(2.) This purpose may be extorted, not the effect of thy judgment and will, as inclined to God, but only of thy present fear, awakened in
YeU. 14.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. 285
thee ou some special occasion. Many are frightened into a little reli- giousness, but the humour lasts not long : Ps. Ixxviii. 36, ' Neverthe- less they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues ; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.' Aliah in his fears had some re- lentings, so had Pharaoh ; the Israelites turned to the Lord in their ilistress, but they turned as fast from him afterwards ; they were re- solved not from love, but fear ; so these resolutions are wrested from you by some present terrors, which when they cease, no wonder that you are where you were before. Violent things will never hold long ; they will hold as long as the principle of their violence lasteth.
(3.) It may be thou restest in the strength of thine own resolutions. Now God will be owned as the author of all grace : 1 Peter v. 10, 11, ' But the God of all grace, who hath called us into his eternal glory l)y Jesus Christ, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory for ever and ever, amen.' Still we must have a sense of our own insuffi- ciency, and resolve more in the strength and power of God ; the grace of Jesus Christ you must rely upon, both for confirming and perform- ing your resolutions, as knowing that without him you can do nothing. Men fall again as often as they think to rise and stand by their own power : there is such guile and falsehood in our hearts, that we cannot trust them. The saints still resolve, God assisting : Ps. cxix. 8, ' I will keep thy statutes ; 0 forsake me not utterly ; ' and ver. 32, ' I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.'
[2.] As to striving, let us examine that a little, if it hfi so serious, so diligent, so circumspect as it should be.
(1.) That is no efi'ectual striving when you are disheartened with every difficulty, for difficulties do but inflame a resolved spirit, as stir- ring doth the fire. No question but it will be hard to enter in at the strait gate, or to 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 ; this is against all the experience and the wont of mankind.
(2.) This striving and opposing is but slight, if not accompanied with that watchfulness and resolution which is necessary. Many pre- tend to strive 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. 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 that he would not look upon a maid. Job xxxi. 1. ' Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away,' Prov. iv. 14, 15. Evil company is a snare. Our Saviour taught us to pray, * Lead us not into temptation ; ' he doth not say, into sin ; the tempta- tion openeth the gate.
286 SERMONS UPON ROMANS VI. [SeR. XV.
[3.] For praying, we oftener pray from our memories than from our consciences, or from our consciences as enlightened rather than hearts renewed by grace. Prayer, as it is the fruit of memory and invention, is but slight and formal, words said of course, a body without a soul ; as dictated by conscience, it may be retracted by the will ; timeham ne me exaudiret Deus. Or at best they are but half desires, faint wishes, like Balaam's wishing, which will never do good : ' The soul of the sluggard desireth, but hath nothing.' God never made promise that such wishes should be satisfied.
SERMON XV.
Fo7' sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, hut binder grace. — Rom. VI. 14.
Use 1. Of reproof, to reprove —
1. The security and carelessness of many, that never look to the state of their hearts, nor regard whether Christ reigneth or sin reigneth, or at least do not take good heed which way things tend to the greatening or increasing of God's interest or Satan's in their souls. Many count a holy jealousy or heedful watchfulness to be but precise- ness, and that we make more ado than needeth, and make the lives of christians burdensome, when we press them to a constant watchfulness and holy jealousy of themselves. No ; this is no burden, but a bless- ing : Prov. xxviii. 14, ' Blessed is the man that feareth always.' Sin gaineth upon us for want of taking heed at first. They that see no need of this caution are little acquainted with the practice of godliness, or the state of their own hearts, have not a due sense and apprehension of the danger of displeasing God, or of their own proclivity and prone- ness to sin ; therefore live by chance and peradventure, and leave them- selves to be transported by their own affections, to do anything which occasions and temptations invite them unto. W^ere we as sensible of the dangers of the inward as outward man, we should surely stand more upon our guard, and resist the first motions and tendencies towards a sin ; certainly we would not give such harbour and indul- gence to our corruptions as usually we do, lest we nourish and foster a viper in our own bosoms, which will at length sting us to death. Surely it is no wisdom to tarry till the death-blow cometh ; an inclina- tion to evil is best mortified at first, and the longer we dally and play with a temptation, the harder will our conflict be.