S. Thirdlij, There is a permanent, and there is a transient oppo- .sition to sin ; the former is the case of God's people, the latter of temporary and unsound professors.
The saint when he draws the sword in this warfare against sin, throws away the scabbard ; no end of this combat with sin till life end ; their Ufe and their troubles are finished together ; 2 Tim. iv, 7. " I have fought the good fight, and have finished my course."
But in other men it is but a transient quarrel; out with sin one day, and in another ; and the reason is plain by what was noted be- fore : it is not the opposition of two natures ; it is like the opposition of the wind and tide, these may be contrary and make a stormy sea to-day, but the wind may come about, and go as the tide goes to- morrow ; but in a Christian it is the opposition of the river and the dam, one must give way to the other, there is no reconciling them ; but the other " like the dog, returns to his vomit," 2 Pet. ii. ult.
4. Fourthly, There is an opposition to the root of sin, and an op- position to the fruits of sin. A gracious soul opposeth root and fruity 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. vii. 9A. " 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 conse- quences of it : Yea, their study is, as Lactantius phraseth it, Potius
opposition to SIK, A TRIAL tO SINCERITY. 565
ahscondere, quam abscindere vitia : To hide, rather than to kill their lusts.
5. FifthiT/, 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 real Christians, the latter 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. vi. 10. " Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might : take unto '' you the whole armour of God :" And suitably, you shall find them frequently upon their knees begging strength from heaven against their lusts; 2 Cor. xii. 8. " For this cause I besought the Lord " thrice,"" saith Paul, i. e. often and earnestly, that the temptation might depart from him.
But others go forth against sin only in the strength of their own resolutions ; so did Pendleton in our story ; these resolutions, or vows, which they have put themselves under, are as frequently frustrated as made.
6. Sixthli/, There is a successful opposition to sin, and an opposi- tion that comes to nothing : The former is that of true Christians, the latter is found amono- unreo'enerate men.
The work of mortification in the saints is progressive and increas- ing: Hence Rom. vi. 6. " Our old man is crucified with him, that " the body of sin might be destroy ed."*"* Sin dies in believers much as crucified persons use to die, viz. a slow, lingering, gradual, but sure death ; its vigour and life expires by degrees, or as a consump- tive person dies ; for to that also he alludes here : There is a disease, which is called consumptio totius, a consumption of the whole; and those that die 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 herself, Isa. xxvi. 18. " We have been " in pain, we have, as it were, brought forth wind. We have not " wrought any deliverance in the eartli, neither have the inhabitants *' of the world fallen.*" So it fares with these professors ; they pray, they hear, they vow, they resolve, bat 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 trial of our sincerity by our carriage towards sin.
56G RELIGIOUS DUTIES ARE HEAET-DISCOVERIEi.
Sheidiig licliat proof or trial is made of the soundness^ or unsound^ ness of our graces by the duties of religion which we perform.
T T E now come (according to the metlioJ proposed) to make trial of the truth or falseness of grace, by the duties we daily perform in religion. And certainly they also have the use and efficacy of fire for the discovery, 1 John ii. 4, 5. " He that saith I know him, and " keepeth not his commandments [is a liar] and the truth is not in " him : But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is. the love of God *• perfected : And hereby know we that we are in him.""
This is a practical he, of which the apostle speaks here ; by which men deceive others for a while, and themselves for ever; a lie not spoken, but done, when a man's course of life contradicts his profes- sion. The life of an hypocrite is but one longer or continued lie ; lie saith or professeth he knows God, but takes no care at all to obey liim in the duties he commands ; he either neglects them, or if he performs them, it is not as God requires : " If they draw nigh to him " with their lips, yet their heart is far from him," Isa. xxix. 13. " Thou art near ip their mouth, but far from their reins," Jer. xii. 2.
There are some that feel the influence and power of their commu- nion with the Lord in duties, going down into their very reins : And there are others whose lips and tongues only are touched with religion.
This is an age of light and much profession : Men cannot now keep up a reputation in the sober and professing world, whilst 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 ai'e.
OR there are, among others, these following particulars, that do very clearly difference the sound from the unsound professor.
1. Firsts The designs and true levels and aims of men's heart in duty will tell them what they are.
An hypocrite aims low ; *Hos. vii. 14. " They have not cried " unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds ; they " assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me." It is not Christ and pardon, for mortification and holiness, but for corn and wine ; thus they make a market of religion ; all their ends in dutv are either carnal, natural, or legal; either to accommodate their carnal ends, or satisfy and quiet their consciences ; and so their duties are performed as a sin-offering to God.
REtiGiOt^S DUTIES ARE nEART-DlSCOVERIES. 567