Thirdly, Why the saints should deprecate this evil,
1. Recause there is sin still in us all. It is a bosom enemy, that is born and bred with us ; and therefore it will soon get the advantage of grace, if it be not watched and resisted ; as nettles and weeds that are kindly to the soil, will soon choke flowers and better herbs that are planted by care, and grow not of their own accord, when they are neglected, and continually rooted out. We cannot get rid of this cursed inmate till this outer tabernacle be dissolved, and this house of clay crumbled into dust. Our old nature is so inclinable to this slavery, that if God subtract his grace, what shall we do ?
2. It is not only in us, but always working and striving for the mastery ; it is not as other things, which, as they grow in age, are more quiet and tame ; but, R-om. vii. 8, ' Sin wrought in me all manner of concupiscence ; the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.' It is not a sleepy, but a working, stirring principle. If it were a dull and inactive habit, the danger were not so great ; but it is always exercising and putting forth itself, and seeking to gain an interest in our affections, and a command over all our actions ; and therefore, unless we do our part to keep it under, we shall soon revert to our old slavery. Sin must be kept under as a slave, or else it will be above as a tyrant, and domineer.
Once more, the more it acts, the more strength it gets ; as all habits are increased by action : for when we have once yielded, we are ready to yield again. Therefore any one sin let alone, yea, that which we least suspect, may bring us into subjection and captivity to the law
396 SERMONS UPON TSALM cxix. [Ser. CXLVIII,
of sin, Eom. vii. 23. It doth not only make lis flexible and yielding to temptations, but it doth urge and impel us thereunto.
Again, this bondage is daily increasing, and more hard to be broken; for by multiplied acts a custom creepeth u{)on us, which is another nature ; and that which migiit be remedied at first groweth more difficult. Diseases looked to at first are more easy to be cured, wdiereas otherwise they grow desperate ; so sins before hardened into a custom, before they bring us under the power of any creature or comfort which we aftect, 2 (Jor. vi. 12 ; lor then afterwards it cometli to a complete dominion and slavery, so that if a man would, he cannot help it. It behoveth, then, every child of God to do his part, that sin may not reign ; for where care is not taken, it certainly will reign.
Use 1. To reprove the security and carelessness of many. David suspected himself, else he would never have made this prayer to God: Lord keep me ; * Let not any iniquity have dominion over me.' And we shouhl all do so that would be safe : Prov. xxviii. 14, ' Happy is the man that feareth alway ; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.' A constant watchfulness and holy jealousy and self- suspicion will be no burden to you, but a blessing. Sin deceiveth us into hardness of heart for want of taking heed. Many that are secure do not consider their danger, and therefore they are not so careful to watch over themselves, nor so humble as to implore the divine assistance, because they do not consider how soon they may be transported by a naughty heart, and brought under the power and reign of sin. Surely were we as sensible of the danger of the inward man as we are of the outward, we would resist the first motions, and not nourish and foster a temptation as we do. The saints do not tarry till the dead blow cometh, but resist the first strokes of sin ; they do not tarry till it pines to death, but resist the first inclinations. An evil inclination, if it be cherished and gratified, gets ground ; the longer we let it alone, the harder will our conflict be, for sin secureth its interest by degrees.
2. It showeth the fearful estate of them that lie under the dominion of sin. But who will own it ?
[1.] It is certain that all men in their natural estate are in this con- dition. Sin doth reign where there is no principle of grace set up against it. The throne is always filled ; man's heart cannot lie empty and void. If grace doth not reign, sin reigneth. Natural men are under the power of darkness, Acts xxviii. IS, and Col. i. 13 ; living in a peaceable subjection to sin ; till Christ come to trouble it, all is quiet ; wind and tide go together.
[2.] It ap})eareth by your course. ]\Iany will say, ' There is not a just man on earth, that doeth good and sinneth not ;' you are sinners as well as we. Ans. There is a difference ; though there be not a good man upon earth, that sinneth not, Eccles. vii. 20, yet there is a difi"erence. Some have not the spot of God's children, Deut. xxxii. 5. There is a difference between sins : Lev. xiii. 24-26. God gave the priest under the law direction how to put a diff'erence between leprous persons. So still there is a great deal of difference between numbness and death, and between dimness of sight and blindness, want of sense and want of life, between stumbling into a ditch and throwing our-