the other so according to the excess of Love will be the excess of Grief Of this we have an eminent Instance in David whose Sorrow for the Death of his rebellious Son was as immoderate as his Love the Cause of it 2. I shall now consider the moral Causes of habitual Sins the various Circumstances of our Lives that are influential to give a Custom to Nature and Viciousness to Custom As the Sea has Rocks and Sands Gulphs and Currents Tempests and Calms so the present Life has symbolically in its different States that endanger us in our Passage to the next World. The different Conditions of Life I will consider under four Heads 1. The several Callings wherein Men are ingag'd 2. The opposite states of Prosperity or Adversity that are attended with suitable Temptations 3. The Society with whom we are conversant 4. The Quality of the Times wherein we live 1. Let us search for the predominant Sin in the Callings wherein we are ingag'd for according to their Quality Temptations surround us and are likely to surprize us The Spider spins his Web where Flies usually pass to entangle and destroy them so the subtile Tempter lays his Snares in our Callings wherein we are conversant John the Baptist therefore when the Publicans addrest to him for Instruction Master What shall we do said to them Exact no more than what is appointed you And to the Souldiers he said Do Violence to no Man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your Wages He warns them against Rapine and Force and injurious Accusing others of which Sins Publicans and Souldiers were usually guilty I will to be the more instructive particularly consider some Callings and the Sins that evidently attend them The Sacred Calling of Ministers does not secure them from Temptations but such is the corruption of their Hearts and of the World that it exposes them to dangerous Temptations The Devil scales us on the Temple-side and often gets possession of our Hearts Ministers are often guilty of a spiritless formality in the managing Holy Things In the composing of Sermons the Mind is exercised about the Matter Order and Expressions without Holy Affections suitable to Divine Truths partly because from Custom the most solemn and concerning Things pass through the Soul without serious Regard and Application and partly because the Ministerial Office obliging us to furnish our selves with the knowledg of the admirable Mysteries of Godliness for the instruction of others we are apt to make that the only End of our Studies like Vintners that buy great quantities of Wine for sale and not for their own use There is not in many Ministers a spark of that Heavenly Fire which the reflexive Meditation on Spiritual and Eternal Truths inspires into the Soul which our Saviour came to kindle Their Knowledg is not lively and operative but like a Winter's Sun that shines without vital Heat If they are inrich'd with rare Talents they are apt to prophane that Holy Ordinance of Preaching by secret Aims and Desires of Vain-glory The Temptation is more dangerous because esteem and praise for Intellectual Excellencies that are peculiar to Man and wherein the Eminence of his Nature consists is very pleasing even to those who are of an unspotted Conversation and free from Carnal Pollutions Chrysostom confesses of himself That when he preach'd to a thin Auditory his words dy'd on his Lips and his Spirit was quench'd but when he was encompass'd with a numerous full Assembly his Spirit was enflam'd and he breath'd Fire The attention and applause of the Hearers the regarding one another with Wonder as if never Man spake better the reigning over the Spirits of Men by powerful Oratory are apt to inspire vain-glorious Conceits into the Preachers And many carried along by the Current of their injudicious Auditors are curious to bespangle their Discourses with light Ornaments to please the Ear and are not studious to preach Christ and him Crucified in a stile distant from all shadow of vanity to save the Soul. Another Temptation attending that Holy Calling is from Humane Passions which Ministers often bring up into the Pulpit with them and with a counterfeit Zeal vent their Animosities against those of whom they are jealous as diminishing their secular Interests God under the Law severely forbids the offering up Sacrifices by common Fire but only by Celestial that was preserved Day and Night upon the Altar by the Priests 't is symbolical that the reprehension of Sinners by the Servants of God should not be exprest with heat of Anger against their Persons but with holy Zeal that Love to their Souls should be the pure Motive of the severest Rebukes Lastly The great danger is lest Ministers have a respect more to the temporal Reward of their Office than the divine End of it Therefore St. Peter with that Solemnity enjoins Evangelical Pastors to feed the Flock of God taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind Neither to act as Lords over God's Heritage but to be Ensamples to the Flock 'T is true the Labourer is worthy of his Reward and if we sow Spiritual Things is it a great Matter as the Apostle saith if we reap your carnal Things But tho 't is natural and regular to eat to live yet to live to eat is prodigiously brutish so 't is a most guilty vile Intention to use the Sacred Ministry for obtaining secular Things This will corrupt the Heart and hinder the discharging the Office with sincerity and constancy For the End is the Rule and Measure of the Means and a worldly Minister will frame his Sermons and order his Affairs to obtain the World. If it be for his Secular Interest he will appear as an Apostle full of Zeal against Errors and Sins but if the preaching the Doctrines of Truth and Holiness be prejudicial to his worldly Designs he will neglect his Duty to preserve the Minds of Men untainted from destructive Errors he will mollify the Threatnings of Scripture rebate their Edg and thereby harden the Hearts of presumptuous Sinners As 't is observed of the Vines if they are supported upon crooked Stakes they will grow so so carnal Preachers will conform themselves according to the Humours of those upon whom they servilely depend In Courts of Judicature the Temptations are intimated in the wise Advice of Jethro to Moses That he should chuse Men fearing God and hating Covetousness Without the over-ruling Fear of God Judges will not do their Duty evenly and couragiously Humane Respects will tempt them to bend the Rule to the obliquity of their Minds and Desires When they are influenc'd by the Fear or Favour of Men they will part with Justice and Conscience and true Honour and their Souls And how often does the weight of Gold turn the Scales in Judgment and preponderate the Reason of the Cause with those who are most solemnly obliged to universal
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
presumptuous easily deceived and refractory to Reason the superior Faculties the Understanding and Will are basely servile to the Carnal Appetites The wise Preacher intimates this in his bitter Irony Rejoice O young Man in thy Youth and let thy Heart chear thee in the days of thy Youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart and in the sight of thine Eyes but know for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Vain Mirth and loose Desires are usually indulged in the spring of our Age therefore the Apostle emphatically warns Timothy though a mortified young Man Flee youthful Lusts. In the maturer Age the â—â—â—sual Passions are cooler less vigorous and active and youthful Lusts are changed for other Lusts that are not so scandalous and leave not such a visible stain but are as destructive to the Soul. 'T is very observable in humane Nature that as the Affections in their sensible Operations decay the Understanding improves and recovers its ruling Power 't is visible in many Instances that Men in their staid Age despise those things that had a ravishing force upon them in their unsetled Youth But when the Mind is tainted with a false esteem of present things as 't is in all those who are in a state of polluted Nature it leads the Will and Affections to pursue Riches and Dignities Carnal Wisdom is distinguish'd by St. James into three kinds 't is earthly sensual devilish with respect to the tempting Objects in the World Riches Pleasures Honours The Sensual Wisdom is in contriving and appointing the Means that may accomplish the Desires of the Flesh. After the Flesh is satiated the earthly Wisdom designs earthly Things and uses such Means as are fit to obtain them to ascend in Power and Command or to raise Estates with wretched neglect of the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness that should be sought in the first place and with the most ardent Affections and Endeavours In conjunction with this the devilish Wisdom is practised for Pride and Ambition are Satan's Original Sin as Envy and Slander are his Actual Sins He is continually vex'd at the recovery of fallen Man and is his constant Accuser And whilst Men are eagerly contending for the World they are excited from Interest and Envy to blast and defeat their Concurrents that would be superior or equal to them This worldly Wisdom though a more solemn Folly yet is as woful and pernicious as the sensual Wisdom for God is injuriously robb'd of his Right our highest Esteem and Affections and Men deceiv'd with the poor Pageant of the World neglect their last and blessed End and justly perish for ever Old Age has its peculiar Vices 'T is true it mortifies the Affections to some Vanities Vespasian the Roman Emperor was so tir'd with the Pomp of his Triumph that in the triumphant way he often reproach'd himself that being an Old Man he was engaged in such an empty and tedious Show And Charles the Fifth in his declining Age prefer'd the Shade of a Cloyster before the Splendor of the Empire But 't is attended with other vicious Inclinations Old Men are usually querulous impatient discontented suspicious vainly fearful of Contempt or Want and from thence or some other secret Cause are covetous and sordid in sparing aginst all the Rules of Reason and Religion Covetousness is stiled by the Apostle The Root of all Evil and as the Root in Winter retains the Sap when the Branches have lost their Leaves and Verdure so in Old Age the Winter of Life Covetousness preserves its vigour when other Vices are fallen off Usually the nearer Men approach to the Earth they are more earthly-minded and which is strange to amazement at the Sun-set of Life are providing for a long Day Briefly every Age has its special Vices suitable to the Constitution of Mens Bodies in them and we must accordingly make our enquiry to discover our own Sin. 2. The Connexion of the Passions duly observ'd will discover the predominant Lust. The Passions are the Motions of the sensitive Appetite whereby the Soul approaches to an Object that is represented under the pleasant Colours of Good or flies from an apprehended Evil. They are call'd Passions because in those Motions there is a flowing or ebbing of the Spirits and Humours from whence a sensible change is caus'd in the Body and the Soul is in unquiet Agitations 'T is very difficult to know their Original though the sensible Operations are very evident Consider the Soul as a Spirit 't is exempt from them the Spirit as a Soul is liable to them Whether they are derived from the Soul to the Body or from the Body to the Soul is hard to determine They are of excellent use when subordinate to the direction of the renewed Mind and the Empire of the sanctified Will When in their Rise Degrees and Continuance they are ordered by the Rule of true Judgment What the Winds are in Nature they are in Man If the Air be always calm without agitation it becomes unhealthful and unuseful for maintaining Commerce between the distant Parts of the World moderate Winds purify the Air and serve for Navigation And thus our voluble Passions are of excellent use and when sanctified transport the Soul to the Divine World to obtain Felicity above But when they are exorbitant and tempestuous they cause fearful Disorders in Men and are the Causes of all the Sins and Miseries in the World. From hence it is that Sin in the Scripture is usually exprest by Lust The Lusts of the Flesh are manifest those who are Christ's have crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts thereof Every Man that is tempted is tempted of his own Lust. The Reason is because the corrupt Desires of the Soul when inflam'd are the Springs of its Actings and strongly engage the Mind and Will and all the active Powers to procure their Satisfaction Now Sin being the Obliquity of the desiring Faculty we may discover what is the predominant Sin by considering what Affection is most ardent and violent and consequently most depraved and disorder'd and this we may by observing the connexion between them for they generate one another As the Diseases of the Body tho the Disorder of Nature yet have certain Causes and a regular course in their Accession Inflammation and Revolution as in the Changes of an Ague a shivering Cold is attended with a fiery Heat and that with an overflowing Sweat in like manner the irregular Passions are productive of one another Love is the radical Affection and when it leads to a desir'd Object has always hatred in the Rear if disappointed and and crost in its Desires So Joy in the fruition of a dear Object is attended with Grief that lies in Ambush and immediately seizes upon the Soul when the Object is withdrawn And as in the Vibrations of a Pendulum the Motion is always as strong in proportion one way as it was
wretchedly neglect the means that might alleviate their Sorrows and refuse to be comforted as if they were Persons consecrated to Calamity thus Life is linger'd out in continual Languishings or ended with deadly Grief If the Affliction be singular and extraordinary Sorrow often increases to such dismal Degrees that most woful Effects proceed from that Passion The Anguish of Spirit either breaks out in unkindly and unholy Expressions or inwardly festers with Repining vexatious Thoughts at their Condition Stubborn Spirits are impatient of the Evils they suffer and insensible and undervaluing of the Blessings they possess They neither look upward to the Hand of God that disposes all Evils nor inward to their Sins the most righteous procuring Cause of them But serious Reflection would constrain them to acknowledg that God punishes them less than their Sins deserved and that their Dross needed the vehemence of the Fire to purge it away A meek yielding our selves and a complying with the blessed Ends of his afflicting Providence will make us to understand by Experience that all our sharpest Sufferings were most wisely and divinely ordered by our Heavenly Father 3. We must search for our peculiar Sin in the Society with whom we are conversant Our Company that we choose and are frequently engaged with discovers us to others and may to our selves 'T is a true Glass that by reflexion makes visible the Countenance and Complexion of our Minds Love proceeds from Likeness and the Election of Friends from a correspondence in the Tempers of Men. 'T is true there may be Foreign Motives of Friendship and Commerce with others from our Secular Affairs and Interests but Inclination is the internal Cause of Friendship 'T is visible that Carnality in its various kinds cements Friendships the Intemperate the Lascivious the Worldly are endear'd to one another by the resemblance in their Minds and Manners Besides Examples if often in our view and especially of those whom we love have a strange Power to change us into their Likeness 'T is the Observation of the wise Man He that has fellowship with a proud Man will be like him The vicious Affections of the Heart transpire in Words and Actions and insensibly infect others and in familiar Society the Contagious Evil the more strongly infects being immediately conveyed If our intimate Friends are worldly Wise who mind earthly Things sagacious to forecast Advantages and active to accomplish their Designs we may judg of the strain of our Affections for if our Conversations were in Heaven if our frequent and serious Discourses were of Things above how to improve Spiritual Riches our Company would be ungrareful to them without Sympathy there can be no complacence in Society The Garlick and Onions of the Egyptian Earth is more tasteful to their Palats than the Bread of Angels Besides by constant familiarity our Minds are apt to be corrupted to value the World as our substantial Felicity and our Hearts to be corrupted with the love of it which is of the Spring of Mens Sins and Misery Thus if we are Associates with the Voluptuous there will steal into the Heart an allowance of Sensuality and a dislike of Holiness as a sowr Severity If unregenerate Men though of a civil Conversation be our chosen and familiar Friends our Zeal for Religion will decline and lukewarmness be insensibly infus'd into us Briefly as the Wax receives the Figure of the Seal that is applied to it our Minds receive a likeness from the Impressions of Examples Therefore a Prudence discreet and severe is necessary in the choice of our Society In the Humane Life there is no mistake more dangerous than in the choice of Friends with whom we are usually conversant 'T is a comprehensive Rule and most useful for the guiding us safely to Heaven to select the Wise and Holy to be our bosom-Friends As a Ring touch'd by a Loadstone drawsanother by an imprest Virtue so in holy Society there is Divine Grace attractive of the Hearts of others He that walks with the Wise shall be wise but a Companion of Fools shall be afflicted That is the penal Consequence of being corrupted by them The Sensual and Luxurious by their converse pervert good Dispositions in others and heighten evil Inclinations into Habits They are Satan's Instruments to draw Men into his Snares more familiar Devils to tempt and destroy Souls He that chuses evil Company is like one that voluntarily frequents a House infected with the Plague who is either a Fool and disvalues Life or desperate and seeks Death 4. We must consider the Quality of the Times we live in to discover what Sin is predominant in us There are Evil Days in the Apostle's Language with respect to the Temptations and Troubles that are concomitant with them and a wise circumspect walking is requisite to preserve our Innocence and Purity Sometimes those who are dignified with Titles and Powers are leaders in Sin and their publick Practices are so commandingly exemplary that they easily prevail upon many to follow them for that is the way to insinuate into their favour and obtain secular Advantages and Rewards From hence it is that some as if the opposite Forms of Religion were but different fashions of the same stuff will put on a new Livery according to the Master they serve They have a politick Faith you may coin them a Philip and Mary or an Elizabeth as the Mintage of the Times vary But the Example of the High and Noble is no safe Rule A Rule of Gold tho of value for the Matter yet if crooked 't is useless as a Rule In some Ages the Poison sheds it self into the whole Body of a Nation that rarely any are untainted The old World was drown'd in sensuality and Noah only escap'd And in the next Age how did Idolatry like an overspreading Leprosy infect the World and Abraham hardly escap'd In Jeremy's Time the Land mourn'd for Oaths and Curses Men were turn'd breathing Devils and spake the Language of Hell before they came there Sometimes all Degrees are so corrupt that Vices pass for Vertues the rage of Duelling for Heroick Valour Luxury and Sensuality for innocent and amiable Qualities and Holiness tho a Divine Excellency and the very Beauty of the Deity is despised and derided Thus Men glory in their Shame and are ashamed of their Glory Now there is no Tyranny more violent than of a corrupt Custom no Contagion more catching than of National Sins The Apostle reminds the Ephesians that in their Heathen State they walk'd according to the Course of the World. We are therefore strictly commanded not to be conform'd to the World but transform'd by the renewing of our Minds that we may prove what is the Good the acceptable and perfect Will of God. 'T is the eminent effect of Grace to resist the Torrent of the Times and to value the Conscience of our Duty before all Worldly Respects accordingly 't is recorded to the everlasting Honour of Jehoshaphat
That he walked in the Commandments of God and not according to the Doings of Israel 2. I come to show how the peculiar Sin may be discovered from its Effects and the discovery from hence is more sensible than from the Causes for Divine Grace may controul the Efficacy of the Causes that a Christian may abhor the Sin to which there are strong Temptations but Effects emergent from inward Lusts discover the habitual frame of the Heart 1. The Sin that is frequently and easily committed and difficulty retracted is a Man's peculiar Sin. 1. Frequently Single Acts do not denominate a Person but Habits that proceed from repeated Acts are characteristical Noah's single Act of Drunkenness which might proceed from his ignorance of the strength of the Wine or the weakness of his Brain did not argue his being addicted to it but frequent relapses into that Sin denominates a Man a Drunkard A train of sinful Actions is from a disposition strongly bent to them If a Man be of a cholerick Nature Anger will be his quotidian if of a Sanguine licentious Mirth will be his tertian 'T is the Character of Man in his unregenerate polluted State he commits Sin 't is his Trade and as any particular Lust has dominion in his Heart such is the course of his Life When the Inclination leads to a Calling a Man applies himself continually to it for the Work produces Delight and the Delight strongly inclines him to work Thus according to the tendency of our corrupt Natures is the constant practice of Sin. We may as surely judg of the active Powers of the Soul by the Actions that proceed from them as of the vigour of the Sap in the Root by the number of the Fruits of the Tree 'T is said of the Scoffers they walk after their own Lusts which implies the habitual practice of Sin the license and pleasure they take in a carnal Course 2. The Sin that is easily committed is our own As the Divine Nature in a Saint makes him fit for every good Work but especially for the exercise of that Grace that is eminently regent in his Heart upon the first Call of Conscience he applies himself to his Duty so the corrupt Nature prepares Men for evil Works and its special tendency is presently inflam'd by a suitable Object This Indication is clear with respect to the Sins of the desiring and angry Appetites The more quick and speedy the Power of a Temptation is the more strong is the vicious Inclination When Achan saw a goodly Babylonish Garment and a Wedg of Gold he coveted them and took them the immediate rise of his Affection upon the presence of the Object his presumptuous Sacrilege notwithstanding the terrible Interdict was a convincing sign of his worldly Mind So 't is said of the young Man in the Proverbs that was enticed by the blandishments of the Harlot he went straitway after her When the alluring Object presently inveigles the Senses and easily obtains the consent of the Will we may truly infer what Passion reigns in the Heart So a Man that is soon angry whose Passion like Tinder takes fire at a Spark a small Occasion may understand what his Nature is A Man of a cool Spirit of meek and mortified Passions is not easily incensed 3. The Sin that is difficultly retracted There are Principles of Conscience in laps'd Nature concerning Good and Evil that cannot be rased out and are improv'd and heightned by revealed Light from hence there is often an internal Conflict between the convinced Mind and the corrupt Heart But the darling Lust controuls the Efficacy of those Principles for Nature and Custom are of all things most hardly to be chang'd Properties inherent in the nature of things are inseparable Thus wallowing in the Mire is natural to a Swine and though wash'd will return to it When a Lust is deeply rooted in Nature Men cannot cease from Sin. We have a sad Instance of this in St. Austin before his intire and blessed Conversion He declares in his Confessions how extream hard it was to divorce himself from sensual Delights they were incarnated in his Nature ingrafted into his Affections and the separation from them was as the fleaing him alive When he prayed for Chastity it was with a restriction Make me chast but not too soon In the vigour of his Age the sinning Season he was averse to be weaned from those poisonous Breasts 'Till Divine Grace chang'd his Nature he could never rescue himself from the Intanglements of his Iniquity Custom in Sin usually proceeds from Inclination and with as strong a sway determines the corrupt Will as Original Nature Can the Ethiopian change his Skin and the Leopard his Spots then may you who are accustom'd to do Evil do Good. Dreadful difficulty some habitual Sinners are secure and stupid and of such depraved obstinacy that they will not resolve to cleanse themselves from their Defilements In others there are some sparks of Religious Fear but notwithstanding the stings of Conscience continue in the practice of Sin. The charming Lust so long indulg'd is imperious and peremptory and till Omnipotent Grace unbinds the Charm they are never releas'd from the circle of confessing their Sins when their Desires are sated and committing them with new Heat and Rapture upon the returning Temptation Though Convictions be heightned into Resolutions the next Temptation hinders the Effect They rescind their solemn and sacred Engagements perfidiously break double Chains the Law of God with their own Vows grieve his Spirit and wound their own from hence 't is evident that such Sins are properly Mens own 2. That Lust to which others are subservient has the supremacy in the Heart In all the Dominions of Satan there is some special Lust that is his Viceroy and keeps possession for him There is an Order in the Kingdom of Darkness one Sin wants the assistance and countenance of another sometimes to disguise and palliate it or for the doing it The reigning Sin has as it were its Court and Council its Guard and Attendants To illustrate this by its contrary 't is observable there is a concatenation of Vertues and the superior Vertue is assisted by other Vertues in its Exercise as Justice in dispensing what is due to others is assisted by Fortitude and Temperance which regulate Fear and Desire that often hinder its most noble Exercise and the Actions immediately flowing from Courage or Temperance are ascribed to Justice to which they are subservient for the End and Intention constitutes the Kinds in the ranks of moral Things either Vertues or Vices 'T is the Observation of the Philosopher that one who does an Act of Robbery that he may have Mony to corrupt a Woman is not so much Covetous as Incontinent Joseph's Brethren sold him into Egypt dipt his Garment in Blood to deceive their Father and thereby contracted a Crimson Guilt but Cruelty and Hypocrisy were subordinate to their Envy They hated him because
Truth Vices and Vertues Errors are inconsistent and irreconcileable and at War among themselves but Truth has an universal Consent and mutual Dependance in all its parts there is no Contrariety between natural and supernatural Verities Vices are sometimes so contrary in their Ends and Exercise that they fall foul upon one another that none can be so universally wicked as to commit all Sins but if he be addicted to one must forsake the other But there is a Connexion between the Graces of the Holy Spirit tho different in their Objects and Natures yet they have the same Tendency the Glory of God and our own Salvation and are united in the Subject There is but one way to Heaven as there can be but one straight way to a place but there are innumerable Deviations from it as many crooked ways to Hell as there are sinful Lusts that bring Men thither The Prophet tells us All we like Sheep have gone astray every one in his own way There are many By-paths that lead to Destruction We must also observe to prevent Mistakes there may be a forsaking of a particular Sin that has been delightful and predominant without Sincerity towards God for another Lust may have got possession of the Heart and take the Throne There is an alternate Succession of Appetites in the corrupt Nature according to the Change of Mens Tempers or Interests in the World. As Seeds sown in that order in a Garden that 't is always full of the Fruits in Season so original Sin that is sown in our Nature is productive of divers Lusts some in the Spring others in the Summer of our Age some in the Autumn others in the Winter Sensual Lusts flourish in Youth but when mature Age has cool'd these Desires Worldly Lusts succeed In old Age there is no relish of Sensuality but Covetousness reigns imperiously And as the Conditions and Interests of Men alter so their Affections change they are not constant to their Bosom-Sins Now he that expels one Sin and entertains another continues in a State of Sin 't is but exchanging of one Familiar for another or to borrow the Prophet's Expression 'T is as if one should fly from a Lion and meet with a Bear that will as certainly devour him 2. The forsaking our respective Sin is the inseparable Effect of Uprightness It has been proved before that if the Heart be divided between Obedience to the Divine Law and Inclination to any Sin 't is false to God. Repenting Ephraim said What have I to do any more with Idols an Expression of vehement detestation Idolatry had been the reigning Sin of that Tribe and therefore the renouncing of Idols was a clear convincing Sign of their sound Conversion It is impossible that sincere Love to God and the habitual allowance of a known Sin should be in the same Heart as for the Ark of God and the Idol of the Philistins to be plac'd on the same Altar Uprightness is consistent with Frailties but not with chosen Lusts. As Loyalty to the Prince is consistent with some Actions contravening his Laws that proceed from Ignorance or Surprize But Loyalty is inconsistent with Rebellion that is open Treason or with treasonable Designs that are secret Rebellion So any Sin that Men presumptuously live in or consent to in their Hearts is absolutely inconsistent with Uprightness 2. Let us be excited to keep our selves with all Diligence from our Iniquity This is the Master-piece of Mortification the noble effect of renewing Grace and very difficult to the corrupt Nature To enforce this Duty I will propound those Motives and Means as are very conducing for our performance of it The Motives are 1. Habitual indulged Lusts are irreconcileable with the state of Grace they render the Sinner till forsaken uncapable of God's pardoning Mercy here and the heavenly Glory hereafter The Gospel is a gracious Act of Oblivion for the restoring of Rebellious Sinners to the Favour of God but the Pardon is obtained upon Conditions that are indespensable Mercy is assured to penitent Believers for all their Sins of Ignorance and those Frailties that are the Causes of their daily Sorrow and Watchfulness and for all presumptuous Sins retracted by Repentance but the Saviour of the World excludes the impenitent and unreform'd from Mercy unless ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Now when Repentance is sound and solemn the Spirit is deeply wounded for that Sin whereby God has been most dishonoured and his Law violated The remembrance of it opens a full stream of Tears excits a holy Hatred and according to the degrees of Sorrow and Revenge there will be care to preserve our selves from that Sin. The Psalmist saith Blessed is the Man to whom the Lord imputes no Iniquity in whose Spirit there is no Guile implying that one reserved Lust which is a certain Argument of Deceit in the fairest Professors of Religion is a Bar against the Pardon of our Sins The Tenor of the unchangeable Covenant of Grace is I will write my Laws in their Hearts and I will be merciful to their Unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more God promises to reconcile their Affections to his Commands The Law may be written in the Mind and Memory of an unsanctified Person for the Ideas of the most repugnant things are consistent in those Faculties but the Heart is not capable of contrary Objects the Love of God's Law expels the predominant Love of Sin. Now since the Promise of Pardon is in Conjunction with inward Sanctification which implies an universal Aversion from Sin 't is evident that indulged habitual Lusts are not capable of Pardon whatever quality the Sin be of whether of Omission or Commission the allowance makes it destructive to Sinners As from what Corner soever a blasting Wind comes whether from the East or the North it destroys the Fruits If but one selected Sin remains in the Affections and Practice it contracts the Malignity of all the rest and will prove deadly to the Soul. 'T is not a presumptuous reliance on the Merits of Christ will save Men with their Sins The Atonement made to Divine Justice by the precious Sacrifice of the Lamb of God was never designed for the reconciling God to those who with depraved Obstinacy continue in their Sins 't is utterly inconsistent with the Divine Wisdom Holiness Justice and Truth to appoint a Sacrifice for the Expiation of final Impenitency Such out-sin the Death of Christ I will not say as to its infinite Merit but as to the Application and intended Benefit of it The Value of his Death to abolish the Guilt and the Vertue of it to mortify the Power of Sin are inseparable The precicious Balm has a fragrant Smell that revives the Spirits but without applying its Substance to the Wound the Scent will not heal it The Soul must feel the Power of Christ's Sufferings to kill our Sins otherwise the pleasing belief of his Righteousness
step to final Impenitence that is unpardonable Who can tell the degrees of Danger in continuing in Sin a day How many have been cut off in their early Sins and lost their Time and Hopes and Souls for ever But that which more specially belongs to the present Matter is this by the neglect of speedy Repentance Sin is more difficultly retracted By continuance in Sin the Heart is more unwilling and unable to mortify it The Habits of the Mind differ from the Habits of the Body these wear out by continuance the others are more firm and powerful they are second Inclinations and as violent as the first that are deeply set in corrupt Nature The healing a fresh Wound is much more easy than an inveterate Ulcer the healing the Soul and renewing it by Repentance is much more easy and safe presently after the wounding it by Sin then after continuance under the power and infection of Sin. A deep Heart-breaking Sorrow will prevent relapses into Sin. When Conscience represents our Sin in its killing Circumstances as committed against the knowledg of the Divine Law and our Vows of Obedience against the tender Mercies and dreadful Justice of God that for the low and despicable satisfaction of the sensual part we have made our selves unholy and unhappy from hence the Soul is struck with a Sorrow so pungent that the love of Pleasure is mortified and the sweetest Sin is imbitter'd The remembrance of that perplexing anguish will heighten the aversation and resolution against Sin The Soul will fly with horror the occasions of offending God and recoil at the first glance of that Sin that cost it so dear and which if entertain'd will renew its Agonies As one that narrowly escapes from being consum'd by Fire retains so strong an impression of the Terror that makes him always circumspect to avoid the like danger David's broken Bones made him understand what a fearful Sin Adultery was and cautious ever after But a slight Confession a superficial Sorrow a few sad Thoughts and Tears are soon forgot when the Sinner presumes by a slight Repentance to obtain Reconciliation with God he is ready to answer the next Temptation and return to Folly. 5. Fervent and constant Prayer for the renewing Grace of God is indispensably necessary to preserve us from our Sins 'T is by the Spirit of Holiness that we mortify the Deeds of the Body that we put off the old Man and put on the new Sanctifying Grace introduces a new Nature the Prolifick and Productive Principle of a new Life it turns the current of the Affections from Sin to Holiness This is as astonishing as the miraculous motion of the Shadow upon Ahaz Dial that went ten degrees backward Unregenerate Morality may lop the Branches restrain from the gross Acts but sanctifying Grace strikes at the root of Sin the inward Affection There are some Medicines that will stop the fits of the falling-Sickness for a time but not expelling the Cause the Disease invades Nature again So moral Counsels and Politick Respects may stop the breaking forth of the Lusts of the Flesh but the inward Affection of Sin remaining will make us apt to fall by the Commission of it Sanctifying Grace makes an inward universal Change in the Soul he that was unclean in his Thoughts and Desires by the transforming Power of the Spirit loves Pureness of Heart delights in it and has a fixed Hatred against any thing that defiles the Soul that cleaves to the Dust and pursues the acquisition of Earthly Things as his Treasure being refined and elevated by Grace seeks the things above with vigorous Enedavours In this the Diseases of the Body differ from those of the Mind the first notwithstanding the most earnest desire of Cures may be incurable the other when the Desires are sincere of spiritual Healing are in the happy way of Cure for vicious Affections are the Diseases of the Soul. This Change of the Affections the Effect of supernatural Grace is obtain'd by fervent Prayer Our Saviour assures us that our Heavenly Father will freely and abundantly give the holy Spirit to those who ask it with such ardent Affections as flow from their feeling sense of the want of his Influences In humble Prayer we acknowledg our Unworthiness our Weakness our absolute necessity of Divine Grace to mortify our Lusts in believing Prayer we glorify his Mercy and his Omniporence that he is both willing and powerful to make us victorious over our worst Enemies The Prayer of Jehosaphat when invaded by a vast Army conspiring the Destruction of his Kingdom is a Copy to be transcribed by us O our God we have no Might against this great Company that comes against us neither know we what to do but our Eyes are upon thee Thus Satan the World and the Flesh are combin'd in warring against the Soul and we are utterly unable to resist them we must therefore address our selves to the God of all Grace to strengthen our inward Man. And since some Lusts have such strong Possession that like that stubborn sort of Spirits mention'd in the Gospel they cannot be expell'd but by Fasting and Prayer we must with the most zealous Devotion Prayer joyn'd with Fasting implore Grace to subdue them Prayer must be continual if we intermit this recourse to Heaven we shall presently find our selves like Sampson when his Hair was shav'd weak like other Men. Grace in the Saints is not like Light in the Sun that springs from it self but like the Light of a Lamp that is constantly fed with Supplies of Oil otherwise the weak Light will faint and dye Inherent Grace is maintain'd by the continual Emanations from the holy Spirit Nay the Habits of Grace are drawn forth into Act and vigorous Exercise by supervenient exciting Grace without which they would be ineffective and useless As there cannot be actual Sight unless the Light in the Eye be irradiated by Light of the Air So without special assisting Grace we cannot do any Spiritual Good nor avoid Evil we shall be foil'd by every Temptation even the best will leave God and provoke God to leave them Our Saviour therefore enjoyns his Disciples the double Duty Watch and pray lest ye enter into Temptation David with his severe Resolutions to be circumspect joyn'd his fervent Requests to God I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my Tongue I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle while the wicked is before me Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the door of my Lips. His special Guidance is necessary to regulate our Tongues that we neither offend God nor justly provoke Men. Lastly Faith in the Redeemer is a Soveraign effectual Means for the mortifying Sin. The Son of God incarnate is the Fountain of inherent as well as imputed Righteousness Grace and Glory are conveyed to us by the Hands of the Mediator The Supernatual Power to do Good and vanquish Evil is