[3.] A universality of respect to all and every part of God's will. He that is sincere performeth all known duties and avoideth all known sins.
(1.) He performeth all known duties : Acts x. 33, ' Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are com- manded thee of God.' Singling out one precept and leaving another is usurping God's sovereignty. We make ourselves our own masters when we do what we list. Everything that God commands, even those things which are less esteemed and countenanced in the world, and more cross to our humour, yea, that are persecuted and hated : Gen. vi. 9, ' Noah was a just man, and upright in his generation, and Noah walked with God.' When so many opposed and scorned those that were good, and corrupted their ways, then Noah was upright. To be good in bad times, and to swim against the stream, is a note of uprightness. So in all parts and points of life: Luke i. 6, 'Zacharias and Elizabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.' In their worship blameless, and in all their business and ordinary conversation blameless : Acts xxiv. 16, ' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.' Not only in commerce with God, but dealings with men. In their callings, they do it as God's work, to God's glory ; in their refreshings and recreations, they act as one that would approve his heart to God.
(2.) He avoideth all known sins. He is in league with no sin, but hateth all sin because God hateth it: Prov. viii. 13, 'Pride and arro- gancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate.' All is contrary to the image of God and the new nature in him : 1 John iii. 9, 'Whoever is born of God doth not commit sin;' contrary to grace infused. Original sin is the seed-plot of all evil. It is contrary to the revealed will of God, and the law forbiddeth all, and therefore he alloweth none : Pa cxix. 133, ' Order my steps in thy word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.' It is contrary to communion with Aod : Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not
382 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. V.
hear me.' The prayers of a false heart that is in league with any sin are never accepted. He doth not say, If I sin, but. If I regard it in my heart. When all doors are shut, and though a room be never so close, yet some air will get in ; but he doth not leave a door open. Sin remaining and sin allowed and reserved are different things ; and all sin is contrary to his comfort and peace of conscience. Forbidden fruit, though it be sweet in the mouth, yet it is terrible in the bowels : Kom. vi. 21, ' What fruit had you then of those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.' Sin will breed shame, and anguish, and horror, and many a stinging and troubled thought. Well, then, out of all we may conclude with Solomon, Prov. xvi. 17, ' The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul' If he would keep his God, and keep his soul, he must keep God's way without turning aside either to the right hand or the left.
Secondly, Tlie inconsistency of uprightness with presumptuous and reigning sins.
1. These two are contrary. Now it is impossible two contraries can be together, in gradu intenso, in a high and prevailing degree ; in gradu remisso, in a lower degree they may be, as heat and cold in a lower degree, for the opposition of the one weakeneth the other. Therefore grace in truth and sin in its reign cannot stand together : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that ye would.' Carnal nature must needs be broken, and the force of it abated, when there is a war in all the faculties and resistance of the Spirit against the flesh. Indeed, in carnal men, that have only some illumination in their minds, but no renovation in their hearts, lusts may bear sway, they may have great convictions, and yet strong corruptions ; but true sanctification being seated in all the faculties and parts of the soul, will cause a war and a resistance, so that sin will not carry it so freely, but it is opposed in the mind, will, and affections, and in the execution of it.
2. Wherever there is sincerity, the fixed bent of the heart is towards God ; therefore sin shall not reign ; for then the fixed bent of the heart is towards the creature, and the vanities of the world, and the content- ments of the flesh ; and we cannot point at two things at once : Mat. vi. 21, ' Where the heart is there is our treasure also.' We can have but one treasure and one chief good ; therefore he that doth heartily resign himself to God, to be guided and directed by him in all things, cannot let sin reign habitually in his heart.