2. Many account it only liberty and freedom, therefore they look upon the
laws of the Spirit of life as cords and bonds, and consult to cast them
off, and cut them asunder. But consider what a wretched life you have with
your imperious lusts. The truth is, sin is for the most part its own
punishment. I am sure you have more labour and toil in fulfilling the
lusts of sin, than you might have in serving God. Men's lusts are never at
quiet, they are continually putting you on service, they are still driving
and dragging men headlong, hurrying them to and fro, and they cannot get
rest. What is the cause of all the disquiet, disorder, confusion, trouble,
and wars in the world? From whence do contentions arise? "Come they not
hence," saith James, iv. 1, "even of your lusts that war in your members?"
It is these that trouble the world, and these are the troublers of
Israel's peace. These take away inward peace, domestic peace, and national
peace. These lusts, covetousness, ambition, pride, passion, self-love, and
such like, do set nation against nation, men and men, people and people,
by the ears. These multiply businesses beyond necessity; these multiply
cares without profit, and so bring forth vexation and torment. If a man
had his lusts subdued, and his affections composed unto moderation and
sobriety, O what a multitude of noisome and hurtful cares should he then
be freed from! What a sweet calmness should possess that spirit! Will you
be persuaded of it, beloved in the Lord, that it were easier to serve the
Lord than to serve your lusts,--that they cost you more labour, disquiet,
perplexity, and sorrow, than the Lord's service will; that so you may
weary of such masters, and groan to be from under such a law of sin.

But if that will not suffice to persuade you, then consider, in the next
room, if you will needs serve a law of sin, you must needs be subject to a
law of death. If you will not be persuaded to quit the service of sin,
then tell me, what think you of your wages? "The wages of sin is
death,"--that you may certainly expect; and can you look and long for such
wages? God hath joined these together by a perpetual ordinance. They came
into the world together,--"sin entered, and death by sin;" and they have
gone hand in hand together since. And think you to dissolve what God hath
joined? Before you go farther, and obey sin more, think, I pray you, what
it can give you,--what doth it give you for the present, but much