thy Heart and that Sin are too well acquainted that it finds too kind entertainment with thee that it dares be so bold and impudent as ordinarily to set upon thee when thou art more immediately in the presence of God in Holy Duties Satan will be sure at such seasons to stir up such Lusts in thy Heart as are pleasing and are likely to find most easie access and best entertainment as possibly Worldly and Vain Thoughts before and in Duties Drowsiness Sleepiness Deadness and Dulness of Heart and Affections I say the sins that most pester thee on Lords days or other times of either ordinary or extraordinary Duties And so the sins that set on thee after Duties after the Word Read or Heard after Prayer and Receiving the Lords Supper and after Sabbaths be it Pride Security laying down the Soul's Watch unruly Passions Worldliness c. these are thy iniquities which thou must keep thy self from beware of the Devil and the sin of thy own Heart on Monday Mornings and after Hearing Praying Fasting and Sacraments And thus I have finished this Branch of Exhortation to find out what your special reigning sins or most prevailing corruptions are and have largely laid down signs and marks whereby you may know which are they Yet before I leave it I shall endeavour to answer one Question or Case of Conscience and therein shew the difference between a beloved Lust a reigning Sin in an Unregenerate Man and a tyrannizing prevailing Corruption in a Godly Person for some doubting Christian may say I am afraid such and such sins that I am so often mastered by such as Passions inward workings of corruptions c. are reigning sins in me and inconsistent with Uprightness of Heart now how shall I know whether they be so or no Now for answer to this doubt tho' much has been spoken under the Heads already laid down yet I shall add somewhat further though but briefly I. One difference between a beloved Lust or reigning Sin that is inconsistent with Uprightness and prevailing Corruptions that yet are consistent with Uprightness is this That is a beloved Lust a reigning Sin which is indulged and that the Soul makes Provision for that a Man caters for and casts about how to provide that which may feed and maintain it Rom. 13.14 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof to gratifie and satisfie its Appetite to pamper the Flesh It is a beloved Friend that you make special provision for and cast about how you may best entertain Therefore if you set your Thoughts on work to find out a commodious way to commit such a sin to meet with loose tipling Companions or run upon the occasions of sin what you have found to be so and into that company which you have found drawing you into sin it is a sign that is a beloved Lust When sin doth not so much overtake thee as thou followest hard after and overtakest sin even lesser sins in this case may be reigning sins If thou settest thy self to Sleep at Divine Worship or thou welcomest and kindly entertainest Vain Worldly Proud Lustful or any other sinful Thoughts especially in the time of duty these are reigning sins But on the other hand tho' sinful Thoughts break in upon thee or thou dost commit some outward acts of sin if as Gal. 6.1 thou be overtaken with a fault but dost not make provision for the Flesh but endeavourest to cut off all provisions from it fliest from all occasions of it usest all means to cut Sin and the Flesh short and keep them under if Drowsiness in Holy Duties seize on thee and thou endeavourest to shake it off Vain Wandring Thoughts in Worship or any sinful Thoughts at other times impetuously break in and thou endeavourest to expel them in this case they are not beloved sins nor reigning corruptions tho' they are such prevailing corruptions as are very much thy special sins which it is thy duty to be humbled for and by Faith Prayer Watchfulness and most vigorous endeavours to keep thy self from II. Another difference between a beloved Lust a reigning Sin in the Unregenerate and Infincere and a tyrannizing Corruption in the Regenerate and Upright is this That is a reigning sin in any which is suffered to have quiet and peaceable possession in the Heart that a person is unwilling to have disquieted or himself disturbed in the committing of the sin which is not resisted that thou dost not Believe Pray and Watch against and when thou hast fallen into it dost not endeavour speedily to recover thy self out of by acts of Faith and Repentance and by earnest Prayer Endeavours and Watchfulness against it for the time to come A clean beast may fall into the Mire but gets out of it again as soon as ever it can it is a Swine that lies and loves to wallow in the Mire And thou art no better than a filthy Swine if thou lovest to wallow in the Mire of thy Lusts and not get out of it But now that is not a reigning sin in thee tho' it do too oft prevail over thee which thou grievest for mournest under and wilt not suffer to be quiet in thy Soul but resolvest it shall not ever have a quiet day no nor hour in thee If thou resistest it by the Weapons of thy Spiritual Warfare Prayest and improvest Christ against it and when thou art overtaken with it art not at rest till thou renewest thy Faith and Repentance and lookest up to Christ for strength against as well as the Pardon of it If it be thus with thee thy iniquity is not a reigning sin for he is a cleanly person who tho' he fall into the Dirt cannot rest till he get out of it and be cleansed again III. That is a beloved Lust that thou art unwilling to have discovered art deliberately angry at any person or thing that stands in thy way or would hinder thee from committing of it art angry at the Word when that meets with thy Sin But on the other hand if thou art glad to have thy sin discovered and reproved and when the Wordcomes closest to it can'st say as Psal 141.5 it is a kindness and as an excellent oil in my estimation can'st bless God for any thing that hinders thee from committing it as David 1 Sam. 25.32 33. David blessed God yea Abigail as an instrument for preventing his shedding of Blood If thou can'st bless God for Affliction when it keeps thee from sin as David again Ps 119.67 71 75. then it is no reigning sin II. A second Branch of the Exhortation bottomed on this Doctrine is That having first found out which is your special iniquity which I have largely insisted on and is the first step to keeping your selves from your iniquity then endeavour to cast it out of your Hearts and Lives You must indeed endeavour to keep your selves from every sin so as not to allow your selves in any But you must above all
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
THAT Great Duty AND Comfortable Evidence Keeping our selves from our iniquity Opened and applied in some SERMONS upon Psal 18.23 By John Whitlock Minister of the Gospel in Nottingham LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and are to be sold by John Richards Bookseller at Nottingham 1698. The Epistle to the Reader Christian Reader IT is not any desire of appearing in Print but meer importunity that hath prevailed with me to publish the few following Sheets For tho' I would not decline any thing that might tend to the honour of God and the spiritual good of any and tho' the Subject treated of viz. Mens finding out and keeping themselves from their iniquity be a matter of great and constant importance and that wherein much of the life of Religion and the power of Godliness doth lye yet this hath been so excellently and practically handled by the Reverend Dr. Bates that I could hardly prevail with my self to give my consent to the publishing of these Notes but have been at length overcome by the sollicitations of some whom I must confess I was leath to deny as being bound to honour them for their close walk with God and Zeal to propagate the Kingdom of Christ and the practice of real Holiness These Sermons as now printed with very little variation as to heads or expressions were preached forty years since in publick Anno 1657. and having occasion this year in a Lord's day course of Sermons upon Isa 53. to preach somewhat to the same effect upon those words in the 6th verse of that Chapter We have turned every one to his own way I was desired to print and have printed according to the Notes preached so long since when I spoke more largely to the Subject than I did when I returned upon it this year This is a true account of the occasion of these Sheets appearing thus in publick which it was convenient thou shouldst be acquainted with I shall add no more but my earnest prayers that God would make this Word profitable to my self and all that shall read it and to request thy prayers for me whom God hath graciously brought almost to the close of my seventy third year that God would be pleased more and more to fulfil to me that good Word of his Grace that they that are planted in the House of the Lord shall still bring forth fruit in Old Age they shall be fat and flourishing to the praise of the faithfulness and skill of God the blessed Husbandman and of the fatness and virtue of Christ the true Vine By such Christian remembrances of me at the Throne of Grace thou wilt exceedingly oblige him who earnestly desires more Grace to approve himself while in this Tabernacle The faithful Servant of Christ and Souls JOHN WHITLOCK Nottingham Jan. 1. 1657 8. That Great Duty and comfortable Evidence Keeping our selves from our Iniquity Psalm 18.23 I was also upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity THIS Psalm is a Psalm of Thanksgiving the occasion of which the Title of the Psalm acquaints us with viz. the Lord 's delivering of the Psalmist from the hands of all his Enemies and from the hand of Saul But I shall not spend time in looking back to the foregoing verses but come immediately to the Text it self wherein you have these two parts or things considerable 1. David's solemn and serious profession of his sincerity I was also upright before or with him 2. The proof and evidence of this his sincerity and I kept my self from mine iniquity Briefly to open the words I was also upright before him i. e. sincere in the bent of my heart approving my heart to God setting the Lord before me carrying my self in the habitual frame of my heart and in the general course of my conversation as under God's Eye This being upright is in the Scripture in several places stiled being perfect Gen. 17.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect or as it is in the Margin upright or sincere so Job 1.1 8. c. 2. v. 3. Job is said to be a perfect and upright man the latter word explains the former No meer man on Earth is legally perfect with a perfection of degrees for legal perfection is full conformity to God a sinless perfection but every true Believer is Evangelically perfect that is upright and sincere perfect with a perfection of parts as a Child that hath all its faculties and members is a perfect Child tho' it be not arrived at its full growth and stature Yea the Believer is perfect in his design and aim breathing and endeavouring after perfection and shall at last immediately after death be made perfect in holiness And I kept my self from mine iniquity i. e. I watched over my heart observed my self used all means of God's appointing to keep my self from sin David doth not arrogate to himself or ascribe his keeping himself from his iniquity to his own strength either of Nature or of Grace received for he was very sensible and readily acknowledged that he could not keep himself but that it was God his special Grace and the continued and renewed Aids of his Spirit that could keep him from his iniquities and inable him to walk uprightly before him that it was God in Christ it was Jesus he looked to as the Author and finisher of his Faith and all other Graces but he knew God works by means and on men not as stocks or stones but they must use God's approved means to keep them and tho' they be passive in the turning act of Conversion yet God then infuses a principle of spiritual life into them and requires they should use the means depending upon God by Faith Prayer and Watchfulness to make them effectual for the keeping them from their iniquities From mine iniquities i. e. that special sin which he found himself most prone to and was most easily and frequently foiled and overcome by which by his constitution condition of life or temptation he lay more peculiarly open to that which in his unregenerate state was his beloved sin and after his Conversion might be his tyrannizing and too often prevailing corruption He might probably in his distressed condition when persecuted by Saul be tempted to impatience unbelief lying making hast using indirect means revenge and the like and he indeavoured to keep himself from these The Doctrine is Doct. It is the duty of all that profess to be God's people and an evidence of their sincerity to keep themselves from their special sins those which they are most prone to and may properly call their iniquities Now for the handling of this Doctrine I shall 1. Lay down several Propositions for the more clear opening of it 2. Shew wherein mens own iniquities do lye and where men may search for them so as to be able to find out what their special sins are This I shall do somewhat towards in the Doctrinal part but in the Application more fully shew the signs of those
account of these sins which may more especially be called their Iniquities we find particular persons branded in Scripture as Cain for his Envy and Malice the Causes of his Murdering his Brother Abel Pharaoh for his Stubborness and Hardness of Heart Korah and his Company for their Pride and Rebellion Balaam for his coveting the Wages of Unrighteousness called Jude ver 11. the way of Cain the Error of Balaam for reward and the gain-saying of Korah Herod for his Uncleanness and Incest Judas for Covetousness as his Master-sin the Young Man in the Gospel for his Love of the World and the other Herod Acts 12. for his Pride And that Men have their particular special sins they are most inclined to appears from the contrary viz. the Nature of Grace in the Regenerate for every true Believer hath the Seed of God within him all the Graces of God's Spirit Seminally and Habitually yet there are some Graces in which some particular Saints are most eminent and excel other Saints Abraham is commended as eminent for Faith Joseph for Chastity Moses for Meekness Job for Patience David for Spiritual Affections Hezekiah and Josiah for Zeal against sin and for the Worship of God Now all these had all the Graces of God's Holy Spirit Habitually in the principle of them yet they did more particularly and eminently excel in those Graces they are in the Word more especially commended for And this may serve for the proof of this Proposition That there is a propension in every Man to some sins more than to others which David has a special respect to in the expression in the Text. Prop. IV. As there are particular special personal sins men are more inclined to than to others which may be truly call'd their Iniquities so there are also local and national sins sins that the People of some Nations Churches and Places are peculiarly inclined to more than to other sins and more than other Nations and Churches are Thus the Sins of the Old World were Ungodly Marriages and violence Gen. 6.2 4 13. Sodom's special sins were Pride fulness of Bread Idleness and filthy Fleshly Unnatural Lusts The Jews great sin was Idolatry and Murmuring and at last Rejection and Crucifying of Christ Babylon's sin was Cruelty The Athenians sin was Curiosity and affecting of Novelties Acts 17.21 The Cretians sins were Lying and Sloth Tit. 1.12 And there are sins of particular Churches Ephesus's sin was leaving her First Love Rev. 2.4 Pergamus and Thyatira's sins were Errors Loose Doctrines and Practices Sardis's sin was having a Name to Live and but a Name being really Dead Laodicea's sin was Spiritual Pride and Lukewarmness So the sin of France was Pride in Apparel Inventing and Following of Fashions The sins of Southern hot Countries as Italy are Uncleanness and Revenge Of Spain Pride of Spirit Of more Cold and Northern Countries Gluttonny and Drunkenness and also Uncleanness as the fruits of those sins And what shall I say are England's proper sins Oh that there were not cause to fear and say that England is even the Centre of all these sins the very Sink whereinto all these sins have emptied themselves Are not the Pride in Garb and Spirit of some Countries the Uncleanness of others the Gluttony and Drunkenness the Atheism and Profaneness of others all to be found overflowing our Land as a Deluge Nay are not the sins of the Churches of Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira Sardis and Laodicea to be found in our Churches Now it is our Duty and will be the Evidence of our Sincerity to keep from these our National and Church sins Prop. V. Both a Nations and Persons special prevailing sins may alter and change as their Age and Condition and particular Circumstances do alter One sin may be a Man's special beloved prevailing sin at one time and in one Age and Condition and another at another time For as in the Body there may be a change in the Temper and Constitution of the Body and thereupon an inclination to some Diseases at one time and to others at another So it may be and often is as to the Soul namely Pride Prodigality Intemperance in Meat and Drink Uncleanness Gaming Haunting of and Linking themselves to knots of loose Companions may be the beloved prevailing sins of Persons in their Youth or riper Years and yet Covetousness may be the special prevailing sin of the same Person in his old Age. Thou may'st exchange one beloved lust for another and so still have some beloved lust that is properly thine iniquity A sin that may prove to be thy reigning sin may lye a long time hid and thou at present feel little of the stirrings of it but yet at length occasions may come that may draw it out and it may come to be thy prevailing corruption Envy Discontent Impatience may be thy iniquities when thou art brought into a low condition which it may be thou observedst little of while thou wert in an healthful or prosperous state And when thou art in a prosperous condition rais'd in Power or Estate Pride Oppression Cruelty Luxury may be thy special sins which thou feltest little of before Thou may'st be ready to say as Hazael 2 King 8.13 Is thy Servant a Dog but saith the Prophet Thou shalt be King and thou little thinkest how cruel and tyrannical thou wilt be then And so also a Nation 's special sins may alter In times of Darkness and Ignorance Superstition and Idolatry may be the reigning sins of a place and in times of greater Light of the Gospel together with the springing up of the Grain Weeds do oft put up and the Envious one sows Tares and so Errors in Doctrine and the abounding of such may be the reigning sin of a Nation or Church In the time of setting upon the work of Reformation in Doctrine Worship Discipline or Manners the special sin of a People too often is unwillingness to be reformed and opposition to the work of Reformation and to the setting up the Kingdom of Christ and the Lord grant that may not be found to be the sin of our Nation At one time Persecution against the godly and against both the Form and Power of Godliness may be the sin of a Nation at another time resting in the Form of Godliness and denying the Power of it and the increase of Divisions Animosities Censoriousness c. may be the sin of Professors so that you see there may be a change of Nations and Person 's special prevailing sins yet they may have still some predominant sin that may truly be called their own iniquity and it is the duty of all that would prove themselves sincere to keep themselves unspotted from the present prevailing sins those that their own hearts the times and places wherein they live are most addicted to Prop. VI. The same Person or People may at the same time have several prevailing reigning sins which may properly be called their peculiar Iniquities arising from different Causes
the performance of them The sins of our Holy things may prove our special sins Sins of Omission may be oft are reigning sins in the Ungodly and partial Omissions are too much prevailing Iniquities in the Godly It may be thou art not guilty of outward acts of gross sins of Impiety Injustice Intemperance but yet thou livest in the neglect of Gods publick Ordinances the Word Prayer and the Sacrament I mean resting content in such a state that thou hast neither right to nor fitness for that Holy Sealing Ordinance so living in the neglect of Family-Duties of Reading Prayer Catechizing or omitting Secret Duties these Omissions if allowed and continued in against Knowledge and Convictions they are thine yea thy reigning Iniquities And you that have true Grace your omission of Duties through carelesness tho' they be not beloved Lusts yet they are strong Corruptions in you when a little thing an ordinary business will cause you to omit Duties put you by the attending on week-day opportunities of hearing the Word when you might without prejudice order it otherways or put you by your Family or Secret Duties Yea it is your iniquity a prevailing sin in you who have a right to and fitness for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper if you suffer worldly business so to incroach upon your time and hearts that you frequently omit joyning in that Ordinance in and with that Christian Church-Society you are Members of Nay if you not constantly do it unless providence plainly hinder Are you guilty of these Omissions if you are they are your special sins be humbled for and endeavour to reform them And as the omission of Duties and Ordinances to the slighty careless performance may be your iniquity Thus going unpreparedly unto Duties rushing upon them without endeavouring to bring the heart into an holy spiritual frame especially going to the Lord's Table without examination and excitation of Grace deadness and not acting of Grace in Duties drowsiness of heart yea drowsiness of body if thou dost not endeavour to the utmost against it Indeed if thou dost thus strive against bodily heaviness and sleepiness and if thou dost not bring it on thy self by eating or drinking or sitting up too late or the like it is thy meer natural infirmity and upon thy Faith Repentance and Prayer God will not impute it as sin to thee but for the sake of Christ will pardon it So vain wandring worldly distracting thoughts in Duty if thou dost not endeavour to drive away these Fowls of the Air when they come upon thy Sacrifices they are thy prevailing iniquities but if thou dost by Faith Prayer and Endeavours drive them away they are but thy infirmities however not thy prevailing sins when thou grievest for and groanest under them So pride of gifts expressions and inlargements in Duties and again not following Duties and Ordinances not following the Word and Sacraments with Prayer Meditation particular Application nor following these with Watchfulness and Endeavours suitable to your Prayers and other Duties you perform Are not some of these the too frequent prevailing sins that cleave to the holy things even of you that may have Grace in truth these you must be humbled for and by Prayer and Faith seek the pardon of and endeavour by these and an holy Watch to keep your selves from X. And lastly Which concerns only the truly Godly Person 's special sins may lye in or about their very Graces namely their not endeavouring to grow in those Graces and to act and exercise them or falling into and being foiled by those sins which are directly contrary to the Graces wherein they have been most eminent Thy iniquity who hast true Grace may be thy not drawing out those Habits of Grace God hath wrought in thee into act and exercise but suffering Grace to lye asleep and unacted If God hath wrought Faith in thee thy iniquity may be that thou dost not grow strong in Faith that thou mightest so more glorifie God that thou dost not act and use thy Faith to resolve thy Doubts and repel thy Fears that thou dost not by Faith fetch supplies of Grace and Strength against corruption and temptation from that Fountain of Strength the all-sufficient Fulness of Christ Hath God given thee the Habit of the Grace of Repentance desires after love to God and Christ filial Fear Meekness c. thy chief iniquity may be that thou dost no more exercise these daily in thy life to attain to more conformity and communion with God curb thy Passions prevent rash Anger provoking Words or any sinful carriages Yea the iniquities of God's People may lye in being foiled by those sins which are directly opposite to those Graces wherein they have been most eminent For it is observable in Scripture that the sins the most eminent of Saints have been foiled by were in the defect of or in what was opposite to the Graces they were most eminent for Thus in Noah one that was a Preacher and true and eminent Practiser of Righteousness and Temperance his greatest iniquity mentioned was his being over-taken with Drunkenness once Abraham most eminent for Faith his chief iniquity recorded was through fear dissembling and not owning his Wife but saying She is my Sister Lot who vexed his Soul for Sodom's sins yet his iniquity upon record was a very heinous and complicated sin and of great affinity to theirs namely Drunkenness and committing Uncleanness with his own Daughters Jacob was a plain Man yet his greatest sin recorded was using indirect means to get the Blessing even Dissimulation and downright Lying Gen. 25 Moses the meekest Man on Earth yet the sin that shut him out of Canaan was speaking unadvisedly with his Lips Job eminent in Patience Jam. 5.11 yet how many impatient Speeches did he utter David a Man after God's own heart how tender was his Conscience 1 Sam. 24. v. 5. but where was this his tenderness when he committed the sins of Adultery and Murder Elijah eminent for his Courage confronting Ahab telling him it was he that troubled Israel and setting himself against Baal's Priests and slaying four hundred and fifty of them 1 King 18.18 22 40. yet how faint-hearted was he when out of fear and discontent he sues for Death 1 King 19.4 Peter how resolute and forward for Christ yet how cowardly sinfully and shamefully did he deny Christ And God permits this that the best of his people may learn to rely upon not the strength of their Graces received but the strength of Christ and of his Spirit and constantly to look up to and depend upon him for fresh supplies of his Grace to be derived from him by Faith Search whether your peculiar iniquities do not lye here either in the want of growth in and strengthning of your Graces or want of the exercise of them or in your falling into the sins directly opposite to those Graces of God's Spirit you have formerly been most eminent in and labour especially to keep