division let something come unto the soule which makes a division sin will quickly lose its dominion It must be something may gaine the affections It must be something that must breed a strife Directions Look up to God and Christ 3. Againe It must be something which may gaine the affections it must be able to winn the heart to dispose of love and hatred for dominion is made or marred by one of them 4. Againe it must be something which may breed a stiffe and couragious resolution that the heart will not serve sin but will go free And hereupon against all inward and outward opposition breakes forth into the use of victorious meanes Now then the directions are these 1. If ever thou wouldest get down the dominion of sin thou must looke up to God and Christ they are able to disanull the covenant with sin and to subdue iniquities Rom. 8. 2. the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death looke as it must be a Rich mercy which pardons so it must be a mighty power which conquers sin why but what is it to the Lord to command thy heart home to himselfe to cast down the high imaginations and strong holds As Jehosaphat spake against those strong armies we know not what to doe yet our eyes are upon thee soe in the sense of thy naturall vileness and sinfull dominion O Lord I am bound I am in bondage I am dead in sins Lord I am unable to escape but thou art able to deliver O deliver my soule for thy mercies sake and subdue mine iniquities and shew forth thy power c who shall deliver me I thanke God through Jesus Christ Rom. 7. 24 25. Secondly because meer power doth not do it but power in a quality working through some quality Therefore beg of Beg the grace of Gods spirit God that he would give thee the grace of his spirit it is true that naked power takes not off the sinfull dominion nor doth the quality alone doe it but both can doe it If God gives a man grace and mightily asists and workes by and through that grace this now will beat downe â—he dominion of sinne The light though it be but a little at first yet asisted by a mighty principle of light shall conquer darknesse pride will have dominion till humility comes in Now then beg of God for grace for his holy spirit for another heart for a new heart and a new spirit Thirdly labour earnestly for faith if two things were done Labour for faith sin could not possibly continue in dominion viz. If Christ did rule in the soule If thy love were drawn off from sin But faith sets up the scepter of Christ it will know no Lord but Christ my Lord and my God said believing Thomas And faith turnes the love to Christ makes Christ the center of the heart O it represents such goodnesse such excellency such propriety such bounty such love in Christ as inflames the heart and knits it with love to Christ again Nay to add to all this faith bestowes the life on Christ too He died for me said faith I judge it therefore most reasonable that I should live to him Now where Christ comes to rule and hath love and life there sinne without all doubt looseth its dominion 4. Lastly take a couragious resolution we are held many times by our lusts through a faintnesse of spirit why we shall Take a couragious resolution never get down these sins and what will people say and we know not what to do Sol. Why up and be doing for what is past the Lord will mercifully pardon all of it if now the yoke be broken and be consident of this if thou art setting against thy sins thou doest that which God likes very well for he hath commanded thee it as a duty and hath set out meanes and promised his helpe and blessing Therefore stand not hovering and hammering were I best shall I shall I yet O no thy life lies upon this or thy death Therefore resolve on it to set against thy sins say this with thy selfe if I suffer sin to rule thus I perish for ever if I get off the dominion I live for ever if I continue in this sinfull estate I must bid God farwell and Christ farwell and heaven and all the comforts of my poor soul farwel I confess I may get a little pleasure by my sins a little profit by my sins but I am not sure to enjoy them one moment and why should I venture eternity of misery for one draught of sinful water If I could get off sins dominion O what a God might I look on plead with sue unto what a Saviour should I get what precious joys what heavenly consolations what peace here what hopes for hereafter well come of it what will though I have been sinful I will not still continue so to God will I come to Christ will I goe I will beseech them to have mercy upon me a sinner and to give me grace and to change my heart I will not serve my base lusts any longer I will never leave praying hearing reading studiing inquiring working till I be delivered from this bondage and translated into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Against actuall dominion Wherein actual dominion lies 2. Against Actuall dominion Thus for directions Against the natural dominion of sin Now I proceed to some helpes against actual dominion which is the particular prevalency of a sinne into act Let me premise a proposition or two and then you shall have the special directions themselves 1. Actual Dominion I speak in respect of grosse acts is usually in respect of some particular lusts which works with more strength in the soul then any other lusts Though it be most true that in every man there is an universal root of sinning yet you finde it in experience that the multitudes of sinful inclinations and thoughts and temptations run ordinarily in some peculiar way with most frequency and violence Secondly actual Dominion is ordinarily by such a sin which hath the advantage of a natural complexion and outward condition and occasions and affections upon these doth sinne set the temptation as an Enginer doth place his battery upon such a Simile piece of ground which doth best advantage and further his shot against a City A mans natural temper and complexion doth mightily facilitate his acts and a mans calling or condition of life may accidentally be a forcible perswasion to him to much infidelity and impatience and indirectness And occasions in conversing actively or passively have infinite baits in them and when our affections may run in some lawful measure and manner there sin takes occasion to tempt and prevaile with ease if we look not to it he may quickly be cast down by a sinful temptation who is already prepared thereunto by a sinful faction Therefore if
revealed and known duty to which his very heart doth not strive to obey yea and the ground of all this must be spirituall and not carnal from God and for God Assuredly these things are impossible to an evill man and he who is most good shall confesse it to be most hard to be plaine with God and to walke evenly before him 8. Lastly to be upright is a possible thing a man may attaine to be upright is a possible thing unto it Nay every good man doth attaine unto it Noah was upright and walked with God Abraham was upright before him David kept him from his sin and he did serve the Lord in uprightnesse of heart Hezekiah did so likewise Remember Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart Paul served God in all good conscience willing to live honestly in all things Though no man can say that he doth all that Gods commands require yet he may say he hath respect unto them all and though none can say he hath nothing in him or nothing is done by him which the law of God doth forbid yet he may say I hate every false way and search me O Lord if there be any way of wickednesse within me and this is uprightnesse Ob. But you will say if the case be so how may one know that he is indeed upright Sol. There are many discoveries of it I pray you to observe Discourses of uprightnesse them and try your selves by them let your consciences testify for you before the lord this day 1. If a man be upright he will mostly strive for an inward reformation of his heart There are two things which the upright person doth most look The upright man most strives for the inward reformation at his God and his heart The Hypocrites as our saviour testifies they are for the outside they wash the platters and the cups and beautifie the tombes like an adulteresse whose care is to paint and to set a faire face upon the matter all their care is to the eye of man how to be seen and hard how to be well thought on Now uprightnesse is mostly for the heart and spirit not that an upright person should or doth neglect the wel-ordering his life O no! as to neglect our hearts argues hypocrisie so to neglect our lives argues profanesse But the principle care of uprightnesse is the reformation of the heart though it lookes to the cleansing of the hand yet principally of the heart according to that of the Apostle Jam. 4. 8. Why brethren it well knowes that the heart is it which God looks for and lookes at the heart is it which God delights in if that be right and true he is pleased thou lovest truth in the inward parts Psa 51. the upright in heart are his delight David is full in this concerning his heart Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee v. 11. Thy word have I hid within my heart that I might not sinne against thee incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit the heart of man is the fountaine of life or death and every thing is strongest in the heart and most dangerous sinne in the heart is worse then in the life i. when a mans heart is set upon his sin now Try your selves in this particular what care have you of your hearts what paines do you take with them you many times have humble looks yea but have you not still proud hearts you have many times contented words yea but have you not still impatient and discontented hearts you have many times heavenly discourse yea but have you not stil earthly and worldly hearts what doe you with them doe you not let your hearts still loose do you not give them way to be filled with wicked contemplations vaine imaginations filthy inclinations with envy malice unbeliefe or do you mourne under these do you strive to cleanse within is it not sufficient that your outward actions look well unlesse your hearts be made better O if this heart were holy If this heart were humble If this heart were heavenly If the heart were believing The hypocrite cares not though the thread be rotten if the colour or glosse be faire but the upright person he is more at substance then shew and hath more to doe with his heart then any thing he would have the law written not upon his tongue but upon his heart cleansed as well as his life beautified 2. If a man be upright then a little holiness will not serve his If a man be upright then a little holinesse will not serve his turne turne he is not contented with some measures but strives after perfection see this clearly delivered by the Apostle in Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ v. 13. I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before v. 14. I press then toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus v. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded q. d. If you be upright thus will it be with you you will not be satisfied with small beginnings with received measures but you will reach on for farther conformity to Christ There is a difference twixt desires of holiness for it selfe and God and for our selves and ends An hypocrite could be content to have as much holinesse as would serve his turne his owne turne his owne ends as a tradesmen is willing to be at cost that his apprentice learne to writ and cipher so much and so long as he may be enabled to keep the accounts but he will not be at cost to teach him the excellency of writing or ciphering But now the upright person desires grace and holiness for God that glory may be brought unto him and out of an intrinsecall love of the beauties of holinesse and for the farther rooting out of sin And for the better Inabling to holy services his ends are publike and therefore a little serves not 3. If a man be upright then a man will walke by a right rule an upright man walks by an upright rule he orders his conversation and wayes according to the word of God A right ordering of all our actions by a right rule in a right way by right persons out of right principles for right ends this is uprightnesse 3. A person may know whither he be upright or no by the An upright person hath a conformable disposition of heart about all sins conscionable disposition of his heart about all sinnes Dâ—vid speaking of such who were undefiled Psal 119. 1. And sought the Lord with their
THE ANATOMY Of Secret Sins Presumptuous Sins Sins in Dominion Vprightness WHEREIN Divers weighty Cases are resolved in Relation to all those Particulars Delivered in divers SERMONS preached at Mildreds in Bread-street London on PSALM 19. 12 13. TOGETHER With the Remissibleness of All Sin and the Irremissibleness of the SIN against the HOLY GHOST Preached before an Honourable AUDITORY By that Reverend and Faithfull MINISTER of the Gospel Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick B. D. Perfected by Himself and published by those whom he intrusted with his NOTES LONDON Printed by T. R. for Adoniram Byfeild at the sign of the three Bibles in Corn-Hill near Popes-head Alley Anno 1660. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE Name of the Reverend Author of this Work will commend it to the Acceptance of them all who were either acquainted with his Ministry or have attentively perused his Treatises formerly published He was a Work man who needed not to be ashamed As the matter of his Discourses was solid and profitable so his language was pregnant and delightfull both which took much upon his gracious and ingenuous Auditors This is to be acknowledged a great abatement of the Churches loss by his death that though he be dead he yet speaketh from the Press by the usefull Treatises left written by his own hand which through Gods Mercy may prove rich blessings unto posterity by edifying Christians in Grace and Comfort As the reasonable immortal soul is the more noble part of man so supernatural Grace doth truly ennoble it by introducing the likeness and life of God This Grace which is The good work p Phil. 1. 6. The good and perfect gift of God o Jam. 1. 17. may be promoted both in its habit and exercise by such helps as this which Divine Providence putteth into thy hand And therefore since sanctifying Grace which is the strength beauty riches of the soul and the best thing on this side Christ himself From whose fulness we all do receive Grace for Grace n John 1. 16. is wrought preserved enlarged and quickned by these means they should be gladly welcomed and diligently improved by all serious sincere Christians And whereas Humility and Sincerity are Graces eminently excellent and useful throughout the whole course of Christianity rendring every other grace and every duty the more lovely and acceptable Helps in both these thou mayest expect from this ensuing Treatise The Text here handled doth hold forth at the first view both Sinfulness and Uprightness of Gods servants Their sinfulness bitterly bewailed and their uprightness seriously designed whence we have The Anatomy of secret sins Presumptuous sins Sins in Dominion and of Uprightness Every self considering Christian doth see so much sin in his heart and life that he is abased under the Burden b Psal 38. 4. of it how heavy then is this thought upon his heart that there are many thousands of secret unseen Errors chargeable upon him by the All-knowing heart-searching God And yet this adds further load unto the burdned Spirit that besides his former guiltiness of and inclination to presumptuous sins things heinous and horrid the seeds also of that unpardonable sin the thoughts whereof are amazing and dreadful to every Gracious heart do lie and live in his depraved nature These particulars are here largely and convincingly discoursed of by means whereof the secure sinner may be well awakened and the proud heart deeply humbled What examples of Bitter Mourning e 1 Sam. 7. 6. self-loathing f Ezek. 36. 31. and lamentable outcries g Rom. 7. 24. upon this account are recorded in the holy Scriptures How needfull and seasonable this too much neglected Indeavour would be in these loose luke-warm times might easily be manifested The manifold precious Benefits of this practise may perswade it Besides Divine Acceptance h Psal 51. 17 and familiar Communion d Isa 57. 16. 66. 2. together with many rich Promises hereby possessed By meanes hereof the soul will patiently submit to Gods Afflicting hand e 1 Pet. 5. 5 6 7. Job 22. 29. Lev 26. 41. Mic. 7. 9. and seriously set upon real Reformation g 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Thus Christ will become much more precious and sweet unto the soul a 1 Tim. 1 12 13 15. Rom. 7 24 25. And as we shall be made more Meek in our deportment towards all so more peculiarly compassionate towards Bleeding Repenting sinners h Tit. 3. 2 3. viewing the number and heinousness of our own Irregularities considering how much we our selves do still lie under Sins Dominion o Rom 7. 18 19 21 23 with the guilt of some presumptuous Iniquities e Mat. 26. 75 Good Reader thou shalt not only be thus edified in Humility his Product of sins discovery but in Sincerity also by that which followeth in the Anatomy of Uprightness Vnexpressible are the Comforts which come into the soul by clearing up its Sincerity from Scripture evidence If there be a Messenger an Interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto man his Uprightness c John 33 23 then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a Ransom his flesh shall be fresher then a Child And for the Enjoyment of satisfaction out of Gods All-sufficiency is assured in the Covenant of Grace unto upright walking with his Majesty f Gen. 17. 1. Herein consists Gods image in man d Eccl. 7. 26 which is his fairest beauty and his greatest Glory The imperfect performances of the Sincere do not only find Acceptance c 2 Chro. 30. 28 19. 20. but Delight in the Lord d Pro. 15. 8. unto them he will not deny either Grace or Glory or any thing may be truly Good p Psal 84. 11 and notwithstanding the saddest dispensations imaginable God will be constantly and superlatively good unto them c Psal 73. 1. How bad soever they be in their own eyes yet they are perfect in Gods Account d Ps 37. 37. and they may alwayes rejoyce with Thanksgiving before the Lord and with gladsome Boldness h Psal 33. 1. look Pale death it self in the face when it doth approach t 2 Cor. 1. 22 But we will not enlarge our selves in these matters contenting our selves with these short hints suggested to give thee a tast of that sweet fruit which thou mayest expect to reap by the carefull perusal of this very savory usefull Book which we commend to thy Improvement and thy self therein to the Blessing of the Almighty through Iesus Christ in whom and for whom we are Septemb. 1. 1659. Thy faithfull friends and servants Humphrey Chambers Edmund Calamy Simeon Ash Adoniram Byfeild THE Anatomy OF SECRET SINNES PSALM 19. 12. Who can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secrets or from secret sins or faults SAint Chrysostom conjectures that the maine intention of the greatest part of this Psalm consists in the discovery
if he should take the brightest candle to search all the records of his soul yet many of them would escape his notice And indeed this is a great part of our misery that we cannot understand all our debts we can easily see too many yet many more lie as it were dead and out of sight To sin is one great misery and then to forget our sins is a misery too If in repentance we could set the battel in array point to every individual sin in the true and particular times of acting and re-acting O how would our hearts be more broken with shame and sorrow and how would we adore the richnesse of the treasure of mercy which must have a multitude in it to pardon the multitude of our infinite errors and sinnes But this is the comfort though we cannot understand every particular sin or time of sinning yet if we be not idle to search and cast over the books and if we be heartily grieved for those sins which we have found out and can by true repentance turn from them unto God and by faith unto the blood of Jesus Christ I say that God who knowes our sins better then we know them and who understands the true intentions and dispositions of the heart that if it did see the unknown sins it would be answerably carried against them He will for his own mercy sake forgive them and he too will not remember them Nevertheless though David saith who can understand his errors as the Prophet Jeremiah spake also The heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it yet must we bestir our selves at heaven to get more and more heavenly light to finde out more and more of our sinnings So the Lord can search the heart And though we shall never be able to finde out all our sins which we have committed yet it is possible and beneficial for us to finde out yet more sins then yet we do know And you shall find these in your own experience that as soon as ever grace entred your hearts you saw sin in another way then ever you saw it before yea and the more grace hath traversed and increased in the soul the more full discoveries hath it made of sinnes It hath shewn new sins as it were new sins not for their being not as if they were not in the heart and life before but for their evidence and our apprehension and feeling we do now see such wages and such inclinations to be sinful which we did not think to be so before As physick brings those humours which had their Simile residence before now more to the sense of the Patient or as the Sun makes open the motes of dust which were in the roome before so doth the light of the word discover more corruption But I passe by that point of the impossibility of a full apprehension of all sinnes committed ignorantly and inconsiderately I now proceed from Davids complaint to Davids request Davids request and here I shall speak of his first Request viz. Cleanse thou me from secrets or secret sins Saint Austin upon the words Ab occultis meis munda me domine expresseth it thus A cupiditatibus in me latentibus munda noe i. from those concupiscences which lie so hid and so close and so private within me O Lord cleanse thou me And in his second exposition of this Psalm for he expounded the Psalm twise Tolle-ex corde maelam cogitationem i. O Lord take out of my very heart even the sinful thoughts I will name the Proposition and then we may perhaps open things more fully CHAP. I. Doct. IT is the desire of an holy person to be cleansed not only from publick but also from private and secret It is the desire of a holy person to be cleansed from secret faults sinnes Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man saith Paul who shall deliver me Why O blessed Apostle what is it that holds thee what is it that molests thee thy life thou sayest was unblamable before thy conversion and since thy conversion Phil 3. Thou hast exercised thy self to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Acts 24. 16. And yet thou criest out O wretched man and yet thou complainest who shall deliver me Verily brethren it was not sin abroad but at home it was not sin without but at this time sin within it was not Pauls sinning with man but Pauls sinning within Paul O that Law of his members warring secretly within him against the Law of his minde This this made that holy man so to cry out so to complaine As Rebekah was weary of her life not as we read for any forraine disquietments but because of domestique troubles the daughters of Heth within the house made her weary of her life so the private and secret birth of corruption within Paul the workings of that that was the cause of his trouble that was the ground of his exclamation and desires who shall deliver me I remember that the same Paul adviseth the Ephesians as to put of the former Conversation so to put on the renewed spirit of the minde Ephes 4. 22 23. intimating that there are sinnes which are lurking within as well as sins walking without and that true Christians must not only sweep the doore but wash the Chamber my meaning is not onely come off from sins which lie open in the Conversation but also labour to be cleansed from sinnes and sinning which remaine secret and hidden in the Spirit and inward disposition Now for the beneficial discovery of this assertion let us enquire four things 1. In what respects sins are called secret 2. What it is to be cleansed 3. Why we are to desire a cleansing from them 4. What of all this to us SECT I. 1. IN what respect sinnes are called secret for the resolution In what respect sins are called secret of this know that sinne hath a double reference Either to God and so really no sin nor manner of sinning Not to God is secret Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. it is true that wicked men with an Atheistical folly imagine to hide themselves and their sinful wayes from God they seek deep to hide their Councel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us Isa 29. 15. But really it is not so though the cloud may somewhat eclipse the light of the Sun and though the dark night may shut it forth altogether yet there stands no cloud nor curtain nor moment of darknesse or secrecy 'twixt the eyes of God and the wayes of man The wayes of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5. 21. He speakes principally there of the wayes of the adulterer which usually are plotted with the most cunning secrecy yet God
cure or else the patient will relapse the disease will prevaile no not the created Grace in the soule is hard enough to keep down sinne much less to put it out unless a divine new assistance comes to the soul Therefore David though an Holy man prayes to God to cleanse him 3. Lastly persons Truly Holy and sensible desire yet further Persons truly holy desire more holinesse measures of Holiness David was cleansed before and yet he desires to be cleansed why because though he had a radicall purity yet he had not the graduall purity The whole man was cleansed but it was not cleansed wholly some grace he had but more he did want some sins he was prety well rid off but others he felt yet stirring and working Though no man saw them yet he felt them Noe combat serves the Christian but that which Lookes to victory and he thinks the day is not yet won if he hath not yet the conquest of every sin as well as any one SECT III. 3. BUt why should we desire to be cleansed from secret sinnes Why we should desire to be cleansed from secret sins Secret sins will becom Publike sins if not cleansed Either from secret acting or secret motions I will give you diverse reasons of it 1. Because secret sins will become publike sins if they be not cleansed It is with the soule as it is with the body wherein diseases are first bred and then manifested and if you suppress them not in their root you shall shortly see them to break out in the fruit or as it is with fire catching the inside of the house first and there if you doe not surprise it it will make way for its selfe to get to the outside Lust when it hath conceived it bringeth forth sin Jam. 1. 15. Beloved remember this that though the first ground of sin be within the heart yet the propension of sin is to come forth into publicke the Child in the wombe hath not stronger throwes to get out of its private lodging then sin secretly wrought to fly into open and manifest action Ammon is sick with the sinful Conceptions of incestuous lust and what ado was there till he had committed that villany let a man set up any sin in delightful Contemplation and meditations that same inward acting of his sin Either doth actually Cast him upon the outward adventures or invites them This is the least that it doth it doth strangly ripen his naturall inclination and besides that it doth prepare him for a temptation that suits that way Satan shall not need to tempt him much who hath already tempted himself and he who will work sin in his heart a weak occasion will draw it out into his life thirty pieces of silver will prevaile with a covetous Judas who had already sold his Master in his heart Object But what of that will you say suppose that secret sins uncleansed do become publicke I say therefore should we the rather labour to cleanse them for as much as the more publick sin becomes the worse it is you know that if the word or letter of the minde be written in paper now it becomes a copy for others to write after whilst secret sins are confined the house i. to the soule only and break not out into visible act though they be very damnable yet they are but of personal and proper danger they indanger him only who maintaines them as poyson doth him who takes the poyson But when they come to publick and visible actings then they are a copy they are exemplary sins like the Plague infecting other persons others are capable to imitate them and soe more souls are tainted and God now receives a common dishonour 2. Secret sins are apt to deceive us most therefore cleanse there Secret sins are apt to deceive us most there is a deceitfulnesse in all sinnings whatsoever the soule is cousened by sin whensoever it doth sin but now secret sins deceive us most they are most apt to prevaile with us partly 1. Because we have not that strict and spirituall judgement of the inwards of sin as of the outwards many times we conceive of them as no sins at all or else as slight and veniall to draw a sword and run a man thorow the heart O this is a fearful murder to draw a false word and slanderously to pierce thorow his good name we likewise imagine that this may be bad but to kill a man with malicious thoughts with revengeful plots and desires nay this is scarce thought as a matter culpable or at least very excusable Beloved it is the ingenium of sin to come off easily in the soule without stir and debate and no sins come off so easily as those with we scarce imagine to be sins Now we are apt to think that secret sinnes are scarce sinnes 2. And because Most men decline sinne upon outward respects which doe not reach the actings of secret sins shame and fear and observance are great and the only restraints to many They doe not live in and visibly commit such sins because they like not shame and are afraid of punishment but what are those to secret sinnings where no Law of man can reach and no ey of man can search It is true that God hath set some one or other to watch the sinner al over as his law for inward outward actings his conscience principally for the inward and the eyes and mouths and hands of men for the outward but now for secret sinning it being invisible it doth therefore escape all the outward restraints by the seeing and speaking and judging of men and it hath mainly to attend what conscience wil say which perhaps is ignorant or drousy if it doth speak yet it is not regarded Now mark of all sins eye them most which do most easily deceive you these a man commits most affects most and continues in longest since therefore secret sins come under that form is it not necessary to labour to be cleansed from them 3. The strength of sin is inward therefore labour to be cleansed The strengâ—h of sin is inward from secret sins if a man hath a fever so that his tongue doth even fry in his mouth and his flesh is even rosted with burning heat yet the strength of that fever is in his spirits and inward parts which are set on fire by some humorous distemper so is it with sinne though the outward actings be bad enough yet the strong holds are within the soule The strength of a sin 1. Lies in its nearnesse to the fountaine from whence it can take a quick immediate and continual supply and so doe our secret sins they are as neare to Originall sin as the first droppings are to the springe head they are indeed Originall sin immediatly acting it selfe which sin is a full sin a feeding sin a sinning sin and never weary 2. It Lies in the acceptance of the
affections love and liking set sin upon its throne They are the Armes royall of a sinne now of the two men are more apt to like and love secret then open sinnings 3. It lies in the confidence of Commission Now a man doth take more heart and boldnesse and courage to commit secret sins then open 4. It lies in the iteration and frequency of acting for sinne often repeated acted is like a cable doubled in strength by the manifold twistings but secret sins are more frequently iterated an uncleane heart can keep a whore in his thoughts every day and moment who perhaps is afraid to be seen at the door of her house once a yeare a proud person can disdaine another in his heart all the week who yet will not shew it once a month so for the malicious c. 4. The principle object of Gods eye is the inward and secret The principle object of Gods eye is the secret frame of the soule frame of the soule therefore labour to be cleansed from secret sins Psa 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psa 51. 6. Behold thou desirest Truth in the inward parts Therefore is he often said in scripture to search the heart the reines which intimates this special observation of the secret frame it is true that God doth give in charge against open sins why because he would not have any to be profane and so he doth give singular charge against secret sins why because he cannot endure any to be hypocritical the man is most in al to God what his inside is if ye work wickedness in your heart God will destroy you plaister your visible part with all sorts of pious expressions if yet you can set up a form of sinning within you are notable Hypocrites the Lord seeth you to be false and rotten and he will discharge himselfe of you Treason is as bad as Rebellion Rebellion is but open Treason and Treason is but secret Rebellion the King will exact life justly for either so will God for the secret sinnings as well as for The spirit of God is grieved by secret sins the open The spirit of God is greived by secret sins as well as dishonored by open sinnings SECT IIII. Use NOw I come to the Applications of this point Is it the desire of an holy heart to be cleansed not only from publike but also from private sinnes not only from grosse and visible but also from secret and invisible sins then these things will follow For Information from hence as informations 1. That true holinesse hath a repugnancy and contrariety to all sins It is not contrary to sin because it is open and manifest True holinesse hath a contrariety to all sin nor to sin because it is private and secret but to sin as sin whether publike or whether private because both the one the other is contrary to Gods wil glory as it is with true light though it be but a beame yet it is universally opposite to all darknesse or as it is with heat though there be but one degree of it yet it is opposite to all cold so if the holinesse be true and reall it cannot comply with any known sin you can never reconcile them in the affection they may have an unwilling consistence in the person but you can never make them to agree in the affection Beloved there is a marvellous difference twixt things which are at difference by a respective and accidentall repugnancy and by a naturall and pure contrariety in the former there may be an accord but in the latter none an Hypocriticall heart may fall out with its sin for the consequence of it for the shame it brings for the stinging guilt which it causeth in the conscience yet his heart hath in absolute termes an inward Cohesion and league with that sin but now true holiness sin are opposite with a natural contrariety therefore you can never reconcile them in the heart but the opposition is inward as well as outward to sin wheresoever it is That sanctifycation is Imperfect in this life 2. That sanctification is not perfect in this life he who hath most grace hath yet some sin Else why doth David an holy person desire to be cleansed he who needs to pray that he may be cleansed cannot yet totally say my heart is Cleane There is a perfection of Integrity which an holy heart hath standing in opposition to Hypocrisie and essentiall defectivenesse but there is not a Perfection of eminency which consists in an opposition to all want Grace whiles in your hearts living on the earth is as health rising in a sick body or like heat getting into the water or like light spreading it selfe more and more to chase away darknesse there is yet more of sin to be conquered and we have lesse grace then we should have and where any part or degree of sin is yet as an enemy being and rising there grace though it may be sound and saving yet is it not absolute and perfect 3. Here you may understand the grounds and reasons of the That secret corruptions are the Christians trouble many troubles and heavy complaints of Christians It is true that they may faile many times in their words and speeches and he is a very perfect man who doth not trespasse therein and they may be overtaken with explicit sinnings no holy person will professe himselfe to be an Angell but he hath many outward sins to bewaile as he hath many inward graces to bless God for yet the load of his soule is within his soule commissions doe justly humble him but the secret inclinations of sinne they doe even burst his heart asunder Why looke ye so sad say we oftentimes to good people and why are yea so cast down what is it which troubles you you have a good God and a good Christ and a good Gospel yea I have but withall I have yet a bad heart in despite of all my conflictings and and strivings and prayings I am yet so molested with sinful imaginations with sinful inclinations If I do not performe duty with any life I am troubled for my dulness if I doe it with any life I am troubled with pride If I do not pray I cannot bear the guilt of a willing omission if I doe pray I am even torne from my self and the crowd of other thoughts do justle out the apprehension and affection of my praying Another Châ—istian he complaines bitterly of secret blasphemies Atheistical risings Another with private murmurings discontents unbeleivings though you hear no such words and see no such carriages O wrethed man that I am said Paul and verily so great are the Insolences of secret corruptions that the Christian is oftimes weary of his life Beloved the maine battle of a Christian is not in the open field his quarrels are most within and his enemies are in his own breast when
endeavoured to be rectified squared beautified and ordered that the great and holy God may take delight and proclaime his gracious testimony of the same hear that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. 18. Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth in the former respect is that phrase of Paul Rom. 16. 18. approved of men in the latter respect is that phrase of Paul Rom. 16. 10. approved in Christ and of Peter Acts 2. 22. A man approved of God Now verily no man can sincerely desire to approve himself unto God i. to put himself over unto Gods sentence of tryal and decision so that he might find an acceptance from his eyes but he doth indeed desire to be cleansed from secret sinnes why because Gods sentence is righteous and according to truth he doth not weigh so much the actions as the spirits of men not so much the outward expressions as the inward dispositions not so much what they do as what they would do not so much that they do not as this that they would do no iniquity I remember that David is upon this very straine in Psal 139. 23. Search me O Lord and know my heart and know my thoughts v. 24. And so if there be any wicked way in me Here he puts himself intirely upon God to try him to search him to see whether his heart be such as he should like and approve Paul is in the same straine 1 Cor. 4. 3. with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you i. whether you approve of me or not accept of me or condemn me I tell you this is not the main thing that I look on v. 4. But he that judgeth me is the Lord i. there is another Judge a greater Judge a better Judge one who can canvase the secret and inward parts as well as eye the meere visible acts and motions to him do I look to him do I desire to approve my self 3. Observe where doest thou lay the sharpest edge of the axe Where dost thou lay the sharpest edge of the Axe the axe said Matthew in another case is now laid to the root of the tree sinne is like a tree it hath root and branches that which we see of the tree is the bulk and branches that which is the life of the tree we see not it is the root which is moored in the bowels of the earth Now as a man may deal with a tree so he may deal with his sinnes the axe may be employed only to lop off the branches which yet all live in the root and he may apply his axe to the very root to the cutting of it up and so he brings an universal death to the tree So it is possible for a man to bestow all his pains to lop off sinne onely in the visible branches in the outward limbes of it and it is also possible for a man to be crucifying the secret lust the very corrupt nature and root of sinfulness Now this I say he who bestows his study his prayers his tears his cares his watchings his strength to mortifie corruption in the root in the nature in the cause how unquestionable is it that he doth desire to be cleansed from secret sins Suppose a man hath an ulcerous part undiscovered in his breast if he applieth such physick which will carry away the spring of that ulcer it is a palpable signe he doth desire to be cleared from the secret ulcer it self so it is in this case Beloved we distinguish 'twixt these two things viz. 1. The restraining of sin 2. The weakening of sin A man whose sinnes may crawle in him like the worms in a dead body which may feed upon his most exquisite contemplations and dearest affections with fullest and sweetest contentment may yet curb and restraine the habits or sinfull propensions from breaking out into act The vigor of a natural and enlightned conscience and the ingenuity of a more nobly bred disposition and the force of particular aimes and ends may be able to rein up and bridle in thee Actus imperatos as the School-men speak the notable or visible deliveries or actings of sin But that which weakens sin is grace that which purgeth out the sin is alwayes contrary to it Again we observe a difference 'twixt these two viz. to have sinne and the heart asunder and to have sinne and the shame or the bitternesse asunder this latter a Pharaoh an Ahab may desire but the former only that man who is truly holy and would be cleansed from secret sins 4. And this now leads me to a fourth discovery of a person Doest thou strongly desire io have another nature who desires to be cleansed from secret sins viz. he who strongly desires to have another nature another heart Another nature or heart is a heart replenished with most holy qualities which stand in a present opposition to that of sin and which in time will get the victory over it Suppose a man be apt to much unbelief secret mistrusts and distrusts how know I that he would be cleansed from them not only by this that he complaines but also that he is day and night with God for the grace of faith and the strength of his Spirit to believe And indeed it is the contrary grace which doth cleanse from sinne secret grace which cleanseth from secret sinnes forasmuch as the inward clensing is not by outward medicines but by a compleated principle both in nature and operation striving against the nature and operations of sin as the Apostle eligantly shadows it in Gal. 5. Psal 51. Create in me a new heart said David the new heart is a new frame and temper to fil the soul with other inclinations and thoughts and the life with other wayes and actions SECT VI. Use 3 I Now proceed to a third Use which shall be for Comfort For comfort to such as have such desires to such persons whose desires are really carried to be cleansed from secret sins as well as publick and visible they may comfort themselves in many things For 1. That their praise is of God and he doth commend them Their praise is of God see the Apostle Rom. 2. 28. He is not a Jew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh verse 29. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Now what a comfort is this that thou art a person whom the Lord will take notice of yea whom the Lord himself will praise and commend to say of thee as of David I have found a man after mine own heart and and that thy heart is perfect with the Lord. 2. That conscience in a day of distresse will acquit and clear Conscience will acquit them in a day of distress them Beloved there are two sorts
of people Some dawbing and dissembling and shuffling whose care it is not not to sinne but to be cunning in sin these shall find that in the day of their distresse conscience shall rip up before their eyes their most private vilenesses and that God will set their secret sinnes before the light of his countenance yea and the more industrious and witty that they have been that way the more shall conscience aggravate the hypocrisie of their souls Others conflicting and agonizing with secret motions outward occasions strong temptations these persons in a day of distresse shall finde singular testimony from conscience for though now whiles their judgement is oppressed with variety of arguments and the minde is overladen with the heap of temptations they are not able clearly to judge and decide their condition yet when conscience which is the great umpire in man shall arise to examine fore-past actions and endeavours it will there give sentence for thee excusing thee approving thee That in all simplicity and sincerity thou hadst thy conversation both towards mâ—n and towards God and that it was the desire of thy soul to fear the Lord to do no iniquity but to walk before him in all well-pleasing conscience doth cleare as the word clears and whom the word doth clear 3. They may with confidence make their prayers to God and They may with confidence pray and shall be heard shall be heard The hypocrite hath Moabs curse that he shall pray but not prevaile Esay 16. 12. for saith David If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Psalme 66. 18. But saith Eliphaz Job 22. 23. If thou returne to the Almighty c. and shalt put away iniquity from thy Tabernacles ver 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee O how acceptable unto God are the sacrifices of a spirit truly and uprightly tempered 4. The Lord will more and more cleanse them he will by degrees God will more and more cleanse them put more beautiful ornaments on the inward man and change their burdens if Paul be troubled with himself Christ will deliver him from himself he hath this comfort that for the present God observes his inward conflicts and accepts his secret uprightnesse and for the future that he shall have the victory over his rebellions by Jesus Christ There be two things of which the soul which deales with inward convictions out of a pure respect may be confident viz. One is grace to combate Another is strength to overcome Ob. 1. O but can a man be truly holy who hath such vile inclinations abhorred thoughts and motions such wonderfull eruptions of sinful abominations working yet within him Sol. 1. A word for this you must know this that an holy man is a man and a man he is compounded of a nature and a nature flesh and spirit grace and sin Secondly you must distinguish 'twixt the secret motions of sin and the secret approbations thereof as grace doth not utterly root out all the existence of natural corruption so neither is it able absolutely to suppress though to hinder the operations or workings of sinful corruption Thirdly we distinguish of secret workings of sinne there is a double secrecy 1. One is natural and it befals any man for sinne naturally carries shame with it and therefore hath a desire of secrecy 2. Another is artificial which is a cunning devising of sin this kinde of secrecy is not so incident to holy persons they do not frame methods of transgressing no ways of dishonouring God yet I will put forth a distinction I think it good there is a twofold artificial secrecy 1. One antecedent and delightful contrived on purpose to enlarge the way of the vile heart out of a deep love of the sinne and to compasse the contiuall fruition thereof Another is a consequent and troublesome and a kinde of inforced artificialnesse as was that of David which did arise from a sin secretly commited by him in the hast of a temptation Now I think that even an holy soul may possibly touch upon an artificial secrecy by consequence having been violently and preposterously carried unto some precedent sin which that it may be hid from the eye of man it doth therefore spin out some other methods of sinning however this is a very fearful course there is no comfort at all in it but a deeper aggravation of the former sinning for as much as adding sinne to sinne is no remedie but to repent of former sinnings is the onely and best way of help SECT VII Use 4 A Fourth Use of this assertion shall be for Exhortation to take heed of and labour against secret sins its true that all Exhortation to take heed of secret sins sin is to be declined But I therefore stir you up to beware of secret sinnes because we are more apt to those then to the open we sink our selves sooner with these then with any other sinnings There are three things which I will handle here and so conclude this point viz. 1. Motives to enforce our care 2. Aggravations of secret sins 3. Means which may present help against secret sin 1. The Motives There be many arguments which may justly stir us up to take Motives heed of and to cleanse from secret sins 1. The Lord knoweth our secret sinnings as exactly as our visible The Lord knows our secret sinningâ— exactly sinnings Psal 44. 21. He knoweth the secrets of our hearts Psal 139. 2. He knoweth our down sitting and our uprising and understands our thoughts afar off ver 11. If I say surely the darknesse shall cover me even the night shall be light about me vers 12. yea the darknesse hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and the light are both alike unto thee Ezek. 8. 6. Sonne of man seest thou what they do even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here Like one on an high mountain pointing at the thiefe robbing a man in a thicket see you yonder thief plucking of him down c. so here the great and lofty God whose seat is on high beholds all the wayes and motions of the children of men even thorow the thickest clouds and nothing can barre out his observance whose eye fills heaven and earth what is the curtain to him or the night or the lock or the chamber or the whispering or the thinking or the imagination of that thinking he needs not to have his understanding to be informed by the sensiblenesse of speech or the visibleness of acting who made the frame of spirit and searcheth into the depths of the soul and clearly observes all things in a perfect nakedness 2. The Lord will make manifest every secret thing Mark 4. God will make manifest every secret thing 22. There is nothing hid which shall not be manifested Neither is any thing kept secret but that it should come abroad There
to break the covenant of her youth and God for a person who is married this very relation trebles the guilt for any one to murder is a sin of death but for the Childe to murder the parent secretly this very relation increases the guilt 3. The more profession a man makes the worse are his secret The more profession a man makes the worse are his secret sins sinnings forasmuch as he carrieth not only a badge but also a judge on his shouldeâ—s he not only weares a profession which is contrary to his practise but which shall condemne and judge him that he is not what he would seeme to be yea his contrary practise doth ground and occasion the great reproaches and blemishes like dirt to be cast upon the face of Religion and wo to him by whom offences come 4. The more light a man hath meeting him in the darke and secret actings of sin the more abominable is the sin when not only The more light a man hath â—he more abominable the sin a discovering light but a checking light not only a checking but a threatning not onely a threatning but also a troubling light opposeth and chargeth from the conscience against the sinning this makes it the more out of measure sinfull The more against the light of nature the worse they are 5. The more repugnant secret sins are to the light of nature the worse are they in their actings A sin is very broad when the light of nature without any ayd of knowledg from the scripture shall make the heart to tremble at the commission and to be terribly amazed the Apostle toucheth at these kindes of secret sinnings Rom. 1. unnaturall lustings and burnings 6. The more art a man doth use to effect his secret sinnings the The more art a man useth in secret sins the worse they are worse they are forasmuch as a about the same sin it is ever woâ—se when it is breathed out by deliberation then when it is forced out by a meer temptation and sin is not to be reputed an infirmity or weakness when art or cunning is the cause of it for as much as art is sober and takes time to contrive and reason to place and displace to help and forward its acts or intentions The more frequent a man is in them the worse they are all which are contrary to surprisals and infirmities 7. The more frequent a man is in secret sinnings the deeper is his guilt when he can drive a trade of sâ—n within doors when it is not a slip but a course and he hath hâ—â—dly scraped out the bitternesse of the former but he is exercising the sin new and afresh againe 8. The more gripes of conscience and resolutions a man hath felt To wallow in them against conscience and resolutions makes them worse and taken against secret sinnings and yet wallowes in them the more staine and guilt lies upon his soule A wound to a sick man is worse then to an healthy man forasmuch as the spirits are already wounded by sickness no sinnings wound deeper then such as follow the woundings of conscience a sinner doth thrust the sword in againe to the same hurt Thirdly the means But you will say this is fearfull to sin thus what Meanes The meanes to be cleansed of secret sins may be used to get off and to keep off the soule from secret sins The rules of direction which as soe many means I would commend unto you are these 1. If thou hast been guilty of secret sinnes be humbled and repent A man shall hardly stave off a new sin who hath not been humbled for an old sin of the same kinde for as much as future care Be humbled for them seldome manifests it selfe without former sorrow hast thou been a secret Adulterer fornicator thief backbiter oppressor liar drunkard c. O hasten hasten in by speedy sorrow by speedy repentance bewaile if it be possible with teares of blood thy secret wickednesse if thou doest not judge thy selfe God will surely judge thee and thinke not that because thy sinnings were secret therefore thy compunctions must be small nay thou oughtest to abound the rather and the more in floods of tears and of bitter contrition who didest dare to provoke God so c. 2. Take heed of secret occasions and provocations why is it that Take heed of secret occasions and provocations thou sayest O this nature O this heart O that Satan Thou hast I confesse shed many teares thou hast felt many sorrows and troubles thou hast made many vowes and resolutions thou hast put up many prayers and petitions and yet thou art in thy secret sinnings why what should be the reason do prayers do nothing against sin yea do tears nothing do troubles nothing do vows nothing yes all of those may do something if something else be added if the leake be stopped if the windows be shut if the doores be locked I meane If occasions and provocations be conscionably and carefully avoyded otherwise they are nothing if thou prayest and then adventures thy strength upon the occasion of thy secret sinning what dost thou but seek God first and next rise up and tempt him Keep close to heaven and keep off from the occasions and then tell me whether God will not keep thee from thy sinnings 3. Crush the temptations which come from the roots Though thou doest decline occasions yet thou canst not decline thy Crush the temptations from the roots self And there is that in a mans self which can fetch in the occasion by representation by inclination by contemplation sometimes another provokes thee to sin and this is in society somtimes thine own heart provokes thee to sin and this is when thou art solitary Now the thoughts steal out now imaginations present and confer with the minde with the will with affections wouldst thou now free thy self from secret actings then free thy self from secret thinkings The picture in the glass may inflame as much as that in the natural face so sin in the representation of the minde may fire our corrupt hearts as well as the entisings of it by conversing occasions Psalme 19. 14. Let the Meditations of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer There are two things which will never faile you in your surprisal of secret sinnings viz. 1. One is to be digging up the intimate root of all sinnings 2. Another is to stifle the first conception of sins to make sinne an abortive in the womb that it shall never stretch out it self to actions Beloved to tye Sampsons armes it was a vaine thing his strength lay not there but if the hair of his head be cut off then his strength is gone and he shall become weak To tamper only with the acts of sinne is not the way to be rid of sinful acts But the singular way to be rid of bad acts is to
repentance is a work of this life death bindes us over to sentence and then 't is too late to return And therefore every presumptuous sinner adventures boldly upon that which cannot be his beyond the time present Another is the returning of the heart from sinne though our natural principles can give the wound yet they must be supernatural principles which give the cure our own hearts can cause us to fall but Gods grace only is that which raiseth us Now Gods grace is Gods gift and not mans stock though we alone can fall off from God by sinne yet none but God can bring us back from sin by true repentance unto himself yet presumption makes the heart bold not only with time which is in Gods hand but also with grace which is only in Gods gift Though I sinne yet I will hereafter repent thus the presumptuous soul whose life may be instantly cut off and to whom God may therefore deny his grace to repent because it did before-hand presume to sin 5. In many presumptuous sinnings there is a slighting contempt It is with a slighting contempt therefore Numb 15. 30 31. presumptuous sinning is called a despising of the Word of the Lord the soul that doth ought presumptuously c. shall be cut off because he hath despised the Word of the Lord c. to despise the Word of the Lord is to esteeme of it as a vaine thing to disregard it in his authority and Majesty over our consciences and hearts and wayes As if a soul should say what care I though God doth speak thus and thus I will not be curbed and limited nor restrained this is to contemn God And it is called a rebelling against him Deut. 1. 24. I spake unto you and you would not heare but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went up presumptuously to the hill It is called a casting of Gods Law behinde our back God hath hemmed and circumscribed the soul with precepts within which if a man walks he hath God to be his security but in presumptuous sinnings a man will exceed his limits and yet believe a safety this very thing is expressed in Deut. 17. 11. According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgement which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand or to the left ver 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken to the Priest c. even that man shall die ver 13. And all the people shall hâ—ar and fear and do no more presumptuously There you see that presumptuous sinning consisted in the slighting of the sentence of the Law by the Priest the Priest said this is it which God would have you do This is it which he would not have done Now the person who sinned presumptuously would not stand to this but would break over this sentence and would go in his own way he disregarded what God spake that should not be his rule no not his 6. Lastly presumptuous sinnings may rise higher then all It may arise to malice and despight against God and Christ this as when a man sinnes not only knowingly and wilfully but most maliciously and despitefully against God and Christ the Apostle speaks of such presumptuous sinners who tread under foot the Sonne of God and do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And who crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 6. This kinde of presumptuous sinning is not only to sinne though a man knows it nor only to sin because a man will sin but it is also to sin on purpose to dishonour God and to vex his holy spirit the soul is grown unto that abominable insolency that a man even plots deliberately how to crosse God and will therefore apply himself to such words and acts because he knows they will displease God this is the very top and height of presumptuous sinning when a man in a sober and calme spirit exempted from violent diseases and strong passions and insolently turbulent temptations shall in sober circumstances desperately and of malicious and set purpose encounter God adventure iniquity to provoke God he knows that the worst which shall befall him is damnation but he cares not for that he will however have his pleasure in sinne and will strive to despite that God who stands in a just enmity to his soul and sins SECT II. Quest 2. WHat that strength is which keeps back regenerate What that strength is which keeps back the regenerate from presumptuous sinnes persons from presumptuous sinnes and what difference 'twixt the restrainings of evil men and this keeping back of good David Sol. For a more distinct knowledge of this point observe a few particulars 1. Restraint is any kinde of stop 'twixt the inclination and the Restraint is any kinde of stop betwixt the inclination and the object object when the nature is inclined to such or such a thing and a barre falls in to keep them asunder this is restraint As when God bridled up the fire from burning the three children and the Lion from devouring Daniel and Abimelech from touching Sarah and Laban from hurting Jacob The natural inclinations of the former and the morally evil dispositions of the latter were chained in they were stopped they were hindred in respect of their actings and exercise All creatures are capable of restraint because under a Supreame power only God cannot be restrained but for all creatures their natures and inclinations and operations are under his command by the Lawe of Creation 2. Restraint of any Agent ariseth from a greater strength Restraint of any agent is from a greater strength of a superior agent of a Superior Agent whatsoever keeps a man back from a sinful acting it is at that time whiles a restraint of more actually strong force then the present inclination is as in the stopping of a stone or water that which is unequal in strength a lesser force is not able to keep in the stronger the cords wherewith Sampson was bound were no restraints to his motion and escape for his strength exceeded them and he easily brake them asunder But Gods decree and providence is a restraint to the raging sea and his power is a restraint to gird in the malice and rage of man because though sinfull inclinations be strong yet God can over-rule and bound and bind it in 3. All Restraints presupposeth an aptness a disposition ready to Restraints suppose a readiness â—o get out run and get out The Child whose desire is to lie in the Cradle is not there said to be restrained and the Trades-man whose shop is his paradise is not therefore restrained from going abroad but when a servant would be gadding and yet is kept in this is Restraint In every man there is too much sin
Corruption is in us all and it is with it as with a Child in the womb which would be breaking out into the world or as with fire kindled within which would be flaming abroad such an aptness is there in our sinfull inclinations to secret and then to open actings Now the Cohibition the inclosing the locking of them in is properly Restraint 4. All Restraint of sin is from God That God whom David here desires to hold or keep him back did also All restraint of sin is from God with-hold Abimelech keep in Laban keep up Esau keep off Saul and it is granted that there are several means and ways of restraint natural moral spiritual as you shall hear anon but it is God in them which causeth restraint he imprints Note such a vigour into those Arguments into those Apprehensions that they shall bind and chain and hold in the nature which else would not judge so seriously nor submit so easily to impedition or hinderance as the horse rusheth into the battle if left to his own swing and violence so the heart of man if left to it self it would put no periods to wickedness but would grow from evil to worse and fill up all the measures of iniquity There should not be one righteous Abel but every Cain would kill him not a Jacob but Esau would pursue him not a David but Saul would hunt him not an Apostle but Herod would be-head him All Christian Religion would lie in blood yea and the very order of nature would sink into confusion by the efficacy of that sinfull corruption which is equally divided amongst all if God did not look down from heaven and restrain the rage of sin in all 5. All evil men are not equally restrained by God which All evil men are not equally restrained appears both in the matter and in the measures of sinning some evill men do not break out into all horrible kinds of sin some though they be at the same school of particular sinning are not yet in the same form and height or degree of sin though they be at the same trade yet their skill and thriving in the same sin is different Every Drunkard is not the mighty man to drink and every swearer lets not his tongue loose to the highest blast of Blasphemy There is no man so high in sin but if God should cease to restrain him he would yet plunge himself into a deeper guilt 6. The restraining of any sinner is an Act of a mercifull Providence unto him Gods Justice begins already to smoak against Restraining of the sinner is an act of merciful Providence a man when he totally leaves the rains unto him when he gives him up to himself to his own vile affections reprobate mind to his own Counsels and wayes and will no more strive with him but cast him off to himself But it is a great Mercy when he restrains though renewing grace be the saving Mercy yet restraining grace is a great Mercy when God will not let a mans sinfull corruption take its full walk for restraint diminisheth guilt whereas if this bridle were off a man would increase his sinfull accounts by infinite iterations and multiplications of sinning Now he is kept from inlarging his debts yea and it diminisheth sin whereas a man let loose would diffuse sin cast his fire-brands about draw others to a consociation of evil and so set up the trade now by restraint sinning is more contracted and narrowed yea and it diminisheth wrath and judgement for according to the number and measures of sinning there shall be an equal proportion of vengeance and punishment the greater sinner shall have and feel the sharper flames of hell but now restraint keeps in the sin and at least makes it less sinfull for as sin sticking in the inclination is not so deep as that which flies out of that into actings and consummations and so consequently is a means to lessen the heat of future torment 7. God doth restrain the good and the bad from sin The evil man God doth restrain both the good and the bad from sin is so wholly carried by a sinfull nature that if God did not keep him back he would bring all to confusion The good man is so weakly good that if God did not prevent and interpose and with-hold he could not with-stand so much evil as now he doth How great a Mercy did David acknowledge a Restraint from sin to be you may see in his own words 1 Sam. 25. 32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath sent thee this day to meet me Verse 33. And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding innocent blood The Father hath two Children one young and the other old if he doth not keep in the elder he will be like the Prodigal sell all and be riotous if he doth not hold in the other he will fall and be like Mephibosheth lame on both feet Evil men have strong corruptions which God is pleased many times many wayes to keep within door he will not suffer all their intentions desires projects to see the light Good men have weak graces their own legs are not able to bear them up and strong temptations and occasions may soon lay flat a weak defendant and therefore God is pleased yet to bridle in that remaining corruption to keep off the soul or something off from the soul lest it should sin we see it in experience that grace alone is not able to keep off sin Grace can keep us whiles God keeps the grace but if God leaves us to the assayes of our own best strength we are unequal Combatants in the field 8. God doth diversly keep back or restrain men from particular God doth diversly restrain men from sin By enlivening of Conscience sins and sinnings sometimes 1. By inlivâ—ning the conâ—cience which being stâ—ictly awakened riseth to such an height of impatience and choler and rage that the sinner is willing to let go the sinning rather then to answer the scourging inditements and threats of conscience for it As the luxurious patient though he likes the sparkling wine yet he dares not drink it lest his spirit should be thereby inflamed and burn him up even an evil man though he be not afâ—aid of sin yet he may be afraid of conscience and may therefore be kept back from his sinning as the Colliar from handling his coals not because they are coals By self-reflecting apprehensions but because they are burning hot 2. By self-reflecting apprehensions the love that a man hath to himself may be a means to keep him off from some sinfull actings for some sinning have such infamy and charge and envy and loss and danger indorsed on them that the very present arrearages of sin do prevail and keep off the man from adventuring he will not strike the bargain for payment so sharp and sure and present 3. By lâ—gal
meer Restraints In the fulness of duration hold in the nature no longer then the things remain by vertue of which the mind was restrained Let the fear of death expire put aside the edge of the Law be sure that shame shall not follow and the only restrained sinner breaks open school so that he goes to the sin But holdings back by renewed grace are cohibitions of the heart upon permanent grounds viz. the perpetual contrariety twixt God and sin twixt sin and his Will and Holiness and Goodness and Honour 7. They differ in this That the heart of a man only restrained In Restraints men grow worse when at liberty doth being at liberty like waters held up pour forth it self more violently and greedily as if it would pay use for foâ—bearnace it abounds in the sin and makes a more fully wicked recompence for the former restrictions But where the soul is kept back by renewing grace iâ— doth not multiply sin Not so in renewingâ— because of less practise now but is labouring a fuller diminution of sin because of too much practise heretofore 8. They differ thus An evil man is kept back as a prisoner Restraints are an evil mans force and cross a good mans desire and joy by force against his Will But a good man is kept back as a Petitioner it is his hearts desire O that my wayes were so directed that I might keep thy statutes order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity have dominion over me Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins It is an evils man cross to be restrained and a good mans joy to be kept back from sin when sin puts forth it self the evil man is putting forth his hand to the sin but when sin puts forth it self the good man is putting forth his hand to heaven if he finds his heart yielding out he cries O keep back thy servant An evil man is kept back from sin as a friend from a friend as a lover from his lover with knit affections and projects of meeting but a good man is kept back from sin as a man from his deadly enemy whose presence he hates and with desires of his ruine and destruction It is the good mans misery that he hath yet an heart to be more tamed and mastered It is an evil mans vexation and discontent that still or at any time he is held in by cordor bridle And thus you see what David aims at in desiring to be kept back from presumptuous sins viz. not a meer suspension but a mortification not a not-acting only but a subduing of the inclination not for a time but for ever Nevertheless methinks there may he something more added for the opening of this point Keep back thy servant from presumptuons sins Take what I conceive briefly thus God keeps back his God keeps back his servants from sinne By preventing grace servants from sin 1. By preventing Grace which is by infusing such a nature which is like a Bias into the Boul drawing it aside another way so that holy nature which God confers on his servants doth secretly draw off the soul from the consent appetition and practise of sin propounded to the soul 2. By assisting Grace which is a further strength superadded By assisting grace to that first implanred nature of holiness like an hand upon a Child holding him in This Divines call a Co-operating Grace which is an excess of divine strength to that strength which God hath formerly imprinted in preventing grace which whether it be an inlargement of habitual grace in the natural measure of it as when health is made to rise to a greater degree of strength or whether it be an efficacious motion of Gods Spirit powerfully strengthning the inherent Grace to the acts of aversation and resistance of sin and temptation It is I confess an acute and disputable inquiry yet whether the one or whether the other the soul is by either more confirmed and established and upheld and kept from sin 3. By quickning Grace which is when God doth inliven By quickning grace our graces to manifest themselves in actual oppositions so that the soul shall not yield but keep off from entertaining the sin As when in the motions of sin he inflames the heart with an apprehension of his own love in Christ and then excites our love exceedingly unto himself again whereby the heart is made marvelously averse and to detest any closure with this sin by which so ample and gracious a love should be wronged and abused or as when in the temptations to sin he excites that affection of holy fear which works that filial and awful regard to a great God and a good Father that the soul is brought into Josephs temper how can I do this great evil and sinne against God 4. By directing grace which is when God confers that effectual By directing grace wisdome to the minde tendernesse to the conscience watchfulnesse to the heart that his servants become greatly solicitous of his honour scrupulously jealous of their own strength and justly regardful of the honour of their holy profession And therefore they decline all occasions of the sinne which may over-lay their own strength and dailies not with the temptations or with the first motions But as they are in fear of themselves so they are in defiance not only with apparent sins but also with the appearances of them and shun not only the sins but the inlets and preparations to the sinnes and verily he shall be much kept from the secrecy of sin as a King who is wise to keep off Parle with the Ambassadors of sin I mean occasions which do negotiate with the soul and prepare it to lose its own strength 5. By doing grace which is when God effectually enclines By doing grace the heart of his servants to the places and wayes of their refuge safeties and preservations from sin By enlarging the spirit of supplication which carries the soul to its strength prayer engageth God and this we finde that the praying Christian is more kept from sin then the disputing Christian for though sinne be stronger then reason yet God is stronger then sin by framing the heart to the reverent and affectionate use of his Ordinances A man many times comes to the word a combitant but is sent away a Conqueror comes hither as a pursued man by sin and Satan but here God gives him a safeguard a protection and sends him away armed with more holy resolutions courage and defiance by strengthning his graces by assuring his love and strength by making the sinne more vile and odious SECT III. Quest 3. NOW I proceed to the third question What causes or Why David prayes to be kept from presumptuous sins reasons there should be which might move David to put up this prayer Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sinnes Sol. Reasons thereof are many I will touch them though under a few
knowing how his actions were capital copies wrote in Text Letters And that the sinnings of great men are like the fallings of Cedars which bring downe with them to the ground many lower shrubs And that the sinnings of good men are easily snares whereby other men would encourage and deceive themselves 2. Such sinnings from him would be trophies to evil men His sins would be trophies to evil men There are three things which flash evil hearts One is the accomplishing of their own projects and lusts Another is the distresses of the Church Aha so would we have it A third is the great falls of good men now like the dog they will bark and insult over the wounded Lion A good mans sins which are his wound and Gods dishonour is their day of mirth and sport I observe that there are three mouths which the higher sinnings of good men do open The mouth of God O how his word thunders his displeasure against the soul of such an one who is come so neere unto him and yet hath adventured thus to sin against him doest thou thus requite the Lord. The mouth of conscience if we do well and keep uprightly with God then the mouth of conscience yeelds words of oyle and peace it exceedingly excuseth comforteth acquitteth upholdeth c. but if we wickedly transgress and exceed infirmities O then the mouth of conscience proves like the mouth of the sword it speaks with sharpnesse and woundings â—nd terrible amazement c. breaks the bones of David Psal 51. makes him roar Psal 32. The mouth of evil men Now their voice is set on high the trumpet is set to their mouth O what Ragings Raylings Girdings Scoffings Obloquies and Blasphemies are instantly heaped upon Religion and Profession yea these are they this is their holiness this their profession this their niceness this the hypocrisie of them all Now perhaps this also might move David to pray to be kept back from presumptuous sins though not the immediate yet the colateral reason viz. because he might not give occasion to the Adversary that God might not suffer by him nor Religion by him that he might not sad the hearts of the righteous nor weaken the Glory of holiness nor stretch the mouths of them who can bless themselves in a course of vileness and yet curse and accuse the godly for particular facts only In respect of God 4. In respect of God Here also might David frame strong and singular reasons to be kept back from presumptuous sins I know there is nothing in God which a good heart might not urge as a sufficient 2. Reasons argument against any sin but I will contract my thoughts and matter 1. What God had been to him might cause him to pray What God hath been to him against presumptuous sins For his temporal kindness that was exceeding great he raised him from the crook to the Scepter from the Shepherds tent to the Kings Throne and now after all this to answer so great goodness with great sinfulness this would be a high degree of odious unthankfulness His spiritual kindness that was more then the former he did set his love upon him and made him a person after his own heart gave unto him his good Spirit of grace and joy comforted his soul in many adversities compassed him about with favour as with a shield heard his prayers granted him the desires of his soul O then how should David do such great wickedness and sin against his God! God forbid that David should put forth an hand to such an high kind of sinning who had received from the hand of his God such high kinds of mercy and goodness Mercy should make the greatest distance twixt us and sin and cause the purer walking twixt us and God What he was to God 2. What he was to God Why David was his servant see the Text and presumptuous sinnings are high oppositions to our service of God David was his child his son and presumptuous sinnings are great at least incongruities to the way of filial obedience Should such a man as I flee said Nehemiah so here should such a man as David one to whom God was so near one who was so near to God should he break out into the ways of Rebellions into the acts of an enemy into the paths of hostility not only sin which may befall the best but sin presumptuously which befals the worst nor only to be surprised by temptation but also to dare one in a sin by a proud presumption What for a child to take arms against his Father for a holy David to sin with so high a hand against so good a God and so professed a Father no marvel that he fears and prayes and that earnestly Lord Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins No other might be expected from men professing themselves haters of God and Lover of sin but for a friend for a servant for a child how can my God take such vile dishonors from me and who will honour him if his own should adventure and presume thus to dis-glory his name and wrong his and their relation SECT IV. NOW I shall descend to the usefull Applications of this Vse 1 point unto our selves there are four general uses which may flow from this prayer of David 1. Of Instruction 2. Of Examination 3. Of Exhortation 4. Direction 1. For Instruction It may instruct and inform us in divers particulars viz. Instruction 1. To see our own danger as the prayers of holy men for good things should learn us faith and hope so their prayers See our own danger against great sins should teach us fear and watchfulness There is a story of an heathen man who prayed to Jupiter to be saved from his enemies one who heard him so petitioning willed him to mend his suit and to desire Jupiter to save him from his friend for he trusted them more and therefore they might do him most hurt I would add one thing more to have mended that petition also He should have prayed to have been saved from himself for there is more danger in our selves then in all enemies or friends O Brethren we carry about with us vile natures and treacherous hearts Even those abominations which sometimes we could have trembled at unto them will our wicked selves deliver our selves if God keep us not back Natural corruptions will bid fair foâ— the foulest commissions and that the match is not finished and acted it is not because we want hearts but because God restrains and hinders My soul is even among Lyons said David In another case assuredly our soul dwels with such a nature as will not distinguish twixt small and great but is then most like it self when it is boyling in the vilest degrees of sinning The temptations cannot be so black and foul but our corrupt hearts would easily kindle by them and we should embrace them unless there were a God to stay and stop us
you know that Hazael when the Prophet wept and told him of that Savage and barbarous Cruelty which should break from him in ripping up the woman and but chering of the Children Is thy servant a dog said he q. d. I abhor the thoughts of such unnatural villany and yet being left to himself he soon acted that which now he seemed to abominate even those sins which made a cry to heaven as Cains murder and Sodoms uncleanness and the mighty sins which the Prophet touched at yea and the highest and stoutest rebellions they have all of them in all men a natural foundation and seed and principle Secondly Not to boast our selves of our standing Learn Boast not our selves of our standing Pauls counsel thâ—oughly Let him that stands take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Even thou which hast heretofore bitterly judged another for his sinnings art now in the same transgression and thy conscience is all over running with blood either thus thou art or thus thou mayst be There be four things which the great falls of others should Note work in us viz. 1. Great compassion It is an ill heart which can rejoyce at other men sins and it is never right with us untill we can hate our own sins and shed tears for others 2. Humbling fear Considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Thy Glass is made of the same brittle mettal and that it falls not and breaks it is because of the hand yet holds it not because it keeps it self If God should permit Satan to winnow thee thou wouldst perhaps more readily deny Christ and his truths then ever Peter did many a man hath sound limbs because he was never in the field at battle 3. Earnest prayer for continued assistance forasmuch as though our Combats and dangers are here below yet our guards and safe-comes are there above and only there 4. Tender jealousie When others fall into sin it is good for us to fall upon our knees and watch since our forbearance depends not on the betterness of our nature or greatness of our strength but on the efficacy of Gods preventing and assisting grace Thirdly You may here learn what weakness there is in the What weakness is there in the strongest Christian strongest Christian all his own strength is not sufficient for him against temptation or sin if any thing could keep off sin it is grace but grace needs help as well as sin needs a bridle Hold thou me up said David so shall I be safe psalm 119. Look as it must be a divine Power which implants Grace so it must be an Almighty hand which must mantain it we can neither form our own hearts nor conquer our own lusts What would become of the Child if the Nurse did not hold him And whether would the ship be driven by a Tempest had it not a Pilot to steer and order it None can say what shipwracks would befall even a good soul were it not continually preserved and lookt unto by a good God Our strength and safety is more in the name of God and Christ then in our own defence hence it is that our Saviour commended that petition even to the best Lead us not into temptation not that God tempts any man to evil but that Satan would easily lead us into sin Did not God lead us out his suggestions are crafty his temptations strong our hearts deceitfull our graces weak our hands feeble our resolutions insufficient so that we may all cry out in this case as Peter in another Help Master or else we perish 'T is true we must resist and we must handle all our weapons Object and we must seek and we must resolve and we must study and we must hear and we must read and we must decline but in all these yea with all these yea above all these Sol. we must take in the Lord and depend upon his help Lord Keep back thy servant or else none of these without him will keep off the sin That soul is most kept from sin which keeps most to God None can keep up a soul keep off a sin keep back a temptation so as God can do SECT V. 2. Of Examination Use Examination NOW let us come yet more close to our own hearts Davids care is here against presumptuous sins But how stands it with our souls Are we in the shallows only or have we adventured into the deeps it is true that there are some presumptuous sinnings which are past all shore they are out of the reach of all recovery therefore I meddle not with Degrees of presumptuous sinning very fearful yet recoverable Presumptuous sins arising more from the manner then the matter In times of light there is either formal or virtual presumption Habitual presumption and particular presumption them but then there are other Degrees which are though very fearfull yet recoverable Consider 1. Presumptuous sinnings arise more from the manner then the matter it is not alwayes so much what is done as how the soul behaves it self in the sinning which make it presumptuous A little sin commited with an high spirit may therefore prove an high sin 2. Again In times of much light either there is much formal and explicite presumption or else vertual and interpretative presumption for where so much is afforded to lighten and keep back it must be reputed as presumptuous yet to adventure on 3. There is Habitual presumption when a man will hold on in a course and way of sinning and there is particular presumption in respect of this or that fact now one of these most men do touch upon I know you like not to be handled roughly in this thing such is our hearts we had rather have our sins concealed then uncased and still conceive that we are not so bad as the worst Discoveries of presumptuous sinnings therefore let me propound things unto you more generally 1. What call you that kind of sinning When we our selves When men venture upon the same sins they condemn in others will venture upon the same sins which we condemn in others Rom. 2. 1. Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things 2. What kind of sinning call you that When the heart will When the heart will mantain its way against revelation of wrath maintain its way against the Revelations of wrath i though God proclaims vengeance and death against such a sinning way yet the man will adventure on in the commission I say will adventure for through weakness a man may be troden down but it is a stoutness when he will break through the Army when a person will through the pikes he will not give up his worldly and fleshly lusts though the heavens be darkened round about his soul with threatnings is not this presumptuous sinning 3. What kind of sinning call you
temptation hath been his conquest yet his sinning shall be his trouble weak strength in grace though it be not alwayes actually sufficient to prevent sin yet it will be able to melt the soul for it if temptation hath surprized the soul to sin grace wiâ—l then surprise the soul to mourne neither will it lie with sin upon it Even a weak child thrown down will be scrambling up or crying for some to raise it But if the places of our fall be the places of our peace and of our rest it is a bad signe that our sinnings exceed infirmities when the sinning is to us as the sea to the fish or as the centre to the stone or as the bed to the labouring man this is no infirmity Fifthly in sinful acts of infirmities the heart as it intends not sin it condemns sin the heart is more sensible watchful prayerful In infirmities the heart is against sin against it and exceedingly strives to mortifie it and subdue it SECT VI. 3. Of Exhortation A Third Use shall be to exhoâ—t us to imitate holy David Exhortation to be carefull to be kept back from presumptuous sins Consider It is a great judgement to be left to our selves in a care against presumptuous sinnes and to be kept back from them Consider seriously a few things 1. It is a great judgement to be left to our selves to be given up to a mans own heart to be given up to Satan to be given up to vile affections to a reprobate sense to our own councels and wayes As if God should say to a person I have dealt with thee by my mercies but thou wilt be unrighteous still I have dealt with thee by my â—udgements but thou Note wilt hold fast thy wickedness still I have dealt with thee by my word and counsels but thou wilt proceed on in thy sinning still I have dealt with thee by my spirit in many convictions and motions but thou wilt sinne still I have dealt with thee by reproofs and checks and troubles of conscience but thy heart is set in thee to sin still Since thou wilt be unrighteous thou shalt be unriâ—hteous still since thou wilt be filthy thou shalt be so stilâ— I will leave thee unto the hands of Satan who works mightily in the chilâ—ren of disobedience and he shall take thee captive at his pleasure I will leave thee to the vilenesse of thy own sinful nature that since thou wilt not hearken unto me thou shalt as thou desirest with all greediness fulfil the lust thereof but I will withdraw from thee in my mercy and in my loving care go on and fill up the measure of thy iniquity and of wrath why brethren this is a sad and forlorn condition what is the estate of the patient when the Physician gives him off and relinquisheth him to his own sick palate and his own vain appetite and diet why saith he physick will do him no good it is in vain to prescâ—ibe him rules let him do on take what he will I see well he is a dead man thus it is with him whom God leaves unto himself Surely there is not a more direful judgement then for God to give over his keeping of us whither will not our wicked hearts carry us what will not sinne left to it self dare to do how outragiously will it swell how irrecoverably will it sink the soul all helps are little enough to bound and keep in sinne but if it be left to its own force and violence then like the sea without a shore what a deluge it makes 2. To sinne upon presumptuous grounds upon a presumption To sin upon a presumption of Mercy is the next way to cut off from mercy of mercy is the next way to cut us off from mercy Knowest thou not O man that the kindnesse and long-suffering and mercy of God should lead thee to repentance but thou through thy hardnesse and impenitency of thy heart treasurest unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 4 5. God will not be merciful to the wicked transgressor but he will wound the hairy scalp of such a one who goes on still in his sins Mercy is a sweet City of refuge to the penitent sinner but justice will tear off the presumptuous sinner even from the hornes of the Altar God never yet said that he would forgive him who will not leave his sins do not flatter thy self thou doest forsake thy mercies unlesse thou wilt forsake thy sins God will not spare thee nor pity thee 3. Presumptuous sinning makes high work for the soul The Presumptuous sinning makes high work for the soul pricks of a pinne the cut of a knife may do much hurt but the gash of a sharp sword forcibly followed this will open death in thy sides Every sin fetcheth blood in the soul but presumptuous sinnings do even cleave the conscience asunder be thou good or bad who mounts up in an high kinde of sinning good Lord how it will in a day of judicial sense make the very sinewes to crack and thy joynts to tremble Of all sensible wrackings in the soul there is not any one comparable to that of despaire O! despaire it is the death Note pang of the conscience it is the soul in the Extremity of amazing throwes it sees no heaven and no shore but lays the soul either in hell or ready to be cast quick into it now presumptuous sinnings prepare the way for despair when the soul would have its sinful course it would not be beaten off by any method and warning of heaven but went on in a secure confidence of the easinesse and largenesse of mercy when God will not take these proud braveries any longer but arrest the stout transgressor and set his sins in order both for the greatnesse of fact and height of pride and darings and that against all light and goodnesse and warning and threatning and the sinner sees himself fallen into the hands of a terrible and glorious God from whose fierce displeasure it cannot now rid it self O cries out the miserable man what shall I do woe to me that ever I was borne I have shut up heaven against my self I am rejected for ever as I have dealt with God so now he deals with me I would not hearken to him and now he will not hearken to me O I shall never have mercy I have adventured on so presumptuously that I have distinguished my self from any hope and possibility of recovery I was intreated but still I would sin I was warned but still I would sinne I saw it to be sinful but I would do it I felt some trouble for it but c. I despised counsel and scorned reproof I slighted mercy I quenched motions and these so often O Lord now thou hast met with me now shall I never rise any more I would have my sinnes and I have them still and I shall have thy just wrath and hell with them too
for presumption is usually confident of Note longer life and therefore imboldens it self to stronger sins a foolish error and vain for were it true that in a natural probability thou mightest yet live long yet in a judicial course this is most true that great sinnings shorten the life the thief goes to the Gallows in his youth because of his theft and the sinner is suddenly laid in his grave by reason of his sinnings And then â—wo unto thee better that thou hadst never been born if thou lives and dies in thy sins to the Judgement-seat of God must thou be brought with sin in thy bones and presumptuous iniquity in thy heart thou who now darest to out-face the Ministers of God shall not then dare to look the holy and just and terrible God in the face but he will fill thy breast with confusion and all the veins of thy soul with flames of hottest vengeance and indignation Eightly Get knowledge sanctified Knowledg is like a sword it Get knowledge sanctified may defend a man and it may hurt a man it may both arm him and kil him or like the light of a Candle which may both direct and also burn and so accidentally even knowledge it self may prove a great addition to our sinnings That which serves to give us light against them may yet improve the guilt of them upon us There is a two-fold knowledge 1. One naked which shews the evil 2. Another sanctified which keeps from evil the former is good at the Object but the latter is good with the subject that looks upon what is to be done or not to be done this looks down to the heart and inclines it strongly to embrace the good and to resist and abhor the evil This is certain that not all the spirits of speculation are a sufficient rescue of thy soul from presumptuous sinnings Object Why saith a man I will not sin so I know better then so Sol. Alas The bullet strikes down the souldier for all his head-piece naked knowledge is at best but an head-piece and that not of proof neither but sanctified knowledge is a breast-plate and that keeps off the dart Lastly Renounce thine own strength of nature of parts of Renounce thy own strength gifts yea of graces yea of services he shall be brought far in sin who goes far upon his own strength thy own strength will deceive thee it is not enough to keep thee good nor preserve thee from being bad if thou couldest get a trembling heart and a bended knee and a believing eye and an humble spirit then thy Castle were impregnable c. PSAL. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me CHAP. IV. HAving handled Davids prayer against sin as lying in presumption now I shall touch on it as it doth respect sin in Dominion Let them not have dominion over me There may be divers conjectures about the connexion and depending sense of these words Two Expositions of the words First As if they were a distant petition q. d. Lord I pray unto thee against high kinds of sinning and perhaps I may sometimes be laid flat by them but then I desire of thee that though they strike me down yet they 1. As a distinct petition may not rule over me though I stoop yet I may not serve though I fall yet I may not lie and rest though they may be sometimes so strong as to over-come yet never so full as to reign let them not have Dominion over me Secondly As if they are but the same petitions greatly inforced q. d. O Lord I beseech thee to keep back thy servant 2. As the same petition inforced from presumptuous sins all sins are bad and inglorious and foul but none so as they they are high transgressions therefore I beseech thee let them not have Dominion i. never suffer them to prevail over me never let them enter into my soul or life let them never over-come me let them not over-take me let me never commit them Now which way of these you conjecture the sense of the words may be aimed at it requires accurateness to determine and cut the thred For my part I think that both may be commodious and are pious though the latter to me doth seem more genuine yet in this I easily submit to better Judgements FOR the words themselves this is evident that they express the spirit of holy David as vehemently carried against presumptuous sins in Dominion for the better discussing of them I shall inquire these particulars 1. What Dominion of sin here may import Four things wherein it consists 2. Whether sins in Dominion may befall a David 3. Why David prayes so against it 4. Then some usefull applications SECT I. Quest 1. FOR the first of these What Dominion of sin doth What Dominion of sin imports import Sol. Dominion is given sometimes to God sometimes to Christ as Mediator sometimes to man over man sometimes to Satan over man sometimes to death which is said to rule and sometimes to sin when it is betwixt sinne and the sinner as betwixt a King and his Subjects As a raigning King hath dominion so sin it acts in all things like a King 1. It hath possession original sin of our hearts actual sin of our lives 2. Hath a title our forsaking of God and voluntary election and compact 3. Hath a throne our souls 4. Hath servants our Members 5. Hath a councel our carnal wisdom and corrupt reasonings 6. Hath power to give Laws and see them executed Paul speaks of the Law in his members and the Law of sin Rom. 7. 21 22. But more distinctly for the better understanding this Four things observe these particulars 1. That Dominion properly is the Right and Power of a What is dominion properly Lord over a servant it is a word implying Superiority and Subjection one who hath Authority to command and another whose condition is obeâ—iential and to serve so that in the dominion there is one who doth rule and another who is ruled one who doth command and another who yeelds at least virtute â—uris he is to yeeld and obey and ratione facti where dominion is exercised there is actual command and actual obedience as the Centurion who had authority and dominion over his servants he said to one go and he did go to one come and he did come to another do this and he did it Secondly observe that Dominion is twofold it is either Dominion is either 1. Original and absolute and this is when the Lord hath a Original and Absolute natural and prime and irrespective title it belongs to him as so to command and impose obedience meerly from his absolute right and accoâ—ding to his own pleasure such a dominion belongs only to â—od who made all the world and is Lord of all All the creatures are his servants and are set by the Law
his heart to be as he hath been and to do as he hath done he will not learn to do good he will hold fast his wickedness here sin is in dominion Nevertheless for the clear discovery of this part of sins dominion in respect of the will be pleased to observe several things 1. That there is a twosold will There is a twofold will Single 1. One is altogether single in its workings it doth not partly incline to good and partly to evil but either only to good or only to evil v. g. where the created nature which is reasonable was never morally deformed or where the rational nature is gloriously reformed there the will inclines only to good as in the Angels and blessed souls so again where the nature is totally deformed I mean in respect of spirituals where it is intirely corrupted there the Bias of the will draws the soul only to evil the whole ponde weight and strength of the will is for sin and the sinner without any intrinsecal opposition of another nature in the will will yeeld and surrender up himself unto sin Now such a will as this plainly argues dominion of sin where the will what it is and can do that it is and will do for sin when we may say of the will as Saint John of the world the whole world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5. 19. so the whole will the whole frame and bent of it is universally obediential or serviceable where the whole nature of the will vents it self into an habitual and plenary consent This is of it self manifest that sin hath dominion Another is mixt and compounded when the will is divided Mixt and compounded within it self and consequently its consents and dissents embracings and refusing are likewise opposed one to another and opposing each the other in the same man you must know that original sin which yet in part remaines is diffused through the whole man and into every faculty and so renuing grace which is oppositite thereto is an universal temper dispersed into every faculty too Neither is it able utterly to dis-lodge sin in respect of being on some actings So that a regenerate man as Saint Austinâ— spake hath in him an old man and a new man his flesh is like a dead man and his spirit like a living man the living man moves up the dead man hangs down the living mans breath is sweet the dead mans savour is loathsome so far forth as the will is renewed by grace so far doth it reject and deny sinnes consent but so far as it is affected and distuâ—bed by remaining and working corruption so far forth it is willing and ready enough to consent to sinful actings Now when we say that the dominion of sin depends upon the will this is not to be understood of the compounded will or of the assent and actions which do arise from a nature and will imperfectly renewed and cleansed in respect of degrees But of the single and corrupt and so compleat will wherein the consent is total and plenary Now the plenary consent of the will consists properly in the full and natural and longing inclination of the will after sin when the will embraceth an evil sets the heart upon it bends after it and that without any resistance or striving so that it is the embracing of sin with an unstriving consent of the will which sets up the dominion Quest 1. Here now falls in a subtle and deep enquiry whether Whether all resistance impairs dominion and no resistance argueth it All resistance doth not prejudice dominion all resistance impairs dominion and no resistance doth always infallibly argue it Sol. I answer briefly to the first 1. That all resistance doth not prejudice dominion A man may hold a firme league with sin in his heart he may be a servant to it though sometimes in some particulars he may skirmish and quarrel There is therefore a double resistance or denying or disputing A twofold resistance with sin One is Collateral and accidental which doth not arise Collateral and Accidental from an immediate contrariety of nature but from a contrariety of effects As now a man in whom sin hath dominion his sinnings may be sent back with such bitter Writs of attachment that he may stand at defiance and be at some forbearance a while from sin or he may have such affected apprehensions of death and hell and shame and terror whereupon he may resist sin as penal and painful as a thing so bitterly vexing and galling and this grieves him too Another is natural and immediate which depends on an Natural and immediate holy nature implanted in the soul which opposeth sinne as a thing formally evil and displeasing to God This resistance doth I confess prejudice sin in its dominion but the former doth not Secondly No restraint doth imply the consent to be plenary No resistance doth imply a plenary consent and therefore sinne to be in dominion when the estate of the soul is such that no contrary quality stands twixt the command of sin and the obedience of a sinner it is easie to point who is Lord of the House and indeed what doth more palpably demonstrate dominion then a quiet subjection Note It is not all the commandings of sin alone which argue dominion infallibly an enemy may command much and highly as Sennacherib and yet not be obeyed but it is consent and the more full and quiet kinde of consent which is that where no resistance is made this shews that the strong man possesseth the house Quest 2. But yet another question is raised and to be removed Whether a good man may not yeeld a plenary consent in whom sin hath not dominion whether a good man in whom sinne hath not dominion may not yeeld a plenary consent of will which if then plenary consent argues not dominion I will tell you what I conjecture about it in a few propositions 1. It is possible that he may sinne willingly two Intensive A good man may sin willingly aggravations of sin in respect of particulars may befall a good man viz. he may sin knowingly and he may sin willingly the cause whereof is this because his will is but in part renued and therefore may be a willing principle neither doth this set up sin in dominion though it greatens sin in the commission for as much as not every particular willingness but an habitual a compleat willingness assures sin of its dominion Secondly observe that there is a double concourse of the wills There is a double concourse of the will to sin Reall consent to sin One is real when in truth the whole composition and all the inclination of the will is for sin the bent of it and Bias all runs that way and where it is thus there sin is in dominion Another is sensible which is an observed acting of the will Sensible as embracing and leaguing it
if he yields obedience unto sin he is then noe servant of righteousnesse if he be an enemy to sin he is then a servant to righteousnesse If he be an enemy to righteousnesse he is then a servant of sin Yet many persons are enemies to righteousnesse we will not have this man to reigne over us said they in the Gospell they cannot endure the dominion of Christ either in his word or in his spirit The rules and precepts of the word are the cords which they will break asunder Psal 2. 3. They cast the laws of Christ behinde their backs and hate to be reformed Psal 50. 17. There is nothing more unacceptable to them then to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in holiness of heart and newnesse of spirit and righteousnesse of obedience In those who are still overcome of their lusts 3. What thinke you of those who are still overcome of their lusts and are willingly intangled The Apostle Peter Conjectures that sin hath dominion in such while they promise them liberty they themâ—elves are the servants of Corruption for of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage 2. Peter 2. 19. There is a twofold overcoming of a person on is only in respect of the action Another is also in respect of the affection It cannot be denied but that even an holy man who is heartily the servant of Jesus Christ may be overcome in respect of particular action relapses are not impossible to him who is truly good and they may consist with though they do weaken and disconsolate the service of grace there is the same natural principle of sin in the best after repentance as before there is the same Satan to suggest and incline there may be the same occasions and provocations But then there is an overcoming in respect of assertion and this shews the dominion of sinne Now this overcoming is either when a man through policy forbears or else in passion seemes to bid defiance to his sin being either in sicknesse and apprehension of death or in pangs and distresse of conscience to which the Apostle seems to allude 2 Pet. 2. 22. the dogge is turned to his vomit again Now he cries out against sin and thinks he doth detest it heartily and will not for a world act the sin now yet when this tempest is off when the water growâ—â—ool when circumstances are free when the bitternesse either of death or cross or conscience is over and sin tempts and wooes him again he yeelds up himself he gives over his heart and affections he loves the sin and wallows in it as much â—s ever he turns from the holy Commandment as the Apostle speaks ver 21. all his good moods of holy profession and purpose are gone off and he is more entangled and renews his bondage with ardent and excessive delight even with greedinesse as the Apostle Paul speaks Eph. 4. Now if this be an argument of sins dominion viz. the willing and affectionate re-entring of our hearts to the service of sin then certainly many of us have just cause to feare and to suspect our selves who return with the dogge to the vomit and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire who not only are surprized in action but in affection nay and our affections are more eagerly carried to the sinning now then heretofore our mindes are more on them and our desires yea and the measures of sinning in the same kinde rise in an higher strength we are more mighty to drink more inglorious in swearing more unsatiable in earthliness more vaine in conversation more obstinate in our sinful courses against the reproofs of the Word the checks of our conscience the shame of men the fear of Hell and the hope of hâ—â—â—en we grow worse and worse c. Fourthly what think you of such who make choice of sin to be In those who makes choice of sin to be their Lord. the Lord whom they will serve There are but two sorts of people in the world viz. good and bad and both of them do chuse their Lords The good they choose the Lord to be their God Josh 24. And they choose the things which please him Esay 56. 4. And choose the way of truth Psal 119. 3. and choose the good part Luke 10. 42. The bad they also are said to choose their own ways Isa 66. 3. and evil Isa 65. 12. That in which God delights not yea and they are said not to choose the fear of the Lord when several things are propounded a man prefers this before that this is called an election or choice There is Christ and his way laid before the sinner and sin and its lusts laid before him now when he prefers the latter before the former he is said to make a choice which many do they do prefer their sinful lusts before the commands of Christ as appears in all the times of competition and in the courses of action yea and when they may go free yet with that Hebrew servant they will not for they love their Master Lastly what think you of many who love their sins love is that which bestows the soul and the service thereof the In those who love their sins whole strength of a man goes that way which his love goes for it is of a constraining and most serviceable nature Now there are many who do love sin there is as it were a conjugal match and union 'twixt their hearts and their sins and be sure of this that sin hath the whole man if it hath won the love of the heart A man may deceive himself about the dominion of sin 4. A person may possibly delude his own heart and deceive himself about the dominion of sin and therefore it is convenient to try our selves whether sinne hath not Dominion indeed There are many erroneous deceits Six deceits from The unsensiblenesse of its power 1. One is the unsensibleness of its power when a man feels no violence of sinful inclination no stirrings no opposition no commands but there is a calme and quietness in his spirit and in hiâ—â—ay which could not be as he thinks if sin had dominion anâ—â—â—e in him Now this is a deceit For 1. It is most probable that sin hath the strongest dominion where the heart is most unsensible of the Law and commands of sinne when the strong man keeps the house all is quiet said our Saviour where subjection is peaceable there dominion is in all likelihood most absolute and compleat Nay this is certain that where Christ sets up his Scepter which cast down the dominion of sin there is the greatest stirre the Law of the minde will warre against the Law of the members Rom. 7. 23. And the spirit will lust against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. 2. This unsensibleness and quietnesse may arise partly from the oneliness of sin and partly from the ignorance of a sinful condition and partly from the habitual custome
seeme a mercy if of a cruell Tyrant that would seem a mercy if of a desperate enemy if of bonds if of a sickness what then is it to be rid of the rule of sin which is infinitely worse then all these Fourthly no Lord so bad and no command soe vile as those of sin in dominion Therefore blesse God for your deliverance No Lord so bad or commandes so vile as those of sin in dominion you whose soules are through the mighty graciousnesse of a good God rescued from the powers of darknesse Tell me what are your thoughts what your judgements what your troubles for the workings of your vanquished enemy if the weakned corruptions appeare yet so vile what were your raigning corruptions If sin be so monstrous unto you now only in remptation what was it heretofore in dominion if the finger be so heavy what were the loynes if a particular action doth as you imagine expose you so dangerously what did the service of sin do under what displeasures of wrath lay your soules when sin had fullest affection and compleat to obedience Rebekah seemed weary of her life because of the presence of the Daughters of Heth If the presence created such an affliction what might the conjunction and union have done verily if sin be as it is bad and troublesome in combate O it is infinitely worse in the throne and absolute Empire over the soule wherein every faculty serves it with all its strength and madly strives how to dishonour God breaks his law resists his spirit to fulfill lusts and please the devill and to damne the soule O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to thee that yet the dominion of sin is off T is true corruption yet remaines but yet it remaines not as a Lord but as a Tyrant not as a king but as an enemy time was that sin had thy love but now thou hatest it time was that sin had thy minde to devise for it but now those imaginations are cast down time was that thy will was espoused to sin but now a divorce is sued out time was that thy members were ready enough to fullfil the lusts of the flesh but now they are made servants of righteousnesse time was that thou didest sell thy selfe to wickednesse and was never so joyfull as when thou wast sinfull but now it is not so thou art a drudge a slave a vassall no longer thy former wayes amaze thee and the present Commands of sin are an affliction to thee O blesse the Lord c. 5. Again if the dominion of sin be off then assuredly the scepter If dominion of sin be off then the septer of Christ is set up in thy soul of Christ is set up in thy soul Beloved the soule stands not abides not in a middle estate it must have some one Lord or other it is necessarily under some one dominion either of sin or of Christ and this know that the dominion of sin cannot be taken off in the soul but by a contrary by a better by a stronger dominion by that of Christ who dispossesseth the strong man It is he who hath changed thy heart who hath made thy heart to chang its Master who hath drawn off thy love thy service c. Now no dominion in the world like that of Christ No dominion like Christs None so holy 1. None so holy hee is holy love holinesse and all his commands are righteous 2. None so Gracious he doth not exact beyond what he gives So gracious and will yet mercifully pardon our true endeavors of service wherein they fall short 3. None so peaceable his very service is a kind of wages to the obedient a vassal to sin is like a man labouring all day about Soe peaceable thornes and nettles the more abundance of them grasped Simile by him galls him with the more wounds and paines no man can be long cheerfully sinfull either Terrour or feare accompanies most sinnings but the service of Christ hath warrant from the word and peace from conscience 4. None so afflicted his commands are accompanied with So afflicted strength and spirit he bids us to do the worke and gives us his owne hand thereto imposeth duty and Imprinteth ability writes the law to the eare and writes it also in the heart 5. None so rewarded no man serves Christ too much or for Soe rewarded nought Though all our work be but duty yet he payes us rich wages we owe unto Christ all our strength and the use of all our graces neither doe we bring in so much of these in full service as we should yet our good Lord and Master will give us if we be faithfull servants at night our penny and at the last our crowne 6. Lastly be thankfull for if dominion be off then damnation is off There is no condemnation saith Paul to them that are in If dominon of sin be off damnation is off Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8. 1. A man is not damned meerly because he hath sin for then no man could be saved for who is the man that sinneth not but because sin is his Lord and he is the servant of sin Not so much because he is bad but because he will be bad not only for the act but for the love T is confessed that guilt is as naturall to sin as the shaddow is to the body no man can sin at any time in any thing and yet be Innocent But meritorious guilt is one thing and redounding guilt is another thing If the dominion of sin be broken off that a man loves not sin but hates it yeelds not up himselfe unto it but resists it is not in league but in conflict with it then the estate of guilt is taken off so that it shall not effectually redound to the condemnation of the person where God doth powerfully subdue the sinfull nature there he will mercifully pardon and discharge the unwillingly sinning and offending person if sin be not thy Lord then Hell shall not be thy portion He who is become an enemy to his sins grace rules in his heart now and glory shall crowne his soule hereafter Obj. But will some troubled and therefore unably discerning soule reply we doubt it not But that it is a most singular Doubts of troubled soules fearing they are still under the Dominion of sin mercy A rich grace worthy of greatest acceptance and heartiest thankes where the dominion of sin is broken off but alas we feare it is not so with us heavy cause have we to suspect that we are captives yet under sins dominion so that though others who can happily observe the yoke broken off and therefore can be chearfully thankfull we finde it yet strong O very strong and therefore more reason have we of griefe and sorrow Beloved it is granted that if a man findes himselfe indeed Sol. under the dominion of any sin assuredly
never go off without some after inclinations or dispositions that way Another because the new resistances of a converted heart and its cares and studies are most against the particular sinne of its special inclinations there it deals most opposeth most humbles most Now sin doth usually stickle and stirre most where it is most pursued that particular sin whose death thou layest at most that will strive to assaile and perplex and intangle thee most the more humble thou labourest to be the more shalt thou finde proud thoughts to assault though not to conquer thee and the more meek thou labours to be the more ado shalt thou have with thy passions for as much as no sin will be executed quietly and every nature stirs busily in its own defence we are weakest there and God drawes our greatest watch and strength thither a man sooner falls under lesser conflicts when a sinne hath been beaten upon by much temptation and conflict the heart grows hereby more ready resolute and you shall finde it that after frequent and long exercise with a particular corruption that it shall not easily get within the soul but upon a pause and cessation Fourthly observe that there is a difference twixt the life of motion and the life of affection its true thy special inclination There is a difference betwixt a life of mâ—tion and a life of affection lives in thee stiâ—l by way of motion but doth it live in thee still by way of affection it did incline heretofore and thou lovedst it it inclines now and thou hates it the inclination is the same for the matter but thy heart is not the same for the disposition toward it when the iron is hot you may bring a figure and put it on and the iron will take the stamp and impression bring the same figure and seal to it when it is colâ— now it will not receive it the seale and the figure of the seal is the same but the temper and the disposition of the iron as hot and as cold is not the same Saint Ambrose relates of the young traveller who went out an uncleane person but returned a chast person and his old quean met with him after his râ—turn and began her wanton salutes unto him from whom and which he angerly turned aside and neglects her why said she Ego sum ego yea but saith he Ego non sum ego I am not so is it here in this case the inclination is the same to the same sin yea but the affection is not now to that inclination as it hath been But where sin hath dominion affections do concur with the special inclination Take all that I shall say to this in a few words 1. It is certain that in an evil man there is a frequency in a particular inclination and so there may be in a good man but There is a difference betwixt frequent inclinations in an evill and a good man thus they differ In an evil man the frequent inclination is the frequent progress of a King In a good man it is the fervent egresse or attempt of an enemy In an evil man the frequency of inclination is to maintain possession In a good man it is but a malicious endeavour Though the Assault be frequent yet the Resistance is constant Not the frequency of inclination but the Ardency of subjection shewes dominion by force if it were possible to regaine an entrance 2. This is some comfort that though the assault be frequent yet the resistance is constant and that concludes against sinnes dominion 3. Not the frequency of inclination but the ardency of subjection evidenceth sinnes dominion not who quarrels with me most but who effectually commands me he is my Lord not he who makes the most motions but on whom the woman casts her heart that is the husband 't is my love and service which infallibly concludes dominion Obj. 3. But yet the soul sticks I am sold under sinne and Doubt from the prevailing of sinne taken captive sinne hath inclined and prevailed what surer argument of dominion then victory There are three things which I would say to this scruple Answered 1. One is this that it is a very sad scruple any particular victory of any great sin for to that I intend the case makes a wonderful change 2. Another is this comfort cannot be applied neither will the conscience receive it till repentance be renewed 3. Yet there is a difference twixt a particular victory and the dominion of sin there may be a surprisal where yet a Kingdom is not established 1. For the first of these all particular victories are sad things Particular victories are sad things I do no not now speak of victories in respect of inward motion or of passion or distemper through dulness and melancholy but of victory in respect of action and that not by meer omission not by imperfection in best services but by grosse commissions suppose it Davids case or Noahs case the one for uncleanness the other for drunkennesse These acted wickednesses are sore evils very abominable to the Lord very inglorious to religion very wounding to conscience extreamly quenching of the spirit of grace For as much as the more grosse any sin is the worse is it in the commission every acting of sin receiving some intention and aggravation from the immediate kinde and quality of the sin Again the better the man is the worse is a lewd kinde of sinning in him the quality of the person ever contributing more exceedingnesse to the sin for he sins against more light against more mercy against more help and strength against more active corrections of conscience with more advantage to the corruption of other men with more advantage to the beauty and credit of holinesse yea besides these formal vilenesses O what strange effects break in upon the soul what horror what fear what mis-givings what despair oft-times with the fruits thereof 2. Comfort will never be applyed to a person in this condition Comfort will not be applied to such a one till repentance be renued untill repentance be renewed Beloved there is a difference of persons and a difference of actions and a difference of times and a difference of applications Do I finde an evil man brought to the sight of his sinnes to saddest humbling for them to sincere desire to come off from them to pantings after grace and mercy I now come in with the blood of Christ with the tender and gracious promises refreshing such a soul with assurance of freest and fullest mercy Do I finde a good man weak in duty strong in affection hearty against all sin yet troubled with the insolent motions of many corruptions would not do evil and yet is not rid of it would do good but then findes evil is present with him I labour to raise and hold up such an heart to look on God through Christ for acceptance to lay hold on Christ for strength
for life for power for victory Do I finde a good man weakning himselfe bowing under the actual power of some viler lust O beloved comfort is not his medicine but repentance comfort is not his first help but godly sorrow sorrow is the work which belongs to a sinner and comfort that which belongs to a penitent sinner until that thou doest throughly humble thy soul till thou doest bewaile mightily thy wickednesse till thy heart be turned into extreame loathing of thy sin and thy self for so sinning thou shalt not get a good look from God a good word from Conscience any favourable encouragement from the Ordinance Yea well it is if after many years that ever thou seest God in that way of graciousnesse and free communion as thou didst formerly find him however be sure of it that without repentance thou shalt not at all meet with any solid Yet there is a difference twixt particular victories and dominion comfort 3. Neverthelesse there may be some differences twixt particular victories and twixt dominion though dominion be a victory yet every victory concludes not dominion they may be thus distinguished in respect of their subjects viz. Good men in whom sin hath sometimes a victory and evil men in whom sin hath at all times a dominion Five differences betwixt them Particular victory depends on inequality of actual strength but dominion depends upon the fulnesse of corrupt nature Five differences twixt dominion and victory First particular victory depends upon inequality of actuall strength but dominion depends upon the fulness of a corrupt nature There is in all holy men an habitual strength which is seated in the new nature of grace or holinesse by which they are inclined to all good and their hearts made averse to all evil it is the natural temper of true grace thus to work And then there is an actual strength by which when any particular good is proposed they incline unto the obedience of it and when any particular evil is objected they strive against it and resist Now it may fall out that when a temptation presents it self and inward corruption works with that temptation I say it may so fall out that the strength of grace may be insufficient it may not actually equal or exceed that vehement actual strength of inclination and temptation though it doth resist as a weak man may a strong enemy yet it may not be able to conquer but is surprised and led captive and here the fall depends not on the disposition of the will or heart but upon the impotency of resistance the person doth not fall down but is beaten down the sinne is acted not through choice but through weakness not because the person loves it but because he is not able to conquer the temptation But where sinne hath dominion there the sinning comes from the heart as a streame from the fountaine it is natural and not violent It is acted not because a man is not able to make sufficient resistance but because the heart is wholly set that way with fullest complacence Secondly particular victory is a sudden act but dominion is Particular victory is a sudden act but dominion is a more sober work a more sober work In the one the soul is surprised it is hurried it is precipitated it is in a flame on a moment a man hath not space to weigh to judge to consider but sinne hath with marvellous quicknesse seized on the understanding wrought upon the memory struck into the affections and is driven on in a rash and passionate way In the other the work is more sober not only actively devised but affectionately adhered unto a natural strength of corrupt and living affection makes the one and in-advertency and rashnesse may be sufficient to cause the other that ariseth for want of watchfulnesse as a Camp may be so surprised by an enemy this ariseth out of a sworn obedience as the souldier follows his Captaine Thirdly Where the sinning owes it self not to Dominion Where there is no dominion but victory the person feels the yoke and would shake it off but to particular victory or tyranny there the person when he comes to himself feeles the yoke and would shake it off It is true that while the heat of corruption remains and the force of temptation yet disables the heart to recollect it self it is most difficult for any person to distinguish neither is he then come to scruple and question But when things grow clearer in the judgement and more calme in the affections when the hurry and tempest is off that a man beholds his own face and wayes and actions in a right glasse again Now it will quickly appeare whether it be tyranny or Dominion If it be but a tyrannical victory Ah! how the soul loathes it self how it abominates the sinner like a man captivated and rowing as a forced slave in the Gally he would cut the throat of the Master or like a man in Prison he would make his escape with the death of him who was too strong to keep him But if it be Dominion then a man will not only serve his Master but plead for him he desires not to escape he loves his Master and would dwell with him for ever 4. Therefore in the fourth place if it be but victory the If it be but a victory the person is working to recover himself person is not only troubled at his fall not only loathing of the actions but he is actively working he is using his victorious weapons to raise up himselfe to free himself again he is grieved at the bondage desires liberty and will fight hard for it O the humblings and prayings and workings and applications of the soul to the sword of the spirit the declination of the helps of sinne the contentions with the motions of lust the watchings the meditations c. which such an heart will use But where it is dominion the sinne is committed with joy and the sinner would continue with it in peace It is granted that there may be sometimes some distemper in such a heart both before the sinning and after the sinning but that before the sinning is raised only upon carnal grounds because of subsequent shame losse prejudice and that after the sinning is only judicial just throwes of an accusing conscience of which when the vile slave of sin hath got free when the cry of the world is off and when the cry of his conscience is down he prepares his heart again for the sinne is sad and heavy untill he returnes to his vomit and mire the work goes on againe as freely and as heartily as ever Lastly if it be but particular victory the soul will rise again In particular victory the soul will rise again and not without revenge and it will not rise without revenge Though the enemy hath got the battel yet he shal loose the battel before the vanquished soul hath done it will not
only rise but fight a naked combate shall not suffice but assault and pursuit it will work with the art of holy strength to the more deadly offence of that particular corruption Obj. 3. Yet there is a more difficult case then any which Doubt from the renued actings of sinne hath been already proposed and that is renewed actings of the same sinne the person falls into the same sinne again and againe and this repetition of sinful acting seems to be sinne in custome and sinne in custome is sinne in dominion thus is it with me or hath it been with me doth some troubled soul reply and therefore my case is miserable Sol. To which case divers things must be said Answered 1. Repetition or renewing of the same sinful actings is Repetition of sin is very fearful without all doubt a very fearful and abominable thing what is it else but a further and stronger wedging in of the corruption frequent actings of sin do ever strengthen the sinful nature Every soul being made more apt to sin by more sinnings what is it else but a broading and widening of sinne the sin growes bigger in the bulk and higher in the guilt by a continued then by a single commission Now a man sins against that which his own conscience hath condemned as well as the pure word of God Now a man adventures into troubles against all his former trouble he hath felt the sinne to be bitter and knows that it must cost him either Hell into which God may presently cast hiâ— or great sorrow and repentance which God may now judicially deny him Now a man sinnes against all the workings of grace so that God may bring forth all the former acts of the soule and set them against the thus sinning person Look thou here are the wounds which thou didst make heretofore and yet thou strikes into the same again Here are the teares which thou didst shed for this sinning heretofore and yet thou wilt provoke me againe here are the sighs which thy heart did break out here are the fears which did distresse and perplex thy soul here are the prayers which thou didst make for my tender mercies here are the Covenants wherewith thou didst binde thy soul here are the Chapters which thou didst read to support thee here is the place where thou didst power forththy anguished heart in fasting and crying here is that goodnesse and gracious love of mine whereby I did accept of thee upon thy humbling teares into favour againe here is that peace which I did thereupon create and command into thy conscience here is that word which thou didest say should guide and rule thee for the time to come here is that spirit which I sent to raise thee againe And yet after all this thou art at the same sinne againe I might have cast thee off at the first I might have shut up my mercies denied thee recovery avenged my self on thee for thy foul transgressions yet I spared thee though thou didst offend me yet I recovered thee though thou didst provoke me when thou didst very evil even so that thou didst admire at the wickednesse of thy self yet I did thee good shewed thee kindness would not presently forsake thee who didst so foulely forsake me this my free and great grace did then melt thee did then move thee did then excite and stir thee to great sorrow to much care and love And now after all thou hast returned not in inclination but in action into not a little or small transgression but into a grosse and foule iniquity yea â—â—en multitudes of withdrawing arguments did strive against it when the conception of that sinne being with so much secret trouble and fear could not but presage the great dishonour which would redound unto me and the fearful terrour which would befal thee upon the active commission thereof So that beloved without all scruple a doubling of sinne is in it self a more formal intention thereof in its corrupt nature and a more fruitful aggravation of it in guilt and miserable consequence c. Secondly consider that it is such away of sinning as may This way of sinning may justly stagger a man about his condition justly stagger the heart about its condition First in regard of the eminent propriety which it hath in persons who do thus sinne generally though not absolutely and simply three sorts of persons run on in the frequent and manifold actings of great sins viz. Such as are notoriously profane such as are closely hypocritical such as are despitefully opposing the spirit of grace these are they who grow from evil to worse and adde sinne to sinne and make and fill up the measures of their particular iniquities which must needs stagger any soul though perhaps not yet runne on so far as they if yet repeating steps in the same paths which the vilest of sinners have trod in before it Secondly in regard of that dark and rare exemplarity of such kindes of sinning by any in Scripture canonized for Saints or godly persons it is easily admitted that you may espy upon some of the best something of the worst and perhaps thickly heaped upon the same sudden passion and temptation but you shall rarely finde any one of them often at the same foule transgression I say you shall rarely finde it And believe me it will be a staggering case to any sinning heart where its wages are such as to see multitudes of the worst and scarce any one of good note so pacing and walking Nay thirdly untill the soul thus sinning doth bestow infinite Grace is hardly discerned in such a one without much labour labour strong care continued humblings incessant cries to raise it self again in respect of any other evidence it shall hardly or never distinguish the yet secretly remaining the miserably defaced frame of goodnesse within it A soul in this temper is not so much to dispute and question as to rise and work the case of frequenting or renuing the same sinful acts will never be answered in thy conscience but by fullest humblings sound judgings speedy repentings careful watchings and declinings wonderful strengthnings of the contrary grace and acts diligent feare fervent communion with God and more upright walking Yet fourthly though it be a rare case this doubling or renewing Yet this though it be a rare is a possible case of some great sinful act very few good men do it and that too very seldome perhaps as Job spake so they may do once have I spoken yea twice but I will proceed no further Job 40. 5. I say though it be rare yet it is a possible case that sin may have more then one particular victory where yet it hath not dominion I speake not this to hearten any man to sin for this would argue sinne indeed to have dominion but to recover a man that hath sinning whose soul is extreamly bruised with his second fall and whose second wound bleeds
with such sad and bitter dejection of spirit for his renued folly that this is an argument that he is not a chearful and willing servant to sin but only an enemy not able enough to bear off a second shock or assault Object Yet this satisfies not for the most still objects But it is a Custome this is custome and custome cannot be without Dominion I answer three things Answered If it were a custome it is not best to hold on First suppose the worst that it were custome and dominion what is the course to be taken wouldest thou think it best to hold on wouldest thou live thus still God hath pardoned and he hath changed many a soul which hath been customary in sinne and in whom sin hath had dominion nay not any before conversion but sin had dominion in him and some sinne or other was his customary path Thy safest and wisest course were not thus to stick at the custome and dominion but to come unto God and to beseech him to shew thee mercy and to give thee grace and Christ to subdue the dominion and to break the custom A custome of sinning is a symptome of sin in dominion Secondly I think that a custome of sinning is a direct symptome of sinne in dominion No man can trade in a sinne but you may easily say who is his Master his servants we are whom we obey 3. But then I would have you to remember that as all continuing inclinations argue not dominion so some continued Yet come repeated acts of sin do not argue a custome or repeated acts of sin do not always argue custome though custome necessarily includes either in good or bad thinâ—s a repetition of acts a going over of the same part or lesson again and again it being a path often walked over Yet every gemination of acts is not presently a custome I think we may thus distinguish twixt sinful acts multiplied by custome which is rooted in dominion and those which fall out by accident as it were and rooted onely in tyranny Three differences twixt acts geminated and custome Differences twixt acts geminated and custome Renewed acts are acts of custome where the Possession is strong and quiet 1. Where the renewed acts of sinne owe themselves to custome there the possession is both strong and quiet for if I mistake not it is not meerly how often or how long I have been at or have dwelt in the house which makes custome and see me the Lord of that house but what right and what peaceable possession One stronger then I may hold my land from me and dwell in my house a long time yet if I make my exceptions and hold a suit against him his long dwelling is but an usurping neither is it a legal custome though perhaps of long continuance Though sin still dwells in a good soul and continues there in despight of him and the person doth oft-times through the captivating force of it do many sinful acts and perhaps the same yet it is not custome unless the possession be quiet and peaceable if he did like Issachar bow under the burden and yeeld up the writings and keys if he did quietly resign up his heart to sin and so go on from sinne to sinne this were custome and concluded dominion But so long as that soul puts in exceptions prefers a bill of tears complaints supplications to Christ to conquer this usurping tyrant to give grace to recover its hold and strength to withstand and subdue it Though the acts be many and to be bewailed yet they are not come to a custome which sets up Dominion 2. Where the renued acts are acts of custome there the acting is natural and easie Custome we know is another nature Renewed acts are acts of custome when the acting is naturall and easie and every nature doth easily let go its acts how easie is it for the eye to see and the ear to hear or the water to moysten or the earth to descend Let nature alone she hath no impediment from her self to her acts and it is her perfection to act and therefore her acts are easie It is thus with sinful acts flowing out of Custome they come from the heart as waters from a spring and rise from it as sparks from the fire O how nimble and dextrous and quick is the sinner to sin you need not tempt him he can tempt himself you need not use arguments to perswade and entise him the accustomed drunkard knows the way alone to the Cup-house and the covetous heart to unlawful methods of gain Balaam can quickly get on horse-back for moneys sake to curse Israel and Judas needs no messenger he can go himself to the High-Priest But when the renued acts depend rather on tyranny then custom there they come off more hardly with more difficulty the sin is marred perhaps many times before it is done the person sees it is vile and resists it then the pleasure and profit tempts him to which he begins to hearken but presently his heart misgives him it is not right and it will end in bitterness he prays and yet is tempted fights and yet is tempted resists and yet is vanquished 3. Where the renued acts owe themselves to custome there a Renewed acts are acts of custome when a man is not easily brought off man is not easily brought off 't is my custome saith the man I cannot help it and I will not leave it I assure you where sinful acts rise to custome there is no argument but either a present fear of hell to hold them in or a mighty presence of grace to put them off words will not prevaile with men accustomed to sin But where the renued acts owe themselves to tyranny though many words did bring into the sin yet a few words will serve to break off the sin one whisper of conscience ah what hast thou done one word of Nathans to David thou art the man one look of Christ on Peter made him remember and to go out and weep bitterly SECT VI. NOw I proceed to a third Use which shall be the last Vse 3 that I will make of this subject and that shall be for Direction how to get off sins Dominion direction how to get off the dominion of sin You remember that I distinguished heretofore of a twofold Dominion of sin one was natural under which every man is held before his conversion Another was actual which consisted in a particular prevalency even upon a man converted and changed According to either there must be distinct Directions 1. Against Natural Dominion Against naturall dominion For this we must consider two things First what keeps and strengthens that Dominion Secondly what may demolish and subdue it and accordingly apply our selves Quest 1. For the first let us enquire what keeps up and strengthens the natural dominion of sin and accordingly work against What strengthens naturall dominion worke against
that Ignorance it Sol. There are four things which do it 1. One is ignorance The blindnesse of the understanding is a principal guard of reigning sinne you reade that they in Eph. 4. 19. Gave themselves over unto lasciviousnesse to work all uncleannesse with greediness like a souldier who gives himself up and takes pay or like a servant who passeth away himself to service so these resigned up their hearts and lives to all uncleanness it was their delight it was their work this shewed the dominion of sin But what was the cause of this See v. 18. Their understandings were darkned through the ignorance that was in them because of the blindness of their hearts The ignorance of sinne kept up their earnestnesse and practice of sinning If ignorance rules the minde then sinne will easily rule the heart all sinful dominion is enabled by ignorance The Devil is a Prince of darknesse and takes speciall care to keep men blinde Antichrist is a sonne of darkness and therefore above all sets up his kingdome by ignorance So is it with sin it selfe its dominion is mantained by blindnesse in the minde and therefore sin in unconverted men makes the mighty opposition against the word and the meanes of knowledge it knows well that no man turnes from sin who doth not discerne it nor hates it who knowes it not The prisoner is sure enough under a locke and in the dungeon Now then if ever you would get off this natural dominion of sinne you must get knowledge a double knowledge in the minde 1. One direct and that is a distinct and true apprehension of sin just as the Lord reveals it to be both for its proper nature and genuine affects 2. Another is Reflexive that is sinfulnesse which God hath revealed to be so vile so abominable so fearfull It is in you and it is working in you you are under the powers of darknesse you must come to your selves you must fetch your souls unto your souls if you wiâ—l not get a sensibleness of sin and that is begun by knowledge you will live and die in your sins A Second thing which keeps up the naturall dominion of sin is a violent love of sin Love is the sinew of the heart yea it is the chaire of state whatsoever sits in it that is the King of the Violent love of sin soule whether grace or sin For love doth bestow the heart what our love is that our heart is it makes all to stoop and yield There is no talke of parting while love remaines I will not goe free said the Hebrew servant for I love my master Why the soule and sin are in a sworne covenant like David and Jonathan if the soule doth love sin untill you take off the love you shall never be able to take downe the dominion Therefore this shall be another direction break downe the love of sin Ob. But how should that be done Sol. First convince the heart that sin is no lovely thing There be three things which should not fall under our love 1. That which is the object of Gods hatred No man may love that which God hates 2. That which is the object of Gods curse that cannot be good which he curseth and therefore not lovely 3. That which is the cause of mans damnation and misery for no man is to love the cause of his undoing Now sin is the only thing which God hates and which God curseth and which will damn a man 2. Give to thy soule a solid and full object of love finde out something which thou shouldest love Is there not a God a Christ an Holy spirit His word heaven c. There is no loveliness in sin and all loveliness in these things 3. Another thing which keeps up the dominion of sin is error Error and deceit and deceit there is a lye in every sin and the judgement is deceived where the sin is retained either a man thinkes he sins not but is escaped out of the hands of lust or that his condition is sound and good or if it be bad yet not so bad as others or if very bad yet he can at pleasure release himselfe and thus through a vaine fancy he continues under the bondage of his corruptions And so for the actions of sin he deceives his soul he doth not behold them in a comparison to the rule he doth not judge of them by the word but in a reference to his owne corrupt desires and delights which swallow downe infinite sins sugared over by pleasure and profit Now if ever you would get free from sin get your judgements to be cured a sound judgement may be a good meanes Note to breed a sound heart thou wilt never be perswaded to be good untill the erroneous confidence that thou art not bad be removed convince thy minde of these truths against all errors that indeed thou art sinfull And that no sin is little in its merit and it is not what is least wicked but he who is really good shall be saved Do not judge of acceptance or disacceptance by sensible pleasures or profits but beyond these look what that is which is so coloured and disguised it is even a snare for thy life and that which hunts for the precious soule 4. A fourth thing which keeps up dominion is custome the heart by customary sinning grows strong in sin and resolute and Custome is by often committings made more naturally sinful and more apt for further sinfull actions Now observe a little Give some checks to the ordinary Ob. course of sin why you will say It is impossible nay but it is not Though it be Impossible for a man alone to change his sinful Sol. heart yet it is not to check an outward sinfull act a man may chuse whether he will go and be drunke whither he will speake and sweare c. Ob. But if it were done this were vaine and fruitlesse for the dominion of sin Subsists in the nature Though manifested in the acts Sol. I grant it yet first If the heart be brought to set against the sinfull acts it may be brought to set against the sinfull nature secondly The abating of the acts may virtually conduce to the abating of that sinfull nature What may demolish the naturall dominion of sin Qu. 2. What may demolish and breake down the naturall dominion of sin Sol. I will Tell you a few things for this and I pray you to remember them That which doth this must have a greater power then sin 1. That which doth this it must have a greater power then sin for naturall dominion goes not of but by a stronger hand Satan is not dispossessed but by a stronger then Satan And we are not translated from the powers of darknesse but by an hand of omnipotency It must be of a contrary nature unto sin 2. That which doth this it must be a contrary nature unto sin for no kingdome can subsist by
33. which is expounded v. 38. by a perfect heart A mans heart is upright when God alone and his ways alone and his truth alone satisfie and order and bound it when a man can say in truth as they in the matter of Choice Nay but the Lord is our God him will we serve I have chosen the Lord to be my God and his truths to be my guide and his precepts to be my paths and his glory to be my end and hereto only will I stick when the soul doth not halt between two or divides it self in a service of any side or way but keeps only to God Sometimes it is called perfection and the upright are called perfect as Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God Psalme 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright There is a double perfection One Absolute in respect of degrees which no man can now attain unto in this life no not the most upright for in many things we offend all The other Evangelical which consists in the evennesse of desire and endeavour when a man sets up and exalts the word of God and strives to square his heart and his life in all things thereby As Paul exercising himself to have a conscience void of Note offence and willing to live honestly in all things when a man doth as it were measure his paths as by a line he doth set them by the compasse of a divine rule or warrant not willingly stragling on the right hand or bending toward the left not willingly omit the least duty and commit the least sin he is an upright person when the heart is as large as the precept and the whole will of God is complied with in will and desire and endeavour Sometimes it is called a spirit without guile so Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile and Christ of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An hypocritical heart is a cunning heart it hath many devises shufflings windings and turnings this heart is not plain and sound Therefore the hypocrites are said to have corrupt thoughts and to flatter with their tonguâ—s and to have crooked wayes They do not indeed hate the sin which they pretend nor love that holinesse which oft-times they praise and sometimes act some ends they have of Religion for their belly and for their own advantage but they do not heartily hate sinne nor truly love holinesse Now on the contrary an upright heart is without guile it is even plain and down-right therefore is it in the parable called an honest heart and saith Paul we speak the truth in Christ and upright walking is stiled a walking in truth and serving of God in truth and in spirit The meaning is this that the upright man is indeed that which he professeth his life and profession is not a painting which owes it self to an Artificer but a natural colour which owes it self to the soundnesse of temper he is one who hath truth in the inward parts as David speaks Psal 51. 6. He doth without base ends directly love God and from his very heart hate sinne Though he cannot expresse himself in that flourish of formality yet for Christ he can plainly say as Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And touching sinnes as David of Gods enemies I hate them with a perfect hatred this he is in good earnest Sometimes it is called the allnesse or whollinesse of heart so Deut. 4. 29. If thou seek him with all thine heart Deut. 26. 16. Thou shalt keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee c. when the heart is upright the whole man comes in unto God all the soul and all the body none shall dispose of them but God And God shall dispose of him in every precept the very bent of a man is to please God in all things and the whole soul in the understanding will memory affections bears a respect to all his Commandments There be other phrases to set out this businesse of uprightnesse but I must passe them over and pitch upon the description 2. Now to the second quid Rei I conjecture that uprightnesse The description of uprightness may be thus described Uprightness is a sound and heavenly frame or temper of a gracious heart or spirit given by God by which graces are acted sinnes are opposed duties are performed affectionately directly and plainly In reference to God and not for by-respects I will briefly open this description in its particulars First it is the temper or frame of the heart The seat of uprightnesse The seat of it is their heart is the heart or spirit hence is it stiled uprightnesse of heart 1 King 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercies according as he walked before thee in truth in righteousnesse and in uprightness of heart So 't is stiled singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. and Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. and a service in spirit Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne Hypocrisie is a colour but skin deep A painting which lies only upon the superficies or surface of the wall upon the visibles or outwards of profession or action but uprightness like health it is an inward crisis or temperature as the conversation renders it self to the eye of man so the inward disposition strives to render it self to the eye of Gods approbation if a man be upright it is with him as with Solomons Temple though the outward parts were comely and uniform yet the inside was covered with the most precious gold and had the sweetest incense All counterfeit things are best in their shew and worst in their substance and vertue But uprightnesse is best there where least can be seen The actions are nothing to the Inward affections and desires We do but as the Queen of Sheba here no not halfe of the goodnesse of an upright man by what he doth if you would but look into his heart and converse with him there a while you should find the heart the disposition the desire of his soul infinitely to exceed all that he doth Psal 119. O how I love thy law O that my ways were so direct The heart oftimes mournes when the eyes can shed no teares and the heart believes when the tongue cannot speake much faith and the inward man the heart would doe that and much more then what is done or performed Secondly it is a temper or frame of the heart a composition It is the temper and frame of the heart It is not a single or transient act or motion as it were in which methinks two things may be observed 1. One that uprightness is not a
Though man cannot discern him yet God can and hath limmed him out for unsoundnesse in his word there is some secret lust which consists and stands notwithstanding all this either Herods sin or Demas's sin filthinesse or worldliness the Pharisees were wondrously covetous And his ends are base the Pyrate may rigge and trim and stear and order his ship as artificially and exquisitely as any Pilot who is the Kings most faithful servant only their hearts and their ends are different one is disloyal and the other is true one goes out to catch a prey and a bootie a prize for himself and the other sailes for his Masters honour and service The upright heart falls upon dutie with fear yet with affections he cannot do so much yet it is in truth and what he doth as it is by his Masters strength so it is faithfullie intended for his Masters glory But selfe-love and pride and vaine glorie fill the sailes of the hypocrite If you could paire of those accidental and by-causes he were no more able to hold on in duties thus then the bird to flie without her wings or the ship to run when the wind drives and fills out the sails Will the Hypocrite pray at all times said he in Job so that all which the Hypocrite doth is with a base heart like a slave and for base ends like a flatterer 5. It is a vain and foolish thing to be hypocritical in our services It is vain and foolish to be hypocritical in our services This is certain that a man cannot be an hypocrite but he must take some pains he must be very officious in pretences and duties it must cost him some money to give almes and much time to pray c. And when all is done nothing comes of it In respect of God he hath no reward with him there is no reason to give him wages who bestows not his service on us the hypocrite did serve himself and not God his owne praise and not Gods glory and therefore he can expect no reward from him he cannot say I prayed for grace that I might honour thee and for abilities that I might glorifie thee In respect of man for if a man be known to be an hypocrite then he loseth himself on all hands evil men hate him for the very shew of goodnesse and good men scorn him for his base dissimulation and rottenness But suppose he can conceal his hypocrisie then all the reward that he hath from men is but an ayrie applause Matth. 6. 5. When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seen of men verily I say unto you they have their reward i. They have what they look for the applause of men and that 's all let them not expect any other reward And brethren this is a sad thing when a mans reward is only from man when all his reward is in this life and no rewards reserved for him hereafter Nay and the hypocrite is not so sure of this reward from man neither he may misse of it either for the kinde or measure of it and that will vex his heart like fidlers that regard eare service whose whole streine is to please the humours of men they sometimes get but little and with that many reproachful words and blowes so it may fare with an hypocrite whose actions are set only to the itch of applause and commendation c. 6. Nay hypocrisie is a most perillous sinne you shall receive Hypocrisie is a most perillous sinne the greater damnation said Christ Damnation O that is the eternall grave of the soul it speaks misery enough everlasting separation from God and everlasting flames of wrath in hell yet that is the portion of the hypocrite Esay 33. 14. The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulnesse hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Greater Damnation An ordinary hell is not all for an hypocrite As if the furnace were heated seven times more hot the lowest and deepest punishment shall fall on him who presumes to put on the fairest shew with the foulest heart And do not think this strange for what is hypocrisie but a mocking of God The hypocrite doth as it were put tricks upon him and thinks to cousen omniscience and basely esteeme of him as if meere shews would satisfie him nay he doth justle God out of his prime place by referring all his services to himself and not to God and so doth adore his own name above the Name of God Verily my brethren these are sad things and if our hearts be not made of rock and stone they may awaken and startle them to take heed least we be guilty of this hypocrisie which is so diametrically opposite to uprightnesse 7. Againe consider that it is a very difficult thing to be upright though it be that acceptable frame of spirit so pleasing It is a difficult thing to be upright If we consider The deceitfulnesse of the heart to God and so comfortable as we may hear to us yet it is not so easie to be upright whither you consider 1. That decâ—â—tfulness which is in mans hâ—art the heart Jerem. 17. 9. is deceitful above all things q. d. there is not such a cunning thing as it not a thing in all the world which can delude us so easily so often as our owne hearts O what ado have we with our selves many times to speake a little duty what disputes of times against it many reasonings must be answered and silenced before we will yield to do the very worke so much as to heare as to pray by our selves and with others and to give almes c And then if the worke be extorted from us yet what pumping before any water comes what collision and striking before a few sparkes of fire will fly out my meaning is much ado to bring our hearts to our tongues our affections to our services without which they cannot be upright And when this is done then to set up the right end and scope and their to settle our intention fast and plaine O how difficult many by aimes and indirect ends do often present themselves that it is with us as with boys in writing we draw many crooked lines or as with them in archery we shoot by hither or beyond or beside the mark it is not easie to do good because God commands it or only because he may be glorifled 2. That spritualness which is required in upright motions I tell you that the very soule must act it selfe if the heart or way be The spiritualness required in upright motions upright not only his lips but his spirit must pray not only his eare but his heart must hear he must not only profess against sin but his soule must hate and abhor it And there is no
upon the account and seeme to be reckoned not so much when they are done as when they are done with a sinful heart And they lose upon the account they are struck off God passeth over them when the bent of their heart is against them see that place and passage of David Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered ver 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity verily brethren that mans estate is blessed whose sins are pardoned O! if the Lord be reconciled to a man if the Lord covers his sinne i. will not look upon them in a judicial way so as to account and reckon with the sinner for them if the Lord will not impute iniquity to him i. though he hath iniquity yet the Lord will forgive it it shall not redound unto him in punishment but it shall be blotted out and be as if it had never been tell me seriously is not this a blessed thing tell me now you whose hearts are ready to break asunder with the sense of guilt whither pardoning mercy be not a most blessed and desirable thing You will freely confesse it is but then the question is who is that man that is so blessed what is his temper how is he qualified See on in that ver 2. he is one in whose spirit is no guile what 's that that is he is the upright person whose spirit is really and plainly for God who in truth desires to please him who in truth hates all sin This is that blessed man and in this is a great part of his blessednesse that the Lord will not impute his iniquities unto him but will forgive and cover them i. so forgive them that they shall not rise upon the account any more Paul did upon this conclude by way of testimony to himself and for others that there was no condemnation unto them Rom. 8. 1. why what was Paul what was his temper verily it was upright Obj. Upright why he complains of sin that he was sold under it he complaines of the Law of his members warring against the Law of his mind he complains that he was brought into captivity he complaines that when he would do good yet evill was present with him How then can be say that there was no condemnation for him how was he upright Sol. Thus his being upright did not consist in this that he had no sin in him nor in this that he did no sin nor in this that he did all the good which he saw should be done But in this that he hated the sin which dwelt in him that he resisted the evil working in him that his inward man approved the good and condemned the evil that his inward man hated the evil and was delighted in the Law of God This was his uprightness and upon this he concludes that there was no condemnation i. his sinne should not sink his soul to hell they should not separate him from the love of God in Christ they should not be imputed to him but Christ would take them off An upright person the Lord is his God in covenant 3. A third comfort to an upright person is this that the Lord is his God in Covenant You are not Ignorant of the Covenant which God did stipulate with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty al-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect what is the meaning of that In a Covenant you know there are two parties and they mutually undertake and agree so here is God on the one part and here is Abraham on the other part and God promiseth and Abraham promiseth God promiseth to be All-sufficient unto him and engageth himself in an everlasting Covenant to be his God ver 7. now Abraham promiseth to walk uprightly before the Lord and this is all that the Lord agrees with him for walke before me and be upright and then I am thy God and I will be thy All-sufficiency Obj. Why you will say this is granted it is cleare that God Covenants to be a God to an upright person But what so great comfort in that Sol. Nay then I have done if yet you understand not If yet you think it so poore so meane a thing for God to be your God in Covenant I tell you brethren when God becomes your God in Covenant when he saith to a person I will be a God unto thee it is infinitely more then if the Lord should say to a man I will give unto the all the world O for God to be my God what is it but this I am thine and all that I am or have or can do shall be thine and for thee I am an holy God and that shall be to make thee holy I am a mercifull God and that shall be to pardon thy sins I am a powerfull God and that shal be to help thee to deliver thee to conquer for thee I am a faithfull God and that shall be to make every promise good which I have made unto thee I am a wise God and that shall be to bring in thy comforts thy deliverances thy helps in the most desirable season When sins trouble thee I will pardon them when they are too strong for thee I will subdue them when thy heart is sorrowful I will comfort it when thy graces are weak I will strengthen them when men disgrace thee I will honour thee when dangers arise I will preserve thee what thou needest that I will give thee what thou hast that I will blesse to thee all this and far more then this it is for God to be our God in covenant Nay and all this is ours by covenant that is it is not a faire and empty pretext it is not a glorious and vaine complement but really so and firmly so the Lord if he be our God in covenant doth bind himselfe to be all this unto us by the fidelity of his nature by the truth of all his promises by the seale of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Now what think you do you now not think that the people happy who are in such a case whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. I tell you we are not able to Imagine the height and depth and breadth of this one comfort that God is my God in covenant and yet whatsoever you apprehend of it whatsoever you feel of it whatsoever it is it is the portion of the upright persons thou art my portion O Lord for ever said upright David Psal 119. 4. Uprightnesse intitles the person to all blessings of heaven and Uprightnesse intitles to all the blessings of heaven and earth of earth as David spake of Jerusalem that I may say of the upright person all my springs are in thee or what Iacob said of Ioseph that he was A fruitful branch or bough uprightnesse is like Arons Rod full of blosomes you know that place Psal 84. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will
close unevennesses and hypocritical practises of sin against thy better profession of holy walking What the Prophet spake of the unjust gainer He getteth riches and not by right he shall leave them in the midst of his days and at the end he shall be a fool That say I of the Hypocrite he heaps up duty upon duty works upon works but the day of tryal comes and then he shall appear to be a fool Ah vain man to think there is not a day for the discovery of secrets or that there is not a God who searcheth the hearts and reins who greedily hunts after the applause and credit of men and declines the approbation of the great Judge O when thy accounts are to be presented and given up before the tribunal seat of the holy and true and terrible God and thou shalt then say O Lord all the outward good I did I did it only to get my self a name all the services of Religion I laboured in them only that men might think well of me some of thy precepts I did like but others I did not care for because they thwarted my ends much good I did but it was only to cloak and cover the much secret evil which I did love and in which I did walk so many years I lived and kept company with Christians against whose powerfull practise of holiness my heart did rise many a time did their heavenly discourses find out and condemn my private lust yet I bleared their eyes I yet wrested with my conscience I would not yet leave all my sins and now wo is me thou dost love truth in the inward parts this I knew yet I played the hypocrite Nay if more may be added then take this the Lord God after death will shut the door against such foolish persons who content themselves with lamps without oyl and do cry Lord Lord have we not preached c. and heard thee in our streets and yet were workers of iniquity Look as the Lord takes notice of a mans Hypocrisy now so this people draws near unto me with their lips but their hearts are far from me so he will take notice of the Hypocrite hereafter not only to shut heaven against him but to cast him into everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. so then methinks here were motives enough to stir us up to be upright because else the Lord regards us not neither persons nor works yea his Word condemns us and our consciences do condemn us we walk under a sentence and shall die under a curse and God will be against us too in Judgement he will not know us but abominate us from his presence 2. But then if you consider on the other side How acceptable Uprightness is very acceptable unto God a thing uprightness is to God what delight he takes in such-persons how his Covenant is with them and what infinite promises are their Treasuries how God will hear their prayers accept of their person pass over their weaknesses increase their blessings establish their comforts what defences and secret and strong and comfortable acquittances Uprightness breeds in the conscience what considence it gives in our accesses to God what solace under all our crosses what peace and quietness and strength notwithstanding all contrary suggestions what boldness in death what grounds to Implead with God! what a certainty of acceptance now and truest Glory hereafter O how might these things work upon our hearts to labour to be upright c. Object But you will say now why what may we do to get uprightness and to maintain it Sol. Now we come to the means of uprightness for which Means take these particulars into your consideration 1. Directions for the getting of it 2. Directions for the preserving of it 3. Some other considerations and meditations for the Directions to get uprightness of heart Go to God for it first I commend these things unto you 1. If ever you would have upright hearts you must then go to God for them Hypocrisy is a natural weed we need not go beyond our selves to find a cause of it even a Child is able to frame actions to the eye of others but uprightness is a flower of heaven only that God who can make new is able to make the heart upright I pray you to consider that all the holy qualities and tempets of the new Covenant come from no other spring then Gods grace none can bestow them but God and he can do it Now the upright heart is a spring of the Covenant Jer. 31. 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Is there here a person this day who is sensible of the guile of his spirit of the hypocrisie in his heart that he cannot be so for God as he should that he is uneven and oft-times crooked in his walkings why go to God! pray with David Psalm 51. 1. O create in me a clean heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me But you will say may an hypocrite come to God will God regard him though he calls upon him will he not shut out his prayers will he heare the prayer of him who regards sin in his heart I Answer Sol. It matters not how much hypocrisie hath been hatched within thee and acted by thee heretofore If now thou commest to be sensible of thy hypocrisie and to condemn it to bewail it to abhor it if former hypocrisie be now come to hearty conflict though be giving out into many thoughts of selfe and base ends yet be not dismayed go to God he can subdue it and he can take out that guile of thy spirit and he can fashion a straitnesse and rightnesse of heavenly frame within thee he is able to make good whatsoever he hath promised Secondly if you would finde uprightnesse in you then get an Get a predominat love of God and his wayes exceeding and predominate love of God and his wayes Love is of great force and influence to a mans ways and actions it is like the Rudder which doth master the ship in the motion it can turne and winde it any way so doth love prevaile with the soule it hath a command over it about a mans ways and actions if a man had a strong love of God if he did heartily and with great affections incline and strive for God for his glory for his truth this would prevaile with him to be upright Deut. 10. 12. the love of God is put in as a meanes to walke in all his wayes and to serve him with all our hearts The want of uprightnesse comes from the want of love as the falsnesse of a woman to her husband growes upon want of conjugall love it is the love of the world which draws a man so often aside which makes him off and on and it is the love of sin which makes a man so hypocriticall If a man could love God above all he would delight
to be the sin against the Holy Ghost I deny not but each sin that a Christian commits may in some sence be called a sin but strictly it is not the sin against the holy Ghost This error is abundantly refuted by Cyprian Hieroâ— Austin c. and is repugnant to all religious reason because First Thus there should be no opposition twixt all manner of sin and the sin against the Holy Ghost in the Text. Secondly Thus no man should ever be saved or have sin pardoned And for the Denial of Christ in time of persecution though indeed it be a very great sin yet because it may arise not out of the strength of hatred against Christ but out of the strength of fear and from humane weakness it is without doubt an act though sinfull yet pardonable yet it hath been pardoned as we read in Peter 2. Origen thinks that the Defection from participation of the Holy Ghost is this Blasphemy and so he placeth the nature of it L. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 3. p. 776 in Apostacy Qui dignus habitus est spiritus sancti participatione retro conversus fuerit hic reipsa opere blasphemasse dicitur in Spiritum sanctum This is in part true for Apostacy is a necessary concomitant of this Blasphemy but yet it expresseth not the full and compleat and certain nature of this sin because First Every defection from the truth or defection alone is not sin One may be an Apostate and yet not sin the sin against the Holy Ghost he may recedere a fide and yet not in fidem irruere and therefore St. Hierom upon this very agreement to Marcella saith well Aliud est Christianum se negare Tom. 4. Fol. 26. aliud Christum Diabolum dicere and to that purpose likewise St. Cyprian Epist 53. Secondly much more is required to the constitution of this sin then a defection yet we deny not but that an universal apostacy is necessary hereunto Thirdly Austin delivers his opinion by divers phrases in divers places but most fairly in Epist 50 which is ad Bonifacium comitem It is Duritia cordis usque ad finem hujus vitae qua homo recusat accipere remissionem peccatorum where you may apprehend according to his Judgement three acts in this sin First Hardness of heart Secondly Perseverance in this hardness Thirdly Refusal of remission which is through malicious obstinacy This opinion though it be true in part yet it is not compleat and punctual because First All this may be without blasphemy Secondly All this cannot be till the last gasp and yet so may the sin against the holy Ghost be Fourthly The Schoolmen generally run one after another and place the nature of it in obstinacy or malice so that to sin against the Holy Ghost is with them to sin out of a resolved or determined malice this you may see more fully deliveted by Aquinas and Alexander Ales which sinning of malice is not barely a vitious and habitual inclination but further it hath the access of contemptuous rejecting of those things which might remove this malicious sinning Hence it is that they break this general into many particulars as First Of Desperation whereby the malicious offendor casts away the anchor of hope wilfully perishing in the gulf of sin Secondly Of Presumption whereby he wilfully rejects all fear of God Thirdly Of Impenitency Fourthly Of Obstinacy Fifthly Of Impugning known truth Sixthly And envying and maligning of Grace in our brethren But to omit diversity of opinions in this argument I shall as fully as I can touch the nature of this blasphemy against the holy Ghost in this brief description It is an extraordinary sin wherein the apostatizing Blasphemer despitefully rejects and maliciously persecutes the Gospel This sin described and Truth of Christ after a manifest conviction by the holy Ghost let us take this description assunder and consider these parts First It is an extraordinary sin both for subject and for degree An extraordinary sin For Subject because it is a sin in comparison with other sins nothing so frequent it is not so common in practise And also for Degree it is a sin made of the very cream and spirits as it were of the vilest and most condemning forms of transgressing but to let that go as being only general Secondly The subject of this sin An Apostatizing Blasphemer The subject of it An appostate 1. An Apostate and therefore in Heb. 6. 6. where this sin is described the persons guilty of it are said to fall away not only to fall for so may the faithfullest servant of truth do he may fall in the way but to fall away to turn the heart and to turn the back upon truth to renounce our colours it Greg. de Val. Tom. 7. disp 1. q. 12. is an uniuersal Apostacy The School-men well observe two things in a Apostacy One is Recessio a fiâ—e the other is Accessio aâ— sectam and I think there was never any branded with the sin against the Holy Ghost but proved guilty of both as Julian forsook the truth and turned Pagan Hence that conclusion ariseth amongst them Omnis Apostata est Hereticus 2. A Blesphemer What a Blasphemer is you may collect A Blasphemer from the description already given of Blasphemy he is one who is contumelious or opprobrious to God and Christ either in Nature Name or Doctrine such as the Pharisees here who fastened on Christ the most reproachfull obloquies of a Samaritan Devil companion and friend to Publicans or as Julian stiling Christ in derision the Galilean and the Carpenters son To understand this more clearly know that Blasphemy is sometime taken First Most generally and so it may be terminated in man Blasphemy how taken as the Object Tit. 3. 2. Blaspheme no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus he is a Blasphemer who assumes any disgracefull terme which may blemish the credit of a man Secondly Less generally and so it is appliable to any word uttered in the reproach of God or Christ or the Gospel of Christ whether deliberately or unadvisedly in which respect it may be verified in some cases of the best Saints who affix that unto God in their hast of spiritual trouble which unbeseems his purity and truth Thirdly Strictly and so it is a malicious reproachfull word against the known Doctrine of Christ so that the Blasphemer who is the true subject of this sin is not he that speaks evil of other men nor he who through inconsideration or violence or vehement distemper of passion or any extrinsecal pressure le ts fall some unbefitting speeches of God or Christ or his Gospel but he that doth this out of a resolvedness and wilfulness A man may blaspheme two wayes either Enunciative as A man may blaspheme two wayes to affirm that Christ is a Devil or God is unjust or the Scriptures are a lye or Imperative or Optative by wishing any
Hence doth this sin borrow its denomination against the Holy Ghost Now here I shall briefly open First How the Holy Ghost is taken Secondly What the Conviction by the Holy Ghost is 1. The Holy Ghost is sometime taken First Essentially How the Holy Ghost is taken for that one infinite indivisible independent Deity Secondly Personally as the third person in Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son Thirdly Virtually In respect of Energy or operation and this Origen calls Proprietatem Loc. cit gratiae Aquinas bonum spirito appropriatum for though external operations be common to the Trinity yet the immediate manner of working is more common to one person then another as the work of Creation to the Father Redemption to the Son Illumination and Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Thus is the holy Ghost here considered in his proper operation viz. Conviction Secondly The operation or conviction of this person by the Holy Ghost consists in these particulars What this conviction is Objective Patifactio First The clear Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Gospel both in respect of Truth and Goodness of Truth that he is the true and only Son of God of Goodness that he is the Redeemer of the world and assured Saviour to Believers Secondly There is by the Holy Ghost wrought in them an Apprehension of all this by a supernatural illumination as in Heb. 6. 4. They were once inlightned not naturali lumine for by that of conscience every one is inlightned but lumine supernaturali by that of the Spirit Thirdly Not a sleighter apprehension but a more determinate Conviction so that they cannot deny the truth the light whereof shines with such clear beams upon the understanding The testimony of the conscience determinately assents with the testimony of the Spirit that this Revealed Gospel is indeed the Gospel of Christ and of salvation You know who I am and whence I come saith Christ to the Pharisees yea themselves professed so much because ye say we see therefore your sins remain John 9. Fourthly Nay yet undeniable Conviction is not all there is also some kind of approbation of those truths which the Apostle calls A tasting of the heavenly gift and a tasting of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come A man may have a little taste of Honey so that he can say I know it is sweet and of wine that he can say it is comfortable In like manner they who sin this sin against the Holy Ghost may feel his operation not only in an objective revelation not only in a subjective apprehension not only in an undeniable conviction but also in some degree of approbation There may drop some effects from the truth imprinted upon the affections that the Conscience may be perswaded and give testimonie assuredly that these are the very truths of Christ All which is very evident in some of the Pharisees who had Christ revealed to them who did know and were convinced in their own hearts who Christ was and what his Doctrine was yet did they with inward malice break out against him and his Doctrine and in words poured the basest contumelies and blasphemies upon him and in their pertinacious workings did constantly persecute him even to the most reproachfull death of the Cross and all this against the clearest Convictions of the Holy Ghost in their own Consciences Thus for the nature of the Sin Consider the Irremissibleness The irremissibleness of this sin of it It shall not be forgiven unto men The Arrians Eunomians Macedonians and other Hereticks said the Holy Ghost was a Creature and the Object Photinians denied to him a real substance i. e. a Personality Vide Aug. Ep 50. ad Bonifacium Comitem Vide Athan. Tom. 1. in Ep. ad Serapionem p. 344. of this very Argument as Erasmus interprets it yet many of these repented if we believe Saint Austin and obtained pardon The same Father fitly removes this scruple by distinguishing between erroneous opinions concerning the Holy Ghost and this unpardonable blasphemy against the Holy Ghost It is one thing to mis-apprehend the Essence or personal subsistence and hereupon to pronounce according to the dark misconceits of the holy Ghost It is another thing to blaspheme Christ and his Gospel after clear conviction by the Holy Ghost this is the sin which shall not be forgiven Hence it is that this sin is called 1 John 5. 16. A sin unto death And H. b. 6. 4 6. A sin that casts a man into an impossibility of renewing And Heb. 10. 26. All sacrifice for this sin is taken away Which places strongly refell Concord Evan li. 2. de poenit c. 16. the errors of Jansenius and Bellarmine and other Papists who interpret this of the difficulty and the raâ—ity only of this remission not of the impossibility Quest Why is it that this sin shall never be forgiven Answ 1. It is not because the Holy Ghost is greater Why is it pardonable then the Son for there is not Major and Minor where every one is equal in Nature and Dignity 2. Nor is it because this sin is so intensively great that exceeds the absolute power of God to forgive it or the infinite Merits of Christ Omnipotenti Medico nullus insanabilis occurrit languor Isidore But the Reasons given are these First Because it is Repugnant to the immutable Statute and Decree of the Divine Will It is Gods absolute pleasure It is Gods absolute pleasure not to pardon it who of himself sets the extent of his Mercy and the bounds of his Justice Though he will be pleased to allow a possibility of Mercy to other sinners yet as a King for some facts will not allow an Offender his book so God is pleased here to deny Mercy This Reason is true but because it is of common equity to some other sins therefore further satisfaction may be sought Secondly It directly resists and repudiats the matter of pardon and remission viz. The blood of Christ If a Contrariatur per â—e gratiae remissionis Alex Aleâ— Tom. 2. q. 155. m. 6. It rejects the pardon Patient could be healed only by one Medicine and he did wilfully reject that it is impossible he should recover not that the medicine is not of vertue but that he wilfully rejects this virtual Medicine so here there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ no plaister but the blood of Christ which yet this sinner despitefully rejects c. Thirdly It contemptuously and with a wilfull obstinacy resists that spirit which should apply this pardon and Remission He willingly resists the spirit who should apply the pardon Pardon cannot be obtained unless the Spirit apply it but here the sinner fights against the Spirit of God and despites the Spirit of Grace and will not permit any operation any saving operation of the Spirit to fasten
on the soul all fitness and disposition for pardon is from the Spirit who is here rejected Fourthly The constant order of operation in the Trinity He sins against the order of Operation of the Trinity suggests unto us the reason of the irremissibleness of this sin which order is alwaies by descent and not by regression If a man sin against the Father the Son hath an operation for the sinner if a man sin against the Son the Spirit hath an operation for the sinner in working upon his conscience and offering of Christ but if a man sin against this Spirit whether should he go or who is to present pardon To the Father he cannot go withour the Spirit to the Son he cannot go without the Spirit but the Spirit is by him rejected and despitefully scorned He that sins against the Holy Ghost sins against the whole Trinity the Fathers love the Sons death and the Spirits operation I know that Hierome saith this sin shall not Epist ad Marcellum Epist ad Bonifacium be forgiven Propter blasphemiam Augustine propter perseverantissiman cordis duritiem and the Schols Propter defectum excusabilitatis indignitatem and others quod qui sic peccant traduntur in reprobum sensum thus Hilary Athanasius and some of our modern Writers Use I. THE Uses from the explication of this high sin shall serve us both for first Information And secondly Information Caution Thirdly Direction First That the greatest illuminations in the understanding The greatest illuminations are not able of themselves to save a man and determinate convictions in the Conscience are not able of themselvs to save a man A person may have a deep insight in the Misteries of Heaven an ample apprehension of supernatural truths a large acquaintance with the Rules of Grace and life a yielding in his conscience to the revealed testimonies of the spirit concerning Christ and his Doctrine yet be so far from the assurance and possession of glory that he may be reprobated to the lowest gulf of misery and damnation for the damned Devils are invested with most general extent of objective knowledge and these here who sin against the Holy Ghost do participate of divine illumination even to the measure of approbation in the conscience touching the truth yet you see that their condition is utterly incompatible with the just hopes or expectation of happiness it is not capable of remission and therefore eternally desperate of salvation all which must be so understood by you not that spiritual illumination is not necessary but that it is not alone sufficient to save The strongest abilities of knowledge may only serve to purchase us a more learned and full damnation Secondly That greatest knowledge may be in a subject The greatest knowledge may be in a subject void of Grace and an enemy to it both deprived of the inexistence of sanctifying grace and also filled with bitterest enmity and malice against the truth of Grace I justly question whether any persons uncapable of Glory are convinced with more supernatural light then these who sin against the Holy Ghost yet sure I am none are more enraged Lyons against the innocency and simplicity of Holiness and true Grace then these A person may put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 5. speaks and yet his heart be void of the inward power of Godliness A dead man may be clothed with beautifull Garments and a heart utterly void of the life and quicknings 1. Privation of Holiness may yet be adorned with the fair robes and endowments of knowledge Nay Do but consult with the Records of the spirit in the Scripture and the examples of persons and attempts in all Ecclesiastical History you shall not only find knowledge divided from grace but oft-times makeing strongest oppositions against it None with-stood 2. Opposition Christ more then the learned Scribes and Pharisees none withstood Paul more then the learned Athenians Whom have we in our age more eager against the Doctrine of faith then the subtile Jesuite and against the independency and immobility of grace then the Arminian Dull and blind apprehensions are not so serviceable Engines for the execution of Diabolical malice the most advantagious servant that ever Satan had was a learned head and a graceless heart Abstract knowledge will easily blow up pride and pride will easily fire our malice and contempt and these will suddenly break out into our tongues with derision and persecution of Grace Thirdly That our greater knowledge without sanctifying Great knowledge without grace adds to misery Grace adds to our greater ruine and judgement This illation is most conspicuous in the subjects of this sin whose Judgement becomes the more heinous and inevitable because of the greatness of their illumination and conviction I know the schools deliver unto us several circumstances whereby a sin common with another in identity of nature is yet by the access of them variously altered but amongst all the intensive perfections of sinfull guilt this addition of knowledge is one excessively aggravating If ye were blind saith Christ Iohn 9. 41. ye should have no sin comparatively for measure but now you say we see therefore your sin remaineth An ignorant Offendor may have some plea and excuse but a willfull sinner is without all Pretext None shall find greater stripes then he who knows and doth not or he who sees to do but will not As the most practical Christian shall rise to the highest seat and Throne of happiness in heaven so the most illuminated sinner shall sink into the deepest dungeon of misery in hell Use II. NOW I come to Caution you have heard what this sin Caution is and you have heard the sad condition of this sinner that he may for ever despair to see the face of God! I dare not fasten the compleat guilt of this sin on any who hears me this day Only remember that of the Apostle Heb. 3. 12. Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Take heed of Yet because this sin is possibly incident unto us who take upon us the profession of the Gospel it shall not prove I trust an unseasonable endeavour if I describe unto you some few steps by which the soul gradually descends unto the bottom of this damned impiety First Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ which Regardless receiving of the Gospel of Christ is done three wayes 1. When the Judgement hath no reverent estimations of God in Christ and of the Promises made in the blood of Christ or of the necessary conditions of the Covenant of Grace to be performed by us Secondly When the heart either in hearing or reading is without life and affections so that the Gospel draws not our love and joy and delight or any adhesion of the mind Paul tells us 2 Thes 2. 12. of some to
be damned And verse 10. They were such who received not the truth in the love of it Thirdly When there is no conformity to the Gospel-rules of life Now what shall I say of our selves what accounts have we of this pearl what affections have we to this Doctrine of Grace Have we any impressions of Reverence any impressions of love unto the Ministry of the Spirit Alas our stomacks begin to loath the hony comb and we are almost as weary of this Gospel as the Israelites were of their Manna Why else those many neglects Acts 7. 5. Ye resist the Holy Ghost of this word of grace why else our slight entertainment of it why else our very scorn and contempt of it Shall I speak the truth the heavenly strains of the Holy Ghost in the Gospel fall too low and sound too flat in our curious ears The sharp inventions of some Poet or the brain-Raptures of a Comedian shall relish our Palats with more pleasure then the sweerest principles and lessons that ever the wisedome of Heaven hath dedicated The plain tune of Scripture striks us not unless there be also smart descantinâ—s of humane wit Mistake me not I speak not this to banish the convenient use of fitting expressions in our delivery of the Gospel of Christ by condemning our inaffectionate attentions to the simplicity of Christ I do not hereby apologize for the language of rudeness no I would not have the highness of the word to be made offensive by my Barbarisms only let me tell you that where the Word of life coming in the strength and beauty of its own elegant plainness findeth not only coldness of respect and love but the lashes also of ignorant censure and scorn we are mounted upon an high step of prophaneness and are descending to that unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost Secondly Private or publick scorning of holiness Holiness it is the Glory of God and in a sort the rectitude of all his attributes God delights to reveal himself in Scorning of Holiness Heb. 12. 14. this holiness and tells us that without holiness none shall see his face It is the most distinguishing effect of the Spirit of God and that which is both an assurance of divine Election as also the secular zeal of our salvation Yet may not I confidently affirm to you that nothing is more fallen into the base derisions of witless sinners then this glorious image of heaven Strip me a person of the well-spoken complements of dignity wealth conceited projects and deportments for the itch of the times and suppose him only cloathed with the endowments of true grace and holiness who is there that is set forth with more disdain and derision and jeering then such a person this is the only reason of our scornings that he is aperson of purity one of the Spirit A religious David is the song of Drunkards and the Innocent Objects of mockings reproaches scorns and jestings Bonus vir perhaps but Christianus so now bonus vir sed Bonus vir Cajus Seius sed malus tantum quod Christianus Tertul. Apolog p. 810. Christianus si nullius criminis nomine reus est valde infestum si solius nominis crimen eâ—â— Ibi p. 809. Religiosus Lord What think we of God or his Spirit or Heaven is holiness beautifull in God admirable in the Spirit of God lovely in the Word of God and yet contemptible effectively considered in the servants of God As sure as the Lord liveth if the bounds of publick Authoity did not awe and the sectet suspitions of publick shame did not bank these enemies of Grace their private Sarcasms and blemishes of Grace would break forth into publick fury against all real power and practise of Grace Who but an Ishmael will scoff at an Isaae and who but a Cain will hate his brother because his works are good and who but an ignorant wretch agitated by the Spirit of darkness and perverseness will flie out with hellish invectives against holiness in heart and practise which is the Glory of God the perfection of Angels the sacred work of the Spirit and the pledge of our immortal inheritance in the heavens My brethren be cautioned to sorrow for this and reform in offering violence to holiness in man thou fastnest indignity upon the very image of God and despite upon the Holy Ghost who is the immediate efficient of Holiness in the Creature Thirdly Sleighting the checks of conscience Conscience Sleighting the checks of conscience especially inlightned it is our Angel-Guardian the private Register of our courses and the faithfull Monitor within our own breasts it is the eye of the soul to oversee the whole occasions of heart and life and it is the tongue that reports to us the rectitude or aberration of our wayes The Law testifies de jure and this de facto There is not I believe a sinner partaking of any illumination general or particular under the powerfull presence of a sound Ministry but his Conscience sometimes in the hearing of threatnings from the Pulpit sometimes in his retired secessions or withdrawings from company doth lay unto him the guilt of his sins and perhaps stings him with unquestionable convictions and horrors it tells him that his heart is yet desperately foul and that his wayes are not the wayes of life and comfort Zach. 7. 11. But now for this person to stop his ears at this faithful voice of conscience for him to deal with this as Felix did with Paul discoursing of Judgement to come go thy way for this time whâ—n I have convenient season I will Act. 24. 25. call for thee or else to quench and drown their private clamors by the untimeliness of other discourses and fouler actions O what direct injury do we hereby offer to the workings of Gods Spirit and what stronger power do we add hereby to the workings of our heart A tender conscience is like a tender eye or stomack but neglect of motions in the conscience prepares for hardness of heart It will be with us in sinning as it is with the iron which becomes the more hardened after the fire and the sinner more sinfull after the slighting of the checks of conscience or as with a disease which growes incurable by neglect yet might have been cured and healed by observance or as a tree which after many shakeings takes deeper root and hold in the earth It is a fearfull Judgement to sin against Conscience this will breed custome and delight and defence and at length hatred of that Truth which shall present light for Reformation Hereby we grieve the Holy Spirit and quench him and cauterize or sear our consciences with senselesness whence ariseth a greediness to sin Ephesians 4. 18. Fourthly Be not peremptory for worldly ends he who Be not peremptory for worldly ends sets up his resolution that he will be some body in the world he will have his covetous ends or ambitious projects no