Intemperance difperfed, but they will feek it yet again; what these may call themselves, whatever they may pretend, Sin has manifeftly gained, fuch an abfolute Dominion over them, that they are expofed to the unhappy Neceffity of following it blindly through all its Mazes, and implicitly executing all its Orders. Whose Servants fuch really are, is visible beyond Contradiction; the Thing speaks of itself too plainly to need any other Proof.

THUS have I fomewhat copiously confidered what it is, and how Men came to be the Servants of Sin; a Point the more needful to be fet in a full Light, fince the moft abject of them either do not know or fcruple to acknowledge their Mafter, and would fain be thought to be in much more reputable Service: And after what has been already urged, not many Words more are wanting to state the Notion of Servants of Obedience, or fix the Character of thofe, who devote

(a) Prov. xxiii. 35.