him : and it is oftentimes a very difficult matter to find it out, by reason of the various shapes which it assumes, and the deep recesses in which it lurks. But it is a distinguishing mark of the true penitent, that, whatever he imagines to be his beset- ting sin, he will be more particularly solicitous to mortify and subue it. The hypocrite and self-deceiver will plead for his darling lust ; he will make excuses for it ; he will cast the blame on his constitution, or his situation in life ; he will pal- liate his guilt, and not endure to be admonished respecting it: but the truly upright soul will be exceeding glad to discover his secret enemy, and will by prayer and all other means labour to bring it into subjection.
Nor is this all : he will prosecute his lurking foe with vigi- lance, and cast him out with indignation and abhorrence. This is strongly intimated in the text : Ephraim does not merely resolve that he will not have any more to do with idols ; but with an holy indignation against them, and an everlasting abhorrence of them, he says, " What have I to do any more with idols?" He determines never to join himself to them again : the folly and wickedness of such conduct appear to him now in such glaring colours, that he cannot endure the thought of ever relapsing into it any more. Thus it is with the true penitent : O ! how does he lothe the sins that have led him captive, and the secret sins that have so defiled his conscience ! How does he determine, if possible, to withstand the baneful influence of his in-dwelling corruption, and to watch and pray against it ! How does he aggravate the guilt of his besetting lust, till he sees it in all its vileness and deformity ! How un- reasonable does it appear to him to harbour such an enemy in his bosom ! How does he mourn because he cannot get rid of it ! How desirable does the furnace itself appear, if it may but purify and refine his soul !
Say, Believer, are not these the thoughts of thy heart ? Say, thou that weepest, like Mary, at thy Saviour's feet, dost thou not hate thy sins, and thyself on account of them ? Couldst thou but bring forth the lurking foe, and slay him utterly, wouldst thou not rejoice ? Is it not thy grief that thou canst not get more complete victory over him ? Is it not thy shame that thou art at any time deceived by him ? Does it not make thee lothe thyself, to think how ready thou art to favour this enemy, and to be enticed by him before thou art aware ? Art thou not often filled with indignation against thyself, to think that thou shouldst ever offend thy God through the solicitations of some base lust or evil principle within thee ? Yea, I go fur- ther, and ask, Dost thou not hate thyself because thou canst not hate thyself more ? I know thy heart vibrates ; I know it is in unison ; I know there is no discordant string ; I know that these must be thy feelings, if thou be upright before God.]