Are
filthiness, drunkenness, Sabbath breaking, covetousness and love of the
world, are these his delight? And yet these are your delight. Again is it
not his will that ye should purge yourselves from all filthiness of flesh
and spirit, and perfect holiness? Is not righteousness that which he
loves, and truth in the inward parts? Doth not he look to a contrite
heart, and account that a savoury sacrifice? Is it not his royal statute
and commandment, of which not one jot shall fail, that ye should deny
yourselves, love your enemies, forgive them that offend you, sanctify his
name always in your hearts, and especially on the holy Sabbath, that ye
should watch unto prayer, be sober in the use of the world, be much in
watching for his second coming? Now, what repugnance is in your hearts
and ways to all these? Do not the conversations of men display a banner
against the gospel, and proclaim as much in reality as is said in words in
Psal. ii., "Let us cast his cords behind us, and cut his bands." These
things are unsavoury unto you, you smell nothing pleasant in them, but
only in the puddle of the world, in running at random, at your own
liberty, after your own imaginations, that you account only liberty. O
when shall your hearts be subdued, and your affections brought in
captivity to the obedience of Christ! When shall you be delivered up to
the truth, and so made to obey from the heart that form of doctrine and
sound words, Rom. vi. 17. This is the strongest hold that Satan hath in
man's heart,--his will and affections, and this keeps out longest against
Jesus Christ, till he that is stronger come and bind the strong man, and
cast out the enmity, and make all captive to his loving obedience, and
willing subjection, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5.

Then, thirdly, the enmity of the soul of man is acted in his rebellion
against the will of God manifested in his works, in his unsubjection and
unsubmissive disposition towards the good pleasure of the Lord, in carving
out such and such a lot in the world. It is certain, that as the will of
God is the supreme rule of righteousness, so it is the sovereign cause and
fountain of all things and therefore, how infinitely is the creature bound
to be subject to him as a Lawgiver, by pleasant and willing obedience to
his righteous and reasonable commands, and to submit to him as the
absolute Ruler, by quiet and humble condescendence, to all the
dispensations of his providence! Now, you know,--if you know