When thou hast done this, thou must not stay here: but thou must labour to loathe and hate that pollution of spirit. There are two things to be hated by us; the sin, that we look upon as a pleasant thing; but there is besides, thy inclination to that thing, and that is the pollution of thy spirit, and that thou must hate and loathe; thou must not only hate the object that is offered to thee, but thy self also, and the uncleanness of thy spirit. Thus it is with every one, whose heart is right, Ezek. 36.21. that is,1 when a man begins to look upon his sin, and see the pollution of the spirit in it, he begins to grow to an indignation against it, (as that is the fruit of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. ⟨p. 13⟩27.) he finds his heart so disposed, that he begins to quarrel with his heart, and to fall out with it; and to say; What? have I such a heart that will carry me to sin? that will not only carry me to sin, but to hell? He begins to loathe himself, he would not own his own self, if he could; he would go out of himself, he is weary of his own heart: such a hatred and loathing thou must have of this pollution of spirit that is in thee. And this thou shalt do, if thou wilt but consider, what evil this pollution doth bring thee, and what hurt filthiness hath done to thee: a man can hate the disease of the body, and cry out of it; and why should not men do so of the soul? It is our sin that is the cause of all evil; it is not poverty, or disgrace, or sickness, but it is sin in thy poverty, sin in thy disgrace, sin in thy sickness: so that if a man could look upon sin as the greatest evil, and that doth him the greatest mischief, he would hate that above all things. And here remember not only to do it in general, but to pitch thy hatred chiefly upon thy beloved sin. Be ready to say in this case, as Haman of Mordecai; what availeth it me, if Mordecai yet live? If we could do so with our beloved lusts, and come to such a hatred of them as Haman had of Mordecai, to hate that beloved pollution, which cleaves so fast to thy spirit, this were a blessed thing.
When thou hast done this, thou must not stay here: but thou must labour to loathe and hate that pollution of spirit. There are two things to be hated by us; the sinne, that we looke upon as a pleasant thing; but there is besides, thy inclination to that thing, and that is the pollution of thy spirit, and that thou must hate and loathe; thou must not onely hate the object that is offered to thee, but thy selfe also, and the uncleanesse of thy spirit. Thus it is with every one, whose heart is right, Ezek. 36.21. that is,1 when a man begins to looke upon his sinne, and see the pollution of the spirit in it, he begins to grow to an indignation against it, (as that is the fruite of godly sorrow, 2 Cor. ⟨p. 13⟩27.) he findes his heart so disposed, that he begins to quarrell with his heart, and to fall out with it; and to say; What? have I such a heart that will carry me to sinne? that will not onely carry me to sinne, but to hell? Hee begins to loathe himselfe, hee would not owne his owne selfe, if hee could; hee would goe out of himselfe, he is weary of his owne heart: such a hatred and loathing thou must have of this pollution of spirit that is in thee. And this thou shalt doe, if thou wilt but consider, what evill this pollution doth bring thee, and what hurt filthinesse hath done to thee: a man can hate the disease of the body, and cry out of it; and why should not men doe so of the soule? It is our sinne that is the cause of all evill; it is not poverty, or disgrace, or sicknesse, but it is sinne in thy poverty, sinne in thy disgrace, sinne in thy sicknesse: so that if a man could looke upon sinne as the greatest evill, and that doth him the greatest mischiefe, he would hate that above all things. And here remember not onely to doe it in generall, but to pitch thy hatred chiefly upon thy beloved sinne. Be ready to say in this case, as Haman of Mordecai; what availeth it me, if Mordecai yet live? If we could do so with our beloved lusts, and come to such a hatred of them as Haman had of Mordecai, to hate that beloved pollution, which cleaves so fast to thy spirit, this were a blessed thing.
- 1Ezek. 36.21.
- 22 Cor. 7.
