on in them without any spiritual relish, Rev. iii. 1. even as we converfe with thofe in whofe company we have no pleasure. This is the plague of the generation, who, if they be not profane, are cold and formal. Our fervices look not like that of the living God, but a dead idol. There is no need to make Abraham children of flones, for they are ftones already,

3dly, Wearying in and of his fervice, Amos viii. 5. Hence wandering in duties, for the heart is away; any thing is enough, and the only care is to get the duty over as a talk, for there is no delight in God, or communion with him, Mal. i. 13.

Laftly, Carnal defires and joys. Not that all delight and joy in the creature is finful; for God replenished the world fo as not to ferve man's neceffity only, but alfo his delight. But they are carnal and finful, (1.) When they are on unlawful objects, and men go over the hedge of the law to feek what to delight themfelves in. (2.) When they are exceffive, though on lawful objects; which is, 1.) When people have no eye to God in them, as not taking them with thankfulness out of his hand, and to use them as what may fit them for the fervice of God in their general or particular callings; but exclude the thoughts of God out of them, either as the principle or end of them. 2.) When they fo carry out the heart, as to unfit us for the fervice of God, and flacken our delight in the Lord; then is the handmaid taken into Sarah's bed. 3.) When men love them more than God, 2 Tim, ii. 4.

4. Whereas it is our duty to forrow for offending God, this command forbids,

ift, Hardness of heart and imponitency, Rom. ii. 5. To move us to fin is eafy, but to move us for it is difficult. How can we pretend God is our God, if his honour be not dear to us; if the grieving of his Spirit be not grievous to us? But this is a main plague of the generation.

2dly, Hiding of fin, which is most contrary to the nature of forrow, Prov. xxviii. 13. This is done, (1.) By denying of guilt, Prov. xxx. 20. (2.) By extenuating it; whereas if forrow for it were deep enough, it would aggravate it, Luke xv. 18. 19. (3.) By transferring the guilt on others, as did Adam his fin on Eve. (4.) By palliating and excufing it, as did Saul in the affair of the expedition against the

Amalekites.

Laftly, Thinking or fpeaking of our fins with pleafure, whereby they are reacted, and the guilt doubled in the fight of God: and much more laughing at them, and making a mock or jeft of them, Prov. x. 23. & xiv. 9. So they glory in their fhame, and make a mock of affronting God.

5. Whereas zeal for God is here commanded, there is forbidden,

ift, Lukewarmnefs and indifferency in the matters of God, Rev. iii. 16. Zeal is counted madness by the world; but no body wants zeal for fomething, but few have it for God. This holy fire is almoft worn out in our day, because few have God for their God, and they that have glorify him not as God. A chill cold has benumbed our fpiritual fenfes. Since the Lord brought this church out of the fire, we have loft our fire-edge. We are fiery enough in our own matters, but very coldrife in God's matters. That coldness of affections binds men down in the concerns of Chrift's kingdom as managed in their own breafts, and then binds them down in these as managed in the world.

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2dly, Corrupt, blind, and indifcreet zeal, Rom. x. 2. fuch as the difciples had in their Mafter's caufe, when they were for commanding fire to come down from heaven to confume the Samaritans, for not receiving him, Luke ix. 54. Zeal is fuch, (1.) When it proceeds merely from a hotnefs or keennefs of the natural temper, fo that men are hot in all things in their own matters, as well as God's. (2)

When it is not proportioned to the weight of matters, Matth. xxiii. 23. (3.) When the heat ftrikes moft outward against the fins of others, Matth. vii. 4. (4.) When it carries men to that unto which they are not called of God. (5.) When it fwallows up all pity to the offenders, 2 Cor. xii. 21.

6. Whereas this command requires us to fear God, it forbids,

ift, All rafhness and irreverence in the fervice of God, Pfal. lxxxix. 7. His omniprefence fhould ftrike an awe on us at all times; and his fpecial presence flouid ftrike a fpecial awe on us when we approach his prefence in duties. But O how do we rush into it without fear, as the horse rufheth into the battle!

zdly, Unconcernedness of fpirit at his threatening word and alarming difpenfations, the general fin of the prefent time, Amos iii. 8. Who trembles at his word, though by terrible things he is anfwering us? Who is preparing to meet him in the way of his judge

ments?

3dly, Prefumptuous finning over the belly of fair warning, both by the word and providences, Pfal. xxxvi. 1. How do men count the darts of the word and confcience as ftubble, and laugh at the fhaking of his fpear! We are incorrigible under judgements, as if we would bid a defiance to heaven, and defire him to do his wort, Jer. viii. 6.

4thly, Bold and curious fearching into God's fecrets, which he hath thought meet to keep hid from us. Such is confulting with the devil, or thofe that have the black art, as Saul did with the witch of Endor, confulting with dumbies, palmifters, fortune-tellers, using any means whatsoever not appointed of God to know our fortune, as it is called, &c. Deut. xxix. ult. Thefe things are but the taking of the devil's key to open God's cabinet.

5thly, A fuperftitious fear, a fear where no fear is by God's appointment, of which they have most that have little of the fear of God, Such is that foolish

fear that ariseth from vain dreams, obferving of freets, fuch and fuch times as unlucky, reckoning fuch and fuch things uncanny and unfonfy, without any ground from the word of God, or from folid reason.

Lastly, A flavish fervile fear of God, arising from hard thoughts of God, and banishing the love of God out of the heart.

7. Whereas hope in God is required in this command, it forbids,

1st, Prefumption, which is an unwarrantable hope in God, not according to his word, which overlooks his juftice, holiness, and greatness, Deut. xxix. 19. and over the belly of thefe promises mercy.

2dly, Defpair, Gen. iv. 13. when people give up with all hope, as if their fins and mifery were above God's mercy, power, and grace, and the efficacy of his Son's blood.

8. Lafly, Whereas truft and confidence in God is required in this command, it forbids,

ist, All diftruft and diffidence, anxiety with respect to his providence, when people cannot fix their hearts for provision, protection, &c, in his way, on the promifes, but diftruft them.

2dly, All rashness and vain confidence, attempting any thing without a warrant from God, and promifing themselves fuccefs therein, without acknowledging God in it. A fin very frequent in our day.

Fourthly, There is a profaneness of the confcience here forbidden, Tit. i. 15. And there is condemned here,

of our faith and conmake them our God, There ufe not to be

1. The making men lords fcience, which is in effect to 2 Cor. i. 24. Matth. xxiii. 9. wanting fuch as would inodel the confciences of all men to their humours, and will have their will taken for law; and they readily find thofe that walk willing. ly after the commandment, to whom the command. ment of men is the great rule. When therefore a man embraces any thing for religion on the mere

authority of men, he fets up another god before the

Lord.

2. Blindness and misinformation of confcience, If. v. 20. This is a fetting up of our confciences inftead of God, whofe deputy only it is, and whcfe office it is only to declare the mind of God. So that declaring and urging its own mistakes inftead of God's commands, it rifes against this command. And this is matter of humiliation: For who can understand his errors, Pfal. xix. 12.

3. Unactiveness and unfaithfulness of the confcience, whereby it does not effectually check for fin, nor incite to duty. Thus God is rejected in fo far as his work in the foul committed to the confcience is neglected. How many are there whofe confciences give them all eafe in their finful courfes, and that cannot fpeak but on the groffeft faults? and how remifs and flack is it in all ?

Fifthly, There is a profanenefs of the memory here forbidden. For whereas it is a duty of this command to remember God, his word and works, that we may think on him, love, fear, and esteem him; so,

1. Forgetting of God is here forbidden, Jer. ii. 32. This is one of the great fources of all the wickedness in mens hearts and lives. We do not remember with whom we have to do; therefore we do what our corrupt inclinations lead us to. We forget his word, his commands, his threatenings, his promifes; therefore we fin fearlessly, and ferve him faintly, as working for nought. We forget his works, therefore his mercies engage us not, nor his judgements fright us. Our memories in fpiritual things are like a fieve in the water, leaking veffels that quickly let all flip. It is not only our mifery, but our fin, which we have to be humbled for.

2. Remembering what we fhould forget. O how tenaciously does it hold thofe things that fhould be forgotten! An injury done to us will be fresh and green in our minds, when all the love of God in fend