to sackloth and run up and down with amazement and palenes in thy face and horrour in thy conscience and teares in thine eyes What though thy life bee smooth what though thy outside thy sepulcher be painted oh thou art full of rottennes of sin within Guilty not before men as the sinnes of thy life make thee but before God of all the sinnes that swarme and roar in the whole world at this day for God lookes to the heart guilty thou art therfore of heart-whordom heart-sodomy heart-blasphemy heart-drunkennes heart-buggery heart oppression heart-idolatry and these are the sinnes that terribly provoke the wrath of almighty God against thee Isay 57. 16. for the iniquitie of his covetousnesse saith our Translation I smote him but the Hebrew renders it better the iniquitie of his conscience which is the sin of the heart and nature I smote him As a King is angry and musters up his army against rebels not only which brings his souldiers out to fight but who keepes souldiers in their trenches ready for to fight These sins of thine heart are al ready arm'd to fight against God at the watchword or alarum of any temptation Nay I dare affirme and will prove it that these sinnes provoke God to anger and are as bad if not worse than the sinnes of thy life for 1. The sin of thine heart or nature it s the cause the wombe that conteines breeds brings forth suckles all the bitter all the troope of sins that are in the life and therefore giving life and being to all other it s the greatest sin 2. Sinne is more abundantly in the heart than in the life An actuall sinne is but a little breach made by the sea of sinne in thine heart where all sinne all poison is met and mingled together Every actuall sinne is but as a shred broken off from the great botrome of sinne in the heart and hence Christ saith out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and out of the evill treasure of the heart wee bring forth evill things A mans spending mony I meane sinne in the life is nothing to his treasure of sin in the heart 3 Sinne is continually in the heart Actuall sinnes of the life flie out like sparkes and vanish but this brand is alwaies glowing within the toade spits poison sometimes but it retaines and keepes a poysonfull nature alwayes Hence the Apostle calls it sinne that dwells in mee that is which alwaies lies and remaines in mee So that in regard of the sins of thy heart thou doest rend in peeces and breake 1 All the lawes of God 2 At one clap 3. Every moment of thy life Oh! mee thinkes the thought of this might rend an heart of Rocke in peeces to thinke I am alwayes grieving God at all times whatsoever I do 4. Actuall sinnes are onely in the life and outward porch sinnes of the heart are within the inward house One enemy within the City is worse than many without A traytor on the throne is worse than a traitor in the open field The heart is Christs Throne A swine in the best roome is worse than in the outward house More I might say but thus you see sinnes of the life are not so bad nor provoke Gods wrath so siercely against thee as the sinnes of thine heart Mourne therefore not so much that thou hast not beene so bad as others are but look upon thy blacke feete looke within thine owne heart and lament that in regard of the sins there thou art as bad as any mourn not so much meerly that thou hast sinned as that thou hast a nature so sinfull that it is thy nature to be proud and thy nature to be vain and deceitfull and loath not only thy sins but thy selfe for sin being brimfull of unrighteousnesse But here is not all consider fourthly 4. That what ever a naturall man doth is sinne as the inside is full so the outside is nothing else but sinne at least in the sight of an holy God though not in the sight of blind sinfull men Indeed hee may doe many things which for the matter of them are good as he may give Almes pray fast come to Church but as they come from him they are sinne as a man may speak good words but we cannot endure to heare him speake because of his stinking breath which deâ—iles them some actions indeed from their generall nature are indifferent for all indifferences lye in generals but every deliberate action considered in Individuo with all its circumstances as time place motive end is either morally good or morally evill as may be proved easily morally good in good men morally evill in unregenerate and bad men For let us see particular actions of wicked men 1. All their thoughts are only evill and that continually Gen. 6. 5. 2. All their words are sinnes Psal 50. 16. their mouthes are open Sâ—pulchers which smell filthy when they bee opened 3. All their civill actions are sin as their eating drinking buying selling sleeping and ploughing Prov. 21. 4. 4. All their religious actions are sins as comming to Church Praying Prâ— 15. 8 9 28. 9. Fasting and mourning roare and cry out of thy self till dooms day they are sins Isa. 58. 5. All their most Zealous Actions are sinnes as Iehu who killed all Baals Priests because his action was outwardly and materially good therefore God rewarded him with temporall favours but because hee had a Hawkes eye to get and settle a Kingdome to himselfe by this meanes and so was Theologically evill therefore God threatens to bee revenged upon him 2. King 10. 6. Their wisedome is sinne Oh men are often commended for their wisedome wit and parts yet those wits and that wisedome of theirs is sinne Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmity against God Thus all they have or doe are sins For how can hee doe any good action whose person is filthy A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit thou art out of Christ therefore all thy good things all thy kindnesses done unto the Lord for the Lord as thou thinkest are most odious to him Let a woman seeke to give all the content to her Husband that may be not out of any love to him but only out of love to another man he abhorres all that shee doth Every wicked man wants an inward principle of love to God and Christ and therefore though hee â—eekes to honour God never so much all that hee doth being done out of love to himselfe God abhorres all that hee performes All the good things a wicked man doth are for himselfe either for selfe-credit or selfe-ease or selfe-contentment or selfe-safety Hee sleepes prayes heares speakes professeth for himselfe alone hence acting alwayes for himselfe hee committeth the highest degree of idolatry hee pluckes God out of his throne and makes himselfe a God because hee makes himselfe his last end in every Action for a man puts himselfe in
prove there will be a day of Iudgement p. 80. The time and manner of that day p. 81. How Iesus Christ doth redeeme men p. 98 VVhom Christ doth redeeme p. 108. Vpon what conditions Christ may be had p. 110. The great evill of rejecting Christ. p. 115. Who they are that reject him p. 114. The Paucity of true beleevers p. 122. The Difficulty of saving Conversion p. 144. VVherein a child of God goes beyond a hypocrite p. 139. Every easie way to heaven is a false way p. 148. Nine easie wayes to heaven p. 150. Foure streight gates to heavens p. 147. The grand-cause of mans ruine is from himselfe p. 156. How men do plot their owne ruines p. 157. A Discovery of unsound Professours p. 158. Ten false principles by which men are deceived in their spirituall estates p. 163. The cause of mens mistake about their eternall condition p. 164. How false peace is bred in the soule p. 195. Whence Carnall Security arises p. 213. How Carnall Confidence ruines men p. 228. Meanes to get a broken heart p. 225. The danger of Resting in holy performances p. 234. Wherein mens resting in dutie appâ—ars p. 229. Why men doe rest in their duties p. 242. The insufficiency of all duties to save a man p. 255. Sixe signes of a mans resting in duties p. 247. We must use good duties though we cannot be saved by them p. 259. How to know whether we make Christ our chiefe ayme and end in all things p. 191. THE SINCERE CONVERT CHAP. I There is one most Glorious God EXODUS 33. 18. I beseech thee shew me thy Glory THis is the first Divine Truth And there are these two parts considerable in it 1. That there is a God 2. That this God is most Glorious I will beginne with the first part and prove omitting many philosophicall arguments that there is a God a true God for every nation almost in the world untill Christs comming had a severall God Some worshipped the Sunne some the Moone called by Ezechiel the Queene of Heaven which some made Cakes unto Some the whole Heavens as some worshipped the Fire some the bruit beasts some Baâ—l some Moloch The Romans saith Varro had 6000 gods who imprisoning the life of nature were given up to sinnes against nature either to worship Idolls of mans invention as the ignorant or GOD and Angels in those Idols as the learned did but these are all false Gods I am now to prove that there is one true God the being of beings or the first being Although the proving of this point seemes needlesse because every man runs with the cry and saith there is a God yet few throughly beleeve this point Many of the children of God who are best able to know mens hearts because they onely study their hearts feele this temptation Is there a God bitterly assaulting them sometimes The Devill will sometimes undermine and seeke to blow up the strongest walls and bulwarks The light of nature indeed shewes that there is a God but how many are there that by foule sinnes against their conscience blow out and extinguish almost all the light of Nature and hence though they dare not conclude because they have some light though dimme yet if they saw their heart they might see it secretly suspect and question whether there bee a God but grant that none questions this truth yet we that are builders must not fall to a worke without our maine props and pillars It may appeare there fore that there is a God from these grounds First From the works of God Rom. 1. 20. when wee see a stately house although we see not the man that built it although also we know not the time when it was built yet wil we conclude thus Surely some wise Artificer hath beene working here can wee when we behold the stately theater of Heaven and Earth conclude other but that the finger armes and wisedome of God hath beene here although we see not him that is invisible and although we know not the time when he began to build Every creature in heaven and earth is a loud preacher of this Truth who set those candles those torches of heaven on the Table who hung out those lanthornes in heaven to enlighten a darke world who can make the stature of a man but one wiser than the stone out of which it is hewne could any frame a man but one wiser and greater than man who taught the biâ—ds to build their neasts and the bees to set up and order their common-wealth who sends the Sun post from one end of heaven to the other carrying so many thousand blessings to so many thousands of people and Kingdomes what power of man or Angels can make the least pile of grasse or put life into the least fly if once dead There is therefore a power above all created power which is God Secondly From the Word of God There is such a Majesty stâ—â—â—ing and such secrets revealed in the word that if men will not be wilfully blind they cannot but cry out the voice of God and not the voice of man Hence Calvin undertakes to prove the Scripture to bee the word of God by reason against all Atheists under heaven Hast thou not thought sometimes at a sermon the Minister hath spoken to none but thee and that some or other hath told the Minister what thou hast said what thou hast done what thou hast thought now that word which tells thee the thoughts of thy heart can be nothing else but the word of an alseeing God that searcheth the heart Againe that word which quickneth the dead is certainely Gods word but the word of God ordinarily preached quickneth the dead it maketh the blind to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare the lame to walke those that never felt their sinnes to loade them to mourn those that never could pray to breath out unutterable grones and sighes for their sinnes Thirdly From the Children begotten of God For wee may reade in mens foreheads as soone as ever they are borne the sentence of death and we may see by mens lives what hellish hearts they have Now there is a time that some of this monstrous broode of men are quite changed and made all new they have new mindes new opinions new desires new joyes new sorrowes new speeches new prayers new lives and such a difference there is betwixt these and others that they are hated by others who loved them well while they loved their sinnes and whence came this strange change Is it from themselves No For they hated this new life and these new men once themselves Is it because they would be credited thereby no It is to be hated of Father Mother Friends and maligned every where Is it out of simplicity or are their braines growne crazie they were indeed once fooles and I can prove them all to bee Solomons fooles bâ—t even simple men have beene known to be more
honest man then he will strive to doe as he doth and now he is quieted When he hath attained unto this pitch of his ovvne now he thinkes himselfe a young beginner and a good one too so that if he dyeth he thinkes hee shall doe well if he liveth he thinkes and hopes he shall grow better and vvhen he is come to his ovvne pitch here he sets downe his state fully satisfied And novv if he be prest to get into the estate of grace his answer is That is not to be done now he thankes God that care is past The truth is beloved 't is too high for him his owne legges could never carry him thither all his grace comming by his owne working not by God Almighties power Let a man have false weights he is cheated grievously with light gold why because his weights are too light So these men have too light weights to judge of the weight of true grace therefore light clipt crackt pieces cheat them Hence you shall have those men commend pithlesse saplesse men for very honest men as ever brake bread why they are just answerable to their weights Hence I have not much wondered at them who maintaine that a man may fall away from true grace The reason lyeth here They set up to themselves such a common worke of grace to bee true grace from which no wonder that a man may fall Hence Bellarmine saith That which is true Grace veritate essentiae onely may be lost not that grace which is true veritate firmae soliditatis which latter being rightly understood may be called speciall as the other common grace Hence also you shall have many Professors hearing a hundred Sermons never moved to grovv better Hence likewise you shall see our common Preachers comfort every one almost that they see troubled in minde because they thinke presently they have true grace Now they begin to be sorrowfull for their sinnes 'T is just according to their owne light weights For the Lords sake take heed of this deceit True grace I tell you it 's a rare pearle a glorious Sun clowded from the eyes of all but them that have it Rev. 2. 18. a strange admirable almighty worke of God upon the soule vvhich no created power can produce as far different in the least measure of it from the highest degree of common grace as a Devill is from an Angell for 't is Christ living breathing raigning fighting conquering in the soule Downe therefore with your Idoll grace your Idoll honesty true Grace never aimes at a pitch it aspires onely to perfection Phil. 3. 12 13. And therefore Chrysostome calls Saint Paul insatiabilis Dei cultor A greedy insatiable devouring worshipper of the Lord Almighty Seventhly The Understandings errour is another cause of mans ruine And that is seene principally in these five things these â—ive errours or false conceits First In judging some trouble of minde some light sorrow for sinne to be true Repentance and so thinking they doe repent hope they shall bee saved for sinne is like sweet poyson while a man is drinking it dovvne by committing of it ther 's much pleasure in it but after the committing of it there is a sting in it Prov. 23. 31. 32. then the time commeth when this poyson workes making the heart swell vvith griefe sorry they are at the heart they say for it and the eyes drop and the man that committed sin vvith delight now cryes out vvith griefe in the bitternesse of his soule O that I beast that I am had never committed it Lord mercy mercy Prov. 5. 3 4. 11. 12. Nay it may be they vvill fast and humble and afflict their soules voluntarily for sinne and now they think they have repented Isai. 58 3. and hereupon when they heare that all that sinne shall dye they grant this is true indeed except a man repent and so they thinke they have done already This is true At what time soever a sinner repents the Lord will blot out his iniquities But this Repentance is not when a man is troubled somewhat in mind for sinne but when he commeth to mourne for sinne as his greatest evill as if he should see all his goods and estate on a light fire before him and that not for some sinnes but all sinnes little and great and that not for a time for a fit and away a Land-floud of sorrow but alwaies like a Spring never dry but ever running all a mans life-time Secondly In judging the striving of conscience against sinne to be the striving of the flesh against the Spirit and hence come these speeches from carnall blacke mouthes The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weake and hence men thinke they being thus compounded of flesh and spirit are regenerate and in no worse estate then the Children of God themselves as sometime I once spake with a man that did verily thinke that Pilate was an honest man bâ—cause he was so unwilling to crucifie Christ which unwillingnesse did arise onely from the restraint of conscience against the Fact So many men judge honestly yet simply upon such a ground of themselves they say they strive against their sinâ—es but Lord be mercifull unto them they say the flesh is fraile and hence Arminius gives a diverse interpretation of the seventh Chapter of the Romans from ordinary Divines concerning which Paul speakes in the person of an unregenerate man because he observed divers gracelesse persons as hee saith himselfe having fallen and falling commonly into sinnes against conscience to bring that chapter in their owne defeâ—ce and comfort because they did that which they allowed not vers 15. and so it was not they but sinne that dvvelled in them And so many among us know they should be better and strive that they may grow better but through the power of sin cannot conscience telleth them they must not sinne their hearts and lusts say they must sinne and here forsooth is flesh and spirit Oh no here is conscience and lust onely by the eares together Which striving Herod Balaam Pilate or the vilest Reprobate in the World may have Such a vvarre argueth not any grace in the heart but rather more strength of corruption and more power of sinne in the heart as it 's no vvonder if a horse run avvay vvhen he is loose but when his bit and bridle is in his mouth now to bee wilde argueth he is altogether untamed and subdued Take â—eed therefore of judging your estate to bee good because of some backvvardnesse of your hearts to commit some sinnes though little sinnes for thy sinnes may be and it is most certaine are more powerfull in thee then in others that have not the like struglings because they have not such checks as thou hast to restraine thee Knovv therefore that the striving of the Spirit against the Flesh is against sinne because it is sinne as a man hates a Toad though he be never poisoned by it But the striving of thy conscience against
wise for the world after they have beene made new But lastly is it now from a slavish feare of hell which workes this alteration Nothing lesse they abhorre to live like slaves in Bridewell to do all for feare of the whip Fourthly From Gods Register or notary which is in every man I meane the Conscience of man which telleth them there is a GOD and although they silence it sometimes yet in thunder-time or great plague as Pharaoh or at the day of Death then they are neere Gods Tribunall when they acknowledge him clearely The fearefull terrors of Conscience prove this which like a Bayliffe arrests men for their debts Ergo there is some Creditor to set it on sometimes like a hangman it torments men ergo there is some strange Iudge that gave it that command whence arise these dreadfull terrors in men of themselves No surely all desire to be in peace and so to live and sleepe in a whole skin Comes it froÌ„ Melancholy no for melancholy comes on by degrees these terrors of conscience surprise the soule sodainely at a sermon sodainely after the commission of some secret foule sinne Againe Melancholy sadnesse may be cured by Physicke but many Physitians have given such men over to other Physitians Melancholy sadnesse may bee borne but a wounded Spirit who can beare Thus you see that there is a God But who ever saw God that every one is bold to affirme that there is a God Indeed his face never was seene by mortall man but his back-parts have beene seene are seene and may bee seene by all the world as hath beene proved Objection All things are brought to passe by second causes Answ. 1. What though Is there no Master in the House because the servants doe all the worke This great God maintaines state by doing all by the Creatures subjection yet sometimes we may cry out in beholding some speciall peeces of his administration here is the finger of God 2. What though there be such confusion in the world as that shillings stand for pence and counters stand for pounds the best men are bought and sould at a low rate and worst men prized and preferred yet if wee had eyes to see and conceive wee should see an harmony in this discord of things God is now like a wise Carpenâ—er but hewing out his worke There is a lumber and confusion seemingly among us let us stay till the day of judgement and then wee shall see infinite wisedome in sitting all this for his owne glory and for the good of his people Object But if there be a God why heares hee not his peoples prayers why doth hee forget them when they have most need of him I answer Noah's Dove returnes not presently with an olive-branch of peace in his mouth Prayers sometime that speed well returne not presently for want of company enough to fetch away that abundance of mercy which God hath to give The Lord ever gives them their asking in mony or mony-worth in the same thing or a better The Lord ever gives his importunate beggers their desires either in pence by little and little or by pounds long he is many times before hee gives but payeth them well for their waiting This is a use of reprooâ—e to all Atheists either in opinion or practice First In opinion such as either conclude or suspect there is no God Oh blasphemous thought Are there any such men men nay beasts nay Devils nay worse than Devils for they beleeve and tremble Yet the foole hath said in his heart there is no God Psal. 18. 1. Men that have little heads little knowledge without hearts as scholars sometimes of weak brains seeing how things come by second causes though they might beleeve their bookes yet cannot raise their dull thoughts to the beholding of a first cause Great Politicians are like children alwayes standing on their heads and shaking their heeles against Heaven these thinke Religion to bee but a peece of policie to keepe people in awe prophane persons desiring to goe on in sinne without any rubb or checke for sinne blow out all the light of nature wishing there were no God to punish and are willing to suspect that which is not Those also that have sinned secretly though not openly against nature or the light of Conscience GOD smites men for incest sodomy selfe-pollution with dismall blindnesse Those also that are notorious worldlings that looke no higher than their barnes no further than their shops the world is a pearle in their eyes they cannot see a God Lastly I suspect those men that never found out this thiefe this sinne that was bred and born with them nor saw it in their owne hearts but there it lies still in some darke corner of their soules to cut their throates these kind of men sometimes suspect there is no God O this is a grievous sinne for if no God no heaven no hell no martyrs no prophets no Scriptures Christ was then an horrible lyer and an Impostor Other sinnes wrong and grieve God and wound him but this sinne stabs the very heart of God it strikes at the life and is as much as lies in sinfull man the death of God for it saith there is no God Secondly This reproveth Atheists in practice which say there is a God and question it not but in works they deny him Hee that pluckes the King from his throne is as vile as hee that saith he is no King These men are almost as bad as Atheists in opinion And of such dust-heapes we may finde in every Corner that in their practice deny God men that set up other gods in Gods roome their wealth their honour their pleasure their merits their backs and bellies to be their gods men that make bold to do that against this true God which Idolaters dare not doe against their Idoll Gods and that is continually to wrong thisâ—God Men that speake not for all they want by prayer nor returne all backe againe to God by praise A second use is for exhortation O labour to see and behold this God Is there a God and wilt thou not give him a good looke Oh passe by all the Rivers till thou come to the spring head wade through all creatures untill thou art drowned plunged and swallowed up with God When thou seest the Heavens say where is that great Builder that made this when thou hearest of mutations of Kingdomes say where is the Lord of Hosts the great Captaine of these armies when thou tastest sweetnes in the Creature or in Gods ordinances say where is sweetnesse it selfe beauty it selfe where is the Sea of these drops the Sun of these beames Oh that men saw this God its heaven to behold him thou art then in a corner of hell that canst not dost not see him and yet what is lesse knowne than God Methinks when men heare there is a God about them they should lye groveling in the dust because of
sorrowes stirred yet take him from the Minister and his chasing conscience and he grows cold again presently because he wants an inward principle of life Which point might make us to take up a bitter lamentation for every naturall man It is said Exod. 12. 30. that there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not an house wherein there was not one found dead Oh Lord in some townes and families what a world of these are there Dead Husband dead wife dead servants dead children walking up and downe with their sinnes as Fame saith some men doe after death with their grave-cloathes about them and God onely knowes whether ever they shall live againe or not How doe men lament the losse of their dead friends O thou hast a precious soul in thy bosome stark dead therefore lament thine estate and consider it seriously First a dead man cannot stir nor offer to stir A wicked man cannot speake one good word or do any good action if heaven it selfe did lye at stake for doing of it nor offer to shake off his sins nor thinke one good thought Indeed he may speak and think of good things but he cannot have good speeches nor good thoughts as an holy man may thinke of evill things as of the sinnes of the times yet the thought of those evill things is good not evill so è contra Secondly A dead man feares no dangers though never so great though never so neare Let Ministers bring a naturall man tidings of the approach of the devouring plagues of God denounced he feares them not Thirdly A dead man cannot bee drawne to accept of the best offers Let Christ come out of Heaven and fall about the necke of a naturall man and with tears in his eyes beseech him to take his blood himselfe his Kingdome and leave his sinnes hee cannot receive this offer Fourthly A dead man is starke blinde and can see nothing and starke deafe and heares nothing hee cannot taste any thing so a naturall man is starke blind he sees no God no Christ no wrath of the Almighty no glory of Heaven He heares the voyce of a man but he heares not the voyce of God in a Sermon hee savoureth not the things of Gods Spirit Fifthly A dead man is senselesse and seeles nothing so cast mountaines of sinne upon a wicked man he feeles no hurt untill the flames of hell break out upon him Sixtly A dead man is a speechlesse man he cannot speake unlesse it be like a Parret Seventhly he is a breathlesse man A naturall man may say a Prayer or devise a prayer out of his memory and wit or hee may have a few short-winded wishes but to powre out his soule in prayer in the bosome of God with groanes unutterable he cannot I wonder not to see so many families without family prayer Why They are dead men and lie rotting in their sinnes Eightly A dead man hath lost all beautie So a meere naturall man hath lost all glorie Hee is an ugly creature in the sight of God good men and Angels and shall one day be an abhorring to all flesh Ninthly A dead man hath his wormes gnawing him So naturall men have the worme of conscience breeding now which will be gnawing them shortly Lastly Dead men want nothing but casting into the grave So there wants nothing but casting into hell for a naturall man So that as Abraham loved Sarah well while living yet when shee was dead he seekes fora burying place for her to carry her out of his sight so God may let some fearefull judgement loose and say to it take this dead soule out of my sight c. It was a wonder that Lazarus though lying but foure dayes in the grave should live againe O wonder thou that ever God should let thee live that hast beene rotting in thy sin 20. 30. perhaps 60. years together III. Every naturall man and woman is borne full of all sin Rom. 1. 29. as full as a Toade is full of poison as full as ever his skin can hold Minde Will Eyes Mouth every limbe of his body end every piece of his soul is full of sin their hearts are bundles of sin hence Salomon saith foolishnesse is bound up in the heart of a child whole treasures of sinne An evill man saith Christ out of the evill treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things nay raging seas of sinne Isaiah 20. nay worlds of sinne The tongue is a World of mischiese what is the heart then for out of the aboundance of the heart the tongue speaketh so that looke about thee and see what ever sinne is broached and runnes out of any mans heart into his life through the whole world all those sinnes are in thine heart thy minde is a nest of all the soule opinions berisies that ever were vented by any man thy heart is a stinking sink-hole of all Atheisme Sodomy Blasphemy Murther Whoredome Adultery Witchcrast Buggery so that if thou hast any good thing in thee it is but as a drop of Rosewater in a bowle of poison where fallen it is all corrupted It is true thou feelest not all these things stirring in thee at one time no more than Hazael thought he was or should be such a blood sucker when he asked the Propheâ— Elishab if he were a dog but they are in thee like a nest of snakes in an old hedge Although they break not out into thy life they lie lurking in thy heart they are there as a filthy puddle in a barrell which runs not our because thou happly wantest the temptation or occasion to broach and tappe thine heart or because of Gods restraining Grace by Feare and Sham Educaeion good Company thou art restrained and builded up and therfore when one came to comfort that famous picture patterne and monument of Gods justice by seven yeares horrour and grievous distresse of conscience when one told him hee never had committeed such sins as Manasses and therefore hee was not the greatest sinner isince the Creation as he conceived hee replyed that hee should have beene worse than ever Manasses was if he had lived in his time and been on his throne Master Bradford would never looke upon any ones lewd life with one eye bnt he would presently reâ—urne within his owne breast with the other eye and say In this my vile heart remaines that sinne which without Gods speciall grace I should have committed as well as â—ee O mee thinkes this might pull downe mens proud conceits of themselves especially such as beare up and comfort themselves in their smooth honest civil life such as through education have beene washed from all soule sinnes they were never tainted with whoredome swearing drunkennes or prophanenesse and here they think themselves so safe that God cannot finde in his heart to have a thought of damming them Oh consider of this point which may make thee pull thine haire from thine head and turn thy cloaths
meanes of grace but few shall be saved It may be sometimes amongst ninety nine in a Parish Christ sends a Minister to call some one lost Sheepe Matth. 13. Three grounds were bad where the seede was sowne and onely one ground good It 's a strange speech of Chrysostome in his fourth Sermon to the people of Antioch where he was much beloved and did much good How many doe you thinke saith he shall be saved in this Citie It will be an hard speech to you but I will speake it though here be so many thousands of you yet there cannot be found a hundred that shall be saved and I doubt of them too for what villany is there among youth what sloth in old men and so he goes on So say I never tell me we are baptized and are Christians and trust to Christ let us but separate the Goates from the Sheepe and exclude none but such as the Scripture doth and sets a crosse upon their dores with Lord have mercy upon them and we shall see onely few in the Citie shall be saved 1. Cast out all the Prophane people among us as drunkards swearers whores lyers which the Scripture brands for blacke sheepe and condemnes them in a hundred places 2. Set by all Civill men that are but wolves chained up tame devills swine in a faire meadow that pay all they owe and doe no body any harme yet do none any great good that plead for themselves and say who can say black is mine eye These are righteous men whom Christ never came to call for he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance 3. Cast by all Hypocrites that like stage players in the sight of others act the parts of Kings and honest men when looke upon them in their â—yring house they are but base varlets 4. Formall Professors and Carnall Gospellers that have a thing like faith and like sorrow and like true repentance and like good desires but yet they be but pictures they deceive others and themselves too 2 Tim. 3. 5. Set by these foure sorts how few then are to be saved even among them that are hatcht in the bosome of the Church First Here then is an use of incouragement Be not discouraged by the name of singularitie What doe you thinke your selfe wiser than others and shall none be saved but such as are so precise as Ministers prate are you wiser then others that you thinke none shall goe to heaven but your self I tell you if you would be saved you must be singular men not out of fashion but out of conscience Act. 24. 16. Secondly here is matter of terrour to all those that be of opinion that few shall be saved and therefore when they are convinced of the danger of sinne by the Word thy fly to this shelter if I be damned it will be woe to many more besides me then as though most should not be damned Oh yes the most of them that live in the Church shall perish And this made an Hermit which Theodoret mentions to live fifteen yeares in a Cell in a desolate wilâ— dernesse with nothing but bread and water and yet doubted after all his sorrow whether he should be saved or no. Oh Gods wrath is heavie which thou shalt one day beare Thirdly this ministreth exhortation to all confident people that think they beleeve and say they doubt not but to be saved and hence doe not much feare death Oh learne hence to suspect and feare your estates and feare it so much that thou canst not be quiet untill thou hast got some assurance thou shalt be saved When Christ told his Disciples that one of them should betray him they all said Master is it I but if he had said elevâ—e of them should betray him they all except one would they not all conclude Surely it is I If the Lord had said onely few shall be damned every man might feare it may be it is I but now he saith most shall every man may cry out and say Surely it is I. No humble heart but is driven to and fro with many stinging feares this way yet there is a generation of presumptuous brazenâ— faced bold people that confidently thinke of themselves as the Iemes of the Pharisees being so holy and strict that if God save but two in the world they shall make one The child of God indeed is bold as a Lion but he hath Gods Spirit and promise assuring him of his eternall welfare But I speake of divers that have no sound ground to prove this point which they pertinaciously defend that they shall be saved This confident humour rageth most of all in our old Professors at large who thinke that 's a jest indeed that having beene of a good beliefe so long that they now should be so farre behind hand as to begin the worke and lay the foundation a-new And not onely among these but amongst divers sorts of people whom the Devill never troubles because he is sure of them already and therefore cryes peace in their eares whose consciences never trouble them because that hath shut it's eyes and hence they sleepe and sleeping dreame that God is mercifull unto them and will be so yet never see they are deceived untill they awake with the flames of hell about their eares and the world troubles them not they have their hearts desire here because they are friends to it and so enemies to God And Ministers never trouble them for they have none such as are fit for that worke neere them or if they have they can sit and sleepe in the Church or chuse whether they will beleeve him And their friends never trouble them because they are afraide to displease them And God himselfe never troubles them because that time is to come hereafter This one truth well pondered and thought on may damp thine heart and make thy conscience fly in thy face and say thou art the man it may be there are better in hell than thy selfe that art so confident and therefore tell me what hast thou to say for thy selfe that thou shalt be saved in what thing hast thou gone beyond them that thinke they are rich and want nothing who yet are poore blinde miserable and naked Thou wilt say happily first I have left my sinnes I once lived in and am now no drunkard no swearer no lyer c. I answer thou mayest be washt from thy mire the pollution of the world and yet be a swine in Gods account 2 Pet. 2. 20. thou mayst live a blamelesse innocent honest smooth life and yet be a miserable creature still Phil. 3. 6. But I pray and that often This thou mayest doe and yet never be saved I say 1. 11. To what purpose doe your multitude of sacrifices Nay thou mayest pray with much affection with a good heart as thou thinkest yet a thousand miles off from being saved Prov. 1. 28. But I fast sometimes
in their flattering hope Hence observe those people that feldome come to a conclusion to a point that either they are in the state of grace or out of it that never come to be affected but remaine secure in their condition they commonly grow to this desperate conclusion that they hope God will be mercifull unto them if not they cannot helpe it like the man that had on his Target the picture of God and the Devill under the first he writ si tu non vis if thou wilt not under the other he writ ipse rogitat here 's one will Ninthly because men bring not their hearts under the hammer of Gods word to be broken they never bring their consciences to be cut Hence they goe on still securely with festered consciences Men put themselves above the word and their hearts above the hammer they come not to have the Minister to humble them but to judge of him or to pick some pretty fine thing out of the word and so remaine secure sotts all their dayes for if ever thy heart be broken and thy conscience be awaked the word must doe it but people are so Sermoâ—trodden that their hearts like foot-paths grow hard by the word Tenthly because men consider not of Gods wrath daily nor the horrible nature of sinne men chew not these pills hence they never come to be affected nor awakened Awaken therefore all you secure creatures feele your misery that so you may get out of it Dost thou know thine estate is naught and that thy condemnation will be fearefull if ever thou dost perish and is thine heart secretly secure so damnably dead so desperately hard that thou hast no heart to come out of it whatâ— no sigh no teares canst thou carry all thy sinnes upon thy backe like Sampson the gates of the Citie and make a light matter of them Dost thou see hell fire before thee and yet wilt venture art thou worse than a beast which we cannot beare nor drive into the fire if there be any way to escape oh get thine heart to lament mourne under thy miseries who knowes then but the Lord may pitty thee But oh hard heart thou canst mourne for losses and crosses burning of goods and houses yet though God be lost and his image burnt downe and all is gone thou canst not mourne If thine heart were truely affected the pillow would be washed with thy teares and the wife in thy bosome would be witnesse to thine heart-breakings in mid-night for those sinnes which have grieved the spirit of God many a time thou couldest not sleepe quietly nor comfortably without assurance If you were sicke to death Physitians should heare how you doe and if you were humbled we should have you in the bitternesse of your spirits cry out What shall we doe but know it thou must mourne here or in hell If God broke Davids bones for his adultery and the Angels backes for their pride the Lord if ever he saves thee will breake thine heart too Quest. But thou wilt say how shall I doe to get mine heart affected with my misery Answ. Take a full view of thy misery 2. Take speciall notice of the Lords readinesse and willingnesse to receive thee yet unto mercy for two things harden the heart 1. false hope whereby a man hopes he is not so bad as indeed he is â— No hope whereby a man when he seeth himselfe so notoriously bad thinkes there is no willingnesse in the Lord to pardon or receive such a monster of men to mercy and if neither the hammer can breake thy stony heart nor the Sunshine of mercy melt it thou hast an heart worse than the Devill and art a spectacle of the greatest misery 1. In regard of sinne 2. in regard of Gods wrath First in regard of sinne Thou hast sinned and that grievously against a great God thou makest no great matter of this No but though it be no loade to thee it 's a loade on the Lords heart Isa. 1. 24. and time will come he will make the whole sinfull world by rivers of fire and bloud to know what an evill it is For 1. In every sin thou dost strike God and fling a dagger at the heart of God 2. In every sin thou dost spight against God for if there were but one onely thing wherein a man could doe his friend a displeasure was not here spight seene if he did that thing Now tell me hath not the Lord beene a good friend unto thee Tell mee wherein hath hee grieved thee and tell me in what one thing canst thou please the devill and doe God a displeasure but by sinne yet O hard heart thou makest nothing of it but consider thirdly in every sin thou dost disthrone God and setteth thy selfe above God for in every sinne this question is put whose will shall be done Gods will or mans Now man by sinne sets up his owne will above the Lords and so kicks God blessed for ever adored of millions of Saints and Angels as filth under his feet What will this breake your hearts Consider then of Gods wrath the certainty of it the unsupportablenesse of it how that dying in thy sinnes and secure estate it shall fall for when men cry Peace Peace then commeth sudden destruction at unawares pray therefore to God to reveale this to thee that thine heart may breake under it Secondly consider of the Lords mercy and readinesse to save thee who hath prepared mercy and inâ—reates thee to take it and waiteth every day for thee to that end The third Reason of mans ruine is that carnall confidence whereby men seeke to save themselves and to scramble out of their miserable estate by their owne duties and performances when they doe feele themselves miserable the soule doth as those Hos. 5. 13. men when they be wounded and troubled they never look after Jesus Christ but goe to their owne waters to heale themselves like hunted Harts when the arrow is in them Rom. 9. 31 32. For the opening of this point I shall shew you these two things 1. Wherein this resting in Duties appeares 2. Why doe men rest in themselves First this resting in Duties appeares in these Eleven degrees 1. The soule of a poore sinner if ignorantly bred and brought up rests confidently in superstitious vanities Aske a devout Papist how he hopes to be saved he will answer By his good workes But enquire further what are these good workes why for the most part superstitious ones of their owne inventions for the Crow thinkes her owne bird fairest as whipping themselves pilgrimage fasting mumbling over their Pater-nosters bowing downe to Images and Crosses 2. Now these being banished from the Church and Kingdome then men stand upon their titular profession of the true Religion although they be Devills incarnate in their lives Looke up and down the Kingdome you shall see some roaring drinking dicing carding whoring in Tavernes and
blind Alehouses others belching out their oathes their mouthes ever casting out like raging Seas filthy frothy speeches others like Ismaels scoffing at the best men yet these are confident they shall be saved Why they say they are no Papists hang them they will die for their Religion and rather burne than turne againe by the grace of God Thus the Jewes boasted they were Abrahams seede so our carnall people boast Am not I a good Protestant am I not baptized doe I not live in the Church and therefore resting here hope to be saved I remember a Judge when one pleaded once with him for his life that hee might not be hanged because he was a Gentleman he told him that therefore hee should have the Gallowes made higher for him so when thou pleadest I am a Christian and a good Protestant yet thou wilt drinke and sweare and whore neglect prayer and breake Gods Sabbath and therefore thou hopest to be saved I tell thee thy condemnation shall be greater and thy plagues in hell the heavier 3. If men have no peace here then they fly to and rest in the goodnesse of their insides you shall have many a man whom if you follow to his chamber you shall finde very devout and they pray heartily for the mercy of God and forgivenesse of sinnes but follow them out of their Chambers watch their discourses you shall finde it frothy and vaine and now and then powdered with faith and troth and obscene speeches Watch them when they are crost you shall see them as angry as Waspes and swell like Turkies and so spit out their venome like Dragons Watch them in their journeyes and you shall see them shoot into an Alehouse and there swillâ— and swagger and be familiar with the scumme of the countrey for prophanenesse and halfe drunke too sometimes Watch them on the Lords day take them out of the Church once and set aside their best clothes they are the same then as at another time and because they must not worke nor sport that day they thinke they may with a good conscience sleepe the longer on the morning Aske now such men how they hope to be saved seeing their lives are so bad they say though they make not such shews they know what good prayers they make in private their hearts they say are good I tell ye brethren he that trusteth to his owne heart and his good desires and so resteth in them is a foole I have heard of a man that would haunt the Tavernes and Theaters and whore-houses at London all day but he durst not goe forth without private prayer in the morning and then would say at his departure now devill doe thy worst and so used his prayers as many doe only as charmes and spels against the poore weake cowardly devill that they thinke dares not hurt them so long as they have good hearts within them and good prayers in the chamber and hence they will goe neare to raile against the Preacher as an harsh Master if he doe not comfort them with this that God accepts of their good desires 4. If their good hearts cannot quiet them but conscience tells them they are unsound without and rotten at core within then men fall upon reformation they will leave their whoâ—ing drinking cozening gaming company-keeping swearing and such like roaring sinnes and now all the Countrey saith he is become a new man and he himselfe thinkes he shall be saved 2 Pet. 2. 20. they escape the pollutions of the world as swine that are escaped and washed from outward filth yet the swinish nature remaines still like Mariners that are going to some dangerous place ignorantly if they meet with stormes they goe not backward but cast out their goods that indanger tâ—eir ship and so goe forward still so many a man going towards hell is forced to cast out his lusts and sinnes but he goeth on in the same way still for all that The wildest beasts as Staggs if they be kept waking from sleepe long will grow tame so conscience giving a man no rest for some sinnes he liveth in he groweth tame He that was a wild Gentleman before remaines the same man still onely he is made tame now that is civill and smooth in his whole course and hence they rest in reformation which reformation is commonly but of some troublesome sinne and it is because they thinke it is better following their trade of sinne at another market and hence some men will leave their drinking and whoring and turne covetous because there is more gaine at that market sometimes it is because sinne hath left them as an old man 5. If they can have no rest here they get into another starting hole they goe to their Humiliations Repentings Teares Sorrowes and Confessions They heare a man cannot be saved by reforming his life unlesse he come to afflict his soule too he must sorrow and weepe here or else cry out in hell hereafter Hereupon they betake themselves to their sorrowes teares confession of sinnes and now the winde is downe and the tempest is over and they make themselves safe Matth. 11. 21. They would have repented that is the Heathen as Beza speakes when any wrath was kindled from Heaven they would goe to their sackcloth and sorrowes and so thought to pacifie Gods anger againe and here they rested so it is with many a man many people have sicke fits and qualmes of conscience and then they doe as Crowes that give themselves a vomit by swallowing downe some stone when they are sicke and then they are well againe so when men are troubled for their sinnes they will give themselves a vomit of prayer a vomit of confession and humiliation Isa. 58. 5. Hence many when they can get no good by this physicke by their sorrowes and teares cast off all againe for making these things their God and their Christ they forsake them when they cannot save them Mat. 3. 14. more are driven to Christ by the sense of the burden of an hard dead blind filthy heart than by the sense of sorrowes because a man rests in the one viz. in sorrowes most commonly but trâ—mbles and flyes out of himselfe when he feeles the other thus men rest in their repentance and therefore Austin hath a pretty speech which sounds haâ—sh that Repentance damneth more than sin meaning that thousands did perish by resting in it and hence wee see among many people if they have large affections they thinke they are in good favour if they want them they thinke then they are cast-awayes when they cannot mourne nor be affected as once they were because they rest in them 6. If they have no rest here then they turne morall men that is strict in all the duties of the morall law which is a greater matter than reformation or humiliation that is they grow very just and square in their dealings with men and exceeding strict in the duties of the first Table towards God as fasting
men will goe and try how they can live by shifts and working for themselves still Secondly because men are ignorant of Jesus Christ and his righteousnesse hence men cannot goe unto him because they see him not hence they shift as well as they can for themselves by their duties Iohn 4. 14. men seeke to save thēselves by their own swimming when they see no cable cast out to helpe them Thirdly because this is the easiest way to comfort the heart and pacifie conscience and to please God as the soule thinkes because by this meanes a man goes no further than himselfe Now in forsaking all duties a soule goeth to heaven quite out of himselfe and there he must waite many a yeare and that for a little it may be Now if a fainting man have Aquavitae at his beds head he will not knocke up the shopkeeper for it Men that have a Balsome of their owne to heale them will not goe to the Physitian Fourthly because by vertue of these duties a man may hide his sin and live quietly in his sin yet be accounted an honest man as the whore in the Pro. 7. 15 16. having performed her vowes can intice without suspition of men or check of conscience so the Scribes and Pharisees were horribly covetous but their long prayers covered their deformities Matth. 23. 14. and hence men set their duties at a higher rate than they are worth thinking they shall save them because they are so usefull to them Good duties like new apparrell on a man pursued with Hue and cry of conscience keepe him from being knowne Take heede of resting in duties Good duties are mens money without which they thinke themselves poore and miserable but take heed that you and your money perish not together Gal. 5. 3. The paths to Hell be but two The first is the path of sinne which is a dirty way Secondly the path of Duties which rested in is but a clearer way When the Israelites were in distresse Iudg. 10. 14. The Lord bids them goe to the Gods they served so when thou shalt lie howling on thy death-bed the Lord will say Goe unto the good prayers and performances you have made and the teares you have shed Oh they will be miserable comforters at that day Object But I thinke thou wilt say no true Christian man hopes to be saved by his good workes and duties but onely by the mercy of God and merits of Christ. Answ. It is one thing to trust to be saved by duties another thing to rest in duties A man trusts unto them when he is of this opinion that onely good duties can save him A man rests in duties when he is of this opinion that onely Christ can save him but in his practise he goeth about to save himselfe The wisest of the Papists are so at this day and so are our common Protestants And this is a great subtilty of the heart that is when a man thinkes he cannot be saved by his good works and duties but onely by Christ he then hopeth because he is of this opinion that when he hath done all he is an unprofitable servant which is onely an act or worke of the Judgement informed aright that therfore because he is of this opinion he shall be saved But because it is hard for to know when a man rests in duties few men finde themselves guiltie of this sinne which ruines so many I will shew two things 1. The signes of a man resting in duties 2. The insufficiency of all duties to save men That so those that be found guilty of this sin may not goe on in it First for the signes whereby a man may certainly know when he rests in his duties which if he doe as few professors especially but they doe he perisheth eternally First Those that never yet saw they rested in them they that never found it an hard matter to come out of their duties For it 's most naturall for a man to sticke in them because nature sets men upon duties hence it is a hard matter to come out of resting in duties For two things keepe a man from Christ. 1. Sinne 2. Selfe Now as a man is broken off from sinne by seeing and feeling it and groaning under the power of it so is a man broken from himselfe For men had rather doe any thing than come unto Christ there is such a deale of selfe in them therefore if thou canst not tell the time when thou didst rest in thy duties and then diddest groane to be delivered from these intanglements I meane not from the doing of them this is familisme and prophanenesse but from resting in the bare performance of them thou dost relye upon thy duties to this day These rest in duties that prize the bare performance of Duties wonderfully for those duties that carry thee out of thy selfe unto Christ make thee to prize Christ. Now tell me dost thou glory in thy selfe now I am some-body I was ignorant forgetfull hard-hearted now I understand and remember better and can sorrow for my sinnes if thou dost rest here thy duties never carried thee further than thy selfe Dost thou thinke after that thou hast prayed with some life now I have done very well and now thou dost verily thinke meaning for thy duties the Lord will save thee though thou never come to Christ sayest as he in another case now I hope the Lord will doe good to me seeing I have got a Priest into mine house Iudg. 17. 13. Dost thou inhance the price of duties thus that thou dost doate on them then I doe pronounce from God thou dost rest in them these things saith Paul I accounted gaine that is before his conversion to Christ he prized them exceedingly but now I account them losse and this is the reason why a childe of God commonly after all his prayers teares and confessions doubts much of Gods love towards him whereas another man that falleth short of him never questioneth his estate the first seeth much rottennesse and vilenesse in his best duties and so judgeth meanly of himselfe the other ignorant of the vilenesse of them prizeth them and esteemeth highly of them and setting his corne at so high a price he may keepe them to himselfe the Lord never accepteth them nor buyeth them at so high a rate Thirdly those that never came to be sensible of their poverty utter emptinesse of all good for so long as a man hath a penny in his purse that is feeles any good in himselfe he will never come a begging unto Jesus Christ and therefore rests in himselfe Now didst thou never feele thy selfe in this manner poore viz. I am as ignorant as any beast as vile as any devill O Lord what a neast and litter of sin and rebellion lurks in my heart I once thought at least mine heart and desires were good but now I feele no spirituall life Oh! dead
sinne is onely againe sin because it is a troubling or a damning sinne The striving of the spirit against the flesh is from a deadly hatred of sinne Rom. 7. 15. But thy striving of conscience against sinne is onely from a feare of the danger of sinne for Balaam had a mind to curse the Israelites for his monies sake but if he might have had an house full of silver and gold which is a goodly thing in a covetous eye it is said hee durst not curse them Thirdly In judging of the sincerity of the heart by some good affection in the heart Hence many a deluded soule reasons the case out thus with himselfe Either J must be a prophane man or an Hypocrite or an upright man Not profane I thanke God for I am not given to whoring drinking oppression swearing Nor Hypocrite for I hate these shewes I cannot indure to appeare better without then I am within therefore I am upright Why Oh because mine heart is good mine affections desires within are better then my life without and what ever others judge of me I know mine own heart the heart is all that God desires And thus they foole themselves Prov. 28. 26. This is one of the greatest causes and grounds of mistake amongst men that thinke best of themselves they are not able to put a difference betweene the good desires and strong affections that arise from the love of Jesus Christ. Selfe-love will make a man seeke his own good and safety hence it will pull a man out of his bed betimes in the morning and call him up to pray it will take him and cary him into his chamber towards evening and there privately make him seeke and pray and tug hard for pardon for Christ for mercy Lord evermore give us of this bread But the love of Christ makes a man desire Christ and his honour for himselfe all other things for Christ. It is true the desires of Sonnes in Christ by faith are accepted ever but the desire of servants men that worke onely for their wages out of Christ are not Fourthly In judging of Gods love to them by aiming sometimes at the glory of God Is this possible that a man should aime at Gods glory and yet perish Yes and ordinary too A man may be liberall to the poore maintaine the Ministery be forward and stand for good things whence he may not doubt but that God loves him But here is the difference though a wicked man may make Gods glory in some particular things his end yet he never makes it in his generall course his utmost and last end A subtle Apprentice may doe all his Masters work but he may take the gaine to himselfe or divide it betwixt his Master and himselfe and so may be but a Knave as observant as he seemes to be So a subtle heart yet a vile villanous heart may forsake all the world as Iudas did may binde himselfe Apprentice to all the duties God requireth outwardly at his hands and so doe good works but what 's his last end It 's that hee might gaine respect or place or that Christ may have some part of the glory and he another Simon Magus would give any money sometimes that he could pray so well know so much and doe as others doe and yet his last end is for himselfe but how can you beleeve if you seeke not that glory that comes from God sayes Christ there 's many seeke the honour of Christ but doe you seeke his honour onely Is it your last end where you rest and seeke no more but that If thou wouldest know whether thou makest Christs glory thy last end observe this Rule If thou art more grieved for the eclipse of thine owne honour and for thine owne losses then for the losse of Gods honour it is an evident signe thou lovest it not desirest it not as thy chiefest good as the last end for thy summum bonum and therefore doest not seeke Gods honour in the prime and chiefest place Sinne troubled Paul more than all the plagues and miseries of the world Indeed if thy name be dashed with disgrace and thy will be crossed thy heart is grieved and disquieted but the Lord may lose his honour daily by thine owne sinnes and those that be round about thee but not a teare not a sigh not a groane to behold such a spectacle As sure as the Lord lives thou seekest not the Lords name or honour as thy greatest good Fifthly In judging the power of sinne to be but infirmitie for if any thing trouble an unregenerate man and makes him call his estate into question it is sinne either in the being or power of it Now sinne in the being ought noâ— must not make a man question his estate because the best have that left in them that will humble them and make them live by faith therefore the power of sinne onely can trouble a man Now if a man doe judge of this to be onely but infirmitie which the best are compassed about withall hee cannot but lie downe securely and thinke himselfe well And if this errour be setled in one that lives in no one knowne sinne it is very difficult to remove for let the Minister cast the sparkes of hell in their faces and denounce the terrour of God against them they are never stirred why because they thinke here 's for you that live in sinne but as for themselves although they have sinnes yet they strive against them and so cannot leave them for we must have sinne as long as we live here they say Now marke it there 's no surer signe of a man under the bloudy raigne and dominion of his lusts and sinnes than this that is to give way to sinne though never so little and common nor to be greatly troubled for sinne for they may be a little troubled because they cannot overcome sinne I deny not but the best doe sinne daily yet this is the disposition of Paul and every child of God he mourneth not the lesse but the more for sinne though he cannot quite subdue them cast them out and overcome them As a prisoner mournes the more that he is bound with such fetters he cannot breake so doth eyery one truely sensible of his woefull captivitie by sinne This is the great difference between a raging sinne a man will part with all and a sinne of infirmity a man cannot part withall a sinne of infirmitie is such a sinne as a man would but cannot part with it and hence he mournes the more for it A raging sinne is such a sinne as a man happily by vertue of his lashing conscience would sometimes part withall but cannot and hence mournes the lesse for it and gives way unto it Now for the Lords sake take heede of this deceit for I tell you those sinnes you cannot part withall if you groane not day and night under them saying O Lord helpe me for I am weary of my selfe