6. Providences are sanctified to this use, as helps and occasions of subduing sin ; as afflictions, which do remove the occasions and sub- tract the fuel of sin, and awaken seriousness for the future : Isa. xxvii. 9, ' By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin ; ' 2 Cor. xii, 7, ' Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to bufi'et me, lest I should be exalted above measure.' The thorn in the flesh was given to mortify his pride. By these kind of dispensations the Spirit worketh serious humiliation, and brokenness of heart maketh sin odious to us. These are ordered with exact wisdom and faithful- ness: Ps, cxix. 75, '0 Lord, I know that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me ; ' and they are accom- panied by the Spirit ; therefore God is said to teach us out of his law when he chastiseth us : Ps. xciv. 12, ' Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, 0 Lord, and teachest him out of thy law ; ' Job xxxvi. 10, * He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity ; ' the rod is made effectual by the Spirit's motion.
Object. Some have frequently resolved to forsake their sins, but their resolutions have come to nothing ; they have striven against it, but as a great stone that is rolled up hill, it hath returned upon them with the more violence, or as a man rowing against the stream, the tide hath been strong against them, and they have been forced the more back ; yea, they_ have prayed against sin, yet found no success, and therefore think it is in vain to try any more.
Ans. 1. If all the premises are true, yet the inference and conclu- sion is wrong and false ; for we are not to measure our duty by the success, but God's injunction, God may do what he pleaseth, but we nmst do what he commandeth. Abraham obeyed God, * not knowing
284 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI, [SeR. XIV.
whither he went,' Heb. xi. 8. Peter obeyed Christ's word : Luke v, 5, ' We have toiled all the night, and caught nothing ; howbeit at thy command we will let down the net.'
2. Though the first attempt succeed not, yet afterwards sin may be subdued and broken. In natural things we do not sit down with one trial or one endeavour: 'A man that will be rich pierceth himself through with many sorrows,' 1 Tim. vi. 10 ; and after many miscar- riages and disappointments, men pursue their designs till they com- plete them. And shall we give over our conflict with fleshly and worldly lusts, because we cannot presently subdue them ? That showeth our will is not fixedly bent against them. Therefore let no man excuse himself, and sit down in despair, and say, ' I am not able to master these temptations or corruptions. This is like those, Jer. xviii. 12, ' They said. There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.''' Do not throw up all ; thy condition is not hopeless.
3. Grod's grace is free, and his holy leisure must be waited ; for it was long ere God got us at this pass, to be sensible and anxiously solicitous about our soul-distempers. Grace is not at our beck : * The Spirit bloweth when and where he listeth,' John iii. 7. We must still lie at the pool for cure, nor pettishly fret against the Lord, or cast o^i" our duty, because he blesseth not our first essay.
4. Grace is ready, as it is free. He that begun this work, to make us serious and sensible, will carry it on to a farther degree, if we be not impatient. Surely ' the bruised reed will he not break, and smok- ing flax will he not quench,' Mat. xii. 20. Bemoan thyself to God ; as Ephraim : Jer. xxxi. 18, ' I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bul- lock unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God.' He is not wont to forsake the soul that waiteth on him, and referreth all to the power and good pleasure uf his grace : Isa. xl. 30, 31 , ' Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall : but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.'
5. Examine whether you seek the Lord with your whole heart, and you have done your endeavour. You say, you purpose, you strive, you pray, but yet sin increases ; there is a defect usually in these pur- poses, in these strivings, in these prayers.
[1.] Let us examine these purposes.
(1.) These purposes are not hearty and real, and then no wonder they do not prevail. There is a slight wavering purpose, and there is ' a full purpose of heart,' Acts xi. 23. If thy purposes were more full and strong, and thoroughly bent against sin, they would sooner suc- ceed. Is it the fixed decree and determination of thy will ? Wheu 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, and unstable in all your ways. If the habitual bent of your hearts doth appear by the constant drift of your lives, then is it a full purpose.