[4.] That by yielding ourselves to obey either of these, we become servants to the one or the other. If we yield ourselves to obey sin, we are servants of sin ; and by yielding ourselves to obey God, we be- come servants of God.
(1.) I shall speak of sin's servants, and two things I shall say of them —
(1st.) That they enter upon this service voluntarily indeed, and draw this woful slavery upon themselves, but not by solemn contract and covenant. The servants are ashamed of their master, and will
VeR. 16.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. 313
not owQ themselves to be what they are ; for they are cheated into their slavery, they are enticed and drawn away : James i. 14, ' Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed/ They yield themselves to obey sin by voluntary inclination, but not by express covenant ; they are not forced but enticed, and willingly put themselves into this bondage. They do not openly profess it, but their course of life showeth it, their hearts are upon evil, and so they are rebels and enemies to God, and refuse his blessed government : Col. i. 21, ' You that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.'
(2d.) The second thing which I observe is, that they are not only servants in legal reputation, or so accounted before God, as John viii. 34, ' Whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin ; ' but they are so by woful captivity, or a sad necessity they have brought upon them- selves ; for they are deprived of all liberty to help themselves : 2 Peter ii. 19, ' While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the ser- vants of corruption ; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage.' Our service to God is a debt of duty, their serving sin is a debt of fatal necessity. He is a freeman that hath right and power to dispose of himself or his own actions or employ- ments ; but he is a servant that is at another man's beck and disposal, and cannot do what he would, be it de jure or de facto. Now, then, the servants of sin, though it is true de jure, of right, they should do it, yet de facto they are very slaves to their brutish affections, and have no power to resist temptations, or come out of their wretched condition, when they have some mind to it, and are convinced of better.
(2.) Of God's servants I observe two things —
(1st.) That they become so, not only by voluntary inclination, but open profession and express covenant. God will have no servants but who deliberately adhere to him, and by choice bind themselves to walk in his ways : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' They first gave up themselves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God;' a voluntary surrender is necessary. So Isa. Ixvi. 4, ' They choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant ; ' and ver. 6, ' They join themselves to the Lord to serve him.' This deliberate voluntary choice is expressed in a solemn covenant resignation. God is not a master to be ashamed of, but may and must be publicly owned.
(2d.) Our consent, or yielding ourselves to obey, is not enough, but it must be verified and made good by a continual course of actual obedience on our part ; for besides the yielding up of ourselves to obey, 'his servants ye are whom ye obey.' Many make covenant with God, but do not keep covenant with God ; they will and purpose, but do not perform. It is known whose servants we are, not only by our consent, but our continual practice ; if we live in a constant careful obedience to God, we are his servants, though conscious of many failings. The trial of our case mainly runneth upon two things — the bent of our hearts and the drift of our lives, our choice and our course. We read of some that said, ' All that the Lord hath commanded us we will do ;' and God answered, Deut. v. 29, ' Oh ! that there were such a heart within them, that they would fear me, and keep all my command- ments always.' They are now in a good mood, promise fair. There-
314 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR, XVII.
fore it is not enough to yield up ourselves to God, unless we employ ourselves for God ; for besides the purpose and inclination, there must be a constant practice and study to please him.
[5.] Both sorts of servants receive wages suitable and proportion- able to the work they have done.
(1.) Of sin unto death. The servants of sin bring upon themselves eternal death. Sin and death go hand in hand ; in all the methods of his justice God hath put them together : James i. 15, ' Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death.' Now this should be thought of by us ; when Satan and your own corrupt hearts show you the bait, faith should see the hook. This will be death, or I am going about that which in its nature doth expose me to eternal death. The fear of temporal death inflicted by the magistrate restraineth much of the evil of the world, and keepeth men from things forbidden by him ; and is not God more to be dreaded ? ' There is but one lawgiver that is able to save or to destroy,' that hath potestatem vitce et necis mternce, James iv. 12 ; and shall not we fear and reverence him ? Sinners that go on wilfully in their sins, seem to make nothing of dying eternally.