that hath thus incensed the anger of God against me God visits their iniquities with afflictions but they visit not their own hearts by self-examinations God judges them but they judge not themselves he shews their iniquities in a clear glass but none saith What have I done This phrase What have I done is the voice of one that recollects himself after a rash action or the voice of a Man astonished at the discovery afflictions make of his sins but no such voice as this is ordinarily heard among carnal Men. 3. Thirdly An unsound Professor if leâ—t to his choice would rather chuse Sin than Affliction and sees more evil in that than in this And it cannot be doubted if we consider the principle by which all unregenerate Men are acted is sense not faith hence Iobs friends would have argued his Hypocrisie Iob 36. 21. and had their application been as their rule it would have concluded it This viz. Sin hast thou chosen rather than affliction I do not say that an upright man cannot commit a moral evil to escape a poenal evil O that daily observation did not too plentifully furnish us with sad instances of that kind but upright ones do not dare not upon a serious deliberate discussion and debate chuse sin rather than affliction what they may do upon surprisals and in the violence of temptation is of another nature But a false and unsound heart discovers it self in the choice it makes upon deliberation and that frequently when sin and trouble come in competition put case saith Augustine a Ruffian should with one hand set the cup of drunkenness to thy mouth with the other a dagger to thy breast and say drink or die thou shouldst rather chuse to die sober than to live a drunkard and many Christians have resisted unto blood striving against sin and with renowned Moses chosen affliction the worst of afflictions yea death it self in the most formidable appearance rather than sin and it is the habitual temper and resolution of every gracious heart so to do tho' those holy resolutions are sometimes over-born by violence of temptation But the Hypocrite dreads less the deâ—ilement of his soul than the loss of his estate liberty or life If you ask upon what ground then doth the Apostle suppose 1 Cor. 13. 3. a man may give his body to be burnt and not have charity that the Salamander of Hypocrisie may live in the flame of Martyrdom The answer is at hand they that chose death in the sense of this Text do not chose it to escape sin but to seed and indulge it Those strange adventures if any such be are rather to maintain their own honour and enrol their names among worthy and famous Persons to Posterity or out of a blind zeal to their espoused erours and mistakes than in a due regard to the glory of God and the preservation of intiegrity I fear to speak it but it must be spoken saith Hierom. that even Martyrdom it self when suffered for admiration and applause profits nothing but that blood is shed in vain 4. Fourthly It is the property of an unâ—â—generate soul under adversity to turn froâ— creature to creature for support and comfort and not from every creature to Goâ— alone So long as their feet can touch grounâ— I mean feel any creature relief or comforâ— under them they can subsist and live in aâ—flictions but when they lose ground theâ— all creature refuge fails then their hearts fail too Thus Zedekiah and the self-deceivinâ— Iews when they saw their own strengtâ— failed them and there was little hope leâ—â— that they should deliver themselves from thâ— â—haldeans what do they in that strait Dâ— they with upright Iehosaphat say our eyes 〈◊〉 unto thee No no their eyes were upon â—gupt for succour not upon Heaven Welâ— Pharaoh and his aids are left still all hopeâ— is not gone Ier. 37. 9. See the like in Abaâ—â— in a sore plunge and distress he Courts thâ— King of Assyria for help 2 Chron 22. 28 2â—â— That project failing why then he will trâ— what the Gods of Damascus can do for him any way rather than the right way Flecterâ— si nequeam superos Acheronta movebo So it is with many others If one chilâ— die what do they do run to God and comâ—fort themselves in this The Lord liveth thâ— my Child die If an Estate be lost and a Faâ—mily sinking do they with David comforâ— â—â—emselves in the everlasting Covenant orderâ— and sure No no but if one Relation 〈◊〉 there 's another alive if an Estate be â—â—ne yet not all something is left still and 〈◊〉 case will mend As long as ever such Men have any visible â—â—couragement they will hang upon it and â—ot make up all in Christ and encourage â—â—emselves in the Lord. To tell them of reâ—â—ycing in the Lord when the Fig tree blosâ—â—ms not is what they cannot understand 5. Fifthly To conlude An unsound heart â—ever comes out of the Furnace of affliction â—â—rged mortified and more spiritual and hoâ—â— than when he was cast into it his scum 〈◊〉 dross is not there separated from him â—ay the more they are afflicted the worse â—â—ey are Why should ye be smitten any more ye â—ill revolt more and more Isa. 1. 5. and to â—eep to our Metaphor consult Ier. 6. 29. â—od had put that incorrigible people into â—e Furnace of affliction and kept them long 〈◊〉 that fire and what was the Issue why â—â—ith the Prophet The bellows are burnt â—e lead is consumed of the fire the founder melâ—â—h in vain c. reprobate silver shall men call â—â—em because the Lord hath rejected them If the fire of affliction be continually â—lown till the very bellows be burnt that is â—â—e tongue or rather the lungs of the Prophet â—hich have some resemblance to bellows though these be even spent in reproving and threatning and denouncing woe upoâ— woe and Judgement upon Judgement anâ— God fulfills his word upon them yet stiâ— they are as before the dross remains thougâ— Ierusalem be made a Furnace and the inhaâ—bitants the flesh boyling in it over a fierâ—â— fire of affliction yet as it is noted pertâ—nently to my Discourse in Ezek. 24. 6. 1â— the scum remains with them and cannot bâ— separated by the fire and the reason 〈◊〉 plain because no affliction in its self purgâ— sin but as it is sanctified and works in thâ— vertue of Gods blessing and in pursuanâ—â— of the promises O think on this you that have had thouâ—sands of afflictions in one kind and another and none of them all have done you good they have not mortified humbled or beneâ—fited you at all And thus you see what thâ— effects of adversity are when it meets 〈◊〉 graceless heart SECT IV. BY this time Reader I suppose thou arâ— desirous to know what effects adversitâ— and afflictions use to have when they meeâ— with an honest and sincere heart only beâ—fore I come to particulars I think
the tryal of our selves wheâ— God tryes we should try too Now the method into which I shall caâ—â— this discourse shall be to shew you 1. First What those things are which try the sincerity of our graces as fire tryes gold 2. Secondly For what ends doth God puâ— the graces of his people upon such tryals in this world 3. Thirdly That such grace only is sinâ—ere as can endure these tryals 4. Fourthly and Lastly To apply the whole 〈◊〉 the main uses of it SECT II. First WHAT those things are which try the sincerity of grace as fire â—yes gold Before I enter into particulars it will be â—eedful to acquaint you that the subject beâ—re me is full of difficulties There is need as one speaks of much cautious respect to â—â—e various sizes and degrees of growth aâ—ong Christians and the vicissitudes of their â—â—ward case else we may darken and perâ—lex the way instead of clearing it The pourtracture of a Christian is such â—s none can draw to one Model but with â—espect to the infancy of some as well as the â—ge and strength of others Great heed also ought to be had in the apâ—lication of marks and signs we should first 〈◊〉 them before we try our selves or others by â—â—em Marks and signs are by some distinguishâ—d into exclusive inclusive and positive exâ—â—usive marks serve to shut out bold pretendâ—s by shewing them how far they come â—â—ort of a saving work of grace and they are â—ommonly taken from some necessary comâ—on duty as hearing praying c. he that doth not these things cannot have any woâ—â— of Grace in him and yet if he do them 〈◊〉 cannot from thence conclude his estate to 〈◊〉 gracious he that so concludes deceive himself Inclusive Marks rather discover the degreeâ— than the truth of grace and are rather intended for comfort than for conviction we find them in our selves we do not only find sincerity but eminency of grace they being taken from some raised degree and 〈◊〉 minent acts of grace in confirmed anâ— grown Christians Betwixt the two former there is a middâ—â— sort of marks which are called positive markâ— and they are such as are alwayes and onlâ— found in regenerate souls The Hypocrite hath them not the grown Christian hath them and that in an eminent degreeâ— the poorest Christiaâ— hath them in a lower but saving degree great care must be taken in the applicatioâ— of them and it 's past doubt that many weaâ— and injudicious Christians have been greatly prejudiced by finding the experiences of eminent Christians proposed as rules to measure their sincerity by Alas these no more fit their â—ouls than Sauls Armour did Davids body These things being premised and a duâ— care carried along with us through this discourse I shall next come to the particulars and shew you what those things are which discover the state and tempers of our souls And though it be true that there is no condition we are in no providence that befals us but it takes some proof and makes some discovery of our hearts yet to limit this discourse and fall into particulars as soon as we can I shall shew what Tryals are made of our graces in this world by our prosperity and our adversity by our corruptions and our duties and lastly by our sufferings upon the score and account of Religion SECT III. FIrst Prosperity Success and the increase of outward enjoyments are to grace what fire is to gold Riches and Honours make tryal what we are and by these things many a false heart hath been detected as well as the sincerity eminency of others graces discovered we may fancy the fire of prosperity to be rather for comfort than tryal to refresh us rather than to prove us but you will find prosperity to be a great discovery and that scarce any thing proves the truth and strength of mens graces and corruptions more than it dâ—th Rara virtus est humilit as honorata saith Bernard to find humility with honour is to find a Phoenix let an obscure person be lifted up to honour and how steady and well-composed soever he was before it 's a thousand to one but his eyes will dazle and his head run round wheâ— he is upon the lofty pinaclâ— of praise and honour Provâ— 27. 21. As the fining pot for silver and the furnace for gold so is a man to his praise puâ— the best gold into the fining pot of praise and it 's a great wonder if a great deal of drosâ— do not appear Isa. 39. 2. the vain glory oâ— good Hezekiaâ— rose like a froth or scum upon the pot when heated by prosperity It waâ— such a sining pot to Herod as discovered him to be dross its self Acts 12. 23. How did that poor worm swell under that tryal into the conceit of a God and was justly destroyed by worms because he forgat himself to be one we little think what a strange alteration an exalted estate will make upon our spirits When the Prophet would abate the vain confidence of Hazael who could not believe that ever he should be turned into such a salvage beast as the Prophet had foretold he only tells him The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria 2 King 8. 13. The meaning is don't be too confident Hazael that thy temper and disposition can never alter to that degree Thâ—u never yet satest in a Throne when men see the Crown upon thy head then they will better see the true temper of thy heart How humble was Israel in the Wilderness tame and tractable in a lean pasture â—â—â—t bring them â—once into Canaan and the orld is strangely altered then we are Lords â—y they we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2 7 31. Prosperity is a Crisis both to â—ace and corruption Thence is that caution 〈◊〉 Israel Deut. 10. 11 12. When thou hast â—aten and art full Then beware lest thou forget â—he Lord thy God Then beware that 's the Critical time surely that man must be acâ—nowledged rich very rich in grace whose grace suffers no diminution or eclipse by his â—iches and that man deserves double hoâ—our whose pride the honours of this world cannot provoke and inflame It was a sad truth from the lips of a piâ—us divine in Germany upon his death bed â—eing somewhat disconsolate by reflecting upon the barrenness of his life some â—riends took thence an occasion to commend â—im and mind him of his painful Ministry and fruitful life among them but he cryed out auferte ignem adhuc enim paleas habeo withdraw the fire for I have chaff in me meaning that he felt his ambition like chaff catching fire from the sparkles of their praises like unto which was the saying of another He that praiseth me wounds me But to descend into the particular discoveries that prosperity and honour make of the want of grace in some and of the weakness of grace in others I will shew you
vigour and life expires by degrees or as a consumptive person dyes for to that also he alludes here there is â— disease which is called Consumptio totius a Consumption of the whole and those thaâ— dye of that disease languish more and more till at last they drop sensim sine sensu by imperceptible degrees and steps into the grave But in the unregenerate whatever conflicts they have with sin no corruption falls before it it may be said of them as the Church in another case complains of her self Esa. 26. 18. We have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen So it fares with these professours they pray they hear they vow they resolve but when all is done their lusts are as strong and vigorous as ever no degree of mortification appears after all And thus much of the tryal of our sincerity by our carriage towards sin CHAP. VII Shewing what proof and tryal is made of the soundness or unsoundness of our graces by the duties of Religion which we perform SECT I. WE now come according to the method proposed to make tryal of the truth of falseness of grace by the duties we daily perform in Religion And certainly they also hâ—ve the use and efficacy of fire for this discovery 1 Joh. 2 4 5. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lyar and he truth is not in him but whoso keepeth his word iâ— him verily is the love of God perfected anâ— hereby know we that we are in him This is a practical lye of which the Apostle speaks here by which men deceiveâ— other 〈◊〉 while and themselves for ever a lye not spoken but done when a mans course of life contradicts his profession The life of an Hypocrite is but one long oâ— continued lye he saith or professeth he knows God but takes no care at all to obey him in the duties he commands he either neglects them or if he perform them it is not as God requires if they draw nigh â— him with their lips yet their heart is far from him Isa. 29. 13. Thou art near in their mouth but far from their reins Jer. 12. 2. There are some that feel the influence power of their Communion with the Lord in duties going down to their very reins there are others whose lips and tongues only are toucht with Religion This is an age of light and much profession men cannot now keep up a reputaâ—ion in thâ— sober professing world whilest they let down and totally neglect the duties of Religion but surely if men would be but just to themselves their very performances of duty would tell them what their hearts are SECT II. FOr there among others these following particulars that do very clearly diffeâ—ence he sound from the unsound prfessour 1. First The designs and true Levels and â—aims of mens hearts in duty will tell them what they are An Hypocrite aims Low Hosea 7. 14. They have not cried unto me with their heart when they â—owled upon their beds they assembled themselves for Corn and Wine and they rebel against me It is not for Christ and pardon â—or mortification and holiness but for corn and wine thus they make a Market of Reâ—igion all their ends in duty are either carnal natural or legal it is either to accommodate their carnal ends or satisfie and quiet their Consciences and so their duties are performed as a sin-offering to God But an upright heart hath very high and pure aims in duty the desire of their â—oul is to God Isa. 26. 8. their soul follows â—ard after God Psal. 63. 8. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I might dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to see the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Psal. 27. 4. These are the true Eagles that play at the Sun and will not stoop to low and earthly objects Alas if the enjoyment of God be missed â—n a duty it is not the greatest enlargements of gifts will satisfie he comes back like a man that hath taken a long journey to meet his friend upon important business and lost â—is labour his friend was not there 2. Secondly The engagements of menâ— hearts to God in duties will tell them whaâ— they are The hypocrite takes little heed toâ— his heart Esa. 29. 13. they are not afflicted really for the hardness deadness unbelief and wanderings of their hearts in duty as upright ones are nor do they engage theiâ— hearts and labour to get them up with Godâ— in duty as his people do I have intreateâ— thy favour with my whole heart saith David Psal. 119. 58. they are not pleased in duty till they feel their hearts stand towards God like a bow in its full bent I say not it is alwayes so with them what would they give that it might be so but surely if their souls in duty be empty of God they are filled with trouble and sorrow 3 Thirdly The Conscience men make oâ— secret as well as of publick duties will telâ— them what their hearts and graces are true or false A vain Professour is curious in thâ— former and either negligent or at best formal in the latter for he finds no inducementâ— of honour applause or oâ—tentation of giftâ— externally moving him to them nor hath he any experience of the sweetness benefit of such duties internally to allure and engage his soul to them The Hypocrite therefore is not for the closet but the Synagogue Matth. 6. 5. 6. not buâ— that education example or the impulse oâ— conscience may sometimes drive him thither but it is not his daily delight to be there his meat and drink to retire from the clamour of the world to enjoy God in secret â—Tis the observation of their duties is the great inducement to these men to perform them and verily saith our Lord ver 2. they have their reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have it away or they have carryed off all the benefit and advantage that ever they shall have by Religion Much good do them with their applause and honour let them make much of that aery reward for it 's all that ever they shall have But now for a soul truly gracious he cannot long subsist without secret prayer 'T is true there is not always an equal freedom and delight a like enlargement and comfort in those retirements but yet he cannot be without them he finds the want of his secret in his publick duties if he and his God have not met in secret and had some Communion in the morning he sensibly finds it in the deadness and unprofitableness of his heart and life all the day after 4. Fourthly The spirituality of our duties tryes the sincerity of our graces an unregenerate heart is carnal whilest engaged in
these will discover the falseness and rottenness of mens hearts cannot be doubted if yoâ— consider that this is the fire designed bâ— God for this very use and purpose to sepâ— rate the gold from the dross so you will finâ— it 1. Pet. 4. 12. Beloved think it 〈◊〉 strange concerning the fiery tyral which is 〈◊〉 try you i.e. the very design and aim â— providence in permitting and ordering theâ— is to try you The design of Satan is to dâ— stroy you but Gods design is to try you Uâ— on this account you find the hour of peâ—â—â— cution in a suitable notion call'd the 〈◊〉 of temptation or probation Rev. 3. 10. 〈◊〉 then professours are sifted to the very braâ—â—â—earched to the very bottom principles Tâ—â— is the day that burns as an Oven in which 〈◊〉 the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as â—â—â—â—ble Mal. 4. 1. for 1. First In that day the predominant â—â—terest must appear and be discovered it 〈◊〉 be concealed no longer no man can 〈◊〉 two masters saith Christ Luke 16. 13. as may serve many masters if they all commaâ—â— the same things or things subordinate 〈◊〉 each other but he cannot serve two maâ—ers if their Commands clash and interfâ—â— with each other and such are the 〈◊〉 of Chirst and the flesh in a suffâ—â—â—ing hour Christ saith â—e thou fâ—ithful to death the flesh saith spare thy self and 〈◊〉 the comforts of life Christ saith He 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father or Mother Wife or Children â— ands or Inheritances more than me is not â—orthy of me Flesh saith he that will grieve â—â—d break the hearts of such dear relations â—â—d forsake when he might keep such earthâ— accommodations is not worthy of them Thus the two interests come in sull oppoâ—ion and now have but patience to wait little and you shall discern which is preâ—ominant A dog follows tow men while they â—â—th walk one way and you know not â—hich of the two is his master stay but a little 〈◊〉 their path parts then you shall quickâ— see who is his master So is it in this case 2. Secondly In that day senâ—ible supports â—â—l and all a mans relief comes in by the â—â—re and immediate actings of faith and â—ere it not for those reliefs his heart would â—on faint and dye away under discourageâ—ents 2. Cor. 4. 17 18. We faint not whilst 〈◊〉 look not at the things which are seen for they 〈◊〉 temporal but at the things which are not seen 〈◊〉 they are External q. d longer than we â—eep our eye intently fixed upon the invisiâ—e and eternal things in the coming world 〈◊〉 feel our selves fainting and dying away â—â—der the troubles afflictions of this world â—ad fainted saith David if I had not believed â—ow then suppose ye shall the Hypocrite live 〈◊〉 such a time who hath no fiath to support â—m no relief but what comes in through 〈◊〉 senses 3. Thirdly In that day all meer Notion and Speculations about Religion vanish anâ— nothing relieves and satisfies the suffeâ—ing soul but what it really believes and what 〈◊〉 hath satisfying proof and experience of 〈◊〉 himself There are a great many pâ—etâ—â— pleasing notions with which our minds aâ—â— entertained with some delight in times 〈◊〉 peace which can do us no service at all iâ— the day of trouble and for our speculatiâ—â— unpracticable knowledge of the greateâ—â— truths in Religion as little service is to be exâ—pected form them Except we have betteâ— evidence and security about them we shalâ— beloth to venture all upon the credit of them that 's a very considerable passage to this puâ—â—pose in Heb. 10. 34. Ye took joyfully the spoiâ—â—ing of your goods knowing in your selves thâ— ye have in heaven a better and more enduring substance this knowing in our selves is by iâ— ward sensible experience taste and feeling which is abundantly satisfying to the soul and â—tands opposed to all that traditionâ— knowledge we receive from others which as it leaves the mind flucturating so the heaâ— also dead and comfortless 4. Fourthly In that day the root foundâ—tion of a mans faith and hope is tryed aâ—â— then they that have built upon the sand mu needs fail for every thing is as its foundâ—â—tion is principles are to us what a root to a tree or a foundation to an house a â—â—aw or grand defect there ruines all this we find to be the very scope of those two famous paâ—ables Luke 14. 25. and Matth. 13. 21. lesser troubles shake bâ—t the branches but these try the root if noâ—hing be found â—here but self ends the force of education the â—â—nfluence of examples surely when the winds rise high and beat upon it they will quickly lay the lostiest professour even with â—he ground And thus you see what a Crisis an hour of temptation the suffering hour is what discoveries of Hypocrisie it must needs make â—or now the Hypocrite like Orpha will forsake Religion but sincerity will make the soul â—leave to it as Ruth did to Naomi SECT IV. â— WHat advantages sincerity gives the soul for its establishment perseverance in suffering times I shall briefly account for in the following particulars 1. First Sincere godliness dethrones that Idol the love of this world in all true Christians and this is it that makes men shrink and flinch from Christ in a day of sufferâ—ng I do not deny but even believers themâ—elves love the world too much but they â—ove it not as their chief good it is not thier portion or happiness if any man so love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. How much soever a sincere Christian loves the world yet still it is in subordination to the love God Ioh. 21 15. Sincerity can consist with no other love of the world it will not suffer such a cursed 〈◊〉 to grow under its shadow Now what is it but this inordinate sâ—pream love of the Creature that makes meâ— forsake Christ in time of temptation this was the ruine of that young man Matth. 19 22. he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions This was the overthrow oâ— Demas 2. Tim. 4. 10. he hath forsaken mâ— saith the Apostle having loved this presenâ— world the lvoe of this world like sap in green wood will not suffer you to burn foâ— Christ get but the heart morâ—ified to the creature by a discovery of better things in heaven and it will establish and fix your spirits that it shall not be in the power oâ— creatures to shake you off from Christ your foundation 2. Secondly Sincerity kniâ—s the soulâ— to Châ—istâ— and union with him secures us in the greaâ— tryals munimur quartenus unimur The Hyâ—pocrite having no â—nion with Christ can have no communion with him nor communications of grace from him and so that little stock of his own being quickly spent I mean natural courage resoution and no incomes form Christ he must needs give up in a short time
from presumptuous 〈◊〉 saith the Psalmist Psal. 19. 13. let them â—ot have dominion over me q. d. Lord I find â—ropensions to sin in my nature yea strong â—nes too if thou leave me to my self I am â—arried into sin as easily as a Feather down â—e Torrent O Lord keep back thy servant â—nd there is no petition that upright ones our out their hearts to God in either more â—equently or more ardently than in this 〈◊〉 be kept back from sin 8. Eightly and Lastly This shews the soul not to be under the dominion of sin that it doth not only cry to God to be kept back from sin but uses the means of prevention himself he resists it as well as pray aginst it Psal. 18. 23. I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity So Iob 31. 1. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes and yet more fully in Isa. 33. 15. he shaketh his hands from holding bribes and stoppeth his ears from hearing blood and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil See with what care the portals are shut at which sin useth to enter All these things are very relieving considerations to poor souls questioning their integrity under the frequent surprisals of sin And the next tryal no less SECT VIII 5. FIfthly Our opposition to and conflictâ— with sin discover what we are gold or dross There are conflicts with sin both in the regenerate and in the unregenerate but there is a vast difference betwixt them as will appear in the following account 1. First There is an universal and there 〈◊〉 a particular opposition to sin the former 〈◊〉 found in regenerate the latter in unregeneâ—rate souls a gracious heart hates every false way Psal. 119. 104. and must needs do so because he hates and opposes sin as sin sâ— â—â—at he can no peccatum in deliciis no exâ—epted or reserved Lust but fights against â—â—e whole body and every limb and memâ—er of the body of sin But it is not so with the Hypocrite or carâ—l Professor he hath evermore some reserâ—â—â—d sin that he cannot part with 2. Secondly There is an opposition beâ—ixt the new nature and sin and there is an â—position betwixt natural Conscience and sin â—â—e former is the case of an upright soul the â—ter may be of a self-deceiver A regenerate Person opposeth sin because â—ere is an irreconcileable Antipathy betwixt and the new nature in him as is clear â—om Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spiâ— and the spirit against the flesh and these are â—â—trary the one to the other by flesh underâ—nd corrupt Nature by spirit not only the â—irit of Man but the spirit of God or prinâ—â—le of Regeneration in Man by the lustâ— of these two against each other underâ—â—nd the desire and endeavour of each others â—â—struction and ruine and the ground of all â—s is the contrariety of these two natures These are contrary one to the other there is wofold opposition betwixt them one forâ—l their very natures are opposite the â—er effective their workings and designs are posite as it is betwixt fire and water But the oppositions found in unrenewed Souls against sin is not from their nature for sin is suitable enough to that but from the light that is in their minds and conse ences which scares and terrifies them Suc was that in Darius Dan. 6. 14. He was so displeased with himself and set his heart on Dani to deliver him and laboured till the going dow of the Sun to deliver him here the contest waâ— betwixt sense of honour upon one side an conviction of Conscience on the other sidâ— Sometimes a generous and noble disposit on opposes sordid and base actions majâ— sum ad majora natus quam ut corpor is m sim mancipium I am greater and born â— greater things than that I should be a slaw to my Body said a brave Heathen 3. Thirdly There is a permanent and theâ—â— is a transient opposition to sin the former the case of God's People the latter of â—enâ—â— porary and unsound Professors The Saint when he draws the sword this warfare against sin throws away th scabbard no end of this combate with sin tâ—â— life end their life and their troubles are nished together 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought tâ—â— good fight and have finished my Course But in other Men it is but a transie quarrel out with sin one day and in anâ— ther and the reason is plain by what wâ—â— noted before it is not the opposition two natures it is like the opposition of tâ—â— Wind and Tyde these may be contrary and make a stormy sea to day but the wind may come about and go as the T-yde goes â—o morrow but in a Christian it is as the â—pposition of the river and the dam one must give way to the other there 's no reconciling them but the other like the dog â—eturns to his vomit 2 Pet. 2. ult 4. Fourthly There is an opposition to he root of sin and an opposition to the fruits of sin A gracious soul opposeth root and fruit but others the latter only The great design of an upright soul is not only to lop off this or that branch but to kill the root of sin which is in his nature Rom. 7. 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death but the great care and endeavours of others is to suppress outward acts of sin and escape the mischievous consequents of it yea their study is as Lactantius phraseth it Potius abscondere quam abscindere vitia to hide rather than to kill their Lusts. 5. Fifthly There is an opposition to sin in the strength of God and an opposition to sin in our own strength The former is proper to a real Christian the later is found frequently with unsanctified persons when a Christian goes forth against any sin it is in the strength of God So you read their rule directs them Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord and the power of his might take unto you the whole armour of God and suitabâ—â— you shall find them frequently upon theâ— knees begging strength from heaven againâ— their Lusts 2 Cor. 12. 8. For this cause I bâ— sought the Lord thrice saith Paul i. e. Ofteâ— and earnestly that the temptation migâ—â— depart from him But Others go forth against sin only iâ— the strength of their own resolutions so diâ— Pendleton in our story these Resolutions oâ— vows which they have put themselves undeâ— are as frequently frustrated as made 6. Sixthly There is a successful oppositioâ— to sin and an opposition that comes to nâ—â—thing The former is that of true Christianâ— the later is found among unregenerate meâ—â— The work of Mortification in the Saintâ— is progressive and increasing hence Rom. 6. 6 Our old man is Crucified with him that the boâ—dy of sin might be destroyed Sin dyes in beâ—lievers much what as crucified persons use tâ—â—â—ye viz. a slow lingering gradual buâ— sure death its