2. There is a fault in these purposes, in these strivings and prayers ; they do not come from a heart thoroughly set against sin.
[1.] These purposes are not hearty and real, and then no wonder they do not prevail. There may be a slight purpose, and there is a full purpose, Acts xi. 23. If thy purposes were more full and strong, and thoroughly bent against sin, they would sooner succeed. Is it the fixed decree and determination of thy will ? When you are firmly resolved, your affections will be sincere and steadfast, you will pursue this work close ; not be off and on, hot and cold, unstable in all your ways ; your full purpose, or the habitual bent of your hearts, are known by your drift and scope. Or it may be this purpose may be extorted, not the effect of thy judgment and will, but only thy conscience awakened by some present fear. Many are by some pangs and qualms of conscience frighted into some religiousness ; but this humour lasts not long : Ps. lxxviii. 35-37, ' And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High their redeemer ; nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied to him with their tongues ; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant,' In their
18G sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXVII.
dangers they remembered God, but their hearts were not right with him. Ahab, in his fears, had some relentings ; so had Pharaoh. The Israelites turned to the Lord in their distress, but they turned as fast from him afterwards ; resolves not of love, but fear. So are these resolu- tions wrested from you by some present terrors, which, when they cease, no wonder that they are where they were before. Violent things never hold long ; they will hold as long as the principle of their violence lasteth. Or it may be you rest in the strength of your own resolutions. Now God will be owned as the author of all grace, who reneweth and quickeneth every affection in us ; still we must have a sense of our own insufficiency, and resolve more in the strength and power of God, and rely upon the grace of Jesus Christ, by his Spirit mortifying the deeds of the body, as knowing that without him you can do nothing, neither continue nor perform our resolutions. Men fall again as often as they think to stand by their own power. There is much guile and false- hood in our own hearts ; we cannot trust them. The saints still resolve, God assisting : Ps. cxix. 8, ' I will keep thy precepts ; oh, for- sake me not utterly ;' ver. 32, ' I will run the way of thy command- ments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' They beg God to keep up their inclination and bent against sin : ver. 36, ' Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.'
[2.] As to striving. Let us examine that a little ; if it be so seri- ous, so diligent, so circumspect as it should be. Certainly that is no effectual striving when you are disheartened with every difficulty ; for difficulties do but influence a resolved spirit, as stirring doth the fire. No question but it will be hard to enter in at the strait gate, or walk in the narrow way. God hath made the way to heaven so narrow and strait, that we may the more strive to enter in thereat, Luke xiii. 24. Now shall we sit down and complain when we succeed not upon every faint attempt ? Who then can be saved ? This is to cry out with the sluggard, ' There is a lion in the way.' Should a mariner, as soon as the waves arise, and strong gusts of wind blow, give over all guiding of the ship ? No ; he is resolved upon his voyage. To give out upon every difficulty is against all the experience and wont of mankind. Again, this striving and opposing is but slight, not accompanied with that watchfulness and resolution which is necessary. Many pretend to watch against sin, yet abstain not from all occasions of sin. If we play about the cockatrice's hole, no wonder we are bitten. Never think to turn from thy sins, if thou dost not turn from the occasion of them : Pro v. iv. 15, 'Go not in the way of evil men, avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.' This is a practice becoming the hatred of sin. Evil company is a snare. If thou hast not strength to avoid the occasion, which is less, how canst thou avoid the sin, which is greater ? He that resolveth not to be burnt in the fire must not come near the flames. Job made a covenant with his eyes, Job xxxi. 1. Our Saviour taught us to pray, ' Lead us not into temptation/ He doth not say, into sin. Temptation openeth the gate to it. Cer- tainly itargueth a hankering of mind when we dally with temptations ; as the raven, when he is driven from the carrion, loveth to abide within the scent of it, so they have an inclination to sin when they forbear the practice of it.