[2.] As to evil motions. Prevent them, and suppress them.
(1.) Prevent them : 1 Peter i. 11, * Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against your souls.' Which implies not only an abstinence from the outward act, but that you weaken the power and root of sin, that it do not so easily bud forth ; those impetus primo prtmi are sins, not only infelicities but sins ; they would not be so rife with us, if the heart were more under command. We are guilty of many sins whereunto we do consent, because we do not more strongly dissent, and more potently and rulingly command all the subject faculties, as a man is guilty of the murder of his child if he seeth his servant kill him, and doth not his best to hinder it ; but chiefly when some partial consent followeth, when the heart is tickled and delighted with them. So an unclean glance is adultery : Mat. v. 28, ' If a man look on a woman so as to lust after her, he hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' The more they are mortified, the heart is the less pestered with them.
(2.) Suppress them speedily. When we cannot keep sin under, let us crush it. When the mind dwelleth on it, lust is conceiving, which bringeth forth sin : James i. 15. The flesh riseth up in arms against every gracious motion ; so should the spirit against every sinful motion ; if you let it alone, it will break out, to God's dishonour. Dash Babylon's brats against the stones.
[.3.] As to sinful actions. Prevent them as much as may be ; repeat them not, lest they grow into a habit.
VeR. 5.] SERMONS UPON ROMANS VIII. 457
(1.) Prevent them as much as may be. It is good to stop at last, to hinder the action. When lust hath grained the consent of the will ; let it not break forth into action. The very lust is a grief to the spirit, but the act will bring dishonour to God, and give ill example to men : Micah ii. 1, ' Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their bed ; when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hands. ' If fire be kindled in thy bosom, it is dangerous to let the sparks fly abroad.
(2.) Kepeat not these acts ; lest they grow into a habit and settled disposition of soul. Evil customs increase by many acts, and so the mischief is more remediless : Jer. xiii. 27, ' I have seen thy adulteries and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredoms, 0 Jerusalem ! Wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?' It is a very difficult thing for a man to leave his inveterate customs ; customary exercise in the use of earthly things begets worldly dispositions not easily cured. Augustine saith of his mother Monica : Ad illud modicum quotidiana modica addenda in earn cons^ietudinem delapsa erat, ut plenos jam mcro calices inhianier hauriebat. Vinolency crept upon her by degrees. To be gratifying carnal desires now with one thing, now with another, what doth it do, but bring us under the power of a distemper which we cannot remedy : Heb. iii. 13, ' Exhort one another daily whilst it is called to-day, lest ye be hardened through the deceit- fulness of sin.' Yield a little to sin, and it prevaileth more, till at last you are brought under the power of it : 1 Cor. vi. 12, ' All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any thing.'
Secondly. Positively, as to the things of the spirit.
1. Mind the things of the spirit more than ever yoii have done. Many stick there in the very acts that properly belong to the mind, never so much as trouble themselves, or come to any reasoning within themselves, about pardon of their sins, peace with God, the sanctification of the spiiit, or hopes of eternal life : Ps. x. 4, ' The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God ; God is not in all his thoughts.' Alas ! What have you been doing since you came to the use of reason ? How have you spent your time in youth or riper age ? If you have never thought of God and his grace, nor regarded the offers of mercy in the gospel, certainly you have lost your time, neglected your duty, and betrayed your souls. What have you been doing ? Have you been governed by the flesh or by the spirit ? If all your care hath been about back and belly, and your thoughts have reached no higher than the riches, and honours, and pleasures, and applause, and esteem of the world, and heaven and heavenly things iiave been little regarded, alas ! for the present you are in the highway to hell and everlasting destruction, if you do not correct your error in time, and more earnestly mind other things.
2. You mufit not only mind the things of the spirit, but prize and choose them for your work and happiness, for some of them belong to your duty, and some to your felicity : Luke x. 42, * One thing is necessary, and Mary hath chosen the better part, which shall never be taken from her.' Give your hearty consent to seek after that happiness iif that way. Without choice, or a determinate fixed bent of heart, you