2. Consider, you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin, and will you not do as much for God? How may every one say, when I was a wicked and carnal Man, I followed it with all my Heart, and shall I do less now in a State of Grace? The Apostle hath a notable Expression, Rom. 6.19. I speak after the manner of Men, because of the Infirmity of your Flesh: for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Uncleanness and to Iniquity, unto Iniquity; even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness, unto Holiness. Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface, [Greek or Hebrew], I speak after the manner of Men: that is, Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification, and as zealous of good Works, as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin, and were zealous for Hell: Should you not have as much Care to save your selves, as to ruin and damn your selves? You made haste to do Evil, as if you could not be damned soon enough: Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan. Heretofore we could riot away the Day, and card away the Night; and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer? Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God? You will say, it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil; but the Flesh is weak, and how shall we be able to serve God? But says the Apostle, I speak according to the Weakness of your Flesh: It is an equitable, modest and just Proposal that I make, and with condescension to your Infirmities, that you should be as earnest and zealous for God, and to grow in Grace, as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and ⟨p. 190⟩Sin. Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top, till I was so wicked, that I could hardly be more wicked; why should I not now labour to grow in Grace? Can Conversion be right, when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had? The Apostle's Rule holds thus, so much Time, so much Cost and Care, so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin, so much must be spent in the Service of God. O, say then, why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace, to be as zealous and holy as I can? It is observed of Paul, that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ, Acts 26.11.
2. Consider, you your selves have been violent and earnest in the ways of Sin, and will you not do as much for God? How may every one say, when I was a wicked and carnal Man, I followed it with all my Heart, and shall I do less now in a State of Grace? The Apostle hath a notable Expression, Rom. 6.19. I speak after the manner of Men, because of the Infirmity of your Flesh: for as ye have yielded your Members Servants to Vncleanness and to Iniquity, unto Iniquity; even so now yield your Members Servants to Righteousness, unto Holiness. Mark how the Apostle brings it in with a Preface, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, I speak after the manner of Men: that is, Men in common Sense and Reason judg it equal that they should be as diligent to come up to the Height of Sanctification, and as zealous of good Works, as ever you were to come up to the Height of Sin, and were zealous for Hell: Should you not have as much Care to save your selves, as to ruine and damn your selves? You made haste to do Evil, as if you could not be damned soon enough: Now in Reason you should be as zealous for God as for Satan. Heretofore we could riot away the Day, and card away the Night; and shall not some Days be spent in Fasting and Prayer? Shall every Hour be begrudged that is bestowed upon God? You will say, it is good Reason God should be served as well as the Devil; but the Flesh is weak, and how shall we be able to serve God? But says the Apostle, I speak according to the VVeakness of your Flesh: It is an equitable, modest and just Proposal that I make, and with condescention to your Infirmities, that you should be as earnest and zealous for God, and to grow in Grace, as ever you were zealous to increase your Guilt and ⟨p. 190⟩Sin. Formerly I never ceased till I got to the top, till I was so wicked, that I could hardly be more wicked; why should I not now labour to grow in Grace? Can Conversion be right, when Sin had more of our Thoughts than ever God had? The Apostle's Rule holds thus, so much Time, so much Cost and Care, so much Love and Delight as hath been spent in Sin, so much must be spent in the Service of God. O, say then, why should I not be as earnest to grow in Grace, to be as zealous and holy as I can? It is observed of Paul, that in his natural Condition he was mad against Christ, Acts 26.11.
