contempt with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud 3dly Their Names by blotting and blurring them with lies and tales and slanders 4thly Their Estates By taking off the Hearts and Affections of others from any way sympathyzing with them and succouring them in their wants and necessities Now he that said Thou shalt not commit Adultery said also Thou shalt not Kill James 2.11 And the Killing there is principally killing by the tongue as is clear from the contexts and will it not be a sad thing one day for Professors to be found amongst Murderers of their Brethren 1 John 3.15 He that hates his Brother is a Murderer Lastly This prejudice is that which multiplies divisions in Families Parishes Towns Cities Kingdoms and opens a gap to the common Enemy to invade enter and prey upon all to the great reproach of Religion sadding of God's People and the rejoycing of wicked men if not the utter ruine of Church and State and therefore in all these respects 1. To take heed of instilling receiving and nourishing prejudices against any of God's Faithful Ministers or People especially take heed of evil and mischievous thoughts against others expresly forbid Prov. 3.29 Devise not evil against thy Neighbour that dwells quietly by thee Zach. 8.17 Let none imagine evil in his heart against his Neighbour For this you may find Prov. 6.7 is one of those six things that the Lord hates 1. Take heed also of over-valuing thoughts of some and undervaluing thoughts of others when both are godly for there ought to be no respect of persons in matters of Religion God is no respecter of persons he regards not the rich more then the poor Job 34.19 the noble then the ignoble the wise then the simple and you ought to be followers of God in this because if you have respect to persons ye commit sin and are convinced of the Law as transgressors James 2.9 And therefore the command is express in the first vers My Brethren have not the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons 2. As not to take up hard thoughts so to have good thoughts of others of whom God hath good thoughts how differing soever from you in Opinion and Practice seeing so long as we are here there being different degrees of Light given in by God unto Christians there will be different apprehension of things it is that which the Apostle exhorts unto Philip 3.15 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing you be otherwise minded God shall reveal it unto you nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule It is our duty what in us lies to labour after Unity in Opinion and Judgment that which the Apostle presseth by many Arguments Phil. 2.1 2. But yet however seeing we cannot attain to Unity in Opinion we ought to express Unity in Affection that which the Apostle presseth by many more Arguments Ephes 4.1 to 7. Thus of the Rules concerning our Thoughts Secondly For the Rules respecting our Affections 1. That you put off anger wrath malice c. Col. 3.8 Ephes 4.26 2. That you put on as the Elect Holy and Beloved of God bowels of mercy kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another and above all you put on Love the bond of perfectness that which like a Bond knits Christians and Graces and Duties together Col. 3.12 13 14. See that all your things be done in Love 1 Cor. 16.14 because this is the best Character of a Disciple of Christ John 13.35 And all duties without love will profit nothing 1 Cor. 13.8 To see also this love of yours be a sincere love without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 and a real love not in word and tongue but in deed and truth 1 John 3.14 To love them not for Opinions sake or Parties sake for that is to love a mans self in them but for holiness sake the truths sake 2 John 1. To love them as Saints and so to love all one Saint as well as another Col. 1.4 To love them as we do love our selves Rom. 13.8 9. And you know how we love our selves we would do no hurt to our selves so neither should we unto others we would do all the good we can to our selves so should we to others we would have others to sympathize with us in all our wants sorrows and sufferings and so should we with others Rom. 12.15 1 Pet. 3.8 Gal. 6.1 Heb. 13.3 We would have others constant in their love to us and so should we in our love to others for charity true charity abides for ever 1 Cor. 13. last And the Apostle's exhortation is Heb. 23.1 Let Brotherly love continue and the rather because God's love continues to his and we would have it continue unto us therefore ours should continue to him and his Thirdly For the Rules respecting our Speeches we are to take heed of some things and to practise others 1st The things you are to take heed of they are these 1. Take heed of speaking of other mens Persons or Affairs when you have no call to it 1 Thes 4.11 Study to be quiet and meddle every one with his own business 2. Take heed you speak evil of no man Titus 3.2 The Reasons you have James 4.11 because he that speaks evil of his Brother and judgeth his Brother speaks evil of the Law and judgeth the Law Because the Lord hearkens and hears every word you speak against any of his Jer. 8.6 Ezek. 33.31 And what is spoken against any of his he takes as spoken against himself Mat. 25. More especially you are to take heed of all rash and uncharitable speaking and censuring others that differ from you in Opinion and Practice it being the Character of a Hypocrite Mat. 7.5 that which doth expose them to the judgment both of God and Man especially take heed it be not for a particular error or evil for as one Swallow makes not a Summer so neither doth a particular error or evil denominate any to be a Heretick or a sinner If God should fall out with men as they do one with the other for particular Offences and Differences wo wo would be unto them such should mind well what Christ said to the Pharisees He that is without sin let him cast the first stone John 8.7 Not that he approved of her sin but condemned their uncharitableness 3. Take heed of slandering and backbiting speech expresly forbid Levit. 19.16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a Tale-bearer Deut. 24.9 Remember what God did to Miriam when you came out of Egypt What was that He smote Miriam with a Leprosie for speaking evil of his Servant Moses Numb 12.8 9. Exemplarily also did he punish this slandering Tongue in Doeg Psal 52. And therefore take warning lest you be made examples to others that would not take example by others 4.
worse soften or harden you will bring you neerer to Heaven or Hell and will be either the savour of life or death to you 2 Cor. 2.16 Secondly As you are entring into the publick Assemblies to think and say with Jacob How dreadful is this place It is no other than the Gate of Heaven to set your selves in the presence of the great God and carry your selves there with all fear and reverence seeing there are not only Men but the Angels and the Great and Holy God to take notice both of your inward and outward behaviour And see you stay and not depart without the Blessing Thirdly After the publick Assemblies as you go home to meditate on what you have heard when you come home search the Scriptures whether things are so to repeat and confer with those in your Family about it to press the remembrance and practise of what you have heard on your selves and them after this to go apart and spend the rest of the day in Examination what you have profited and in meditation on the Word and Works of God and that Eterâ—â—â— Sabbath you are to celebrate hereafter in Heaven where you shall keep a Sabbath not only without weariness but with infinite delight and then conclude the Sabbath with prayer and praise pray for a blessing on the truths made known to you and for the pardon of all those infirmities you have discovered before in and after duty in publick private or secret and that God would accept of your weak endeavours and unfeigned desires to honour him in and for the all-meritorious Intercession's sake of Jesus Christ And then praise God for one Sabbath more liberty of communion with Him his Presence with you assistance of you and blessing of his Ordinances to you and so end the day as you began it As you gave Him the first of your thoughts when you rose so give Him the last of your thoughts when you lie down that so your dreams may savour of your Sabbath-days exercises Thirdly After the Sabbath to hold forth in your lives and conversations all you have heard and prayed for that so the blessing of the Sabbath may bring a blessing on all your labours the Week following Amen The Second Duty is Prayer to God And here First before Prayer to meditate First On the infinite distance between God and you as Creatures especially such finful Creatures Eccles 5.2 Secondly To make your addresses to the Throne of Grace only in the Name Worthiness and Mediation of Jesus Christ Col. 3.17 Thirdly To take notice of the special sins you are to confess the evils you are to â—â—precate or pray against the good things you are to Petition and the Mercies you are to return thanks for Fourthly Because we know not how to pray as we ought To beg the Spirit of Grace and Supplication to help your infirmity and keep your hearts close to Him in duty Fifthly To remember that we pray for all men especially for Kings and all that are in Authority 1 Tim. 2.2 3. and for all Saints Eph. 6.18 Secondly In the time of Prayer remember to do it with humility and reverence Heb. 12. end In sincerity and truth John 4.24 With feeling and servency James 5.16 17. and in faith and love Heb. 11.6 1 Tim. 2.8 Thirdly After Prayer to look-after an Answer Live what you have prayed and labour in the use of the means for that you have prayed as you are commanded Prov. 2.3 4. The Third Duty is Hearing the Word First Before Hearing remember whom you go to hear not only Man but God who speaks in and by Man 2 Cor. 5.20 Secondly Because man can but speak to the Ear beg the Lord to give his Spirit that may speak to the heart Thirdly That the Spirit may make the Word effectual to the end God hath appointed it take heed you come not with prejudice against the Minister or the Word spoken by him James 1.21 1 Peter 2.1 Fourthly That you endeavour to bring humble honest and upright hearts to the hearing of the Word Luke 8.15 Micah 2.7 Doth not my word do good to him that walks uprightly Secondly In the time of Hearing First To set your selves in the special presence of God and remember He observes not only your outward but inward carriages with what hearts every one comes and sits before him 1 Sam. 16.17 Ezek. 33.31 Secondly To attend heedfully to the things that are spoken as Lydia did Acts 16. Thirdly To apply particularly what is spoken not to others but to your selves as John's hearers did Luke 3.10 Because what is spoken to one is intended to all Mark 13. last and unless it be applyed by faith it will not profit Heb. 4.11 Thirdly After Hearing First To discourse of what you have heard and not as the manner of too many is to talk presently of other Persons and Things Secondly To search the Scripture with the noble Beraeans whether things be so or no Acts 17.11 Thirdly To work all into your hearts and lives by Meditation Prayer and Practise because the promise of a blessing runs only to such Psal 103.17 and Luke 11.28 Otherwise without practise every Sermon will be preacht over by God and Conscience again at the last Day with such horror and terror as you will never be able to hear it John 12.48 The Fourth Duty is Reading of the Scriptures First Before it to think what a great blessing it is to enjoy this blessed Book and have liberty to look into it when 't is denied to many others not only amongst the Papists but amongst us through their own and their Parents neglect of learning them to read Secondly To remember that this is a duty that lies upon all Persons private as well as publick People as well as Ministers both to read the Scriptures First In respect of the express command of God Mal. 4.4 John 5.39 Col. 3.16 Secondly In respect of the great benefit and comfort that comes by it 2 Tim. 3. the 3 last Rom. 15 41. Psal 1.2 Revel 1.3 Thirdly In reading First To lift up an Ejaculation for understanding of it praying with David Psal 119.18 Open my eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law Secondly To read with Application as David Psal 40.8 It 's written of me that I should do thy will It was no where written so of David in particular only he applied the general command to his particular Thirdly After reading with David also to hide God's Word in your heart Psal 119.11 And see that you order your conversation according to it Vers 9. The Fifth Duty is Receiving the Lord's Supper First Before it to see whether you can finde your selves in a state of grace and that you have those Sacramental graces of knowledge faith repentance obedience love and an appetite to this Ordinance all which are required to qualifie and fit Souls for communion with Jesus Christ in that Ordinance This duty of Self-examination you may see
Lord under the consideration of it Secondly As there followed guilt so filth or the defilement of the whole Man with sin original and actual and here to meditate what these are and what special things in them are to be meditated on for the humbling of our Souls and the keeping us from closing with Temptations to them First What sin is viz. The transgression of the Law of God either revealed in the Word 1 Ep. Joh. 3.4 or written in the heart Rom. 2.14 15. and here about sin to take notice and meditate on the ugly filthy hurtful hateful nature of it 1. For the ugly nature of sin it is not only evil but the worst of all evils and the cause of all other evils that it is most contrary to God's most Holy Nature that which made the Devil a Devil and Hell to be Hell without which the Devil would be a blessed Angel and Hell would be Heaven that also that could not be expiated and done away by the death and blood-shed of all the Creatures but only by the precious heart-blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly Meditate on the filthy nature of it as it is compar'd to the Excrements of Man Isai 4.4 and called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excrement of Excrements or superfluity of naughtiness James 1.21 yea not only filthy in the concrete but filthiness it self in the abstract 2 Cor. 7.1 Q. But how doth this appear A. In that it defiles a man in all and all to him 1. It defiles him in all every faculty of Soul every power of Body Mat. 15.19 20. whence Solomon calls the sinner a loathsome Person Prov. 15.3 because sin is that which makes him loathsome to all to God and Man and Himself 1. To God Zach. 11.8 my Soul loatheth them 2. Loathsome to Men especially good Men Psal 15.4 Prov. 29. last Isai 66.24 3dly That which makes men loathsome to themselves when God once opens their Eyes to see it and brings them home to himself by Repentance Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.6 Rom. 6.21 Secondly As it defiles a Man in all so all to him all his Relations all his Enjoyments all his Actions natural civil religious Titus 1.15 To the impure all things are impure the Word is a killing Letter the Sacraments Seal up Damnation in short of so defiling a nature as all the Water of the old World could not wash away the stain of it nor all the Fire of the last Judgment and of Hell will be able to burn up the dross of it Thirdly Meditate on the hateful nature of sin how hateful it is to God and good men 1. To God it is the only object of his hatred he hates nothing but as it is sinful not the Devil but only as sin made him a Devil 2. That it is so hateful to God appears in that he hates it where-ever he sees it Even in his own Son who knew no sin yet because he took our sin upon him he so manifested his hatred of it as he would not spare the severe punishment of it in him because the Creatures could not strike a stroke hard enough he was pleas'd to bruise him Isai 53.16 and to lay upon him the fierceness of his wrath Lament 1.12 Secondly As hateful to God so to all good men Psal 139.21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee search me and try me c. Psal 119.128 I hate every false way the Martyrs so hated sin as they chose rather to burn at the Stake and undergo any torment than give way to any sin Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was wont to say that if he saw Hell on one side and sin on the other and he must of necessity choose one he would rather choose Hell without sin and no wonder for where there is no Sin there is no Hell Fourthly On the hurtful nature of sin this appears 1. In that it is the greatest Enemy to God to Christ to the Spirit to Us 1. To God it 's that which seeks to un-Throne Him and un-God Him and there is no true and loyal Subject but will endeavour the death of him that seeks the death of his Soveraign Lord and King Secondly The greatest Enemy to Christ that which brought him from Heaven to the Cross made Him sweat Blood under the apprehension of his Father's wrath due to him and to cry out on the Cross to the amazement of Heaven and Earth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thirdly The greatest Enemy to the Spirit of God that which quencheth and grieveth and vexeth and resists him makes him to leave his Habitation and when he goes out the Devil comes in with seven worse Spirits than ever Mat. 12.45 Fourthly The greatest Enemy to Us that which deprives us of all good Isai 59.2 and exposeth us to all evil Rom. 2.8 9 10. pulls down all manner of Judgments on Persons Families Towns Cities Kingdoms Countreys Prov. 8. last Rom. 1.16 Eph. 5.5 That which makes every man to come in with a Cry and go out of the World with a Groan So much of Sin in general Secondly For Original sin that you may be effectually humbled under it to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. What it is 2. The several Titles given to it with the Reasons of them 3. The Parts of it 4 The extent of it And 5. The fruits of it First What it is for the understanding of this you are to Note that Original sin is taken either actively or passively First Actively for the sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit and is call'd by Divines Peccatum Originans the beginning-sin or the sin giving a beginning to all other sins Secondly Passively for the corruption of nature flowing from that first sin of Adam and is call'd Peccatum Originatum or sin taking a beginning from that first sin of Adam and this is that which we are to speak unto and may be described thus A privation of Original righteousness and a depravation of the whole Man with unrighteousness Justly deriv'd from the loins of our first Parents unto all their Posterity by reason whereof every Man and Woman is conceiv'd and born in sin brings into the World with them the Seeds of all sin is inclin'd to all evil and averse to all that is good 1. There is a deprivation of Original righteousness wherein Man was created Rom. 3.10 There 's none righteous no not one Secondly A depravation of the whole man with unrighteousness Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in man for the word is in the Neuter Gender and it is further evident by the Apostle's Prayer for Universal Sanctification 1 Thes 5.23 Implying an Universal Corruption Thirdly I say justly deriv'd from the Loins of our first Parents to all their Posterity as you may see Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in his own likeness that is
a sinner like himself Job gives the reason Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean and so doth our Saviour Joh. 3.6 Mat. 7.18 and Jam. 3.11 12. Fourthly I add by reason whereof every one is conceiv'd born in sin this David acknowledgeth Psal 51.5 and Isai 48.8 The Lord stiles Israel a Transgressor from the Womb. Fifthly He brings in with him the Seeds of all sin even the vilest that ever were conceiv'd or acted by Men or Devils as the Chaos contain'd in it the Seed of all Creatures so the corruption of our nature the Seeds of all sin Prov. 27.19 as in Water Face answers to Face so doth the heart of Man to Man Sixthly Are inclin'd to all evil Psal 36.4 Jer. 8.6 Isai 5.18 Nitimur invetitum c. as the very Heathen could observe and say Lastly I add and averse to all that is good Rom. 8.7 Gal. 5.17 Jer. 18.12 Secondly For your further humiliation under it take notice of the odious Titles given to it with the Reasons of them 1. It 's call'd Original sin 1. Because it was ab origine from the beginning of Man's Fall Secondly Because it is cum origine with the beginning of every man Thirdly Because it is Origo the Beginning Root and Fountain of all actual sin Secondly It 's call'd the sin that dwells in us Rom. 7.17 because it remains in all unto death Thirdly It 's call'd the sin that easily encompasseth us Heb. 12.1 or that soon overtakes us and keep us from running the Race set before us Fourthly It 's call'd concupiscence or lust Jam. 1.14 15. Rom. 7.7 Because it 's the Mother of all unclean lusts motions and desires Fifthly It 's call'd the old man Rom. 6.6 because it came from the old Adam Sixthly It 's call'd the Flesh Joh. 3.6 Gal. 5.17 because it acts and discovers it self in and by the Flesh Seventhly It 's call'd the Law in the Members Rom. 7.23 because it Rules as a Law Eighthly It 's call'd the work of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 And Hell that sets on Fire the whole course of nature Jam. 3.6 because it came from the Devil and from Hell and leads to the Devil and Hell without repentance Thirdly To Meditate on the parts of it to wit an absence of all good and a presence of all evil an emptiness of all righteousness and a fulness of all unrighteousness Fourthly That you may be the more throughly humbled meditate on the extent of it How doth this corruption of nature like a Leprosie over-spread the whole man Soul and Body every faculty and power of both 1. For the faculties of the Soul it fills the mind with blindness the will with perversness the conscience with deadness the memory with unfaithfulness the heart and affections with deceitfulness and sensualness which every one's experience too sadly evidenceth Secondly For the parts and powers of the Body they are all naturally instruments of unrighteousness and unholiness Rom. 6.13.19 And all the Senses in-lets and out-lets of sin and vanity 1 Ep. Joh. 3.16 So as in the flesh there dwells no good thing Rom. 7.18 Fifthly To meditate on the fruits and effects of it how that by reason of it you were conceiv'd and born in sin having in your natures the Seed of all sin a proneness to all evil and an aversness to all good so that you see if you had no other sin to bewail this were enough to humble you all your days and to make you miserable to all Eternity and therefore to be much in meditation on it and walk humbly before God and Man continually under the consideration of it and that for these Reasons 1. Because it is the Mother-sin Jam. 1.14 Mat. 15.19 Secondly Because though all actual sins be repented of and done away yet this Root of bitterness remains still and will until it be quite pluckt up by death 3. Because to bewail actual transgressions and not the corruption of nature is that which the Lord complains of Ezek. 16.22 4. Because a Man is never truly humbled under his actual sins unless he bewail also his original sins seeing it is the corruption of nature that inclin'd and carried him into actual sin and therefore if you look into the humiliations of God's People you shall find them to bewail as their actual so their original sin as Job Job 40.4 Isai 6.5 David Psal 51.5 Paul Rom. 7.24 and Mr. Bradford the Martyr that when he saw any break out into any Enormity would smite upon his Breast and say Lord what a wicked heart have I and what cause have I to give glory to distinguishing grace that I am not as vile as the vilest and therefore if you would have any evidence of the truth and soundness of your humiliation under your actual sins be sure always to take to heart and bewail original sin the Fountain and rice of all and to this end remember to meditate frequently and seriously of what I have briefly open'd to you in and about it Thirdly To take notice and meditate on your actual sins and that you may be the more thorowly humbled under them to mind well What it is the Kinds of it the multitude and greatness of them First What actual sin is to wit Every evil act or motion arising out of the corruption of nature in thought or affection word or action contrary to the revealed will of God in the Word or the Conscience binding over a man to the curse of the Law Deut. 27. last Secondly For the Kinds of it First It is either by way of Commission or Omission when any thing is added to or taken from the Word both condemned Deut. 4.11 12. Revel 22.18 19. Secondly It is either of ignorance or knowledge both damnable but especially the latter Luke 12.47 48. Thirdly It is either a sin of infirmity or a reigning sin First A sin of infirmity is such a sin as a Man falls into but seldom and besides his purpose and with reluctance also when he sees it doth mourn for it prays for pardon of it and power over it and watcheth more against it Psal 17.3 I have purposed my Mouth shall not offend Rom. 7.15 The evil which I do I allow not Secondly A reigning sin is when a Man commits any evil and omits any good wittingly or wilfully makes a Trade or a Custome of it lives and lies impenitently in it expresly forbid Rom. 6.12 The former is the sin of the regenerate the latter of the unregenerate Fourthly It is either pardonable or unpardonable First Pardonable sin is every sin even the greatest that a man is willing to repent of Isaiah 1.18 Isai 55.7 8. Secondly Unpardonable sin is not only that against the Holy Ghost but every sin even the least that a man is unwilling to see and to leave and resolves to persist impenitently in it Mat. 5.19 James 2.10 Thirdly The degrees of actual sin all sins are not alike but some
greater and some lesser Nemo repente fit pessimus none arise to the heighth of sin but by degrees and the degrees by which sin ariseth to the heighth are these 1. The thought of it 2. The pleasure of it 3. The consent to it 4. The practice of it 5. The custome of it 6. Obstinacy in it 7. Defence of it 8. Boasting of it and glorying in it Lastly Desperate and final impenitency in it which is the perfection of it If you would be kept from the last not to yield to the first for these several degrees of sin they are as so many links in a Chain take hold of one and you 'l draw the rest after James 1.15 Fourthly That you may be the more thorowly humbled under your actual sins take notice of and meditate on the multitude of your sins both your own Personal sins and your other Men's sins First Your own Personal sins to this end take notice what have been your sins by way of commission in thought word and deed what have been your sins by way of omission in publick private secret what have been your sins of imperfection before and in yea and after duty What have been the sins of your Child-hood Youth and riper Age What have been your sins against Law Gospel Word and Rod Mercies and Corrections Personal Family National Secondly That you may see your other Men's sins take notice wherein you have been faulty towards them by way of commission or omission as Superiors Interiours Equals Fifthly That you may be the more throughly humbled meditate on the greatness of your sins to this end Consider first the greatness of the Majesty against whom every sin is committed viz. no other than the great God against whom the least offence is greater than the greatest offence against the greatest Potentates on Earth He being an infinite God they but finite Creatures Secondly A God of infinite Holiness who can't look upon any the least sin with the least approbation but infinite detestation Habback 1.13 Thirdly A God of infinite goodness from whom we have had beeing and well-being Soul and Body and what-ever is good for both us and ours and all of free and rich grace Secondly To consider the baseness of our Persons that presume to sin against so great so holy and so gracious a God no other than poor Worms of the Earth sinful dust and ashes vanity nothing less than nothing Isai 40.17 Thirdly The greatness of the Price that was paid for the expiating and taking away of sin to wit no other than the precious blood of Christ the only begotten Son of God the least drop whereof is of more worth than ten thousand Worlds being the Blood of Him who was God as well as Man for ten thousand Worlds could never have purchased the Pardon of the least sin being all but finite Creatures Fourthly Consider the smalness of the Cause moving Men to sin against so great and good a God What is it that most Men and Women do dishonour God and damn their Souls for but a little transitory bitter-sweet pleasure uncertain perishing profits fading vanishing breath and applause of men and therefore it must needs be a great offence to sin against so great a God for so small a matter which makes the Lord himself to complain of it Ezek. 13.19 Fifthly Consider the Circumstances in and about the acting of your sin as the time place manner Person for these circumstances exceedingly aggravate sin as for Example when such a sin is acted by a publick Person or in a publick place to the scandal of others and the disgrace of profession not only of ignorance but knowledge of weakness but wilfulness not only once or twice but often and that against many vows and promises to the contrary notwithstanding Word Rod Mercies and Judgments and all the ways and Means and Methods God hath used to the contrary to reclaim and bring home poor wretched sinners to himself and save them from self-destruction A serious Meditation on these things will be an effectual means through the blessing of God to break the heart for sin break off the heart from the love and liking of all sin The third Consequence of Man's Fall to be taken notice of and meditated on for our more thorow humiliation before the Lord is the punishment and misery that fell upon man and all his Posterity by reason of that first Rebellion of man And this Punishment is double Privative and Positive First For the Privative punishment of man's sin or the punishment of Loss it consists in these Particulars First The loss of God's favour which he enjoyed in a perfect manner by Creation so as now every one comes into the World a Childe of wrath Eph. 2.3 an Enemy to God and God to him both his Person and all his actions abominable to God 1. His Person Rom. 8.8 2. His Actions Prov. 15.8 Isai 1.13 14. Titus 1.15 To the impure all things are impure the Reason is 1. Because the Tree must be good before the Fruit can Mat. 7.18 the Person accepted before the work can 2. Because the works of natural carnal Men are not done by them in a right manner as knowledg faith and love without which God regards them not Prov. 19.2 Heb 11.6 Rom. 13.8 None are done to a right end viz. the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 and therefore both their Persons and services abhor'd and rejected of God Isai 1. Jer. 7. Secondly As Man by his Fall lost the favour of God so communion and fellowship with God which he enjoyed in a glorious manner before the Fall but since the Fall Men are without God in the World Eph. 2.12 and are estranged from the life of God Eph. 4.18 Thirdly Man by his Fall depriv'd himself of the Image of God in which he was created and contracted on himself and his Posterity the Image of sin and Satan Joh. 8.44 Rom. 5 12. Fourthly By his Fall he came short of the glory of God had Man continued in obedience it is more than probable that he should have been translated from a terrestrial to a coelestial Paradice but by his Rebellion he outed himself and his of both Fifthly Man by his Fall lost his Native dignity by Creation he was made little lower than the Angels Psal 8. but by his Fall he was degraded and made lower than the Beasts that perished Psal 49. last For 1. By this he lost his honourable title as he the Child of God so we the Sons and Daughters of the ever living God Isai 56. Luk. 3. presently after the Fall stiled Children of Men Psal 90.3 Children of the World Luke 16.9 Children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 Children of disobedience Coloss 3.6 Children of the Devil Joh. 8 44. Children of Hell Mat. 20.25 2. They lost that glory lustre and beauty they had by Creation in Soul and Body as you may see 1 Cor. 12.23 Jude 23 Isai 1.5 6. 3. They lost that great preheminence they had