Man's Pains to break God's Commandments.

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demns in the Jews; A rebellious people, that walk after their own thoughts, Isa. 65. 2. They would set up their own thoughts above his precepts, as though their vain imaginations were a more just and holy rule than the infinite perfect will of God: We will walk after our own devices, Jer. 18. 12. We will be a law to ourselves; let God take his way, and we will take ours.

It is not perhaps so heinous an idolatry to set up a graven image, a senseless and a sinless stock or stone, as for a man to set up his own sinful corrupt affections, and devote himself to a compliance with them, in opposition to the righteous will of God..

6. In being at greater pains and charge to break God's law, then is necessary to keep it. How will men rack their heads to study mischief, wear out their time and strength in contrivances to satisfy some base lust, which leaves behind it no other recompence but a momentary pleasure, attended at length with inconceivable horror; and cast off that yoke which is easy, and that burden which is light, in the keeping whereof there is great reward; Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression? the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul, Mic. 6. 7, 8. They in the prophet would be at the expence of one thousand of rams, and ten thousands of rivers of oil; offer violence to the principles of nature, give the first-born of their bodies for the sin of their souls, rather than to do justice, love mercy, or walk humbly with God; things more easy in the practice than the offerings they wished for,

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Thus men would rather be sin's drudges, than God's freemen; and neglect that service wherein is perfect freedom, for that wherein there is intolerable slavery; they will make a combustion in their consciences, violate the reason of their minds, impair the health of their bodies in contradicting the laws of God, and

prefer a sensual satisfaction with toil here, and eternal ruin hereafter, before the honour of God, the dignity of their nature, or happiness, or peace and health, which might be preserved with a cheaper expence than they are at to destroy them.

7. In doing that which is just and righteous upon any other consideration, rather than of obedience to God's will. When men will indent with God, and obey him so far as may comport with their own ends. Unless God will degrade himself, to submit to the conditions of their interest, they will pay him no duty of obedience, nor render him a grain of service. What is hypocrisy, a sin so odious to God, but performing duties materially good, upon any other consideration, rather than that of God's sovereignty?

1. Out of respect to some human consideration. When men will practise some points of religion, and walk in the track of some laws of God, not out of conscience to the command, but the agreeableness of it to their humour, constitution, or nature; out of the sway of a natural generosity, the dictate of carnal reason, the bias of secular interest; not from an holy affection to God, an ingenuous sense of his authority, or voluntary submission to his will. As when a man will avoid intoxication, not because God forbids it, but because it is attended with bodily indispositions. Or when a man will give alms, not with respect to God's injunction, but to his own natural compassion, or to show his generosity. This is obedience to his own preservation, the interest of moral virtue, not to God.

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Though it may look like virtue, yet when it is done from custom and example, without a due regard to our Sovereign, we may, in the doing it, be rather accounted apes than christians, or indeed men. seems to be obedience in the act, but disobedience in the motive; for it is not a respect to God, but to ourselves; at the best it is but the performance of the material part, without the spiritual manner, which is

Doing right from wrong Principles.

$37 most regarded by God. Besides, if we observe any law upon the account of its suitableness to our natural sentiments, or carnal designs, we shall as readily disobey when it crosses the purposes of our minds, or desires of the flesh; for our obedience will be changeable, according to the mutations we find in our own humours. How can that be entitled an affection to God, which is as mutable as the interest of an inconstant mind?

And Esau hated Jacob, because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, the days of mourning for my Father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob, Gen. 27. 41. So many children, that expect at the death of their parents great inheritances, may be very observant of them; not because they respect God's commands in it, but because they would not frustrate their hopes by any disobligement. Esau had no regard of God in decreeing his brother's death, though he was awed by the reverence of his father from a speedy execution. He considered, perhaps, how justly he might lie under the imputation of hastening Isaac's death, by depriving him of a beloved son. But had the old man's head been laid, neither the contrary command of God, nor the nearness of a fraternal relation, could have dissuaded him from the act, any more than they did from the resolution,

Whence it is, that many men abstain from gross sin only out of love to their reputation; they act that wickedness privately, which if seen or taken notice of by others, would overspread their faces with blushing and confusion. He may have his mind in a brothelhouse, notwithstanding God's prohibition, but restrain his body for fear of disgrace. He may commit murder in his heart, when the fear of punishment shall tie up his hands. Has not then our outward credit more power over us than God? And do we not sooner observe the opinion of the world, which frights us, than the authority of God which commands us? Is

it not a monstrous thing to be swayed by every thing but the right motive? To let every thing be a chain to bind us to the doing good, or eschewing evil, rather than God's law in his word, or the natural law of reason implanted in us? Or to be moved rather by the examples of men that are just, or the customs of the places where we live, than to act in conformity to the righteous nature of God? How great an evidence is this of our enmity to God, or at least a great want of affection!

(2.) Out of affection to some base lust, some cursed end. The Pharisees were devout in long prayers, not that God might be honoured, but themselves esteemed by men. Ambition may be the spring and soul of men's devotions. Jehu was ordered to cut off the house of Ahab; the service which he undertook was in itself acceptable, but corrupt nature acted that which holiness and righteousness commanded: God appointed it to magnify his justice, and Jehu acted it to satisfy his revenge or ambition: he did it to fulfil the will of his lust, not the will of his true Lord. Jehu applauds it as zeal, and God abhors it as murder, Hos. 1. 4. We may show our hatred to God, and provoke him, in doing the thing which he particularly enjoins us. This is a compliance with the design of some carnal lust, more than with the authority of the Lawgiver. It is a service not to God for his own sake, but to ourselves for our sin's sake. It is rather a casting down the will of God from commanding, to set our own in its place. Nothing more positively commanded, both in nature's law and the gospel, than to pray and worship God. Men may observe some laws, to have the better convenience to break others. The Pharisees were great observers of this, they prayed, and to outward appearance devoutly, with a zeal (if zeal may be measured by length); but to what end? Not that God might be honoured, but themselves esteemed; nay more cursed, to devour widows' houses; that men might be induced

Prefering the Laws of Man to God's.

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by that appearance of devotion to make them executors of their wills, and guardians of their children; feoffees in trust for their widows, and so they might get a good share for themselves.

(3.) Out of a slavish fear. In the doing any thing out of this principle, inen are rather enemies than friends. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, 1 John 4. 18; because fear hath torment. If fear be inconsistent with love, it must be the property of hatred. If perfect love doth cast out fear, then perfect fear doth cast out love, and nourish enmity. If fear be a torment, the effects of it cannot be a pleasure; and the duties flowing from it have a spice of that hatred which is an inseparable companion of that passion, and are done rather to appease their fears, than to pleasure their Creator. Just as Pharaoh parted with the Israelites, so do some men with some sins, not out of love to God's law, but for' fear of a further wrath, or because of the smart of present judgments. Well then, how can we discharge ourselves from this accusation of enmity to God, when we will be excited to a performance of good, and abstinence from evil, by any thing of a less authority, as the presence of a child, the sentiments of the world, the preservation of our own reputation, and the fear of punishment? So that actions materially honest in men, may be rather a fruit of passion than reason; and that which we call our obedience, a product of the bestial part in us, rather than that of the man.

8. In being more observant of the laws of men, than of the law of God. The fear of man is a more powerful curb to retain men in their duty, than the fear of God: for men are restrained from breaking human laws, for fear of the present penalties annexed to them; but they encourage themselves in the breach of divine by God's forbearance; whereby they attribute a greater right of dominion to a man, than they will acknowledge to be in God. They willingly walk after the