ESSAY. 235 multitudes of our transgressions, and the millions of our iniqui- ties : Cleanse us from secret offences, and keep us free front pre- sumptuous sins. Quest. H. Whether all impure imaginations and blasphe- mous thoughts are properly sinful ; and render us guilty before God? Ans..It is possible that some peculiar qualities of the constitution, some distempered humours ofthe bodyor some sort of improper food, may excite impure images on the brain ; and this is often done also by the casual and unavoidable occurrences of human life. An indecent picture, an immodest or profane song, or the vile, the impious, or uncleanly language of the wick- ed world, may spread a dangerous scene over the fancy. The devil also is a watchful and a busy adversary, and we know not what secret power he has to draw evil pictures an the brain, to writeblasphemy there, or to awaken some old traces of immo- rality. The powers and devices of wicked spirits are a great .nd unsearchable secret to us, who dwell in the flesh. He may buzz into the ear some impious syllables, or lewd and profane sounds, especiallywhen his chain is a little lengthened, and he has a divine permission to approach human nature. But all these things that I have here described may be im- pressed on the animal powers of an innocent person : The soul may have a very painful perception of all this without actual sin, supposing still, that it strives and wrestles both against its own flesh andblood, and against those principalities andpowers ofdark- ness : supposing that it fights, watches, and prays for divine aid, and uses all the holyarmour and the weapons of sacred appoint- ment, to fence against these assaults of fleshly and spiritual ene- mies, these sore invasions of its holiness and peace. I confess it is hard in this fallen and imperfect state, to be thus attacked on any side, without some degree of compliance in an unguarded moment; and especially if we are beset on all sides, and assaulted by the flesh, the world, and the devil at once. It is seldom or never that the best of men can pass through such a scene of conflict and sharp trial, without something of defile- ment. Our Saviour himself indeedwas assaulted by Satan, and by the world ; but the prince of darkness found nothing within laus to promote or assist his temptations ; John xiv. 30. But he finds so much tinder in our nature, ready to catch fire, and blaze, at every spark of iniquity, that it is scarce possible we should pass through such dangerous hours of contest, and keep our spi- rits pure and unpolluted. Yet still it must be determined, that where there is perpe- tual resistance, and no manner of indulgence of these vicious scenes, where there is no consent of the will tothem, nor a neglect of anyproper and appointedmeans to oppose and suppress them, there is no sin.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=