negative justice layes a restraint on us in every of these That we do no wrong to any man in respect either of his Soul his body his possessions or credit 3. First This justice tyes us to do no hurt to his Soul and here my first work must be to examine what harm it is that the soul can receive it is we know an invisible substance which we cannot reach with our eye much less with our swords and weapons yet for all that it is capable of being hurt and wounded and that even to death 4. Now the soul may be considered either in a natural or spiritual sence in the natural it signifies that which we usually call the mind of a man and this we all know may be wounded with grief or sadness as Solomon saith Pro. 15. 13. By sorrow of heart the spirit is broken Therefore whoever does causlesly afflict or grieve his neighbour he transgresses this part of justice hurts wrongâ— his soul. This sort of injury malicious and spiteful men are very often guilty of they will do things by which themselves reap no good nay often much harm onely that they may vex and grâ—eve another This is a most savage inhumane humour thus to take pleasure in the sadness and afflictions of others and whoever harbours it in his heart may truly be said to bâ— possest with a Devil for it is the nature onely of those accursed spirits to delight in the miseries of men and till that be cast out they are fit onely to dwell as the possest person did Mar. 5. 2. Among graves and tombs where there are none capable of receiving affliction by them 5. But the Soul may be considered also in the spiritual sense and so it signifies that immortal part of us which must live eternally either in bliss or woe in another world And the Soul thus understood is capable of two sorts of harm first that of sin secondly that of punishment the latter whereof is certainly the consequent of the former and therefore though God be the inflicter of punishment yet since it is but the effect of sin we may justly reckon that he that drâ—wes a man to sin is likewise the betrayer of him to punishment as he that gives a man a mortal wound is the cause of his death therefore under the evil of sin both are contained so that I need speak onely of that 6. And sure there cannot be a hâ—gher sort of wrong then the bringing this great evil upon the Soul sin is the disease and wound of the Soul as being the direct contrary to grace which is the health and soundness of it Now this wound we give to every Soul whom we do by any means whatsoever draw into sin 7. The ways of doing that are divers I shall mention some of them whereof though some are more direct then others yet all tend to the same end Of the more direct ones there is first the commanding of sin that is when a person that hath power over another shall require him to do something which is unlawful An example of this we have in Nebuchadnezzars commanding the worship of the golden Image Dan. 3 4 and his copy is imitated by any parent or master who shall require of his child or servant to do any unlawful act Secondly there is counselling of sin when men advise and perswade others to any wickedness Thus Jobs wife counselled her husband to curse God Job 2. 7. And Achitophel advised Absolom to go into his Fathers concubines 2 Sam. 16. 21. Thirdly there is enticing and alluring to sin by setting before men the pleasures or profits they shall reap by it Of this sort of enticement Solomon gives warning Prov. 1. 10. My son if sinners entice thee consent thou not if they say come with us let us lay wait for blood let us lâ—rke privily for the innocent without cause c. and verse the 13. you may see what is the bait by which they seek to alure them we shall find all precious substance we shall fill our souls with spoile cast in thy lot among us let us all have one purse Fourthly there is assistance in sin that is when men aid and help others either in contriving or acting a sin Thus Jonadab helpt Amnon in plotting the ravishing of his sister 2 Sam. 13. all these are direct means of bringing this great evil of sin upon our brethren 8. There are also others which though they seem more indirect may yet be as effectual towards that ill end As first example in sin he that sets others an ill pattern does his part to make them imitate it and too often it hath that effect there being generally nothing more forcible to bring men into any sinful practice then the seeing it used by others as might be instanced in many sins to which there is no other temptation but their being in fashion Secondly there is incouragement in sin when either by approving or else at least by not shewing a dislike we give others confidence to go on in their wickedness A third means is by justifying and defending any sinful act of anothers for by that we do not only confirm him in his eviâ— but endanger the drawing others to the like who may be the more inclinable to it when they shall hear it so pleaded for Lastly the bringing up any reproach upon strict and Christian living as those do who have the ways of God in derision this is a means to affright men from the practice of duty when they see it will bring them to be scorned and despised this is worse then all the former not only in respect of the man who is guilty of it as it is an evidence of the great profaneness of his own heart but also in regard of others it having a more general ill effect then any of the former can have it being the betraying men not only to some single acts of disobedience to Christ but even to the casting off all subjection to him By all these means we may draw on our selves this great guilt of injuring and wounding the souls of our brethren 9. It would be too long for me to instance in all the several sins in which it is usual for men to ensnare others as drunkenness uncleanness rebellion and a multitude more But it will concern every man for his own particular to consider sadly what mischiefs of this kind he hath done to any by all or any of these means and to weigh well the greatness of the injury Men are apt to boast of their innocency towards their neighbours that they have done wrong to no man but God knows many that thus brag are of all others the most injurious persons perhaps they have not maimed his body nor stolen his goods but alas the body is but the case and cover of the man and the goods some appurtenances to that 't is the soul is the man and that
at it he goes up and down seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet 5. 8. He watches all opportunities of advantage against us with such diligence that he will be sure never to let any slip him Thirdly an enemy neer us is more to be feared then one at a distance for if he be far off we may have time to arm and prepare our selves against him but if he be neer he may steal on us unawars And of this sort is the flesh it is an enemy at our doors shall I say nay in our bosoms it is always neer us to take occasion of doing us mischiefs Fourthly the baser and falser an enemy is the more dangerous he that hides his malice under the shew of friendship will be able to do a great deal the more hurt And this again is the flesh which like Job to Abner 2 Sam. 3. 27 Pretends to speak peaceably to us but wounds us to death 't is forward to purvey for pleasures and delights for us and so seeâ—â—s very kind but it has a hook under that baite and if we 〈◊〉 at it we are lost Fifthly the number of enemies make them more terrible and the world is a vast army against us There is no state or condition in it nay scarce a creature which dâ—th not at sometime or other fight against the Soul The honours of the world seek to wound us by pride the wealth by covetousness the prosperity of it tempt us to forget God the adversities to murmure at him Our very Table becomes a snare to us our meat draws us to Gluttony our drink to Drunkeness our company nay our neerest friends often bear a part in this war against us whilest either by their example or perswasions they intice us to sin 9. Consider all this and then tell me whether a Soul thus beset hath leisure to sleep even Dalilah could tell Samson it was time to awake when the Philistims were upon him And Christ tells us if the good man of the house had known in what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken up Mat. 24 43. But we live in the midst of thieves and therefore must look for them every hour and yet who is there among us that hath that common providence for this precious part of him his Soul which he hath for his house or indeed the meanest thing that belongs to him I fear our Souls may say to us as Christ to his disciples Mat 26. 40. What could ye not watch with me one hour for I doubt it would pose many of us to tell when we bestowed one hour on them thougâ— we know them to be continually beset with most dangerous enemies And then alas what is like to be the case of these poor Souls when their adversaries bestow so much care and diligence to destroy them and we will afford none to preserve them surely the same as of a besieged town where no watch or guard is kept which is ceâ—tain to fall a prey to the enemy Consider this ye that forget God nay ye that forget your selves lest he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50. 22. 10. But I told you there was a second way whereby a thing may be in danger and that is from some disorder or distemper within it self This is often the case of our bodies they are not only lyable to outward violence but they are within themselves sick and diseased And then we can be sensible enough that they are in danger and need not to be taught to seek out for means to recover them But this is also the case of the Soul we reckon those parts of the body diseased that do not rightly perform their office we account it a sick palate that tastes not aright a sick stomack that digests not And thus it is with the Soul its parts do not rightly perform their offices 11. The parts of the Soul are especially these three The Understanding the Will and the Affections And that these are disordered there needs little proof Let any man look seriously into his own heart and consider how little it is he knows of spiritual things and then tell me whether his understanding be not dark How much apter is he to will evil then good and then â—ell me whether his will be not Crooked And how strong desires he hath after the pleasures of sin and what cold and faint ones towards God and goodness and then tell me whether his affections be not disordered and rebellious even against the vice of his own reason within him Now as in bodily diseases the first step to the cure is to know the cause of the sickness so likewise here it is very necessary for us to know how the Soul first fell into this diseased condition and that I shall now briefly tell you 12. God created the first man Adam without sin and endued his Soul with the full knowledg of his duty and with such a strength that he might if he would perform all that was required of him Having thus created him he maks a covenant or agreement with him to this purpose that if he continued in obedience to God without committing sin then first that strength of Soul which he then had should still be continued to him and first that he should never dye but be taken up into heaven there to be happy for ever But on the other side if he committed sin and disobeyed God then both he and all his children after him should lose that knowledg and that perfect strength which enabled him to do all that God required of him and secondly should be subject to death and not only so but to eternal damnation in Hell 13. This was the agreement made with Adam and all mankind in him which we usually call the first covenant upon which God gave Adam a particular commandment which was no more but this that he should not 〈◊〉 of one only tree of that garden wherein he had placed him But he by the perswasion of the Divel 〈◊〉 of that tree disobeys God and so brings that cuâ—se upon himself and all his posterity And so by that one sin of his â—e lost both the full knowledg of his duty and the power of performing it And we being born after his image did so likewise and so are become both ignorant in discerning what we ought to do and weak and unable to the doing of it having a backwardnesse to all good and an aptnesse and readiness to all evil like a sick stomack which loaths all wholsome food and longs after such trash as may nourish the disease 14. And now you see where we got this sicknesse of soul and likewise that it is like to prove a deadly one and therefore I presume I need say no more to assure you our souls are in danger It is more likely you will from this description think them hoplesse But that you may
and that which if it be continued in must end in destruction 26. Now the work of hope is to prevent this by setting before us the gâ—nerality of the promises that they belong to all that will but perform the condition And therefore though a man have not hitherto performed it and so hath yet no right to them yet hope will tell him that that right may yet be gained if he will now set heartily about it It is therefore strange folly for any man be he never so sinful to give up himself for lost when if he will but change his course he shall be as certain to partake of the promises of merey as if he had never gone on in those former sins 27. This Christ shews us in the parable of the Prodigal Luke 15. where we see that Son which had run away from his father and had consumed the portion gi-given him in riotous living was yet upon his return and repentance used with as much kindness by the Father as he that had never offended nay with higher and more passionate expressions of love The intent of which parable was only to shew us how graciously our heavenly Father will receive us how great soever our former sins have bin if we shall return to him with true sorrow for what is past and sincere obedience for the time to come nay so acceptable a thing is it to God to have any sinner return from the error of his wayes that there is a kinde of triumph in heaven for it there iâ— joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Lu. 15. 10. And now who would not rather chuse by a timely repentance to bring joy to heaven to God and his holy Angels then by a sullen desperation to please Satan and his accursed Spirits especially when by the former we shall gain endless happiness to our selves and by the latter as endless torments 28. A third duty to God is love There are two common Motives of love amongst men the one the goodness and excellency of the person the other his particular kindness and love to us and both these are in the highest degree in God 29. First he is of infinite goodness and excellency in himself This you were before taught to believe of him and no man can doubt it that considers but this one thing that there is nothing good in the world but what hath received all its goodness from God His goodness is as the Sea or Ocean and the goodness of all creatuâ—es but as some small streames flowing from that Sea now you would certainly think him a mad man that should say the Sâ—a were not greater then some little brook and certainly it is no less folly to suppose that the goodness of God doth not as much nay infinitely more exceed that of all creatures Besides the goodness of the creature is imperfect and mixt with much evil but his is sure and entire without any such mixture He is perfectly holy and cannot be tainted with the least impurity neither can he be the Author of any to us for though he be the cause of all the goodness in us he is the cause of none of our sins This S. James expresly tells us Chap. 1. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted â—e is tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man 30 But secondly God is not only thus good in himself but he is also wonderful good that is kind and merciful to us we are made up of two parts a soul and a body and to each of these God has exprest infinite mercy and tenderness Do but consider what was before told you of the second Covenant and the mercies therein offered even Christ himself and all his benefits and also that he offers them so sincerely and heartily that no man can miss of enjoying them but by his own default For he doth most really and affectionately desire we should embrace them and live As appears by that solemn oath of his Eze. 33 11. As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live whereto he adds this passionate expression turn ye turn ye from our evil ways for why will yee die To the same purpose you may read Ezek. 18. Consider this I say and then surely you cannot but say he hath great kindness to our souls Nay let every man but remember with himself the many calls he had to repentance and amendment somtimes outward by the word somtimes inward by the secret whispers of Gods Spirit in his heart which were only to wooe and intreat him to avoid eternal misery and to accept of eternal happiness let him I say remember these together with those many other means God hath used towards him for the same end and he will have reason to confess Gods kindness not only to mens soules in general but to his own in particular 31. Neither hath he bin wanting to our bodies all the good things they injoy as Health Strength Food Rayment and whatever else concerns them are meerly his gifts so that indeed it is impossible we should be ignorant of his mercies to them all those outward comforts and refreshmets we daily injoy being continual effects and witnesses of it and though some enjoy more of these then others yet there is no person but injoyes so much in one kind or other as abundantly shews Gods mercy and kindness to him in respect of his body 32. And now surely you will think it but reasonable we should love him who is in all respects thus lovely Indeâ—d this is a duty so generally acknowledged that if you should ask any man the question whether he loved God or no he would think you did him great wrong to doubt of it yet for all this it is too plain that there are very few that do indeed love him and this will soon be proved to you by examining a little what are the common effects of love which we bear to men like our selves and then trying whether we can shew any such fruits of our love to God 33. Of that sort there are divers but for shortness I will name but two The first is a desire of pleasing the second a desire of enjoying These are constantly the fruits of love For the first 't is known by all that he that loves any person is very desirous to approve himself to him to do whatsoever he thinks will be pleasing to him and according to the degree of love so is this desire more or less where we love earnestly we are very earnest and careful to please Now if we have indeed that love to God we pretend to it will bring forth this fruit we shall be careful to please him in all things Therefore as you judg of the tree by its fruits so may you judg of your love of God by this
till that be done 3. The second part of prayer is petition That is the begging of God whatsoever we want either for our Souls or bodies For our Souls we must first beg pardon of sins and that for the sake of Jesus Christ who shed his blood to obtain it Then we must also beg the grace and assistance of Gods Spirit to enable us to forsake our sins and to walk in obedience to him And herein it will be needful particularly to beg all the several vertues as faith love zeal purity repentance and the like but especially those which thou most wantest And therefore observe what thy wants are and if thou beest proud be most instant in praying for humility if lustful for chastity and so for all other graces according as thou findest thy needs And in all these things that concern thy Soul be very earnest and importunate take no denial from God nor give over though thou do not presently obtain what thou suest for But if thou hast never so long prayed for a grace and yet findest it not do not grow weary of praying but rather search what the cause may be which makes thy prayer so ineffectual see if thou do not thy self hinder them perhaps thou prayest to God to enable thee to conquer some sin and yet never goest about to fight against it never makest any resistance but yeâ—ldest to it as oft as it comes nay puttest thy self in its way in the road of all temptations If it be thus no wonder though thy prayers avail not for thou wilt not let them Therefore amend this and set to the doing of thy part sincerely and then thou needest not fear but God will do his 4. Secondly We are to petition also for our bodies That is we are to ask of God such necessaries of life as are needful to us while we live here But these onely in such a degree and measure as his wisdom sees best for us we must not presume to be our own câ—rvers and pray for all that wealth or greatness which our own vain hearts may perhaps desire but onely â—or such a condition in respect of outward things as he sees may most tend to those great ends of our living here the glorifying him and the saving of our own Souls 5. A third part of prayer is Deprecation that is when we pray to God to turn away some evil from us Now this evil may be either the evil of sin or the evil of punishment The evil of sin is that we are especially to pray against most earnestly begging of God that he will by the power of his grace preserve us from falling into sin And whatever sins they are to which thou knowest thy self most inclined there be particularly earnest with God to preserve thee from them This is to be done daily but then more especially when we are under any present temptation in danger of falling into any sin In which case we have reason to cry out as St. Peter did when he found himself sinking save Lord or I perish humbly beseeching him either to withdraw the temptation or strengthen us to withstand it neither of which we can do for our selves 6. Secondly We are likewise to pray against the evil of punishment but principally against spiritual punishments as the anger of God the withdrawing of his grace and eternal damnation Against these we can never pray with too much earnestness but we may also pray against temporal punishments that is any outward affliction but this with submission to Gods will according to the example of Christ Mat. 26. 39. Not as I will but as thou wilt 7. A fourth part of prayer is intercession that is praying for others This in general we are to do for all mankind as well strangers as acquaintance but more particularly those to whom we have any especial relation either publick as our Governours both in Church and State or private as Parents Husband Wife Children Friends c. We are also to pray for all that are in affliction and such particular persons as we discern especially to be so Yea we are to pray for those that have done injury those that despightfully use us and persecute us for it is expresly the command of Christ Mat. 5. 44. and that whereof he hath likewise given us the highest example in praying even for his very crucifiers Luc. 23. 34. Father forgive them For all these sorts of persons we are to pray and that for the very same good things we beg of God for our selves that God would give them in their several places and callings all spiritual and temporal blessings which he sees wanting to them and turn away from them all evil whether of sin or punishment 8. The fifth part of prayer is thanksgiving That is the praising and blessing God for all his mercies whether to our own persons and those that immediatly relate to us or to the Church and Nation whereof we are members or yet more general to all mankind And this for all his mercies both spiritual and temporal In the spiritual first for those wherein we are all in common concerned as the giving of his Son the sending of his Spirit and all those means he hath used to bring sinful men unto himself Then secondly for those mercies we have in our own particulars received such are the having been born within the pale of the Church and so brought up in Christian Religion by which we have been partakers of those precious advantages of the word and Sacraments and so have had without any care or pains of ours the means of eternal life put into our hands But besides these there is none of us but have received other spiritual means from God 9. As first Gods patience and long-suffering waiting for our repentance and not cutting us off in our sins Secondly his calls and invitations of us to that repentance not only outward in the ministry of the word but also inward by the motions of his Spirit But then if thou be one that hath by the help of Gods grace been wrought upon by these calls and brought from a prophane or worldly to a Christian course of life thou art surely in the highest degree tyed to magnifie and praise his goodness as having received from him the greatest of mercies 10. We are likewise to give thanks for temporal blessings whether such as concern the publick as the prosperity of the Church or Nation and all remarkable deliverances offered to either or else such as concern our particulars such are all the good things of this life which we enjoy as health friends food rayment and the like also for those minuitly preservations whereby we are by Gods gracious providence kept from danger and the especial deliverances which God hath given us in time of greatest perils It will be impossible to set down the several mercies which everyman receives from God because they
for which clothing should be used Those are especially these three First the hiding of nakedness This was the first occasion of apparel as you may read Gen. 3 21. and was the effect of the first sin and therefore when we remember this orâ—ginal clothes we have so little reason to be proud of them that on the contrary we have cause to be humbled and ashamed as having lost that innocency which was a much greater ornament then any the most glorious apparel can be From this end of clothing we are likewise eâ—gaged to have our apparel modest such as may answer this end of covering our shame And therefore all immodest fashions of apparel which may either argue the wantonness of the wearerâ— or provoke that of the beholder are to be avoided 9 A second end of apparel is the fencing the body from cold thereby to preserve the health thereof and this end we must likewise observe in our clothing we must wear such kind of habits as may keep us in that convenient warmth whâ—ch iâ— necessary to our healths And this is transgrest when out of the vanity of being in every phantastick fashion we put our selves in such clothing as either will not defend us from cold or is some other way so uneasy that it is rather a hurt then a benefit to our bodies to be so clod This is a most ridiculous folly and yet that which people that take a pride in their clothes are usually guilty of 10. A third end of apparel is the distinguishing or dâ—fferencing of persons and that first in respect of Sex Secondly in respect of qualities First clothes are to make difference of Sex this hath been observed by all Nations the habits of men and women have alwayes been divers And God himself expresly provided for it among the Iâ—ws by commanding that the man should not wear the apparel of the woman nor the woman of the man But then secondly there â—s also a distinction of qualities to be observed in apparel God hath placed some in a higher condition then others and in proportion to their condition it befits their clothing to be Gorgeous apparel our Saviour tels us is for Kings Coâ—â—ts Luk. 7. 25. Now this end of apparel should also be observed Men and women should content themselves with that sort of clothing which agrees to their Sex and condition not striving to exceed and equal that of a higher rank nor yet making it matter of envy among those of their own estate vying who shall be finest but let every man cloth himself in such sober atire as befits his place and calling and not think himself disparaged if another of his neighbours have better then he 11. And let all remember that cloths are things which add no true worth to any and therefore it is an intolerable vanity to spend any considerable part either of their thoughts time or wealth upon them or to value themselves ever the more for them or despise their poor brethren that want them But if they desire to adorn themselves let it be as St. Peter advises the women of his time 1 Pet. 3. 4. In the hidden man of the heart even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit Let them cloth themselves as richly as is possible with all Christian vertues and that is the raiment that will set them out lovely in Gods eyes yea and in mens tâ—o who unless they be fools and Idiots will more value thee for being good then fine and sure one plain Coat thâ—u puttest upon a poor mans back will better become thee then twenty rich ones thou shalt put upon thine own 12. I have now gone through the several parts of temperance I shall now in conclusion add this general caution that though in all these particulars I have taken notice only of the one fault of excess yet it is possible there may be one on the other hand men may deny theirbodies that which they necessarily require to their support and well being This is I believe a fault not so common as the other yet we sometimes see some very niggardly persons that are guilty of it that cannot find in their hearts to borrow so much from their chests as may feed their bellies or cloth their backs and that are so intent upon the world so moiling and drudging in it that they cannot afford themselves that competent time of sleep or recreation that is necessary If any that hath read the former part of this discourse be of this temper let him not comfort himself that he is not guilty of those excesses there complained of and therefore conclude himself a good Christian because he is not intemperate for whoever is this covetous creature his abstaining shall not be counted to him as the vertue of temperance for it is not the love of temperance but wealth that makes him refrain And that is so far from being praise worthy that it is that great sin which the Apostle tels us 1 Tim. 6. 10. is the root of all evil such a mans body will one day rise in judgement against him for defrauding it of its due portion those moderate refreshments and comforts which God hath allowed it This is an Idolatry beyond that of offering the children to Moloch Lev. 20. 3. they offered but their children but this coveâ—ous wretch sacrifices himself to his god Mâ—mmon whilest he often destroyes his health his life yea finally hâ—s â—oul too to save his purse I have now done wâ—th the second head of duty that to our selves contained by the Apostle under the word soberly PARTITION X. Of Dâ—TIES to our NEIGHBOURS Of JUSTICE Negative Positive Of the sin of MURTHER Of the Hâ—inousness of it the Punishmeâ—ts of it and the strange Discoveries thereof Of Maining wounds and stripâ—s § 1. I come now to the third part of duties those to our Neighbour which is by the Apostle summed up in gross in the word righteousness by which is meant not onely bare justice but all kind of charity also for that is now by the law of Christ become a debt â—o our neighbour it is a piece of unrigteousness to defraud him of it I shall therefore build all the particular duties we owe to our neighbour on those two general ones Justice and Charity 2. I begin with Justice whereof there are two parts the one negative the other positive the negative justice is to do no wrong or injury to any The positive justice is to do right to all that is to yeeld them wâ—â—at soever appertains or is due unto them I shall first speak of the negative justice the not injuriâ—g â—r wronging any Now because a man is capable of receiving wrong in several respects this first part of justice extends its self into several branches answerable to those capacities of injury A man may be injured either in his Soul his body his possessions or credit and therefore this duty of
land cannot be purged of blood but by the blood â—f him that shed it and therefore though in other cases the flying to the Altar secured a man yet in this of wilful murder no such refuge was allowed but such a one was to be taken even thence and delivered up to justice Exod. 21. 14. Thou shalt take him from my Altar that he may dye And it is yet farther observable that the onely two precepts which the Scripture mentions as given to Noah after the floud were both in relation to this sin that of not eating blood Gen. 9. 4. being a ceremony to beget in men a greater horror of this sin of murder and so intended for the preventing of it The other was for the punishment of it Gen. 9. 6. He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed and the reason of this strickness is added in the next words For in the Image of God made be man where you see that this sin is not onely an injury to our brother but even the highest contempt and despight towards God himself for it is the defacing of his Image which he hath stamped upon man Nay yet further it is the usurping of Gods proper right and authority For it is God alone that hath right to dispose of the life of man 't was he alone that gave it and it is he alone that hath power to take it away but he that murders a man does as it were wrest this power out of Gods hand which is the highest pitch of rebellious presumption 15. And as the sin is great so likewise is the punishment we see it frequently very great and remarkable even in this world besides those most fearful effects of it in the next blood not onely cryes but it cryes for vengeance and the great God of recompences as he stiles himself will not fail to hear it very many examples the Scripture gives us of this Ahab and Jezabeel that murdered innocent Naboth for greediness of his vineyard were themselves slain and the dogs licked their blood in the place where they had shed his as you may read in that Story so Absalom that slew his brother Amnon after he had committed that sin fell into another that of rebellion against his King and Father and in it miserably perished Rechab and Baanah that slew Ishbosheth were themselves put to death and that by the very person they thought to endear by it many more instances might be given of this out of the Sacred Story and many also out of Humane there having been no age but hath yielded multitudes of exampleâ— of this kind so that every man may furnish himself out of the observations of his own time 16. And it is worth our notice what strange and even miraculous means it hath often pleased God to use for the discovery of this sin the very bruit creatures have often been made instruments of it nay often the extreme horrour of a mans own conscience has made him betray himself so that it is not any closeness a man uses in the acting of this sin that can secure him from the vengeance of it for he can never shut out his own conscâ—ence that will in spite of him be privy to the fact and that very often proves the means of discovering it to the world or if it should not do that yet it will sure act revenge on him it will be such a hell within him as will be worse then death this we have seen in many who after the commission of this sin have never been able to enjoy a minutes rest but have had that intolerable anguish of mind that they have chosen to be their own murderers rather then live in it These are the usual effects of this sin even in this world but those in another are yet more dreadful where surely the highest degrees of torment belong to this high pitch of wickedness for if as our Saviour tels us Mat. 5. 22. Hell fire be the portion of him that shall but call his brother fool what degreeâ— of those burnings can we think proportionable to this so much greater an injury 17. The consideration of all this ought to possess us with the greatest horrour and abomination of this sin and to make us extremely watchful of our selves that we never fall into it and to that end to prevent all those occasions which may insensibly draw us into this pit I mentioned at first severall things which are wont to be originals of it and at those we must begin if we will surely guard our selves If therefore thou wilt be sure never to kill a man in thy rage be sure never to be in that rage for if thou permittest thy self to that thou canst have no security against the other anger being a madness that suffers us not to consider or know what we do when it has once possest us Therefore when thou findest thy self begin to be inflamed think betimes whether this may lead thee if thou lettest loose to it and immediately put the bridle upon this head-strong passion so again if thou wilt be sure thy malice shall not draw thee to it be sure never to harbour one malicious thought in thy heart for if it once settle there it will gather such strength that within a while thou wilt be perfectly under the power of it so that it may lead thee even to this horrible sin at its pleasure be therefore careful at the very first approach of this treacherous gift to shut the doors against it never to let it enter thy mind so also if thou wilt be sure thy covetousness thy ambition thy lust or any other sinful desire shall not betray thee to it be sure thou never permit any of them to bear any sway with thee for if they get the dominion as they will soon do if they be once entertained in the heart they will be past thy controul and hurry thee to this or any other sin that may serve their ends In like manner if thou wouldst not be guilty of any of the mortal effects of thy neighbours drunkenness be sure not to entice him to it nor accompany him at it and to that purpose do not allow thy self in the same practice for if thou do thou wilt be labouring to get company at it Lastly if thou wilt not be guilty of the murder committed by another take heed thou never give any incouragement to it or contribute any thing to that hatred or contention that may be the cause of it For when thou hast either kindled or blowed the fire what knowest thou whom it may consume bring alwayes as much water as thou canst to quench but never bring one drop of oil to increase the flame The like may be said of all other occasions of this sin not here mentioned and this careful preserving our selves from these is the only sure way to keep us from this sin therefore as ever thou wouldst keep thy self innocent
Neighbours wife Actually defiling her Spoiling the goods of others upon spight and malâ—ce Coveting to gain them to our selves Oppressing by violence and force or colour of Law Not paying what we borrow Not paying what we have voluntarily promised Keeping back the wages of the servant and hireling Unfaithfulness in trusts whether to the living or dead Using Arts of deceit in buying and selling Exacting upon the necessities of our Neighbours Blasting the credit of our Neighbour By False Witness By Railng By whispering Incouraging others in their slanders Being forward to beleeve ill reports of our Neighbour Causeless suspicions Rash judging of him Despising him for his infirmities Inviting others to do so by scoffing and deriding him Bearing any malice in the heart Secret wishing of death or any kind of hurt to our Neighbour Rejoicing when any evil befalls him Neglecting to make what satisfaction we can for any sort of injury done to our Neighbour Lying Churlish and proud behaviour to others Froward and peevish conversation Bitter and reproachful language Cursing Not paying the respect due to the qualities or gifts of others Proudly overlooking them Seeking to lessen others esteem of them Not imploying our abilities whether of mind or estate in administring to those whose wants require it Unthankfulness to our Benefactours Especially those that admonish us Not amending upon their reproof Being angry at them for it Not reverencing our Civil Parent the lawful Magistrate Judging and speaking evil of him Grudging his just tributes Sowing sedition among the people Refusing to obey his lawful commands Rising up against him or taking part with them that do Despising our Spiritual Fathers Not loving them for their works sake Not obeying those Commands of God they deliver to us Seeking to withold from them their just maintenance Forsaking our lawful Pastors to follow factious teachers Stubborn and irreverent behaviour to our natural Parents Despising and publishing their infirmities Not loving them nor endeavouring to bring them joy and comfort Contemning their counsels Murmuring at their Government Coveting their estates though by their death Not ministring to them in their wants of all sorts Neglecting to pray for Gods blessing on these several sorts of Parents Want of natural affection to children Mothers refusing to nurse them without a just impediment Not bringing them timely to Baptism Not early instructing them in the wayes of God Suffering them for want of timely correction to get customes of sin Setting them evil examples Discouraging them by harsh cruel usage Not providing for their subsistence according to our ability Consuming their portions in our own riot Reserving all till our death and letting them want in the mean time Not seeking to entail a blessing on them by our Christian lives Nor heartily praying for them Want of affection to our natural brethren Envyings heart-burnings towards them Not loving our spiritual brethren i. e. our fellow Christians Having no fellow-feeling of their sufferings Causelesly forsaking their commnnion in Holy Duties Not taking deeply to heart the desolations of the Church Marrying within the degrees forbidden Marrying for undue ends as covetousness lust c. Unkind froward and unquiet behaviour towards the husband or wife Unfaithfulness to the bed Not bearing with the infirmities of each other Not endeavouring to advance one anothers good spiritual or temporal The wife resisting the lawful command of her husband Her striving for rule and dominion over him Not praying for each other Unfaithfulness to a friend Betraying his secrets Denying him assistance in his needs Neglecting lovingly to admonish him Flattering him in his faults Forsaking his friendship upon flight or no cause Making leagues in sin in stead of vertuous friendships Servants disobeying the lawful commands of their Masters Purloining their goods Carelesly wasting them Murmuring at their rebukes Idleness Eye service Masters using servants tyrannically and cruelly Being too remiss and suffering them to neglect their duty Having no care of their Souls Not providing them means of instruction in Religion Not admonishing them when they commit sins Not allowing them time and opportunity for prayer and the worship of God Want of bowels and Charity to our Neighbours Not heartily desiring their good spiritual or temporal Not loving and forgiving enemies Taking actual revenges upon them Falsenâ—ss professing kindness and acting none Not labouring to do all good we can to the Soul of our Neighbour Not assisting him to our power in his bodily distresses Not defending his good name when we know or beleeve him slandered Denying him any neighbourly office to preserve or advance his estate Not defending him from oppression when we have power Not relieving him in his poverty Not giving liberally or cheerfully Not loving peace Going to Law upon slight occasions Bearing inward enmity to those we sue Not labouring to make peace among others The use of this Catalogue of sins is this Upon dayes of Humiliation especially before the Sacrament read them consideringly over and at every particular ask thine own heart Am I guilty of this And whatsoever by such examination thou findest thy self faulty in confess particularly and humbly to God with all the heightning circumstances which may any way increase their guilt and make serious resolutions against every such sin for the future After which thou mayest use this fâ—rm fâ—llâ—wing O LORD I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee for my iniquities are increased over my head and my trespass is growen up even unto Heaven I have wrought all these great provocations and that in the most provoking manner they have not been onely single but repeated acts of sin for O Lord of all this black Catalogue which I have now brought forth before thee how few are there which I have not often committed nay which are not become even habitual and customary to me And to this frequency I have added both a greediness and obstinacy in sinning turning into my course as the horse rusheth into the battel doing evil with both hands earnestly yea hating to be reformed and casting thy words behind me quenching thy Spirit within me which testified against me to turn me from my evil wayes and frustrating all those outward means whether of judgment or mercy which thou hast used to draw me to thy self Nay O Lord even my repentances may be numbred amongst my greatest sins they have sometimes been feigned and hypocritical alwayes so slight and ineffectual that they have brought forth no fruit in amendment of life but I have still returned with the dog to his vomit and the sow to the mire again and have added the breach of resolutions and vowes to all my former guilts Thus O Lord. I am become out of measure sinful and since I have thus chosen death I am most worthy to take part in it even in the second death the lake of fire and brimstone This this O Lord is in justice to be the portion of my cup to me belongs nothing but shame and