conceived and in Iniquity brought forth I know many bold inquiring Wits have presum'd to examine the Decrees of God concerning the lapsed State of Mankind but 't is much safer to admire the Divine Providence than to argue to believe the Revelation than to dispute against it But although the corrupt Nature virtually includes all Sin yet there is not an equal propensity to all in every Person as in waste neglected Grounds some Weeds are ranker and rifer than others from the quality of the Soil so some kinds of Sin are more predominant and evident in the Lives of Man according to their peculiar Dispositions For the unfolding this we are to consider That the Soul of Man in its state of Union has a continual dependance upon the Body both in its intellectual and moral Operations Consider it as a Spirit and in its separate State 't is capable of acting as freely and independently as those pure Intelligences that are distant from alliance with gross Matter but consider the Spirit as a Soul consociated with a Body of Flesh there is a strange circling Influence between the Soul and the Body The Dispositions of the Body suitably incline the Soul and the Inclinations of the Soul affect the Body In the Intellectual Operations as the Animal Spirits are qualified some are of subtil and quick Wits others of stay'd and solid Minds some are fit for Contemplation others for Action And in moral Actions the Soul works by the active Power of the sensitive Faculties and the Actions resemble the Instruments The Complexion of our Minds as well as Manners is usually suitable to our natural Temperature I will more distinctly unfold this In the Humane Body there is the united Figure of the World the heavy Earth the liquid Water the subtil Air and active Fire enter into its Composition from the mixture of these Ingredients results the Temperature of the Bodies and as the Qualities proper to them are predominant Men are denominated Sanguine or Melancholy Cholerick or Flegmatick Such as the Constitution is such are the Inclinations and such are the Actions that flow from them 'T is observable that brute Creatures are either fierce or tame bold or fearful stupid or docile as their Blood is hotter or colder of a finer or thicker Contexture And in Children there is an early disclosure of contrary Dispositions according to their Temperaments thus some are soft and ductile others stiff and stubborn some are of a sweet pliable Temper drawn by Counsel and the Cords of Love others of a baser cast will not be led by Reason and Kindness but must be constrain'd by Fear some are of an ingenuous Disposition blushing at any thing that is indecent and disparaging others defy all Modesty and will not change Countenance though surpriz'd in a soul Action As the inclination in Animals to Actions proper to their Kind is discovered by their Offers before they are fit for Action Birds will attempt to fly before their Wings are form'd so in Children Inclinations to particular Vices appear according to their different Constitutions before their sensitive Faculties are capable of compleat Acts. More particularly those Persons in whose Complexion Blood is predominant are usually light and vain sensual and riotous insolent and aspiring bold and presumptuous Those in whom Phlegm is the principal Ingredient are idle and slow cold and careless in things of Moment the most ardent Exhortations are lost upon them as Bags of Wool dead the force of Bullets in yielding without resistance Those who are timerous and deeply tinctur'd with Melancholy are suspicious sowr and inexorable The dark shadows of their Minds are believed as visible Testimonies of Dangers and their silent Suspicions as real Proofs They are jealous of all Persons and Things If in Conversation there be speech of the Vertues they are conscious to want or the Vices they are secretly guilty of they imagine 't is directed to their Reproach They are intractable and often revengeful for Melancholy is a viscous Humour that retains the Impressions of the Passions Those who are Cholerick by Nature are heady various violent and create perpetual trouble to themselves and others Such a Soul and such a Body united are like two Malefactors fastned with one Chain In short according to the Elemental Crasis of our Bodies Objects affect our Senses and the Fancy with the lower Appetite are the Centre of the Senses and there is so near an activity and refeference between the Passions and the reasonable Faculties that the Understanding and Will receive Impressions accordingly as the Passions are excited and moved 'T is observable that the corrupt Nature in the Language of Scripture is usually call'd Flesh not only as 't is transmitted by Carnal Propagation but as 't is drawn forth by Carnal Objects and exercis'd by the Carnal Faculties And as the same Constitution is heightned in some and is in a remisser degree in others so the Lusts proper to it are more or less exorbitant as the same sort of Vines produce a stronger or weaker Grape according to the quality of the Air and Soil wherein they are planted That vicious Inclinations spring from the different Temperament of Mens Bodies there is pregnant proof in the visible diversity of Lusts that are peculiar in degrees of Eminence in some Families some Countries and the several Ages of Mens Lives We often see hereditary Vices transmitted by descent Some Families are voluptuous others vindictive some sordid and covetous others profuse some ambitious others servile resembling their Parents from whom the secret Seeds of those Dispositions are ingenerate in their Temper So in different Climates according to the Impression made on the Natives by the Air and Diet they are distinguish'd by their proper Vices not so generally found in other Nations as by their Countenances some are formal and superstitious others wild and barbarous some are crafty and treacherous others are wanton and luxurious As some Diseases reign in some Countries that are less frequent and not so fatal in other places The Apostle tells us of the Cretians That they are always Lyars evil Beasts and slow Bellies their habitual Vices fastned this universal Character upon them And according to the alteration made in the Bodies of Men in the several Ages of Life their vicious Affections run in several Channels the Spring is the same corrupt Nature and the Issue will be the same the Lake of Fire but the Course is different St. John distinguishes the Corrupt Inclinations that are predominant in the World under three Titles The Lusts of the Flesh and the Lusts of the Eyes and Pride of Life These Lusts have their proper Seasons and successively take the Throne in Mens Hearts In Youth the Lusts that in propriety are called the Lusts of the Flesh imperiously reign Youth is a kind of natural Drunkenness the Blood runs Races and with a Heat and Rapture hurries many into sensual Excess and Riots Youth is highly
is observant of our Inclinations he will interpret a Blush a Glance a Smile a discontented Gesture any signs of our Affections and by proper Motives excites the desiring and angry Appetites and is usually succesful His Advantage is chiefly from our Security 'T is easy to surprize a suspectless Enemy St. Peter straitly warns us Be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour His Diligence is equal to his Malice If we are not wise and watchful we shall fall into his Snares There is a fearful Instance of it in Adam who lost the Image and Favour of God in an Hour that his Posterity cannot recover to all Ages yet there was no Corruption in his Nature he was furnish'd with sufficient Grace he might easily have repell'd the Motion to the confusion of the Tempter but through carelesness he neglected his Duty to the Eternal Law-giver slighted the double Death that of the Soul and the Body that was threatned to deter him from Sin and Innocence did not preserve him from seduction What Reason is there to make us watchful both against our Spiritual Enemies and our own drowsiness lest security steal upon us without observation for our Hearts are as ready to sin as Satan is to tempt besides the impression from tempting Objects without us there is treacherous danger within Our prime care must be to keep a severe Command over our Minds and Hearts to prevent the entrance of Sin. The Carnal Appetite allures the Will to consent to the actual Commission by the mediation of the Mind that represents the Pleasures and Profits of Sin. Therefore Conscience must be a vigilant Sentinel to prevent as far as is possible the first springing Thoughts the first risings of the sinful Affections Sinful Thoughts and Desires are possible Acts and are more odious to God than the gross Commission is to Men. The pernicious Inspirations of the Tempter are gradual as one that kindles a Fire with a small Breath cherishes the faint Sparks till rais'd into a Flame so warm Desires are cherish'd by the Thoughts till they break forth into a wilder Flame This is the most difficult part of our Duty we may more easily decline Temptations from without than keep a constant Guard within But there is no excuse for the neglect of this Duty the Consequence being of no less moment than Salvation We are commanded to keep the Heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life and of Death also As the elective Faculty is inclin'd and determin'd such will be the quality of our Actions either Holy and Good or Vicious and Evil and such will be the Reward in the next State. 'T is true it is morally impossible for even the best Men to be so exact in their Watch but vain thoughts may suddainly spring into the Mind and indeliberate motions may rise in the Will which should be matter of Sorrow but we may suppress those beginnings of Sin and prevent the morose Thoughts the musings of the Mind upon the Pleasure or Profit that makes the Temptation so strong as to overcome us If a Watch be set at the Gates of a Town to prevent any Commerce with infected Places tho 't is not possible to exclude Pestilential Vapours that mix with the Air and fly imperceptably about yet the Persons and Goods that come from infected Places may be excluded A Child of God keeps himself that the wicked One touches him not that is receives no defiling Impressions by yielding to his Suggestions Our next care must be to avoid the outward Temptations that are apt to excite those Lusts that are most natural to us The Art of our Spiritual Enemy is to make use of Objects without to entice the Affections within us The World affords variety of Temptations that through the Senses pierce the Heart and wound the Spirit 'T is therefore our Duty and Safety with the strictest Caution to guard our Senses The most make no other use of their Senses than the Brutes it were well they made no worse The Acts of the Understanding are immanent and invisible the Affections mix with sensible Objects and are actuated with Heat and Motion from them For this Reason Holy Men have been so careful to lay a restraint upon the Senses Job made a Covenant with his Eyes not to look upon a Maid David prays Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity When Solomon had so earnestly press'd the Divine Counsel to keep the Heart with diligence he annexes most fitly for that end put away from thee a froward Mouth and perverse Lips put far from thee Let thy Eyes look right on and let thy Eye-lids look strait before thee Ponder the Path of thy Feet and let all thy Ways be establish'd Turn not to the right Hand or the Left remove thy Foot from Evil. The sum of which Counsel is that we should so exactly guard our sensitive Faculties so order our Words our Looks our Ways as to preserve our selves from every evil thing Our great Security is in flying from Temptations Lot was strictly commanded not to look back on Sodom His Wife by casting a lingring Eye towards it was turned into a Pillar of Salt to season the World by her Example to beware of the occasions of Sin. 'T is extream Folly to enter into Temptation for as near as the melting of Waxis when 't is near the Flame so are the Carnal Affections of being enticed and the Will of consenting when near enflaming Objects Our sad Experience may instruct us how prone our Hearts are to yield to inviting Occasions of Sin and how often we have been foil'd by venturing into the Confines of Temptation Solomon observes Surely in vain is the Net spread in sight of any Bird. If the Toils be never so craftily laid and the Bait be very enticing yet a silly Bird has that foresight and caution that it will not be tempted to run into the Net but flie from the present Danger What unaccountable folly is it in Men tho the Temptations of Sin are never so alluring to the Carnal Appetites not to make use of the Eye and Wing to fear and fly from the intanglements of Iniquity Besides we forfeit the Divine Assistance by entertaining the Temptations of Sin. The Promise of preserving Grace is to us whilst we are faithful to God He will keep us in all our Ways whilst we are constant in our Duty otherwise we cannot depend upon his gracious Presence and Assistance If a Soldier be commanded by a General to fight a Duel with an Enemy he will arm him with Armour of Proof and secure him from Treachery but if one from vain-Glory from Rage or Revenge against the Command of his Superior shall ingage in a Duel he fights with great hazard and if he conquers is punish'd for his Disobedience Thus if in the regular Course of our Lives the Divine Providence so
pierc'd the Heavens God heard his Voice out of his Temple and speedily in the best Season came for his deliverance He was seen upon the Wings of the Wind he rode upon a Cherub those swifter Spirits and did fly He describes the Terrors of his coming against his Enemies The Lord thundred from the Heavens he sent down his Arrows and scattered them his Lightning discomfited them The Acts of Justice reverst have the Ensign of Mercy on them The drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea was the preserving of the Israelites Briefly He ascribes his deliverance to the Favour of God as the sole Mover and the Power of God as the sole Worker of it He delivered me because he delighted in me His free and compassionate Love was primarily active and drew forth his Power in its most noble Exercise for the Salvation of David Such an ingenuous and grateful Sense the Psalmist had of the Divine Mercy this gave the sweetest relish of his deliverance this was his true triumph after the final conquest of his Enemies Indeed his Enemies were unjust and cruel and God vindicated the justice of his Cause against them therefore he saith The Lord rewarded me according to my Righteousness according to the cleanness of my Hands hath he recompensed me He declares the Holiness of his Conversation I have kept the Ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. And as an eminent Instance of this he saith in the words of the Text I was upright also before him and kept my self from mine Iniquity In the Text there is a solemn Declaration of David's Uprightness by his attesting God the Searcher and Judg of the Heart I was upright before him and by an infallible proof of it I kept my self from mine Iniquity There is one Difficulty to be remov'd before I come to discourse upon the Proposition and that is how this Profession of Uprightness is reconcileable with David's Actions in the Matter of Uriah Whether we consider the Quality of his Sins the crimson Guilt and killing Circumstances that attended them especially the deliberate and cruel Contrivance of Uriah's Death or whether we consider the fearful Interval between his Sin and Repentance for like some fair Rivers that in their Current suddenly sink under Ground and are lost in their secret Passage till at a great distance they rise and flow again thus it was with David he that was so conspicuous in holiness of Life sunk into a Gulf of Sensuality and Cruelty and for a long time was unrelenting and unreformed till by a speciall Message from God by the Prophet Nathan he was renewed to Repentance and restored to the forfeited Favour of God. To this Objection some Learned Interpreters answer That the Declaration of his Innocence and Integrity must be understood with a tacit Exception according to the Testimony of Scripture concerning him That he did that which was right in the Eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his Life save only in the Matter of Uriah That Sin though a dreadful Provocation yet did not blast the Uprightness of the rest of his Life and make it unacceptable to God. 2. This affirmation of David may refer to his afflicted State when his Conscience was tender and vigilant and his Passions so subdued that though Saul his most unrighteous and implacable Adversary was at his Mercy and he could as 〈◊〉 have cut off his Head as the Lap of his Garment though he was provok'd to take his full revenge on him and put an end to his own Fears yet he rejected the Motion with abhorrence God forbid I should lift up my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed He spared Saul and would not by such an irregular Act obtain the Kingdom though elected to it by God himself By this we may take an estimate of his Integrity which God rewarded at last The Proposition that I shall discourse of is this That the preserving a Man's self from his Iniquity is an undeceiving Evidence of Uprightness In the managing the Doctrine three Things are to be considered and unfolded 1. What Sin may be denominated a Man's own 2. What the preserving ones self from that Sin implies 3. How this is an undeceiving Evidence of Uprightness 1. What Sin may be denominated a Man's own In general every Sin that a Man commits may be stiled his own as 't is the issue of his corrupt Nature and the Off-spring of his depraved Will. St. James expresses it Every Man is tempted that is effectually when he is drawn away of his own Lust. The Devil may sollicite and excite but without the consent of the Will he can never fasten Guilt upon us Every actual Sin is in some degree voluntary But some Sins in an eminent propriety and peculiar manner may be called our own such as there is a strong tendency to commit either from the natural Iâ—â—lination or Custom that is an accessary Nature or from special respects that engage the Will and Affections As in the natural Body compos'd of various Members some are more dear and useful as the right Eye and the right Hand So in the Body of the Sins of the Flesh as the corrupt Nature is stil'd by the Apostle from the variety and union of the vicious Affections there are some particular Lusts either for Pleasure or Profit are as the right Eye or right Hand in our Saviour's Language so dear to Men that they will lose Eternal Life rather than be separated from them These reigning Sins that have a compleat dominion in the Unregenerate are of different kinds in several Persons I will proceed in the discovery of them 1. By a direct Light from their Causes 2. By a reflex Light from their Effects The Causes of special Sins are either Natural or Moral The Natural are the different Temperaments of Mens Bodies and the Connexion of the Passions that so strongly draw the Will that we may as certainly understand what vicious Actions are naturally consequent as Astronomers foretel the Eclipses of the Lights of Heaven I will begin with the consideration of the different Temperaments of Mens Bodies which are the secret Springs of their Inclinations and Aversions 'T is requisite to premise that Original Sin the Poison distilled through all the Faculties of Man by propagation is an universal supreme Evil 'T is a Seminary of all corrupt Desires from whence the Issues of actual Sins are derived and that some are less inclin'd to notorious Sins than others is not from naked Nature but from the singular distinguishing Mercy of God. This Depravation so general and deplorable was observed by the wiser Heathens who were ignorant of the Cause of it the rebellious Sin of Adam the common Father and Representative of Mankind This Corruption of Nature doth not extenuate but aggravate our Guilt As the Psalmist with deep sorrow acknowledges his native inherent Pollution In Sin was I
the Inquisition and Judicature of Conscience Wealth and Wickedness harden them against the most serious Counsels the most solemn Reproofs and ardent Exhortations they are blind to the Sun and deaf to Thunder but a sharp Affliction clears the Eyes unlocks the Ears opens the Heart and pricks the tender Vein The awaken'd Penitent will make an exact search to find out the Achan the troubler of the Soul and the special Sin is so in the interpretation of the vigilant and afflicted Conscience The bitter remembrance of that Sin is answerable to its Guilt the more it was indulg'd the more the Law of God was despis'd the more it wounds the Spirit when the Pleasure is past nothing remains but the Sting and Poison Joseph's Brethren who so long had been insensible of their treacherous selling him to Bondage and Misery yet in their Fears Conscience remembers it with aggravations of their unnatural Cruelty And they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Lastly Consider the several kinds of Sins to find out your own some are of Omission some of Commission some are Spiritual and Inward some are Carnal and acted with Noise and Notice some distinctly flow from visible Causes some spring from an unsuspected Fountain There are many of a civil compos'd Conversation who are careless of spiritual Duties of holy Communion with God by raised solemn Thoughts and ardent desires of watchfulness over their Hearts to regulate their Aims and Affections by the pure Law and are insensible of their Neglect and Guilt The unrenewed Nature has a strong reluctance against spiritual Duties Many are righteous to Men and unrighteous towards God they do not pay those Duties that are indispensibly required from reasonable Creatures to the blessed Creator the highest Love for his Perfections and Benefits an obedient respect to his Commands in their Actions a resigned submission to his Will and Wisdom an entire trust in his fatherly Providence and zeal for his Glory Many rob him of that Time that is consecrated to his Service the Lord's Day though 't is our Priviledg as well as Duty to keep it Holy when the Publick Worship is at an end as if the remainder were unsanctified they wretchedly waste in complemental Visits in civil Matters in Discourses impertinent to the solemn Work of it Many who are diligent to provide for their Families yet are as bad as Infidels in neglecting to instruct their Children and Servants in the saving Doctrine of the Gospel to command them to be circumspect in their Ways to set before them a living Pattern of Holiness and carelesly suffer their precious Souls to perish for ever How many who are not guilty of open rebellious Sins against the Law yet neglect the great indispensible Duty of the Gospel an humble unfeigned entire closing with Christ as their Prince and Saviour They presume upon their moral Vertues of the safety and goodness of their Condition they never had a feeling sense of their want of the imputed Righteousness of Christ to reconcile them to God nor of the Holy Spirit to make them partakers of the Divine Nature as if only the Prophane Riotous notorious Sinners had need of his most precious Merits and Mediation to abolish their Guilt and save them from Hell and of the Holy Spirit to sanctify them From hence it is that many civil Persons remain in an unrenewed State and are the natural Subjects of Satan and die in their Sins Some are regular in a course of Religious Duties they pray hear the Word receive the Sacrament but without those Holy Affections that are the Life of Religious Duties yet content themselves with the external bodily Service which is neither pleasing to God nor profitable to their Souls Some cherish a secret Pride that they are not so bad as others some a vain presumption of the Divine Favour because they serve God in a purer way of Worship than others when they neglect substantial Religion that recommends us to his gracious Eye Some will severely reflect upon the visible Sins of others whilst there is an unperceiv'd consumption of the spiritual Life in themselves This may seem to proceed from the hatred of Sin when the real inward Motive is to quiet Conscience by an appearance of Zeal against Sin and make it inobservant of their inward voluntary Defects The most excellent Things may be counterfeit Satan may transform himself into an Angel of Light sinful Affections may be varnish'd and gilded so as to be mistaken for Divine Graces Briefly the Heart is an everlasting Deceiver and without a perpetual watchfulness we are in danger of close Corruptions that will blast our Sincerity To find out our Sin 't is requisite to search where we may think there is little reason to expect the finding it 2. I will now consider what the preserving himself from his peculiar Sin implies 1. An abstaining from the practice of that Sin. When David had an opportunity to destroy Saul his unrighteous and implacable Enemy and secure himself when excited to it by Abishai who would have dispatch'd him at a Blow yet he rejected the Temptation with abhorrence The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed thus he preserv'd his Innocence and Integrity Our Saviour tells us He that commits Sin is a Servant of Sin an indulgent course of Sin denominates a Person a Slave of Sin and a Rebel against God and is utterly inconsistent with Sincerity 'T is true an upright Man may fall by suddain surreption by an insinuating Infirmity into a foul Sin from which he has a setled aversation and keeps himself in the general Course of his Life and that single Act of Sin is a blemish of his Integrity but retracted by a speedy Repentance does not denominate him a Hypocrite One may be pale from an accidental surprize by fear or red through a suddain flush of Blood from Anger yet not be so by Complexion for the Complexions Pale and Sanguine are drawn by the Pencil of Nature the lively Characters of the predominant Humours and are usually visible in the Countenance But although an upright Person keeps himself from the gross Acts of Sins that are clearly against natural Conscience and supernatural Grace yet whilst we are cloth'd with Flesh the Body of Sin does not finally expire and Temptations are as importunate as Flys about us from whom the Tempter has his Title that 't is morally impossible to be absolutely undefiled therefore Uprightness requires that we should carefully consider our weak side what Passions we are most inclinable to by our Temper and so diligently fortify our selves against them that they may not have dominion over us and though we cannot arrive yet we may advance towards the compleat conquest of Sin. And in our endeavours against the Sins to