394 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXLVIII.
them under. There will be pride, earthliness, unbelief, and sensuality dwelling', moving, working in ilieni ; but it hath not its wonted power over them. Christ will not reckon men slaves to sin by their having sin in them, nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities, or by their falling now and then into foul faults by the violence of a temptation, unless they make a constant trade of sin, and be under the dominion of it without control, and set up no course of mortifi- cation against it.
3. The reign of sin is so mischievous. Sin, when it once gets the throne, groweth outrageous, and involveth us in many inconveniences ere we can get out again. Therefore they that know the service of sin, as we all do by sad experience, should use all caution that it never bring them into bondage again. The work and wages of sin are very different from God's work and wages. The apostle comjjareth them when he dissuadeth them from the reign of sin: Kom. vi. 21, 22, ' For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had you then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life.' You have had full experience of the fruits of sin, of Satan's work ; what fruit then ? Before you had tasted better things, before you had a contrary principle set up in your hearts ; you ..re ashamed now to think of that course, now you know better things. But what fruit then? Satan's work is drudgery, and his reward death. The devil hath one bad property, which no other master, how cruel soever, hath — to plague and torment them most which have done him most continual and faithful service. Tliose that have sinned most have most horror, and every degree of service hath a i)roportion- able degree of shame and punishment. He is an unreasonable tyrant in exacting service without rest and intermission. The most cruel oppressors, Turks and infidels, give some rest to their captives ; but sin is unsatisfiable. Men spend all their means and all their time and all their strength in pursuit of it ; yet all is little enough. And what is the reward of all but death and destruction ? Now judge you to whom should we yield obedience, and who hath most right to be sovereign ? He who made us and redeemed us, and preservetli us every day, none but he can claim title to us ; he to whom we are debtors by so many vows, so many obligations ; or else Satan, our worst enemy, who is posting us on to our own destruction ?
4. It is so uncomely, and misbecoming the new estate, wherein we have so many helps and encouragements to resist sin.
[1.] For helps, you have an opposite principle to give check to it, the seed of God, or new nature. Since Christ hath put grace into your hearts to resist sin, it is your duty not to suffer it to be idle and unfruitful : Kom. vi. 11, 12, ' Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof You want no ability to encourage ; you have an observing witness to give check to it, the Spirit of God, who will help you in this work, Eom. viii. 13. He will be your second ; neither we without the Spirit, nor the Spirit without us. There is a life and power goeth along
VeR. 133.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 395
with every gospel truth. Laziness pretendeth want of power ; but what is too hard for the Spirit ? Then —
[2.] For encouragement. In every war are two notable encourage- ments— goodness of the quarrel, and hopes of victory ; as David, 1 Sam. xvii. 36. We have these in our conflict and combat with sin. (1.) Our quarrel and our cause is good ; it is the quarrel of the Lord of hosts which you fight. We stand with Christ our redeemer, who came, iW Xvarj, that he might destroy the works of the devil. He hath begun the battle ; we do but labour to keep under that enemy which Christ hath begun to slay and destroy. Sin is not only an enemy to us, but to him. It is against him, and hindereth his glory in the world, and the subjection of his creatures and servants. Were it not for sin, what a glorious potentate would Christ be, even in the judgment of the world? (2.) Hope of the victory. Our strife will end, and it will end well. Those that are really, earnestly striving against sin, are sure to conquer: Rom. vi. 14, ' Let not sin reign,' &c. And it shall not ; if there be but a likelihood of victory, we are en- couraged to fight. Here a Christian may triumph before the victory. Non ceqite glorietur accinctus, ac discinctus. 1 Kings xx. 11, ' Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.' There will come a good and happy issue in the end, even a conquest of sin. For the present we overcome it in part ; it shall not finally and totally overcome us in this world ; and shortly all strife will be over : Rom. xvi. 20, ' The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.' It is but a little while, and we shall receive the crown, and triumph over all our enemies.