devout and done good at another time That 's the next head the different grounds I shall name but one thing more That a godly man in the commission of sin he makes his falling into one sin to be a means to help him against that sin and against many others If the Lord shall let him fall into some one sin I say he will make that to be a means to cleanse many others but especially to take heed against that sin The bespotting of himself in some one spot will be a means for the cleansing of many spots Though he dare not commit sin upon that ground yet it falls out so in the effect As sometimes if there be a few small spots in a Childs Coat you regard not them but if there be some great spot it causes you to wash the whole Coat So it is with one that hath any grace if the Lord notwithstanding his watchfulness and care shall let him fall into some great spot he makes this use To be cleansing and washing of his soul not onely from that spot but from all other spots he knows in himself but especially to set himself against that particular sin he will take heed of ever falling into that again ☞ And therefore give me an example in all the book of God where any one man that was godly committed the same sin twice I say after an act of repentance It 's true Peter denyed his Master thrice I but that was as a continued thing it was not after Peters heart was smitten and humbled after his conviction and repentance And for my part I know no example from Genesis to the Revelation of any one Child of God that feâ—â— twice into an outward Act I do not say the sins of thought they may be repented of an fallen into again though the heart do labour and strive against them but for an outward aâ—â— of sin that any Child of God did ever fall into after God had shown him the evil and hâ— had tepented of it And therefore the condition must needs be sad when it is such as there can be no example in all the Scriptur to parallel it For I appeal to thee thou the makest any Profession of Religion and thou fallest into some act of sin Either thy Conscience doth accuse thee and thou dost repent or it doth not accuse thee and thou dost not repent If thy Conscience doth not accuse thee and thou dost not repent that 's a sign thy heart is not troubled Well if thy heart be troubled and thou hast repented give me an example of any one Child of God that fell into such an act of sin again Yea I shall shew you in divers examples in Scripture that evermore those Children of God that have been overtaken with their sin they have been more eminent in that grace that is most contrary to that sin than in any other grace Peter he fell through cowardise to betray his Master But yet when the Scripture speaks of him afterwards it notes him specially for his boldness in John 21. 7. Therefore the Disciple whom Jesu's loved saith unto Peter it is the Lord now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his fishers Coat unto him and did cast himself into the Sea Oh the love of Peter towards Christ after he had denyed him He had denyed Christ but now he was the host forward in his love to Christ he would not stay till Christ came to the ship but â—â—rows himself into the Sea that he might presently be with Christ he had broke his love before and now you see how eminent he is in love above the other Disciples And so in boldness In Acts 2. 14. When the Jews did mock at the Apostles and Disciples the Text saith That Peter standing up with the eleven lift up his voice and said unto them Ye men of Judea Not any of the other would speak but Peter he appears the most forward I it was because Peter had denyed Christ and therefore he would be the most forward in manifesting love to Christ You cannot have comfort that your spot is the spot of Gods Children except if you have been overcome with a sin yet afterwards you grow not up in that grace that is most eminently contrary to that sin Another example we have of Nichodemus Nichodemus he began to have some work oâ— grace upon him but the Scripture notes him for a very timerous man and that was him special infirmity that he was afraid and so would come to Christ by night Now afterwards when the Scripture takes notice of this Nichodemas especially it observes him for his boldness for that which was contrary to that sinful distemper of his heart before This you have in John 19. 39. And there came also Nichodemas which at the first came to Jesus by night and brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Alots about One hundrd weight Then took they the body of Jesus He appeared now openly The third is Joseph of Arimathea v. 38. And after this Joseph of Arimathea being a Disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus He was at the first step a Disciple but dare not appear but afterwards he is noted for one of the most forward of all and would go and own him before Pilate himself yea and at that time when Christ was in his lowest cond tiâ—r That 's a sign indeed of grace to own Christ when he is in the lowest condition when he was crucified and dead yet now to appear to own him and that before Princes O! the Scripture takes special notice of those that had fallen into sin that afterwards they grew more eminent in that grace that was contrary to that sin than any other As it is with a bone that is set it is more strong then before and so it is usual with those that are godly if they be once overcome with their sin they afterwards grow more strong against that sin And thus even Acts come to decrease Habits and that 's a Paradox in Philosophy it 's true in Divinity That the acts of the Saints sin come not only to restrain them from falling into them again but it is used by God to decreass the habits of their sin Now I beseech you carry home these things to your souls and O that the Lord would cause you to lay your hand upon your hearts and say Lord have mercy upon me we are indeed all sinners but we see that God will find a difference between one sin and another and though all have their spots yet as for my part I am afraid that my spot is not the spot of Gods Children The Fourth SERMON August the 23d 1645. I Shall speak to one or two particulars more about this and then we come to the last thing propounded in the opening of this point The behaviour of the heart of a Child of God toward this sin The
Children of God have spots while they live in this world they have many sins that are defiling But the spots of these men is of another nature it is not the spot of his Children There are Three Doctrinal points in these words the first two implyed the third expressed The two that are implyed are these 1. Doct. First That 〈◊〉 is a spot 2. Doct. Secondly That even the Children of God while they live in this world have their spots 3. Doct. Thirdly Which is the main and scope of the words That there 's a great deal of difference between the sins and spots of wicked and ungodly men and the spots of Gods Children That 's that that I aim at in the choice of these words To shew the difference between the sins of wicked men and the sins of the Saints And I have châ—sen this Scripture to handle this point for these two end First To take away that great plea that most carnal hearts have whereby they put off the power of the Word from their hearts and are secure in their sinful waies Why say they can we be without sin are the best without sin upon them now because none are without sin therefore they think to put it off and grow secure and upon this very thought put off abundance of truths that they heard preached out of the word that doth them no good at all and meerly upon this Reason Now were it that this plea were but taken from them the word might prevail a great deal more upon them Now therefore I hope before we have done this Scripture I shall weaken if not wholly take away that plea that secure-sinners have for themselves because all have their sins I shall shew thee that there is a great deal of difference perhaps between thy sin and the sins of a Child of God And then the second End why I chose this Scripture is for the comfort of Gods Children On the one side one man is secure and â—ardened because though he hath sins why all men have sins On the other side those that are Gods Children because they feel so much sin in them as they do they are afraid that they are not Gods Children they are afraid that their sins that are in them doth argue them not to be Gods Children Now they will have help likewise in the opening of this point when they shall have laid before them that are the sins of Gods Children and the sins of the wicked and the differences of them I shall for the making way to this great â—oint first speak a little of the two former â—hat are implyed and no farther than to make â—ay unto the third which is the great point 〈◊〉 the Text. 1 Doct. First then That sin it is a spot A 〈◊〉 in Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and unde 〈…〉 d before God and the Father is this To visit 〈◊〉 Fatherless and Widows in their affliction â—nd to keep himself unspotted from the world â—â—at is to keep from the sins of the world the 〈◊〉 of the world are the world-spot Sin it is First A desiling spot a spot that doth defile a blemish that doth defile the soul of man in the presence of the Holy God It 's contrary to the pure Nature of God it is the mixture of the soul with that that 's worse than its self it 's a defiling thing The mingling of Gold with Silver doth not defile the Silver but mingling of Lead with Silver doth defile the Silver because the Lead is worse than Silver So the Communion that the soul hath with God and as it were the mingling of the heart in God and with Divine things doth not defile it but make it better but the mingling of the heart with the world it doth defile the soul because the soul is mingled with that that 's worse than it self It is a defiling-spot You know what it is to have the Body besmear'd with dirt and have Clothes bespotted with filth and dirt look how it is with your Bodies besmear'd with dirt or your Clothes so it is with the Face of your Soul in the Presence of God when sin is upon you It 's a defiling-spot Secondly Sin it 's a spreading-spot it 's like the spot of the Leprosie that spreads more and more and let a sinner live never so long this spot will bespread him more and more If you had a spot upon your Flesh that were but little at the first it may be you would neglect it but if you saw it spread more and more then you would think there were something in it It is so with thy sin when you are young the spot it but small in comparison but as you grow the spot spreads more and more until you are all over blains and spots So are old sinners sin is a spreading-spot it spreads in a soul in a family in any society where sinners live Thirdly It is an infecting-spot a spot that of itself infects a Plague spot that doth infect the soul and infects every thing you meddle with and doth infect the company you converse with that 's the nature of this spot And then Fourthly It 's a staining-spot It doth pain the soul so as all the created power in Heaven and Earth is not able to wash it away thou mayest think little of the sin that thou committest thou committest it and hast pleasure and delight in such a sinful way for a quarter of an hour it may be thy pleasure lasts no longer well but when this pleasure is done there 's a stain left upon thy soul that doth mark thee out to Eternal Death such a stain left that will abide to all Eternity upon the Soul if onely that one means be not applied the Blood of Jesus Christ Let all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World put to their wisdom and strength to get out the stain that is in thy Soul and it is too little onely the Blood of the Son of God can cleanse and take out that stain that is in thy soul such a spot is sin a staining spot In Jer. 2. 22 Though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much Sope yet thine Iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord Ye may use many means to get away your sin perhaps you may cover it over or there may be some kind of slight sorrow But it 's not all the sorrow in the World if thou wert able to shed as many tears as there are Drops of Water in the Sea to wash away thy sin if their were nothing else to do it all thy tears will not do it It must be onely the blood of the Son of God Many people think to wash away their sin swith their sorrow But they must know there is something beyond sorrow it is onely the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse and take away this stain Use Now If sin be such a stain such a spot hence then let us learn to look into Gods
Fountain I but there is a principle of life to work out that sin and will work it out in time but the sin of the wicked is like the dirt that is cast into the pâ—sh in the high-way and there it lies and putrifies and 〈◊〉 is filthy There is no Spring to work out that filth Hence in 1 Pet. 1. The hopes of the Saints are said to be living hopes that is such hopes as is working out that filth that is in their souls The wicked therefore their spot is a deadly spot but the Saints they have a principle of life Take the Saints of God in their worst condition when they are most overcome by temptation and yet there is some symptoms of life life will appear in them You will say What symptoms of life will appear in a godly man or woman when they are overcome with sin and corruption Yes you shall find Four that will act in them when they are most overcom with their corruptions The First is this If they sin if possibly they can they labour to recall themselves You shall find that their judgments are yet for holiness and strictness in the wayes of God perhaps they are overcome by a particular temptation and they are troubled and afraid that there is no grace and that there is no difference between them and wicked men I but you shall find that even at that time when they are overcome with temptations yet their judgments remain for God and for his truth and for his way for the strictness of holiness and they account the Law of God to be good and holy and righteous at that very time We read of Saint Paul in Rom. 7. he â—ad as great a conflict with his corruptions as you shall find almost in any so that he was even led Captive and that he was sold under sin But yet mark in v. 12. though he had such a conflict with his corruptions yet the Law was holy and just and good I think he gives there some three Epatnites to the Law of God when his corruptions did most strive against the Law of God wherefore the Law is holy and the Commandment is holy and just and good So you shall find gracious hearts though they be under temptation and may be overcome with an act of sin Well though I be base and vile though I have a filthy and carnal and base heart yet Gods wayes are good wayes and his Commandments are good Commandments they are holy and blessed Commandments onely my heart cannot get up to them I but though I cannot yet I would not have the Commandment come down to me I would not have iâ—le 〈…〉 ly and good than it is This symptom of life you shall find I but if a man comes to fall into sin and he begins to think that he was a fool to make so much conscience of sin and to live so strictly and holily and it was but when he was young and silly and foolish why the man's judgment is altered O! when did you ever know such a man that having so apostatis'd ever return'd again if once his judgment were gone against the wayes of God though he may be overcome in an act or there may be many distempers of heart and passions and the like out if once he be taken in his judgment against the wayes of God the goodness and strictness and the holiness of them it 's to be feared that this Man is quite gone and that his spot is not the spot of Gods Children In Lev. 13. 44. you have a notable Scripture there and the reading of that Scripture did hint to me this notion about the difference of the sins of the one and the other Now the Leprosie was butas a tipe of the uncleanness of sin The whole Chapter you shall find is spent in the discerning of Leprosie what is the spot of Leprosie and what not Now mark all a long you shall find that the Priest looking upon the spot and seeing it to be thus and thus saith the Text he shall pronounce him unclean but now in the 44. v. The Priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean his Plague is in his head If a man had it in other parts then the Priest was onely to pronounce him unclean But now when the Priest comes and looks upon a man and sees the Plague to be in his head then saith the Text the Priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean So here in the Leprosie of sin if there be Leprosie of sin in a mans affections it 's very ill he may be unclean by it if it be got into his will or got into his thoughts there is a great deal of evil but if it be got into the upper part of all if it be got in the sences the body the actions it may make him unclean but if it be got into his judgment if a man hath such a corrupt judgment that he gives a judgment against Gods wayes against the goodness and strictness of them he gives a judgment against the holiness of the word and saith What need men be so precise and strict and the Law of God is not so strict with men Now I say when it comes to the judgments of men and women such a Man or Woman is to be pronounced not unclean onely but utterly unclean for the Plague is got into his head But there 's 〈◊〉 symptom of life that is in the Saints though they be over taken with corruptions yet their judgments are for God and the strictness of the wayes of God whereas the others are not Secondly They do not yet forsake their lest End that that is their ultimate scope and end their heart is not taken off from that though as I said in the opening they are hindered I shall give you a Scripture for that as coming in more fully in Psal 18. 21. This Scripture was quoted before to shew that there is a great deal of difference between the sins of wicked men the sins of the godly in that act of David saith David there I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God But now David how do you prove that thou didst sin against thy God very grosly why then dost thou say thou had'st not wickedly departed from thy God why he proves it in the 22 v. For all his judgments were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me That is as if he should say Why Lord though I was overtaken with this corruption yet I made thee to be my end and my scope my heart was yet towards thee I did not put away thy statutes from me but I was willing that thy statutes and judgments should stand before me and herein he proves that he had not wickedly departed from God Can you say so now you say you have sin as others but you hope your sin is not like the sin of wicked men but can you say as in the presence
corruption that reaches to thy heart that is so comes to thy heart as it finds thy heart to close with that distemper and corruption of thine Thirdly When the sickness is an increasing sickness Lev. 13. 8. When the spot spreads then the Priest must say it 's a spot of Leprosieâ— So when thou hast some distemper and corruption and it increases more and more As it may be thou wert but a little vain thou growest more vain c. Where the diseasâ— grows more and more upon thee take heed it 's a spot of Leprosie and may prove to bâ— thy ruine Fourthly A sicknes is then deadly when Nature is overcome with it so as the party is not sensible of his sickness a Man when he lies sick so long as Nature is striâ—ing with it there 's good hopes But one that comes to a man in a strong Feaver and asks him how he doth why well I thank God he is not sensible of it O! that makes his wife and all about him turn their heads and fall a weeping It were better he did feel pain So when men through the custom of sin grow sensless of sin that 's a sign that it is unto death perhaps when thou didst first commit sin O thy consience did trouble thee But thou hast used thy self so to it that thou art not sensible of it O it 's a sickness to death and thou art like to dye by it when by use of a sin thou comest to be sensless of it Fifthly When a man in a sickness cannot take any thing that will stay with him So I may say of the sin of wicked men though thy sin doth indanger thy soul yet there 's hope if so be that that that is given thee might stay with thee that is the Word that 's as the Physick for thy soul When some seasonable truth comes and is applyed to thy soul against thy â—â—in if thou canst receive in that ingrafted word that 's like to save thy soul But if as soon as ever thou hearest a truth that comes â—ear to thee presently thy heart casts it up and it will not abide with thee at all it is a dangerous sign that thy sickness is a sickness unto death Lastly That 's a sickness to death that when a man doth take that that might help him yet if it doth not work then I say it is dangerous too So it may be you do remember the Word and it doth abide with you a while but there 's no good at all comes of it it works mighty changes upon others but nothing at all upon thee If you come to a physicia in that case and say Sir you did prescribe such or such a thing I but it works not why I wonder saith he I have known it hath wrought upon such men and women that I thought was in as desperate a condition as one could be it wrought upon them I and did recover them So I may say to some that sit under the word their souls are sick and the word works not upon them I but it hath wrought upon others that have been as dangerously sick why it 's an Argument that their sickness was not unto death God did not intend they should die But if thou canst sit under the word and it works not upon thee it 's a sign that thy sickness is unto death Fourthly and Lastly The suitablenes that there is in the sin of one to the nature of those that have their sin in them One mans spot is like the spot of a Leprosie that is his spot is that that is suitable to the disposition of his soul But now the spot of another it 's that that is a spot indeed I but it doth not arise from his natural disposition but meerly an accidental distemper The spot of one rises from the very natural temper of the heart but the spot of theother rises from some accidental distemper that comes to him When a Man or Woman therefore sins and it is suitable to his nature take him when he is most himself I beseech you consider this note for it is as discerning as any If so be that thou be'st most thy self then thou be'st most free for thy sin know that thy sin is that that comes from thy natural distemper and not from any accidental distemper I shall shew you what I intend by this There is Poyson in a Toad and there 's Poyson got into a mans body Now the Poyson that is in the Toad is sutable to the nature of the Toad and therefore the Toad likes well enough of it But now let but a drop of Poyson be in a mans body O it presently makes a great deal of stir and makes him deadly sick why because there 's that got in that is contrary to his nature Here 's the difference between the sin of a wicked man and the sin of a Child of God The wicked man's sin is like Poyson in a Toad that 's suitable to his nature But the sin of a Child of God is like Poyson in a mans stomack that is contrary to his nature when a wicked man sins he sinneth of himself as it 's said of the Devil he is a lyar and when he lies he lyeth of himself it comes from his own nature so is the sin of a wicked man sin is in it's proper Element in him and that 's the reason that wicked men are so unsensible of sin because it is in its proper Element But now the sin of the Child of God is out of his place and that 's the reason that makes him feel it so much Now you will say How may a man make use of this Note to know the nature of his sin There are five or six particulars that I shall name about this First When a Man or Woman is alone in secret that no eye takes notice of them then to examine themselves how doth thy heart stand then when thou art in secret alone thou canst not discern what the temper of thy heart is when thou art in company thou arr most thy self when thou art in secret alone and O what hearts of wickedness are there when thou art alone whereas a godly Man though he may be overcome with sin in Company yet when he is alone his heart is more for God and set against his sin Secondly That may be said to be a mans self that is the First spring of his soul As now the thoughts and affections in the first rise of them how are they how is the guise as I may so say or the temper and disposition of thy thoughts and thine affections in the first rise of them As now you may know what is the proper nature of the Fountain by that that is next to the Spring Perhaps if the Fountain runs a Mile or two off then there may come that that may alter the stream that it may not be of the nature of the Fountain So thou mayest know what thy
dar'd not come into his â—resence surely we would conclude that this Man had not the bowels of a Father in him Now if you would conclude so concerning men then why wilt thou put this dishonour upon God himself that hath the affections of 〈◊〉 Father in him And if there be any compassion in Fathers towards their Children yet it â—s not so much as one drop of that infinite ocean that is in God and therefore let not eâ—ery failing of thine make the afraid to come â—nto the presence of God come to him yet as 〈◊〉 Father being humbled before him and apâ—lying the righteousness of his Son And then further Let the consideration of â—his be of comfort to thee when thou hast committed sin against God if thou be'st such a oneas hath been spoken of in remembring the Covenant that God hath made with thee and bless God for the Covenant that he hath made with thee in Christ and the difference that God hath made between thee and others in this thing magnifie his free grace in the Govenant of grace for from thence is it that thy spot shall not be a deadly spot and God will not deal with thee as with the wicked certainly this is not from the nature of thy sin for that may be as hainous as the sins of the other but that that makes the difference is the free-grace of God in Christ O blessed be God for the Covenant of grace that hath made the difference I remember I have read of Luther he indeed saith when he was a Monk though he were Conscientious then yet then whensoever he committed any sin against God his Conscience did so flye in his face that he thought he was rejected utterly of God til God made him know that Covenant of his grace in Christ and then he thought he heard such a voice speaking to him Oh Martin do not despair for thou shalt as long as thou livest here in the flesh sin against God onely do thou lustily oppose thy sin and resist thy sin and then know that thou art not under the Law but under grace It is from hence that there is this difference therefore bless God that ever he reveal'd this Covenant of grace to thy soul And then likewise let this comfort thee leâ— it be a means to set thy heart so much the more against sin to take heed of sin O take heed of abusing this grace of God Here will be the sign whether all this comfort belong to thee or no If the more thou hearest it the more thy heart doth lothe sin and thou art the more afraid of sin because of this thou dost the more labour to bleanse thy flesh and spirit from all the polutions of it Canst thou say thus as in the presence of God Lord when I hear of these things of that blessed grace of thine in the Gospel what a difference thou art pleased to make between one and the other why Lord it breaks my heart and it makes me more afraid of sin than any thing in the World Then thou mayest freely apply the comfort that is here out of this Scripture And lastly Let me speak to those to whom this Consolation doth belong That thou hadst heed take heed to thy self that thou preservest this thy consolation for without great care it will hardly be preserved I mean by that this Thou hadst need take heed that thou keepest thy Conscience as clean as may be that thou mayest have a clear discerning of the difference of Gods dealing between one and the other And therefore take heed first of any sins against light hath ever God given thee that comfort to thy soul that though thou hast many failings yet that God looks upon thee with another eye than upon the wicked I say take heed ever after of any sin against conscience Take heed of repeating that same sin again and again Take heed of lying in sin a long time And take heed of being hardned in sin For if ever thou shouldst fall to sin against Light against thy Conscience thou wilt hardly be able to discern any difference between thy sin and the sin of the wicked And therefore look to thy self in this thing Oh let those that are godly take heed that they bring not themselves in regard of their own sense in to as lamentable a condition as the wicked are to have as much horrors of Conscience in their own seeling as thewicked and ungodly have O how great a pity is it that those between whom and the wicked God hath made so great a difference yet that through their negligence they shall bring themselves into as great a horror as the wicked and ungodly are in And lastly That this may not be abused let those that pretend unto God and say they are his Children and they are in the Covenant of grace and speak much of frâ—e-grace and yet by their wicked scandalous lives do manifest that indeed they are not Gods Children let them know that their spots are the worst spots of all they are not onely the spots of wicked men but even have the spots of Devils upon them If any spot be a loathsome an accursed an abominable spot it is the spot of a Man or Woman that makes much profession of the Gospel and yet lives a scandalous wicked and ungodly life And especially there are some whose spots are such as the heart of a man cannot but tremble at the very thoughts of them Those that will put off their sin even to God himself They take liberty to sin and say they can do nothing without him and so give way to wickedness and think if God would give them more grace then they should do better but till then they can not be better and so what blame there is they lay it upon God himself O what a spot is this that thou wilt cast thy sin upon the infinite pure God! It 's very observable in this Text They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of Gods Children Oh do not think to cast it upon God as if Moses should have said Do not you think to cast your sin upon God for you have corrupted your selves and your spot is not the spot of Gods Children And then for others that take liberty in sin they think that all their sin is done away by the blood of Jesus Christ and therefore they may take liberty and though they dare not say That therefore they may yet this is the language of their hearts and lives many that in these latter dayes hath spoken much about the Covenant of free grace yet they have made the blood of Christ that is appointed by God to cleanse us from our iniquities they have made this blood an occasion of defiling their souls by their iniquity O what an horrible spot is this that thou shalt make the blood of Christ to be the cause of it as far as thou canst that must be an abominable defilement when
many hypocrites may go thus far as not to commit sin before others but yet if it be in secret then they will do it No a natural conscience may be able to carry a man to this height that is not onely to abstain from sin because of others but from the acts of sin in secret that he dares not for his life though there be none but God and himself together give way to his sin and yet no saving-grace all this while You will say how can that be because though his conscience will not let him be quiet yet he would be glad to have his sin if he might here 's no change of nature that 's the evidence that there is no grace for if a man abstain from sin out of a principle of grace it is from the change of his nature and certainly here 's no change of nature in this so that it is not a universal opposition it 's but onely in one part of his soul But now the opposition of a gracious heart it is in the whole soul not onely my conscience is against my sin but my will and my asfections I have a principle in my will and affections as well as in my conscience all the faculties of the soul do oppose the sin And then Secondly It 's universal that is there 's the opposition of all sin not onely of some particular sin but of every sin what ever the sin be yet the heart doth oppose it So as it can appeal to God Lord thou that knowest all things knowest there is not one way of wickedness in me there 's not one sin that my soul gives way to but there is in my heart an opposition against every sin And then I say It 's a spiritual opposition by that I mean this that it 's an opposition not from arguments onely without that because of the danger or shame or prejudice that will come by it but the opposition is from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the heart There 's such a temptation to sin but a carnal heart may think if I commit it then there may come this ill and the other evil of it and so I will not commit it But a gracious heart doth not oppose onely from such arguments but from a contrary stream of grace that there is in the soul now when the opposition to sin comes from a contrary stream of grace then the opposition is not onely to keep sin from acting but indeed it doth decreass the habits of sin And this should be the care of a godly man or woman not meerly to keep in that is to restrain sin but let me oppose the habits of sin Let me find the habits of my sin to be weakned and mortified in me Let me follow my corruption to the very root of it and there labour to get the very root of my corruption to be deaded O here 's the work of a Child of God! As now in the opposition of a stream of water water that runs in such a stream there may be two wayes to oppose it Either you may make a damm and so damm it up Or otherwise if there could be gotten a contrary stream and so by that to overpower it this would be another manner of opposition then meerly the damming of it up If you damm up a stream it rises up higher and higher and seeks to get vent one way or other but if there were a contrary stream that would carry it smoothly away So 't is when the sins of wicked men are opposed not onely when they are opposed by their friends that these will not let them commit such a sin but when their very consciences oppose their sin their sin swells up the more and they seek all evasions how they can get to have liberty to the commission of their sin and if once they have but broken over the damm they run with more violence as many young people when they are under government their sin is but damm'd up and their sins are swelling and their hearts would fain have vent for their sin but they dare not But then afterwards when they come to be for themselves their sin breaks out so much the more But a gracious heart hath a new nature which God hath put into the soul which is contrary to the nature of sin That 's the spiritual way of opposition of sin And then it 's an irrecocinlable opposition that is such a soul that hath any truth of grace will never be reconcil'd with any one sin It resolves with it self what ever becomes of me yea though I should perish eternally yet I am resolved to fight against my sin eternally Yea at such a time as a soul is afraid that God will cast it away for ever yet at that time such a soul would be loath to sin against God You shall have some men that have horrors of conscience and they are afraid that God will â—ast them off why then upon that then I â—ad as good leave of all say they and if I must be damn'd I had as good be damn'd for somewhat O this is a sign that grace hath not got â—nto thy heart But there 's another now that â—ath some principles of grace got into his soul â—nd it may be such a one may have terrors of â—onscience too and may be afraid that at 〈◊〉 it shall be cast away But yet it concludes â—hus Well whatsoever becomes of me let God do with me what he will yet I will do â—hat I can to honour him The name of God 〈◊〉 blessed for ever what ever becomes of me â—nd therefore that evil of mine that is in my â—eart I am resolved to set my self against to â—â—e uttermost for ever Now this is a â—â—gn that there is grace though much corâ—uption doth very much prevail You may see now as I go along thus much â—hat there may be spots in one and spots in the â—ther But here 's a great deal of difference beâ—â—een the sins of the one and the sins of the â—â—her Further Consider the grounds upon which â—icked men do ordinarily sin Godly men 〈◊〉 rarely be found to commit sin upon such â—ounds as wicked men do There are â—any grounds upon which wicked men go 〈◊〉 the commission of sin I shall but â—ame them and yet in the naming of them I do verily perswade my self I may speak to many of your hearts As thus Commit a sin why it 's but one and I will not live in many sins It 's but one sin that I would live in and in that I hope God may favour me What not in one Why Godly men will not do so where was there ever a godly man on the face of the Earth that would allow himself in a sin because it was but one Secondly Saith a carnal heart It 's but one and it 's a little one I will not commit such gross sins as others do I will not swear and openly profane
the Sabbath and be drunk and a Whore-master But sins in thought and of a lesser nature I hope they may be born withall And what need a man be so strict and precise I but know that a gracious heart would never reason after such a manner O no such a one knows that the least sin is a greater evil then the greatest affliction that there is more evil in the least sin then there is in all the torments of Hell besides And a godly man that understands the wayes of God doth know that the least sin must have the blood of Jesus Christ to purge it out that is more worth then ten Thousand worlds and therefore he will noâ— allow himself in the least because it is a little one The Third ground is this Why the best of all have their sins as well as we Those that we read of in Scripture have they not fallen into foul sins But I beseech you mark though godly men have their infirmities yet shew me any example that ever there was since the beginning of the World any one godly man that did plead for his sin upon this account because another godly man had committed it O! he doth not commit sin upon such a ground as this is He will not venture upon the practice of sin because he sees others are guilty of it as well as himself Oh no If God hath dishonour by another let me take heed how I add to this dishonour saith a gracious heart Fourthly Another ground is because their sin is not so bad as the sins of others mine is not the worst Come and rebuke them for a sin why God grant you never do any worse Indeed in matters of affliction we may reason from a less to a greater and take up a less to prevent a greater but in matters of sin we should never make such comparisons there is a kind of infiniteness in sin and the least sin is enough to be my eternal ruine What 's that to me because others do worse I beseech you consider of it as we name these things for I do not stand to enlarge every one For the truth is there 's never a one of these but might be inlarged into a Sermon and might be a great use to take away these grounds of sin upon which ungodly men do commit their sin Fifthly Another is this A wicked heart will venture upon sin why because he heart that God is merciful and God's not so strict as many make him This is a sign thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Where do we ever find that a gracious heart would ever reason thus there is mercy with the Lord and therefore let me sin O no the reasonings of a gracious heart are There is mercies with thee O Lord that then mayest be feared and therefore thou shalt be feared Not there are mercies with thee and therefore thou shalt be dishonoured If there be such kind of reasonings in thy heart that thou venturest upon sin upon this ground because God is merciful know that the Lord speaks to thy soul this day that thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Sixthly And farther Not onely because God is merciful but God hath been already merciful Indeed I hear that there is a great deal of danger in sin but I have liv'd all this while and nothing hath come of it O! for men to sin upon reasoning of Gods patience because the Lord hath been patient and suffered them all this while O this is wicked boldness in thy heart thou knowest not with whom it is thou hast to deal Thou hast escaped all this while O but a sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed Thy spot is not the spot of Gods Child that dar'st venture upon thy sin because thou hast escap'd so long a time as thou hast done Seventhly And then yet farther There 's another ground that is worse then all these that some will venture upon sin why because Jesus Christ hath died for sinners because there is a purchase for the pardon of sin Oh this is a most desperate turning the grace of God into wantoness to dare to venture upon the commission of thy sin because Christ came to purchase the pardon of sin why did not Jesus Christ come into the World to dissolve the works of the Devil and dost thou make Jesus Christ to be a means to strengthen the works of the Devil Bold and presumptuous heart the Lord rebuke thee that dost account the blood of Jesus Christ not onely as a common thing but as a polluted thing as an unclean thing surely thy spot is not the spot of Gods Children Eighthly Another ground is this A temptation comes to sin and they will venture upon it Why they hope they shall repent afterwards and though I do sin it is but repenting afterwards and if I do repent afterwards then my sin shall be for given me and not laid to my charge But have you any thing in Scripture That any Child of God committed sin upon such a ground as this is and if thou dost so thy spot likewise is not the spot of Gods Children O foolish and base heart thou wilt do that now that thou dost know thou mayest wish thou had'st never done This is in finite folly and surely God doth not leave his Children to such wickedness as this is to venture upon sin upon such grounds as these are Ninethly Another ground may be this They will venture upon it why because it may possibly stand with grace You shall hear sometimes many that make some kind of profession to be reasoning after this manner They will not indeed commit such things as they think cannot possibly stand with grace but if they think it may possibly stand with grace they will make that to be the ground of their venturing upon it O wretched and vile heart that shalt thus reason to commit sin because it may possibly stand with grace Suppose it should be so that many a man that commits such a sin should go to Heaven but is it possible that a man commiting sin upon such a ground may go to Heaven There 's a great deal of difference between a thing done and a thing done upon such a ground Tenthly Lastly though many others might be named for a man to venture upon a sin why because he hath done much good This likewise is not the spot of Gods Child for one to sin upon such a ground I have done some good and therefore I may venture upon some sin This is the wickedness of a mans heart that if he hath as they use to say kept his Church he thinks he may have liberty in the week-day the more if he be devout upon the Lords day he may take liberty so much the more upon the week-day O this is an Argument of a base and carnal heart that knows not the wayes of God To take liberty upon sin at one time because they have been
man ever living should be heard to plead this and say Why godly people commit as great sins as they do Why David committed as great sins as I and so others But what if they did They may be pardoned for their greater and thou mayest be damn'd eternally for thy less God will deal as a Father with his Children â—o spare those that are his And that 's another particular in the different way of Gods dealings with his people Fourthly The Children of God when they â—in yet they have the robes of the righteousness of the Son of God to cover them even from God himself not to cover them so but God knows them for that 's either simplicity or blasphemy one of the two to say that God sees them not But to cover that is that they shall be taken so far from the eye of God that he shall never look upon them to charge them with them but that they shall appear before him through the Robes of the righteousness of Christ as spotless being justified through him So in Psal 32. Blessed is the Man whose sin is forgiven and whose iniquity is covered all their spots are covered and the Lord looks upon them as amiable and lovely in his eye But now thou hast nothine to cover thy spots but thy excuses See the different condition of a believer and another man One man sins against God and what hath he to cover his sins Excuses deny al 's or lies and there 's all I but now the of ther he sins against God and by Faith applye the precious robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ and so covers himself before God Which do you think is the better covering Her 's the difference between a Child of God and you Fifthly And then fastly Gods Children though they sin yet still they are in covenat with God God hath taken them in to an 〈◊〉 verlasting covenant with himself that shall 〈◊〉 ver be broken Though they do offend 〈◊〉 God will not charge it upon them as the breach of that great covenant of grace that God hath made with them in his Son that 's an everlasting covenant God hath made a covenant to unire their hearts to fear his name that he will never depart from them and that he will put his fear into their hearts and they shall never depart from him notwithstanding all their infirmities This must be made good this covenant that God hath made with them must stand Now O what a different condition is one in from the other Now though there may be thoughts in wicked hearts to abuse these things yet I name them to this end that you may see the exceeding difference between the state of one and the state of the other and that so by this you may be restless in your own spirits till you come to know that you are in the state of these men that are so happy that is that you are of the Number of Gods Children I shall not need to stand to give further notes and evidences for the very opening of the point about the defferent behaviour of one in respect of their sin from the other will be enough to shew who are in this condition and who not whom God will deal with all in this gracious manner in respect of their sin and whom not However men of the World will deal so much the more harshly with those that do offend if they can take any one that makes profession of Religion tripping in any thing they will be more severe against them than against others because of their profession Well God doth not do so if there be uprightness in the heart No you will say it 's not because of that but because of cloaking wickedness with their profession Well if you be sure your hearts be right in that that profession your souls do love and therefore it is the great grief of your souls that any one that makes profession of Religion should dishonour it by wicked courses then I say can you approve your hearts before God that your hearts are griev'd and troubled and not rejoyce at it that you can sind any advantage against profession as some do Then I confess if the thing be vile and foul and such a thing as you cannot in charity see that it may stand with truth of grace to be a meer infirmity but a wickedness then you may follow it to the very foot and bottom and those that shall trouble the people of God with gross and vile sins and think to colour them over with profession of Religion it 's just with God they should be troubled But if we have time we shall speak somewhat to that in the close of all We come now to the Application of thâ— point onely this caution about this thing Cau. Take heed that you deceive not your hearts about this thing If a Man have two Children one is godly and the other is proeen if they can have an advantage over one that is the more godly they will be more bitter to him than the other and if they have two Servants one godly the other profane why the profane one shall fare better then the godly if they can have but the least advantage against them Well howsoever thou deal'st with Children or Servants when thou hast taken them in a fault that the wicked find more favour from thee yet God deals otherwise his Children shall find favour from him Onely let them take heed that they do not turn their hands to wickedness or their hearts to folly because of this APPLICATION By way of Application In the first place Hence then by all that hath been said in the opening of this difference we may see full ground for the answering of the foolish carnal plea's of the men of the World for their sin which was I told you the main reason I pitcht upon this Subject This it is hardens men in their sin why Because all have their sins methinks by what hath been said one would think that this plea should never be heard any more among any that profess any knowledg in the Scripture that it should never come out of your mouths that do but understand any thing of Scripture What wilt thou that art a wicked vile wretch plead for thy wickedness that the best have their sins Thou that goest on in a constant way and course of ungodliness wilt thou plead that all have their sins thou canst not be provok't but thou swearest and flyest in the face of God thou that hast a heart not savouring any thing of God nor never found any work of the Holy Ghost upon thy soul dost thou say that all have their sins God will find out a difference of sin Rev. 1. 14. It 's said of Christ that his eyes were like a flame of fire O! Christ hath fiery eyes that will pierce through and through thee wil see a great deal of difference between the sin of one and the sin of