I come now to observe from the distribution of this common error : every man to his oion loay : —
Doct. 2. That there are many several ways of sinning ; or thus, though there be one path to heaven, yet there are several ways of sin- ning and going to hell.
Every man hath his several course. And as the channel is cut, so his corrupt nature findeth an issue and passage : Eccles. vii. 29, ' God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.' One hath one invention, and another another, wherein he imagineth to find contentment and happiness, but findeth none. ]\Ian swerving from the state of happiness and sufficiency wherein God had created liim, thinketh to better his condition, and therefore hath many devices and inventions, which indeed make it worse. So 1 John ii. 16, ' For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.' Though no sin cometh amiss to a carnal heart, yet some are more kindly ancl suitable to that particular humour. One's notorious blemish is the lust of the eyes, worldliness ; another, sensu- ality ; another, pride ; one this sin, another that. Hence the psalmist saitli, Ps. xviii. 23, ' I kept myself from mine iniquity.' That which most urgeth us, and prevaileth with us, we should endeavour to mortify.
The reasons how this cometh to pass are : —
1. Because of the activeness of man's spirit. It is always a-dcvising wickedness, which as it is true most especially of the malicious musing mind, so of all evil hearts : Ps. Ixiv. G, ' They search out iniquities, they acc( mplish a diligent search ; both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.' A wicked spirit is a searching spirit; they contrive new ways ; they are always finding out new in- ventions and devices ; they are not contented with the way God hath set them, and therefore will try others.
2. It ha])peneth through diversity of constitutions. Amoves anlmi sequunhir humores corporis — the conditions of the mind follow the con- stitution of the body. The matter of some men's bodies is more viciously disposed than others are. We plainly see the body hath some indirect operation upon the soul ; the affections, in their work and exercise, depend upon the body ; and these corrupt affections meeting with a disposed body for them, by a violent sway carry the whole man with them. And this reason is the stronger, because the devil joineth with our tempers to help on those sins to which we are naturally disposed, as wantonness, drunkenness, gluttony ; or if of a better constitution, to pride and vainglory. As when the devil observeth a lustful man, he hel[)eth forward the temptation, and offereth occasions, stirring up raging and immoderate desires, until at length, forgetting all shame and modesty, or the danger of punishments, he does most foully pol-
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lute himself. So if to luxury and gluttony, he presents sweet baits till the soul is droAvned and drenched in meats and drinks, and there be no sense of piety, and the heart is made unwieldy to prayer or any good duty. So for contentious or furious persons ; wliatever the constitution be, he ' worketh mightily in the children of disobedience,' Eph. ii, 2. Godly men find least hurt by him, as being led by the Spirit, and avoid the occasions and snares, and strive against evil suggestions, and yet they smart too much under his malice many times, through the ad- vantage he hath over them by their constitutions.
3. It happeneth from their business and occasions in the world. Many men are engaged to ways of sin because they suit best with their emiDloyments, the sin of their calling, as vainglory in a minister. The apostle saith, ' Ordain not a novice, lest he be lifted up of pride, and fall into the condemnation of the devil,' 1 Tim. iii. 6. So worldliness suits a man of business, or deceitfulness in his trade ; and corruption is common to a magistrate. Several callings and businesses have their several corruptions. Men easily slide into the corruptions of their way, and every calling, through the wickedness of our hearts, is made to serve this or that sin.
4. Custom and education. Aristotle saith, It is ill education that engageth men to a way of wickedness, and it is not easy to break them off from it. Vessels will not easily quit their first savour, and customs will not easily be left. Teach a child tlie way of the Lord and it will stick by him : Prov. xxii. G, ' Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.'
5. Company and example. Men learn from them with whom they converse, and thence come national sins, partly as they run in the blood, but more by example. Of the Germans we learn drunkenness and gluttony ; of the French, wantonness. Men shape their practices to the patterns that are before them, and learn their way ; for it easily taints the spirits. And thus you see why there are so many inven- tions and ways of wickedness.