And Peter went out and wept bitterly Who would that is in his wits and have not given to his reason a bill of divorce disoblige a Friend and provoke a Foe As God therefore is the best Friend and should not be disobliged so he is the worst Foe and should not be provoked Stand in awe and sin not Psal Oh 't is better to suffer then to sin better to suffer a thousand times then to sin once and better to suffer a thousand Deaths if a man could suffer so many then to sin and suffer for sin the second death Oh soul get into a Closet while fools make a mock at sin and there cry Oh Lord let me be sick rather then sinning Oh Lord let me be sighing rather then any thing Oh let me rather dye to sin then live and sin Oh let me rather dye that I might not sin then live and sin 1. Dost make a mock at sin Tremble foul for God is not mocked 2. To the foolish Thou mayest deceive thy self and deceive others but thou canst not deceive God It is impossible to impose deceit upon God Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit Gal. 6.7 8. shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting Thou mayst make a mock at sin and make a mock at the grace of others as Ishmael did at the grace of Isaac but God cannot be mocked And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian which she did bear unto Abraham mocking 2. Dost make a mock at sin Tremble soul for as thou art mocking in a time of prosperity so God will be mocking in a time of adversity Because I have called â—v 1 2â—â— 26 27. and ye refused I have stretched ouâ— my hands and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof But what then I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind To make a mock at sin is to sport with sin To this the Apostle speaks Sporting themselves with their own deceivings And to sport with sin 1.2.13 is to take pleasure and delight in sin As 't is the Spirit of Godliness to delight in God so 't is the spirit of sinfulness to delight in sin Sin is the element of a sinner That they all might be damned which believed not the truth â—hes 2. but had pleasure in unrighteousness The Fish is not more in its element when in the water then a sinner is in his element when he is sinning sinning with a high hand sining with both hands when he is adding Drunkenness to Thirst adding sin to sin To mock at sin is to sport with sin to sport with sin is to take pleasure in sin There are many and is it not pitty there should be any that do not onely take pleasure in their own sinning but also in the sinning of others but against these the Apostle thunders Who knowing the Judgment of God Rom. â— 32 that they which commit such things are worthy of Death not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them Now these are the Persons that are mockers at sin and these seem to me to be under a prodigious preparation and qualification for destruction and damnation 3. Dost make a mock at sin Go then and sin no more may not I say to thee as Christ did to the Adultress Go and sin no more May not I also say to thee as Christ did to the impotent man Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee Io. 8 1â— Io. 5.14 Now that thou mayst not make any more a mock at sin take these following Considerations 1. Ther 's but one thing in all the World Considerations that 's opposite to the well-being of man and that 's sin Sin is against the well-being of man in this life 'T is true man was born to a great estate but by Sin which was and is Treason against God he forfeited all Paradise was Mans Inheritance but God for his sin dispossessed him of it Man was Emperour of Eden but God for his Sin banished him his native Countrey We brought nothing into this world 1 Tim. 6.7 and it is certain we can carry nothing out Man in this world is but a Tenant at will and seeing he deserves nothing he should be content with and thankful for any thing Now wilt thou make a woâ—k at sin 2. There 's but one thing in all the world that 's against the Being of man and that 's sin As sin would not suffer a man to be well in the world so not suffer a man to be long in the world Sin is not only against the well-being but also against the very being of man Sin would not only that man should not be well but also that he should not at all be Oh how many doth Sin strangle in the Womb Oh how many Abortives and Miscarriages doth Sin make Oh how many doth Sin send from the Cradle to the Grave that have run their race before they begin to go Man no sooner begins to live but he begins to die Sin hath reduced mans age to a very little pittance from almost a thousand years to a few years yea to a few days He that is born to day is not sure to live a day He that is born to day is old enough to die For what is our life it is even as a vapour which for a little time appeareth Jam. 4.1 and then vanisheth away Now wilt thou make a mock at sin 3. There 's but â—â—e thing in all the world that is a Reproach to Persons and that 's Sin Sin lays a person under infamy Sin is such a spot and stain as nothing but blood will wash out 'T is not properly a reproach for a person to be poor Poverty is not properly a reproach He that mocketh the poor Pro. 14.3 reproacheth his Makes The poor and the rich the Lord is the Maker of them all But now sin is a reproach to persons a Reproach to Nations Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people or according to the Margent Nations Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to Nations Now is sin thus and wilt thou make a mock at it 4. Ther 's but one thing in all the world that 's a ruine to persons and that â— Sin Ahaz would sacrifice to the gods of the King of Syriâ— that they might help him but they were the ruine of him and of all Israel Sin is not only the reproach of a person but the ruine of a person not only the reproach of a Nation but the ruine of a Nation Repent ye and turn from all your transgressions
be to think or speak lightly or spearingly of it if to make a Mock at sin be to sport with it as undoubtedly it is then that fools thus make a mock at sin is evident It is a sport to a fool to do mischiefe but a man of understanding hath wisedom Pro. 10.23 As a mad man that casteth fire-Brands Arrows Pro. 26.18 19 and Death so is the man that deceiveth his Neighbour and saith am not I in sport To make a mock at sin is to sport with sin And to sport with sin is to take pleasure and delight in sin Thus Israel according to the flesh sported themselves with their Whorish Idolatries Gen. 3.4 and this their mocking at sin lay neer the heart of God Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue are ye not Children of Transgression Isa 57.4 a seed of falshood Did not this lay neer the heart of God 2. Why Fools make a mock at sin 1. Because 't is possible for these so to do Look upon Adam which was the first man and there was in him under the first Creation an innate potentialit or power unto sinning 'T is true sin never had a being from God though God Created Adam he did not Create sin in him but Adam had in himself a power to sin which is the Original of sin Had there not been a possibility for man to sin and a potentiality in man unto sinning in vain had that Threatning been The day thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt dye Gen. 2.1 That is no sooner shalt thou begin to live but thou shalt begin to dye and continue dying 'till thou beest swallowed up of death This Threatning dying thou shalt dye God gave in Charge and against this threatning the Serpent laid his siege Ye shall not dying dye Now certainly had there not been a possibility and potentiality in man to sin God had not given this in Charge for he cannot without great blasphemy be charged with vanity Besides the Effect which the siege and Temptation from the Serpent Gen 3.12 and the woman had upon Adam sufficiently proves that there was a possibility for man to sin The woman whom thou gavest to be with me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat 2. Because 't is connatural unto these to do so As it was possible for an unfallen man to sin so 't is connatural unto fallen man to sin Look upon man in his Conception I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Psa 51.5 As there is the Original of sin so there is Original sin Look upon man in his natural Constitution And God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was onely evil Jen. 6.5 not onely evil but onely evil and that continually As there is the Original of sin and Original sin so there is actuall sin Look upon men in their Naturals and they are Enemyes to God Col. 1.21 to good to goodness And you who were sometimes alienated and enemyes in your mind by wicked works Or enemies by your mind in wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled The Apostle hath yet a higher strain Because the carnal mind or the minding of the flesh is Enmity against God 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 't is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be 'T is Enmity not an Enemy for an Enemy may be reconciled but Enmity is irreconcileable 3. The Applying of it I shall make onely one use of this Vsus and that 's by way of Counsel If fools make a mock at sin suffer then the words of Exhortation But here I would speak to two sorts of Persons the spiritually wise and sinfully foolish 1. To the wise 1. To those that are spiritually wise 1. Do fools make a mock at sin Mourn then over this sinful mocking Did the suffering of a place lay so near Nihemiah's heart and shall not the sinning of a place or people lay near our hearts The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and the Gates thereof are burnt with fire Neh. 1.3 4. and when I heard these things I wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven A Jesting with sin makes a man a fool in earnest Lot had an express from the Angels to go out of Sodom and all that he had but Lot Ge. 19.12 upon his intimation of the destruction of that vitious City and his Invitation out of that City Ge 19 14 seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law Let but one man reprove another for his cursing and swearing for his dancing and drinking for his roaring and whoring he is as one that mocketh and is mocked for his Reproof Now shall not this be laid to heart and mourned over Oh how near did the violating and vitiating of the Law of God lay the heart of the Psalmist Rivers of tears run down mine eyes but what 's the matter Ps 119.136 The Psalmist is ready as it were to weep out his eyes and drown himself in his own tears but what 's the matter because they keep not thy Law They that keep not the Law break the Law and they that break the Law keep not the Law and this lay near the Psalmists heart May we not joyn issue with him and make it the matter of our request as he did Oh that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountain of tears Why because Fools make a mock at sin Let this then be for a Lamentation 2. Do Fools make a mock at sin Bless God then for the difference Grace hath made Ther 's a vast difference between making a mock at sin and a mourning for sin between a boasting of sin and a being burdened for si between a glorying in sin and a being grieved for sin Now soul dost thou gr eve for sin when and while others glory in sin Art thou burdened for sin when and while others boast of sin Dost thou mourn for sin when and while others make a mock at sin Oh bless God then for the difference that the God of race and the grace of Goâ— hath made between thee and others Oh let that word ring in thine eares and bâ— ready always to avouch the truth of it wee maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou 1 Cor. 4.7 that thou didst not receive 3. Do Fools make a mock at sin Stand then in awe and sin not Believe it a Christiâ—â— cannot sin at a cheap rate sin cost the Saint dear Oh the pains of Body and pangs of soul that sin cost Oh! 't is far better suffering then sinning for a man may suffer and not sin In all this Job sinned not but a man cannot sin but he must suffer
the Kingdom of Heaven is what the Kingdom of Glory is Is not a Sinless state a Sorrow-less state a Temptationless state a Time-less state worth the hearing worth the having Oh Soul 't is a Heaven to hope it what then is it to have it Now Glory hereafter Happines hereafter a Being with Christ hereafter a Heaven hereafter must needs be a great Concern of the Soul which leads me to the next Head proposed 2. Why those that are Young are to Concern their Souls with their Soul-Concerns in the dayes of their Youth 1. Because 't is their Duty so to do To this my Text speaks Remember thy Creators in the dayes of thy Youth Here is a positive Precept and Prescript now as divine Commands are not to be Dispenced with so they are not to be Disputed but Dispatched Oh you that are young your Lot is cast where ye may seek after the Lord you have the meanes and Opportunities of Grace Oh how many Young Persons laid in everlasting Chains of Darkness would give Ten-thousand Worlds had they so many VVorlds to give for an Opportunity to hear one Sermon more to Read one Chapter more to make one Prayer more to Keep one Lords day more may not I therefore say to you as the Apostle did with a very little Variation How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 2. Because 't is their Dignity so to do Oh what a rare sight is it to see Nature and Grace Contemporaries to see Grace and Nature Budding together Blossoming together Oh how honourable is it but Beginning to Act Rationally beginning also to Act Spiritually was not this the honour of Aâ—ijah 1 Kings 14 1 12 13. to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Obadiah to fear the Lord in the days of his youth was not this the honour of Josiah 1 Kings 18.12 2 Chro. 34 1 2 3. that precious and promising Prince to seek after the God of David his Father in the days of his youth was not this Timothy's crown that he knew the holy Scriptures from a child which are able to make wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 thorough faith which is in Christ Jesus And was not this the Apostles joy that he found children walking in the truth 2 ep Jo. 4 3. Because 't is their Mercy so to do Hast Mercy in thine eye 't is thy mercy and that in a manifold respect to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 1. Because childhood and youth are vanity Solomon speaking to the young man to remove sorrow from his heart Eccl. 11.10 and put away evil from his flesh gives this reason for Childhood and Youth are vanity Young ones in the days of their youth are loytering when they should be labouring playing when they should be praying singing when they should be sighing merry when they should be mourning Childhood and Youth are not only vain but vanity it self 'T is not long after Children have been breathing but they are belching out hideous and horrid Oaths Do not children bring original sin with them into the world Psal 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Now 't is not long before they act sin and the soul that sinneth shall die Are not there many children that have not long began to speak but begin to take the sacred Name of God in vain yea desperately to curse and to swear Is it not now the Childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 2. Because the truth of Grace is a Childs greatest Ornament This pur-blind Gentry and Age look to the Face but not to the Heart upon beauty in the face but not upon grace in the heart Absalom was a perfect beauty as to his body but a perfect black as to his soul for he was Christless and graceless and Godless Grace is the Image of God stampt upon the soul and such a child is lovely in the eyes of God though it be loathsom in the eyes of man How crooked soever deformed soever poor soever weak soever this child be as to body yet 't is beautiful as to soul having grace stamped upon it 'T is a beauty in the eyes of a God and of a Christ though it be a black in the eyes of a man that is Godless and Christless Thy Renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect thorough my comeliness Ezek. 16 14. which I had put upon thee saith Jehovah God As if God had said thou wert a black but thou art now a beauty Oh Child thou art by nature as black as sin can make thee and art like to be as miserable as hell can make thee Is it not now thy mercy to concern thy soul with the concerns of thy soul in the days of thy youth 3. Because their Glass is running God doth as it were turn up a Glass when we come into the world and this is running running apace and die thou must What man is he that liveth and shall not see death i.e. shall not die Child die thou must yea die thou mayest and that in a little time Thou art in health to day thou mayst be sick tomorrow thou art upon a down-bed to day thou mayest be upon a dying-bed tomorrow thou art upon earth to day thou mayst be in hell tomorrow Is it not now the concern of the child to remember his Creator in the days of his youth We say Time and Tide stay for no man My days are swifter then a Post Job 9.25 they flie away they see no good The Ancients emblem'd time with wings not running but flying Time is like the Sun that never stands still but is ever a running his race The Sun did once stand still yea went back but so Time never did The Shunamites son was short-liv'd and so was Davids that he had by Bathsheba 2 Sam. 12.18 Is it not now a childs mercy to concern his soul with the concerns of his soul in the days of his youth 4. Because children have immortal souls Children have souls as Parents children have souls as well as men And these souls of theirs have a stamp of excellency and a stamp of Immortality They have a stamp of excellency The body that 's the cask the soul that 's the wine the body that 's the cabinet the soul that 's the jewel the body that 's the work of God the soul that 's the Breath of God And as the soul hath a stamp of excellency so of immortality Death can kill bodies but it cannot kill souls The soul lives though the body dies The soul is a blossom of eternity and hath a stamp of immortality Every child hath a soul which death it self despaireth how to kill That opinion of the mortality of
calls when he will Caesar when he saw Alexanders Statue wept having though young done so much when himself had done so little Dost thou see a green one in the way to Heaven when thou a gray one art in the way to Hell Here 's cause for mourning but not for despairing because God who can have mercy on whom he will will have mercy when he will 2. To those in a state of Grace 1. Art gray but gracious make then death familiar There are few that have much familiarity with Christ when they die but those that have made death familiar before they die That 's the soul that goes singing home when he dies that makes death familiar while he lives That 's the soul that can laugh death in the face when he dies that makes death familiar while he lives This is the soul that through grace can say Oh death where is thy sting Oh grave 2 Tim. 4.6 where is thy victory Paul had not only a knowledge that he should not long live before he died for he could say I know the time of my departure is at hand Phil. 1.23 but he had made death very familiar while he lived for he could say I desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far much better Man is a Mass of Mutabilities be daily therefore reading Lectures upon thy mutability Man is but a wink of life be daily therefore reading Lectures upon thy mortality the Heathens Embleme for life Oculus apertus oculus clau 〈◊〉 was an eye opâ—n and for death an eye shut as if there were no more difference between the living and the dying but the twinkling of an eye 2. Art gray and gracious multiply cries then for thy children if thou hast children Thus Abraham did Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight Now he having such a spirit of Prayer would not only pray for the life of his body but also for the life of his soul according to my Charity towards him Thus David did for the child he had by Bathsheba at first the child was sick He prayed and fasted and lay upon the earth all night Now David 2 Sa. 12.16 having such a spirit of Prayer such is my charity concerning him also did not only pray for the life of the body but also for the life of the soul Have not many sick children and some sinful children multiply cries then for these Oh Lord make this Ishmael an Isaac Oh Lord make this Esau a Jacob Oh Lord make this Cain an Abel Oh Lord make this Benoni a Benjamin this son of sorrow a son of my right hand Oh Lord make this Dinah a daughter of Abraham this wandring daughter a believing daughter 3. Art gray and gracious and hast children concern thy soul then with their Education Good Parents good Masters good Tutors and good Guardians are many times great Blessings to Children Now that Parents are to look after the Education of their Children ther 's both Precept and President Precept Commands are Obligatory the Commands of God and Christ are not to be Dispenced with these are to be Dispatched not Disputed a Dispensation from the Italian-Monster is altogether Insignificiant as to these Commands Now that there is a Parental obligation for a filial Education is evident And ye Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath lest they be discouraged Eph. 6.4 but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Nutriment of Soul as well as Nourishment of Body should be in the Parents Eye If the Father be desirous that the Body of the Child should grow bigger he is to be more then desirous that the soul of the Child should grow better Only take heed to thyself Deu. 4.9.10 and keep thy soul diligently lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen and lest they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons Specially the day that thou stoodst before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lord said unto me Gather the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the dayes that they shall live upon the Earth and that they may teach their Children This is still evident by what follows These words which I command thee this day Deu 6.6 7. shall be in thy heart And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up Once more Isa 38.9 The Fathers to the Children shall make known thy Truth 2. President How careful were the Heathen that Chidren might have Education Morally good Now not Christian Parents Believing Parents endeavour an Education Spiritually good An Vnbroken heart and an Vnchatechised head Gen. 18 19. will keep distance enough between a Sinless Creator and a Sinfull Creature Is there not sufficient President for this Practise Did not Abraham read Divinity Lectures to his Family Take the Testimony of God himself For I know him that he wlll Command his Children and his Household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe Justice and Judgment c. Thus Abraham did and did there not grow upon the Stalk of his Instructions as as eminent service and obedience to the Father of flesh and to the Father of spirits as ever was was not Isaac willing to offer his Throat to the sacrificing Knife was not Isaac's faith great as well as Abrahams the sons as well as the fathers And was not the son's life as dear to him as the fathers son was to him Once more and no more as to this I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us we will not hide them from their childrer shewing to the generation to come the Praises of the Lord c. for he established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israâ—l which he commanded our fathers that they should makâ— them known to their children that the generation to come might know them even the children which should be born who should arise and declare them to their children Ps 78.2 3 4 5 6 7. That they might set their hope in God and not forget the Works of God but keep his Commandments Question 1. But what Reasons may be given besides Precept and President why Parents should Concern their Souls with the education of their Children Solution 1. Because of its ordinary Tendency Train up a Child in the way he should goe what then and when he is old he will not depart from it In which words Pro. 22. â— you have the Fathers Duty and the Childs Mercy the one to train up when young the way he should goe the other to be trained up when young the way he
corruption at his heart 'T is mans sin that kills him As Sin infects so it inters the man it infects No scâ—ner do we begin to live but we begin to die Gen. 2.27 In the day thou eaâ—est thereof dying thou shalt die Thou shalt be dying till thou diest as thou art obnoxious to the first so to the second death Gen. 6. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil and that continually Continually every day so the Hebrew all days so the Greek Not only the frame of a natural he art but whatsoever a natural heart frameth is evil only evil every day evil Was not Stephens Enterment without great lamentation Devout men carried Stephen to the Grave and made great lamentation over him And shall not sin in the heart lie near the heart and be greatly lamented Did David mourn till he could no more mourn for the burning of a Ziklag and shall not the soul mourn for sin in the heart that hath made it so sinful Ch let thine eye be like a Limbeck continually dropping for sin in the heart To this end endeavour thorough Christ to sense thy heart with these Considerations 1. Sin hath a Being still within There are the Remainders of sin within There are Philistines yet in thy Land accursed Inmates yet in thy house Thy Garden is not yet without weeds thy house not yet without rubbish thy heart not yet without leaver If we say that we have not sinned we make him a Liar and his Word is not in us Nay if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1 There is such a thing as sin yea 1 Joh. 1 sin within the tallest Cedars Paul though cried up for an earthly Angel 〈◊〉 7.20 in respect of his holiness acknowledgeth but sin that dwelleth in me Sin was an Inmate he does not speak of it as a Guest but as an Inhabitant and shall not this siâ— in the heart lie near in the heart and be mourned over Oh mourn over sin for it hath a being yet within 2. Sin had not a being from God Sin is mans own his own Babe Man is Sins Parent Though Sataâ— be the Father of temptation yet the Heart is the Mother of Corruption Sin hath its Conception within 〈◊〉 15. Lust when conceived bringeth forth sin Now as Sin had its conception in man so man had his conception in Sin I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me 〈◊〉 51.5 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 non â—â—care â—â—â—sse non â—â—are â—â—â—sse â—â—care As there is original sin which is an habitual exorbitancy and an universal depravity of mans nature so there is the original of sin which was a possibility for and a potentiality in man to sin There is an impossibility of sinning and that is in a Celestial state there is a possibility for not sinning and that is in an Evangelical state but then there was a possibility for sinning and that was in a Paradisical state Man and that in a Paradisical state had a Potentiality of sinning this is the original of sin Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thine help No wonder thy destruction is of thy self for thy Corruption is of thy self There had been no destruct on had there been no corruption As if God had said Oh Israel thy sin and thy sorrow lay near my heart but thy destruction is of thy self this Calf this Sin which is from thy self therefore is the meritorious cause of thy destruction Seek the cause where thou wilt 't is not in me but in thee Sin had not a being from me though it hath a being in thee Shall not this then be mourned over which had not a being from God 3. Sin cannot have a being with God Nothing shall have a being with God but that which had a being from God but Sâ—â— had not a being from God no sin no sinner â—â—all inherit the Kingdom of God The unrighteous as unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Know ye not that the unrigâ—teous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. No soul in his sin shall have Heaven for his Mansion Nothing that defileth or worketh abomination or maketh a Liâ— Re. 21 2â— shall enter this â—erusalem yea shall not enter into a lesser and lower Jerusalem then this is even that Jerusalem which cometh down from God out of Heaven Shall not this Sin then be mourned over 4. Sin strikes at the very being of God Ens Hatium Sin doth not only strike at the being of man but at the very Being of God who is the very Being of God who is the Being of Beings Sin would not only un-mâ—n a Man and 〈◊〉 Saint a Saint but un-Christ a Christ but un-God a God Get you out of the way turn aside out of the Path â—â—a 30.11 cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us This is the Dialect of Sin in a Man and of a Man in his Sin Shall not thine eyes now be like the Rivers in Heshbon 1. Suffer me now to present thee with some Motives Motives and then with some Directions 1. Would ye not be Captives to Constitution-Corruptions Then above all keeping keep your hearts Sam. 22. I was also upright before him and have kept my self from mine iniquity There was some particular sin the Sin of his Nature that he observed and that you may also observe in your selves This is the Sin that doth so easily beset us Aâ— there is the Master-Grace Iâ—â— 12 so there is the Master-sin Indeed this Reason the Spirit of God in the Text gives for keeping the heart above all keeping Above all keeping keep thy heart why for Out of it are the Issues of life Or for out of it the Actions of life proceed 2. Would ye keep your lips then above all keeping keep your hearts If ye would keep a close lip ye must keep a clean heart The Heart is not far situated from the Tongue M. 12 34. Out of the abundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh Out of the abundance or redundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh The Lips they are the out-works and must not be neglected the Heart that is the Citadel and must be chiefly kept The Hand reaches but a small Compass but the Tongue saâ—ls thorough the Vniverse The Tongue hath no mean it s either exceedingly good or excessively evil it knows nothing but extremes The Lips do offend Nâ—gatively as well as Positively as in speaking so in not speaking for Silence somâ—imes is a loud sin Keep thy Tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile is imposed by the Psalmist and transmitted to Posterity 3. Would ye not set up Idols in your hearts Then above all