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standing and will, move the bodily spirits ; the bodily spirits, they move the senses and members of the body. But now by corruption there is a manifest inversion and change, for bodily pleasure doth affect the senses, the senses corrupt the phantasy, the phantasy moves the bodily spirits, and by them the lighter part of the affections. The affections by their violence and inclination captivate the will, and blind the mind, and so the man is carried headlong to his own destruction. Now, though this servitude be in a great measure broken in them that are called unto the liberty of God's children, they are not slaves to their lusts, and the vain pleasures of this life ; yet too too often the senses are too masterly, and too too often transmit objects into the soul in a rebellious way, against the command of sanctified reason and con- science. Affections are stirred by thoughts, and thoughts by objects thus represented. I am the larger in this, that you may more per- fectly understand the reason of the weakness of the saints.
2. The violence of temptations. As sheep may be driven out of the pasture by the wolf, so is a poor soul hurried into evil to commit known sin, or omit known duty, by the incursion and shock of temptations, though for the main he doth adhere to Christ by faith, love, and new obedience. Thus Peter was drawn to deny Christ, and many are drawn in the violence of a passion to do things which their hearts do utterly condemn and disallow. In a storm it is hard for a skilful pilot to steer aright ; and though it be dangerous to dash against the rocks, yet Christians come off Avithout a total shipwreck, though they may be sore bruised and battered. In such hurries God's children may go astray, but God will not suffer them to be totally lost. David wandered far as well as Saul, but God sought David again ; he would not lose him so. A strong temptation may drive us out of the way, as sheep when thieves come are driven out of the fold, whither else they would not have gone.
3. The Lord may withdraw himself for just and wise reasons, and then, when the shepherd is gone aside, we have neither wisdom to direct ourselves nor strength to defend ourselves ; as when Moses went away for a while, how soon did Israel corrupt their way ! So if God be gone, we see how little we can keep ourselves. God left Hezekiah to try him, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. God will show us what is in our hearts, and that our standing is not of ourselves. We represent ourselves to ourselves in a feigned likeness, and therefore God will truly show ourselves to ourselves. We do not know what pride and passion and carnality lies hid in our hearts when he is present, warming, comforting, quickening, guiding, directing the soul in the way to life. Now, God, by withdrawing, will show us the folly of our wisdom, and the weakness of our strength, and the pride of our humility, and the passionatcness of our meekness. Divines distinguish of desertion ; they say that there is desertio correctiva, and desertio erudativa — a desertion by way of correction, and a desertion by way of instruction. Sometimes, by way of correction, because of former sins, or some imkindness, or ungracious dealing with God — God withdraws ; and there is a desertion by way of instruction, to teach us to know the sovereignty of grace, and to know our own weakness. Usually both go together in the same dispen- sation. It is very hard almost to imagine that the same dispensation
VEP. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 307
should not be both instructive and corrective. But the reason why they distinguish thus is this, because some dispensations are more clearly for correction, and others more clearly for instruction, but usually they go together. We provoke the Lord by some slight or unworthy dealing with him, and then the Lord corrects us, and corrects us that he may instruct us, to see our all depends upon him, and how he should be prized in these things.
4. The fourth reason is some special disease, it may be not yet cured, in our going astray like a lost sheep, even though our hearts be right in the main with God. It may be some corruption too that they cherished, some carnal interest which is too near and dear to us ; either worldly, ambitious, or sensual lusts. Though these reign in the unconverted, yet they dwell too much in a heart that is gracious, and so may prevail sometimes to turn us away from God ; something- there is which we may call our iniquity, Ps. xviii. 23. Though in the general we keep ourselves from it, as an upright heart will, yet it may sometimes foil us.
Use 1. Let us stand upon our guard. Oh ! let us not leave the boat to the stream, for there is an erring straying disposition in a great mea- sure left in the people of God. Consider, Satan is subtle and assiduous in tempting : 1 Peter v. 8, ' He goes about like a roaring lion ; ' he is searching up and down after the prey, and an unwary and unmortified soul soon falls into his snare. The flesh is ready to close with the temptation as soon as it is presented ; and therefore the best of God's children had need be circumspect and diligent : ' Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation/ Mat. xxvi. 41, lest you be surprised unawares by some sin or other. There is enough corruption in every one of you to betray you to it, if you be not aware ; and your resisting graces are very weak and imperfect in degree, and (which is one con- sideration more) the danger of a fall is very great, for thereby God is dishonoured, 2 Sam. xii. 14, and your own peace is mightily ruffled : Ps. xxxii. 3, 4, ' My moisture was turned into the drought of summer, and I was filled with roaring all the day long.' Yea, and a stumbling- block is laid before others, and you may destroy those for whom Christ died; and woe be to men by whom offences come, Mat. xviii. 7. Under the law, the Lord ordered that if two men strove and hurt a woman with child, that her fruit departed from her, he should surely be punished. To hinder birth was counted murder, so to hinder those that are coming on by any sins of yours in a way to life. If the offence be foul, you may feel it long afterward, as an old bruise is felt upon every change of weather ; and this sin may cost you dear, though your salvation be secured. This should make us stand upon our guard ; it shows that a Christian should live in constant vigilancy and daily conflict with sin, and deny the desires of the flesh, that he may love God, and live to him.