790 2. + Direfli~n unroM>Jr· •ifiw,ion. The Great Duty to Murther. Ask thefe Thought~ therefore whith~r it is they tend ; what Period, what IfiUe they would have? Would they not end in 8\afphemy, iO. Athcifm, in Uncleannefs, in Oppreffion, in Murther, b the foulcft and moft unnatural Sins imaginable? Nay, there is no fuch little finful Thought, but t hat it would, if permitted, end in that unpardonable Sin, the Sin aga inft the H oly Ghoft. And therefore wi t h the fame Indignation and Abhorrency that you would rafe agalnft cxplicite and down-right Temptations to thefe .Sins, with the very f~me Indignation and _abhorrency rife alfo againft. the very firft Stirrings and Mouons of thy Corruptions :, look upon them as tf they would accomplifh their very utmoft Effea, as if they were ready to bring upon thee all that Guilt which they feminally contain in them. And this will be a good means to Mortification. ' Secondly, Confider1 thus ~o o.I?pofe the very firft Rifi~1gs of Corruption, will make the Work of Mortification more eafy and del1ghtful. It is hard and diffi"cult to pur~e out the Dregs of a Corruption, that hath lain long fetling in rhe Heart. lt will by continuance wind it felf into the Attetl:ions, bribe and int:mgle them ; and this will make the Work not only more difficult, but more irkfom and grievous. The farther the Stream runs from the Fouritain, the ftronger_, the more rapid and irrcfiftible is its Courfe. So truly is it with Lufr; that wh1ch at firft was but the weak Bubling up of Corruption, eafily oppofed and withfrood, if it run along in the Heart undifturbcd, will fwell to fuch a Torrent, as nothing can ftand againft it . Every Corruption hath a cormding M_align_ity, and tho_ugh at firft the Woun~ _appear but ~ight, _yet, if neglctlcd, w11l bnng the Soullllto the fame fad Condmon that Davzd was 10, when he cried out, Pfal. 38. 5· My woundJ ftink and nr~ corrupt, by rcafrm of my fool iflmeji. Oh ! It is indeed a fooliflmefs that will coft us bitter Repentance to dandle · fmful Thoughts, to trifle and dally it with finful Motions and finful Delircs j thoue'h they are but the firft breathi_ngs of Corruption, the firft fproutings and buddin'gs forth of the Root of Bittcrnefs. Though now we fee no fuch great Guilt nor Danger in them, yet when thefe !hall have exnlcerated the whole Soul, and ma~e it al10ver one running lffue of Corruption; we fuall then f.1dly complain of our grofs Folly, in fiighting the firft workings and ftirrings of it. Well then as ever you would make good Work of Mortification, watch carefully againft thcfe and fup~ prefs them; obferve where a linful Thought, where a finful Deft re doth but begin to heave and lift in thy Heart,, and beat it down while it is yet an Embryo and an unfhap'd Birth. Fourthly, Another Dire8ion Iha\l be this; Set before you, and continuaHy keep alive all thofe Confiderations that may encourage your Heatts, and ftrengthen your Hands in the carrying on of this great Work. Many fuch Encouragements miaht be propounded. As, . Firft Always keep alive a Senfe of God's Prefence with you, that he eyes and b;holds you; this Apprehenfion, if continually kept up in its Life and Vjgour, wi\1 have a mighty Influence into the Work of Mortification. Confider. . t. · Firft, God eyes thee to obferve thee how thou manae;c~ thy great Q!tan·el againft Corruption. As f~on as .tho~ becameft a Chnihan thou becameft a Champion ; thou entredft mto the L1ft, and threweft out ~- bold Challenge and Defiance to all the Powers of Hell, a.nd the Lufts of thme own Heart. 'Not only Men and Angels, but God himfelf alfo looks on to fee how thou wilt make good the Combat : And wilt not thou ftrive and ftrugle to th_e utmoft when God himfelf is a Spetl:atour? Wilt thou ' not Ihew thy Sk1l and thY Courage, and thy Refolntion then? Nay confider, God is not 1only .a Spedatour, but is deeply concern'd in the IOUe of the Combat: They arc his Battels thou fighteft, his Caufe thou mai~taineft, antl if thou art conquer'd and captivated, he is difhonoured as well as than endangered : I~ thou art vic:torious, God the Father bath the Glory of the Efficacy of eletl:wg Grace; Jefus Chrift the Captain of our Sal~a~ion bath the Glory of the Efficacr <?f redeeming Grace, and ~he Holy Spmt ~a~h the G!ory of the Efficacy ot h.'s fanCtifying and ftrengthmng Grace; all which, are as lt were engaged and pawn d upon thy Mortification. Do but therefore think with jour fel~es when a Temptation affaults you; now God eyes me to fee how 1 will behave my felf again it
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