On GEN. XXXIX. 9' we mull regard him iri his endearin£; Attributes, his Love, his Goodnefs and CompaC lion, hi s rewarding Mercy; and this will produce a filial Fear of Reverence and Cau. tion, left we fhould offend fo gracwus a God. As the natural Life IS preferved by grateT ful Food, not by Aloes and Wormwood, which are ufeful Medicines; fo the Spiritual Life is maintained uy the comfortable Apprehenlions of God, as the Re1nrder of our Fidelity in!all our Trials. (2.) Strip Sin of its Difguifes, wafh off its flatering Colours, that you may fee its native Uglinefs. Jofeplls reply to the Tempter, How Jha!ll do thu great Wickednefs} Jllulion and Concupifcence are the Inducements to Sin : When a Lull reprefcnts the Temptation as very alluring, and hinders the Reflection.of th.e Mind, upon the intrin• lick and confequential Evil of Sin, 'tis like tloe putting Poyfon into the Glafs : but when it has fo far corrupted the Mind, that Sin is efteemed a !mall Evil, Poyfon is thrown into the Fountain. If we confider the Majefly of the Law-giver, there is no Law fmall; ~~rJ~~[.~t~1~h:;~~~f:~~n~~:~~~~W.on,~fs ~;u'{,e~~~;e~o~ ~~a ~ur::e:,~:be~~~~~~~~; in their Nature and Circumfiances : there are infenf1ble Omiilions and acculing Acts, but the leaf! is damnable. Belides, the allowance and number of Sins reputed fmall, will involve under intolerable Guilt. What is lighter than a Grain of Sand ? you may blow away a hundred with a Breath; And what IS heavier than a heap of Sand con; dens' rl together ? 'Tis our Wifdom and Duty to confider the Evil of Sin in its effential Moligmty, which implies no lefs, than that God was neither wife nor good in making his Ln v, and that he is notjuft and powerful to vindicate it: And when tempted to any plcaGnt S .n, to confider the due Aggravations of it, as Jojeph did, whtch will controul the [ flicacy of the Temptation. I !hall only add, that when a Man has Mortified the Lufrs of the Flefi1, he has overcome the main part of the infernal Army that 1vars againft tbe Soul. Senfual Objects do powerfully and pleafantly inlinuate into carnal Men, and the Affections arc very unwillingly rellrain'd from them. To undertake the Cure of thole, whofe Difeafe is their Plealure, is almofi a vain Attempt: for they do notjudg it an Evil to be regarded, and will not accept difrafteful Remedies. (3 .) Fly all tempting oecafions of Sin. 'Jofeph would not be alone with his Miftrels. There is no Vertue fo confirmed, and in that degree of Eminence, but if one be fre" ~":~~~~C:~:~i~;~ ~;c;h~sir~t~;·,;~it lifo~i~~~~~i~ ~~~~n§;f~ZS'~,:;~~ofi~[~~~;dS!e Mire : If the Sheep with Wolves, they muf! learn to bite and devour : if Doves with Vultures, they mu£1: learn to live on the Prey. Our fure£1: Guard is to keep at a difrance from all engaging Snares. He that from Carelefnefs or Confidence ventures into Temptations, makes himfelf an eafy Prey to the Tempter. And let us daily pray for the DivineAfiifianceto keep,us from the Evil of the World. without which all our Refolutions will be a> ineffectual as Ropes of Sand, to bind u; to our Duty. 5. The Confideration of the Evil of Sin is a powerful Motive to our folemn and fpeedy Repentance. The remembraace of our Original and Actual Sins, will convince us, that we are born for Repentance. There arc innumerable filcnt Sins, that are unobferved, and do not alarm the Confeience : and altho' a true Saint will neither hide any Sin, nor fuffor Sin to hide it felf in his Breafi, yet the moO: holy Men in the World have great reafon with the Pfalmift, to fay with melting Affections, Wbo can underjland bis Errors ? 0 cleanfe me from my fecret Sins; d1fcover them to me by the Light of the Word, and cover them in the Blood of the Redeemer. There are Sins of infirmity and daily Tncurfion, from which none can be perfectly freed in this mortal ftate: thef~ fhould excite our Watchfulnefs, and be lamented with true Tears. There are crying Sins of a Crimlon Guilt, which are to be confe£1: with heart-break,ing Sorrow confounding Shame, and implacable Antipathy againll them, and to be forfaken fo; ever. Of thefc, fome are of a deep die in their Nature, and fome from the Circumfiances in committing them ; fome are of a heinous Nature, and more directly and expreOy renounce our Duty, and more immediately obf!ruct our Communion with God : As a Mud-Wall intercepts the Light of the Sun from fi1ining upon us. 2. Some derii·e a greater Guilt from the Circumfiances in the commi11lon. Such are, (I) Sin~ again£1: Knowledg : for according to the lngrediency of the Will in Sin, the GUilt anfes. Now when ConfC!ence mterpofes between the Cornal Heart and the Temptation, and reprefcnts the Evi l of Sin, and deters from Compliance, and yet Men ')'ill venture to brea!< the Divine Law, this exceedingly aggravates the Otience; for fuch Sms are commmcd With a f~ller Confent, and are ju!tly called Rebellwn again(! the Light. And the clearer the L1ght 1s, the more 1t w!llmcreafe the difconfolate fearful Darkne!S in Hell. ( 2.) Sins
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