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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	great_a	holy_a	see_v	3,964	5	3.2444	3	true

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

requests ascend from one sin to more from more to many from many to all you know that confession of sins should not be particular only but universal and our sorrow for sin should respect the kinds as well as the particular acts all which import an Amplitude of grants so much Mercy and supply answerable to the required latitude of confessions and sorrow Object Object 'T is true some one sin may upon special reason either of some guilt or present insolency be more insisted on then another as one clause in the plea may be more urged then any other yet not with the exception of the rest Sol. O that sin Lord by which I have dishonoured thee so much and yet which rageth so much pardon it subdue it out with it and not that only but such sins and not them only but all my sins blot them out cleanse me from them Another Proposition which I will briefly touch on shall be this viz. SECT II. Doct. 2 THat even a good Christian should have a fear of great sins A good Christian should fear g●eat ●●ns as well as less Reasons from The latitude of original sin as well as a care of secret sins Keep me also from presumptuous sins Reasons whereof may be these The latitude of original sin which as it is yet remaining in the best so it i● in them an universal fountain naturally apt to any vile inclination though actual sins may be divided in the life yet they are all united in their spring i they are all of them virtually as so many potential effects involved and lurking in original sin as their cause which how far it may work both from its own strength and the assistance of temptions and occasions if God doth not actually prevent and interpose if we put not forth our fear and watch we may with miserable experience both know and bewail 2. The instances of great transgressions even those Saints 2. The best Saints have been guilty of great Transgressions who have been as the highest stars have left behind them their twinklings and sad Eclipses Noah his actual distempers by wine Lot his unnatural defilements by incest David his wounds and bleeding by whoredom and blood Peter his unkind and troubled denial of Christ against his knowledge Now when Cedars fall should not the tender plants tremble if the sins of others be not our fear they may be our practise what the best have done the weakest may imitate if they do not hear and fear there being scarce any notorious sin into which self-confidence will not plunge us and from which an holy and watchfull fear may not happily preserve us Vse An Instruction from this and so on Blessed is the man that Blessed is he that feareth alwayes feareth alwayes Prov. 28. 14. When we read of great sinners in the Scripture and see great falls and sins in others as we should thereupon seek to recover them who are thus fallen by our Counsel and prayers so we that stand should take heed lest we also fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. If that Satan who would deal with us could be procured to shape out only mean and vulgar assaults and suggestions to common and unavoidable infirmities and sinnings this might somewhat abate the vigour and intension of our holy fear and circumspection yet not altogether forasmuch as he being a subtile enemy trains and facilitates the heart by the frequency of small commissions at length to the boldness of great Impieties or if Satans suggestions were artificially and extreamly laid and pressing to great sins as well as small yet if we had natures no way capable to receive the greatest impressions of sin but were naturally averse and stifly indisposed to such temptations then our carefull fear were not so requisite But we are not shot-proof Temptations even to the greatest sinnes have within our breast some principles which would presently shake hands with them The actual light and acting grace do sometimes happily turn them aside from closing though they keep them at the door as the Prophet caused the Messengers who came from the King to take away his life Yet there is another Principle of corruption which would let them in and which would co-operate with those temptations even to Contemplation and inclination and acting both inward and outward nay this corrupt nature of ours alone though it doth learn somewhat by temptations and occasions yet it alone from it self can cast forth most sore temptations to most abhorred sinnings Therefore this we must do fore-past sins must be eyed with grief present inclinations with combat and future with fear we must not in our War imitate the Syrians who were to fight neither with small nor great but with the King of Israel No but we must oppose all sins small sins as well as great and great as well as small those sins which do encounter us we should force some out and keep the rest off He is a wise and sincere Christian who resists the smallest and fears the greatest sins Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins SECT III. Doct. 3 ANother Proposition which I might observe from the words absolutely considered is this That a good man A good man is Gods servant is Gods s●rvant Thy servant from c. We read of divers servants in the Scriptures some are the servants of men who apply all their gifts and parts and sacrifice the whole method of their beings and expressings to claw and humour the itch and pleasure of others All flatterers are such who are a people of slavish-bondage having sold themselves from themselves to some persons Some are the servants of the world whose hearts and labors are bestowed upon earthly things and they make even those noble souls of theirs to weary themselves for very vanity and to increase only in that with the least toe is too excellent to tread upon Some are the Servants of Satan mentioned in an instrumental Activity and readiness to entertain and execute his base and hellish inspirations and motions Some are the servants of sin who quales quanti all that they are and can do is to fulfill the lusts of their flesh there is no servant so obedientially attending the Command of his Lord as they to receive and act the pleasure of their sinfull hearts Some are servants to themselves who as if they were born neither for God nor man apply all their will and strength and abilities only to their own ends without any real effectual consideration to publique good of Church or Country And some are servants to God Moses was so Simeon was so Moses my servant is deal said God Now letest thou thy servant depart in peace said Simeon and David here Keep back thy servant Gods servants disters from all servants in the world every other servant looseth himself by service Note he is not sui juris in the Law but the only way to find a mans self is to be Gods servant Every

heads viz. 1. In respect of himself 2. In respect of the sins themselves 3. In respect of others 4. In respect of God 1. In respect of himself 1. If he considered himself there were sufficient grounds In respect of himself for such a petition because 1. His aptnesse by vertue of original corruptions even to His aptness to presumptuous sins presumptuous sinnes Be●oved I dare not traverse the extent and compasse of sinne in respect of aptitude and possibility even for a good man of this I am sure the least sin is farther then he should go and the higher he mounts in sin the deeper are his own wounds no man can be safely bad or comfortably sinful Nevertheless this may be said that though there be some top-sins which perhaps a good man doth not commit yet there is scarce any sinne for kinde or degree which might not lay him flat if God did not hold him up and keep him back The reason whereof is this because original sinne which cleaves to the best is not only a corrupt but also an universal corrupt inclination what the Phylosophers conceit of the capacity and disposition in their first matter that it is illimited unbounded infinite not restrained to this or that forme onely but in a general way lies open to all impressions That is most true of original corruption even in all that it is for its part a capacity an aptnesse to any actual villany and wickednesse a womb of all uncleannesse a seed of all iniquity not distinguishing 'twixt the vilest and the fairest transgressions Paul complained in Rom. 7. 18. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing the flesh i. the corruption of sinful nature is an utter vacancy of any good that is the privative nature of it and then the flesh i. e. sinful corruption is a diseased inclination a filthy fountaine a lewd womb a sinning sin impelling intising egging on the soule to consents and acts unlawful and that upon all occasions without any distinctions of great or little and that is the positive nature of it Though inherent grace doth much abate and keep under that sinful nature as a naughty servant may be held down by a good and stronger Master yet it is of a false deceitful and capable nature for the vilest impressions of actual sins 2. His impotency and self inability to keep off himself from His impotency to keep himself from such sins such sinnes Beloved it is true that grace is a sweet and enabling quality he who receives grace doth with it receive a measure of strength proportioned to the degree of grace received and no man is so vaine to conceive that a person receiving grace can do no more against sin then he who Note was never armed with such heavenly power But then Divines have well distinguished that as there must be a first grace which they call gratia operans to change the nature within so there must be a second grace which they call gratia co-operans to assist the soul and the first grace against the insolency of corruption and of actual temptations grace can do much but of it self not alwayes enough to keep off a sin it is true that the distance of the soul and sin depends Note on grace but that the soul keeps a distance from such a sin i. that such a sin doth not engage and lay flat the soul this doth not owe it self to the meer and natural strength of the the first created grace but to that grace as assisted and supported by an higher hand from heaven so far as I yet conjecture that principally effectual strength of created grace is more in its dependance then in its self As an arme is strong and able to do much service and to put off several assaults but principally by reason of its communion with the head from which if it were separated it can do nothing but fall down o● as the beame of light from the Sunne moves irradiates pierceth and perhaps heates and melts none of which could it do if there were an eclipse an intercision a cutting of it off from its dependance on the Sunne so grace doth most and more as it is most and more assisted from above from its head which is Christ and from God who is the father of lights Suppose grace left intirely and solely to it self a person would be exposed to many and foul miscarriages though the water be well heated yet remove the fire and the natural cold will return and prevaile over that accidental heat The natural habits of sin would easily have the better of the extrinsecal habits of grace were not these held up and backed by an higher arme then that of it self or then that in corruption working against it you know that all Adams strength was not Canon proof against Satans temptations he assaulted and entred his Castle and laid him flat and all the world with him Peter though a very good man and a very forward Disciple one qualified with much grace and high affections yet was beaten down in plaine field he could not preserve and keep back himself though armed before-hand with a warning from his Master but denied him thrice and that with some high qualifications too Nay the great falls of the best men we ever heard of in Scripture shew thus much that it was not their sword and their own spear that it was not their own strength which could keep them intirely back and point unto us not only the impotency of our own guard but also the name by which we stand and therefore is it that David prays Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins 2. In respect of the sins themselves In respect of the sinnes themselves The meere consideration of sins as presumptions afford strong causes why David should pray to be kept back from them for though every sin containes a natural reason of dislike and forsakement every sin carrying a foule quality in it and a condemning inconformity yet some sinnes are of a deeper dye and of a more crying guilt and of a darker blacknesse and of a more wounding sharpness and of a louder vilenesse then other some are Amongst which higher ranks of iniquity are presumptuous sins Presumptuous sins are amongst the higher rank of iniquity The more shining light we sin against the viler the sin and sinnings which may appear thus 1. The more shining light of grace is trampled over for to act the sin the viler is the sinning for if naked light makes the spot the broader the sinner ever sinnes the more by how much the more clearly he sees his way to sin then shining light makes it much more hainous i. when knowledge doth as it were wrestle in the conscience when it doth contend strongly with the soul by force of evidence and plain reasonnings to stay it But now presumptuous sins and sinnings they are the laying flat as it were of shining light the

and immediate causes thereof demostrate uprightnesse All doing of duty is not a convincing argument of uprightnesse or hypocrisie 2. This also must be granted that all doing of duty is not a convincing or immediate argument of uprightness Uprightness is not so punctually decided by matter as by manner as he spake of gifts which should be reputed virtuously liberall Non qua manu sed qua mente The quality of the mind consigned them much rather then the bounty of the hand That may be safely affirmed of all duties not so much what is done as how it is done argues our uprightnesse Let never so much be done out of base and sorded motives and ends for by and vaine glorious respects or meerly servile reasons without a voluntary and dutifull affection all the worke though much though great though frequent yet it doth not infallibly assure and conclude uprightnesse Some things we must be informed of Some things though we must be informed of v. g. 3. things 1. That all abstainings from sin out of feare or performing of duties from it do not necessarily conclude t●a● a man is not upright Nay a man who is upright may abstaine from the one and performe the other without any checke or prejudice to his All abstaining from sin out of feare and doing duties from it concludes not against uprightnesse uprightness Which I shall clear by these arguments 1. If a man may be upright who in duties hath an eye to the reward then by the same argument he may be upright who in them hath an eye to the punishment forasmuch as both these Proved are extrinsecall motives and alike conclude for a respect to a mans selfe But a man may be upright who yet in his duties Note hath an eye to the reward v. g. Moses who was faithfull in all the house of God Heb. 3. 2. i. very upright had yet in his obedience a respect to the recompense of reward Heb. 11. 26. If persons reputed in Scripture to be upright have yet abstained from sin and performe duty out of feare and these acts of theirs have been approved then services done out of feare may consist with uprightnesse I confesse that all which hath been done by upright persons doth not presently testify uprightness but that which hath been done by them and is rewarded by way of approbation that I say doth not prejudice uprightnesse But the upright person in Scripture have abstained from sin and have performed obedience out of feare and this hath been approved of Ergo Iob was an upright person by Gods owne Testimony cha 1. 1. The man was perfect and upright yet the feare of Gods wrath kept Iob from sinne see Iob. 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I think upon a maide he durst not give way to wanton looks nor uncleane thoughts why what with held him see v. 3 Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity q. d. this were the way to wrath and plagues to judgement and to Hell So v. 21. He durst not lift up his hand against the fatherlesse i. wrong oppresse or defraud them why v. 23. For destruction from God was a terror to me and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure Paul you wil think that he was an upright person who did exercise himself to have a conscience voyd of offence towards God and man who had the Testimony of his conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation yet was he the more diligent and the more conscionable in his ministeriall discharges out of feare see 2. Cor. 4. 11. knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perswaded men i. we know that we must all appeare before the judgement seate of Christ and every one must receive according to that he hath done whither good or bad and it will be a terrible day to us if we be found carelesse and negligent and we knowing this terror therefore we perswade men 3. Nay a man cannot be upright in duties or services if he doth them not out of fear The feare of God is the inward principle of them It is that which God requires with uprightnesse What doth thy Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and to serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soul Deut. 10. 12. Why What is that feare of God but an awefull regard to God as when Joseph forbore to sin against God out of a regard to his greatnesse Gen. 39. 9. 4. Yea Lastly let me adde one thing more viz. Jesus Christ requires nothing of us which will prejudice uprightnesse but he hath willed us to feare him who hath power to cast into hell Luk. 12. 5. yea I say unto you feare him 1. For my part I know no more reason why service done through feare should prejudice uprightnesse then the services which are done through love for asmuch as the motive of my service in both is God immediately but then in the second place observe 2. That there is a double abstaining from sin and doing of duty There is a double abstaining from sin and doing duty out of feare out of feare One is single and absolute when feare is all the reason or motive as were there not wrath were there not punishment were there not an hell I would not abstaine from sin I would not do any one duty or act of obedience unto God Like an unwilling slave who would break away or would not put forth himself in acts of service were it not the mere feare of the lash Simile of the whip did force and awe him Another is mixt and compounded when though a man doth abstaine and act out of feare yet not onely principally out of feare but also out of love commixt with that feare as a childe who though he doth forbeare many things out of a respect to his fathers power and displeasure yet withall he doth cease them out of a love to his fathers goodnesse and kinde affection thus may it be with a person who is upright he may forbeare sin out of a feare of Gods power and justice and displeasure and yet withall out of a love to an holy and gracious God and a father for both of these may have their work in him without Simile a prejudice one to another or either to the temper of uprightnesse Hosea 3. 5. they shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse The love of an upright man is so pitched on Gods goodnesse that withall it gives way to feare to apprehend his greatnesse and yet the feare of his God is not so awed by greatnesse but withall love may come in to inflame the soule to make it either abstaine or act out of a respect to Gods goodness Therefore Paul though he did perswade men because he knew the terror of the Lord yet was also exceedingly industrious because the love of Christ did