st and holiest,--it is an alarm to them, to tell
them that sin is _in confinus_, in their very borders, that the enemy is
even in their quarters, yea, in their bosom. Certainly, this should so
much the more excite us against it, and arm us for it every moment, lest
either by fraud or force, by secret undermining or open violence, it draw
us away from God. This word, "if we say we have no sin, we lie," is a
watchword given to men, a warning to enter in consideration of themselves,
for the enemy being within, there is no flying from him. We carry him
about with us, and being within, he is less discerned, and therefore we
ought to awake, and so walk circumspectly, with eyes in our head, lest we
be surprised at unawares, either in that time we know not of, or at that
place we least suspect. And to others of you, who have never attained any
victory over your sins, and scarce have a discerning of them, I would only
say this, that the universality of sin's inhabitation, or being in all
men, even the godly, will not excuse sin's domination and reign in you. It
is strange, that since the holiest have need of continual watching against
this bosom enemy, that ye who have both little knowledge and strength,
should think ye may live securely, and not trouble yourselves. If they
have need to take heed, how much more have ye, since it is but in them,
but it reigns in you?

Sermon XXIV.

1 John ii. 1.--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the
Father,", &c.

There is here a sad supposition, but too certain, that any man may sin,
yea, that all men will sin, even those who have most communion with God,
and interest in the blood of Christ. Yet they are not altogether exempted
from this fatal lot of mankind. It is incident even to them to sin, and
too frequently incident, but yet we have a happy and sweet provision, for
indemnity from the hazard of sin,--"we have an advocate with the Father."
Grant the probability, yea, the necessity and certainty of that supposal,
"if any man do sin," yet there is as much certainty of indemnity from sin,
as of necessity of falling into sin. It is not more sure, that we shall
carry about with us matter of sorrow and mourning, but that it is as sure,
that we have always without us matter of rejoicing.

Let me then speak a word to these particulars. _First_, That sin is
incident to the best, even after all persuasions, convictions,
resolutions, desires, and designs to avoid sin.