The Christian in Complete Armour

Thirdly, these sins stay with the soul when the other leave it; when the sinner hath crippled his body with drunkenness and filthiness. and proves miles emeritus, cannot follow the devils company longer in those ways, then these cursed lusts will entertain the sinner with stories of his old pranks and pleasures. In a word, these inward lusts of the heart have nothing but the conscience of a Deity to quell them. Other sins put the sinner to shame before men, and as some that believed on Christ, durst not confess him openly because they loved the praise of men, so there are sinners who are kept from vouching their lusts openly, for the same tenderness to their reputation; but here is no fear of that, if they can but forget that heaven sees them, or persuade themselves there is no danger from thence; the coast then is clear, they may be as wicked as they please. These make inward sins so hugged and embraced. If thou therefore canst find thy heart set against these, I may venture to call thee a Christian, and for thy help against them,

Thirdly, these sins stay with the soule when the other leave it; when the sinner hath cripled his body with drunkennesse and filthinesse. and proves miles emeritus, cannot follow the devils campany longer in those wayes, then these cursed lusts will entertain the sinner with stories of his old pranks and pleasures. In a word, these inward lusts of the heart have nothing but the conscience of a Deity to quell them. Other sins put the sinner to shame before men, and as some that believed on Christ, durst not confesse him openly because they loved the praise of men, so there are sinners who are kept from vouching their lusts openly, for the same tendernesse to their reputation; but here is no feare of that, if they can but forget that heaven sees them, or perswade themselves there is no danger from thence; the coast then is clear, they may be as wicked as they please. These make inward sins so hugg'd and embraced. If thou therefore canst find thy heart set against these, I may venture to call thee a Christian, and for thy help against them,

First, be earnest with God in prayer to move and order thy heart in its thoughts and desires. If the tongue be such an unruly thing that few can tame; O what is the heart where such a multitude of thoughts are flying forth as thick as bees from the hive, and sparks from the furnace! It is not in man, not in the holiest on earth to do this without divine assistance. Therefore we find David so often crying out in this respect to order his steps in his Word, to unite his heart to his fear, to enine his heart to his testimonies. As a servant, when the child he tends is troublesome, and will not be ruled by him, calls out to the father to come to him, who no sooner speaks but all is whist with him; No doubt holy David found his heart beyond his skill or power, that makes him so oft do its errand to God. Indeed God hath promised thus much to his children, to order their steps for them,