the Sabbath and be drunk and a Whore-master But sins in thought and of a lesser nature I hope they may be born withall And what need a man be so strict and precise I but know that a gracious heart would never reason after such a manner O no such a one knows that the least sin is a greater evil then the greatest affliction that there is more evil in the least sin then there is in all the torments of Hell besides And a godly man that understands the wayes of God doth know that the least sin must have the blood of Jesus Christ to purge it out that is more worth then ten Thousand worlds and therefore he will noâ— allow himself in the least because it is a little one The Third ground is this Why the best of all have their sins as well as we Those that we read of in Scripture have they not fallen into foul sins But I beseech you mark though godly men have their infirmities yet shew me any example that ever there was since the beginning of the World any one godly man that did plead for his sin upon this account because another godly man had committed it O! he doth not commit sin upon such a ground as this is He will not venture upon the practice of sin because he sees others are guilty of it as well as himself Oh no If God hath dishonour by another let me take heed how I add to this dishonour saith a gracious heart Fourthly Another ground is because their sin is not so bad as the sins of others mine is not the worst Come and rebuke them for a sin why God grant you never do any worse Indeed in matters of affliction we may reason from a less to a greater and take up a less to prevent a greater but in matters of sin we should never make such comparisons there is a kind of infiniteness in sin and the least sin is enough to be my eternal ruine What 's that to me because others do worse I beseech you consider of it as we name these things for I do not stand to enlarge every one For the truth is there 's never a one of these but might be inlarged into a Sermon and might be a great use to take away these grounds of sin upon which ungodly men do commit their sin Fifthly Another is this A wicked heart will venture upon sin why because he heart that God is merciful and God's not so strict as many make him This is a sign thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Where do we ever find that a gracious heart would ever reason thus there is mercy with the Lord and therefore let me sin O no the reasonings of a gracious heart are There is mercies with thee O Lord that then mayest be feared and therefore thou shalt be feared Not there are mercies with thee and therefore thou shalt be dishonoured If there be such kind of reasonings in thy heart that thou venturest upon sin upon this ground because God is merciful know that the Lord speaks to thy soul this day that thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Sixthly And farther Not onely because God is merciful but God hath been already merciful Indeed I hear that there is a great deal of danger in sin but I have liv'd all this while and nothing hath come of it O! for men to sin upon reasoning of Gods patience because the Lord hath been patient and suffered them all this while O this is wicked boldness in thy heart thou knowest not with whom it is thou hast to deal Thou hast escaped all this while O but a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed Thy spot is not the spot of Gods Child that dar'st venture upon thy sin because thou hast escap'd so long a time as thou hast done Seventhly And then yet farther There 's another ground that is worse then all these that some will venture upon sin why because Jesus Christ hath died for sinners because there is a purchase for the pardon of sin Oh this is a most desperate turning the grace of God into wantoness to dare to venture upon the commission of thy sin because Christ came to purchase the pardon of sin why did not Jesus Christ come into the World to dissolve the works of the Devil and dost thou make Jesus Christ to be a means to strengthen the works of the Devil Bold and presumptuous heart the Lord rebuke thee that dost account the blood of Jesus Christ not onely as a common thing but as a polluted thing as an unclean thing surely thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Eighthly Another ground is this A temptation comes to sin and they will venture upon it Why they hope they shall repent afterwards and though I do sin it is but repenting afterwards and if I do repent afterwards then my sin shall be for given me and not laid to my charge But have you any thing in Scripture That any Child of God committed sin upon such a ground as this is and if thou dost so thy spot likewise is not the spot of Gods Children O foolish and base heart thou wilt do that now that thou dost know thou mayest wish thou had'st never done This is in finite folly and surely God doth not leave his Children to such wickedness as this is to venture upon sin upon such grounds as these are Ninethly Another ground may be this They will venture upon it why because it may possibly stand with grace You shall hear sometimes many that make some kind of profession to be reasoning after this manner They will not indeed commit such things as they think cannot possibly stand with grace but if they think it may possibly stand with grace they will make that to be the ground of their venturing upon it O wretched and vile heart that shalt thus reason to commit sin because it may possibly stand with grace Suppose it should be so that many a man that commits such a sin should go to Heaven but is it possible that a man commiting sin upon such a ground may go to Heaven There 's a great deal of difference between a thing done and a thing done upon such a ground Tenthly Lastly though many others might be named for a man to venture upon a sin why because he hath done much good This likewise is not the spot of Gods Child for one to sin upon such a ground I have done some good and therefore I may venture upon some sin This is the wickedness of a mans heart that if he hath as they use to say kept his Church he thinks he may have liberty in the week-day the more if he be devout upon the Lords day he may take liberty so much the more upon the week-day O this is an Argument of a base and carnal heart that knows not the wayes of God To take liberty upon sin at one time because they have been
devout and done good at another time That 's the next head the different grounds I shall name but one thing more That a godly man in the commission of sin he makes his falling into one sin to be a means to help him against that sin and against many others If the Lord shall let him fall into some one sin I say he will make that to be a means to cleanse many others but especially to take heed against that sin The bespotting of himself in some one spot will be a means for the cleansing of many spots Though he dare not commit sin upon that ground yet it falls out so in the effect As sometimes if there be a few small spots in a Childs Coat you regard not them but if there be some great spot it causes you to wash the whole Coat So it is with one that hath any grace if the Lord notwithstanding his watchfulness and care shall let him fall into some great spot he makes this use To be cleansing and washing of his soul not onely from that spot but from all other spots he knows in himself but especially to set himself against that particular sin he will take heed of ever falling into that again ☞ And therefore give me an example in all the book of God where any one man that was godly committed the same sin twice I say after an act of repentance It 's true Peter denyed his Master thrice I but that was as a continued thing it was not after Peters heart was smitten and humbled after his conviction and repentance And for my part I know no example from Genesis to the Revelation of any one Child of God that feâ—â— twice into an outward Act I do not say the sins of thought they may be repented of an fallen into again though the heart do labour and strive against them but for an outward aâ—â— of sin that any Child of God did ever fall into after God had shown him the evil and hâ— had tepented of it And therefore the condition must needs be sad when it is such as there can be no example in all the Scriptur to parallel it For I appeal to thee thou the makest any Profession of Religion and thou fallest into some act of sin Either thy Conscience doth accuse thee and thou dost repent or it doth not accuse thee and thou dost not repent If thy Conscience doth not accuse thee and thou dost not repent that 's a sign thy heart is not troubled Well if thy heart be troubled and thou hast repented give me an example of any one Child of God that fell into such an act of sin again Yea I shall shew you in divers examples in Scripture that evermore those Children of God that have been overtaken with their sin they have been more eminent in that grace that is most contrary to that sin than in any other grace Peter he fell through cowardise to betray his Master But yet when the Scripture speaks of him afterwards it notes him specially for his boldness in John 21. 7. Therefore the Disciple whom Jesu's loved saith unto Peter it is the Lord now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his fishers Coat unto him and did cast himself into the Sea Oh the love of Peter towards Christ after he had denyed him He had denyed Christ but now he was the host forward in his love to Christ he would not stay till Christ came to the ship but â—â—rows himself into the Sea that he might presently be with Christ he had broke his love before and now you see how eminent he is in love above the other Disciples And so in boldness In Acts 2. 14. When the Jews did mock at the Apostles and Disciples the Text saith That Peter standing up with the eleven lift up his voice and said unto them Ye men of Judea Not any of the other would speak but Peter he appears the most forward I it was because Peter had denyed Christ and therefore he would be the most forward in manifesting love to Christ You cannot have comfort that your spot is the spot of Gods Children except if you have been overcome with a sin yet afterwards you grow not up in that grace that is most eminently contrary to that sin Another example we have of Nichodemus Nichodemus he began to have some work oâ— grace upon him but the Scripture notes him for a very timerous man and that was him special infirmity that he was afraid and so would come to Christ by night Now afterwards when the Scripture takes notice of this Nichodemas especially it observes him for his boldness for that which was contrary to that sinful distemper of his heart before This you have in John 19. 39. And there came also Nichodemas which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Alots about One hundrd weight Then took they the body of Jesus He appeared now openly The third is Joseph of Arimathea v. 38. And after this Joseph of Arimathea being a Disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus He was at the first step a Disciple but dare not appear but afterwards he is noted for one of the most forward of all and would go and own him before Pilate himself yea and at that time when Christ was in his lowest cond tiâ—r That 's a sign indeed of grace to own Christ when he is in the lowest condition when he was crucified and dead yet now to appear to own him and that before Princes O! the Scripture takes special notice of those that had fallen into sin that afterwards they grew more eminent in that grace that was contrary to that sin than any other As it is with a bone that is set it is more strong then before and so it is usual with those that are godly if they be once overcome with their sin they afterwards grow more strong against that sin And thus even Acts come to decrease Habits and that 's a Paradox in Philosophy it 's true in Divinity That the acts of the Saints sin come not only to restrain them from falling into them again but it is used by God to decreass the habits of their sin Now I beseech you carry home these things to your souls and O that the Lord would cause you to lay your hand upon your hearts and say Lord have mercy upon me we are indeed all sinners but we see that God will find a difference between one sin and another and though all have their spots yet as for my part I am afraid that my spot is not the spot of Gods Children The Fourth SERMON August the 23d 1645. I Shall speak to one or two particulars more about this and then we come to the last thing propounded in the opening of this point The behaviour of the heart of a Child of God toward this sin The
Glass to see out own spots how we are bespotted by our sin if it is such a Foul such a Spreading such a Staining spot How is it that Men and Women see it not they see not their own faces Oh! they never were acquainted with Gods Glass What 's that you will say why James 1. 23. will shew you what the Glass of God is in which you may see your Faces in which you may see your spots If any man be a hearer of the word and not a deer he is like unto a man beholding his natural Face in a Glass for he beboldeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forâ—etteth what manner a man he was But who 〈◊〉 looketh into the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein c. And the Law of God is â—â—e Glass that God would have thee to look â—â—to to see thy face in thou canst not know â—â—y heart but by holding the Law of God before thee Paul thought himself beautiful eâ—ough until the Law came That Scripture 〈◊〉 notable for it in Rom. 7. 9. For I was â—â—â—ive without the Law once But when the Comandment came Sin revived and I died 〈◊〉 was alive I was jollie and thought my â—â—lf well enough but when the Commandâ—ent came when God did but take the Glass 〈◊〉 the Law and hold it before my face I 〈◊〉 my self a most ugly Monster I rememâ—er I have read of an old strumpet that had â—â—ed a false Glass continually to look in and 〈◊〉 presented her beautiful unto her self and 〈◊〉 would never look upon any other But â—â—ce there being a Glass by she chanc'd to â—â—ok into it wherein she beheld her face â—â—d being told her that it was a true Glass â—â—e ran mad upon the sight of her ugly face â—ertainly the generality of men have no other Glasses to look into and to behold the face of their souls but their own carnal conceits and the wayes of other men and the like But if God should but hold the Glass of his Law to some of your faces to behold how loathsom you are in the Eyes of God for so they are in Gods eye as this Glass presents them if they are not washed in the blood of Christ and it would be a dreadful sight to many a soul But yet better that you saw it now while there are wayes to cleanse your souls of their spots than when you should die for if when you should be at the point of Death and be ready to go to the great God to Receive the sentence of your Eternal Doom If conscience should hold the Glass of Gods Law before you and there make you see the ugly face of your soul spotted by sin Oh! it would be a soul sinking sight unto you Learn you to look now into the Glass of the Law and examine your soul by the holy Law of God that you may see your spots there many of you spend a great deal of time every morning in looking into the Glass to see if all things be well in your face Oh that you would but spend as much time in looking into the Law of God and examining of your hearts by the word There stands a Glass in the window and there lies a Book on the shelf Why may not the Law of God be as well taken to look into your hearts as the Glass taken to see your face in People are little acquainted with this Glass and therefore know not their own souls Secondly If sin be such a spot O learn we to be humbled for our spots if we have seen them and to be ashured of them if we have seen our faces besmeaâ—'d it doth deject us especially if we be in Company that are our Superiors Know that you are alwayes before the Infinite God and his blessed Angels and they behold your spots O therefore be humbled and be ashamed for your spots An Ingenuous disposition of heart is ashamed if either flesh or garments bespotted but now one of a so did disposition that is all the week raking in Kennels or Dust-heaps though they be bespâ—ted they care not because many times the very temper of their spirits is like to their employment but now one that is of an Ingenuous disposition if he be defiled he is ashamed and troubled for it O labour to purge your spots and stains know that this is the work that you have to do To get vour souls cleansed and purged The Lord hath set open a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness for Judah and for Jerusalem to wash in O wash your hearts O Jerusalem So I may say to every soul wash thy heart from thy spots thou wilt wash thy face and hands dayly O that dayly there might be washing of thy heart If thou hast committed sin let it not lie and soak in if there should any spots happen upon your cloeths you presently lay salt upon it to keep it from staining so so soon as thou hast committed sin lay the salt tears of thy Repentance though that be not all the blood of Christ is the main thing to keep thy soul clean from this staining-spot and to do it presently will be a great â—eal more ease than to stay long as a sport of Ink as soon as it falls if youseek to get it away it will be done with a little tâ—â—ble but if you let it soak in you cannot get it out after wards And so it is with sin that lies long upon the soul O! many of your sins are old stains that have been many years upon you and as it is in your cloeths that have old slains washing will not serve all the Soap you can use will not get them out but you must lay them a frosting in a winter night O! so your old sins you must not think that those old spots and stains upon your soul that you shall get them off so easily you must be willing to lie a soaking and frosting to indure what hardship God calls you to so be it that you may be cleansed from them It 's an expression that I remember Austin hath saith he You would have all things good and clean in your house all the furniture in your house yea your shooes if they be bespotted you will have them clean And hast thou more care of thy very shooes then of thy soul that 's spotted and defiled O! there 's little care for the cleansing of that But now my Brethren these things especially should be applyed when we are to go more immediately and solemnly into the presence of God We must look into the Glass of the Law every day be humbled be ashamed and labour to purge the spots of our souls and that continnually But I say when we are to go into Gods presence in a more immediate manner as when we are to go to prefer a petition to God and that such a petition as concerns our souls and Eternal estates when we are to go to hear his word
of the Saints while they have their many spots in this world And so in 1 Pet. 1. 19 there 's the same expression We are redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot You will say What comfort is it to me in the midst of my spots that Jesus Christ my Saviour hath no spots What This is comfort Because God looks upon thee not as thou art in thy self but in his Son and reckons thee as a member of his Son and deal with thee according to the Relation thou haâ— to him And the Righteousness of hâ—â— Son is made over to thee Christ is a Covenent-Head the Head of the Covenant and in that regard being without spot it is of unspeak able comfort unto a gracious heart when it sees it self defil'd and bespotted by sin And then yet further know That through the righteousness of Christ thou art lookt upon thy self in the point of Justification without spot too The Saints have their spots that is they have their weaknesses and some sins their Sanctification is imperfect I but in regard of Justification so they are altogether without spot So you have it in Cant. 4. 7. Where Christ speaks of his Spouse Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee You will say This seems to be against this text No not at all for we may be without any spot in regard of our Justification and yet we may be spotted and defiled and God may see that we are defiled with spots in our sanctification It 's true the Lord will not charge these spors upon thy soul that art in Christ yet he doth expect that thou shouldst be humbled for them And so in Ephes 5. 27. there we have both together there 's a Scripture that shews that thou shalt one day be without any spot in regard of thy sanctification too though thou be'st spotted now yet the time is coming when thou shalt be delivered from all these spots in regard of thy sanctification saith the Apostle there Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word That be might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing But that it should be holy and without bâ—mâ—â— Mark what â—eaps of words here are here 's sanctifying cle nsing washing presenting a glorious Church not having spor not having wrinckle or any such thing â—ut that it should be holy and with us blemish All these â—â—pressions are to shew the state the Saints should be brought unto and to uphold thy spirit in the sight of all thy spots Let me speak to thee who art sensible of the many spots that are in thy â—â—ul What is it that doth uphâ—ld thy heart Oâ—e would wonder that any soul that knows what it is to deal with such an infinite holy God as the Lord is one would wonder what should uphâ—ld the soul seeing it 's so defiled and nothing but spots in every thing What can uphold it here from sinking It may be that that upholds you is this We have all our sins and we are all sinners If there were nothing else to uphold a gracious heart but that it could noâ— but sink even in dispair notwithstanding thatâ— But now these three things uphold a gracious heart I have my spots indeed and am defil'd wo to me for the defilements of mâ—mâ—soul my life This is indeed the burden that I have in this World the great affliction that is upon me that my soul is so defil'd O! but blessed be God I have to deal with God through Jesus Christ who hath offered up himself to the Father without any spot I have to deal with God through the Lamb that was sacrificed that had no spot and it was for me that he was slain and God looks upon me through him and he is made of God sanctification I am indeed imperfect and have many spots yet blessed be God he hath reveal'd that justification is perfect in this life That the Lord through the righteousness of his Son looks upon me as without spot that is will not lay any of these spots to my charge Yea and further This is the comfort of my soul that though I have many spots now yet there is a way reveal'd to cleanse my soul from all spots through the blood of Christ and through the word of God to cleanse and wash me Yea I find in the word that Jesus Christ had such a desire to cleanse my soul from spots as he gave himself to that very end And there is a time when all these spots must be washed away and when this defiled polluted soul of mine shall be before the Lord and his Christ and live for ever with them without any spot oâ— wrinckle or any defilement whatsoever but shall be made fully perfect in my sanctification as now I am in my justification And it 's this that upholds my soul That 's somewhat indeed that in this life of thine wherein there is so much corruption if thy soul be upheld from sinking with such considerations as these are surely thou art gone beyond a carnal heart and I may even fay That thy spot is the spot of Gods Children from this and not the spot of the wicked and ungodly Remember that one expression in Ephes 5. which is very remarkable and of great use Christ â—ved us and gave himself that he might sanctifie and wash us and the like Mark it is made the great fruit of the love of Jesus Christ to sanctifie a soul therefore it 's matter of great consequence for Christ shews his love in a special manner in sanctifying and cleansing the soul This is from the peculiar and electing love of God And it shews when Christ comes to cleanse the soul from spots and defilements that he had loved from all eternity that foul But on the contrary if the Lord do let thee lye in the filth of thy sin it is an Argument that he never set his heart upon thee As for instance suppose a man were riding on the high way and sees a Child there lie all in the filth ready to be choak't with the dirt and mire and to perish there well as he is riding by he looks upon the Child and sees it ready to perish and when he hath look't upon it away he goes and leaves it there would not every one say Certainly this is not the Father of the Child that rides so away But now if the Father or Mother should come by and see the Child the Mother would screek out O my Child and snatches it up and carries it away and gets water and washes it and so cleanses the Child And herein doth the Mother or Father shew their love they have to the Child Thus it is for all the World in the love of Christ Christ he sees all your filthiness and pollution he sees
many hypocrites may go thus far as not to commit sin before others but yet if it be in secret then they will do it No a natural conscience may be able to carry a man to this height that is not onely to abstain from sin because of others but from the acts of sin in secret that he dares not for his life though there be none but God and himself together give way to his sin and yet no saving-grace all this while You will say how can that be because though his conscience will not let him be quiet yet he would be glad to have his sin if he might here 's no change of nature that 's the evidence that there is no grace for if a man abstain from sin out of a principle of grace it is from the change of his nature and certainly here 's no change of nature in this so that it is not a universal opposition it 's but onely in one part of his soul But now the opposition of a gracious heart it is in the whole soul not onely my conscience is against my sin but my will and my asfections I have a principle in my will and affections as well as in my conscience all the faculties of the soul do oppose the sin And then Secondly It 's universal that is there 's the opposition of all sin not onely of some particular sin but of every sin what ever the sin be yet the heart doth oppose it So as it can appeal to God Lord thou that knowest all things knowest there is not one way of wickedness in me there 's not one sin that my soul gives way to but there is in my heart an opposition against every sin And then I say It 's a spiritual opposition by that I mean this that it 's an opposition not from arguments onely without that because of the danger or shame or prejudice that will come by it but the opposition is from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the heart There 's such a temptation to sin but a carnal heart may think if I commit it then there may come this ill and the other evil of it and so I will not commit it But a gracious heart doth not oppose onely from such arguments but from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the soul now when the opposition to sin comes from a contrary stream of grace then the opposition is not onely to keep sin from acting but indeed it doth decreass the habits of sin And this should be the care of a godly man or woman not meerly to keep in that is to restrain sin but let me oppose the habits of sin Let me find the habits of my sin to be weakned and mortified in me Let me follow my corruption to the very root of it and there labour to get the very root of my corruption to be deaded O here 's the work of a Child of God! As now in the opposition of a stream of water water that runs in such a stream there may be two wayes to oppose it Either you may make a damm and so damm it up Or otherwise if there could be gotten a contrary stream and so by that to overpower it this would be another manner of opposition then meerly the damming of it up If you damm up a stream it rises up higher and higher and seeks to get vent one way or other but if there were a contrary stream that would carry it smoothly away So 't is when the sins of wicked men are opposed not onely when they are opposed by their friends that these will not let them commit such a sin but when their very consciences oppose their sin their sin swells up the more and they seek all evasions how they can get to have liberty to the commission of their sin and if once they have but broken over the damm they run with more violence as many young people when they are under government their sin is but damm'd up and their sins are swelling and their hearts would fain have vent for their sin but they dare not But then afterwards when they come to be for themselves their sin breaks out so much the more But a gracious heart hath a new nature which God hath put into the soul which is contrary to the nature of sin That 's the spiritual way of opposition of sin And then it 's an irrecocinlable opposition that is such a soul that hath any truth of grace will never be reconcil'd with any one sin It resolves with it self what ever becomes of me yea though I should perish eternally yet I am resolved to fight against my sin eternally Yea at such a time as a soul is afraid that God will cast it away for ever yet at that time such a soul would be loath to sin against God You shall have some men that have horrors of conscience and they are afraid that God will â—ast them off why then upon that then I â—ad as good leave of all say they and if I must be damn'd I had as good be damn'd for somewhat O this is a sign that grace hath not got â—nto thy heart But there 's another now that â—ath some principles of grace got into his soul â—nd it may be such a one may have terrors of â—onscience too and may be afraid that at 〈◊〉 it shall be cast away But yet it concludes â—hus Well whatsoever becomes of me let God do with me what he will yet I will do â—hat I can to honour him The name of God 〈◊〉 blessed for ever what ever becomes of me â—nd therefore that evil of mine that is in my â—eart I am resolved to set my self against to â—â—e uttermost for ever Now this is a â—â—gn that there is grace though much corâ—uption doth very much prevail You may see now as I go along thus much â—hat there may be spots in one and spots in the â—ther But here 's a great deal of difference beâ—â—een the sins of the one and the sins of the â—â—her Further Consider the grounds upon which â—icked men do ordinarily sin Godly men 〈◊〉 rarely be found to commit sin upon such â—ounds as wicked men do There are â—any grounds upon which wicked men go 〈◊〉 the commission of sin I shall but â—ame them and yet in the naming of them I do verily perswade my self I may speak to many of your hearts As thus Commit a sin why it 's but one and I will not live in many sins It 's but one sin that I would live in and in that I hope God may favour me What not in one Why Godly men will not do so where was there ever a godly man on the face of the Earth that would allow himself in a sin because it was but one Secondly Saith a carnal heart It 's but one and it 's a little one I will not commit such gross sins as others do I will not swear and openly profane
Children of God have spots while they live in this world they have many sins that are defiling But the spots of these men is of another nature it is not the spot of his Children There are Three Doctrinal points in these words the first two implyed the third expressed The two that are implyed are these 1. Doct. First That 〈◊〉 is a spot 2. Doct. Secondly That even the Children of God while they live in this world have their spots 3. Doct. Thirdly Which is the main and scope of the words That there 's a great deal of difference between the sins and spots of wicked and ungodly men and the spots of Gods Children That 's that that I aim at in the choice of these words To shew the difference between the sins of wicked men and the sins of the Saints And I have châ—sen this Scripture to handle this point for these two end First To take away that great plea that most carnal hearts have whereby they put off the power of the Word from their hearts and are secure in their sinful waies Why say they can we be without sin are the best without sin upon them now because none are without sin therefore they think to put it off and grow secure and upon this very thought put off abundance of truths that they heard preached out of the word that doth them no good at all and meerly upon this Reason Now were it that this plea were but taken from them the word might prevail a great deal more upon them Now therefore I hope before we have done this Scripture I shall weaken if not wholly take away that plea that secure-sinners have for themselves because all have their sins I shall shew thee that there is a great deal of difference perhaps between thy sin and the sins of a Child of God And then the second End why I chose this Scripture is for the comfort of Gods Children On the one side one man is secure and â—ardened because though he hath sins why all men have sins On the other side those that are Gods Children because they feel so much sin in them as they do they are afraid that they are not Gods Children they are afraid that their sins that are in them doth argue them not to be Gods Children Now they will have help likewise in the opening of this point when they shall have laid before them that are the sins of Gods Children and the sins of the wicked and the differences of them I shall for the making way to this great â—oint first speak a little of the two former â—hat are implyed and no farther than to make â—ay unto the third which is the great point 〈◊〉 the Text. 1 Doct. First then That sin it is a spot A 〈◊〉 in Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and unde 〈…〉 d before God and the Father is this To visit 〈◊〉 Fatherless and Widows in their affliction â—nd to keep himself unspotted from the world â—â—at is to keep from the sins of the world the 〈◊〉 of the world are the world-spot Sin it is First A desiling spot a spot that doth defile a blemish that doth defile the soul of man in the presence of the Holy God It 's contrary to the pure Nature of God it is the mixture of the soul with that that 's worse than its self it 's a defiling thing The mingling of Gold with Silver doth not defile the Silver but mingling of Lead with Silver doth defile the Silver because the Lead is worse than Silver So the Communion that the soul hath with God and as it were the mingling of the heart in God and with Divine things doth not defile it but make it better but the mingling of the heart with the world it doth defile the soul because the soul is mingled with that that 's worse than it self It is a defiling-spot You know what it is to have the Body besmear'd with dirt and have Clothes bespotted with filth and dirt look how it is with your Bodies besmear'd with dirt or your Clothes so it is with the Face of your Soul in the Presence of God when sin is upon you It 's a defiling-spot Secondly Sin it 's a spreading-spot it 's like the spot of the Leprosie that spreads more and more and let a sinner live never so long this spot will bespread him more and more If you had a spot upon your Flesh that were but little at the first it may be you would neglect it but if you saw it spread more and more then you would think there were something in it It is so with thy sin when you are young the spot it but small in comparison but as you grow the spot spreads more and more until you are all over blains and spots So are old sinners sin is a spreading-spot it spreads in a soul in a family in any society where sinners live Thirdly It is an infecting-spot a spot that of itself infects a Plague spot that doth infect the soul and infects every thing you meddle with and doth infect the company you converse with that 's the nature of this spot And then Fourthly It 's a staining-spot It doth pain the soul so as all the created power in Heaven and Earth is not able to wash it away thou mayest think little of the sin that thou committest thou committest it and hast pleasure and delight in such a sinful way for a quarter of an hour it may be thy pleasure lasts no longer well but when this pleasure is done there 's a stain left upon thy soul that doth mark thee out to Eternal Death such a stain left that will abide to all Eternity upon the Soul if onely that one means be not applied the Blood of Jesus Christ Let all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World put to their wisdom and strength to get out the stain that is in thy Soul and it is too little onely the Blood of the Son of God can cleanse and take out that stain that is in thy soul such a spot is sin a staining spot In Jer. 2. 22 Though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much Sope yet thine Iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord Ye may use many means to get away your sin perhaps you may cover it over or there may be some kind of slight sorrow But it 's not all the sorrow in the World if thou wert able to shed as many tears as there are Drops of Water in the Sea to wash away thy sin if their were nothing else to do it all thy tears will not do it It must be onely the blood of the Son of God Many people think to wash away their sin swith their sorrow But they must know there is something beyond sorrow it is onely the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse and take away this stain Use Now If sin be such a stain such a spot hence then let us learn to look into Gods
and worship him When we are to go to his Table at the Lords Supper we had need then prepare by looking into that Glass and by being humbled for our sins and labouring to cleanse Though you care act so much for spots upon your face and clothes when you are at home yet when you are to go before your Betters then what looking is there in the Glass to be trim and to have clothes that are clean washt Remember now that every time thou art to go to worship God thou art to set thy self as in his immediate presence to have to deal with that infinite holy God whose pure eyes cannot indure to beholde least iniquity that God that is so Holy that the very Angels cover their faces as not being able to behold him thou art to go before this God and wilt thou go bespotted and beâ— smeared and never look into the glass oâ— the Law to see how thou art there that thoâ— mayest labour to cleanse thy soul wilt thoâ— come into Gods presence in thy filth Oâ— bold sinner that know'st not what it is to dea 〈…〉 with the Infinite Holy God Those that knoâ— what God is what his Infinite Holiness means when they come into Gods presence they make it the great part of their work iâ— preparing their hearts before they come and indeed the spiritual part of Godliness doth aâ— much consist in this one thing as in any iâ— the preparation of the heart for the presence of God in Holy dutyes and that man or woman that is careful and conscionable in this thing may have good comfort to them selves that they are acquainted with the spiritual part of Godliness that wherein the power of iâ— consists But for such that can go into Gods presence and no such sear and reverence oâ— God is in their hearts certainly these neither know God nor have any thing of the power of Godliness in their hearts Now no matter my Brethren what we endure in this Worldâ— so be it we may get our souls cleansed from the filth and the spots that are upon them that when there shall be a farther Presence of God which we shall have than that we have now in Holy Duties that then we may stand before him without spot so saith the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless You look for new Heavens and new Earth when all the world shall be on fire about your ears and the Elements melting with servent heat and the Heavens departing like a Screwl and the like do you look for such things do you look for the appearing of the Holy God and dare you stand in the Presence of that Holy God when he comes to pass the Sentence of your Eternal Estate upon your â—ouls dare you stand before him with such defiled stained souls as you have Oh no! Saith the Apostle Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness If those spots that are upon many of your Spirits shall abide upon you at that say Wo be to you that ever you were born you cannot be found in peace before God except you be found without spot and blameness Yet let me say farther Wo to that soul â—hat shall have one spot upon it at that day If this should be means of the Great Day of Judgment as many Divines take it though there may be some doubt about some other time But suppose that it be meant of that day as it is ordinarily taken Then wo to that man or woman that ever they have been that shall have but one spot upon them For then we must be delivered from every spot or otherwise our souls will perish for ever But ye may be without spot and blameless before him Thus much for that point 2. Doct. The Second Point is That Godâ— Children have their spots the best of all have their spots The Church is compared to the Moon Christ he is the Sun of Righteousness but he Church in Rev. 12 is compared to the Moon and the Moon hath her spots the Sun none No godly man or woman in regard oâ— their souls is like Absalom as he was in regard of his body his body was without any bleâ— mith from the crown of the head to the solâ— of the foot but it can be said of no bodie 's souâ— so you re clean but not all The best Gardeâ— hath its worms and the best Soul hath iâ— spots for while we live here there is that Corruption remaining that will breed defilement of it self But considering that we livâ— in a wicked world here and converse with wicked men it is as impossible to live in the world and to converse with men without anâ— spots as for a company of people to ride together in soul way in the midst of Winter and to keep their Garments so that none should have a spot The Condition of this world is such as indeed it is not fit to have a Saint in it without spâ—ts God hath reserved the time of full-â—â—â—â—nsing of his people to another world Christ could cleanse his people presently from all their spots I but because they are to live 〈◊〉 this world Christ sees it is not so suitable for this vile world This world is not worthy of the Saints take them with all their infirmities but it is not for the world to have the Saints live without spot and if the world be offended at it let them be offended let them be stumbling-blocks unto them and I make no question but it is so to many souls The world they rejoice when they behold the sins that are in the Saints but thou hast little cause to rejoice in the sins of others if thou knewest all for it may be intended for thy ruin I know no greater stumbling-block to wicked men than the sins of those that do profess Godliness â—ut wo to those by whom offences come The Lord by continuing of spots in his own people doth exercise Faith and Humility and â—atience and other Graces in such a way as â—e takes pleasure and delight to see the exercise of them But this is not the Point that I do intend Yet O thou godly heart thou knowest this to be a truth That there are spots in thee yea sometimes those that are Godly think there 's nothing else but spots in them but be of good comfort in this though thy Condition be sad in this world so long as thou art spotted yet be of good comfort here Jesus Christ is without any spots Christ thy Saviour hath no spots Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God Christ offered himself without spot and this is the comfort
Men and Women wallowing up and down in the dirt Christ looks upon them and goes by leaves them still and lets them wallow in their corruptions more and more and passes by surely the heart of Christ is not much towards them there 's little relation that Christ or God hath to such as these are But now when as there is one that belongs to Jesus Christ and that Christ hath set his love upon from eternity Christ sees such a one wallowing in the filth of sin O! the very bowels of Christ do earn O! Christ takes them and with his own blood cleanseth them and will never leave washing and cleansing of the soul till he hath cleansed it from all its spots and presented it before the Father And mark in the second place Christ loved us and this is a fruit of Christs love to cleanse us from our spots And then he gave himself that he might cleanse us perhaps you think it 's of little moment to be cleansed from the filth of your sin but Christ accounted it such a matter that he would give his life for it I account the cleansing of these souls from the filth of their sins worth my life I will give my life for it so that it cost more then Ten Thousand Worlds to cleanse a soul from the filth of its sin as well as from the guilt I beseech you consider of this that the cleansing of a soul from the silth of sin did cost Christ that which was more worth than Ten thousand World but O! how many is there that can wallow in sin and take delight in it But I say it is of so great consequence to be cleansed from sin as Christ is content to give his very life to cleanse his Church from sin Now if thy heart be thus that thou account the love of Christ to consist in this and that thou canst prise Christ upon This That he gave himself to the end that he might cleanse thy soul from the sin surely thou dost prise cleansing from sin indeed and if thou dost prise it at so high a rate this is a good Argument that thou art one of Gods Children Therefore daily exercise thy Faith upon this Christ by the applying of the blood of Jesus Christ to thy soul and the renewing of the work of thy repentance seeing as long as thou livest their will be spots The Second SERMON July the 20th 1645. 3. Doct. BUt now comes in the Third Point It 's true the people of God have all their spots I but know There 's a great deal of difference between the spots of the godly and the spots of the wicked And this Scripture I chose for the handlling of this point to take away that vain plea that hardens the hearts of most men in their sin Why it 's true we have sin and who hath not the best of all have their sins I appeal to you whether you do not know that this is the great hardning conceit of most people in the World Thou hast thy sins and the best have their sins but there 's a great deal of difference between the sins of the one and the sins of the other you will see a great deal of difference however whatever thou sayest Psal 22. 18. saâ—â—ih David I have not wickedly departed from my God David would not say but that he had sometimes departed from God I but I have not wickedly departed from him saith David I can appeal to God in that There is still remaining in the Saints corruptions in their understandings there is some dimness though there be light But I may say of that as in Isa 11. The dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation It shall not be such dimness It 's spoken there in case of affliction and misery We may apply it thus by way of allution in case of the remaining corruptions There is in the understanding a dimness but not like that that was before and is in natural men There is not that dimness of darkness in the weakest Man or Woman in the World that is converted that hath the least natural parts as in the greatest learned Man or Woman in the World that is unconverted And though perhaps a Child of God may have some security in his heart for a while yet in 1 Thes 5. 6. Let us not sleep as do others lest perhaps we should sleep and he overtaken yet saith the Apostle God forbid we should sleep as do others There 's a great deal of difference between the sleep of Gods people and the sléeep of others that is between the security of their hearts and the security of other mens hearts It was the special work of the Priest in the time of the Law to discern between spot and spot to shew which was the spot of Leprosie and wich was not When there was a spot in the bodies of men they were to come to the Priest to discern whether their spot were the spot of Leprosie or no. And 't is a special work of the Ministers of the Gospel to shew the difference of spots between the spots of the wicked and the spots of the Children of God And here indeed doth consist the spiritualness of their Ministry and a great deal of efficacy of it is in this thing and without this our Ministry is like to do little good and therefore though I had thoughts of some other things yet I thought alwaies except there were somthing laid down about this I might preach many Arguments open many points of Religion to you and the want of the knowledg of this might hinder the efficacy of all Jer. 15. 18. If thou shalt separate between the precious and the vile saith he to Jeremiah then shalt thou be as my mouth So that that 's the work that God looks for from his Ministers and indeed it 's the work of a soul saving Ministry to separate between the precious and the vile and then indeed when they speak they are as the mouth of God to a people God makes men in this point to be as his mouth for it is a point that doth separate between the precious and the vile Therefore as Moses said of the whole Soâ—g in the 46 v. of this Chap. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you c. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life 〈◊〉 I may say of this part of the Song I beseech you brethren set your hearts to it and mind it for certanly it is not a vain thing it is your life It 's as much as your souls are worth the understanding of this point rightly and thousands of souls do perish eternally for want of the understanding this point rightly Then let 's fall upon it There 's much difference between the sins that are in wicked men and the sins that are in the Saints It must be granted First that in some particular acts a wicked man may do
of God Lord thou knowest that I have not wickedly departed from thee For all thy judgments are before me and I do not â—ut away thy statutes from me O Lord thou â—nowest there is none of thy statutes that I would put away from me Thirdly And then a Third symptom of â—â—fe in the worst condition is this That though 〈◊〉 man be fallen into great sins himself yet â—or all this he will have his heart prising other godly men that are not fallen into such great sins when did you ever know any one godly man fall to be such an Apostate as to hate the Saints and yet to turn again to God for thereby you may know whether he were godly or no if it were a temptation in one that is godly though he doth Apostatise very far yet he will return back again But for my part I never knew it nor heard of any man that was a professor of Religion and fell fo far as to hate the Saints to hate other godly men and to persecute them I never knew any example that came again But now you shall have many godly men that fall foully I but yet their hearts are towards the Saints and they think that they are in a blessed condition Though I have a wicked and vile heart and I cannot prevail against such and such corruptions yet there are those that are able to prevail against their corruptions there are those that are godly O! they are in a happy condition O! happy is such a man such a woman they are not overcome with such corruptions as I am overcome with So that though they be overcome with sin yet they will still have their heart towards the Saints and prising those that are not overcome with such corruptions as they are But now it is not so with the wicked Fourthly The last symptom of spiritual life that is in the Saints is this Though they be overcome with much corruptions yet you shall find this ever in them They do not lose the savour and relish of the most spiritual Ministry and the Word as others do Wicked men they are so defil'd with their corruptions that that takes away all their relish and tast of spiritual things They cannot relish a spiritual Ministry more than a filthy one but now take one that ever had any true godliness in him though he be very foully fallen perhaps into some gross sins yet he is able to taste the word in some degree he can taste a difference between Ministry and Ministry yea between Company and Company between the spirit of one Man and the spirit of another I say he doth not wholly lose his savour but still he hath some kind of savour to taste a difference between that that is spiritual and carnal and especially in the Ministry of the word he finds some savour in that for if ever he was converted it was a spiritual work of the word that did convert him and there is some seed of it doth remain in his heart hence is that of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Epist C 1. ver last The word of the Lord endureth for ever and â—his is the word which by the Gospel is preached â—o you Now this word of the Lord he doth not mean here the very Book and Letter of the word of God but he means the word of God upon the hearts of the godly for so you shall find he speaks of it in the 23. v. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever For all flesh is as Grass and all the glory that is all works of nature and common gifts they vanish but the word of God endureth forever that is the word of God upon the hearts â—f the Saints There is a spiritual seed and efficacy of the word of God that first did beget the soul that doth abide for ever There is none falls off so but hath some seed of the Spiritualness of Gods Word that doth abide in their hearts that doth enable them to savour Gods Word Thus you see their spot is not deadly O! that if any of you that have godliness and have fallen foully from God that you would but consider of these things Are there such seeds of life remaining in you you are those that do yet belong to him therefore do not you fall off more and more if you be one that do belong to God you will not abuse this that I am speaking to you but your souls will prise it and it will draw your hearts more to God But now the sickness of the wicked that 's a death as in John 11. 4. saith Christ concerning Lazarus This sickness is not unto death Two men are sick one man he dies of it the other is recovered so you have your sins and the godly man hath his sins and outwardly the godly mans sin appears as much as yours doth I but yours may be to death for all that As now according to this similitude of a spot sometimes a man hath some kind of grievous spot upon his slesh caused by some distemper well but yet this is not so now as in the time of the Plague when you see those blew tokens on you which they call Gods Tokens though perhaps you have no other spots nor sores So many men and women may seem to live very strictly and not break out into such scandalous sins as others do and their spots seem not to be so full of corruption as other mens are I but there â—â—e the blew spots of a Plague upon them â—â—at be unto death And you know a Father â—â—d Mother would rather a great deal see the â—odies of their Children to be all blistered and â—potted and run with filth then to see but one â—f those blew spots upon them though their â—kin should be never so whole You will say now What sign may we give â—f the sickness of a soul to be unto death seeâ—ng that godly men may by their sin be sick as â—ell as others I will give you these First As in the distemper of the body if be constant though it be small it may prove deadly As if a man hath a Cough yet if it continues constant it may prove deadly Take heed of constant sins though they be small sins for if thou goest on in a constant way of sin it may prove deadly And then Secondly If the disease reach to the heart it proves deadly In time of infection if you can keep it from the heart you are well enough Physicians though they give Medicines to keep the infection from the heart yet they have never a Medicine to cure the heart if once the disease get into it They can keep it out of the heart but not get it out of the heart Jer. 4. v. 1. O! thy sin 〈◊〉 evil and bitter for it reaches unto thy heart saith the Text O! that 's an evil and bitter
corruption that reaches to thy heart that is so comes to thy heart as it finds thy heart to close with that distemper and corruption of thine Thirdly When the sickness is an increasing sickness Lev. 13. 8. When the spot spreads then the Priest must say it 's a spot of Leprosieâ— So when thou hast some distemper and corruption and it increases more and more As it may be thou wert but a little vain thou growest more vain c. Where the diseasâ— grows more and more upon thee take heed it 's a spot of Leprosie and may prove to bâ— thy ruine Fourthly A sicknes is then deadly when Nature is overcome with it so as the party is not sensible of his sickness a Man when he lies sick so long as Nature is striâ—ing with it there 's good hopes But one that comes to a man in a strong Feaver and asks him how he doth why well I thank God he is not sensible of it O! that makes his wife and all about him turn their heads and fall a weeping It were better he did feel pain So when men through the custom of sin grow sensless of sin that 's a sign that it is unto death perhaps when thou didst first commit sin O thy consience did trouble thee But thou hast used thy self so to it that thou art not sensible of it O it 's a sickness to death and thou art like to dye by it when by use of a sin thou comest to be sensless of it Fifthly When a man in a sickness cannot take any thing that will stay with him So I may say of the sin of wicked men though thy sin doth indanger thy soul yet there 's hope if so be that that that is given thee might stay with thee that is the Word that 's as the Physick for thy soul When some seasonable truth comes and is applyed to thy soul against thy â—â—in if thou canst receive in that ingrafted word that 's like to save thy soul But if as soon as ever thou hearest a truth that comes â—ear to thee presently thy heart casts it up and it will not abide with thee at all it is a dangerous sign that thy sickness is a sickness unto death Lastly That 's a sickness to death that when a man doth take that that might help him yet if it doth not work then I say it is dangerous too So it may be you do remember the Word and it doth abide with you a while but there 's no good at all comes of it it works mighty changes upon others but nothing at all upon thee If you come to a physicia in that case and say Sir you did prescribe such or such a thing I but it works not why I wonder saith he I have known it hath wrought upon such men and women that I thought was in as desperate a condition as one could be it wrought upon them I and did recover them So I may say to some that sit under the word their souls are sick and the word works not upon them I but it hath wrought upon others that have been as dangerously sick why it 's an Argument that their sickness was not unto death God did not intend they should die But if thou canst sit under the word and it works not upon thee it 's a sign that thy sickness is unto death Fourthly and Lastly The suitablenes that there is in the sin of one to the nature of those that have their sin in them One mans spot is like the spot of a Leprosie that is his spot is that that is suitable to the disposition of his soul But now the spot of another it 's that that is a spot indeed I but it doth not arise from his natural disposition but meerly an accidental distemper The spot of one rises from the very natural temper of the heart but the spot of theother rises from some accidental distemper that comes to him When a Man or Woman therefore sins and it is suitable to his nature take him when he is most himself I beseech you consider this note for it is as discerning as any If so be that thou be'st most thy self then thou be'st most free for thy sin know that thy sin is that that comes from thy natural distemper and not from any accidental distemper I shall shew you what I intend by this There is Poyson in a Toad and there 's Poyson got into a mans body Now the Poyson that is in the Toad is sutable to the nature of the Toad and therefore the Toad likes well enough of it But now let but a drop of Poyson be in a mans body O it presently makes a great deal of stir and makes him deadly sick why because there 's that got in that is contrary to his nature Here 's the difference between the sin of a wicked man and the sin of a Child of God The wicked man's sin is like Poyson in a Toad that 's suitable to his nature But the sin of a Child of God is like Poyson in a mans stomack that is contrary to his nature when a wicked man sins he sinneth of himself as it 's said of the Devil he is a lyar and when he lies he lyeth of himself it comes from his own nature so is the sin of a wicked man sin is in it's proper Element in him and that 's the reason that wicked men are so unsensible of sin because it is in its proper Element But now the sin of the Child of God is out of his place and that 's the reason that makes him feel it so much Now you will say How may a man make use of this Note to know the nature of his sin There are five or six particulars that I shall name about this First When a Man or Woman is alone in secret that no eye takes notice of them then to examine themselves how doth thy heart stand then when thou art in secret alone thou canst not discern what the temper of thy heart is when thou art in company thou arr most thy self when thou art in secret alone and O what hearts of wickedness are there when thou art alone whereas a godly Man though he may be overcome with sin in Company yet when he is alone his heart is more for God and set against his sin Secondly That may be said to be a mans self that is the First spring of his soul As now the thoughts and affections in the first rise of them how are they how is the guise as I may so say or the temper and disposition of thy thoughts and thine affections in the first rise of them As now you may know what is the proper nature of the Fountain by that that is next to the Spring Perhaps if the Fountain runs a Mile or two off then there may come that that may alter the stream that it may not be of the nature of the Fountain So thou mayest know what thy
sin upon easie terms Thirdly Yet suppose sin hath got in a gracious heart is easily convinc't of his sin a little matter will convince him after his sin hath overcome him he will not stand pleading for his sin he will not stand in defence of his sin so as a wicked man doth we find David though a King and a man of a notable Spirit yet in 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 when Nathan came to him to tell him of his sin presently saith David to Nathan in the 13. v. I have sinned against the Lord Nathan told him that he was the man he did not stand out Why prove it if you can who is able to say that I did this and this wickedness No I have sinned against the Lord He falls down before the word of the Prophet and acknowledges his sin he is easily convinc't of his sin if he be godly Whereas a wicked man will stand pleading for his sin pleading against it that he hath not committed it except that you find him out by some apparent hand he will be pleading for his sin either that he is not guilty or if he be guilty that it is not so great it is but his nature O! a godly man pleads not after this manner Nature he looks upon his sin as so much the more vile because it proceeds from such a wicked and cursed nature of his and therefore David in Psal 51. when he was acknowledging the act of sin that he had been guilty of when â—e comes to consider of hiâ— nature O! I was conceived in sin saith he and brought forth in iniquity He makes thaâ— to be a great aggravation of his sin because iâ— did flow from such a wicked nature It is an Argument of gross ignorance of a man or woman that knows not the things of God and is not acquainted with Scripture to plead for a sin That it is their nature It is the worse because of that If a Thief should come to the barr and plead before the Judg Indeed I have committed this theft but it is my nature would this be a plea before a Judg and certainly this plea will not go before the great Judg of all the World to say it is thy nature No the Saints know their sin is aggravated by that Secondly Neither will a Child of God ordinarily plead that it is a temptation O! I it is a temptation that hath prevaild against me I was tempted to it and such and such were the cause of it I but a gracious heart will rather charge the wickedness that is within it then charge a temptation for the truth is temptation could never prevail against us were it not for the wickedness of our hearts temptations came to Christ but the Devil finding nothing in him as the Scripture speaks therefore could they not prevail over him And â—vere it not for the baseness of thy heart temptations would not prevail therefore for thee to put it off It is thy temptation O this is a carnal plea I but a gracious heart will charge himself before the Lord O! it is Thirdly Much less will a gracious heart put of his sin to God himself and say When God gives me more grace I shall do better but I cannot do any thing of my self and therefore because God gives me no grace that 's the reason I fell into such sins This is the boldness of the hearts of men and women to think to put off all their sins upon God himself as if there were no other reason why they commit sin but because God is the cause of it As for their part they would do better but onely God denies them his grace and so they think to put off all from themselves even to God But know the Lord will find thee out one day and he will charge thy sin upon thy self and thy destruction and thy wickedness it is from thy self a gracious heart will not plead for sin after such away as this is It 's very dangerous when you hear of any that make profession of Religion to plead for their loosness after such a manner as this is We have cause to fear that their spot is not the spot of Gods Children Fourthly When sin hath preveil'd in some measure against a Child of God yet he is quickly stopt in sin he is easily convinc't of it pleads not for it and is ready to be stopt a little thing will stop the course of his sin Oâ— any truths of God that come to him his heart having a principle within it suitable to the truths of God his heart closes with those truths and so comes to be stopt in his course A wicked man sins and having no principle of grace sutable to any truth of God when any thing opposes his sin his heart opposes that that would oppose sin But a Child of God though he be overcome with a sin yet when the truth of God comes it meets with something within the heart that is sutable to the truth and it presently closes together You have a notable example for that in the Prophet David 1 Sam. 25. 32. For the understanding of it you may cast your eye upon some verses before you shall find that David was in a way of sin That his choller had got up and prevail'd against him and he was â—â—out a very wicked act to avenge himself â—â—d be guilty of blood But Abigal meets â—ith David in his way when he was in the â—â—ay of sin and shews him in a very fair maner the evil of his course if he should acâ—â—mplish what he did intend And mark â—avid though his blood was up yet when â—bigal came and spake but reason to him to â—â—ew to him what the evil of his sin was like to 〈◊〉 Davids spirit falls and David said to â—â—igal Blessed be the Lord God of Israel â—â—ich sent thee this day to meet me And â—â—â—ssed be thy advice and blessed be thou â—â—â—ch hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood When David was in a mighty heat in a way of sin O! if a man should come to some of you when your passion is up and you are resolved to do such and such a thing if a man should come and plead the case fairly with you that such a thing is evil it 's a sin against God You will presently answer I will and I will I care not and let come of it what will come I will do it thus when the lust is up there is no gainsaying of it and no truth can stand against it But now if the heart were gracious though corruptions may be stirring for a while yet let any truth of God come and be suggested to such a soul it meets with something within that is sutable to it and presently the hearâ— will be ready to fall down Oh blessed bâ— God and blessed be your Counsel and blessed be God that hath hindred me froâ— such a way of sin O my retched nature wâ—â— stirring
man ever living should be heard to plead this and say Why godly people commit as great sins as they do Why David committed as great sins as I and so others But what if they did They may be pardoned for their greater and thou mayest be damn'd eternally for thy less God will deal as a Father with his Children â—o spare those that are his And that 's another particular in the different way of Gods dealings with his people Fourthly The Children of God when they â—in yet they have the robes of the righteousness of the Son of God to cover them even from God himself not to cover them so but God knows them for that 's either simplicity or blasphemy one of the two to say that God sees them not But to cover that is that they shall be taken so far from the eye of God that he shall never look upon them to charge them with them but that they shall appear before him through the Robes of the righteousness of Christ as spotless being justified through him So in Psal 32. Blessed is the Man whose sin is forgiven and whose iniquity is covered all their spots are covered and the Lord looks upon them as amiable and lovely in his eye But now thou hast nothine to cover thy spots but thy excuses See the different condition of a believer and another man One man sins against God and what hath he to cover his sins Excuses deny al 's or lies and there 's all I but now the of ther he sins against God and by Faith applye the precious robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so covers himself before God Which do you think is the better covering Her 's the difference between a Child of God and you Fifthly And then fastly Gods Children though they sin yet still they are in covenat with God God hath taken them in to an 〈◊〉 verlasting covenant with himself that shall 〈◊〉 ver be broken Though they do offend 〈◊〉 God will not charge it upon them as the breach of that great covenant of grace that God hath made with them in his Son that 's an everlasting covenant God hath made a covenant to unire their hearts to fear his name that he will never depart from them and that he will put his fear into their hearts and they shall never depart from him notwithstanding all their infirmities This must be made good this covenant that God hath made with them must stand Now O what a different condition is one in from the other Now though there may be thoughts in wicked hearts to abuse these things yet I name them to this end that you may see the exceeding difference between the state of one and the state of the other and that so by this you may be restless in your own spirits till you come to know that you are in the state of these men that are so happy that is that you are of the Number of Gods Children I shall not need to stand to give further notes and evidences for the very opening of the point about the defferent behaviour of one in respect of their sin from the other will be enough to shew who are in this condition and who not whom God will deal with all in this gracious manner in respect of their sin and whom not However men of the World will deal so much the more harshly with those that do offend if they can take any one that makes profession of Religion tripping in any thing they will be more severe against them than against others because of their profession Well God doth not do so if there be uprightness in the heart No you will say it 's not because of that but because of cloaking wickedness with their profession Well if you be sure your hearts be right in that that profession your souls do love and therefore it is the great grief of your souls that any one that makes profession of Religion should dishonour it by wicked courses then I say can you approve your hearts before God that your hearts are griev'd and troubled and not rejoyce at it that you can sind any advantage against profession as some do Then I confess if the thing be vile and foul and such a thing as you cannot in charity see that it may stand with truth of grace to be a meer infirmity but a wickedness then you may follow it to the very foot and bottom and those that shall trouble the people of God with gross and vile sins and think to colour them over with profession of Religion it 's just with God they should be troubled But if we have time we shall speak somewhat to that in the close of all We come now to the Application of thâ— point onely this caution about this thing Cau. Take heed that you deceive not your hearts about this thing If a Man have two Children one is godly and the other is proeen if they can have an advantage over one that is the more godly they will be more bitter to him than the other and if they have two Servants one godly the other profane why the profane one shall fare better then the godly if they can have but the least advantage against them Well howsoever thou deal'st with Children or Servants when thou hast taken them in a fault that the wicked find more favour from thee yet God deals otherwise his Children shall find favour from him Onely let them take heed that they do not turn their hands to wickedness or their hearts to folly because of this APPLICATION By way of Application In the first place Hence then by all that hath been said in the opening of this difference we may see full ground for the answering of the foolish carnal plea's of the men of the World for their sin which was I told you the main reason I pitcht upon this Subject This it is hardens men in their sin why Because all have their sins methinks by what hath been said one would think that this plea should never be heard any more among any that profess any knowledg in the Scripture that it should never come out of your mouths that do but understand any thing of Scripture What wilt thou that art a wicked vile wretch plead for thy wickedness that the best have their sins Thou that goest on in a constant way and course of ungodliness wilt thou plead that all have their sins thou canst not be provok't but thou swearest and flyest in the face of God thou that hast a heart not savouring any thing of God nor never found any work of the Holy Ghost upon thy soul dost thou say that all have their sins God will find out a difference of sin Rev. 1. 14. It 's said of Christ that his eyes were like a flame of fire O! Christ hath fiery eyes that will pierce through and through thee wil see a great deal of difference between the sin of one and the sin of
dar'd not come into his â—resence surely we would conclude that this Man had not the bowels of a Father in him Now if you would conclude so concerning men then why wilt thou put this dishonour upon God himself that hath the affections of 〈◊〉 Father in him And if there be any compassion in Fathers towards their Children yet it â—s not so much as one drop of that infinite ocean that is in God and therefore let not eâ—ery failing of thine make the afraid to come â—nto the presence of God come to him yet as 〈◊〉 Father being humbled before him and apâ—lying the righteousness of his Son And then further Let the consideration of â—his be of comfort to thee when thou hast committed sin against God if thou be'st such a oneas hath been spoken of in remembring the Covenant that God hath made with thee and bless God for the Covenant that he hath made with thee in Christ and the difference that God hath made between thee and others in this thing magnifie his free grace in the Govenant of grace for from thence is it that thy spot shall not be a deadly spot and God will not deal with thee as with the wicked certainly this is not from the nature of thy sin for that may be as hainous as the sins of the other but that that makes the difference is the free-grace of God in Christ O blessed be God for the Covenant of grace that hath made the difference I remember I have read of Luther he indeed saith when he was a Monk though he were Conscientious then yet then whensoever he committed any sin against God his Conscience did so flye in his face that he thought he was rejected utterly of God til God made him know that Covenant of his grace in Christ and then he thought he heard such a voice speaking to him Oh Martin do not despair for thou shalt as long as thou livest here in the flesh sin against God onely do thou lustily oppose thy sin and resist thy sin and then know that thou art not under the Law but under grace It is from hence that there is this difference therefore bless God that ever he reveal'd this Covenant of grace to thy soul And then likewise let this comfort thee leâ— it be a means to set thy heart so much the more against sin to take heed of sin O take heed of abusing this grace of God Here will be the sign whether all this comfort belong to thee or no If the more thou hearest it the more thy heart doth lothe sin and thou art the more afraid of sin because of this thou dost the more labour to bleanse thy flesh and spirit from all the polutions of it Canst thou say thus as in the presence of God Lord when I hear of these things of that blessed grace of thine in the Gospel what a difference thou art pleased to make between one and the other why Lord it breaks my heart and it makes me more afraid of sin than any thing in the World Then thou mayest freely apply the comfort that is here out of this Scripture And lastly Let me speak to those to whom this Consolation doth belong That thou hadst heed take heed to thy self that thou preservest this thy consolation for without great care it will hardly be preserved I mean by that this Thou hadst need take heed that thou keepest thy Conscience as clean as may be that thou mayest have a clear discerning of the difference of Gods dealing between one and the other And therefore take heed first of any sins against light hath ever God given thee that comfort to thy soul that though thou hast many failings yet that God looks upon thee with another eye than upon the wicked I say take heed ever after of any sin against conscience Take heed of repeating that same sin again and again Take heed of lying in sin a long time And take heed of being hardned in sin For if ever thou shouldst fall to sin against Light against thy Conscience thou wilt hardly be able to discern any difference between thy sin and the sin of the wicked And therefore look to thy self in this thing Oh let those that are godly take heed that they bring not themselves in regard of their own sense in to as lamentable a condition as the wicked are to have as much horrors of Conscience in their own seeling as thewicked and ungodly have O how great a pity is it that those between whom and the wicked God hath made so great a difference yet that through their negligence they shall bring themselves into as great a horror as the wicked and ungodly are in And lastly That this may not be abused let those that pretend unto God and say they are his Children and they are in the Covenant of grace and speak much of frâ—e-grace and yet by their wicked scandalous lives do manifest that indeed they are not Gods Children let them know that their spots are the worst spots of all they are not onely the spots of wicked men but even have the spots of Devils upon them If any spot be a loathsome an accursed an abominable spot it is the spot of a Man or Woman that makes much profession of the Gospel and yet lives a scandalous wicked and ungodly life And especially there are some whose spots are such as the heart of a man cannot but tremble at the very thoughts of them Those that will put off their sin even to God himself They take liberty to sin and say they can do nothing without him and so give way to wickedness and think if God would give them more grace then they should do better but till then they can not be better and so what blame there is they lay it upon God himself O what a spot is this that thou wilt cast thy sin upon the infinite pure God! It 's very observable in this Text They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of Gods Children Oh do not think to cast it upon God as if Moses should have said Do not you think to cast your sin upon God for you have corrupted your selves and your spot is not the spot of Gods Children And then for others that take liberty in sin they think that all their sin is done away by the blood of Jesus Christ and therefore they may take liberty and though they dare not say That therefore they may yet this is the language of their hearts and lives many that in these latter dayes hath spoken much about the Covenant of free grace yet they have made the blood of Christ that is appointed by God to cleanse us from our iniquities they have made this blood an occasion of defiling their souls by their iniquity O what an horrible spot is this that thou shalt make the blood of Christ to be the cause of it as far as thou canst that must be an abominable defilement when