and fret and reprove and threaten yea and speak bitterly yet a man will go on I say this man hastens to some great sin to presumptuous sinnings I will give you a reason for it because the Lord will forsake this man he will leave him to himself he will give him up to his own heart since he will not hearken to the counsel of the word nor to the advises of his conscience God will strive with him no more but he shall be left to himself this is the usual course of Gods righteous and judicial proceeding Now what can the heart do being left to it selfe as it hath no strength against a great temptation so it hath sufficient strength and desire to for the greatest methods of transgressings if restriction be a merciful bond to corruption then wrathful desertion a desertion of the creature i. a denial of preventing assistance against temptation or inclination or acting why it is as the unmuzling of the Mastive or untying of the Lion Not that God sets on the heart to sinne but that the heart will in a moment be mighty in sinning which is judicially deserted or left by God for former sinnings Therefore I beseech you take heed of scorning divine admonitions and reproofs Consider that place well in Psal 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me ver 12. so I gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels if thy heart can rise above the word it will rise above thy conscience and if thy heart rise above thy conscience thy next sinnings will rise above thy former he will not be modest to sinne who growes impudent against the word and violent against his conscience Fourthly secure not the heart because of Gods present silence Be not secure because of Gods present silence Beloved I observe that God is silent oft-times when men are in either way in the good and in the bad a man Note may repeat his seekings of God and yet God may be silent O my God saith David Psal 22. 2. I cry in the day time but thou heardest not and in the night season and a man may repeat his sinnings against God and yet God may be silent Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence But then this silence is not an infallible testimony either way though he be silent to the many prayers of his servants yet the vision will speak at length for as thou hast a time to seek so God will finde a time to answer And though he be silent many times at the sinnings of men yet this is but forbearance it is not an acquittance if thou takes the times to sinne God will take his turn to punish Psal 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Obj. But you will say what is this to the preventing of presumptuous sinnings Sol. Very much for presumptuous sinnings depend much upon security a man secures his facts and wayes from this that God is silent and does not presently draw the sword send for the arrest and therefore presumes to a second or greater sinning from God connivence and patience toward former Solomon insinuates it clearly Eccles 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evil q. d. There is now no ho they make no bones of it they will venture yet again But brethren take heed if you sin and yet you prosper in the world if you sin and yet conscience be quiet if you sinne and yet God presents not a present testimony of his displeasure yet do not presume for if you do evil sinne lies at the doore first or last when you open it your sins shall flie in your face though the punishment of the sinner be not present yet it is certaine it shall not be well with the wiced though he prolong his dayes Eccless 8. 13. yea the sinner of an hundred years old shall be accursed And this is observable that Gods silence towards a forward transgressor is made up at length not only with certainty but with number and measure perhaps he will take such a time to account with thee for thy sinnings that he will break thee suddenly all to pieces he will break thy estate and thy conscience and thy body and thy soul and all and all irrecoverably for ever When a man emboldens his heart to sin because of divine Note patience God doth usually do two things viz. Study and improve Mercy aright 1. He riseth suddenly to the ven eance 2. He curseth the sinner without all remedy and so fully vindicates his silence and glorifies his Justice Fifthly If you would be kept from presumptuous sinnings then both study and improve mercy aright Mercy it is the sweet savour of a sinfull soul that gentle voice which speaks hope to a trembling spirit that tender hand which supports and relieves a fainting soul And yet even from this sweet flower doth pâ—esumption suck the vilest poyson corrupting and inflaming the heart to the greater boldness of sinfâ—ll adventures from the greater goodness of exceeding Mercifulness in God But then mark it that upright apprehension of divine Mercy would serve to keep off the soul from presumptuous sinnings If a man did consider two things 1. That Mercy the very intent of it the pulse of it it is to draw a man off from sin it is true Mercy is an harbor but not for the Traitor to thrust in his ship it is a City of refuge but not for the audacions man-slayer O! No Mercy it is the tenderest goodness but withal it is a special goodness and is set up not as a light by the sea that a man may know thereby how to sail more freely that a man should therefore sin more violently but as a proclamation from a Prince to draw in the rebel to sheath his sword and to fall down on his knees There is Mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared said David And knowest thou not O man saith the Apostle that the goodness of God should lead thee to Repentance Rom. 2. 4. Hath God mercy to pardon me with what heart can I then presume to provoke him Hath he Mercy to pardon me How canst thou then O my soul hold on thy sins not return when Mercy sends a Message after thee it is the last and most prevailing motive for a sinner to repent even this that God will be mercifull to him 2. Mercy mis-proved to the sin is both justly denied to the sinner and also intends his sin The only way to forsake our Mercies is that we will not forsake our sins God will never shew thee Mercy if tbou wilt not return from sinning against him
single or transient act or motion I thinke that even an Hypocrite whose heart is rotten corrupt false abominable may yet as step out into actions materially good so feel motions within him both against what is evill and unto what is good he may either through the force and power of evidence and conviction in his judgement or through the unresistable actions of his inlighted and stirred conscience or through the great desire of a glorious blessednesse have many fits and inward humours of being good and doing good But all this is passion and not temper the Philosopher In his Rhetoricks accurately distinguish twixt the readinesse which springes out of a naturall complexion and that which ariseth out of a violent Anger and passion which soone fades off being not rooted in nature but in distemper so is it whith the Hypocrite But uprightnesse is a temper and frame like an instrument well tuned or if that hit not full like a complexion which is a uniform if not principle yet instrument of actions It is like that leaven of which Christ spake which invades the whole lump it sweetly seasons and disposes the whole man for God as the bent of the stone is to the center and of the fire to ascend Another that uprightness is rather a generall Influence in It is rather a general influence in the graces then any distinct grace the graces then any distinct grace I will not make this point a controversy only so far as I yet apprehend uprightnesse is rather the temper of a grace then the grace it selfe It is not feare but feare rightly tempered and ordered it is not love but love rightly set it is not desire but this orderly carried 3. It is a sound and incorrupt and heavenly frame of The qualities of it heart 1. A thing may be termed sound or solid either when it is Sound reall not light slight superficiall or when it can abide triall as true gold is Really so and not in colour only and if you reduce it to the touchstone you shall finde it so if you cast it into the fire c. Thus it is with the heart that is upright and it hath not a forme of Godlinesse but the power and not a name that it lives but the life it selfe it is indeed holy humble meeke believing loving of God and his servants desirous to walke with God Psal 116. 160. Lord truly I am thy servant c. q. d. I am so indeed this is not a complement a garb a pretence but a reallity soe is it with the man indeed an Israelite indeed said Christ of Nathaniell Joh. 1. 47. Yea so reall that if you bring the heart either to the examination of the word which being truth can finde out all truth or to God himself who can search the heart and reines or to conscience that heareth witnesse 2 Cor. 1. 12. or to afflictions yet even there can upriâ—htnesse find approbation and testimony that the person doth love and serve and feare him Job 1. 8. the Lord said unto Satan hast thou not considered my servant job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil 2. Againe it is an Inccorrupt frame though the extreme parts may sometimes be faulty yet if the vitalls be sound if the Incorrupt heart if the lungs if the liver be so we say that man is a sound man In morals it holds soe that if the heart be void of all obliquity the person is upright Many infirmities in action may consist with uprightnesse but not in affection the very bent of the heart is set against sin without distinction of great or lesse advantagious or incommodious honourable or dishonorable if it be not so then the heart is corrupt it mingles it is not sincere and upright but of this more anon 4. Given by God so the Prophet Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way Every man naturally is an Hypocrite Given by God would seem to be that which he is not and so likewise misdirects all his actions to a wrong end God hath set a certaine beauty in goodnesse and left a notion of vilenesse upon sin so that most men though they hate goodness yet would be thought good they think it a moâ—e Creditable title and though they love and act sinne yet would not be thought or reputed evill Besides this if we did but seriously observe and confesse how it is in our own spirits we should finde in all our pious pretences take us in our naturalls we are all of us most formall and Artificiall hypocrites Draw neare to God with our lips but our hearts are far from him and come to Church when we minde neither prayer nor Sermon and listen oftimes and God knows not to obey but to censure or but to get matter to talk of and the like and when we have got ability to speake of any good the Lord be mercifull unto us we do it not minding Gods glory but our owne vaine applause and estimation Soe then the hypocricall heart is from our selves but the upright heart is from God Every good and perfect gift is from above James 1. 18. The perfect heart is from the perfect God the true heart from the God of truth It is he who teacheth truth and makes upright and writes his law in the inward parts 5. The fifth thing which I would observe in uprightnesse is its office of administration it is such a thing as deales 1. about graces It s office and administration 2. about sins 3. duties 1. For our graces uprightnesse lookes to them that they be rightly acted Beloved uprightnesse doth not give grace It deals about graces but orders and directs the acts and operations thereof Two things I grant that all the habits of grace are in themselves intrinsecally considered really true and though imperfection may be in them yet no morall falsity or counterfeitness and that the actions of those holy habits considered intirely as streaming from them only as so are likewise truly holy and good But then these acts or actions of gracious habits as working in a subject which hath some falsnesse and bynesse yet remaining may by reason of that corruption be misdirected misguided 3. For hypocrisie doth not only consist in the putting of a good shape upon an evill action as a faire colour upon a rotten thred but also in the ill intention or application even of an act in it selfe truly good Charity without all doubt is a gracious quallity yet if uprightnesse attends not some of it acts they may be referred to a private and vaine glorious end the like may be said of some other graces as of the love of God and the feare of God c. 2 For sins here also uprightnesse comes into act it selfe holinesse which is nothing else but the newnesse of Nature that makes opposition to sin But
own Our tongues are our own said they who is Lord over us Psal 12. yea they are said to set their Note mouths against heaven q. d. what tell you us of the Lord of his displeasure or pleasure As for the word which thou hast spoken in the name of the Lord we will not do it said they in Jeremiah 44. A man doth even try it out with God and provokes him to his face and maintaines the devises of his heart against the purity and equity of Gods will 2. In presumptuous sinnings a man knows the thing and way to In them a man knows the thing to be unlawfull be unlawful and therefore the presumptuous sinner is opposed to the ignorant sinner Numb 15. not that every sinning against knowledge absolutely whatsoever is a presumptuous sinning is against knowledge and without grosse ignorance the presumptuous sinner holds a candle in one hand and draws out the sword with the other my meaning is this that he breaks through the light of knowledge discerning the way to be sinful yea and flaming upon his breast working in and checking his conscience notwithstanding all which yet he will presume to offend and proceed in transgressings 'T is true even a good man in many particulars Object may and doth sin not only against habitual but against actual knowledge but this is through infirmity not through Sol. contumacy he approves that light against the sinne and doth not maintaine the sinne against his light yea he yeelds not only by approbation of judgement but also by resolution and desire of will to imitate the light yet through the weaknesse of his power and from the force of an hasty temptation he may fall down even at noon-day but the presumptuous sinner sees light as an enemy and therefore willingly breaks through it to the way of his sinne yea he makes his heart to uphold the sin against the force of his knowledge and drives back the arguments with a resolution that however he will have his sin 3. The presumptuous sinner in that kinde of sinning adventures He adventures against express threatnings against express threaâ—nings thus it stands with a man his heart and Satan incline and egge him to sinne but God and Conscience stand in the way against him as he said of Note the sword to Joab Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the end so God saith to him thou shalt not have peace in this way it is the thing which I hate and abhorre and I have revealed wrath from heaven against it but in presumption the sinning soul steps over the threatning to the committing of the sin that sword of God which may keep back another man yet though God sets the point of it to the breast of a presumptuous sinner it will not stave him off from adventuring therefore the presumptuous sinner is said to blesse himself in his heart though God threatens a curse Deut. 29. this is a truth that a presumptuous sinner is not changed by mercies nor affrighted by threats but as the Leviathan in Job laughs at the shaking of the speare so the heart of a presumptuous sinners puffs at all divine warnings and menaces come said they let it come that we may see him As there is not a love to the goodness of God so there is not a fear of the greatness of God in presumption 4. Presumptuous sins do arise from a false confidence there are two They arise from a false confidence Of the facility of mercy things upon which the presuming sinner doth imbolden himself 1. One is the facility of mercy when a man sets mercy against sinne he doth well because Gods mercies should draw our hearts off from sinne but when a man sets mercy against Justice now he offends yet thus doth the presumtuous sinner perhaps there is not in every presumptuous sinner such a spirit of Atheistical madnesse that he is absolutely carelesse of all that God threatens nor is he so miserably prodigal of his soul that he rejoyceth to have it damned no he may and sometimes doth apprehend threatnings yea so that his heart is caused to demurre it may be a stopping apprehension i. such as may make him study how to pursue his sinne and yet to wave and decline the edge of the sharp threatning and this he doth by opposing mercy to justice 't is true this is a sinne and divine justice will not take it well but I will adventure on it hoping that divine mercy will pacifie the rigor of the threatning I will sin and offend Justice but then I will decline that Court by flying to the Mercy-seat God is of a gentle heart easie to be entreated and will be presently satisfied and appeased Just like a man who will break his bones because he trusts to have them quickly set by a skilful Chirurgion or like a lewd child who adventures to outrages upon the scope and allowance of his fathers good nature This ground of presumption God fully intimates in Deut. 29. 19. when he heareth the words of the curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkenness to thirst c. Beloved this is certain that presumption disposeth of mercy beyond all allowance and writes a pardon which God will never allow nor seal it will dare to runne in debt upon a conceit of a discharge and clearing however as if Divine mercy were nothing else but a present untwining of all the knots which we make and a crossing of debts as soon as entred and served for no other end but that men should be bold to sinne and cheerful after the commission of it But verily mercy is more precious then so 2. Another is the self possibility and strength of future repentance Of the self possibility of future repentance he is one of the worst patients in a way of sinning who is confident that he can be his own Physician no soul wounds it self more then that which vainly thinks that it can presently cure them presumption is not alwayes carried upon an absolute hope of mercy but the sinner being more piercingly understanding knows that mercy is a special Charter and such a balme as is spread only upon a returning and humbling soule here it is that this presumptuous person will adventure to sinne upon a confidence that he will notwithstanding all this fashion and polish his soul to a meet capacity of mercy by hereafter repentings and humblings he doth foolishly delude his soul with a fancy of such things which exceed his power There are two things which the sinner cannot assure himself of One is the lengthning of his life for this candle is lighted and put out not according to our desires but according to divine pleasure all life hath its limits from the Lord of life and death he who sinnes to day cannot be assured that he shall live till to morrow Now
Corruption is in us all and it is with it as with a Child in the womb which would be breaking out into the world or as with fire kindled within which would be flaming abroad such an aptness is there in our sinfull inclinations to secret and then to open actings Now the Cohibition the inclosing the locking of them in is properly Restraint 4. All Restraint of sin is from God That God whom David here desires to hold or keep him back did also All restraint of sin is from God with-hold Abimelech keep in Laban keep up Esau keep off Saul and it is granted that there are several means and ways of restraint natural moral spiritual as you shall hear anon but it is God in them which causeth restraint he imprints Note such a vigour into those Arguments into those Apprehensions that they shall bind and chain and hold in the nature which else would not judge so seriously nor submit so easily to impedition or hinderance as the horse rusheth into the battle if left to his own swing and violence so the heart of man if left to it self it would put no periods to wickedness but would grow from evil to worse and fill up all the measures of iniquity There should not be one righteous Abel but every Cain would kill him not a Jacob but Esau would pursue him not a David but Saul would hunt him not an Apostle but Herod would be-head him All Christian Religion would lie in blood yea and the very order of nature would sink into confusion by the efficacy of that sinfull corruption which is equally divided amongst all if God did not look down from heaven and restrain the rage of sin in all 5. All evil men are not equally restrained by God which All evil men are not equally restrained appears both in the matter and in the measures of sinning some evill men do not break out into all horrible kinds of sin some though they be at the same school of particular sinning are not yet in the same form and height or degree of sin though they be at the same trade yet their skill and thriving in the same sin is different Every Drunkard is not the mighty man to drink and every swearer lets not his tongue loose to the highest blast of Blasphemy There is no man so high in sin but if God should cease to restrain him he would yet plunge himself into a deeper guilt 6. The restraining of any sinner is an Act of a mercifull Providence unto him Gods Justice begins already to smoak against Restraining of the sinner is an act of merciful Providence a man when he totally leaves the rains unto him when he gives him up to himself to his own vile affections reprobate mind to his own Counsels and wayes and will no more strive with him but cast him off to himself But it is a great Mercy when he restrains though renewing grace be the saving Mercy yet restraining grace is a great Mercy when God will not let a mans sinfull corruption take its full walk for restraint diminisheth guilt whereas if this bridle were off a man would increase his sinfull accounts by infinite iterations and multiplications of sinning Now he is kept from inlarging his debts yea and it diminisheth sin whereas a man let loose would diffuse sin cast his fire-brands about draw others to a consociation of evil and so set up the trade now by restraint sinning is more contracted and narrowed yea and it diminisheth wrath and judgement for according to the number and measures of sinning there shall be an equal proportion of vengeance and punishment the greater sinner shall have and feel the sharper flames of hell but now restraint keeps in the sin and at least makes it less sinfull for as sin sticking in the inclination is not so deep as that which flies out of that into actings and consummations and so consequently is a means to lessen the heat of future torment 7. God doth restrain the good and the bad from sin The evil man God doth restrain both the good and the bad from sin is so wholly carried by a sinfull nature that if God did not keep him back he would bring all to confusion The good man is so weakly good that if God did not prevent and interpose and with-hold he could not with-stand so much evil as now he doth How great a Mercy did David acknowledge a Restraint from sin to be you may see in his own words 1 Sam. 25. 32. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath sent thee this day to meet me Verse 33. And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding innocent blood The Father hath two Children one young and the other old if he doth not keep in the elder he will be like the Prodigal sell all and be riotous if he doth not hold in the other he will fall and be like Mephibosheth lame on both feet Evil men have strong corruptions which God is pleased many times many wayes to keep within door he will not suffer all their intentions desires projects to see the light Good men have weak graces their own legs are not able to bear them up and strong temptations and occasions may soon lay flat a weak defendant and therefore God is pleased yet to bridle in that remaining corruption to keep off the soul or something off from the soul lest it should sin we see it in experience that grace alone is not able to keep off sin Grace can keep us whiles God keeps the grace but if God leaves us to the assayes of our own best strength we are unequal Combatants in the field 8. God doth diversly keep back or restrain men from particular God doth diversly restrain men from sin By enlivening of Conscience sins and sinnings sometimes 1. By inlivâ—ning the conâ—cience which being stâ—ictly awakened riseth to such an height of impatience and choler and rage that the sinner is willing to let go the sinning rather then to answer the scourging inditements and threats of conscience for it As the luxurious patient though he likes the sparkling wine yet he dares not drink it lest his spirit should be thereby inflamed and burn him up even an evil man though he be not afâ—aid of sin yet he may be afraid of conscience and may therefore be kept back from his sinning as the Colliar from handling his coals not because they are coals By self-reflecting apprehensions but because they are burning hot 2. By self-reflecting apprehensions the love that a man hath to himself may be a means to keep him off from some sinfull actings for some sinning have such infamy and charge and envy and loss and danger indorsed on them that the very present arrearages of sin do prevail and keep off the man from adventuring he will not strike the bargain for payment so sharp and sure and present 3. By lâ—gal
you know that Hazael when the Prophet wept and told him of that Savage and barbarous Cruelty which should break from him in ripping up the woman and but chering of the Children Is thy servant a dog said he q. d. I abhor the thoughts of such unnatural villany and yet being left to himself he soon acted that which now he seemed to abominate even those sins which made a cry to heaven as Cains murder and Sodoms uncleanness and the mighty sins which the Prophet touched at yea and the highest and stoutest rebellions they have all of them in all men a natural foundation and seed and principle Secondly Not to boast our selves of our standing Learn Boast not our selves of our standing Pauls counsel thâ—oughly Let him that stands take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. Even thou which hast heretofore bitterly judged another for his sinnings art now in the same transgression and thy conscience is all over running with blood either thus thou art or thus thou mayst be There be four things which the great falls of others should Note work in us viz. 1. Great compassion It is an ill heart which can rejoyce at other men sins and it is never right with us untill we can hate our own sins and shed tears for others 2. Humbling fear Considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Thy Glass is made of the same brittle mettal and that it falls not and breaks it is because of the hand yet holds it not because it keeps it self If God should permit Satan to winnow thee thou wouldst perhaps more readily deny Christ and his truths then ever Peter did many a man hath sound limbs because he was never in the field at battle 3. Earnest prayer for continued assistance forasmuch as though our Combats and dangers are here below yet our guards and safe-comes are there above and only there 4. Tender jealousie When others fall into sin it is good for us to fall upon our knees and watch since our forbearance depends not on the betterness of our nature or greatness of our strength but on the efficacy of Gods preventing and assisting grace Thirdly You may here learn what weakness there is in the What weakness is there in the strongest Christian strongest Christian all his own strength is not sufficient for him against temptation or sin if any thing could keep off sin it is grace but grace needs help as well as sin needs a bridle Hold thou me up said David so shall I be safe psalm 119. Look as it must be a divine Power which implants Grace so it must be an Almighty hand which must mantain it we can neither form our own hearts nor conquer our own lusts What would become of the Child if the Nurse did not hold him And whether would the ship be driven by a Tempest had it not a Pilot to steer and order it None can say what shipwracks would befall even a good soul were it not continually preserved and lookt unto by a good God Our strength and safety is more in the name of God and Christ then in our own defence hence it is that our Saviour commended that petition even to the best Lead us not into temptation not that God tempts any man to evil but that Satan would easily lead us into sin Did not God lead us out his suggestions are crafty his temptations strong our hearts deceitfull our graces weak our hands feeble our resolutions insufficient so that we may all cry out in this case as Peter in another Help Master or else we perish 'T is true we must resist and we must handle all our weapons Object and we must seek and we must resolve and we must study and we must hear and we must read and we must decline but in all these yea with all these yea above all these Sol. we must take in the Lord and depend upon his help Lord Keep back thy servant or else none of these without him will keep off the sin That soul is most kept from sin which keeps most to God None can keep up a soul keep off a sin keep back a temptation so as God can do SECT V. 2. Of Examination Use Examination NOW let us come yet more close to our own hearts Davids care is here against presumptuous sins But how stands it with our souls Are we in the shallows only or have we adventured into the deeps it is true that there are some presumptuous sinnings which are past all shore they are out of the reach of all recovery therefore I meddle not with Degrees of presumptuous sinning very fearful yet recoverable Presumptuous sins arising more from the manner then the matter In times of light there is either formal or virtual presumption Habitual presumption and particular presumption them but then there are other Degrees which are though very fearfull yet recoverable Consider 1. Presumptuous sinnings arise more from the manner then the matter it is not alwayes so much what is done as how the soul behaves it self in the sinning which make it presumptuous A little sin commited with an high spirit may therefore prove an high sin 2. Again In times of much light either there is much formal and explicite presumption or else vertual and interpretative presumption for where so much is afforded to lighten and keep back it must be reputed as presumptuous yet to adventure on 3. There is Habitual presumption when a man will hold on in a course and way of sinning and there is particular presumption in respect of this or that fact now one of these most men do touch upon I know you like not to be handled roughly in this thing such is our hearts we had rather have our sins concealed then uncased and still conceive that we are not so bad as the worst Discoveries of presumptuous sinnings therefore let me propound things unto you more generally 1. What call you that kind of sinning When we our selves When men venture upon the same sins they condemn in others will venture upon the same sins which we condemn in others Rom. 2. 1. Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things 2. What kind of sinning call you that When the heart will When the heart will mantain its way against revelation of wrath maintain its way against the Revelations of wrath i though God proclaims vengeance and death against such a sinning way yet the man will adventure on in the commission I say will adventure for through weakness a man may be troden down but it is a stoutness when he will break through the Army when a person will through the pikes he will not give up his worldly and fleshly lusts though the heavens be darkened round about his soul with threatnings is not this presumptuous sinning 3. What kind of sinning call you
Thus the presumptuous sinner Note makes way to the despairing sinner for what is it which causeth despaire when the soul sees justice to be exceeding great and a cloud over the mercy-seat now it sinks a pace and what darkens the mercy-seat more then the greatnesse of sinning and why doth divine justice seem so terrible but because the person hath been so audaciously sinful Now he saith with Cain my iniquity is greater then can be forgiven Gen. 4. No no there is not balm for such wounds there is not mercy for such great transgressions as I stand guilty of SECT VII 4. Of Direction THe last Use of the point shall be for direction guiding us Direction Nine Rules How to be kept from presumptuous sins Beware of a course of little sins to the observation of some particular Rules that so we may be kept from presumptuous sinnings 1. Beware of a course of little sins The stirrop though it be low and small yet it doth serve a man to mount the great flames of fire took their beginning from a cole or a spark And men usually have been first wading in lesser sins who are now swimming in great transgressions sinnings supposed as little or inconsiderable have not only this happinesse that they are not so much regarded but this unhappiness that they are more often committed And then this is certain That the frequent commission of small sins is great in it self and doth also dispose and prepare to greater commissions many drops make a currant he who makes no conscience of acting many little sins will shortly take the boldness to assay and act some great sin For 1. The more any sin is committed the more is the Note judgement blinded and corrupted 2. The more are the affections inclined and seduced 3. The more is conscience benumbed and seared 4. The lesser force have divine arguments with the soul being surfeited with the pleasures of former sinnes and then it must well follow that the heart being thus qualified may easily be wrought upon to a foul commission this I finde that the way to be kept from an high sin is to fear the least sin For little sinnings are not like a little inch of candle which goes off in an absolute period but they are like a traine of powder which takes fire from corn to corne till at length the barrel is burst asunder or like a little sicknesse which is an humour disposing to a stronger distemper or like a little circle in a pond which begets greater and greater I observe three things 1. That Satan hath a strange hand over that soul which can Satan hath a strong hand over the soul which can bear with any sin bear with any sin he may by lesser things maintain his command as it was said that the little childe did command the land for the childe prevailed with the Queen and the Queen with the King and he over the land Satan can prevail for a little sin and a little sin can prevail with the heart and the heart with the whole man 2. That little sinnes are breeding sinnes Now sinne will keep its bounds but naturally would greaten it self though Little sins are breeding sins it seeme modest at first yet will it by degrees become familiar and impudent 3. They are entisings sinnes they are the advocates in the They are inticing sins bosome for greater they do not onely labour for their own lodging but will deale strongly with the heart to embrace greater as occasion and temptations present themselves Therefore this do give the water leave no not a little little streames makes way to the ocean And thou studiest the present way to become a great transgressor to rise to presumptuous sinnings who wilt allow thy selfe to be an habitually immoderate sinner Secondly take heed of the iterations of any sinne viz. do not go a sinne over and over of all transgressions Take heed of the Iterations of any sin which dispose the soule towards presumption the repeated have a special influence and I will give you a reason for it Because presumptuous sinnings depend much upon the boldness of the heart when the heart becomes bold and fearlesse Note it will then venture thorough thick and thin it will presume far they were men who sinned with both hands and as high as Sodom who came to this passe that they knew no shame Now sinnes of iteration or repeated sinnes they frame a boldnesse in the heart as repeated blows do the anvile and the more hardened the heart is the more bold it growes partly because they delude the heart they work false principles in the minde forasmuch as we have gone on in these courses again and againe and no evil befals us therefore to morrow shall be as to day let us eat and drink and sinne It was a sweet advise that of Elihu Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more for all sinne grows strong by practise and the often going over it is like the motion of the feet from one round of the ladder to the other still rising or like the manifold turnings of the wheel which mounts the weight still to an higher pitch what Job therefore spake in another case Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Job 40. 5. that I say unto thee once thou hast sinned thus and thus yea twise and yet conscience is tender there is yet fear and sorrow but proceed no further least that become mighty to sinne This is certaine that the stronger sin grows the more easily will a sinner presume Now repeated sinnings do wedge in the sin with strength as the more often the Schollar writes after the copy the fairer he writes and the more he is enabled to write so often sinnings makes the soul more strong in that kind and then more fit for a worser Thirdly do not stifle or reject the frequent checks of conscience Do not stifle the frequent checks of conscience God hath appointed several things to give the sinner a touch like cords to twine him in to keep him from sinnings viz. the voice of the word and the voice of judgement and the voice of men and the voice of his own conscience Now mark it there are two of these voices more especially which if a man will neglect and slight a thousand to one but he will fall to be a presumptuous sinner viz. 1. The voice of the Word Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved hardened his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy 2. The voice of conscience when the conscience shall concurre with the word in its informing acts and in its directing acts and in its warning acts and in its restrictive acts and in its corrective and judicial acts i. it shall point the way or fact in the evil and unlawful quality of it and strive and reason
Peter untrusty to his master yet you shall presently find himselfe bitterly weeping for his miscarriage Whereas the servants of sinne do the work and take the wages they sin and rejoyce when they have done evil yet the servants of righteousnesse actively afflict their hearts for that which hath deceived them and prevailed upon them Obj. It is granted that terror may gripe an evill heart for evil doing but there is a great difference betwixt a sword which wounds and a fountain that runs Sol. Conscience may be wounded in the good and in the bad but besides this that acted sinnes are a good mans wound they are also his great grief of soul 2. Another is earnest desire of recovery It is a singular Earnest desire of recovery and observable matter this when a man hath sinned to whom he holds out his hand upon it The servant of sin doth work sinne and his hand stretcheth out it self as a servant still as ready to advance and finish the service sinne is his work and delight it is the Lord and captain after which he would yet march But an holy man not under dominion but surprisal not under service but captivity he is not himself till he hath recovered his liberty and strength There is such an high displeasure with himselfe and with his facts that he will go free he will not have his eare boâ—ed to serve such a Master as sin Good Lord how his heart trembles how his heart meditates cast about works strives sometimes he cries out ah wicked a deceitful heart sometimes he condemnes himself what a beast was I thus to sin sometimes he looks up toward heaven and sighs bitterly Ah! what a God have I provoked what mercies have I wronged sometimes he looks in and weeps and saith ah what motions did I withstand what a spiâ—it have I grieved how unlike my self is my self sometimes he is down in prayer O Lord forgive blot out heal help recover my heart again unto thee One way oâ— other is his soul working like a fountaine in which dirt is cast till it hath purged out the filth he is not at rest till sinne be more subdued his heart more changed his affections more humbled his judgement more cleared his conscience more preserved his peace more confirmed his soul not only recovered but also bettered yea thus it will be with such an heart which clears it that sin hath not dominion that though sin prevaile to action yet it shall not to affection though I did the evil yet I hate it though it did prevail yet I will not serve it though it hath beat me down as a tyrant yet I will not folâ—ow it as my Lord nay I am not at quiet till I can recover the siâ—ht of my Lord Châ—ist againe and have made my â—eace and strengthned my heart for more loyal service unto him The third is strong haâ—red and conflict the War is more increased Strong hatred by victory revenge is more raiâ—ed 2 Cor. 7. SECT V. A Second Use from Davids prayer against the dominion Use 2 of sin shall be for thankfulnesse to such in whom this dominion For thankfulness to such in whom the dominion is broken off is broken off Though there be so much of sinne remaining as may keep thee humble and watchful yet if dominion be gone there is so much done as may challenge from thee to be heartily thankful give me leave to put on this a little Six motives Six motives It is deliverance from the greatest evil 1. Deliverance from the greatest evil is reason enough of great thanks It is more then if God delivered thee from hell if he hath delivered thee from the dominion of sinne No hell is like sinne â—eigning for as much as torment in strength is nothing to sin in strength that is indeed a very miserable thing but this a very evil thing sinne is worse then all punishment and reigning sinne is the worst of all sinne 2. None but God could deliver thee and therefore if he None but God could deliver thee hath done it blesse him A man may deliver his friend out of prison by paying his debt A father may deliver his child out of captivity by sending his ransome A Country may be delivered from the oppression of an invading tyrant by great strength of its own But there are two hands out of which none but God can deliver one is Satans another is our own As David spake in another case thou hast looâ—ed the bands of my distresse and it is the Lord who subdueth the people under me and it is not my bowe nor my sword c. that I say here it is not your own arme which hath gotten you the victory no hand but Gods high hand which hath delivered you from the powers of darknesse which hath kept sin from dominion which hath cast out the strong man which hath cast down the stronâ— holds thou wast not so much as sensible of thine own vassailage or of sinnes dominion thou hadst not power to feel much lesse to conquer and deliver And when thou wert sensible of sinne thy heart did not behave it self as an enemy but as a friend most willingly bowing under the yoke and readily embracing the lusts and motions of the law of sin when thou hast been called upon to put off the yoke and to come out of the house of bondage the Hebrew servant who loved his Master was never more unwilling to part from his house then thy heart was to come off from thy love and service of thy sins And yet the almighty God in compassion to thy soule hath delivered thee he hath disthroned sin he hath drawn off thy heart to a better Lord and would not suffer sin to rule thee but by the mighty power of his grace hath made thee free from the house of most heavy bondage Therefore not to thy good nature nor to thy free-will nor to thy abilities nor to thy wit or parts or reason but to the Lord be all the glory the victory is his therefore let the praise be his 3. It is speciall grace and mercy Paul stiles it rich mercy and It is speciall grace and mercy great love and riches of grace Eph. 2. It is mercy to be rid of a disease more of a sin to resist a temptation much more to take off dominion the spirit of Christ only doth it the more singular a mercy is the more thankfull should we be Titus 3. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. v. 4. But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared v. 5. According to his mercy he saved us thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption said Hezekiah Esa 38. 17. O then what a mercy is it to be delivered from the power of sinfull dominion If thou were rid of an hard Master that would
33. which is expounded v. 38. by a perfect heart A mans heart is upright when God alone and his ways alone and his truth alone satisfie and order and bound it when a man can say in truth as they in the matter of Choice Nay but the Lord is our God him will we serve I have chosen the Lord to be my God and his truths to be my guide and his precepts to be my paths and his glory to be my end and hereto only will I stick when the soul doth not halt between two or divides it self in a service of any side or way but keeps only to God Sometimes it is called perfection and the upright are called perfect as Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God Psalme 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright There is a double perfection One Absolute in respect of degrees which no man can now attain unto in this life no not the most upright for in many things we offend all The other Evangelical which consists in the evennesse of desire and endeavour when a man sets up and exalts the word of God and strives to square his heart and his life in all things thereby As Paul exercising himself to have a conscience void of Note offence and willing to live honestly in all things when a man doth as it were measure his paths as by a line he doth set them by the compasse of a divine rule or warrant not willingly stragling on the right hand or bending toward the left not willingly omit the least duty and commit the least sin he is an upright person when the heart is as large as the precept and the whole will of God is complied with in will and desire and endeavour Sometimes it is called a spirit without guile so Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile and Christ of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An hypocritical heart is a cunning heart it hath many devises shufflings windings and turnings this heart is not plain and sound Therefore the hypocrites are said to have corrupt thoughts and to flatter with their tonguâ—s and to have crooked wayes They do not indeed hate the sin which they pretend nor love that holinesse which oft-times they praise and sometimes act some ends they have of Religion for their belly and for their own advantage but they do not heartily hate sinne nor truly love holinesse Now on the contrary an upright heart is without guile it is even plain and down-right therefore is it in the parable called an honest heart and saith Paul we speak the truth in Christ and upright walking is stiled a walking in truth and serving of God in truth and in spirit The meaning is this that the upright man is indeed that which he professeth his life and profession is not a painting which owes it self to an Artificer but a natural colour which owes it self to the soundnesse of temper he is one who hath truth in the inward parts as David speaks Psal 51. 6. He doth without base ends directly love God and from his very heart hate sinne Though he cannot expresse himself in that flourish of formality yet for Christ he can plainly say as Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And touching sinnes as David of Gods enemies I hate them with a perfect hatred this he is in good earnest Sometimes it is called the allnesse or whollinesse of heart so Deut. 4. 29. If thou seek him with all thine heart Deut. 26. 16. Thou shalt keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee c. when the heart is upright the whole man comes in unto God all the soul and all the body none shall dispose of them but God And God shall dispose of him in every precept the very bent of a man is to please God in all things and the whole soul in the understanding will memory affections bears a respect to all his Commandments There be other phrases to set out this businesse of uprightnesse but I must passe them over and pitch upon the description 2. Now to the second quid Rei I conjecture that uprightnesse The description of uprightness may be thus described Uprightness is a sound and heavenly frame or temper of a gracious heart or spirit given by God by which graces are acted sinnes are opposed duties are performed affectionately directly and plainly In reference to God and not for by-respects I will briefly open this description in its particulars First it is the temper or frame of the heart The seat of uprightnesse The seat of it is their heart is the heart or spirit hence is it stiled uprightnesse of heart 1 King 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercies according as he walked before thee in truth in righteousnesse and in uprightness of heart So 't is stiled singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. and Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. and a service in spirit Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne Hypocrisie is a colour but skin deep A painting which lies only upon the superficies or surface of the wall upon the visibles or outwards of profession or action but uprightness like health it is an inward crisis or temperature as the conversation renders it self to the eye of man so the inward disposition strives to render it self to the eye of Gods approbation if a man be upright it is with him as with Solomons Temple though the outward parts were comely and uniform yet the inside was covered with the most precious gold and had the sweetest incense All counterfeit things are best in their shew and worst in their substance and vertue But uprightnesse is best there where least can be seen The actions are nothing to the Inward affections and desires We do but as the Queen of Sheba here no not halfe of the goodnesse of an upright man by what he doth if you would but look into his heart and converse with him there a while you should find the heart the disposition the desire of his soul infinitely to exceed all that he doth Psal 119. O how I love thy law O that my ways were so direct The heart oftimes mournes when the eyes can shed no teares and the heart believes when the tongue cannot speake much faith and the inward man the heart would doe that and much more then what is done or performed Secondly it is a temper or frame of the heart a composition It is the temper and frame of the heart It is not a single or transient act or motion as it were in which methinks two things may be observed 1. One that uprightness is not a