2. We can do nothing in the spiritual life till we take up such a resolution, and really be of such a disposition of heart. We are often put to such a choice ; it is not a rare case, but such as falls out in every day's experience, whether we will choose sin or some inconvenience. Many times duty and danger come together, and they are oflered to our choice ; if we discharge our conscience, it will be dangerous ; but if not, there will be sin. Sin and pleasure often come together, and the trial is whether you will renounce pleasure or satisfy your lust. Here I shall content myself, gratify my lust and interest, and there I shall offend my God. Therefore Christ draws up the indenture. Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.' It is in vain to put our hands to the plough, except we are lesolved to go on whatever we meet with. There is sin, and pleasure, and profit ; here is duty and affliction, poverty, meanness, and a low estate. This often falls out ; now which do you choose ?
3. Such a disposition of heart is a necessary fruit of grace, for when God works grace, surely this will be wrought. These three things are necessary to this : a clear understanding, a tender heart, and a zealous respect and love to God. There cannot be grace but it must be so, and all these concur to this resolution. Grace gives a clear under- standing, that we may know the will of God and like it ; and it gives a tender heart, to smite when we decline from it ; and it gives a zeal- ous love and a respect to God, so that we dare not offend him. It gives a clear understanding, to judge in such cases ; faith opens the eye of the soul ; it is a spiritual prudence, it is good at choosing, for it sees what is good and evil, and how much we are concerned in the choice. Others may have higher speculations, but the good under- standing is the fruit of grace : Ps. cxi. 10, ' A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.' So the gracious man is the only wise man. Faith is opposed to ignorance as well as folly. Vint-
456 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LX,
uers have more wine in tlieir cellars than housekeepers, but it is for sale, not for use. Then grace gives a tender heart, therefore they dare not offend God, though to get never so much by it. Broken bones are very tender. So when the heart is broken and made tender by grace, it will startle at small sins. David's heart smote him for cut- ting off the lap of Saul's garment. And grace gives a zealous respect to God that will interpose when we are tempted to sin ■ Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? ' A godly man will rather wrong himself a thousand times over, and hazard all his interest, than wrong the Lord. An honest man would not wrong a friend. God must not be offended whatever it cost ; how can I break with my gracious God ? Love is shown by a care to please and a fear to ofiend ; when this is in the heart, it comes to this result and issue, that there is such a tender disposition in their souls that they will rather choose great inconveniences in the world than to sin in the least manner.
Use 1. First, it shows how evil they are that cannot deny them- selves, even when their very sin proves an affliction to them, and an inconvenience. The children of God can choose affliction rather than sin, though they had comfort and profit by it. Now you have no pro- fit and comfort by it, but your very sin is your affliction, and yet your hearts run out to it. Alas ! to many it is meat and drink to commit sin ; and though it be with loss to themselves, not only with loss of heaven, and exposing them to the wn-ath of God, but with temporal inconveniences; though they hazard life, health, credit, profit, trading by it. Thus will a sinner break through all restraints ; not only when an angel stands in the w-ay, but when afflictions .stand in the way, still they break through, and are martyrs to their own lusts. Many times some are maimed by their uncleanness, others brought to rags by their drunkenness, riot, and voluptuousness. How often do you see sin's martyrs walk up and down the streets ! It is comfortable for God's martyrs to be afflicted for a good conscience ; but to bear the marks of sin, to be maimed by lust, to be brought to rags by riot, and voluptuous living, and negligence; this shows men's hearts are set upon their sins.
Use 2. Have we such a temper of soul as this is, as to choose the greatest affliction rather than the least sin ? We may say so and judge so out of the temptation, but how is it upon the trial, when there is a worldly convenience, and a spiritual inconvenience ? what do we when we are put upon the choice ? A man is known by his choice. Many men are of a Gadarene spirit, they can part with Christ rather than their swine ; part with peace of conscience and favour of God, and all their communion with God, rather than not give satisfaction to their lusts. They are of Esau's spirit, can sell the birthright for a mess- of pottage, Heb. xii. 15. But now a child of God risetli up in indignation against such offers as these. Look, as when there was an offer made in Jotham's parable to the trees of the field to reign, saith the vine, ' Shall I leave my sweetness ? ' and the olive-tree, ' Shall I leave my fatness,' to rule over the trees ? So doth the heart of a child of God rise up in indignation upon such a trial. Shall I iiazard peace of conscience, the favour of God, and all communion with God, for a little temporal profit and temporal conveniences?