place, it is usually abfurd to trouble him: 'tis a friend indeed, that falls in with him, and offers his company in that cafe, That fin is more thin ordinarily beloved by us, that interpofes in our privacies.

12. And lastly, that fin, that we are willing to endure greatest hard-fhips and fufferings for, that is our beloved fin: for inftance, fuppofe Covetousness be the darling fin, what bafe, abfurd, unreasonable offices, will it put a man upon: how scraping, and nigardly and dunghill-like will that man live, in his Town, or in his Parith; and expole himself to fcorn and contempt from every one that knows him. Suppofe Ambition be the beloved fin, how will a man in that cafe, fwear and forfwear, and temporize, and like the Boat-men, look one way and row another; almoft any thing for preferment. If Uncleanness be the mans particular fin, how will he deftroy his body, difgrace his name, overthrow his eftaté,for the gratifying of his luft? I dare aver,that the worst and bafest drudgery imaginable, to fcoure Kettels and Dishes, to tug are the Oar, to dig at the Mine, are honourable imployments, in compari-fon of this.

Vse 3.

Is for Exhortation, and Direction, to prefs you to the mortificati on of your beloved fin, and fhew you how it may be mortified: let me take up that Scripture again, mortifie your members, which are upon the, earth, that is, let every fin be mortified; for you must know, as death is to the members of the natural body, fo is mortification to the members of the finful body. Now in death the foul is feparated not only from one member, as it is in a paralyfis, or numb Palley, but from all, even from the principal parts of the body as well as others: fo 'tis in (piritual death, there is a feparation of the foul, not only from this or that finful member, but from the whole body of fin, from the principal parts and members of this body, as well as others: the right eye is dead, the right band is dead, it muft needs be fo, the one is pluckt out, and the other is. cut off.

A Chriftian muft deal by his darling luft, as the Ifraelites dealt by Adɔ nibezek, they cut off his thumbs, and his great toes, fu must thou deal with this fin, hack it, maim it, that it may not be able to go nor ftand, nor act, nor ftir, if it were poffible: and for that purpofe take thefe directions.

1. Labour to have your heart fteeled, with an holy courage, and re-falution against this fin, it is upon the account of bafe nefs and cowardli

Col.

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1 Cor. 6. 15. Gen.39.9.

Pfal. 39. I.

Dan. 3. 18.

Pial. 51.4.

nefs of fpirit, that people fall by the right hand of their fpiritual enemy: fhall I give you fome inftances for this? doth the Devil tempt thee to uncleanness, is that thy right eye fin, or thy right band fin? take up St. Pauls refolution, Shall I take the members of Chrift, and make them the members of an barlot? unyévoiro, God forbid, Jofephs refolution, How shall I do this wick dnefs, and fin againji God? Doth the Devil tempt thee to blaf1h my, or to perjury, or to lying, or to any other fin of that nature? take up the Pfalmifts refolution, I faid I will take heed to my wayes, that I fin not with my tongue, I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicke are before me. Art thou tempted to Idolatry, to deny the truths of Christ, to make fhipwrack of faith, and a good Confcience? take up the three Childrens refolution, Be it known unto thee, ob King, that we will not ferve thy gods, nor worship the golden image, which thon bast set up. Every man fhould be a Prince over his lufts, and like Jhuab's Captains, fhould put his feet upon the necks of them: here courage, refolution, feverity is very fuccefsful: and in fpecial,exercise your revenge on your beloved luft: fight not against fmillor great comparatively, but against this kingly, this matter fin.

2. Let your repentance be particular for your particular iniquity: it is not enough to confefs your fins, in the lump, in the general, but in prayer, you must take particular notice of your right eye fin, your right band fin: thus David was particular in his repentance, Against thee, thee thee only have I finned and done this evil in thy fight: this evil of murder, and this evil of Adultery, pointing as it were with the finger to particular fins. Zacheus makes a particular confeffion, of that wrong and injustice, Luk. 19.8. that he had been guilty of: Bebold Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man, by falfe accufation, I refiore him fourfold: this particle if in that place, may not be a note of doubting, but fufpition, if I have taken, that is, feeing I have taken from men by falfe accufation? fi Deus eft animus, feeing God is a Spirit.

3. Beware of thofe things that may occafion the commiffion of this fin: for instance, if thou art prone to the fin of lying, keep a door before thy lips if to gluttony and drunkenness, when thou goest to a feast, put a knife to thy throat. We use to say proverbially, Occafion makes a thief; this is true alfo in other cafes, occafion makes a lyar: occafion makes a drunkard, it is a fign of a naughty heart to dally with occafions to fin: Look not thou upon the wine, faith Solomon, when it is red, when it giveth Prov, 23. 31. bis colour in the cup, when it moveth it felf aright: It is not fimply unlawful to look upon wine in the glafs, but if this may occafion intem

perance

perance, here is a law laid upon our looks: that command which forbids a fin, forbids alfo those things that have a tendency thereunto,as is obferved by learned Commentators on the Decalogue, fometimes this is expreffed in Scripture: the Commandment that forbids Adultery, takes in all caufes and occafions thereunto: thus Solomon fpeaking of an Harlot, Prov. 5.8. Remove thy way far from ber, and come not nigh the door of ber boufe: Harlots, like peftilential diseases, make the houses infectious where they are,and therefore come not nigh the door of ber bonse: 1 Thes.5. 22. Avoid all appearance of evil: I know there are fome that dislike tae tranflation of so by appearance, and rather think it should be expounded fort or kind, but whether the word be taken in a Logical notion, in the whole book of God is very questionable; and therefore why we fhould depart from the current and ftream of Expofitors, and the fenfe of our learned Tranflators, I know not. When God would forbid the fino injustice, felling wares by falfe weights, mark how it is expreffed, Thou shalt not have in tby bag divers weights, a great and a small. It was a Deut, 25. 13: fin not only to tell wares by one fort of weights, and take wares in by another: but to have a great, and small weight in his big. God would not have us come near the lin of injuftice. Hence alfo is that caution of St John, Little children keep your felves from Idols; if you would avoid Idolatry, beware of Idols, be that would not bear the Bell, must not meddle with the Rope.

4. Pray unto God, that thou mayft not fall into fuch a condition, as may draw forth that corruption, that thou art moft prone to: this was that which undid Judas, he was naturally enclined to unjuft gain, and he had the Office of carrying the bag, and thus his luft was drawn forth. When a man is apt to be high-minded, it is a fnare to be in an high place: when a man is paffionate, it is fad to converfe always or moltiy with thofe, that are kindle-coals: that by provocations and unworthy carriages, are cafting fire balls into a mans foul, and he having a gunpowder-nature, is in a flame prefently. And the nearer the relations in This cafe the worle. It is fad when my next neighbours houfe is on fire, but 'tis worse when mine own is on fire: it is a promife made to the people of God, that all conditions of life, and all pallages of providence hall work together for their good; and fotherere on the contrary, when our conditions and relations make for the worle, cfpecially with reference unto our fouls, it must needs be very fad.

5. Learn to fufpect things that are delightful, Gen. 3.6. The woman Jaw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes. Carnal pleafures are forbidden fruit: Agrippina poyfoned her husband

1 Joh.5. ar.

in that meat he loved belt: the Devil tempts us with dishes fweetly poyfoned. Love and delight, pari passu ambulant, walk together, and keep the fame pace: many a man hath been undone by riches and honours and worldly comforts, like the Bee that is drowned in its own boney. Chritians be careful; Every one of us bath Eves sweet tooth in our heads.

6. Labour to act that grace in efpecial manger, which is contrary to thy beloved fin: for inftance, if passion be thy darling fin, labour to act the grace of meekness; if excefs, the grace of temperance; if uncleanness, the grace of chastity: let me tell you, where grace is helped by nature, upon the account of a mans temper and conftitution, there a little grace will go far: but when grace is to be employed againft nature,it had need to be strong and active: your Watermen in fome cafes take their ease, and their Boats will go of themselves, but when wind and tide is against them, then they mult labour at the Oar, Hic labor, hoc opus.

7. Keep a watch over thy heart, Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with al Mat, 15, 19. diligence, for out of it are the iffues of life: fo our Saviour, Out of the beart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, falfe witness, blafphemy. Godliness is but a fanfie till the heart be reformed: Pfal. 78. 34, we read in the book of Pfalms of Ifraels turning unto God; When 35. he flew them, then they fought him, and they returned, and enquired early after God, and they remembred that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer: but was their converfion right? no, Ver. 36. Thy did flatter bim with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongue, and whence was this? Ver.37. Their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfaft in bis covenant: therefore, mortifie fin in its rife, in its first principle, lay the axe to the root, there is more fap in the root than in the branches; there is more fin in the heart than in the life: one ftroke at the root of the tree, conduces more to the deadning of it, than many at the body, or the boughs, or any other part whatsoever.

To quicken your induftry in this, know, that the motions of original fin, as they are permanent, fo they are exceeding violent, and impetuous. Lremember the learned Davenant, de juftitia habituali & actuali, cap. 5. gives this difference, between the remiffion of actual and original sin: when actual fins are forgiven, faith he, penitus tolluntur, quoad maculam. &reatum, both as to their guilt and filth: but it is not fo with original fin,the guilt is done away, but the stain remains; this is a fin that dwells in us, that abides in us, and abides by us; we fhall not be rid of the body of death, till the death of the body. Sin is an ill tenant, it will not out till the house fall upon its head: now the certainty of the inherence of this fin, is an argument of the more efficaciousness of its operation,

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modus operandi, sequitur modum essendi: unquenchable fire burns more fervently, than that which may be extinguished; the reason why the Angels at this day do the will of God, in a more eminent way than the Saints on earth, is, because they have fuch a principle of holiness, as cannot be loft to Eternity, whereas the Saints on earth have a weaker principle of holiness, which may unhappily be abated, though it be recruited again: the reason why the foul of an healthful perfon, moves and acts with more vivacity, and energy, and power, than the foul of a fick man, is, because in the latter, it may be departing, and taking its leave of the body, or at least may be in danger fo to do, whereas the former, being a man of an hail and good conftitution of body, the foul may act, inform, enliven it many years.

8. Get a respect to all Gods commandments, Pfal. 119. 6. then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all tby commandments. The reason why men indulge any one luft, is, because they pick and cull their duties, and fo indeed ferve not the will of God, but their own choice. Oh, how many are there, that answer the Lord with half obedience, like the Eccbo, which makes not a perfect refpondence of the voice, but of fome part thereof? Many make fuch a difference amongst the Tables, as if only one fide, or one part were of Gods writing: Oh Sirs, this will not do, this will undo; the man that like Agrippa, doth but almost believe, almost repent, almost conform to the will of God, that man shall be faved proportionably, almost. One fin unrepented of will cause you to mifcarry to all eternity: one crack in a bell may make it unserviceable, untunable, and till it be new caft, it is good for nothing: one wound may kill your bodies, and fo may one fin your fouls. Oh Chriftians, what had become of you and I? if Jefus Chrift had fatisfied the juftice of God for all but one fin? There is a Text in Ezekiel, that is ufually taken for a place of the greateft mercy in the whole bock of God, When the wicked turneth away from his wickedness, that be Ezek. 18.1 bath committed, and dosh that which is lawful and right, he fhall fave bis foul alive. You have to the fame purpofe, ver, 21, 22. of the fame Chapter, but pray mark what follows, ver. 28. Because be confidereth, and turneth away from all bis tranfgreffion that he bath committed, no. mercy to be expected from this Scripture, unless a man turn away from all bis tranfgreffions: 2 Tim. 2.21. the Veffel of honor is diftinguished from the Veffel of dithonour, by this character, that it is fanclified and prepared for every good work: and this is the commendation of Zachary,

and Elizabeth, they were both righteous before God, walking in all the Com- Luk. 1. 6 mandments, and ordinances of the Lord blam.lfs. Halting in Religion is a trouble

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