202 A Box of precious Ointment : Or, the common praCtiCe of any known fin,that foul is certainly a Rom.7. a5, gracious foul. The evil that I do I allow not.'Tis one thing for a man to fin,' tis an other thing for a man to allow himfelf in fin; 'tis-one thing for a godly man to flep into a fin,and'tis another thing to keep the road of fin. Search'me and try me, and fee if here be anyway of aickednefrin me ( or as the Hebrew runs,Any nay or pain,(,r of vief, or of provocation) that is, any courfe of fin that is grievous or provoking to the eyes of divine glory. A real Saint can neither allow of fin, nor Wallow in fin, nor be transformed into the image of fin, nor mix it felf with fin. 'Tis poflible for a fincere Chriflian to flep into a finful path, or to,touch upon finful fads, and now and then in an hour of 'temptation, to aide, to trip, and to be overtaken unawares ; but his main way, his principle work, is to depart from ini- quity. As a true traveller thay now and then ftep a few fleps out of his way, who yet for the main keeps his way, keeps , the road ; or as a Bee may now and then light upon a thifile, but her main work is to be gathering at the flowers ; or as a Sheep may now and then flip into the dirt, or into a flow, but its main work is to be grazing upon the mountains. Cer- tainly, 0 foul, if fin be now thy greateft burden, itfhall ne- ver hereafter prove thy eternal bane. God never yet fent any man to hell for fin, to whom fin has commonly been the greateft hell in this world. God has but one hell, and that is for thcfe to whom fin has been commonly a heaven in this world. That man that hates fin , and that daily enters his proteft aaainft fin that man fhall never be made miferable by fin. Sin in a wicked man is like poyfon in a ferpent ; it is in its natural place, it is delightful to a fanner ; but fin in a Saint is like poyfon in a man's body, it is offensive, and the heart rifes againfl it, and is carried forth to the ufe of all divine Antidotes whereby it may be expelled and defiroyed nothing will fatisfie a gracious foul, but the heart blood of his Tufts. Now, he fhall never be damned for his fins, whore heart is fet upon killing his fins. Seventeenthly, Such a poor foul that dares not fay, that God is his God,or that Chrift is his Redeemer,or that he has a work of grace upon his heart; yet can fay with fome inte arityi j 'Pfal.139 24. if
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