3. Consider the spiritualness and large extent of the law of God, together with the curse annexed, which forbids not only particular sins, but aU the kinds, degrees, occasions, and furtherances of sin in the whole breadth and depth of it, and our very nature itself, so far as it is corrupted ; for want of which we see many ' alive without the law,' Rom. vii. 9, jovial and merry from ignorance of their miseiy, who, if they did but once see their natures and lives in that glass, it would take away that liveliness and courage from them, and make them vile in their own eyes. Men usually look themselves in the laws of the state wherein they live, and think them- selves good enough, if they are free from the danger of penal statutes ; this glass discovers only foul spots, gross scandals, and breakings out ; or else they judge of themselves by parts of nature, or common grace, or by outward conformity to religion, or else by that light they have to guide themselves in the affairs of this life, by their fair and civil carriage, &c. ; and thereupon live and die without any sense of the power of godliness, which begins in the right knowledge of oui'selves, and ends in the right knowledge of God. The spiritualness and purity of the law should teach us to consider the purity and holiness of God ; the bringing of our souls into whoso presence will make us to abhor ourselves, with Job, ' in dust
THE soul's conflict. 177
and ashes,' Job xlii. 6. Contraries are best seen by setting one near the other ; whilst we look only on ourselves, and upon others amongst whom we live, we think ourselves to be somebody. It is an evidence of some sincerity wrought in the soul, not to shun that Ught which may let us see the foul corners of oiu* hearts and lives.
4. The consideration of this likewise should enforce us to carry a double guard over our souls. David was very watchful, yet we see here he was surprised unawares by the sudden rebellion of his heart. We should observe our hearts as governors do rebels and mutinous persons. Observation awes the heart. We see to what an excess sin groweth in those that deny them- selves nothing, nor will be denied in anything ; who, if they may do what they will, will do what they may ; who turn liberty into licence, and make all their abilities and advantages to do good, contributary to the commands of overruling and unruly lusts.
Were it not that God partly by his power suppresseth, and partly by his grace subdueth the disorders of man's nature for the good of society, and the gathering of a chui'ch upon earth, corruption would swell to that excess, that it would overturn and confound all things together with itself. Although there be a common corruption that cleaves to the nature of all men in gene- ral, as men (as distrust in God, self-love, a carnal and worldly disposition, &c.), yet God so ordereth it, that in some there is an ebb and decrease, in others, God justly leaving them to themselves, a flow and increase of sin- fulness, even beyond the bounds of ordinary corruption, whereby they be- come worse than themselves, either like beasts in sensuahty, or lilie devils in spiritual wickedness. Though all be blind in spiritual things, yet some are more blinded ; though all be hard-hearted, yet some are more hardened; though all be con-upt in evil courses, yet some are more corrupted ; and sink deeper into rebellion than others.
Sometimes God suffers this corruption to break out in civil men, yea even in his own children, that they may know themselves the better, and because sometimes corruption is weakened not only by smothering, but by having a vent, whereupon grace stirs up in the soul a fresh hatred and re- venge against it ; and lets us see a necessity of having whole Christ, not only to pardon sin, but to purge and cleanse our sinful natures.
Caution. But yet that which is ill in itself, must not be done for the good that comes by it by accident ; this must be a comfort after our surprisals, not an encouragement before.
6. And because the divine nature, wi-ought in us by divine truth, together with the Spirit of God, is the only counter-poison against all sin, and what- soever is contrary to God in us, therefore we should labour that the truth of God may be grafted in our hearts, that so all the powers of our souls may relish of it, that there may be a sweet agreement betwixt the soul and aU things that are spiritual, that truth being engrafted in our hearts, we may be engrafted into Christ, and grow up in him, and put him on more and more, and be changed into his likeness. Nothing in heaven or earth will work out corruption, and change our dispositions, but the Spirit of Chiist, clothing divine traths with a divine power to this piu^ose.
6. When corruption rises, pray it down, as St Paul did, 2 Cor. xii. 8, and to strengthen thy prayer, claim the promise of the new covenant, that God would • circumcise our hearts,' and ' wash us with clean water,' that he would 'write his law in om' hearts, and give us his Holy Spirit when we beg it,' Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27 ; and look upon Christ as a pubUc ' fountain open for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in,' Zech. xiii. 1. Herein consists our com-