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

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he hath reformed an ill life yet it shall cost him infinitely much more to reform an ill heart he may receive so much power from grace at the beginning as in a short time to draw off from most of the former grosse acts of sinnings but it will be a work of all his dayes to get a through conquest of secret Corruptions 4. Then all the works of a Christian is not abroad if there be All the works of a Christian is not abroad secret sins to be cleansed There are two sorts of duties Some are direct which are working duties they are the colours of grace in the countenance and view of the Conversation setting it forth with all holy evennesse and fruitfulness and unblamablenesse Some are reflexive which are searching duties they appertain to the inward roomes to the beautifying of them and reforming of them for not only the life but the heart also is the subject of our care and study I am not only to labour that I do no evil but a so that I be not evil not only that sinne do not distain my paths but also that it doth not defile my intentions not only that my cloaths be handsome but also that my skin be white i. my inward parts be as acceptable to God as my outward frame is plausible with man yea let me tell you one thing that he is an hypocrite who takes care to wash the outside only forasmuch as the greatest solicitude for the life may be without any reformation of the heart not that the life must not be squared but if that be varnished and the heart neglected the person hath not only the same natural and lively frame of sinfulness but he deceives himself or at least another with a meere pretence and shadow therefore brethren let us have eyes to look inward as well as outward God hath given us a reflexive faculty and besides that know 1. That Prima pars the first part of our work is to set upon the inward part how vain is it to wash the brackish streames which are yet fed by a soure fountaine and verily the conversation will be ever and and anon unequal and unlike it self if the heart remaines unpurged and unchanged corruption which hath often entertained your secret thoughts will at length present these births to your very eye 2. That Maxima pars the greater part of your work is within It is true an ill tongue a lustful eye a stealing hand they may challenge much prayer care and observance watchfulnesse to reforme them but a beam of light is small to the vast body of light in the Sun and the dribling rivers are with more ease turned and dried up then the deep ocean sin within is sin in the fountain and sin in the visible parts is sin in the streames yea and as every thing is strongest in its cause and therefore sin is highest in the heart for the strength and vigour of temptations is at the inward part of man Satan doth not stir a naked eye but a filthy heart to look through that sinful window he doth not come to the hand and say steale but first to the heart which will quickly command the hand he doth not say immediately to the tongue swear and blaspheme but the heart which can easily command that Hellish language into the tongue If thou shouldest pluck out thine eyes and never see any object to excite thy uncleane heart yet mayest thou be as filthy a person thine own corrupt heart and Satan would alone incline thee and though thou hadest never a foot to go nor hand to stir yet mightest thou be as very a thief as Judas thy heart might rob every passenger and steale from every house thou comest in objects are but accidental things to man they have no necessary impressive influences they do but deliver themselves in that nature wherewith God hath cloathed them but that which invenoms them and makes them to work so wickedly is mans wicked heart you have many persons who complain much against objects O they can see none or deal with none but wickednesse is stirring Why beloved the objects are innocent but our hearts are unclean and sinful if thou couldest get another heart thou wouldest look with another eye the onely way to make temptations lose their force is to decline occasions and to cleanse the inward parts SECT V. Use 2. Tryal ANother Use which I would make of this is to try our selves We should try our selves because So many wallow in secret sins what care we have of secret sins I will give unto you some Reasons why I would have you to try your selves in this 1. Because there be many persons who wallow in secret sinnes The Apostle complained of such in his time Ephes 5. 12. It is a shame to speak of those things which are done to them in secret he speaks of such as lived in secret fornications and uncleanness Brethren how many are there who do apparel themselves even with a form of godlinesse who yet not only allow themselves in the secret thoughts of abhorred wickednesses but even in the secret actings of the same as if there were no God to look on them nor conscience to espy them nor judgement day to arraigne them O how infinitely odious must thou be in the eyes of that holy God who dares to Court him in the publick and yet dares to provoke him to his face thus in private like a whorish strumpet who dissembles marveilous affections to her husband abroad and yet at home she will violate the Covenant of her God before her husbands eyes So thou to pretend so much for God before company and yet in private thou wilt presume to sin before his face for he seeth thee and that thy conscience knows right well There be at the least three horrible sins which now thou doest commit at once First that very sin which thou wouldest so conceale And perhaps it may be a sin of the deepest dye Yea mark this that usually the most damnable sins are such which are committed in secret as Sodomes adulteries and such fearful kinds of pollutions and murders and treasons c. Secondly Hypocrisie which is a screen to thy sinne an holy cover for an unholy heart and practice which makes the sinner by how much the more vile in Gods eyes by how much the more that he doth not only sin against God but wrests as it were something from God to cover and palliate his rebellion against him A third is Atheisme if there be not formal Atheisme yet there is a virtual Atheism as if God were no God in secret but only in publick that he could see in the light and not in the darkness that his eye is as the eye of a man only whereas he The principle of sinning is secret and common to every man is an universal eye and is a light without all darkness 2. The principle of sinning is secret and common to
is a twofold breaking out of a secret sin or manifestation of it One is natural look as the childe formed in the womb naturally desires liberty to come forth and as the fire within to flie out and abroad so the the inward conceptions of sin naturally propend and strive to thrust out themselves into visible acting and view the soul cannot long be in secret actings but some one part of the body or other will be a messenger thereof Another is judicial as when the Judge arraigns and tries and scrues out the close murder and the dark thefts so God will bring to light the most hidden works of darknesse for though the actings of sinne be in the darknesse yet the judgings of sin shall be in the light though they be secret yet these are open as though the times of theft be private yet the places of Judicature are open Eccles 12. 14. God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil he doth not say some work but every work and not only works but secrets and not only secrets but every secret and not only secret good things but evil too whether good works or ill works whether secret or open all must be brought to judgement 1 Cor. 4. 5. Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart Though thou mayest now cover thy sinfulness with much hypocrisie yet then all vizards shall be pulled off thou sha●t be stript of all counterfeit shapes as thou art and as thou hast done so shalt thou be made known to men and Angels and to all the world thy whole heart and thy whole course of life shal be pulled a pieces before thee God will judge them 3. Thy secrets shall not only be manifested but shall also be Judged by God Rom. 2. 16. In the day when God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ we read sometimes that God will Judge our words and God will Judge our works and here that God will Judge our secrets he will judge words and works as sinnes ripened to expressions he will judge secrets as sins ripening and breeding Iob 31. 26. If I beheld the sun when it shined or the moon walking in brightnesse 27. And my heart hath been secretly entised 28. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the Judge Iob 13. 10. he will surely reprove you if you doe secretly accept persons Deut. 27. 15. Cursed be the man that maketh any Graven Image an abomination to the Lord c. And putteth it in a secret place There is a twofold judging to which secret actings of sin are obnoxious One is Temporall and in this life see this in David 2 Sam. 12. 9. wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to doe evil in his sight thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword this was done in a secret letter and hast taken his wife to be thy wife and v. 10. Now therfore the sword shal never depart from thine house because thou hast c. v. 11. Thus saith the Lord behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thy eyes and give them to thy neighbours v. 12. Thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sun Eph. 5. 6. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience Another is eternall that the Lord will Judg them with eternall wrath for that is the portion of hypocrisie though thou mayest escape the judgement of man yet thou shalt not escape the judgement of God Heb. 13. 4. whoremongers and adulterers God will judge he will sentence them himselfe for their secret abominations 4. Secret sins are more dangerous to the person in some respects then open sinnes For 1. A man doth by his art of sinning deprive himselfe of the help Secret sins are more dangerous in some respects then open sins of his sinfulnesse like him who will carry his wound covered or who bleedes inwardly helpe comes not in because the danger is not descried nor known if a mans sin breaks out there is a Minister at hand a friend near and others to reprove to warne to direct But when he is the artificer of his lusts he barres himselfe of all publick remedy and takes great order and care to damn his soule by covering his secret sins with some plausible varnish which may beget a good opinion in others of his wayes A man doth by his secrecy give the raines unto corruption the minde is fed all the day long either with sinful contemplations or projectings so that the very strength of the soule is wasted and corrupted 3. Nay secret actings doe but heat and inflame naturall corruption as in shouldering in a croud when one hath got out of the doore two or three are ready to fall out after so when a man hath given his heart leave to act a secret sin this begets a present and quick and strong flame in corruption to repeate and multiply and throng out the acts sinful acts are not onely fruites of sin but helps and strengths all sinning being more sinful by more sinning not only in the effects but in the cause the spring and cause of sin will grow mad and insolent hereby more corrupt this being atruth that if the heart gives way for one sin it wil be ready for the next if it wil yeld to bring forth once at the devils pleasure it wil bring it for●● twice by its one motion 4 A man by secret sins doth but polish and square the hypocrisie of his heart he doth strive to be an exact Hypocrite and the more cunning he is in the palliating of his sinnings the more perfect he is in his hypocrisie 2. The aggravations will you give me your leave to make a short Aggravations of secret sins digression touching the degrees of agravation of secret sinnings verily perhaps they may sink deep and quicken us to repentance and caution 1. The more foul the sin naturally is the worse is the secret acting of it you know that some sins have a souler dye in them then The more soule the sin is the worse if it be secret others all are not a like but some are more intrinse cally vile A blasphemous thought is worse then an Idle thought and the secret stealing of a shilling though it be a sin yet not so great as the secret killing of a man The more relations are broken by secret sins the worse 2. The more relations are broken by secret sinning the worse they are and more to be wared for all relations are bonds and cords they are a file of reasons why we should not sin for a single person to commit folly it s a damnable sin but for one
upright or hypocriticall in a double respect either first Really or secondly in opinion and fancy If a man be Really an hypocrite though in his proud opinion and fancy he will think himselfe to be upright I say to such a man that no one portion of that comfort before delivered belongs unto him sound comfort was never by God layd up for a false heart Again a man may be really upright and yet have a false opinion of himselfe that he is an hypocrite It is thus with the best that they oftimes both suspect and falsely charge the true estate of their souls a child in a distemper may question the inheritance which is intailed on him yet if the heart be truly upright all comfort is thy portion as our distrustful feares do not prejudice the reallity of the estate of grace so our frequent suspitions do not cut us off from the title and right of promised comforts 2. All prevalent disputes about our personall uprightness they do hold off the application and taste of comforts though they do not disanuall the title and right even the good man will walke uncomfortable so long as he concludes and strongly feares that his estate is sinful for sensible comfort riseth or falleth commeth on or goeth off according to the strength of our judgement and present apprehensions It is not what indeed our estate is but what we judge of it which breeds in us sensible comfort or discomfort a false heart may even break with a timpany of foolish joy upon an erring perswasion of his estate and so may a sound heart be very heavy and disconsolate upon an unsound misconstruction and judgeing of its true condition 3. there are sometimes which are very unapt for an upright person to sit upon his estate and to pass sentence the best soul hath divers changes and streits sometimes it is cleare and free and able to see things as they are other times it may be boystrous and perplexed and then it is apt to Judge of it selfe by feelings and new representations not according to secret truth and substance remember one thing times of conflict and aflictions and temptation are best for praying and worst for ●udging If a man wi●l at such times passe sentence on himselfe or estate as a judge he will judge uprighteous judgement for then the soul is not it selfe and is apt to take Satans workes for its owne p●oper accounts yea and then usually it will see nothing but what makes against it selfe In passions and temptations we neither see God aright nor our selves Fourthly we must never stand to that judgement which we pass upon our inward frame which is Irrational or without sufficient ground Look as we may appeale from all the sentence of our judgement which acts its selfe in time of passion as he did from Alexander to Alexander c. so neither must we vainely vex our hearts and dash out our uprightnesse when Simile this sentence is rather of imagination then of reason when a man thinkes and thinkes that he is not upright though all the evidences of uprightnesse appeare in him and when he cannot produca any one inherently distinguishing ground of an hypocrite in himselfe why this is but an imaginary judgement and utterly unreasonable this is to condemne the innocent without cause That soule will never be settled with comfort which gives way to its one imaginations and hath a conceit that every sinfull thought or violent temptation or more durable conflict with an inward corruption or frequent distractions in holy duties cannot stand with uprightnesse where a man hath either no grounds at all or those that he hath are false he should never settle so on them and yield and entertaine them as to question his estate for them or for them to shut off himselfe from comfort 5. If ever we would decide our uprightnesse and so take our parts in promised comforts we must follow the voyce of the word and subscribe to the sentence of conscience following that word Be sure of this that if the word will allow and warrant thy inward frame If it approves of it as sound assuredly it is so for that Rule cannot erre nor is divine judgement which is contained in the word capable of falsehold or deceit actively or passively If God saith thy heart is right with him maintaine it against all disputes whatsoever Yea and if thy conscience inlightned rectified and quickned by the word doth acquit thee for upright that now standing before the presence of the eternal God and all knowing judge it can say thus much for thee that though heretofore thou didst love and allow thy selfe in sins yet now thou hates all sin and there is no known way of wickednesse and that though heretofore thou didest shuffle and cut dealst falsly in covenant wouldest not obey in all things but now thou hast respect to all Gods commands and all out of a respect to Gods glory I say thou art an upright person though thy mis-giving fancy or judgement may give up to the contrary But may some troubled and mis-giving heart reply nay it Diverse cases about uprightnesse is not thus and thus with us sure we are that we are not upright and the grounds which make us thus to conclude are not imaginary but real true it is we do labour to abstaine from 1. Case Our abstinence from sin is out of feare of judgements and therefore I am not upright sin but this is out of a fear to God judgements and we confesse that we performe some or many duties but these are done out of a fear of Hell now none of this can consist with uprightnesss for asmuch as uprightnesse shuts out all dutie out of a pure love to God and not out of a base feare which may befal the vilest person what think you can the man be upright whose services depend on fear This is a notable case and craves a solemne resolution towards Answered Something 's granted All abstinence from sin is not an infallible testimony of uprightnesse which observe two things 1. Some things that must be granted v. g. 1. That all abstinence from sin is not an infallible testimony of uprightnesse forasmuch as there may be many arguments which may be sufficient to hold us in from the acting of sin yet which are not effectuall to strike of the love of sin shame of men love of estimation feare of death the accusation of a stinging conscience defect of occasions denial of opportunities may be cords to binde the hand and yet not be plaisters to heale the heart a man may deeply love that which he doth seldome act if his abstinence from sin be grounded only on private respects and not on a divine command and new nature I say that such an abstinence may befal a man whose heart is so far from uprightnesse that it may be either grosly profane or basely hypocriticall Not so much the naked absence as the grounds
to walk with him he would be careful to please him fearful to offend him ready to obey him would be kept in for God he would not make so many strayings he would minde Gods glory more Thirdly get to hate sin A secret love of sin after all restraints and pauses will draw the soule aside It will like a covered Get to hate sin disease break out againe There are three things in hatred which contribute to uprightnesse 1. It is an inward aversation the very heart is drawen off from an object and the heart is filled with a loathing and a detestation of the evill not the tongue and looks onely but the very inclination of the will is turned aside 2. It is universall for hatred is of the kinde the will in the whole latitude of it is the object of hatred I hate every false way said David Psal 119. 3. It is permanent and durable passion is a storme which will quickly off but hatred is a setled quality arguments allay it not nor doth time remove it what have I to do any more with Idols said Ephraim Hosea 14. 8. They shall defile their coverings and say unto them get thee hence Esa 30. 22. So that if a man could get the hatred of sin he should quickly finde an even uprightnesse The cause why a man is not even in his walking is either because 1. His heart is not bent against sinne but gives a delightful way unto it it doth not resist and loath it but harbours and favours it 2. Some one particular lust winnes and gaines upon the soule though some are unacted yet one speciall lust is retained which hath power to command and rule the life 3. He is carried against sin upon mutable and decaying grounds which being removed the heart then returnes to its proper and naturall bent But now if spiritual hatred of sinne were implanted then the combat twixt sin and the person would be inward the very heart would loath the nature and inclinations of it and it would be universall and constant so that here would arise a generall evennesse in a mans coversation Unevenness though it appear without yet it begins within the heart is the maine wheele of a mans course and therefore if love gets the heart for God and hatred rules the heart against sin you may very well believe that these two will yeeld out a very upright endeavour and course of holinesse In spirituals that which keeps the fountaine doth keep the streame and that which betters the heart doth likwise well order the life 2. For the second which respect the preserving meanes take Directions for preserving it these directions 1. First if you would preserve uprightnesse you must preserve Preserving a● holy feare of God an holy feare of God you know the promise I will put my feare into their hearts and they shall not depart from me Jere. 32. Sinning is the only departing from God He never leaves us but for sin our departing is our unevenness and we never leave him but by sinne and our unupright walkings but that now which keeps us from departing is feare The feare of the Lord is a fountaine of life to depart from the snares of death Prov. 24. 27. If a man could alwayes keep an awful and powerfull regard to God that he stood in awe of his attributes and of his word he would keep plaine with God he would not transgresse for a morsel nor thinke that it may be safe for him to sin An Holy feare of God hath these two Properties 1. It puts the soule and actions in Gods presence one saith that God is all eye to see every thing and all eare to heare every thing so doth holy feare represent God as one who is now beholding all that I do and as one who understands my thoughts afar off from whom no not the whisperings of the minde nor the imaginations of my heart nor the closest and most secret actings can be concealed Its stands in awe of this all discovering God how can I do this great wickednesse and sinne against God saide Joseph when there were none but he and his mistresse and his God together Gen. 39. 9. I feare his justice that it will breake out upon me if I should dare to sin and I feare his mercy that it will draw off if I presume to offend Psal 4. 4. Stand in awe and sinne not Psal 119. 161. Princes also have persecuted me without a cause Why this might stirre up strange qualities in David O no but my heart standeth in awe of thy word q. d. I dirst not breake out to sin for all that thy word which I feared kept me in 2. Faith breeds and preserves uprightnesse and evennesse I ●aith preserves uprightnesse remember the Apostles caution Heb. 3. 12. Take heed brethren least their be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God unbeliefe it is the root of all hypocrisie and appostacy that men are but halfe in duties it is because they do not indeed believe the extent of obedience to God and that they keep some private lust it is because they do not indeed believe the truth of Gods justice power wrath But saith causeth evennesse forasmuch 1. As it sets up prevailing argu●ents the soul never doubtes in the way but by the strength of false arguments either false pleasures or false profits is forcible with the heart insnares it we step aside alwaies by the cunning of error But faith not only discovers false inducements but also bringes better and stronger motives it knowes and teacheth where the soule will be at a losse and holds it off by the goodnesse and kindnesse and loving favour of God who would venture his comfortable aspect of God and sweet communion with Christ for a morsel of stollen bread or for one draught of unlawful pleasure 2. It constraines the heart to singular love of God and Christ the more faith the more love all true faith is inflaming for it sees and feels much love and therefore kindles much now much love raiseth much evennesse in walking whiles the love is kept up close to God the heart and life ordinarily are kept in an upright motion for all true love is tender and careful and pleasing 3. It purifies the heart Faith is like fire which hath one quality to ascend and another to burne so faith it negotiates for us at heaven and likewise it breeds more intrinsecall renovation of the heart by holinesse faith is the best friend to our graces the surest helpe to our affections the strongest prop to our duties and the sorest enemy to our sinnes No grace doth so much for the heart as faith our assistance for good and our resistance of evil depends most on it we finde experimentally that many sinnes then breake out when we loose the sight of God as long as we can eye God the soule is safe see God in his promises
hand An unprepared condition is wofull 2. How wofull is the unpardoned condition men go on in sin and make a work of it but speak slightly of it but the truth is 1. Sin makes God our enemy therefote it is called enmity in Sin makes God our enemy Ephe. 2. and a provocation because it stirs up the wrath of God against us which wrath if it should seize on thy soul Ah miserable man then thou canst neither suffer it nor decline it Jesus Christ standing in our stead felt some of it and it made him sweat drops of blood and to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me How then shall a poor weak guilty sinner stand under the fierceness of his indignation 2. Sin unpardoned makes conscience our enemy As long as the Lord Conscience our enemy hath a quarrel with us for sin conscience may not speak any peace unto us Now the Lord be mercifull unto us if the Lord should awaken thy conscience and set thy sins in order who knows what would become of thee Knowest thou the power of conscience when it is opened to behold a God angry and sin unpardoned Read the vigor of it in Cain and the terror of it in Judas how it crached their spirits and brought the one to the utmost desperation and the other to the grave and hell in despite of all former advantages 3. And who can tell how soon he may die Go and listen Who can tell how soon he may die sometimes at a dying bed the person quakes and the bed trembles and the heart sighs what is it that the man speaks so to himself Ah Lord saith he I would not die and then tears trickle down his cheeks and his heart is ready to flie in pieces But why wouldst thou not die O no my sins are many I now see them and feel the bitter wrath of God for them Oh! my sins they are not pardonable and who can dwell with everlasting burnings or stand before the holy and just God 3. What unspeakable comfort is it to have our sins forgiven It is unspeakable comfort to have sin pardoned Son said Christ Mat. 9. 4. Be of good comfort thy sins are forgiven thee When the Israelites got through the red sea and looked back and saw their enemies all drowned what reviving was this if the drowning of corporal enemies be such a cause of joy who could but kill our bodies what cause of exultation for the drowning of spiritual enemies of sins in the depths of mercy which else would have destroyed oursouls How shall I express the comfort of it David saith all in one word The man is blessed whose iniquities are forgiven Now blessedness is the center of all joy and comfort Tell me brethren what think you 1. Of freedom from hell that you shall never see the place of the damned Is that a matter of comfort why If sin be pardoned hell is discharged There is no condemnation if Remission 2. Of Gods loving kindness David said it was life nay better then life Oh what is this God is reconciled unto me in Christ he looks on me not as a Judge but as a fathet with ardent affections and compassions why if sin be pardoned God is reconciled enmity slain all differences twixt you and God are taken off 3. Of the blood of Christ Is it worth the having or of interest in Christ it is worth the enjoying why if pardoned then doubtless united to Christ and how many and great are the benefits that result and follow upon union 4 Of Peace of conscience It is a mercy that Conscience can and may speak peace chear us up assure us stand for us against men and devils Why when sin is pardoned conscience may not accuse it hath nothing to do but direct us in good ways and to comfort us with the testimonies of our pardon and Reconciliation with God 5. Of all outward mercies Oh! what a life doth a pardoned sinner live If he looks up to heaven all is peace if he looks down to earth all is comfort he hath lands and sins pardoned too wife children honours friends yea and his sins are pardoned too 6. Lastly What think you of confidence in death When you are leaving the earth then to be assured your next journey is to heaven After grace to find glory would you ever be willing to die be confident in death live in death live after death O then get your sins whatsoevet they are to be pardoned 11. The Means if you ask what may we do to get our sins The means forgiven I shall answer briefly 1. Find out your sins and know them and that is done by the study of the Law which gives us the knowledge of sin 2. Beg of God for a contrite heart so as to be sensible of sin and weary of it and broken for it The weeping woman was forgiven Luke 7. 44 47. 3. And also for a penitential heart Repent saith Peter that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3. 19. See Isa 55. 7. 4. And for a Believing heart in the Lord Jesus In whose blood and for whose sake we obtain Remission of our sins 2 Cor. 5. 20. God was in Christ reconciling the world not imputing our sins 5. And for a forgiving heart see Mat. 6. 14 15. 6. Make it a daily and vehement petition for Repentance and forgiveness as did David Psalm 51. and sue all out in the name of Christ Object But these things are hard and laborious Sol. But they are for mercy O Mercy I perish without thee and therefore I will not live without thee sleep without thee die withou thee I will pray for mercy I will go to Christ for mercy and shall it seem so grievous to me to leave a sin which will damn me to get mercy which will save me II. The Tribunal of Justice erected in these words But the Blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven These words are the saddest expressions of purest Justice that ever were uttered Oh what is the height what the depth of this for a sinner to rise to such a peculiar degree and form of sinning as for ever to distinguish himself from all hope of mercy never never never to he pardoned In this there are two things to be inquired into 1. What this Blasphemy against the holy Ghost is What this sin is 2. The irremissibleness of this Blasphemy Touching the first of these there are several opinions and no marvel for to find the right nature of this sin is a work not of the least difficulty In Scripturis sanctis nulla major questio nulla difficilior invenitur saith Austin 1. The Novations thought every sin after Baptism especially Quid est quod Novato succenseamus tollenti poe●itentiam dicentique nullam eos veniam obtinere qui post lavacrum peccant Athan. Tom. 1. in hoc subject p. 776. denial of Christ in time of perfection
upright person the Lord is his God in Covenant p. 224 Uprightness intitles the person to the blessings of heaven and earth p. 225 Uprightness seasons all our conditions p. 226 Uprightness will be a good friend in death p. 227 I fear I am not upright Answered p. 228. Divers Cases about Uprightness p. 231 In case our abstinence from sin is out of fear of Judgement therefore not upright p. 231 W Weakness Great Weakness in the strongest Christian p. 80 Will. Three things appertain to the Will p. 109 There is a two-fold will ibid. There is a double concourse of the Wills consent to sin p. 111 World Hearts crucified to the world preserve uprightness p. 257 Be not peremptory for worldly ends p. 296 Work All the work of a Christian is not abroad p. 17 FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following are printed or sold by Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Corn-hill next door to Popes-head Alley THE History of the Evangelicall Churches of the Valies of Piedmont containing a most exact Geographicall description of the place and a faithfull account of the Doctrine life and Preservation of the Ancient inhabitants together with a most naked and punctuall relation of the late bloody Massacre 1655. And a Narrative of all the following transactions to 1658. Justified partly by divers Ancient Manuscripts written many hundred yeares before Calvin or Luther by Samuel Monland Esq in fol. Divine Characters in two parts acutely distinguishing the moresecret and undiscerned differences between the hypocrite in his best dresse of seeming vertues and form of duties and the true Christian in his reall graces and sincere obedience by Mr. Samuel Crook in fol. A Commentary upon the three first Chapters of Genesis by that Reverend Divine Mr. John White late of Dorchester in fol. An Exposition upon Ezekiel by Mr. VVilliam Greenhill in 4o. The humble sinner resolved what he should do to be saved or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 4o. The Riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 12o. The fountaine opened and the water of life flowing forth for the refreshing of thirstly sinners wherein is set out Christs earnest and gracious invitation of poor sinners to come unto the waters His complaining expostulation with the ingratitude and folly of those who neglect so great salvation His renewed Solicitation with all earnestness and the most perswasive Arguments to allure thirsty sinners to come to Christ by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick in 4o. The Plain Doctrine of the Justification of a sinner in the sight of God justified by the God of Truth in his holy word and the cloud of witnesses in all ages wherein are handled the causes of the sinners Justification explained and applied in a plain doctrinal and familiar way for the Capacity and understanding of the weak and ignorant by Mr. Charls Chauncy in 4o. The Gospels Glory without prejudice to the Law shining forth in the glory of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost for the salvation of sinners who through Grace do believe by Richard Byfeild in 8o. A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed upon and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers in their meeting at the Savoy in 4o. Habbakkuks prayer applyed to the Churches present occasion and Christs Counsel to the Church of Philadelphia very seasonable and usefull for these times by Mr. Samuel Balmford in 8o. A short Catechism by Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick Hidden Manna by Mr. Fenner in 12o. Safe Conduct or the Saints guidance to glory by Mr. Ralph Robinson in 4o. The Saints longing after their heavenly Country by Mr. Ralph Robinson in 4o. A Sermon at a Fast by Mr Nathaniel Ward in 4o. Moses his death a Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Edward Bright Minister by Mr. Samuel Jacomb in 4o. A short and plain Catechism instructing a Learner of Christian Religion what he is to believe and what he is to practise by Mr. Samuel Jacomb in 8o. The Hipocritical Nation described with an Epistle prefixed by Mr. Samuel Jacomb in 4o. A Sermon of the baptizing of infants by Mr. Stephen Marshall in 4o. The unity of the Saints with Christ the head by Mr. Stephan Marshall There is now in the presse that long expected booke The Bowels of tender mercy Sealed in the everlasting Covenant by Mr. Obadiah Sedwick in fol.