Departing from iniquity is not a work of an hour, or a day, or a
week, or a month, or a year; but it is a work that will last thee
thy lifetime, and there is the greatness and difficulty of it. Were
it to be done presently, or were the work to be quickly over, how
many are there that would be found to have departed from iniquity;
but for that it is a work of continuance, and not worth any thing
unless men hold out to the end; therefore it is that so few are
found actors or overcomers therein. Departing from iniquity, with
many, is but like the falling out of two neighbors; they hate one
another for a while, and then renew their old friendship again.
But again, since to depart from iniquity is a work of time, of all
thy time, no wonder if it dogs thee, and offereth to return upon
thee again and again; for sin is mischievous, and seeks nothing less
than thy ruin. Wherefore, thou must in the first place take it for
granted that thus it will be, and so cry the harder to God for the
continuing of his presence and grace upon thee in this blessed work,
that as thou hast begun to depart from iniquity, so thou mayest have
strength to do it to the last gasp of thy life.
And further, for that departing from iniquity is a kind of warfare
with it-for iniquity will hang in thy flesh what it can, and will
not be easily kept under-therefore no marvel if thou find it
wearisome work, and that the thing that thou wouldst get rid of is
so unwilling to let thee depart from it.
And since the work is so weighty, and makes thee to go groaning on,
I will for thy help give thee here a few things to consider of: And,
1. Remember that God sees thee, and has his eyes open upon thee,
even then when sin and temptation are flying at thee to give them
some entertainment. This was the thought that made Joseph depart
from sin, when solicited to embrace it by a very powerful argument.
Genesis 39:6, 7.
2. Remember that God's wrath burns against it, and that he will
surely be revenged on it, and on all that give it entertainment.
This made Job afraid to countenance it, and put him upon departing
from it: "For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason
of his highness I could not endure." Job 31: 23.
3. Remember the mischiefs that it has done to those that have
embraced it, and what distress it has brought upon others. This made
the whole congregation of Israel tremble to think that any of their
brethren should give countenance to it. Joshua 22: 16-18.
4. Remember what Christ hath suffered by it, that he might deliver
us from the power of it. This made Paul so heartily depart from it,
and wish all Christians to do so as well as he. 2 Cor. 5: 14.
5. Remember that those that are now in hell-fire went thither for
that they loved iniquity, and would not depart from it. Psalm 9: 17;
11:6.
6. Remember that a profession is not worth a pin, if they that make
it do not depart from iniquity. James 2:16, 17.
7. Remember that thy death-bed will be very uneasy to thee, if thy
conscience at that day shall be clogged with the guilt of thy
iniquity. Hos. 7: 13, 14.
8. Remember that at the judgment-day Christ will say, Depart from
me, to those that have not here departed from their sin and
iniquity. Luke 13:27; Matt 25:41.
Lastly, Remember well, and think much upon what a blessed reward the
Son of God will give to them at that day, that have joined to their
profession of faith in him a holy and blessed conversation.
He that will depart from iniquity must be well fortified with faith
and patience and the love of God; for iniquity has its beauty-spots
and its advantages attending on it; hence it is compared to a woman,
Zech. 5: 7, for it allureth greatly. Therefore I say, he that will
depart there-from had need have faith; that being it which will help
him to see beyond it, and that will show him more in things that are
invisible, than can be found in sin, were it ten thousand times more
entangling than it is. 2 Cor. 4:18. He has need of patience also to
hold out in this work of departing from iniquity. For indeed, to
depart from that is to draw my mind off from that which will follow
me with continual solicitations. Samson withstood his Delilah for a
while, but she got the mastery of him at the last. Why so? because
he wanted patience; he grew angry and was vexed, and could withstand
her solicitations no longer. Judges 16: 15-17. Many there be, also,
that can well enough be contented to shut sin out of doors for a
while; but because sin has much fair speech, therefore it overcomes
at last. Prov. 7:21. For sin and iniquity will not be easily said
nay. Wherefore, departing from iniquity is a work of length, as long
as life shall last. A work, did I say? It is a war, a continual
combat; wherefore, he that will adventure to set upon this work,
must needs be armed with faith and patience, a daily exercise he
will find himself put to by the continual attempts of iniquity to be
putting forth itself. Matt. 24: 13; Rev. 3:10.