and verily so it was with him that the love of Christ was sufficient to constraine him 2 Cor. 5. 14. And he went through good and through bad report yea and he was not discouraged by all the bonds which did a tend him nor counted he his life deare for Christ it was all one to him so that Christ might be magnified whether by life or whether by death 4. Spiritualâ—ty of obedience there is a twofold acting of dutie Spirituality of obedience One is carnal when we do them as ordinary works as works of course the meere material acting of them sufficeth us so that we say some words it makes a prayer so that we give some money it makes uâ— our charity so that we be a Church it makes up our hearing so that we go over a chapter it makes up our reading so that we study and speak a Sermâ—n it makes up our preaching so that we eat no meat this makes up fasting It matters not what melody and harmony so that Simile we touch the strings Another is spiritual when duties are performed in an obedience to God because he commands them and also the very heart and soul the spirit and the affections act themselves they co-operate with our services the desires of our souls is to the remembrance of thee or as David with my whole heart have I sought thee When a man can say as Paul whom I serve with my spirit Rom. 1. 9. or as David my soul praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. or with Mary my soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth rejoyce in God my Saviour Luke 2. or as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the spirit and with the understanding also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also or as Christ saith thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might An hypocrite he may do so much about duties as may manifest the excellency of his gifts but he doth not that about duties â—â—ich argues the efficacy of grace he may be high and admirable in the visible parts in the very works he may hit upon as ample and pertinent phrases in preaching and sweet expressions in praying as another his lips may draw neare but yet his heart is far off it can suffice him to do service to the eye of man But an upright person there is fire and incense in his sacrifices he must present living and reasonable services why if he hears and not with attention not with reverence not with fear not with faith he is greatly troubled he knowes that God must be served with godly reverence and feare for preaching let him speak as the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. If I do this willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9. 17. see 1 Thes 2. 4. If he prays and his minde be drawn aside by distractions and his affections work not with sorrow hope with earnest desire and some confidence he accounts that the work is not done he hath said something but he thinks he hath not prayed 'T is true and he confesseth so much that the cause of acceptance of all services is in Christ yea but he must serve and strives to serve the Lord with all his heart he looks to the manner of service on his part In singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service c. Eph. 6. 5 6. see Rom. 12. 8. 3 John 5. Thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest 5. Humility of obedience why this doth argue the uprightnesse Humility of obedience of a person There is no person more proud of his work then an hypocrite Christ tells us that he cannot give an almes but the trumpet is presently at his mouth There are two things which may befal a man upon the performance of any holy duties One is rejoycing and this is lawful when God hath enlarged my heart in prayer when he hath quickned me in his service raised my affections animated my faith assisted me more then ordinary against my dulnesse distractions unbelief temptations I may rejoyce my heart should be raised to blesse the Lord and in some cases to speak of this his goodness to his glory Another is boasting when a man like the cock claps the wing upon his own body when he sets out himself the more deales with others more to admire him to extoll him when he blesseth himself and bestows the honour of all his performances upon himself Now this is base and argues that the heart is not upright but the upright heart doth all the holy performances by its masters strength and for it masters glory when it is to do duty it begges for Gods grace when it hath done duty it gives â—od the glory 1 Chron. 29. 13. Now therefore O Lord our God we thank thee and praise thy glorious name ver 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee Like a faithful servant who craves direction how to sell â—nd trade And when that is done the money which he takes he puts into his Masters coffer Nay more then all this the upright heart doth much feare it selfe least by any meanes it should finger any part of Gods â—lory by well-doing let any praise from man come near O saith the upright personâ— what have I which I have nor received Not I but the grace of God in me it is but duty and that not done so much or so well as is required so that God will pardon my failings and accept of me in Christ it is enough Obj. It is true that upon some extraordinary actings even an upright heart may feel some secret thoughts of self applause and oftentation Sol. But these are felt as temptations as snares and resisted yea and such secret flies cause many tears to be cast after singular performance but the hypocrite he doth seek praise and accept of it he loves the praise of men and knows how to cry up himself Epamâ—nondas went weeping because of the vain-glory of yesterdays victory and triumph the hypocrite is proud even of his humility 5. A fifth trial whether a man be upright or no is if the bent An upright person the bent and purpose of his heart is unto God and purpose of his heart be unto God Meer particular actions do not conclude either way the estate of the soule An hypocrite may do some good act and an upright person may do some sinful act But that which even in such Cases may testifie unto a man his uprightnesse is the true bent and purpose of the heart Look which way the heart is set and purposed in the habitual temper of it that doth convince either of hypocrisie or of uprightnesse By the heart of man
THE ANATOMY Of Secret Sins Presumptuous Sins Sins in Dominion Vprightness WHEREIN Divers weighty Cases are resolved in Relation to all those Particulars Delivered in divers SERMONS preached at Mildreds in Bread-street London on PSALM 19. 12 13. TOGETHER With the Remissibleness of All Sin and the Irremissibleness of the SIN against the HOLY GHOST Preached before an Honourable AUDITORY By that Reverend and Faithfull MINISTER of the Gospel Mr. Obadiah Sedgwick B. D. Perfected by Himself and published by those whom he intrusted with his NOTES LONDON Printed by T. R. for Adoniram Byfeild at the sign of the three Bibles in Corn-Hill near Popes-head Alley Anno 1660. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE Name of the Reverend Author of this Work will commend it to the Acceptance of them all who were either acquainted with his Ministry or have attentively perused his Treatises formerly published He was a Work man who needed not to be ashamed As the matter of his Discourses was solid and profitable so his language was pregnant and delightfull both which took much upon his gracious and ingenuous Auditors This is to be acknowledged a great abatement of the Churches loss by his death that though he be dead he yet speaketh from the Press by the usefull Treatises left written by his own hand which through Gods Mercy may prove rich blessings unto posterity by edifying Christians in Grace and Comfort As the reasonable immortal soul is the more noble part of man so supernatural Grace doth truly ennoble it by introducing the likeness and life of God This Grace which is The good work p Phil. 1. 6. The good and perfect gift of God o Jam. 1. 17. may be promoted both in its habit and exercise by such helps as this which Divine Providence putteth into thy hand And therefore since sanctifying Grace which is the strength beauty riches of the soul and the best thing on this side Christ himself From whose fulness we all do receive Grace for Grace n John 1. 16. is wrought preserved enlarged and quickned by these means they should be gladly welcomed and diligently improved by all serious sincere Christians And whereas Humility and Sincerity are Graces eminently excellent and useful throughout the whole course of Christianity rendring every other grace and every duty the more lovely and acceptable Helps in both these thou mayest expect from this ensuing Treatise The Text here handled doth hold forth at the first view both Sinfulness and Uprightness of Gods servants Their sinfulness bitterly bewailed and their uprightness seriously designed whence we have The Anatomy of secret sins Presumptuous sins Sins in Dominion and of Uprightness Every self considering Christian doth see so much sin in his heart and life that he is abased under the Burden b Psal 38. 4. of it how heavy then is this thought upon his heart that there are many thousands of secret unseen Errors chargeable upon him by the All-knowing heart-searching God And yet this adds further load unto the burdned Spirit that besides his former guiltiness of and inclination to presumptuous sins things heinous and horrid the seeds also of that unpardonable sin the thoughts whereof are amazing and dreadful to every Gracious heart do lie and live in his depraved nature These particulars are here largely and convincingly discoursed of by means whereof the secure sinner may be well awakened and the proud heart deeply humbled What examples of Bitter Mourning e 1 Sam. 7. 6. self-loathing f Ezek. 36. 31. and lamentable outcries g Rom. 7. 24. upon this account are recorded in the holy Scriptures How needfull and seasonable this too much neglected Indeavour would be in these loose luke-warm times might easily be manifested The manifold precious Benefits of this practise may perswade it Besides Divine Acceptance h Psal 51. 17 and familiar Communion d Isa 57. 16. 66. 2. together with many rich Promises hereby possessed By meanes hereof the soul will patiently submit to Gods Afflicting hand e 1 Pet. 5. 5 6 7. Job 22. 29. Lev 26. 41. Mic. 7. 9. and seriously set upon real Reformation g 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Thus Christ will become much more precious and sweet unto the soul a 1 Tim. 1 12 13 15. Rom. 7 24 25. And as we shall be made more Meek in our deportment towards all so more peculiarly compassionate towards Bleeding Repenting sinners h Tit. 3. 2 3. viewing the number and heinousness of our own Irregularities considering how much we our selves do still lie under Sins Dominion o Rom 7. 18 19 21 23 with the guilt of some presumptuous Iniquities e Mat. 26. 75 Good Reader thou shalt not only be thus edified in Humility his Product of sins discovery but in Sincerity also by that which followeth in the Anatomy of Uprightness Vnexpressible are the Comforts which come into the soul by clearing up its Sincerity from Scripture evidence If there be a Messenger an Interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto man his Uprightness c John 33 23 then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a Ransom his flesh shall be fresher then a Child And for the Enjoyment of satisfaction out of Gods All-sufficiency is assured in the Covenant of Grace unto upright walking with his Majesty f Gen. 17. 1. Herein consists Gods image in man d Eccl. 7. 26 which is his fairest beauty and his greatest Glory The imperfect performances of the Sincere do not only find Acceptance c 2 Chro. 30. 28 19. 20. but Delight in the Lord d Pro. 15. 8. unto them he will not deny either Grace or Glory or any thing may be truly Good p Psal 84. 11 and notwithstanding the saddest dispensations imaginable God will be constantly and superlatively good unto them c Psal 73. 1. How bad soever they be in their own eyes yet they are perfect in Gods Account d Ps 37. 37. and they may alwayes rejoyce with Thanksgiving before the Lord and with gladsome Boldness h Psal 33. 1. look Pale death it self in the face when it doth approach t 2 Cor. 1. 22 But we will not enlarge our selves in these matters contenting our selves with these short hints suggested to give thee a tast of that sweet fruit which thou mayest expect to reap by the carefull perusal of this very savory usefull Book which we commend to thy Improvement and thy self therein to the Blessing of the Almighty through Iesus Christ in whom and for whom we are Septemb. 1. 1659. Thy faithfull friends and servants Humphrey Chambers Edmund Calamy Simeon Ash Adoniram Byfeild THE Anatomy OF SECRET SINNES PSALM 19. 12. Who can understand his Errors Cleanse thou me from secrets or from secret sins or faults SAint Chrysostom conjectures that the maine intention of the greatest part of this Psalm consists in the discovery
Peter untrusty to his master yet you shall presently find himselfe bitterly weeping for his miscarriage Whereas the servants of sinne do the work and take the wages they sin and rejoyce when they have done evil yet the servants of righteousnesse actively afflict their hearts for that which hath deceived them and prevailed upon them Obj. It is granted that terror may gripe an evill heart for evil doing but there is a great difference betwixt a sword which wounds and a fountain that runs Sol. Conscience may be wounded in the good and in the bad but besides this that acted sinnes are a good mans wound they are also his great grief of soul 2. Another is earnest desire of recovery It is a singular Earnest desire of recovery and observable matter this when a man hath sinned to whom he holds out his hand upon it The servant of sin doth work sinne and his hand stretcheth out it self as a servant still as ready to advance and finish the service sinne is his work and delight it is the Lord and captain after which he would yet march But an holy man not under dominion but surprisal not under service but captivity he is not himself till he hath recovered his liberty and strength There is such an high displeasure with himselfe and with his facts that he will go free he will not have his eare boâ—ed to serve such a Master as sin Good Lord how his heart trembles how his heart meditates cast about works strives sometimes he cries out ah wicked a deceitful heart sometimes he condemnes himself what a beast was I thus to sin sometimes he looks up toward heaven and sighs bitterly Ah! what a God have I provoked what mercies have I wronged sometimes he looks in and weeps and saith ah what motions did I withstand what a spiâ—it have I grieved how unlike my self is my self sometimes he is down in prayer O Lord forgive blot out heal help recover my heart again unto thee One way oâ— other is his soul working like a fountaine in which dirt is cast till it hath purged out the filth he is not at rest till sinne be more subdued his heart more changed his affections more humbled his judgement more cleared his conscience more preserved his peace more confirmed his soul not only recovered but also bettered yea thus it will be with such an heart which clears it that sin hath not dominion that though sin prevaile to action yet it shall not to affection though I did the evil yet I hate it though it did prevail yet I will not serve it though it hath beat me down as a tyrant yet I will not folâ—ow it as my Lord nay I am not at quiet till I can recover the siâ—ht of my Lord Châ—ist againe and have made my â—eace and strengthned my heart for more loyal service unto him The third is strong haâ—red and conflict the War is more increased Strong hatred by victory revenge is more raiâ—ed 2 Cor. 7. SECT V. A Second Use from Davids prayer against the dominion Use 2 of sin shall be for thankfulnesse to such in whom this dominion For thankfulness to such in whom the dominion is broken off is broken off Though there be so much of sinne remaining as may keep thee humble and watchful yet if dominion be gone there is so much done as may challenge from thee to be heartily thankful give me leave to put on this a little Six motives Six motives It is deliverance from the greatest evil 1. Deliverance from the greatest evil is reason enough of great thanks It is more then if God delivered thee from hell if he hath delivered thee from the dominion of sinne No hell is like sinne â—eigning for as much as torment in strength is nothing to sin in strength that is indeed a very miserable thing but this a very evil thing sinne is worse then all punishment and reigning sinne is the worst of all sinne 2. None but God could deliver thee and therefore if he None but God could deliver thee hath done it blesse him A man may deliver his friend out of prison by paying his debt A father may deliver his child out of captivity by sending his ransome A Country may be delivered from the oppression of an invading tyrant by great strength of its own But there are two hands out of which none but God can deliver one is Satans another is our own As David spake in another case thou hast looâ—ed the bands of my distresse and it is the Lord who subdueth the people under me and it is not my bowe nor my sword c. that I say here it is not your own arme which hath gotten you the victory no hand but Gods high hand which hath delivered you from the powers of darknesse which hath kept sin from dominion which hath cast out the strong man which hath cast down the stronâ— holds thou wast not so much as sensible of thine own vassailage or of sinnes dominion thou hadst not power to feel much lesse to conquer and deliver And when thou wert sensible of sinne thy heart did not behave it self as an enemy but as a friend most willingly bowing under the yoke and readily embracing the lusts and motions of the law of sin when thou hast been called upon to put off the yoke and to come out of the house of bondage the Hebrew servant who loved his Master was never more unwilling to part from his house then thy heart was to come off from thy love and service of thy sins And yet the almighty God in compassion to thy soule hath delivered thee he hath disthroned sin he hath drawn off thy heart to a better Lord and would not suffer sin to rule thee but by the mighty power of his grace hath made thee free from the house of most heavy bondage Therefore not to thy good nature nor to thy free-will nor to thy abilities nor to thy wit or parts or reason but to the Lord be all the glory the victory is his therefore let the praise be his 3. It is speciall grace and mercy Paul stiles it rich mercy and It is speciall grace and mercy great love and riches of grace Eph. 2. It is mercy to be rid of a disease more of a sin to resist a temptation much more to take off dominion the spirit of Christ only doth it the more singular a mercy is the more thankfull should we be Titus 3. 3. We our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. v. 4. But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared v. 5. According to his mercy he saved us thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption said Hezekiah Esa 38. 17. O then what a mercy is it to be delivered from the power of sinfull dominion If thou were rid of an hard Master that would
seeme a mercy if of a cruell Tyrant that would seem a mercy if of a desperate enemy if of bonds if of a sickness what then is it to be rid of the rule of sin which is infinitely worse then all these Fourthly no Lord so bad and no command soe vile as those of sin in dominion Therefore blesse God for your deliverance No Lord so bad or commandes so vile as those of sin in dominion you whose soules are through the mighty graciousnesse of a good God rescued from the powers of darknesse Tell me what are your thoughts what your judgements what your troubles for the workings of your vanquished enemy if the weakned corruptions appeare yet so vile what were your raigning corruptions If sin be so monstrous unto you now only in remptation what was it heretofore in dominion if the finger be so heavy what were the loynes if a particular action doth as you imagine expose you so dangerously what did the service of sin do under what displeasures of wrath lay your soules when sin had fullest affection and compleat to obedience Rebekah seemed weary of her life because of the presence of the Daughters of Heth If the presence created such an affliction what might the conjunction and union have done verily if sin be as it is bad and troublesome in combate O it is infinitely worse in the throne and absolute Empire over the soule wherein every faculty serves it with all its strength and madly strives how to dishonour God breaks his law resists his spirit to fulfill lusts and please the devill and to damne the soule O blesse the Lord for his goodnesse to thee that yet the dominion of sin is off T is true corruption yet remaines but yet it remaines not as a Lord but as a Tyrant not as a king but as an enemy time was that sin had thy love but now thou hatest it time was that sin had thy minde to devise for it but now those imaginations are cast down time was that thy will was espoused to sin but now a divorce is sued out time was that thy members were ready enough to fullfil the lusts of the flesh but now they are made servants of righteousnesse time was that thou didest sell thy selfe to wickednesse and was never so joyfull as when thou wast sinfull but now it is not so thou art a drudge a slave a vassall no longer thy former wayes amaze thee and the present Commands of sin are an affliction to thee O blesse the Lord c. 5. Again if the dominion of sin be off then assuredly the scepter If dominion of sin be off then the septer of Christ is set up in thy soul of Christ is set up in thy soul Beloved the soule stands not abides not in a middle estate it must have some one Lord or other it is necessarily under some one dominion either of sin or of Christ and this know that the dominion of sin cannot be taken off in the soul but by a contrary by a better by a stronger dominion by that of Christ who dispossesseth the strong man It is he who hath changed thy heart who hath made thy heart to chang its Master who hath drawn off thy love thy service c. Now no dominion in the world like that of Christ No dominion like Christs None so holy 1. None so holy hee is holy love holinesse and all his commands are righteous 2. None so Gracious he doth not exact beyond what he gives So gracious and will yet mercifully pardon our true endeavors of service wherein they fall short 3. None so peaceable his very service is a kind of wages to the obedient a vassal to sin is like a man labouring all day about Soe peaceable thornes and nettles the more abundance of them grasped Simile by him galls him with the more wounds and paines no man can be long cheerfully sinfull either Terrour or feare accompanies most sinnings but the service of Christ hath warrant from the word and peace from conscience 4. None so afflicted his commands are accompanied with So afflicted strength and spirit he bids us to do the worke and gives us his owne hand thereto imposeth duty and Imprinteth ability writes the law to the eare and writes it also in the heart 5. None so rewarded no man serves Christ too much or for Soe rewarded nought Though all our work be but duty yet he payes us rich wages we owe unto Christ all our strength and the use of all our graces neither doe we bring in so much of these in full service as we should yet our good Lord and Master will give us if we be faithfull servants at night our penny and at the last our crowne 6. Lastly be thankfull for if dominion be off then damnation is off There is no condemnation saith Paul to them that are in If dominon of sin be off damnation is off Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom 8. 1. A man is not damned meerly because he hath sin for then no man could be saved for who is the man that sinneth not but because sin is his Lord and he is the servant of sin Not so much because he is bad but because he will be bad not only for the act but for the love T is confessed that guilt is as naturall to sin as the shaddow is to the body no man can sin at any time in any thing and yet be Innocent But meritorious guilt is one thing and redounding guilt is another thing If the dominion of sin be broken off that a man loves not sin but hates it yeelds not up himselfe unto it but resists it is not in league but in conflict with it then the estate of guilt is taken off so that it shall not effectually redound to the condemnation of the person where God doth powerfully subdue the sinfull nature there he will mercifully pardon and discharge the unwillingly sinning and offending person if sin be not thy Lord then Hell shall not be thy portion He who is become an enemy to his sins grace rules in his heart now and glory shall crowne his soule hereafter Obj. But will some troubled and therefore unably discerning soule reply we doubt it not But that it is a most singular Doubts of troubled soules fearing they are still under the Dominion of sin mercy A rich grace worthy of greatest acceptance and heartiest thankes where the dominion of sin is broken off but alas we feare it is not so with us heavy cause have we to suspect that we are captives yet under sins dominion so that though others who can happily observe the yoke broken off and therefore can be chearfully thankfull we finde it yet strong O very strong and therefore more reason have we of griefe and sorrow Beloved it is granted that if a man findes himselfe indeed Sol. under the dominion of any sin assuredly
33. which is expounded v. 38. by a perfect heart A mans heart is upright when God alone and his ways alone and his truth alone satisfie and order and bound it when a man can say in truth as they in the matter of Choice Nay but the Lord is our God him will we serve I have chosen the Lord to be my God and his truths to be my guide and his precepts to be my paths and his glory to be my end and hereto only will I stick when the soul doth not halt between two or divides it self in a service of any side or way but keeps only to God Sometimes it is called perfection and the upright are called perfect as Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect Deut. 18. 13. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God Psalme 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright There is a double perfection One Absolute in respect of degrees which no man can now attain unto in this life no not the most upright for in many things we offend all The other Evangelical which consists in the evennesse of desire and endeavour when a man sets up and exalts the word of God and strives to square his heart and his life in all things thereby As Paul exercising himself to have a conscience void of Note offence and willing to live honestly in all things when a man doth as it were measure his paths as by a line he doth set them by the compasse of a divine rule or warrant not willingly stragling on the right hand or bending toward the left not willingly omit the least duty and commit the least sin he is an upright person when the heart is as large as the precept and the whole will of God is complied with in will and desire and endeavour Sometimes it is called a spirit without guile so Psal 32. 2. Blessed is the man in whose spirit there is no guile and Christ of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile An hypocritical heart is a cunning heart it hath many devises shufflings windings and turnings this heart is not plain and sound Therefore the hypocrites are said to have corrupt thoughts and to flatter with their tonguâ—s and to have crooked wayes They do not indeed hate the sin which they pretend nor love that holinesse which oft-times they praise and sometimes act some ends they have of Religion for their belly and for their own advantage but they do not heartily hate sinne nor truly love holinesse Now on the contrary an upright heart is without guile it is even plain and down-right therefore is it in the parable called an honest heart and saith Paul we speak the truth in Christ and upright walking is stiled a walking in truth and serving of God in truth and in spirit The meaning is this that the upright man is indeed that which he professeth his life and profession is not a painting which owes it self to an Artificer but a natural colour which owes it self to the soundnesse of temper he is one who hath truth in the inward parts as David speaks Psal 51. 6. He doth without base ends directly love God and from his very heart hate sinne Though he cannot expresse himself in that flourish of formality yet for Christ he can plainly say as Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee And touching sinnes as David of Gods enemies I hate them with a perfect hatred this he is in good earnest Sometimes it is called the allnesse or whollinesse of heart so Deut. 4. 29. If thou seek him with all thine heart Deut. 26. 16. Thou shalt keep and do them with all thine heart and with all thy soul Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee c. when the heart is upright the whole man comes in unto God all the soul and all the body none shall dispose of them but God And God shall dispose of him in every precept the very bent of a man is to please God in all things and the whole soul in the understanding will memory affections bears a respect to all his Commandments There be other phrases to set out this businesse of uprightnesse but I must passe them over and pitch upon the description 2. Now to the second quid Rei I conjecture that uprightnesse The description of uprightness may be thus described Uprightness is a sound and heavenly frame or temper of a gracious heart or spirit given by God by which graces are acted sinnes are opposed duties are performed affectionately directly and plainly In reference to God and not for by-respects I will briefly open this description in its particulars First it is the temper or frame of the heart The seat of uprightnesse The seat of it is their heart is the heart or spirit hence is it stiled uprightnesse of heart 1 King 3. 6. Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercies according as he walked before thee in truth in righteousnesse and in uprightness of heart So 't is stiled singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. and Truth in the inward parts Psal 51. 6. and a service in spirit Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Sonne Hypocrisie is a colour but skin deep A painting which lies only upon the superficies or surface of the wall upon the visibles or outwards of profession or action but uprightness like health it is an inward crisis or temperature as the conversation renders it self to the eye of man so the inward disposition strives to render it self to the eye of Gods approbation if a man be upright it is with him as with Solomons Temple though the outward parts were comely and uniform yet the inside was covered with the most precious gold and had the sweetest incense All counterfeit things are best in their shew and worst in their substance and vertue But uprightnesse is best there where least can be seen The actions are nothing to the Inward affections and desires We do but as the Queen of Sheba here no not halfe of the goodnesse of an upright man by what he doth if you would but look into his heart and converse with him there a while you should find the heart the disposition the desire of his soul infinitely to exceed all that he doth Psal 119. O how I love thy law O that my ways were so direct The heart oftimes mournes when the eyes can shed no teares and the heart believes when the tongue cannot speake much faith and the inward man the heart would doe that and much more then what is done or performed Secondly it is a temper or frame of the heart a composition It is the temper and frame of the heart It is not a single or transient act or motion as it were in which methinks two things may be observed 1. One that uprightness is not a
single or transient act or motion I thinke that even an Hypocrite whose heart is rotten corrupt false abominable may yet as step out into actions materially good so feel motions within him both against what is evill and unto what is good he may either through the force and power of evidence and conviction in his judgement or through the unresistable actions of his inlighted and stirred conscience or through the great desire of a glorious blessednesse have many fits and inward humours of being good and doing good But all this is passion and not temper the Philosopher In his Rhetoricks accurately distinguish twixt the readinesse which springes out of a naturall complexion and that which ariseth out of a violent Anger and passion which soone fades off being not rooted in nature but in distemper so is it whith the Hypocrite But uprightnesse is a temper and frame like an instrument well tuned or if that hit not full like a complexion which is a uniform if not principle yet instrument of actions It is like that leaven of which Christ spake which invades the whole lump it sweetly seasons and disposes the whole man for God as the bent of the stone is to the center and of the fire to ascend Another that uprightness is rather a generall Influence in It is rather a general influence in the graces then any distinct grace the graces then any distinct grace I will not make this point a controversy only so far as I yet apprehend uprightnesse is rather the temper of a grace then the grace it selfe It is not feare but feare rightly tempered and ordered it is not love but love rightly set it is not desire but this orderly carried 3. It is a sound and incorrupt and heavenly frame of The qualities of it heart 1. A thing may be termed sound or solid either when it is Sound reall not light slight superficiall or when it can abide triall as true gold is Really so and not in colour only and if you reduce it to the touchstone you shall finde it so if you cast it into the fire c. Thus it is with the heart that is upright and it hath not a forme of Godlinesse but the power and not a name that it lives but the life it selfe it is indeed holy humble meeke believing loving of God and his servants desirous to walke with God Psal 116. 160. Lord truly I am thy servant c. q. d. I am so indeed this is not a complement a garb a pretence but a reallity soe is it with the man indeed an Israelite indeed said Christ of Nathaniell Joh. 1. 47. Yea so reall that if you bring the heart either to the examination of the word which being truth can finde out all truth or to God himself who can search the heart and reines or to conscience that heareth witnesse 2 Cor. 1. 12. or to afflictions yet even there can upriâ—htnesse find approbation and testimony that the person doth love and serve and feare him Job 1. 8. the Lord said unto Satan hast thou not considered my servant job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil 2. Againe it is an Inccorrupt frame though the extreme parts may sometimes be faulty yet if the vitalls be sound if the Incorrupt heart if the lungs if the liver be so we say that man is a sound man In morals it holds soe that if the heart be void of all obliquity the person is upright Many infirmities in action may consist with uprightnesse but not in affection the very bent of the heart is set against sin without distinction of great or lesse advantagious or incommodious honourable or dishonorable if it be not so then the heart is corrupt it mingles it is not sincere and upright but of this more anon 4. Given by God so the Prophet Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way Every man naturally is an Hypocrite Given by God would seem to be that which he is not and so likewise misdirects all his actions to a wrong end God hath set a certaine beauty in goodnesse and left a notion of vilenesse upon sin so that most men though they hate goodness yet would be thought good they think it a moâ—e Creditable title and though they love and act sinne yet would not be thought or reputed evill Besides this if we did but seriously observe and confesse how it is in our own spirits we should finde in all our pious pretences take us in our naturalls we are all of us most formall and Artificiall hypocrites Draw neare to God with our lips but our hearts are far from him and come to Church when we minde neither prayer nor Sermon and listen oftimes and God knows not to obey but to censure or but to get matter to talk of and the like and when we have got ability to speake of any good the Lord be mercifull unto us we do it not minding Gods glory but our owne vaine applause and estimation Soe then the hypocricall heart is from our selves but the upright heart is from God Every good and perfect gift is from above James 1. 18. The perfect heart is from the perfect God the true heart from the God of truth It is he who teacheth truth and makes upright and writes his law in the inward parts 5. The fifth thing which I would observe in uprightnesse is its office of administration it is such a thing as deales 1. about graces It s office and administration 2. about sins 3. duties 1. For our graces uprightnesse lookes to them that they be rightly acted Beloved uprightnesse doth not give grace It deals about graces but orders and directs the acts and operations thereof Two things I grant that all the habits of grace are in themselves intrinsecally considered really true and though imperfection may be in them yet no morall falsity or counterfeitness and that the actions of those holy habits considered intirely as streaming from them only as so are likewise truly holy and good But then these acts or actions of gracious habits as working in a subject which hath some falsnesse and bynesse yet remaining may by reason of that corruption be misdirected misguided 3. For hypocrisie doth not only consist in the putting of a good shape upon an evill action as a faire colour upon a rotten thred but also in the ill intention or application even of an act in it selfe truly good Charity without all doubt is a gracious quallity yet if uprightnesse attends not some of it acts they may be referred to a private and vaine glorious end the like may be said of some other graces as of the love of God and the feare of God c. 2 For sins here also uprightnesse comes into act it selfe holinesse which is nothing else but the newnesse of Nature that makes opposition to sin But
heart in a clear glass through which any one may see the pulse and motion of it But this is sure that however in this life our actions and wayes may be wrapt up with many devices and hidden conceits of Hypocrisie Yet at the day of Judgement every man shall be throughly opened anatomized as it were and orderly cut up What his heart did love or hate what publick or private wickedness it did act and would not forsake what pretences to cover secret sinnings what bawlkings and declinings of known duties what ingenuous or sordid ends in all and every performance all these and more then these must be spread open at the day of Judgement before the eyes of men and Angels Of which did we believingly consider probable it is that we would attend to uprightness of heart and life to present a fair copy of our selves to the eye of God 3. A little unevenness will mar the comfort of a great deal of A little unevenness will marre the comfort of our uprightness uprightness There are two sorts of unevenness in walking One is Habitual and allowed which marres the just hopes and expectations of glory Forasmuch as that is either gross profaneness or cunning Hypocrisy both which are excluding sins Another is Actual which is a trip a stumble an out-stripping in the course of a pious walking I confess it may befall the best yet it will imbitter our soules All the good course which a man hath led and actions which he hath sincerely done cannot so much comfort him as many particular obliquities and unevennesses may sad and perplex him As in a Simile wrinch of the foot the present pain shuts out the sense of all former strength or as in the sickness of the stomack the present disease closeth up the sense of all health so the particular miscarriages in a Christian course they may fold up or at least suspend the tast of all the sensible comfort which uprightness formerly yielded and shot forth They may break the bones of David Psalm 51 and melt the soul of Peter and cast us both to darkness of trouble and sorrow and the labour of many active endeavours before we can see God to be our God again and be perswaded that our estate is really right and sound 4. That God is to be set up above all It is an hard yet it is That God is to be set up above all an usefull thing to ascribe unto God the Original of excellencies that he is God and that Power Might and Glory and obedience belongs unto him that he made us and not we our selves and that our beings as they are depending upon his power so our wayes upon his Rule and he is Lord of Lords all are under him and being the universal efficient he ought also to be our universal end God is set up above all other 1. When his Rule and Word swayes us against all other 2. When his Glory is singly or supreamly aimed at above all other things and both these complear uprightness FINIS THE THRONE OF MERCY AND THE TRIBUNAL OF JUSTICE ERECTED In the Remissibleness of All Sin and in the Irremissibleness of the SIN against the HOLY GHOST In two SERMONS on Mat. 12. 31. Preached before an Honourable Auditory By Obadiah Sedgwick B. D. LONDON Printed by T. R. for Adoniram Byfeild at the sign of the three Bibles in Corn-hill near Popes-head Alley Anno 1660. THE THRONE of MERCY AND TRIBUNAL of JUSTICE MAT. 12. 31. Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men THE best of actions are oft-times subject to misconstructions and a busie malice will either find or fasten spots upon the purest innocency This Chapter is the Map wherein you may read these truths Christ cannot speak or do but an envious Pharisee will pry and censure and slander Nothing is more offensive to an ill eye then the light and that which much afflicts an ill heart is the beauty of that good which it sees in or done by others Let Christs Disciples pluck but some ears of corn only to make necessary satisfaction to natural hunger verse 1. the Pharisee will presently pluck at Christ himself and murmur him not to be a pattern of obedience but a pattern of licentiousness Behold thy Disciples do that which is not lawfull on the Sabbath day verse 2. If Christ doth step from the field into the Synagogue verse 9. there also shall he have the catching attendance of the Pharisee Malicious hatred is like the shadow which will pursue the body of pious actions Here he no sooner finds a fit object for his mercy but the Pharisees endeavoured to divert the execution by an ensnaring scruple Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath daies verse 10. as though the duties of piety jusled out all offices of charity and that God who commanded sacrifice had not also preferred mercy They themselves would reach forth the courtesie of relief to a distressed beast v. 11. and therefore Christ might justly lend his hand of mercifull Charity to a diseased person verse 12. In the 22. ver He heals one possessed of a devil a miracle that begat amazement amongst the people and some kind of credence concerning his Divinity but in the Pharisees it vented plain Blasphemy This fellow casts out devils by the prince of devils verse 24. A bitter and high reproach and such as was for the truth neither probable nor possible For First Will Satan cast out Satan He that seeks the constant support will he willingly overthrow his own Kingdom Secondly Can Satan cast out Satan he that is cast out must be of lesser power and he that doth cast out must be of greater power but can Satan be greater and lesser then himself These Arguments could not but convince their judgements yet they did not extingush their malice they could not deny these to be truths yet will they pertinaciously deny their affections to them what they could not answer they would resist and though they saw sufficient reason and evidence yet they are resolved not to believe but to contemn Christ Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost c. Which words are like the two mountains of Moses Mount Eâ—al and Mount Gorazim of blessing and of curses here is the sweetest mercy and the purest Justice or the Throne of Parts of the Text. Mercy and the Tribunal of Justice or here is set out two glorious Attributes of God Mercy and Justice I. You have the Throne of Mercy erected in these words The Throne of Mercy All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven wherein you have First The universality of the object not quoddam but The universality of the Object quodvis peccatum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every sin
upon the account and seeme to be reckoned not so much when they are done as when they are done with a sinful heart And they lose upon the account they are struck off God passeth over them when the bent of their heart is against them see that place and passage of David Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered ver 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity verily brethren that mans estate is blessed whose sins are pardoned O! if the Lord be reconciled to a man if the Lord covers his sinne i. will not look upon them in a judicial way so as to account and reckon with the sinner for them if the Lord will not impute iniquity to him i. though he hath iniquity yet the Lord will forgive it it shall not redound unto him in punishment but it shall be blotted out and be as if it had never been tell me seriously is not this a blessed thing tell me now you whose hearts are ready to break asunder with the sense of guilt whither pardoning mercy be not a most blessed and desirable thing You will freely confesse it is but then the question is who is that man that is so blessed what is his temper how is he qualified See on in that ver 2. he is one in whose spirit is no guile what 's that that is he is the upright person whose spirit is really and plainly for God who in truth desires to please him who in truth hates all sin This is that blessed man and in this is a great part of his blessednesse that the Lord will not impute his iniquities unto him but will forgive and cover them i. so forgive them that they shall not rise upon the account any more Paul did upon this conclude by way of testimony to himself and for others that there was no condemnation unto them Rom. 8. 1. why what was Paul what was his temper verily it was upright Obj. Upright why he complains of sin that he was sold under it he complaines of the Law of his members warring against the Law of his mind he complains that he was brought into captivity he complaines that when he would do good yet evill was present with him How then can be say that there was no condemnation for him how was he upright Sol. Thus his being upright did not consist in this that he had no sin in him nor in this that he did no sin nor in this that he did all the good which he saw should be done But in this that he hated the sin which dwelt in him that he resisted the evil working in him that his inward man approved the good and condemned the evil that his inward man hated the evil and was delighted in the Law of God This was his uprightness and upon this he concludes that there was no condemnation i. his sinne should not sink his soul to hell they should not separate him from the love of God in Christ they should not be imputed to him but Christ would take them off An upright person the Lord is his God in covenant 3. A third comfort to an upright person is this that the Lord is his God in Covenant You are not Ignorant of the Covenant which God did stipulate with Abraham Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty al-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect what is the meaning of that In a Covenant you know there are two parties and they mutually undertake and agree so here is God on the one part and here is Abraham on the other part and God promiseth and Abraham promiseth God promiseth to be All-sufficient unto him and engageth himself in an everlasting Covenant to be his God ver 7. now Abraham promiseth to walk uprightly before the Lord and this is all that the Lord agrees with him for walke before me and be upright and then I am thy God and I will be thy All-sufficiency Obj. Why you will say this is granted it is cleare that God Covenants to be a God to an upright person But what so great comfort in that Sol. Nay then I have done if yet you understand not If yet you think it so poore so meane a thing for God to be your God in Covenant I tell you brethren when God becomes your God in Covenant when he saith to a person I will be a God unto thee it is infinitely more then if the Lord should say to a man I will give unto the all the world O for God to be my God what is it but this I am thine and all that I am or have or can do shall be thine and for thee I am an holy God and that shall be to make thee holy I am a mercifull God and that shall be to pardon thy sins I am a powerfull God and that shal be to help thee to deliver thee to conquer for thee I am a faithfull God and that shall be to make every promise good which I have made unto thee I am a wise God and that shall be to bring in thy comforts thy deliverances thy helps in the most desirable season When sins trouble thee I will pardon them when they are too strong for thee I will subdue them when thy heart is sorrowful I will comfort it when thy graces are weak I will strengthen them when men disgrace thee I will honour thee when dangers arise I will preserve thee what thou needest that I will give thee what thou hast that I will blesse to thee all this and far more then this it is for God to be our God in covenant Nay and all this is ours by covenant that is it is not a faire and empty pretext it is not a glorious and vaine complement but really so and firmly so the Lord if he be our God in covenant doth bind himselfe to be all this unto us by the fidelity of his nature by the truth of all his promises by the seale of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Now what think you do you now not think that the people happy who are in such a case whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. I tell you we are not able to Imagine the height and depth and breadth of this one comfort that God is my God in covenant and yet whatsoever you apprehend of it whatsoever you feel of it whatsoever it is it is the portion of the upright persons thou art my portion O Lord for ever said upright David Psal 119. 4. Uprightnesse intitles the person to all blessings of heaven and Uprightnesse intitles to all the blessings of heaven and earth of earth as David spake of Jerusalem that I may say of the upright person all my springs are in thee or what Iacob said of Ioseph that he was A fruitful branch or bough uprightnesse is like Arons Rod full of blosomes you know that place Psal 84. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will
give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walke uprightly what is the sun but the great and inexhausted fountaine of Light of life of heate of influence of comfort that will God be to them that walke uprightly what is a shield but the defence and safegard of a person against shots and blowes that also is God to them that walke uprightly Will grace do their hearts good will glory do their souls good is there any good which respects the militant condition is their any good which respects the triumphant condition neitheir grace nor glory nor any good shall be with-held from them that walke uprightly Noah was upright and had an Ark Ebedmelech had his life given him for a prey Jerem. 39. 18. Amunitions of Rockes for the upright Esay 33. 15 16. What shall I say brethren all the promises which you know are the treasures of heaven the cabinets of our comfort the store-house of our wants the hand which holds and delivers out all our supplies why all of them do as it were beset and incompasse the upright person art thou an upright person and looks upon thy family Prov. 14. 11. The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish art thou an upright person and castest an eye up to thy posterity why Psal 112. 2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed Art thou an upright person and desirest such or such a necessary outward comfort why Psal 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart Art thou an upright person and suspectest the continuation of thy outward estate why Ps 37. 18. The days of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever Art thou an upright person and thy comforts seem a while to be clowded Neither cannest thou espy any one hopefull crevise or future joy why Psa 112. 4. Unto the upright their ariseth light in the darknesse and Psal 97. 11. Light is sowen for the righteous and Joy for the upright in heart Art thou an upright person and knowest not how to breake through the manifold fortifications and strengthen of envy or power why The Lord will bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light Psal 37. 6. what can keep downe the rising of the sun And the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through all the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect towards him 2 Chron. 16. 9. Uprightnesse will comfortably season all our conditions Fifthly it will comfortably season all our conditions you know this life of ours is capable of many changes the weather doth not alter so often as our temporary conditions do calmes and tempest light and darknesse comforts and discomforts friendship and then malicious opposition health and then a painefull fit of sicknesse Riches and then a sinking poverty liberty and then some hard restraint or exile one day gaine comes in another day it is dashed out by the greatness of loss this day full of joy the next day all his forgotten by the abundance of sad teares for the death of a parent of a yoke-fellow of a child of a friend c Nay and the soule hath its changes too sad conflicts bitter assaults strong accusations from Satan and the like What now is a choicer Arke to beare us up in all these waves what harbour like to this of uprightnesse why saith David Psal 73. 1. Yet or however God is good to Israel even to the upright in heart and Paul 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world O Brethren a false and base heart nothing sets on affliction a losse a scandal an accusation so close as it when a mans heart can smite him for an hypocrite for a lover of sin hypocrisy sinkes the conscience under these burdens But uprightnesse can looke an accusation in the face and beare up the spirit in a storme and though uprightnesse may be exposed to many crosses yet it can comfort a man in the sadest day for it hath alwayes a good friend abroad of God and within of conscience 6. Here is another comfort uprightnesse will be a good friend Uprightnesse will be a good friend in death in death Psal 37. 37. mark the upright man and behold the perfect for the end of that man is peace The upright person hath most conflicts ordinarily in life and most quiet ordinarily in death O When death shall approach the dwellings of the prophane and hypocriticall and shall say I have a message unto thee from God he hath commanded me to arrest thy soule and to present it before his judgement seat How doth the heart of a profane wretch gather into feare and horror yea and how doth fearefulnesse and confusions fly up in thâ— brest and countenance of the hypocrite his conscience delivers up his morsells from which he would not part and shames and strikes him for his abominable collusions and Glosings in the service of God reports unto him that he must presently stand before a God who is spirit and truth and never could abide unsoundnesse but will be avenged of hypocrisie good Lord how the heart of this man trembles and sighs he would thrust out the thoughts of dying but cannot he would stay a while longer here below but may not O! now he is gasping trembling sighing dying and gives out life and all with heart-breaking despaire But now if the person be upright even the message of death may be welcome If the Lord calls for me I may answer here am I O Lord look upon me and accept of me in Christ and Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight I have fought a good fight I have kept the faith I have finished my Course c. 2. Tim. 4. 6 7. More particulars might be added as 7. uprightnesse begets conscience towards God the upright hath boldnesse he may freely make his prayer and be sure to be heard 1. John 3. 21 22. 8. It will hold out in evill times Luk. 8. 15. the fourth ground held out even in times of persecution because the word was received into an honest heart 9. The upright person is sure of salvation Psal 15. 1. Lord who shall dwell in thy holy Hill v. 2. he that walkes uprightly Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Object But all this will not strike into some hearts whiles we suspect our estate we alwayes deny our comfort O saith a person I feare I am not upright and so this comfort belongs not to me I feare I am not upright therefore all this goodly portion of sweet comfort appertaines not to me I Answere to this a word or too in the generall Answered 1. A man may be