and every sin is a lye let it pretend much yet it advantageth nothing Suppose a man had an estate worth 10000 li. and he should receive a baby for it tell me what he got O that precious soule of man which is more worth then a world is uttelry lost by sin what then doth the service of it profit him for what is a man profited saith our Saviour though he gaine the whole world if he lose his own soule thou Gets a little credit by thy sinning yea but whith whom And what is that whiles the great God doth disgrace thee and thine own conscience doth often shame thee Thou gets a little wealth by thy sinning yea but what is that Treasure of wickednesse but a Treasury of wrath against the day of wrath Thou gets a little pleasure by thy sinning yea but what are these short minutes of joy to those eternall nights of darknesse in which they must end and be swallowed up one fall breaks all the glasse to pieces and one anguish of conscience or peal of death blasts and sinkes all the vaine triumphings of a sinfull heart sin may pretend faire and promise much but the wages thereof i. that which thou must expect for thy service is death yea that death which is opposed to eternall life Rom. 6. vlt. 6. It is a most uncomfortable service How oft is the servant of A most uncomfortable service sin in the depths of feare and in the heights of trouble his very sinnings are more his torments then his joyes he is many times vexed with thoughts how to sin and afterwards he is hewed in his conscience for his sinning though he hath not grace to make him grieve yet he hath a conscience which can make him tremble the very surfeits of his sins do distaste his soul and make him of times weary of his very life he is ashamed of Company and dares not yet to be solitary The night is many times a terror unto him and the day renewes his anguish though the servant of sin in the transient flash of his spirit out-braves al counsell yet he doth ordinarily feel infinite gripes within either he is utterly unsensible of his misery which is one of the greatest judgements or he his sensible and then he feeles a Hell of horror for his lewd obedience Nay so exceedingly high do the distresses sometimes prevaile that he his forced to disparie of all mercy and thinking to ease himselfe of some flames greedily throwes away himselfe into the very gulfe of Hell-fire what shall I say more where sin hath the dominion over a person a man is a slave to the Devill and a servant to that which will vex him and wound him and damne him he never enjoyes himselfe nor shall he ever enjoy God unless that yoke of service be broken and therefore good reason hath any man to pray against the habituall dominion of sin SECT IV. THus for the explication now somthing for the Application Vses thereof unto our selves where first let me begin with inquirie Inquire whether sin have Dominion over us what thinke we of the dominion of sin within our soules You will say we trust there is noe such thing I Remember Object the Jewes said as much to Christ in a case not much unlike Sol. we are Abrahams seed said they we were never in Bondage Joh. 8. 33. But Christ replied verily verily I say unto you whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin v. 34. I will premise a few things at this time 1. No man living but he is borne a servant to sin sin is his Some things premised Noe man but is borne a servant to sin Lord before he can tell who is his Master sin requires not age to set on the crown but even in the very wombe doth it begin its reign and poysons and impaireth our whole nature therefore the Apostle saith that by nature we are the children of disobedience and wrath as well as others Ephesians 2. 2. it is the disposition and sway and bent of us to sin and to walke on in sin 2. It is an hard thing to get off the dominion of sinne Sin is a It is a hard thing to get off the dominion of sin strong man It hath possession and goes not out by entreaty or bribe but it must be by force by one that his stronger I assure you that the almighty God must reveal his own arme and he must cast down strong holds he must worke a kinde of a miracle or else sin will still be a Lord and the sinner will be a servant to his lusts A man may change any Master soever and with more ease then sin Thirdly it is very manifest that sin hath the dominion in many It is manifest that sin hath dominion in many as In those whom noe kind of arguments can turne from sin persons I will present unto you such instances which you shall confesse do evince so much 1. What thinke you hath not sin the dominion where noe kinde of arguments and dealings are able to disengage the heart and to turn it when no kindes of merciful Arguments and no kinds of just threatnings and no sense of bitternesse can yet discovenant and diservice the soul but still it holds the league keeps the agreement with sin now then how often hath God come to many persons and offered unto them his pardoning mercies the blood of Christ and eternal life if they would leave such a sin of drunkennesse such a sin of filthinesse such a sin of worldlinesse but unrighteous they were and unrighteous still they are and will be How often hath God set the point of the sword upon the breast of a sinner revealing his wrath threatning death and Hell if he will not leave the service of his sin nay scourged his estate for his sinning nay scourged his body nay his soul conscience and all this to renounce his sinfull Lord yet men hold fast their wickedness they yet give over themselves to sin with greediness they study how to fulfill their lusts and rejoyce when they have done evil doth not this shew that the heart is indeed indeared and totally emancipated by a strong and elective subjection unto sin What think you of such whose hearts cannot endure the Dominion In those who cannot endure the dominion of Jesus Christ of Jesus Christ and the service of righteousnesse it is even a tormenting slavery unto them even the imaginations thereof are so The Soule of a man cannot serve two Masters and there are but two of them upon which our service can be bestowed either sin or Christ the Apostle intimated as much Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not that to whom ye yeeld your selves servants to obey his servants â—â— are to whom you obey whither of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness so that these divide the soul if a man doth yield obedience unto righteousness he is then no servant of sin
if he should take the brightest candle to search all the records of his soul yet many of them would escape his notice And indeed this is a great part of our misery that we cannot understand all our debts we can easily see too many yet many more lie as it were dead and out of sight To sin is one great misery and then to forget our sins is a misery too If in repentance we could set the battel in array point to every individual sin in the true and particular times of acting and re-acting O how would our hearts be more broken with shame and sorrow and how would we adore the richnesse of the treasure of mercy which must have a multitude in it to pardon the multitude of our infinite errors and sinnes But this is the comfort though we cannot understand every particular sin or time of sinning yet if we be not idle to search and cast over the books and if we be heartily grieved for those sins which we have found out and can by true repentance turn from them unto God and by faith unto the blood of Jesus Christ I say that God who knowes our sins better then we know them and who understands the true intentions and dispositions of the heart that if it did see the unknown sins it would be answerably carried against them He will for his own mercy sake forgive them and he too will not remember them Nevertheless though David saith who can understand his errors as the Prophet Jeremiah spake also The heart of man is desperately wicked who can know it yet must we bestir our selves at heaven to get more and more heavenly light to finde out more and more of our sinnings So the Lord can search the heart And though we shall never be able to finde out all our sins which we have committed yet it is possible and beneficial for us to finde out yet more sins then yet we do know And you shall find these in your own experience that as soon as ever grace entred your hearts you saw sin in another way then ever you saw it before yea and the more grace hath traversed and increased in the soul the more full discoveries hath it made of sinnes It hath shewn new sins as it were new sins not for their being not as if they were not in the heart and life before but for their evidence and our apprehension and feeling we do now see such wages and such inclinations to be sinful which we did not think to be so before As physick brings those humours which had their Simile residence before now more to the sense of the Patient or as the Sun makes open the motes of dust which were in the roome before so doth the light of the word discover more corruption But I passe by that point of the impossibility of a full apprehension of all sinnes committed ignorantly and inconsiderately I now proceed from Davids complaint to Davids request Davids request and here I shall speak of his first Request viz. Cleanse thou me from secrets or secret sins Saint Austin upon the words Ab occultis meis munda me domine expresseth it thus A cupiditatibus in me latentibus munda noe i. from those concupiscences which lie so hid and so close and so private within me O Lord cleanse thou me And in his second exposition of this Psalm for he expounded the Psalm twise Tolle-ex corde maelam cogitationem i. O Lord take out of my very heart even the sinful thoughts I will name the Proposition and then we may perhaps open things more fully CHAP. I. Doct. IT is the desire of an holy person to be cleansed not only from publick but also from private and secret It is the desire of a holy person to be cleansed from secret faults sinnes Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man saith Paul who shall deliver me Why O blessed Apostle what is it that holds thee what is it that molests thee thy life thou sayest was unblamable before thy conversion and since thy conversion Phil 3. Thou hast exercised thy self to have a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Acts 24. 16. And yet thou criest out O wretched man and yet thou complainest who shall deliver me Verily brethren it was not sin abroad but at home it was not sin without but at this time sin within it was not Pauls sinning with man but Pauls sinning within Paul O that Law of his members warring secretly within him against the Law of his minde This this made that holy man so to cry out so to complaine As Rebekah was weary of her life not as we read for any forraine disquietments but because of domestique troubles the daughters of Heth within the house made her weary of her life so the private and secret birth of corruption within Paul the workings of that that was the cause of his trouble that was the ground of his exclamation and desires who shall deliver me I remember that the same Paul adviseth the Ephesians as to put of the former Conversation so to put on the renewed spirit of the minde Ephes 4. 22 23. intimating that there are sinnes which are lurking within as well as sins walking without and that true Christians must not only sweep the doore but wash the Chamber my meaning is not onely come off from sins which lie open in the Conversation but also labour to be cleansed from sinnes and sinning which remaine secret and hidden in the Spirit and inward disposition Now for the beneficial discovery of this assertion let us enquire four things 1. In what respects sins are called secret 2. What it is to be cleansed 3. Why we are to desire a cleansing from them 4. What of all this to us SECT I. 1. IN what respect sinnes are called secret for the resolution In what respect sins are called secret of this know that sinne hath a double reference Either to God and so really no sin nor manner of sinning Not to God is secret Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24. it is true that wicked men with an Atheistical folly imagine to hide themselves and their sinful wayes from God they seek deep to hide their Councel from the Lord and their works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us Isa 29. 15. But really it is not so though the cloud may somewhat eclipse the light of the Sun and though the dark night may shut it forth altogether yet there stands no cloud nor curtain nor moment of darknesse or secrecy 'twixt the eyes of God and the wayes of man The wayes of a man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Prov. 5. 21. He speakes principally there of the wayes of the adulterer which usually are plotted with the most cunning secrecy yet God
be rid of a bad nature the vertue of the effect alwayes lurks in the cause and therefore it is the cause which gives life and death to it If thou couldest once get an holy nature which might be at defiance with sinne in its throne know this that a new nature and daily combat would much help against secret sinnings That sinne is least of all acted with life which is most of all combated within the heart for sinne hath least practise where it hath most opposition And of all oppositions those that are inward are most weakning of sin 4. Get an hatred of sinne which will oppose sin in all kindes and all times and in all places 5. Get the feare of God planted in thy heart There are three sorts of sinnes which this fear will preserve a man Get the feare of God against First Pleasant sinnes which take the sense with delight Secondly Profitable sinnes which take the heart with gaine but what shall it profit me to winne the whole world and to lose my soul Thirdly secret sinnes of either sort Joseph did not dare to sinne that great sinne of uncleannesse though the acting of it might have beene secret and thouâ—h perhaps the consequence of it miâ—ht have been his preferment why the fear of God kept him off he had an awful regard to God he knew the greatnesse of his holinesse of his power How can I do this great wickednesse and â—â—nne against God Gen. 39. 9. Why brethren if we feare the Lord it is not the night which the thief doth take nor the twilight which the adulterer doth take nor the seasons of secrecy or places of obscurity that will prevaile with us c. Yea but God sees me the great judge of heaven and earth the holy one the God who hates all sinne whose eyes are brighter then the Sunne and purer then to behold sin and who is mighty in power and just in his threatnings he sees and beholds therefore I dare not 6. Believe Gods omniscience and omnipresence that the Believed Gods omniscience Lord is every where and all things are naked and open to his eye with whom thou hast to deal thou canst not intend to think thou canst not whisper out thy thouâ—hts thou canst not finger the closest bribes thou canst not encline thy self to the most abstracted kinde of secrecy in the world but God sees thee clearly perfectly now if a man could believe that God is still with us and there are two which evermore goe with us the Judge and the Register God and conscience that he is acquainted with all his thoughts paths wayes this would put an awe upon him would the wife be so impudent to commit folly and prostitute her whorish body in the sight and presence of her husband would the servant be filching out of the box if he saw his Masters eye upon his hand 7. Get thy heart to be upright uprightnesse is an inward temper and hypocrisie is an outward complection Psalme Get thy heart to be upright 119. 3. They do no iniquity c. The inward man is the businesse of sincerity to the forming and fashioning of that doth it improve and imploy it selfe it knowes that God delights in truth and this too in the inward parts It endeavours to please God in all things and there to be most to God where man can be least in observation and that is in the secret and hidden frame PSAL. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and shall be innocent from that great transgression CHAP. II. THese words containe in them Davids second Petition and request sinnes do not only differ in respect of opennesse and secretness but also in respect of the degree of hainousness and greatness now because secret sins sticks closest and are of a more easie and adventrous commission therefore David prays much against them Lord cleanse thou me from secret sinnes And because presumptuous sinnes are of a more fearful efficacy and consequently they being usually the bravings of God even to his face therefore David prays as vehemently against them in this verse This verse may be considered two ways The words considered 1. Respectively as in connection with the former by that In conjunction with the former word also keep back thy servant also as if David had said O Lord I have prayed unto thee to be cleansed from secret sinnes and I beseech thee let me be answered but yet this is not all that I have to request I have yet another request besides that keep me also from presumptuous sins 2. Absolutely in regard of their proper matter so they In their proper matter comprehend 1. The Petitioner thy servant 2. The Petition which respects sins 1. Presumption from presumptuous sins 2. Dominion let them not have Dominion over me 3. The Petitioner who is implyed and that is God yet expressed by what he should do keep back c. 4. The Conclusion or inference which he makes from the grant of all this which is his uprightness and innocency innocency not absolute but limitted innocent from that great transgression There is more matter in these words then you yet well conceive of I will touch some Propositions which might challenge a further prosecution and then I will set down at large upon the main intentions and conclusions from the words considered as a connexion of a new request with the former request these things might be observable viz. SECT I. Doct. 1 FIrst There may and should be a conjunction even of great There may and should be a conjunction of great requests at once to God Petitions and requests at once unto God As they say of graces and duties that they are connexed and like so many pearls upon one and the same string for we may say of requests to God though they be many for kindes and number and matter yet they may be put up in the same prayer to God David ends not at that request keep me from secret sinnes but goes on also O Lord keep me from presumptuous sinnes he multiplies his suits according to the multiplicity of his necessity and exigence Note There be divers qualities about our prayers viz. Our prayers must be with 1. One is an urgent fervency when the soul doth not nakedly commence the suit propound it to God and say Lord 1. urgent fervency hear me but it doth inforce as it were an audience and acceptance it doth strive with God and wrestle with him I will not let thee go unless thou blesse me Gen. 32. 26. as Jacob And O Lord hear O Lord hearken and consiâ—er do and deferre not for thy name sake as Dan. 9. this is a following of the suit with God as the woman did Christ 2. Importunity when a person renews the same suit comes 2. Importunity often to the door of grace and knocks 3.
sin in dominion cannot happen to the Regenerate Why then doth David pray against it Reasons of it why doth David pray c. Sol. Three things may be said of this 1. If David or any regenerate person should be left unto himself sin would have dominion over him therefore he prays acknowledging that it must be a strength greater then his own c. 2. Prayers are a means to fetch us out of the Dominion of sin and keep off sin from having dominion over us upon Pauls prayer the answer was my grace is sufficient for thee 3. Although habitual and universal and final dominion of sin be incompetible or inconsistent with the state of grace yet actual and particular dominion is possible and there are great reasons for a regenerate person to pray if it were no more then against particular and temporary dominion of sin but of this more distinctly in the next Section SECT III. Quest 3. WHy David prayes against sin in dominion Why David prays against sin in dominion Sol. Remember that precedent distinction of actual dominion which comprehended a particular prevalency over the soul for particular acts of sinning and of habitual dominion which intimated the full resignation of the heart to the commands of corruption In both respects there may be great reasons why any man should pray against the dominion of sin Reasons of praying against actual dominion Actual dominion of sin is very bad 1. Against actual dominion 1. Because though actual dominion doth not infallibly testifie the person to be bad yet it is ever a breaking forth of what is very bad for as much as the action in this case is but sinne acted Now consider 1. That every sin as acted is therefore the worse you know Note that sin though it be a vile thing yet it tends towards a perfection Every sin as acted is therefore the worse in its kinde lusâ— when it hath conceived bringeâ—h forth sin and sin when it is finished c. Jam. 1. 15. He alludes to a childe in the womb which in the conception is not so perfect and compleat as in the birth and life sin is naturally bad if it be at all it is evil if in inclination it is evil if in thought evil if in acting then much worse when it is brought forth then it is more ripened and therefore the more sinful now where sin hath but actual dominion there it prevails thouâ—h not alwayes to a full consent yet to a sinful service or act the person doth the thing which is evil 2. That the acting of the greater sin is always a greater kinde The acting of the greater sin is a greater kinde of sinning of sinning I mean caeteris paribus if things be equally set together A high sin a presumptuous sin in temptation is not so guilty as the same presumptuous sin in dominion for all sin in service is ever worse then any sinne in conflict though sinne may trouble a man more when it inclines and tempts yet it wounds a man more when it prevailes and overcomes Secondly actuall dominion though it doth not alwayes conclud Actuall Dominion weakens the strength of grace sin prevailing doth not infer Privation of grace the absence of grace yet it alwayes impaires and weakens the strength of grace There are two things which sin prevailing to act doth not necessarily inferre One is Privation of grace for even a good man may stoop and fall a good man may yet do that evill which he would not an honest traveller may be struck down and a faithful souldier may be taken captive though to sin be the evill mans worke yet it may possible be the good mans action 2. Another is Annihilation of grace There is a great difference Annihilation of grace twixt sicknesse and death sicknesse though it removes health yet it doth not remove life it is death which doth that particular dominion or prevalence it may lay flat wound deeply leave a man in a swoon as ye shall hear presently yet it is the habituall dominion which denies life Neverthelesse particular dominion doth even weaken grace i. any sin much more a presumptuous sin at which David seems Yet it may weaken grace here to touch prevails and winnes ground on the soule to yeeld to act there the Corrupt nature improves it selfe it hath the better And this is certaine that sin is never improved but grace is weakned weakned much in its measure and in its strength as all health by the prevalency of sickness and all heat by the victoriousnesse of cold sinful actings doe abate the vitality of grace the edge and the spirit of it and lay it in a swoone so that a man may now have little heart to pray Infinite distrust toward God and which is as bad as the rest if he takes not heed actuall prevalencies at the least incline and tempt him shrewdly to habituall actings so a man shall hardly doe sin any one service but sin to recompence him will impose the reupon many Commands for more 3. Because actuall dominion though it doth not alwayes cut off Actuall dominion doth check the comforts the union yet it may and doth disperse and check the comforts It is an eclipse though it be not a night He who made the Leprosie though he lost not right to his tent or house yet he was interdicted the use and benefit of either A Child who offends his father though he doth not therefore presently cease to be a childe yet his offence doth turne and change the countenance of his father Though it doth not break off the relation yet iâ— doth the respect he shall not easily be admitted into his fathers presenâ—â— and then he shall see bended browes instead of smiles anâ— sharp rebukes and upbraidings instead of kinde and wonted wel-comes so shall even David himselfe finde if that great sins get dominion over him if they doe prevaile if he doth act them though God doth not cast off his person yet he will draw off his Countenance why hidest thou thy face He shall quickly finde the difference twixt the service of God and the service of sin when he goes to pray his sin shall meet him and when he goes to heare the Ordinances shall cast his sinne into his face As Sampson when he lost his haire he could not doe as formerly as at other times so even actuall dominion of sin though it doth not nullify the relations yet it wonderfully varies the condition The Sun seemes to be darkned at noon-day the Ayre is filled with tempest and thunders which lately was overspread with beautifull light God lookes in terror and displeasure and the conscience wounds with closest bitterness all former comforts seem to take leave of us somtimes we are so distressed that we fear we are lost for ever one such sinning may cost us many yeares of cruell vexation and of this we may be sure that till we are soundly
uprightnesse that now is an evennesse For our sins or impartiality of opposition To oppose a little sin and yet to close with a great sin to oppose many sins and yet to hold a knowne and a willing confederacy with any one to oppose sin in others and yet to act it our selves to oppose sin as open to the eye of man and yet to fall to it in secret where it is naked to the eye of God To oppose a sin to which constitution and age deny concurrence of delight or strength and yet to wallow in others agreeable to our complexions conditions and yeares to oppose the unprofitable sin which brings nothing in but paine and yet to admit of gainfull sins which come with rewards of divination in their hands to oppose any sin only because it is paineful and not because it is sinfull To oppose sin in our straits and not in our liberties in sicknesse and not in health when only we feare death and not at all under life and strength I say all these are but hypocrisies there is an unevennesse of the heart as was in Saul who spared the choisest and mortified the coursest of the cattle or as in Balaam who would have been happy in his death though a Curser of Gods people in respect of his own intention in this life I Confesse this to be true that uprightnesse is not the utter Annihilation of sin No that effect appertaines to glory and perfection above but it is the even and Impartiall opposition of sin of secret sins and of presumptious sins as David here in this Psalm of great and small in a word it is a conjunctive opposition of sin that is it carries the heart against all sin Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way v. 3. They do no iniquity i their hearts are for no sin and the prime reason of all this opposition I say the prime and immediate reason is direct and not reflexive It is because sin is so opposite to God and not primarily because it it s so painfull in the event to the person 3. For duties here uprightnesse expresseth it selfe both for matter wherein it doth not shuffle and cut pick and chuse For duties take the lighter like the hypocriticall Pharisees and leave the heaviest to others but it makes a man to have with David Psal 119. 6. a respect to all Gods commands For the manner Any performance will not serve where the heart is upright David danceth before the Lord withal his might and Paul serveth God in his spirit That which came next to hand will serve Cain but Abel must present the best of the Cattle not the lame and the blind the best God shall have the best manner of service If I heare that sufficeth not unlesse it be with reverence and faith If I pray that sufficeth not unlesse with brokenness of heart humblenesse of spirit fervent affections and faith in Christ A meer tale of bricke will serve for Pharaoh though the Isralites reputed the service a bondage but when we bring offerings to the Temple they must be willing and of the best too 6. The last thing which I would observe in uprightnesse is its end and scope It s end and scope Beloved I pray you to remember that uprightnesse causeth a threefold reference of our services one is to Gods precept that 's the square and Rule and compasse of upright motions Another is to Gods glory that 's the spring which turnes the wheels the winde which blowes the sayles it is for Christ sake said Paul and whatsever yee do do all to the glory of God said he againe A third is to Gods acceptance and approbation so that God will accept and commend and approve 2. Cor. 5. 9. we labour that whither present or absent we may be accepted of him 2. Cor. 10. 18. Not he that commendeth himselfe is approved but whom the Lord commendeth More plaine and punctual is that of the same Apostle in Rom. 2. 29. He is a few which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God The schoolmens observation is sound and true that a particular deficiency is sufficient to marre a good morally considered but an vniversall concurrence of circumstances is required to make the action good Look as in reading of Hebrew leave out but one tittle one point you mar the sense or as in a dosis of Physick leave out one ingredient you spoyle all Soe our actions if one circumstance be left out if the Right and genuine end be not eyed it is enough to blanch them with hypocrisie though for substance they may be commanded to pray and to give alms no man will question that these duties substantially considered are good and such which the upright person doth performe But then if a man prayes or gives almes to be seen of men Christ tells him that he playes the Hypocrite If in the performance of any piously externall duty we set our selves as the end if all these things be done and with very much fervency and Assiduity yet only to play the Merchants for our selves to make a bridge over to our own estimation to blow up our names This is but Hypocrisie and I fear a kind of Idolatry we fall down and worship our selves like the men of Shechem who would admit of circumcision shall not their cattle and all that they have be ours The like indifferentnesse may be found in men forward for outward duties shall not profit be ours preachers good opinion ours The Glory and Credite ours this is a gross Hypocrisie Now uprightnesse consists in this to devolve all the honor of holy services on God like the faithfull servant who workes painefully and speakes consideratly and all this for his Master or like the shadow which in the dyall moves from point to point and all this points upward to the sunne in it motions The humble heart knowes no fountaine but Gods grace and the upright heart knowes no end but Gods glory They distinguish of a double end One is finis opâ—ris the end of the work and that shall be our glory hereafter as the Apostle spake of faith the end of your faith the salvation of your souls 1 Pet. 1. 9. Another is finis operantis the end of the workman and that if the heart be upright is Gods glory for of him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory for ever Rom. 11. Yet by your favour this I must suggest by the way and perhaps shall handle it more copiously shortly that in a way of subordination an upright heart may do God good service and his glory no wrong if with all in its fit place and order and measure it cast an eye also on its own reward Moses had an eye to it Heb. 11. SECT II. Quest 2. NOw I proceed to a second question why we should
revealed and known duty to which his very heart doth not strive to obey yea and the ground of all this must be spirituall and not carnal from God and for God Assuredly these things are impossible to an evill man and he who is most good shall confesse it to be most hard to be plaine with God and to walke evenly before him 8. Lastly to be upright is a possible thing a man may attaine to be upright is a possible thing unto it Nay every good man doth attaine unto it Noah was upright and walked with God Abraham was upright before him David kept him from his sin and he did serve the Lord in uprightnesse of heart Hezekiah did so likewise Remember Lord that I have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart Paul served God in all good conscience willing to live honestly in all things Though no man can say that he doth all that Gods commands require yet he may say he hath respect unto them all and though none can say he hath nothing in him or nothing is done by him which the law of God doth forbid yet he may say I hate every false way and search me O Lord if there be any way of wickednesse within me and this is uprightnesse Ob. But you will say if the case be so how may one know that he is indeed upright Sol. There are many discoveries of it I pray you to observe Discourses of uprightnesse them and try your selves by them let your consciences testify for you before the lord this day 1. If a man be upright he will mostly strive for an inward reformation of his heart There are two things which the upright person doth most look The upright man most strives for the inward reformation at his God and his heart The Hypocrites as our saviour testifies they are for the outside they wash the platters and the cups and beautifie the tombes like an adulteresse whose care is to paint and to set a faire face upon the matter all their care is to the eye of man how to be seen and hard how to be well thought on Now uprightnesse is mostly for the heart and spirit not that an upright person should or doth neglect the wel-ordering his life O no! as to neglect our hearts argues hypocrisie so to neglect our lives argues profanesse But the principle care of uprightnesse is the reformation of the heart though it lookes to the cleansing of the hand yet principally of the heart according to that of the Apostle Jam. 4. 8. Why brethren it well knowes that the heart is it which God looks for and lookes at the heart is it which God delights in if that be right and true he is pleased thou lovest truth in the inward parts Psa 51. the upright in heart are his delight David is full in this concerning his heart Psal 119. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee v. 11. Thy word have I hid within my heart that I might not sinne against thee incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit the heart of man is the fountaine of life or death and every thing is strongest in the heart and most dangerous sinne in the heart is worse then in the life i. when a mans heart is set upon his sin now Try your selves in this particular what care have you of your hearts what paines do you take with them you many times have humble looks yea but have you not still proud hearts you have many times contented words yea but have you not still impatient and discontented hearts you have many times heavenly discourse yea but have you not stil earthly and worldly hearts what doe you with them doe you not let your hearts still loose do you not give them way to be filled with wicked contemplations vaine imaginations filthy inclinations with envy malice unbeliefe or do you mourne under these do you strive to cleanse within is it not sufficient that your outward actions look well unlesse your hearts be made better O if this heart were holy If this heart were humble If this heart were heavenly If the heart were believing The hypocrite cares not though the thread be rotten if the colour or glosse be faire but the upright person he is more at substance then shew and hath more to doe with his heart then any thing he would have the law written not upon his tongue but upon his heart cleansed as well as his life beautified 2. If a man be upright then a little holiness will not serve his If a man be upright then a little holinesse will not serve his turne turne he is not contented with some measures but strives after perfection see this clearly delivered by the Apostle in Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ v. 13. I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I doe forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before v. 14. I press then toward the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus v. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded q. d. If you be upright thus will it be with you you will not be satisfied with small beginnings with received measures but you will reach on for farther conformity to Christ There is a difference twixt desires of holiness for it selfe and God and for our selves and ends An hypocrite could be content to have as much holinesse as would serve his turne his owne turne his owne ends as a tradesmen is willing to be at cost that his apprentice learne to writ and cipher so much and so long as he may be enabled to keep the accounts but he will not be at cost to teach him the excellency of writing or ciphering But now the upright person desires grace and holiness for God that glory may be brought unto him and out of an intrinsecall love of the beauties of holinesse and for the farther rooting out of sin And for the better Inabling to holy services his ends are publike and therefore a little serves not 3. If a man be upright then a man will walke by a right rule an upright man walks by an upright rule he orders his conversation and wayes according to the word of God A right ordering of all our actions by a right rule in a right way by right persons out of right principles for right ends this is uprightnesse 3. A person may know whither he be upright or no by the An upright person hath a conformable disposition of heart about all sins conscionable disposition of his heart about all sinnes Dâ—vid speaking of such who were undefiled Psal 119. 1. And sought the Lord with their
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
own Our tongues are our own said they who is Lord over us Psal 12. yea they are said to set their Note mouths against heaven q. d. what tell you us of the Lord of his displeasure or pleasure As for the word which thou hast spoken in the name of the Lord we will not do it said they in Jeremiah 44. A man doth even try it out with God and provokes him to his face and maintaines the devises of his heart against the purity and equity of Gods will 2. In presumptuous sinnings a man knows the thing and way to In them a man knows the thing to be unlawfull be unlawful and therefore the presumptuous sinner is opposed to the ignorant sinner Numb 15. not that every sinning against knowledge absolutely whatsoever is a presumptuous sinning is against knowledge and without grosse ignorance the presumptuous sinner holds a candle in one hand and draws out the sword with the other my meaning is this that he breaks through the light of knowledge discerning the way to be sinful yea and flaming upon his breast working in and checking his conscience notwithstanding all which yet he will presume to offend and proceed in transgressings 'T is true even a good man in many particulars Object may and doth sin not only against habitual but against actual knowledge but this is through infirmity not through Sol. contumacy he approves that light against the sinne and doth not maintaine the sinne against his light yea he yeelds not only by approbation of judgement but also by resolution and desire of will to imitate the light yet through the weaknesse of his power and from the force of an hasty temptation he may fall down even at noon-day but the presumptuous sinner sees light as an enemy and therefore willingly breaks through it to the way of his sinne yea he makes his heart to uphold the sin against the force of his knowledge and drives back the arguments with a resolution that however he will have his sin 3. The presumptuous sinner in that kinde of sinning adventures He adventures against express threatnings against express threaâ—nings thus it stands with a man his heart and Satan incline and egge him to sinne but God and Conscience stand in the way against him as he said of Note the sword to Joab Knowest thou not that it will be bitternesse in the end so God saith to him thou shalt not have peace in this way it is the thing which I hate and abhorre and I have revealed wrath from heaven against it but in presumption the sinning soul steps over the threatning to the committing of the sin that sword of God which may keep back another man yet though God sets the point of it to the breast of a presumptuous sinner it will not stave him off from adventuring therefore the presumptuous sinner is said to blesse himself in his heart though God threatens a curse Deut. 29. this is a truth that a presumptuous sinner is not changed by mercies nor affrighted by threats but as the Leviathan in Job laughs at the shaking of the speare so the heart of a presumptuous sinners puffs at all divine warnings and menaces come said they let it come that we may see him As there is not a love to the goodness of God so there is not a fear of the greatness of God in presumption 4. Presumptuous sins do arise from a false confidence there are two They arise from a false confidence Of the facility of mercy things upon which the presuming sinner doth imbolden himself 1. One is the facility of mercy when a man sets mercy against sinne he doth well because Gods mercies should draw our hearts off from sinne but when a man sets mercy against Justice now he offends yet thus doth the presumtuous sinner perhaps there is not in every presumptuous sinner such a spirit of Atheistical madnesse that he is absolutely carelesse of all that God threatens nor is he so miserably prodigal of his soul that he rejoyceth to have it damned no he may and sometimes doth apprehend threatnings yea so that his heart is caused to demurre it may be a stopping apprehension i. such as may make him study how to pursue his sinne and yet to wave and decline the edge of the sharp threatning and this he doth by opposing mercy to justice 't is true this is a sinne and divine justice will not take it well but I will adventure on it hoping that divine mercy will pacifie the rigor of the threatning I will sin and offend Justice but then I will decline that Court by flying to the Mercy-seat God is of a gentle heart easie to be entreated and will be presently satisfied and appeased Just like a man who will break his bones because he trusts to have them quickly set by a skilful Chirurgion or like a lewd child who adventures to outrages upon the scope and allowance of his fathers good nature This ground of presumption God fully intimates in Deut. 29. 19. when he heareth the words of the curse that he blesse himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkenness to thirst c. Beloved this is certain that presumption disposeth of mercy beyond all allowance and writes a pardon which God will never allow nor seal it will dare to runne in debt upon a conceit of a discharge and clearing however as if Divine mercy were nothing else but a present untwining of all the knots which we make and a crossing of debts as soon as entred and served for no other end but that men should be bold to sinne and cheerful after the commission of it But verily mercy is more precious then so 2. Another is the self possibility and strength of future repentance Of the self possibility of future repentance he is one of the worst patients in a way of sinning who is confident that he can be his own Physician no soul wounds it self more then that which vainly thinks that it can presently cure them presumption is not alwayes carried upon an absolute hope of mercy but the sinner being more piercingly understanding knows that mercy is a special Charter and such a balme as is spread only upon a returning and humbling soule here it is that this presumptuous person will adventure to sinne upon a confidence that he will notwithstanding all this fashion and polish his soul to a meet capacity of mercy by hereafter repentings and humblings he doth foolishly delude his soul with a fancy of such things which exceed his power There are two things which the sinner cannot assure himself of One is the lengthning of his life for this candle is lighted and put out not according to our desires but according to divine pleasure all life hath its limits from the Lord of life and death he who sinnes to day cannot be assured that he shall live till to morrow Now
repentance is a work of this life death bindes us over to sentence and then 't is too late to return And therefore every presumptuous sinner adventures boldly upon that which cannot be his beyond the time present Another is the returning of the heart from sinne though our natural principles can give the wound yet they must be supernatural principles which give the cure our own hearts can cause us to fall but Gods grace only is that which raiseth us Now Gods grace is Gods gift and not mans stock though we alone can fall off from God by sinne yet none but God can bring us back from sin by true repentance unto himself yet presumption makes the heart bold not only with time which is in Gods hand but also with grace which is only in Gods gift Though I sinne yet I will hereafter repent thus the presumptuous soul whose life may be instantly cut off and to whom God may therefore deny his grace to repent because it did before-hand presume to sin 5. In many presumptuous sinnings there is a slighting contempt It is with a slighting contempt therefore Numb 15. 30 31. presumptuous sinning is called a despising of the Word of the Lord the soul that doth ought presumptuously c. shall be cut off because he hath despised the Word of the Lord c. to despise the Word of the Lord is to esteeme of it as a vaine thing to disregard it in his authority and Majesty over our consciences and hearts and wayes As if a soul should say what care I though God doth speak thus and thus I will not be curbed and limited nor restrained this is to contemn God And it is called a rebelling against him Deut. 1. 24. I spake unto you and you would not heare but rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord and went up presumptuously to the hill It is called a casting of Gods Law behinde our back God hath hemmed and circumscribed the soul with precepts within which if a man walks he hath God to be his security but in presumptuous sinnings a man will exceed his limits and yet believe a safety this very thing is expressed in Deut. 17. 11. According to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee and according to the judgement which they shall tell thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand or to the left ver 12. And the man that will do presumptuously and will not hearken to the Priest c. even that man shall die ver 13. And all the people shall hâ—ar and fear and do no more presumptuously There you see that presumptuous sinning consisted in the slighting of the sentence of the Law by the Priest the Priest said this is it which God would have you do This is it which he would not have done Now the person who sinned presumptuously would not stand to this but would break over this sentence and would go in his own way he disregarded what God spake that should not be his rule no not his 6. Lastly presumptuous sinnings may rise higher then all It may arise to malice and despight against God and Christ this as when a man sinnes not only knowingly and wilfully but most maliciously and despitefully against God and Christ the Apostle speaks of such presumptuous sinners who tread under foot the Sonne of God and do despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And who crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame Heb. 6. 6. This kinde of presumptuous sinning is not only to sinne though a man knows it nor only to sin because a man will sin but it is also to sin on purpose to dishonour God and to vex his holy spirit the soul is grown unto that abominable insolency that a man even plots deliberately how to crosse God and will therefore apply himself to such words and acts because he knows they will displease God this is the very top and height of presumptuous sinning when a man in a sober and calme spirit exempted from violent diseases and strong passions and insolently turbulent temptations shall in sober circumstances desperately and of malicious and set purpose encounter God adventure iniquity to provoke God he knows that the worst which shall befall him is damnation but he cares not for that he will however have his pleasure in sinne and will strive to despite that God who stands in a just enmity to his soul and sins SECT II. Quest 2. WHat that strength is which keeps back regenerate What that strength is which keeps back the regenerate from presumptuous sinnes persons from presumptuous sinnes and what difference 'twixt the restrainings of evil men and this keeping back of good David Sol. For a more distinct knowledge of this point observe a few particulars 1. Restraint is any kinde of stop 'twixt the inclination and the Restraint is any kinde of stop betwixt the inclination and the object object when the nature is inclined to such or such a thing and a barre falls in to keep them asunder this is restraint As when God bridled up the fire from burning the three children and the Lion from devouring Daniel and Abimelech from touching Sarah and Laban from hurting Jacob The natural inclinations of the former and the morally evil dispositions of the latter were chained in they were stopped they were hindred in respect of their actings and exercise All creatures are capable of restraint because under a Supreame power only God cannot be restrained but for all creatures their natures and inclinations and operations are under his command by the Lawe of Creation 2. Restraint of any Agent ariseth from a greater strength Restraint of any agent is from a greater strength of a superior agent of a Superior Agent whatsoever keeps a man back from a sinful acting it is at that time whiles a restraint of more actually strong force then the present inclination is as in the stopping of a stone or water that which is unequal in strength a lesser force is not able to keep in the stronger the cords wherewith Sampson was bound were no restraints to his motion and escape for his strength exceeded them and he easily brake them asunder But Gods decree and providence is a restraint to the raging sea and his power is a restraint to gird in the malice and rage of man because though sinfull inclinations be strong yet God can over-rule and bound and bind it in 3. All Restraints presupposeth an aptness a disposition ready to Restraints suppose a readiness â—o get out run and get out The Child whose desire is to lie in the Cradle is not there said to be restrained and the Trades-man whose shop is his paradise is not therefore restrained from going abroad but when a servant would be gadding and yet is kept in this is Restraint In every man there is too much sin
if we will not return iniquity shall be our ruine Object O! but God is mercifull though we be sinfull Sol. Yea But he is mercifull only to the penitent and if thou wilt be impenitent thou forsakest thy metcies and treasurest wrath unto thy self against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 4 5. Nay more Mercy doth so infinitely upbraid thee that the very Devils will hiss at thee in the day of Judgement they may cry out against thee for the abominablest wretch living yea in this respecâ— worse then they Lord may they say we have sinned exceedingly against thee why what should we do we had never any hope or proposition of mercy it was never offered to us nor assured us but here 's a wretch that though he were a sinner yet thou didst beseech him by thy mercies to leave his sins thou assuredst him of free pardon if he would return and he not only refused the pardon but because of thy goodness in it therefore grew more proudly bold and presuming to sin against thee 6. Sixthly Consider this That it is a difficult thing to repent It is a difficult thing to repent and that the more a man doth sin the more hard it is to repent of his sins Object Why will you say what of this to the prevention of presumptuous sinnings Sol. I answer this conduceth much because the presuming sinner leads on his soul to sin upon this ground and confidence that if the worst come to the worst he will yet at last put off his sins and repent whereupon his heart adventures far Now if a man were throughly convinced of two things this ground would sink and perhaps his heart might be taken off from presuming 1. One is That it is a difficult thing to repent Why Repentance is the new setting of the heart and life it is the very contradiction of a mans former love and practise it is the undoing of all his doings it is the shifting as it were of his nature and the transplanting of himself the divorcing of the affections the new bent and edge of the soul for all holy and pious obedience and is this an easie thing Is it easie for a man to become an enemy to himself to lay down his sweet delight his precious profits his closer nature to judge and condemn his heart and wayes for ever to forsake his own counsels his own inclinations his own courses Know you not that to sneath up but an idle word and form of language is not so facile an act how much more then to put off root and branch Do we not stick in the same sins after many threatnings of wrath after many executions of Judgement after many invitations by mercies after dayly counsels and directions by thy Word after instances and examples of punishment nay after particular and personal experiences of the deceitfulness and bitterness of our sinnings Doth not this shew that it is a difficult thing to repent Nay Take an Assay of thy heart begin the study of thy self remember thy doings which have not been good thy wayes that have been evil summon up all the matter of Repentance for if Repentance be true it must be an universal turning and then set upon the work of Repentance and tell me whether former sins cannot plead hard for future and constant possession whether they cannot work mightily and deceitfully tell me how willing and ready thou shalt find thy heart which comes to this duty as a Thief to the Executioner Tell me whether Satan will easily give up his Title and interest and will give Christ possession quietly without many fervent suits to heaven yea without bitter and strong conflicts yea unless the Almighty God himself come in and turn him out of thy heart and turn thy heart to him 2. Another things is this That the more a man doth sin the more he disables himself to repent Tell me seriously Doth not the Debt weaken his ability of payment by greater engagements Doth not the disease consume the powers of nature by its encrease Why what is that which spoils us and disarms us of strength is it not sin then the more sinning still the less strength to return from sin Nay sin doth not only corrupt our strength by multiplied sinnings but withal increaseth its own strength the more a man doth sin the weaker and weaker he becomes and sin thereby becomes stronger and stronger Now tell me if it be hard for thee in strength to turn from sin will it not be harder for thee in weakness to conquer strength if thou canst not step over the brook why dost imagine it easie to stride over the Ocean If thou canst nor stand before the child thinks thou in a moment to cast down the strong man surely by thy continued and multiplied course of sinning thy mind is more blinded and thy Judgement is more corrupted and thy love is more inflamed and thy heart is more hardned and art not thou then more disabled Once again by thy more sinnings the Counsels of God are more despised by thee and the Spirit of God is more grieved and resisted by thee and the Mercies of God are more abused by thee and the patience of God is more profaned and injured by thee so that God in Justice may forsake thee and deny his hand for ever unto thee and then thou what wilt thou do what canst thou do I beseech you lay these things to heart they may check and hold off your hearts from presuming why thinks the soul here is a temptation to sin yea but I must repent and it is not so easie that to do if it be let me try about my former sins without a new addition now and then this I am sure of that the more sinnings will make the work of Repentance more hard forasmuch as they wedge in the sin more into the affections and provoke God more c. therefore it shall suffice me to have sinned already I will adventure no more nor no further Seventhly Consider That thy life is short and thy account Thy life is short and thy account sure is sure Thou sinnest this moment and art not sure to live till the next day and hast not assurance of life till to morrow for what is our life but a lease of time which God lets to man the date of which is only known to God and commanded by him Saint James would not have us talk of to morrow and Christ would not have us think of any more then for two days and Paul saith That the present time is the acceptable time and the day of salvation Thou fool said Christ this night shall they take away thy soul death attends thee every moment it is even laying hands on thee in the womb and thou art never going to sin but death saith Lord shall I now strike him arrest him in his very rebellion Now if a man were effectually perswaded of this perhaps he would not presume to sin
for presumption is usually confident of Note longer life and therefore imboldens it self to stronger sins a foolish error and vain for were it true that in a natural probability thou mightest yet live long yet in a judicial course this is most true that great sinnings shorten the life the thief goes to the Gallows in his youth because of his theft and the sinner is suddenly laid in his grave by reason of his sinnings And then â—wo unto thee better that thou hadst never been born if thou lives and dies in thy sins to the Judgement-seat of God must thou be brought with sin in thy bones and presumptuous iniquity in thy heart thou who now darest to out-face the Ministers of God shall not then dare to look the holy and just and terrible God in the face but he will fill thy breast with confusion and all the veins of thy soul with flames of hottest vengeance and indignation Eightly Get knowledge sanctified Knowledg is like a sword it Get knowledge sanctified may defend a man and it may hurt a man it may both arm him and kil him or like the light of a Candle which may both direct and also burn and so accidentally even knowledge it self may prove a great addition to our sinnings That which serves to give us light against them may yet improve the guilt of them upon us There is a two-fold knowledge 1. One naked which shews the evil 2. Another sanctified which keeps from evil the former is good at the Object but the latter is good with the subject that looks upon what is to be done or not to be done this looks down to the heart and inclines it strongly to embrace the good and to resist and abhor the evil This is certain that not all the spirits of speculation are a sufficient rescue of thy soul from presumptuous sinnings Object Why saith a man I will not sin so I know better then so Sol. Alas The bullet strikes down the souldier for all his head-piece naked knowledge is at best but an head-piece and that not of proof neither but sanctified knowledge is a breast-plate and that keeps off the dart Lastly Renounce thine own strength of nature of parts of Renounce thy own strength gifts yea of graces yea of services he shall be brought far in sin who goes far upon his own strength thy own strength will deceive thee it is not enough to keep thee good nor preserve thee from being bad if thou couldest get a trembling heart and a bended knee and a believing eye and an humble spirit then thy Castle were impregnable c. PSAL. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me CHAP. IV. HAving handled Davids prayer against sin as lying in presumption now I shall touch on it as it doth respect sin in Dominion Let them not have dominion over me There may be divers conjectures about the connexion and depending sense of these words Two Expositions of the words First As if they were a distant petition q. d. Lord I pray unto thee against high kinds of sinning and perhaps I may sometimes be laid flat by them but then I desire of thee that though they strike me down yet they 1. As a distinct petition may not rule over me though I stoop yet I may not serve though I fall yet I may not lie and rest though they may be sometimes so strong as to over-come yet never so full as to reign let them not have Dominion over me Secondly As if they are but the same petitions greatly inforced q. d. O Lord I beseech thee to keep back thy servant 2. As the same petition inforced from presumptuous sins all sins are bad and inglorious and foul but none so as they they are high transgressions therefore I beseech thee let them not have Dominion i. never suffer them to prevail over me never let them enter into my soul or life let them never over-come me let them not over-take me let me never commit them Now which way of these you conjecture the sense of the words may be aimed at it requires accurateness to determine and cut the thred For my part I think that both may be commodious and are pious though the latter to me doth seem more genuine yet in this I easily submit to better Judgements FOR the words themselves this is evident that they express the spirit of holy David as vehemently carried against presumptuous sins in Dominion for the better discussing of them I shall inquire these particulars 1. What Dominion of sin here may import Four things wherein it consists 2. Whether sins in Dominion may befall a David 3. Why David prayes so against it 4. Then some usefull applications SECT I. Quest 1. FOR the first of these What Dominion of sin doth What Dominion of sin imports import Sol. Dominion is given sometimes to God sometimes to Christ as Mediator sometimes to man over man sometimes to Satan over man sometimes to death which is said to rule and sometimes to sin when it is betwixt sinne and the sinner as betwixt a King and his Subjects As a raigning King hath dominion so sin it acts in all things like a King 1. It hath possession original sin of our hearts actual sin of our lives 2. Hath a title our forsaking of God and voluntary election and compact 3. Hath a throne our souls 4. Hath servants our Members 5. Hath a councel our carnal wisdom and corrupt reasonings 6. Hath power to give Laws and see them executed Paul speaks of the Law in his members and the Law of sin Rom. 7. 21 22. But more distinctly for the better understanding this Four things observe these particulars 1. That Dominion properly is the Right and Power of a What is dominion properly Lord over a servant it is a word implying Superiority and Subjection one who hath Authority to command and another whose condition is obeâ—iential and to serve so that in the dominion there is one who doth rule and another who is ruled one who doth command and another who yeelds at least virtute â—uris he is to yeeld and obey and ratione facti where dominion is exercised there is actual command and actual obedience as the Centurion who had authority and dominion over his servants he said to one go and he did go to one come and he did come to another do this and he did it Secondly observe that Dominion is twofold it is either Dominion is either 1. Original and absolute and this is when the Lord hath a Original and Absolute natural and prime and irrespective title it belongs to him as so to command and impose obedience meerly from his absolute right and accoâ—ding to his own pleasure such a dominion belongs only to â—od who made all the world and is Lord of all All the creatures are his servants and are set by the Law