from him Of our selves we cannot conceive a good Thought through Christ strengthening us we can do all things Spiritual Blessings he purchas'd for us by his Humiliation and confers in his Exaltation He gave himself for his Church that he might sanctify it and cleanse it by the washing of Water and the Word Being risen and ascended he received of his Father Divine Gifts and gives Grace unto Men. He gives Repentance which principally consists in the mortifying Sin he blesses us in turning us from our Iniquities The Mortification of Sin is peculiarly attributed to his Death 1. With respect to its meritorious Causality that reconcil'd God to us and obtain'd of him the sanctifying Spirit that is the Seal of his Love to communicate the Divine Nature to us by which we escape the Corruption that is in the World through Lust. The Redemption of a Captive may illustrate the Redemption of Sinners for as in restoring a Captive to Liberty there must be the payment of the Ransom and the breaking of his Chains so in redeeming a Sinner there was the price laid down the unvaluable Blood of the Son of God to procure our spiritual Freedom for the ignominious and cruel Bondage under Satan was the penal Effect of the first Transgression and the invisible Chains the Darkness of Mind the Hardness of Heart the Rebellion of Will the Disorder of Affections and all the vicious Habits that kept him in the Bondage of Satan are to be broken and removed For this reason 't is said God sending his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for Sin condemning Sin in the Flesh that is Christ dying as a Sacrifice for Sin reconciled God and the Fruit of that Reconciliation is the breaking the Tyrannous Empire of Sin under which we were involv'd that we may enjoy the Liberty of the Sons of God. Sin brought our Saviour to the Cross and he brought Sin to the Cross when he dy'd naturally Sin dyed legally that is was condemn'd to lose its Power in the Hearts and Lives of Believers The excellent Ends of our Saviour's Death are express'd by the Apostle He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity abolish the guilt of Sin and purify unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works 2. By way of Representation As Christ died for Sin we must die to Sin He expiated the guilt of all Sin for penitent Believers and a universal crucifixion of Sin is the imitation of his Death The Apostle insists on this as a Truth of the clearest Evidence to Christians Know ye not that so many as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Therefore we are buried with him in Baptism that as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of Life For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his Death we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection Knowing this that our Old Man is crucified with him that the Body of Sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve Sin. The sum of which Reasoning is that our crucifying the corrupt Nature with all its various Affections and Lusts is a lively resemblance of the Death of Christ which was design'd both to be operative in us of the Death of Sin and to be significative of it From whence it follows 't is the indispensable Duty of all Christians to transcribe the Copy of his Death in their Hearts and Lives 3. The Death of Christ mortifies Sin by moral Influence as 't is an Expression of God's transcendent Love to us and his Righteous and Holy severity against Sin both which are such powerful Motives to destroy Sin that whoever does not feel their Efficacy is dead as the Grave without the least vital Spark of grateful Love to Christ. Now the unfeigned belief of the meritorious and efficacious Sufferings of Christ is the means by which the Value of his Death is applied and the Vertue of it derived to us for the killing of our Sins 'T is by Faith we are united to him as our Head the Fountain of Spiritual Sense and Active Power He dwells in our Hearts by Faith and by the eminent Operations of his Spirit strengthens the inner Man. Faith excites us to mortify the inhabiting Corruption by arguing from the Love of Christ in dying for us He left Heaven for us shall not we leave Earth for him He denied his natural innocent Wills to submit to the Death of the Cross for our Salvation Shall not we deny our depraved rebellious Wills for his Glory And unless desperate Sinners who are fallen as low as Hell who can resist such melting Perswasions The Apostle speaks with the most feeling Expressions The Love of Christ constrains us has an absolute invincible Empire over us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead that henceforth we should live to him who died for us And 't is the noble and sensible Effect of quickning Grace to mortify Sin. Faith as it obliges so it encourages to subdue our Sins by reflecting upon the End of Christ's Death which shall certainly be accomplish'd St. Paul in his conflict with an uncessant Enemy was fortified by an Assurance from God My Grace is sufficient for thee The Temptation was not presently removed but strength conveyed by which he was superior to it Our special Sins so easily encompass us that considering our imminent danger we may fear the Issue of the Fight but the believing remembrance of our Saviour's Death inspires new Life and Heat into us knowing that he hath not died in vain Faith raises the drooping Spirit by reflecting upon the compassionate willingness of Christ to relieve and strengthen us in the Holy War. When he was upon Earth he prayed his Father to keep us from the Evil of the World. This was the Copy of his continual Intercession for us in Heaven from whence we are infallibly assur'd that he is most tenderly inclin'd to assist us and preserve us from the malignant influence of the World. For these Reasons Faith in Christ has a cleansing Vertue a victorious Efficacy attributed to it Faith purifies the Heart and overcomes the World. A sincere Believer that makes use of the Divine Ordinances Prayer hearing the Word the confirming Sacrament and other holy Means for the subduing his Corruptions shall certainly obtain a final Victory and the reward of it a triumphant Felicity FINIS Some Divinity Books printed for and fold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard MR. Pool's Annotations on the whole Bible in which the whole Sacred Text is inserted in two Volumes in Folio Useful for Families and Closets Dr. Goodwin's Works In two Volumes in Folio Viz. on the Ephesians Revelations The Kowledg of God the Father Election c. His Treatise of the Punishment of Sin in Hell In 8o. Dr. Manton's
of victorious Grace Where there is little Resistance there is no Honour to overcome where there is no Matter of Triumph there is no Glory in triumphing But when in the natural Temper there are Seeds of Incitation to fierce Anger and inordinate Lust and when those Propensities are inflam'd by Temptations if we subdue those disorderly and violent Passions 't is the most noble Effect of Divine Grace On the contrary the Sinner that yields himself to the sway of the Carnal Appetites is the Servant of Corruption is defil'd and debas'd in such a manner that he is sunk below the Beasts that perish For what is baser than Corruption except the Sinner that obeys it The Peace and Joy that is the Reward of Victory over our Sins cannot be understood but by Experience What a savour of Life is the Death of a reigning Sin What an Angelical Comfort was it to Joseph and the blessed Mother of Christ when the Advice was brought from Heaven to them in Egypt Arise for they are dead that sought the young Child's Life What Consolation does it afford when the Holy Spirit witnesses with our Spirits that the Enemy in our Bosoms that sought the Life of our Souls is mortified by Repentance The Psalmist tells us Light is sown for the Righteous and Joy for the upright in Heart The present sense of God's Favour and the future Hope of Glory sheds abroad that bright serenity in their Breasts that is a reflection of Heaven In our Extremity when a good and quiet Conscience will be more valuable than Crowns and Scepters and solid Comfort more worth than the World how refreshing will the inward Testimony be of our Uprightness When Hezekiah was under the Sentence of Death and his Kingdom could afford him no Comfort this allayed his Sorrows Remember O Lord that I have walk'd before thee with an upright Heart This Testimony of Conscience will calm our Agonies and expel the Terrors of that last Enemy this when we are ready to die will assure us that our Redeemer lives The two substantial Joys how Divine the one from the reflection upon the past Life the other from the prospect of Eternal Life are the blessed Reward of Uprightness In short the sum of Felicity is expresly assur'd to them The Upright shall dwell in thy presence where is fulness of Joy and Rivers of Pleasure flow for ever 6. Consider the woful Effects of indulging the Lusts that by Pleasure or Profit bribe Men to give consent to their Commission The naked Light of Reason discovers Sin and makes it uneasy to Conscience but a strong Light arm'd with Terrors the Law of God with the Doom annex'd to the Precept against rebellious Sinners makes it fearful The Command is peremptory and universal with respect to all Temptations and Allurements to Sin be they as dear and difficult to be parted with as the right Eye or right Hand the most useful and precious Instruments of Life yet they must with abhorrence be cast from us or the whole Man will be cast into Hell Fire where the Worm dies not and the Fire is not quenched This terrible Threatning is sadly repeated by our Saviour three times to make the more powerful impression upon Sinners The guilty accusing Conscience begins the everlasting Hell here Our Saviour saith That a Woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a Man is born into the World But a Sinner after he hath brought forth his Sin with pleasure is struck with horror at the monstrous Birth When Conscience is strongly awaken'd it arraigns and condemns without partiality the Sinner is the Executioner of the Sentence upon himself The Torment of the Spirit is invisible to others and in that the liker Hell and unavoidable 'T is as the cruel practice of the Tyrant related by the Poet who fasten'd a dead Body and a Living together that the putrefaction and stench of the one might cause a lingring death in the other this is a little resemblance of the Effect of the guilty Conscience charg'd with dead Works and inseparable from the Sinner All the Pleasures of the World cannot stupify the Sense or mitigate the Torments of the wounded Spirit In the approaches of Death the Sins Men have indulgently committed return to the Memory and the ghastly Apparition strikes them into consternation the Thoughts are fearfully transferr'd from the sick Body to the guilty Soul from the consideration of the first Death to the second that immediately attends it In vain they desire to live for Time is irrevocably past and the Season of Mercy expir'd in vain they desire to die intirely and put an end to their Misery for Immortality is the inseparable but fatal Privilege of their Nature If they look upward revenging Justice is ready to pass a heavy Doom if beneath a fearful Depth is ready to swallow them up Who can express the Agonies and Throws of the guilty Conscience the dismal Degrees of the tormenting Passions in the Wicked under the apprehensions of Eternal Judgment Yet the most fearful Apprehensions are not commensurate to the prepared Plagues by vindictive Justice for impenitent Sinners Who knows the Power of God's Wrath The chosen Expressions in Scripture to represent it will be verified in higher degrees than can be inflicted from the most vehement and terrible things in the World. Fire is so tormenting to Sense that no Man can endure the point of the Flame of a Candle upon his Flesh Who then can dwell with devouring Fire and with everlasting burning Besides the Damned are not only passive but active in their wretched State there is a Hell of Rancor and Indignation within and of Fire and Brimstone without them What furious Reflections will they make upon their votary Madness that for the seeming Pleasures of Sin that were but for a season they should continue their Rebellion against the Omnipotent Deity and bring upon themselves his fierce and unchangeable Displeasure This infinitely aggravates their Misery after a Million of Years the intire Sum remains that revenging Justice will exact for ever The Righteous Judg will never so far be reconciled as to annihilate them Perfection of Misery Desperate Sorrow A Life in Torments that never dies a Death that never ends Now it is impossible for Men that have reasonable Minds to choose the Pleasures of Sin that are like Bubbles on the Water that presently break and vanish when attended with Misery that admits no Ease or End Is there any possible Comparison between them The serious belief of Hell cannot consist with the knowledg and purpose of Sin and the delightful Practice of it Either the belief of it will infuse and impress such efficacious Vertue into Mens Minds that will restrain them from Sin or the habitual course of Sin will extinguish or eclipse the belief of the Punishment 'T is
pierc'd the Heavens God heard his Voice out of his Temple and speedily in the best Season came for his deliverance He was seen upon the Wings of the Wind he rode upon a Cherub those swifter Spirits and did fly He describes the Terrors of his coming against his Enemies The Lord thundred from the Heavens he sent down his Arrows and scattered them his Lightning discomfited them The Acts of Justice reverst have the Ensign of Mercy on them The drowning of the Egyptians in the Red Sea was the preserving of the Israelites Briefly He ascribes his deliverance to the Favour of God as the sole Mover and the Power of God as the sole Worker of it He delivered me because he delighted in me His free and compassionate Love was primarily active and drew forth his Power in its most noble Exercise for the Salvation of David Such an ingenuous and grateful Sense the Psalmist had of the Divine Mercy this gave the sweetest relish of his deliverance this was his true triumph after the final conquest of his Enemies Indeed his Enemies were unjust and cruel and God vindicated the justice of his Cause against them therefore he saith The Lord rewarded me according to my Righteousness according to the cleanness of my Hands hath he recompensed me He declares the Holiness of his Conversation I have kept the Ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. And as an eminent Instance of this he saith in the words of the Text I was upright also before him and kept my self from mine Iniquity In the Text there is a solemn Declaration of David's Uprightness by his attesting God the Searcher and Judg of the Heart I was upright before him and by an infallible proof of it I kept my self from mine Iniquity There is one Difficulty to be remov'd before I come to discourse upon the Proposition and that is how this Profession of Uprightness is reconcileable with David's Actions in the Matter of Uriah Whether we consider the Quality of his Sins the crimson Guilt and killing Circumstances that attended them especially the deliberate and cruel Contrivance of Uriah's Death or whether we consider the fearful Interval between his Sin and Repentance for like some fair Rivers that in their Current suddenly sink under Ground and are lost in their secret Passage till at a great distance they rise and flow again thus it was with David he that was so conspicuous in holiness of Life sunk into a Gulf of Sensuality and Cruelty and for a long time was unrelenting and unreformed till by a speciall Message from God by the Prophet Nathan he was renewed to Repentance and restored to the forfeited Favour of God. To this Objection some Learned Interpreters answer That the Declaration of his Innocence and Integrity must be understood with a tacit Exception according to the Testimony of Scripture concerning him That he did that which was right in the Eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his Life save only in the Matter of Uriah That Sin though a dreadful Provocation yet did not blast the Uprightness of the rest of his Life and make it unacceptable to God. 2. This affirmation of David may refer to his afflicted State when his Conscience was tender and vigilant and his Passions so subdued that though Saul his most unrighteous and implacable Adversary was at his Mercy and he could as 〈◊〉 have cut off his Head as the Lap of his Garment though he was provok'd to take his full revenge on him and put an end to his own Fears yet he rejected the Motion with abhorrence God forbid I should lift up my Hand against the Lord 's Anointed He spared Saul and would not by such an irregular Act obtain the Kingdom though elected to it by God himself By this we may take an estimate of his Integrity which God rewarded at last The Proposition that I shall discourse of is this That the preserving a Man's self from his Iniquity is an undeceiving Evidence of Uprightness In the managing the Doctrine three Things are to be considered and unfolded 1. What Sin may be denominated a Man's own 2. What the preserving ones self from that Sin implies 3. How this is an undeceiving Evidence of Uprightness 1. What Sin may be denominated a Man's own In general every Sin that a Man commits may be stiled his own as 't is the issue of his corrupt Nature and the Off-spring of his depraved Will. St. James expresses it Every Man is tempted that is effectually when he is drawn away of his own Lust. The Devil may sollicite and excite but without the consent of the Will he can never fasten Guilt upon us Every actual Sin is in some degree voluntary But some Sins in an eminent propriety and peculiar manner may be called our own such as there is a strong tendency to commit either from the natural Iâ—â—lination or Custom that is an accessary Nature or from special respects that engage the Will and Affections As in the natural Body compos'd of various Members some are more dear and useful as the right Eye and the right Hand So in the Body of the Sins of the Flesh as the corrupt Nature is stil'd by the Apostle from the variety and union of the vicious Affections there are some particular Lusts either for Pleasure or Profit are as the right Eye or right Hand in our Saviour's Language so dear to Men that they will lose Eternal Life rather than be separated from them These reigning Sins that have a compleat dominion in the Unregenerate are of different kinds in several Persons I will proceed in the discovery of them 1. By a direct Light from their Causes 2. By a reflex Light from their Effects The Causes of special Sins are either Natural or Moral The Natural are the different Temperaments of Mens Bodies and the Connexion of the Passions that so strongly draw the Will that we may as certainly understand what vicious Actions are naturally consequent as Astronomers foretel the Eclipses of the Lights of Heaven I will begin with the consideration of the different Temperaments of Mens Bodies which are the secret Springs of their Inclinations and Aversions 'T is requisite to premise that Original Sin the Poison distilled through all the Faculties of Man by propagation is an universal supreme Evil 'T is a Seminary of all corrupt Desires from whence the Issues of actual Sins are derived and that some are less inclin'd to notorious Sins than others is not from naked Nature but from the singular distinguishing Mercy of God. This Depravation so general and deplorable was observed by the wiser Heathens who were ignorant of the Cause of it the rebellious Sin of Adam the common Father and Representative of Mankind This Corruption of Nature doth not extenuate but aggravate our Guilt As the Psalmist with deep sorrow acknowledges his native inherent Pollution In Sin was I
the 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
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
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
Nature exprest such Vertues upbraid Christians who are Servants to their Corruptions in the Light of Divine Revelation If by the practice of Philosophy they kept themselves from the Dominion of their Carnal Appetites shall not Christians by a supernatural Aid obtain a clearer Victory over them In vain do Men pretend want of strength to vanquish their stubborn Lusts for if they sincerely seek for Divine Grace and are faithful in the use of Means proper to that End they shall obtain a blessed freedom from the Power of Sin. 3. The subduing the ruling Lust will make the Victory over other Sins more easy Our Commission against Sin is like that of Saul against the Amalekites to destroy them all if any one be spared it will prove as fatal to us as the Amalekite that dispatch'd Saul who suffer'd him to live when the whole Lineage was doom'd to utter Excision Now amongst the divers Lusts that war against the Soul some are the Leaders that give vigour to the rest that recall them when withdrawn rally them when scattered and renew the Fight against us As the Vertues of the sanctified Mind so the Passions of the carnal Appetite assist one another therefore when the corrupt Passion that was so dangerously influential upon the rest is subdued by Divine Grace they necessarily decline and are easily mortified The Temperamental Lust is the Root from whence many others spring and are fed and the eradicating of that takes away the Strength and Life of other vicious Affections The King of Syria commanded his Captains not to fight against Small or Great but only against the King of Israel and after he was slain the Victory over his Army was presently obtain'd Let us direct our Zeal against the leading Lust for all the servile Lusts must fall and die with it When Mithridates the King of Pontus a fierce implacable Enemy of the Romans was kill'd their Joy was exuberant in Sacrifices and Feasts esteeming that an Army of Enemies were extinguish'd in his Death Besides one Victory inspires Courage to atchieve another When David was to encounter with Goliah he derived Confidence from his Experience The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and out of the Paw of the Bear he will deliver me out of the Hand of this Philistine The visible Expresses of the Divine Power in conquering the former Enemies of the Church were the support of their Faith Awake awake O Arm of the Lord and put on strength art thou not it that hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Pharaoh and the Egyptian Army In our Spiritual Warfare experience of the Divine Assistance is a Cordial that fortifies the Spirits If the strongest and fiercest of our Corruptions lie bleeding ready to expire we shall not fear the rest The same Grace that has subdued the reigning Lust will make an impression of Obedience upon other Affections that are less powerful in us 4. Consider how dearly our Sins cost our Saviour his Sacred Blood to reconcile us to God and to set us free from their Dominion This is an Argument purely Evangelical and most worthy the Breast of a Christian. He dearly purchas'd a Title to our Love and the serious contemplation of his Passion has an admirable efficacy to inspire the Flame and consequently to make Sin odious that must be expiated and purged away by such bitter Sufferings Our Sins brought our Saviour to the Cross and can we entertain them in our Hearts with the Crimson Guilt that cleaves to them Can we live in the practice of them and crucify him afresh He came to redeem us from all Iniquity and purify us to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works How can we defeat the End and disparage the efficacy of his Death How can we violate such dear Obligations To cherish any Sin is the most ungracious and unkind return to his bleeding dying Love who valued our Souls more than his most precious Life Were it not visible by daily Experience that many are so prodigiously wicked it would raise our wonder how it is possible that any Christian to whom the Love of the Son of God in dying for our Sins is revealed should indulge himself in any Sin. If we did frequently and with solemnity and seriousness remember the Death of our Saviour and his blessed Intention in it we should find that change in our Hearts in regard of our Sins as Amnon did in his Affections to his Sister Tamar His incestuous Love to her at first was a secret Fire that consum'd him but after he had dishonour'd her and polluted himself his Hatred of her was more extream than his Love before Thus the Sins that have been as near to us as our Bosoms as pleasant as our corrupt Inclinations as familiar and intimate as Custom that have deeply defil'd our Souls we should with stronger detestation reject them than ever with delight we committed them 5. The blessed Reward of Uprightness is a powerful Motive to excite us to keep our selves from our Sins The Firmament is not sowed thicker with Stars than the Scripture with precious Promises to the Upright They have a peculiar Interest in the Love of God that is the Fountain of Felicity The Prayer of the Upright is his delight He is most graciously ready to supply all their Wants satisfy their Desires allay their Sorrows overcome their Fears The Lord is a Sun and a Shield He will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly A comprehensive Promise of the Blessings of Time and Eternity The highest Honour is the Reward of subduing our rebellious Lusts. He that is slow to Anger is better than the Mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit than he that taketh a City The Quality of the Enemy makes the Victory more illustrious Now the rebellious Passions that war against the Soul are Enemies infinitely more dangerous than those who destroy the Bodies and Estates of Men. The Conquest of Armies and Cities is atchieved by Boldness and Strength that are not the peculiar Excellencies of Man for the Horse and the Lion are superior to him in those respects but the reducing his unruly Affections into Holy Order is the Effect of Divine Grace wherein we resemble God. How many of the famous Heroes in the World's account were worse than wild Beasts Enemies to Humanity that unnaturally and barbarously spilt the Blood of thousands to purple their usurp'd Royalty But in subduing the tyrannous Passions of Lust and Anger under the Sovereignty of the renewed Mind there is the happy union of Innocence and Victory There are degrees in the exaltation of the Saints as the Passions their inward Enemies which they subdued were more stubborn and hardly to be overcome In some there is such a concord of Humours such a placid mild Temper that they enjoy a pacifick possession of themselves But this is the Benefit of Nature not
recorded of Craesus when pursued by the Army of the Persians he fill'd a straight Passage between the Mountains with Boughs of Trees and set fire to them and thereby secur'd his Retreat If Men were so wise as to set the Fire of Hell between the Temptations of Sin and their Affections it would be a sure defence from their Spiritual Enemies But the Scene of Torments prepared for unreform'd Sinners is little understood and less believed by Men whilst they are in Prosperity tho the Saviour of the World has in great Mercy revealed them in such Expressions as may terrify even secure Carnalists that only live to Sense Infidelity lies at the bottom and renders the most terrible Truths ineffectual There is such a Riddle in the Tempers of Men they are not sensible of Divine Mercies till deprived of them nor of Divine Judgments till they feel them But if right Reason were attended to they must be convinced of unseen Rewards and Punishment to be dispensed in the next State. For the Light of Nature discovers an essential Difference between Moral Good and Evil From hence proceeds the Reflections of Conscience either approving or condemning our own Actions and making a Judgment upon the Actions of others by that common Rule according to which all acknowledg that Men ought to live This Truth is so engraven in the Humane Nature that even the most wicked Sinners who endeavour if it were possible to make Conscience so blind as not to see and stupid as not to feel yet cannot totally exclude the Application of it to themselves and will acknowledg the Obligation of it in the general and with respect to others Now the Law of God written in Mans Heart necessarily infers a Judgment upon the Transgressors of it and the Judgment includes a Punishment becoming the Majesty of the Lawgiver that ordains it and the extent of his Power that executes it Divine Revelation makes this Truth much more clear and certain The Apostle tells us If we live after the Flesh we shall die and will God cease to be holy and just and true that impenitent Sinners may escape Punishment But there are some poisonous Principles infus'd into the Hearts of Men that encourage them in their Sins notwithstanding their Assent to the Doctrine of a future Judgment Some cannot perswade themselves that God will be so strict and severe that for a single forbidden Pleasure when they respect other Commands of his Law he will condemn them for ever The secret Presumption that one Transgression will not provoke their Judg to extream Wrath hardens them in a sinful course But St. James declares He that offends in one Point is guilty of all One known allowed Sin that a Man habitually commits involves him in the Guilt of Rebellion against the Divine Authority that made the Law. It was observ'd before Herod did somethings according to John's Divine Instructions but he would not part with Herodias and that one Sin denominated him wicked Many are like him they observe some Rules of Religion perform some Duties are zealous against some Sins but there is an Herodias a Sin pleasant to the Taste of their Temper that they will not relinquish and without any Promise nay against the Threatnings of God they believe he will be merciful to them notwithstanding their Wickedness This Presumption is an unnatural abuse of God's Mercy This exasperates that high and tender Attribute For what can be more provoking than to imagine that the Divine Mercy should encourage Sin and protect unceform'd Sinners from the Arrests of Vindictive Justice The Blood that Ahab spar'd in Benhadad induc'd a deadly Guilt as that he spilt of Naboth as God spake by the Prophet to him Because thou hast spared that Man whom I appointed to Destruction thy Life shall go for his Life The Application is easy to spare the Life of Sin will cost the Life of the Sinner One Lust that adhering Custom or the closer Nature or any carnal Interest so endears to Men that they do not sincerely desire and endeavour to mortify and forsake will be fatal to them for ever Some habitual Sinners when terrified with the Apprehension of future Judgment for God sometimes thunders in the Conscience as well as in the Air endeavour to quiet their Fears by presuming that the Death of Christ will reconcile offended Justice and his Blood cleanse them from all Sin. They will lean upon the Cross to save them from falling into the bottomless Pit but not crucify one Lust on it The Vanity of this has been shewed before I shall only add that 't is most opprobrious to the Son of God and most destructive to Sinners for 't is to make him the Minister of Sin as if he came into the World to compose a Church of rotten and corrupt Members and unite it to himself Such a Mystieal Body would be more monstrous than Nebuthadnezzar's Image of which the Head was Gold and Feet were Miry Clay And this will be most destructive to their Souls for by turning the remedy of Sin into an occasion of sinning they derive a woful Guilt from the Death of Christ instead of the precious Benefits purchased by it for true Believers For an unreformed Sinner to oppose the Blood of Christ to the Fears of Damnation renders his Condition desperate The most who continue in a sinful course strive to elude the Warnings of Conscience by resolving that after the Season of sinning is past they will reform and apply themselves to seek the Favour and Grace of God. But how hazardous how incongruous is the delay of serious Repentance How hazardous The Lives of Sinners are forfeited in Law their time is a Reprieve depending meerly upon the Favour of the Judg how can they have a Warrant for a day But they are young and strong and think the day of Death and their last Account to be at a great distance Vain Security as if Death were not in every place and every hour as near Rebellious Sinners as their Sins that deserve it If thou doest Evil says God to Cain Sin is at the Door Damnation is ready to tread upon the Heels of Sinners and if Divine Clemency and Patience did not interpose would immediately seize upon them God sometimes shoots from the Clouds and breaks the strongest Buildings into Ruins it is not the Error of his Hand but his Pity that impenitent Sinners escape his visible Vengeance But who can assure them of future time Besides suppose that Sinners who hate to be reform'd whilst present Temptations are so inviting had a Lease of Time can they command the Grace of God They now suppress the Motions of the Spirit and in effect say to him as Felix to St. Paul awakening his Conscience with a Sermon of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Go away for the present when it is a convenient season I will call for thee But will the holy Spirit assist them at Death who have always resisted him
in their Lives Without his powerful quickning Grace they will be unrelenting in their guilty polluted State and can they have any regular hope to obtain Repentance unto Life when they have so often quench'd his warm Excitations Delay proceeds from Hardness of Heart and merits final Desertion from God. How incongruous is it to expect that Divine Mercy will accept of a Death-bed Repentance that is meerly by constraint of Fear and a Resolution to live well when they know they can live no longer To continue in Sin upon this Conceit that God will easily be reconciled to Sinners at the last that Confession with the mixt Affections of Sorrow and Fear for the sensible Effects of Sin in Pains and Sickness and worse that immediately attend it in the next State will obtain a total and final acquittance from our Judg is an extream Dishonour to his ruling Wisdom his unspotted Holiness his incorruptible Justice and inviolable Truth The Mercy of God that will justify all unfeignedly repenting believing Sinners for Christ's sake will justify God in the condemning wilful obstinate Sinners who render themselves eternally unworthy of it To conclude the Motives if we desire the Favour of God that is better than Life if we fear his Wrath that is worse than Death if we would obtain Heaven or escape Hell let us mortify our respective Sins I shall now propound the Means that are requisite for the preserving us from our special Sins If the following Rules seem harsh and distasteful to the Carnal Mind it is to be considered that Medicines for the Recovery and Preservation of Health are not sweet Meats of a pleasant Relish 1. In order to the keeping our selves pure and upright we must be inquisitive to understand intimately and distinctly what are the Sins to which we are most liable For he that doth not know what he should fear is careless and secure easily disorder'd and vanquish'd by a Temptation Some Lusts are open and notorious in the gross Commission others lie deep and are of a harder Disclosure Ignorance is the strong defence of Sin it begins in inward Darkness the Captive is kept securely in the Dungeon The Understanding directs the Will the Will commands the Practice if the Sin be undiscovered we are not acquainted with our danger and shall not avoid it A principal part of our Knowledg is terminated upon our selves what is the weakest part with respect to our Natures Minds and Affections otherwise not provided of Defence we shall be overcome without Resistance Now by applying the Rules that have been largely insisted on in explicating the Doctrinal Point we may understand our peculiar Sins If we consider our Constitution we may know what Sins are suitable to our Tempers Our frequent Lapses are a sensible Discovery how the weight of Nature inclines us The reflecting upon the several Ages of Life and our Conditions in the World will be an Indication what Sins indanger our Souls The Young are strongly dispos'd to Pleasures the Old to Avarice the Healthful and Prosperous to Intemperance in the use of Worldly Things the Sick and Afflicted to Impatience the Rich to Security the Poor to Envy When the special Sin is found strip'd off its flattering Colours devest it of its alluring Dress that it may appear in its foul Deformity and kindle an Aversation in your Breasts against it The correcting vicious Errors begins in the inlightned Mind that discovers them and our proneness to them And since we are so apt to disguise our darling Sins and to be partial to our selves let us with the Psalmist pray to the Father of Lights That he would search us and try us and see whether there be any way of Wickedness in us to discover it to us by the Light of his Word and cover it with his pardoning Mercy and lead us in the way everlasting 2. Diligent Watchfulness and Circumspection is an effectual Means to keep our selves from the Sins that easily encompass us This implies Prudence to discover dangers and the exercise of the Spiritual Powers to prevent and resist them Watchfulness is a universal Duty of constant Revolution There are respective Duties that belong to Persons according to their Relations and several Conditions there are Duties of stated Times and Seasons but the Duty of Watchfulness to prevent Sin extends to all in this frail State according to our Saviour's Command to his Disciples What I say unto you I say unto all Watch And at all times for tho we are not always ingaged in actual Fight we are always in the Field liable to manifold Temptations that are ready to surprize us upon careless neglect of our Duty Habitual Grace if it be not drawn forth into Exercise by constant Watchfulness cannot fortify us against Sin. A Saint that is humble and watchful preserves himself from the Power and Infection of Sin that another who in degrees of Grace excels him but relaxes his Watch is sadly foiled by Joseph a young Man by Vigilance and avoiding the Temptation kept himself untainted from the impure Sollicitations of his Mistress David tho of great Experience in Religion and of eminent Holiness yet when he intermitted his Watch how suddenly was he surpriz'd From a careless glance Curiosity past into Complacence Complacence into Lust Lust into Adultery and is an eternal Example to excite our Fear and Caution If there be not a continued Diligence the same holy Person that with Defiance and Indignation has resisted the Tempter at some times has been vanquish'd at other times Lot was Righteous in Sodom but how foully and wofully he fell in the Mountain Now our chief care must be directed to avoid our special Sins 'T is a Fundamental Rule in the Christian Life that our weakest part is to be guarded with most Jealousy and fortified with the strongest defence for the most frequent and dangerous Assaults are on the side that is most open to surprize The subtile Tempter addresses his Insinuations in compliance to our Affections he knew the softness of Adam towards his Wife and chose her to be the Instrument of persuading him to eat the forbidden Fruit. Every one has a carnal part that like Eve the Mother of our Miseries is prevalent to corrupt us and accordingly he suits his Temptations 'T was the crafty Counsel of Balaam to Balac not to encounter the Israelites with armed Souldiers but with the Allurements of Women by whom they were corrupted and seduced to Impurity and Idolatry and thereby provok'd God's Wrath and were devested of his Protection When Ulisses was employed to discover Achilles who was conceal'd in the Habit of a Virgin amongst the Maids of Honour he carried a * pack of Toys and a Lance and whilst the Women were looking upon the Ribbons and Lace and Glasses Achilles takes up the Lance that was suitable to his Martial Spirit and so was discovered and drawn to the Trojan War that prov'd fatal to him Thus the Tempter
is observant of our Inclinations he will interpret a Blush a Glance a Smile a discontented Gesture any signs of our Affections and by proper Motives excites the desiring and angry Appetites and is usually succesful His Advantage is chiefly from our Security 'T is easy to surprize a suspectless Enemy St. Peter straitly warns us Be sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour His Diligence is equal to his Malice If we are not wise and watchful we shall fall into his Snares There is a fearful Instance of it in Adam who lost the Image and Favour of God in an Hour that his Posterity cannot recover to all Ages yet there was no Corruption in his Nature he was furnish'd with sufficient Grace he might easily have repell'd the Motion to the confusion of the Tempter but through carelesness he neglected his Duty to the Eternal Law-giver slighted the double Death that of the Soul and the Body that was threatned to deter him from Sin and Innocence did not preserve him from seduction What Reason is there to make us watchful both against our Spiritual Enemies and our own drowsiness lest security steal upon us without observation for our Hearts are as ready to sin as Satan is to tempt besides the impression from tempting Objects without us there is treacherous danger within Our prime care must be to keep a severe Command over our Minds and Hearts to prevent the entrance of Sin. The Carnal Appetite allures the Will to consent to the actual Commission by the mediation of the Mind that represents the Pleasures and Profits of Sin. Therefore Conscience must be a vigilant Sentinel to prevent as far as is possible the first springing Thoughts the first risings of the sinful Affections Sinful Thoughts and Desires are possible Acts and are more odious to God than the gross Commission is to Men. The pernicious Inspirations of the Tempter are gradual as one that kindles a Fire with a small Breath cherishes the faint Sparks till rais'd into a Flame so warm Desires are cherish'd by the Thoughts till they break forth into a wilder Flame This is the most difficult part of our Duty we may more easily decline Temptations from without than keep a constant Guard within But there is no excuse for the neglect of this Duty the Consequence being of no less moment than Salvation We are commanded to keep the Heart with all diligence for out of it are the Issues of Life and of Death also As the elective Faculty is inclin'd and determin'd such will be the quality of our Actions either Holy and Good or Vicious and Evil and such will be the Reward in the next State. 'T is true it is morally impossible for even the best Men to be so exact in their Watch but vain thoughts may suddainly spring into the Mind and indeliberate motions may rise in the Will which should be matter of Sorrow but we may suppress those beginnings of Sin and prevent the morose Thoughts the musings of the Mind upon the Pleasure or Profit that makes the Temptation so strong as to overcome us If a Watch be set at the Gates of a Town to prevent any Commerce with infected Places tho 't is not possible to exclude Pestilential Vapours that mix with the Air and fly imperceptably about yet the Persons and Goods that come from infected Places may be excluded A Child of God keeps himself that the wicked One touches him not that is receives no defiling Impressions by yielding to his Suggestions Our next care must be to avoid the outward Temptations that are apt to excite those Lusts that are most natural to us The Art of our Spiritual Enemy is to make use of Objects without to entice the Affections within us The World affords variety of Temptations that through the Senses pierce the Heart and wound the Spirit 'T is therefore our Duty and Safety with the strictest Caution to guard our Senses The most make no other use of their Senses than the Brutes it were well they made no worse The Acts of the Understanding are immanent and invisible the Affections mix with sensible Objects and are actuated with Heat and Motion from them For this Reason Holy Men have been so careful to lay a restraint upon the Senses Job made a Covenant with his Eyes not to look upon a Maid David prays Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity When Solomon had so earnestly press'd the Divine Counsel to keep the Heart with diligence he annexes most fitly for that end put away from thee a froward Mouth and perverse Lips put far from thee Let thy Eyes look right on and let thy Eye-lids look strait before thee Ponder the Path of thy Feet and let all thy Ways be establish'd Turn not to the right Hand or the Left remove thy Foot from Evil. The sum of which Counsel is that we should so exactly guard our sensitive Faculties so order our Words our Looks our Ways as to preserve our selves from every evil thing Our great Security is in flying from Temptations Lot was strictly commanded not to look back on Sodom His Wife by casting a lingring Eye towards it was turned into a Pillar of Salt to season the World by her Example to beware of the occasions of Sin. 'T is extream Folly to enter into Temptation for as near as the melting of Waxis when 't is near the Flame so are the Carnal Affections of being enticed and the Will of consenting when near enflaming Objects Our sad Experience may instruct us how prone our Hearts are to yield to inviting Occasions of Sin and how often we have been foil'd by venturing into the Confines of Temptation Solomon observes Surely in vain is the Net spread in sight of any Bird. If the Toils be never so craftily laid and the Bait be very enticing yet a silly Bird has that foresight and caution that it will not be tempted to run into the Net but flie from the present Danger What unaccountable folly is it in Men tho the Temptations of Sin are never so alluring to the Carnal Appetites not to make use of the Eye and Wing to fear and fly from the intanglements of Iniquity Besides we forfeit the Divine Assistance by entertaining the Temptations of Sin. The Promise of preserving Grace is to us whilst we are faithful to God He will keep us in all our Ways whilst we are constant in our Duty otherwise we cannot depend upon his gracious Presence and Assistance If a Soldier be commanded by a General to fight a Duel with an Enemy he will arm him with Armour of Proof and secure him from Treachery but if one from vain-Glory from Rage or Revenge against the Command of his Superior shall ingage in a Duel he fights with great hazard and if he conquers is punish'd for his Disobedience Thus if in the regular Course of our Lives the Divine Providence so