THE MIND DIVERTED FROM PARTICULAR DUTIES BY SIN. 241
world knoweth nothing of the blessed condition which we obtain and enjoy thereby: ' The world knoweth us not/ Nay, it is such love, and so unspeakably blessed and glorious are the effects of it, that we ourselves are not able to comprehend them." What use, then, ought we to make of this contemplation of the excellent, unspeakable love of God ? Why, saith he, " Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself" Every man who has been made partaker of this love, and thereupon a hope of the full enjoyment of the fruits of it, of being made like to God in glory, " purifieth himself," — that is, in an absti- nence from all and every sin, as in the following words is at large declared.
[2.] It is to be considered as to such peculiar inercies and fruits of love as every one's soul hath been made partaker of There is no believer but, besides the love and mercy which he hath in com- mon with all his brethren, hath also in the lot of his inheritance some enclosures, some especial mercies, wherein he hath a single pro- priety. He hath some joy which no stranger intermeddleth withal, Prov. xiv. 10, — particular applications of covenant love and mercy to his soul. Now, these are all provisions laid in by God, that they may be borne in mind against an hour of temptation, — that the con- sideration of them may preserve the soul from the attempts of sin. Their neglect is a high aggravation of our provocations. 1 Kings xi. 9, it is charged as the great evil of Solomon, that he had sinned against special mercies, especial intimations of love ; he sinned after God had " appeared unto him twice." God required that he should have borne in mind that especial favour, and have made it an argument against sin; but he neglected it, and is burdened with this sore rebuke. And, indeed, all especial mercies, all especial tokens and pledges of love, are utterly lost and misspent upon us, if they are not improved unto this end. This, then, ' is another thing that it is the duty of the mind greatly to attend unto, and to ojjpose effectually unto every attempt that is made on the soul by the law of sin.
(4.) The considerations that arise from the blood and mediation of Christ are of the same importance. So the apostle declares, 2 Cor. V. 14, 15, " For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto them- selves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." There is a constraining efficacy in this consideration; it is great, forcible, effectual, if duly attended unto. But I must not here in particular insist upon these things; nor, —
(5.) Shall I speak of the inhabitation of the Spirit, — the greatest privilege that we are made partakers of in this world. The due con- sideration how he is grieved by sin; how his dwelling-place is defiled
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242 THE NATURE AND POWER OP INDWELLING SIN.
thereby ; liow liis comforts are forfeited, lost, despised by it, — might also be insisted on : but the instances passed through are svifiicient unto our purpose. Now, herein lies the duty of the mind in refer- ence unto particular sins and temptations : — It is diligently and care- fully to attend unto these things; to dwell constantly upon the con- sideration of them ; to have them in a continual readiness to oppose unto all the lustings, actings, warrings, attempts, and rage of sin.
In reference hereunto doth sin in an especial manner put forth and act its deceit. It labours by all means to draw off the mind from its due attendance unto these things, — to deprive the soul of this great presen^ative and antidote against its poison. It endeavours to cause the soul to satisfy itself with general undigested notions about sin, that it may have nothing in particular to betake itself unto m its own defence against its attempts and temptations. And the Avays whereby it doth this may be also briefly considered : —
[1.] It is from the deceit of sin that the mind is spiritually/ sloth- ful, whereby it becomes negligent unto this dut}^. The principal discharge of its trust in this matter is expressed by watching; which is the great caution that the Lord Jesus gave unto his disciples in refer- ence unto all their dangers from sin and Satan: Mark xiii. 37, "I say unto all, Watch ;" that is, ''' Use your utmost diligence and circumspec- tion, that you be not surprised and entangled Avith temptations.'' It is called also consideration: " Consider your ways,'' — " Consider your latter end ;" the want whereof God complains of in his people, Deut. xxxii. 29. Now, that which is contrary to these indispensable con- ditions of our preservation is spiritual slothfulness, as the apostle de- clares, Heb. vi. 11, 12, "And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end : that ye be not slothful." If we show not diligence, we are slothful, and in danger of coming short to inherit the promises. See 2 Pet. i. 5-11, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue ; to virtue knowledge," etc. " For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfi'uit- ful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure : for if ye do these things ye shall never fall : for so an entrance shall be mi- nistered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." All this the mind is turned from, if once, by the deceit of sin, it be made slothful. Now, this sloth con- sists in four things: —