'The fure Trial of Vprighwefs. 379 ro it by Abijhai, who would have difpatch'd him at a Blow, yet he rejected the Temp- ration wrrh abhorrence; The Lord forlid that I jhould flretch forth my Hand agarnfl the 1 Som. •6. ' 1 • Lord's Anointed; thus he preferv'd his Innocence and Integrity. Our Saviour tells us, F-ie tbat commits. Sin, is a Servant ~f Sin: an indulgent cou~fc John 8 · of Sin denominates a Pcrfon a Slave of Sm, and a Rebel aga mfl: God, and is utterly m- conftllcnr with Sincerity. 'Tis true, an upright Man may fall b y fudden furreprion, by an infinuating Infirmity into a foul Sin, from .wluch he h as a fctled Averfarion, and keeps himfelf in the general Courfe of his Life: And that fmgle Act of Sin is a blemifl1 of his Integrity, but rcrratled by a fpeedy Repentance, does no t denominarc him a Hy- pocrite. One may be pale from an accidental fi~rprizc by fear, or red through a fudden flufh of Blood from Anger, yet not be fo by Complexron ; for the Complexwns, Pale and Sanguine, are drawn by the Pencil of Narure, the hvcly Characters of the predo- minant Humours, and are ufually vifible in the Countenance . But although an upright Perlon keeps himfelf from the grofs Acts of Sins that are clearly againft natural Confcicnce, and fupernatural Grace; y et whilft we arc clmh'd with Flefl1, the Body of Sin does not finally expire, and Temptat ions are as importunate as Flies about us, (from whom the Tempter has his Title) that ' tis morally impotlible to be abfolurely undcfiled: Therefore Uprightnefs requires that we fl10uld carefully confider our weak fide, what Patlions we are moft inclinable to by our Temper, and fo diligently fortifie our felves againfr them, that they may not have dominion over us; and though we cannot arrive, yet we may advance towards rhc complea r Conquefi of Sin. And in our endeavours againft the Sins to which we are mofi inclin able, an? that often foil us, Conftancy is infeparable from Sincerity. If \~e neglect the humbhng of our Souls for unavoidable Infirmities, the earnefr fecking for the Divine Mercy and Grace, and a care- ful watching againft them, we fo far decline from Uprighrnefs. 2. It implies rhe mortifying the inward Affection to that Sin. The Rule of our Duty requires this: CleOnfe your Hands ye Sinners, puri.fte your Heartr ye douUe-minded. The Jam.<f.3. Will is the proper Principle of Sin, and from the depravation of the free Faculty atlual Sins proceed. As the Love of the Subjetl is the Strength of the Prince, fo the Love of any Sin preferves its ~ominion._ There may be a concurrenc~ if Circumfiances to hinder the actual Comm1tlion of Sm, of which the Heart is gmlr y. An ;unclean Petfon, when fcpararcd from the Object of his impure Dcfires, may Ja nguifh in his Lufts, and by contemplative Commitlion b~ guilty before God. A ,malicious Perfon may keep the Latro eR eti- Fire of Malice in his Breafl:, Without tl~e leafl: difcovery by a Spark or Smoak in his ~m ~ntequam Words or ACtions, wait~ng for an opportunity that he may take his full ~cvenge, and mq~'r;.r ~mis a Murd~rer in his W1fhes. The rapacious defire of another~ Goods Without aCtual~;~· ~~;(q~;is Robbery, mduces the Guilt of Theft. There may be an in vinctble Bar between the fin- qu.amum vo- f ul AffeCtion and the Object. · lU!t. Som. Sicknefs or Age may fo wafte the Vigour of the Body, that we c annot perform the grofs Atls of Sin: Bur d1is Abftinence has no moral Value, fo r it only proceeds from the difabiliry of the Inftrumenral Faculties. If one in a Confumption leaves his Revelling and Licenrioufi1efs, 'tis no lign of Divine Grace, but o f wailed Nature. As in a lick Pcrfon the Appetite fails, the Soul adhors dainty Meat ; but if he recovers, his ApJob ll · petne revives, and is more craving f~r his Abfiincnce: Thus many who co~lld _not enjoy their pleafant Lufts in the time of D1feafes, being reftored to ftrc ngth, rherr vicious Af- feCtions are reincited by new Temptations, and with great er excdS ad: over their old Sins, as if they would pay Intereft for their impatient forbearanc e. An old Sinner may retain and chcrifh the Fire of Lull in his Heart, when Age has f now'd upon his Head : As .m Mount ./Etna the fulphureous Fire and Snow arc near together. Bur as th e Phi- lofopher obferves, If a young Eye were put into an old Man's Head, he would fee as clearly as ever. So if natural Strength were rcfi:or'd in an un converted Sinner, he would be as ardent and active in profecuring his carnal Delires as be fore. . !errors of ConiCicnce may fi:op the Current of Mens Lufi:s : Fear has Torment, and ts. mconlifrent with the Pleafurcs of Sin : The fear of viliblc V cngeance, that jQmetimcs ~rikes the Wicked, or the apprehenlion of Judgment to come, ma y comroui the licen.. twus Appetites from breaking forth into ad:ual commiffion of Sins. But as when rhe Li- ons fparcd Daniel, it was not from the change of their wild devouring Nature, for they deil:roycd his Accufcrs immediately, but from the fitfpendin g their hurtful Power: So A~a~i licet.. when a 1l:ro1~g fe~r lays a rcfirainr upon the aCtive Powers, yet inward Lufi is the fame) ~~:.1 n noli h· and would h_cenrwufly commit Sin) were the Refi:raint taken away. The keepmg ones felf from Sin, that is the lign of Uprightncfs proceeds from the mortr ficatwn of the Flejh, with the AJfeflions and Luf/s thereof. The Apoftle tells us, Carnal Circumcifion, without the Circumcijion of tbe Heart, zvas o f no avflil to obtain tbe Fa'Vour
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