i o 2 SERMONS upolr Serm: XV. flounce in the Name of God : this maketh him rdn away from his Duty , and it colt him dear ; for a Tempeft purfued him , ind he was thrown into the Sea , and fwallow- ed up of a Whale , or great Fifh : Well, he being difciplined , confeueth his fault, re- penteth his forfaking his Call , begs pardon , is delivered , addreffeth himfelf to.his work : God interpoleth by the Prerogative of his Grace upon the Humiliation of the Ninevites , and then Jonah is all in a fury , his old reafons return , 7onah 4. t, 2. War not this my faying , when I was yet in my country? &c. Therefore it is not enough ro bewail or difcontinue the fin , but we mutt launce the fore , mortifie the root of the diftemper, till all be well. This was the reafon of Chrifts Speech to Peter, yob. 2 1. r g. Simon Peter ! laveft thou ese mare than theft ? that is, more than the reft of the Difci- ples prefent ; Peter had boafled, Mat. 26. 33., Though all men be offended becaufe of thee, yet will I never be offended. Now faith Chrift , Loveft thou me more than theft ? he re- fleereth upon his former .conceit of himfelf and ungular undertaking : Peter had wept bitterly for the fad of denying his Mafter, Chrift would try if the caufe were removed: The evil of the Saints Apoflafie and Defection will never be cured thorowly, unlefs the Fountaincaufe and root of it be cured , and continually watched over : his making companions, and lofty conceit of himfelf was that , which occafioned his former Fall; therefore Chrift, to fee what he did think, of it, and whether it did continue with him, puts him this Queuion : Peter was grown more módeft than to make any companions now, his fad Fall taught him fobriety,' not to boaft of himfelf beyond others. Sixthly , You are to watch againft evil Cuftoms ,, that you do not lofe your tender- nefs of Confcience. Confcience , as the Eye, is loon offended; the leaft duff, if it get into the Eye, will pain it : fo will Confcie.nce imite for leffer failings and exorbitancies, but afterwards when you make bold with it, it is like the ftomach of the Eftrich, which digefteth Iron, or like a part or member of the Body, which is feared with an hot Iron,. it path no feeling i Tim. 4, 2. or like freezing water , which at firft will not bear a pin, but afterwards it freezeth , and freezeth till it bear a Cart-load ; fo men lofe their ten- der fenfe by frequency of finning.. Therefore it is fame degree of Mortification to pre- vent the Cuftom, and the hardnefs of Heart that comes thereby. When a member is fprained, or out of joynt, if you let it alone and delay to fet it, it never groweth ftrong or ftraight g fo the longer Corruption is (pared, the work it groweth , and requireth more ftrength. Therefore at leaft, let not your hearts fettle in a comic of Vanity, or Difobedience unto God. Seventhly, Take heed of your darling Sin. We are more tender of one fin than ano- ther , It is (meet in our mouths , and we hide it under our tongues , Job 20. 12. there is molt pleafure and profit in, it. This is the fin which is.moff apt to prevail, and fettle into a Tyranny in the Soul ; and yqur Uprighmefs is tryed by your watching and ftri víng againft it, as Pfd. i8. 23. I was a f upright before him , and 1 kept my felf from mine iniquity. Ünlefs we humble our (elves more for this , watch againft this, ftrive againft this , it will be our ruine, and prove the ground of our Apoflate in a time of Temptation.. There is force fecret vent, which all men have for their Corruptions, or Tome Poltern or Backdòor, by whichSatan ufually enters: Now this fin fhould be al- ways in your eye, for the ftrength of other fins dependeth upon love to this , Fight not againft fmall nor great , bat againfe the King of Ifrael , t Kings 22. 21. You lhould be moll jealous of your hearts, left they mifcarry by this fin, and labour to increafe in the contrary Grace. He that will not (pare his darling, he hateth no fin indeed. . Secondly, For (hiving, this is required of us alfo; for we are bidden to ffland againfi the wiles of the Devil, . Eph. 6. t 1. To withftand , that after all we may Rand , verf 13. A flout and peremptory refiftance of Satans Temptations is required of us in order to Victory. The more we yield to fin, the more it tyrannizeth over us, Mat. 12. 45. Then goeth he, and taketh wish himfelf liven other Spirits more wicked than himfelf,. and they enter in and dwell there , and the laß Rate of that man is werfe than the firfi. The more Satan is refitted , the more he lofeth ground , yam. 4.7. Refift the Devil; and be well flee from you. Chrift promifeth the Crowns to thofe that will fight manfully, Rev. 2. r0.- Be thou faithful unto the death, and I willgive thee a Crown of life. Therefore do not bafely yield, nor lazily fit down, as if the work were already done. But what is this Striving ? It implieth two things. t. An avowed Defiance. 2. A contagious Refiftance. r. An avowed Defiance. The Grit preparation of it-is the Refolution of the Mind, or the Dedication of our (elves to God. When we are regeneraet, we renounce the, Devil,
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