Men can more easily see faults in others than they can in themselves. When they see others out of the way, they will presently condemn them, when perhaps they do, or have done the same, or the like themselves, and in themselves justify it. Men can discern motes in others' eyes, better than they can beams in their own. Prov. xxi. 2. 66 Every way of man is right in his own eyes." The heart in this matter is exceedingly deceitful. Jer. xvii. 9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?" We ought not therefore to trust in our own hearts in this matter, but to keep a jealous eye on ourselves, to be prying into our own hearts and ways, and to cry to God that he would search us. Prov. xxviii. 26. "He that trusteth his own heart is a fool."

2. Satan also sets in with our deceitful lusts, and labors to blind us in this matter. He is continually endeavoring to lead us into sinful ways, and sets in with carnal reason to flatter us in such ways, and to blind the conscience. He is the prince of darkness; he labors to blind and deceive; it hath been his work ever since he began it with our first parents.

3. Sometimes men are not sensible, because they are stupified through custom. Custom in an evil practice stupifies the mind, so that it makes any way of sin, which at first was offensive to conscience, after a while, to seem harmless.

4. Sometimes persons live in ways of sin, and are not sensible of it, because they are blinded by common custom, and the examples of others. There are so many who go into the practice, and it is so common a custom, that it is esteemed little or no discredit to a man; it is little testified against. This causes some things to appear innocent, which are very displeasing to God, and abominable in his sight. Perhaps we see them practised by those of whom we have an high esteem, by our superiors, and those who are accounted wise men. This greatly prepossesses the mind in favor of them, and takes off the sense of their evil. Or if they be observed to be commonly practised by those who are accounted godly men, men of experience in religion, this tends greatly to

harden the heart, and blind the mind with respect to any evil practice.

5. Persons are in great danger of living in ways of sin, and not being sensible of it, for want of duly regarding and considering their duty in the full extent of it. There are some who hear of the necessity of reforming from all sins, and attending all duties, and will set themselves to perform some particular duties, at the same time neglecting others. Perhaps their thoughts will be wholly taken up about religious duties, such as prayer in secret, reading the scriptures, and other good books, going to public worship and giving diligent attention, keeping the sabbath, and serious meditation. They seem to regard these things, as though they comprised their duty in its full extent, and as if this were their whole work; and moral duties towards their neighbors, their duties in the relations in which they stand, their duties as husbands or wives, as brethren or sisters, or their duties as neighbors, seem not to be considered by them.

They consider not the necessity of those things: And when they hear of earnestly seeking salvation in a way of dili gent attendance on all duties, they seem to leave those out of their thoughts, as if they were not meant; nor any other duties, except reading, and praying, and keeping the sabbath, and the like. Or if they do regard some parts of their moral duty, it may be other branches of it are not considered. Thus if they be just in their dealings, yet perhaps they neglect deeds of charity. They know they must not defraud their neighbor; they must not lie; they must not commit uncleanness; but seem not to consider what an evil it is to talk against others lightly, or to take up a reproach against them, or to contend and quarrel with them, or to live contrary to the rules of the gospel in their family relations, or not to instruct their children or servants.

Many men seem to be very conscientious in some things, in some branches of their duty on which they keep their eye, when other important branches are entirely neglected, and

seem not to be noticed by them. They regard not their duty in the full extent of it.

APPLICATION.

The use I shall make of this doctrine is, to stir up in you the concern of which I have been speaking, and to lead you to a strict inquiry, whether you do not live in some way of sin.

1. I shall propose some directions for you to follow, that you may discover whether you do not live in some way of sin.

2. I shall mention some particulars, concerning which you may examine yourselves, in order to know whether you do not live in some way of sin.

3. I shall mention some things which show the importance of knowing and forsaking the ways of sin in which you

live.

I. I shall show what method you ought to take, in order to find out whether you do not live in some way of sin. This, as hath been observed, is a difficult thing to be known; but it is not a matter of so much difficulty, but that if persons were sufficiently concerned about it, and strict and thorough in inquiring and searching, it might, for the most part, be discovered; men might know whether they live in any way of sin, or not. Persons who are deeply concerned to please and obey God, need not, under the light we enjoy, go on in ways of sin, through ignorance.

It is true, that our hearts are exceedingly deceitful; but God, in his holy word, hath given that light with respect to our duty, which is accommodated to the state of darkness in which we are. So that by thorough care and inquiry, we may know our duty, and know whether or no we live in any sinful way. And every one who hath any true love to God and his duty, will be glad to have any assistance in this in

quiry. It is with such persons a concern which lies with much weight upon their spirits, in all things to walk as God would have them, and so as to please and honor him. If they live in any way which is offensive to God, they will be glad to know it, and do by no means choose to have it concealed from them.

All those also, who in good earnest make the inquiry, What shall I do to be saved? Will be glad to know whether they do not live in some sinful way of behavior. For if they live in any such way, it is a great disadvantage to them with respect to that great concern. It behoves every one who is seeking salvation, to know and avoid every sinful way in which he lives. The means by which we must come to the knowledge of this, are two, viz. the knowledge of the rule, and the knowledge of ourselves.

And that we

1st. If we would know whether we do not live in some way of sin, we should take a great deal of pains to be thoroughly acquainted with the rule. God hath given us a true and perfect rule by which we ought to walk. might be able, notwithstanding our darkness, and the disadvantages which attend us, to know our duty; he hath laid the rule before us abundantly. What a full and abundant revelation of the mind of God have we in the scriptures! And how plain is it in what relates to practice! How often are rules repeated! In how many various forms are they revealed, that we might the more fully understand them!

But to what purpose will all this care of God to inform us be, if we neglect the revelation which God hath made of his mind, and take no care to become acquainted with it? It is impossible that we should know whether we do not live in a way of sin, unless we know the rule by which we are to walk. The sinfulness of any way consists in its disagreement from the rule; and we cannot know whether it agree with the rule or not, unless we be acquainted with the rule. Rom. iii. 20. "By the law is the knowledge of sin."

Therefore, lest we go in ways displeasing to God, we ought with the greatest diligence to study the rules which God hath

given us. We ought to read and search the Holy Scriptures much, and to do it with the desig to know the whole of our duty, and in order that the word of God may be "a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our paths," Psalm cxix. 105. Every one ought to strive to get knowledge in divine things, and to grow in such knowledge, to the end that he may know his duty, and know what God would have him to do.

These things being so, are not the greater part of men very much to blame in that they take no more pains of care to acquire the knowledge of divine things? In that they no more study the Holy Scriptures, and other books which might inform them? As if it were the work of ministers only, to take pains to acquire this knowledge. But why is it so much a minister's work to strive after knowledge, unless it be, that others may acquire knowledge by him? Will not many be found inexcusable in the sinful ways in which they live through ignorance and mistake, because their ignorance is a wilful, allowed ignorance? They are ignorant of their duty, but it is their own fault that they are so; they have advantages enough to know, and may know it if they will; but they take no pains to acquire knowledge in such things. They are careful to acquire knowledge, and to be well skilled in their outward affairs, upon which their temporal interest depends; but will not take pains to know their duty.

We ought to take great pains to be well informed, espe cially in those things which relate to our particular cases.

2dly. The other mean is the knowledge of ourselves, as subject to the rule. If we would know whether we do not live in some way of sin, we should take the utmost care to be well ac quainted with ourselves, as well as with the rule, that we may be able to compare ourselves with the rule. When we have found what the rule is, then we should be strict in examining ourselves, whether or no we be conformed to the rule. This is the direct way in which our characters are to be discovered. It is one thing wherein man differs from brute creatures, that be is capable of selfreflection, or of reflecting upon his own actions, and what passes in his own mind, and considering the VOL. VIII.

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