394 The fure Trial of Vprightnefs. Pe~~~~iinv~~i:~ is unpardonable. Who can rei~ the _degrees ?f Danger ln_ c~mi~uing' in Sin a Day ~ dnnr niti dum How many have been cm off m their car~y Sms, and lofl: their T1mc, and Hopes aild ~urg~nr op- Sou{s for ever? But that wluch more_ ip~oally belongs t:o the prcH~nr Matter, ~s rhfs bj' ~:~~~~~rtil~s d~e neglect of ~pccdy Rcpe~t~nce, Sm ts more difficu_lrly _rcrr~Clcd. B~ con~nua1k~ in contra invete- S~n, the Heart 15 ~ore umvtlhng and unable to morC!fic IL the Habits of'rhc Mind rata pug.nan- dtlfer from the Habtts of the Body : rhc~C wear our by co~1tinuancc, rhe others arc more ~~~e~~~mf~ fir"'! a1:d powerful : they are fecond_ Inclmations) and as_ vwlent as the 'firfr tlur arc dcepniras fac~lior ly fer m corrupt Narure. The healmg a frelh Wound IS much more eafie than an inve- ;~i~~~e:e~~i~ rate ~leer.; tl_1c healing the Soul, ~nd ~encwin_g it bY, Repenta1~ce, is much more cafie runt, ubi <.or· and fafc, pre~endy af~er the woundmg lt by Sm, than after conrmu2nce under rhe powrupt-1 in ma. er and infeC:hon of Sin. ~ue~e~~~sdi~ A deep Heart-breaking Sorrow will prevent relapfcs into Sin. \~'hen Confcience rcficiJius .curan- pr~~cnts our . Sin in its killing Circnmfi~nces, as c?mmitted againfl: the Knowledge of the M:r/·nu.adDIV~ne Law, and our Vows of Obedicn~e, aga~n~ rh~ tender Mercies, and dreadful Ju!bcc of God : that for rhc low and defp1cable Sansfacbon of the fenfual part, \n: hare made our fclves unholy and unhappy: From hence the Soul is il:ruck with a Sorrow fo pungent, that the Love of P~ea{Ure is_ mort_ified, _and rhe fweereft Sin is imbitter'd. The remembrance of that perplexmg angmfh wtll heighten the Averf:1tion and Rcfoimion aagainl1 Sin: The Soul will Ay wirh horror the Occafions of offending God, and recoil ar the fidl: glance of that Sin chat cofr it fo dear, and which if cnterrain'd, wili renew its Agonies. As one that narrowly efcapes fr~m being confum'd by Fire, r_crains fo ih-ong an Imprellion of the Terror, that makes hun always circumfpeCt to avotd rhc like clan~ ger. . Dttvitts broken Bones n:c:rle him undcdl:and what. a fearfu l Sin Adultery was, Jl\d cautious ever after. But a flight Confetl_ion, a fuperfictal Sorr?w, a few fJd Thoughts and Tc~~s, _are fo_on forgot : when the Smner prcfiunes by a fltght R~pcnrancc to obtain ~cconctltatton With God, he is ready to anf\\-'er the next Temptation~ and return ro Folly. 1). F crvent and confianr Prayer _for the renewing Gr~ce of Go_d, is indifpcnfab!y ncceffary to prefcrve us from our Sins. 'Tis by the Spint of Holmefs that we morti}ie thi! Deeds of the Body : that we put o~ the old Man, and put on the new. SanClifying Gr:ace introduces a new Nature, the Prohfick and ProduCtive Principle of a new Life: 1r run1s the current of the Affections from Sin to Hohnefs. This is as afionifhing as the miraculous motion of the Shadow upon Ahaz:. Dial, that went ten degrees backiVard. Unregenerate !"forality may lop ri:e Bran~hes, rcfl:rain _from the groiS Ad-s, bur ~anctifying Grace flnkes at the root of Sm, the mward AffeC:bon. There arc fomc MediCines rhat will fiop rhe firs of rhe Falling-licknefs for a time, but not expelling rhe Caufe, rhe Dtfea~C 111radcs Nature agam: So moral Counfcls, a_nd pohrick R~fpcd"s, ~1ay flop rhc breaktng forth of the Lufis of rhe Flcfh, but the mward Affecbon of Sm remai11ing wtllmakc tt3 apt ro fall by the Commiflion of i t. San~ifylllg Grace makes an inward univcrfal Change in the Soul :_ He that was unclean in his Tho_ughts and Defires, by rhe transforming Power of the Spirit, lo-ves Purenefs of Heart, delights in it, and has a fixed Hatred againfi any thing that defiles : The Soul that cletnJes to the Dujt, and purfues rhc Acquifitton of earthly Thmgs as hts Treafure, bcmg refined and elevated by Grace, fCeks the thing~ above, with vigorous End~avours. · Pan ranimis In this the Difcafes of the Body dtffer from thofe of the Mind: the flrfl:, not·Withvc!le fanari fl:anding the mofi: ea~~efl: delirc of Cures, may be incurable : rhc other -\~hen the D~- ~:~~~:e~S:~ ~~~5a~~ct~~c~~r;:rfr~~utl~c~~~i~,g,Ti~fsiC~~~~~~Vr~~1~ff{~~~~', ~h~ ~ff!e~sof~~~;~ vitutem tene- natural Grace is obtain' d by fervent Prayer. Our Saviour affurts us, That our Heavenly E;i·n. s~:~r. Father will fr~ely and abunda~tly gi~e the holy Spirit to t!Jofe w~Jo ask it with fuch ardei1t AffeCtions, as flow from their feehng fenfe of the want of Ius InAuences. In humble Prayer we acknowl~dgc our Unworthincfs_, our WeaknetS, our ~bfOlure neceffity of D.ivine Grace ro mornfic our Lufis : in belteving Prayer we glonfie his Mercy, 2nd hts Omnipotence, that he is both willing and p~wcrfu l ro make us victorious o~er our worft Enemies. The Prayer of Jehofaphat, when mvadcd by a vall Army, confpiring the DcfiruCl:ion of his Kingdom, is a Copy ro be t~anfcribcd . by us: 0 our God, 1.1:~ have n3 2 Chron. 20 " "Migbt againfl this great Company that comes agamj/ us, nuthrr I: now we 1~h1t -~o do, f::tt our Eyes are upon tl;ee. Thus Satan, the \Vorld, and the Flcfl1, arc combm'd 111 warnng againfi: the Soul, and we arc utterly unabl_e to refill:. them, \VC mull therefore addrefs our r 1Clvcs to the God of all Grace, ro_ fl:re ngrhen our mward Ma~1.. And 0nce ~ome Luil:s have fi1ch firong Polfcllion, rhat like that fiuj)born fort of Spmrs mennon'd m the Gofpel, rhcy cannot ~e ex,pell'd bur by Falling ')l.ld Prayer, ;vc mufi With the mofi zealous Devotion, Prayer Joyn d Wlth Fal1mg, 1mplore Grace to !ubdue them. Prayer
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