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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A36457 A sermon preached before the Queen at White-Hall, February the fifteenth, 1690/1 by Henry Dove .... Dove, Henry, 1640-1695. 1691 (1691) Wing D2052; ESTC R3520 12,590 34

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A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE QUEEN AT White-Hall February the Fifteenth 1690 1. By HENRY DOVE D. D. Chaplain to Their Majesties Publish'd by Her Majesties Special Command LONDON Printed by T. M. for Robert Clavel at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church Yard 1691. A SERMON Preach'd before the QUEEN Psal 18. 23. And I kept my self from mine Iniquity THis Psalm contains a general Thanksgiving which David made unto God after he had delivered him from his Potent Enemies but especially from the hand of Saul who was the most furious and implacable of all his Adversaries And here as he ascribes his Deliverance wholly to the Divine Goodness so he comforts himself in his Innocency and Integrity and ascribes that also to GOD's restraining and assisting Grace which kept him back from that Iniquity to which he was strongly tempted and did not suffer him to do as the wicked would have done in the like Case What that particular Case and Sin was is not here mention'd but if we consult the History of his Life it seems to referr to that known Instance when Saul fell into his hands at Engedi so that he could as easily have slain 1 Sam. 24. 4. him as he cut off the Skirt of his Garment and yet he would not do such an Unlawful and Wicked Act no not to save his Life and he gives the Reason in the Words before my Text For I have kept the ways of the Lord Ver. 21. 22. and have not wickedly departed from my God For all his Judgments were before me and I did not put away his Statutes from me As though he had said I had more regard to God's Righteous Laws than to my private Interest and when I had a fair Opportunity of putting an end to all my Troubles I chose rather to suffer than to do evil Had I consulted Flesh and Blood or the Dictates of a Revengeful Spirit I could easily have secured my own by taking away his Life but I had rather venture the utmost Effects of Saul's Hatred than incur the Displeasure of God my great Deliverer and Defender the Fear of that could not make me forgo the Fear of him and therefore though I could not hinder Saul's yet thro' the Grace of God restraining me I kept my self from mine Iniquity From mine Iniquity that is from the Sin to which I was strongly tempted for some saith he afterwards to Saul himself bad me kill thee 1 Sam. 24. 10. and which I was also prone to fall into had not the fear of God kept me back for so the Chaldee Paraphrast explains the whole Verse I was perfect in his fear and he was the Saver of my Soul from Sin and from Iniquity The Words thus Open'd and Explain'd would afford us many useful Points both for our Instruction and our Practice the Chief of which I shall endeavour to speak to under these Three Heads which seem to comprise their main Importance 1. That there is some particular Sin which every one may call in a more peculiar manner His own Iniquity 2. That 't is possible to keep our selves from such Sins as David did by using the Means which David us'd 3. What Helps and Directions are needful for this Purpose that so we may learn to maintain our Integrity and keep our selves from those Sins to which we are most inclineable First There is some particular Sin to which every one is more prone than to another of which he may say by way of Emphasis 't is mine Iniquity at which he may point with his finger and say That 's it But what that is as 't is certainly known to GOD who searcheth our hearts and spyeth out all our ways so may every Man likewise know it himself by Communing with his own heart and Psal 4. 4. Hag. 1. 5. 7. considering his wayes By looking into his own breast and impartially examining his own Conscience by laying his Life to the Rule of his Conscience and measuring his Conscience by the Rule of God's Law This is the best Examiner and Informer too a Faithful Witness and a most Uncorrupt Judge which will easily discover and arraign convict and condemn the Criminal maugre all Endeavours to bribe or stifle the Evidence This must needs find out the Sin to which it is always privy and a Man 's own heart cannot choose but tell him what he loves best and what he is most addicted to That therefore there is greater Proclivity in every one to some peculiar Sins is sufficiently evident from every Mans private Conscience But how it comes to pass that so it is besides the general Corruption of our Natures which is common to us all will be further manifest from these following Considerations I. We are more inclineable to some Sins than others through our Natural Tempers and Complexions For though the first Principles whereof we all consist I mean the Soul and Body be vastly different in their first Frame and Make the one being Heavenly the other Earthy yet such is their near Conjunction while we are in the Body that they strongly influence one another The Corruptible Body Wisd 9. 15. presseth down the Soul and the Earthly Tabernacle weigheth down the Mind says Solomon Wisd 9. 15. And such is the Predominancy of some Elements and Humours to which the Naturalist ascribes the Diversity of Constitutions that from thence also the Moralist derives the different Tempers of Mens Minds and Inclinations Thus the Sanguine inclines most to Lust and Wantonness Incontinence and Intemperance the Cholerick to Anger and Passion Pride and Contention the Melancholick to Envy Discontent Distrust and Despair the Phlegmatick to Covetousness and Idleness and Luke-warmness in Religion So that according to the different Constitutions of Mens Bodies there arise different Inclinations in their Souls and Minds and as it is the proper Business of Reason to find out and restrain so it is the Great Work of Grace and Religion to subdue and mortifie the predominant Passion From whence II. We may further observe That at some certain Periods of our Lives we are more inclineable to some Sins than others that every Age of humane Life has some peculiar Darling that commonly bears the sway Thus in Old Age Men generally are prone to such as most conduce to their Temporal Advantage in the World to hoard and heap up Riches when they least need 'em and when they are just leaving the World they are commonly most solicitous about it in our Youth to such as most gratifie our sensual Appetites and promote our Pleasures letting loose the Reins to every inordinate Affection and rushing headlong to Sin and Folly Then we are apt to be covetous and by consequence crafty and deceitful and unjust and now we are apt to be riotous and disorderly impatient of Reproof and heedless of Instruction then self-ended and now self-willed then griping and now profuse then carking and caring as though we dream'd of an Immortality upon Earth