te to him that made them, only miserable man hath
broken this order, and marred this beauty, and he cannot be subject {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}
{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER TAU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~} cannot come again into that orderly station and subordination
he was once into. This is the only gap or breach of the creation. And it
is some other engagements that draw him thus far out of course--the base
love of the world, and the inordinate love of himself. O these make his
neck stiff, that it cannot bow to the yoke of obedience, these have
opposite and contrary commands, and no man can serve two masters. When the
commands of the great lord, self, come in opposition with the commands of
God, then he cannot be subject to the law of God. For a time, in some
things he may resemble a subjection, when the will of self and the will of
God commands in one point, as sometimes they do by accident, but that is
neither frequent nor constant.

Not only is he not subject, but there is worse in it, he cannot be subject
to the law of God. This is certainly to throw down the natural pride of
man, that always apprehends some remanent ability in himself. You think
still to make yourselves better, and when convinced or challenged for
sins, to make amends and reform your lives. You use to promise these
things as lightly and easily as if they were wholly in your power, and as
if you did only delay them for advantage, and truly it seems this
principle of self sufficiency is engraven on men's hearts when they
procrastinate and delay repentance and earnest minding of religion to some
other fitter season, as if it were in their liberty to apply to it when
they please, and when you are urged and persuaded to some reformation, you
take in hand, even as that people, Jer. xlii. 6, 20, who said, "all that
the lord hath said we will do." You can strike hands, and engage to serve
the Lord, as easily as that people in Joshua xxiv. 18, 19. But we may say,
Oh, that there were such a heart in you! But, alas, such a heart is not in
you! You cannot serve the Lord, for he is holy and jealous, and ye are not
only weak, but wicked. I beseech you then, believe this one testimony that
God h