Sincerity, or, The upright mans walk to heaven in two parts shewing I. that sincerity is the true way to happiness, II. that the keeping of our selves from our own iniquity is the true way to sincerity / delivered in several sermons in the parish church of St. Michael in Long-Stratton Norfolk by James Oldfield, late minister there.

1. Here is very great odds against us, two against one, sin without, and our own hearts within us; sin battering, and our own hearts betraying of us. Each of these singly is too hard for us, but when

both combine together against us, in what a case are we? sin that corrupts our hearts to betray us, and our hearts they conspire with sin to destroy us. O sirs, look in what a dangerous condition we are in. That Garrison is not like to hold out long, when there is an Army in the Field be∣sieging it round about, and Traytors with∣in the Walls and Fort among themselves. Thus sin deals with us as the Israelites with the Tribe of Benjamin, 20. Judges 38, 39, 40, 41. O so doth sin set an ambushment for us, while we are fighting against sins Army without (viz.) Temptations, then the lyers in wait our own corruptions they begin to rise against us; so that you see we must fight with both hands, the battel is before and behind; O sirs we must look to it, for evil is determined against us. Paul had the tryal of this, and he sets down his own experience in this case, 7. Rom. 18. O saith he, I am in such a strait, I am so put to it between two enemies that fight against me at once, that I know not how to perform the good I would do, and he gives us the example verse 21. there is sin without besets him, and you shall see another enemy within, verse 23.

this makes him cry out for help, verse 24. and the help he finds verse 25. O Brethren, you see there is great danger; Hercules durst never encounter with two at once, but every Saint must, therefore keep al∣ways one eye shut against the Temptation, and the other eye always open to watch over your own hearts.