First, the Christian is to proclaim and prosecute an irreconcilable war against his bosom-sins; those sins which have lain nearest his heart, must now be trampled under his feet: So David, I have kept my self from my iniquity; Now what courage and resolution doth this require? you think Abraham was tried to purpose, when called to take his son, his son Isaac, 1his only son whom he loved, and offer him up with his own hands, and no other, yet what was that to this? Soul, take thy lust, thy only lust, which is the child of thy dearest love, thy Isaac, the sin which hath caused most joy and laughter; from which thou hast promised thy self the greatest return of pleasure or profit: as ever thou lookest to see my face with comfort, lay hands on it, and offer it up: pour out the blood of it before me, run ⟨p. 6⟩the sacrificing knife of mortification into the very heart of it, and this freely, joyfully, (for it is no pleasing sacrifice that is offered with a countenance cast down,) and all this now, before thou hast one embrace more from it. Truly this is a hard chapter, flesh and blood cannot bear this saying; our lust will not lie so patiently on the Altar, as Isaac, or as a Lamb that is brought to the slaughter, which is dumb, but will roar and shriek, yea, even shake and rend the heart with their hideous out-cries. Who is able to express the conflicts, the wrestlings, the convulsions of Spirit the Christian feels, before he can bring his heart to this work? or who can fully set forth the Art, the Rhetorical insinuations, which such a lust will plead with for its life? one while Satan will extenuate and mince the matter, It is but a little one, O spare it, and thy soul shall live for all that: Another while he flatters the soul with the secrecy of it, Thou mayest keep me and thy credit also; I will not be seen abroad in thy company to shame thee among thy neighbours: shut me up in the most retired room thou hast in thy heart, from the hearing of others (if thou wilt,) only let me now and then have the wanton embraces of thy thoughts and affections in secret; if that cannot be granted, then Satan will seem only to desire execution may be stayed a while, as Jephthah's daughter of her father; Let me alone a month or two, 2and then do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth:
First, the Christian is to proclaim and prosecute an irreconcileable war against his bosome-sins; those sins which have layen nearest his heart, must now be trampled under his feet: So David, I have kept my self from my iniquity; Now what courage and resolution doth this require? you think Abraham was tried to purpose, when called to take his son, his son Isaac, 1his only son whom he loved, and offer him up with his own hands, and no other, yet what was that to this? Soul, take thy lust, thy only lust, which is the childe of thy dearest love, thy Isaac, the sin which hath caused most joy and laughter; from which thou hast promised thy self the greatest return of pleasure or profit: as ever thou lookest to see my face with comfort, lay hands on it, and offer it up: poure out the blood of it before me, run ⟨p. 6⟩the sacrificing knife of mortification into the very heart of it, and this freely, joyfully, (for it is no pleasing sacrifice that is offered with a countenance cast down,) and all this now, before thou hast one embrace more from it. Truly this is a hard chapter, flesh and blood cannot bear this saying; our lust will not lie so patiently on the Altar, as Isaac, or as a Lambe that is brought to the slaughter, which is dumb, but will roar and shreek, yea, even shake and rend the heart with their hideous out-cries. Who is able to expresse the conflicts, the wrestlings, the convulsions of Spirit the Christian feels, before he can bring his heart to this work? or who can fully set forth the Art, the Rhetorical insinuations, which such a lust will plead with for its life? one while Satan will extenuate and mince the matter, It is but a little one, O spare it, and thy soule shall live for all that: Another while he flatters the soul with the secrecy of it, Thou mayest keep me and thy credit also; I will not be seen abroad in thy company to shame thee among thy neighbours: shut me up in the most retired room thou hast in thy heart, from the hearing of others (if thou wilt,) only let me now and then have the wanton embraces of thy thoughts and affections in secret; if that cannot be granted, then Satan will seem only to desire execution may be stayed a while, as Jephtha's daughter of her father; Let me alone a monthor two, 2and then do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth:
- 1Gen. 22 1•
- 2Judg. 17. v. 2, 37.
