never an upright judge of himselfe he ever accounteth himselfe better in the scales then he is whereas the humble man either judgeth exactly or wisely suspects himselfe to be defective and wanting of weight Whoso hath gotten such knowledg of the nature of God's Law and doth thus search may hope that he shall in due time discover this sinfulnesse which appeare's in it's fruits not all at once but some time more sometime lesse as provocations and opportunities set it on worke Now thy frequent search will discover it in this part of it The enemy that makes his excursions often must be as often observed watched and if thou would'st know him throughly thou must not sleep securely and let him make inroades upon thee at his pleasure This sinfulnesse is wise and politique it doth not allwaies appeare in the same garbe in the same method it varies it's manner of working and thou must enter the search after it with wifedome and diligence both or it will be too crafty and subtile for thee The more various it is the more diligent thou ought'st to be and deave with this as men doe with cunning cheaters that shift their lodgings change their habits alter their carriage and Proteus like appeare to you in a thousand shapes keep your eyes on them follow them to their very lodgings retiring roomes so do you keep your eye diligent in the watch of your sinfull nature that you may see it in it's retiring roome where it prepares to change it's shape Men that stand without see not what base fellow act 's the part of a King on the stage or how uncleane a villaine act's Joseph's part but he that goe's off ' the stage and see 's them behind the courtaine in their retiring place discover's all this so may we by a diligent observance of this 3. Direction Keep thy heart tender and easily affected with sin as it is contrary to God and his Law 3. Thirdly if thou would'st get and keep more cleare apprehensions and knowledg of the sinfulnesse of thy nature Then be carefull to get and keep a tender heart that soone feele's and is easily grieved for sinne as it beareth a contrariety to the Law of God and the holynesse of his nature what ever thou doest be sure to take heed thy heart doe not grow hard and insensible least it contract a brawny and callous hardnesse under sinne it must be a considerable cut that bring 's blood or paineth a man in that part of his body which is much hardned whereas the least scratch will draw blood and bring griefe with it to one who hath a tender cuticle A hardned heart will not be sensible of sin unlesse it be some great one which wound 's deep and then perhaps it may be somewhat sensible of it but yet not duely affected with it Naturallists tell us that those creatures which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not so perfect and acute in their sight they cannot see so well and clearely It is most undoubtedly true of the soule that soule which through sin hath it's eye either darkned or thus affected with dura lippitudine It 's disease marring the sight through a horny filme growing on the eye can never clearly and fully discover sin Looke abroad into the croud of men who call themselves Christians see how they differ in their account of sin proportionably to their different degrees of tendernesse of heart Reall Saints under a defect of this have and I wonder not at it fallen into a defect of judgment concerning the greatnesse of sin they have accounted that a little sin when their hearts have been somewhat hardned which in a tender frame of spirit they more rightly esteemed a great sinne And observe it as you have lost of your tendernesse so your sin hath lost of it's heinousnesse in your account recovered backsliders among Saints will beare me witnesse to this truth Tell me diddest thou rightly see the great sinfullnesse of an earthly mind of a formall and hypocriticall heart of a carelesse and loose heart of a vaine and foolishly wanton heart Diddest thou not think there was lesse evill in them when thy heart was somewhat hard and had lost of it's wonted tendernesse How hath thy boldnesse to sinne and thoughts that it was but a little sinne which thou art now about to commit gotten ground on thee upon such a decay time was when thou who art a tradesman sawest a great deale of sinne in a lie or equivocation to cheate in a little too much gaine Time was when thou who art a Scholar sawest a great deale of sinne in mispending a day or a few houres of thy time what is now the cause thou doest not so judg Is the sinne changed Or is the Law changed No but thou art changed thou wast then of a tender frame of spirit but now hast lost it and thence it is thou so misjudgest once thou couldest not step a step in those rough and thorny waies but thou did'st bleed and smart for it why doest thou without sense of smart now runne long in them is not this the cause thou hast hardened thy selfe in them and canst not see the evill of them In a word our sight and knowledg of the sinfulnesse of our nature is a knowledg of Spirituall sense and very much resemble's our knowledg which have by our bodily sense in this that due and just tendernesse is a very necessary and convenient disposition of the organ to discerne the object so let our spirituall senses be exercised in judging of sin with this convenient disposition in the faculty and wee shall certainly judge more rightly of it Direct 4. Oppose sin especially begin the oposition against first stirrings of it 4. In order to which farther take this as a fourth direction Give a vigorous opposition to sinne universally and begin your opposition at the very first spring and root of it let no sinne dwell peaceably in your sonles and let not any sin have a season to grow but cut it off ' so soone as it sprouts forth No man ever came to a right knowledg of sinne by indulging it for it still appeareth other then what it is to him who is unwilling to suppresse it As to the power and strength with which it worketh and as to the wisedome policy wherein it contrive's it's works it is more then evident that the best way to discover them is by opposeing our selves to them the encounter of an enemy is a meanes to draw forth his power and craft which had otherwise lay hidden And it will appeare also a very suitable and congruous way to discover both the sinfulnesse and the guilt the uncleanesse and the danger of sinne both in the branches and in the rootes of it by a timely and vigorous opposition of it For whilest we oppose it in the power of the spirit of God and by the word which is holy and directeth us in an opposition there is
apprehends to be naturall But it is so much the more sinfull for this as those are greater diseases which increase by their continuance on us or those deadlyest poisons whose violence awakeneth strengtheneth it selfe by its own working This being a truth and unquestionably certaine that this sin is still on the increasing hand and though the naturall man sees it not as a sin yet he doth see it and its growth as a Naturall affection or Passion and the best of naturall men that ever lived or boasted himselfe of perfection never did or could diminish the strength of this sin or do any more in order to this then a rider doth breake and diminish the strength of the horse which he intends to man for his service I know that this streame did not run nor now doth it run with equall violence and impetuousnesse in every channell but I know withall the calmer stream was ever the deepest and strongest to beare a burthen and hath gradually increased so it is here some naturall mens lusts have been violent and run like an Eager to the overwhelming all that was like to impede them from satisfying their lusts others have made lesse noise but their lusts have runne with more sober strength and borne up the vessel that was laden with a weightier fraught and carried them strongly to seek themselves and their own glory Briefly then the Naturall man best improved takes this for his principle quae indies augesâ—unt sunt â naturâ next observes that these Passions do grow daily if not in violent rage yet in even strength and therefore passes them for the genuine offspring of nature both lovely and commendable farre from that sinfulnesse which the law assureth us is in them And how should such a one ever discover the sinfulnesse of that he so strongly imagines to be of no worse origine then nature 3. Universall extent occasion of the naturall manâ—s ignorance and error 3. Beside there is a third consideration evinceth the impossibility of the Naturall man's discovering the sinfulnesse of this sin viz It 's universall extent over all men perswades him to an opinion that it is secundum naturam if this were in some few not in the most of men or if in the most yet not in all men perhaps improved reason might suspect and discover it 's unwarranted In being and that this were preternaturall and culpable diseases I see are not the same in all men but reason and risibility are I observe also that learning is not equally dispensed to all but it is not questionable what all to a man have is to be accounted naturall of such nature are those motions and their principles which the Scripture cals lusts of the flesh but Philosophy and a Naturall man would call Passions of the mind If there were no other vaile upon the eyes of the naturall man but this it would be too thick for him to see through it the foulnesse of this sin He knowes too beside this universality of subject that there is an universality of time also according to which it is evident that it comes neare to a likenesse with naturall causes and effects which are perpetually the same in all times and ages The Sun ever shined and warmed in the same manner it now doth the nearer accesse to us ever wrought the same change in the season c. Now if in all ages the same passions have appeared in man's nature how can it be saith the naturall man they should be preternaturall or sinfull here he stumbles fall's and is not able to rise and recover himselfe 4. Uniformity of its acting in all occasion of this ignorance and errour 4. To these three a fourth thing being added makes yet the third demonstration more cleare and discovereth farther the impossibilitie of a discovery of this sin by improved nature now this is the uniformity of the actings of this sinfull frame of nature which is such that there is no variation at all in its actings unlesse from some accidentall circumstances as to the maine of its actings they are now as they have been formerly and they will be while men are borne the sonnes of Adam uniforme to themselves in those men who are in other cases equall and alike Indeed the temper strength and health of body in some greater in others lesse may somewhat alter the visible part of this sin or perhaps Birth Education and Company may somewhat heighten the unlawfull projects and designes of the naturall man and be occasion to this sin to attempt greater things Satan may possibly adventure to tempt one to a greater wickednesse then he will another and so in these extrinsecall considerations there many times is a great unlikenesse and difformity in mens sins but in those very men which now were so unlike you shall observe as great a likenesse if you 'l give them the same opportunity the same meanes c. and make them equall in their advantages to execute as they are in their natures to contrive And if we could see the inside of mens plots we should see it may be the same contexture in the Ambition Of him that aimes at a Crowne And Of him that aims at a petty Constable's place onely the designe is greater and the materialls different but the mind of each equally bent upon them and alike contriving how to get them 5. Unweaâ—ied and perpetual delight in this sin and it's actings occasion of this ignorance 5. To these take in that delight wherewith unweariedly the naturall best improved man provideth for his lusts and satisfyeth them and you shall observe how greatly this occasioneth his errour and mistake in this enquiry Thus he argueth were the naturall mans heart so sinfull as the Scripture bespeaks it to be it seemeth not likely that so much delight could be taken in serving it in all its projects and designes for what is praeternatur all as all sinne is must be burthensome and irkesome too and could not be with pleasure and delight constantly followed though sometime a more violent exercise for a quarter of an houre be a delight and pâ—easure to us yet a longer time would make us weary of it because all violence is against nature if the naturall inclinations of the heart were sinfull and preternaturall the man would be weary of the pursuit but unweariednesse argues naturalnesse of the motion to the movent And delight bespeakes suitable faculty and object so that In this manner the best improved Reason deceives it selfe and by a misapplication of a truth which he understandeth not entangles himselfe in an impossibility of finding out what he enquireth after as is evident in the particulars mentioned He that supposeth his owne Notion of nature to be the genuine and adaequate notion of it but leaves out a maine part of it and then measureth and judgeth all to be good which suits with that Notion and that only evill which is contrary to it must needs greatly mistake
and cannot but cut our thtoats if we suffer him under any disguise whatever this old man mistaken will murder sonles therefore c. Try whether you have discovered him be diligent in the tryall of your knowledge concerning your sinfull natures But you will enquire how may we discerne the nature of the knowledge we have of this sin How may we find whether our knowledge be true right and such as the enlightned soule such as St Paul had well then hoping thou who so enquirest art in good earnest I will referre thee to the differences which are assigned already by which thou mayest know what kind of knowledge the unregenerate hath of this sin and what the regenerate man hath and then comparing thy knowledge with those differences thou mayest most certainly judge what thy knowledge is Consider is it a spirituall knowledge canst thou discerne the spirituall iniquity as well as the unreasonable iniquity of thy sinfull nature Canst thou make out the sinfulnesse of thy nature and prove it by Practicall and experienced premises Canst thou discerne how it intermixeth it selfe with all thy duties dost thou really see this canst thou heartily grieve for thy sinfull nature dost thou see reall cause of humbling thy soule for this Canst thou set thy selfe with all thy soule to oppose this sin canst thou spend thy time and lay out thy paines to throw him out of doors which will in spite of thee keep possession untill the house be pulled down Doth thy knowledge of this indwelling lust provoke thee to hate and detest it canst thou truly say thou dost loath it that it is that which thou canst not on any account be reconciled to And tell me what are thy affections to that holy law which forbids this sin doest thou heartily embrace that commandement which prohibits thy soule lest it should fulfill the inordinate desires of this lust or couldest thou wish there were no law to forbid thee consider what certainty thou hast in thy knowledge dost thou waver or art thou fixed in thy judgment and feest what all the proud world will not see or believe dost thou as St. Paul see another law in thy members and is this seeing thy believing Answer these Queries in singlenesse of heart and do not either deceive us or flatter thy selfe and thou mayest come to know what thy knowledge is of this sinfull frame of heart For farther examination I referre you to the perusall of those differencing and distinguishing notes laid down already to which I will adde two or three more now and so 1. Note of Tryill Right knowledge of this advanceth grace First Observe what tendency thy knowledge hath to the advancement of Grace to the exalting free and powerfull Grace or what tendency it hath toward the debasing of Grace by this thou mayest give a good Ghesse at thy knowledge so much as in it is working to the exalting of Grace so much there is of the true and right kind of knowledge the more thou givest of glory to the grace of Christ the more thou demonstratest thy thorough acquaintance with thy sinfull nature Doest thou with Paul see cause to praise God through Jesus Christ for setting thee free from this spirituall bondage doest thou see thy uncleane nature with an eye which prizeth and valueth that Grace which hath in part already and will in full and perfect manner ere long cleanse thee The leper under the Law never knew his leprosie aright untill this knowledge made him seek the remedy for cleansing and thankfull that he was cleansed from it So likewise it is never right Knowledge of our spirituall leprosie untill it tend to an applying our selves to Grace for healing it and end in admiration and praise of Grace that we are healed 2 Note Right knowledge relyes on powerfull grace to oppose lust 2. Next look well whither doth thy knowledge send thee for power and strength to oppose and subdue thy strong lusts If thy Knowledge of thy sinfull nature be such that it doth convince thee of thine inability to conquer thy lusts of thine insufficiency to perfect any good change wrought in thee it is a very good signe thy Knowledge is a right and sufficient Knowledge of this Lust And if this conviction tend to a serious application of thy soule to Christ for a present supply of strength to oppose it thou mayest surely conclude that thou knowest more then any unregenerate man in the world doth of this sin for if he can truly say that he sees a disclosure of so much sinfulnesse in man's nature that he concludes man cannot conquer it's power yet he never seeketh or goeth to Christ for strength by which he may conquer it but all his attempts are made in his own strength Now then deale truly and faithfully with thy own soule and consider whose strength thou usest and in what power thou hopest to subdue thy lusts for by this it may appeare what thy Knowledge is 3. Note True right knowledge directs to the right method of subduing it Thirdly thou mayest know whither thy Knowledge be right by observing what course and method it puts thee ◅on in order to a holy and blamelesse conversation How doth it direct thee in order to mortification and crucifying thy lusts and sins True and right Knowledge of this lust doth incline and guide the soule to set to a worke of reforming the soule first Who knowes the uncleanenesse of the streames aright and would cleanse them set's to the cleansing of the fountaine first and who hath right knowledge of a disease endeavours a cure by taking away the cause of it Well then tell me doest thou know that this sinfull nature is the cause of all thy sinfulnesse in thy life doest thou then see those polluted streames do run from this polluted fountaine Perhaps thou wilt say yes and with truth enough too but man tell me in thy attempts to cut off these streames to reforme and purifie this life where hast thou begun hast thou cleansed the spring He that begins not sanctification in the heart knows not aright the sinfulnesse of his nature 4. Note Right knowledge aggravates particular fins by this 4. Right knowledge of our sinfulnesse will allwaies account it an aggravavation of every sin If thou knowest this sin aright thou wilt see really a great deale of heinousnesse inexcusablenesse and vilenesse in every sin which thou examinest on account of thy extreame sinfull nature Consider then with Davids words in thy mouth I was conceived in sin and ask thy soule can'st thou as he did see how much this aggravates thy particular transgressions how it add's weight to thē this make 's thē voluntary delightful per petuall this makes them strōger enraged when the holy law of God doth restraine and forbid them Try then by these notes who can truly and experimentally answer to these queries may certainly conclude his knowledg of indwelling lust is a knowledge better and farre above the highest
degree of knowledg in men meerly carnall though of highest improved parts And here I might have advised them to give glory to free grace which hath revealed this unto them for flesh and blood could not and so have closed the Sermon but then I seare I should leave some unsatisfyed who would gladly get a right knowledg of this sinfull frame of their nature and would be willing to see more of it For their sakes I adde Use 4. A fourth Vse of Direction If thou wouldest get and keep up a more full and cleare knowledg of this sinfull frame of thy nature then let it be thy care Direction 1. Directi Study thoroughly and and affect thy heart with the nature and extent of Gods Law First To study well the nature of the Law of God endeavour to know much of this perfect Law and then thou wilt know much of thy imperfect heart Study throughly and determine clearely the maine Questions touching the obligatory power of the Law of God by which it bindeth the very mind and soule in its habituall disposition and first motions he that doth not stedfastly believe that the Law of God doth lay an engagement on the inward frame and bent of the heart will never stedfastly believe there is so much wickednesse in the frame of the mind as he seeth there is who hath well and clearely stated this point It is the Law by which we have the knowledg of sin Rom. 3.20 so the Apostle assures us when we know the just extent of the Law of God we do discover the extent of that Lust which is contrary to it and so when we see the Law extends to the frame of the heart and first motions we shall see what sinfulnesse there is in both When we know the holynesse of the Law of God we then shall discover the sinfulnesse and vilenesse of sin of this sin the known purity of God's Law will disclose the unknown impurity of sin and lust Study well the spirituall nature of all the commands of God when the soul seeth as Paul that the Law is spirituall it will also be able to see the spirituall wickednesse which is in lust that is contrary to it And remember in thy studying of these points that thou do not onely store thy head with demonstrative arguments that the Law is thus perfect in the extent and holynesse and spirituality of its precepts but with demonstrative arguments joyne also affecting motives that may worke on thy heart as well as informe thy head Want of these two I perswade my selfe are the great cause at least they are one great cause among others of the sad learned ignorance and mistake of great improved parts For whilest learned men mistake in the extent of the Law of God and determine that it bindeth no more then outward acts or perfected consented to and deliberate Motions and purposes of the mind it is impossible but that they should presently acquit both the frame and first motions of sinfull hearts and pronounce them under no law therefore contrary to none and therefore not sinfull This is the grand fundamentall errour on which the rest are built and which necessarily induceth us into many and great both Practicall and speculative errours This is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the severall learned erring men and parties which I have reckoned up in the confirmation of the Doctrine if therefore thou wouldst avoid a dangerous errour and get a true right knowledg touching thy sinfull nature be diligent to understand the truth of the affirmative state of that Quaestion whether the inward habituall and secret frame of the heart and the first unformed indeliberate and unconsented motions be and ought to be under the Law of God to this adde the second part of this direction viz the affecting moving considerations that worke upon the heart the defect whereof hath been the cause of the uselesse and unprofitable knowledg of this Lust in those unregenerate learned men among us who have been sound in their opinions and determinations of this doctrine and who have mainteined in their disputes the contrariety of the Naturall heart and it 's first motions to the holy Law of God and consequently the great sinfullnesse of them so that they have been in part right in their knowledge Even so far as a speculative judgment was to act they have acted their parts aright but then they have failed in that other which is the practicall part of this knowledge which should worke upon the affections and heart and endline the heart to close with the Law of God in opposition to the stirrings and actings of this sin which should engage the heart to love the Law and to hate that sinfull frame those sinfull projects and tendencies which are contrary to the Law In a word then right knowledg of this sinfull nature consists in such a thorough full and adequate discovery of it and its workings together with a hearty affectionate and well grounded dislike of it and opposition to it the first part of it thou wilt attaine by a thorough studying of the speculative part of the question touching the Law of God its nature and extent The other part thou wilt get by engaging the affectionate part of the soule with those moving considerations which will perswade thee to close practically with the Law as understood in it's full extent 2. Be dilgent in comparing thy heart its frame and inclinations with the Law so known 2. If thou wouldest get and keep a right and due knowledge of the sinfulnesse of thy nature Then be often diligent and humble too in comparing thy heart and its tendencies with the Law of God Let not thy be onely taken up with the outward visible part of thy life she may appeare neat and cleanly abroad who may possible be found a very slut at home within doores follow thy selfe into thine heart and search well the secrets of thy soule neither be thou seldome in this worke doe it often for there is danger in little intermissions of our watch the waters which silently glide from this fountaine will rise to an undiscerned depth in a little time He that seldome searcheth hardly ever comes to a just discovery of his heart It is an often repeated search that is likelyest to discover a notorious cheate and when thou tryest be not negligent and carelesse in it do it diligently make it thy businesse and then thou wilt find what now lies hidden out of sight a dangerous Fistulating tumour must be searched with much diligence or the chirurgion will never know either it's depth or danger This spirituall corruption of our natures hath many and very deep pipes and all our skill is little enough to find out its secret conveyance and therefore in thy search be not slothfull and sleight And remember to take humility along with thee in the tryall for pride will never be content to let the heart appeare as it is a proud man is