art we could not possibly be Tepid Indifferent the very Sight of so much Goodness would in spight of all our Passions force us to Admire Adore Love Thee above all the World Accursed Sin if we once we could but See Thee as Thou art the very Sight of so much Malice would not suffer us to Love Thee any longer it would be impossible for either World or Flesh or Devil to prevail against us we should Hate Thee above all things we should then abhorr detest abominate Thee evermore Accursed Sinner such Goodness Thou not Love it such Malice Thou not Hate it If the Eternall Source of all our Good be infinite in Goodness what 's the First Everlasting Root of all our Evills Is' t not infinite in Malice Questionless it is Besides God is not only infinite in Goodness He is infinite in Wisdom infinite in Justice infinite in all Perfections whatsoever So is Sin It is not only infinite in Malice it is also infinite in Folly infinite in all the Notions we can frame of it The Treachery Disloyalty Impiety Ingratitude Presumption Pride Insolence All This More than all that we can think of All is infinite According to the Principle which I have here laid down if any man should ask me what a Sinner is I should not know what other Name to Give him SINNER is his only Name I can think of nothing like Him but the Man related in S. Mark Ch. 5.2 He is possesst with an Vnclean Spirit possesst with the Devil which is worse possesst with Sin the Father of the Devil He is so unruly in his Passions Inclinations Humours v. 3. that No Man can bind Him No not with Chains The Laws of God are his Fetters but these He breaks in pieces v. 4. neither is it possible for any man to tame Him If you ask his Name the Ghospel says 't is Legion v. 9. because He is Many Sin and Sinner are two Names like that of Legion Every Mortall Sin is Many Sins and every Sinner is as Many Sinners T is impossible to number all the Aggravations of a Mortall Sin They are as numberless as the Perfections of our offended God therefore I shall only mention those which are the most Notorious the most Obvious to common Sense such as are most Odious betwixt Man Man A Sinner Every sinner is in every mortall Sin not only guilty of one Crime but of a Legion of Crimes He is a Treacherous Souldier who Deserts his Generall a Disloyall Subject who Rebells against his King an Impious Son who Dethrones his Father an Vngratefull Villain who Betrays his Benefactor a Presumptuous Slave who Abuses his Deliverer a Proud Servant who Despises his Master an Insolent Criminall who Offends before his Judge's face All these are Crimes we have a Horrour of when we observe them only betwixt Fellow-creatures betwixt Man Man All these are infinitely Greater betwixt Man God And every Mortall Sin includes the utmost Aggravations of them All. II. The Treachery of a Sinner WHen the Prophet Nathan had a mind to open David's eyes make him sensible of the Enormity of his Offence He first began by way of parable to tell him of a certain Man who was exceeding Rich in herds flocks 2. Sam. 12.2 yet was so injust so cruell as to rob a poor man of his little Lamb the only Lamb he had He told the Story in pathetick terms which though they were but few suffic'd to make him have a horrour of so cruell an Injustice David little thought he was the Person aim'd at in the parable The indignation he conceiv'd was suitable to the Good nature the Zeal which always had appear'd in him He presently pronounc't the Sentence of no less than Death upon the Man that had been guilty of so barbarous a Crime As the Lord lives v. 5. said he the Man that has done this shall surely die Upon this the Prophet presently lett fall the mask v. 7. said Thou art the Man If Parables be lawfull upon such occasions I beg the leave to tell you one There was a Generall the most Endearing most Deserving most Just that ever liv'd He had a Standing Army under his Command for severall years an Army which He generously rais'd paid Himself an Army which He cherisht as a Master would his Family He rais'd it meerly for his Country's service more for their advantage than his own and with no worse Design than to secure the Publick Peace from either forreign or domestick Enemies He rais'd Them out of Nothing They subsisted by his Service Their Estates were the Preferments He bestowd upon them They were punctually payd well arm'd well cloath'd and No convenience wanting which a reasonable Souldier could require The Camp was his Delight His Fellow-Souldiers were his Company Their Exercises were the chief Diversion He took pleasure in His Courage He had shewd aboundantly in former Wars where He expos'd his Life in their Defence He never Commanded any thing but what He did Himself They never sufferd any hardship which He did not first endure and in the greatest Dangers where Death lookt most Terrible He always was the First to meet it at the head of them look it boldly in the Face If any thing were able to endear a Souldier's heart He wanted no accomplishment He always shewd himself as Brave as He was Good and Just There never was a Man that lov'd his Souldiers more than He Nor ever was a Generall in all appearance more belov'd No men could shew more signs of being glad to serve him with their lives fortunes Their Fidelity was written in their foreheads You might read it in their looks Their Acclamations shewd it in his Presence Their Addresses in his Absence The Professions Protestations solemn Oaths which they so frequently repeated were such evidence as any man though not so Good as He might venture to rely upon When first the unexpected noise of an approaching Enemy began to fill the Land They seem'd as firm as ever They were All in readyness to march at first Command They never shewd more cheerfullness than when they went to meet the Forreign Power which disturb'd their Peace Nor is it any wonder that they were so cheerfull They were well inform'd of the condition of their Enemies They knew their weakness in a word They knew that they were sure to Conquer if they would but Fight Their Generall who had some secret reasons to mistrust them could not so dissemble his concern but they observ'd it They assur'd Him of the contrary They made Him fresh Professions Protestations Oaths that they would faithfully stand by Him to the utmost moment of their Lives He heard And even to the last was willing to beleeve But yet the dolefull prospect which He had of so inhuman Treachery where He had plac't such Confidence was
is who dayly gives him all he has to whom he ows the bread he eats the air he breaths the ground he goes upon the hand he moves the very life he spends in Sin all the Time allowd him to repent Can such a Creature so oblig'd by such a Benefactor be so basely so horribly ungratefull to betray Him preferr before Him the unreasonable satisfaction of a silly Humour of a shamefull Passion of a sinfull Inclination Open once for all thy Eyes Blind Sinner confess that no Ingratitude but that of Judas can compare to thine A Slave I wish he were so to his Master A Slave to Passion Humour A Slave to Sin Misery A Slave condemn'd to worse than Galleys during Life afterwards to the Eternall Flames of Hell 1. Cor. 2.9 where neither Eye has seen Nor Ear has heard nor has it ever entred into the heart of any Man what Torments God's great Justice has prepar'd for those who dare abuse his Mercy A vile Slave deliver'd from the mischief of all This by God himself descending from his Glory living here a poor painfull life laying down the same with every drop of his most precious bloud to pay the the ransom of this Wretch That such a Slave deliver'd so by such a Hand should offer to abuse the Mercy which once sav'd him still holds him by a slender thred from falling into everlasting Misery A Servant I should have said A miserable Insect full of sinfull putrefaction A vile Spawn of Man's originall Corruption A Worm whose very Crawling on it's fellow-dust is more Preferment than it can deserve That such a Thing as This should be so proud as to despise the Master of the World So Great so VVise so Infinitely Perfect so every way Deserving as He is This Vermin has indeed a Soul an Angell once by Grace but now by Sin a Devil black as Hell it self Gen. 3.5 Isai 14.14 a Lucifer that will be knowing Good Evill will be like the Highest will pretend to Gouvern in his Master's House despise his Orders slight his Menaces neglect his Admonitions Be astonisht Jer. 2.12 O ye Heavens at this A most insolent Criminall A Criminall so insolent as to offend before God's Face in presence of his Generall his King his Father his Deliverer his Benefactor his Master and besides all this in presence of his Judge before the very Bar where he continually is upon his Tryall for his everlasting Life or Death Our Saviour says that Whosoêre beleeves not Jo. 3.18 is condemn'd already We may say the same of every Sinner In the very moment he offends He is condemn'd already His All-Seeing Judge is always VVitness of his Thoughts Words Actions Desires and He no sooner is a Criminall but He is Tryd Judg'd This Insolence of his in some respect exceeds all other Aggravations of his Crime T is an Extravagance of which we hardly find the least Example betwixt Man Man We often hear of Souldiers that Desert But whensoêre they go they steal away We never hear that they acquaint their Generall with such Designs We often hear of Subjects that conspire against the Gouvernment but never hear them talk such matters loudly in the hearing of their Prince We often hear of Murders Robberies many other Outrages committed in the World But when the Prisoner once was brought to Tryall did you ever hear He either Robb'd or Murder'd at the Bar No no such Insolence was never heard of betwixt Man Man And yet this very Insolence is infinitely less than Ours which we are always guilty of in every Mortall Sin I say no more I tremble at the very thought of having said so much when I reflect how All that we can either say or think will nêre convert us without Grace There 's nothing but the Grace of God can make a deep Impression of it in our Hearts VI. Our Saviours Idea of Sin the Impression it made upon Him OUr Saviour Jesus Christ best knew the great Enormity of Sin we may judge how great it is by the Impression which it made upon Him when the approaching Hour of his Passion laid before his Eyes the terrible Idea of it T was the first bloudy Scene of all his Sufferings He began to be Sorrowfull very heavy Math. 26.37 A Deluge of Grief broke in upon his Soul quite overwhelm'd his Heart lay so heavy upon his fearfull Thoughts He was not able to conceal it any longer support the pressing weight of his Affliction all alone in silence His three most Dear most Familiar Disciples were surpris'd so much to see this suddain alteration in their dearest Lord They were not able to enquire the Cause but like Job's three Friends they stood astonisht spoke not one word to Him Job 2.13 because they saw his Grief was very Great Our Saviour could hold no longer but broke out into this dolefull expression Math. 26.38 My Soul is exceeding Sorrowfull even unto Death Ah my dear Disciples if you knew as well as I do all the Motives of my Grief you would not wonder that the very Thought of them makes me look pale shews you the face of Death in my countenance The violent pangs of my afflicted Soul are so sharp piercing that did not my Divinity support me preserve my life I should immediatly this very moment dy upon the place Stay a while and watch with me Math. 26.38 You who love me best who have been always most familiar with me Be not now so unkind as to leave me in this sad condition all alone Stay a while watch with me till my Storm of Grief blow over Dear Christians Let us stay a while with these three Disciples not only admire but search into the cause of this great alteration in the Soul of our Redeemer How was it possible that now He should begin to fear so much that Death which all his life He had so much desir'd His Love for Man his Desire of dying for us were conceiv'd by the operation of the Holy Ghost they came into the World with him ever after so employ'd his Thoughts He scarce could talk of any thing else Amongst his Disciples his common Discourse was of his Sufferings the Cup he was to drink his Obligation his Readyness his Impatience to fullfill the Prophecies I have says he Luke 12.50 a Baptism to be baptis'd with how am I straitned till it be accomplisht When the time drew nearer He redoubled his desires of dying for us Luke 22.25 with Desire I have desir'd to eat this Passeover with you And why says S. Chrysostom Because it is a preparation to my Passion which I have so long so earnestly desir'd He knew from the beginning every Torment every degree of it Often reflected on each Circumstance apart as often took delight in
or a VVise Pilot a Wise Statesman or a Wise Generall because he may be Prudent in the choice of Proper Means well fitted to the Purpose Design of such Employments But 't is impossible to be a VVise Man without being VVise in order to the Proper End of MAN the great Design of his Creation which is nothing but the Knowledg the Love of God A Magistrate who is created meerly for the Publick Peace whatever he may be in other things if he be not VVise in order to that End He is not a VVise Magistrate And since All Mankind was created to be happy in an Everlasting Union with God Whatever a Person may be in other Affairs if he be not Wise in order to this End He may be a Wise VVhat you please but he is not a VVise MAN As for Justice I would gladly know how any Man is thoroughly truly Just who is perpetually Guilty of the most notorious injustice we can think of Such is the Man whoêre he be that dos not Love his Maker as he ought T is true He only is injust to God He only wrongs Himself he never wrong'd his Neighbour may be all his Life But what would you say of a Steward who only cheats his Master Would you think him a Just Man because he never cheats his fellow-Fellow-Servants As for Power I Confess it may be Great in some particular respects but never can be Absolute without the Love of God I may say the same of Power that S. Thomas says of Wisdom A Man without this Love may be a Powerfull Prince a Powerfull VVarriour or the like because without it He may have all Power necessary for the main Design of Gouvernment or VVar c. But since without this Love he neither can Command his Passions nor Himself 't is evident He has not all the Power necessary to attain the proper End of Man's Creation in a word He is no Powerfull MAN who is not Master of Himself Thus you may plainly see how these three Characters of VVise Just Powerfull which are the most esteem'd Honour'd in the World are only Shadows imperfect Semblances if separated from the Love of God You plainly see that it not only is the Greatest Excellence of Man most Honourable most Deserving our Esteem but that without it there is hardly any Thing which truly is so 2. As it is our Greatest Honour so it is our Greatest Profit S. Paul was so sensible of this that though the Fervour of his Zeal appears in all his Writings yet he never speaks with greater Emphasis than when he has a fair occasion to discourse upon this subject Though I speak 1. Cor. 13. says he with the Tongues of Men Angels have not CHARITY I am become like sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the Gift of Prophecy understand all Mysteries all Knowledg and though I have all Faith so that I could remove Mountains have no Charity I am Nothing And though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor though I give my Body to be burn'd have not Charity it PROFITS me nothing He has reckon'd up the greatest Gifts best Advantages that he could call to mind yet he says They All are Nothing to our Purpose without Love On the other side the same Apostle teaches us that All things else are Profitable with it though they never can be so without it VVeknow Rom. 8.28 says he that All things work together for GOOD to those who LOVE God The Secret of changing all things in to Gold has in vain long time been sought for but the mystery of changing all the meanest of our Actions in to more than Gold is much more easy to be found 1. Cor. 10.31 VVhatever ye do says S. Paul Do all to the Glory of God every thing you do will have more value in his sight than all the Gold Silver in the World The least Degree of Love the coldest Act of Charity Math. 10.42 even the Giving a Cup of cold water for the Love of God our Saviour tells us shall in no wise loose its Reward So true is that of S. Austin All things else are Profitable with it Nothing else is truly so without it 3. As it is our Greatest Profit so it is our Greatest Pleasure There is Nothing so Delightfull even in this World as to Love God with all our Heart with all our Soul with all our Mind T is hard enough I know to make the World beleeve it Because although the Truth be in it self as clear bright as the Meridian Sun Our Passions raise a cloudy Mist before our Eyes which intercepts the Sight of it All Persons whose Affections are fixt upon the Pleasures of this World can hardly ever be persuaded but that the Love of God is the Dullest the most Insipid Thing imaginable They easily conceive that Nothing is so Honourable as to be a Saint And that it is but very litle Profit for a Man to gain the VVorld Math. 16.26 loose his Soul The Honour the Profit are agreed upon But where 's the Pleasure All that can be said upon this subject They are unacquainted with They understand it not He preaches in an unknown Tongue who preaches the Love of God to those who never Lov'd Him The Language of Love says S. Bernard is Barbarous to those who Love not As soon as ever they begin to turn their back upon these rotten Pleasures look towards Heaven presently these Darlings of their Heart begin as it were Conf. lib. 8. to pull them by the sleeve as Saint Austin words it whisper in their Ear Do you Forsake Vs And from this moment shall we have your Company no more FOR EVER Shall we NEVER see you more Thus they sollicite Thus they importune tempt them to differr the time of their Conversion Do you think it possible to Live without the Pleasures of this World Ah Christians T is not only possible it is the Greatest Pleasure in the World to Live without them T is true The very Thoughts of Separation are like Thoughts of Death But then we ought to reflect that as we feel no pain when we are Dead but all our pain is only whilst we are in Dying So we feel the pain of leaving worldly Pleasures whilst we are Deliberating what to Do But we are Dead We feel no pain at all when once we are Resolv'd upon 't You are Dead 3.3 says S. Paul to the Colossians and your Life is hidden with Christ in God I am Dead 2.19.20 says the same Apostle to the Galatians the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who Lov'd me See the powerfull Effects of Love It makes us as insensible to all the Pleasures of this World as if our Inclinations were already Dead quite Extinguisht
no great effect of Mercy we must still persever firm in our Endeavours The more we fear God's Anger the faster we must fly to the Protection of his Goodness We must not sink under the apprehensions of our Reprobation but without disputing our Destiny we must resolve either to obtain pardon or die in the demanding of it If the Almighty seem to take no notice of us if He seem as it were to command us out of his sight we have nothing else to say but Lord whither shall we go Jo. 6. v. 68. What way is there to fly from thy Anger but by the speediest recourse we possibly can make to the shelter of thy infinite Goodness We know we deserve an Eternall Bannishment from thy Presence We know we often have refus'd Thee Audience We know it was our common Answer Go Prov. 3.28 and Come again another time therefore we know we have no reason to complain if now we are forsaken abandon'd by Thee But this is only what we deserve 't is only what we justly Fear Thou nevertheless commandest us to Hope otherwise And 't is in complyance with this Command Rom. 4.18 that we Hope even against Hope We come not to dispute about our Heaven or our Hell We come not to capitulate upon the Articles of our Salvation We only fear as we have reason and hope as we ought so that setting aside the whole sollicitude of that Affair we leave it entirely to thy Mercy We come with a Contrite Humble Heart full of nothing but a sincere Sorrow for all our past Offences joyn'd with a hearty Resolution never to offend Thee any more Except it may be an Offence for Sinners such as we are to continue in thy Presence Which cannot be No no though we should see thy Sword of Justice drawn against us thy Omnipotent Hand stretcht out to strike us dead at thy Feet We will not quitt the place Job 13.15 Although Thou kill'st us we will still Trust in Thee This is the Humble Heart which charms our God the Heart which He cannot refuse Ps 50. Such a Contrite such an Humble Heart He never will despise This is the only disposition that can make amends for the abuse of so much Goodness for the differring our Conversion so long upon a proud Presumption of Amendment when we pleas'd Such an Humble Heart as this gives God no reason to be jealous of his Honour His Hand appears manifestly in the management and preparation of it Ex od 8.19 The Finger of God is here Such a Convert as this will never challenge any share in the Honour of his Conversion but admiring the Benefit will resign the Honour humble himself so much the more in his presence Who made him what he is But God will always have the Honour of the work He will be Mercifull when He thinks fit not allow proud Man to dispose of his Mercy He will take his own time and confound the presumptuous Pride of those who as if they were God's Masters rather than his servants make no doubt but they can choose a Time convenient when they please Sinners Deceive not your selves Think not that God is always equally dispos'd to hear us whensoever we appoint our time of Audience He will not suffer us to pretend to the honour of beginning our Conversion challenging his Greatest Graces at our leisure T is true He died to save us But though He died for our Benefit He died for God's Honour and will not part with any share of this Honour to humour a proud Penitent Isai 42.8 1. Pet. 5.5 He is Lord of All and his Glory He will not give to Another He Resists the Proud and only to the Humble He gives Grace in this World Glory in the next A CONTRITE HEART SECT I. Sorrow for our Sins O My God! Anton. das Chagas God of my Soul my Life my Heart All that is within me I have sinn'd ô my God I have offended Thee I have done ill before the Face of Heaven Earth Neither the Stars of Heaven nor the grains of Sand upon the Earth are equall to the boundless number of my grievous sins Ah my dear God! my Maker my Preserver my Redeemer my Only Benefactor how it grieves me to have So offended Thee Ibid. I am much more troubled at my great Ingratitude than at the greatness of the Torments I deserve O that I could bewail with Tears of bloud the base Unworthyness of my behaviour to my only most Obliging most Endearing most Deserving Friend A Friend who always lov'd me even when I lov'd my silly Humours his miserable Creatures more than Him who always Lov'd me even when I was his most Vngratefull Enemy And notwithstanding All still Made me whatsoêre I VVas still Gave me whatsoêre I Had and still Invited me nay even Courted me with dayly inspirations of his Grace to Love Him above All Things O that my Eyes were living Fountains of continuall Repentance to bewail my base Unworthyness And yet although my bleeding Heart should burst out at my Eyes my Grief would nere be equall to my Grievous Sins the Guilt of which is infinite and infinitely greater than I 'm able to conceive Though I should weep with Tears of bloud in every corner of the Earth where I have sinn'd All that would never wash away the Guilt or Scandall of my Crimes There 's nothing but the bleeding Sacrifice of the Vnspotted Lamb of God There 's nothing but the Bloud of JESUS dying for my sake upon the Cross There 's nothing else can reconcile me to the Souvereign Majesty which I have so provok't There 's nothing else can wash out the deep Stains of my unspeakable ingratitude This is that Mercy of my God which the admiring World has Reason to call Great That Mercy which is truly Great not only in it's self but Great to all that are Partakers of it Have Mercy on me O God Ps 50. according to Thy Great Mercy VVash my poor soul from it's Iniquity Cleanse it from it's Sins Sprinkle me only with the bloud of JESUS I shall be Cleans'd VVash me with it I shall be whiter than Snow Cast me not away from Thy Face but look upon a Contrite an Humble Heart which for the sake of Thy Beloved Son Math. 17.5 with whom Thou art well Pleas'd I hope Thou wilt not despise but that Thou wilt have Mercy on me O God according to Thy Great Mercy SECT II. Resolutions of Amendment I Have said Now I Begin Alas Ps 76. How often have I said So as often broke my word And what Hope have I Now to keep it more than any other Time When I renew the dolefull memory of my Relapses how I tremble at the very Thought To think how often in a luke-warm Fit of Piety I have imagin'd I was Now beginning to amend my
Heavens with a Span Before whom all the Nations of the Earth are Nothing even less than Nothing T is He whom all his Creatures wait upon Psal 104. that He may feed them in due Season who gives them they Gather who opens his Hand they are fill'd who takes away their Breath they return to Dust T is He who sitts in the Heavens laughs at the Kings Rulers of the Earth Psal 2. who makes their Devices of no effect Ps 33. who breaks them with a Rod of iron Ps 2.9 dashes them in pieces like a Potters Vessell He who is the Lord of All Ps 47. most High most Terrible and GREAT KING over all the Earth This King we openly Rebell against in every Mortall Sin IV. The Impiety of a Sinner THe Duty which we ow to Parents is a Virtue which we commonly call Piety And every Breach of such a Duty may be properly call'd Impious T is a Virtue by it self whose Character compar'd with other morall Virtues is as different from them as 't is eminent above them Her Authority extends to all of them And when they are obedient to her orders when they serve her when they wear her Livery we call them by her Name T is thus we call all Virtues Pious all Vices Impious The Reason is because our God not only is a Generall to his Souldiers a Monarch to his Subjects But He also is a Father to his Children We are All of us his Children He 's a Father to us All. Each virtuous Action of our life is more or less a Duty which we ow to such a Father and is therefore Pious On the contrary in every Offence we Sin against our Father are therefore Impious Whensoever we offend our God we sin against our Generall We basely break the Promises of our Fidelity which once we made so solemnly in Baptism since so frequently renew'd We treacherously Desert him even in the very moment when we should begin the Battle Whensoever we offend our God we sin against our King We break the sacred Oaths of our Allegeance which we seal'd so often with the Sacrament We trample under foot all Tyes of Loyalty openly Rebell against Him Whensoever we offend our God we sin against our Father We are Impious even beyond expression we Dethrone his Majesty we Banish him from our Heart we Vsurp the Gouvernment of it our selves manage it against Him When the Scribes murmur'd at our Saviour Luke 15.2 for receiving Sinners eating with 'em He told them of the Prodigall Son who was not only Receiv'd but Feasted by his Father after he had so unkindly left Him after he had wasted all his Substance in a forreign Country after he began to be in want feed Swine long for busks to fill his belly with His chief Design in telling of the Parable as we may judge by the occasion was not to accuse the Son but to excuse the Father by consequence Himself His principall intention was to justify the Father's Mercy Tenderness Kindness to his Son therefore t was not proper to exaggerate his fault T was fitter for the present purpose to sett forth his great Contrition and Humility who notwithstanding all his former Folly Brutishness Blindness yet at length came to himself repented v. 17. return'd with such a contrite such an humble heart to cast himself before his Father's feet A willfull Fool A swinish Brute Both so Blind as not to see their Misery is the Idea of a Sinner the whole Idea which the Scripture gives us in this Parable There 's no Ingratitude Presumption Pride or Insolence appears from the beginning to the end of it The Treachery the Disloyalty which I have lately spoken of have no room there Much less the great Impiety which now I am about to speak of He was no Deserter Rebell or Usurper True it is He left his Father when he went to seek his Fortune but we do not read that he Deserted Him in time of Battle He return'd again without his Father's leave but yet we do not read that he appear'd in Arms against Him by Force oblig'd Him to Submitt He envy'd not his Father's Power Authority His great Ambition only was to be as happy as his hired servants He desir'd no more than to be one of 'em He came humbly said Luke 15.21 Father I am not worthy to be call'd your Son He did not impiously tell him Father You are not worthy to be Master of your House We do not read He sent a Messenger with peremptory Orders to his Father's Palace to Command him to be gone by such an Hour What would you have said Suppose our Prodigall had been so Impious as This Ah Sinner Let not too much Zeal transport Thee Call thy Anger home The Case is thine Thou art the Man In every Mortall Sin which we consent to We are All as Impious infinitely more Our Heavenly Father is He not our King Our Heart is it not his Throne Was it not He who Made it for Himself And is it not his Right to Gouvern it Guide it to the Happyness for which He made it As often as we Value any Honour Interest or Pleasure any Passion Inclination or Humour more than his Commandements So often we Vsurp the Empire of our Heart we sway the Scepter Gouvern as we please Banish Him from thence And is not This as much as if we said Father You are not worthy to be Master of your House As often as the Devil tempts us or our Wickedness inclines us to preserr our Self or any other Thing before Him If we freely give Consent suffer any Creature to possess the Chief Place in our Heart So often we are every jot as Impious as if we sent Him peremptory Orders to be Gone that very Hour I tremble whilst I write Each Line encreases my Despair of ever being able to express the Malice of a Mortall Sin The more I amplify the more I see how much I am to blame for undertaking so impossible a Thing V. The great Ingratitude Presumption Pride Insolence of every Sinner I Have said enough to shew that every Sinner is a treacherous Souldier a disloyall Subject an impious Son I now design to shew This is not All but that He also is a most ungratefull Villain who betrays his Benefactor a presumptuous Slave who abuses his Deliverer a proud Servant who despises his Master a Criminall so insolent as to offend before his Judge's face A most ungratefull Villain A meer Upstart rais'd from lesse than Dust An empty Thing extracted out of Nothing That such a Thing as this so exalted as it is should be so stupid so insensible of all his Obligations so unmindfull of the Favours he receives so illnatur'd to his greatest Benefactor who continually makes him all he