A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Secondly, It implies that utter impotency that the best lie under to preserve ⟨p. 155⟩themselves from the foulest sins, without the special aid and assistance of divine Grace. My Heart it is not in my own hands; my Ways are not at my own dispose; I cannot stand longer than thou upholdest me; I cannot walk longer than thou leadest me; if thou withdrawest thine everlasting Arms from under me, I shall stumble, and fall, and tumble headlong into fearful Precipices, into vile Impieties, into Hell and Perdition it self; and therefore, Lord, do thou keep me; do thou by thy Omnipotency supply my Impotency; by thy Power keep me from what mine own Weakness will certainly betray me unto; Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous Sins. These two Things are implied and couched in the Petition it self.

Thirdly, In the Text we have the Reason also why David prays so earnestly against presumptuous Sins: Which Reason carries in it the Form of a distinct Petition by it self; Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous Sins; let them not have dominion over me; but yet it may be well understood as a Reason of the foregoing Request; therefore, Lord, ⟨p. 156⟩keep me from presumptuous Sins; lest by falling into the commission of them, I fall also under the power of them; lest by prevailing upon me, they get dominion and sovereignty over me. And in this Reason also we have a hint of the encroaching nature of Sin still, from the allowance of little and secret Sins, it proceeds to the commission of gross and presumptuous Sins; and from the commission of these, it proceeds to dominion over him; and therefore if we would not be Slaves to our Lusts, and Vassals to the Devil, we had need all of us to pray with David, Lord, keep us from secret Sins, lest they break out into open and presumptuous Sins; and, Lord, keep us from presumptuous Sins, lest they get dominion over us.

Thirdly, In the Text we have the Reason also why David prays so earnestly against presumptuous Sins: Which Reason carries in it the Form of a distinct Petition by it self; Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous Sins; let them not have dominion over me; but yet it may be well understood as a Reason of the foregoing Request; therefore, Lord,