death into the World turn out sin and you shall not need to fear death A man that is in debt and hath a writ out against him he is fain to hide and keep close but assoon as the writ is out of date then dare he boldly go abroad and look the Serjeant in the face when we are assured that our sin is cancelled out of God's Book then death's writ signifies nothing to us we can smile in the very face of this grim Serjeant O learn to live without sin that you may dye without sorrow O how happy are all they whom death it self the worst of evils cannot make miserable And thus you see some of the parts of their happiness who can say as in the Text I have kept c. here is comfort enough for any man and Brethren if you do but remember them so as to consider them again you will find that it is a far greater happiness than the greatest Kings and Princes in the World have in all their plenty and prosperity here is happiness in life all things work for our good all our Prayers answered at death unsting it at judgment no sin charged after to all Eternity espoused to Christ and be with the Lord. But least any should take this comfort to themselves to whom it doth not belong I will lay down some Marks and Characters of such Persons as those are who keep themselves from their own Iniquities 1. That man that keeps himself from his own Iniquity he is one that hath felt the smart and burden of sin No wise man after he hath made a good meal of such meat as he loves best will presently take a vomit to cast it up unless it make him sick and load his stomach so is it in respect of our beloved sins till they vex us we will not turn them out of doors Like the Egyptians who would be perswaded by no means to let Israel go till they saw the Plagues that they suffered for it 11. Mat. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden implying that none but such will come Now let me ask you this Question what is the Reason that some of you have parted from some sins are these sins a trouble and burden to your Souls or else do you not rather deal with sin as David with Absalom who banisht him the Court but yet loved him for all that if so then know that you and sin are not rightly parted you must cast sin out of your hearts as the Israelites cast their leaven out of their houses they were to curse it thence 2. That man that hath kept himself from his own Iniquity he is one that hath duly considered the great danger of sin we all of us hate poyson because we know it will cost us our lives O that we knew but sin as well we should hate it as much When Jacob knew that Esau sought his life he presently fled away from him so did we but know that sin will assuredly ruin our Souls though we love it never so well we should part with it Like some fish who love the bait well and therefore do swallow down the hook but when they perceive the danger of the hook in their bodies vomit up their beloved baits again O sirs have you seriously considered Death Judgment and Hell have you ever set the wrath of God before your eyes if you have I think you will never love sin more 3. That man that hath kept himself from his own sin will endeavour to keep others from their sins also 2 Cor. 5. 11. all such Persons will be telling others the danger of sin and perswading others what they can from sin Paul was no sooner a Convert but he presently turned a Preacher Nemo acrior inter persecutores nemo prior inter peccatores Aug. do you do so are any of you sensible of the danger of sin you will be telling it to others 'T is in this case as in other cases have any of you kept a Servant in your houses that is a Thief hath purloyned your goods and embezel'd away any of your commodities if you find him out you will not only turn him away but also forewarn all others from receiving him telling them the danger of having such a fellow in their houses so is it here if any man hath found out the danger of his own sin and turned it out of his heart he will forewarn all others of their sins and perswade them what he can to do likewise 4. That man that hath turned his own sin out of his heart will be much in aggravating of it what he can he will speak the worst of it that he can nay not only of that sin but of every other sin also If a Father be highly provoked by his Son that he hath formerly been very tender of so that he turns him out of doors he will be always speaking against him wherever he goes and will not endure that any should speak in his behalf Paul before his conversion took great delight in his sin viz. in Persecuting the Disciples of Christ but when once he was turned from it he was always aggravating it to the height and speaking the worst of it and himself for it that he could as you may read in the first of Tim. 1. 13 15. v. and in the 1 Cor. 15. 9. when men can connive or wink at their sins or speak fairly of them 't is a sign that they have not yet renounced them Suppose a man 's own Iniquity be Covetousness O he will seek to daub it over and say why I am good Husband I do but look after the main chance when perhaps this man is as gripple a Worldling as any that lives suppose his sin be swearing he will plead for it thus there is no such hurt in it 't is a trick that I have got and I cannot leave it there be others that swear as well as I or the like 't is a sign when men seek to extenuate their sins or to plead for plead for their sins that they and their sins are still cater-cozens they are not yet parted O but every true convert will loath his sin and loath himself for it 42. Job 6. here was a true sign of Jobs Repentance in that he abhorred himself and by the way here we may learn a distinguishing mark and character between a true convert and an unconverted Person a wicked unconverted Person always looks upon others as greater sinners than himself and thinks other mens sins worse behalf than his own A true convert thinks worst of himself and his own sins so Paul I am the chiefest of sinners 5. That man that hath renounced his own sin will live ever after in a quite opposite and contrary course to that sin 1 Gal. 23. Paul you see after his conversion was as much for Christ as before he was against Christ 1 Cor. 15. 10. As before his conversion he was more furious
only because he keeps a shop furnisht with hats or an hosier c. so though a man never committed such or such sins yet if his heart be filled with them 't is all one in the sight of God hear what our Saviour saith 15. Mat. 19. why saith one from the hand proceeds murders and thefts from the eye adulteries and fornications from the tongue false witness and blasphemies O but the heart is the forge of all therefore Brethren take heed your hearts do not deceive you here and make you think that you are not guilty of any sin because you do not commit it Observe that place well 17. Jer. 10. when God comes to punish our ways he searcheth our hearts 't is not enough to cast sin out of the life if it be not turned out of the heart this is to thrust one out of the Hall and bring him into the Parlour we must not only leave of committing but also loving sin 5. Another deceit is this when a man doth commit a sin his heart will plead thus that it did not consent to it he never lik't it in his heart O this is the common cheat whereby many deceive themselves when they swear lye cozen backbite are drunk or do any thing amiss O they will say they have they thank God as good hearts as the best why Brethren if your hearts be so good how come your lives to be so bad if I see smoak come out at the chimney top none shall make me believe but that there is fire on the hearth Solomon will make this plain and he traceth up sin to the very fountain of it 6. Prov. 12 13. but whence comes all this that he saith of the naughty Person in those 2. v. why read the 14. v. and you will see frowardness is in his heart and no wonder then that he walketh with a froward mouth there can be no surer sign of a naughty heart than a wicked life 't is true an upright sincere heart may now and then commit a sin but 't is not his common trade and practice but where we see a continual stream of profaneness dayly running in a man's life and conversation then we may certainly judge and conclude that there is a naughty fountain in that man's heart 6. Another deceit is this our hearts will persuade us from the comission of sin to the continuance in sin our hearts will thus argue with us you have done so and so why you can't be much worse as when a man hath spent half a day idly O saith he I 'le e'ne make it up an whole day I cannot do much work now Thus our hearts will persuade us according to the Proverb over shooes over boots Thus Peters heart deceived him after he had denyed Christ once he then makes no bones of it to deny him again and again and forswear him too As sometimes by eating we get a stomach to eat more so by committing one sin we do as it were get us a better stomach to commit more sins after the first draught which perhaps we may a little breath at it sin the next draught will go down the more glib O Brethren take heed of this deceit 't is no policy in the World to give ground to sin such a cunning wrestler keep it off at arms length if it once come to close and get in we are sure to fall and therefore to prevent this deceit let us make use of the Apostles remedy against anger as a soveraign balm against every sin 4. Eph. 26 27. come out of sin presently assoon as we are fallen into it O let us not make that an argument because we have committed one sin weakly therefore to commit two sins willfully O remember that sin is unsatiable like the Daughters of the horse-leach always crying give give it will never cry enough hold your hand and remember also the deceitfulness of your heart how ready to close with sins motion at any time O Brethren lay but these two things together sins unsatiableness and our own hearts deceitfulness and you will see 't is no good wisdom to try conclusions between fire and such an heap of Gun-powder 7. Another deceit is our hearts will persuade us that if we are elect and in the favour of God then our sins shall not be laid to our charge But O sinner remember this that this is no sign of election that thou runnest willfully into sin But will our hearts say what was Paul was he not an elect Person while he was a Saul a Persecutor yet he found mercy because elected Answer O sinner consider there is a vast difference between thy sins and Sauls 1 Tim. 1. 13. 26. Acts. 9. But thou knowest the contrary that thou oughtest not to commit these sins therefore thy sins far exceed Pauls again what a great deceit is this of our hearts that we should try whether we are elected by sinning This is to tempt the Holy One of Israel O Brethren have a care of this deceit to this end follow the Apostle Peters Counsel 2 Pet. 1. 10. but how must we do this how may we make our election sure how he lays down the way in the 5 6 7 8 9. v. which if we walk in we shall never fall Brethren know this that you may by living in sin make it out plainly that you are not elected but 't is only by increasing in grace and sanctification that any man can prove his election 8. Another deceit is this our hearts will tell us of the judgment and opinions of men concerning such and such sins they think well enough of them and if you do commit them you shall be never the worse thought of for all that O how many hath this deceit plunged over head and ears in sin and therefore to take of this deceit in a word remember that we are not to inquire the judgment and opinion of men concerning sin but the judgment of God look to the Scripture and see what that saith do as Jehosaphat 1 Kings 22. 6 7. so when all men speak well of sin yet go thou to the Scriptures say is there not a Prophet of the Lords that we might inquire of him we must approve our hearts to God and not to men what God saith we must not do we must not do it though all the World say we may do it we must answer to God only for our lives and therefore let us be sure to inquire of God only how to order our lives And thus I have given you only a few of those many instances that might be given of the deceitfulness of our hearts 17. Jer. 9. there is no end of its deceits but from what hath been said we may learn these things 1. How little we are beholden to our own hearts Bernard speaking of the deceitfulness of the heart saith dum me diligenter inspicio tolerare meipsum non possum O Brethren if you did but know your own hearts you would
fruits and therefore we must look to these two 1. The root of Repentance and that 's humiliation now the deeper the root the stronger the tree the deeper our humiliation the stronger are we in grace and holiness what 's the reason that bulrushes bow and bend and turn backwards and forwards with every wind but because they have no good root 2. Col. 6 7. rooted and stablished both go together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now humiliation lay a deep sure foundation being well rooted makes him firm and strong this is twofold 1. In respect of what is past O he is much humbled and cast down for what is past though God will forget what he hath done yet he will never forget it though God will never cast it in his dish yet he will be always hitting himself in the teeth with it ever now and then Thus did Paul he was ever now and then telling what a Persecutor he was O that troubled him and vexed him that ever he should Persecute Christ O true humiliation will make us do so we shall never be well pleased with our corrupt nature as long as we live we shall be always speaking against our selves what we were heretofore 2. There is another branch of this root and that respects the time to come when we are throughly humbled for what is past we shall be very fearful for the future 2. Philip. 12. cum timore tremore O he is like a fearful man that dares not climb up any high steep place dares not walk aloft for fear of falling therefore he keeps the lowest ground so the Apostle directs 11. Rom. 20. 2. The fruits of Repentance what is a tree good for if it bears no fruit away with it so what is Repentance good for I mean that Repentance that hath no fruits 3. Mat. 8. do not saith John Baptist think your selves to be Saints because you come to hear me Preach or be Baptized no bring forth your fruits and such fruits as are meet for Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy the name of Repentance Now there are two parts of Repentance 1. A turning from sin 2. A turning unto God or unto Godliness Now our fruits must be answerable to both these parts of Repentance 1. The first part turning from sin your loathing of sin must be as great as formerly your loving of it your hatred as great against it as formerly you delighted in it ea specialiter horreas quae specialiter appeteb as Bern let thy best beloved sins be most abhorred by thee let them be like the Israelites dainty Quailes O how did they long for them and afterwards they could not endure them they stunk in their Nostrils deal with thy beloved sin as Amnon with Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 15 16 17. 1. He hated her 2. He would not hearken to her motion 3. He put her out of doors 4. He bolted her out do so with sin 2. The second part turning to God and Godliness Do as much for God and Christ as ever you did for sin love Holiness as much as ever you loved Wickedness Nay take as much pains in the ways of God as ever in the paths of Unrighteousness so did Paul we have both his Example and Precept 1 Cor. 15. 9 10. 6. Rom. 19. we must not saith one bind our selves to a trade of sin and use Religion only as a recreation No but we must work as hard in Righteousness as formerly we have wrought in sin Nay further as we have been scandals to others to turn them out of the way by reason of our sins so now we must be good examples not only to keep in the way our selves but to bring others into the ways of Holiness also Now examin your Repentance by these signs and you need never trouble your selves you shall not fall so saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. how so see the fruits of Repentance verses 5 6 c. be as fearful and as careful of falling as you will 't is the better but such Persons may be comforted that they shall never fall away i. e. totally and finally from Christ and Grace 6. Scruple O but say some if we are such as have cast out every sin even our most beloved sins how comes it to pass that we are so much afraid of Death and so loath and unwilling to dye O this is our great trouble that we are so afraid of death whereas a true convert one that is quite freed from sin which is the sting of death he rejoyeeth and triumpheth over it O death where is thy sting and O grave where is thy victory Answer briefly 4 ways 1. By concession in two particulars 1. That there is nothing in all this World so terrible as death is 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all terrible things the most terrible saith the Philosopher the King of Terrors saith the Scripture 18. Job 14. It made that great Ahasuerus so afraid that he would suffer none to come into his Court in Mourning Apparel and another great King commanded all his Servants when he was sick that none should so much as speak of death in his hearing there is no Ague fit will make a man's face look paler and his whole body quake and tremble more than the very thoughts and apprehension of death But 2. That sin as it is the only thing that brought death into the World so 't is the only thing that makes it look so terribly As a man that hath the yellow jaundice every thing that he looks on seems yellow so he that hath sin in his Conscience O what a ghastly sight is death to that man take only the instance of Cain one that had a guilty Conscience 4. Gen. 13. why so see the latter end of verse the 14. so cryes out the sinner of death O wherever it find me it will slay me 't will spoil me of all my comforts and pleasures rob me of all my riches and treasures pull down my house my body about my ears drag my naked Soul to Judgment deliver me over to Devils to be tormented for ever and ever O sinners you that make a mock a sport of sin consider are not these terrible things you that will be rich right or wrong you that will domineer and have your minds you that laugh and scoff at holiness jeer at Sermons O for all this be sure you do not forget your selves but be sure you tremble at death O think how terrible it would be to you should a voice from Heaven say this very day or this very hour your Souls shall be required of you 2. By way of distinction there is a twofold fear of death one that is natural proceeding from meer nature as nature it self abhors her own destruction and dissolution the other sinful as proceeding from the guilt of sin when the Soul knows that to Hell it must go assoon as he is dead The natural fear of death is lawful and may be
he practised himself he did not â—enelopes telam texere do and undo build â—ith one hand and pull down with the other â—ut his life was sweetly consonant to the tenor â—f his teaching in a word he was one to â—hom if ever to any God had given the Art â—f winning Souls the first Text that ever he â—reached to that Flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made him so long an Overseer â—as that in the 11. Prov. 30. he that winâ—eth Souls is wise and this was his design all â—long his Ministry for this he Preached for â—his he Prayed for this he Studied yea with â—esires that many Souls might be brought inâ—… Christ he dyed What entertainment the â—ollowing Sermons of this Blessed Saint will â—eet withal in the World I can easily foresee â—o such poor Souls as are burthened with sin â—nd would fain be rid of it they cannot I â—hink be unacceptable If others censure â—hem 't is no more than what I looked for in â—he publication of them it will be no wonder â—f those condemn them that are guilty of the â—…ns they condemn it would be a greater wonâ—er if they did not for Men love not to hear â—heir sins spoken against such Treatises as â—his the purport of which is to persuade Men to part with what they so dearly love viz. their beloved sin their own iniquity and to shew them the inevitable unavoidable danger that their poor Souls are in of perishing eternally if they do not must needâ— be ungrateful and unpleasant to such as havâ— taken up a resolution not to depart from Iniquity If any curious Reader shall find anâ— Errata's either in word or phrase or anâ— thing that seems imperfect I desire him nâ—… to impute it to the Reverend and Learned Aâ—thor but to the Transcriber or Printer thâ—… so he may not be condemned for our faults â— must indeed confess I took what care anâ— pains I could in the transcribing of theâ—… from the Authors own Notes that there migâ—… be no mistakes yet his Notes being writteâ— no otherways than for his own use in the Puâ—pit I may have made some especially in tâ—… beginning where some things I suppose 〈◊〉 they occurred were in his Notes set beforâ— which should have followed after and I hâ—… no way to reduce them to their proper place but as the sense led me the pages not beiâ—… figured therefore if there be not in the eâ—plication of the Text that coherence and dâ—pendence of one thing upon another 〈◊〉 theâ—… ought to be or that you might expect froâ— so able a Divine you see the reason witâ— out doubt if he had lived to have transcribed them himself they had come out in a better Method than now they do and more polite One thing more I think fit to acquaint the Reader with namely that these Sermons were the Fruit of his younger years in the Ministry he being not long called to that great Work before the time of the last great Plague which occasioned his Preaching of them upon certain Fast days set apart to seek the Lord upon that account without doubt he much improved himself by Preaching and therefore the Sermons of his latter years would better discover to the World the singular gift of Preaching that God had blest him with above others yet I chose rather to publish these and that upon a double account first because he designed these for the Press as appears by the Preface and the Contents which he drew up with his own hand and the Title page which he had writ over very fair tho he had not proceeded so far as to transcribe the Sermons 2. Because Treatises on such a Subject as this can never be more seasonable than in these days wherein iniquity so abound I pray 〈◊〉 it may be for the suppressing thereof if thou would'st profit by these Sermons then 1. read them with attention 2. take thy Bible 〈◊〉 as thou readest turn to those Proofs which for brevity sake are only noted the words not recited and 3. be sure thou forget not to beg of God both before and after thy reading to set home the truths thou readest upon thy heart I assure the Reader I have no other end in publishing these Sermons than what I dare say was the Authors in Preaching them viz. Gods glory and the good of Souls which that they may be serviceable to this end shall be my dayly Prayers to him who while Paul plants and Apollos waters alone give the increase Vale. THE CONTENTS Obs in two parts 1. Doctrinal where three things 1. what is our own sin 1. In respect of constitution 2. In resp of habitation 3. In resp of provision 4. In resp of protection 5. In resp of love 6. In resp of delight 7. In resp of trade and calling 8. In resp of unwillingness to part with it 2 what we must do to keep our selves from this sin 1. Labour to see the evil of it 1. This is very hard 1. bec we love it 2. be we love the evils in it 3. b. unwilling to hear an evil report of it 4. be angry with those that repr it 2. This must be done in the 1st pla 2. Give it no entertainment 3. Choose another love 4. Dispute not the case with flesh blood 5. Deny our selves 6. Search in the Scripture what we shall gain by parting with it 7. Be much in Gospel duties 8. Labor as much as we can to thwart it 9. Beg of God to do it for us 3. Why we should do this 1. Because we love it 2. Because of its great power over us 3. This is the way to keep out other sins 4. This stands most in competition with Christ for the heart 5. Because it continually besets us 6. This sin will damn us as well as 10000 7. This will be our great comfort in all afflictions 8. This is the surest sign of our sincerity Application 4 fold 1a Information in 6 things 1. Discovers the reason why so many go to Hell because their beloved sins carry them thither 2. Discovers the reason why so few are converted to the Gospel because it bids them part with their own sins 3. Discovers the folly of sinners who for a beloved sin will venture on damnation 4. Discovers the reason why People are so in love with sin because their own 5. Discovers the chief work and duty of Ministers to persuade People against their own sins 6. Discovers the righteousness of Gods judgments against us bec we own sin 2a Reproof to 4 sorts 1. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their iniquities keep close and hide their iniquities 2. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their iniquities boast of them and glory in them 3. Those who instead of forsaking their own sins partake of others sins 4. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their own sins draw others into them 3a Consolation in 2 parts 1. The grounds of
sickness 2. The Scripture doth no where tell us that such a sin again committed shall not be pardoned 1. God will forgive us as much as he commands us to forgive others we must till seventy seven times 2. No sin but the sin against the Holy Ghost unpardonable because we cannot repent of it 3. A Man may commit the same sin again and again and yet be in Christ and a state of grace as David Peter c. 4. A Man may commit the same sin often yet not be his own beloved sin 2. Some Cautions added 1. Take heed of this falling sickness relapse dangerous 2. Presume not on the examples of the saints of falling again 3. Take heed of relying too much on your own strength 4. Make use of the means to keep from relapsing 1. Keep a tender heart 2. Repent to the purpose 3. Our Saviours receipt 26. Mat. 41. 3. Scruple because they find not the influences of the ordinances Answer'd 2 ways 1. By concession This sin if it be still in us and we do countenance it will hinder the power and vertues of the Ordinances 2. By caution in 2 words 1. Take heed that this be not false that you say not you find no influence when you do to state the Question aright consider 2 things 1. What are the influences of the Ordinances they are 4. 1. Pricking wounding 2. Humbling 3. Strengthning 4 comforting 2. Examin your selves whether you have felt none of these perhaps some though not all 2. Take heed this be not true 't is a dangerous case the means to get influences 1. Go not to the Ordinances in your own strength 2. Look beyond all duties and ordinances they are but means eye the end 3. Be much in prayer to god for an influence on your Souls 4. Scruple because they see more sin in them now than before answered in 4 things 1. Consider the work of conversion 't is to open the eyes to see sin which we saw not before 2. After conversion there is a contrary principle of grace and sin and that fights and that makes us think sin stronger than before 3. The Devil will trouble us now more than before by laying sin to our charge 4. 'T is a sign of a state of grace for any Man to be in this condition 5. Scruple because they think their Repentance not good enough ans two ways 1. 'T is a good sign that person hath truly repented who is troubled he hath repented no better 2. By direction to know true Repentan two ways 1. By its root Humiliation the deeper the surer 2 fold 1. In respect of what is past 2. Fearful careful for the futu 2. By its fruits 2 sorts 1. Turning from sin loathing it as much as formerly loving it 2. Turning to God and godliness 6. Scruple because they are afraid to dye answ 4. ways 1. By concession in 2 particulars 1. That there is nothing in all the World so terrible as Death is 2. Sin as it is the only thing that brought in death so it makes it terrible 2. By distinction between a natural and a sinful fear of death 3. By consolation a true saint if he fear death 't is without a cause 4. By exhortation to seek after assurance that will expel all fears of death 2. Pleas of the wicked for themselves that this sin is out when 't is not these are 7. 1. Plea bec no body can charge them with sin ans 3. ways 1. 'T is the policy of this sin to lye so close that others cannot perceive it 2. Perhaps others may see it and yet not tell thee of it 3. If God condemn thee what advantage is it that the whole World acquit thee 2. Plea bec Conscience doth not check them answered in 4 things 1. Though Conscience doth not accuse you it doth not follow that it cannot 2. It doth not follow that therefore conscience will never accuse you 3. You say conscience doth not accuse you but doth conscience excuse you there 's the Question 4. Take heed of such bad quiet Consciences as never smite for sin 3. Plea because conscience doth smite them ans 3. ways 1. Trust not too much to troubles of Conscience 2. Rules to judge of troubles of conscience 1. when a Man is never the better for them 1. Look to the fountain of these troubles is it only for fear of punishment 2. Examine what sins thou art troubled for only open gross sins 3. Whether doth this trouble drive thee 4. Consider the effects is it reformation 2. When a Man is the better for them 1. When the soul is more troubled for the sin than for the punishment 2. When the soul takes more care to be washed from the filth than freed from the guilt 3. When the soul carefully avoids sin ever after 4. Plea bec they perform duties and frequent ordinances ans in 5 things 1. Even the very Hypocrites do the same 1. That they may have whereof to boast 2. By outward duties to cloak their inward lusts 3. That they may have whereon to rest and trust to 2. A Man may do all duties and yet live under the power of sin 3. Duties performed where the life is not reformed do the more harden the heart in sin 4. Get the power of godliness into your hearts and use these duties as helps to it 5. If many that do these duties shall go to Hell what will become of those that do nothing 5. Plea be they have left many sins answ in 2 particulars 1. 'T is a good beginning but 't is not enough 1. There is no sinner in the world but abstains from yea hates some sins 2. The Scripture character of a Saint is not the leaving of such or such particular sins but sin in the general 3. Unless we repent and turn from all sins there 's no mercy Partial 2. A particular reformation is not true examin it by 2 Quest 1. Quest what are the sins reformed 1. Are they not only small petty sins or 2. Sins that cross and hinder preferment or 3. Gross iniquities that all the Country cryes shame on or 4. Such sins as have first left you 2. Question what kind of reformation 1. Only an outward of life and not of heart 2. Only of passion and not of Reason and Judgment 3. Only a leaving of sin and not an hating 4. Only a turning from sin and not a turning to God. 6. Plea be they can't endure sin in others answered 3 ways 1. Censuring and judging others will not make a true Saint 2. 'T is the sign of an Hypocrite to hate sin in others and not in himself 3. Follow the Gospel rules in this case 1. In judging and censuring our work lyes only at home 2. In reproving and reforming we must first begin at home and then go abroad 7. Plea be they are not only professors their good works are to be seen answered 2 ways 1. Even Hypocrites may imitate the
Saints in these therefore no trusting to them 2. Look to the Qualifications of them 1. They must proceed from a good heart 2. The tree must belong to Christ else hee 'l not own the fruit 3. The fruit must 1. Be done in faith 2. In Charity 3. In Proportion 1. to our former bad fr. 2. to the soyl we are pl. in 4. The aim and end of them must be good 3. Motives with Means and Directions 1. Motives 12. 1. Because 't is a beloved sin 3 branches 1. To love sin is to have communion with the Devil 2. If we love any sin we cannot love Christ 3. We cannot honour Christ better than by parting with a beloved sin 2. 'T is the only sin that hinders our union with Christ Reason Scripture Conscience these 3 judges give sentence against it 3. Consider how long God and Christ have waited on us for the mortifying of this sin 4. Consider the gracious offers the Lord makes to us if we will part with this sin 5. Consider the several aggravations of this sin they are 10. 1. 'T is a sin against light 2. 'T is a willful sin 3. 'T is a deliberate sin 4. 'T is an heart hardning sin 5. 'T is a judgment contemning sin 6. 'T is a sin of custom 7. 'T is a sin of great delight 8. 'T is a ruling sin 9. 'T is a sin maintained at an high rate 10. Comes near the sin against the Holy Ghost 6. Consider the dreadful effects of it 1. It takes away all our spiritual strength 2. It defiles all our holy duties 3. It withers all our pleasures 1. Takes away the cause of all comfort 2. It s sweetness makes our comforts 1. Empty 2. Dangerous 3. Very short 3. Damps us in the midst of our comforts 4. Makes all our comforts end in sorrow 4. It robs us of all our spiritual beauty 5. By degrees steals away our hearts from Christ 6. At last 't will fill the soul with horror 7. Consider the blessings and benefits that accrue to us for casting this sin out 1. Such have true cause of mirth 2. The match concluded between Christ the soul 3. The Dev. can't hurt them 4. They may trample on miseries and afflictions 5. They are fit for death 8. Consider the many loud calls to leave this sin 1. The voice of Gods word 2. The voice of Gods rod. 3. The voice of the blood of Christ 9. Consider your profession of Christianity you make and herein look 1. Backward to your Baptism 2. On your Prayers 3. On your Promises 4. On your coming to the Lords Table 10. Consider what you loose by keeping this sin 1. The things themselves great 1. Gods favor 2. Gods protection 3. Assurance of Salvation 4. Thy part in Chr. place in paradise 2. 'T is an irreparable loss all the world cannot make thee amends for it 11. This is an unquestionable truth on all hands and all sides 12. This is the power of godliness and power of Religion 2 Means 7 1. Act but according to your own judgment and reason in your sober mood 2. Go to the Scriptures and get particular receipts against particular sins 3. Have an eye to the promises of God in Scripture 4. Labor to cast out this world out of your hearts 5. Take not up a profession at large be strict 6. Avoid the company of the wicked that live under the power of sin 7. Be much in soul sanctifying meditations 3. Directions of 2 sorts 1. In getting out this sin 1. Be not over-hasty in this work 2. Do not set a time to this work begin presently 1. Else 't is a means to wast our time to tarry 2. 'T is a despising of God to leave his Work till last 3. The sooner the easier 4. The sooner the more pleasant 5. If you stay too long it may prove too late 3. Examin all you do here by Scripture 4. Be sure you go not forth in your own strength 2. After 't is out 1. Pray much against it 2. Be watchful against it Psalm 18. 23. And I kept my self from mine Iniquity The Introduction I Have often shewed you since we have had both cause and opportunities to keep these days of Humiliation both the excellency and vertue of Fasting and Prayer I have likewise shewed you the Reasons why God after so many Fasts and Prayers that have been put up to him in this Nation is not yet intreated for us but rather his anger is not turned away and also his hand is stretched out still the maine Reason is because we perform not this duty according to his appointment I have likewise shewed you what such a Fast is as God respects and as God hath appointed you may hear it again 58. Isaiah 6. The true Fast is to depart from sin and wickedness for every one of us to amend our ways and lives I have likewise pressed upon you Reformation as a necessary duty that ought to accompany all our Humiliations and without which all our Fasts are no better than sins and our Prayers than profaneness yea let me add further that 't is a most horrible profaning of Gods Name to mix our Prayers and our Sins together and may not God for this justly mix our blood with our sacrifices Till we do that which God in his word calls upon us to do for him we must never expect that God will do that which we in our Prayers call upon him to do for us Read 26. Leviticus 23 24. I come now as an addition to what I have formerly spoken to shew you the way and means to a right Reformation and that is every one of us must follow Davids example in the Text to keep himself from his own Iniquity i. e. every one must amend one and then we shall the sooner amend all These Serm. were Preach presently after the great fire in Lond. As now in London that ruinous place upon which God hath lately sent such a signal token of his wrath in laying it in Ashes before they can begin to build again the Foundation must be cleared from all the heaps of ashes and rubbish that lays upon it and the speediest way to do this is for every man to clear his own ground so is it in respect of us and the whole Nation sin lies so close to every mans heart one sin or other like so much rubbish upon the Foundation that God cannot build us up again an holy Nation a peculiar People to himself and beautifie and adorn us again with his former mercies now the speediest course that we can take herein unless we are in love with our misery is for every man to clear his own heart of his own particular sins Thus David a man after God's own heart hath set us himself as our Copy in the Text And I kept my self from mine iniquity Methinks I see the multitudes in this Nation running from one place to another shifting every man
what shall we do to live we live by our sins we gain by our sins 19. Acts. 24 25. so some say we must cozen now and then or we cannot live by our trade we must to the Ale house now and then or we cannot get a good bargain do you so the Devil may take such gain if he will but know this that God is able to do more for you than sin can do 2 Kings 1. 2 3. what is there not a God in Heaven to provide for you that you must go to sin and the Devil to get a lively-hood Saul he never went to the Devil before God had left him and answered him no more but alass how many run to the Devil before God hath left them what is there never a promise in the whole Bible to comfort your hearts but you must go to sin for comfort is not Heaven rich enough and glorious enough to make you happy but you must have sin also to lye in the scales O remember this if you part with your best sins you shall be no losers 7. Be much in spiritual duties pray much against this sin this thine own sin read much hear much meditate of Christ and Grace of God and Heaven much perform these duties with a desire to be revenged on thy own sin As Sampson when he prayed to God for strength it was that he might be avenged on the Philistins Brethren we Pray to God for grace but 't is not with this intent that it might kill this sin and therefore we pray amiss when we hear a Sermon it is not with intent to get knowledge how to mortifie this sin and therefore we hear in vain and mark this whatever spiritual duty we perform if we do it not with an intent especially against this sin it is to no purpose David when he chose out five flint stones it was with an intent to kill Goliah with them and when the slung them he aimed at his head so let us do in all our spiritual duties level them so that we may take aim at this sin especially and then we shall prosper 1 Kings 22. 31. Alas what is it to kill a Thousand common Soldiers in an Army of Twenty Thousand kill the General and you have won the Field we Fight in vain unless we Fight against this King of sins in us 8. Labour as much as you can to thwart this particular sin we use to say one contrary will expel another look you what is contrary to thy corruption exercise thy self in that grace or vertue the way to make a crooked stick strait is to bend it as much the contrary way Is Covetousness thy sin then be much in giving Alms be much in meditating of the riches of Heaven follow our Saviours Counsel in the 19 th of Mat. 21. Is Drunkenness thy sin Pray for the Spirit of God 5. Eph. 18. Art thou given to Pride labour for Humility and think meanly of thy self think the best of others drive in grace as much as you can into the heart and that will drive out sin especially that particular grace that is opposite to this sin to cure a Wound you must get a suitable Plaister for that Wound so for the cure of this sin you must get a suitable grace 9. If after all this that you have done you cannot yet work out this sin then go to God and beg of him beg earnestly of him to do it for you 2 Chron. 20. Chap. 1 4 12. so if thou art afraid of this sin and dost seek the Lord with all thine heart God will assuredly help But the truth is we have no heart to Pray against this sin and therefore the Lord doth not hear our Prayers we deal with our sins as Pharoah with his Frogs in the 8 th of Ex. 8 9 10. so we would fain be rid of this sin many of us but not yet why not before we come to dye when we are leaving the World then we could be content to leave this sin O this is a sign that we do not desire to part with it and if we will not part with it now we shall never part with it O of all things let us have a care of such a frame of spirit as this is least God in judgment give us over to dye in this sin as we have desired all our days to live in it 3. Why we should above all things keep our selves from our own sins David in the Text tells us that he kept himself from his Iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word as I shewed you in the beginning signifieth to prevent a danger that is likely to fall on us there is a Noun comes from this Verb which signifieth a Watch-tower as sentinels in a Garrison that stand in the Watch-tower espy the Enemy afar off coming to them before he seizes upon them and so prevents his design so David though he fell into other sins and was surprized as it were by other sins yet this sin which he calls his own sin he had a special eye unto was always upon his guard his Watch-Tower to prevent it certainly there was something in it David saw good reason for it that made him more carefull of this sin than of all others Now I will shew you some Reasons why we ought to be so careful against our own Iniquities 1. Because we love it so much this sin is the Souls darling the Souls beloved look into your hearts and search them well and you shall find a sin there that you love better than God or Christ or Heaven or your Souls It is said of Ahab that he sold himself to do wickedly oh this was an high prized sin what sell himself for a sin and are there not many Ahabs among us that will sell themselves for some sin or other A mans self is the highest price that he can set upon any sin that which we love best we prize most be it an horse or a dog I will not take an Hundred Pound for it But for a man to sell his Soul to the Devil nay Soul and Body to Hell to be tormented in the Fiery Lake of Brimstone Eternally for a Sin you will say that man pays dear enough for it O Friends here you see the force of the Reason keep your selves from this sin your love and affections from it because this is the sin that will take up all your love will take off your heart from God and Christ and your Salvation A man while he is suiting and hath deeply set his love upon a Woman will neglect all his other business that he may gain her for a Wife is it so with you in reference to any sin Brethren I desire to deal plainly and faithfully with your Souls and mine own have a care of that sin have a care of loving of it least you hate your Souls and hate God and Christ I will explain this by a comparison this sin is like Absalom Absalom
most dear unto us the Gospel bids the Drunkard leave his drunkenness the Swearer leave his swearing the Covetous man to leave his Gold and Silver the Proud man to despise honor and embrace humility in a word it bids every man to leave his own Iniquity O this is an hard saying who can bear it flesh and blood can never endure it Away with such a Gospel as this is cry men this will turn the World upside down Let John Baptist Preach what he will before Herod he can like his Doctrin well enough but when he comes to tell him he must part with his beloved Herodias away with him to Prison 't is not fit such a man should live upon the earth Paul may Preach as long as he please at Ephesus till he come to Preach down Diana then will Demetrius presently raise a tumult against him so the Young Man in the 19 th Chap. of St. Matthews Gospel what Christ said to him from the 16 to the 20 verse was all well Christ had not as yet touched his sore place he spake nothing of his beloved sin well but you shall see what follows verses 21 22. here the shooe pincht him when Christ comes once to tell him of his beloved sin to touch that he had enough away he goes Sinners turn their backs on Christ assoon as Christ bids them turn their backs upon their own Iniquities We are all of us like Naaman in the 2 Kings 5. 17 18. God must bate us an ace if he expects us to be his Servants we make our terms with God to have our liberty in one sin or other which we like best O we think that God is a very hard Master and that he is too strict and severe with us to debar us of every sin like Agrippa we are contented to meet Christ above half ways to be almost Christians i. e. Christians in every thing save in one thing i. e. in keeping still our own sin but that we can by no means part withal Now I hope you see the Reason why so few are converted and why all our Preaching proves no more profitable unto you blame not us but blame your selves for it we may say as David said these Sons of Zerviah are too hard for us as to other things we may perswade you and prevail somewhat but when we come to speak against this sin your own sin there is little or no hope to prevail with you This sin is the Beelzebub the Prince of Devils and 't is not all the Apostles of Christ unless Christ himself come powerfully into your hearts can cast him out 3. Here we see the folly of sinners who for the short pleasure of some beloved sin or other will venture to undergo the pains of the damned the torments of Hell and the Wrath of an Almighty God 21. Ex. 1 2 5 6 verses the case is the same here the Gospel is nothing else but a proclamation of liberty to the Captives all that will leave their sins may come to Christ and be made free well but their are some like the Israelites servants that will say I love my sin which is my Master and as dear to me as Wife and Children I will not go out free oh these are the Persons that have their ear boared never shall Sermon do them good never shall ordinance do them good they shall serve sin for ever God will fulfill their desires as they are unwilling to part with sin so shall they never part with sin they and their sins shall live and dye and go to Hell together O the folly and fondness of sinners that are so unwilling to part with their sins let such know this before sin and they part they shall have enough of it you that tast the sweet of sin remember that you must tast the sour also sin like St. Johns Book though it seem to you as sweet as honey in the mouth yet it will be as bitter as gall and wormwood in the Bowels O let us remember this that our Souls are our own as well as our sins and one of them we must part withal here is the tryal which we love best our own Sins or our own Souls that which we love best we will not part withal 3. Acts 19. No sin shall be blotted out at the day of Judgment but those sins that are cast out here cast them out of your hearts and God will soon blot them out of his Book O that sinners were but as wise in preventing as they shall be woful in undergoing the everlasting sorrows which shall follow their short sinful pleasures 'T is but a foolish bargain that every sinner makes to purchase eternal pains for momentary pleasures to chuse rather to be turned out of Heaven then to turn one sin out of thy heart 4. Here we see likewise the Reason why People are so in love with sin which is so ugly in its own nature and so odious in the sight of God. If we had the true picture of sin drawn to the life before our eyes together with the Judgments of God in this life and the Torments of Hell in the other life carrying up its train we could not but sit down and wonder at the madness of our hearts that we should so much dote upon it or fall in love with it O but wonder not here 's the Reason every man loves one sin or other because 't is his own sin Do not some of you wonder why David should love Absalom so well a Murderer a Traytor what not one that in many respects dealt worse with David than ever Saul did one that was a continual grief to David yet he loved him dearly for all this would you know the Reason see it in the 2 of Sam. 19. 4. why he was his own Son that was the Reason Do you wonder that men can love sin so well which is a Traytor in their bosoms the Destroyer of their Souls the only hindrance of their Eternal Happiness oh here 's the reason 't is their own sin a Babe conceived in the womb of their own hearts nursed up and suckled in their own Breasts All men are mightily taken with their own things the Proverb is every mans own goose is better than his Neighbors swan so is it with sin we do hate sin others but we love it in our selves nay the very same sins that we hate in others we hug them while they are in our own bosoms the truth is this when ever a wicked man hates sin he doth not hate it as it is sin but because it is not his sin if it were his sin he would love it as well as others nay and perhaps this man that hates one sin in his Neighbour may as dearly love another sin in himself see an example in the 38. Gen. 24 25 26. we look not upon our own sins with the same pair of spectacles that we look on other mens sins withal Men will never think
their own Children to be so ill as other mens Children are though perhaps they be a great deal worse Here lies the great deceit and that which doth our Souls all the mischief our owning of sin so far as to countenance it and all the evil actions that come from it If we could but once disown sin we should quickly be out of love with it 5. Here we may see what is the chief work and duty of Ministers 't is to perswade men what they can against their own Iniquities and bring them out of love with their own sins 58 of Is 1. Cry aloud spare not life up thy voice like a trumpet and shew my People their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins and this hath been always the practice of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ in all their Sermons and Preaching Noah he reproved the men of the old World for their sins Elijah he dealt plainly with Ahab and reproved him for his sin the Murder of Naboth Nathan the Prophet he comes bluntly to David and tells him thou art the man. John Baptist he tells Herod of his Herodias and Paul when he Preached to Felix and Drusilla he reasoneth of righteousness and temperance whereby he plainly intimated what was his Iniquity General Preaching is as good as no Preaching at all Ministers must not only tell People of sin but of their sins Should a Physician come to a sick man and discourse learnedly before him of the nature and causes of sickness in general and not tell him what is his disease and sickness and tell him what means he must use against it this would do him no good such are all our Learned Sermons and quaint discourses c. Brethren we have to deal with sinners sin in Scripture is a sickness now we must tell every man what is his sin and what may be a means to bring him out of the snare of the Devil such general Preaching is like prophecying in an unknown tongue which the Apostle saith in the 1 Cor. 14. 9. is speaking into the air 't is Preaching at random He is not a good Soldier that knows only how to discharge his Musquet and let it off but he must be skilfull how to level it that he may shoot his Enemy He is not to be accounted for a good Preacher that can make a quaint Sermon or a Learned discourse but if we would do good by our Preaching we must tell every one of his own Iniquities we must not Preach against the sins of the Court in the Country nor against the sins of the Country at Court we must not set men against other mens sins but every man against his own sins The Prophets did not go to Samaria to Preach against the sins of Jerusalem nor to Jerusalem to Preach against the sins of Samaria This will do you most good will make most for the health of your Souls Thus Brethren you see what is the duty of Ministers if they would do you any good and I hope none of you will be offended at us if we deal so plainly aand faithfully with you This â— in respect of some that were present when he Preached this Serm. who it seems thought he dealt too plainly with them in telling them of reproving them for their sins Here are some that have been angry with me for Preaching thus but let them know that they themselves are the greatest enemies to their own Souls If you chuse a Lawyer to manage your case for you at the common Law and he states your case wrong and you loose the Suit by it will you not call him Knave for his pains what then will you call us Ministers in Hell if we deal not now plainly and faithfully with your Souls I never yet heard otherways amongst honest men but that plain dealing was ever accounted best This is the Anvil that we must strike upon tho thereby wâ— make the sparks to fly about our ears 6. And lastly here then we see the righteousness and the justice of all Gods dealings with us He is righteous in the extremity of all his proceedings against us May we not say of England as the Prophet of Tyrus in the 28. Ezek. 12 15 18. v. do we not keep those sins in our hearts which bring down God's Judgments upon our Houses can we expect it should be otherways with us when we are resolved not to part with our sins How can we expect while we own sin but that God should disown us while we countenance Iniquity but that God should discountenance us while we suffer our hearts to be over-run with these bryars and thorns but that God should make us fewel for the fire of his indignation 9. Daniel 13 14. God hath publickly in his word proclaimed sin for a Traytor and hath forbidden us upon pain of his heavy displeasure to harbour any sin in us now if we make our hearts the rebellious houses of sin God may justly fire our houses about our ears and make our habitations like a dunghill And therefore in all our miseries and calamities that have or may befall us and under all the Judgments of God let us cry out with the Church in the Lamentations wo unto us that we have sinned had not we loved sin God would then have loved us 2. Use of Reproof If that we ought to keep our selves from our own Iniquities then this reproves 1. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their Iniquities keep up close and hide up their Iniquities who deal with their sins as Rachel with her Idols when Laban came to make a search after them she hid them in the midst of the stuff How many Persons are there that will not be known of their sins as if they knew not what they meant tell the Swearer of his swearing he denies it he is not the man or the Drunkard or Covetous c. Brethren you deal unfaithfully with your Souls why do you go thus to hide up your sins I can tell you the true Reason because you have no mind to leave them the Scripture puts confessing and forsaking of sin together and confessing is always first and a means to the latter 28. Prov. 13. I can tell you further the Scripture puts confessing and forgiving together 32. Ps 5. So that no confessing no forsaking no forsaking no forgiving And this is the great danger that these sins our own Iniquities bring us into keep us from confession and therefore seldom are pardoned That man is in a forlorn coâ—dition who when his sin like the Small-pox would break out drives it in again and strikes it to the very heart what a madness is it for a man to send to a Physician and desire him to heal him and yet will not be known of any disease that troubles him So this is desperate folly and hypocrisie for men to come and pray to God to pardon their sins and yet will not be known of any sin that is
every Minister is the Friend of the Bridegroom in every Sermon we ask the Banns between Christ and your Souls and tell you that Christ for his part is very willing nay earnestly desirous of you why then what is it that hinders where doth it stick O beloved I will tell you the very truth as I expect to answer for your Souls and mine own at the great day of Judgment why 't is this sin our own Iniquity in every one of our own bosoms that steps in and forbids the Bans sin cries out the Soul is mine 't is my Wife Christ hath nothing to do with her while I live O Friends consider seriously what you do while you maintain this sin in your hearts you stand most in your own light and refuse Christ to be your Husband But now kill this sin and then you are free to accept of Christ and here is the happiness of every true Saint Christ and his Soul is united assoon as sin and his Soul is parted 7. Rom. 24. it implies thus much O how happy a man should I be were I but once freed from this sin which is as a body of death to me I have read of a cruel Tyrant who invented this cruel kind of death for Malefactors that he did not kill them presently but tyed them while they were living to the stinking Carcasses of dead men and so were pining to death by degrees by the very noysomness of those Carcasses O sin is a most noysom Carcass could you but once smell the stink of it you would cry out with the Apostle O wretched Man or Woman that I am c. but the Soul that is freed from this sin may sit and sing with the spouse my beloved is mine and I am his O the spiritual joy and comfort that is in that heart when Christ and the Soul meets If John the Baptist leaped for joy in the Womb of Elizabeth when the Virgin Mary came but into the House how then will that Soul leap when Christ is entred into the heart But the wicked they loose this happiness because they will not part with sin what said Balaam to Balak in the 24. Num. 11. so will Christ say to sinners depart from me ye cursed flee away I thought to have espoused you and to have promoted you to great honor but sin hath kept you back from honor and happiness 2. There is no sin shall be laid to that man's charge O this is a great happiness and the most wicked Person in the World will acknowledge as much and cry out O that my sins were pardoned O that God would not lay sin to my charge 32. Ps 1 2. now this is the blessedness of every one that keeps himself from his own Iniquity Brethren know this that if we our selves do not own any sin God will never Father any sin upon us assoon as we cast any sin out of our hearts God he presently blots that sin out of his Book 18. Ezek. 30. O that you would but hearken to this word turn from your Iniquity and your Iniquity shall not be your ruin 8. Rom. 1. let not sin command you and sin shall never condemn you O here is comfort indeed go to a poor Prisoner and tell him you will give him a great Estate a Thousand a Year tell him how bravely he shall live then and eat and drink of the best O but saith the poor Prisoner I have committed a great fault for which the Judge will not pardon me I must dye for it and what will all these things that thou dost promise do me good If I had but my pardon to save my life that is all that I desire that 's better than all so here tell a man of worldly prosperity and glory and honour and pleasures alass what will all this do me good if my sins be not pardoned and I must be sent to Hell sin unpardoned that causeth sorrow in the best of outward conditions but sin pardoned causeth joy in the worst of all conditions what saith such a man what care I for poverty losses troubles I can triumph in all because I know that my sins are blotted out and I shall be eternally happy 3. All things shall work together for their good 8. Rom. 28. now who are they that love God why we may certainly conclude that 't is they who do not love any sin How did God testifie his love to us but by parting with his own Son for our sakes so shall we sufficiently testifie our love to God if we can part with our own sin for his sake now such and all such have this priviledge that nothing shall hurt them nay every thing shall do them good All evils whatever shall be to such Persons like Josephs Prison the way to preferment O what a comfort is this to us in a World so full of evils evils of sin evils of sufferings evils of temptations evils of afflictions A sick man will joyfully drink the bitterest potion when he knows it will do him good so the Saints rejoyce and are comforted in all their miseries here knowing that they shall work for their greater glory hereafter 4. They shall have this priviledge to have their Prayers heard and answered saith David in the 66. Psal 18. if I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me therefore by the rule of contraries we may conclude that if we do abhor and forsake and turn Iniquity out of our hearts then God will hear our Prayers 2. Hos 17. what was Baalim why this was their Iniquity their great Idol well what follows v. 21 22. O Friends consider well this priviledge you that come to Church and say your Prayers for what end is it that you Pray if you desire not that God should hear you if not you Pray in vain if you desire that God should hear you put away your Iniquities we read of Hannah that when God answer'd her Prayers she was comforted her countenance was sad no more on the other side see the 4. Gen. 5. O we may guess whither God hears our Prayers or no by our faces and by mens very looks O Friends prize this priviledge of having your Prayers answered and do not loose it for the love of a few sins did you but know what is gained by Prayer you would not part with this priviledge for all the sins in the World. 5. These Persons only are fit to dye these are the Persons that do triumph over death 1 Cor. 15. 55. Death is a cruel biting venomous Serpent it makes the proudest to stoop the strongest to tremble lays the stoutest man upon his back and makes the greatest Beauty to look pale but now saith a Saint come death I fear thee not I have taken out thy sting which was mine own Iniquity now do thy worst I shall live in spight of thee O you that are afraid to dye come learn this lesson learn how to unsting death sin brought
keeps the Soul ignorant of its estate and condition it cries peace peace when God speaks no peace Heaven frowns on them and the Scriptures denounce nothing but Wrath and Judgment against them 29. Deut. 13. O tell a sinner of such and such sins O they will say they hope to be saved for all that poor blind Souls how doth sin lead them blindfold to Hell. O Brethren this is a strong Fort and 't is hard to storm it we may Preach and God may send his judgments on the earth and all to no purpose for they will not learn righteousness O take heed of this endeavour all that you can to learn while you have the means of grace continued to you take pains for knowledge for while sin keeps you in blindness it keeps a strong Hold in you 2. Another strong Fort or Castle that sin raiseth up in the Soul is hardness of heart hence it is called in Scripture an heart of stone or a stony heart 11. Ezek. 19. we account Castles that are built with Free-stone and on Rocks the strongest Castles O sin makes it self strong when it makes it self a Fort and a Castle of stone in the heart Oh! how hard is it to get sin out of such an heart 't is like a stone hardned in sin lay a Mountain upon a stone saith a late Divine and it never groans so is it with sinners let a Mountain of sin a World of guilt lye upon his Soul he feels it not he groans not under it smite a stone while you will beat it as long as you can stand over it it complains not Oh reprove sinners beat them with the hammer of the word of God they are not moved at all they complain never the more of sin read 6. Hosea 5. God hews sinners by the Preaching of the word as a Mason doth hew stones and cut them yet are they stones still v. 7. A stone will not bend nor bow break it you may but bend it you cannot so sinners let them hear the best Sermons sit under the most powerful Preaching and pathetical persuasions they are like stones still God may break them to pieces with the stroaks and blows of his Judgments yet every piece remains a stone still Oh hard and rocky hearts how hath sin fortifyed it self to the purpose in these hearts when their hearts are so hard that they are Sermon-proof or Ordinance-proof and Judgment-proof what shall we then say of their Salvation 3. Another Castle Fort or strong Hold sin erects in the Soul that it may keep the possession is a seared Conscience 1 Tim. 4. 2. Oh this is an invincible Castle 4. Eph. 19. When a man is not sensible of his vileness is not ashamed of sin but rather boasts and glories in it this is limen inferni the very threshold of Hell. Reproof's like pistol bullets will not enter such coats of mail as these what will they say tell us of Sin and Hell and Damnation we care not a rush for these things Oh Brethren have a care of letting sin get such a power in your hearts as to raise up such an invincible Fort as this is that all the Sermons in the World all reproofs and persuasions in the World all the mercies and judgments of God should do you no good Oh when men come to be once past feeling then do they work all uncleanness with greediness then do they make hast to damnation and gallop full speed to Hell as the hard heart is a Castle of stone this is a wall of brass sic murus ahaeneus esto nil conscire tibi nullâ pallescere culpâ Thus I have shewed you the strong Holds of sin the Forts and Castles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it s strong Fortifications Now 2. I will shew you some of its Artillery or Ammunition that it Fortifies these Castles withal for the strongest Castle or Garrison must yield at last for want of Ammunition sin doth furnish the Soul herein As 1. With carnal affections and desires these are like match take fire with the least spark blow but the coal of temptations over them and they are presently all in a flame 8. Rom. 6. Oh take heed of all carnal affections they are the Ammunition sin lays into the Soul. 2. With sinful and wicked Arguments to plead for sin Oh how are sinners furnisht with these Hellish Arguments these are sins Ammunition also Oh what eloquent Tertulluses are many sinners to plead for their sins as some will plead for Drunkenness oh they must not be base they must keep Gentlemen company and spend their money others for Covetousness the times are hard they have great Families they must be sparing others plead for sin because Noah David and Peter committed the like sins Oh Brethren sin will furnish you with a Thousand Arguments against your Souls these are like shields and bucklers to keep off the reproofs of the word 3. With prejudices against the People of God and the ways of God Oh say some these Saints are the basest fellows in the World as Ahab said of Michaiah I hate him I can't endure him Oh these are like Granadoes that carry wild-fire in them these are furious like Saul and breath out threatnings against the People of God and this makes them to hate the ways of God. Brethren take heed of prejudices against the People of God Oh this is sins Ammunition in the heart when it cannot bring a man out of dislike with Religion then it sets him to hate the Professors of Religion Oh take heed of harbouring ill thoughts of the Servants of Christ This very thing have brought many sober Persons to debauchery and wickedness because of their hatred to the Godly and hath brought many to forsake Religion because they have a prejudice against such as profess Religion 4. With many curious and pleasant fantasies of the pleasures happiness and delights that there are in sin these fantasies sin lays into the heart before-hand as so many Barrels of Gun-powder that it may be ready stockt against the temptation comes and then with every little spark of temptation sin is ready to blow up the Soul at once Oh take heed of entertaining any good thoughts of sin It was a sure sign that Jonathan loved David well and was loath to part with David because when ever Saul spake of Killing David he would be speaking well of him and pleading for him so Brethren 't is a sure sign you love sin well and are loath to part with your sins when ever Ministers or others are speaking to you of slaying it you will think well of it and be still pleading for it And thus you see a second piece of policy in sin to keep possession of the heart when once it is got in by raifing strong Holds in the Soul and furnishing it with such abundance of ammunition that 't is hard to get it out 3. Sin hath another policy to keep possession by bolting and barring up all the
doors and stopping all passages when it perceives any will endeavour to get it out sin will keep a man from good company what it can will not let a man sit under the powerful Preaching of the word will stop the ears to all reproofs and good admonitions This was the policy of Amaziah Jeroboams Idolatrous Priest he would suffer no good Preaching at Bethel for fear his Idols should go down 7. Amos 12 13. Sin doth not love that there should be any correspondence kept between Christ and the Soul it intercepts all letters and messages from Christ to the Soul and from the Soul to Christ will keep the Soul from praying reading hearing that so it may keep the Soul from Christ Oh Brethren this is great policy I have read of William the Conqueror's policy to gain England was this asson as he had landed all his men here he presently burnt all the Ships that brought them over that so none might return back but they must fight it out When sin hath drawn away the heart from God and Christ into evil ways and courses then it hinders it from all ways and means of returning to Christ Hence sinners cry down Preaching cry down Sabbaths cry down Ordinances cry down Prayers in Families because sin knows if these go up it must come down sin bars the doors of the heart against any thing that should bring in Christ this is desperate policy 29. Prov. 1. 4. Another policy of sin to keep possession is to be always very pleasing and observant to the heart always delighting of it with its pleasures the sinner would quickly grow weary of that wicked course and trade did not sin dayly supply him with new pleasures and delights This policy of sin the Scripture takes much notice of in divers places take two or three 4. Hosea 11. when the Soul hath full sails of pleasures and a full tide of earthly delights Oh how merrily doth it swim down the stream to Hell. To this purpose is that of Solomon 5. Prov. 20. by the strange Woman and the bosom of a stranger he means all the pleasures and delights of sin now he gives us the Reason why we should not embrace these v. 22. these are the cords of sin to bind us fast this is sins policy to keep the possession of our hearts sin cares not what it spend upon us that so we may still entertain it therefore again saith Solomon 7. Eccl. 4. a wise man that is afraid of sin will keep from this house of mirth Oh Brethren sin keeps a merry a jovial house to please and delight the sinner and by this stratagem keeps the possession of his heart therefore Solomon calls these pleasures the song of fools v. 5. Oh how merrily doth sin carry poor Souls to Hell alass they sing but they know not whether they are going 22. Is 12 13 14. hardly do such Persons get rid of sin and chain of pleasures will keep any man fast Oh when sinners once begin to be serious and to think of their Souls and Salvation then sin begins to make them merry to put away all such thoughts out of their minds I have read in the story of the Life of King Edward the sixth that the Lords that had contrived the Death of the Duke of Somerset Unckle to the King and Lord Protector after he was condemned their policy to keep the King from being troubled at his Death and that he might not pardon him was to entertain the King every day at Feasts and Banquets and with new Plays Masks and Sports which they thought pleased the King best just such is the policy of sin to ruin our Souls by entertaining of us with the vain pleasures and delights of this World to keep out of our hearts the care of our Souls the hatred of sin and the thoughts of Death and Eternity Thus sin hath formerly played its pranks with the old World and will use the same policy to destroy this World too 24. Mat. 37 38 39. Oh Brethren let us take notice of this policy of sin we live in the last days of the World upon the very edges or banks of Eternity Oh let us have a care of these pleasures whereby sin will draw away our hearts from God to our Eternal ruin 5. Sin hath another policy to keep possession when once 't is got into the heart it keeps the heart abroad as much as it can I mean thus it sets the heart a work and busie abroad in looking after other mens sins Thus sin deals just like an Harlot that sends her Husband from home while she may entertain her Adulterer with her so sin will make us busie in judging other mens hearts and prying into and looking over other mens lives and actions that so we may have no time to look into our own hearts lives and actions Thus the Pharisees of old all their trouble was for others because they were sinners but never considered their own sins And I pray what are we now a days are not we the same we are all jury men in other mens cases and actions we can tell when others do amiss but cannot tell when we our selves do amiss oh this is deep policy and 't is that mystery that is now at work among us even amongst the greatest Professors In all companies they are asking of others and talking of others what such and such have done you shall hear few or none complaining of themselves of their own hearts of their own lives oh Brethren we give sin the greatest advantage that can be while we are rifling and spending our verdicts on other mens hearts you shall see an example of this in the 12. John 3 4 5. v. Judas would fain be spying a fault in others but considered not the desperate wickedness of his own heart Our Saviour reproveth all such reprovers as these are in 7. Mat. 3 4 5. v. This is like some Persons that at their Neighbours houses will be spying out a sluttish trick and telling of it but regard not any sluttishness or nastiness at home oh Brethren we our selves are in the greatest fault when we can see no fault in our selves O take notice of this policy of sin 't is only sin that makes men so censorious of others Christ in his Gospel bids you not to censure others look to your selves if you see any thing amiss in another search whether there is not the like in you say thus oh am not I guilty of the same sin my self have not I as wicked an heart my self Brethren always observe it a censorious heart is a wicked heart 't is some sin or other that would fain be ruler in our hearts that sends us abroad so often oh let us leave off this trick of censuring others and look to our own sins set our own hearts in order we do all complain of sins in the Nation that bring judgments upon us but have not we some of those sins in us do
own it not for your act and deed continue not in it nor suffer it to continue in you 8. Another policy of sin to keep possession is to tell you of the examples of the Saints every one of them had their sins and yet they went to Heaven for all that and why may not you keep a sin as well as any of them and yet go to Heaven at last Thus it will tell you of Noah's Drunkenness of Lots Incest of Josephs Swearing of Davids Murder and Adultery of Peters Denial of Christ c. O Brethren this we may call sins Charter whereby it holds fast possession of many Souls This very argument hath made many to keep their sins all their lives and to carry them to their graves with them only in hope to find mercy with God because such and such did notwithstanding their sins Now to unhamper this snare consider 1. That these Saints though they did commit those sins yet we cannot call them their own sins as in the Text they were not beloved sins sins that they took delight in they did not continue in those sins neither did they give those sins room and possession in their hearts but now if you keep sin in you why yours and theirs are not alike 2. 'T is as vain a thing for a man to make this an argument to live in sin because others viz. the Saints have fallen into a sin now and then and obtained mercy as for me to drink a cup of rank poyson because I have heard of one that hath drunk a cup and it did not kill him take heed of tempting God because I have seen men dance on ropes shall I therefore that have no skill venture to do the like because I have read that Jonas saved his life in the Sea in a Whales belly shall I therefore leap into the Sea or into a Whales mouth because God had mercy on some shall I therefore desperately run into the very jaws of fury and vengeance 3. Qui sequutus es errantem sequere poenitentem if we would follow the examples of the Saints why then we must cast away sin we must turn sin out of doors None of the Saints in all the Bible suffered sin to keep possession if you would find mercy as they did follow their Repentance 4. This is no proper way to hope for mercy at death by continuing in sin all our lives if we do not put away sin now we are alive do you think God will take away sin from us when we are dead nay rather the contrary if we suffer sin to live with us will not God suffer sin to dye with us 8. John 24. O will not Christ say at the day of Judgment to such as will not in this life part with sin and yet cry for mercy then O sin and you have been old companions you have lived a long time together 't is pity to part you now and therefore sin and you shall to Hell together if we keep sin for our Tenant on Earth 't is pity but we should be Tenants to sin in Hell. 5. Consider with what difficulty those Saints got pardon O they were fain to pray and cry and roar and weep bitterly before they could be healed now consider if these so hardly escaped that did but give sin a nights lodging or an hours baiting as we may so speak O how do you think you shall escape or get pardon or find mercy at last that have farmed out your Souls to sin for the whole term of your lives read that of the Apostle and I say no more 1 Pet. 4. 18. 9. sin hath another policy yet to keep possession and that is by keeping the Soul formal in holy duties by making the Soul to rest and to trust in those duties that notwithstanding all their sins they shall be saved for their good Prayers and reading the Scriptures and hearing Sermons for being Baptized and because they have received the Sacrament c. O Brethren I am afraid sin doth hit many of us here in this particular what more common now-a-days than Swearers to be Swearers still and Drunkards to be Drunkards still and cheaters to cheat and cozen their Neighbours still c. every sinner keeps his sin still and what Brethren do you keep your sins and yet hope to be saved why yes you do hope to be saved you hope to be saved by your duties if you would but speak it out this is the Reason as long as you can but come to Church to hear a Sermon now and then and to say divine service and Ministers will but let you come to the Sacrament you think all is well you care not for amending your lives you think not of putting away sin O Brethren sinners would very fain go to Heaven with their sins in their hearts and sin hath found them out a way as they think by trusting to their holy duties O saith sin what needs thou trouble thy self with Repentance 't is but sending to the Minister to pray for thee when thou art a dying and all is well Friends this is deep policy of all things be sure you learn this Mystery and take heed of it sin will hereby deal with you like Herod mingle your blood with your sacrifices if all our waters in England should be poysoned would it not be a sad thing when People drink of them they must dye and if they do not drink they must dye so Brethren sin poysons all our duties if we perform them we must dye if we do not perform them we must dye too read 66. Ps 18. the Prayers and the Duties of the wicked i. e. such as continue in their sins are an abomination to God and hear how it will go with them at the day of Judgment 13. Luk. 25 26 27. and 7. Mat. 22 23. O learn to repent to amend to turn over a new leaf of your lives else your Duties your Prayers Sermons Sacraments all will but add to your greater condemnation at last 10. Another policy of sin to keep possession when once 't is got into the heart is this sin will perswade you that you cannot live without it if you part with me saith sin then farewell all your happiness farewell all your merry days farewell all your friends you must be singular and alone by your selves you must be like no body in the World. O Brethren cut the throat of this argument before it speak again else sin by this policy will ruin your Souls To this end I will lay down some arguments against this argument 1. Suppose this that all the World will hate you if you cast out sin yet know this if you do not cast it out God will hate you Now try your selves which do you most of all set by the hatred of the World or the hatred of God 5. Ps 4 5. 2. You say you love not to be singular you would fain be like other People why do you know what you
say this is to reject God 1 Sam. 8 4 5. what follows v. 7. take heed of rejecting the Lord. 3. You would not willingly partake with the wicked in their torments why then will you partake with them in their sins these two cannot be separated 18. Rev. 4. 11. Sin hath one piece of policy more to keep possession and if it see you get the better in all the rest yet if you have not a great care it will worst you here 'T is this sin will promise you to be gon of its own accord O saith sin let me alone and you shall not need to trouble your selves I will be gon time enough there be but few that do understand this Mystery of sin hence it is that many People never think of repenting and reforming but let sin alone in hope it will wear away of it self and therefore to advise you herein take these particulars 1. Consider that you may be deceived herein you may think your sin is gone and hath left you when 't is nothing so many a man may think sin hath left his heart when yet sin is there still 't is hid in some hole or corner I will shew you this in a few particulars 1. Some think that their sin is gon because they have not been tempted to it as formerly O Brethren this is no sign the reason of this may be for want of an object or by reason of many businesses that have drawn away your thoughts another ways or perhaps you are now removed into such Places or Families where you have not the liberty you had when ever you meet with these circumstances look then for the temptation again 2 Chron. 24. 2 17 18. v. 2. Some think that their sin is gon because they have not committed it for a great while O Brethren sin may be in your hearts for all that sin is like a King will keep its State will not be seen every day abroad many deal with sin as David with Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 38 39. And 2 of Sam. 14. 1. Absalom you see ran away out of his Fathers Kingdom but still abroad in his Fathers heart so sin may seem to be gon and we have left committing it for a while yet we love it as much as ever and keep it in our hearts see an example of this in Judas what he was in 12. John. 6. O Judas might think this sin had left him all the while he followed Christ but though he did not openly steal as others yet for all this the Text saith he was a Thief that is a Thief in his heart so is it with many sin we think is gon but it lies in the heart still 3. Some think their sin is gon because they are turned professors and make a great profession which formerly they did not O sin will deceive you here we have a clear example in Simon Magus 8. Acts 13. yet sin was still in his heart as you may read at the 21 22 23. v. O Brethren sin will lurk and lye hid under an Holy Profession like Goliah's Sword behind a Linnen Ephod 2 Tim. 3. 5. 't is not a man's Baptism receiving the Sacrament being of a gathered Church which People account so much of now-a-days will clear the heart of sin sin may deceive you for all that I might instance in more particulars but these are enough to shew the truth of it 2. Consider that some mens sins do really leave them and yet for all this they do not leave their sins as for example a Drunkard when all his money is spent can't go to the Ale-house the Whore-master when his body is decayed cannot do as formerly the Swearer is struck dumb he doth not Swear as formerly c. these men have not left their sins but their sins have left them and what have they left them to but the Judgment of God for all this is far from Repentance or Reformation No thank to a man that he doth not sin when he cannot sin O Brethren have a care of this do you leave sin first before sin leave you 3. Consider if you leave it to sin when it will be gon you will never be rid of it sin will put us off from time to time but once more and then once more and so to Eternity if we let it alone and do not thrust it out of our hearts Observe but this if you once begin to set a time for Repentance hereafter you will never repent do it presently or you will never do it And thus you see the great Mystery of sin working into our hearts and in our hearts how many ways it hath to get in and also how many tricks and policies to keep in sin you see is loath to part with us God grant we be not as loath to part with our sins 2. The deceitfulness of the heart in joining with this sin You have heard how loath sin is to part with us now you shall hear how loath our hearts are to part with sin sin is not more cunning in getting into our hearts nor more politick in keeping possession there when once 't is in then our hearts our own deceitful hearts are in contriving all ways and means possibly to keep it there when Saul would have killed David Jonathan Sauls own Son that came out of his bowels hides him and secures him so when we go about to slay our own Iniquities then our Jonathans our hearts in our own bosoms they hide the sin and secure it O Brethren Jonathan never loved a David better than a carnal heart loves sin And many a cunning shift do our own deceitful hearts make use off to deceive us and to keep sin from being turned out of doors Now I will shew you some of them in these following particulars 1. Our hearts are very apt to deceive us thus in telling us what sins and what lusts and corruptions we have subdued already and they will perswade us that now we have done enough what need we trouble our selves any further this is but one single sin let it alone and there be but few that have done as much as you have done against most sins This was the deceit of the young man in the Gospel that came to Christ whereby his heart deceived him O he had done all things but one and that one thing could he by no means perswade his heart unto you shall find it 19. Mat. 16. 22. O his heart deceived him in that one thing every thing else his heart could yield to but not to that one thing he thought himself a very brag fellow that could boast of doing so much all these have I kept c. so Herod did many things but one thing he would not do he would not put away his Herodias O Brethren let us take heed that our hearts do not deceive us here in thinking that we have done enough in putting away many sins when as we have not put away every sin therefore
though you have deceived men yet you cannot deceive an All-seeing God that saying of our Saviour is true in this sense also wo to us not only when all men speak well of us but speak well to us 6. Luk. 26. he is our best Friend that tells us the worst of our condition If a man come to any of you and say Sir there is a spot of dirt upon your face you will say I thank you for it but if a man tell you of your Lying Swearing Drunkenness Cozening and the like the Spots of your Souls you are presently angry O sirs know this that though men never tell you of your sins one day you shall hear of them And what will you get by this though all the men of the World try you up now for Saints if God at last fling you into Hell among the Devils for sinners 2. Plea. O but others will say sure we are upright before God and have kept our selves from our own Iniquities for our Consciences did never yet check us for any sin and as long as we have good Consciences what need we fear sure if it were so that we were guilty of this sin or did nourish it Conscience would smite us for it though no body else would tell us of it Answer 1. As to the former no man accuseth you of any sin it doth not thence follow that no man can accuse you of any sin so here you say your Conscience doth not accuse you O it follows not that therefore your Conscience cannot accuse you there be many vile Persons in the World whose Consciences never yet smote them for many sins that they committed it doth not therefore follow that they never committed them you must know this that Conscience doth not speak always some mens Consciences are like some Devils we read of in the Gospel they were dumb Devils so there are dumb Consciences Nay and where Conscience doth sometimes speak sometimes it holds its tongue An example in David when David cut the lap of Sauls Garment 't is said his heart smote him there Conscience spake 1 Sam. 24. 5. but when David had committed those two great sins of of Murder and Adultery 't is not said then that Davids heart smote him no he lay a whole Year in that sin without any remorse of Conscience at all till the Prophet Nathan came and reproved him for it Divines they tell us that great sins do vastare conscientiam they sear and harden the Conscience that so it speaks not at all O Brethren be afraid of your selves when you sin and your Consciences let you alone and never tell you of them 2. Again you say Conscience never yet accused you for any sin it doth not follow that therefore Conscience will never accuse you nay rather thus you must think that Conscience hath a long reckoning with you Conscience hath the more against you and it will call you to an account for all at last Conscience is like a Shop-keeper you take up Wares at your Mercer or Grocer c. he asks you never a penny you send for more and more still he asks you no money O but all this while he writes down all in his Book and there must be a pay day at last so thou sinnest Conscience says nothing thou sinnest again and again Conscience still holds its peace O but Conscience is all this while a writing sets down every particular sin and this Book of Conscience will assuredly be brought as a Witness against you at the last day And therefore saith one though Conscience be not always speaking yet 't is always Writing O sinner tremble at this I may say almost the same to you that Saint James saith to rich men 5. James 1 2 3. rich men O they think 't is a merry World while they are hoarding and treasuring up their riches and gold and silver and none to contradict or oppose them O but saith the Apostle they would howl if they did but know the miseries that shall come upon them and what they are treasuring up for the last days so sinners you may think it now a brave and a merry World you can sin at your liberty be drunk day after day swear oath after oath and cozen one man to day another to morrow lye and forswear and speak as you list and do as you list and live as you list and none to contradict you your Consciences hold their peace and say not a word to you O but tremble and howl to consider what an hoard a treasure of sins you are heaping up together against the last day the day of Judgment O sinners you that say your Consciences never yet did smite you for any sin do not trust to that Conscience will deal by you as Absalom by his Brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 22. mark what follows v. 23 28. so Conscience c. 3. Once more you say Conscience did never accuse you but let me ask you one Question did ever your Consciences excuse you or do they now excuse you if you can say so you say somewhat to the purpose 2. Rom. 15. one of these two every man's Conscience will do and must do either accuse him or excuse him and therefore if your Consciences do not excuse you look for it as sure as death they will one time or other accuse you if Conscience do not witness with you it is a sure sign that it will witness against you do not boast or rejoyce of a silent Conscience but rather tremble and be afraid the Apostle will tell you wherein he rejoyced and wherein you may rejoyce 2 Cor. 1. 12. so do your Consciences witness with you your simplicity of heart and sincerity towards God and your carefulness in your whole lives to walk before God with a perfect heart and to keep your selves from your own Iniquity in this may you truly rejoyce and have true peace and comfort otherwise if you live in sin and your consciences smite you not do not rejoyce all such rejoycing is vain Question But you will say what shall we do in this case when we do so or so and Conscience never smite us for it how shall we know whether it be good or bad Answer Take Bernards Rule in this Case unicuique suus liber est conscientia c. ideo scribi dehent libri nostri ad exemplar libri vitae si sic scripti non sint saltem corrigantur Go to the Law and to the Testimony if thy Conscience speak not according to this rule it is because there is no light in it Conscience as one well observes must have its negative voice nothing must be done without its assent and good liking but be sure your Consciences go by the certain rule of the word of God else you will miserably perish And therefore Chrysostome doth worthily blame those who are so scrupulous in taking money they must see the figures and look for the right stamp but in
Scriptures and hear Sermons keep up duties in our Families and good orders and frequent the Ordinances surely we are purged from our Iniquities none under the power of sin do as we do Answer 1. In the words of our Saviour what do you more than others do not even the Hypocrites the same they run to Sermons they thrust themselves to Sacraments they read Chapters and pray in their Families they keep a clean outside Hypocrites are as much in these duties as any and the reasons of it are these 1. That they may have somewhat to boast of and therefore this is always an Hypocrites note to boast of his duties I fast twice in the Week c. and I do so or so whereas a true Saint is even ashamed of his best duties and flings them away as rags the Hypocrite he seeks his own glory in duties a true Saint seeks only God's Glory and that 's the reason he performs duties at all 2. That they may by these outward duties cloak and cover their inward lusts and corruptions hide their beloved sins hence our Saviour calls them guilded and painted Sepulchres 30. Prov. 20. so the Hypocrite after he hath slily committed a sin then he wipes his mouth with some Heavenly Speeches or Prayers or the like and O then he passeth for a Saint whereas a sincere heart he performs duties to get rid of sin the Hypocrite he performs duties thereby to keep his sins 3. That they may have somewhat to trust unto and to rest upon All the hope and confidence in the Hypocrite is in what he hath done whereas a true Saints confidence is only in what Christ hath done for him you shall see both these what doth the Hypocrite plead at the day of Judgment see 13. Luke 26. his duties But what is a true Saints confidence then only Christ's merits and righteousness 3. Phil. 8 9. 2. A man may do all these duties and yet live under the power of sin A man may pray against sin and yet delight in sin Are there not many among us too many that say over the Lords Prayer every day yea some many times in a day Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy will be done yet continue to be Swearers Drunkards scoffers at Holiness and Sabbaoth-breakers yea and delight in these sins and what more contrary Again some will speak against those very sins that they love best 2 Sam. 15. 3 4. while Absalom was there railing against injustice he was then plotting the greatest peace of wrong and injustice in taking away his Fathers Kingdom from him As our Ranters that will sit drinking of healths so long till they have quite drank away their own health so many do even harden themselves in their sins by their holy duties when they do pray one ways and their hearts are set the other ways O how loath are they that God should hear their Prayers Saint Austin confesseth that before his conversion he prayed for chastity yet was afraid as he writes of himself least God should hear his Prayers too soon for he was not yet willing to part with his lusts so do many perform duties only out of formality and custom not that they have any desire to be rid of their sins 3. Duties performed where the life is not reformed will but harden a man's heart the more in sin Tundens pectus non corrigens vitia illa consolidat Aug. Hence is that of our Saviour 21. Mat. 31. latter part these Persons are the furthest of from Conversion therefore 4. That you may not on the one side be discouraged from Holy Duties nor on the other side be deceived and deluded by them labour after the power of Godliness in your hearts set your selves to be Christians indeed and then these duties will be great helps to you Do not make these duties all your Religion but only means to further you in the ways of Holiness labour for a pure heart then will God accept of your duties say of all these duties as Haman of all his honours 5. Esther 11 12 13. I am one that injoy great priviledges am Baptized into the name of Christ partake of the Ordinances of Christ sit under the means of grace perform all Holy Duties but what will all this avail me as long as I see this Mordecai my own Iniquity sitting in my heart and ruling there O Beloved this is the duty of duties the main duty of all to purge out sin labour for a sincere heart else all your duties will be to no purpose 66. Psalm 18. and then 5. And lastly a word to those that perform no duties at all that have no Praying or Reading the Scriptures in their Families no frequenting the Ordinances and flighting the means of grace if there be many that do these things that shall go to Hell O what will become of you that come far short of them that come short of Heaven 1 Pet. 4. 18. if they that have the form of Godliness must to Hell where shall your place think ye be in Hell that are the very pictures of Atheism and Profaneness O think of this and labour to be better and to do better O you that call your selves Christians do not live like so many swine in their sties only to eat and drink and sleep but live to God and honour God and serve God in your houses and then the blessing of God shall be upon your Families 5. Plea. O but say some we have reformed our selves and have left many of our sins and of our evil courses and we are now more out with sin than ever we were in our lives Answer 1. You say you are reformed but how why you have left many sins Is it so that 's a good beginning but you must not stay and rest there your work is not done This is just as if a man whose arm is gangrened cuts off all his fingers that will not save his life for the gangrene is higher up in his arm so for a man to leave only some sins and to suffer the domineering heart rotting sin still to abide this will not keep that man out of Hell. Herod did many things yet a Reprobate Agrippae was almost persuaded to be a Christian yet a cast-away you may do the like and be in their condition and therefore I will lay down a few particulars to be considered by you 1. There is no sinner in the World but abstains from some sins yea hates some sins go to the Covetous man and ask him to go to the Tavern and there to revel it and spend his money O he will tell you he cannot endure this drinking and tipling 't is an offence to God to spend and waste our Estates so vainly go to the Drunkard and tell him of Covetousness O he cannot endure this hoarding up of money he loves to spend it freely 2. Rom. 22. latter part Judas a covetous Wretch he pleads for Charity to the Poor 12. John
3 4 5 6. if the leaving of some sins or the hating of some sins would make a man a Saint all the World would be Saints 2. When the Scripture gives us the Character of a true Saint it doth not describe him by leaving of such or such particular sins but by forsaking sin in the general 1. Job 1. he eschewed evil i. e. he avoided every sin so repentance is a turning from every sin 26. Acts 18. every sin is darkness now if a man turn from every sin but one yet he cannot be said to turn from darkness because that sin is darkness take a piece of cloath that hath twenty spots of dirt and wash away nineteen of them yet you cannot say that cloath is clean why because there is a spot of dirt in it no more can you say that man is a Saint that reforms many things if he live but in one sin 3. Those that have reformed many sins yet they must repent of the rest and turn from theâ—… too if they hope ever to find mercy Christ will never own us while we do own the least Iniquity Observe but the Message of Christ sends to the Church of Pergamus 2. Rev. 12 13. why was not all this well but mark further 14 15. O but you will say this is not so great a matter as long as she had so many good things in her therefore hear what Christ saith to her verse 16. O saith Christ all this will not do unless thou repent of this sin also so Beloved say I to you you that have left many sins that formerly you were guilty off all this will not do unless you leave every sin should a man that is a Swearer come and tell me he was formerly a Drunkard but he hath left that a Lyar but he hath left that a despiser of Ordinances but now he frequents them and many more O but hast thou left thy Swearing too else all is nothing look once more into your hearts is there any sin behind repent of that turn that out also else all is to no purpose 2. You say you have reformed your selves in many things and have left many sins let us a little examine this reformation 't is to be feared 't is no sound true reformation look to the bottom and you will find it very dirty there and the reason is this because he that truly hates one sin will upon the same account hate every sin true reformation routs out every sin Now there be two Questions that will resolve this case Question 1. What are the sins thou art reformed from Answer truly to this Question 1. Are they not only some small petty sins that thou never madest any great matter of thou never tookest any great delight in but still retainest thy great and best beloved and delightful sins This is to do just like Saul 1 Sam. 15. 3. God bids him destroy all the Amalekites spare none of them saith God well what doth Saul see verse the 9 th he spareth Agag and the best of the Cattel notwithstanding just so thou servest God God bids thee part with every sin no thou wilt spare the best 2. Are they not only those sins that cross thy designs or hinder thy preferment in the World 2 Kings 12. 2. Jehoash could willingly have set up Idolatry as appears by what he did afterwards O but he was but young and he durst not anger Jehoiada the Priest for fear of loosing his Kingdom so when Religion is in fashion O many a man will leave his sins if he see they hinder his preferment A Godly Man hath a Wicked Son he tells him if he leave not his idle courses he will disinherit him for fear of loosing an Estate have many left their sinful courses 3. Are they not such sins gross Iniquities that all the Country would cry shame upon thee if thou didst not leave them O how many are there that leave their sins just as they leave their old cloaths because they are out of fashion sinners love to be singular in nothing no not in sinning if they have not companions in their sins they will leave them 4. Are they not such sins as have first left you just as some are fain to leave off their cloaths because they have out grown them so many have out grown their sins the Drunkard is taken sick and lame he cannot go to the Ale house as formerly and so he hath left that sin 't is time the Adulterer his body is quite worn out he cannot do as formerly and so he hath left that sin because he cannot commit it Alas Brethren if this be all your reformation it is altogether unsound and good for nothing Question 2. What kind of reformation is this you may know it by these particulars 1. Is it only an outward reformation a reforming of the life and not of the heart a reforming of the actions and not of the affections if so 't is not right true conversion always begins at the heart that man's life can never be good if his heart be not good this is just like Lot's Wife leaving of Sodom 19. Gen. 26. This is Simon Magus repentance 8. Acts 21. 2. Is this a reformation only of passion and not of sound reason and judgment dost thou only leave sin in an anger or a passionate fit and not out of a due and serious consideration of the evil of it and the deadly nature of it This is just like Sauls reformation 1 Sam. 28. 3 7. Saul put away the Witches only in an angry mood and afterwards seeks to them again No no true and serious repentance is wrought by serious deliberation he that leaves his sin only in an anger when his anger is over will to it again As furious Gamesters in an anger will fling up their cards and dice and swear they will play no more when their anger is over perhaps the very next day they are at it again so do many deal with sin true reformation is a deliberate work and always hath conviction and humiliation going before 3. Is this reformation only a leaving of sin and not an hating of sin 'T is true thou dost thrust sin out of doors but thou canst not say thou art angry with it Alass this is but like a Land-flood 't will not last long David Banished his Son Absalom but he was not angry with him and see what follows 2 Sam. 13. 3â— if thou deal so with sin thy Soul will ere long desire and long for this thine Absalom again true repentance is with anger and indignation in the heart against sin 2. Cor. 7. 11. just like Ephraim how angry is he 14. Hosea 8. 4. Is thy reformation only a turning from sin and not a turning to God 't is not enough to hate sin but we must love holiness to leave sin but we must cleave to God we must love Christ as much as formerly we loved sin else the leaving of sin only is but
will assuredly bring destruction there are two terrible Texts to this purpose 9. Job 4. 29. Prov. 1. hear this you that have been told of your sins and yet will not leave them have had message after message Sermon after Sermon reproof after reproof and yet all is nothing you keep your own Iniquities still O tremble to think that your hearts are hardened to your own destruction 5. 'T is a sin that makes us slight and contemn all the Judgments of God as long as we keep this sin in us all afflictions will do us no good at all 27. Prov. 22. mark it his foolishness i. e. his sin we have two notable examples of this Jeroboam you know what was his sin the Scripture calls it so the sin of Jeroboam God sends a Prophet to cry against him for it what doth he see 1 Kings 13. 4 6. mark it he prays that his hand may be restored not his sin mortifyed 't is a sign his heart was not humbled by this Judgment as appear likewise verse 33. the other is King Ahaz 2. Chron. 28. 22. O Brethren take notice of this when afflictions will work no good upon you O this is the aggravation of your own Iniquity for any other sin O how will God's Judgments humble us and make us leave them but this our own Iniquity 't is not all the storms and tempests whatever will make us cast them over-board O sinners look on your selves you that have had great sicknesses and great afflictions and yet you retain your own Iniquities still the Swearer his Swearing the Drunkard his Drunkenness c. O 't is a fearfull sign that God hath rejected you as 't is said of Israel 6. Jer. 29 30. 6. 'T is a sin of custom that 's another great aggravation of it O Brethren once committing a sin is enough to sink any of us to Hell as once swearing once lying once cozening c. but to make a custom of it how can we expect mercy Is a Thief Arraigned for Fellony and 't is proved that he hath been a Thief so many years he hath made it his trade and custom the Judge will condemn that man presently without any favour never put such an Old Rogue to his Psalm of mercy O then what is it to make a trade and custom of sin other sins we may say men commit only by the bye but this their own Iniquity 't is their very trade and custom there is a dreadfull place tremble at it you that have lived in any known sin many years 13. Jer. 23 24. 7. 'T is a sin that we take the greatest delight in that 's another aggravation of it to commit sin is ill enough but to take pleasure and delight in sin O that is most horrid Is it not grief enough to a Father that his Son will do what he would not have him but to delight to vex his Father O this is the height of undutifulness sin in Scripture is called a grieving of God a vexing his Holy Spirit now they that delight in any sin delight to vex God the Apostle reckons these Persons among those that are rejected or given over by God to themselves the saddest Judgment of all 1. Rom. 28 32. and Christ threatens them 1. Prov. 22 31. so 2. Prov. 14 18. 8. 'T is a ruling sin that 's another great aggravation of it O Brethren do you not tremble at this to have a Beelzebub in your hearts the Prince of Devils the King of sins such a man hath the curse of Cham lighted upon him to be a servant of servants his other sins are servants all of them to this Iniquity this great Beelzebub and he himself is slave to them all O what a case is that man in that is servant to his sin his lust whatever work his sin sets him about he must do it there is no King in the World hath such a power over his Subjects as sin hath if it gets once to rule sin will make a man hang himself or drown himself or cut his own throat experience is witness and therefore the Apostle exhorts us especially against this sin upon this account 6. Rom. 12 13. whatever you do do not keep a reigning sin in you 9. 'T is a sin that must be maintained at an high rate a man 's own Iniquity will bring him as we say to skin and bones how many have wasted all their Estates to satisfie their lusts and afterwards have been fain to go a begging so the Prodigal Nay 't is not Estate and Body will serve the turn this sin will ruin the Soul too O tremble sinners to think of this God hath given you fair Estates in the World God hath given you healthy Bodies God hath given you reason to rule all the Creatures in the World above all God hath given you Immortal Souls and will you spend all these upon such a baggage as sin is Do but think of the story of Absalom he was the Son that David loved and cockered most of all his Children bred him up at an high rate and this Son he seeks his Fathers Life and Kingdom so will this sin deal with you 10. The great aggravation of all is this that this sin comes nearest of all sins to that great transgression the sin against the Holy Ghost as we say of some things they are so cold as that if they were but a degree or two colder they were rank poyson so this sin had it but two drams more 't were the very sin against the Holy Ghost and that is malice and final impenitency O therefore sinner take heed thou art upon the very brink of Hell upon the very borders and edge of that unpardonable sin O cast out this sin least God cast thee out of his presence Now Brethren consider these ten particulars the aggravations of this sin and methinks none of us all should ever love it more a sin so dishonourable to God so inconsistent with our profession so scandalous in respect of the Gospel so opposite to true conversion sound and sincere holiness a sin that wins our affections from Christ hardens our hearts against the means of grace fills us with darkness robs us of all graces and renders us liable to the Wrath of God and Eternal Damnation A Sixth Motive is this 6. Consider the several dreadful effects of this sin This sin is the true Pandora's box that lets fly all miseries and mischiefs upon us This sin makes our Souls a mere Bethesda full of impotencies sicknesses troubles and sorrows I can compare it to nothing better than to that poyson which some call the Jesuits poyson which as some say if a man drink it he shall perceive nothing but it will work insensibly in his body and kill him many years after so O sinner it may be for the present thou seest no evil at all in this thy sin thou findest no damage at all by it but many years hence thou may'st find and
's an instructing rod but above all do not sin against the blood of Christ that 's an healing blood if you sin against this blood God hath not a more precious soveraign balme in all his Gilead for your Souls and mind this that sinning against the blood of Christ will cost you dear at the day of judgment the Saints they have this blood at a cheap rate and it doth them good but sinners must pay dear for it to all Eternity 9. Another Motive is this Consider your profession and there is enough in this were there no other argument to persuade you against this sin The Apostle urgeth this same argument to the Ephesians 5. Eph. 3. this becometh not your profession so may we say here to willful sinners O these evil courses become not your profession when Alexander was persuaded to run at the Olympick games made this answer Vellem si non essem Alexander when Scipio was proffered an Harlot answered vellem si non essem Imperator so do you answer all temptations to sin Christianus sum committere non possum let others do as they please thou art engaged to Christ thy profession will aggrevate thy sin the more Consider some principal parts of thy Christian profession they are all arguments against this sin 1. Look back to thy Baptisme there thou hast promised and also sworn to Christ to forsake sin and hast thou an own sin a dear sin that thou keepest thou art a forsworn wretch Baptisme is a seal of the Covenant between God and thee now thou must either deny sin or deny thy hand and seal to Christ Tell me sinner wert thou Baptized or no if yea and what livest thou in a known willfull sin out upon thee thou shalt be far worse tormented in Hell than Heathens 2. Look upon thy prayers how often hast thou prayed against sin and what dost thou live in sin O abominable Prayers thou shalt be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of thine own mouth will Christ condemn thee Do not say thou hopest to go to Heaven for thy good prayers nay thou shalt to Hell for them 3. Look upon thy promises speak truly when thou wert sick didst thou not promise if God would but spare thy life thou wouldst become a new man when thou wert in trouble didst thou not promise God to leave thy sin if he would help thee out Is not all this true and what art thou the same man still take heed of breach of promise with God God will not be mocked 66. Psalm 13 14. an honest man will be as good as his word O this is to make Religion odious and thy profession a mere stalking horse to thy lusts 4. Look on thy coming to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Didst thou not come to the Lords Table with an intent to leave sin if thou didst why dost thou not leave it if not thou art a most base dissembling Hypocrite in the sight of God thou hast profaned that Holy Ordinance and the blood of Christ will be required at thy hands In a word if thou leave not this sin better thou hadst never heard of a Sacrament better thou hadst never promised Repentance better thou hadst never prayed at all better thou hadst never been baptized yea ten thousand times better thou hadst never been born or that God had taken thee out of thy Mothers belly and sent thee to Hell the first moment of thy life O sirs consider seriously in what a sad condition you are in the very Heathens will condemn thee and the Devil that tempted thee will cry out shame upon thee in Hell. 'T is a most horrid taking of God's name in vain to make an outward profession and yet live in sin thy very prayers and Holy duties will bring greater damnation upon thee than the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah upon them 10. Another Motive is this Consider what great things thou hast to loose 19. Acts 24 25 26 27 28. O how did Demetrius his argument prevail with them to cry up their Diana viz. the loss that they were like to sustain by it O consider the loss you are like to sustain by keeping this Diana this your own Iniquity let this prevail with you to cast it out O sinners you are undone you are undone to all Eternity unless you cast out this sin Consider these two things 1. The things themselves you shall loose by keeping of this sin they are great things things of great price and great value 1. The Favour of God the smiles of his fatherly countenance sin that draws a cloud before the face of God hence is that expression 90. Psalm 7 8. O what comfort can that man have in his life that wants the favour of God the smiles of his countenance a frown from God is like Hell it self 2. The protection of God when we are out of God's ways we are out of God's protection 91. Ps 11. every Saint while he walks in God's ways hath a sure life-guard of Heavenly Angels 34. Ps 7. O this is a blessed condition O who would loose this blessing for the commission of a sin O go not out of the path that leads to Heaven there is safety in a sinfull way thou art left alone there God and his Angels leave thee A Woman that was a professor went to a stage play and there the Devil entred into her when one askt the Devil how he durst enter into such a one he answered I found her in my way O consider of this loss of God's protection 3. Our assurance Tho' the commission of sin may not blot a Saints name out of the book of life yet 't will blot and blur his evidences for Heaven and without this assurance we can have no comfort and while we live in any sin we can have no assurance O sin will make us live in a doubting and despairing condition Sirs if you know not what you loose by sin in loosing assurance you shall-know it upon your Death-beds O what a sad thing will it be to dye without assurance then all your Friends all your Lands all your bags of money will do you no good nothing but assurance is a cordial against death 4. But greater things yet are lost if thou part not with this sin thou shalt loose thy part in Christ thy place in Paradise thy Mansion in Heaven sin will keep thee from God and from Eternal Happiness O sinner if thou wilt enjoy all these things then thou must part with this sin let others that have no hopes in the other World let all those that have nothing to loose keep their sins do not thou for a sin venture the loss of all together 2. Consider the loss 't is an irreparable loss a loss that all the pleasures of sin cannot make thee amends for this is a loss will utterly undo thee This very thing made Holy Anselem say that he had rather be thrust into Hell without sin than go to Heaven with sin
for 't is not Hell it self can make a man miserable but 't is sin that makes Hell a place of misery were there no sin in Hell there should be no sorrow in Hell. O consider then what a loss 't will be to you to keep sin 't will make you more miserable than Hell it self can you do not only loose a worldly estate by the first death but sin will bring a second death upon you also whereby you shall loose all the Joys Glories and Happiness of Heaven to all Eternity 11. Another Motive is this It is an unquestionable truth on all hands never any body in the World unless out of his wits did ever deny this that we must cast out sin O sinner thou with whom God is pleading this day in this Sermon and hath been pleading all along in the handling of this text thou dost acknowledge the truth of this why then dost thou not practise 14. Rom. 22. latter part when thou sayest one thing this sin must out and dost another thing keep this sin in thy heart still thou condemnest thy self thine own Conscience will draw up a bill of Indictment against thee at the last day take heed of that so likewise all others acknowledge this truth As for other Doctrines most of them have been and are called in Question by Hereticks This he said in respect of the place where he Preached these Sermons but never any Questioned the truth of this were this Church now full of Papists Socinians Arminians Brownists Anabaptists Millenarians Quakers and all other Hereticks in the World I am persuaded we should all agree in this that every man ought to keep himself from his own Iniquity O then sinner this Argument will leave thee inexcusable at the day of Judgment all the World and thine own Conscience will condemn thee for not casting out this sin 12. Another Motive is this This is the power of Godliness the power of Religion all your Religion besides is but a form of Godliness We will a little alter the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15. 14 17. we may say here if you be yet living in this sin and this sin living in you then is not Christ risen from the dead i. e. as to you Christ is no better than a dead Christ Christ is not raised to life in your Souls and if Christ be not risen in your hearts your faith is vain if you be yet in your sins all our Preaching is vain also Brethren if you will not part with this sin all our Preaching will be in vain to you As some Quakers lately turned cast this in my teeth that they got no good by hearing of me why Brethren do I or did I ever promise any man Salvation for hearing of Sermons nay I tell you more if you do not reform and practise this truth you will never get good by Sermonâ— as long as you live never talk of Religion never comfort your selves with sheltring your selves under this Sect or that Sect this persuasion or that persuasion till you have cast out this sin you have no Religion at all in you Religio vox vivenda non audienda There be many will give Christ the bare hearing of truths but Christ calls for doing as well as hearing for living as well as learning Christ when at the day of Judgment he shall keep his great Assizes he will proceed there as in these Courts here every sinner must hold up his hand at that bar Christ will examine our hands as well as our hearts our actions as well as our affections 24. Ps 3 4. Christ will have works as well as words O Brethren set upon this work do not content your selves with a form of Godliness O let not these Sermons rise up in Judgment against you at the last day therefore I will conclude this Sermon with the words of our Saviour Christ wherewith he concluded his Sermon on the Mount 7. Mat. 24 25 26 27. 2. Means and Directions And first of the Means But before I prescribe or set down the several receipts or antidotes that may serve as a counter-poyson against this sin it will be necessary to put one Question to you and that is this are you willing to part with this sin if you be but willing I dare warrant you a cure but if you be not willing all the Ministers in the World may Preach out their lungs in vain to you But perhaps some of you will say this is a strange Question why do you put such a Question to us what do you think of us do you look upon us as mere Hypocrites do you think we are not willing Hear me and I will shew you as strange a Question as this that our Saviour put to a man 5. John 6. This is a very strange Question if you consider three particulars 1. The sickness of this man it was a Palsie a sickness that makes a man's life both a burden to himself and to all that are about him now to ask such a man or indeed to ask any man that is sick whether he would be healed were one would think a strange Question 2. The length of his sickness Eight and Thirty Years one would think a man that hath lien bed-rid so long should be so weary of his disease that he need not be asked this Question wilt thou be made whole 3. The place where he lay at the Pool of Bethesda the place of cure he came or was brought thither on purpose to be cured why then doth our Saviour ask him this Question whether he would be made whole Brethren here is enough in these three particulars to make you to wonder at the Question yet consider 't is our Saviour Christ puts the Question and surely there is more in it than we can see at first sight for Christ the wisdom of the Father would not put forth an unnecessary or unprofitable Question and therefore there are divers expositions of it I will name and only name some 1. Wilt thou be made whole i. e. wilt thou use the means to be made whole many love the cure that hate the means every body loves health few love Physick 2. While this man lay sick he was an object of pity and charity and might get much alms if he were whole he might loose them the Question is wilt thou be made whole that is art willing to loose what thou gettest by thy sickness to be made sound 3. He had been sick so long that now his sickness was grown to be almost a second nature to him and it did not trouble him so much as at the first he had forgot the price of his health so that the Question is wilt thou that hast layen so long sick be made whole I will name no more Now to apply this to our present purpose there is every one of you hath one sin or other that is your particular sin or sickness of your Soul and you have lien under the power of this
sin many a year some Thirty some Forty or Fifty or Sixty or Eighty years nay more you come to these waters the Ordinances you lye at Bethesda under the means of grace as if you desired to be rid of sin yet still the Question is will you be made whole will you part with this Iniquity I know you will all answer yes you are willing to part with sin O but still the Question is will you be healed 1. Do you love the means are you willing to make use of such means as the Lord prescribes you in his word for the good of your Souls can your hearts answer to this Question whatever the Lord bids us do we will do it like setting Dogs that hunt eagerly to catch the fowls but will rather starve than eat any of them so many hunt after Sermons but not do them Do you endeavour to practise all the Sermons that you hear if you hear Sermons but do not practise them 't is a sign you are loath to part with your sins 2. Are you willing to forego whatever pleasure or profit or advantage sin brings in to you that you may be healed of it O can your hearts answer to this Question there be many that say they hate sin yet love the pleasure profit and wages of sin Brethren if you love not the meat why do you eat of the broth if men love not hanging why do they love stealing do as Zacheus did 19. Luk. 8. if you would turn sin out of doors turn all its lumber out of doors too 3. Have not custom in sin made you unwilling to part with sin have you not lived so long in sin that you do not know now how to live without it have you not forgot the price of Salvation and the worth of your Souls O you that have been sinners so many years you that are Swearers of Fourscore years standing are you willing to leave your Swearing you that are Drunkards of Threescore years standing are you willing to leave your drinking you that have been covetous worldly minded Persons griping Usurers biting Landlords that have used the trick of cozening many years will you be made whole can you part with your old companions can you come out of Sodom and never look back can you cross the Red-Sea and not smell the Garlikes and Onions of Egypt on the other side can you or are you willing for the love of your Souls to do whatever Christ bids you and forego what ever Christ would have you why Brethren if this be your resolution then hearken and I will lay you down such means be your sin what it will I 'll warrant you a thorough cure I have already in the doctrinal part laid down nine several remedies or receipts against this sin which if you would but make use of might work the cure but least you may have forgot them I will add a few more and lay them down before you as plainly and as practically as I can so that if after all this you still retain your own Iniquities and go to Hell you shall thank your selves for it 1. The first is a very plain and easie receipt and so shall all the rest be O sinner thou hast that within thee that will cure thee As we say to some sick Persons what need you send to the Apothecaries you have herbs enough in your own gardens to cure you so here I say sinners you have that which can cure you in your own breasts Quest But you will say I pray what is that I Answer thus Friends what do you think of Judas and what do you think of Herod and what do you think of Pontius Pilate I know what you will say you will say thus why if we had been in their cases we would not have done as they did if we had been in Judasses place we would not have betrayed Christ in Herods place we would not have mocked Christ in Pilates place we would not have condemned Christ well I ask you further what do you think of such and such Neighbours of yours why I know what you will say you wonder that such a one is such a Drunkard another such a Swearer c. you wonder that they do not leave their ill courses you wonder that they do not look after their Souls more and Eternity Again I ask you further what do you think of Sermons I know what you will say here also why if we did but practise what we hear we might do well well then is this your verdict is this your judgment this comes out of your own breasts do as you say and you may cure your selves you say were you in Judasses place you would not have done as he did why then have a care you do not as ill as Judas or worse than Judas you wonder at your neighbours that they are no better why wonder at your selves that you are no better you say all the good that comes by Sermons is practise why then if you would get good by hearing Sermons follow your own directions Do not give away all your counsel to others and take none your selves Our Saviour reproves this very thing in the Scribes and Pharisees 23. Mat. 29 30. so say you if we had lived in our Fore-fathers days we would have been better than they O be as good now as you think you would have been then you that are able to prescribe to others why do you not prescribe to your selves you that are such rare Physicians in other mens distempers take heed that you prove not very fools in your own case alas sinner all the World cannot do thee good if thou art an enemy to thy self well sinner here is thy case thou wouldst feign go to Heaven that 's thy desire thy very reason as 't is inlightned by the word tells thee then thou must leave thine own Iniquity now if thou wilt not follow the best counsel of thine own heart who can help thee thou speakest against others that live in sin and art angry with them because they will not reform O be not like to some Parents that will beat their Children for swearing and yet swear themselves or like some Magistrates that will punish drunkards and yet be drunk themselves so that this is the first means improve what thou hast in thine own breast of reason or counsel or judgment Many Persons can give such counsel to others that if they would but follow it themselves would prove rare Christians 2. A second means to help out with this sin our own Iniquity is this go to the Scriptures Gods Pharmacothoea his closet of receipts and see what particular receipt thou canst find there against thy particular sin the Scriptures doth not only give us general rules and directions for our whole lives but also particular directions in particular cases and peculiar remedies against particular sins to instance in a few is any man inclined to the sin of Fornication the Scripture hath a