Page images
PDF
EPUB

ture upon the occasion of sin, and then to pray, 'lead us not into temptation,' is all one as to thrust thy finger into the fire, and then to pray that it may not be burnt. So in Prov. iv. 15. Enter not in the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men; avoid it, and pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.' This triple gradation of Solomon, sheweth, with a great emphasis, how necessary it is for men to flee from all appearance of sin, as the seaman shuns sands and shelves, and as men shun those that have the plague-sores running upon them as weeds endanger the corn, and bad humours the blood, or an infected house the neighbourhood; so doth the company of the bad endanger those that are good, and exposes them to punishment.

[ocr errors]

Rem. 2.-Solemnly consider, that ordinarily there is no conquest over sin, unless the soul turns from the occasion of it; it is impossible for that man to get the conquest of sin, who plays and sports with the occasions of it.' God will not remove the temptation, except you turn from the occasion.' It is a just and righteous thing with God, that he should fall into the pit, that will adventure to dance upon the brink of it, and that he should be a slave of sin, that will not flee from the occasions of sin.'*

6

As

The fable saith, that the butterfly asked the owl how she should deal with the fire, which had singed her wings, who counselled her not to behold so much as its smoke.

[ocr errors]

6

long as there is fuel in our hearts for temptation, we cannot be secure: he that hath gunpowder about him, had need keep far enough off from sparks; to rush upon the occasions of sin, is 'to tempt ourselves, and also to tempt Satan to tempt our souls;' it is very rare that any soul plays with the occasions of sin, but that soul is ensnared by it;' it is seldom that God keeps that soul from the acts of sin, that will not keep off from the occasions of sin;' he that adventures the occasions of sin, is as he that would upon quench the fire with oil, which is a fuel to maintain and increase it.' Ah souls! remember, how frequently you have been overcome by sin, when you have boldly gone upon the occasions of it; look back, souls, to the days of your vanity, wherein you have been as easily conquered as tempted, vanquished as assaulted, when you have played with the occasions of sin; as you would for the future be kept from sin, and be made victorious over it, oh, flee from the occasions of sin.'

[ocr errors]

Rem. 3. Against this device of Satan, seriously consider, that other precious saints, that were once glorious on earth, and are now triumphing in heaven, have turned from the occasions of sin, as from hell itself; as you may see in Joseph, Gen. xxxix. 10. And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.' Joseph was famous for all the four

cardinal virtues, if ever any were; in this one temptation you may see his fortitude, justice, temperance, and prudence, in that he shuns the occasion, (for he would not so much as be with her). And such is man, that in temptation he wants but a tap to give vent to the corruption.' The Nazarites were not only forbid to drink wine, but not to taste a grape, nor the husk of a grape. A bird, while aloft, is safe, but when she comes near the snare, she is in danger; shunning the occasions of sin, renders a man most like the best of men: a soul eminently gracious, dares not come near the train, though he be far off the blow. So Job xxxi. 1. 'I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think upon a maid?* I set a watch at the entrance of my senses, that my soul might not by them be infected or endangered. The eye is the window of the soul, and if that be always open, the soul will smart for it. 'A man should not look intently upon that which he may not love entirely.' It is best and safest to have the eye always fixed upon the highest and noblest objects; as the mariner's eye is fixed upon the star, when his hand is on the stern. So David, when he was himself, shuns the occasion of sin, Ps. xxvi. 4, 5. I have not sat with vain persons,

* I cut a covenant. In making covenants, it was a custom among the Jews to cut some beast or other in pieces, and so walk between the pieces to signify, that they desir ed God to destroy them that should break the covenant.

neither will I go in with dissemblers; I have hated the congregation of evil doers, and will not sit with the wicked.'

Stories speak of some that could not sleep when they thought of the trophies of other worthies who went before them; the highest and choicest examples are to some, and should be to all, very quickening and provoking; and oh! that the examples of those worthy saints, David, Joseph, and Job, might prevail with all your souls to shun and avoid the occasions of sin; every one should strive to be like to them in grace, whom they desire to be equal with in glory. He that shooteth at the sun, though he be far short, will shoot higher than he that aimeth * at a shrub: it is best (and it manifests much of Christ within) to eye the highest and most worthy examples.

Rem. 4. Consider also, that to avoid the occasions of sin, is an evidence of grace, and that which lifts up a man above most other men in the world.' What a man is in temptation, and when sinful occasions present themselves to the soul, that he is indeed; this evidences both the truth and the strength of grace;* when with Lot, a man can be chaste in Sodom, and with Timothy can live temperate in Asia, among the luxuri

* Plutarch saith of Demosthenes, that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his ancestors, but not so at imitating them. Oh, that this were not applicable to many professors in our times.

ous Ephesians; and with Job can walk uprightly in the land of Uz, where the people were profane in their lives, and superstitious in their worship; and with Daniel be holy in Babylon; and with Abraham be righteous in Chaldea; and with Nehemiah, zealous in Damascus, &c. Many a wicked man is big, and full of sinful corruption, but shews it not for want of occasion; but that man is surely good, who in his life will not be bad, though tempted by occasions; a Christless soul is so far from refusing occasions when they come in his way, that he looks and longs after them, and rather than go without them, he will buy them with love or money, or the loss of his soul; nothing but grace can defend a man against the occasions of sin, when he is strongly tempted. Therefore, as you would cherish a precious evidence in your own bosoms, of the truth and strength of your graces, shun all sinful occasions.

CHAPTER VIII.

The eighth Device that Satan hath to draw the soul to sin, is,

BY representing to the soul the outward mercies ungodly men enjoy, and the outward-miseries they are freed from, whilst they walk in the ways of sin. Saith Satan, dost thou see, O soul!

« PreviousContinue »