He was [45]walking upon the roof of his house, probably praising the God whom his soul loved,when he looked down and saw Bathsheba. He felt a temptation, a thought which tended to evil. The Spirit of God did not fail to convince him of this. He doubtless heard and knew the warning voice. But he yielded in some measure to the thought, and the temptation began to prevail over him. Hereby his spirit was sullied; he saw God still; but it was more dimly than before. He loved God still; but not in the same degree, not with the same strength and ardor of affection. Yet God checked him again, though his Spirit was grieved; and his voice, though fainter and fainter, still whispered, “Sin lieth at the door; look unto me, and be thou saved.” But he would not hear. He looked again, not unto God, but unto the forbidden object, ’till nature was superior to grace, and kindled lust in his soul.
*The eye of his mind was now closed again, and God vanished out of his sight. Faith, the divine, supernatural intercourse with God, and the love of God ceased together. He then rushed on as a horse into the battle, and knowingly committed the outward sin.
9. *You see the unquestionable progress from grace to sin. Thus it goes on, from step to step. 1. The divine seed of loving, conquering faith, remains in him that is born of God. He keepeth himself, by the grace of God, and cannot commitsin. 2. A temptation arises, whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not. 3. The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near, and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer. 4. He gives way in some degree to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him. 5. The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened, and his love of God grows cold. 6. The Spirit reproves him more sharply, and saith, “This is the way; walk thou in it.” 7. He turns away from the painful voice of God, and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter. 8. Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul, ’till faith and love vanish away. He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.
10. To explain this by another instance. The apostle Peter was full of faith and of the Holy Ghost; and hereby keeping himself, he had a conscience void of offence toward God and toward man.
Walking thus in simplicity and godly sincerity, before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles, knowing that what God had cleansed, was not common or unclean.
But when they were come, a temptation arose in his heart, to fear those of the circumcision, (the Jewish converts, who were zealous for circumcision and the other rites of the Mosaic law) andregard the favour and praise of these men, more than the praise of God.
He was warned by the Spirit that sin was near. Nevertheless he yielded to it in some degree, even to sinful fear of man, and his faith and love were proportionably weakened.
God reproved him again for giving place to the devil. Yet he would not hearken to the voice of his Shepherd; but gave himself up to that slavish fear, and thereby quenched the Spirit.
Then God disappeared, and faith and love being extinct, he committed the outward sin. Walking not uprightly, not according to the truth of the gospel, he separated himself from his Christian brethren, and by his evil example, if not advice also, compelled even the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Jews; to entangle themselves again with that yoke of bondage, from which Christ had set them free.
Thus it is unquestionably true, that he who is born of God, keeping himself, doth not, cannot commit sin; and yet, if he keepeth not himself, he may commit all manner of sin with greediness.