2. 'Tis of great necessity to prevent uncertainty of spirit; until we come to resolution we shall be liable to temptation; until we fully set our faces towards God, and have a bent and serious purpose of heart, we shall never be free from temptation from the Devil, and from evil men, or from our selves. From the Devil, Jam. 1. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. As long as we are wavering, and suspensive, we can never carry on uniformity of obedience. While we halt between God and Baal, Satan hath an advantage against us. So for evil men, David doth express himself as coming to a resolution in this Psalm, vers. 115. Depart from me, ye evil doers; for I will keep the commandments of my God. There is no way to shake off those evil companions and associates, till there be a bent seriously towards heaven. So for our selves, we have changeable hearts, that love to wander, Jerem. 14. 10. We have many revoltings and reluctancies, therefore until a sanctified judgment, and will concur to make up a resolution and holy purpose, we shall still be up and down. The Saints being sensible of their weakness often bind this upon themselves, Psal. 119. 57. I have said, that I ⟨p. 46⟩would keep thy words: there was a practical decree past upon the conscience. And vers. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. An Oath is the highest assurance among men, and most solemn engagement; and all little enough to hold a backsliding heart under a sense and care of our duty. As long as the Israelites had a will to Canaan, so long they digested the inconveniences of the Wilderness. Every difficulty and trouble will put us out of the way, and we cannot be secured against an unsteady heart, but by taking up such a course, a serious resolve of maintaining Communion with God. And as it is useful to prevent temptation, so to excite and quicken our dullness: We forget our vow and purpose, and therefore we relapse into sin. The Apostle saith, 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins: that he did renounce these things in Baptism. And Paul puts us in mind of our engagement, Rom. 8. 12. We are not debtors to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
2. 'Tis of great necessity to prevent uncertainty of spirit; until we come to resolution we shall be lyable to temptation; until we fully set our faces towards God, and have a bent and serious purpose of heart, we shall never be free from temptation from the Devil, and from evil men, or from our selves. From the Devil, Iam. 1. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. As long as we are wavering, and suspensive, we can never carry on uniformity of obedience. While we halt between God and Baal, Satan hath an advantage against us. So for evil men, David doth express himself as coming to a resolution in this Psalm, vers. 115. Depart from me, ye evil doers; for I will keep the commandments of my God. There is no way to shake off those evil companions and associates, till there be a bent seriously towards heaven. So for our selves, we have changeable hearts, that love to wander, Ierem. 14. 10. We have many revoltings and reluctancies, therefore until a sanctified judgment, and will concur to make up a resolution and holy purpose, we shall still be up and down. The Saints being sensible of their weakness often bind this upon themselves, Psal. 119. 57. I have said, that I ⟨p. 46⟩would keep thy words: there was a practical decree past upon the conscience. And vers. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. An Oath is the highest assurance among men, and most solemn engagement; and all little enough to hold a backsliding heart under a sense and care of our duty. As long as the Israelites had a will to Canaan, so long they digested the inconveniencies of the Wilderness. Every difficulty and trouble will put us out of the way, and we cannot be secured against an unsteady heart, but by taking up such a course, a serious resolve of maintaining Communion with God. And as it is useful to prevent temptation, so to excite and quicken our dulness: We forget our vow and purpose, and therefore we relapse into sin. The Apostle saith, 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins: that he did renounce these things in Baptism. And Paul puts us in mind of our engagement, Rom. 8. 12. We are not debters to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
