(1.) To sin in general. He, whosoever he be, that, instead of trembling at God's word, scoffeth at it, and maketh more account of this world than of the will of God, of the fashions of men than of God's word, and thinketh the scorn of a base worm that would deride him for godliness a greater terror than the wrath of God, and the love of his carnal company a greater happiness than communion with Christ, and instead of working out his salvation with fear and trem- bling, runneth into all excess of riot, and carelessly neglecteth his precious soul, while he pampereth his frail body, and doth voluntarily and ordinarily leave the boat to the stream, give up himself to serve his corruption without resistance or crying to Christ for help, this man is without dispute, and in the eye of the world a slave to sin : Rom. vi. 16, ' Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?' It is an apparent case. A man that giveth up himself to go on in the ways of his own heart, restrain- ing himself in nothing which it affects, he is one of sin's slaves. So saith our Lord Christ : John viii. 34, ' Verily, verily I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.' He needeth no furtlier doubt nor debate about the matter. He that goetli on in a trade of
390 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXLVIII.
sin, and maketli that his work and business in the world, without serious looking after the saving of his soul, is one in whom sin reigneth.
(2.) So some particular sins. As we have instances of carnal wretches in general, so of some poor captive souls that remain under the full power and tyranny of this or that lust, and are so remarkable for their slavery and bondage under it that the world will point at them and say, There goeth a glutton, a drunkard, an adulterer, or covetous worldling, a proud envious person. Their sin is broken out into some filthy sore or scab that is visible to every eye, either their covetousness or gluttony or ambitious affectation of worldly greatness, one whose god is his belly, who is a slave to appetite : 2 Peter ii. 19, ' For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in bond- age.' They grow proverbial for giving up themselves wholly to such a conquering and prevailing lust. As in the natural man several men have their distinct excellences, some are famous for a strong si<2;ht, some for a quick ear, some for a nimble tongue, some for agility of body ; so these for notable excesses in some corruption. Or as the saints of God are eminent for some special graces, as Abraham for faith, Moses for meekness, Job for patience, and Joseph for chastity, and Paul for zeal, Timothy for temperance ; so these have their noto- rious and contrary blemishes.
[2.] There is a more secret and close dominion of sin, that is var- nished over with a fair appearance. Men have many good qualities and no notorious blemishes ; but yet some sensitive, good, and created thing sitteth nearest the heart, and occupieth the room and place of God, that is loved, respected, served instead of God, or more than God. That which is our chiefest good and last end is our god, or occupieth the room of God. So our Lord telleth us, Mat. vi. 24, ' No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or will hold to the one and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and mammon ;' and John v. 44, ' How can ye believe, that seek honour one from another, and not the honour that cometh from God only ? ' and Luke xiv. 26, ' If a man come to me, and hate not father and mother,' &c. We must be dead not only to carnal pleasure but to credit, estate, yea, life and all. It must not sit nearest the heart, nor bring it under its command and power : 1 Cor. vi. 12, 'AH things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.' "We are besotted and bewitched with some created thing, that we can- not part with it, or leave it for God's sake, or notwithstanding all the mischief it is to the interest of his soul. Though a man serve th it cunningly, closely, and by a cleanly conveyance, yet all his religion is but either to hide or feed his lust.
2. Distinction. There is a predominancy of one sin over another, and a predominancy of sin over grace. In the first sense, renewed men may be said to have some reigning corruption or predominant sin, namely, in comparison of other sins. That such predominant sins they have appeareth by the great sway and power they bear in com- manding other evils to be either committed or forborne, accordingly as they contribute to their advancement ; as a wen or a strain draweth all the noxious humours to itself. So it appeareth by the violent and frequent relapses of the saints into them, or their unwillingness to