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Show given up yourfelves to the Lotd: His, 2, By ordi11ar_yaCJual Obe· bedien«. Now let me in large a word or two upon the latter. Obedience, actual Obedience, lies either, , I. In the performa11ce of duty. Or, 2. In· drcliniJtg •nd mortifYingfin, here's the difficulty in regard Hypocrites m1y decline and abhor fome fin, and may do fome duty as Herod did m.10y things, from what degree in either of thefe, a Sou 1 may concl"de, and fet it felf at relt. It is a large theme, I mufl not in the clofc of a difcourfe undertake to fpeak to it in the comp•fs. But in a word, if a Chriflian findeth fuch a change in his hear t, as that he maketh Confcience of in:o>ard d"ties as well as others, (by inward duties, I mean the fecret workings uf his heart in praye.s, praifes, meditations, &c. of all dnties .1! weff asfome duties. ) Secret duties as well as thofe more publick duties,rowards men, as well as towards God, and of all duties of each for t. If he finds that he l•ves dwty, and that for irs own f•ke as it is duty as·it is an ad ofHDmage.and Obedience to Cod; and an exprehlon of his gratitude to God; that the love of God-co11Hrail~im to it,and in it. If he finds his heart Spiritu• al, and liriving after communion, with God in duty , to fee rhe Lords poR>tr<~nd ~;lor)', the l..ords jdce in his Ordinances, and that his Sou) is low ~nd . humbte jn the highefi and belt of his performances, that he ri(sth up frpm the btlt of them, CJying out, n•t unto"' · 0 Lord, ,nfl/ l'.'!f~ !"1 bt~f, t• thy name br !(iven the Glory. I fee no fL~fon bot rre may con~lude Chrr/i it huifl']h and u •.. d revealet!i no fuc/J things unto men. 2 . A,s Jo th~t p'rt of actual Obedience which concerns the d~clinipg atld ~voi ding of Gn : If he finds rhat in the ordinary t~p:.1per of hi~ l]eat(, he /oathr, and hat a, and [eilrf. fi11, and that i~? the. Ordrqary cpurfe ot his lile, he turns away his fitt, an.d ha~~rd~, apd Paf'~and £yu, l~om jt, that this hatrtd, and abhorrence, andfra; ofhls,heart.~nd;this indea,vollr of his life,is againfl' the !eafis fins -; al\ainH,the , ~pc'l.rance~ of evil. againll tho~e fins> which naturJJ confiirution pr ed~ca t ion, or cullome, ha<h made moll properly i'lis. If it be not only againll open and fcand alous fins, b"t fee ret fin<, when no eyq but Gods can fee him, and that the tme purpofe c,f hi, heart i•i'gaintl c. very fal fc way. I fee no rcafon a ~ ain, why a Ch ,illi~'.\ !hould not hence cpmtortably con~ ' clud.e to himfell; efpecially Jfhe finds hi> Soul grow ing and in· creafing in the ]o,•e of duty, and in the h1tred uf lin ; I fay I know no reafcm , but this S.ml may comfort.bly fay , my Btloved it mi11e, aHd I am hit : and if he can conclude it is fo ; he may conclude it !hall be fo even for ever. But .Yet, • Secondly, You may eafily conclude from this difcourfc how much every Soul whp thinketh he thus ftandeth, is con.:erned to tak,r hmllt{l he lhould fall. It is the Arminims great charge upon the Doctrine of the Saints per(<·verance, That it difcourage<h the perfecting of holinefs 1n the tear of the Lord: but rhe 'luite contrary is truth. Is it a difcouragement think we to a Child ro ufe irs kgs, for the Maid to fay, Run, Run, I will hold you up, you !hall not fall. That is our cafe. The Saint 010ll Hand, but through the power of God, and in the ufc of flteh means as Gcd hath appointed, It isnotourpiviledg, thardo we little or nothing we !hall yet hold out ro the end, and be laved; but this is our priviledg, that in rhe ufe ofrhe means which God hath appointed us, we !hall hold ou:"o the end, and be faved. The ApoOle had faid, Rom. 5. Ar fin hath aboN11ded, fo grace !hall mucb more abound; hcprt fently conceived what tome might fay,then, 'RIC may fin , that Grace· may abound; bat !heweth no fuch conclufi· on could be made from his pfl milfes, Cb•p. 6. 2. God folbid (faith he) how fh•ll we tb•t are d.ad to fiH, Jive any lnnger tbtrein 1 Vain men hear that the Sain ts !hall perfevere, well rhcn fay they; They m1y live as they !ill, yet they· !hall hold out ? But how doth this follow from the excellent Doctrine? The RightcoJ<.J jhaU hold o ~t, btlt it molt be in hif "'"Y; they of clear hands !nail graw ftrongtr a nil jlronger,bur they mull kcap their hands clean: You-will fay, bur can thty ito other..,ifor I anfwcr, ,.;-iih refpect to their own power rocy may do other wile, and arc very prone to do otherwile, indeed with refpect to Gods orrli~tatiQII and in regard of Gods pramife rhey cannot do otherwife : bt•t the decrees of God >cfpect the ufe of the means as well as the obtaining of the end , and all know, that rhe fultilling of promifes as well with reference ro this lift a~ to a bertcr, requires mn doing our dury, as a mean in order to rhc performance ( 011 Gods plrt ) of the thing that is promifeJ . There is therefore a Room lt fr ro work our our Sal v.rion with fear and trembling; yea without it we cannot fo much as hope for ptr]everanr.e. Do you ask roe what !hould a Chrif\ian do that he may pe• fevne, rhar his BLioved may be his, and he ~is Beloveds, until the day brea~ a11d rhe.fhadows flee away. This again were a gre•t theme, !hould I difwurfe it in th e{u!l compafs uftt; but I mull not do it, it is time to !hut up this dif,ou,fe. I, |