[1.] A greater sorrow and humiliation : ' Peter went out and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75 ; and Luke vii. 38, ' Mary Magdalen washed Christ's feet in her tears.' The incestuous Corinthian, that was almost swallowed up in ifncleanness, was swallowed up in sorrow, 2 Cor. ii. 7. David speaketh of broken bones, Ps. li. Great wounds must have broad plasters. Now a less degree of sorrow will serve for other sins, even the ordinary and daily exercise of repentance, such as we express to God in our daily prayers. A great disease needeth more special physic than an ordinary, or is necessarily used in health.
[2.] A particular confession and acknowledgment of this sin : Ps. li. 14, ' Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, 0 God ; ' with Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse me from my secret sins.' A general, serious, but dolorous acknowledgment of our corruptions, with a general prayer for pardon : ' Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.' No man's knowledge is so exact, his conscience so watchful, his memory so perfect, but, so far as we observe, we must acknowledge and bewail them.
[3.] An actual reformation is more necessary. A man cannot ordin- arily avoid all sins of infirmity. A virtual, habitual forsaking of them is required, as the soul is more confirmed in the love of God, and there is a general desire to be rid of them : ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Kom. vii. 24. And striving against them is victory, and an endeavour to resist them as far as we are able. But as to actual forbearance, that is not so strictly required, and under such penalties. A man may die when such sins are breaking from him, and yet go to heaven. But these sins are not actually pardoned, unless actually relinquished : Prov. xxviii.
366 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeK. III.
13, 'He tliat confessetli and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy;' John V. 14, ' Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' Pro- bably they had smarted for some gross provocation : Ezra x. 19, ' They gave their hands that they would put away their strange wives ; ' Acts xix. 19, ' Many of them Avhich used curious arts brought their books together, and burnt them before all men.' Keal actual avoiding that sin is required of themselves and others.
Secondly, Take heed of depending upon your own strength. The more holy any one is, the more sensible of their sinfulness and readi- ness to fall. Their hatred against sin is more strong ; they are more acquainted with God and themselves, and so are more jealous of offending him, more humble. A jealousy of a man's proneness to fall into these kind of sins is a good preservative : Rom. xi. 20, ' Well, because of unbelief, they were broken off, and thou standest by faith ; be not high- minded, but fear ; ' 1 Cor. x. 12, ' AVherefore let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.' The best christians need the strongest assistance. Oh, then, take heed of this self-dependence.
The notes of it.
First, It discovereth itself by venturing on temptations without a call or warrant. When men will lay their heads in the lap of a temptation, or run into the mouth of danger, they do not only tempt God, but tempt themselves. Peter would be getting into the devil's quarters ; and what was the issue ? He denieth his master there. Dependence on God is ever accompanied with an holy solicitude and cautiousness : Phil. ii. 12, * Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' It is a presuming on our own strength, when we will be playing about the cockatrice's hole. When you run upon occasions of sin, you provoke God to leave you. Avoid temptin* objects ; we soon take fire.
Secondly, When we neglect means whereby gi-aces are fed and supplied, waiting for a dole at wisdom's gate : Prov. viii. 34, * Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting daily at the posts of my doors.' We cannot regularly expect anything from God but in God's way ; therefore be much in prayer, hearing, taking all opportunities of doing and receiving good. Now when once we begin to think we need not pray so much and hear so much, and are more arbitrary and negligent in the use of means, we live upon our own stock, and quit God.
Thirdly, When we go forth to any conflict without actual renewing our dependence. The Ephraimites^ took it ill that the Gibeonites did not call them into the field when they went out against the enemy: Judges viii. 1, ' Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not when thou wentest to fight against the Midianites?' May not God much more when you take not him along with you ?
Fourthly, When we boast of our courage before we are called to trial. They that crack in their quarters do not always do best in the field. Eemember Peter's boast, ' Though all men be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended,' Mat. xxvi. 33 ; and ' Let not him that putteth on his harness boast as he that putteth it off.'