bosom sin—then engage all your power and might against
what course must we take to bring under our darling sins, to get off our golden fetters, to get out of these silken snares? To this question I shall give these answers:
1. The first means. If ever you would have mastery over this or that bosom sin—then engage all your power and might against your bosom sin, draw up your spiritual forces, and engage them wholly against that sin which does so easily beset you. As the king of Syria said to his captains, "Fight neither with small nor great, but only with the king of Israel," 2 Chron 18:30. Just so, say I, your wisdom and your work, O doubting souls, lies not in skirmishing with this or that lesser sin—but in coming up to a close sharp fight with the king sin—with that darling sin, which has a kingly interest in you, and a kingly power over you.
When there is no hope of curing, men must fall a-cutting. Believe it, souls, you must fall a-cutting your bosom sins in pieces by the sword of the Spirit, as Samuel cut Agag in pieces in Gilgal before the Lord, or else you will never obtain a perfect cure, 1 Sam 15:33. Slight skirmishes will not do it; you must pursue your bosom sins to the death—or they will be the death of your souls!
2. The second means to bring under a bosom sin, is, to labor to be most eminent and excellent in that particular grace, which is most opposite to a man's bosom sin. (As when one bucket of a well goes up—the other goes down. Just so, when grace gets up— sin goes down; when grace flourishes—sin withers.) As it is a Christian's glory to be eminent in every grace, so it is a Christian's special duty to excel in that particular grace which is most contrary to his darling sins. Is it pride, is it the world, is it hypocrisy, etc., which is your bosom sin, which is the chief favorite in your soul? Oh then, labor above all to be clothed with humility, to abound in heavenly-mindedness, to transcend in sincerity, etc., I know no surer, no choicer, no sweeter way, effectually to crucify a bosom sin, than this. He who comes up to this counsel, will not be long held in