64 SERMONS upon Serm. X. unregenerate have a remnant of natural Knowledge, and Confcience , which in its mea- fure refifteth fin, as Light relfteth Darknefs, as is feen in the Gentiles , Rom. 2. 14, r s. For when the Gentile, which have not the Law , do by nature the things contained in the Law , theft having not the Lam, are a Law unto themflves ; which ¡hew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their confeience a fo bearing witnefi , and their thoughts the mean while accufing, or elfe excofing one another. And where fupernatural Revelation is added, it may do more ; for Chritians know what is evil more than Heathens do, and fo may efcape through the knowledge of Chrifl the common pollutions of the world, 2 Pet. 2. 20. or be much troubled if they fall into them : and God may give unto many fome common internal Grace of the Spirit , Heb. 6. 4, 9. which may occafion many conviai- , ons of the evil way they walk in. But the bufinefs is, whether there be fuch a Princi- ple of refiftance fit up in the Soul, that you walk not after the flop, but after the Spirit, Rom. 8. t. fo that your hearts are habitually bent to God, and your courfe of life is altered , you dare not wittingly nor willingly give way to any known fin , or live in the negleet of any known Duty, (as they do that live in any cultomary praaice of fin, or conitant negle& of God) or ordinarily break out into enormous offences. It may be after all your care, caution, watchfulnef, refiffance, you may be overtaken or over. - come by Come violent temptation , and may feel in your (elves fame infirmities: you find you are guilty of many idle thoughts , paffionate words , unwary pra &ices ; but what is this to iniquities ? So thofe that fay, they relent , and [trive, and have many wifhes to be better , but (till continue in a carnal and ungodly life , there do but fin a- gainff Confcience, and never conquer the fin, which they Drive to refill; till the oppo- fitePrinciple be the ruling Principle for the main bent of your hearts , and courfe of your lives, the oppofition and Driving is but ineffe&ual. If there be no fin , but what you are truly defirous to know, and no fin, but what you are truly defirous to get rid of, fo that the chiefet care of your hearts, and endeavour of your lives be to ferve and pleafe God, and it is your daily delire and endeavour to pleafe God, and matter its re- bellious oppofition to the Spirit , and you fo far prevail, that for your drift and courfe you are not led by the Flefh , but the Spirit , then you are fincere and upright with God : otherwife you mutt not think every Driving will excufe you, if it be fuch a Driving as may confit with the dominion and cutomary praftice of fin. There are few Wretches fo bad, but they may have Rime wi(hes, that they could leave fin, efpecially when they think of the inconveniences that attend it, and Confcience may Drive a little before they yield , but they live in it Dill. A Chritian Driveth, but cannot be per- fed , there are infirmities; but the convinced ftnner ltriveth , but cannot live holily, there are iniquities. This triving hindereth not the dominion of fin , becaufe he doth not conquer, and mater it fo far, but that it breaketh out in a grofs manner : his Dri- ving cometh not from the renovation of the Spirit , but the convi&ion of his Confci- ence, which is ever condemning his pra &ices. 2. Pofitively, when we obey ir, and follow it, and do that, to which fin inticeth us. For the end of fins Reign and Empire is our Obedience, the commands and urgings of it are in vain, if you obey them not , but rather rebuke and fupprefs them. Now we may obey bodily tufts two ways. Firfi, By the inward confent of the mind ; for what fins you would do , you have done in Gods account, though the outward A& follow not : Mat. g. 28. He that loop etb on a woman to laß after her , hath already committed adultery with her in his heart, though you be impeded and hindered in the A &ion. The life and reign of fin is in the heart, in the love of the heart, though it may be it may not appear in outward deeds. Retraint is not Sandi(ication. Pra &ices may be retrained by bye -ends; but if you like the fin in your hearts, you let it reign, and do not oppofe it by gracious motives. Your hearts are falfe with God , if his Empire be not let up there. Therefore obey not the tuts of the body, that is, confent not to them; if they arife and bubble up in your hearts, let them be difowned and ditiked. We are to abßain from ßefhly Inflo, r Pet. 2. r r. before they break out into our converfation : for the governing of the heart, and the regulating of the life are two ditin& a &s of our obedience to God : they are re- quired indeed, the one in order to the other, but you mull be careful of both. Your love to God and his Law mut be fhewed by abominating the motions that would draw you to the contrary, Pfd. t r 9. 113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. The firft motions are fins , for they proceed from corrupt Nature , we bad none fuch in In- nocency ; and the confent is a farther fin, becaufe then you begin to give way to its reign. The delightful flay of the mind (bewail our love to it, theft paules of the mind come
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