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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92846	The anatomy of secret sins, presumptuous sins, sins in dominion, & uprightness. Wherein divers weighty cases are resolved in relation to all those particulars: delivered in divers sermons preached at Mildreds in Bread-street London, on Psalm 19. 12, 13. Together with the remissibleness of all sin, and the irremissibleness of the sin against the Holy Ghost preached before an honourable auditory. By that reverend and faithfull minister of the Gospel, Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick, B.D. Perfected by himself, and published by those whom he intrusted with his notes.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.; Chambers, Humphrey, 1598 or 9-1662.	1660 (1660)	Wing S2363; Thomason E1003_1; ESTC R203493	249,727	327

be rid of a bad nature the vertue of the effect alwayes lurks in the cause and therefore it is the cause which gives life and death to it If thou couldest once get an holy nature which might be at defiance with sinne in its throne know this that a new nature and daily combat would much help against secret sinnings That sinne is least of all acted with life which is most of all combated within the heart for sinne hath least practise where it hath most opposition And of all oppositions those that are inward are most weakning of sin 4. Get an hatred of sinne which will oppose sin in all kindes and all times and in all places 5. Get the feare of God planted in thy heart There are three sorts of sinnes which this fear will preserve a man Get the feare of God against First Pleasant sinnes which take the sense with delight Secondly Profitable sinnes which take the heart with gaine but what shall it profit me to winne the whole world and to lose my soul Thirdly secret sinnes of either sort Joseph did not dare to sinne that great sinne of uncleannesse though the acting of it might have beene secret and thou●h perhaps the consequence of it mi●ht have been his preferment why the fear of God kept him off he had an awful regard to God he knew the greatnesse of his holinesse of his power How can I do this great wickednesse and ●●nne against God Gen. 39. 9. Why brethren if we feare the Lord it is not the night which the thief doth take nor the twilight which the adulterer doth take nor the seasons of secrecy or places of obscurity that will prevaile with us c. Yea but God sees me the great judge of heaven and earth the holy one the God who hates all sinne whose eyes are brighter then the Sunne and purer then to behold sin and who is mighty in power and just in his threatnings he sees and beholds therefore I dare not 6. Believe Gods omniscience and omnipresence that the Believed Gods omniscience Lord is every where and all things are naked and open to his eye with whom thou hast to deal thou canst not intend to think thou canst not whisper out thy thou●hts thou canst not finger the closest bribes thou canst not encline thy self to the most abstracted kinde of secrecy in the world but God sees thee clearly perfectly now if a man could believe that God is still with us and there are two which evermore goe with us the Judge and the Register God and conscience that he is acquainted with all his thoughts paths wayes this would put an awe upon him would the wife be so impudent to commit folly and prostitute her whorish body in the sight and presence of her husband would the servant be filching out of the box if he saw his Masters eye upon his hand 7. Get thy heart to be upright uprightnesse is an inward temper and hypocrisie is an outward complection Psalme Get thy heart to be upright 119. 3. They do no iniquity c. The inward man is the businesse of sincerity to the forming and fashioning of that doth it improve and imploy it selfe it knowes that God delights in truth and this too in the inward parts It endeavours to please God in all things and there to be most to God where man can be least in observation and that is in the secret and hidden frame PSAL. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and shall be innocent from that great transgression CHAP. II. THese words containe in them Davids second Petition and request sinnes do not only differ in respect of opennesse and secretness but also in respect of the degree of hainousness and greatness now because secret sins sticks closest and are of a more easie and adventrous commission therefore David prays much against them Lord cleanse thou me from secret sinnes And because presumptuous sinnes are of a more fearful efficacy and consequently they being usually the bravings of God even to his face therefore David prays as vehemently against them in this verse This verse may be considered two ways The words considered 1. Respectively as in connection with the former by that In conjunction with the former word also keep back thy servant also as if David had said O Lord I have prayed unto thee to be cleansed from secret sinnes and I beseech thee let me be answered but yet this is not all that I have to request I have yet another request besides that keep me also from presumptuous sins 2. Absolutely in regard of their proper matter so they In their proper matter comprehend 1. The Petitioner thy servant 2. The Petition which respects sins 1. Presumption from presumptuous sins 2. Dominion let them not have Dominion over me 3. The Petitioner who is implyed and that is God yet expressed by what he should do keep back c. 4. The Conclusion or inference which he makes from the grant of all this which is his uprightness and innocency innocency not absolute but limitted innocent from that great transgression There is more matter in these words then you yet well conceive of I will touch some Propositions which might challenge a further prosecution and then I will set down at large upon the main intentions and conclusions from the words considered as a connexion of a new request with the former request these things might be observable viz. SECT I. Doct. 1 FIrst There may and should be a conjunction even of great There may and should be a conjunction of great requests at once to God Petitions and requests at once unto God As they say of graces and duties that they are connexed and like so many pearls upon one and the same string for we may say of requests to God though they be many for kindes and number and matter yet they may be put up in the same prayer to God David ends not at that request keep me from secret sinnes but goes on also O Lord keep me from presumptuous sinnes he multiplies his suits according to the multiplicity of his necessity and exigence Note There be divers qualities about our prayers viz. Our prayers must be with 1. One is an urgent fervency when the soul doth not nakedly commence the suit propound it to God and say Lord 1. urgent fervency hear me but it doth inforce as it were an audience and acceptance it doth strive with God and wrestle with him I will not let thee go unless thou blesse me Gen. 32. 26. as Jacob And O Lord hear O Lord hearken and consi●er do and deferre not for thy name sake as Dan. 9. this is a following of the suit with God as the woman did Christ 2. Importunity when a person renews the same suit comes 2. Importunity often to the door of grace and knocks 3.

upon the account and seeme to be reckoned not so much when they are done as when they are done with a sinful heart And they lose upon the account they are struck off God passeth over them when the bent of their heart is against them see that place and passage of David Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered ver 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity verily brethren that mans estate is blessed whose sins are pardoned O! if the Lord be reconciled to a man if the Lord covers his sinne i. will not look upon them in a judicial way so as to account and reckon with the sinner for them if the Lord will not impute iniquity to him i. though he hath iniquity yet the Lord will forgive it it shall not redound unto him in punishment but it shall be blotted out and be as if it had never been tell me seriously is not this a blessed thing tell me now you whose hearts are ready to break asunder with the sense of guilt whither pardoning mercy be not a most blessed and desirable thing You will freely confesse it is but then the question is who is that man that is so blessed what is his temper how is he qualified See on in that ver 2. he is one in whose spirit is no guile what 's that that is he is the upright person whose spirit is really and plainly for God who in truth desires to please him who in truth hates all sin This is that blessed man and in this is a great part of his blessednesse that the Lord will not impute his iniquities unto him but will forgive and cover them i. so forgive them that they shall not rise upon the account any more Paul did upon this conclude by way of testimony to himself and for others that there was no condemnation unto them Rom. 8. 1. why what was Paul what was his temper verily it was upright Obj. Upright why he complains of sin that he was sold under it he complaines of the Law of his members warring against the Law of his mind he complains that he was brought into captivity he complaines that when he would do good yet evill was present with him How then can be say that there was no condemnation for him how was he upright Sol. Thus his being upright did not consist in this that he had no sin in him nor in this that he did no sin nor in this that he did all the good which he saw should be done But in this that he hated the sin which dwelt in him that he resisted the evil working in him that his inward man approved the good and condemned the evil that his inward man hated the evil and was delighted in the Law of God This was his uprightness and upon this he concludes that there was no condemnation i. his sinne should not sink his soul to hell they should not separate him from the love of God in Christ they should not be imputed to him but Christ would take them off An upright person the Lord is his God in covenant 3. A third comfort to an upright person is this that the Lord is his God in Covenant You are not Ignorant of the Covenant which God did stipulate with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty al-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect what is the meaning of that In a Covenant you know there are two parties and they mutually undertake and agree so here is God on the one part and here is Abraham on the other part and God promiseth and Abraham promiseth God promiseth to be All-sufficient unto him and engageth himself in an everlasting Covenant to be his God ver 7. now Abraham promiseth to walk uprightly before the Lord and this is all that the Lord agrees with him for walke before me and be upright and then I am thy God and I will be thy All-sufficiency Obj. Why you will say this is granted it is cleare that God Covenants to be a God to an upright person But what so great comfort in that Sol. Nay then I have done if yet you understand not If yet you think it so poore so meane a thing for God to be your God in Covenant I tell you brethren when God becomes your God in Covenant when he saith to a person I will be a God unto thee it is infinitely more then if the Lord should say to a man I will give unto the all the world O for God to be my God what is it but this I am thine and all that I am or have or can do shall be thine and for thee I am an holy God and that shall be to make thee holy I am a mercifull God and that shall be to pardon thy sins I am a powerfull God and that shal be to help thee to deliver thee to conquer for thee I am a faithfull God and that shall be to make every promise good which I have made unto thee I am a wise God and that shall be to bring in thy comforts thy deliverances thy helps in the most desirable season When sins trouble thee I will pardon them when they are too strong for thee I will subdue them when thy heart is sorrowful I will comfort it when thy graces are weak I will strengthen them when men disgrace thee I will honour thee when dangers arise I will preserve thee what thou needest that I will give thee what thou hast that I will blesse to thee all this and far more then this it is for God to be our God in covenant Nay and all this is ours by covenant that is it is not a faire and empty pretext it is not a glorious and vaine complement but really so and firmly so the Lord if he be our God in covenant doth bind himselfe to be all this unto us by the fidelity of his nature by the truth of all his promises by the seale of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Now what think you do you now not think that the people happy who are in such a case whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. I tell you we are not able to Imagine the height and depth and breadth of this one comfort that God is my God in covenant and yet whatsoever you apprehend of it whatsoever you feel of it whatsoever it is it is the portion of the upright persons thou art my portion O Lord for ever said upright David Psal 119. 4. Uprightnesse intitles the person to all blessings of heaven and Uprightnesse intitles to all the blessings of heaven and earth of earth as David spake of Jerusalem that I may say of the upright person all my springs are in thee or what Iacob said of Ioseph that he was A fruitful branch or bough uprightnesse is like Arons Rod full of blosomes you know that place Psal 84. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will

hand An unprepared condition is wofull 2. How wofull is the unpardoned condition men go on in sin and make a work of it but speak slightly of it but the truth is 1. Sin makes God our enemy therefote it is called enmity in Sin makes God our enemy Ephe. 2. and a provocation because it stirs up the wrath of God against us which wrath if it should seize on thy soul Ah miserable man then thou canst neither suffer it nor decline it Jesus Christ standing in our stead felt some of it and it made him sweat drops of blood and to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How then shall a poor weak guilty sinner stand under the fierceness of his indignation 2. Sin unpardoned makes conscience our enemy As long as the Lord Conscience our enemy hath a quarrel with us for sin conscience may not speak any peace unto us Now the Lord be mercifull unto us if the Lord should awaken thy conscience and set thy sins in order who knows what would become of thee Knowest thou the power of conscience when it is opened to behold a God angry and sin unpardoned Read the vigor of it in Cain and the terror of it in Judas how it crached their spirits and brought the one to the utmost desperation and the other to the grave and hell in despite of all former advantages 3. And who can tell how soon he may die Go and listen Who can tell how soon he may die sometimes at a dying bed the person quakes and the bed trembles and the heart sighs what is it that the man speaks so to himself Ah Lord saith he I would not die and then tears trickle down his cheeks and his heart is ready to flie in pieces But why wouldst thou not die O no my sins are many I now see them and feel the bitter wrath of God for them Oh! my sins they are not pardonable and who can dwell with everlasting burnings or stand before the holy and just God 3. What unspeakable comfort is it to have our sins forgiven It is unspeakable comfort to have sin pardoned Son said Christ Mat. 9. 4. Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee When the Israelites got through the red sea and looked back and saw their enemies all drowned what reviving was this if the drowning of corporal enemies be such a cause of joy who could but kill our bodies what cause of exultation for the drowning of spiritual enemies of sins in the depths of mercy which else would have destroyed oursouls How shall I express the comfort of it David saith all in one word The man is blessed whose iniquities are forgiven Now blessedness is the center of all joy and comfort Tell me brethren what think you 1. Of freedom from hell that you shall never see the place of the damned Is that a matter of comfort why If sin be pardoned hell is discharged There is no condemnation if Remission 2. Of Gods loving kindness David said it was life nay better then life Oh what is this God is reconciled unto me in Christ he looks on me not as a Judge but as a fathet with ardent affections and compassions why if sin be pardoned God is reconciled enmity slain all differences twixt you and God are taken off 3. Of the blood of Christ Is it worth the having or of interest in Christ it is worth the enjoying why if pardoned then doubtless united to Christ and how many and great are the benefits that result and follow upon union 4 Of Peace of conscience It is a mercy that Conscience can and may speak peace chear us up assure us stand for us against men and devils Why when sin is pardoned conscience may not accuse it hath nothing to do but direct us in good ways and to comfort us with the testimonies of our pardon and Reconciliation with God 5. Of all outward mercies Oh! what a life doth a pardoned sinner live If he looks up to heaven all is peace if he looks down to earth all is comfort he hath lands and sins pardoned too wife children honours friends yea and his sins are pardoned too 6. Lastly What think you of confidence in death When you are leaving the earth then to be assured your next journey is to heaven After grace to find glory would you ever be willing to die be confident in death live in death live after death O then get your sins whatsoevet they are to be pardoned 11. The Means if you ask what may we do to get our sins The means forgiven I shall answer briefly 1. Find out your sins and know them and that is done by the study of the Law which gives us the knowledge of sin 2. Beg of God for a contrite heart so as to be sensible of sin and weary of it and broken for it The weeping woman was forgiven Luke 7. 44 47. 3. And also for a penitential heart Repent saith Peter that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3. 19. See Isa 55. 7. 4. And for a Believing heart in the Lord Jesus In whose blood and for whose sake we obtain Remission of our sins 2 Cor. 5. 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world not imputing our sins 5. And for a forgiving heart see Mat. 6. 14 15. 6. Make it a daily and vehement petition for Repentance and forgiveness as did David Psalm 51. and sue all out in the name of Christ Object But these things are hard and laborious Sol. But they are for mercy O Mercy I perish without thee and therefore I will not live without thee sleep without thee die withou thee I will pray for mercy I will go to Christ for mercy and shall it seem so grievous to me to leave a sin which will damn me to get mercy which will save me II. The Tribunal of Justice erected in these words But the Blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven These words are the saddest expressions of purest Justice that ever were uttered Oh what is the height what the depth of this for a sinner to rise to such a peculiar degree and form of sinning as for ever to distinguish himself from all hope of mercy never never never to he pardoned In this there are two things to be inquired into 1. What this Blasphemy against the holy Ghost is What this sin is 2. The irremissibleness of this Blasphemy Touching the first of these there are several opinions and no marvel for to find the right nature of this sin is a work not of the least difficulty In Scripturis sanctis nulla major questio nulla difficilior invenitur saith Austin 1. The Novations thought every sin after Baptism especially Quid est quod Novato succenseamus tollenti poe●itentiam dicentique nullam eos veniam obtinere qui post lavacrum peccant Athan. Tom. 1. in hoc subject p. 776. denial of Christ in time of perfection

on the soul all fitness and disposition for pardon is from the Spirit who is here rejected Fourthly The constant order of operation in the Trinity He sins against the order of Operation of the Trinity suggests unto us the reason of the irremissibleness of this sin which order is alwaies by descent and not by regression If a man sin against the Father the Son hath an operation for the sinner if a man sin against the Son the Spirit hath an operation for the sinner in working upon his conscience and offering of Christ but if a man sin against this Spirit whether should he go or who is to present pardon To the Father he cannot go withour the Spirit to the Son he cannot go without the Spirit but the Spirit is by him rejected and despitefully scorned He that sins against the Holy Ghost sins against the whole Trinity the Fathers love the Sons death and the Spirits operation I know that Hierome saith this sin shall not Epist ad Marcellum Epist ad Bonifacium be forgiven Propter blasphemiam Augustine propter perseverantissiman cordis duritiem and the Schols Propter defectum excusabilitatis indignitatem and others quod qui sic peccant traduntur in reprobum sensum thus Hilary Athanasius and some of our modern Writers Use I. THE Uses from the explication of this high sin shall serve us both for first Information And secondly Information Caution Thirdly Direction First That the greatest illuminations in the understanding The greatest illuminations are not able of themselves to save a man and determinate convictions in the Conscience are not able of themselvs to save a man A person may have a deep insight in the Misteries of Heaven an ample apprehension of supernatural truths a large acquaintance with the Rules of Grace and life a yielding in his conscience to the revealed testimonies of the spirit concerning Christ and his Doctrine yet be so far from the assurance and possession of glory that he may be reprobated to the lowest gulf of misery and damnation for the damned Devils are invested with most general extent of objective knowledge and these here who sin against the Holy Ghost do participate of divine illumination even to the measure of approbation in the conscience touching the truth yet you see that their condition is utterly incompatible with the just hopes or expectation of happiness it is not capable of remission and therefore eternally desperate of salvation all which must be so understood by you not that spiritual illumination is not necessary but that it is not alone sufficient to save The strongest abilities of knowledge may only serve to purchase us a more learned and full damnation Secondly That greatest knowledge may be in a subject The greatest knowledge may be in a subject void of Grace and an enemy to it both deprived of the inexistence of sanctifying grace and also filled with bitterest enmity and malice against the truth of Grace I justly question whether any persons uncapable of Glory are convinced with more supernatural light then these who sin against the Holy Ghost yet sure I am none are more enraged Lyons against the innocency and simplicity of Holiness and true Grace then these A person may put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 5. speaks and yet his heart be void of the inward power of Godliness A dead man may be clothed with beautifull Garments and a heart utterly void of the life and quicknings 1. Privation of Holiness may yet be adorned with the fair robes and endowments of knowledge Nay Do but consult with the Records of the spirit in the Scripture and the examples of persons and attempts in all Ecclesiastical History you shall not only find knowledge divided from grace but oft-times makeing strongest oppositions against it None with-stood 2. Opposition Christ more then the learned Scribes and Pharisees none withstood Paul more then the learned Athenians Whom have we in our age more eager against the Doctrine of faith then the subtile Jesuite and against the independency and immobility of grace then the Arminian Dull and blind apprehensions are not so serviceable Engines for the execution of Diabolical malice the most advantagious servant that ever Satan had was a learned head and a graceless heart Abstract knowledge will easily blow up pride and pride will easily fire our malice and contempt and these will suddenly break out into our tongues with derision and persecution of Grace Thirdly That our greater knowledge without sanctifying Great knowledge without grace adds to misery Grace adds to our greater ruine and judgement This illation is most conspicuous in the subjects of this sin whose Judgement becomes the more heinous and inevitable because of the greatness of their illumination and conviction I know the schools deliver unto us several circumstances whereby a sin common with another in identity of nature is yet by the access of them variously altered but amongst all the intensive perfections of sinfull guilt this addition of knowledge is one excessively aggravating If ye were blind saith Christ Iohn 9. 41. ye should have no sin comparatively for measure but now you say we see therefore your sin remaineth An ignorant Offendor may have some plea and excuse but a willfull sinner is without all Pretext None shall find greater stripes then he who knows and doth not or he who sees to do but will not As the most practical Christian shall rise to the highest seat and Throne of happiness in heaven so the most illuminated sinner shall sink into the deepest dungeon of misery in hell Use II. NOW I come to Caution you have heard what this sin Caution is and you have heard the sad condition of this sinner that he may for ever despair to see the face of God! I dare not fasten the compleat guilt of this sin on any who hears me this day Only remember that of the Apostle Heb. 3. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Take heed of Yet because this sin is possibly incident unto us who take upon us the profession of the Gospel it shall not prove I trust an unseasonable endeavour if I describe unto you some few steps by which the soul gradually descends unto the bottom of this damned impiety First Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ which Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ is done three wayes 1. When the Judgement hath no reverent estimations of God in Christ and of the Promises made in the blood of Christ or of the necessary conditions of the Covenant of Grace to be performed by us Secondly When the heart either in hearing or reading is without life and affections so that the Gospel draws not our love and joy and delight or any adhesion of the mind Paul tells us 2 Thes 2. 12. of some to