2. Doth it press you to good ? 1 John v. 3, ' This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous.' When God maketh a motion by his word or the counsels of his Spirit, Well, I cannot deny it ; what a small service is this I owe to God ? as Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and 'they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her,' Gen. xxix. 20 ; and Shechem underwent the pain of circumcision for Dinah's sake.
Ohs. 2. Grace teacheth us, both to depart from evil, and also to do good: Ps. xxxiv. 15, 'Depart from evil, and do good;' Isa. i. 16, 17, * Cease to do evil, learn to do well.' We must do both, because God hates evil and delights in good ; we must hate what God hates, and love what God loves. That is true friendship, eadem velle et nolle, to will and nill the same thing. I durst not sin, God hates it ; I durst not omit this duty, God loves it. Again, our obedience must carry a pro- portion with the divine mercy. Now God's mercy is not only privative, but positive. God not only spares and delivers us from hell, but saves and brings us to heaven : ' The Lord God is a sun and shield,' Ps.
VeR. 12.] SEKMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14. ' ^J
Ixxxiv. 11 ; not only a shield to keep iis from danger, but a sim to afford us comfort and blessing. Therefore it is fit our obedience should be both privative and positive ; not only cease to do evil, but learn to do well ; as the description of a godly man runs, Ps. i. 1, 2, ' Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsels of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful ; ' but that is not enough, ' but his delight is in the law of the Lord.' Again, we must have communion with Christ in all his acts, in his death, and in his resurrection ; and therefore we must not only mortify sin, but be quickened to holiness of conversation. He that hath communion with Christ in one act hath communion with him in all ; and therefore, ' if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection,' Kom. vi. 5, We shall be dead to sin and alive to God. The same divine power that kills the old man quickens the new. Again, I might argue from the word, which is our rule, for there we have not only restraints, but precepts; therefore we must not only escape from sin, but delight in communion with God ; we must eschew what God forbids, and practise what God commands.
Use. Let it press us not to rest in abstaining from sin merely. Many are not vicious, but they are not sanctified, they have no feeling of the power of the new life. The pharisee's religion ran upon nega- tives : Luke xviii. 11, ' God, I thank thee I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.' To enforce this, consider, both are contrary to the new nature ; it hates evil and loves good. Where there is regeneration, there is a putting on and a putting off: Eph. iv. 22-24, ' That ye put off", concerning the former conversa- tion, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts ; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' The new nature makes conscience of abstaining from sin and obeying God's pre- cepts. And both are serviceable to the work of grace. Grace is obstructed by'sins of omission and commission, for sins increase as well as unfitness for duty. The motions of the Spirit are quenched, and lusts grow prevalent in the soul, and both are odious to God. A barren tree cumbers the ground, and is rooted up as well as the poisonous herb.
Ohs. 3. We must first begin with renouncing evil ; that is the first thing grace teacheth. Since the fall, the method is analytical, to unravel and undo that which hath been done in the soul. So it is said of Christ, 1 John iii. 8, Tor this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.' Sin is the first occupant in the soul, and claimeth possession. Six thousand years ago it thrust out grace, which was the right owner ; therefore first there must be a" writ of ejectment sealed against sin, that grace may take the throne ; Dagon must down, ere the ark be set up. It cannot be other- wise, it must not be otherwise ; there nuist be mortifying and subduing of sin by acts of humiliation and godly sorrow before there will be experience of grace.
1. It cannot be otherwise, for the devil hath a right in us as long as we remain in sin ; therefore there must be a rescue from his power :