fruits and therefore we must look to these two 1. The root of Repentance and that 's humiliation now the deeper the root the stronger the tree the deeper our humiliation the stronger are we in grace and holiness what 's the reason that bulrushes bow and bend and turn backwards and forwards with every wind but because they have no good root 2. Col. 6 7. rooted and stablished both go together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now humiliation lay a deep sure foundation being well rooted makes him firm and strong this is twofold 1. In respect of what is past O he is much humbled and cast down for what is past though God will forget what he hath done yet he will never forget it though God will never cast it in his dish yet he will be always hitting himself in the teeth with it ever now and then Thus did Paul he was ever now and then telling what a Persecutor he was O that troubled him and vexed him that ever he should Persecute Christ O true humiliation will make us do so we shall never be well pleased with our corrupt nature as long as we live we shall be always speaking against our selves what we were heretofore 2. There is another branch of this root and that respects the time to come when we are throughly humbled for what is past we shall be very fearful for the future 2. Philip. 12. cum timore tremore O he is like a fearful man that dares not climb up any high steep place dares not walk aloft for fear of falling therefore he keeps the lowest ground so the Apostle directs 11. Rom. 20. 2. The fruits of Repentance what is a tree good for if it bears no fruit away with it so what is Repentance good for I mean that Repentance that hath no fruits 3. Mat. 8. do not saith John Baptist think your selves to be Saints because you come to hear me Preach or be Baptized no bring forth your fruits and such fruits as are meet for Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy the name of Repentance Now there are two parts of Repentance 1. A turning from sin 2. A turning unto God or unto Godliness Now our fruits must be answerable to both these parts of Repentance 1. The first part turning from sin your loathing of sin must be as great as formerly your loving of it your hatred as great against it as formerly you delighted in it ea specialiter horreas quae specialiter appeteb as Bern let thy best beloved sins be most abhorred by thee let them be like the Israelites dainty Quailes O how did they long for them and afterwards they could not endure them they stunk in their Nostrils deal with thy beloved sin as Amnon with Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 15 16 17. 1. He hated her 2. He would not hearken to her motion 3. He put her out of doors 4. He bolted her out do so with sin 2. The second part turning to God and Godliness Do as much for God and Christ as ever you did for sin love Holiness as much as ever you loved Wickedness Nay take as much pains in the ways of God as ever in the paths of Unrighteousness so did Paul we have both his Example and Precept 1 Cor. 15. 9 10. 6. Rom. 19. we must not saith one bind our selves to a trade of sin and use Religion only as a recreation No but we must work as hard in Righteousness as formerly we have wrought in sin Nay further as we have been scandals to others to turn them out of the way by reason of our sins so now we must be good examples not only to keep in the way our selves but to bring others into the ways of Holiness also Now examin your Repentance by these signs and you need never trouble your selves you shall not fall so saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. how so see the fruits of Repentance verses 5 6 c. be as fearful and as careful of falling as you will 't is the better but such Persons may be comforted that they shall never fall away i. e. totally and finally from Christ and Grace 6. Scruple O but say some if we are such as have cast out every sin even our most beloved sins how comes it to pass that we are so much afraid of Death and so loath and unwilling to dye O this is our great trouble that we are so afraid of death whereas a true convert one that is quite freed from sin which is the sting of death he rejoyeeth and triumpheth over it O death where is thy sting and O grave where is thy victory Answer briefly 4 ways 1. By concession in two particulars 1. That there is nothing in all this World so terrible as death is 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all terrible things the most terrible saith the Philosopher the King of Terrors saith the Scripture 18. Job 14. It made that great Ahasuerus so afraid that he would suffer none to come into his Court in Mourning Apparel and another great King commanded all his Servants when he was sick that none should so much as speak of death in his hearing there is no Ague fit will make a man's face look paler and his whole body quake and tremble more than the very thoughts and apprehension of death But 2. That sin as it is the only thing that brought death into the World so 't is the only thing that makes it look so terribly As a man that hath the yellow jaundice every thing that he looks on seems yellow so he that hath sin in his Conscience O what a ghastly sight is death to that man take only the instance of Cain one that had a guilty Conscience 4. Gen. 13. why so see the latter end of verse the 14. so cryes out the sinner of death O wherever it find me it will slay me 't will spoil me of all my comforts and pleasures rob me of all my riches and treasures pull down my house my body about my ears drag my naked Soul to Judgment deliver me over to Devils to be tormented for ever and ever O sinners you that make a mock a sport of sin consider are not these terrible things you that will be rich right or wrong you that will domineer and have your minds you that laugh and scoff at holiness jeer at Sermons O for all this be sure you do not forget your selves but be sure you tremble at death O think how terrible it would be to you should a voice from Heaven say this very day or this very hour your Souls shall be required of you 2. By way of distinction there is a twofold fear of death one that is natural proceeding from meer nature as nature it self abhors her own destruction and dissolution the other sinful as proceeding from the guilt of sin when the Soul knows that to Hell it must go assoon as he is dead The natural fear of death is lawful and may be
sickness 2. The Scripture doth no where tell us that such a sin again committed shall not be pardoned 1. God will forgive us as much as he commands us to forgive others we must till seventy seven times 2. No sin but the sin against the Holy Ghost unpardonable because we cannot repent of it 3. A Man may commit the same sin again and again and yet be in Christ and a state of grace as David Peter c. 4. A Man may commit the same sin often yet not be his own beloved sin 2. Some Cautions added 1. Take heed of this falling sickness relapse dangerous 2. Presume not on the examples of the saints of falling again 3. Take heed of relying too much on your own strength 4. Make use of the means to keep from relapsing 1. Keep a tender heart 2. Repent to the purpose 3. Our Saviours receipt 26. Mat. 41. 3. Scruple because they find not the influences of the ordinances Answer'd 2 ways 1. By concession This sin if it be still in us and we do countenance it will hinder the power and vertues of the Ordinances 2. By caution in 2 words 1. Take heed that this be not false that you say not you find no influence when you do to state the Question aright consider 2 things 1. What are the influences of the Ordinances they are 4. 1. Pricking wounding 2. Humbling 3. Strengthning 4 comforting 2. Examin your selves whether you have felt none of these perhaps some though not all 2. Take heed this be not true 't is a dangerous case the means to get influences 1. Go not to the Ordinances in your own strength 2. Look beyond all duties and ordinances they are but means eye the end 3. Be much in prayer to god for an influence on your Souls 4. Scruple because they see more sin in them now than before answered in 4 things 1. Consider the work of conversion 't is to open the eyes to see sin which we saw not before 2. After conversion there is a contrary principle of grace and sin and that fights and that makes us think sin stronger than before 3. The Devil will trouble us now more than before by laying sin to our charge 4. 'T is a sign of a state of grace for any Man to be in this condition 5. Scruple because they think their Repentance not good enough ans two ways 1. 'T is a good sign that person hath truly repented who is troubled he hath repented no better 2. By direction to know true Repentan two ways 1. By its root Humiliation the deeper the surer 2 fold 1. In respect of what is past 2. Fearful careful for the futu 2. By its fruits 2 sorts 1. Turning from sin loathing it as much as formerly loving it 2. Turning to God and godliness 6. Scruple because they are afraid to dye answ 4. ways 1. By concession in 2 particulars 1. That there is nothing in all the World so terrible as Death is 2. Sin as it is the only thing that brought in death so it makes it terrible 2. By distinction between a natural and a sinful fear of death 3. By consolation a true saint if he fear death 't is without a cause 4. By exhortation to seek after assurance that will expel all fears of death 2. Pleas of the wicked for themselves that this sin is out when 't is not these are 7. 1. Plea bec no body can charge them with sin ans 3. ways 1. 'T is the policy of this sin to lye so close that others cannot perceive it 2. Perhaps others may see it and yet not tell thee of it 3. If God condemn thee what advantage is it that the whole World acquit thee 2. Plea bec Conscience doth not check them answered in 4 things 1. Though Conscience doth not accuse you it doth not follow that it cannot 2. It doth not follow that therefore conscience will never accuse you 3. You say conscience doth not accuse you but doth conscience excuse you there 's the Question 4. Take heed of such bad quiet Consciences as never smite for sin 3. Plea because conscience doth smite them ans 3. ways 1. Trust not too much to troubles of Conscience 2. Rules to judge of troubles of conscience 1. when a Man is never the better for them 1. Look to the fountain of these troubles is it only for fear of punishment 2. Examine what sins thou art troubled for only open gross sins 3. Whether doth this trouble drive thee 4. Consider the effects is it reformation 2. When a Man is the better for them 1. When the soul is more troubled for the sin than for the punishment 2. When the soul takes more care to be washed from the filth than freed from the guilt 3. When the soul carefully avoids sin ever after 4. Plea bec they perform duties and frequent ordinances ans in 5 things 1. Even the very Hypocrites do the same 1. That they may have whereof to boast 2. By outward duties to cloak their inward lusts 3. That they may have whereon to rest and trust to 2. A Man may do all duties and yet live under the power of sin 3. Duties performed where the life is not reformed do the more harden the heart in sin 4. Get the power of godliness into your hearts and use these duties as helps to it 5. If many that do these duties shall go to Hell what will become of those that do nothing 5. Plea be they have left many sins answ in 2 particulars 1. 'T is a good beginning but 't is not enough 1. There is no sinner in the world but abstains from yea hates some sins 2. The Scripture character of a Saint is not the leaving of such or such particular sins but sin in the general 3. Unless we repent and turn from all sins there 's no mercy Partial 2. A particular reformation is not true examin it by 2 Quest 1. Quest what are the sins reformed 1. Are they not only small petty sins or 2. Sins that cross and hinder preferment or 3. Gross iniquities that all the Country cryes shame on or 4. Such sins as have first left you 2. Question what kind of reformation 1. Only an outward of life and not of heart 2. Only of passion and not of Reason and Judgment 3. Only a leaving of sin and not an hating 4. Only a turning from sin and not a turning to God. 6. Plea be they can't endure sin in others answered 3 ways 1. Censuring and judging others will not make a true Saint 2. 'T is the sign of an Hypocrite to hate sin in others and not in himself 3. Follow the Gospel rules in this case 1. In judging and censuring our work lyes only at home 2. In reproving and reforming we must first begin at home and then go abroad 7. Plea be they are not only professors their good works are to be seen answered 2 ways 1. Even Hypocrites may imitate the
death into the World turn out sin and you shall not need to fear death A man that is in debt and hath a writ out against him he is fain to hide and keep close but assoon as the writ is out of date then dare he boldly go abroad and look the Serjeant in the face when we are assured that our sin is cancelled out of God's Book then death's writ signifies nothing to us we can smile in the very face of this grim Serjeant O learn to live without sin that you may dye without sorrow O how happy are all they whom death it self the worst of evils cannot make miserable And thus you see some of the parts of their happiness who can say as in the Text I have kept c. here is comfort enough for any man and Brethren if you do but remember them so as to consider them again you will find that it is a far greater happiness than the greatest Kings and Princes in the World have in all their plenty and prosperity here is happiness in life all things work for our good all our Prayers answered at death unsting it at judgment no sin charged after to all Eternity espoused to Christ and be with the Lord. But least any should take this comfort to themselves to whom it doth not belong I will lay down some Marks and Characters of such Persons as those are who keep themselves from their own Iniquities 1. That man that keeps himself from his own Iniquity he is one that hath felt the smart and burden of sin No wise man after he hath made a good meal of such meat as he loves best will presently take a vomit to cast it up unless it make him sick and load his stomach so is it in respect of our beloved sins till they vex us we will not turn them out of doors Like the Egyptians who would be perswaded by no means to let Israel go till they saw the Plagues that they suffered for it 11. Mat. 28. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden implying that none but such will come Now let me ask you this Question what is the Reason that some of you have parted from some sins are these sins a trouble and burden to your Souls or else do you not rather deal with sin as David with Absalom who banisht him the Court but yet loved him for all that if so then know that you and sin are not rightly parted you must cast sin out of your hearts as the Israelites cast their leaven out of their houses they were to curse it thence 2. That man that hath kept himself from his own Iniquity he is one that hath duly considered the great danger of sin we all of us hate poyson because we know it will cost us our lives O that we knew but sin as well we should hate it as much When Jacob knew that Esau sought his life he presently fled away from him so did we but know that sin will assuredly ruin our Souls though we love it never so well we should part with it Like some fish who love the bait well and therefore do swallow down the hook but when they perceive the danger of the hook in their bodies vomit up their beloved baits again O sirs have you seriously considered Death Judgment and Hell have you ever set the wrath of God before your eyes if you have I think you will never love sin more 3. That man that hath kept himself from his own sin will endeavour to keep others from their sins also 2 Cor. 5. 11. all such Persons will be telling others the danger of sin and perswading others what they can from sin Paul was no sooner a Convert but he presently turned a Preacher Nemo acrior inter persecutores nemo prior inter peccatores Aug. do you do so are any of you sensible of the danger of sin you will be telling it to others 'T is in this case as in other cases have any of you kept a Servant in your houses that is a Thief hath purloyned your goods and embezel'd away any of your commodities if you find him out you will not only turn him away but also forewarn all others from receiving him telling them the danger of having such a fellow in their houses so is it here if any man hath found out the danger of his own sin and turned it out of his heart he will forewarn all others of their sins and perswade them what he can to do likewise 4. That man that hath turned his own sin out of his heart will be much in aggravating of it what he can he will speak the worst of it that he can nay not only of that sin but of every other sin also If a Father be highly provoked by his Son that he hath formerly been very tender of so that he turns him out of doors he will be always speaking against him wherever he goes and will not endure that any should speak in his behalf Paul before his conversion took great delight in his sin viz. in Persecuting the Disciples of Christ but when once he was turned from it he was always aggravating it to the height and speaking the worst of it and himself for it that he could as you may read in the first of Tim. 1. 13 15. v. and in the 1 Cor. 15. 9. when men can connive or wink at their sins or speak fairly of them 't is a sign that they have not yet renounced them Suppose a man 's own Iniquity be Covetousness O he will seek to daub it over and say why I am good Husband I do but look after the main chance when perhaps this man is as gripple a Worldling as any that lives suppose his sin be swearing he will plead for it thus there is no such hurt in it 't is a trick that I have got and I cannot leave it there be others that swear as well as I or the like 't is a sign when men seek to extenuate their sins or to plead for plead for their sins that they and their sins are still cater-cozens they are not yet parted O but every true convert will loath his sin and loath himself for it 42. Job 6. here was a true sign of Jobs Repentance in that he abhorred himself and by the way here we may learn a distinguishing mark and character between a true convert and an unconverted Person a wicked unconverted Person always looks upon others as greater sinners than himself and thinks other mens sins worse behalf than his own A true convert thinks worst of himself and his own sins so Paul I am the chiefest of sinners 5. That man that hath renounced his own sin will live ever after in a quite opposite and contrary course to that sin 1 Gal. 23. Paul you see after his conversion was as much for Christ as before he was against Christ 1 Cor. 15. 10. As before his conversion he was more furious
found in true Saints David he Prays against death 39. Psalm 13. so Hezekiah weeps and mourns and prays at the news of death 2 Kings 20. 1 2 3. yea our Saviour Christ himself was troubled and very sorrowful at the approach of death 14. Mark 32 33 34 35 36. Now this fear of death could not be sinful because it was in Christ who knew no sin again 't is said of Christ that he took upon him all our infirmities sin only excepted so that the fear of death may be in a Child of God. 1. As 't is a dissolution of nature 2. As 't is a punishment for sin so every Child of God ought to fear it 3. By way of consolation to any true hearted Christian that complains of the fear of death O let this be thy comfort thou fearest death without a cause there is many a true Saint fears death that hath no cause at all to fear it and whence is this but only because he wants his assurance A man that is condemned to dye O he weeps and mourns he quakes and trembles O but he hath no cause because the King hath Signed and Sealed his Pardon but this poor wretch doth not know of it O so 't is here 't is the want of assurance that makes death so uncomfortable to many a good Christian therefore 4. And lastly by way of exhortation O seek after assurance would you live above the fears of death labor for assurance that your names are written in the Book of Life 2. Cor. 5. 8. Why so because of assurance verse 1. we know we are assured O how willingly doth a poor Soul cast of this little tenement of his body that is assured of Heavenly and Eternal Mansions This makes him smile in the face of Death and laugh at the King of Terrors O Friends would you upon your Death Beds when all your Kindred Friends and Neighbours stand weeping about you laugh in the midst of them get this assurance sin brought us weeping into the World assurance will carry us rejoycing out of the World. O Brethren when once you have got this assurance without it you may dye happily but not chearfully you will be looking out for Christ and for Death you will be crying out as Sisera's Mother why is death so long in coming Why tarry the wheels of Christ's Charriots ejus est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire O but he that is certain of his going to Christ how doth he cry after him come Lord Jesu come quickly make hast my beloved and be thou like to the Roe or the young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices And thus we have answered the Scruples of the Godly about this particular not all but some of the chiefest of them Now we come secondly to the 2. Objections of the wicked or their Arguments whereby they seek to blind their own Souls or rather the Devil blinds them thinking that they are free from this sin their own Iniquity when as yet it rules and reigns in them And in the prosecution of this you shall see that the Godly are not more fearful and scrupulous but the wicked are as willful and confident and will not be persuaded of the sadness of their estate and conditions and to this purpose they have many Arguments to plead for themselves or rather against themselves we will examine some of them and answer them 1. Plea. They say they are free from all sin sure they have no Iniquity why so why there is no body can charge them with doing any thing amiss there is no man can say black is their eye sure if they had any sin some body or other would find them out and tax them and charge them with it Answer 1. Remember what I told you in the discovery of the policy and mystery of this our own Iniquity this is one piece of sins policy to lye close and lurk secretly in the heart and to keep it self from the eyes of men and by this policy it keeps possession in many mens hearts Brethren if every man would deal faithfully in discovering what is in his heart the best of us all might hang down our heads what saith the Prophet David a man sure as righteous and as good a Saint as any now living 19. Psalm 12. why saith he I my self cannot tell all the wickedness that is in me much less can others I have many secret sins that never any eye of man yet discovered what dosâ— thou think now sinner do all men acquit David and yet will not David acquit himself how do you or any of us all think to acquit our selves then What saith the Apostle 1 John 1. 8. if every body in the World should say that I have no sin yet if I my self should say so I should be a lyer for my pains 2. Perhaps others may see sin in thee though they do not tell thee of it A man 's own Iniquity is like a man's eye to tell a man of it 't is to thrust a pin in his eye O there be few or none dare tell thee so whatever they think And Brethren by the way note this that 't is the great sin of us all that we are loath to tell one another of our sins we are afraid of reproving for fear of angring what a sad thing is this we had rather let our Brethren go to Hell than anger them Another reason why we are loath to tell others of their sins is for fear they should tell us of our sins if we tell them of one sin they will check us by another sin Observe that story in the Gospel 8. John 3 4 5. well but what follows 7 9. verses first you see they acknowledg their duty Moses commanded them to stone her yet because they were either guilty of the same sin or worse they go their way and let her alone veniam petimusque damusque vicissim this is let me alone and I 'le let thee alone don't check me for my sin and I 'le not reprove thee for thy sin this is our common practice we ruine one anothers Souls by it O Brethren do not trust to this when others do not tell you of your faults think never the better of your selves for it be of Davids mind 141. Psalm 5. 3. What though all the World should acquit you yet if God condemn you what will you get by it God can spye a sin where man can see no sin A man may conceal his sins as well as his Estate from men Now what good will it do me that all my Neighbours shall take me to be very rich when I know that I am not worth one groat O Brethren this will be poor comfort for you at the day of Judgment if you can plead nothing but this that all your Neighbours or all the Country speak well of you Remember this that God will not call a Jury of your Neighbours to try you by at the day of Judgment And
matters of Conscience and Points and Practices of Religion People are not so scrupulous to examin every thing by the Scriptures whether the stamp of God the King of Heaven be upon it Take heed therefore that you be not condemned by the Scripture God's Book when as your Consciences lye asleep and warn you not O be warned by the voice of God in the Bible 4. And lastly you say that your Consciences never smite you O take heed of such Consciences most People love such Ministers as will let them alone in their sins and never thunder out Hell and Damnation against them and so perhaps you may love such Consciences as will never smite you reprove you for sin O how many will say they thank God they were never troubled in Conscience for any sin all their days O do not thank God for it but rather Pray to God to awaken Conscience and to open the mouth of Conscience when Conscience lyes asleep as it were and in a lethargie that Soul is in a dangerous estate and near death gelidae est quasi mortis imago A speechless Conscience is the most desperate disease in the World. It is a most certain token of death approaching to the body when the speech is gone the eyes are set in the head feeling is lost the pulse leaves beating and the excrements come away unawares that man is drawing on to his grave so when you see the eyes of Conscience set feeling and sense of sin gone heart-smiting done and sin all manner of sin committed without the least remorse and the Soul lies wallowing in the noysome excrements of sin and uncleanness 't is a sure sign that that Soul is drawing on to the Chambers of Hell. 3. Plea. O but say others we are not in this condition for we cannot commit a sin but Conscience presently smites us for it and Conscience makes them to tremble and quake and to look out for help and therefore though they sin yet are they troubled and vexed for it and therefore sure 't is not their own Iniquity Answer T is no safe way for any man to trust to the troubles of his Conscience O sinner do not say with Agag surely the bitterness of death is past because Conscience hath terrifyed thee for sin Many are smitten by Conscience in this World and yet shall be tormented also by it in another World. Many there are that go ex inferno ad infernum out of one Hell into another out of the horror of Conscience into the terrors of the Damned And therefore 't is great wisdom to distinguish between the terrors of Conscience which are good and which not I will lay you down some rules to judge of both 1. Troubles of Conscience whereby a man is never the better 1. Go to the fountain and look from whence all these troubles of Conscience arise thus art thou troubled because thou hast sinned and offended God thy Father wronged Christ and put him to shame dishonoured the Gospel art a stumbling block to others because sin hath defiled thee or is it only for fear of the punishment art thou troubled only because thou art afraid of being Damned If so then I will shew thee what thou art in the picture of Cain 4. Gen. 13. Cain's Conscience was troubled only for the punishment so Ahab a wicked Wretch he had such a troubled Conscience 1 Kings 21. 27. What words see verse 21. This is to be troubled for Hell and not for Sin and there are many such now in Hell. 2. But suppose thou art troubled for sin examine what sins they are that thou art most troubled for Are they only gross open notorious sins that the World takes notice of and canst thou please and delight thy self in small and secret sins then is not thy Conscience good and this trouble will do thee no good Thou art troubled that men see thee but thou art not troubled that God sees thee see Ahab again 1 Kings 21. 20. Ahab was more troubled at Elijahs presence he considered not that God saw him a good Conscience will be troubled for every sin Davids Conscience smote him only for cutting of the Skirt of Sauls Garment A man that hath a tender skin will cry out more for the prick of a little pin than another for a wound or gash made with a sharp sword so a man that hath a tender Conscience 13. Heb. 18. mark it in all things a good Conscience will dispense with no sin 3. Examine whether this trouble of Conscience drives thee what doth it set thee to do for thy cure you may know the disease sometimes by the plaister Do these tronbles drive thee to God the only Physician of a troubled spirit and who only hath the balm that can cure the wounds of Conscience or dost thou take other courses that are not warrantable by the word of God as merry boon companions or mirth or the like to drown these sorrows then see thy picture 1 Sam. 16. 14 15 16 17. O Brethren this is only like drinking in a dropsie easeth for the present but makes the sick man the worse afterwards there are many such troubled Consciences in Hell. 4. Examine the effects of this trouble Art thou any whit reformed by it or dost thou loath sin by it or otherwise doth it not rather drive thee further and further into sin O this is an ill sign when the terrors of Conscience do not make thee make more Conscience of sin see thy Picture once more 24. Acts 25. see what effects vers 26 27. Paul leaves Foelix as he found him and Foelix leaves Paul as he found him His trembling fit did not make him at all afraid of sin there are many such troubled Consciences in Hell. 2. Troubles of Conscience when a man is better by them You may know this partly by opposition to what hath been said I will only lay down a few particulars briefly 1. When the Soul is troubled only for the sin committed when his sin is a greater burden to him than Hell it self when he mourns only for sin 5. Lam. 16. 13. Job 26. 2. When the Soul is more careful to wash away the spot and the stain and filth of sin than to be freed from the punishment of sin 51. Psalm 2 7. like a cleanly man that is fallen into the dirt he is never quiet till he hath shifted himself and put on clean cloaths a sloven if he fall into the dirt cares not if he be not hurt 3. When the Soul is more careful ever after of running into the same sin again 34. Job 31 32. No saith such a Soul if it please God I will have no more to do with sin when such a Soul will not be tempted to sin for the gain of a Kingdom when Conscience thus smites a man 't is like the wounds of a friend which are far better than the kisses of an enemy 4. Plea. But what say others O we pray and read the
the Devil was thy Father now thou mayst call God thy Father will not this make a man merry the Saints are described in Scripture with harps in their hands and singing 14. Rev. 2 3 4 5. to note the joy and comfort of that Soul that is freed from sin that day that Haman was hanged proved a joyfull day and a day of gladness to all the Jews O that day that any of us hath killed this sin will prove the most joyfull day that ever we had in our lives the upright are commanded to rejoyce 32. Psal 11. 2. Now is the match fully concluded between Christ and thy Soul now are the writings signed and sealed now O poor Soul art thou made the Spouse of Christ an Heir of Heaven and all that thou hast to be troubled for is only this as Austin said of himself Nimis serò te amavi Domine that thou hast stood out so long before thou wouldst yield to Christ know this that Christ is thine and Heaven shall be thine thou hast parted with a sin and thou hast found a Saviour formerly sin and you were all one now Christ and you are all one 17. John 20 21. Brethren this is both an unspeakable Mystery and also an unspeakable Mercy for a poor Soul to be united to Christ O if sinners knew this they would never keep a sin more in their hearts 3. Now can the Devil do you no more mischief the Devil may roar and tear and fret and fume but he can do that Soul no harm that is united to Christ O what an happiness is this to be freed from the power of the Devil when a man hath cast out his own Iniquity then is the Devils Castle demolisht and his main engine broken to pieces 10. Luk. 17 18. Obedience to the Gospel that curbs the power of the Devil obey Christ and the Devil can never hurt you After Paul had commended the Romans obedience to the Gospel 16. Rom. 19. he adds verse 20. the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly cast out this sin and you cast out the Devil trample upon this sin and you trample upon the very neck of the Devil 4. Now you may trample upon all the miseries and afflictions and troubles and crosses of this life such Nightingals may sing with thorns at their Breasts Upright Noah is safe and secure when all the World is in a deluge the Mariners found a calm Sea assoon as they cast Jonah over board the Army of Israel quickly routed the men of Ai after they had stoned Achan to death A pure Conscience like the Town Clerk of Ephesus quickly appeaseth a multitude of distractions and discontents in the Soul in the midst of outward dangers and calamities Assoon as Judas was gone out of their Company Christ and his Disciples sung an Hymn O poor Soul whoever thou art that hast bid thy sin farewell thou mayest then also bid all sorrow farewell 5. Job 19 20 21 22 23 24. as a Father takes out the sting out of a Snake or Adder and then gives it to his little Child to play with it so when sin is purged out then all the afflictions our Heavenly Father sends us are like Adders without sting or poyson he knows they will not nor cannot hurt us we may then play with them 9. Gen. 12 13 14. Observe it God makes a Bow the sign of his Covenant O but that is rather a sign of anger no 't is a Bow without an Arrow so are all the miseries of the People of God in this World like the Rain-bow 't is a Bow without an Arrow there is no anger nor wrath in God against them 5. Now are you fit for death and now may you triumph over death cast out this sin and then cry O Death where is thy sting This is the work and business that will chear up your spirits upon your Death-beds this will make you look merrily upon your Friends that come to you merrily upon the World you are leaving merrily upon Death with whom you are to wrestle and merrily upon Christ to whom you are going O will a Soul say then I would not have this sin in me now for a thousand Worlds though once I was loath to part with it and could be hardly persuaded to it When a man hath paid all his debts if the Serjeant or Officer come and knock at his door he will bid him come in and bid him welcome so a Saint whose bonds are all cancelled by the merits of Christ and whose sins are all purged out by the blood of Christ when Death comes and knocks at the door of his earthly Tabernacle come in Death saith he thou art welcome thou art very wellcome to me I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Now put these things together would you have Christ to embrace you the Devil to be afraid of you all afflictions to work good for you would you live merrily dye comfortably then cast out this your own Iniquity 8. Another Motive is this Consider how many loud calls you have to leave this sin I will be brief 1. The voice of the word 18. Jer. 31. 1 Cor. 5. 7. 12. Heb. 1. what should I add more 't is the voice of the whole Bible calling upon us to out with sin This is the whole design of God in the whole Bible it consists of four parts First precepts commanding us to leave sin Secondly presidents or examples to teach us to abhor sin Thirdly threatnings to affright us from sin Fourthly promises to allure us and persuade us from our sins if you leave not this sin you cross the whole design of God in the Scriptures so that Brethren either part with your sins or fling away your Bibles 2. The voice of the rod Mic. 6. 9. and what doth the rod say see verse 13. O Brethren remember all the judgments of God upon your Persons Families Relations Goods Names Estates remember this I say that every rod calls for Repentance cast out your Iniquities 36. Job 8 9 10. 3. The voice of the blood of Christ Christ's blood hath a voice 't is a speaking blood 12. Heb. 24. Abels blood that cryed for vengeance Christ's blood that calls for Repentance Methinks sinners you may hear the blood of Christ speaking thus to you O do not trample me under your feet O do not make me as water spilt upon the ground good for nothing O do not leave me as a witness against you at the last day if you sin against me you must needs perish if you reject me there is nothing else can help you Brethren this is the very Speech and Language of the blood of Christ to you 10. Heb. 26 29. Now put these things together and remember that God hath spoken to you you have been often enough called upon O do not sin against the word of God that 's a saving word O do not sin against the rod of God that
for 't is not Hell it self can make a man miserable but 't is sin that makes Hell a place of misery were there no sin in Hell there should be no sorrow in Hell. O consider then what a loss 't will be to you to keep sin 't will make you more miserable than Hell it self can you do not only loose a worldly estate by the first death but sin will bring a second death upon you also whereby you shall loose all the Joys Glories and Happiness of Heaven to all Eternity 11. Another Motive is this It is an unquestionable truth on all hands never any body in the World unless out of his wits did ever deny this that we must cast out sin O sinner thou with whom God is pleading this day in this Sermon and hath been pleading all along in the handling of this text thou dost acknowledge the truth of this why then dost thou not practise 14. Rom. 22. latter part when thou sayest one thing this sin must out and dost another thing keep this sin in thy heart still thou condemnest thy self thine own Conscience will draw up a bill of Indictment against thee at the last day take heed of that so likewise all others acknowledge this truth As for other Doctrines most of them have been and are called in Question by Hereticks This he said in respect of the place where he Preached these Sermons but never any Questioned the truth of this were this Church now full of Papists Socinians Arminians Brownists Anabaptists Millenarians Quakers and all other Hereticks in the World I am persuaded we should all agree in this that every man ought to keep himself from his own Iniquity O then sinner this Argument will leave thee inexcusable at the day of Judgment all the World and thine own Conscience will condemn thee for not casting out this sin 12. Another Motive is this This is the power of Godliness the power of Religion all your Religion besides is but a form of Godliness We will a little alter the Apostles words 1 Cor. 15. 14 17. we may say here if you be yet living in this sin and this sin living in you then is not Christ risen from the dead i. e. as to you Christ is no better than a dead Christ Christ is not raised to life in your Souls and if Christ be not risen in your hearts your faith is vain if you be yet in your sins all our Preaching is vain also Brethren if you will not part with this sin all our Preaching will be in vain to you As some Quakers lately turned cast this in my teeth that they got no good by hearing of me why Brethren do I or did I ever promise any man Salvation for hearing of Sermons nay I tell you more if you do not reform and practise this truth you will never get good by Sermonâ— as long as you live never talk of Religion never comfort your selves with sheltring your selves under this Sect or that Sect this persuasion or that persuasion till you have cast out this sin you have no Religion at all in you Religio vox vivenda non audienda There be many will give Christ the bare hearing of truths but Christ calls for doing as well as hearing for living as well as learning Christ when at the day of Judgment he shall keep his great Assizes he will proceed there as in these Courts here every sinner must hold up his hand at that bar Christ will examine our hands as well as our hearts our actions as well as our affections 24. Ps 3 4. Christ will have works as well as words O Brethren set upon this work do not content your selves with a form of Godliness O let not these Sermons rise up in Judgment against you at the last day therefore I will conclude this Sermon with the words of our Saviour Christ wherewith he concluded his Sermon on the Mount 7. Mat. 24 25 26 27. 2. Means and Directions And first of the Means But before I prescribe or set down the several receipts or antidotes that may serve as a counter-poyson against this sin it will be necessary to put one Question to you and that is this are you willing to part with this sin if you be but willing I dare warrant you a cure but if you be not willing all the Ministers in the World may Preach out their lungs in vain to you But perhaps some of you will say this is a strange Question why do you put such a Question to us what do you think of us do you look upon us as mere Hypocrites do you think we are not willing Hear me and I will shew you as strange a Question as this that our Saviour put to a man 5. John 6. This is a very strange Question if you consider three particulars 1. The sickness of this man it was a Palsie a sickness that makes a man's life both a burden to himself and to all that are about him now to ask such a man or indeed to ask any man that is sick whether he would be healed were one would think a strange Question 2. The length of his sickness Eight and Thirty Years one would think a man that hath lien bed-rid so long should be so weary of his disease that he need not be asked this Question wilt thou be made whole 3. The place where he lay at the Pool of Bethesda the place of cure he came or was brought thither on purpose to be cured why then doth our Saviour ask him this Question whether he would be made whole Brethren here is enough in these three particulars to make you to wonder at the Question yet consider 't is our Saviour Christ puts the Question and surely there is more in it than we can see at first sight for Christ the wisdom of the Father would not put forth an unnecessary or unprofitable Question and therefore there are divers expositions of it I will name and only name some 1. Wilt thou be made whole i. e. wilt thou use the means to be made whole many love the cure that hate the means every body loves health few love Physick 2. While this man lay sick he was an object of pity and charity and might get much alms if he were whole he might loose them the Question is wilt thou be made whole that is art willing to loose what thou gettest by thy sickness to be made sound 3. He had been sick so long that now his sickness was grown to be almost a second nature to him and it did not trouble him so much as at the first he had forgot the price of his health so that the Question is wilt thou that hast layen so long sick be made whole I will name no more Now to apply this to our present purpose there is every one of you hath one sin or other that is your particular sin or sickness of your Soul and you have lien under the power of this
their comfort in 5 things 1. There is nothing to hinder their Union and Marriage with Christ 2. No sin shall be laid to their charge 3. All things shall work together for their good 4. They have this priviledge to have their Prayers heard and answered 5. These persons are only fit to dye 2. Characters of such persons in 8 things 1. He is one that hath felt the smart and burden of sin 2. He hath duly considered the danger of sin 3. He will endeavour to keep others from their sins also 4. He will be much in aggravating and speaking against his sin 5. He will live ever after in a quite opposite course to that sin 6. He will be less in censuring others for their sins 7. He will part with every sin 8. He will never return to that sin more 4ta Exhortation it consist of these 3 branches 1. The great Mystery of this iniquity laid down where 3 things 1. The Mystery of it 2. fold 1. working into the heart in 12. particulars 1. It works altogether with our natures 2. It comes with fair words at the first 3. It bribes the senses to get into the heart 4. It pretends a reformation 5. It endeavours to work God out of the heart 6. It outbids God in his promises 7. It urges the common practice of most Men. 8. It hath a small beginning blusheth at first at great sins 9. It urgeth moderation in holiness 10. 'T is importunate will take no denial 11. It gets in sometimes insensibly 12. It tells us of Gods mercy and the power of Repentance Answ to this last particular in 4 things 1. 'T is folly to sin that you may repent 2. True Repen no easie nor pleasant work 3. 'T is abominable to sin on this account 4. God never promised Rep. to willful sinners â—Working in the heart in 2 particulars 1. It will endeavour to win upon the heart what it can 2. It will build strong Castles there lay in ammunition 1. The castles or forts 3 1. a blind mind this fort is raised 3 ways 1. Sin keeps the soul ignorant of Christ and his ways 2. Keeps the soul ignorant of the nature and danger of sin 3. Keeps the soul ignorant of its estate and condition 2. An hard heart 3. A seared Conscience 2. Ammunition in 4 thin 1. Carnal desires and affections 2. Wicked arguments to plead for sin 3. Prejudices against the People and ways of God. 4. Curious and pleasant fancies of the pleasures and happiness in sin 3. It bolts all doors and stops all passages whence it may be thrust out 4. It is always very pleasing and observant to the heart 5. When 't is in it keeps the heart abroad as much as it can 6. It keeps as close as it can that others may not take notice of it 7. It perswades a Man of the necessity of keeping one sin or other about him 8. It objects the Saints examples that each of them had their sins Answer in 5 things 1. Though they did commit them yet they did not love them 2. A vain Argument for me to sin because of others sins 3. We should follow their Repentance not their sins 4. This spoils all our hopes for mercy at death 5. They got their pardon with great difficulty 9. It keeps the soul formal in duties 10. It tells us all our happiness is gone if we part with it answ in 3 th 1. If you do not cast it out God will hate you 2. 'T is to reject God to do as others do 3. You would not willingly partake with the wicked in their torments why then in their sins 11. Sin will promise to be gone of its own accord here 3 considerations 1. You may think your sin is gone when 't is not 3 instances 1. Some think so because they have not been tempted to it as formerly 2. Others because they have not committed it a great while 3. Others because turned professors 2. Some Mens sins do really leave them yet they do not leave their sins 3. If you leave it to sin to be gon when it will you will never get rid of it 2. The deceitfulness of the heart in joyning with this sin in 8 particulars 1. Our hearts perswade us that we have done enough already this answer'd in 4 things 1. One sin may damn the soul as one wound kill the body 2. Christ dyed for every sin therefore we must kill every sin 3. If ever you out-live this sin you must repent of it at last 4. When ever you do repent this will be your burden as long as you live 2. They tell us they are against this sin and abhor it yet endeavour not to rid it 3. They will set us to duties and yet keep this sin close 4. When the heart only loves the sin but doth not commit the outward Act. 5. When we do commit it and yet pretend that our hearts dislike it 6. Our hearts will perswade us from the commission of sin to the continuance in it 7. Our hearts will plead Election that the sins of the Elect shall not be laid to their charge 8. Our hearts will tell us that others think well enough of such and such sins Here are 3 Corollaries 1. How little we are beholding to our own hearts 2. How little we ought to trust our own hearts 3. How needful 't is to have our hearts renewed 3. Our great danger we are in from the two foregoing particulars viz. the Mystery of sin and the deceits of our hearts in 8 particulars 1. Here is odds two against one A subtle sin and a deceitfull heart 2. We must subdue both together else not out of danger 3. These two Enemies will revive again after they are slain there must be a continued War. 4. The danger the greater because naturally we greatly love these two Enemies 5. Our corrupt hearts will be always drawing us into occasions of this sin 6. Our best weapon viz. our hearts is in our Enemies hand 7. While our hearts and sin are agreed we can never repent 8. The danger great in respect of temptations desertions and afflictions our hearts against us which should bear us up 2. Several Cases concerning this Sin Answered these are of two sorts 1. Scruples and objections of the godly against themselves that this sin is not out when 't is these are 6 1. Scruple because they are sensible of their hypocrisie answered in 4 things 1. We are all Hypocrites by nature yet not all in a state of Hypocrisie 2. 'T is a good sign of sincerity for a Man to complain of his Hypocrisie 3. The best rule to judge of our Hypocrisie is by our love to sin 4. This is a Temptation of the Devil who envies the joy and peace of a good Conscience 2. Scruple bec they have fallen again again into the same sin answ 2 ways 1. Some propositions laid down 1. Even the saints themselves are subject to this falling
Prov. 36. Death that is one of the evils and mischiefs that our own sins will bring upon us or rather it comprehends in it all the evils of sin 2. Gen. 17. and do you think that any man loves death no men love not a natural much less an Eternal Death and yet sin will draw them to it their own sins will make them in love with their own destructions 3. Because we are unwilling to take up any report against our own sins we will never believe what is told us of them 40. Jer. from the 12 th verse to the end of the Chapter and the 41. Chapter verse the second so is it here tell men of their own sins they will not believe us tell them their swearing or drinking or rioting or profaneness will bring damnation on them they will but scoff at us for our pains they hope they will say to be saved for all this and tell us there is not so much harm in this thing as men account 4. Because we are ready to be angry with those that reprove our own sins 4. Gal. 16. so many Persons think we love them not because we love not their sins and are enemies to them because we are enemies to their sins oh they hate us for reproving their sins 2 Cor. 12. 15. so Ahab he hated Micaiah I hate him saith he I cannot abide him and why so he never Prophesieth good concerning me but evil Micaiah shewed him the evil of his sin and therefore Ahab was so hot against him Thus lay these things together and you will see that 't is a very hard work for any man to be truly and rightly informed of the evil of his own sin 2. Yet secondly this must be done we must first see the evil of our sins before we can cast them off no wise man will cast off his old friend and acquaintance for no cause no man in his right mind will cut of his right Arm while 't is sound and well before he is sure 't is gangrened nay let me tell you we must see a great deal of evil in our own sins before we can keep our selves from them What an hard matter was it for Eli though a good man to cast of his Sons after he heard of all their wickedness at last he reproves them but faintly Oh when men come to see this then how willingly will they part with all their sins when they see that sin will bring them to Hell then away with it 16. Luk. 1 2. so shall we deal with our best beloved sins which have been like the stewards of our hearts when we once come to see the evil of them that they seek to ruin us O Brethren for your Souls sake do not shut your eyes against this be willing to hear all that you can hear of your own sins do not mince the matter the evil will else fall on your own heads and you will smart for it another day 2. Give this sin no entertainment and you shall quickly be rid of it As we say of the Gout it goes to rich men because it there fares best know this sin where it fares best there it will stay longest 'T is like a Beggar give him a bountiful Alms and you shall have him at your door again the sooner 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my body i. e. my body of sin the best way to keep sin away is to keep it under for 't is of a ruling and domineering nature and therefore the Saints that have got the mastery of their sins they can thrust them away easily 3. Chuse another love whom you may set your affections and all your delight upon and that is Jesus Christ postquam nos Amaryllis habet Galatea reliquit love Christ and you shall not love any sin more you will see that in Christ that deserves all and more than all your love and affections 1 Thess 1 9. when they turned to God they turned from Idols so when we turn our affections to Christ we shall turn them from sin we shall never have list to sin more Old friends we say are like old cloaths we give them away when we have new ones so here though sin be thy old friend yet for Christ's sake thou wilt part with it 4 Eph. 22 24. the best way to cast off the old man is to put on the new man O sinners I know that your sins are dear unto you and you think them best but come and see Christ and you shall see that in him which will be far better to you than all your sins when you have once put on Christ or the new man you will for ever after cast off the old man. 4. You must not dispute the case at the bar of flesh and blood whether you shall part with your own sins or no. Flesh and sin are sworn Brothers like Herod and Pilate both agree against Christ flesh will plead for sin because flesh knows no other happiness but in sin hence is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 50. you must away with flesh when you would consult for the good of your Souls always flesh will hinder us in whatever is good I Gal. 15 16. had Paul consulted with flesh he had never been a Preacher flesh would have said to him as Peter to Christ Master save thy self 'T is a dangerous time now to renounce thy sin it will breed thee a great deal of trouble if thou turn from sin thou wilt have all the World about thy ears therefore dispute not the case with flesh 5. Deny self self denyal is as a deadly wound given to sin that it cannot lift up its head any more 16. Mat. 24. self-denyal I will tell you what it is it is the giving up the Keys and the sole command of the whole man unto Christ Then Christ is the Lord Lieutenant of thy heart and nothing can be done without leave from Christ now put Christ in office and Christ will quickly put sin out of office Oh! 't is this self that keeps in sin when grace like Joab goes out to fight against sin then self like David calls out deal kindly with the young man Absalom oh spare my sin my beloved sin my only sin O Brethren have a care of bringing self to Church with you all the Sermons you hear will do you no good self will hinder you in all your duties because it will not suffer your own Iniquities to be touched self 't is like Jehu down with Ahab and all his Family down with Baal and all his Priests but the Calves at Dan and Bethel must stand still zeal cast down the first but self made the other to stand self will suffer any sin but our own sin our own Iniquity to be killed 6. Look into the Scriptures and there you shall see that you shall be no losers but gainers by parting with your sins 2 Chron. 25. from the 6 th to the 10 th verse so many will say
what shall we do to live we live by our sins we gain by our sins 19. Acts. 24 25. so some say we must cozen now and then or we cannot live by our trade we must to the Ale house now and then or we cannot get a good bargain do you so the Devil may take such gain if he will but know this that God is able to do more for you than sin can do 2 Kings 1. 2 3. what is there not a God in Heaven to provide for you that you must go to sin and the Devil to get a lively-hood Saul he never went to the Devil before God had left him and answered him no more but alass how many run to the Devil before God hath left them what is there never a promise in the whole Bible to comfort your hearts but you must go to sin for comfort is not Heaven rich enough and glorious enough to make you happy but you must have sin also to lye in the scales O remember this if you part with your best sins you shall be no losers 7. Be much in spiritual duties pray much against this sin this thine own sin read much hear much meditate of Christ and Grace of God and Heaven much perform these duties with a desire to be revenged on thy own sin As Sampson when he prayed to God for strength it was that he might be avenged on the Philistins Brethren we Pray to God for grace but 't is not with this intent that it might kill this sin and therefore we pray amiss when we hear a Sermon it is not with intent to get knowledge how to mortifie this sin and therefore we hear in vain and mark this whatever spiritual duty we perform if we do it not with an intent especially against this sin it is to no purpose David when he chose out five flint stones it was with an intent to kill Goliah with them and when the slung them he aimed at his head so let us do in all our spiritual duties level them so that we may take aim at this sin especially and then we shall prosper 1 Kings 22. 31. Alas what is it to kill a Thousand common Soldiers in an Army of Twenty Thousand kill the General and you have won the Field we Fight in vain unless we Fight against this King of sins in us 8. Labour as much as you can to thwart this particular sin we use to say one contrary will expel another look you what is contrary to thy corruption exercise thy self in that grace or vertue the way to make a crooked stick strait is to bend it as much the contrary way Is Covetousness thy sin then be much in giving Alms be much in meditating of the riches of Heaven follow our Saviours Counsel in the 19 th of Mat. 21. Is Drunkenness thy sin Pray for the Spirit of God 5. Eph. 18. Art thou given to Pride labour for Humility and think meanly of thy self think the best of others drive in grace as much as you can into the heart and that will drive out sin especially that particular grace that is opposite to this sin to cure a Wound you must get a suitable Plaister for that Wound so for the cure of this sin you must get a suitable grace 9. If after all this that you have done you cannot yet work out this sin then go to God and beg of him beg earnestly of him to do it for you 2 Chron. 20. Chap. 1 4 12. so if thou art afraid of this sin and dost seek the Lord with all thine heart God will assuredly help But the truth is we have no heart to Pray against this sin and therefore the Lord doth not hear our Prayers we deal with our sins as Pharoah with his Frogs in the 8 th of Ex. 8 9 10. so we would fain be rid of this sin many of us but not yet why not before we come to dye when we are leaving the World then we could be content to leave this sin O this is a sign that we do not desire to part with it and if we will not part with it now we shall never part with it O of all things let us have a care of such a frame of spirit as this is least God in judgment give us over to dye in this sin as we have desired all our days to live in it 3. Why we should above all things keep our selves from our own sins David in the Text tells us that he kept himself from his Iniquity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word as I shewed you in the beginning signifieth to prevent a danger that is likely to fall on us there is a Noun comes from this Verb which signifieth a Watch-tower as sentinels in a Garrison that stand in the Watch-tower espy the Enemy afar off coming to them before he seizes upon them and so prevents his design so David though he fell into other sins and was surprized as it were by other sins yet this sin which he calls his own sin he had a special eye unto was always upon his guard his Watch-Tower to prevent it certainly there was something in it David saw good reason for it that made him more carefull of this sin than of all others Now I will shew you some Reasons why we ought to be so careful against our own Iniquities 1. Because we love it so much this sin is the Souls darling the Souls beloved look into your hearts and search them well and you shall find a sin there that you love better than God or Christ or Heaven or your Souls It is said of Ahab that he sold himself to do wickedly oh this was an high prized sin what sell himself for a sin and are there not many Ahabs among us that will sell themselves for some sin or other A mans self is the highest price that he can set upon any sin that which we love best we prize most be it an horse or a dog I will not take an Hundred Pound for it But for a man to sell his Soul to the Devil nay Soul and Body to Hell to be tormented in the Fiery Lake of Brimstone Eternally for a Sin you will say that man pays dear enough for it O Friends here you see the force of the Reason keep your selves from this sin your love and affections from it because this is the sin that will take up all your love will take off your heart from God and Christ and your Salvation A man while he is suiting and hath deeply set his love upon a Woman will neglect all his other business that he may gain her for a Wife is it so with you in reference to any sin Brethren I desire to deal plainly and faithfully with your Souls and mine own have a care of that sin have a care of loving of it least you hate your Souls and hate God and Christ I will explain this by a comparison this sin is like Absalom Absalom
in them of all things take heed of such sins as you cannot endure should be touched or medled with or reproved but will do all that you can to hide them and keep them secret these are your own Iniquities and are very dangerous 2. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their Iniquities boast of them and glory in them 3. Is 9. Men are apt to boast and to brag of their own things and so do sinners of their own Iniquities as the Apostle Paul saith in another case upon our uncomely members we bestow the more abundant comeliness so these Persons paint over and varnish what they can their uncomely sins that so they may â—he more freely commit them this is the â—…ry height of Impiety to boast and glory in our Iniquities and were they not our own we should not thus glory in them 3. Those who instead of forsaking their own Iniquities are partakers also with other men in their sins there is none of us all but hath sins enough of his own to sink him to the bottom of Hell see what an account David gives us of his sins in the 40 Psalm 12. if Davids were so many how many then are ours oh what desperate madness then to add to that multitude which we are not able already to number These Persons I cannot better compare them than to broken Tradesmen that have spent all and run themselves so far in debt that they are like to lye in the Goal all their days why these Persons are the readiest Persons to be bound for other mens debts This is the right and true adding sin to sin and Iniquity to Iniquity adding the sins of others to our own sins Now the best way to remedy this is with David in the Text to keep our selves from our own Iniquities and then we shall the better look to our selves in keeping our selves from other mens sins that man that is unwilling to give a bond for his own debt will never be surety or enter into bonds for another man's debt 4. Those who instead of keeping themselves from their own Iniquities are drawing on others and perswading others to commit the like sins with them Brethren I think our sin hath done mischief enough or at least will do mischief enough if it ruin and damn only our own Souls oh then why should we be so greedy of bringing others into the same guilt and condemnation with us I think the World was never so full of such kind of Persons as 't is now sinners are stark mad that every body is not like them and because they cannot draw others with them to the same excess of riot sin is such a sweet bit such a dainty morsel that they love not to eat it alone like some kind hearted men who if they have a joynt of meat extraordinary presently send for some Neighbours or Friends to dine with them Brethren this is the very Image and Superscription of the Devil that these men carry in their foreheads the Devil after he had sinned himself have made it his work ever since to make us all Devils like himself by drawing us into the same sins now the best way to remedy this is to keep our selves as David in the Text from our own sins and when we see the evil of them our selves we shall the more earnestly perswade all others to keep themselves from them likewise 3. Use Consolation to all those that can say with David in the Text I have kept my self from mine Iniquity This is the proper use of the Text David he comforts himself with this consideration this one thing was better to David than his honors and riches than his Crown and Kingdom This was Davids cordial in the Wilderness and his Song of rejoicing upon his Throne I will desire you once more to look upon the Title of this Psalm and read it over a Psalm of c. in the Title David rejoyceth over his outward Enemies among which he reckons Saul as the chiefest but in the Psalm David triumpheth over his Spiritual Enemies and among these he reckoneth his own Iniquity as the King the chiefest v. 21 23. this was a far greater comfort to David that he kept himself from his own Iniquity than his being kept from the power and malice of Saul his chiefest Enemy And therefore David leaves this upon record for all the World to take notice of it and seems to intimate thus much to us that this was the Reason why God delivered him from his greatest Enemy because he kept himself from his own Iniquity v. 24 Here then beloved we see the Fountain for a dry and thirsty Soul. Here is the true cordial in calamity the surest comfort under the greatest conflict let Men and Devils muster up all their Armies and rally up all their Regiments against the Saints they cannot hurt those who have kept themselves from their own Iniquities Sincerity my Friends is such armor of proof that no bullets of afflictions no chain shot of tribulations no poysoned darts of Temptations no fiery granadoes of persecutions are able to pierce or enter into That man that hath kept his own Iniquity out need not fear any sorrows entring into his Soul. No wonder that those who keep common tipling-houses to which Drunkards and Swearers and wicked Persons of all sorts have free resort are seldom quiet but singing and ranting railing and reviling wrangling and fighting are the dayly dishes they feed upon Just so are the hearts of all sinners where this Iniquity as the Master keeps a common Inn for all other sins to resort unto their is no quietness no comfort no peace in that Soul 57. Isaiah 20 21. 't is seldom that a sinner dines a good day and therefore Solomon tells us that even in laughter the heart of the wicked is sorrowful 2 Kin. 9. 22. this thine Iniquity is the true Jezabel and all other sins are but her brats and bastards cast out this Jezabel and thy Soul shall live fling but this Jonas over-board and their will be presently a calm O the Heaven that there is in that Soul whereinto neither this Iniquity nor any other wicked thing doth enter Give me leave in a few words as I am able to shew you some part of the happiness of that man that can say as in the Text I have kept c. 1. There is nothing to hinder the Union and Marriage between Christ and that Soul here what Paul tells us concerning the Laws of Wedlock in the 1 Cor. 7. 39. This is the case of every man while we are in our natural unregenerate condition mark it well we are wedded every one of us to this our own Iniquity every Soul is bound to this Husband now the Ministers they publish the Banns of Marriage between Christ and the Soul will you sinners accept of Christ Christ is desirous to have you he hath a great love to your Souls he is willing to espouse you to make you happy
not we harbour some of those caterpillars that devour our Land in our hearts 't is worth every man's diligent search and inquiry sin deals with us in this case like thieves that cry out fire fire and so call People abroad and then they get in and rifle their houses O Brethren the best of men they have been the most tender of others and most sharp and severe against themselves 2 Sam. 24. 17. 1 Tim. 1. 15. these were better acquainted with their own hearts than many of our proud censuring Saints now a days O Brethren do but try this way and see if you do not get advantage against your own sin Be as diligent in spying out your own sin as you have been formerly in spying out sins in others and talk more bitterly against your own sins than formerly you have done against other mens sins 6. This sin will keep very close in the heart that so others shall not take notice of it This is another of sins policies to keep possession for sin knows our tempers very well sin knows we are all Hypocrites by nature and love to make a fair shew outwardly before men but care not how we are in the sight of God sin knows this and therefore 't will teach us an hundred cunning ways how we may keep it secret from the eye of man how cunningly and closely did Judas conceal and keep in his sin none of the other Disciples took the least notice of him no not when he was ready to do the Fact as you may read 13. John 27 28. oh this is the bargain that most of us make with our own sins we will give them room in our hearts and entertainment so long as they will keep secret and no man knows of them but if they once come to be discovered then we can keep them no longer oh how hath this very thing ruined many Souls we think all is well as long as we can but keep the matter secret and private from men oh Brethren the way for us to get rid of our own sins is to shame our selves for them before men 5. James 16. you will tell all the diseases of your body to your Physician you will tell all the flaws in your Evidences for your Estate to your Counsellor or Attorney why if you love your Souls keep not sins counsel out with it to some Godly bosom intimate Friend get some such to help you out with it by his good counsels or by his fervent prayers sin will speak to us as Sisera to Jael Judg. 4. 20. so when Ministers come to reprove sin such or such a sin and to put men upon examining their own hearts whether they have not such or such sins in them oh then will sin whisper the Soul do not say that I am here oh do not say that I am here Thus many keep sins counsel to their own ruin take heed of this policy 7. Another policy is this when sin sees that a man being convinced by the light of the word goes about to turn it out of doors then to keep possession 't will perswade the Soul thus that 't is an impossible thing for a man to be wholly freed from every sin in this life and therefore what need he trouble himself about one sin as long as he can keep himself from other sins This was that which deceived the Pharisee God I thank thee I am not as other men nor as this Publican he thought it well enough that he was free from the grosser sins so I have heard many say when reproved for sin and who I pray you is free from one sin or other As if God had given every man a pattent to keep one sin in his heart so he kept no more Brethren take notice of it sin plays the sophister with you here and I will shew you the fallacy of this Argument 't is true every man hath sin in him while he is in this life but it doth not from hence follow that every man doth keep allow and maintain sin in his heart A true Saint doth all that he can to be rid of every sin though he cannot be rid of it He is as careful to avoid sin as a Traveller is to avoid a Thief though he may fall into the hands of Thieves for all that 'T is sins policy to be alway beleaguering of us and besetting of us round about but 't is our duty to be always watchful against it and to do our utmost to turn it out of doors 'T is not the bare having of sin but the owning of any one sin the loving it the obeying it the maintaining of it that will damn a man. And therefore in a Gospel sense a man may be perfect in this life and free from every sin i. e. from the countenancing of sin 1 John 3. 7 8 9. Learn rightly to understand this Text. Bernard gives us a threefold exposition of it 1. He doth not commit sin Non peccatum facit quòd patitur potius quam facit Sin is sometimes too hard for him and so he is rather made to sin than to make sin like a Prisoner taken by the Turks he is made a slave in the Gallies 't is true he rows the boat but 't is against his will 't is his punishment grief and trouble but a wicked man he sins and 't is his pleasure and delight to do so A chast Virgin may be caught by a man and ravisht or deflowred oh but 't is as Death to her but a common Whore she seeks after men 't is her pleasure to play the Whore. 2. Non peccat id est non permanet in peccato sinners like swine they go to the mire on purpose to lye down and tumble in it a Saint if he fall into the dirt he presently makes hast home and washeth himself and rubs his cloaths and makes himself clean Assoon as Peter had sinned grievously he presently falls to weeping bitterly A wicked man lives in sin as a fish in the water 't is his element yea he cannot live without sin 3. Non peccat id est tantundem est ac si non peccet pro eo scilicet quod non imputatur ei peccatum Now God will not impute sin to a regenerate man why so because 't is not the regenerate man that sins but the unregenerate part in him that 's only guilty of the sin 7. Rom. 15 17. I sin saith the Apostle yet I hate it when I do commit it 't is not my will to do so but my weakness O Brethren learn these things and see the policy of sin how you must avoid it thrust it from you out with it hate it abhor it do not hearken to it and if any time you fall into any sin let it be your grief and sorrow for it oh do not countenance sin because you cannot be wholly rid of sin Learn this Gospel perfection not to sin at all i. e. not to delight in sin
own it not for your act and deed continue not in it nor suffer it to continue in you 8. Another policy of sin to keep possession is to tell you of the examples of the Saints every one of them had their sins and yet they went to Heaven for all that and why may not you keep a sin as well as any of them and yet go to Heaven at last Thus it will tell you of Noah's Drunkenness of Lots Incest of Josephs Swearing of Davids Murder and Adultery of Peters Denial of Christ c. O Brethren this we may call sins Charter whereby it holds fast possession of many Souls This very argument hath made many to keep their sins all their lives and to carry them to their graves with them only in hope to find mercy with God because such and such did notwithstanding their sins Now to unhamper this snare consider 1. That these Saints though they did commit those sins yet we cannot call them their own sins as in the Text they were not beloved sins sins that they took delight in they did not continue in those sins neither did they give those sins room and possession in their hearts but now if you keep sin in you why yours and theirs are not alike 2. 'T is as vain a thing for a man to make this an argument to live in sin because others viz. the Saints have fallen into a sin now and then and obtained mercy as for me to drink a cup of rank poyson because I have heard of one that hath drunk a cup and it did not kill him take heed of tempting God because I have seen men dance on ropes shall I therefore that have no skill venture to do the like because I have read that Jonas saved his life in the Sea in a Whales belly shall I therefore leap into the Sea or into a Whales mouth because God had mercy on some shall I therefore desperately run into the very jaws of fury and vengeance 3. Qui sequutus es errantem sequere poenitentem if we would follow the examples of the Saints why then we must cast away sin we must turn sin out of doors None of the Saints in all the Bible suffered sin to keep possession if you would find mercy as they did follow their Repentance 4. This is no proper way to hope for mercy at death by continuing in sin all our lives if we do not put away sin now we are alive do you think God will take away sin from us when we are dead nay rather the contrary if we suffer sin to live with us will not God suffer sin to dye with us 8. John 24. O will not Christ say at the day of Judgment to such as will not in this life part with sin and yet cry for mercy then O sin and you have been old companions you have lived a long time together 't is pity to part you now and therefore sin and you shall to Hell together if we keep sin for our Tenant on Earth 't is pity but we should be Tenants to sin in Hell. 5. Consider with what difficulty those Saints got pardon O they were fain to pray and cry and roar and weep bitterly before they could be healed now consider if these so hardly escaped that did but give sin a nights lodging or an hours baiting as we may so speak O how do you think you shall escape or get pardon or find mercy at last that have farmed out your Souls to sin for the whole term of your lives read that of the Apostle and I say no more 1 Pet. 4. 18. 9. sin hath another policy yet to keep possession and that is by keeping the Soul formal in holy duties by making the Soul to rest and to trust in those duties that notwithstanding all their sins they shall be saved for their good Prayers and reading the Scriptures and hearing Sermons for being Baptized and because they have received the Sacrament c. O Brethren I am afraid sin doth hit many of us here in this particular what more common now-a-days than Swearers to be Swearers still and Drunkards to be Drunkards still and cheaters to cheat and cozen their Neighbours still c. every sinner keeps his sin still and what Brethren do you keep your sins and yet hope to be saved why yes you do hope to be saved you hope to be saved by your duties if you would but speak it out this is the Reason as long as you can but come to Church to hear a Sermon now and then and to say divine service and Ministers will but let you come to the Sacrament you think all is well you care not for amending your lives you think not of putting away sin O Brethren sinners would very fain go to Heaven with their sins in their hearts and sin hath found them out a way as they think by trusting to their holy duties O saith sin what needs thou trouble thy self with Repentance 't is but sending to the Minister to pray for thee when thou art a dying and all is well Friends this is deep policy of all things be sure you learn this Mystery and take heed of it sin will hereby deal with you like Herod mingle your blood with your sacrifices if all our waters in England should be poysoned would it not be a sad thing when People drink of them they must dye and if they do not drink they must dye so Brethren sin poysons all our duties if we perform them we must dye if we do not perform them we must dye too read 66. Ps 18. the Prayers and the Duties of the wicked i. e. such as continue in their sins are an abomination to God and hear how it will go with them at the day of Judgment 13. Luk. 25 26 27. and 7. Mat. 22 23. O learn to repent to amend to turn over a new leaf of your lives else your Duties your Prayers Sermons Sacraments all will but add to your greater condemnation at last 10. Another policy of sin to keep possession when once 't is got into the heart is this sin will perswade you that you cannot live without it if you part with me saith sin then farewell all your happiness farewell all your merry days farewell all your friends you must be singular and alone by your selves you must be like no body in the World. O Brethren cut the throat of this argument before it speak again else sin by this policy will ruin your Souls To this end I will lay down some arguments against this argument 1. Suppose this that all the World will hate you if you cast out sin yet know this if you do not cast it out God will hate you Now try your selves which do you most of all set by the hatred of the World or the hatred of God 5. Ps 4 5. 2. You say you love not to be singular you would fain be like other People why do you know what you
say this is to reject God 1 Sam. 8 4 5. what follows v. 7. take heed of rejecting the Lord. 3. You would not willingly partake with the wicked in their torments why then will you partake with them in their sins these two cannot be separated 18. Rev. 4. 11. Sin hath one piece of policy more to keep possession and if it see you get the better in all the rest yet if you have not a great care it will worst you here 'T is this sin will promise you to be gon of its own accord O saith sin let me alone and you shall not need to trouble your selves I will be gon time enough there be but few that do understand this Mystery of sin hence it is that many People never think of repenting and reforming but let sin alone in hope it will wear away of it self and therefore to advise you herein take these particulars 1. Consider that you may be deceived herein you may think your sin is gone and hath left you when 't is nothing so many a man may think sin hath left his heart when yet sin is there still 't is hid in some hole or corner I will shew you this in a few particulars 1. Some think that their sin is gon because they have not been tempted to it as formerly O Brethren this is no sign the reason of this may be for want of an object or by reason of many businesses that have drawn away your thoughts another ways or perhaps you are now removed into such Places or Families where you have not the liberty you had when ever you meet with these circumstances look then for the temptation again 2 Chron. 24. 2 17 18. v. 2. Some think that their sin is gon because they have not committed it for a great while O Brethren sin may be in your hearts for all that sin is like a King will keep its State will not be seen every day abroad many deal with sin as David with Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 38 39. And 2 of Sam. 14. 1. Absalom you see ran away out of his Fathers Kingdom but still abroad in his Fathers heart so sin may seem to be gon and we have left committing it for a while yet we love it as much as ever and keep it in our hearts see an example of this in Judas what he was in 12. John. 6. O Judas might think this sin had left him all the while he followed Christ but though he did not openly steal as others yet for all this the Text saith he was a Thief that is a Thief in his heart so is it with many sin we think is gon but it lies in the heart still 3. Some think their sin is gon because they are turned professors and make a great profession which formerly they did not O sin will deceive you here we have a clear example in Simon Magus 8. Acts 13. yet sin was still in his heart as you may read at the 21 22 23. v. O Brethren sin will lurk and lye hid under an Holy Profession like Goliah's Sword behind a Linnen Ephod 2 Tim. 3. 5. 't is not a man's Baptism receiving the Sacrament being of a gathered Church which People account so much of now-a-days will clear the heart of sin sin may deceive you for all that I might instance in more particulars but these are enough to shew the truth of it 2. Consider that some mens sins do really leave them and yet for all this they do not leave their sins as for example a Drunkard when all his money is spent can't go to the Ale-house the Whore-master when his body is decayed cannot do as formerly the Swearer is struck dumb he doth not Swear as formerly c. these men have not left their sins but their sins have left them and what have they left them to but the Judgment of God for all this is far from Repentance or Reformation No thank to a man that he doth not sin when he cannot sin O Brethren have a care of this do you leave sin first before sin leave you 3. Consider if you leave it to sin when it will be gon you will never be rid of it sin will put us off from time to time but once more and then once more and so to Eternity if we let it alone and do not thrust it out of our hearts Observe but this if you once begin to set a time for Repentance hereafter you will never repent do it presently or you will never do it And thus you see the great Mystery of sin working into our hearts and in our hearts how many ways it hath to get in and also how many tricks and policies to keep in sin you see is loath to part with us God grant we be not as loath to part with our sins 2. The deceitfulness of the heart in joining with this sin You have heard how loath sin is to part with us now you shall hear how loath our hearts are to part with sin sin is not more cunning in getting into our hearts nor more politick in keeping possession there when once 't is in then our hearts our own deceitful hearts are in contriving all ways and means possibly to keep it there when Saul would have killed David Jonathan Sauls own Son that came out of his bowels hides him and secures him so when we go about to slay our own Iniquities then our Jonathans our hearts in our own bosoms they hide the sin and secure it O Brethren Jonathan never loved a David better than a carnal heart loves sin And many a cunning shift do our own deceitful hearts make use off to deceive us and to keep sin from being turned out of doors Now I will shew you some of them in these following particulars 1. Our hearts are very apt to deceive us thus in telling us what sins and what lusts and corruptions we have subdued already and they will perswade us that now we have done enough what need we trouble our selves any further this is but one single sin let it alone and there be but few that have done as much as you have done against most sins This was the deceit of the young man in the Gospel that came to Christ whereby his heart deceived him O he had done all things but one and that one thing could he by no means perswade his heart unto you shall find it 19. Mat. 16. 22. O his heart deceived him in that one thing every thing else his heart could yield to but not to that one thing he thought himself a very brag fellow that could boast of doing so much all these have I kept c. so Herod did many things but one thing he would not do he would not put away his Herodias O Brethren let us take heed that our hearts do not deceive us here in thinking that we have done enough in putting away many sins when as we have not put away every sin therefore
consider these particulars 1. One sin may damn our Souls as well as one wound may kill our bodies 't is not enough for a man to say I shall never dye for I come not at the fire and therefore cannot be burned I come not at the water and therefore cannot be drowned I look to every thing that I eat or drink and therefore cannot be poysoned I am temperate and therefore cannot be surfeited c. O but for all this care there are other ways to take away this man's life just so is it here no man may say I shall not be damned for I am no Swearer Drunkard Coz'ner Adulterer Fornicator Covetous Prodigal Malicious Person well thou hast kept thy self from all these sins and many more but hast thou no sin in thy heart if there be but one sin that may cost thee thy Soul What our Saviour said of the state of the damned in Hell may be truly said of the state of unregeneracy which is the state of Damnation 12. Luke 59. so thou canst not come out of this state of unregeneracy till thou hast parted with thy very last sin As no man can take a legal possession of an house as long as there is any body of the contrary part in the house so Christ will not take possession of thy Soul till every sin be out no sin which is of the contrary side to Christ must be there therefore the Scripture tenders mercy to us only on these terms if we turn from every sin 18. Ezek. 21 27 28. v. 2. We must part from all those sins for which Christ payed the price and satisfyed God the Father Now Christ he satisfyed for all our sins when Christ laid down his life he laid down a sufficient price for every sin now then surely we ought not to live in any sin for which Christ dyed O Brethren what had become of you and I and all the World if Christ had satisfyed the Justice of God for all but one sin Think of this whenever you think of keeping any one sin in your hearts 3. If ever you out-live this one sin you must repent of it at last and why not better at first and if you do repent of it 't will be a But to your credit and a blemish to your good name 1 Kings 15. 5. O you see what a great blemish that was to that good man David 4. Lastly Though you do repent of it yet it will be a burden and trouble to you as long as you live your eye-sins saith one will prove your eye-sores and your heart-sins will prove your heart-sores 13. Job 26. No question but those were some sins that Job delighted much in when he was young and they were a great trouble to him when he was old O remember this you that are young the wounds or bruises that some have received when young they have felt the pain of them in old age so here c. O you know not how many years hence you may smart for those sins you delight in now 2. Our hearts will deceive us again by telling us that they are against this sin they loath hate it and abhor it when as they do not use any endeavour to get rid of it Thus I have heard Swearers when they have been reproved for Swearing presently say O God forgive me for it 't is a base trick that I have got but I cannot leave it I do not at all approve of it Thus I have heard Drunkards speak against Drunkenness O they do not love it 't is a beastly filthy sin but they cannot help it now and then company will draw them in O Friends see plainly how your hearts deceive you you say you do not love such or such a sin why then do you live in it if you hate it why do you not use all means to destroy it if you hate any of your Neighbours they shall be sure to know it by one ill turn or other you will do them why deal you not thus with your sin you say you hate say as Abishai to David shall not Shimei dye do as Sarah when she was angry with her maid Hagar presently out of doors with the Bond-woman and her Child if you be really angry with sin if you hate it indeed you will out with it but if you will still keep it in your hearts 't is a sign sin and your hearts are very well agreed your hearts do but deceive you all this while 3. Another deceit of the heart is this 't will set a man to duties as to prayer ay and that to pray against this particular sin to hear Sermons ay and to hear this sin reproved and to perform all other duties and make a great stir as if this sin were presently to be sentenced to banishment and yet all this while keep this sin close and not let it go like David he raised an Army against Absalom to fight with him sends his Army into the Field but when it comes to the upshot then Joab and the Soldiers must be commanded not to touch the young man Absalom O deal kindly with Absalom for my sake O do not kill Absalom if it were so what need David send an Army against him Brethren you are all here in the presence of God you attend on his Ordinances wherefore come you hither if not to fight against sin your beloved sins O if you let this sin live and pray and read and hear the word c. your hearts do but deceive you all this while To what purpose are all your duties if sin be safe still 1 James 21 22. to hear Sermons and keep your sins is to deceive your selves so to pray against sin and to practice sin is to deceive your selves 4. Another deceit of the heart is this when the heart complies with sin only a man doth not commit the sin i. e. the outward Act of it O but he loves it he likes it he approves of it Now many a man's heart deceives him in this particular he thinks he is rid of the sin because he doth not actually commit it O this is a great deceit And therefore know this though a man may have no hand in it as we say yet if he hath an heart in it 't is enough to make him guilty before God we have an example of this in Saul he had no hand in Stephens death he did not cast a stone at him he was only a looker on O but he lik't it very well he consented to it that was enough Acts 22. 20. God looks to the heart feels which way the pulse beats a man may never have killed a man in his life yet he may be a murderer in his heart he may wish his enemies death and so a man may never be drunk and yet a drunkard if he love to see others drunk if that be his sport and delight As we call a man a hatter that never made an hat in all his life
to the attaining of a further end and the main end is to bring us in to Christ O look to the end whether you are brought nearer and nearer to Christ by any Ordinance whether you love Christ more and live to Christ more than ever take heed of making the Ordinances your end this will hinder you of your blessing 3. To name no more be much in Prayer to God for an influence upon your Souls sin that dams and stops up these Waters of the Sanctuary Prayer opens the sluces again sin poysons these fountains Prayer that must heal them Prayer that brings down the influences of the clouds upon the Earth and Prayer that brings down the influences of the Ordinances upon the Soul the Spirit is obtained by Prayer and where the Spirit moves in the Ordinance there be sure is an influence be much in Prayer to God to bless all his Ordinances and Means of Grace to you and you will quickly find the benefit of it 4. Scruple Many a poor Soul complains O I am afraid that I have this mine own Iniquity still in me that I have not yet subdued it for I discern and see more sin in me now than ever before I find sin more busie and stronger and more prevailing in me than ever before Answ 1. Consider what is the work of conversion 26. Acts 18. you see that the state of conversion is a state of light when a man lies in a dark dungeon he sees not the dirt and the spots and filth about his cloathes nor the vermine and nastiness about him but bring this man into the light and then he will see every spot and all vermine crawling about him A man before conversion he is quite in the dark nay darkness it self 5. Eph. 7 8. now what can darkness see hence it is that 't is so hard a matter to persuade a wicked man that he is a sinner he will not believe it though he be drunk every day and swear every minute yet this man will not be persuaded but he is a good man as good a Saint as any alas poor creature he is in darkness and sees not his filthiness and cannot be persuaded 't is so ill with him as 't is but let this man be converted i. e. brought into the light O then he will complain of himself as the vilest creature living now he sees more sin in him than ever he did Paul before his conversion what he thought of himself he tells us 3. Philip. 6. after conversion he thought otherwise 1. Tim. 1. 15. But you say you find sin stronger now than before therefore 2. Consider that after conversion there is a new principle of grace put into the Soul and that resists the corruption that is in us 't is with every converted Person as with Rebecca 25. Gen. 21 22 23. before conversion the Devil hath the full possession of the whole man and then what follows see 11. Luke 21. there is no disturbance or disquietness in that man's Soul the Devil he rules there and he 's content and sin that hath a warm nest there and that 's content and the sinner he is at his liberty of sinning and he is content too and so all is well no disturbance at all all is peace but now after conversion there is a quite contrary principle of grace and that fights with sin and sin that begins to muster up all its forces hence comes the Soul to complain of the power and strength of sin As a man that is quite under water feels not the weight of all the Tuns of water on his back but let him come out and take but a ferkin of water on his shoulders and he will feel the burden sin is like a Bee let it alone suffer it to crawl about your hands or face and you cannot tell whether it hath a sting or no but anger it or beat it off and it will sting you presently A man is sick and while he feeds the distemper he feels not much pain but let him take Physick to drive out the distemper then he grows sicker and sicker because the Physick is contending with the distemper doth that man think he is worse than he was before so here c. 3. Consider further that the Devil will trouble you more now than ever because you are got out of his chain the Devil he roars and raves when he is like to loose one of his Prisoners he will endeavour all that he can to bring such Souls back again to himself 4. Lastly from all that hath been said we may conclude that certainly 't is a sign of a state of grace for any man to be in this condition we never read in Scripture nor never heard of unregenerate Persons complaining after this sort Paul before his conversion never complained thus but afterwards Rom. 7. 24. O comfort your selves poor Souls that thus groan under the Burden of sin you are the Persons that shall be welcome to Christ 11. Mat. 28. comfort your selves the Alarum is sounded and war is proclaimed between you and your sins nay the Battel is begun and for your further comfort it shall assuredly end in victory 7. Rom. 25. 5. Scruple O but some poor Soul may say though for the present I abstain from this sin mine own Iniquity and can now say I love no sin yet am I afraid of falling back again because I have not I fear throughly repented of this sin my Repentance is only a slight formal Repentance I have not been humbled nor grieved to the purpose Oh this is my fear and this is that which troubles me very much Answ 1. 'T is a good sign that Person hath truly repented who is troubled that he hath repented no better this very thing is part of thy Repentance again 't is a good sign that man hath repented and that truly of sin that is afraid of committing that sin again there is none more afraid of sin than a truly converted penitent Person this fear of falling again and carefulness against sin for the future sure are the marks and tokens the Apostle gives of true Godly sorrow for sin 2 Corinth 7. 10 11. I add that man is furthest of from falling that is most fearful of falling But 2. By way of direction Repentance being a work of such great concernment and a thing that may be and is so often counterfeited it behoves every one of us for our better satisfaction and surety to try our Repentance Now you shall know whether you have truly repented or no by these two signs 1. By its root 2. by its fruit Repentance in Scripture is compared to a tree the tree hath roots but they lye under ground every body cannot see them but when we see a tree stand against many great winds and strong blasts and when we see it green and flourishing we may know it hath good roots 't is well rooted again our Saviour tells us a tree is known by its
though you have deceived men yet you cannot deceive an All-seeing God that saying of our Saviour is true in this sense also wo to us not only when all men speak well of us but speak well to us 6. Luk. 26. he is our best Friend that tells us the worst of our condition If a man come to any of you and say Sir there is a spot of dirt upon your face you will say I thank you for it but if a man tell you of your Lying Swearing Drunkenness Cozening and the like the Spots of your Souls you are presently angry O sirs know this that though men never tell you of your sins one day you shall hear of them And what will you get by this though all the men of the World try you up now for Saints if God at last fling you into Hell among the Devils for sinners 2. Plea. O but others will say sure we are upright before God and have kept our selves from our own Iniquities for our Consciences did never yet check us for any sin and as long as we have good Consciences what need we fear sure if it were so that we were guilty of this sin or did nourish it Conscience would smite us for it though no body else would tell us of it Answer 1. As to the former no man accuseth you of any sin it doth not thence follow that no man can accuse you of any sin so here you say your Conscience doth not accuse you O it follows not that therefore your Conscience cannot accuse you there be many vile Persons in the World whose Consciences never yet smote them for many sins that they committed it doth not therefore follow that they never committed them you must know this that Conscience doth not speak always some mens Consciences are like some Devils we read of in the Gospel they were dumb Devils so there are dumb Consciences Nay and where Conscience doth sometimes speak sometimes it holds its tongue An example in David when David cut the lap of Sauls Garment 't is said his heart smote him there Conscience spake 1 Sam. 24. 5. but when David had committed those two great sins of of Murder and Adultery 't is not said then that Davids heart smote him no he lay a whole Year in that sin without any remorse of Conscience at all till the Prophet Nathan came and reproved him for it Divines they tell us that great sins do vastare conscientiam they sear and harden the Conscience that so it speaks not at all O Brethren be afraid of your selves when you sin and your Consciences let you alone and never tell you of them 2. Again you say Conscience never yet accused you for any sin it doth not follow that therefore Conscience will never accuse you nay rather thus you must think that Conscience hath a long reckoning with you Conscience hath the more against you and it will call you to an account for all at last Conscience is like a Shop-keeper you take up Wares at your Mercer or Grocer c. he asks you never a penny you send for more and more still he asks you no money O but all this while he writes down all in his Book and there must be a pay day at last so thou sinnest Conscience says nothing thou sinnest again and again Conscience still holds its peace O but Conscience is all this while a writing sets down every particular sin and this Book of Conscience will assuredly be brought as a Witness against you at the last day And therefore saith one though Conscience be not always speaking yet 't is always Writing O sinner tremble at this I may say almost the same to you that Saint James saith to rich men 5. James 1 2 3. rich men O they think 't is a merry World while they are hoarding and treasuring up their riches and gold and silver and none to contradict or oppose them O but saith the Apostle they would howl if they did but know the miseries that shall come upon them and what they are treasuring up for the last days so sinners you may think it now a brave and a merry World you can sin at your liberty be drunk day after day swear oath after oath and cozen one man to day another to morrow lye and forswear and speak as you list and do as you list and live as you list and none to contradict you your Consciences hold their peace and say not a word to you O but tremble and howl to consider what an hoard a treasure of sins you are heaping up together against the last day the day of Judgment O sinners you that say your Consciences never yet did smite you for any sin do not trust to that Conscience will deal by you as Absalom by his Brother Amnon 2 Sam. 13. 22. mark what follows v. 23 28. so Conscience c. 3. Once more you say Conscience did never accuse you but let me ask you one Question did ever your Consciences excuse you or do they now excuse you if you can say so you say somewhat to the purpose 2. Rom. 15. one of these two every man's Conscience will do and must do either accuse him or excuse him and therefore if your Consciences do not excuse you look for it as sure as death they will one time or other accuse you if Conscience do not witness with you it is a sure sign that it will witness against you do not boast or rejoyce of a silent Conscience but rather tremble and be afraid the Apostle will tell you wherein he rejoyced and wherein you may rejoyce 2 Cor. 1. 12. so do your Consciences witness with you your simplicity of heart and sincerity towards God and your carefulness in your whole lives to walk before God with a perfect heart and to keep your selves from your own Iniquity in this may you truly rejoyce and have true peace and comfort otherwise if you live in sin and your consciences smite you not do not rejoyce all such rejoycing is vain Question But you will say what shall we do in this case when we do so or so and Conscience never smite us for it how shall we know whether it be good or bad Answer Take Bernards Rule in this Case unicuique suus liber est conscientia c. ideo scribi dehent libri nostri ad exemplar libri vitae si sic scripti non sint saltem corrigantur Go to the Law and to the Testimony if thy Conscience speak not according to this rule it is because there is no light in it Conscience as one well observes must have its negative voice nothing must be done without its assent and good liking but be sure your Consciences go by the certain rule of the word of God else you will miserably perish And therefore Chrysostome doth worthily blame those who are so scrupulous in taking money they must see the figures and look for the right stamp but in
3 4 5 6. if the leaving of some sins or the hating of some sins would make a man a Saint all the World would be Saints 2. When the Scripture gives us the Character of a true Saint it doth not describe him by leaving of such or such particular sins but by forsaking sin in the general 1. Job 1. he eschewed evil i. e. he avoided every sin so repentance is a turning from every sin 26. Acts 18. every sin is darkness now if a man turn from every sin but one yet he cannot be said to turn from darkness because that sin is darkness take a piece of cloath that hath twenty spots of dirt and wash away nineteen of them yet you cannot say that cloath is clean why because there is a spot of dirt in it no more can you say that man is a Saint that reforms many things if he live but in one sin 3. Those that have reformed many sins yet they must repent of the rest and turn from theâ—… too if they hope ever to find mercy Christ will never own us while we do own the least Iniquity Observe but the Message of Christ sends to the Church of Pergamus 2. Rev. 12 13. why was not all this well but mark further 14 15. O but you will say this is not so great a matter as long as she had so many good things in her therefore hear what Christ saith to her verse 16. O saith Christ all this will not do unless thou repent of this sin also so Beloved say I to you you that have left many sins that formerly you were guilty off all this will not do unless you leave every sin should a man that is a Swearer come and tell me he was formerly a Drunkard but he hath left that a Lyar but he hath left that a despiser of Ordinances but now he frequents them and many more O but hast thou left thy Swearing too else all is nothing look once more into your hearts is there any sin behind repent of that turn that out also else all is to no purpose 2. You say you have reformed your selves in many things and have left many sins let us a little examine this reformation 't is to be feared 't is no sound true reformation look to the bottom and you will find it very dirty there and the reason is this because he that truly hates one sin will upon the same account hate every sin true reformation routs out every sin Now there be two Questions that will resolve this case Question 1. What are the sins thou art reformed from Answer truly to this Question 1. Are they not only some small petty sins that thou never madest any great matter of thou never tookest any great delight in but still retainest thy great and best beloved and delightful sins This is to do just like Saul 1 Sam. 15. 3. God bids him destroy all the Amalekites spare none of them saith God well what doth Saul see verse the 9 th he spareth Agag and the best of the Cattel notwithstanding just so thou servest God God bids thee part with every sin no thou wilt spare the best 2. Are they not only those sins that cross thy designs or hinder thy preferment in the World 2 Kings 12. 2. Jehoash could willingly have set up Idolatry as appears by what he did afterwards O but he was but young and he durst not anger Jehoiada the Priest for fear of loosing his Kingdom so when Religion is in fashion O many a man will leave his sins if he see they hinder his preferment A Godly Man hath a Wicked Son he tells him if he leave not his idle courses he will disinherit him for fear of loosing an Estate have many left their sinful courses 3. Are they not such sins gross Iniquities that all the Country would cry shame upon thee if thou didst not leave them O how many are there that leave their sins just as they leave their old cloaths because they are out of fashion sinners love to be singular in nothing no not in sinning if they have not companions in their sins they will leave them 4. Are they not such sins as have first left you just as some are fain to leave off their cloaths because they have out grown them so many have out grown their sins the Drunkard is taken sick and lame he cannot go to the Ale house as formerly and so he hath left that sin 't is time the Adulterer his body is quite worn out he cannot do as formerly and so he hath left that sin because he cannot commit it Alas Brethren if this be all your reformation it is altogether unsound and good for nothing Question 2. What kind of reformation is this you may know it by these particulars 1. Is it only an outward reformation a reforming of the life and not of the heart a reforming of the actions and not of the affections if so 't is not right true conversion always begins at the heart that man's life can never be good if his heart be not good this is just like Lot's Wife leaving of Sodom 19. Gen. 26. This is Simon Magus repentance 8. Acts 21. 2. Is this a reformation only of passion and not of sound reason and judgment dost thou only leave sin in an anger or a passionate fit and not out of a due and serious consideration of the evil of it and the deadly nature of it This is just like Sauls reformation 1 Sam. 28. 3 7. Saul put away the Witches only in an angry mood and afterwards seeks to them again No no true and serious repentance is wrought by serious deliberation he that leaves his sin only in an anger when his anger is over will to it again As furious Gamesters in an anger will fling up their cards and dice and swear they will play no more when their anger is over perhaps the very next day they are at it again so do many deal with sin true reformation is a deliberate work and always hath conviction and humiliation going before 3. Is this reformation only a leaving of sin and not an hating of sin 'T is true thou dost thrust sin out of doors but thou canst not say thou art angry with it Alass this is but like a Land-flood 't will not last long David Banished his Son Absalom but he was not angry with him and see what follows 2 Sam. 13. 3â— if thou deal so with sin thy Soul will ere long desire and long for this thine Absalom again true repentance is with anger and indignation in the heart against sin 2. Cor. 7. 11. just like Ephraim how angry is he 14. Hosea 8. 4. Is thy reformation only a turning from sin and not a turning to God 't is not enough to hate sin but we must love holiness to leave sin but we must cleave to God we must love Christ as much as formerly we loved sin else the leaving of sin only is but
will assuredly bring destruction there are two terrible Texts to this purpose 9. Job 4. 29. Prov. 1. hear this you that have been told of your sins and yet will not leave them have had message after message Sermon after Sermon reproof after reproof and yet all is nothing you keep your own Iniquities still O tremble to think that your hearts are hardened to your own destruction 5. 'T is a sin that makes us slight and contemn all the Judgments of God as long as we keep this sin in us all afflictions will do us no good at all 27. Prov. 22. mark it his foolishness i. e. his sin we have two notable examples of this Jeroboam you know what was his sin the Scripture calls it so the sin of Jeroboam God sends a Prophet to cry against him for it what doth he see 1 Kings 13. 4 6. mark it he prays that his hand may be restored not his sin mortifyed 't is a sign his heart was not humbled by this Judgment as appear likewise verse 33. the other is King Ahaz 2. Chron. 28. 22. O Brethren take notice of this when afflictions will work no good upon you O this is the aggravation of your own Iniquity for any other sin O how will God's Judgments humble us and make us leave them but this our own Iniquity 't is not all the storms and tempests whatever will make us cast them over-board O sinners look on your selves you that have had great sicknesses and great afflictions and yet you retain your own Iniquities still the Swearer his Swearing the Drunkard his Drunkenness c. O 't is a fearfull sign that God hath rejected you as 't is said of Israel 6. Jer. 29 30. 6. 'T is a sin of custom that 's another great aggravation of it O Brethren once committing a sin is enough to sink any of us to Hell as once swearing once lying once cozening c. but to make a custom of it how can we expect mercy Is a Thief Arraigned for Fellony and 't is proved that he hath been a Thief so many years he hath made it his trade and custom the Judge will condemn that man presently without any favour never put such an Old Rogue to his Psalm of mercy O then what is it to make a trade and custom of sin other sins we may say men commit only by the bye but this their own Iniquity 't is their very trade and custom there is a dreadfull place tremble at it you that have lived in any known sin many years 13. Jer. 23 24. 7. 'T is a sin that we take the greatest delight in that 's another aggravation of it to commit sin is ill enough but to take pleasure and delight in sin O that is most horrid Is it not grief enough to a Father that his Son will do what he would not have him but to delight to vex his Father O this is the height of undutifulness sin in Scripture is called a grieving of God a vexing his Holy Spirit now they that delight in any sin delight to vex God the Apostle reckons these Persons among those that are rejected or given over by God to themselves the saddest Judgment of all 1. Rom. 28 32. and Christ threatens them 1. Prov. 22 31. so 2. Prov. 14 18. 8. 'T is a ruling sin that 's another great aggravation of it O Brethren do you not tremble at this to have a Beelzebub in your hearts the Prince of Devils the King of sins such a man hath the curse of Cham lighted upon him to be a servant of servants his other sins are servants all of them to this Iniquity this great Beelzebub and he himself is slave to them all O what a case is that man in that is servant to his sin his lust whatever work his sin sets him about he must do it there is no King in the World hath such a power over his Subjects as sin hath if it gets once to rule sin will make a man hang himself or drown himself or cut his own throat experience is witness and therefore the Apostle exhorts us especially against this sin upon this account 6. Rom. 12 13. whatever you do do not keep a reigning sin in you 9. 'T is a sin that must be maintained at an high rate a man 's own Iniquity will bring him as we say to skin and bones how many have wasted all their Estates to satisfie their lusts and afterwards have been fain to go a begging so the Prodigal Nay 't is not Estate and Body will serve the turn this sin will ruin the Soul too O tremble sinners to think of this God hath given you fair Estates in the World God hath given you healthy Bodies God hath given you reason to rule all the Creatures in the World above all God hath given you Immortal Souls and will you spend all these upon such a baggage as sin is Do but think of the story of Absalom he was the Son that David loved and cockered most of all his Children bred him up at an high rate and this Son he seeks his Fathers Life and Kingdom so will this sin deal with you 10. The great aggravation of all is this that this sin comes nearest of all sins to that great transgression the sin against the Holy Ghost as we say of some things they are so cold as that if they were but a degree or two colder they were rank poyson so this sin had it but two drams more 't were the very sin against the Holy Ghost and that is malice and final impenitency O therefore sinner take heed thou art upon the very brink of Hell upon the very borders and edge of that unpardonable sin O cast out this sin least God cast thee out of his presence Now Brethren consider these ten particulars the aggravations of this sin and methinks none of us all should ever love it more a sin so dishonourable to God so inconsistent with our profession so scandalous in respect of the Gospel so opposite to true conversion sound and sincere holiness a sin that wins our affections from Christ hardens our hearts against the means of grace fills us with darkness robs us of all graces and renders us liable to the Wrath of God and Eternal Damnation A Sixth Motive is this 6. Consider the several dreadful effects of this sin This sin is the true Pandora's box that lets fly all miseries and mischiefs upon us This sin makes our Souls a mere Bethesda full of impotencies sicknesses troubles and sorrows I can compare it to nothing better than to that poyson which some call the Jesuits poyson which as some say if a man drink it he shall perceive nothing but it will work insensibly in his body and kill him many years after so O sinner it may be for the present thou seest no evil at all in this thy sin thou findest no damage at all by it but many years hence thou may'st find and
feel the poyson of it in thy bones the gnawings and gripings of it in thy Conscience be sure at one time or other it will meet with thee 't will never let thee go to thy grave in peace Brethren give me leave to rip open the belly of this Adder and you shall see what a venomous brood is in it 1. This sin the Dalilah that lies in thy bosom and in whose lap thou sleepest so securely hath scissors to cut of thy locks wherein all thy strength lies it makes a man like Reuben weak as water unable to resist the least temptation 49. Gen. 3 4. Reubens sin took away Reubens strength and excellency so this sin whoever maintains it shall never excell in any thing that is good what the disease of the Scurvy is to the Body that is this sin to the Soul O how faint and weak and weary are many in Holy Duties O how feeble when under temptations it makes a man unable to resist what is evil and to perform any thing that is good read that story 7. Josh 2 3 4 5. what was the reason of this you shall see verses 10 11 12 13. you see how that one Achan in the Camp of Israel made them all faint and loose all their strength O Christians when you find your selves weak in faith weak and faint in Holy Duties in serving God weak in opposing temptations and lusts why then look narrowly there is an Achan in your hearts and till that sin be out you can have no strength O Brethren what a sad thing is this If I speak in respect of the body you will understand me the better what a sad thing is it for a man that hath nothing but his labour to maintain himself and Family withal for this man to loose all his strength that he is not able to help himself O this weakness will bring poverty on apace upon him you will pity such a man O you will say he is a poor weak creature and deserves to be pittied pity your own Souls you are ready to drop into Hell and you cannot help your selves why sin hath weakned you you may say a Prayer but there is no strength in it you may keep Sabbaths and perform Holy Duties but there is no strength in them and no good comes to your poor Souls by them you may go to the Sacrament but you get no strength by it what fresh-water-Soldiers are you to oppose the vanities of the World or to look death in the face it makes you look paler than death it self After God had reckoned up all the sins of Jerusalem observe how he speaks to her 16. Ezek. 30. so may we say to many sinners O how weak are you grown what every lust too strong for you every temptation too hard for you what so weak that you cannot shut your Mouths against an Oath or a bad word so weak that you cannot stop your feet from going to the Alehouse what so faint that one Sabbath in a week one Sermon in a day quite tires you out O Brethren you may thank this your own sin it takes away all your strength from you Job will tell you the way to get strength 17. Job 9. purge out sin and you shall get strength 2. This sin will mix with all thy Holy things and so make even thy best things odious unto God when thou prayest this sin will mix with thy Prayers and make them an abomination to the Lord when thou hearest a Sermon this sin will be there with thee and if it do not stop thy ears yet 't will barricado up thy heart that thou shalt hear in vain or in hearing not hear when thou receivest the Sacrament 't will mix even there also 't will come to the Lords Table with thee and so thou shalt eat and drink there thine own damnation like Judas at the Passover the Sop and the Devil both went down his throat together so the Sacramental Bread and Wine and thy Sin all go together and what dost thou think Christ will say of such a receiving O sirs know this that God hates all such mixtures he hates such services 1. Isaiah 13 14 15 22. verses O saith God do not serve me so I cannot endure this either leave off thy sins or leave off thy sacrifices Gideon had Seventy Sons and but one Bastard and that one Bastard destroyed all the rest you may easily apply this to your selves you have performed many duties done many good works but this sin will bane them poyson them destroy them all 3. This sin 't will be to you like the worm at the root of Jonahs Gourd 't will make all your pleasures and delights to wither Alas People they love sin because they love pleasures they think if they part with their sins then they must say farewell pleasures farewell a merry and an happy life whereas sin like Summer frosts nips the very buds and blossoms of all our outward comforts and delights sin poysons all these fountains from whence stream forth all a man's comfort and delight 1. Sin takes away the cause of all comfort 2 Kings 5. 1. that took away all Naamans comfort in all his riches and greatness and honour so a man may have great riches great friends great honours but he is a covetous Wretch or but he is a terrible drunkard or but he is a filthy Whoremaster O these buts spoil all that man hath no cause to be merry to day that is to be hanged to morrow and thou sinner though thou hast money enough and estate enough to make thee merry O but thou hast a sin also for which thou may'st be damned before another day come 'T is madness for a man to laugh when he is going to Hell and as long as any of us do keep this sin we are going to Hell. 2. Sin takes away the sweetness and juice of all our comforts one of the Fathers compares all the pleasures of sinners to the bones that are flung to Dogs all the meat is pickt off and all the marrow suckt out sinners like the Prodigal have only the husks of pleasures sin makes these pleasures 1. Empty like thorns make a great crackling but give but a little heat like a nut that hath a maggot in the kernel like a glass of wine that hath a Spider in it what comfort can a man take in these they are like a bladder full of wind to an hungry man whereas cast out this sin and you may rejoyce heartily as Mary when Christ was in her Womb 1. Luke 46 47. 2. Dangerous like the Israelites Quailes so are all pleasures to sinners dainty but dangerous 78. Ps 30 31. 't is a dangerous thing for us to be taking our pleasures when the wrath and anger of God is gone out against us small comfort to have God to frown on us but cast out sin and then there is peace with thy pleasure 3. Prov. 17. it cannot be said so of the ways
of sin her ways may seem to be pleasant but there is no peace in her paths 3. Very short that pleasure cannot last long where sin is gnawing at the root of it only the joy of the righteous is lasting 4. Phil. 4. a man may rejoyce in sin but not alway may rejoyce in the World but not alway but he that rejoyce in the Lord may rejoyce always no end of that joy 3. Sin many times damps the sinner in the midst of his pleasures it sends to Belsbazzar an hand to write on the wall in the midst of his cups and merriment and makes him tremble it smote Herod with lice even while he was honoured as a God suppose any of you at a great feast very merry and news is brought that your house is all on a fire what comfort can you take in that mirth you will leave dinner and friends and all O sinner while thou art merry in the midst of thy delights the fire of God's Wrath is burning against thee and Hell Fire is kindling for thy Soul. 4. Sin will make all our comforts to end in sorrow 2. Eccl. 2. A sinner knows no measure in his pleasures but he laughs even to madness Nabal though but a Country Farmer yet he makes a feast like the feast of a King 1 Sam. 25. 36. but how ends it see verse 37. A sinner's sun always sets in the darkest cloud he is all laughture in this World and therefore is all sorrow in the other World put these things together O what an enemy is this sin to us that will let us take pleasure in nothing or else if we do take pleasure like the Bee we are drowned in our own honey this is another sad effect of this sin no true comfort while we have it 4. This sin robs us of all our beauty I mean of all the beauty of our profession what saith Christ to his Spouse 4. Cantic 1. why Doves eyes O the Doves eye is most beautiful in this respect because 't is the emblem of chastity this is the beauty of Christianity to have the doves eye a chaste eye looking only to Christ Now sin that makes us cross eyed and to look a squint which is the greatest deformity that can be in the body I am sure 't is in the Soul God abhors a professor that keeps any sin in his heart that looks cross-eyed one eye to the World and the other eye to God 16. Ezek. 25. O Friends consider this cast out your sin whatever it is else all your prayers profession good words good works will come to nothing all your fair shews of being religious will come to nothing Christ will not own you for beautiful Christ will not have his spouse to wear black patches in her face I mean the black spots of sin Hear what Counsel is given to the Church 45. Psalm 10. i. e. forget and forsake for the sake of Christ all that is dear to thee in this World look only to Christ and the reason v. 11. this is another sad effect of this sin 't will make us ugly in the eyes of Christ 5. This sin will by degrees steal away our hearts from Christ as 't will take away our beauty that Christ will not love us so 't will take away our hearts from Christ that we shall not love him How can we love Christ and Sin both together the more we look towards sin the less we shall look towards Christ Judas loved sin and therefore betrayed Christ Pilate loved sin therefore condemned Christ the Thief on the Cross loved sin and therefore he scoffed at Christ there also and if any of us love any sin it will make us hate Christ as the Jews did and flye away from Christ and forsake him as his Disciples did O Brethren consider what a dreadfull thing 't is not to love Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. all the curses in the Bible are comprehended under those two words therefore tremble at it to think what it is to love sin 't is a worthy speech of Akempis l. 2. c. 7. de imit Christi oportet dilectum pro dilecto relinquere quia Jesus vult solus super omnia amari He that will love Christ must have no beloved sin 6. This sin will at last fill the Soul with horror O sinner thou delightest in this sin now but one day it will prove a Devil to thee now it flatters thee then 't will affright thee now thou runnest after it one day thou shalt run from it and yet shall never be able to get rid of it Judas he first ran after his sin when he went to the High-Priests to betray Christ O but afterwards he would fain have run away from that sin but could not you sinners that cannot endure now to hear others cry out against your sins shall one day cry out against your sins your selves you that are angry with Ministers now for crying out O ye Drunkards upon your death beds you will cry out O my Drunkenness my Drunkenness you that are angry with Ministers now for crying out O ye Swearers upon your death beds you will cry out O my Swearing my Blaspheming of the Name of God you that are angry with Ministers now for crying out O ye covetous Worldly minded men upon your death beds will cry out O my covetousness O my Worldly mindedness you shall see what this sin will do to you at last 20. Job 11 12 13 14. v. O who would entertain a sin that will bring such an Hell into his Soul at last And now sinners consider these sad effects of this your own sin how it will take away all your strength make all your Religion odious to God poyson all your pleasures and comforts rob you of all your beauty steal away your hearts from Christ and bring Hell into your Souls at last and will you run all these hazards rather than part with it all that I can say more is sure you have a very great love to it A Seventh Motive is this 7. Consider the blessings and the benefits that will accrue to you upon the casting out of this sin these benefits are very many and very great I will only touch upon some 1. Now may you truly rejoyce and be merry and you had never cause before in all your life to be merry 15. Luk. 32. 't is meet to be merry before when sin lived in thee thy Soul was dead now sin is dead and thy Soul liveth nay more mark it 't is not the prodigal but his Father that saith so O poor Soul thou may'st be sad no more for God himself will come now and be merry with thee O what an harvest what a plentiful crop of joy shall that Soul reap that hath weeded out this sin out of his heart Assure thy self that there is a work of conversion wrought in thee when thou hast cast out this sin Now art thou the Child of God before while thou kept this sin