Sermons Volume 2, Sermon 4 (2 of 2)

Sermons Volume 2 · Sermon 4 (2 of 2)

p. 236Secondly, Is there ſuch a ſtrong Propenſion in the best to the worſt Sins? See then what cauſe even the beſt have to be p. 237continually humble. Oh, this is that which breaks the very heart, and rends the very Bowels of a true Chriſtian, that …e ſhould be ſo violently inclined to that which of all things in the world his God …s moſt averſe to, and which, of all things in the world, as it is the only thing he never made, ſo it is that which he always hates; this is that which makes him ſmite his Breaſt with anguiſh, and to cry out with the Apoſtle, O wretched Man that I am! And well truly may the beſt Saint call himſelf a wretched man, ſince he carries that …n his boſom that will be a perpetual torment and vexation to him as long as he lives; there are Factions and Rebellions, inteſtine Diſcords, and civil Wars within, the Fleſh luſting againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit luſting againſt the Fleſh; there's a Sea of wickedneſs, and yet in the midſt of it true Grace, like Fire, ſtriving to burn it up: Nay, no wonder this great Combuſtion makes ſuch a Smoke and Smother as wrings Tears from his Eyes; for when he meditates, this choaks his Meditation; he begins with God, but through this ſinful proneneſs, he fall, he knows not p. 238how, into ſome impertinent thought o… other, and in a moment he ſlides from Heaven to Earth; his Thoughts are lik… ravell'd Thread; he knows not thei… method, and order, nor end of them When he prays, this Corruption ſits very heavy upon his Heart; and as at the Evening the ſhadow of the Body move much faſter, ſo truly many times th… Lips move apace in Prayer, when ye… the Heart is dull and drowſie; where ever he is, whatever he is about, Lus… is intruding into his company, Corruption will be thruſting it ſelf into all hi… Actions: This is that which makes him weary of his very Life, ſo that he could very well be content; nay, he really and heartily wiſhes from his heart, that thi… Houſe of Clay were pulled down abou… him. Truly, when we look abroad in to the world, and take notice in wha… filthy Sins it wallows, what Oaths and Curſings, what Blaſphemies and Drunkenneſs, what Murthers, Uncleanneſſes and Riots have every where over-ſpread the face of the whole Earth; What do we ſee, but the Effects of that ſinful Nature that is common to us as well as unto them? there we ſee our own heart p. 239unbowell'd, and there we can diſcern what our ſelves are at the coſt of other mens Sins, What ſays the Wiſe man, in Prov. 27, 19? As in water face anſwereth unto face, ſo doth the heart of a man to a man. It was the proud Phariſee's boaſt, Lord, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, Extortioners, Ʋnjuſt, Adulterers, or a this Publican; as it is in Luke 18. Yes, believe it, you, and I, and all, yea, the beſt of us all, we are even as others are; the vileſt Sinners are the trueſt Glaſſes to repreſent to our view what our Hearts are; their wickedneſs gives in a true Inventory of what lies locked up in our Breaſts; there we have the ſame Vipers knotting and ſprawling within, that crawl forth in others Lives; there is Rancour, and Malice, and Hatred, and Slaughters and Adulteries, and the whole Spawn of all thoſe black Sins that have made Men either infamous in Story, or mighty in Torment, and that we have not yet out-ſinned all the Copies that ever were ſet us, that we have not yet diſcovered ſome new unknown wickedneſs to the World, is not becauſe our inclination to Sin, or our ſtock of Corruption fails us; but becauſe God's Grace p. 240either preventing or renewing, fails not. Where then is the Chriſtian that hath not cauſe to go mourning to his Grave? can you blame him to ſee him ſad and diſconſolate, when he hath no leſs Reaſon for it, than a Heart brim-full of Sin? Certainly that Man neither loves God, nor his own Soul, that can hear that there is in him ſuch a violent propenſion to injure the one, and ruine the other, without exclaiming with the Prophet, Woe is me, for I am undone, becauſe I am a Man of an unclean heart, and of polluted Lips. It is but juſt, yea, it is all the reaſon in the World, that while our hearts continue to be fountains of Sin, our heads ſhould continue to be fountains of Tears.

That Proneneſs that is in God's Children to Sin ſhould make them long for Heaven.Thirdly, Is there in the beſt a ſtrong proneneſs to the worſt Sins, what cauſe have we then to long and breath after Heaven? For not till then ſhall we be free from it. In-dwelling Sin hath taken a Leaſe of our Souls, and holds them by our own Lives; it will be in us to the laſt gaſp; and as the Heart is the laſt that dies, ſo alſo is that Corruption that lodgeth in it; but yet die it muſt, and die p. 241it ſhall: And this is the comfort of a Child of God, that though he brought Sin with him into the World, yet he ſhall not carry it with him out of the World: God hath ſo wiſely ordered and appointed it, that as Death came in by Sin, ſo alſo ſhall Sin it ſelf be deſtroyed by Death: As Worms when they creep into their holes, leave their Slime and their Dirt behind them: Why truly ſo is it with a Chriſtian; when he dies, he leaves all his Slime, all his Filth and Corruption at the mouth of the Grave, and his Soul gets free from that Clog, and mounts up into the boſom of God; and there alone is it that it ſhall no more ſtrive and ſtruggle againſt ſinful Propenſions and Inclinations; there ſhall it be eternally fixed and confirmed, not only in Glory, but in Holineſs alſo; we ſhall there be out of the reach of Satan's Temptations. We read indeed, that ſometimes the Devil appears before God, as an Accuſer; but we never read, that he comes there as a Tempter; we ſhall no more feel the firſt riſings and ſteamings up of Corruption there; no more ſhall we caſt kind glances upon our Sins, nor have hovering Thoughts towards them. O bleſſed Neceſſity, p. 242when the Soul ſhall be tied up to one all-ſatisfying Good; when it ſhall have as natural a proneneſs, and ardour, to delight in God, as to love it ſelf, and to delight in its own happineſs? And who then would deſire to linger any longer here below, and to ſpin out his wretched Life, wherein Sin and Sorrow ſhall have the greateſt ſhare; here the beſt of us are in perpetual Combates and Quarrels betwixt Sin and Geace; the one will not yield, and the other cannot; Corruption, that compells one way, and Grace commands another: Haſte therefore, O Chriſtian, out of this Scuffle; make haſte to Heaven, and there the controverſie will be for ever decided; there ſhalt thou no more live in fear of new ſins, nor yet in ſorrow for old ſins, but all ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away; all tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes, and all Sin ſhall be rooted out of our hearts, and we ſhall be perfectly holy, even as the Angels themſelves are.

A Proneneſs in us to Sin, ſhould make us …ful to avoid occaſions of Sin.Laſtly, Is there ſuch a ſtrong proneneſs in the best to the worſt Sins, this then ſhould teach us carefully to avoid all Temptations to Sin, and whatever may be p. 243an occaſion to draw forth that Corruption that lies latent within us: Wherefore is it that one Petition of thoſe few that Chriſt taught his Diſciples, was, that God would not lead them into Temptation, but becauſe he knew there is in all of us ſinful Natures, that do too too well correſpond with Temptations? And he knew that if we were brought into Temptations, it is very ſeldom that we are brought off from them without Sin. Were we as free from inherent Sin as Adam was at firſt; or were we confirmed in Grace, as the Saints in Heaven now are, we might then repell all Temptations with eaſe; and therefore our Saviour, whoſe Nature was ſpotleſs, by an extraordinary conception, and whoſe Holineſs was ſecure to him by an unſpeakable Union of the Godhead, he tells us, in John 4.13. The Prince of this World came, and found nothing in him. The Devil came to tempt him; but becauſe he found nothing in him, therefore he could faſten nothing upon him; no Temptation could enter becauſe there was no Corruption to receive it; and therefore when he tempted Chriſt, he only caſt fiery darts againſt an impenetrable p. 244Rock, a Rock that will beat them back again into his own face; but our Corruptions have made us combuſtible Matter, that there is ſcarce a Dart thrown at us in vain; when he tempts us, it is but like the caſting of Fire into Tinder, that preſently catcheth; our Hearts kindle upon the leaſt Spark that falls; like a Veſſel that is brim-full of Water, upon the leaſt jogg, runs over: Were we but true to our ſelves, though the Devil might knock by his Temptations, yet he could never burſt open the everlaſting Doors of our Hearts by force or violence; but alas, we our ſelves are not all of one heart and one mind; Satan hath got a ſtrong party within us, that as ſoon as he knocks, opens to him, and entertains him; and hence is it that many times ſmall Temptations, and very petty occaſions draw forth great Corruptions; as a Veſſel that is full of new Liquor, upon the leaſt Vent given, works over into foam and froth; ſo truly our hearts, almoſt upon every ſlight & trivial Temptation makes that inbred Corruption that lodgeth there, ſwell, and boil, and run over into abundance of Scum and Filth in our Lives and Converſations, p. 245Have we not great cauſe therefore to be jealous and ſuſpicious of our ſelves, and to keep a watchful eye over all the motions of thoſe Boſom-Traitors, our own hearts. He that truſteth to his own heart, ſays Solomon, is a Fool, Prov. 28.25. Certainly it were the greateſt Folly in the World to truſt our Hearts after ſo frequent experience of their Treachery and Slipperineſs; venture them not therefore upon Temptations: What Security have you that your ſinful Hearts will not ſin; yea, and it may be, betray you into ſuch great Abominations as you cannot now think of without horrour; as Men preſume upon the Mercy of God to pardon their leſſer Sins; ſo they preſume alſo upon their own ſtrength to preſerve them from greater Sins; they ſay of ſmall Sins, is it not a little one, and our Souls ſhall live? And they ſay of great Sins, is it not a great one, and our Souls ſhall never commit it? Alas, how know you but if once you lay your head in the Lap of a Temptation, theſe Philiſtines will be upon you; and you, like Samſon, think to go and ſhake your ſelves as at other times; but alas, your great ſtrength is departed from you, and p. 246you left a Prey to the fouleſt and worſ… of Sins whatſoever. And thus now you have ſeen in David's Prayer, the beſ… Saints proneneſs to the worſt Sins.

The next Thing obſervable is, The beſt Saints Weakneſs and Inability to preſerve themſelves without the aſſiſtance of Divine Grace; and both theſe, namely their proneneſs to commit Sin, and their weakneſs to reſiſt it, are evident Demonſtrations of the general Propoſition; the Almighty Grace of God is their beſt yea, and their only Security.

Now, as the Bottom and Foundation of this preſent Exerciſe, I ſhall lay down this Point to be treated of.

Doct. That it is not a Chriſtians own, but God's Power only that can preſerve him from the Commiſſion of the moſt daring and preſumptuous Sins. Advantages that men have to keep themſelves from preſumptuous Sins.And yet truly, if any Sins are eaſie to be reſiſted and overcome, they are the Sins of the groſſer ſort; for many times it is with Sins, as with over-grown Bodies; the vaſter the Bulk of them is, the leſs is their force and activity. The Soul hath great advantage p. 247to lay hold on great Sins, and to keep them off at Arms length, when leſs Sins flip in, and ſeize upon the heart unperceivably.

For, Firſt,Preſumptuous Sins give warning to prepare for reſiſtance. Great and preſumptuous Sins ſeldom make an aſſault upon the Soul but they give warning before-hand to prepare for reſiſtance. The Stratagems of War, if they are but diſcovered, they uſually prove unſucceſsful; as ſtrong Liquors taking vent, loſe their ſtrength and ſpirits; ſo is it in this holy War alſo; the Soul may eaſily foreſee groſs Sins, and therefore may more eaſily avoid them: If a Man feels in himſelf ſinful Thoughts ſtirring, and ſinful Deſires ſtrugling, hereupon an Aſſault is made, and the Devil hereby gives us warning what Sins we ſhould eſpecially watch againſt. Are they laſcivious Thoughts? Beware of Ʋncleanneſs. Are they wrathful Thoughts? Beware of Murther. Are they murmuring thoughts? Beware of Blaſphemy. Are they worldly Thoughts and Deſires? Beware of Oppreſſion and Injuſtice. Thus theſe Giant-like Sins ſtand forth in view, and ſend open defiance to the Soul, and bid p. 248it prepare for the Combat; ſinful thoughts and ſinful deſires go before, as Armour-bearers uſe to go before their Champions, and proclaim what great Luſt is about to make an Aſſault upon the Soul. Now ſuch fore-warnings as theſe are, is a great advantage that we have to repel and ſubdue them. Job 34.32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me. And what follows? Why, If I have done iniquity, I will do ſo no more. When a man ſees his Enemy before him, this is a mighty advantage, either to avoid or to conquer. This Advantage now we have not againſt ſmaller Sins; we cannot ſo eaſily eſcape ſins of Ignorance, becauſe we cannot ſee them; nor yet the Sins of our Thoughts and Deſires, becauſe we cannot foreſee them: Who of us all knows what Thoughts will next bubble up in our Hearts, whether holy and gracious, or whether ſinful and prophane? Theſe ſtrike without warning, and as an Enemy within, riſe up in the midſt of our Hearts unſeen. Sins are of two ſorts; either ſuch by which we are tempted, or ſuch to which we are tempted: The Devil makes uſe of one Sin to tempt to another; of a leſs, to tempt to a greater; p. 249…hus wicked Thoughts are at once ſins …n themſelves, and alſo temptations un…o wicked Actions. Now it is very hard, …nd the beſt Chriſtians find it ſo, to keep …hemſelves free from ſinful Thoughts; …ecauſe theſe ſpring up immediately in …he Heart without any foregoing Tem…tations to them; but while the Devil … tempting us to ſinful Actions by ſinful Thoughts, then the Soul hath leiſure to …ecollect it ſelf, to muſter up all its …races, to ſet its Guards to call in Di…ine Help and Aſſiſtance; and upon …heſe Preparations it may more eaſily …eſiſt the Sin, and overcome the Temp…tion; and that's one great Advantage …e have to keep our ſelves from pre…mptuous Sins.

Secondly,Natural Conſcience oppoſeth the commiſſion of preſumptuous Sins. Natural Conſcience alſo ab…rs more, and doth more oppoſe theſe …trageous, preſumptuous Sins, than it …oth thoſe Sins that it judgeth proceed …ly from weakneſs and infirmity; and this ſo gives us a mighty Advantage to keep …r ſelves from them. Little Sins do not …uch diſturb the peace and quietneſs of Man's Conſcience; and therefore the …poſtle ſpeaks of himſelf before his Converſion, p. 250in Acts 23.1. I have lived, ſays he, in all good Conſcience before God until this very day. And ſo, in Phil. 3.6 Touching the Law, ſays he, ſpeaking o… himſelf before his Converſion, I wa… blameleſs. How could that be? What blameleſs, and unconverted, and in ſtate of Nature! Yes, he was not guilty of notorious, ſcandalous Sins; and a… for leſſer Faults, his Conſcience over look'd them, and never blam'd him fo… them; and ſo truly is it with many moral Man; his Conſcience hath not word to ſay againſt all their ſmall an… petty Sins; let their Hearts be ſenſua… and their Thoughts vain, and their Di… courſe unſavoury, and their Lives unprofitable; yet ſtill Conſcience and the live very friendly together: But let th… Devil tempt ſuch a ſober Sinner as th… is, to Murther, or Adultery, or Drunkenneſs, or ſome ſuch branded Impiety Conſcience then flings Fire-brands, an… ſtorms, and cries out with Hazae… What is thy Servant a Dog, that he ſhou… do ſuch things as theſe are? As Subjec… pay to their Prince in many little Sun without grudging that, which were exacted from them all at once in o… p. 251great Tax would make them repine if …ot rebell; ſo is it with us, we ſtand …ot with the Devil for ſmall ſins, but … he tempts us to greater abominations, …hen Conſcience makes an alarm and up…oar in the Soul, and will not, nay cannot conſent to damn it ſelf by whole…ale; certainly, that Man that can, as our Saviour ſpeaks of the Phariſees ſwal…ow Camels, ſins of a huge bulk and ſize, without any check or ſtraining at them, muſt needs have a Conſcience as wide mouth'd as Hell, and he, who hath ſo …arge a Conſcience, hath no Conſcience at all; and that's another advantage we have againſt preſumptuous Sins.

Thirdly,Fear of ſhame and infamy a remedy againſt preſumptuous Sins. The fear of Shame and of Infamy in the World many times puts a great reſtraint upon the Luſts of Men, and keeps them from breaking out into thoſe daring and preſumptuous Wickedneſſes that otherwiſe they would do. Therefore our Saviour deſcribes the unjuſt Judge to be one of a ſtrange temper, that neither feared God, nor regarded Man, Luke 18.2. Why, thoſe that have worn off all fear of God from their Hearts, yet uſually have ſome awe p. 252of Man ſtill leſt them; though the are ſo hardned that they fear not God Judging them, yet they are withal … Childiſh that they fear Man's Cenſurin… them; loath they are that their Name ſhould be toſſed to and fro, from Tongu… to Tongue, that the World ſhould ſay of them, this Man is a Drunkard, an… that Man is an Ʋnclean Perſon, an… that Man is a Thief. Tell me, O Sinner, why elſe doſt thou ſeek Corners t… hide thy Wickedneſs in, why doſt tho… not do it in the face of the Sun, and before the Eyes of the whole World, why that very ſhame that makes Men ſcull in ſecret when they Sin, had they n… ſecrecy to hide themſelves in from the notice of Men, it would keep them alſo from the Sin it ſelf. It doth not terrifie Men to Conſider, that God write down all their Sins in his Book of Remembrance, but ſhould he write al… their Sins upon their Foreheads in viſible Letters, that all the World might Read them, where is the Wretch ſo impudent that would dare to be ſeen abroad, our Streets would be deſolate, and your Pews would be empty, and the World would grow a Wilderneſs, and thoſe p. 253that we took for Men would appear to be but very Monſters and Beaſts, ſuch woful transformation hath Sin made in the World: how many Swines are there …wallowing in their own Vomit? how many Goatiſh ſenſualiſts are become Brutiſh in Filthy Pleaſures? how many Earth Worms are there crawling up and down in the Muck of this World, loading themſelves with thick Clay? certainly, if every Sinner ſhould be ſeen in his own ſhape, we ſhould meet with very few Men in the World. Why, now Wicked Men are aſhamed to be ſeen abroad in ſuch diſguiſes as theſe are, and therefore they ſtudy to Sin in ſecret, or if that cannot be, they force themſelves to abſtain from Sin, unwilling they are to be pointed at in the Streets, there goes a Drunkard, or an Extortioner, there a Cheater, or an Adulterer, and the like, and for very fear hereof ſometimes they are kept from the commiſſion of thoſe infamous Sins that would make them a Reproach to all their Neighbours: And that is another advantage.

p. 254The Laws of Men keep Men from Sin.Laſtly, The fear of Humane Laws and Penalties doth many times keep Men from the committing many great and horrid Impieties, ſuch as would fall unde… the notice of the Law. It is a great Mercy that God hath Inſtituted Magiſtracy that may be a Terrour to Evil Works as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 3.13. were it not more for fear of Humane Laws the inflicting of Corporal Puniſhment upon Men, more than God's Threatning of Eternal Puniſhments, the whol… World would become worſe than a Savage Wilderneſs; within would be Fear and Tumults, without would be Rag… and Violence; our Dwellings, our Perſons, our Poſſeſſions, would be all expoſed to the furious luſts of ungodl… Men, and by ſwearing, and lying, an… killing, and ſtealing, and committing adu… tery, Men would break forth, till bloo… toucheth blood, as the Prophet ſpeaks Ho… 4.2. but the wiſe Providence of God who hath ſubdued the Beaſts of the Eart… to Man, hath alſo ſubdued Man (wh… elſe would become more wild and br… tiſh than they) to Man; God hath ther… fore ſubdued Man to Man, ſo that tho… that ſtand not in any awe of the Go… p. 255of Heaven, yet are they awed by the Gods of the Earth; and they whom the thoughts of Hell and Eternal Wrath cannot ſcare from ſin, yet many times the thoughts of a Priſon and Gibbet doth. Now this fear is of great advantage to keep Men from the commiſſion of preſumptuous Sins, which they have not to keep them from the commiſſion of leſſer and ſmaller ſins; and what, is not this ſecurity enough againſt them? is there need of any more? were it not ſtrange, if that warning given before-hand to prepare for reſiſtance, if the reluctancy of natural Conſcience, if the ſhame of the World, and the fears of humane Laws and Penalties ſhould not be ſufficient to preſerve us from them? Were not this ſtrange? Yes it were ſo; yet ſo it is; notwithſtanding all theſe advantages, ſtill we have great cauſe to pray with David, Lord keep back thy ſervants from …reſumptuous Sins, all other defence is …ut weak, and all other ſecurity is but …nſafe, Lord, therefore do thou keep us; …nd this I ſhall endeavour to demonſtrate …nto you by two particulars, the one …rom Scripture, and the other from Experience.

p. 256Firſt, from Scripture. All our ability, whether for the performance of duties, or for the oppoſing of corruption, is in Scripture entirely aſcribed unto the power of God; thus the Apoſtle exhorts the Epheſians in Chap. 6.10. My Brethren, ſays he, be ſtrong, but in whom, what, in your ſelves? no, ſays he, but, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, for in his Almighty Power, though mighty corruptions ruſh in upon you and threaten your ruin, though the Devil and the Powers of Hell puſh ſore at you to make you fall; yet God calls upon you to ſtand, and to withſtand them all; ſtand, alas! how can we? Such poor weak feeble creatures as we are, how can we ſtand? Why, ſays the Apostle, be ſtrong in the Lord, there's your ſecurity againſt all the force of your Spiritual Enemies, lay hold on his Almighty Power, and engage that for you, and this will bring you off the Field with victory and conqueſt: So again in 2 Cor. 5. and 3. We are not ſufficient, ſays the Apoſtle, of our ſelves, to do any thing as of our ſelves, not ſufficient to think a good thought, and therefore not ſufficient to reſiſt an evil thought; for our p. 257reſiſting of an evil thought, muſt be by thinking a good one; if an evil thought riſe up in our hearts, we cannot of our ſelves ſo much as think that, that thought is evil, nor think that it ought to be ſuppreſſed and ſtifled; and much leſs can we then of our ſelves ſuppreſs any ſin; and what ſhould we do under this utter impotency and inability, but call in Divine help and aſſiſtance? our ſufficiency is of God. Why now, yet in this we cannot think our ſufficiency to be of God, nor can we depend upon the ſufficiency of God to enable us to do it, for it is God, ſays the Apoſtle, that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure, both to think and to act; ſo you have it in Philippians 2.12. ſo that it is moſt evident to all that will not willfully ſhut their eyes againſt the light of truth, that both the firſt motions, and the whole ſucceeding progreſs of the Soul, either to the performance of duty, or to the reſiſtance of ſin, is wholly from God's Almighty power engaged for them, and ſtrengthning them to the one, and for the other.

p. 258Secondly, Another demonſtration of this truth ſhall be from the common experience of all; have you not found ſometimes, that you could with holy ſcorn and diſdain reject thoſe very Temptations to ſin, that at other times when God hath abſented himſelf from you, when he hath withdrawn his Power and Grace, they have ſadly prevailed upon you, it may be to the commiſſion of ſome daring and preſumptuous ſin; have you not found it to be ſo? what elſe is this, but an evident argument, that it is not your own, but God's Power that keeps you from the worſt ſins? We may conclude by our falls, when God doth forſake us, that when we ſtand, we ſtand not by our own ſtrength, but by his … Why do you not always fall? or why do you not always ſtand? Will you ſay it is, becauſe we are not always alike tempted? if you be not, why then ſince the Devil is always alike malicious? Even, herein appears the Mercy and Power of God, who almightily rebukes him; but when you are alike tempted, whence proceeds it, that ſometimes you yield, and ſometimes you reſiſt and conquer? but only from hence, ſometimes p. 259God is preſent to aſſiſt you, and ſometimes he departs from you to humble you; he is preſent ſometimes, that you might not utterly ſink and periſh under your ſins; and he abſents himſelf ſometimes, that you may be ſenſible by your falls, that formerly it was not your own, but his Power that preſerved you; and this may ſuffice for the demonſtration of the truth; that it is not in the power of the best Chriſtians to keep themſelves from preſumptuous Sins, but God's power only.

Now by this time poſſibly it may ariſe up in the hearts of ſome profane ones, Object. to make the ſame Objection, as ſome did in the Apoſtles days, againſt the Doctrine of Election; if it be ſo, that it is not in my own power to keep my ſelf from the commiſſion of ſin, yea of the greateſt and worſt ſins but only God's Power; why doth he yet complain? why doth he yet find fault with us for doing that, which we cannot but do, unleſs he himſelf preſerve us from it?

I might here take occaſion to vindicate the Equity and Righteouſneſs of Anſw. p. 260God, in requiring from us the exerciſe of that Power, that he beſtowed upon our natures at firſt, and which we loſt only through our own willful default but I have done this divers times already, and therefore, I ſhall only at preſent briefly conſider what Power Men have ſtill leſt them, both in a State of Nature, and in a State of Grace, to keep themſelves from the commiſſion of Sin, and that in a few particulars briefly.

Firſt then, Clear it is, that whatever Power Men have either to naturals or to ſpirituals; yet they cannot act or exerciſe that Power, without exciting influence from God to quicken and rouze it; who will ſay, that a Man that ſits hath not power to riſe, and that a Man that ſtands hath not power to walk; and yet it is certain, he neither ſhall riſe nor walk, unleſs God move and excite and rouze that power of his, and put it upon that work, for in him as we live, ſo we move and have our being: ſo then the power to uſe our power is from God's quickning, enlivening, and actuating of us.

p. 261Secondly, A Child of God, who is regenerated and born again, hath a power to do ſome thing that is not ſin; becauſe he hath a gracious Principle wrought within him, and he acts for a right end, even the Glory of God in the Salvation of his Soul; but yet this withal muſt be ſuppoſed, that he ſhall never ſo act without the ſpecial aid and aſſiſtance of God quickning and ſtirring up his Graces.

Thirdly, a Man in a State of Nature, hath no power to keep himſelf from ſin in general, that is, he hath no power to do any thing but what is ſinful, for whatever action is not ſinful, muſt flow from a gracious Principle, and muſt be directed to a right end, which no action of a wicked Man can be, for both the firſt Principle, and alſo the laſt end of every action that a wicked Man doth is carnal ſelf.

Fourthly, Though wicked Men have not a power to do that which is not ſinful, yet they have a power to reſiſt this or that particular ſin: They are ſadly neceſſitated to act within the ſphere of ſin; that is, whatever they act is ſinful, but yet p. 260duplicate page p. 261duplicate page p. 262they may as it were chuſe which ſin they will act, neither doth this overthrow what was delivered before, for when they choſe a leſs ſin rather than a greater, when they avoid the commiſſion of a daring and preſumptuous ſin, and choſe rather to perform a duty; this proceeds not meerly from their own power, but from the power and influence of God, raiſing and exciting their power; that Men chuſe to feed upon wholſome meat, rather than upon poyſon, though they have a free will to do ſo; yet this doth not merely proceed from their free will, but from God's guiding and exciting that free will to chuſe wholſome food rather than poyſon; ſo is it here, what ſin Man avoids, is not to be aſcribed to his own power, though a power he hath, but it is to be aſcribed only to God's common, or to his ſpecial Grace and Influence, whereby that power that would otherwiſe lie dead and unacted is quickned and actuated in us; what difference is there betwixt a Man that hath no power, and a Man that hath a power, but yet cannot uſe it: Truly, ſuch are we, what power we have againſt ſin, we cannot make uſe of it, till God raiſe p. 263and act us by his exciting Grace; therefore have we ſtill need to pray with David, Lord, do thou keep me from ſin, for though I have a power, yet it is but a latent and ſleepy power, and will not be available till thou doſt awaken and quicken it.

The next thing to be enquired into is how God keeps Men back from preſumptuous Sins, even then, when their proneneſs to them is moſt violent and eager.

Now for ſatisfaction to this you muſt know, God hath two hands, whereby he holds Men back from their Sins.

Firſt, The ſtrong hand of his providence. Secondly, The powerful hand of his Grace, and ſometimes God puts both theſe hands to it, in a mixt way of Providence and Grace together; theſe are as it were God's left hand and his right hand; by the one he over-rules the actions, and by the other he over-rules the hearts of Men, and both almightily.

p. 264God by his Providence keeps Men from ſin.Firſt, God frequently withholds Men from the Commiſſion of Sin, by a ſtrong hand of Providence upon them, frequently he doth ſo, and that he doth not ſo always, is not becauſe he is defective, either in Power or Goodneſs, whereby he ſhould reſtrain them from evil, but becauſe he is Infinite in Wiſdom, whereby he knows how to bring good out of evil; and therefore, before I proceed to lay down thoſe ſeveral ways that Providence takes to hinder the commiſſion of ſin, I ſhall premiſe this, That it is no taint at all to the pure Holineſs of God, that he doth by his Providence concur to thoſe wickedneſſes of Men, that if he pleaſed he might prevent and hinder; that God doth ſo is clear, for Providence is not ſo often a reſtraint from ſin, as it is a powerful temptation unto Sin; it is a temptation as it adminiſters Objects and Opportunities, and as it ſutes them both unto the luſts of Men; thus Cain killed his Brother Abel by a Providence, and Achan ſtole the wedge of gold; Judas betrayed his Maſter, and the Jews Crucified him by a Providence; yea, all that villany that ever was acted under the Sun, was all brought forth out of p. 265the curſed Wombs of Mens luſts, and made fruitful by God's Providences, neither is it hard to conceive how God ſhould without ſin himſelf, concur to ſin in others, ſince his moſt Soveraign Will being above all Law, cannot poſſibly fall under any guilt; we are obliged to keep back Men from the commiſſion of ſin, when it is in our power to do it, but no ſuch obligation lies upon God, though he can eaſily keep all wicked Men in the World from ever ſinning more; yea, though they are ſo tied up, that they are not able to ſin without his permiſſion and concurrence, yet he permits wiſely, concurs holily, and yet notwithſtanding at laſt puniſhes juſtly. In brief God doth whatever Man doth, for as the Prophet ſaith, he works all our works in us and for us, and in him we live, move, and have our beings; and yet in one and the ſame action Man ſins and God is holy, becauſe Man acts contrary to that Law which God hath ſet him, but God himſelf is ſubject to no Law, beſides his own Soveraign Will, and where there is no Law, there is no tranſgreſſion, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in Romans 4.15. God is not bound to hinder the commiſſion p. 264duplicate page p. 265duplicate page p. 266of ſin as we are; and therefore, when he permits, nay, when Providence accompliſheth it, ſtill is he holy, juſt, and good, ſtill is he righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, though he works that together with Men, that makes them unrighteous and unholy; this I thought fit to premiſe, that ſo when you hear how many ways God is able to hinder the commiſſion of ſin by his Providence, you ſhould not ſuffer any undue thoughts to riſe up in your hearts againſt his Holineſs; when he chuſeth ſometimes rather to permit and concur to the ſins of Men, than to hinder and forbid them, who when he permits ſin permits it righteouſly, and when he hinders ſin, hinders it almightily: Now there are four remarkable ways, whereby the All-wiſe Providence of God hinders the commiſſion of a ſin, even then, when Men are moſt bent and eager upon it.

Providence prevents ſin by ſhortning the life of the Sinner.Firſt, Sometimes where his Grace doth not ſanctifie the heart, his Providence ſhortens the life of the Sinner; where he doth not cleanſe the Fountain, yet there he removes the Foundation of a Sin, p. 267that is, he takes away the very life and being of the Sinner; many times when wicked Men have imagined ſome preſumptuous ſin, and go big with it, God ſuddenly cuts them off from the Land of the Living, and gives them no ſpace to bring it forth, unleſs it be in Hell among theſe Devils that inſpired it; Pſal. 64.6, 7. ſays the Pſalmiſt there, they ſearch out iniquity, they accompliſh a diligent ſearch: but what follows? God ſhall ſhoot at them with an arrow, ſuddenly ſhall they be wounded, while they are thinking and contriving wickedneſs in their hearts, in that very day they periſh and their thoughts with them: Thus proud Pharaoh reſolves, in ſpight of God and all his Miracles to bring back the Children of Iſrael to their old Bondage; but before he could bring his purpoſe into execution, God brings him to execution; and ſo Senacherib intends the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, but before he could compaſs it, God ſlays his Army and his own Children alſo. Herod, he intends a bloody Perſecution againſt the Church, but God ſmites him, Lice devour him, and eat a way into that very heart that conceived ſo wicked a p. 268purpoſe; it were endleſs to cite inſtances in this particular. Hiſtories and Hel… are full of thoſe whom God's Providence hath cut off before they could fulfil thei… ungodly deſigns; upon whom tha… threatning in Eccleſiaſtes 8.11. hath been ſignally verified, It ſhall not be well with the wicked, neither ſhall he prolong his days, becauſe he feareth not before God? Now this Providence God doth uſually, if not only exerciſe upon wicked Men, ſnatching them away from their ſins, and yet in their ſins alſo; yea, and herein he deals with them alſo in ſome kind of Mercy, in that he abridges the time of his Patience to them, whom he foreſees will only abuſe it, and treaſure up to themſelves Wrath againſt the day of Wrath, for hereby their account is leſſened, and their torments made more tolerable; it had been better for Sinners, that they had dropt immediatly from the Womb to the Tomb, better that they had been ſwadled in their Windingſheets; yea, ſhall I ſay it had been better for them, that they had been doomed to everlaſting torments as ſoon as they ſaw the Light, than that God ſhould ſuffer them to live Twenty, Forty, p. 269or Sixty Years, adding iniquity to iniquity without repentance, and God accordingly adding torments to torments to puniſh them, never to be repented of: O the deſperate conditions that Sinners are in! unleſs God give them repentance, the ſooner they are in Hell, the better it will be for them, and it is a Mercy if God will damn them betimes; thoſe whom God doth not endear to his Grace by changing their natures, yet he indebts to his Providence by ſhortning their lives; and yet are there none of us, that wiſh our lives were prolonged to a thouſand years were it poſſible, not that we might have a longer time and ſpace to repent, but that we might the longer enjoy our ſins; why if God ſhould grant your wiſh, and keep you alive till the day of Judgment? would not that day become a thouſand fold more gloomy and dreadful to us, than if God had cut us off at the ordinary time and age; and therefore it is a great favour, that God vouchſafes both to the Elect and to Reprobates, in that ſince the Flood, he hath cut ſhort the days of Man upon Earth, for hereby the Elect come to enjoy the Glory and Happineſs p. 270of Heaven the ſooner, and Reprobates feel the Torments and Puniſhments of Hell the lighter, Providence by a ſpeedy diſpatch preventing thoſe Sins that otherwiſe would ſink them the deeper into Condemnation.

Providence prevents Sin in men by ſhortning of mens Power.Secondly, God providentially keeps Men from ſinning, if not by ſhortning their Lives, yet by cutting ſhort their Power, whereby they ſhould be enabled to commit Sin. All that power that wicked men have to ſin, it is either from themſelves, or from their wicked Aſſociates, whom they make uſe of as inſtruments for the accompliſhment of their Impieties; but Providence can ſtrike them in both, and thereby give their Luſts a miſcarrying Womb, and dry Breaſts. Sometimes God by his Providence cuts off their evil Inſtruments, and thereby diſables them from ſinning; ſometimes their inſtruments for Counſel; thus Providence by over-ruling Abſalom to reject the Counſel of Achitophel, prevents all that Miſchief that ſo wiſe and ſo wicked a Stateſman might have contrived; and thereupon he goes and hangs himſelf. Sometimes he cuts off their Inſtruments of p. 271Execution; and ſo God diſappointed the hopes of blaſpheming Rabſhekah, & ſent an Angel, that in one night kills almoſt two hundred thouſand of the Aſſyrians dead on the place. Certainly it is great folly for men upon confidence of their wiſe and powerful Inſtruments, to ſet themſelves up againſt that God, that can, without, or againſt all Means and Inſtruments confound their Deſigns, and fruſtrate all their Enterprizes; And as God thus ſtrikes their Inſtruments; ſo ſometimes he ſtrikes their Perſons, and takes from them the uſe of thoſe natural Faculties by which they ſhould be enabled to commit their Sins; ſometimes he hides their Wits from them, and beſots them; ſo he did to the Jews, John 7.30. They ſought to apprehend Jeſus: Why, who did hinder them? Was he not there among them? Was there not enough of them to do it? Yes, there was; but yet they only ſtand gazing at him, like men beſotted, till he eſcaped away from them. Sometimes God hides away their hands from them, and enfeebles them; as in Pſal. 76.5. None of the mighty men have found their hands: God had benumm'd them, and laid their hands out of the p. 272way when they ſhould have uſed them. The Sodomites, you know, ſwarm'd thick about Lot's Houſe, intending Villainy to his Gueſts, and God ſmites them with Blindneſs, that they grope for the door, even at Noon-day. Jeroboam ſtretcheth out his hand againſt the Prophet, and God ſuddenly withers it. This is God's frequent courſe with wicked men; when he doth not ſubdue their Wills, yet he oftentimes ſubdues their power of ſinning; yea, and poſſibly, although we have not ſuch frequent inſtances of it, God may deal thus ſometimes with his own Children: Thus he hath threatned, or promiſed rather to his Church, that he will hedge up her way with Thorns, that ſhe ſhould not be able to break through to her Idols, as formerly ſhe had done; ſo you have it in Hoſ. 2.6. And indeed it is a great Mercy that God doth take away that power from men that he ſees they will only abuſe to their own deſtruction: It is not Cruelty, but Compaſſion, that chains up mad-men, and takes from them thoſe Swords, Arrows and Fire-brands, that elſe they would hurl up and down abroad, both to their own and others Miſchiefs; and ſo it is God's common p. 273pity to Sinners, that are very Mad-men, that fetters and chains them up, and lays ſuch a powerful reſtraint upon them by his Providence, that where their wills are not defective, yet their power to execute Sin, ſhould be. What would wicked men think, if God ſhould now ſuddenly ſtrike them dumb, or blind, or lame, or impotent? would they not judge this a heavy Judgment inflicted upon them? they would ſo; and yet believe it, it were better for them that God ſhould ſtrike them dumb upon the place, than that they ſhould ever open their Mouths more to blaſpheme and rail at God and his People; better they were ſtruck blind, than that the Devil and vile Luſts ſhould enter into the Soul by thoſe Caſements; better that God ſhould maim them, than that they ſhould have ſtrength to commit thoſe Sins, that if but will'd, will damn them; but if executed, will ſink their Souls ſeven-fold deeper into condemnation. Now the Providence of God by taking away ther power, prevents their wickedneſs, and ſo mercifully mitigates their condemnation.

p. 274Providence raiſeth up another Power to oppoſe ſinners.Thirdly, Sometimes God keeps men from the commiſſion of Sin, by raiſing up another power againſt that by which the Sinner is to execute his Sin. Thus when Saul would have put Jonathan to Death for breaking a raſh Vow that himſelf had made, God raiſeth up the Spirits of the People to reſcue him; and they plainly tell him, Jonathan ſhall not die. The Jews hated Chriſt, and would have killed him, but that they feared the People, whom his Miracles had obliged to him, ſo that they durſt not venture upon him till his Hour was come.

Providence ſometimes prevents Sin by ſome ſeaſonable diverſion.Fourthly, Sometimes Providence caſts in ſome ſeaſonable diverſion that turns them off from the Commiſſion of that Sin that they intended. When they are hotly purſuing their wickedneſs, Providence ſtarts ſome other Game for them, and ſets them upon ſome other Work. Thus it fared with Antiochus, in Dan. 11.30. He ſets himſelf againſt the Holy Covenant; but for all his Rage againſt it, he ſhall return into his own Land, ſays God; for the Ships of Shittim ſhall come againſt him, and the Ships of the Romans; and inſtead of invading others Dominions, p. 275he muſt return to defend his own; thus God diverted him from his Deſign of ruining the Jews. And ſometimes where God doth not dry up the Spring of Corruption, yet he turns the ſtreams of it which way he pleaſeth: As a skilful Phyſician, when one part of the Body is oppreſſed with ill humours, he draws it to another part that is leſs dangerous; ſo God, by his Providence, turns men from the commiſſion of a greater to a leſſer Sin. Thus he over-ruled Joſeph's Brethren; they conſulted to caſt him into a Pit, and there to let him ſtarve, unleſs he could feed upon his Dream of Wheat-ſheaves; but God by his Providence, ſo orders it, that Merchants paſs by that way, and to them they ſell him. There are, I believe, but few men, who if they will examine back their Lives, cannot produce many Inſtances both of the Devil's Policy, in fitting them with occaſions and opportunities of Sin, and of God's Providence, cauſing ſome emergent Affairs, ſome unexpected Action to interpoſe, and hinder them from thoſe Sins that they purpoſed.

p. 276Providence prevents Sin by removing the Object.Laſtly, God ſometimes keeps men from Sin, by removing the Object againſt which they intended to commit it. Thus, when Herod intended to put Peter to death the next morning that very night God ſends an Angel, and makes his eſcape, and ſo prevents that Sin, and ſo truly in all A…es God hides away his Children from the fury of ungodly men.

There are doubtleſs many other various and myſterious Providences, whereby God hinders the Sins of Men; but theſe are the moſt common and moſt remarkable ways, by ſhortning their Lives, by leſſening their Power, by raiſing up another Power to oppoſe them, by diverting another way, and by removing the Objects of their Sins.

The next Thing is, to ſhew you how God hinders the commiſſion of Sin in a way of Grace; but I ſhall leave this till another time, and make ſome Application of what hath now been ſpoken.

And Firſt then, See here the ſad and woful Eſtate of wicked men, whom Grace doth not change, but only Providence reſtrain. p. 277A mere reſtraint from Sin, when the Heart continues fully ſet and bent upon it, muſt needs cauſe torment and vexation; their own Corruptions urge them forward; but God's Providence, that meets them, and croſſes them at every turn, and that diſappointment that they meet with, when they fully reſolve upon Sin, cauſes great vexation of Spirit; as God will torment them hereafter for their Sins, ſo he torments them here, by keeping them from their Sins. All the wicked in the world are ſtrangely hampered by God's Providence, as ſo many Bulls in a Net, that though they ſtruggle, yet they cannot poſſibly break through; and by their ſtrugling, they only vex and weary themſelves. God doth, as it were, give up the hearts of wicked men to the Devil, only he ties their hands; let them intend and imagine as much Evil and Miſchief as they can, yea, as much as Hell can inſpire into them, yet none of theſe ſhall execute any of it otherwiſe than as God permits them. Now, if there be any real pleaſure in Sin, it is in the execution of it; that which men take in plotting and contriving of it, is merely the p. 278delight of a Dream and Fancy; and herein lies the exceeding wretchedneſs of wicked men, that though Providence almightily hinders them in the execution of Sin, yet Juſtice will juſtly puniſh their intention and plotting of it.

Secondly, This ſhould teach us to adore and magnnfie this Sin-preventing Providence of God. Our Lives, our Eſtates, yea, whatever is dear & precious to us hitherto, have been ſecured to us only by his powerful hand, which hath curb'd in the unruly Luſts of men, and kept them from breaking forth into violence, and blood, and rapine. Should God ſlack the Reins, ſhould he throw them upon the necks of ungodly men, how would Uproars, and Confuſions, Murders, and Slaughters overſpread the face of the whole Earth, and make the World a Hell above ground. Redemption and Providence are two wonderful Works of God; by the one he pardons Sin that is committed, and by the other, he prevents Sin, leſt it be committed; both of them are Contrivances of infinite Wiſdom, and both of them are unſearchable, and paſt finding out; and therefore we p. 279ought to aſcribe the Glory of both unto God, that hath laid both the Deſign of Redemption and of Providence for Man's Good, and for Man's Salvation.

Thirdly, If at any time we can recall to mind, as indeed who is there that cannot, that God hath thus by his Providence prevented us from the commiſſion of Sin, how ſhould this oblige us thankfully to own this Mercy of God to us? May not all of us ſay, had not God taken away our power, had he not taken away the Objects of our Luſts, had he not diverted us ſome other way, we had now been deeply engaged in thoſe Sins that the merciful Providence of God hath diverted us from? He it was that hedged up the broad way with Thorns, that ſo he might turn us into the narrow way that leads unto eternal Life and Happineſs.

Fourthly, Hath God's Providence ſo many Ways and Methods to hinder the Commiſſion of Sin, why then we may be aſſured that he will never permit it, but when it ſhall redound to his own Praiſe and Glory. It is an excellent Saying of p. 280S. Auſtin, He that is moſt good will never ſuffer evil unleſs he were alſo moſt wiſe; whereby he is able to bring good out of evil. And therefore when we ſee wicked men let alone to accompliſh their helliſh deſigns, we may then quiet our ſelves with this, God knows how to make his own advantage out of their wickedneſs; he knows how from ſuch Dung and Filth to reap a moſt fruitful Crop of Glory to himſelf: The Rage of Man, ſays the Pſalmist, thou wilt reſtrain, and the reſidue thereof ſhall turn to thy praiſe; that wickedneſs which God doth not reſtrain, he will make redound to his own Praiſe and Glory.

Fourthly, and laſtly, This may eſtabliſh our hearts in peace, when we ſee the wickedneſs of Men moſt raging and violent, why they cannot ſin unleſs God gives them a power; as Chriſt told Pilate, Thou haſt no power over me, in John 19.10. except it be given thee from above. And certainly that God that gives them a power to ſin, ſtill keeps a power in his own hands to limit them in their Sins; and when their Luſts are moſt unruly, he can ſay to them, hitherto ſhall ye p. 281go, and here ſhall your proud Waves be ſtayed: He ſtints them and bounds them, and he alſo can totally reſtrain them when he pleaſeth, and when it ſhall be moſt for his own Praiſe and Glory.

Now as God doth thus keep Men back from the commiſſion of Preſumptuous Sins by a ſtrong hand of Providence: So ſometimes he doth by his Grace, and this Grace is either meerly reſtraining, or elſe it is ſanctifying and renewing; both of them are of very great force and efficacy, by the one he holds Men back from Sin, and by the other he turns them againſt Sin. You have doubtleſs heard much concerning Sanctifying and Reſtraining Grace, but yet that your Notions and Apprehenſions of them may be more clear and diſtinct, I ſhall give you the difference that there is betwixt theſe two in ſeveral particulars;How reſtraining & renewing Grace do differ. they differ in their Subject, they differ in their Eſſence, and in their manner of Operation.

Firſt,In their Subject. They differ in reſpect of their ſubject. Reſtraining Grace is but common, and it works upon Wicked Men p. 282and Reprobates as well as others: Bu… Sanctifying Grace that is ſpecial, and belongs only to thoſe who belong themſelves to the Election of Grace. Eſa… whom the Scripture Notes as the grea… inſtance of Reprobation, comes out againſt Jacob with a Troop of Four Thouſand Ruffins, intending doubtleſs to Revenge himſelf upon him for the loſs o… his Birth-Right and Bleſſing, but at their firſt meeting God by a ſecret work ſo mollifies his Heart, that inſtead of falling upon him and killing him, he falls upon his Neck and kiſſes him; here God reſtrains him from that Preſumptuous Sin of Murder, not in a way of meer External Providence, but with his own Hand immediately turns about his Heart, and by ſeeing ſuch a company of Cattel bleating and bellowing, ſo many timorous Men and helpleſs Children all bowing and ſupplicating unto him, he turns his Revenge into Compaſſion, and with much urging receives a Preſent from him whom before he intended to make a Prey. The ſame power of reſtraint God laid upon the Heart of Abimelech that Heathen King, you have it in Geneſes 20.6. when he had taken Sarah, p. 283Abraham's Wife, intending to make her his Wife or Concubine, God tells him in a Dream, I with-held thee from …inning againſt me, therefore ſuffered I …hee not to touch her: Here was nothing viſible to hinder Abimelech from ſo great … Wickedneſs, but God inviſibly wrought upon his heart, and unhinged his wicked Deſires; now from the inſtances of Eſau and Abimelech we may clearly collect how Reſtraining Grace differs both from Reſtraining Providence, and alſo from Sanctifying Grace: From Providence it differs, becauſe uſually when God Providentially reſtrains from Sin, he doth it by ſome viſible apparent means that doth not work by bringing any change or alteration on the Heart, but only by …aying an External Check upon Men's Actions, but now by Reſtraining Grace God deals in a ſecret way with the very Heart of a Sinner, & though he doth not change the nature of his Heart, yet he alters the preſent frame and diſpoſition of it, and takes away the deſire of committing thoſe Sins that yet it doth not Mortifie; and from Sanctifying Grace it differs alſo, in that God vouchſafes Reſtraining Grace to Wicked Men, as you p. 284have heard, but none partake of Sanctifying Grace beſides the Children of God and the Remnant according to Election thoſe whom he predeſtinates them he alſo calls, that is, them he Sanctifies, as yo… have it in Rom. 8.30. Election & Sanctification are of the ſelf ſame bredth, Election… the cauſe of Sanctification, & Sanctificatio… is a ſign of Election: Thoſe whom Go… will bring to himſelf in Glory he cauſeth a double ſeparation to paſs upo… them, the one from Eternity, when h… calls them out from the maſs of tho… that he leaves to periſh in their Sins; an… the other in Time, when thoſe whom he hath ſet apart for himſelf by Election, he brings home to himſelf by Converſion: And therefore whatever meaſure of Reſtraining Grace God may a… ford to Wicked Men and Reprobates, ye… Sanctifying Grace is the fruit only of Election, and the portion only of tho… who are Elected. And that is the fir… difference.

In their Nature & Eſſence.Secondly, They differ alſo in thei… Nature and Eſſence. Sanctifying Grac… is a Habit wrought in the Soul by th… Spirit of God, called therefore a writin… p. 285of the Law on the Heart, and a putting God's fear into our inward parts, Jer. 31. 33. And St. John terms it, a Seed that remains, John 1.9. Theſe Expreſſions clearly denote it to be an internal Principle, or Habit, deeply rooted and fixed in the Soul, and whatever Holy Actions a Saint performs, as they are cauſed by a Divine influence without him, ſo they flow alſo from a Holy Principle within him. Hence our Saviour tells us, in Mark 12.35. That a good Man out of the good treaſure of his heart bringeth forth good things; that is, out of that inward Habit and Principle of Grace that the Holy Ghoſt hath wrought in him in the work of Regeneration. But Reſtraining Grace hath no ſuch Habit and Principle implanted in the Soul, but is only a Merciful Actual influence from God, hindering the commiſſion of thoſe Sins to which Men's Natural Corruptions make them enclined: in brief, Sanctifying Grace is a Quality wrought in us, but Reſtraining Grace is only an Action flowing from God.

Thirdly,In the manner of their Operation. Sanctifying and Reſtraining Grace differ in their manner of Working p. 286and Operation; and here we may obſerve a Four fold difference.

Sanctifying Grace deſtroys Sin, Reſtraining Grace only Impriſons it.Firſt, Sanctifying Grace keeps the Soul from Sin by deſtroying of it, but Reſtraining Grace keeps the Soul from Sin only by impriſoning of it. God many times ſhuts up the ſins of thoſe in Priſon, whom notwithſtanding he will at laſt ſhut up in Hell: It is ſanctifying Grace alone that can do execution upon them; reſtraining grace may debar them of their liberty, but it is only Sanctifying Grace can deprive them of their Life. There may appear but little difference betwixt the Converſation of a Child of God, whom Special Grace doth Sanctifie, and one in a ſtate of Nature whom common Grace doth only Reſtrain; doth the one walk blameleſsly without offence, doth he avoid the groſſer Pollutions of the World, ſo doth the other; a Star is not more like a Star, than theſe Meteors may be like them: But now here lies the difference, Reſtraining Grace only ties the Hands, but Sanctifying Grace ſtabs the old Man to the Heart: It is one thing to bind a Thief to a Tree, and another thing to Nail him faſt to p. 287the Croſs. Reſtraining Grace only binds Corruption faſt that it cannot ſtir, not outwardly, but ſtill it hath as much ſtrength as ever: But now Sanctifying Grace that Crucifies it, and Nails it to the Croſs of Chriſt where it weakens and languiſheth and hangs a dying Body of Death. The Earth is as dry and hard in a froſty Winter as it is in a parching Summer, yet there's a great deal of difference in the cauſe of it, in Summer the Sun dries up the moiſture, and in Winter the Froſt binds it in: Truly Restraining and Sanctifying Grace are for all the World like Frost and Sun; the ways of thoſe who have only a Reſtraint laid upon them, may be altogether as fair and clean, as the ways of thoſe that are Sanctified are, but there's a great difference in the cauſe, Sanctifying Grace dries up the Filth and Corruption in the Heart of the one, but Reſtraining Grace only frezeth in and binds up the Filth and Corruption of the other.

Secondly,Sanctifying Grace ſtrikes at the Sins of the heart, Reſtraining Grace only hinders the Sins of the Life. Sanctifying Grace ſtrikes eſpecially at the Sins of the Heart, but Reſtraining Grace uſually only hinders the p. 286duplicate page p. 287duplicate page p. 288Sins of the Life. An Unregenerate Man, though never ſo Moral, hunts his Sins only in purlues, as ſoon as they are gotten within the Pale he ceaſeth his purſuit. It is uſually the higheſt care and upſhot of a Moral Man's endeavours to keep his Luſts from boiling over, and raiſing Smoak and Aſhes about him, and if he can but obtain this, let the Heart be brim full of Sin, let the thoughts ſoak and ſtew in Malicious, Unclean, Covetous, Deſigns and Contrivances, he never oppoſeth or laments them; a meer Reſtraint walks only round about the outward Man, and if it meets with any Luſt ſtrugling abroad, it drives it in again into the Heart, but for thoſe Sins that lie Pent up there, it ſeldom moleſts, and never ſubdues them: The Heart may indulge it ſelf in vain, filthy, deſtructive, and pernicious Thoughts, it may ſet brooding over Cockatrice-Eggs till it hatch them into Serpents, and in them be ſtung to Death; it may toſs a Sin to and fro in the Fancy, and thereby make ſome kind of recompence to the Devil for not committing of it; and yet this Man be only under a powerful reſtraint p. 289from God's Reſtraining Grace. But now Sanctifying Grace doth more eſpecially oppoſe the Sins of the Heart and of the inward Man, for there is its Seat and Reſidence in the Heart: Reſtraining Grace watcheth without, but true Grace dwells within. And as Chriſt ſpeaks of the Church of Pergamos, it dwells there where Satan's Seat is, it rules in the midſt of its Enemies, and it is engaged ſo to do for its own ſecurity, that it may ſtill cruſh them as they ariſe in the Heart. Now from this particular we may be help'd in Judging, whether our abſtaining from Sin be only from common Reſtraining Grace, or from Sanctifying and Renewing Grace: See what Sins they are that you moſt of all labour to beat down, do you ſtrive only againſt the Sins of your Lives, and not againſt the Sins of your Hearts that are the Spring and Fountain of the other? Are you content when you have beaten your Corruptions from the out-works, and driven them in, where they do not rage ſo furiouſly as they have done; whereas before they ſallied forth at pleaſure, and made havock of your Souls, and wounded your Conſciences, now they are p. 290Pent up in a narrower room and compaſs? Doth this content you; do you think it enough to lay cloſe Siege to your Corruptions by Conviction and legal Terrours, and to ſhut them up, that they may no more break forth as formerly they have done, to the groſs defilement of your Lives, if this be all, then know, this is no more than what a meer common Reſtraint may effect upon you, without any work of Sanctifying Grace upon the Heart. True Grace when it beats back Sin, it follows it and purſues it into the Heart, and there ſearcheth for it, and if it ſees it but breath in a Thought, or ſtir in a Deſire, preſently it falls upon it and deſtroys it.

Sanctifying Grace ſets the will againſt ſin, but reſtraining Grace only awakens the Conſcience.Thirdly, Sanctifying Grace when it keeps a Soul from ſin, it always engageth the will againſt it, but common and reſtraining Grace only awakens and rouzeth up the Conſcience against it; the Will and the Conſcience are two leading faculties of the Soul; the one commands what ſhall be done, and the other informs what ought to be done, and all the reſt of the faculties and affections of p. 291the Soul take part and ſide with theſe two; now in a Godly Man theſe two are at an agreement, what Conſcience prompts, the Will commands; and the inferior faculties are already to execute: Sanctifying Grace, that works immediatly, and ſpecially upon the Will, and makes a mighty change there; that, whereas before Converſion Man's Will is ſo utterly depraved, that it can like nothing but ſin, after Grace hath touched it, and mightily turn'd it about, it cannot now any longer give its full and free conſent to the commiſſion of any ſin; if ſuch a one ſins he doth it truly and properly againſt his Will, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in the Romans 7.15.Rom. 7.15.Rom 7:15 What I do I allow not; now a wicked Man may ſin againſt his Conſcience, but it is impoſſible, that he ſhould ever ſin againſt his Will, that is continually ſet upon ſin; and were it not, that God ſometimes raiſeth up natural Conſcience in him to oppoſe his corrupt Will, he would every moment ruſh into the moſt damning impieties without any of the leaſt regret or ſenſe of it; when the Devil preſents a ſin to the embraces of the Will, and when the Will cloſeth with it, and all p. 292the faculties of the Soul are ready to commit it, God ſends in Conſcience among them, what Conſcience art thou aſleep! ſeeſt thou not how the Devil and thine own deviliſh heart are now plotting and contriving thine Eternal ruin? Now this rouzeth Conſcience, and makes it ſtorm and threaten, and hurl Fire-brands into the face of ſin, while it lies in the very embraces of the Will, and though it cannot change the Will from loving of it, yet it frights the Will from committing of it; this is the moſt uſual way reſtraining Grace takes for the prevention of ſin, by ſending in Conſcience to make ſtrong and vigorous oppoſitions againſt it; there are none of us here, but through Divine Grace, have been kept from many ſins, that we were in great danger through the corruptions of our own hearts to have committed; ſin hath been conceived by us, but God hath ſtifled and ſtrangled it in the Womb; would you know now whether this hath proceeded from God's Reſtraining or from God's Sanctifying Grace; why then make a judgment according to this rule, where reſtraining Grace only reſiſts and hinders ſin, it doth it by ſetting one faculty p. 293and affection of the Soul againſt another; but where ſanctifying Grace hinders it, it ſets the ſame faculty and affection of the Soul againſt it ſelf; reſtraining Grace ſets one affection againſt another, Conſcience againſt Will, the fear of Hell againſt the love of Sin, helliſh terrors againſt ſinful pleaſures, God's threatnings againſt the Devil's flatteries, it martials up theſe, and ſo enters the combat; here are bandyings of one power of the Soul againſt another, but now the Will that is entirely on ſins part, and if Conſcience prevails and pulls away a beloved luſt from the embraces of the Will, the Sinner parts with it very heavily and unwillingly, following it as Phaltiel did Michal weeping, tho he durſt not make reſiſtance; but now when ſanctifying Grace oppoſeth and hinders ſin, it ſets the ſame faculty and affection of the Soul againſt it ſelf, Will againſt Will, and Love againſt Love, Deſire againſt Deſire; he wills the commiſſion of ſin, it is true, but yet at the ſame time he wills the mortification of it; he loves to gratifie his ſin, but yet at the ſame time he wills the croſſing of it too; he deſires to enjoy p. 294that pleaſure and contentment, that he fanſies he may take in ſin, and yet he deſires at the ſame time to deſtroy it; here is one and the ſame faculty bandying againſt it ſelf, and the reaſon of this is, becauſe a Child of God hath two Principles in every ſingle faculty; there is in him a mixture of Fleſh and Spirit; a carnal part that ſides with ſin, and a ſpiritual part that always contradicts and oppoſeth it, and theſe two are ſpread over his whole Soul, and are mingled with every power and faculty thereof; ſo that he can neither do the evil nor do the good, that he would do without contradiction, ſtrife, and reluctancy; now try your ſelves by this when you are tempted to ſin, what is it that reſiſts it? Is it your Will, or is it only your Conſcience? are you only frighted from it, doth the fear of Hell overcome the love of ſin; why? all this may be from a mere reſtraint in thoſe, who are altogether unacquainted with the power of ſanctifying Grace; this is the ſymptom and Character of a gracious Soul, that when it is moſt inclinable unto ſin, yet at the ſame time is moſt averſe from it, when it moſt wiſheth the accompliſhment of p. 295ſin; yet even then it ſtrongly wiſhes the ſubduing and mortifying of that ſin; I know this appears a Riddle and a ſtrange Paradox to wicked Men, but thoſe who have any true ſenſe of the work of Grace upon their own hearts, know it to be a truth, and rejoyce in the experiences that they have of it.

Fourthly and laſtly, Reſtraining and ſanctifying Grace differ in the motives and arguments, that they make uſe of for the reſiſting of ſin; there are two general Topicks or common places, whence all arguments againſt ſin are drawn, and thoſe are the Law and the Goſpel, both of theſe adminiſter ſuch weapons, that if rightly uſed, are very effectual for the beating down of ſin, and commonly reſtraining Grace uſeth thoſe only that are borrowed from the Law; it urgeth the command, it thunders the curſe, it brandiſheth the ſword of Juſtice, and makes reports of nothing but Hell and eternal Damnation, and ſuch like arguments that ſcare Men from the committing of their ſins, though ſtill they love them; now ſanctifying Grace though it alſo makes a moſt profitable uſe of p. 296theſe very arguments, yet it chiefly uſeth more mild and more ingenious motives drawn from the love of God, from the Death of Chriſt, from the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, and theſe though they ſtrike ſofter, yet they wound deeper; now hereby alſo you may give a gueſs, whether your abſtaining from ſin, be merely from reſtraining or from ſanctifying Grace, obſerve what weapons you uſe? What conſiderations do over-awe your hearts? Are they ſuch as are drawn only from the Law, and the ſad reflections of the end and iſſue of ſin? That it brings Shame, and Death, and Hell; muſt you run down to Hell every time a temptation comes to fetch arguments thence to oppoſe againſt your corruptions? can you no where elſe quench the fiery Darts of the Devil, unleſs it be in that Lake of Fire? if this be all (though this too is well) yet know if it be all, this is no more than what reſtraint and common Grace may perform; it is the proper character of reſtraining Grace, to keep Men back from the commiſſion of ſin only by dread and fear of puniſhment; but now ſanctifying Grace, that eſpecially betakes p. 297it ſelf to Goſpel Arguments, and conſiders how diſingenious it is to ſin againſt a reconciled and a gracious Father, againſt a crucified and a bleeding Saviour, againſt a patient and long ſuffering Spirit, and heaps up many ſuch like ingenious arguments that work kindly upon the heart; he leads every temptation to the Croſs of Chriſt, and there ſhews it his Saviour hanging and bleeding and can I commit this ſin, that hath drawn ſo much blood from my Saviour to expiate it, and would draw ſo much blood from my Conſcience to perpetrate it? did he die to free me from the condemnation of it, and ſhall I wilfully ruſh into the commiſſion of it? no, O Lord, thy love withholds me, I cannot do this thing and ſin againſt ſo rich, ſo free, and infinite Mercy and Goodneſs, that thou dayly extendeſt towards me. Thus true Grace uſually teacheth a Child of God to argue againſt his ſins; and this keeps him from the commiſſion of thoſe ſins, that others riſing up againſt them, only from the terrors and threatnings of the Law, and other ſuch dreadful conſiderations, fall into notwithſtanding; a Wooll-pack ſooner damps a bullet p. 298than a Stone-wall; and truly, ſof… arguments taken from the Goſpel, from the love of God, from the death o… Chriſt, from the patience and long ſuffering of the Spirit; theſe ſoft arguments ſooner damp a temptation and reſiſt a corruption, than more rigid and ſevere ones will when alone uſed by themſelves.

Now having thus in general ſhewed you the difference betwixt ſanctifying and reſtraining Grace; I ſhall now deſcend to more particular conſiderations of thoſe ways and methods that God uſeth in keeping Men back from Sin by his ſpecial and ſanctifying Grace; and here I ſhall premiſe this, That whatever Sin God doth, I mean by his ſanctifying Grace, prevent his own Children from the commiſſion of, he doth it by exciting the inward Principle of Grace, to the actual uſe and exerciſe of it; there is a two-fold Grace, always neceſſary to keep the beſt Chriſtians from Sin; Habitual and Exciting Grace, and God makes uſe of the one to quicken and ſtir up the other; he makes uſe of exciting Grace to quicken habitual Grace, that p. 299elſe would lie ſluggiſh and dormant in the Soul. Habitual Grace that denominates the Soul alive unto God, but yet it is no otherwiſe alive than a Man in a Swoon is, it is exciting Grace, that alone can enable it to perform the Functions and Offices of Life; in the deepeſt Winter, there is life in the ſeed that lies buried under ground, but yet it acts not till the Sun's influence draws it forth, and then it heaves and ſhoves away the Earth that covered it, and ſpreads it ſelf into the beauties of a Flower: So is it here, inherent habitual Grace is an immortal ſeed, and it is but a ſeed till the influences of the approaching and exciting Grace of God awaken it, and chafe it's benumbed vertue, and then it ſtirs and thruſts away all that dung and filth of corruptions under which it lay buried, and then it flows forth into actual Grace; habitual and exciting Grace muſt both concurr to the producing of actual Grace, as neceſſarily as there muſt be the concurrence both of the heat of the Sun, and of life in the ſeed to produce a Flower; now by God's exciting, inherent, habitual Grace in the Soul, he keeps Men from ſinning two ways.

p. 300Firſt, by prevention, and ſecondly by ſuppreſſion of Sin. Firſt, hereby he prevents and excludes thoſe Sins, that wer… we not employed in the exerciſe of Grac… we would commit; when the Soul is conſtantly employed in holy and ſpiritua… affairs, Sin hath then neither room no… opportunity to put forth it ſelf; it is kept out from the thoughts when they are buſied in holy Meditation, it is kep… out from the affections, when they are ſet upon heavenly Objects, it is kept ou… from the life and converſation, wher… the duties both of the general and particular calling are duely performed in their reſpective ſeaſons; the Apoſtle exhorts us in Epheſians 4.27. not to give place to the Devil; truly, when God's exciting Grace, quickens our inherent Grace into continual exerciſe, when every faculty is filled with holy actings, and every ſeaſon with holy duties, the Devil can have no place to tempt, nor corruption to ſtir; it is the beſt ſecurity God can give from the commiſſion of Sin, to quicken to the performance of Duty; when we pray, or meditate, or attend upon publick Ordinances, we ought to bleſs God for his exciting p. 301Grace, whereby we have not only performed a duty, but alſo eſcaped ſome ſoul and notorious Sin, that we might have committed had we not been ſo holily employed; we who are here now preſent before the Lord this day, had we neglected this preſent opportunity, who of us knows, what horrid temptations and foul ſins, we might have been expoſed to in our own Houſes, which in the Houſe of God we have avoided. David when he walked idly upon the roof of his Houſe, he lies open to the Snares of the Devil, and ſins foully; had he then been at his Harp or Pſalms, he might thereby have driven the Evil Spirit from himſelf, as formerly he did from his Maſter Saul; running Streams preſerve themſelves pure and clean, when ſtanding Pools ſoon grow corrupt and noiſome, and venomous creatures breed in them; ſo is it with the heart, whileſt God's exciting and quickning Grace, puts it upon continual act, it is preſerved from corruption; but when once it grows ſluggiſh, and doth not freely flow forth into the actings of Grace and performance of Duties, the ſpawn of all manner of ſin breeds there, p. 300and filthy luſts crawl to and fro in it without any diſturbance; and therefore we ſhould continually pray, that God would vouchſafe us the quickning influence of his Spirit, that he would fill our ſails with that wind that blows where it liſteth; ariſe, O North Wind, and come thou South Wind, and blow upon our Gardens, that the Spices thereof may flow forth, for if the Spices do not, the ſtench will.

Secondly, As God by his exciting Grace hinders thoſe Sins that might ariſe in the Heart, ſo he alſo ſuppreſſeth thoſe Sins that do ariſe. There is the greateſt contrariety imaginable betwixt inherent Sin, and inherent Grace; when the one is vigorous, the other languiſheth; when the one is acted, the other grows dull and ſluggiſh: Now both theſe oppoſite Principles have their ſeat and abode in the ſame Heart, and both of them are in continual expectation of exciting influence to call them forth into act. Indwelling Corruption that is uſually rouzed up by Temptation, when it ſtirs in the heart, and is ready to break forth in the life; Habitual Grace, though it looks p. 301on, yet is of it ſelf ſo feeble, that it can make no oppoſition till a kindly influence from the Spirit of God calls out ſome particular Grace that is directly contrary to that Sin that ſtirs, and this reſiſts and ſubdues it. This Method God uſed in keeping the Apoſtle from ſinning, 2 Cor. 12. He was there under a ſharp and pungent Temptation; that is therefore called a Thorn in the Fleſh, v. 7. Satan buffets, and the Apoſtle prays; and God anſwers, My Grace is ſufficient for thee: My Grace is ſufficient, not thy Grace; that Grace that is in thee, is but weak and helpleſs; yea, a very nothing, if I withdraw my influence from it; but that quickning Grace that flows from me, that alone is ſufficient to remove the Temptation, and to prevent the Sin. Why, now while God's exciting Grace work'd upon the Apoſtle's inherent Grace, this Temptation, this Thorn in the Fleſh only made him more watchful, and more induſtrious againſt it; but if God ſhould have ſuſpended this his Influence, this Thorn in the Fleſh would immediately, notwithſtanding all his Grace, ſadly have wounded his Conſcience, by the commiſſion of ſome great p. 302and foul Sin. Now, as all manner of Sin lies couched in that Body of Sin that we bear about with us; ſo all manner of Grace lies couched in that Principle of Grace that God implants in his own Children. Now, when the Devil by his Temptations calls forth ſome particular Sin, God alſo at the ſame time by his exciting Grace calls forth a particular Grace, to hinder the commiſſion of that Sin. Thus, when they are tempted to Pride, God calls forth Humility to prick that ſwelling, puffing Bladder; when they are tempted to Wrath and Paſſion, he ſtirs up Meekneſs; when to murmuring and repining againſt the diſpenſations of God, he puts Patience upon its perfect work. Briefly, there is no Sin whatever that the Devil can by his Temptation ſtir up in the Heart, but God alſo can ſtir up a contrary Grace to it, to quell and maſter it. This is the Method of God's exciting Grace in the preventing of Sin, that when the Devil calls forth a particular Corruption out of the Stock of Corruption, God calls forth a particular Grace, contrary to it, from the Stock of Grace. But yet there are ſome particular Graces that are more p. 303eſpecially employed about this Service, and which God doth moſt frequently exerciſe, and ſet on work to keep his Children from the commiſſion of Sin.

Firſt, God hinders the commiſſion of ſin by keeping up the lively and vigorous actings of Faith. Indeed if Faith fail, all other Graces muſt fail by conſequence. Faith is the Soul's Steward, that fetcheth in Supplies of Grace from Chriſt, in whom is the Treaſure of it, and diſtributes them to all the other Graces of the Soul. Therefore when Chriſt tells St. Peter, Satan had deſired to ſift him by his Temptations, leſt he ſhould be thereby diſcouraged and dejected, preſently he adds, in v. 32. But I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not: And wherefore his Faith, rather than any other Grace, but becauſe other Graces muſt take their Lot with Faith, and muſt be ſtrong or weak, victorious or languiſhing, as Faith is; and therefore it is called the Shield of Faith, Epheſ. 6.6. Now the Office of a Shield is to defend, not only the Body, but the reſt of the Armour alſo; and ſo doth Faith, when it is dexterouſly managed, it keeps both p. 304the Soul, and its Graces alſo from the Attempts of the Devil. I might be large here in ſhewing you how Faith preſerves from Sin; as, by deriving vertue and ſtrength from the Death and Blood of Chriſt; by pleading God's Engagements and Promiſes to tread Satan under our feet; by urging and importuning Chriſt to fulfill in us the end of his coming into the World, which was to deſtroy the Works of the Devil; and many ſuch Ways I might name, by which Faith prevents Sin, and deſtroys it; but waving them, I ſhall only mention two Particulars, wherein this energy of Faith in keeping Men from Sin, is the moſt conſpicuous.

Firſt, Faith preſerves from Sin, by bringing in, and preſenting to the Soul eternal Rewards and Puniſhments; and that's the peculiar Office of Faith: Theſe indeed are future unto Senſe, but they are preſent unto Faith; for Faith is the ſubſtance of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1. It gives them a Being before they are; and what we hope for or fear, as to come, by Faith it is enjoyed, or felt, as already preſent. Why now, what a p. 305mighty advantage is this to preſerve men from ſinning? Would Sinners treat with the Devil, or hearken to a Temptation, if they ſhould now ſee the whole World on flame, Angels haſtning them to Judgment, and Chriſt upon his Throne; here Heaven, to receive and crown them; there Hell, with all its horrours, to torment them; would any of you dare to ſin, if all this were before your eyes? Why, believe it, when Faith acts lively, all this is as truly preſent to the Soul, as it is certain it ſhall once be; and therefore no more than we would commit a Sin if Sentence were now paſſing upon us, either of Abſolution, or of eternal Damnation at the Judgment-Seat of God, no more ſhall we ſin while Faith ſets theſe things evidently before our eyes, and makes them as real to us as they are ſure.

Secondly, Faith preſerves from ſinning, by repreſenting that God, who muſt hereafter be our Judge, to be now our Spectator and Obſerver. It is only an Eye of Faith that can diſcover things future as preſent, and things ſpiritual as real: Why now, God he is a ſpiritual p. 306Being, and therefore is inviſible to the dull eyes of Fleſh; but the quick Eye of Faith, that can ſee him who is inviſible; as it was ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11.27. it fixeth its eye upon the all-ſeeing eye of God, and fills the Soul with awful Thoughts of God's Omni-preſence and Omniſciency, that all things are naked and bare before him, in whoſe company we are where-ever we are, and with whom we have to do whatever we are doing: Why now, conſider with your ſelves, Would I commit ſuch or ſuch a Sin, to which poſſibly you are tempted, if ſome grave perſon were in the room with you whom you did much reſpect? And what, ſhall the Preſence of a mortal Man keep you from ſinning, and ſhall not the Preſence of the Great God much more? Shall we dare to ſin, when God's eye is fixed upon us, when he views not only our outward Actions, but alſo our inward Thoughts, clearer than we can ſee the faces one of another? It was the wiſe Counſel that a Heathen-Man gave to a Scholar of his, That if he would preſerve himſelf from doing any thing that was undecent, he ſhould ſuppoſe ſome ſober and reverend man preſent with him; p. 307and this would keep him from doing that which he would be aſhamed to do before him. Truly, we need not make any ſuch Suppoſition; the great and holy God is preſent with us in reality, and the eye of Faith diſcovers him ſo to be; he is always looking on us: yea, always looking into us; and certainly this, to one that can exerciſe the diſcerning eye of Faith, will be a more effectual means to keep a man from Sin, than if all the eyes of Men and Angels were upon him.

Secondly, As the exerciſe of Faith, ſo the ſprightly and vigorous exerciſe of Divine Love is an excellent Preſervative againſt Sin. Love will not willingly do any thing that may offend and grieve the Object loved. Love, it is an aſſimilating Affection, it is the very Cement that joyns God and the Soul together in the ſame Spirit, and makes them to be of one heart, and of one mind; it is the Load-ſtone of the Soul, that toucheth all other Affections, and makes them ſtand heaven-ward: When once God hath wrought the Love of himſelf in our hearts, this will conſtrain us to love what p. 308he loves, and to hate what he hates; Sin is the only thing that God hates, and thoſe that love him will not, cannot but hate Sin; their love to God will conſtrain them to do it, Pſalm 97 7. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. And certainly the hatred of evil is the beſt ſecurity againſt the committing of it; will any one take a Toad or Serpent into his boſome to lodge it there? Truly as utterly impoſſible it is while the Exciting Grace of God, ſtirs up and quickens our Love to him, that we ſhould ever embrace a vile luſt and lodge it in our hearts ſince our ſight of the beauty of Holineſs hath made it ugly, and our love to God hath made it hateful.

Thirdly, To mention no more, A Holy Fear and Caution leaſt we ſhould Sin is a moſt excellent preſervative againſt Sin. None are ſo ſafe as thoſe that are leaſt ſecure, fear is the beſt preſervative of Grace, whereas thoſe that are raſh and venturous and confident of their own ſtrength, run themſelves into many Temptations, and come off with wounded and ſmarting Conſciences. Stand in awe, ſays, the Pſalmiſt, and Sin p. 309not, Pſalm 4.4. The timorous and trembling Chriſtian ſtands firmeſt, becauſe ſuch a one is apt upon every occaſion to ſuſpect his own ſtrength, and to call in God's. And indeed, when we conſider the treachery of our own Hearts, and the ſubtilty of the Devil, this Holy Fear and Jealouſie is no more than is needful, and it is leſs than ſufficient. A Man that is to wade thorough a deep River, will firſt try his Footing before he takes his ſtep: Why, we are to wade thorough the depths of Satan, as the Apoſtle calls them, and, certainly it is but a requiſite caution firſt to try our ground before we venture upon it, to look about and conſider whether ſuch and ſuch an Action be grounded upon a Command, and ſecured to us by a Promiſe, whether if we do it we ſhall not lay our ſelves open to ſuch and ſuch Temptations, or if we do lie open to them, whether or not we are in God's way, and may expect his Protection and Preſervation: Truly ſuch circumſpection as this is will prove our beſt ſecurity, and though we are not able by all our own ſtrength and diligence to preſerve our ſelves, yet when God ſees us ſo induſtriouſly p. 310ſolicitous to avoid Sin, he will then come in by his Almighty Grace that helps not the Sloathful, but the Laborious, and he will keep us from thoſe Sins that we cannot keep our ſelves from.

Now for the Application of this, if it be ſo that it is the Almighty Power of God only that can keep us from Sin, This may then be Convictive of that Errour that now a Days is very rife in the World, that aſcribes our preſervation in our ſtanding, not ſo much to the Almighty Grace of God, as to the Liberty and Freedom of our own Wills. Truly this is an Opinion that proceeds much from the Pride and Stomach of ſuch who are loath to be too much beholding to the Grace of God for their Salvation. It is true, no Man Sins, nor no Man abſtains from Sin, but it is with his Will, but yet ſtill there is an Almighty Influence from God, an Influence of common Providence to the Wicked, without which they could not ſo much as Will, and an Influence of Special Grace to the Godly, without which they could not abſtain from Sin: It is God, ſaith the Apoſtle, that works p. 311in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure; it is not, whether or not the Will be free in abſtaining from Sin that is acknowledged, but whether the motion of the Will be principally and primarily from God, or from it ſelf; and this the Apoſtle concludes to be from God. From him it is that we both will and do; he gives the firſt beginning, he adds the progreſs, and he concludes. He firſt begets Grace, then he encreaſeth it, and at laſt he crowns it. All is from God.

Secondly, This may inſtruct us to whom we ought to aſcribe the Praiſe and the Glory of our Preſervation from thoſe foul and horrid Sins that we ſee others daily fall into. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be all the Praiſe and Glory. We have Natures as ſinful as the worſt of Men ever had, and that ſuch ſinful Natures ſhould not produce as wicked Lives, whence proceeds this, but only from the Miracle of God's Grace, for it is a Miracle, that when the Fountain is as bitter, when our Hearts are as bad as the Hearts of others, yet the ſtreams ſhould not be ſo? p. 312Whence is it, ſince we have the ſame Corrupt Hearts with Cain and Judas, and all the Wicked Rabble in the World, whence is it that we have not committed the ſame Impieties with them, or worſe than they have done? Why, God hath either Reſtrained or Sanctified us, But Sanctifying Grace is not enough, for whence is it that we have not been Drunken with Noah, Adulterers or Murderers with David, Abjurers of Chriſt with Peter? are we more Holy than they, or are we more Sanctified than they? No, it is only our gracious God's vouchſafing to us a conſtant influence of Exciting Grace, that hath thus kept us from thoſe Sins into which he ſuffers Wicked Men to fall, and not only them, but ſometimes his own dear Children too: It is not a difference in our Natures, it is not a difference from inherent Grace within us, that makes this difference in our Lives, but it is only a difference from the unaccountable Exciting Influencing Grace of God, there lies the difference. Well then, let not the ſtrong Man glory in his ſtrength, but let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, for he is our ſtrength and our deliverer. What p. 313have we that we have not received, and if we have received, why do we boaſt as though we had not received? it is not what we have of our ſelves, but it is what we have received from God, and what we do daily receive in a way of ſpecial influence, that makes us to differ from the Vileſt and moſt Profligate Sinners in the World, and therefore let us aſcribe the Glory of all to the Almighty Powerful Grace of God.

Laſtly, To ſhut up all, If our preſervation from Sin be from God, beware then how you provoke him to withdraw and ſuſpend the influence of his Grace, whereby you have been preſerved, and ſtill are: Indeed if we belong to him, he will never ſo far depart from us as utterly to forſake us, but yet he may ſo far depart from us, as that we may have no comfortable ſenſe of his preſence, nor no viſible ſupports from his Grace, we may be left a naked and deſtitute Prey to every Temptation, and fall into the commiſſion of thoſe Sins out of which we may never be able to recover our ſelves to our former Strength, Comfort, and Stability; we may fall to the breaking p. 314of our Bones, and we may riſe agai… poſſibly, but it will be to the breaking of our Hearts. So much for this time and for this ſubject.

FINIS.