Men and Women wallowing up and down in the dirt Christ looks upon them and goes by leaves them still and lets them wallow in their corruptions more and more and passes by surely the heart of Christ is not much towards them there 's little relation that Christ or God hath to such as these are But now when as there is one that belongs to Jesus Christ and that Christ hath set his love upon from eternity Christ sees such a one wallowing in the filth of sin O! the very bowels of Christ do earn O! Christ takes them and with his own blood cleanseth them and will never leave washing and cleansing of the soul till he hath cleansed it from all its spots and presented it before the Father And mark in the second place Christ loved us and this is a fruit of Christs love to cleanse us from our spots And then he gave himself that he might cleanse us perhaps you think it 's of little moment to be cleansed from the filth of your sin but Christ accounted it such a matter that he would give his life for it I account the cleansing of these souls from the filth of their sins worth my life I will give my life for it so that it cost more then Ten Thousand Worlds to cleanse a soul from the filth of its sin as well as from the guilt I beseech you consider of this that the cleansing of a soul from the silth of sin did cost Christ that which was more worth than Ten thousand World but O! how many is there that can wallow in sin and take delight in it But I say it is of so great consequence to be cleansed from sin as Christ is content to give his very life to cleanse his Church from sin Now if thy heart be thus that thou account the love of Christ to consist in this and that thou canst prise Christ upon This That he gave himself to the end that he might cleanse thy soul from the sin surely thou dost prise cleansing from sin indeed and if thou dost prise it at so high a rate this is a good Argument that thou art one of Gods Children Therefore daily exercise thy Faith upon this Christ by the applying of the blood of Jesus Christ to thy soul and the renewing of the work of thy repentance seeing as long as thou livest their will be spots The Second SERMON July the 20th 1645. 3. Doct. BUt now comes in the Third Point It 's true the people of God have all their spots I but know There 's a great deal of difference between the spots of the godly and the spots of the wicked And this Scripture I chose for the handlling of this point to take away that vain plea that hardens the hearts of most men in their sin Why it 's true we have sin and who hath not the best of all have their sins I appeal to you whether you do not know that this is the great hardning conceit of most people in the World Thou hast thy sins and the best have their sins but there 's a great deal of difference between the sins of the one and the sins of the other you will see a great deal of difference however whatever thou sayest Psal 22. 18. saâ—â—ih David I have not wickedly departed from my God David would not say but that he had sometimes departed from God I but I have not wickedly departed from him saith David I can appeal to God in that There is still remaining in the Saints corruptions in their understandings there is some dimness though there be light But I may say of that as in Isa 11. The dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation It shall not be such dimness It 's spoken there in case of affliction and misery We may apply it thus by way of allution in case of the remaining corruptions There is in the understanding a dimness but not like that that was before and is in natural men There is not that dimness of darkness in the weakest Man or Woman in the World that is converted that hath the least natural parts as in the greatest learned Man or Woman in the World that is unconverted And though perhaps a Child of God may have some security in his heart for a while yet in 1 Thes 5. 6. Let us not sleep as do others lest perhaps we should sleep and he overtaken yet saith the Apostle God forbid we should sleep as do others There 's a great deal of difference between the sleep of Gods people and the sléeep of others that is between the security of their hearts and the security of other mens hearts It was the special work of the Priest in the time of the Law to discern between spot and spot to shew which was the spot of Leprosie and wich was not When there was a spot in the bodies of men they were to come to the Priest to discern whether their spot were the spot of Leprosie or no. And 't is a special work of the Ministers of the Gospel to shew the difference of spots between the spots of the wicked and the spots of the Children of God And here indeed doth consist the spiritualness of their Ministry and a great deal of efficacy of it is in this thing and without this our Ministry is like to do little good and therefore though I had thoughts of some other things yet I thought alwaies except there were somthing laid down about this I might preach many Arguments open many points of Religion to you and the want of the knowledg of this might hinder the efficacy of all Jer. 15. 18. If thou shalt separate between the precious and the vile saith he to Jeremiah then shalt thou be as my mouth So that that 's the work that God looks for from his Ministers and indeed it 's the work of a soul saving Ministry to separate between the precious and the vile and then indeed when they speak they are as the mouth of God to a people God makes men in this point to be as his mouth for it is a point that doth separate between the precious and the vile Therefore as Moses said of the whole Soâ—g in the 46 v. of this Chap. Set your hearts unto all the words which I testifie among you c. For it is not a vain thing for you because it is your life 〈◊〉 I may say of this part of the Song I beseech you brethren set your hearts to it and mind it for certanly it is not a vain thing it is your life It 's as much as your souls are worth the understanding of this point rightly and thousands of souls do perish eternally for want of the understanding this point rightly Then let 's fall upon it There 's much difference between the sins that are in wicked men and the sins that are in the Saints It must be granted First that in some particular acts a wicked man may do
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
Glass to see out own spots how we are bespotted by our sin if it is such a Foul such a Spreading such a Staining spot How is it that Men and Women see it not they see not their own faces Oh! they never were acquainted with Gods Glass What 's that you will say why James 1. 23. will shew you what the Glass of God is in which you may see your Faces in which you may see your spots If any man be a hearer of the word and not a deer he is like unto a man beholding his natural Face in a Glass for he beboldeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forâ—etteth what manner a man he was But who 〈◊〉 looketh into the perfect Law of liberty and continueth therein c. And the Law of God is â—â—e Glass that God would have thee to look â—â—to to see thy face in thou canst not know â—â—y heart but by holding the Law of God before thee Paul thought himself beautiful eâ—ough until the Law came That Scripture 〈◊〉 notable for it in Rom. 7. 9. For I was â—â—â—ive without the Law once But when the Comandment came Sin revived and I died 〈◊〉 was alive I was jollie and thought my â—â—lf well enough but when the Commandâ—ent came when God did but take the Glass 〈◊〉 the Law and hold it before my face I 〈◊〉 my self a most ugly Monster I rememâ—er I have read of an old strumpet that had â—â—ed a false Glass continually to look in and 〈◊〉 presented her beautiful unto her self and 〈◊〉 would never look upon any other But â—â—ce there being a Glass by she chanc'd to â—â—ok into it wherein she beheld her face â—â—d being told her that it was a true Glass â—â—e ran mad upon the sight of her ugly face â—ertainly the generality of men have no other Glasses to look into and to behold the face of their souls but their own carnal conceits and the wayes of other men and the like But if God should but hold the Glass of his Law to some of your faces to behold how loathsom you are in the Eyes of God for so they are in Gods eye as this Glass presents them if they are not washed in the blood of Christ and it would be a dreadful sight to many a soul But yet better that you saw it now while there are wayes to cleanse your souls of their spots than when you should die for if when you should be at the point of Death and be ready to go to the great God to Receive the sentence of your Eternal Doom If conscience should hold the Glass of Gods Law before you and there make you see the ugly face of your soul spotted by sin Oh! it would be a soul sinking sight unto you Learn you to look now into the Glass of the Law and examine your soul by the holy Law of God that you may see your spots there many of you spend a great deal of time every morning in looking into the Glass to see if all things be well in your face Oh that you would but spend as much time in looking into the Law of God and examining of your hearts by the word There stands a Glass in the window and there lies a Book on the shelf Why may not the Law of God be as well taken to look into your hearts as the Glass taken to see your face in People are little acquainted with this Glass and therefore know not their own souls Secondly If sin be such a spot O learn we to be humbled for our spots if we have seen them and to be ashured of them if we have seen our faces besmeaâ—'d it doth deject us especially if we be in Company that are our Superiors Know that you are alwayes before the Infinite God and his blessed Angels and they behold your spots O therefore be humbled and be ashamed for your spots An Ingenuous disposition of heart is ashamed if either flesh or garments bespotted but now one of a so did disposition that is all the week raking in Kennels or Dust-heaps though they be bespâ—ted they care not because many times the very temper of their spirits is like to their employment but now one that is of an Ingenuous disposition if he be defiled he is ashamed and troubled for it O labour to purge your spots and stains know that this is the work that you have to do To get vour souls cleansed and purged The Lord hath set open a Fountain for sin and for uncleanness for Judah and for Jerusalem to wash in O wash your hearts O Jerusalem So I may say to every soul wash thy heart from thy spots thou wilt wash thy face and hands dayly O that dayly there might be washing of thy heart If thou hast committed sin let it not lie and soak in if there should any spots happen upon your cloeths you presently lay salt upon it to keep it from staining so so soon as thou hast committed sin lay the salt tears of thy Repentance though that be not all the blood of Christ is the main thing to keep thy soul clean from this staining-spot and to do it presently will be a great â—eal more ease than to stay long as a sport of Ink as soon as it falls if youseek to get it away it will be done with a little tâ—â—ble but if you let it soak in you cannot get it out after wards And so it is with sin that lies long upon the soul O! many of your sins are old stains that have been many years upon you and as it is in your cloeths that have old slains washing will not serve all the Soap you can use will not get them out but you must lay them a frosting in a winter night O! so your old sins you must not think that those old spots and stains upon your soul that you shall get them off so easily you must be willing to lie a soaking and frosting to indure what hardship God calls you to so be it that you may be cleansed from them It 's an expression that I remember Austin hath saith he You would have all things good and clean in your house all the furniture in your house yea your shooes if they be bespotted you will have them clean And hast thou more care of thy very shooes then of thy soul that 's spotted and defiled O! there 's little care for the cleansing of that But now my Brethren these things especially should be applyed when we are to go more immediately and solemnly into the presence of God We must look into the Glass of the Law every day be humbled be ashamed and labour to purge the spots of our souls and that continnually But I say when we are to go into Gods presence in a more immediate manner as when we are to go to prefer a petition to God and that such a petition as concerns our souls and Eternal estates when we are to go to hear his word
and worship him When we are to go to his Table at the Lords Supper we had need then prepare by looking into that Glass and by being humbled for our sins and labouring to cleanse Though you care act so much for spots upon your face and clothes when you are at home yet when you are to go before your Betters then what looking is there in the Glass to be trim and to have clothes that are clean washt Remember now that every time thou art to go to worship God thou art to set thy self as in his immediate presence to have to deal with that infinite holy God whose pure eyes cannot indure to beholde least iniquity that God that is so Holy that the very Angels cover their faces as not being able to behold him thou art to go before this God and wilt thou go bespotted and beâ— smeared and never look into the glass oâ— the Law to see how thou art there that thoâ— mayest labour to cleanse thy soul wilt thoâ— come into Gods presence in thy filth Oâ— bold sinner that know'st not what it is to dea 〈…〉 with the Infinite Holy God Those that knoâ— what God is what his Infinite Holiness means when they come into Gods presence they make it the great part of their work iâ— preparing their hearts before they come and indeed the spiritual part of Godliness doth aâ— much consist in this one thing as in any iâ— the preparation of the heart for the presence of God in Holy dutyes and that man or woman that is careful and conscionable in this thing may have good comfort to them selves that they are acquainted with the spiritual part of Godliness that wherein the power of iâ— consists But for such that can go into Gods presence and no such sear and reverence oâ— God is in their hearts certainly these neither know God nor have any thing of the power of Godliness in their hearts Now no matter my Brethren what we endure in this Worldâ— so be it we may get our souls cleansed from the filth and the spots that are upon them that when there shall be a farther Presence of God which we shall have than that we have now in Holy Duties that then we may stand before him without spot so saith the Apostle in 2 Pet. 3. 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless You look for new Heavens and new Earth when all the world shall be on fire about your ears and the Elements melting with servent heat and the Heavens departing like a Screwl and the like do you look for such things do you look for the appearing of the Holy God and dare you stand in the Presence of that Holy God when he comes to pass the Sentence of your Eternal Estate upon your â—ouls dare you stand before him with such defiled stained souls as you have Oh no! Saith the Apostle Wherefore Beloved seeing ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness If those spots that are upon many of your Spirits shall abide upon you at that say Wo be to you that ever you were born you cannot be found in peace before God except you be found without spot and blameness Yet let me say farther Wo to that soul â—hat shall have one spot upon it at that day If this should be means of the Great Day of Judgment as many Divines take it though there may be some doubt about some other time But suppose that it be meant of that day as it is ordinarily taken Then wo to that man or woman that ever they have been that shall have but one spot upon them For then we must be delivered from every spot or otherwise our souls will perish for ever But ye may be without spot and blameless before him Thus much for that point 2. Doct. The Second Point is That Godâ— Children have their spots the best of all have their spots The Church is compared to the Moon Christ he is the Sun of Righteousness but he Church in Rev. 12 is compared to the Moon and the Moon hath her spots the Sun none No godly man or woman in regard oâ— their souls is like Absalom as he was in regard of his body his body was without any bleâ— mith from the crown of the head to the solâ— of the foot but it can be said of no bodie 's souâ— so you re clean but not all The best Gardeâ— hath its worms and the best Soul hath iâ— spots for while we live here there is that Corruption remaining that will breed defilement of it self But considering that we livâ— in a wicked world here and converse with wicked men it is as impossible to live in the world and to converse with men without anâ— spots as for a company of people to ride together in soul way in the midst of Winter and to keep their Garments so that none should have a spot The Condition of this world is such as indeed it is not fit to have a Saint in it without spâ—ts God hath reserved the time of full-â—â—â—â—nsing of his people to another world Christ could cleanse his people presently from all their spots I but because they are to live 〈◊〉 this world Christ sees it is not so suitable for this vile world This world is not worthy of the Saints take them with all their infirmities but it is not for the world to have the Saints live without spot and if the world be offended at it let them be offended let them be stumbling-blocks unto them and I make no question but it is so to many souls The world they rejoice when they behold the sins that are in the Saints but thou hast little cause to rejoice in the sins of others if thou knewest all for it may be intended for thy ruin I know no greater stumbling-block to wicked men than the sins of those that do profess Godliness â—ut wo to those by whom offences come The Lord by continuing of spots in his own people doth exercise Faith and Humility and â—atience and other Graces in such a way as â—e takes pleasure and delight to see the exercise of them But this is not the Point that I do intend Yet O thou godly heart thou knowest this to be a truth That there are spots in thee yea sometimes those that are Godly think there 's nothing else but spots in them but be of good comfort in this though thy Condition be sad in this world so long as thou art spotted yet be of good comfort here Jesus Christ is without any spots Christ thy Saviour hath no spots Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God cleanse your Conscience from dead works to serve the Living God Christ offered himself without spot and this is the comfort
sin upon easie terms Thirdly Yet suppose sin hath got in a gracious heart is easily convinc't of his sin a little matter will convince him after his sin hath overcome him he will not stand pleading for his sin he will not stand in defence of his sin so as a wicked man doth we find David though a King and a man of a notable Spirit yet in 2 Sam. 〈◊〉 when Nathan came to him to tell him of his sin presently saith David to Nathan in the 13. v. I have sinned against the Lord Nathan told him that he was the man he did not stand out Why prove it if you can who is able to say that I did this and this wickedness No I have sinned against the Lord He falls down before the word of the Prophet and acknowledges his sin he is easily convinc't of his sin if he be godly Whereas a wicked man will stand pleading for his sin pleading against it that he hath not committed it except that you find him out by some apparent hand he will be pleading for his sin either that he is not guilty or if he be guilty that it is not so great it is but his nature O! a godly man pleads not after this manner Nature he looks upon his sin as so much the more vile because it proceeds from such a wicked and cursed nature of his and therefore David in Psal 51. when he was acknowledging the act of sin that he had been guilty of when â—e comes to consider of hiâ— nature O! I was conceived in sin saith he and brought forth in iniquity He makes thaâ— to be a great aggravation of his sin because iâ— did flow from such a wicked nature It is an Argument of gross ignorance of a man or woman that knows not the things of God and is not acquainted with Scripture to plead for a sin That it is their nature It is the worse because of that If a Thief should come to the barr and plead before the Judg Indeed I have committed this theft but it is my nature would this be a plea before a Judg and certainly this plea will not go before the great Judg of all the World to say it is thy nature No the Saints know their sin is aggravated by that Secondly Neither will a Child of God ordinarily plead that it is a temptation O! I it is a temptation that hath prevaild against me I was tempted to it and such and such were the cause of it I but a gracious heart will rather charge the wickedness that is within it then charge a temptation for the truth is temptation could never prevail against us were it not for the wickedness of our hearts temptations came to Christ but the Devil finding nothing in him as the Scripture speaks therefore could they not prevail over him And â—vere it not for the baseness of thy heart temptations would not prevail therefore for thee to put it off It is thy temptation O this is a carnal plea I but a gracious heart will charge himself before the Lord O! it is Thirdly Much less will a gracious heart put of his sin to God himself and say When God gives me more grace I shall do better but I cannot do any thing of my self and therefore because God gives me no grace that 's the reason I fell into such sins This is the boldness of the hearts of men and women to think to put off all their sins upon God himself as if there were no other reason why they commit sin but because God is the cause of it As for their part they would do better but onely God denies them his grace and so they think to put off all from themselves even to God But know the Lord will find thee out one day and he will charge thy sin upon thy self and thy destruction and thy wickedness it is from thy self a gracious heart will not plead for sin after such away as this is It 's very dangerous when you hear of any that make profession of Religion to plead for their loosness after such a manner as this is We have cause to fear that their spot is not the spot of Gods Children Fourthly When sin hath preveil'd in some measure against a Child of God yet he is quickly stopt in sin he is easily convinc't of it pleads not for it and is ready to be stopt a little thing will stop the course of his sin Oâ— any truths of God that come to him his heart having a principle within it suitable to the truths of God his heart closes with those truths and so comes to be stopt in his course A wicked man sins and having no principle of grace sutable to any truth of God when any thing opposes his sin his heart opposes that that would oppose sin But a Child of God though he be overcome with a sin yet when the truth of God comes it meets with something within the heart that is sutable to the truth and it presently closes together You have a notable example for that in the Prophet David 1 Sam. 25. 32. For the understanding of it you may cast your eye upon some verses before you shall find that David was in a way of sin That his choller had got up and prevail'd against him and he was â—â—out a very wicked act to avenge himself â—â—d be guilty of blood But Abigal meets â—ith David in his way when he was in the â—â—ay of sin and shews him in a very fair maner the evil of his course if he should acâ—â—mplish what he did intend And mark â—avid though his blood was up yet when â—bigal came and spake but reason to him to â—â—ew to him what the evil of his sin was like to 〈◊〉 Davids spirit falls and David said to â—â—igal Blessed be the Lord God of Israel â—â—ich sent thee this day to meet me And â—â—â—ssed be thy advice and blessed be thou â—â—â—ch hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood When David was in a mighty heat in a way of sin O! if a man should come to some of you when your passion is up and you are resolved to do such and such a thing if a man should come and plead the case fairly with you that such a thing is evil it 's a sin against God You will presently answer I will and I will I care not and let come of it what will come I will do it thus when the lust is up there is no gainsaying of it and no truth can stand against it But now if the heart were gracious though corruptions may be stirring for a while yet let any truth of God come and be suggested to such a soul it meets with something within that is sutable to it and presently the hearâ— will be ready to fall down Oh blessed bâ— God and blessed be your Counsel and blessed be God that hath hindred me froâ— such a way of sin O my retched nature wâ—â— stirring
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
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