22 The 'VI ÖR'rIFìcATIO witnefs to the treachery and falfehood of thy fpirit ? Doft thou think he will cafe thee ofthat which perplexeth thee, that thou mayft be at liberty to that which no left grieves him ? No, ihys God, here is one, if he could be rid of this loft I-firould never hear of him more, let him wreftle with this or he is loft. Let not any -man think to do his own work, thatwill not doGod's. God's work confrfts in oniverfsl obedience; tobe freed of the prefent perplexity is their ownonly. Hence,isithat of the apoftle, a Cor. vii. 1. Cleanfe your felves frase ailpollution of f1Jlr and fpirit p er_ filing holinefs in the fear of the Lord. If we will do any thing, we muffdo all things. So then it is not only an intenfe oppoftion to this, or that peculiar luft, but an uni_ verfiel humble frame, and temper ofheart, with watchfulnefs over every evij, and for the performanceof everyduty, that is accepted. z. How knoweft thou but that God bath luffered the luft, whereivith thouhalf been perplexed, to get ftrength in thee, and power over thee, to chaften thee for thy other negligences, and common lukewarmuels in walking before him; at leafi to awaken thee to the confederationof thyways, that thou mayft make a thorough wol* and change in thycanele ofwalking with him? Therage and predominancy ofa particular lull is commonly the fruit andiff"ve of a carelefs, negligent courfè in general; and that upon a double account. (e.) As its natural effe£t, if I may fb fay. Loft, as I {hewed, in gene a1, lies in the heart of every one, even the heft, whilft he lives i and think not that the fcripture fpeaks in vain, that it is fiuhtle, cum:ing, crafty, that it lèduces, entices fights, rebels. Whilft a man keeps a diligent watch over hisheart, its root and fountain; whillt above all keepings, he keeps his heart, oahenae' arc the ,ues of life;and death, -luft withers, and dies in it. But if through negligence it makes aii- eruption any particular way, gets a paflage to the thoughts by the affections, and from them, and by them, perhaps breaks out 'into' open fin in the converfàtio ;`; the: ftrength of it bears that way it Isath found out, and that way mainly it urgeth, until having got a paffage, it then vexes and dilquiets and is not- cafily to be reftrained; that perhaps a man may be put to wreftle all his days in fbrrow, with that, which by a ftri t univerfàl watch might eafily have been prevented: (2.) As I faid, God oftentimes fuffers it tp chaften our other negligence}; for as with wicked men, he gives them up to one fin, as the judgment of another, a greater for the puui fhment of a leis; or one that will hold them more firmly and iecnrely, for that which they might have poffibly obtained a deliverance from (a), fo even withhis own, he may,' he cloth leave them fòmetimes, to fome vexatious diftempers, either to prevent or cure fome other evil. So seas the meffenger offa- tan let loofe on Paul, that he might not be lifted up through the abundance offpirirurl revelation(b). Was it not a corre£tion to Peter's vain confidence, that he was left to deny lilt mailer? Now if this be the flare and condition of luft in its prevalen- cy, that God oftentimes fuf:ers it lb to prevail, at leaf/ to admonífh us, and to humble us, perhaps to chaften and correlb us for our general loofe and carelefs walking, is it poffible that the effeft fhould be removed, and the caufe continued; that the particular luft lhould he mortified, and the general courfè he unreform- ed? He then that would really, throughly, and acceptably mortify any quieting lull, let him take care to be equally diligent in all parts of obedience, and know that every luft, every omillion of duty, is bvrdenfmne to God, though but one, is lb to him (c). (a) Rom, i. if. (b) a Cor. sii. 7. (r) Ifa, siiti, î4. C H A P .
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