the Members of this Body. Such is our Union, Such our mutual Relation: moft endearing, most honourable, most happy, provided we be careful to improve upon, and fulfil the Purposes of it. In order whereunto it is, that I propofe, under my

II. Second Head, To confider the Obligations arifing from hence, upon the Parties thus united and related. In this Confideration my Thoughts must be guided, by the Particulars, which St. Paul hath laid before me. And because These are set down in great variety, and promifcuous manner; for the containing what I have to fay within due Bounds, and treating of the Subjects more diftinctly, it may be convenient, First, To obferve the general Topicks of Virtue, to which the Precepts are reducible; and then to treat of thofe, not in all their Latitude of Obligation, but only fo far forth, as this Union, now in hand, is a proper Argument, for recommending them to, or binding them upon us.

Now the Portion of this Chapter, at prefent directed to employ your Meditations, mentions Three. Thefe I fhall endeavour, first of all to explain; and then to fhew, how our being Members in the Body of Christ enforces the Practice of them. Both, as clearly, and as briefly, as I can.

1. The First of thefe is Mortification of our Senfual Appetites, with which St. Paul begins his Exhortation, when beseeching thefe Romans

Ver. I.

by the Mercies of God, to prefent their Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which, (fays he) is your reasonable Service. Advice, in fubftance the fame, with that to the Ephefians, on a like occafion, I beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called; and to the Coloffians, after declaring our Union with Chrift, Mortify therefore your Members which are on the Earth. The Equi

Eph. iv. 1.

Coloff. iii. 5.

ty whereof he had urged upon the Romans, in the former part of this Epiftle,, As ye have yieldRom. vi. 19. ed your Members Servants to Uncleanness, and to Iniquity, unto Iniquity: even fo now yield your Members Servants to Righteoufnefs, unto Holiness. But, though thefe places be in Substance the fame, yet is there a particular Energy in the Expreffions here before us, which deferves to be taken notice of.

Rom. vi. 6.

The Apostle had been demonftrating the Excellence of the Evangelical, above the Legal Inftitution; And, with Allufion to the way of Worship used in That, he advifes Chriftians to prefent a Sacrifice too: but this confifting, not of the Bodies of Beasts, but their own Bodies. The thing therefore offered here is still alive. And yet there is somewhat in the matter, that bears fome resemblance and proportion to the flaying of Victims heretofore. Becaufe, by fubduing our vicious Inclinations, which are the Incentives to Impurity and all manner of Wickedness, the body of Sin, (as we find it very frequently and emphatically called) is deftroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve Sin. By thus cleansing our felves from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, we anfwer the fpiritual Intent of that Law, which incapacitated all Beafts for the ufe of the Altar, wherein any Blemish or Defect was discovered. We render this living a holy Sacrifice, qualified for the Acceptance of God. And therefore fo, because, as the Reafon of the thing demands it from us, fo the Value of the Obligation is greatly enhanfed, by being that of a Rational Creature, confecrated and devoted entirely to his Service. The Confequence whereof is, that our Perfons, thus feparated from common and profane Ufes, cannot, without the Guilt of Sacrilege, be afterwards employed in the Gratification of our own Lufts.

2 Cor. vii. 1.

Nor

Nor muft we look upon that any longer in our own Difpofal, the whole Right whereof hath been folemnly transferred, from our felves to God.

Bapt. Service.

Communion-Ser

vice.

Now this, in effect, hath been already done, by every Christian, from the moment of his being made fuch, in A Sacrament, by which Baptifm we all renounce the carnal Defires of the Flefh, fo that we will not follow nor be led by them. A Sacrament, representing to us our Profeffion, which is to imitate the Example of our Saviour Chrift, and to be made like unto Him; that, as He died and rofe again for Us, fo We, who are Baptized into the Belief of that Death and Refurrection, should die from Sin, and rife again unto Righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt Affections, and daily proceeding in all Virtue and Godliness of living. This Act of Religion is repeated and confirmed, by Every one, as oft as he receives that other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. For there again we offer and present unto God our Selves, our Souls and Bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and lively Sacrifice unto him. In the mean while, though this Dedication convey over the whole of our Perfons, yet was it per and fufficient for the Apostle, to mention the Offering of our Bodies. Because our Bodies are the Inftruments of committing thofe Sins, from which it was intended to debar us: Because the feeking and Gratification of bodily Pleafures is the End, which the Appetites, pufhing on to thofe Sins, propofe to themselves: And therefore, as the Perfons indulging them are very significantly faid to fin against their own Body; fo the keeping this Body in Subjection to the reasonable Mind, and employing it in the Exercifes of Religion and fevere Virtue, (by all that Abftinence, and other Hardships and Self-denials, neceffary for this purpose,) is offering not It alone, but our Whole Selves to God. For B

pro

1 Cor. vi. 18.

(as

(as I faid) in It the whole Caufe, and End, and Inftrument, of our Corruptions is included; and not to ferve the Body, is, in effect, and certain Confequence, not to ferve Sin. So that, when this Servant of Sin is it felf fanctified, and devoted a Servant to Righteoufnefs; the very Principle of Moral Actions is changed, the Dominion of Death fpiritual fubverted, the Matter, upon which Temptations work, withdrawn, and, by making our Body as well as Spirit God's, the Fruit is his Glory and our own Holinefs, in both Spirit and Body: which leads me to the second thing enjoined;

1 Cor. vi. 20. Rom. vi. 22.

Ver. 2.

2. Newness of Heart and Life. For that's the Subftance of the next Verfe, and be not conformed to this World, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God. Counfel neceffary to the perfecting that Virtue, which the Laft Particular begins. And both together, of a like importance with that to the Ephefians, That ye put off, concerning the former Converfation, the Old-man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lufts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the New-man, which after God is created in rightcoufnefs and true holiness.

Ephef. iv. 22, 23, 24.

By the former Converfation in the one, and Conformity to this World in the other, of thefe Texts, is not forbidden all fort of Compliance with the lawful and innocent Customs in ufe, (as if it were a Duty in Chriftians to distinguish themselves, by a Dress or Demeanour fantaftical and fingular) but only the not fuffering our felves to give into the falfe Judgments, or the prevailing Fashions, of the Men of the World: So far as any of these, either are themselves finful, or may to us become, the probable occafion of any thing that is fo. In fhort, with the Men, who have no view beyond, no Principle of governing their Actions befide, the Pro

fits,

fits, or Honours, or Pleasures of this World, we must not confent in Opinion, we must not join in Practice; No profpect of Intereft, No influence of Example and common Vogue muft byafs us, No, not the natural Bent of our own mind. But, having entirely offered up our felves to God, there is no taking back part, and dividing the Oblation between Him, and MamThe virtue of that new Turn, given to our Thoughts and Affections, and that different Judgment of things, wrought in our Hearts by the Grace of God, and our own pious Endeavours, will, and must, make us quite another fort of Men. Creatures, as much new and changed, as the Condition of a reafonable Mind can admit; and such, as, for the future, allow no rule of Action, no Measure of Good and Evil, of Wisdom and Folly, but the Gofpel: Which was intended to compleat our Holinefs, and recommend us effectually to the Favour and Love of God.

3. The Third thing we are concerned with, as enjoined in this Day's Epiftle, is Humility. For This is the Virtue S. Paul aims at, when faying to every man, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think foberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith. These Words are by fome fuppofed, a Caution against Curiosity in matters of Religion, and affecting to be wife in unprofitable parts of Knowledge. But it seems more agreeable to the Apoftle's purpofe, to understand that Vanity, and Over-valuing of a Man's felf, which are fo very apt to grow upon us, when we feel our felves fuperior to others, in any fort of commendable Quality. Such were exceeding remarkable in many of the Primitive Church, who were distinguished by extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit. And, because those Gifts were differently distributed, both as to kind, and to degree; the Fault and Folly of preferring those of one kind above the reft, or being immoderately exalted