DECAY IN GEACE FROM THE PREVALENCE OF SIN 297
tations. He comes clown upon our duties of obedience as the fowls upon Abraham's sacrifice; so that if we watch not, as he did^ to drive them away (for by resistance he is overcome and put to flight), he will devour them.
[3.] Indwelling sin takes advantage to put forth its efficacy and deceit to withdraw men from their primitive zeal and holiness, from their first faith, love, and works, hy the evil examples of professors amongst whom they live. When men first engage into the ways of God, they have a i-everent esteem of those whom they believe to have been made partakers of that mercy before themselves; these they love and honour, as it is their duty. But after a while they find many of them walking in many things unevenly, crookedly, and not unlike the men of the world. Here sin is not wanting to its advantage. In- sensibly it prevails Avith men to a compliance Avith them. " This way, this course of walking, doth well enough with others; why may it not do so with us also?" Such is the inward thought of many, that works effectually in them. And so, through the craft of sin, the generation of professors corrupt one another. As a stream arising from a clear sjDring or a fountain, whilst it runs in its own peculiar channel and keeps its water unmixed, preserves its purity and cleanness, but when it falls in its course with other streams that are turbid and foul, though running the same way v/ith it, it becomes muddy and dis- coloured also; so is it in this case. Believers come forth from the spring of the new birth with some purity and cleanness; this for a while they keep in the course of their private walking with God : but now, when they come sometimes to fall into society with others, whose profession flows and runs the same way with theirs, even to- wards heaven, but yet are muddied and sullied with sin and the world, they are often corrupted with them and by them, and so de- cline from their first purity, faith, and holiness. Now, lest this may have been the case of any who shall read this discourse, I shall add some few cautions that are necessary to preserve men from this in- fection : —
1st. In the body of professors there is a great number of hypocrites. Though we cannot say of this or that man that he is so, yet that some there are is most certain. Our Saviour hath told us that it will be so to the end of the world. All that have oil in their lamps have it not in their vessels. Let men take heed how they give them- selves up unto a conformity to the professors they meet withal, lest, instead of saints and the best of men, they sometimes propose for their example hypocrites, which are the worst; and when they think they are like unto them who bear the image of God, they conform them- selves unto those who bear the image of Satan.
2dly. You know not what may be the present temptation of those
298 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
whose ways you observe. It may be they are under some peculiar desertion from God, and so are withering for a season, until he send them some refreshing showers from above. It may be they are en- tangled with some special corruptions, which is their burden, that you know not of; and for any voluntarily to fall into such a frame as others are cast into by the power of their temptations, or to tliink that will suffice in them which they see to suffice in others whose distempers they know not, is folly and jM'esumption. He that knows such or such a person to be a living man and of a healthy constitu- tion, if he sees him go crawling up and down about his affairs, feeble and weak, sometimes falling, sometimes standing, and making small progress in any thing, will he think it sufficient for himself to do so also? will he not inquire whether the person he sees have not lately fallen into some distemper or sickness that hath weakened him and brought him into that condition? Assuredly he will so do. Take heed. Christians; many of the professors with wdiom ye do converse are sick and wounded, — the wounds of some of them do stink and are corrupt because of their folly. If you have any spiritual health, do not think their weak and uneven w^alking will be accepted at your hands ; much less think it will be well for you to become sick and to be wounded also.
Vidly. Remember that of many of the best Christians, the worst only is known and seen. Many who keep up precious communion with God do yet oftentimes, by their natural tempers of freedom or passion, not cany so glorious appearances as Others who perhaps come short of them in grace and the power of godliness. In respect of their outward conversation it may seem they are scarcely saved, when in respect of their faith and love they may be eminent. They may, as the King's daughter, be all glorious Avithin, though their clothes be not always of Avrought gold. Take heed, then, that you be not infected with their worst, Avhen ye are not able, it may be, to imitate them in their best. But to return.