delights; farewell all the accommodations and contents of this world. O that you had sooner bid them farewell! Had you lived to Christ as you did to them, he would not so have turned you off, nor have left your dislodged souls to utter desolation.

In a word, as sure as the word of God is true, if you own him not now as your Lord and Sovereign, he will not own you then as his chosen to salvation. And if now you live not to him, you shall not then live with not mocked.

him. "Be not deceived, God is For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also

reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Gal. v. 7, 8.) "Consider this, ye that forget God, lest he should tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you." (Psalm 1. 22.)

Beloved hearers, believe as you pretend to believe, and then live as you do believe. If you believe that you are not your own, but his that made you, and bought you with a price, and that he will thus try you for your lives and everlasting comforts on this question, whether you have lived to him, or to yourselves? Then live as men that do indeed believe it. Let your religion be visible, as well as audible, and let those that see. your lives, and observe the scope of your endeavours, see that you believe it. But if you believe not these things, but are infidels in your hearts, and think you shall feel neither pain nor pleasure when this life is ended, but that man dieth as the beast, then I cannot wonder if you live as you believe. He that thinks he shall die like a dog, is like enough to live like a dog, even in his filthiness, and in snarling for the bones of worldly vanities, which the children do contemn.

Having spoken thus much by way of exhortation, I shall add few words for your more particular direction, that you may see to what my exhortation doth tend, and it may not be lost.

1. Be sure that you look to the uprightness of your heart, in this great business of devoting yourselves to God; especially see,

1. That you discern, and soundly believe that excellency in God which is not in the creature, and that perfect felicity in his love, and in the promised glory, which will easily pay for all your losses.

2. And that upon a deliberate comparing him with the pleasures of this world, you do resolvedly renounce them, and dedicate yourselves to him.

3. And especially that you search carefully lest any reserve should lurk in your hearts, and you should not deliver up yourselves to him absolutely, for life and death, for better and worse, but should still retain some hopes of an earthly felicity, and not take the unseen felicity for your portion. "It is the lot of the wicked to have their portion in this life." (Psalm xvii. 14.) And let me here warn you of one delusion, by which many thousands have perished, and cheated themselves out of their everlasting hopes. They think that it is only some grosser disgraceful sins, as swearing, drunkenness, whoredom, injustice, &c., that will prove men's perdition, and because they are not guilty of these, they are secure, when, as it is the predominaney of the interest of the flesh against the interest of God in their hearts and lives, that is the certain evidence of a state of damnation, which way soever it be that this is expressed. Many a civil gentleman hath his heart more addicted to his worldly interest, and less to God, than some whoremongers and drunkards. If you live with good reputation for civility, yea, for extraordinary ingenuity, yea, for religious zeal, and no disgraceful vice is perceived in your lives, yet if your hearts be on these things which you possess, and you love your present enjoyments better than God, and the glory that he hath promised, your case is as dangerous as the publicans and harlots. You may spend your days in better reputation, but you will end them in as certain desolation as they. The question is only whether God have your hearts and lives, and not whether you denied them to him with a plausible civility. Nay, it is merely for their carnal selves to preserve their reputation, that some men do forbear those grosser crimes, when yet God hath as little of them as of the more visible profane. "Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him." (1 John, ii. 15.) 2. If you are wholly God's, live wholly to him, at least do not stint him, and grudge him your service. It is grown the common conceit of the world, that a life of absolute dedication to God is more ado than needs. What needs all this ado,' say they? Cannot you be saved with less ado than this?' I will now demand of these men but an answer to these few sober questions.

Is not

1. Do you fear giving more to God than his due ? all his own? And how can you give him more than all? 2, He is not so backward in giving to you, that owes you,

nothing, but gives you plenty, variety, and continuance of all the good you enjoy, and do you think you well requite him!

3. Christ said not of his life and precious blood, it is too much, and will you say of your poor unprofitable service it is too much?

4. Who will you give that to which you spare from God? That time, and study, and love, and labour? To any that hath more right to it, or better deserves it, or will better reward you than he will do?

5. Are you afraid of being losers by him? Have you cause for such fears? Is he unfaithful, or unable to perform his promises? Will you repent when you come to heaven that you did too much to get it? Will not that blessedness pay you to the full ?

6. What if you had no wages but your work? Is it not better to live to God than to man? Is not purity better than impurity? If feasting be grievous, it is because you are sick. If the mire be your pleasure, it is because you are swine, and not because the condition is desirable.

7. Will it comfort you more in the reckoning and review to have laid out yourselves for God, or for the world? Will you then wish that you had done less for heaven, or for earth? Sirs, these questions are easily answered if you are but willing to consider them.

8. Doth it beseem those to be afraid of giving God too much, that are such bankrupts as we are, and are sure that we shall not give him the twentieth part of his due, if we do the best we can, and when the best, that are scorned by the world for their forwardness, do abhor themselves for their backwardness! Yea, could we do all, we are but unprofitable servants, and should do but our duty. (Luke xvii. 10.) Alas! how little cause have we to fear lest we should give God too inuch of our hearts, or of our lives!

3. If you are not your own, remember that nothing else is What can be more your own than yourselves? your own. 1. Your parts and abilities of mind or body are not your own; use them, therefore, for him that owneth them.

2. Your authority and dignities are not your own; sec, therefore, that you make the best of them for him that lent them you.

3. Your children themselves are not your own; design them for the utmost of his service that trusts you with them, educate them in that way as they may be most serviceable to God. It is the great wickedness of too many of our gentry, that they

prepare their posterity only to live plenteously, and in credit in the world, but not to be serviceable to God or thec ommonwealth. Design them, all that are capable, to magistracy or ministry, or some useful way of life. And whatever be their employment, endeavour to possess them with the fear of the Lord, that they may devote themselves to him. Think not the preaching of the gospel a work too low for the sons of the noblest person in the land. It would be an excellent furtherance to the work of the gospel if noblemen and gentlemen would addict those sons to the ministry that are fit for it, and can be spared from the magistracy. They might have more respect from their people, aud easier rule them, and might better win them with bounty than poor men can do. They need not to contend with them for tithes or maintenance.

4. If you are not your own, your whole families are not your Use them, therefore, as families that are dedicated to

own. God.

5. If you are not your own, then your wealth is not your own. Honour God, therefore, with your substance, and with the first fruits of your increase. (Prov. iii. 9.) Do you ask how? Are there no poor people that want the preaching of the gospel for want of means, or other furtherance? Are there no godly scholars that want means to maintain them at the universities, to fit them for this work? Are there no poor neighbours about you that are ignorant, that if you buy them bibles and catechisms, and hire them to learn them, might come to knowledge and to life? Are there no poor children that you might put apprentices to godly masters, where soul and body might both have helps? The poor you have always with you. It is not for want of objects for your charity; if you hide your talents, or consume them on yourselves, the time is coming when it would do you more good to have laid them out to your Master's use, than in pampering your flesh.

Some grudge that God should have the tenths, that is, that they should be consecrated to the maintenance of his service. But little do these consider that all is his, and must all be accounted for. Some question whether now there be such a sin as sacrilege in being, but little do they consider that every sin is a kind of sacrilege. When you dedicated yourself to God, you dedicated all you had, and it was God's before; do not take it from him again. Remember the halving of Ananias, and give God all.

Obj. But must we not provide for our families?

Answ. Yea, because God requires it, and in so doing, you render it to him. That is given to him which is expended in obedience to him, so be it you still prefer his most eminent interest.

Lastly, if you are not your own, then must not your works be principally for yourselves, but for him that owneth you. As the scope of your lives must be to the honour of your Lord, so be sure that you hourly renew these intentions. When you set your foot out of your doors, ask whether your business you go upon be for God. When you go to your rest, examine yourselves what you have done that day for God, especially let no opportunity overslip you wherein you may do him extraordinary service. You must so perform the very labours of your callings, that they may be ultimately for God; so love your dearest friends and enjoyments, that it be God that is principally loved

in them.

More particularly as to the business of the day, what need I say more than in a word to apply this general doctrine to your special works?

1. If the honourable judges and the justices will remember that they are God's, and not their own, what a rule and stay will it be to them for their work? What an answer will it afford them against all solicitations from carnal self, or importunate friends? viz., I am not mine own, nor come I hither to do mine own work, I cannot therefore dispose of myself or it, but must do as he that owns me doth command me. How would this also incite them to promote Christ's interest with their utmost power, and faithfully to own the causes which he owneth!

2. If all counsellors, and solicitors of causes, did truly take themselves for God's, and not their own, they durst not plead for, nor defend a cause they knew which God disowneth. They would remember that what they do against the innocent, or speak against a righteous cause, is done and said against their Lord, from whom they may expect, ere long, to hear, In as much as you said or did this against the least of these, you said or did it against me.' God is the great patron of innocency, and the pleader of every righteous cause, and he that will be so bold as to plead against him, had need of a large fee to save him harmless. Say not it is your calling which you must live by, unless you that once listed yourselves in your