The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. What ſins the beſt ſhould moſt watchfully avoid? and wherein the infirmities of the upright d…ffer from mortal ſins?
Q…eſt. WHat ſins are religious people who fear ſin, moſt in danger of? and where muſt they ſet the ſtrongeſt watch?
Anſw. 1. They are much in danger of thoſe ſins, the temptations to which are neer, and importunate, and conſtant, and for which they have the greateſt opportunities: They have ſenſes and appetites as well as others: And if the bait be great, and alwaies as at their very mouths, even a David, a Solomon, a Noah, is not ſafe.
2. They are in danger of thoſe ſins which they little think of; for it is a ſign that they are not forewarned and fortified; nor have they overcome that ſin; for victory here is never got at ſo cheap a rate: eſpecially as to inward ſins: If it have not coſt you many a groan, and many a daies diligence, to conquer ſelfiſhneſs, pride and appetite; it's twenty to one they are not conquered.
3. They are much in danger of thoſe ſins which they extenuate, and count to be ſmaller than they are. For indeed their hearts are infected already, by thoſe falſe and favourable thoughts. And they are prepared to entertain a neerer familiarity with them. Men are eaſily tempted upon a danger which ſeemeth ſmall.
4. They are much in danger of thoſe ſins, which their conſtitutions and temperature of body doth encline them to; and therefore muſt here keep a double watch. No ſmall part of the puniſhment of our Original ſin (both as from Adam, and from our neereſt Parents) is found in the ill complexion of our bodies: The temperature of ſome inclineth them vehemently to paſſion; and of others unto luſt; and of others to ſloth and dulneſs: and of others to guloſity, &c. And grace doth not immediately change this diſtemper of the complexion; but only watch over it, and keep it under, and abate it conſequently, by contrary actions, and mental diſpoſitions: Therefore we ſhall have here unceſſant work, while we are in the body. Though yet the power of grace by long and faithful uſe, will bring the very ſenſe, and imagination, and paſſions into ſo much calmneſs, as to be far leſs raging, and eaſily ruled: As a well ridden horſe will obey the Rider; and even dogs and other bruits will ſtrive but little againſt our government: And then our work will grow more eaſie: For as Seneca ſaith, Maxima pars libertatis eſt bene moratus venter: A good conditioned belly is a great part of a mans liberty: meaning, an ill conditioned belly is a great part of mens ſlavery: And the ſame may be ſaid of all the ſenſes, fantaſie and paſſions in their reſpective places.
5. We are much in danger of the ſins which our callings, trades and worldly intereſt, do moſt and conſtantly tempt us to. Every man hath a carnal intereſt, which is his great temptation; and every wiſe man will know it, and there ſet a double watch. The carnal intereſt of a Preacher, is applauſe or preferment: The carnal intereſt of Rulers and great men, I ſhall paſs by; but they muſt not paſs it by themſelves. The carnal intereſt of Lawyers and Tradeſmen, is their gain, &c. Here we muſt keep a conſtant watch.
6. We are much in danger of thoſe ſins, the matter of which is ſomewhat good or lawful, and the danger lyeth only in the manner, circumſtances or degree. For there the lawfulneſs of the matter, occaſioneth men to forget the accidental evil. The whole Kingdom feeleth the miſchief of this, in inſtances which I will now paſs by. If eating ſuch or ſuch a meat were not lawful it ſelf, men would not be ſo eaſily drawn to gluttony. If drinking wine were not a lawful thing, the paſſage to drunkenneſs were not ſo open: The apprehenſion that a luſory lot is a lawful thing (as Cards, D…ce, &c.) doth occaſion the heinous ſin of time-waſting, and eſtate-waſting gameſters. If apparel were not lawful, exceſs would not be ſo eaſily endured. Yea the goodneſs of Gods own Worſhip, quieteth many in its great abuſe.
7. We are much in danger of thoſe ſins, which are not in any great diſgrace among thoſe perſons whom we moſt honour and eſteem. It is a great mercy to have ſin lie under a common odium and diſgrace: As ſwearing and drunkenneſs, and curſing, and fornication, and Popiſh errours, and ſuperſtition, is now amongſt the forwardeſt Profeſſors in England: For here conſcience is moſt awakened, and helped by the opinion of men; or if there be ſome carnal reſpect to our reputation in it ſometimes, yet it tendeth to ſuppreſs the ſin; And it is a great plague to live where any great ſin is in little diſgrace (as the prophanation of the Lords day in moſt of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea; and they ſay, tipling, if not drunkenneſs in Germany; and as backbiting and evil ſpeaking againſt thoſe that differ from them is among the Profeſſors in England, for too great a part; and alſo many ſuperſtitions of their own; and dividing principles and practices.)
8. But eſpecially if the greater number of godly people live in ſuch a ſin, then is the temptation great indeed; and it is but few of the weaker ſort, that are not carryed down that ſtream. The Munſter caſe, and the Rebellion in which Munſter periſhed in Germany, and many other; but eſpecially abundance of Schiſms from the Apoſtles daies till now, are too great evidences of mens ſociableneſs in ſinning. We all like ſheep have gone aſtray, and turned every one to his own way, Iſa. 53 6. And like ſheep …n this, that if one that is leading, get over the hedge, all the reſt will follow after; but eſpecially if the greater part be gone. And do not think that our Churches are infallible, and that the greater part of the godly cannot erre, or be in the wrong: For that would be but to do as the Papiſts, when we have ſinned by fallibility, to keep off repentance by the conceit of infallibility.
9. We are in great danger of ſinning, in caſes where we are ignorant: For who can avoid the danger which he ſeeth not? And who can walk ſafely in the dark? Therefore we ſee that it is the ignor anter ſort of Chriſtians, and ſuch as Paul calleth Novices, that moſt erre; eſpecially when Pride accompanyeth Ignorance, for then they fall into the ſpecial condemnation of the Devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. Study therefore painfully and patiently till you underſtand the truth.
10. But above all, we are in danger of thoſe ſins which are masked with a pretence of the greateſt truths and duties, and uſe to be fathered on God and Scripture; and ſo under the ſpecious titles of Holineſs and of Free Grace. For here it is the underſtanding chiefly that reſiſteth, while the very names and pretences ſecretly ſteal in, and bring them into love and reverence with the Will. And the poor honeſt Chriſtian is afraid of reſiſting them, leſt it ſhould prove a reſiſting God. What can be ſo falſe that a man will not plead for, if he take it to be a neceſſary truth of God? And what can be ſo bad that a man will not do, if he take it once to be of Gods commanding? The foreſaid inſtances of the Munſter and Germane actions, with thoſe of the followers of David George in Holland (who took himſelf to be the Holy Ghoſt, or the immediate Prophet of his Kingdom) and Hacket and his Grundletonians, and the Familiſts, the Ranters, the Seekers, the Quakers, the Church-dividers, and the Kingdom and State-overturners in England, have given ſo great a demonſtration of this, that it is not lawful to overlook it or forget it. The time cometh, that they that kill you, ſhall think that they do God ſervice, Joh. 16.2. And then who can expect that their conſciences ſhould avoid it? Why did Paul perſecute the Chriſtians, and compel them to blaſpheme? Becauſe he verily thought that he ought to do many things againſt the Name of Jeſus, Acts 26.9. O it is religious ſins which we are in danger of! ſuch as come to us as in the Name of God, and Chriſt, and the Spirit: ſuch as pretend that we cannot be ſaved without them: and ſuch as plead the holy Scriptures: ſuch as James 3. is written againſt, when a wiſdom from beneath, which is earthly, ſenſual and deviliſh, working by envy and ſtrife, unto confuſion and every evil work, pretendeth to be the wiſdom from above: when Zeal conſumeth Love and Ʋnity, under pretence of conſuming ſin: which made Paul and John require us not to believe every ſpirit, but to try the ſpirits whether they be of God, 2 Theſ. 2.2. & 1 Theſ. 5.20, 21. 1 Joh. 4.1, 2, 3. And made Paul ſay, If an Angel from Heaven bring you another Goſpel, let him be accurſed, Gal. 1.7, 8. And more plainly, 2 Cor. 11.13, 14. Such are falſe Apoſtles; deceitful workers; transforming themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt: and no marvel, for Satan himſelf is transformed into an Angel of light: therefore it is no great thing if his Miniſters alſo be transformed as the Miniſters of righteouſneſs, whoſe end ſhall be according to their works. And Acts 20.30. Alſo of your own ſelves ſhall men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things, to draw away Diſciples after them. And what need any Diſciple of Chriſt greater warning, than to remember that their Saviour himſelf was thus aſſaulted by the Devil in his temptation, with [It is written.]
Yet let no Papiſt hence take occaſion to vilifie the Scripture, becauſe it is made a plea for ſin: For ſo he might as well vilifie humane Reaſon, which is pleaded for all the errours in the world; and vilifie the Law, becauſe Lawyers plead it for ill Cauſes; yea and vilifie God himſelf, becauſe the ſame and other ſinners plead his will and authority for their ſins: when contrarily, it is a great proof of the Scripture Authority and Honour, that Satan himſelf, and his ſubtileſt inſtruments, do place their greateſt hope of prevailing, by perverting and miſapplying it; which could be of no uſe to them, if its authority were not acknowledged.
11. We are in conſtant danger of thoſe ſins which we think we can conceal from men: Therefore ſuppoſe ſtill that all that you do will be made known; and do all as in the open ſtreets: It's written (by two) in the life of holy Ephrem Syrus, that when a Harlot tempted him to uncleanneſs, he deſired but that he might chuſe the place; which ſhe conſenting to, he choſe the open market-place, among all the people; and when ſhe told him, that there they ſhould be ſhamed, for all would ſee; he told her ſuch a leſſon of ſinning in the ſight of God, who is every where, as was the means of her converſion. Conceit of ſecrecy emboldeneth to ſin.
12. We are in conſtant danger of ſins of ſudden paſſion and irruption, which allow us not ſeaſon to deliberate, and ſurprize us before our reaſon can conſider.
13. We are in danger of ſins that come on by inſenſible degrees, and from ſmall beginnings creep upon us, and come not by any ſudden wakening aſſaults: Thus pride and covetouſneſs, and ambition, do infect men: And thus our zeal and deligence for God, doth uſually decay.
14. Laſtly, We are in much danger of all ſins which require a conſtant vigorous diligence to reſiſt them; and of omitting thoſe duties, or that part or mode of duty, which muſt have a conſtant vigorous diligence to perform it: Becauſe feeble ſouls are hardly kept (as is aforeſaid) to conſtant vigorous diligence.
Queſt. 2. Wherein differeth the ſins of a ſanctified perſon from other mens that are unſanctified.
Anſw. 1. In a ſanctified man the habitual bent of his will, is ever more againſt ſin, than for it; however he be tempted into that particular act.
2. And as to the Act alſo, it is ever contrary to the ſcope and tenour of his life; which is for God and ſincere obedience.
3. He hath no ſin which is inconſiſtent with the true Love of God, in the predominant habit: It never turneth his heart to another End, or Happineſs, or Maſter.
4. Therefore it is more a ſin of paſſion, than of ſettled intereſt and choice. He is more liable to a haſty paſſion, or word, or unruly thoughts, than to any prevalent covetouſneſs or ambition, or any ſin which is a poſſeſſing of the heart inſtead of God, 1 John 2.15. James 3.2. Though ſome remainders of theſe are in him, they prevail not ſo far as ſudden paſſions.
5. There are ſome ſins which are more eaſily in the power of the will, ſo that a man that is but truly willing, may forbear them; as a drunkard may paſs by the Tavern or Ale-houſe, or forbear to touch the cup; and the fornicator to come neer, or commit the ſin, if they be truly willing: But there be other ſins which a man can hardly forbear though he be willing; becauſe they are the ſins of thoſe faculties over which the will hath not a deſpotical power: As a man may be truly willing to have no ſluggiſhneſs, heavineſs, ſleepineſs at prayer, no forgetfulneſs, no wandering thoughts, no inordinate appetite or luſt at all ſtirring in him, no ſudden paſſions of anger, grief or fear; he may be willing to love God perfectly; to fear him and obey him perfectly, but cannot. Theſe latter are the ordinary infirmities of the godly: The former ſort are, if at all, his extraordinary falls, Rom. 7.14. to the end.
6. Laſtly, The true Chriſtian riſeth by unfeigned Repentance, when his conſcience hath but leiſure and helps to deliberate, and to bethink him what he hath done. And his Repentance much better reſolveth and ſtrengtheneth him againſt his ſin for the time to come.
To ſumm up all; 1. Sin more loved than hated. 2. Sin wilfully lived in, which might be avoided by the ſincerely willing. 3. Sin made light of, and not truly repented of when it is committed. 4. And any ſin inconſiſtent with habitual Love to God, in predominancy, is mortal, or a ſign of ſpiritual death, and none of the ſins of ſanctified Believers.