Sermons preached

Now to make Application.

I. For the Reproof of those that cannot abide to hear of Mortification. The Unwillingness and Impatience of this Doctrine may arise from several Causes.

1. From sottish Atheism and Unbelief. They despise all sober spiritual Counsel, they make no Conscience of yielding obedience to God. Solomon tells us, Prov. 19. 16 He that keepeth the Commandments, keepeth his own Soul; but he that ⟨p. 96⟩despiseth his Way shall dye. There are the different Issues of a strict Obedience, and a slight vain Conversation. And mark the Opposition of the two Tempers, he that keeps the Commandments, and he that despiseth his own Ways, that is, takes no heed to his Life and Actions, to order them according to the Will of God; He cares not whether he please or displease, whether he honour or dishonour God; but leaves the Boat to the Stream, lives as his brutish Lusts incline him, come of it what will come. He despiseth his own Ways, and so runs into Vanity, Luxury, Riot, Fraud, Injustice, and all manner of Licentiousness. Now no Man thus despiseth his own Ways, but he despiseth other things, which should be very sacred, and of great regard and esteem with him. He despiseth God, and the Word of God, and his own Soul. Prov. 14. 2. He that walketh in his Uprightness, fears God; but he that is perverse in his Ways, despiseth him. He that makes Conscience of his Duty, hath a high esteem of God, he looks on his Authority as supreme, his Power as infinite, his Knowledge of all things exact, his Truth in Promises and Threatenings as unquestionable, his Holiness as immaculate, his Justice as impartial, and his Goodness exercised to us in sundry Benefits, as rich and every way glorious. Therefore he dare not but please God; he hath such a deep reverence for him, that he is always saying within himself, What will the Holy and All-seeing God have done? Or, How can I do this Wickedness, and Sin against God? But now the careless and slight Person, that takes no care to govern his Actions according to the Will of God, hath contemptuous and slight thoughts of God, as if he were a senseless Idol, that took no notice of humane Affairs, that sees not, or would not punish the breaches of his Laws. They also despise the Word of God,