the Members of this Body. Such is our Union, Such our mutual Relation: most 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 propose, 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 say within due Bounds, and treating of the Subjects more distinctly, it may be convenient, First, To observe the general Topicks of Virtue, to which the Precepts are reducible; and then to treat of those, not in all their Latitude of Obligation, but only so 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 present directed to employ your Meditations, mentions Three. These I shall endeavour, first of all to explain; and then to shew, how our being Members in the Body of Christ enforces the Practice of them. Both, as clearly, and as briefly, as I can.

Ver. 1.

1. The First of these is Mortification of our Sensual Appetites, with which St. Paul begins his Exhortation, when beseeching these Romans by the Mercies of God, to present their Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which, (says he) is your reasonable Service. Advice, in fubstance the fame, with that to the Ephesians, on a like occafion, I beseech you, that ye walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith ye are called; and to the Colossians, after declaring with Christ, Mortify therefore your Members which are on the Earth. The Equi

Eph. iv. 1.

our Union

Coloff. iii. 5.

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

The Apostle had been demonftrating the Excellence of the Evangelical, above the Legal Institution; And, with Allusion to the way of Worship used in That, he advises Christians to present a Sacrifice too: but this confifting, not of the Bodies of Beafts, 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. Because, 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 destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve Sin. By thus cleansing our felves from all filthiness both of Flesh

Rom. vi. 6.

2 Cor. vii. 1.

and Spirit, we answer the spiritual Intent of that Law, which incapacitated all Beasts 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 so, because, as the Reason of the thing demands it from us, so the Value of the Obligation is greatly enhanfed, by being that of a Rational Creature, confecrated and devoted entirely to his Service. The Consequence whereof is, that our Persons, thus feparated from common and profane Ufes, cannot, without the Guilt of Sacrilege, be afterwards employed in the Gratification of our own Lufts.

Nor

Nor must we look upon that any longer in our own Disposal, 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 such, in A Sacrament, by which Baptifm we all renounce the carnal Defires of the Flesh, fo that we will not follow nor be led by them. A Sacrament, representing to us our Profession, which is to imitate the Example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto Him; that, as He died and rose again for Us, fo We, who are Baptized into the Belief of that Death and Resurrection, 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 Persons, yet was it proper and sufficient for the Apoftle, to mention the Offering of our Bodies. Because our Bodies are the Instruments of committing those Sins, from which it was intended to debar us: Because the seeking and Gratification of bodily Pleasures is the End, which the Appetites, pushing on to those Sins, propose to themselves: And therefore, as the Persons indulging them are very fignificantly said to fin against their own Body; so the keeping this Body in Subjection to the reasonable Mind, and employing it in the Exercises of Religion and severe Virtue, (by all that Abstinence, and other Hardships and Self-denials, necessary for this purpose,) is offering not It alone, but our Whole Selves to God. For (as

B

1 Cor. vi. 18.

(as I faid) in It the whole Cause, and End, and Instrument, of our Corruptions is included; and not to Serve the Body, is, in effect, and certain Consequence, not to ferve Sin. So that, when this Servant of Sin is it felf fanctified, and devoted a Servant to Righteousness; the very Principle of Moral Actions is changed, the Dominion of Death spiritual 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 Holiness, in both Spirit and Body: which

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

leads me to the second thing enjoined;

Ver. 2.

2. Newness of Heart and Life. For that's the Substance of the next Verse, 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 necessary to the perfecting that Virtue, which the Laft Particular begins. And both together, of a like importance with that to the Ephesians, That ye put off, concerning the former Conversation, 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 rightcousness and true holiness.

Ephef. iv. 22, 23, 24.

By the former Conversation in the one, and Conformity to this World in the other, of these Texts, is not forbidden all fort of Compliance with the lawful and innocent Customs in use, (as if it were a Duty in Christians to diftinguish themselves, by a Dress or Demeanour fantastical and fingular) but only the not fuffering our selves to give into the false Judgments, or the prevailing Fashions, of the Men of the World: So far as any of these, either are themselves sinful, or may to us become, the probable occafion of any thing that is fo. In short, with the Men, who have no view beyond, no Principle of governing their Actions beside, the Profits, fits, or Honours, or Pleasures of this World, we must not confent in Opinion, we must not join in Practice; No profpect of Interest, No influence of Example and common Vogue must byass us, No, not the natural Bent of our own mind. But, having entirely offered up our selves to God, there is no taking back part, and dividing the Oblation between Him, and Mammon. The 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 reasonable 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 Gospel: Which was intended to compleat our Holiness, 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 Epistle, is Humility. For This is the Virtue S. Paul aims at, when saying to everyman, 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 some supposed, 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 Apostle's purpose, to understand that Vanity, and Over-valuing of a Man's self, which are so very apt to grow upon us, when we feel our selves 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 rest, or being immoderately exalted upon

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