not a competent measure of knowledge of the necessary principles and duties of Religion and of the nature of the Graces of the Spirit Is not this the sin of many among us And as to the profane loose debauched person that goes on in his wicked course of Drunkenness Uncleanness Swearing Sabbath-breaking and keeping wretched company his own peculiar reigning sin is carnal Security and Presumption and that either presuming on the mercy of God and Merits of Christ in general without Faith applying laying hold of and resting upon the Grace of God and Merit of Christ and without Repentance and turning from Sin to God thereby evidencing the truth of their Faith Mens blessing themselves and saying in their Hearts they shall have Peace tho' they walk in the Imagination of their own Heart and add Drunkenness to Thirst Deut. 29.19 Or else presuming and promising themselves that they can and will Believe and Repent hereafter before they dye Are not these O thou profane sinner thy beloved reigning sins which will prove damning ones unless thou be delivered and inabled to keep from them The meerly civil or morally just and honest person in his dealings with Men he that is free from Debauchery and open acts of Profaneness and is just yea it may be Charitable also a good Common-wealths-man a good Neighbour these are all highly commendable Qualifications yea necessary duties inseparable from true Faith and Repentance and signs of true conversion when proceeding from and accompanied with those Graces and Love to and Fear of God and Heart and Life-Holiness But yet Men may be civilly just charitable useful in their places and be still in an unconverted state Now the special beloved reigning sins of such as these are resting in these as their justifying righteousness being ready to say as the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 12. I am not as other men are c. and taking up with these instead of true conversion and a saving work of Grace without Faith Repentance Love to God and New Obedience and keeping up Communion with God in the Duties of Religion See whether these be not your Iniquities and Reigning sins and if they have been or be Pray Believe and endeavour to be delivered and kept from them And as to the formal Professor he may not only be Civil but also much in Duties of Religion make an high Profession be a Baptized person Hear Read Pray perform Family and Secret Duties receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper join in full Communion with the True and Best Reformed Churches of Christ and yet be in an Unconverted state Now the reigning sin of such persons which is their Iniquity is resting in a form of Godliness without the power and practice of it suitable to their profession separating duties of Piety from duties of Justice and Charity performing some first table duties but neglecting those of the second Table which God has joined and which in conjunction the Grace of God in the Gospel doth teach and require Tit. 2.11 12. Is this the sin of none of you If it be a beloved reigning sin in you it will ruin you as surely as open profaneness and the neglect of the duties of Piety Pray and Believe that you may be delivered and kept from this being your Iniquity And as to the close Hypocrite who may deceive himself as well as others who may have much Knowledge great Gifts in Prayer and speaking of the things of God yea if a Minister in preaching opening and confirming the Truth and confuting Error and may have experienced all the common works of the Spirit such as Illumination Convictions legal Terrors and legal Humiliation partial Reformation and flashy stony-ground Affections a person having all these may yet be in an Unconverted state Now the special reigning sin of such is Pride in and Boasting of their Gifts or resting in Knowledge and Gifts without Grace taking up with the common works of the Spirit before mentioned instead of a thorough change and sound Conversion And as to persons Converted there are sins which may be called their Iniquities which tho' they are not beloved and reigning ones yet may be very prevailing in them so as that they may frequently fall into and be foiled by them and these may be considered according to their lower or higher standing in Christ whether as Young Converts and Weak Christians or as Stronger more Ancient and of longer standing in Christ As to Young Converts or Weaker Christians the sins that are like to prove their Iniquities are unsettledness and fickleness in Judgment being taken with Novelties tossed to and fro being led by Affection more than Judgment indiscreet zeal without knowledg and spiritual prudence to poize and regulate it Suffering the duties of their general and particular Calling to interfere and hinder one another scrupulousness and uncharitable censuring of others pride of duties gifts inlargements and trusting in them too much And in Weak Doubting Christians indulging doubts and fears listening to Satan entertaining hard thoughts of God refusing the comforts the Word of God holds forth Are none of these your prevailing Corruptions tho' not your beloved ones but if they be prevailing ones they are very Dishonourable to God uncomfortable and prejudicial both to your selves and others Pray you may be kept and endeavour to keep your selves from them And as to Stronger and more Ancient Christrians the sins that they are in danger to be beset with as their peculiar sins are too much rigidness towards young beginners expecting too much from them as much Knowledge and Prudence as they themselves or other Ancient Christians have not bearing with their Infirmities want of Pity and Compassion towards such as are under Doubts and Fears which may provoke God to cause even strong Christians some time or other to feel them that they may learn more to pity such weak doubting tempted deserted but good Souls for ever after Again another special sin of Stronger Christians or those that think themselves so is using or indeed abusing Christian Liberty by going to the utmost extent of it to the offence of others grieving some and wounding the Consciences of others occasioning them to sin by their example not caring if they do but satisfie themselves how much others may be dissatisfied grieved offended and damaged Yea Worldliness is an iniquity that is very apt to seize and grow upon Ancient Professors as also Spiritual Sloth and Slumber Deadness of Affections Dulness and Drowsiness of Soul in Holy Duties decays of Grace loss of First Love and of former Zeal and Tenderness You stronger and more ancient Christians search whether some or other of these be not your Iniquities which tho' they be not allow'd or reigning sins yet oft and very far prevail over you IX Those Sins which may properly be called Mens own Iniquities may oft be found in or about the Duties they should or do perform In regard either of the Omissions of Duties and Ordinances or Carelesness in
add because if Conscience be erroneous and misinformed or a scrupulous Conscience that charges that to be a sin which is not or if it give a false testimony as to matter of fact as in the case of doubting desponding Souls or those under clouds of Melancholy Conscience may often accuse them falsly and its Judgment then cannot safely be depended on But if it be rightly informed as to the thing being a sin and true in its testimony that thou art greatly guilty of it and that it is thy special iniquity it is what thou should'st take great notice of And especially Conscience is to be attended to in its accusations of thee as to what is more peculiarly thy iniquity at some special seasons such as these 1. That is thy iniquity at least too prevalent in thee which Conscience rightly and truly most accuseth thee of and checks thee for when thou sirest under the Ministry of the Word which Conscience points thee to when sin in general is spoken against when it turns the edge of reproofs precepts threatnings against thy particular sins and saith thou art the man that these reproofs and threatnings belong to tho' the Minister thought not of thee nor knew any special concern thou had in them 2. That is like to be thy special sin which Conscience truly charges thee with in the day of adversity when under some great affliction in thy Body Name Estate Liberty Relations when on a sick Bed or in some eminent danger observe the Voice of Conscience at such seasons when it saith this affliction loss cross is for such a sin for thy sinning against or with or not improving of such a Mercy that which at such a time most startles and affrights thy Soul comes first or fixes most upon thy Thoughts that is like to be thy special sin which thou should'st be more deeply humbled for and by Faith in Christ Prayer and Watchfulness keep thy self from so in time of Sickness that which is most set home upon thee by Conscience and thou hast most thoughts of reforming and takest up purposes and resolutions most against it that looks very like the sin thou hast been peculiarly defiled by for tho' Conscience may be lulled asleep in time of Prosperity Ease and Health yet usually in times of Affliction it will speak out and if it do it is to be heedfully attended to 3. That is like to be thy iniquity which Conscience charges thee with when either thou apprehendest thy self near to Death or when at any time thou art most serious in the Thoughts of Death and Judgment either particular at Death or general at the Resurrection That sin which the thoughts of makes thee most unwilling to dye and afraid to look Death in the Face and make the thoughts of the day of Judgment most dreadful so that thou tremblest to think of appearing at the Tribunal and Judgment-Seat of God when Conscience says how canst thou think of Dying and of appearing before the Judgment-Seat of Christ whilst thou continuest in or art so frequently foiled by such or such a sin those sins are if not beloved Lusts yet at least Tyrannizing Corruptions in thee 4. Another season wherein thou should'st peculiarly attend to the Voice of Conscience in order to finding out what is thine iniquity is when thou settest upon the duty of Self-examination Prayer or receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper That sin which Conscience upbraids thee with so that thou dost or art ready to question the truth of the Work of Grace on thy Heart which blots and blurs thy Evidences of Grace so that thou canst not read them and hinders thy boldness at the Throne of Grace or is ready to prove an Objection against thy coming to the Table of the Lord surely that is thy iniquity if not a beloved Lust yet a prevailing corruption which thou are too easily and too often foiled by When thou settest thy self to the duty of Examination before a Sacrament or on any other occasion what sin is that which Conscience casts as a block in thy way as a flaw in thy evidences so that when thou findest something in thee that gives thee some hopes that there is a Work of Grace in thy Heart then Conscience flies in thy Face and saith how can'st thou judge thou hast true Grace when there is still so much Pride Hypocrisie Passion Worldliness Lust so much Deadness and Formality in Duties and thou art so often foiled by some of these Corruptions So when thou goest to set upon the Duty of Prayer what sin is that which hinders thy boldness at the Throne of Grace concerning which Conscience is ready to say to thee how can'st thou go to God as thy Father when thou expressest such an Unichild-like-carriage towards God so that sin which makes thee afraid to go to the Sacrament and Conscience stands in thy way and says how darest thou approach to God in that high Ordinance while thou art so often foiled by such or such a corruption that is thine iniquity which at least too much prevails over thee if Conscience do truly charge thee with it Indeed Conscience may go too far in such a charge especially in a weak doubting tempted Soul when it argues the total want of a Work of Saving Grace because the Soul is frequently overtaken by these corruptions and charges these sins on the Soul as reigning which are really in it but tyrannizing corruptions but tho' if they be bewailed prayed believed watched and striven against and when committed repented of they are not reigning sins and the Soul ought not to conclude it self destitute of Saving Grace yet you may and ought to hearken to the Voice of Conscience charging you with them and may conclude that such sins are your special sins which you are most in danger of being defiled by and therefore it is your duty to use the greatest care and diligence to keep your selves from them IV. That is very probably thy iniquity as which thy best friends most tell thee of so which thy worst Enemies do most upbraid thee with and do most frequently and bitterly charge upon thee provided the charge be true as to matter of fact for otherwise the Devil and Wicked Men do oft charge the people of God with predominant Hypocrisie and many other sins concerning which through the Grace of God they can say as Psal 35.11 They lay to my charge things that I knew not but if the charge be true as to matter of fact that thou art really and especially if thou be frequently guilty of the sin that thy Enemies accuse thee of and do often cast in thy dish tho' it may not be a reigning sin yet it is thy iniquity 1. That sin which the Devil that great Enemy and Accuser of the Brethren doth truly charge thee with in the hour of temptation upon account of which he would prove thee to be an Hypocrite and cause thee to call in question thy
keep your selves from Believe Pray and Watch against those sins that you find your Hearts most strongly inclined to and you are most frequently overcome by All therefore that I shall further do shall be to lay down some Motives to stir you up to and some directions to help and guide you in the performance of this duty of keeping your selves from your Iniquity Motives 1. Consider This thy iniquity if it be a reigning sin it is at present and till thou be convinced of the evil of it and made willing to part with it to have it Killed and Crucified is like to be the great bar and hindrance of thy sound Conversion this is the stumbling-block of your iniquity that which breaks the match between your Souls and Christ and will hinder your profiting by the Word Prayer or any other Duty and Ordinance If there be in thee any darling Delilah Lust that thou layest in thy Bosom it will hinder thee from closing with Christ till God break the League between thee and it And when ever the Spirit of God works upon the Heart of a Sinner in order to sound Conversion he sets home this sin upon the Conscience and that to purpose and lets the Soul see the peculiar odious nature of it God lays Gall and Wormwood on this pleasing breast to wean the Heart from ever tampering with it allowedly and deliberately more and when once the Heart is brought to be willing to part with this sin and to have it Crucified it will be an Evidence that a good work is begun yea in some good degree carried on in the Soul But so long as any beloved Lust reigns in thee thou art far from Conversion and consequently from Salvation for this is the Arch-Rebel against Christ which must be brought down and slain before the face of Christ if ever thou be converted here or saved hereafter II. Oh keep your selves from your iniquity for consider if it be a reigning sin this iniquity of all others will be a Worm at the Root of your Profession of all your Gifts Duties and Performances and Eat out the Heart of them will hinder you from all truly Sanctifying and Saving Profit by them tho' you by means of your Knowledge and professed Experience and outwardly blameless Conversation be duly admitted to Ordinances on the Ministers part yet it will hinder you from all Real Spiritual Communion with God in them and true Scriptural Comfort from them Know it whatever Profession of Religion you make tho' never so high whatever Gifts you are indowed with or Duties you may perform could you if a Minister Preach never so well if a private Christian Pray most inlargedly and to appearance most Affectionately Confer and Speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels yet if there be any beloved Lust that you are not willing to forsake and have mortified you will be but as sounding Brass and a Tinkling Cymbal this sin as was said before will be a Worm at the root of all you do in Religion it will be a flaw in your Profession and in what you look upon as an Evidence of Grace Judas could Preach Pray and work Miracles no less than the other Apostles but Covetousness was his beloved Lust this lay at the bottom and spoiled all so that he lost all his Labour yea his Life and Soul into the sad Bargain and so wilt thou O Soul if either Covetousness Uncleanness Drunkenness Pride Injustice or any other sin whatsoever be beloved by thee or rule in thee These thy iniquities will choak the Good Seed of the Word and render it unfruitful so that it will bring no fruit to perfection they will set on thee in Prayer and render all thy Prayers ineffectual Oh let this consideration excite you to endeavour to your utmost to keep your selves from your iniquity from harbouring any beloved Lust as you would get good by any Duty or Ordinance of God Yea and you who are Believers and Upright in the main let this consideration excite and prevail with you to put forth your most vigorous endeavours to keep your selves from your iniquities which tho' not beloved Lusts yet are too prevailing Corruptions in you even these tho' they may be lesser sins comparatively and not so open and scandalous viz. too much Worldliness Pride Passion neglect of some Duties or Formality in those you do perform even Drowsiness Wandrings in Duty inward workings of Corruption if you are often foiled by them tho' if you Repent of them and strive against them they are not flaws in your Titles yet they will be blots and blurs in your Evidences that you will have much to do to read them they will much hinder and interrupt your Communion with God in Holy Duties and the settled Peace and Comfort of your Souls they will hinder you from getting that good by Ordinances the Word Prayer Sacraments and Communion of Saints that you might do they will hinder your boldness at the Throne of Grace and cause you to drive heavily in Heavens-way therefore Christians as you would keep your Evidences clear have Communion with God and profit by Duties keep your selves from your Iniquities your too frequently prevailing Corruptions III. To stir you up to keep your selves from your Iniquity from harbouring any one indulged beloved reigning sin consider that this your beloved Lust is very likely to prove a Root of Apostasie to you it is this that causes so many Professors to prove Apostates at last Any one reigning sin is like a Leak in a Ship which if it be not stopt or the Water pumped out will certainly at last sink the Ship so will any one sin whatsoever that is not Repented of and Mortified but indulged this will indanger your falling off and falling away after your most specious profession and performances this is the stumbling-block of your iniquity either your Religion will cause you to leave your beloved Lusts or they will be likely to make you leave your Religion and Duties when your Lusts and these come in competition Judas held on a great way and for a considerable time with the rest of the Apostles but at last his Covetousness which was his beloved Lust betrayed him and caused him to betray his and our Lord and Master Therefore keep your selves from your Iniquities lest you prove Judas's And you that are Upright in the main keep your selves from your too much and too frequently prevailing Corruptions for these tho' through Grace they shall not cause total Apostasie yet they may cause and you are in danger by them to be brought into great decays of Grace IV. Keep your selves from your Iniquity your beloved reigning sin or sins you that are yet in your Unconverted state keep your selves from your most pleasing and profitable sins for these are the sins which if not Repented of will most torment your Souls in Hell for ever The Worm of Conscience will most gnaw upon your Souls to all Eternity in the
and the different seats wherein Mens special sins are to be sought after of which I shall speak more afterwards There may be several prevailing Diseases at the same time in the Body as Fever Dropsie Stone c. so there may be several beloved Lusts at the same time Reigning in the Heart and breaking forth in the Life As for instance wantonness in one fierce passions or rash anger in another may be their iniquity in regard of their natural Constitution and then Pride if the person be prosperous or Envy and Discontent Cosetousness Over-reaching Over-doing in the World so as to hinder himself in the publick private or secret Duties of Religion c. if the person be mean and low may be at the same time his iniquity in regard of his Condition and Calling in the World So that tho' some particular sin may be most predominant yet thou may'st have many reigning and beloved lusts which if ever thou wouldst attain to evidence of sincerity thou must abandon and vigorously endeavour to keep clear from even all of them Prop. VII Tho' there is a pronesnes and inclination in all Men even in the Regenerate as well as Unregenerate to some sins more than to others which may be properly called their special sins yet there is a great deal of difference in those that may be called Mens own Iniquiries between them as they are in the Godly and in the Ungodly and therefore you must distinguish between a beloved Lust a Dalilah a Darling-Bosom-Sin fully consented to and a prevailing Tyrannizing Corruption which a person may more easily and frequently be foiled by Both may be called their peculiar Iniquities as those they do most frequently fall into yet in the Unregenerate it is a beloved Lust in the Regenerate it is tho' a Prevailing yet but a Tyrannizing Corruption and a continual Grief and Burden to him Thus those sins that proceed much from the natural constitution and other such like Causes of which I shall speak more afterwards tho' they are beloved Lusts in the Ungodly they may in the Godly be Infirmities such as Unruly Passions and the like yet they are oftentimes fixed and continued Infirmities that theymay not get rid of while they live and are usually more than meer Infirmities they are mixt have too much of the Will in them and do proceed much from want of Watchfulness and the Exercise of Grace but are not beloved Lusts the bent of the Heart the Believers Prayers Desires and Endeavours are in some good measure set against them This distinction should be heeded that Men may not pass a wrong Judgment on their Spiritual State So that neither the Ungodly count their Sins only Infirmities or Tyrannizing Corruptions when they are really Presumptuous Sins Beloved Lusts nor on the other hand the truly Godly conclude a total want of Grace because they feel the stirrings of yea the prevalence of Tyrannizing Corruptions It is a certain Truth Grace cannot consist with an intirely heartily beloved Lust yet it is as true that it may consist with very strong Inclinations to some particular sins which may often prevail over them so as to fall into them especially as to the inward workings of Corruptions as unruly Passions Anger Wrath Frowardness c. tho' more seldom into the outward acts of gross sins the sensual Appetite even of a Godly Person may be tickled and at present pleased with some sin he is particularly inclined to yet it is not a beloved Lust if as soon as he doth discover it and the present heat of the Temptation is over he mourns over it Watches Prays Believes and with his most diligent endeavours strives against it and doth not make Provision for it Thus Pride Passion Cowardly Unbelieving fears or Distrust may be a Godly Man's special sins and yet not his beloved Lusts Thus I have dispatched the first General Head in seven Propositions for the better understanding of the Doctrine II. The next General Head I propounded to speak to is What things are the rise and seat of Mens special sins where they are to be sought so as to be found out in order to the casting of them out and then keeping from them 1. Those sins which may properly be called Mens own Iniquities are to be sought for in the natural Constitutions and Tempers of their Bodies Those sins which are beloved ones in the Unregenerate and too often Tyrannizing ones in the Godly do much proceed from the natural Temper and Constitution for these do much incline Men to some particular sins more than to others For tho' no Bodily Constitution be in it self sinful but all sin doth originally rise in and proceed from the Heart Mat. 15.19 yet the Body has an influence upon the Soul and the Natural Constitution is sadly improved and abused oftentimes by Corruption within to carry the Man out to some particular sins and these prove reigning sins in the Wicked and very often such prevailing tyrannizing sins in those that are true Saints at bottom that they often fall into and are foiled by them and are never quite rid of them till they lay down the Body of Sin and Death they carry about them As for Instance Those that are of a Sanguine Constitution in whom Blood is predominant are Hot and Moist the sins such are most inclined to are Vanity and Levity an Airiness of Spirit Pride of Beauty or Apparel affecting excessive Mirth and Jollity Sensuality Riot Intemperance loving Jovial Company whereby they lye very open and are easily drawn to Gluttony Drunkenness Gaming Revelling Wantonness and Unclean and Fleshly Lusts search whether your natural Temper doth not peculiarly incline you to some or other of these sins and if you find it doth it is your Duty in a peculiar manner to Watch Pray and Believe against them peculiarly as ever you would prove the uprightness of your Hearts Those that are of that Constitution in which Phlegm is predominant which is Cold and Moist the sins such are most prone to are Sloth Idleness love of Sleep Drowsiness Dulness and Heaviness at all times especially at times of Worship and in Duties of Religion unwillingness to Work carelesness in Business Forgetfulness Indisposedness to Learn and that which is too often consequent to these sins Lying to excuse the faults that by their Laziness and Carelessness they have been guilty of and these are often the sins of Children and Servants Oh search whether these or some of them be not the sins that your Natural temper leads you to and if they be make Conscience of specially keeping your selves from these Again those that are of a Cholerick Constitution in whom Choler that answers to Fire prevails which is not and dry The sins this temper doth more especially incline Men to are Headiness Rashness in undertaking Violence Fierceness of Spirit Anger Wrath continual Brawling striking Quarrels Contentions Law-suits being uneasie both with themselves and others they converse with O search whether
these be not some of them thy special sins if thou findest that Choler have the predominancy in thy Constitution Those that are of a Melancholick temper which is cold and dry of the temper of the Earth the sins such are very much inclined to are sadness of Spirit affecting solitude moroseness fancifulness musings that they can give no account of needless fears jealousies and suspicions of all persons and things as designing or designed against them evil surmises discontent malice revenge ambition and covetousness through fears that they shall come to want and many times sad and black suggestions against God and themselves and motions to Blasphemy Atheism Despair Now search whether your Natural temper doth not incline you to some of these sins and fortifie against them that they prove not your iniquities either indulged and reigning sins or prevailing and tyrannizing corruptions 2. A second place or seat where men should seek for and may probably find their special sins is the particular Callings and Imployments they are of in the World A man's special sin may lye in his management of his Worldly Calling tho' he may not be apparently chargeable with sins of Temper or Constitution There is no Calling even the lawfullest but has its snares and temptations to some particular sins no Mystery of men's Trades but has some Mystery of Iniquity it lies open to if God do not by his special powerful Grace keep men and enable them to keep themselves from it If one be a person of Learning Parts Gifts a Scholar yea a Minister the sins such an one is in danger of having to be his iniquities are Pride Self-conceit despising of others curiosity prying into the Divine Secrets conversing about unnecessary things to shew his parts affecting high Notions and high-flown Expressions being a Factour for Errours crying up Reason in things above Natural Reason or resting in the Notion of Divine Truths and meer Formality without experience and practice of Religion and the power of Godliness Such had need to see none of these be their sins and keep themselves from them If men be imployed in the Law the sins they peculiarly lye open to are patronizing Bad Causes and incouraging men in them and to go to Law thro' carelesness or treachery betraying the Causes they are intrusted in and requiring and exacting excessive Fees You that are Lawyers are none of these your sins oh keep your selves from them A Physicians sins may be so eyeing second Causes as to neglect and little to eye God the first Cause making Experiments on men's Bodies and Lives neglecting the Poor not giving them their Advice or not being so careful of them that cannot give them their Fees Art thou a Trades-man Shop-keeper Husbandman or in any Publick Office concerned about Money buying or selling or in any Trusts the sins that are most likely to be your particular reigning or prevailing sins are Extortion Oppression as that was the Publican's sin covetousness greediness of gain by unlawful means deceiving over-reaching false weights and measures putting off bad Wares instead of and at the price of good taking the advantage of the ignorance weakness or necessity of the buyers or sellers running into debt and making no Conscience of paying debts nor of promises and hargains unfaithfulness in Trusts for others or any other unjust ways of getting gain These and such like sins are in danger to be your iniquities that have great dealings in the World Search whether none of these be your special sins and pray believe and endeavour to keep your selves from them all 3. Men's special sins that may be fitly called their iniquities are to be sought for and oft are to be found in their Relations Relative sins are oft men's special sins Men and Women that may have many things very commendable in them and not be much chargeable with any considerable iniquities as to their tempers or callings and dealings in the World yet may be greatly faulty in their Relations and foil very much in the performance of Relative Duties As if a Person be a Magistrate his special sin may be timorousness cowardly fear of displeasing Men foolish pity conniving at sin and thereby incouraging it when he should be punishing of it or else partiality taking of Bribes easiness to be persuaded by Friends to do unjustly or too much rigour and severity or acting from prejudice and particular spleen and private revenge on the other hand Those who stand in the Relation of Ministers and Pastors to People the iniquities that they are most in danger of are carelesness and negligence in their Studies or Preaching Preaching seldom and only generally not particularly or plainly not pressing Truths practically and suitably to the Cases of their People Preaching to please rather than to profit People to tickle their Ears and Fancies rather than to affect their Hearts and reform their Lives to shew their own parts more than to edifie their hearers Souls affecting words more than matter and high notions or expressions above the capacity of the People neglecting personal instruction not acquainting themselves with the spiritual estate of their Flock nor watching over their Souls and Conversation so as to admonish and warn the unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak suffering the Ordinances of Christ to be defiled by promiscuous Administration of the Sacraments neglect of Scripture-discipline minding their worldly gain more than gaining Souls to Christ Covetousness and too much involving themselves in Civil and Worldly Affairs and not being affected with nor endeavouring to experience and practise the Truths they deliver to others It concerns Ministers to search whether some of these be not their special iniquities and to keep themselves from them And you Husbands tho' in many things you may be commendable yet if you do not love your Wives walk with them as Men of knowledge do not honour them as the weaker Vessels bearing with and covering their infirmities but are bitter against them that is your iniquity You that are Wives tho' you make an high profession and have many commendable things in you yet if you be imperious self-willed unquiet cannot bring your hearts and practice to that necessary tho' to the flesh unpleasing duty of reverencing your Husbands and being in subjection to them as your Heads this is your iniquity which you must as you would prove your sincerity keep from Are you Parents search whether cockering your Children indulging them in sin nor restraining sin or correcting them for it suffering them to have their wills feeding their lusts be not your iniquity hereby ruining of them both Soul and Body both here and to eternity This is an iniquity which many godly Parents have and are greatly guilty and much under the power of This was old Eli's sin and one of David's iniquities in his carriage towards Absalom Amnon and Adonijah Or is not your iniquity not bringing them up in the knowledge nurture and admonition of the Lord taking care for
those more peculiarly that are under their Charge You that are in this Age are none of these your iniquities Are you come to Old Age there are sins that beset that Age viz. Moroseness Earthly-mindedness even tho' they have one foot in the Grave suspicions peevishness expecting too much from others tho' its true a great deal be due from Inferiours to them too much imperiousness and imposing on younger Persons not being able to bear the Innocent harmless Sober and Modest freedom and chearfulness of Young Persons but expecting such should have as much gravity and as little chearfulness as Aged Persons Such of us as are arrived to Old Age search whether some of these be not our iniquities and if they be be we humbled for them and look we up to God for his Grace to inable us to keep our selves from them 6. Persons own iniquities may be the sins of the Times and Places wherein Persons live sins that Men have contracted by the Examples or Traditions of their Fathers by the power and influence of Education the company they have most conversed with Great is the power these things have to incline Men to such sins more than others and to rivet them in corrupt Principles and Practices in Doctrine Worship Manners and Conversation so that Men are very hardly brought off from them You may probably find your prevailing iniquities if you consider what are the most common sins of the Times and Places you live in When Pride Vanity Looseness Profaneness Errour Divisions are the common sins of the Times you will be in a great deal of danger to be carried down the Stream Are not your special sins such as you have been drawn into by the Examples of Great Men at least of sorne Superiours as Ministers Parents Masters The vain Conversation Men have received by Tradition from their Fathers there needs the Blood of Christ and the Power and Grace of the Spirit to redeem Men from 1 Pet. 1.18 Men are ready to say This was the Religion this the Practice of our Fathers and are we wiser or better than they So sins Men have been educated and brought up in they are apt to make their own If Persons have lived in ungodly Families where Swearing Drunkenness Uncleanness Gaming Sabbath-breaking have been ordinarily practised and reading the Scriptures Family-prayer and Instruction have been neglected when they come to have Families of their own these are like to be their reigning sins if God do not bestow upon and work in them renewing sanctifying Grace such will be ready to say My Parents or Masters I lived with did so and so and neglected these Duties and why should I be singular And so the sins of thy Companions are like to be thine If thou chusest and delightest in loose profane riotous wanton tipling company thou art like to be loose profane and wanton thy self and to be drawn into the same sins that thy companions thou out of choice and delightfully conversest with are guilty of Search therefore whether the sins of the times and places thou hast lived in the sins thou hast been led to by education example or thy companions be not the sins thou hast made properly thy own Iniquities and Pray and Labour that by Grace thou may'st be inabled to keep thy self from them VII Mens own proper sins that may be most prevailing over them may lye and be found in the undue immoderate unseasonable and uncharitable use of lawful and indifferent things as in the use of Meat Drink Apparel Sleep lawful Recreations Your reigning or prevailing Iniquity may lye in an immoderate and unseasonable use of these The use of these is lawful yea necessary yet men that cannot be charged with scandalous sins may be greatly guilty of excess in these in Meats in indulging and pleasing their Palate and Sensual Appetite in too great variety and costliness tho' not in quantity so as to neglect to feed the Hungry So in Drink there may be excesses short of Drunkenness In Apparel in its costliness gawdiness strange fashions neglecting to cloath the Naked So in indulging excessive and unseasonable Sleep And in Recreations that are in themselves lawful Men sin if they take up and devour too much of their time and strength if their Heart be set upon them wast their Estate hinder the duties of their general or particular Calling taking up the time that should be spent either in publick Worship or Family or Secret Religion such as secret Reading Prayer Meditation Self-reflection In such cases and circumstances even lawful things in themselves considered may prove Iniquities and thy reigning Iniquities So Mens special sins may lye in undue uncharitable use of things indifferent or that men account and call so thereby to grieve the Godly or draw others into sin by their example an undue use of Christian or pretended Christian Liberty to the wounding of the Consciences of weak Brethren Men may contract guilt in the use of such things when they use them uncharitably not caring if they satisfie themselves who they dissatisfie grieve or offend So uncharitable censuring of others that are satisfied to do some things that thou art not satisfied about which is often the prevailing sin of weak Christians Or on the other hand imposing on others in Religion that which they acknowledge to be indifferent and others judge not lawful for themselves at least to do despising those as weak who cannot be satisfied to do that which they do especially to make such things terms of Communion See whether none of these be your Iniquities and keep your selves from them these sins the Apostle warns against Rom. 14.1 2 3 4 c. VIII Mens special sins that may in a proper sense be stiled their Iniquities may be gathered and found out from the consideration of the different spiritual estates of persons both before and after their Conversion There are many sins that are the beloved reigning sins of Men in their Unconverted Unregenerate state and there are peculiar sins that tho' they are not beloved reigning sins yet oft prove too prevalent ones after Regeneration in the Godly according as they are younger Converts and more weak and doubting Christians or stronger and more ancient Christians Before Conversion the special reigning sins of persons may be different according as they may be differently ranked into either the Ignorant or the profane or meerly civil morally just and honest person or the formal Professor and Hypocrite The Ignorant person that continues such under the means of Knowledge and Grace his special and reigning Iniquity is wilful and affected Ignorance resting contented in it without using the means to come to Knowledge which he may enjoy and are tendred to him He will not submit to the instructions of Ministers Parents or Christian Friends and that either from Pride or resting in his good meaning thinking and saying his Heart and his Intentions are as good as any tho' the Heart cannot be good where there is
the performance of them The sins of our Holy things may prove our special sins Sins of Omission may be oft are reigning sins in the Ungodly and partial Omissions are too much prevailing Iniquities in the Godly It may be thou art not guilty of outward acts of gross sins of Impiety Injustice Intemperance but yet thou livest in the neglect of Gods publick Ordinances the Word Prayer and the Sacrament I mean resting content in such a state that thou hast neither right to nor fitness for that Holy Sealing Ordinance so living in the neglect of Family-Duties of Reading Prayer Catechizing or omitting Secret Duties these Omissions if allowed and continued in against Knowledge and Convictions they are thine yea thy reigning Iniquities And you that have true Grace your omission of Duties through carelesness tho' they be not beloved Lusts yet they are strong Corruptions in you when a little thing an ordinary business will cause you to omit Duties put you by the attending on week-day opportunities of hearing the Word when you might without prejudice order it otherways or put you by your Family or Secret Duties Yea it is your iniquity a prevailing sin in you who have a right to and fitness for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper if you suffer worldly business so to incroach upon your time and hearts that you frequently omit joyning in that Ordinance in and with that Christian Church-Society you are Members of Nay if you not constantly do it unless providence plainly hinder Are you guilty of these Omissions if you are they are your special sins be humbled for and endeavour to reform them And as the omission of Duties and Ordinances to the slighty careless performance may be your iniquity Thus going unpreparedly unto Duties rushing upon them without endeavouring to bring the heart into an holy spiritual frame especially going to the Lord's Table without examination and excitation of Grace deadness and not acting of Grace in Duties drowsiness of heart yea drowsiness of body if thou dost not endeavour to the utmost against it Indeed if thou dost thus strive against bodily heaviness and sleepiness and if thou dost not bring it on thy self by eating or drinking or sitting up too late or the like it is thy meer natural infirmity and upon thy Faith Repentance and Prayer God will not impute it as sin to thee but for the sake of Christ will pardon it So vain wandring worldly distracting thoughts in Duty if thou dost not endeavour to drive away these Fowls of the Air when they come upon thy Sacrifices they are thy prevailing iniquities but if thou dost by Faith Prayer and Endeavours drive them away they are but thy infirmities however not thy prevailing sins when thou grievest for and groanest under them So pride of gifts expressions and inlargements in Duties and again not following Duties and Ordinances not following the Word and Sacraments with Prayer Meditation particular Application nor following these with Watchfulness and Endeavours suitable to your Prayers and other Duties you perform Are not some of these the too frequent prevailing sins that cleave to the holy things even of you that may have Grace in truth these you must be humbled for and by Prayer and Faith seek the pardon of and endeavour by these and an holy Watch to keep your selves from X. And lastly Which concerns only the truly Godly Person 's special sins may lye in or about their very Graces namely their not endeavouring to grow in those Graces and to act and exercise them or falling into and being foiled by those sins which are directly contrary to the Graces wherein they have been most eminent Thy iniquity who hast true Grace may be thy not drawing out those Habits of Grace God hath wrought in thee into act and exercise but suffering Grace to lye asleep and unacted If God hath wrought Faith in thee thy iniquity may be that thou dost not grow strong in Faith that thou mightest so more glorifie God that thou dost not act and use thy Faith to resolve thy Doubts and repel thy Fears that thou dost not by Faith fetch supplies of Grace and Strength against corruption and temptation from that Fountain of Strength the all-sufficient Fulness of Christ Hath God given thee the Habit of the Grace of Repentance desires after love to God and Christ filial Fear Meekness c. thy chief iniquity may be that thou dost no more exercise these daily in thy life to attain to more conformity and communion with God curb thy Passions prevent rash Anger provoking Words or any sinful carriages Yea the iniquities of God's People may lye in being foiled by those sins which are directly opposite to those Graces wherein they have been most eminent For it is observable in Scripture that the sins the most eminent of Saints have been foiled by were in the defect of or in what was opposite to the Graces they were most eminent for Thus in Noah one that was a Preacher and true and eminent Practiser of Righteousness and Temperance his greatest iniquity mentioned was his being over-taken with Drunkenness once Abraham most eminent for Faith his chief iniquity recorded was through fear dissembling and not owning his Wife but saying She is my Sister Lot who vexed his Soul for Sodom's sins yet his iniquity upon record was a very heinous and complicated sin and of great affinity to theirs namely Drunkenness and committing Uncleanness with his own Daughters Jacob was a plain Man yet his greatest sin recorded was using indirect means to get the Blessing even Dissimulation and downright Lying Gen. 25 Moses the meekest Man on Earth yet the sin that shut him out of Canaan was speaking unadvisedly with his Lips Job eminent in Patience Jam. 5.11 yet how many impatient Speeches did he utter David a Man after God's own heart how tender was his Conscience 1 Sam. 24. v. 5. but where was this his tenderness when he committed the sins of Adultery and Murder Elijah eminent for his Courage confronting Ahab telling him it was he that troubled Israel and setting himself against Baal's Priests and slaying four hundred and fifty of them 1 King 18.18 22 40. yet how faint-hearted was he when out of fear and discontent he sues for Death 1 King 19.4 Peter how resolute and forward for Christ yet how cowardly sinfully and shamefully did he deny Christ And God permits this that the best of his people may learn to rely upon not the strength of their Graces received but the strength of Christ and of his Spirit and constantly to look up to and depend upon him for fresh supplies of his Grace to be derived from him by Faith Search whether your peculiar iniquities do not lye here either in the want of growth in and strengthning of your Graces or want of the exercise of them or in your falling into the sins directly opposite to those Graces of God's Spirit you have formerly been most eminent in and labour especially to keep
and peculiarly against its special sins In the Souls being heartily willing and giving a full consent to have its most beloved Lust or most prevailing tyrannizing Iniquity subdued mortified killed and crucified It is to take up a firm purpose and resolution and that in the strength of God and Christ and the Holy Spirit against its special sins it is to be active in keeping from and mortifying these prevailing corruptions and not to be meerly passive The Upright Man is not only kept from his sin but keeps himself from it As it is one thing to be humbled and another to humble ones self so it 's one thing to be kept from committing the outward acts of sin and another thing for a Man to make it his design and business to set himself against his sin to keep it at an under to Watch Pray Believe against it and for the mortification of it So the word in the Text in the Voice it is used signifies a reciprocal action a Mans acting upon and towards himself using as it were an holy violence on himself towards his strong propensions and particular iniquities I was a Preserver of my self so one Version The Syriack I took heed to my self The Arabick I will take heed or beware of mine Iniquity Men may be kept from their sins yet not keep themselves and so not be upright Men may be kept from the outward acts of their sins by force fear of Punishment from Men or of displeasing of Friends or from meer legal slavish fear of God and of Hell by present checks gnawings or terrors of Conscience by Sickness or want of what may feed their Lusts their Intemperance Uncleanness or the like as in Poverty or Age it may be In such cases Mens sins leave them they do not leave or keep themselves from their sins But then Men so keep themselves from their iniquities as to evidence that they are upright when they can say as Rom. 7.15 to the end III. A Man keeps himself from his Iniquity so as to manifest his Uprightness when if he be overtaken and foiled by his iniquity he mourns and grieves for it with true Evangelical Godly sorrow and speedily renews the actings of his Repentance and Faith and Prayers for Pardon of and Power against it not suffering guilt to lye on his Conscience or the filth and power of his sin to lye quietly in his Soul but confesseth it to God and hath his Heart stirred up to an higher degree of indignation against it This is the Duty yea and Endeavour of all that would prove their Hearts Upright before God Men may forbear the outward acts of their reigning sins for a time from carnal or meerly legal grounds and principles yet not loath them but still have a liking to them and when they do fall into them not grieve aright nor groan under them You do not in the sense of the Text keep your selves from your iniquities if upon foils by them you do not speedily repent of them confess bewail them believe and pray against them and have not your Hearts filled with greater hatred of them But he doth keep himself from his iniquity so far as to approve his uprightness who tho' he may sometimes yea too often be guilty of some acts of it yet it is the constant burden of his Soul so that he groans under it and is in bitterness of Soul for it looking on Christ as pierced by it He exercises Faith on Christ wrestles with God in Prayer and his Heart is more set against this his sin so that whereas it has been peculiarly loved and delighted in before in his unregenerate state or was more tickling of and pleasing to the unregenerate part even after Conversion he now comes to have his Heart more set upon the mortification of it so as to offer an holy violence to it This is for Men to keep themselves from their iniquities for there must be an holy violence used against these special sins for tho' the Spirit in the regenerate part be willing yet the flesh is weak yea wiful and must be kept under IV. To be upright and prove that uprightness by men's keeping themselves from their iniquities it is to watch against these sins in an especial manner and all the occasions and the very appearances of these evils and to resist the very first motions and risings of them in the heart and to use all the means God hath in his Word appointed and directed to for the mortification of them to use and improve all Duties and Ordinances the Word Sacraments Prayer Fasting joyned with Prayer and Communion of Saints yea all publick private and Secret Duties to this end This is for men to keep themselves from their iniquities he doth not do so that runs upon the occasions of sin such things as he hath found to feed his special sins he that runs into that company that he hath found drawing him into sin either drinking wantonness mis-spending of time or any other sin that he is inclined to and easily foiled by he that doth not abstain from appearance of evil 1 Thes 5.22 doth not hare the garment spotted with the flesh Jude v. 23. that doth not resist the very first motions of sin but entertains them in his thoughts suffers them to conceive and breed there He doth not keep himself from his iniquity that doth not deny himself in lawful things that are not necessary when and so far as he finds them to minister occasion to his special sins such an one doth in part fail in this duty of the Text and so far in his uprightness though in the main he be upright Yea he that doth not use the means to mortifie his sins the Word Prayer and if one that hath a right to them Sacraments and improve them for this end doth at least in degree fall short of integrity and if any wholly neglect to avoid occasions of sin or to use the means to mortifie these sins he is not upright at all but he that doth these things avoids occasions of sin and duly uses and improves the instituted means for mortifying of it is upright And these particulars may seem as Marks to try your selves by V. I proceed now in the next place to give the Reasons of the Doctrine And I. One Reason why it is the duty of every one that names the Name of Christ and the Evidence of such an one's Unprightness to keep himself from his iniquity is because it is by these sins that are men's own proper iniquities whether they be beloved reigning sins in the unregenerate or prevailing and tyrannizing corruptions in the regenerate that God is most dishonoured these are they that men take occasion from to reproach Religion especially if they be outward open acts of sin that are fallen into Now certainly it is the duty of all especially of Believers to keep themselves from that which may bring dishonour to God and therefore will it be an
Exhortation 1. That you would labour to find out what your special iniquity is whether a beloved lust a reiging sin or a too much prevailing corruption 2. That having found it out you would endeavour to cast it out and keep your selves from it I. Be exhorted to make a diligent search to find out what your proper reigning or prevailing sins are This Exhortation is rightly grounded on this Doctrine for if it be your duty to keep your selves from your iniquity then it is certainly your duty to make a diligent search into your own hearts and lives to find it out for you can never actively keep your selves from it or by faith prayer and watchfulness set against it if you do not first search it out And here all those particulars insisted on under that head in the opening the Doctrine Where you are to search for these iniquities are of great use and proper to be returned upon Look into your Constitutions Callings and all the other particulars mentioned there But because it is a matter of great concern I shall add other signs to help you in this search I am exhorting you to 1. That is thy iniquity thy special prevailing corruption yea if in an unregenerate state thy beloved reigning lust which thou dost with peculiar frequency commit and art with peculiar ease drawn into that sin which through custom is become a second nature that is this iniquity which thou must keep thy self from next to original corruption which is every mans own iniquity and the root of all other sins Sins which Men have accustomed themselves to commit are most properly their iniquities yea if not grieved for prayed believed and watched against they are their reigning sins That sin that finds the door of the heart always open to entertain it or ready to open at the first knock that sin in respect of which thy heart is like to Tinder no sooner can the spark of a temptation or an occasion fall upon thee but thy heart presently catcheth at be it Pride Passion Lust Intemperance Couzenage love of lewd loose Companions so that no sooner doth a loose Companion hold up his finger but thou presently yieldest this is thy iniquity That sin which thou can'st deny nothing to as Sampson could deny Delilah nothing but tells her all his heart tho' it was to his ruine lost him his strength his eyes and at last his life that is thy Delilah-lust that thou can'st not deny tho' it cost thee thy Estate Name Relations Life yea thy very Soul It is true a sincere Soul may be frequently foiled by inward workings of his Corruptions and may relapse into the same sin again and again and this is his iniquity his prevailing sin but that sin which thou can'st deny nothing to is more than a bare prevailing sin though that is ill enough it is a reigning sin 2. That is thine iniquity a beloved lust in the unregenerate and a prevailing corruption in the regenerate that ingrosseth thy thoughts most that thy thoughts run out upon and are most busily imployed about especially in times of retirement when thou art alone and hast most free opportunity for thinking if these thoughts be allowed indulged delight ful ones and most of all if these thought and contrivances about accomplishing the sin croud in and be entertained by thee when thou art at the Worship of God and in holy Duties so that sin which thou art thinking of when in thy Calling when alone in thy Closet or in the Night-seasons when thou wakest that sin which lieth down with thee at night and waketh with the when thou wakest in the night or morning that is usually last in thy thoughts when thou goest to sleep and first in the morning and interrupts thee most when thou art or shouldst be conversant in Duties of Divine Worship that is thy iniquity else thy thoughts would not be so much working about and towards it If they be worldly thoughts that are thus thy constant Companions Worldliness is thy Iniquity if thoughts of thy Pleasures Voluptuousness is thy Iniquity if thoughts of meeting with Tipling Gaming Wanton Companions if lustful unclean Thoughts then Intemperance and Lust is thy Iniquity if Angry Wrathful Envious Malitious Revengful Thoughts then Anger Envy Malice Revenge are thy Iniquities Yea if wandring thoughts prevail in Duties these are thy iniquities if thou dost indulge such thoughts allow delight in them and roll them in thy mind with pleasure as thou wouldst do a sweet morsel under thy tongue Such sins are thy beloved lusts and reigning sias for Christ himself hath said Matth. 16.21 Where the treasure is there the heart will be also therefore if thy allowed delightful thoughts are running upon any sin that sin is thy treasure And though sinful thoughts of any of the fore-mentioned kinds even be they but distracting thoughts if they be not allowed but grieved for and repented of are not reigning sins yet if they very frequently and powerfully carry thee down they are thy prevailing and tyrannizing corruptions which if bewail'd resisted prayed believed and watched against do not disprove thy sincerity yet they often very much hinder the evidence of it and therefore must be thy continual grief and burden and thou must especially endeavour to keep thy self from these sins as thine Iniquities 3. That is very likely to be thy iniquity which thy best Friends those that love thee most and wish thee best do most tell thee of warn thee against and reprove thee for that thou hearest oftenest from these about surely thou art more than ordinarily inclined to else thy Friends would not so often trouble thee about them And these Friends are of two sorts Friends without thee and Friends within thee 1. That sin which thy best friends without thee do most frequently tell thee and warn thee of such as faithful Ministers especially thy own Pastors Godly faithful Christian Friends Godly Relations as Yoke-fellow Parents Masters any Superiours yea or Equals what such notice in thee and do frequently admonish thee of thou may'st conclude that is thy iniquity a sin thou art much inclined to For Love covers a multitude of sins in this sense thou should'st say to thy self surely this is my iniquity else these my Friends who I am satisfied love me and wish me well would not so notice it and reprove me for it 2. Thou hast a Friend in thy Bosom Conscience this is either the best Friend next to God and Christ or if thou despisest affrontest and provokest it the worst Enemy thou canst have in all the World Would'st thou then find out thy iniquity hearken to the Voice of Conscience that is like to be thy iniquity which thy Conscience most charges upon thee and most sharply checks thee for being rightly informed by the Word of the sinfulness of that which it accuseth thee of and also giving a true testimony as to matter of fact and thy being guilty of committing such a sin This I
thy Heart and that Sin are too well acquainted that it finds too kind entertainment with thee that it dares be so bold and impudent as ordinarily to set upon thee when thou art more immediately in the presence of God in Holy Duties Satan will be sure at such seasons to stir up such Lusts in thy Heart as are pleasing and are likely to find most easie access and best entertainment as possibly Worldly and Vain Thoughts before and in Duties Drowsiness Sleepiness Deadness and Dulness of Heart and Affections I say the sins that most pester thee on Lords days or other times of either ordinary or extraordinary Duties And so the sins that set on thee after Duties after the Word Read or Heard after Prayer and Receiving the Lords Supper and after Sabbaths be it Pride Security laying down the Soul's Watch unruly Passions Worldliness c. these are thy iniquities which thou must keep thy self from beware of the Devil and the sin of thy own Heart on Monday Mornings and after Hearing Praying Fasting and Sacraments And thus I have finished this Branch of Exhortation to find out what your special reigning sins or most prevailing corruptions are and have largely laid down signs and marks whereby you may know which are they Yet before I leave it I shall endeavour to answer one Question or Case of Conscience and therein shew the difference between a beloved Lust a reigning Sin in an Unregenerate Man and a tyrannizing prevailing Corruption in a Godly Person for some doubting Christian may say I am afraid such and such sins that I am so often mastered by such as Passions inward workings of corruptions c. are reigning sins in me and inconsistent with Uprightness of Heart now how shall I know whether they be so or no Now for answer to this doubt tho' much has been spoken under the Heads already laid down yet I shall add somewhat further though but briefly I. One difference between a beloved Lust or reigning Sin that is inconsistent with Uprightness and prevailing Corruptions that yet are consistent with Uprightness is this That is a beloved Lust a reigning Sin which is indulged and that the Soul makes Provision for that a Man caters for and casts about how to provide that which may feed and maintain it Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof to gratifie and satisfie its Appetite to pamper the Flesh It is a beloved Friend that you make special provision for and cast about how you may best entertain Therefore if you set your Thoughts on work to find out a commodious way to commit such a sin to meet with loose tipling Companions or run upon the occasions of sin what you have found to be so and into that company which you have found drawing you into sin it is a sign that is a beloved Lust When sin doth not so much overtake thee as thou followest hard after and overtakest sin even lesser sins in this case may be reigning sins If thou settest thy self to Sleep at Divine Worship or thou welcomest and kindly entertainest Vain Worldly Proud Lustful or any other sinful Thoughts especially in the time of duty these are reigning sins But on the other hand tho' sinful Thoughts break in upon thee or thou dost commit some outward acts of sin if as Gal. 6.1 thou be overtaken with a fault but dost not make provision for the Flesh but endeavourest to cut off all provisions from it fliest from all occasions of it usest all means to cut Sin and the Flesh short and keep them under if Drowsiness in Holy Duties seize on thee and thou endeavourest to shake it off Vain Wandring Thoughts in Worship or any sinful Thoughts at other times impetuously break in and thou endeavourest to expel them in this case they are not beloved sins nor reigning corruptions tho' they are such prevailing corruptions as are very much thy special sins which it is thy duty to be humbled for and by Faith Prayer Watchfulness and most vigorous endeavours to keep thy self from II. Another difference between a beloved Lust a reigning Sin in the Unregenerate and Infincere and a tyrannizing Corruption in the Regenerate and Upright is this That is a reigning sin in any which is suffered to have quiet and peaceable possession in the Heart that a person is unwilling to have disquieted or himself disturbed in the committing of the sin which is not resisted that thou dost not Believe Pray and Watch against and when thou hast fallen into it dost not endeavour speedily to recover thy self out of by acts of Faith and Repentance and by earnest Prayer Endeavours and Watchfulness against it for the time to come A clean beast may fall into the Mire but gets out of it again as soon as ever it can it is a Swine that lies and loves to wallow in the Mire And thou art no better than a filthy Swine if thou lovest to wallow in the Mire of thy Lusts and not get out of it But now that is not a reigning sin in thee tho' it do too oft prevail over thee which thou grievest for mournest under and wilt not suffer to be quiet in thy Soul but resolvest it shall not ever have a quiet day no nor hour in thee If thou resistest it by the Weapons of thy Spiritual Warfare Prayest and improvest Christ against it and when thou art overtaken with it art not at rest till thou renewest thy Faith and Repentance and lookest up to Christ for strength against as well as the Pardon of it If it be thus with thee thy iniquity is not a reigning sin for he is a cleanly person who tho' he fall into the Dirt cannot rest till he get out of it and be cleansed again III. That is a beloved Lust that thou art unwilling to have discovered art deliberately angry at any person or thing that stands in thy way or would hinder thee from committing of it art angry at the Word when that meets with thy Sin But on the other hand if thou art glad to have thy sin discovered and reproved and when the Wordcomes closest to it can'st say as Psal 141.5 it is a kindness and as an excellent oil in my estimation can'st bless God for any thing that hinders thee from committing it as David 1 Sam. 25.32 33. David blessed God yea Abigail as an instrument for preventing his shedding of Blood If thou can'st bless God for Affliction when it keeps thee from sin as David again Ps 119.67 71 75. then it is no reigning sin II. A second Branch of the Exhortation bottomed on this Doctrine is That having first found out which is your special iniquity which I have largely insisted on and is the first step to keeping your selves from your iniquity then endeavour to cast it out of your Hearts and Lives You must indeed endeavour to keep your selves from every sin so as not to allow your selves in any But you must above all
remembrance of these sins By how much any sin has afforded more carnal pleasure or profit to you in the committing of it so much it will cause your greater torment in your Consciences here if they come to be awakened in time or else for ever in Hell Rev. 18.7 how much she hath lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her God will proportion and measure out your torments hereafter according to the measure of Delight you have taken in your sins or the Worldly Profit and Advantage you have got by them you who have taken pleasure in Uncleanness Drunkenness Tipling Mispending your time among Unclean Drinking Gaming Sabbath-profaning Atheistical Scoffing or any Loose Companions these and such like sins and such Companions will add to your Torments in Hell They that were Unclean Drunk and Jovially roared together here shall burn and roar together out of extremity of Torment hereafter Conscience will say to thee as Abraham in the Parable to the Rich Man Luk. 16.25 Thou in thy life-time received'st thy good things but now thou art tormented Therefore keep your selves from your Iniquity indulge and he inslaved to it no longer your formerly beloved reigning sins so as to obey them in the Lusts thereof And you that are Upright and True Believers do you keep your selves from your most prevailing tyrannizing corruptions for tho' upon your renewing your Faith and Repentance they shall not torment you in Hell yet they are like to cause the greatest Wounds and Gashes in your Consciences here V. Keep your selves from your Iniquity for consider if you do not thus but there be any beloved Lust and reigning Sin harboured in your Hearts and allowed of in your Conversations you have cause to fear that such a Lust which you will not forsake will provoke God judicially to give you up to that Lust yea to many other sins the most vile Affections to withdraw his restraining Grace and give you up to your own Hearts Lusts to the full swing of your Corruptions and this is the most dreadful judgment a person can be given up to on this side Hell Rom. 1.24 26 28. 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. Them that had pleasure in Unrighteousness God gave them up to strong delusions And you that are in the main Upright keep your selves from your Iniquities which tho' they be not beloved Lusts yet too often prevail over you and are too much connived at these may provoke God to leave you for a time to many sore and sad falls VI. Keep your selves from your iniquities from every beloved lust and reigning sin all of you who are yet unconverted and you who are converted and are Believers keep your selves from your special Sins those you are most prone too and most frequently foiled by for consider these are the sins by which God is most dishonoured by you Yea and your special Sins that are Professors yea true Believers these are the sins that the men of the World will take occasion from to reproach Religion If you are foiled by Pride or too much eagerness after the World if you be guilty but of lesser Acts of Injustice or Intemperance if you be of too airy Spirits if you be often foiled by unruly Passions rash Anger and fierce Expressions for these things wicked men will reproach your Profession and Religion it self and so greatly dishonour God they will be ready to say these are your Professors they can be Proud Covetous Airy and Passionate as well as their Neighbours and though these be not allowed sins in you but cost you strong cries and tears afterwards Yet wicked Men do not or will not see this they see your falls but they see not the inward Pangs of grief and godly sorrow you feel for these the sore conflicts and struglings you feel in secret on account of these sins after you have fallen into them and so reproach you and Religion for them counting that but a pretence and you Hipocrites which though it be their great sin so to do yet it is your great Duty to watch pray believe and strive against these sins and for the mortification of them that you may cut off such occasions of wicked Mens dishonouring God and reproaching Religion VII Another Motive which particularly concerns you who are sincere Believers and should stir you up to keep your selves from your own iniquities those which you do oftenest fall into and though not reigning sins yet are very domineering corruptions in you is this consider these your iniquities are the sins which of all other will most weaken your graces hinder the exercise of them and growth in them yea impure them and cause decays in them and these do and will most hinder your Spiritual comfort and joy in God These I say will greatly weaken the Graces of Gods Spirit in your hearts and obstruct the actings of them and your steady even walking with with God Falls you know wound and weaken persons cause sore Bruises and often haulting and lameness So frequent falls into your special sins will cause weakness in your Souls in your Graces and your Spiritual Limbs and cause you that you cannot act so steadily and vigorously in the exercise of Grace and Performance of Duties but to halt go lamely and drive heavily in the ways of God These your iniquities if you do not keep your selves from them will hinder your growth and progress in Grace and Holiness These are like Suckers in Trees that draw the Juice and Sap from the Root to themselves as falls in Childhood hinder growth often times so that such prove but dwarfs all their days So frequent falls into these your iniquities though comparatively but lesser sins yet they may cause you to prove but dwarfs in Christianity Yea these your special iniquities if you do not keep your selves from them will greatly impair Grace cause decays and great back slidings the prevailing of these corruptions will keep Grace at a great under in the Soul and these are the sins which though through Grace they shall not ruine your Souls yet they are like greatly to hinder your comfort and cause God to withdraw and hide his face these are the great make-Bates between your Souls and God do not you find and feel this by sad experience and how can it be otherwise for it is by these iniquities that you do most grieve the Spirit and while you do so how can you expect that he should seal and comfort you and not rather grieve and wound your Souls and write bitter things against you Therefore keep your selves from these your iniquities as those which are your greatest Enemies and would rob you both of Grace and Peace quickening and comfort VIII The last thing I shall mention to stir you up to keep your selves from your Iniquity whether it be a reigning sin in the Unregenerate or a tyrannizing one in the Regenerate is this consider that it is this iniquity or this kind of iniquities that will imbitter affliction
to you when you lye under it and render Death and the Thoughts of it most unwelcome yea dreadful to you It is the guilt and prevalency of this sin above all others that will put a Sting into Afflictions and into Death and the Thoughts of it This adds weight to the burden of Affliction and makes it much more insupportable than otherwise it would be when Conscience shall upbraid thee that this or that Affliction is the Punishment of such a sin that thou hast indulged and cherished in thy bosom or at least too much connived at If you keep not your selves from these your peculiar sins you will not be able to entertain your Afflictions patiently and much less will you be able to bear them chearfully as it becomes you to do Nor will you be able to bear the Thoughts of Death comfortably or indeed without dread and terror upon your Spirits while you remain under the guilt and power of these your iniquities tho' it should be only the tyrannizing and not the reigning power of them As therefore you would bear Afflictions and entertain Death and the Thoughts of it comfortably labour after this proof of your sincerity that you keep your selves from your iniquity And now having dispatched the Motives to excite you to look diligently to this great Duty and great Evidence of sincerity I proceed to close all with a few Particulars to direct you to the Ways and Means of God's appointing in his Word whereby you may be inabled through Grace to keep your selves from your iniquity Directions I. Would you keep your selves from your iniquities either your reigning sins or your too prevailing corruptions endeavour to get a deep and thorough sense and conviction of the great sin and evil of this thy special iniquity how dishonourable it hath been is and will be to God and how greatly prejudicial to thee thy Soul and Body too and labour to keep this sense upon thy Spirit all thy days so as to confess and bewail it before the Lord and to be greatly humbled for it this would be a means to keep you from it for the time to come for hereby you will come to taste the bitterness and feel the weight and burden of it Therefore keep the evil of it constantly in the Eye of your Soul that you may flee from it Keep up a sense of the evil of that sin which was your most predominant reigning sin in your Unregenerate state thus did Paul Trusting in his Legal Pharisaical Righteousness and a Persecuting Spirit were his special sins before his Conversion and what a deep humble sense had he of them after his Conversion even all his days 1 Tim. 1.13 15. Phil. 3.7 8 9. He kept far from those sins for ever after Confession and Humiliation are as it were the Souls Vomit caused by its being sick of sin now what hath made persons Heart-sick they will not easily be persuaded to feed on again tho' it may be pleasing to the Palat No more will you taste of those to the Flesh sweet morsels of sin which God by his Spirit and Grace hath made bitter to your Soul But now if the sense of sins odiousness begins to wear off you will be in danger to be again intangled with your old corruptions therefore as you would keep your selves from your iniquities keep a sense of the odiousness and bitterness of them upon your Hearts II. Be earnest and importunate in Prayer to God as for Pardon of so for Power against these thy special iniquities beg earnestly for special Grace and Strength against thy special sins When thou hast found out Indicted and Accused this sin at God's Tribunal then cry out to God as for Mercy to thee through Christ so for Justice against thy sins that God would kill them and inable thee to mortifie and crucifie them drag these Traitors before God's Tribunal and say Lord these are the Arch-Rebels against thy Crown and Dignity slay them before thy face These are some of those Devils or Devilish Lusts that will not be cast out but by Prayer yea by Fasting and Prayer Do by these sins as Paul did by the Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12.7 8. Ply the Throne of Grace give God no rest till he return such a Gracious answer as he did to him verse 9. My grace shall be sufficient for thee III. Would you keep your selves from your iniquity then to your sense of humiliation for and Prayers against it be sure you that are Believers to add Faith in Christ and the lively vigorous actings of it upon him as for the forgiveness of it so for power against it and for the sin killing vertue of the Death of Christ to kill and crucifie this thy too prevailing corruption Fetch in from Christ by Faith constant supplies of spiritual strength against these sins of thine You must have more strength than your own more than the strength of Nature of Reason of your own Wills Purposes and Resolutions yea than of Grace already received to keep you from and inable you to prevail against such strong corruptions as these are they will be too strong for your Purposes Duties and Graces if God do not strengthen you with strength in your Souls by his Spirit It is God must keep you you cannot keep your selves Psal 127.1 Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman wateheth but in vain So it will be in relation to your Souls and the keeping them from sin When David says in the Text I kept my self he doth not arrogate to himself only tells you what was his duty and his care and endeavour to perform but he was sensible God only could keep him which made him pray as Psal 19.11 12. Cleanse me from my secret faults and keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins and their dominion and so from the great transgression Dost thou O Soul feel thy iniquity stirring in thee and prevailing over thee if thou be yet in an unconverted state pray that God would work Faith in thee and if thou art converted stir up and act Faith on Christ pray earnestly to God to inable thee so to do lift up an Eye of Faith to Christ and put forth an Hand of Faith to take hold on him and fetch strength from him and cry to him when this sin sets upon thee that he would make thee more than Conqueror over this thy iniquity IV. Would you keep your selves from your particular iniquities make use of the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Study Apply and Improve the Word both Written and Preached against your most strong and prevailing corruptions Improve the Word in all the parts of it its Precepts Prohibitions Threatnings Promises Examples and Experiences recorded in it against thy particular corruptions whatever you read or hear in and from the Word of God against sin in general apply it against thy iniquity in particular as if it were named Is thy iniquity an Omission living in the neglect