The spiritual watchThe spirituall vvatch

§. 68. Would we therefore keep a constant Watch against sin? Oh let us labour then to have wrought in us a true hatred of sin; of such sins especially, as we have been most addicted unto, or have most delighted in before. The more formerly we have loved them, the more now let us loath them: the more we have for the time past delighted in them, the more for the time to come let us even detest and abhor them. ^yAs the meat that we have sometime surfeited of, we not only know now to be evil for us, but even our stomach riseth and goeth against it: so those sins that we have formerly glutted our souls with, let us not only condemn now as the bane of our souls, but endeavour even so to be affected towards them, that our very hearts may rise against them upon the memory and remembrance of them. Let it be with us in regard of them, as it was with Ammon in his affection to Tamar. ^zHe loved her earnestly at first, though with an incestuous love, or lust rather: But after that he had abused her and defiled himself with her, ^ahis love was in a strange manner so turned into hatred, that the love wherewith before he loved her, was not so great, but the hatred wherewith he then hated her, was far greater. So for those sins that ⟨p. 106⟩we have formerly defiled our souls with, we should labour to have our love in like manner turned into hatred; and ^bstrive to bring our hearts to it, to abhor them now as much, yea (if it were possible, as there is good ground for it and just cause of it) much more, then ever we loved them, or delighted in them before.

§. 68. Would wee therefore keepe a constant Watch against sinne? Oh let vs labour then to haue wrought in vs a true hatred of sinne; of such sinnes especially, as we haue beene most addicted vnto, or haue most delighted in before. The more formerly wee haue loued them, the more now let vs loath them: the more we haue for the time past delighted in them, the more for the time to come let vs euen detest and abhorre them. ^y