That every true and sincere hearted Christian will above all other things endeavour to keep himself from his own sin his own Iniquity 'T is a most plain truth but if I may speak without comparison the most profitable truth in all the Bible Here you see the nearest cut to Heaven the shortest path to Glory the surest way to be secure from all other sins If a man should keep a Thief in his house and this man should have his pockets pickt every night and finding himself grieved as it should to prevent it buy new locks and bars to his doors and make all the Walls of his house strong that no Thief might enter in why you would say this man doth very simply he may loose all his money though his house be never broken up and further you would say it were his only way to examin the Thief that dwells with him and put him out of doors If any of you should have your own houses on fire you would not be so foolish as to carry buckets of water and fling them on your Neighbours houses for fear they should be set on fire and neglect your own why as Nathan said to David you are the men People now adays do wonderfully complain of other men and their sins as if they should fear the worse for them but look not into their own hearts and see sin lying and gnawing there every man should begin at home If a man hath a Son at home that is an idle and unhappy Boy and should break all his Glass-windows you would say this were a strange course for this man to go to his Neighbors and complain to them of their idle Children that do always fling stones and never correct his Child at home that did him all the mischief Friends I pray let me persuade you to look into your own hearts and you shall see that you have some sin or other there that doth you all the mischief you will see then that the only way for you to get peace and comfort is with David to keep your selves from your own Iniquities David had many Enemies abroad as his Father-in-Law Saul who sought his Life his own Son Absalom who sought his Kingdom but none so great as his sin within him Saul banisht him from his Court Absalom banisht him from his Kingdom but none brought him so much trouble as his sin within him 51. Psal 1 2 3. oh this was that which broke his bones nothing grieved him and vexed him so much as this and therefore 't is worth the while to observe the Title of this Psalm and when David penned it To the chief Musician a Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord who spake to the Lord the words of this Song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul David could never say thus before before he had cleansed himself from his Iniquity within him he always found one Enemy or other one trouble or other without him but when once he had turned his sin out of doors then came peace and comfort to dwell with him sincerity is the highest pitch that a Christian is able to attain unto in this life and this is the nearest way to sincerity for a man to keep himself from his Iniquity In the prosecution of this truth I will lay you down and treat of these following particulars I will shew you 1. What that sin is which a man may call his own sin or his own Iniquity 2. What we must do when we have found out our own sins to keep our selves from it 3. Why we should above all things keep our selves from our own sin 1. What is that sin which a man may call his own sin Answ I gave you a hint of it in the explication that it is Original sin the sin of our Natures 1. The word it self signifies so much 2. This sin is that which may be most properly called ours as first formed with us 2. No Temptation or occasion to it as to other sins and so none in the fault with us but our selves as in other sins This in the general 2. But more particularly to describe that sin which is as the Reuben the first born and strength of it 1. In respect of constitution that sin is a mans own sin which is the sin of his Nature with which he was born or bred that sin to which a man is carryed out by his own Nature though he had no temptation at all to it as for example the sin of swearing is so natural to some men that they will swear though no man hurt them anger them or provoke them to it they cannot speak without an Oath some men are naturally angry and touchy they will be angry without a cause some men are naturally covetous though they have no Children nor Heirs nor any in the World that they care for yet they love to be scraping up of money and hoarding it up they love to be hard and gripple in their dealings some mens very Natures carry them to the sin of lust and uncleaness though they have Wives which for Beauty are Rachels for bearing Children are Leah's yet they must hunt Bawdy-houses and follow strange Women the Apostle Jude describes such Persons v. the 10 th he compares such men to bruit beasts every beast hath his particular quality so every man his particular sin the Lion by nature is fierce the Goat lustful the Sow naturally loves to wallow in the mire the Fox to steal and so every one of us in this sence are like beasts till we be renewed we have some sin or other which even our very natures carry us out unto though the Devil should never tempt us we have all in us till grace come and sanctifie nature some sparks of some sins in our own breasts that are of our own kindling Now this is our own sin 2. In respect of Habitation that sin is a mans own sin which he suffers to dwell in him A man may lodge a stranger for a night or two but none but his own family will he suffer to dwell with him A man may invite many Women to a dinner or a banquet but he will suffer none but his own Wife to lye with him 11. Luk. 7. so that sin that lies down with thee and riseth up with thee that goes to Church with thee that dines and sups with thee that is with thee in thy trading and calling that is most properly thy own sin Sauls malice against David went with him wherever he went 4. Jer. 14. they are thy vain thoughts if they lodge in thee so that is thy sin whatever it is if thou give it house room and heart room 3. In respect of provision that is a mans own sin that he makes provision for A man will provide for his own Children and provide the best for them so you may know which is a mans own sin which he
in them of all things take heed of such sins as you cannot endure should be touched or medled with or reproved but will do all that you can to hide them and keep them secret these are your own Iniquities and are very dangerous 2. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their Iniquities boast of them and glory in them 3. Is 9. Men are apt to boast and to brag of their own things and so do sinners of their own Iniquities as the Apostle Paul saith in another case upon our uncomely members we bestow the more abundant comeliness so these Persons paint over and varnish what they can their uncomely sins that so they may â—he more freely commit them this is the â—…ry height of Impiety to boast and glory in our Iniquities and were they not our own we should not thus glory in them 3. Those who instead of forsaking their own Iniquities are partakers also with other men in their sins there is none of us all but hath sins enough of his own to sink him to the bottom of Hell see what an account David gives us of his sins in the 40 Psalm 12. if Davids were so many how many then are ours oh what desperate madness then to add to that multitude which we are not able already to number These Persons I cannot better compare them than to broken Tradesmen that have spent all and run themselves so far in debt that they are like to lye in the Goal all their days why these Persons are the readiest Persons to be bound for other mens debts This is the right and true adding sin to sin and Iniquity to Iniquity adding the sins of others to our own sins Now the best way to remedy this is with David in the Text to keep our selves from our own Iniquities and then we shall the better look to our selves in keeping our selves from other mens sins that man that is unwilling to give a bond for his own debt will never be surety or enter into bonds for another man's debt 4. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their own Iniquities are drawing on others and perswading others to commit the like sins with them Brethren I think our sin hath done mischief enough or at least will do mischief enough if it ruin and damn only our own Souls oh then why should we be so greedy of bringing others into the same guilt and condemnation with us I think the World was never so full of such kind of Persons as 't is now sinners are stark mad that every body is not like them and because they cannot draw others with them to the same excess of riot sin is such a sweet bit such a dainty morsel that they love not to eat it alone like some kind hearted men who if they have a joynt of meat extraordinary presently send for some Neighbours or Friends to dine with them Brethren this is the very Image and Superscription of the Devil that these men carry in their foreheads the Devil after he had sinned himself have made it his work ever since to make us all Devils like himself by drawing us into the same sins now the best way to remedy this is to keep our selves as David in the Text from our own sins and when we see the evil of them our selves we shall the more earnestly perswade all others to keep themselves from them likewise 3. Use Consolation to all those that can say with David in the Text I have kept my self from mine Iniquity This is the proper use of the Text David he comforts himself with this consideration this one thing was better to David than his honors and riches than his Crown and Kingdom This was Davids cordial in the Wilderness and his Song of rejoicing upon his Throne I will desire you once more to look upon the Title of this Psalm and read it over a Psalm of c. in the Title David rejoyceth over his outward Enemies among which he reckons Saul as the chiefest but in the Psalm David triumpheth over his Spiritual Enemies and among these he reckoneth his own Iniquity as the King the chiefest v. 21 23. this was a far greater comfort to David that he kept himself from his own Iniquity than his being kept from the power and malice of Saul his chiefest Enemy And therefore David leaves this upon record for all the World to take notice of it and seems to intimate thus much to us that this was the Reason why God delivered him from his greatest Enemy because he kept himself from his own Iniquity v. 24 Here then beloved we see the Fountain for a dry and thirsty Soul. Here is the true cordial in calamity the surest comfort under the greatest conflict let Men and Devils muster up all their Armies and rally up all their Regiments against the Saints they cannot hurt those who have kept themselves from their own Iniquities Sincerity my Friends is such armor of proof that no bullets of afflictions no chain shot of tribulations no poysoned darts of Temptations no fiery granadoes of persecutions are able to pierce or enter into That man that hath kept his own Iniquity out need not fear any sorrows entring into his Soul. No wonder that those who keep common tipling-houses to which Drunkards and Swearers and wicked Persons of all sorts have free resort are seldom quiet but singing and ranting railing and reviling wrangling and fighting are the dayly dishes they feed upon Just so are the hearts of all sinners where this Iniquity as the Master keeps a common Inn for all other sins to resort unto their is no quietness no comfort no peace in that Soul 57. Isaiah 20 21. 't is seldom that a sinner dines a good day and therefore Solomon tells us that even in laughter the heart of the wicked is sorrowful 2 Kin. 9. 22. this thine Iniquity is the true Jezabel and all other sins are but her brats and bastards cast out this Jezabel and thy Soul shall live fling but this Jonas over-board and their will be presently a calm O the Heaven that there is in that Soul whereinto neither this Iniquity nor any other wicked thing doth enter Give me leave in a few words as I am able to shew you some part of the happiness of that man that can say as in the Text I have kept c. 1. There is nothing to hinder the Union and Marriage between Christ and that Soul here what Paul tells us concerning the Laws of Wedlock in the 1 Cor. 7. 39. This is the case of every man while we are in our natural unregenerate condition mark it well we are wedded every one of us to this our own Iniquity every Soul is bound to this Husband now the Ministers they publish the Banns of Marriage between Christ and the Soul will you sinners accept of Christ Christ is desirous to have you he hath a great love to your Souls he is willing to espouse you to make you happy
not endure them every carnal natural man carries his worst enemy in his own bosom and that is his own heart we may say of our hearts in the language of David 55. Ps 11. O who knows the abundance of wickedness that is in his own heart nay not only wickedness deceit and guile that 's that that ruines many Souls and we may go on with the Psalmist v. 12 13. our own hearts are such enemies that we cannot hide our selves from them they are our guides and if our very guides deceive us O how great must needs be our misery how many are there now in Hell that may thank their own hearts for bringing them thither 2. How little we ought to trust our own hearts alass if we once trust them they will deceive us O Brethren trust not your deceitful wretched hearts they will betray you into the hands of sin Do you not know there is a league between sin and your hearts 44. Is 20. a deceived heart hath turned him aside sin deceives the heart and the heart deceives us O let us not trust to it Learn Brethren to be most afraid of your own hearts they will do you the most mischief when we have prayed or heard a Sermon or kept a Sabbath our hearts will be telling us we have done well O believe them not when we have committed a sin our hearts will be apt to tell us there is no hurt in it we need never be troubled for it O believe them not O brethren this is a sad thing that a man must not believe his own heart you will say 't is a strange World when we can trust no body nay I tell you worse yet you cannot trust your own hearts oh how carefull how watchfull ought we to be Many a man will say I am tied altogether at home I dare not go abroad because I have no body at home but Servants Children none that I can trust Brethren every one of us had need be much at home much in looking to himself and looking to his duties and looking to his ways because he hath none that he can trust 3. Prov. 5. a man that trusts his own heart or his own understanding ruins himself But what shall we do then Answ 1. Cross thy heart in all its desires this was that which did almost ruin Solomon he did gratifye his heart too much whatever his heart desired presently he consented to it 2. Eccles 10. when Solomon gave his heart so much liberty he did not think what will come of it he little thought his heart would have cozened him so far as to have brought him to Idolatry 2. Labour to know your own hearts better look into them into the windings and turnings that are in your hearts and then perhaps you will believe what we say of your hearts saith Bernard nihil recte existimat qui seipsum ignorat he that knows not his own heart is a man of no judgment at all 'T is not all the learning of the World will make a man a wise man but the learning of his own heart you may read more there than in all the Books that ever were Printed and when you once come to know your own hearts better you will trust them less 3. Endeavour to get Christ into your hearts he will be a faithful steward a diligent overseer there he will not suffer your hearts to deceive you This is that which Paul prays for the Ephesians 3. Eph. 17. read the policy of Darius 6. Dan. 1 2. O Brethren set Christ over the affairs of your hearts and you shall be sure to receive no damage 3. How needful it is for us to have our hearts renewed 4. Prov. 23. expurga cor Jun. Tremel The Romans by the Law of the twelve Tables were bound to purge and keep clean all fountains of water O Brethren let us get our hearts cleansed they are fountains a poysoned fountain is very dangerous a deceitful heart is far more dangerous Motives 1. Because 't is thine own heart and here are 3 Motives 1. 'T is thy duty God commands every man to keep and to cleanse his own heart to this end God hath entrusted us with them At the day of Judgment God will call us to an account for our hearts as well as our lives 2. 'T is thy benefit when a man fies a pond or scoures a ditch he himself hath the benefit of it O Brethren 't will be your great profit to have clean hearts what do you think is it not more profitable to have a faithful than an unfaithful steward 16. Luk. 1. O so may we complain to many men of their hearts look to your hearts they will bring you to Hell. 3. 'T is a sign of sincerity he that is careful of his own heart will be the more careful of another man's heart he that regards his own Soul and Salvation will the better regard his Brothers Soul and Salvation but he that is regardless of himself certainly will less regard others 2. Out of it are the issues of life ex eo prodeunt actiones vitae As a man's heart is so is his life if his heart be for God his life will be to God's Glory if thou give thy heart to sin thou wilt give thy life to sin and as thou livest so shalt thou dye and as thou dyest so shall thy Estate be to all Eternity so that life that flows from the heart death follows life and Eternity follows all It is a matter then you see of great concernment to have your hearts renewed A good heart makes a good life and a good life ends in an happy death and an happy death brings the Soul to Eternal Happiness 3. The great danger that follows from the two former considerations sins subtlety and our own hearts deceitfulness This will appear more plainly in these following particulars wherein you shall see what cause every one of us have to look about our selves and the wisdom of the People of God in being so careful to keep themselves from their own Iniquities The men of the World they do not understand these things and therefore they think it a needless scrupulosity in the Saints in being so much afraid of sin they call it only an humour and a fancy and I know not what but learn but to know the danger of sin especially of your own sins and you shall find there is cause enough for it The danger lyes in these following particulars 1. Here is very great odds against us two against one sin without and our own hearts within us sin battering and our own hearts betraying of us Each of these singly is too hard for us but when both combine together against us in what a case are we sin that corrupts our hearts to betray us and our hearts they conspire with sin to destroy us O sirs look in what a dangerous condition we are in That Garrison is not like to hold out long when there