Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 9 · Sermon 76
SERMON LXXVI.
That Converſion puts a Man upon leaving his Beloved Sin; The reaſon of the difference of Darling Sins in men, and the Signs by which a Man may know his beloved Sin.
JEREM. 18. 11.
Return ye now, every one from his evill wayes.
THeſe words (you heard) were the ſecond part of Jeremiah's Commiſſion, the matter whereof is exhortatory, and in that the duty, and the time of the duty have been conſidered. The third thing in order to be proſecuted, is the ſubject, with the appropriation of it, Every man from his evill wayes. Beſides the common and general ſins, wherein all had defiled themſelves, there were alſo peculiar darling and beloved ſins, that every one had eſpouſed particularly to themſelves: If therefore they would declare their ſincere, and unfeigned Converſion unto God, they were to throw away theſe Dalilah's to ſacrifice theſe Iſaacs, their onelyonly ſins, which they loved ſo much. A man may leave many ſins without any trouble, ſo as it be not that to which he is dearly ingaged.
That true Converſion will put a man upon the forſaking his dear and beloved ſin: He will not as Lot, deſire to have a little one ſpared: So, Lord, I will pray, hear, Obſ.turn unto thee; onelyonly in this ſpare me. Some ſay, that Naaman the Syrian was not truely converted, becauſe he ſtuck at one beloved ſin; for when he proffered his ſervice to the true God, promiſing to take him for the only Lord, he addeth, Pardon thy Servant in one thing, that when I goe down into the houſe of Rimmon, and my Maſter lean on me, I alſo then bow down, 2 King. 5. 18. They that make him not a true Convert, ſay, here was hypocriſie. This Office was a place of honour and profit, and ſo though he would acknowledge the true God in many things; yet this his evill way he would not leave; I will not determine that point of his true Converſion; but certainly this is a very frequent miſcarriage in theſe dayes; Many hear the Word gladly, receive it with ſome joy, and do many things willingly; but then they are held in one ſtring, there is one dead Fly, and that marreth the Box of oyntment, ſo that it paſſeth a Diminitive but on a man, and all his Religion. As in that Naaman we inſtanced in, it is ſaid he was a great man, and of great authority in the land, but he was a Leper, and that marred all: ſo it is here, he prayeth, he heareth, he conformeth to many godly things; but there is ſuch a finne, ſuch a luſt, and that undoeth all; and as every man may have his particular ſin; ſo its obſerved, that Nations have their proper ſins. The Jewes in former times were above all ſins proue to Idolatrie; therefore its thought God did exerciſe them in ſuch a bodily way of worſhip; and ſo many external and glorious Ceremonies were commanded them; that if poſſible, they might not deſire Idolatrous worſhip. The Corinthians, their ſin was uncleanneſſe and wantonneſſe, therefore the Apoſtle doth ſo much preſſe Arguments againſt that. The Cretians are branded to be alwayes Lyars; and the Apoſtle confirmeth this teſtimony. Thus Nations have their proper ſins, as well as particular perſons, yea particular Towns and Villages, by one reaſon or other, are obſerved to be more prone to ſome kind of ſin then others: But I ſhall limit my ſelf to particular mens darling corruptions, which is the root to be plucked up, the Fountain to be dryed up; and every Chriſtian ſhould be ſo far a ſpirituall Phyſician to himſelf, as to be able to know, what is that particular ſin to which he is moſt inclined; for at that breach hell and damnation will enter.
But to make this point naked and open, conſider, That Originall ſin, though it Conſiderations about beloved and darling ſins. I.be the ſeed of all kind of wickedneſſe, and there cannot be an inſtance given of any horrid crime in the world, but this would carry a man unto it, yet this poiſon in every man vents it ſelf in one way, rather than another: Even as in every mans body there is a ſeed and principle of death; yet in ſome there is a proneneſſe to one kind of diſeaſe more than to another; and this may be called that mans proper ſin, his evill way. As Philoſophy tels us, Though all the individuals of one kind agree in one common ſpecifical nature, yet every one hath a particular difference, whereby it is diſtinguiſhed from another, which they call Hecciety; ſo its here, though there be many ſins acted in common by all, yet ſeveral men have their particular corruptions, which are like the Prince of Devils, that commands all their other ſins. Its true, there is no ſin committed by any man, but thou haſt cauſe to bleſſe God, that thou art not as deſperately intangled in it, as others. Therefore what the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks of the worſt of wicked men, and higheſt enemies to the Church of God, the Apoſtle Romans 3. applyeth to everie man. Yet evetie man hath his inclination to one kind of ſinne rather than another: and this difference of darlingbeloved ſinnes may ariſe from two grounds, the one internal, the other external.
The internall cauſe of a beloved ſin is the complexion and bodily conſtitution of a The reaſon of the difference of darling ſins in men. 1.man: For as one mans body inclines to cholerick diſeaſes, another to melancholick; ſo the very natural conſtitution, while a man is under the power of ſinne, hurrieth one way rather than another: Not that this excuſeth a man, to ſay, its his inclination to do thus and thus, he cannot help it, for ſanctifying grace will work in a man, a contrarie inclination, put another predominant principle within him; and beſides this doth not extenuate, but aggravate his ſin; for the more it is rooted, and cleaveth to him, the more difficult will his recoverie be; ſo then a mans peculiar ſin, that he is moſt addicted unto, may ariſe from his bodily conſtitu…ion, that may be a more prepared inſtrument for ſome vice rather than another. Or our darling ſinne 2.may ariſe from ſome externall cauſes, and they may be theſe.
Firſt, Cuſtome and uſe in ſome kind of ſinne. Frequent cuſtome doth at laſt breed an habituated delight, and becomes a ſecond nature; ſo that men who have been in long Captivity and ſervice to luſts, they willingly have their eares boared, and are never willing to leave that Service. We ſee dayly ſad experience of this truth. Men who through long continuance in ſinne, have now turned it into their nature, They ſay of that ſin, as Chriſt of grace, One thing is needfull; They add Drunkenneſſe to Thirſt, as Moſes calls it, Deuteronomie 29. 19. That is, after they have committed ſinne, they are vehement and fervent for it again.
Secondly, A darling Sin may ariſe from the condition, or relation we are in. There may be ſome temptations ſutable to the inward luſts of an heart, that we cannot leave ſuch ſins, unleſſe we quite forſake ſuch a condition, or calling. Judas his beloved ſin was Covetouſneſſe; and his condition he was in, carrying the Bag, that was a continual blaſt to blow up the fire of luſts; ſo if ambitious men get to the pinacle of honour; if covetous men to places of profit and gain, here the Serpent in their breaſts gets the warm beams of the Sun, there is a daily incentive to add many Cubits to the ſtature of their luſts; and its a very ill and malignant conſtellation, when a mans outward condition, and his peculiar ſinne meet together, he had great need to pray to be delivered from the mouth of ſuch Lions.
Secondly, In the next place, that may be called a mans particular way of ſinning, which yet we cannot call his beloved ſin. For it may be a great grief and torment II.to him, it may be a Tyrant uſurping power over him, not the delight of his ſoul. Some ſay David was very prone to the ſin of lying; its plain, that being in many ſtreights by Saul, he uſed many unlawfull ſhifts: Now this was an heavy burden to him, Deliver me from the way of lying, Pſalme 119. …9. He doth earneſtly pray againſt this Sinne: And ſo in another place, Pſalm 31. 10. He ſpeaks of being kept from mine iniquity: ſo the godly may be more prone to fall into one ſin then another; ſome into inordinate paſſion, ſome to cowardly fear, ſome to diffidence in the promiſes; yet theſe are not their beloved ſinnes, but their hated enemies, they mourn and complain with Paul, That this Law of ſinne within them leadeth them Captives; They cry out, and ſay, Their ſouls ſuffer violence within them: No ſinne, but Chriſt, is the beloved of their ſouls; he is the chiefeſt of ten thouſands; yet ſome corruption or other beateth them often down; they are more overtaken in ſuch a corruption then in any; Therefore they ſay, This is my iniquity, this is the Saul that is always purſuing of me. Its neceſſary the godly ſhould underſtand this difference between a ſinne beloved, and a ſin violently tyrannizing over them: for this is moſt certain, whoſoever giveth up himſelf willingly to one kind of ſin, he is yet in the ſtate of nature and wrath, he is not turned unto God.
Thirdly, As many of Gods people have found their hearts weakeſt to reſiſt ſome kinde of ſins: ſo the godly have for the moſt part ſome grace or other wherein they III.doe moſt excell. They have their way of grace, wherein they are moſt admirable: Thus Moſes is marked for his meekneſſe, David for ſincerity and a faithfull heart, Paul for zealous labour in promoting the Goſpel. Hence the godly are exhorted to think better of one another than their own ſelves; becauſe there is no grace, but one man may exceed another in: This ſhould teach the head or eye not to deſpiſe the foot; for even that member hath ſome peculiar ſerviceableneſſe which the other hath not.
In the next place, conſider the Signs or Diſcoveries of a beloved ſin, and they will appear thus:IV.
Firſt, That which ſwallowes and devoureth all thy other ſins. All other ſinnes are but ſtreams emptying themſelves into that Fountain, and Ocean; this is the darling 1.ſinne. The Phariſees peculiar ſinne was vain-glory, becauſe all things were referred to that: For ſeeing ſuch a ſinne is in the room of God to them, whole belly is their God, ſaith the Apoſtle, Phil. 3. 19. Therefore they refer all to that. The Adulterer, if he be greedy toget gain, its but to conſume upon his luſts; for that is the Idol of his heart; ſo Covetouſneſſe in an earthly man is called Idolatry; becauſe all the ſins he commits, all the fraud and wrong he doth, its to ſatisfie this: As in a mans body, where there is one great wound, all the humours will run thither.
Secondly, A beloved ſin is that, wherein a man cannot endure to be reproved and rebuked ſharply. They can with great delight, hear you preach againſt ſuch 2.and ſuch ſinnes; but then come to that wherein they are moſt intangled, then all their malice and venome works, ſo that there is no ſuch diſcovery of a darling ſinne, as a mans impatience, and fretting againſt thoſe who faithfully rebuke. When Herodias deſireth Johns head in a Platter, it was becauſe his Tongue had reproved her beloved ſin. Thus becauſe the Phariſees were reproved by Chriſt for their beloved ſins, hypocriſie, and Self-righteouſneſſe, they were moved with envy and hatred againſt him. Try then thy ſelf, canſt thou endure the ſharp Raſor ſhould come upon the ſoreſt part? Is there nothing that is in the Word cutting like a two-edged ſword, but thou art willing it ſhould enter into thy very heart? This is very comfortable.
Thirdly, That is a mans beloved ſinne, on which his minde, his heart, and all his 3.labour is ſpent. The Voluptuous man is deſcribed to be one that maketh proviſion for the fleſh. The Adulterer is brought in by Solomon diligently obſerving the time for his Luſts. The malicious Enemy to Godlineſſe is ſaid by David to go up and down the ſtreet like a Dog waiting for an opportunity, and cannot ſleep till he hath accompliſhed miſchief. As Joſeph was known to be Jacobs Darling, becauſe he beſtowed a more excellent coat upon him than the reſt, and ſo the elder Sonne was to have a double Portion, as moſt beloved; So that ſinne which hath a double Portion above others, that which hath more of thy Cares, thy Thoughts, thy heart; that is thy Darling ſinne: Oh kill that, cruſh that in the Egge, before it come to be a Cockatrice. Men ſhould commune with their own hearts, and ſtudy themſelves more than they do in this matter.
Fourthly, That is thy darling ſinne, which thou wouldſt have ſpared above all. Thou wouldſt never ſtand delaying, but turn immediately to God, but for that. 4.That which thou hideſt in time of danger, as Iehojadah did young Ioas, hoping in time to make him King. This is the Goliah of all the Philiſtims: Commonly when the Grace of God comes cloſe to a mans heart, begins to wreſtle and combate with ſinne; then there is no ſuch ſturdy and potent enemy as that beloved ſin. All the difficulty is in throwing down that mountain. When there was a man very forward, and not very far from the Kingdom of Chriſt, our Saviour to trie his ſincerity, preſently puts him upon the leaving his indeared ſin, and then ſaith the Text, He went away exceeding ſorrowful. This was the cup of Jelouſie-water that did preſently make his thigh to rot. What then is the ſinne that hinders thee alway? That is the foreign, the milſtone about thy neck … If it were not for that, thou couldſt gladly run in the way of Gods commandments: This is the great enemy to thy ſouls peace, ſpare it not but deſtroy it.
Fiftly, The darling ſinne may be found out by the eaſineſſe to be overcome by it. Sampſon is eaſily perſwaded by Dalilah, when none elſe in the World could 5.ſteal away his heart. The Apoſtle bids us lay aſide the ſin that doth ſo eaſily beſe… us, Heb. 12. 1. Its the general Rule of the Scripture, Of what a man is overcome, that he is in bondage unto: and if the man be eaſily without any reſiſtance overcome, then its an argument he is the more in bondage. Conſider then what that ſinne is, which thou canſt hardly refuſe, what that is which finds the door always open, and there know all thy Calamity ariſeth by that, Its an heavy ſlavery (if the ſoul could be ſenſible) to be at the command of any ſinne; when it faith, Go, thou goeſt; and when Come, thou comeſt: Thou canſt deny nothing to it, as Herod could not to Herodias; Ask not half, but the whole Kingdome of Heaven, and thou will part with it to enjoy thy luſts.
Thus you have heard how this particular ſin of a man, which is his own indeared corruption may be found out.
Now lets conſider, Why Converſion to God doth in a ſpeciall manner make Why Converſion makes a man leave his darling ſins.a man leave this: The work of Grace doth in a peculiar manner take off this yoke … That what Amnon did by unnaturall, carnall luſt; he hated Tamar as much and more than ever he loved her: ſo when men are once truely humbled for ſin and turn to God, thoſe particular luſts which were their delight, their ſport, their conſtant practice, they are now moſt ſet againſt them; of all ſins their hearts do moſt …iſ… and ſwell with an holie indignation againſt them. Now the grounds are theſe:
Firſt, This beloved ſinne was the ſtrength and power of all other ſinnes. They all runne into this: This is a kinde of an original mother ſinne, that bred and 1.nouriſhed all other tranſgreſſions. As Sampſons ſtrength lay in his hair, ſo all the power and effi…acie of ſin in a man, ran into that Channel of his beloved ſin. That was the premum mobile which carried all the reſt with it; ſo that as it was given in command to the Souldiers, that they ſhould not fight with little, or great, but with the King of Iſrael: ſo grace in the heart of a man doth not ſo much aſſault leſſe ſinnes as this great one. Come, ſaith grace, let us deſtroy this, and all is ours, This is the ſtrong man that muſt be bound ere the houſe can be taken: This is the Dim that muſt firſt be deſtroyed. No wonder then, that a man intangled in any cloſe beloved ſin, can promiſe himſelf any true comfort or hope, for he is under the ſtrong power of ſin and Satan, as long as this is upon him.
Secondly, Therefore a man muſt forſake this beloved ſinne, becauſe in true converſion unto God, we are to leave ſinne upon ſuch ſpirituall and Scripture grounds 2.which are true in every ſinne, as well as in any. The grounds of turning from ſinne are, becauſe its contrarie to an holy God, it oppoſeth an heavenly and pure Law, it grieveth Gods Spirit, its the noiſome filthineſſe and dung of the ſoul: Why then if this be thy ground, then all this is true of thy beloved ſin as much as any; for that is againſt Gods holy will, that is oppoſite to a ſpirituall Law that is contrary to purity and the beauty of the ſoul. Its an hypocritical Converſion, when men leave ſome ſins, and not others; they can part with ſome kind of cocorruptions; but then there are others of which they ſay, as was of Goliah's ſword, None like that. Now all this is but deceit and frowardneſſe of heart, this is but halting before God; for if thy beloved luſt be ſinne, if an enemy to God, if an adverſarie to his glorie, how canſt thou lodge it in thy ſoul? Oh that people would attend more to the true ſpiritual and acceptable ground of leaving any ſinne, for that would ſweep all away, it would not leave an Hoof in Egypt.
Thirdly, Therefore in Converſion, a man will be ſure to leave his peculiar ſin, becauſe all repentance and humiliation is a kinde of revenge, and ſpirituall judging 3.and condemning of our ſelves. If we would judge our ſelves we ſhould not be judged of the Lord; ſo the Corinthians, that had been too conniving at the inceſtuous perſon, not indeavouring to purge out the old Leaven as they ſhould: when they began to turn from this ſin, then ſaith the Apoſtle, What fear? yea what zeal, what indignation and revenge? 2 Corinth. 7. 11. In all things ye have laboured to clear your ſelves in this matter. Thus it is with a godly man; of all ſinnes, that which was his greateſt delight, his greateſt practice, now his greateſt zeal and indignation is againſt: Was uncleanneſſe his beloved ſinne? Now he doth eſpecially abound in purity; that ſo all the world, yea and God alſo may ſee him clear. Was pride his darling ſinne? then of all graces he is moſt cloathed with Humilitie. Pauls great ſinne was perſecuting and deſtroying the Church of God once: but when converted, who had ſuch Fatherlie bowels? who had the Church in his heart ſo much as he? As Cran…er, that had ſubſcribed with his right hand to that which was againſt his Conſcience, afterwards with revenge put that firſt into the Flames; So doth the true Convert; Of all ſins I will be revenged moſt of that, by which I moſt diſhonoured God. Thus Mary Magdalen takes that hair of hers which had been uſed to allure others, and waſhes Chriſts Feet with it. And thoſe eyes that had been wanton Snares, doe now ſtand beblubbered with Water. Thus the godly man will be avenged upon his ſpiritual luſts.
Fourthly, Converſion to God is the bringing of a man to true and ſolid Wiſedome. 4.Now that will preſently adviſe him to take heed of that ſin which will moſt eaſily ſeduce him: He will take heed of that fire which hath ſo grievouſly ſcorched him; He will remember the deadly wounds and bloudy ſtroaks ſuch ſinnes have given his Conſcience; and therefore he is afraid, and trembleth at the verie approach of ſuch ſinnes. David when he had been throughly humbled for his Murder of Uriah, afterwards refuſed to drink the Water that men jeoparded their lives for: This is the bloud of man, he cryeth out: So will the true Convert be afraid to come near the borders, near the temptations of his old former ſins.
Laſtly, Therefore doth Converſion make a man leave his darling ſinnes, becauſe 5.it puts a man upon ſhewing the greateſt love he can to God, who hath ſhewed ſo much to him. Now wherein can he ſhew more ſervice and love to God, than by killling his Abſolom, by offering his Iſaac? Now, ſaith God, I know thou loveſt me, becauſe thou haſt not ſpared thy onelyonly beloved Sonne. So God, Now I know thou art truely converted to me, for thou doſt not ſpare thy dear luſts, thou doſt not hide thy beloved ſinnes any more: Love to God will put a man upon this; and no wonder, for it puts a man to loſe his Wife, Children, yea his dear life for Chriſts ſake: is it then any wonder, if it parts a man and his beloved ſinnes?
Uſe of Inſtruction, That all they are ſtill in their Hypocriſie, and lye under Uſe.Gods wrath, who retain any beloved ſinne. What though thou doeſt many things, yet if thou wilt not part with thy Herodias, thou art in Gall and Wormwood. And this is the rather to be obſerved, becauſe a man may goe for in the profeſſion of Religion, yet have ſome ſecret beloved finne that he hugs in his Boſome all the while. Oh throw that Toad out of thy heart; Chriſt cannot, will not dwell in thy heart, till that enemy of his be diſlodged. Oh let a Iudas be a Pillar of Salt to ſeaſon you: Did not he pray, hear, work Miracles in Chriſts Name, and yet lived in a ſecret beloved ſinne? God will unmask ſuch Hypocriſie, and make thy ſinne finde thee out.