2. We cannot be miserable while we are wholly his, and devote our- selves to his service : Ps. cxix. 94, ' I am thine, save me.' Paul's speech: Acts xxvii. 23,"' The God whose I am, and whom I serve.' Paul was confident of his help, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. There is no truer self-seeking than to deny all for God ; if the happiness of man were in himself or any other creature, he needed not to have to do with God.
3. What a poor account can men make to God at the last day, that spend their lives in carnal pursuits ! There is a time coming Avhen Gud will take an account : Luke xix. 23, ' That at my coming I might have required mine own with usur\-.' A factor that hath embezzled his estate, what account can he give of it ? A workman that hath loitered all day, how can he demand his wages at night ? An ambass- ador that hath neglected his public business, and spent his time in play or courtships, what account can he give to his prince that sent him ? How comfortable will it be when you can say, as Christ]: John xvii. 4, ' I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.'
4. We have lived to ourselves too long already. In the text it is ' henceforth : ' and 1 Peter iv. 3, ' That he should no longer live the rest of his time to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.' Too much of our time already is employed in the service of our lusts ; we may with grief look back u])on the time we have spent as very long — too long — in pleasing the flesh. We have been long enough dishon-
218 SERMONS UPON 2 COEINTHIANS V. [SeK. XXX.
curing God and destroying our own souls, having so little time left, and so small strength and vigour left, to bestow upon God. Directions —
1. Entirely and unreservedly devote yourselves to God. You must not reserve so much as your very lives, but resolve to resign up all to God, We have no interest of our own but what is derived from him, and subservient to him ; own his right by your own consent and free resignation. If hitherto you have walked contrary to God, and oppo- site to him, come, lay down the bucklers ; say as Paul, Acts ix. 6, ' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' Deliver up the keys of your heart, that he may come and take possession. If formerly you have given up yourselves to God, confirm the grant, Eom. xii. 1. Enter anew into the bond of the holy oath.
2. Being devoted to God in the whole course of your conversations, you must prefer his interest before your own. And when any interest of your own riseth up against the interest and will of God, care not for yourselves ; set light by it, as if it were nothing worth ; and let no self-respects tempt you to disobey God, though never so powerful. Let no hire tempt you to the smallest sin, no danger fright you from your duty : Dan. iii. 17, 18, ' We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. Our God is able to deliver us ; if not, we will not wor- ship the golden image which thou hast set up ; ' so Acts xx. 24, ' I count not my life dear to me.' If we can but forget ourselves and remember God, he will remember us better than if we had remem- liered ourselves. Take care of your duty, and God will take care of your safety ; we secure our stock by putting it all into God's hands, and vending it in his service.
3. We are to use all the creatures, and all our enjoyments for God. Naturally a man useth and loveth the creature only for him- self, but then he livetli to himself ; but when he loves it and useth it for God, he liveth to God, 1 Cor. x. 31, and 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5. Though men are speculatively convinced all is God's, yet they love it and use it as their own.
4. Being given up to God, we must study God's will : Eom. xii. 2, ' That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God ; ' Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of God.' We must practise what we know, and still search that we may know more. Gross negligence and willing ignorance showeth we have a mind to excuse and exempt ourselves in some kind of subjection from God ; and his will should be reason enough to persuade us to what he hath ]-equired : 1 Thes. iv. 3, ' This is the will of God, even your sanctifica- tion ; ' 1 Thes. v. 18, ' For this is the will of God concerning you ; ' 1 Peter, ii. 15, ' For this is the will of God, that with well-doing ye put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.'
5. We must take heed of carnal motives. Many such services we perform to God. There may be such as they that followed Christ for the loaves, John vi. 26. Some preached the gospel out of envy, as others out of good-will, Phil. i. 15. A man may seek himself carnally in a religious way ; for a selfish man loves God, and all things else, for his carnal pleasure, and is serving himself in serving of God — an argument of a base and unworthy spirit. This was the devil's allega-