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
their Bodies to get Estates and provide Portions for them but no care to instruct them to bring them to Ordinances to press them to Duties and to look after the Graces of God's Spirit Faith Repentance new Obedience and to give them good Examples Are not these some of them at least your peculiar iniquities Or are you not guilty on the other hand of too much severity and provoking your Children to wrath keeping them at too great a distance not allowing them necessaries or conveniencies suitable to their condition rank or age and thereby making them weary of your Government if not of your Lives and tempting them to be more extravagant when they come to have Estates or Power in their own hands for your iniquities that are Parents may lye on this hand And you Children is it not or hath it not been your iniquity that you have been disobedient to Parents not hearkning to their Instructions and Counsels not following the Examples of Godly Parents not reverencing them yea not relieving and maintaining them when Old and Poor And you Masters or Mistresses is not your iniquity too much severity and sharpness towards Servants neglecting their Bodies not providing necessaries for them not allowing them due Food or Sleep not teaching them the lawful honest Mysteries of their Callings or however taking no care for their Souls exacting of them to work for you to the utmost but taking no care to further their working out their own Salvation giving them no time for Duty to God Reading Prayer or any other publick Ordinances or Family or Secret Duties but working them so hard keeping them up so late raising them up so early to your work that they have no time for Religious Duties or else sleep at them which in this case will be more your sin than theirs And you Servants search whether your iniquities are not or have not been sloth carelesness of your Master's or Mistresse's business wastfulness as to Family Provisions unfaithfulness or purloining irreverence in your speeches and carriage not governing your Tongues but answering again giving word for word and sawciness in your speeches O! all of you inquire whether relative sins be not your prevailing if not reigning iniquities and if they be be deeply humbled for them and by Faith Prayer and Watchfulness endeavour to keep your selves from them for the future 4. Persons should search for their iniquities in the various Estates and Conditions whether high or low of prosperity or adversity they may by the Providence of God be brought into There are special sins that persons through inward corruption lye open to in their various conditions whether prosperous or adverse In a prosperous state when men abound in Riches or Honours enjoy Health and have all comfortable Accommodations about them the sins that are likely to prove their reigning or at least prevailing iniquities are Pride Security Psal 30.6 Luxury Unthankfulness for Forgetfulness and Non-improvement of Mercies making them Fewel to their Lusts Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness Oppression despising of others not strengthening the hands of the poor and needy but laying out all on their backs and bellies in superfluities and excesses Ezek. 16.49 when Riches flow in setting their hearts upon them Psal 62.10 1 Tim. 6.17 when men are rich in the world they are ready to be high-minded and to trust in uncertain Riches Search whether some of these have not been at least thy prevaling corruptions when thou hast been in a full and prosperous condition And if persons be in an afflicted low condition there are peculiar sins that in such a condition persons are like to be tempted to such as impatience under God's hand discontent with their present condition murmuring and repining against God quarrelling with Men and Instruments unbelief and distrust of God's Providence and Promises using indirect means to prevent or get out of Troubles revenge upon Enemies and the second Causes of their Afflictions some of these were the particular iniquities David found himself strongly tempted to when he was persecuted by Saul and which he had a special Eye to in the Text how was he foiled by unbelief when he said All men were lyars 1 Sam. 27.1 and Psal 116.11 So when he changed his behaviour before and afterward joyned with Achish yet through the Grace of God he kept himself from the reigning power of these his iniquities Inquire whether these be not thy iniquities under affliction 5. Men should seek and oft may find out what their particular reigning or at least tyrannizing corruptions are by looking into the several Ages of their Life for as every Constitution Imployment Relation and Condition hath its peculiar Sins and Temptations attending and following it as the shadow doth the body so every Age of Man's Life hath its peculiar sins Not to instance much in Infancy and Childhood tho' even for those sins we should be humbled all our days How soon do Frowardness Pride Anger Revenge Self-will and Stubbornness shew themselves in us and in Childhood how apt are we to be taken only with trifles given wholly to Sports and Plays and unwilling to learn But especially in Youth how do youthful lusts abound which Timothy is warned to flee from 2 Tim. 2.22 Solomon says Childhood and Youth are vanity which caused David to pray Remember not the sins of my Youth Psal 25.7 And Job complains God made him possess the sins of his Youth Job 13.26 The sins this Age of Life is most over-run with are Pride Prodigality Self-conceit Untractableness turning a deaf Ear to the Counsels of the Aged and with Rehoboam making Young Men their Counsellors not caring to advise with Aged Experienced Persons but with green heads raw and rash Persons like themselves thus Disobedience to Parents Masters Mistresses or other Superiours Inordinate love of Pleasures and Recreations and of Bad Company of Gluttonous Drunken Gaming Wanton Persons and so being drawn to these sins spending their Time in Drinking-houses and their Time and Estates in Gaming and hereby being drawn to Swearing Sabbath-profanation and scorning of Godliness Such dirty ways is Youth inclined to and too commonly defiled with Psal 119.9 O you Young Men and Women see whether some of these be not your beloved Lusts or if you have some Grace whether they be not domineering corruptions in you and let it be your cares as you would evidence your Sincerity to keep your selves from these youthful Lusts Art thou come to riper Years to strength of Body and Mind the prevailing iniquities of this Age are usually greediness of Gain Earthly-mindedness resolving to be rich by right or wrong Pride Ambition aspiring after Places of Profit Power and Honour suffering covetous ambitious Designs to swallow up their time and hearts so as to neglect Heaven and heavenly things their own Souls and the Souls of others the Duties of Divine Worship Publick Private Secret and Inward heart-duties and other duties they owe to God and both to the Souls and Bodies of Men and
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-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
Evidence of the uprightness of the heart because he that really keeps himself from his iniquities doth it from grounds and principles from a respect to God's Glory he keeps from them as things that do peculiarly dishonour God transgress his holy Law are committed against Christ grieve and quench the Holy Spirit of God For these are the right scriptural spiritual grounds and motives of our keeping our selves from sin Now men's own sins dishonouring God opposing Christ and grieving the Spirit in a more than ordinary manner to keep from some sins and not from these would arguea rotten heart II. Because for persons to keep themselves from their iniquities either reigning or prevailing corruptions is one special act fruit and effect of true Evangelical Sorrow and Repentance Now it is our duty to exercise all the acts and bring forth all the effects and fruits of true Repentance but without this our Repentance is not truly Evangelical for there is an effential part and actof it wanting viz. that of taking an holy revenge on our sins and on our selves for them 2 Cor. 7.11 Tea what revenge This is the only case in which revenge is lawful and here it is commendable yea our great and necessary Duty This our prevailing corruption as you saw under the last Head is that by which we have most dishonoured God most wounded and pierced Christ grieved quenched and vexed the Spirit of God and hath most wounded our own Consciences defiled our Souls and defaced God's Image in them therefore we should keep our selves from these our iniquities that we may take revenge on them for the wrong they have done to God and our own Souls by being the death of those sins which have in a more eminent manner been the cause of the Death of Christ and would be the Death of our Souls if not repented of pardoned and subdued as to their reigning power by how much any sin has been more delightful to us formerly the more hateful it should be to us for the time to come What Amnon unjustly did by Tamar we may justly do by our beloved sins Thus have true Penitents expressed their Repentance so did Mary Magdalen when she Washed Christs Feet with her Tears to take a revenge on those Eyes of hers that had been Doors and Windows Outlets and Inlets to Lust and Wantonness as to her self and by Wanton Glances had stirred up Lust in others and she took a Revenge on those Hairs that had been Nets and Snares to catch Men when she wiped Christs Feet with the Hairs of her Head Thus Arch-bishop Cranmer who had subscribed a Recantation when he was recovered from his Fall and brought to the Stake first put that Hand into the Flames that had Subscribed the Recantation III. Because to keep your selves from your iniquities will be an Evidence of the power as well as the truth of your Repentance and of the Work of Gods Sanctifying Spirit and Grace upon your Hearts therefore we should keep our selves from these our iniquities These are the Master-sins the Lordly-Lusts we should do by these as the King of Syria gave order to his Captains about the King of Israel 1 Kin. 22.31 Fight neither with small nor great save only with the King of Israel They were to fight with others but against him chiefly So we must fight against every sin but we must aim our Arrows and Blows most peculiarly against our King Lusts to take them Captive yea to kill and slay them As it would be an Evidence of Falseness and Treachery in Officers and Souldiers in an Army to shoot at the Common Souldiers amongst their Enemies but when they see Captains or the General to let them escape and not make a shot at them no less will it be a sign of a false rotten Hypocritical Heart to keep from some sins but not from its special sins But on the other hand it is a sign of sincerity when Men keep themselves from these their most predominant sins as those that are the greatest Enemies to God and their Souls Yea thus to keep from our special most prevailing sins will be an evidence of the power of Grace in the Heart as it is an evidence of the power of a Prince when he is got into the Heart of his Enemies Country and takes his Forts and Strong-holds so it will be a sign of the strength of Grace when you keep from and subdue your formerly beloved or most prevailing corruptions for these are the Strong-holds that Sin the World and Satan have in your Hearts therefore it will be an evidence that the Weapons of your Warfare are mighty through God when they pull down those Strong-holds and bring down every high thing into captivity 2 Cor. 10.4 5. These your special sins are the Strong Man Armed that keep the House but now when you keep your selves from these sins it proves Grace to be stronger than sin when it overcomes these strong corruptions IV. Another reason why we should keep our selves from our special prevailing sins and why it will be an evidence of our uprightness so to do is because this will be an evidence of the truth and strength of our love to God and Jesus Christ when we will deny them nothing but are ready to pluck out right eyes cut off right hands keep and mortifie those sins which are by nature by custom and by their profit or pleasure as dear to us as those members of body are and indeed he who is inabled by grace to part with his most beloved or prevailing sins will by the same grace be inabled to part with his life for God if called thereunto for Mens beloved lusts are dearer to them than their lives yea than their Souls naturally But if Men do not keep themselves from their beloved iniquities they have no true love to God at all yea if they do not set themselves with all their might against prevailing corruptions it is a sign there is little love to God and Jesus Christ I now proceed to the Application of this Doctrine and much that hath been mentioned in the Explication and Confirmation of the Doctrine may be helpful to us in and serve instead of the Application of it what hath been already said shewing where men may seek for and find their special sins either beloved and reigning lusts or prevailing iniquities may be useful by way of Direction to help you to find out what your iniquities are and what hath been spoken in the Application shewing what it is for persons to keep themselves from their iniquities may be helpful to you in Examination whether you have this mark and evidence of the Uprightness of your hearts before God and what hath been insisted on as Reasons of the Doctrine may serve as Motives to inforce the Exhortation to all of us to keep our selves from our peculiar Iniquities But I shall make however some more particular Application by way of Examination Exhortation and Direction I. Let us
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
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
of any commanded duty publick family or secret toward God or of any duty of Justice or Charity toward Man or of Sobriety toward thy self muster up the Holy Precepts of God and turn the edge of them against thy sin mingling them with Faith and Prayer Say how shall I dare to live in the neglect of these duties which God so expresly injoyns in his Word Is thy iniquity a sin of Commission then apply and turn the edge of the Prohibitions of the Word against that sin of thine say to thy Soul how shall I dare to do that which God so expresly forbids and which his Soul hates Make use of the Threatnings of Gods Word against thy sin in particular against thy Pride Passion Covetousness Uncleanness Drunkenness Deceit or any other sin And apply the Promises of Power against sin in general or particular against thy sins such as Mic. 7.19 Rom. 6.14 Ezek. 36.25 26 27. improve them to cleanse thee from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Cor. 7.1.2 Pet. 1.4 And also improve the Examples of Saints falling into sin and recovering out of it to make thee watchful against falls and quicken and forward thy recovery when overtaken and fallen V. Would you keep your selves from your iniquity then be jealous of and over your own Hearts and be very Watchful against that iniquity of yours you find your selves most prone to and against all occasions of it cut off from it all provisions all that would feed and fulfil these Lusts Rom. 13.14 cut sin short starve these sins of thine do not pamper them deny thy self in what ever tends to feed thy sin take heed of that company which thou findest is likely to draw thee into thy peculiar iniquity Deny thy self in things in themselves lawful that are not necessary that thou findest apt to insnare thee and lead thee to thy special sin I say things lawful that are not necessary you must in such a case forbear the use of But you must not forbear the use of such things as are necessary as Food and Physick for fear they should prove occasions of sin but you must be watchful in the use of them Much less must you forbear what is your duty to God or Men because you may be in danger to be proud or rest in duties nor must you decline serving God in your Generation as he gives you a call and opportunity to be serviceable to him the Church the World and civil Societies but you must double your Diligence and Watch and Guard against the sins that are apt to cleave to your Duties and against the Temptations that are apt to beset you in the Places Imployments Relations or Company you may be called to VI. Would you keep your selves from your most powerful and prevailing iniquity you who have a work and principle of Grace wrought in you by the Spirit of God labour to grow most of all in and most to exercise that Grace which is most directly contrary to that sin thou art most prone to and most easily and frequently foiled by for contraries do best and most effectually expel each other thus Oppression was Zacheus's sin and he kept himself from this his iniquity by performing the duty and exemplifying the Grace directly contrary to this sin namely making restitution and exercising mercy bounty and liberality giving the half of his Goods to the Poor Luk. 19.8 Cruelty was the Jailors Sin but when converted he keeps himself from this his iniquity by exercising the Graces most opposite to this sin namely courtesie and kindness to Paul and Silas Acts 16.24 33 34. Oh what a different carriage was here So Paul before his Conversion was a most bitter and cruel Persecutor of Christians and the Christian Religion but when Converted who more eminent than he in Preaching the Gospel and suffering for it God and do thou likewise Hath Covetousness Strait-heartedness and pinching from Pious and Charitable uses been your predominant iniquity and would you keep your selves from it Resolve then in God's strength to cross this Covetous temper and exercise the contrary Duty and Grace of Liberality and Heavenly-mindedness Is Pride in Apparel or in any other way whether of Heart or Life your Sin To keep you from this your iniquity resolve to lay aside all the Badges of Pride and in an especial manner set your selves to exercise the Grace of Humility to be cloathed with it both in the inward and outward Man Hath Passion rash Anger bitter and fierce Expressions in your Passion been your sin and would you keep your selves from it Then set your selves in the strength of Christ to the exercise of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit and calmness in Speech and Behaviour Hath Intemperance or Unchastity been your sin To keep you from this Exercise exact Temperance in Meat Drink Sleep Apparel and Recreations and Chastity in Heart Speech and your whole Carriage and by the diligent and believing use of these means and following these Directions you may come to keep your selves from your iniquities and thereby evidence your being upright before the Lord. FINIS Books Printed and Reprinted for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside A Body of practical Divinity consisting of above 176 Sermons on the Assemblys Shorter Catechisme by Tho. Watson formerly Minister of St. Stephens Walbrook London Sermons and Discourses on several Divine Subjects by the late Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. David Clarkson sometime Fellow of Clare-Hall Cambridge Mr. Pool's English Annotations on the Bible the 3d Edition with an Addition of a Concordance and Contents to each Chapter by Mr. Sam. Clark The Acts Decisions Decrees and Cannons of the Reformed Churches in France being a most faithful History of the rise growth and decay of the Reformed Religion in that Kingdom By John Quick Minister in London Boyses two Sermons against quenching the Holy Spirit Dr. Wallis's Theological Discourses on several Occasions with his Letters in vindication of the Holy Trinity Mr. Robert Fleming's Aspect of the Times His Discourse of Earthquakes occasioned by that which happened in the year 1692. The Rod or the Sword the present Dilemma of these Nations The Confirming Work of Religion or its great things made plain to ordinary Capacities His Funeral Sermon preached by Dr. Burgess Pacification touching the Doctrinal Dissent among our united Brethren in London being an Answer to Mr. Williams and Mr. Lobb both who have appealed in one point collected for an Error to this Author for his determination about it Mediocria Or the middle way between Protestant and Papist in a Paper of Justification The second Edition with Additions and a Letter to Mr. Williams The Righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel or an impartial Enquiry into the genuine Doct. of St. Paul in the great but much controverted Article of Justification To which are prefixed the Epistles of the Right Reverend the Bishops of Worcester Ely and Chester The Friendly Interposer
between the Authors of those Papers the one called A Report the other A Rebuke of that Report In order to a reconciliation between the Presbyterians and Independants All four by Mr. John Humfrey A Sermon preached before the King and Queen Nov. 5. 1692. By Richard L. Bishop of Bath Wells David Jones's Farewel Sermon preached to the united Parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Weolchurch-Haw in Lombard Street His Sermon of Family Duties A Brief Tract on the 4th Commandment wherein is discovered the cause of all our Controversies about the Sabbath day and the means of reconciling them Recommended by the Reverend Dr. Bates and Mr. John How A Defence of Mr. M. H's brief Enquiry into the Nature of Schism and the Vindication of it With a brief Historical Account of Nonconformity from the Reformation to this present time Englands Allarme being an Account of Gods most confiderable Dispensations of Mercy and Judgment towards these Kingdoms for 14 years last past A Sermon preached at the Assizes at St. Edmonds-Bury in Suffolk March 18. 1693. before the Lord Chief Justice Holt and Judg Rooksby c. By Sam. Peck Lecturer of Ipswich An Account of the Blessed Trinity argued from the Nature and Perfection of the Supreme Spirit coincident with the Scripture-Doctrine in all the Articles of the Catholick Creed By Will. Burrough Rector of Chenis in Bucks An Exposition of Verse 2d of the 4 Chap. of the Romans with an Appendix on Chap. 3. Ver. 27. By VValter Cross M. A. A Sermon preached upon the Death of that Pious and Learned Divine John Collings D. D. By Martyn Finch Minister in Norwich The Midnight Cry A Sermon on the Parable of the 10 Virgins by John Mason M. A. The Churches Security in the midst of all Difficulties and dangers explained and asserted in a Sermon By R. VV. Minister of Kidderminster in VVorcestershire His Sermon at the Funeral of the Reverend Mr. Baldwin Minister of the Gospel A Sermon preached on the Death of the late Queen Mary By Andrew Barnet Remembrance and Imitation of deceased Holy Rulers A Sermon preached at Rotterdam March 15. 1695. N. S. the day of Her Majesties Funeral By John Spademan M. A. Minister of the English Church there The Cause and Cure of Strife and Divisions In two Sermons preached in London March 12 and 26. 1695. By Richard Mayo A Discourse on the Love of Christ By VVilliam Sheppard A. M. and Minister of the Gospel at Oundel in Northamptonshire The Nature of Justification opened from Rom. 5.1 By Mr. Gibbons sometime Preacher at Black Fryers London One Dissertation concerning the Antiquity of Temples wherein is shown that there were none before the Tabernacle erected by Moses in the Wilderness From Histories Sacred and Profane By Joseph Hill M. A. Editor of Schrevelius Lexicon A Sermon preached in the City of Exeter on the Thanksgiving day April 16. 1696. God glorified and the Wicked snared A Thanksgiving Sermon for the happy Preservation of His Majesty King VVilliam III. from a most horrid and barbarous Assassination By A. S. Sheba's Conspiracy and Amasa's Confederacy Or a modest Vindication of the National Association Feb. 25. 1695. The Protestant King protected the Popish King detected and defeated In a Sermon preached at St. James Clarkenwell April 16. 1696. the day of Publick Thanksgiving for the Deliverance of His Majesty King VVilliam from Assassination and His Kingdom from Invasion by the French both by D. Pead Chaplain to his Grace John Duke of Newcastle The glorious reward of faithful Ministers declared and improved in a Sermon upon the occasion of the Funeral of Mr. Hen. Newcome A. M. late Pastor at Manchester By John Chorlton A Funeral Sermon on the Death of that pious Gentlewoman Mrs. Judith Hammond late Wife of the Reverend Mr. George Hammend Minister of the Gospel in London By John Howe Peace in War by Christ the Prince of Peace A Sermon preached on the late Publick Fast June 26. 1696. By Francis Fuller M. A. Scripture Justification Or a Discourse of Justification according to Scripture Light By Samuel Clark M. A. A Sermon preached on the late Day of Thanksgiving Decemb. 2. 1697. By John Howe Minister of the Gospel to which is prefixt Dr. Bates's Congratulary Speech Nov. 22. 1697. to the King in the Name of the Dissenting Ministers in and about London Comfort in Death A Funeral Sermon preached upon the Death of Mr. Tim. Cruso late Pastor of a Church in London By Mat. Mead. Remarks on the Affairs of Trade of England and Ireland By VValter Harris Gent. The Fountain of Life open'd Or a display of Christ in his essential and mediatorial Glory in 42 Sermons on various Texts A Treatise of the Soul of Man Husbandry Spiritualized Or the Heavenly use of Earthly things All 3 by Mr. John Flavel Discourses upon the Rich Man and Lazarus by Tim. Cruso Mr. Timothy Cruso's three last Sermons Tutamen Evangelicum or a Defence of Scripture Ordination against E. G. Exceptions in a Book intituled Tentamen Novum The Helmet of Hope distinguished from the Hope of Hypocrites by Andrew Barnet Minister of the Gospel Trading spiritualized on which Tradesmen and others may enlarge on their Meditations in 2 parts By W. Bagshaw A calm and Sober enquiry concerning the possibility of a Trinity in the Godhead in a Letter to a Person of Worth in 3 parts By Mr. John Howe Mr. Masons Spiritual Songs or Songs of praise to Almighty God on several Occasions The 5. Edition to which may be added Penitential Cries The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification open'd in sundry practical Directions To which is added a Sermon of Justification By Mr. Walter Marshal A Family Altar erected to the Honour of the Eternal God or a solemn Essay to promote the Worship of God in private Houses together with the best Entail Or dying Parents living Hopes for their surviving Children grounded upon the Covenant of Gods Grace with Behevers and their Seed A new Creature or a short discourse opening the Nature Property and Mecessity of the great Work of the New Creation on the Souls of Men. All by Mr. Heywood Min. of the Gospel A Present for such as have been sick and are recovered By Mr. Nath. Vincent M. A. An Earnest call to Family Religion in 18 Sermons By Sam. Slater M. A. An Argumentative and Practical Discourse of Infant Baptisme The Second Edition Poor Man's Help and Young Man's Guide The Third Edition Both by William Burkit M. A of Pembrook Hall Cambridge Now Vicar of Dedbam in Essex The Swearers Doom a discourse setting forth the great danger sinfulness of rash and vain Swearing By I. Ross M.A. Prayers for the use of private Families with Graces Sacramental Hymus Collected chiefly out of such Passages of the New Testament as contain the most suitable matter of Divine Praises in the Celebration of the Lords Supper By Joseph Boyse of Dublin in Ireland Select Hymns out of Mr. G. Herberts Poems A Collection of Divine Hymns suitted to ordinary Tunes Holy Confidence well improved by Nehemiah and the Jews a Sermon preached to the Societyes for Reformation of Manners at Salters Hall on Monday Aug. 16 1697. By Mat. Sylvester The Golden Sunffers or Christian Reprovers and Reformers Charactered Cautioned and encouraged a Sermon preached to the Societys for Reformation of Manners in London Feb. 15. 1697. Rules and Motives to the Duty of Prayer The Characters of a Godly Man both as more or less grown in Grace Proofs of Gods Being and of the Scriptures Divine Original All four by D. Burgess The Grand Question reselved what we must do to be saved or Instructions for a Holy Life A Call to seriousness in Religion Good Councel to the Converted and Unconverted All 3 by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter Monthly Preparations to the Holy Communion By R. B. Published by Mat. Sylvester Sacramental Preparations for the Holy Communion in short By a Reverend Divine of the Church of England Mr. John Showers Sacramental Discourses Mr. Vine's Treatise on the Lords Supper A Looking Glass for the Unmarried wherein they may see these 5 things 1. The Benefits Helps and Comforts of a happy Marriage 2. How to proceed regularly in order to it 3. How to make a happy Choice 4. How to demean themselves to each other in order to Family Peace and Concord 5. The Relative Dutys of Husband and Wife By Mr. Edward Bury Min. of the Gospel Death improved Immoderate sorrow reproved By Mr. Edward Bury A most familiar explanation of the Assemblies shorter Carechism in which their larger Answers are broken into lesseparcels thereby to let in the light by Degrees into the mind of the Learners A sure Guide to Heaven Both by Joseph Allein Advice to an only Child or Excellent Councel to all young Persons A Saint indeed Or the great work of a Christian opened and applyed from Prov. 4.23 A Token for Monrners Divine Conduct or the Mystery of Providence These three last by John Flavel Minister of the Gospel Ornaments for the Daughters of Zion Or the Character Happiness of a Vertuous Woman By Cotton Mather Calamy's Godly Mans Ark or City of Refuge in the day of his Distress The Day of Doom in Verse Mead's Almost Christian or the False Professor Tryed Cast Invisible Realities demonstrated in the Holy Life and Triumphant Death of Mr. John Janeway Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge An Account of the Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry Min. of the Gospel near Whitchurch in Shrophire who dyed June 24. 1696. Recommended by Dr. Bates Vincents Explanation of the Assemblys Shorter Catechisme Redemption of Time the Duty and Wisdom of Christians in evil days By John Wade Minister of Hammersmith A Brief Concordance to the Holy Bible in a new Method By Samnel Clarke M. A. A Short and Faithful History of the Rise and Progress of the late War Singing Psalms Vindicated from the Charge of Novelty In answer to Dr. Russel Mr. Marlow c. Scripture Light about the Gospel Ordinance of Baptisme Much in a little An abstract of Mr. Baxters plain Scripture Proof for Infants Church Membership Some brief Directions for improvement of Infan Baptisme By W. Bagshaw Improveableness of Water Baptisme By Dr. Collinges Burkit of Infant Baptisme Scripture Warrant sufficient for Infant Baptism By G. Firmin Infant Baptism of Christs appointment by S. Peâ—to A Dialogue about Infant Baptisme By Dr. Gilpin FINIS