the rewards of man with a hundred other things may be very prevalent to reform the life to regulate the outward conversation and to keep that in some due decorum and yet all these things will be found too weak too low to change the heart to reform the heart to mend the heart to purifie the heart Acts 15.9 To this great work there are principles of a higher nature required Purifying their hearts by faith 'T is not a guard of moral vertues but a guard of saving graces that can keep the heart in order to reform the heart to keep the heart in a gracious frame is one of the best and hardest works in the world Prov. 4.23 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life The Text is about matter of life and death The words are mandatory for all counsels in Scripture carry in them the force of a command In the words you have two things observable 1. A duty enjoyned Keep thy heart with all diligence 2. The reason or motive inforcing it For out of it are the issues of life In the duty there are two things considerable 1. Here is the subject matter the thing that is to be done and that is Keep thy heart This duty is charged upon all in peremptory and undispensable terms 2. Here is the manner how it must be done and that is With all diligence Keep The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Natsar to keep hath various significations but the main is to keep in safe custody we should keep our hearts as under lock and key that they may be alwayes at hand when the Lord shall call for them c. Thy heart By the heart the we are not to understand that particular vital member of the body that in common speech we call the heart Heart is not here taken properly for that noble part of the body which Philosophers call the primum vivens c. ultimum moriens the first that lives and the last that dies But by heart in a metaphor the Scripture sometimes understands some particular noble faculty of the soul sometimes the heart is put for the understanding Rom. 1.21 Their foolish heart was darkned that is their understanding was darkned sometimes 't is put for the will and affections Mat. 22.37 So Prov. 23.26 Deut. 10.12 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind that is with thy will and with all thy affections The will is the chiefest power of the soul as the heart is the principal part of the body Mat. 8. and it commands all the affections as the Centurion did his servants Job 27.6 sometimes 't is put for the conscience 1 Joh. 3.20 If our heart condemn us God is greater â—han our heart and knoweth all things that is if our conscience condemn us justly then our case must be assuredly sad because God knows much more by us than we know by our selves and can charge us with many sins that conscience is not privy to Psal 19 12. sometimes 't is put for the memory Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that is in my memory So Luke 2.19 But here 't is taken comprehensively for the whole soul with all its powers noble faculties and endowments together with their several operations all which are to be watched over With all diligence or as the Hebrew runs With all keeping The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shamar signifies Cato Cicero Seneca Socrates and others have laid down excellent rules for the government of the outward man but n one for the government of the heart to keep with watch and ward A Christian is to keep a perpetual guard about his heart A Lapide notes that the Hebrew word is borrowed from military affairs We should keep our hearts as soldiers keep a Garrison with watch and ward Lavater jumps with him and tells us that the word Shamar is taken from a besieged Garrison begirt by many enemies without and in danger of being betrayed by treacherous Citizens within in which danger the soldiers upon pain of death are commanded to watch Junius reads the word thus Keep thy heart Supra omnem custodiam above all keeping So Hierom reads Prae omni custodia above all keeping keep thy heart that is keep keep watch watch c. So Rhodolphus reads it Prae omni custodia and so we read it in the Margin of our Bibles And the Syriack reads it in the same manner that our English doth Cum omni cautione with all caution and wariness we are to keep our hearts O what guards and double guards O what watches and double watches should men put upon their hearts These words keeping keep import both a universal watchfulness over the heart and a diligent watchfulness over the heart and a constant watchfulness over the heart and thrice happy are those persons who keep such a watch upon their hearts A man is to keep his eye and keep his mouth and keep his feet but above all keeping he is to keep his heart 'T is a duty incumbent upon every Christian to keep his own heart Keep thy heart Thy self thou mayest make another thy Park-keeper or thy House-keeper or thy Shop-keeper or thy Cash-keeper or thy Horse-keeper or thy Nurse-keeper but thou must be thy own Heart-keeper Keep thy heart with all diligence some understand this of all kind of watchfulness The Hebrew word is applyed to several sorts of keeping As First It is applyed to those that are the keepers of a prison Gen. 39.21 22 23 So Job 7.12 where dangerous Fellons or Malefactors are to be looked to that they don't break away 1 King 20.39 Keep this man so Joseph was made the Keeper of the prison The Hebrew word is the same with that in Prov. 4.23 Now O â—ow diligent how vigilant are men in looking after their prisoners even so should we be in looking after our hearts c. Secondly It signifies to keep as men would keep a besieged Garrison Hab. 2.1 or City or Castle in time of war So 't is used in that Hab. 2.1 Now what strong guards what watchful guards do men keep up at such a time A gracious heart is Christ's Fort-royal Now against this Fort Satan will imploy the utmost of his strength art craft and therefore how highly does it concern every Christian to keep a strong guard a constant guard about his heart But Thirdly It signifies to keep as the Priests and Levites kept the Sanctuary of God the Temple of God and all the holy things that were committed to their charge So the word is often used by the Prophet Ezek. 44.8 15 16 c. The Temple and all the vessels of the Temple were to be kept pure and clean and sweet Our hearts are the Temples of God the Temples of the holy Ghost and therefore we should alwayes keep a strong
earth Rom. 7.22 23. do carry about with them a body of sin and death they have in them a fountain of original corruption and from this fountain sin will still be arising bubling and a boyling up as the scum in a pot over the fire but mark as in wine or honey or water though scum and filth may arise yet the wine the honey the water will be still a purging and purifying it self and a working and casting it out so though sin though corruption though spiritual filth may and too often doth arise in a gracious heart yet there is a spring of grace a spring of living water in him John 4.14 All resistance of sin in a Scripture phrase is called conquest for in the resistance of it there is as much love shew'd to God as in the conquest of it though there be not so much power seen there is a holy cleansing and purifying disposition in a regenerate person that will still be a working and casting it out But now mark in men of impure hearts and lives the scum doth not only arise but it seeths and boyls in Ezek. 24.12 She wearied her self with lyes and her great scum went nâ—t f râ—h out of her notwithstanding all the threatnings of God and all the judgments of God upon her yet her scum and filthiness boyled in though God boyled Jerusâ—lem in the pot of his judgments yet her scum and filth stuck to every side of her wicked mens scum and filth doth not only arise but it also seeths and boyls in and mingles together with their spirits but so doth not the scum and filth that rises in a gracious heart a Sheep may fall into the mire but a Swine delights to wallow in the mire But Fourteenthly A godly man may argue thus Such as sin hath not a dominion over are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.14 But sin hath not a domiâ—ion over me therefore I am not under the Law but under grace Sin may rebel in a Saint but it shall never reign in a Saint Look as those beasts in that Dan. 7.12 had their dominion taken away though their lives were spared and prolonged for a season and a time so when Christ and grace enters into the soul they take away the dominion of sin though they do for a time spare the life of sin To prevent mistakes premise with me briefly these few things First Rom. 7. that in every regenerate man there are two men an old man and a new man or if you please flesh and spirit Secondly The old man the fleshly part will incline the soul and byass the soul as well to sins against the Gospel as to sins against the Law and to great sins as well as to small sins witness Noah's drunkenness Lot's incest Assur's oppression David's murder and adultery Solomon's idolatry and Peters blasphemy Thirdly The old man the fleshly part is as much in the will as in any other part of the regenerate man and therefore when he falls into hainous sins he may fall into them with consent delight and willingness so far as his will is unrenewed 1 Thes 5 22. Though a real Christian be chang'd in every part yet 't is but in part and imperfect Fourthly The old man the fleshly part is in a regenerate mans members as well as in his will and therefore they may be exercised and imployed in and about those sins they have consented unto Fifthly High sinnings do waste and wound the conscience of a regenerate man and lay him open to the sore rebukes of God and call for great repentance and fresh and frequent applications of the bloud of Christ These things being premised a Question may be propounded viz. Quest What does the dominion of sin import and wherein does it consist Now to this considerable question I shall give these eight following Answers First Sin is in dominion when it hath the absolute and soveraign commaâ—â— of the soul when it hath an uncontradicted power when it hath such an authority in the soul to command it as a King doth his subjects or as the Centurion did his servants Mat. 8.9 For I am a man under authority having soldiers under me and I say to this man go and he goeth and to another come and he cometh and to my servant do this and he doth it Now when sin has such a universal and easie authority and command over the whole man body and soul as that it can use them in the service of sin when and where and how it pleaseth then sin is in dominion where there is a peaceable Eph. 2.2 3. uncontrouled willing universal subjection of the whole man unto the commands of sin there sin reigns But Secondly Sin is in dominion when in a course when ordinarily there is a quiet free willing and total yielding of subjection to the authority Law and command of sin Mark 't is a full possession a plenary delight and a constant content in sin Rom. 6.13 14 15 16. that speaks out the reign and dominion of sin Dominion of sin imports a compleat and universal resignation of the whole will and man to the obedience of it That man that is wholly addicted and devoted to the wayes of sin that man is under the reign of sin that man whose whole heart is universally married to his lusts that man is under the dominion of his lusts when a man does as freely cheerfully universally and readily obey his lusts Eph. 2.3 1 King 21.25 Micah 7.3 A man may be subjects as a captive in this or that particular tyranny of sin who is not obedient as a servant to all the government of sin for that takes iâ— the whole will and an adequate submission thereof to the peaceable and uncontrouled power of sin Rom. 7.15 19 23 as a child does his father or a wife her husband or a servant his Master or a subject his Prince then sin is in dominion when a man sins with greediness when with Ahab he sells himself to work wickedness when he commits wickedness with both hands when he gives himself up or over to all uncleanness and filthiness when he freely and voluntarily resigns and surrenders up his body and soul to the obedience of sin then sin reigns then it keeps the throne where the dominion of sin is erected there it sits in the heart as a King in his Throne and gives forth its Laws and commands to the soul and body and those commands are listned and consented to approved and delighted in c. A subject can't in a course more freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his Prince than a sinner doth in a course freely willingly universally and cheerfully obey the commands of his lasts and where ever this sad temper of spirit is there is sin in dominion But now mark The Apostle as Chrysostom and Theodoret observe on Rom. 6.12 doth not say Let not sin tyrannize for
that is sins own work and not ours but he sayes Let it not reign in you for when a King reigns the Subjects do â—s it were actively obey and embrace his command whereas they are rather patients than agents in a tyranny a regenerate mans will riseth against his sin even then when he is worsted by sin and led captive by sin A Tyrant is obeyed unwillingly the wills of his subjects rise up against his commands and if his power were not superior to their wills they would never obey him Sin is no King but a Tyrant in the souls of the Saints and therefore their wills so far as they are renewed can't but rise against it O Sirs remember this for ever that the molesting vexing and tempting power of sin does not speak out its dominion for sin may molest and vex and tempt as an enemy where it doth not rule and reign as a King as you see this day in many Nations of the earth there are many enemies that do molest vex and tempt the subjects of those Nations who yet are far enough off from having any rule or dominion over them but then sin is in dominion when it commands in the heart as a King in his Throne or as a Lord in his house or as a General in his Army freely boldly universally cheerfully and when the soul doth as freely boldly universally and cheerfully subject it self to sins commands where men commonly yield up their wills and affections to the commands of sin there sin reigns and this is the case of every unregenerate man but where the will does commonly make a stout opposition to sin there it reigns not now this is the case of every regenerate man That Prince cannot truly be said to reign in that Kingdom where commonly he meets with stout opposition So 't is here A sincere Christian makes it the great business and work of his life above all other things in this world to make all the opposition he can against his lusts and is throughly resolved to die fighting against his sins as Pietro Candiano one of the Dukes of Venice died fighting against the Nauritines It is a harder thing to fight with a mans lusts than to fight with the cross Augustine with the weapons in his hand Aâ— Caesar said in a battel he fought against one of Pompey's sons at other times I fought for honour but now I fight for my life so a sincere Christian fights against his sins as for his life Castellio's opinion was vain viz. That men are of three sorts some unregenerate some regenerating and others regenerated and that these last have no combat betwixt flesh and spirit which is quite cross to Scripture Rom. 7 14-24 Gal. 5.17 c. and contrary to the experience of all Saints in all the ages of the world But Thirdly When a man is usually peremptory in his sinnings in the face of all reprehensions and arguments that tend to disswade him from sin Prov. 29.1 Jer. 5.3 4. 44.15 16 17. then sin is in dominion when the constant bent of the heart is inflamed towards sin and when the desires of the soul are insatiably carried after sin and when the resolutions of the soul are strongly and habitually set upon sin Hos 2.6 7. then sin is in the Throne and then it reigns as a King when God hedges up the sinners way with thorns yet the sinner will break through all to his sin when life and death heaven and hell glory and misery are set before the sinner Deut. 30.15 19. 11.26 27 28.29 yet the sinner will be peremptory in his sinnings though he lose his life his soul and all the glory of another world then sin reigns But Fourthly When men ordinarily habitually commonly are very careful studious and laborious to make provision for sin then sin reigns Rom. 13. ult Make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof or as the Greek has it David in an hour of temptation once made provision for his lusts 2 Sam. 11.14 15. but this was not his course his trade c. Make no projects for the flesh or cater not for the flesh when a mans head and heart is full of projects how to gratifie this lust and how to satisfie that lust and how to fulfil t'other lust then sin reigns then 't is in its throne Jam. 4.3 Ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lusts Both the Law of God and nature requires me to make provision of raiment food and physick for my body and for theirs that are under my charge but it may cost me my life my estate yea my very soul to make provision for my lusts Such as ask amiss shall be sure to ask and miss he that would make God a Baud to his lusts may ask long enough before God will answer of all affronts there is none to this of making God a servant to our lusts Hos 2.8 and where this frame of spirit is there sin is in dominion He that abuses mercies to serve his lusts fights against God with his own weapons as David did against Goliah and as Benhadad did against Ahab with that very life that he had newly given him such a soul like the waters of Jordan will at last certainly drop into the dead lake But Fifthly When sin is commonly habitually sweet and the soul takes a daily pleasure and delight in it then it reigns as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margenâ— together Joh 20.12 13. Prov. 2.14 Amos 6.13 Zeph. 3.11 2 Thes 2.12 when a man daily takes as joyful contentation and satisfaction in his lusts and in walking after the wayes of his own heart as he does in his highest outward enjoyments oâ— in his nearest and dearest relations then certainly sin is in dominion Such men as can go constantly on in a way of wickedness meerly to delight and content the flesh such men are certainly under the power and reign of sin Many of the Heathens who knew what rational delights were scorned sensual delights as inferior to them These will one day rise in judgment against many of the Professors in our dayes I know there is no real pleasure or delight in sin if intemperance could afford more pleasure than temperance then Hiliogabalus should have been more happy than Adam in Paradise yea if there were the least real delight in sin there could be no perfect hell where men shall most perfectly sin and most perfectly be tormented with their sins Heark Scholar said the Harlot to Apulciuâ— 't is but a bitter sweet that you are so fond of Pâ—â—â—rh When an Asp stings a man it doth at first tickle him and make him laugh till the poyson by little and little gets to his heart and then it pains him more than before it delighted him 'T is so with sin it may tickle the soul at first but it will pain
their falls they fall and continue to fall Isa 55.12 to morrow shall be as to day But persons in Covenant with God though they do fall yet they do not fall nor cannot fall as they do that are out of Covenant with God For first There is in all such persons an habitual purpose to keep Covenant with God 2. An habitual desire to keep Covenant with God 3. An habitual resolution to keep Covenant with God 4. An habitual endeavour to keep Covenant with God Now where t is thus there that man is certainly in Covenant with God and that man walks in Covenant with God he is under a Covenant of Grace his sins are pardoned and therefore they shall never be his ruine Isa 63.17 Doubtless many precious Christians have charged and condemned themselves for those things that the great God will never charge them with nor condemn them for Blessed Bradford wrote himself an Hypocrite a painted Sepulcher but doubtless God will never bring in such a charge against him O Sirs the stirrings of sin and the workings of sin and the prevalency of sin for particular acts will stand with the Covenant of Grace though not with the Covenant of Works You may not by any means conclude that you are not in a Covenant of Grace because such and such corruptions stirs in you or because such or such weaknesses now and then breaks forth and discovers themselves either in your lips or lives Did Christians but study the Covenant of grace more and understand better than they do the difference between the Covenant of grace and the Covenant of works how would their fears and doubts about their spiritual and eternal estates vanish as the clouds before the Sun when it shines in its greatest strength and glory c. 'T was the saying of an eminent Minister on his death-bed That he had much peace and quietness not so much from a greater measure of grace than other Christians had or from any immediate witness of the spirit but because he had a more clear understanding of the Covenant of grace than many others having studyed it and Preached it so many years as he had done Doubtless had Christians a more clear and a more full understanding of the Covenant of grace they would live more holily serviceably humbly fruâ—tfully comfortably and sweetly than they do and they would dye more willingly readily and cheerfully than many may I not say than most Christians use to do But The Eighteenth Maxim or Consideration EIghteenthly and lastly That trouble grief and sorrow for sin that drives a man from God is sinful and must one day be repented of and wept over All true trouble Hos 5.14 15. chap. 6.1 2 3. Jer. 31.18 19 20. Psal 51. Hos 14.1 2. Psal 25.11 grief and sorrow drives to God as is evident by the Scriptures in the Margent Suppose thou hast so and so sinned yet t is a false inference that therefore thou shouldest be discouraged and let thy hopes sink and thy heart faint as if there were no help no hope no comfort for thee in thy God Quest But when is a mans trouble or sorrow for sin sinfull Answ 1. When it keeps Christ and the Soul asunder 2. When it keeps the Soul and the Promises asunder 3. When it unfits a man for the duties of his place and calling wherein the providence of God has stated him 4. When it unfits a man for the duties of Religion either private or publick 5. When it takes off the sweet and comfort of all outward comforts and enjoyments and renders all our mercies like the white of an Egg that has no tast or savour in it 6. When it weakens wasts or destroyes the outward man all godly sorrow is a friend to the Soul and no enemy to the body And thus much for those divine Maxims Considerations and Rules that are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up a mans Interest in Christ and his title to all the glory of another world Certainly these Eighteen Maxims Considerations or Rules if God shall please powerfully to set in with them are of singular use for the clearing up of the saving work of God upon poor souls And therefore it highly concerns Christians seriously to ponder upon them as Mary did upon the sayings of the Angel in her heart Now these things being premised I shall come in the next Chapter to lay down some infallible evidences of saving Grace Luke 2.19 CHAP. II. Containing many choice precious and infallible Evidences of true saving grace upon which a Christian may safely and securely comfortably and confidently rest and adventure the weight of his precious and immortal Soul and by which he may certainly know that it shall go well with him for ever and that he has a reall saving interest in Christ and shall be everlastingly happy when he shall be here no more c. FIrst There are some things in regard of sin and a Christians actings about it that speaks out a gracious estate and that discovers a saving principle of Grace to be in the Soul I shall instance in these Eleven particulars First A universal willingness to be rid of all sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in a mans Soul Isa 28.15 18. Isa 30.22 Hos 14.8 Rom. 7.22 23 24. the first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul is the dividing between sin and the soul t is a making an utter breacl betwixt sin and the soul t is a dissolving of that old League that has been between the sinner and his sin The first work of the Spirit is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy and to deal with sin as an enemy to hate it as an enemy to loath it as an enemy to fear it as an enemy and to arm against it as an enemy When the holy spirit takes possession of the Soul from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul look'd on David when the evil spirit was upon him O saith Saul that I were but once well rid of this David and O saith the gracious Soul that I were but once well rid of this proud heart this hard heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this froward heart this earthly heart of mine c. Gen. 26.35 Look as the daughters of Heth even made Rebeccah weary of her life so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life Many a day have I sought death with tears said blessed Cowper not out of impatience distrust or perturbation Restraining grace doth only suppress and abate the acts of sin it doth never alter the disposition and will of a man as to sin You may chain up a Lyon but you cannot change the nature of a Lyon but because I am weary of sin and fearful to fall into it Look as when Christ hath won the will he hath
won the man So when sin hath lost the will it hath lost the man The will is the heart My Son give me thy heart is My Son give me thy will the will is the Fort-Royal of the Soul t is that strong hold that stands out stoutest and longest against all the Assaults of Heaven when the will is won all is won the Castle is won the heart is won the man is won when the will is won A mans judgment and reason may say I ought tâ—â—â—rn from sin and his Conscience may say I must turn from sin or it will be bitterness in the end and yet the work not done nor the Soul won but when the heart sayes the will sayes I will turn from sin then the work is done and the man is won Where reason saith these lusts ought to be subdued and the Conscience saith these lusts must be subdued and the Will saith these lusts shall be subdued Psal 65.3 As for our transgressions thou shaâ—t purge them away there is a saving work upon the Soul When the will ceases to sin as Ephraim said to his Idols Get you hence what have I any more to do with you then the work of God is begun in power upon the Soul A universal willingness to be rid of all sin speaks the heart to be sound and sincere with God the enmity that Grace works in the heart against sin is against the whole kind t is against all sin as well profitable and pleasurable sins as disparaging and disgracing sins and as well against small sins as agâ—inst great sins true Grace strikes at root and branch at head and members at father and son A true Israelite would not have one Canaanite left in the Holy Land he would have every Egyptian drowned in the Red Sea of Christs bloud Psal 119.104 I hate every false way Psal 139. ult Search me O Lord and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Saving Grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts as a Slave is willing to leave his Gally or a Prisoner his Dungeon or a Thief his Bolts or a Beggar his rags But now take a man that is in his natural condition and he is as unwilling to part with his sins as Abraham was to turn Hagar and Ishmael out of doors Ambrose reports of one Theotimus that having a disease upon his body the Physician told him That except he did abstain from intemperance drunkenness uncleanness c. he was like to lose his eyes his heart was so desperately set upon his lusts that he answered Vale lumen amicum Farewel sweet Light then he had rather lose his eyes than leave his sins So they in Micha 6.6 7. do make very large offers for a dispensation to live in their sins They offer Calves of a year old they offer thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl yea they offer their first born for theiâ—â—â—ansgressions the fruit of their bodies for the sin of their souls Sinners hearts are so glued to their lusts that they will rather part with their nearest dearest and choicest enjoyments than part with their sins yea when they are put hard to it they will rather part with God Christ and all the glory of another world than they will part with some base bosom lust witness that young man in the Gospel who went away sorrowful because he had great possessions Matth. 19.21 22. Look as a man leaves his Wife and Children Gen. 21.11 Matth. 19 21 22. 2 Sam. 3.15 16. Augustin in his youth before his Conversion prayed thus I said indeed with my lips Lord give and yet in my heart I was too willing to give longer day and could have said Lord pray not yet I was even afraid lest thou shouldst hear me too soon and too soon heal and subdue my corruption for me Aug. Con. his Countrey Estate and Trade with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart so does an unregenerate man leave his lusts with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart Very observable is the story of Phaltiel David had Married Michol Saul injuriously gave her to another when David came to the Crown and was able to speak a word of command he sends for his wife Michol her Husband dares not but obey he brings her on her journey and then not without great reluctancy of spirit takes his leave of her But what was Phaltiel weary of his Wife that he now forsakes her O no he was forced to it and though she was gone yet he cast many a sad thought after her and never leaves looking till he sees her as far as Bahurim weeping and bemoaning her absence And just thus t is with carnal and unregenerate men who though for fear or some other reasons they shake hands with their sins yet they have many a longing heart after them they part but t is upon a force they part and yet they are very loath to part asunder Look as the Merchant throws away his goods in a storm because he cannot keep them so carnal â—en in times of sickness and distress or in times of horror and terror of Conscience or when death the King of terrors knocks at their doors or when they see Hell gaping to devour them and God as a terrible Judg standing ready to pass an eternal doom upon them then they are willing to cast overboard their usury their drunkenness their Swearing their Cursing their Lying their Flesh-pleasing c. but not out of any hatred to their lusts but out of love to themselves and out of fear of being damned c. for could they but enjoy their sins and Heaven too sin and they would never part But now were there no danger no wrath no hell no damnation no seperation from God attending sin yet a gracious Soul would be heartily willing to part with all sin and to be rid of all sin upon the account of the vile nature of sin upon the account of the defiling and polluting nature of sin of all things in the World sin is the most defiling thing it makes us red with guilt and black with filth t is compared to a menstruous cloath Isa 30.22 which of all unclean things in the Law was the most unclean as some observe and upon this very account a gracious soul would be willingly rid of it Secondly A constant habitual willingness to be rid of all sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in the Soul 't is not a transient willingness to be rid of sin when a man is either under some outward trouble or some inward distress that speaks out the truth of saving grace but a permanent lasting and abiding willingness to be rid of sin does Pharaoh in a fit in a fright when Thunder and Hail and Frogs and Flies were upon him was then willing to let Israel go but when his fright was over and the Judgments removed he grew prouder
and harder than before So many men when they are a little Sermon-sick or under some smart pangs of Conscience or under some startling or amazing Judgments O then they will be willing to let Israel go then they will be willing to let drunkenness go and pride go and uncleanness go and worldliness go c. but when their sickness is over and the pangs of Conscience abated and Judgments removed O then they return with the Dog to his vomit 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. and with the Sow to the wallowing in the Mire again There was a man well known to a Minister in this City who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his Conscience for his sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cryed out all night long I am damn'd I am damn'd I am damn'd and this man in the dayes of his outward and inward distresses made many and great protestations of amendment of life if God would be pleased to recover him in a little while he did recover and being recovered he was as bad and as wicked if not worse than he was before So in the time of the great sweat in King Edwards dayes as long as the heat of the Plague lasted all sorts and ranks of people were still a crying out Peccavi Mercy good Lord Mercy Mercy Mercy Then Lords and Ladies and other persons of quality cryed out to the Ministers For Gods sake tell us what we shall do to avoid the Wrath of God take these bags pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived and so much restore unto another whom in bargaining I over-reached O give so much to the Poor and give so much to such and such Pious uses But after the sickness was over they were just the same men that they were before Men in time of trouble are very ready to cry out Arise and save us Jer. 2.27 And with them Deliver us this time Judges 10.15 And with the Samaritans who when God had sent Lyons among them enquired after the manner of his Worship 2 King 's 17.25 26. And yet after all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did Jer. 2.20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands and thou saidest I will not transgress when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot A wicked mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient not constant 't is like the morning Cloud and the early dew that passeth away Hos 6.4 Hos 11.7 Psal 78.34 37 57. Hosea 7.16 The Jews were a very unstable people a people bent to backsliding a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow Sometimes when the Judgments of God were heavy upon them or when they were under the reign of some good Kings then down went their Groves their Altars their Idols and their High places but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols and at other times they were mad to go a whoring after their Idols But now a godly man when he is himself he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins yea to be rid of all his sins the fixed standing and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul of a godly mans will is to be rid of every sin and thrice happy is that man that is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame Thirdly A transcendent willingness a superlative willingness an overtopping willingness to be rid of sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in the Soul When a mans willingness to be rid of his sins overtops his unwillingness when a man is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to continue in sin then his spiritual state is certainly good A gracious heart had much rather if it were put to his choice live without all sin than to have allowance to wallow in any sin he had rather live without the least sin than to have liberty to live in the greatest or the most flesh-pleasing sin 'T is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious Soul than all the losses crosses troubles and tryals that he meets with in the World 2 Sam. 24.10 David cryes not perii but peccavi not I am undone but I have done foolishly He does not cry Take away the pestilence but take away the iniquity of thy servant Dan. 9.5 Nor Daniel cries not out O we are sadly reproached we are greatly distressed we are wofully oppressed Hos 14.2 but We have rebelled And the Church cryes not out Take away our Captivity but take away all iniquity 't is not take away our chains but take away our sins 't is not take away our afflictions but take away our pollutions 't is not take away all our enemies lives but take away the lives of all our lusts 2 Cor. 11.16 ult And so Paul cryes not out of his reproaches or persecutors or bonds or chains or stripes or perils Rom. 7.23 or prisons he rather glories in these But he cryes out of a Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his mind and bringing of him into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in his Members Paul does not cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from all my sorrows and sufferings Verse 24. But O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death A sincere heart when he is himself had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings yea of the least sins than of the greatest sufferings 'T was a sweet saying of Bernard I had rather saith he that God should better my heart than remove his hand I had rather that God should continue my strokes than my sins And the same noble spirit was working bravely in Job when he was under the heavy hand of God See Job 7.20 21. Job 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more But now graceless men are much more willing to be rid of their afflâ—ctions See Exod. 10.17 than to be rid of their sins witness Pharaoh who cries out take away the Frogs Exod. 8.8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do Sacrifice unto the Lord. 'T is not intreat the Lord that he would take away this proud heart or this hard heart or this besotted heart or this blind mind or this perverse will or this benummed Conscience that is in me and my people but intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and my people
people and to approve of his people and to delight in his people and to interpret his people according to the common bent frame disposition resolution unfeigned desires and constant endeavours of their Souls But c. Thirdly If your obedience be the obedience of Faith then your estate is good then you have assuredly an infallible work of God upon your souls Quest But how shall we know whether our obedience be the obedience of Faith or no how may a man discern when his obedience springs from Faith Answ You may certainly know whether your obedience be the obedience of Faith or no by these following particulars First That obedience that springs from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience David did look upon his universal obedience as a special testimony of his uprightness Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Mark the Psalmist doth not say When I obey all thy Commandments then shall I not be ashamed but When I have a respect to all thy Commandments then shall I not be ashamed Now a respect to all Gods Commandments notes an inward awe and reverential eye towards every duty that God requires The rule is good and true Quicquid propter deum fit equaliter fit he who doth serve and obey God for Gods sake will equally obey all that God commands him No one Command is unjust or unreasonable to himâ— whose heart is upright in obedience c. Seneca describing a vertuous man Epist 120. saith of him that he is Idem semper et in omni actu par sibi Bacharti from â—achar the word notes a careful and diligent choice upon good tryal and proof The words according to the Hebrew may be read thus Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy Commandments Now you know the Traveller hath his eye towards the place whither he is going and though he be short of it yet he is still a putting on and pressing forwards all he can to reach it So when the eye of a Saint is to all the Commands of God and he is still a pressing forwards towards full obedience such a Soul shall never be put to the blush such a Soul shall never be ashamed in the great day of our Lord Jesus So Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfill all my will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all my wills to note the sincerity and universality of his obedience So Acts 24.16 And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men So Heb. 13.18 We trust we have a good Conscience in all things willing to live honestly That obedience that springs from Faith doth neither dispute Divine Commands nor divide Divine Commands one from another Zacharias and Elizabeth were both righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1.5 6. That obedience that springs from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience It is universal in respect of the subject the whole man and 't is universal in respect of the object the whole Law Mark he who obeyes sincerely obeyes universally though not in regard of practice which is impossible yet 1. In regard of his will and desires his will and desire is to obey all Rom. 7.18 For to will is present with me Psal 119.5 O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes 2. In respect of election or choice he chooses to obey all Psal 119.173 Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy Precepts The word here rendred chosen signifies to choose upon tryal and examination I have chosen thy Precepts before all and above all other things I have chosen thy Precepts for my chiefest good and for my only treasure I have chosen thy Precepts to own them to follow them and to obey them 3. In respect of approbation he approves of all the Commands of God as holy just and good he highly approves of those Royal Commands that he cannot perfectly obey Rom. 7.12 Wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good And Verse 16. I consent unto the Law that it is good He assents to the Commands of God as holy and he consents to them as good 4. In respect of affection he loves all the Commands of God he dearly loves those very Commands that he cannot obey Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law Such a pang of love he felt as could not otherwise be vented but by this pathetical exclamation O how love I thy Law Verse 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Verse 163. I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love Verse 119. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies Verse 127. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Verse 159. Consider how I love thy Precepts Verse 167. My Soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly 5. In respect of valuation or esteem he highly values all the Commands of God he highly prizes all the Commands of God as you may see by comparing these Scriptures together Psal 119.72 127 128. Psal 19.8 9 10 11. Job 23.12 6. In respect of his purpose and resolution he purposes and resolves by divine assistance to obey all to keep all Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments Psal 17.3 I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress 7. In respect of his inclination he has an habitual inclination in him to keep all the Commands of God 1 Kings 8.57 58. 2 Chron. 30.17 18 19 20. Psal 119.112 I have inclined my heart to perform thy Statutes alwayes even to the end 8. In respect of endeavours they endeavour to keep all Psal 119.59 I turned my feet unto thy testimonies There is no man that obeyes God truly who doth not endeavour to obey God fully and thus you see in what respects that obedience that flows from Faith is a full obedience a universal obedience A child of God obeyes all the commands of God in respect of his sincere desires purposes resolutions and endeavours and this God accepts in Christ for perfect and compleat obedience This is the glory of the Covenant of Grace that God accepts and esteems of sincere obedience as perfect obedience Such who sincerely endeavour to keep the whole Law of God they do keep the whole Law of God in an evangelical sense though not in a legal sense In the work of Conversion Ezek. 11.19 20. God infuseth all Grace together and writes not one particular Law in the hearts of his children but the whole Law which is a universal Principle inclining the Soul impartially to all The gracious Soul sincerely falls in with every command of God so far as he knows it without prejudice or partiality he dares not
Hebrew runs Any way of pain or of grief or of provocation that is any course of sin that is grievous or provoking to the eyes of divine glory A real Saint can neither allow of sin nor wallow in sin nor be transformed into the image of sin nor mix it self with sin 'T is possible for a sincere Christian to step into a sinful path or to touch upon sinful facts Gal. 6.1 Prov. 16.17 and now and then in an hour of temptation to slide to trip and to be overtaken unawares but his main way his principle work is to depart from iniquity As a true traveller may now and then step a few steps out of his way who yet for the main keeps his way keeps the road or as a Bee may now and then light upon a thistle but her main work is to be gathering at the flowers or as a Sheep may now and then slip into the dirt or into a slow but its main work is to be grazing upon the mountains Certainly O soul if sin be now thy greatest burden it shall never hereafter prove thy eternal bane God never yet sent any man to hell for sin to whom sin has commonly been the greatest hell in this world God has but one hell and that is for those to whom sin has been commonly a heaven in this world That man that hates sin and that daily enters his protest against sin that man shall never be made miserable by sin Sin in a wicked man is like poyson in a serpent it is in its natural place it is delightful to a sinner but sin in a Saint is like poyson in a man's body it is offensive and the heart rises against it and is carried forth to the use of all divine Antidotes whereby it may be expelled and destroyed nothing will satisfie a gracious soul but the heart bloud of his lusts Now he shall never be damned for his sins whose heart is set upon killing his sins Seventeenthly Such a poor soul that dares not say that God is his God or that Christ is his Redeemer or that he has a work of grace upon his heart yet can say with some integrity of heart before the Lord that if God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness were offered to him on the one hand and all the honours pleasures profits delights and carnal contents of the world were offered him on the other hand he had infinitely rather ten thousand thousand times chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness than the contrary Certainly such a soul has true grace in him and a saving work past upon him for none can freely seriously habitually resolutely chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness as their summum bonum chiefest good but such who are really good 1 John 4.19 Deut. 7.6 7 8 9. 26.17 18 19. Look as our love to God is but an effect of his love to us We love him because he first loved us so our chusing of God for our God is but an effect of God's chusing us for his people we chuse him because he first chose us Such who in their serious choice set up God and Christ above all other persons and things such God will certainly make happy and blessed for ever God never did nor never will reject those or damn those who really chuse him for their God and for their great all The greatest part of the world chuse their lusts rather than God and the creatures rather than Christ Luke 12.21 they chuse rather to be great than gracious to be rich in this world than to be rich towards God to be outwardly happy than to be inwardly holy Mat. 10.42 to have a heaven on earth than to have a heaven after death and so they miscarry for ever That soul that with Mary has chosen the better part that soul with Mary shall be happy for ever every man must stand or fall for ever as his choice has been But Eighteeenthly Canst thou truly say in the presence of the great and glorious God that is the searcher of all hearts Psal 139.23 24. that thou hast given up thy heart and life to the rule authority and government of Jesus Christ and that thou hast chosen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King and art truly willing to submit to his dominion as the only precious and righteous government and as the only holy and heavenly sweeâ— and pleasant profitable and comfortable safe and best dominion in all the world and to resign up thy heart thy will thy affections thy life thy all really to Christ wholly to Christ Isa 26.13 and only to Christ Canst thou O poor soul look up to heaven and truly say O dear Lord Jesus other Lords viz. the world the flesh and the devil have had dominion too long over me but now these Lords I do heartily renounce Isa 33.22 I do utterly renounce I do for ever renounce and do give up my self to thee as my only Lord beseeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever O Lord though sin rages and Satan roars and the world sometimes frowns and sometimes fawns yet I am resolved to own thee as my only Lord and to serve thee as my only Lord and my greatest fear by divine assistance shall be of offending thee and my chiefest care shall be to please thee and my only joy shall be to be a praise a name and an honour to thee O Lord I can appeal to thee in the sincerity of my heart Psal 65.3 Rom. 7.23 that though I have many invincible sins weaknesses and infirmities that hang upon me and though I am often worsted by my sins and overcome in an hour of temptation yet thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts thou dost know that I have given up my heart and life to the obedience of Jesus Christ and do daily give them up to his rule and government and 't is the earnest desire of my soul above all things in this world that Jesus Christ may still set up his Laws in my heart and exercise his dominion over me Now certainly there is not the weakest Christian in all the world but can venture himself upon such an appeal to God as this is and without all peradventure where such a frame and temper of spirit is there the dominion of Jesus Christ is set up and where the dominion of Christ is set up there sin has no dominion for the dominion of sin and the dominion of Christ are inconsistent and therefore such a soul is happy and will be happy to all eternity But Cant. 8.5 Acts 11.21 22 23 Psal 71.16 Isa 61.10 Nineteenthly That man that will venture his soul upon Christ and that will lean upon Christ and cleave to Christ with full purpose of heart and that will cleave to his bloud and cleave to his righteousness and cleave to his merits and satisfaction in
turning from sin shall find no more sweetness in that grand promise of pardon Prov. 28.13 than devils or damned spirits do Look as one sin unforgiven will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thousand so one sin unforsaken will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thousand The true penitent is as willing to turn from all his sins as he is willing that God should pardon all his sins But Eighthly and lastly There is in every penitent a sincere hatred of sin a universal hatred of sin Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil True hatred is to the whole kind Arist Amos 5.15 Hate the evil and love the good Psal 119.104 Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way Ver. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Ver. 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love True hatred is universal 't is of the whole kind he who hates a toad because it is a toad hates every toad he that hates a serpent because it is a serpent hates every serpent he that hates a wolf because 't is a wolf hates every wolf he that hates a man because he is holy hates every man that is holy and so he that hates sin because it is sin hates every sin and therefore he can't but turn from it and labour to be the death and ruin of it Holy hatred is an implacable and an irreconcilable affection you shall as soon reconcile God and Satan together Christ and Antichrist together heaven and hell together as you shall be able to reconcile a penitent soul and his sin together A true penitent looks upon every sin as contrary to the Law of God the nature of God the being of God the glory of God and accordingly his heart rises against it he looks upon every sin as poyson as the vomit of a dog as the mire of the street as the * Pliny saith that the very trees with touching of it would become barren menstrous cloth which of all things in the Law was most unclean defiling and polluting and this turns his heart against every sin he looks upon every sin as having a hand in apprehending betraying binding scourging condemning and murdering of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ and this works him not only to refrain from sin but to forsake it and not only to forsake it but also to abhor it and to loath it more than hell it self The penitent soul will do all he can to be the death of every sin that has had a hand in the death of his Lord and Master he looks upon the sins of his body to be the tormentors of Christ's body and the sins of his soul to be the tormentors of Christ's soul to be those that made his soul heavy to the death and that caused the withdrawings of his father's love from him and that forced him in the anguish of his soul to cry out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And this raises up in him a universal hatred of sin and a universal hatred of sin alwayes issues in a universal turning from sin Now these eight arguments do sufficiently prove that a true penitential turning is a universal turning a turning not from some sins but from all sins But some may be ready to object Object and say Sir this is a hard saying who can hear it who can bear it John 6.60 who shall then be saved for if a man repents not unless he turns from every sin then there is not a man to be found in all the world that repents for there is not a man in all the world that turns from every sin that forsakes every sin c. 1 King 8.46 For there is no man that sinneth not Prov. 20.9 Who can say Job 9.30 31. Psal 130.3 2 Chron. 6.36 Job 14.4 Psal 51.5 Ponder upon these Scriptures c. I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin It is a question that implyes a strong denial Who can say it and say it truly that he is pure from his sin surely none He that shall say that he has made his heart clean and that he is pure from his sin sins in so saying and commonly there are none more unclean than those that say they have made their hearts clean nor none more impure than they that say they are pure from their sin Eccl. 7.20 For there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not These words in their absolute sense are a full testimony of the imperfection of our inherent righteousness in this life and that even justified persons come very short of that exact and perfect obedience which the Law requireth James 3.2 For in many things we offend all or as the Greek has it we stumble all 'T is a metaphor taken from Travellers walking on stony or slippery ground who are very apt to stumble or slide This Apostle was worthily called James the just and yet he numbers himself among the rest of the sanctified ones that in many things offended all The Apostle does not say in many things they offend all but in many things we offend all We that have more gifts than others we that have more grace than others we that have more assurance than others we that have more experiences than others we that have more preservatives to keep us from sin than others even we in many things offend all nor the Apostle doth not say in some things we offend all but in many things we offend all the Apostle speaking not of the singular individual acts of sin but of the divers sorts of sin nor the Apostle does not say in many things we may offend all but in many things we do offend all 1 John 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us The Apostle does not say if thou sayest thou hast no sin thou deceivest thy self as if he spake to some particular person only but if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves nor the Apostle does not say if ye say ye have no sin ye deceive your selves as if he intended weak or ordinary Christians alone but if we say we have no sin we deceive our selves we Apostles we that in all grace and in all holiness and in all spiritual enjoyments exceed and excel all others even we sin as well as others He that is so ignorant and so impudent so saucy and so silly as to say he has no sin sins in saying so and has no sincerity no integrity nor no ingenuity in him Ver. 10. If we say we have not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in us As much as in us lyes we make
God a lyar if we say we have not sinned he that says he has no sin he does no sin he does by consequence charge God with falshood who hath frequently told us in that word of grace that can't deceive us that all men are sinners and that they have all gone astray and that they all need pardoning and purging grace and that upon these very accounts he sent his beloved Son to lay down his dearest life Isa 53.3 Rom. 10.23 5.12 c. and to make himself an offering for sin Now from these Scriptures these two things are most evident First that sinful qualities do remain in the most sanctified persons Secondly that these sinful qualities are sometimes very prevalent over the most sanctified persons and therefore I shall answer the objection thus Ans viz. That a true penitential turning from all sin consists in these six things First In the alienation and inward aversation and drawing off of the soul from the love and liking of all sin and from all free and voluntary subjection unto sin the heart being filled with a loathing and detestation of all sin Psal 119.104 128. as that which is most contrary to all goodness and happiness Secondly In the wills detestation and hatred of all sin When the very bent and inclination of the will is set against all sin and opposes and crosses all sin and is set upon the ruin and destruction of all sin then the penitent is turned from all sin Rom. 7.15 19 21 23. Isa 30.20 Thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols When the will stands upon such terms of defiance with all sin as that it will never enter into a league of friendship with any sin then is the soul turned from every sin When the will is set upon avenging it self upon all sin and upon daily endeavours to mortifie and crucifie all sin then is the penitent turned from all his sins when those sins that were once to the will as Dalilah to Sampson are now to the will as Tamar to Amnon then is the soul turned from sin with a witness Thirdly In the judgments turning away from all sin by disapproving disallowing and condemning of it Rom. 7.15 For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. O saith the judgment of a Christian sin is the greatest evil in all the world 't is the only thing that God abhors and that brought Jesus Christ to the Cross that damns souls that shuts heaven and that has laid the foundations of hell O it is the pricking thorn in my eye the deadly arrow in my side the two-edged sword that hath wounded my conscience and slain my comforts and separated between God and my soul O it is that which hath hindred my prayers and imbittered my mercies and put a sting into all my crosses and therefore I can't but disapprove of it and disallow of it and condemn it to death yea to hell fâ—om whence it came I thus preach and thus think saith Chrysostom that it is more bitter to sin against Christ than to suffer the torments of hell Plutarch reports of Marcus Cato that he never declared his opinion in any matter in the Senate but he would close it with this passage Methinks still Carthage should be destroyed So when ever a penitent looks upon his sins in his judgment he is still saying Methinks these sins should be destroyed methinks this pride this unbelief this earthly-mindedness this hypocrisie this vain glory c. should be destroyed Fourthly In the purpose and resolution of the soul the soul sincerely purposing and resolving never willingly wilfully or wickedly to transgress any more The true penitent holds up his purposes and resolutions to keep off from sin and to keep closs with God though he be not able in every thing and at all times to make good his purposes and resolutions c. Psal 17.3 I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress The general purpose and resolution of my heart is not to transgress though particular failings may attend me yet my resolutions and purposes are firmly fixt against evil Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me David highly resolves so to bridle and muzzle up his mouth that he would not break out into any impatient or unbeseeming speeches that might give the wicked any advantage to reproach Religion or to blaspheme the holy One of Israel c. Anselme was a man of a holy resolution I had rather saith he go to hell pure from sin than to heaven polluted with that filth And saith another I will rather leap into a bonfire than wilfully to sin against God When Valens the Emperor threatned Basil with imprisonment banishment death Threaten sayes he your Boyes with such fray-bugs and your purple Gallants that give themselves to their pleasures I am resolved neither menaces nor flatteries shall silence me or draw me to betray a good cause or a good conscience c. Fifthly In the earnest and unfeigned desires and careful endeavours of the soul to abandon all sin to forsake all sin to be rid of all sin Rom. 7.22 23. Now where God sees this frame of spirit there he will certainly pardon the failings and pass by the imperfections of his people and he will spare them as a man spareth his son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 Now you know when a prudent tender indulgent father sees his child to fail and come short in that which he enjoyns him to do yet knowing that his desires and endeavours is to please him and serve him he will not be harsh rigid sowre or severe towards him but will spare him and exercise much tenderness and indulgence towards him and will God will God whose mercies reach above the heavens and whose compassions are infinite and whose love is like himself carry it worse towards his children than men do carry it towards theirs surely no. God's fatherly indulgence accepts of the will for the work Heb. 13.18 2 Cor. 8.12 As a father will accept in his child the desire for the deed and if there be a blemish in his child he will pity it and cast a mantle of love over it A sick man is not more desirous to be rid of all his diseases nor a prisoner to be freed from all his bolts and chains than the true penitent is desirous to be rid of all his sins c. Sixthly and lastly In the ordinary declining shunning and avoiding of all known occasions temptations provocations inducements and inticements to sin c. That royal Law 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil is a Law that is very precious in a penitent man's eye See Jude 23.
I answer affirmatively That notwithstanding all this yet a true penitential turning from sin is a continued and stedfast turning from sin and that in these five respects First In respect of his habitual purpose and resolution not to sin Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me See my Treatise on holiness page 507 508 509. David resolves to lay a Law of restraint upon his tongue and to clap a muzzle upon his mouth whilst he was in the presence of the wicked who did lye at the catch to ensnare him and trapan him come health come sickness come honour come reproach come poverty come plenty come liberty come restraint come life come death the true penitent is fixed in his purpose and resolution not to sin Jerom writes of a brave woman that being upon the wrack told her persecutors that they might do their worst for she was firmly resolved rather to dye than lye Secondly In respect of his babitual desires which are that he may not sin Psal 119.133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me David's great desire is that he may walk as in a frame that he may walk by line and rule exactly accurately and that though sin did dwell in him that yet it might not reign in him and though it did rebel in him that yet it might not have dominion over him he would have his sins to be like those beasts in Daniel whose dominion was taken away though their lives were prolonged for a season and a time Chap. 7.12 Psal 119.10 O let me not wander from thy commandements Ver. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness Under the name of covetousness all manner of viciousness is to be understood that being the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 Thirdly In respect of his habitual endeavours which still are not to sin The ordinary and habitual endeavours of a true penitent are still set against sin he ordinarily rows against the stream of sin though sometimes the stream proves too strong for him Psal 119.11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee He hides the word in his heart as a treasure that he might not lose it and as a rule that he might not transgress against it The Law of God kept closs in the heart is the best armour of proof against evil lusts David locks up the Law of God in his heart as in a chest or cabinet to secure him against Satan's ambushes and assaults on the one hand and to preserve him from sin on the other hand So Psal 18.23 I have kept my self from mine iniquity Fourthly In respect of his habitual hatred of sin Although the true penitent does sometimes sin yet he alwayes hates the evil he does there is a firm and fixed hatred in his soul against sin Psal 119 1â—â— Therefore I hate every false way Ver. 113. I hate vaâ—â—â—â—oughts Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying So Rom. 7.15 The evil that I hate that I do A penitent heart usually rises and swells against the toad in the bosom Some say that there is such a native dread and terror of the Hawk implanted in the Dove that she is afraid of every feather and that she detests and abhors the very sight of any feather that hath grown upon a Hawk so there is such a detestation abhorrency of sin divinely implanted in every penitent man's heart that he cannot but hate every thing that looks like it or that belongs to it or that comes from it Fifthly In respect of his constant path or continued way or course of life which is quite opposite and contrary to sin Gal. 5.17 Isa 26.7 The way of the just is uprightness Prov. 16.17 The high-way of the upright is to depart from evil It is as common and ordinary for upright persons to depart from evil as 't is for Passengers to keep the King's high-wayes Though an upright man through mistake or weakness of grace or violence of temptation may step out of a way of holiness yet walking in a way of wickedness cannot be charged upon him Psal 139.23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting You know the path and practise of penitent Zacheus of penitent Paul and of the penitent Jaylor was quite contrary to those wayes of wickedness that they had formerly walked in The fourth Answer Ans 4 But fourthly and lastly As a true penitential turning from sin is a constant and continued turning from sin so 't is a returning to God Sin is an aversion from God and repentance is a conversion to God Act. 26.18 Sound repentance is not only a ceasing from doing evil but also a learning to do well Isa 1.16 17. Repentance and turning to God are joyned together as being one and the same thing Act. 26.20 The Prodigals repenting was his returning to his Father Luke 15.17 When he came 〈◊〉 himself he said I will arise and go to my father and say father 〈◊〉 â—ave sinned against heaven and before thee c. The Hebrew word for repentance is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shob which signifies to return implying a going back from what a man had done it notes a returning or converting from one thing to another as from sin to God from evil to good from hell to heaven The common call of sinners to repentance is to turn from sin and to return to God Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way Consult these Scriptures Isa 44.22 Isa 19.22 Isa 59.20 Hosea 3.5 Hosea 6.1 Hosea 14.1 and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord c. Jer. 1.4 If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight then shalt thou not remove And so Chap. 18.11 Return ye now every one from his evil way and make your way and your doings good 1 Pet. 2.25 For ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls 'T is not enough for a sinner to forsake his sins but he must also return to the Lord. The true penitent subjects his heart to the power of divine grace and his life to the blessed will and word of God Look as negative goodness can never satisfie a penitent soul so negative goodness can never save an impenitent soul It is not enough O man that thou art not thus and thus bad but thou must be thus and thus good or thou wilt be miserable for ever Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he