The fure Trial of Vprightnejs. an cxquifire B~amy. Some are made Captives by one Paffion, and fome by another . . In the myfl:er10us Fable, Perfeus, who encounter'd the Terrors of Medufo, was eafil · d~~~~~ f:u~i~ overcom_e by the Beauty of Andromeda. Verrue victorious over Fear is often corruprc~ Andromedit. by Pleaiure. MtJnil. Bcfides, fomc Lufl:s arc _of a repugnant Nature. This difference is obfervab!e between Errors and Truth, Vtces and Vermes. Errors are inconfifi:entand irreconcileab1e and at War a_mong rhemfelves : bur Truth has an univerfal Confcnc and muntal Depen~ da_nce in alltts Parts : there is no Con~rariery between n~tural and fupernatural Veri tics V tees arc !Ometimes fo contrary in rhctr En~s and Exerctfe, that they fall fo~tlu pon on~ another, that none can be fop.niverfally \~icked, ~s tO commit_all Sins, bur tf he be ad~ d ieted to one mufi for13ke the oth~r. But the:e IS a Connex_10n betWeen the Graces of the Holy Spirit; though different 111 their Ob;ects and Natures, yet they have the fame Tendency, the Glory of God and our own Salvation, and a~e united in the Subject. There is but one way ro Heaven, as there can be but dne fl:ratgh.t way ro a Place : bur there arc innumerable Deviations from it, as many crooked ways eo Hell as there are fi nfu t ~~~ ~~:~,~t;~~:.;~d;~lit~l~~re~~~ ::~~l~~~;~,~s;h~lfe:d :~k~:k:~c/:~;.' gone a}/ ray, We muttalfo obfervc to prevent Miftakes-, there may be a forfaking bf a particulrir Sin char has been delightful and predominant>,withour Smcerity towards God: for 3110 • thet Luft !hay have got Poifetlion of the Heaft, and take the Throne. There is an alter· hare Succeflion of Appetites in the corrupt Nature, according to the Change of Mens T empers or If!terefis i~l the World. As Seeds fown in char order in a Garden, rl1at 'ris always full of the Fnurs ~n Seafon: ~o _original Sin_ that is fown i~ our Nature, is pro~ ~udive of divers Lufi:s, fome in theSprmg, others m the Summer of our Age, fome in the .A.urumn, others in the \\7inrer. Senfual Lulls Aourilh in Youth, but whenmarure Age has cooI'd thefe Dcfires, World!y Lulls fucceed ; In old Age there is no relifh of Sen. fualiry, bur Covetoufnefs reigns imperiou11y. And as t11e Conditions and Interefis of Men alter, fo their Affections change ; they are not confranr to their Bofom-Sins. Now he that expels one Sin, and entertains another, continues in a State of Sin; 'tis but ex· changing of one Familiar for another; or to borrow the Prophet' s Exprelfton, 'lis as if dJte /~~~ 1U:~r,; ;;;";ct;.~7::t~~ts·t::~:.re~:~~w~'t;ff-etr~:"tr~~l,~;,e%~· It has been proved before, that if the Heart be divided between Obedience to the Divine Law, iior,, 14· :~ !;:~~~v~~Z'~Zt;a?Z~"f:~~~e;r;~~ t~f~~tm~rie!"~~~e~;/;!;,•;"'I~~~t;v(;:~"'j,"~~t~t; r~igning- Sin of yhat Tribe, and therefore tlie renouncing of Idols was a clea~ cOnvincin~ S1gn of their found Converfion. It is impollible that fincere Love to God, and the hab,. tual Allowance of a known Sin lhould be in the fame Heart, as for the Ark of God and the Idol of the Philif/i..es to be plac'd on the fame Altar : Uprightnefs is confi!lent with Frailties, but not witli thofeu Lu!l:s. As Loyalty to the Prince is confi!lent with fome ACtions contravening his Laws, that proceed from Ignorance or Surprize : But Loyalty is inconfiflent with Rebellion, that is open Treaion, or With treafouable Defigns ~t~~/;;e;~~:~ti~=~~~~~~iy i~~o~?tfi;~~ ~:~h ~e~ilt~~~~~~:mou11y live in, or confem to in 2 . Let us be excited to keep our felves with all Diligence from our Iniqui ty. This is is the Mafi:cr-piece of Mortification, the noble effeCt of renewing Grace, and very difli- <ult to the corrupt Nature. To enforce this Duty,_ I will propound thofc Motives and Mc:u1s as are vety conducir1g for oar Performance of it. The Motives are, 1. Habitual indulged Lulls are irreconcileabl< with rhe ftatc of Grace ; they rertdei the Sinner, till forfaken, uncapable of God's pardoning MercY. here, and the heavenly Glory hereafter. The Gofpel is a gracious Act of Oblivion for the reflonng of RebelhousSinners to the Favour of God: btir the Pardon is obtained upon Condmons that are indcfpenfible. Mercy is aifured to penitent Believers for all their Sins of Ignorance, and thofc Frailties rhat are the Caufes of their daily Sorrow and Watchfulnefs, and fo! atl ptefumptuous Sins retracted by Repentance : but the Saviour of the World excludes the impenitent and unreform'd from Mercy; unlefs ye . repent, ye fhall alllikewift perijh. Now when Repentance is found and folemn, the Spmr 1s deeply wounded for that Sm whereby God has been moft dilhonoured, and his Law violated : The Remembrance of ~~0~~~:;:,~~l~~~~~;~,~~,~~~ '~~~1 e~i~~~:;~ol:,:i:r~=:~:~e~:~:"fr~~gt~a:l~i~eg;1~~ P fa lmift faith, Bleffed is tbe Man to wbom tbe Lord imputes no Iniquity, in wbofeSplrtt there is 110 Guile; implying, That one referved Lufi wluch IS a ccrtam Argument of Decctttl~~
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