Spirituall pride spoiles all Spirituall performances when men think there is a worth and merit in what they do though but their duty If a man be proud of his humility and charity and that he can pray much and as he thinks well and when he looks contemptuously upon those beneath him in gifts of the Spirit knowledge religious discourses and ability of disputing for or against the Truth and thinks himself every way above instruction and stands in need of no farther direction from Gods word but living in his pride as above ordinances and conceits himself perfect in all excellencies free from infirmities and any the least spot of sin in thought word or deed this is the height of pride vain glory and arrogancy and all that have lifed up themselves thus Pro. 3.17 are fallen at once from grace low into the sin of Pride as the proud Angels from heavenly excellencies to hellish shame and horrour and so wilt thou that art guilty in this kind except thou repent S. 81 Again if thou art envious at those above thee and discontent with thy portion and talent because not so much as anothers and refusest to do any thing in thy duties because thou can not do better then others and get thee praise to thy self from others this is the Pride of thine heart too S. 82 If thou takest pride in thy shame if thou gloryest in thy wickednesse and declarest thy sin with an impudent forehead and a profane tongue and wretched actions then hast thou lost modesty and all that is morally good and art become a damned catiffe a devil incarnate S. 83 And farther if thou scornest admonition and spirituall counsell for thy soul if thou slightest the most hearty and serious invitations directions exhortations and reproofs from Gods word and his Ministers and thinkest thy self more fit to teach then to be taught more able to give then receive good cousell then art thou also a proud person S. 84 I exhort thee therefore in the examination of thy self to search deep after this sin for t is a sin so hid from a mans own eyes that he himself hardly finds it out but oftentimes more discernable to another then thy self for the expressions of it are many as boasting words though oftentimes gilded with seeming self-deniall and a lofty gate and countenance high looks vain apparel costly ornaments undervaluing expressions of others censorious scofs and gybing rayling at others uncivil carriage uncourteous behaviour reducing all degrees and qualifications of men to an equality allowing no more to those above thee in civil respect then to thy equals all these are the expressions of Pride and some of them under a shew of humility S. 85 When thou art seeking after the Pride of thy heart do it by the help of humility and prayer and whatever is Pride in thy heart or life or like unto it bring it down repent of it hate it forsake it for the proud man had he no other sin yet his own sin of pride would keep him out of Heaven and throw him into Hell and take heed when thou dost reprove pride in another do not do it proudly considering that so thou maist be guilty again of that thou hast condemned in another Leave off pride and be clothed with humility for God resisteth the proud and he gives grace to the humble Remember thou art warned to repent for and speedily to forsake pride and vain-glory §. XV. Schism and Heresie S. 86 Schism and Heresie are near akin both works of the flesh the wicked product of depraved nature forged in an ill head and a naughty heart where pride and parts meet in any one there Heresie and Schism will not long be strangers Heresie is the greater an over-grown Schism nullum schisma non sibi aliquam confingit Haeri sin Hier. Com. in Tit. and Schism is a less Heresie growing and tending to it He that is guilty of Schism wil not long be free of Heresie a schismatick is but an heretick concealed and an heretick is a schismatick revealed S. 87 Heresie is a perverse opinion contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of Christ and Schism is a peevish separation from the Communion of the Church of Christ The first is against the Truth of the Church Schisma vin culum pacis dirumpit charitatem scilicet Muse lib. cap. de schismate Gal. 5.19 the other against the Peace and Charity of the Church of God Both injurious to Christ and both destructive to thy own soul if thou art either Heretick or Schismatick and continuest therein both excluding Heaven see Galat. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest sedition i. e. The raising or furthering divisions and disorders in the Church and Heresies i. e. venting strange opinions cunningly devised fables or teaching such for truths as were thus invented or yielding to them 2 Pet. 1.16 or maintaining of them contrary to the Scriptures and received professions of the holy true Catholick Church They which do such things saith Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.2 shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and heresies are called damnable and bring swift destruction upon the inventors of such evil things and the teachers of them and the followers of them too the Apostle bids all good Christians to avoid as a pest all such as make rents and divisions in the Church Now I beseech you brethren Rom. 16.17 mark them that cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have heard and avoid them for they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple v. 18. S. 88 Now it may be thou that readest this art one of parts and desightest thy self in novel and curious speculations and hast taken liberty to let thy thoughts and inventions run from the simplicity and incorrupt truth that is in Christ framing to thy self and others some other articles of faith then what the Sciptures assert and the true Church in all ages hath received or it may be thou art one that doth contradict gainsay and oppose the revealed and received Truths concerning God Jesus Christ and holy Ghost or any other foundation Truth if so I intreat thee if pride obstinacy or implacable malice against the truth have not possessed thee that you would recant your damnable opinions and become sober humble penitent and a lover of that truth which formerly you have opposed and if thou hast been a leader or seducer of others and hast infected them then thy sin is the greater and thy labour must be to undeceive them if thou canst and if thou hast been a professor of Religion and hast used the form of godlinesse the better to accomplish thy ends and propagate thy damnable Doctrines and to corrupt the judgements of others then yet the greater is thy sin and thou hast made seeming holinesse a cloak for thy mischievous wickednesse which
Christ will not endure So likewise for SCHISM if thou hast divided and separated from the true Catholick Church and refusest Communion with the members of the true Church and out of pride faction interest or conceited singularity withdrawest thy self and drawest others after thee setting up a Church against a Church from which thou hast separated thy self Art thou the head of such a faction or the member of such a distinct and opposite body then art thou guilty of Schism thou art a troubler of the Peace and Unity of the Church of Christ And if thou repent not for this wrong done to Christ and his Church the guilt of causelesse separation and dividing things which God hath put together for God would have no schism in his Church and wo unto them by whom such offences come for by one spirit are we baptized into one body and Christs Church which is this his mysticall body is but one though it hath many members and those members ought not to oppose one the other or be independent one on the other or divide in a way of uncharitable subserviency and communion one from another and all this Christ forbids lest there should be a schism in the body Reader consider the 12. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians from first to last S. 89 Therefore be thou perswaded to consider thy principles as to thy judgement and thy practise if it be hereticall or schismaticall and if thou be guilty of either amend with speed and be reformed un-feignedly and remember the Heires of Heaven must be servants of Truth and not the Innovators and Revealers of Erours and false Doctrines neither must they be breakers of the Peace and Unity and Harmony of the Church of Christ which is one and the same in Faith and Charity both for things to be believed and duties to be performed and if thou thinkest it but a small matter to be of any opinion though never so distant from or opposite to the foundation-Doctrines and Catholick faith and pure Primitive Church-practises so thou live otherwise soberly and art of a morall good life yet know that filthy unsound false opinions defile the soul and make thee guilty of spirituall wickednesse and renders thee one of a filthy spirit and therefore detestable to the holy God who would have thee keep thy self from all filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit also 1 Cor. 7.1 S. 90 Yea for making of parties and sidings with good Ministers in a way of faction in the same Church is that with is utterly forbidden as a note of a carnall and unregenerate man of who ere doth so you may see how the Christian Corinthians who had Paul Apollo and Cephas that is Peter for their teachers were accused as carnall because Schismaticall and Schismatical because they received the Gospel with respect of persons Paul Apollos and Peter were all three true Ministers of Christ gracious and good spiritual Preachers and preached the same truths and had the same end and all agreed as disciples of Christ yet when men would divide into parties and set up a Paul an Apollos a Cephas to head each faction and in a way of distinction as though the ordinances received their worth and excellency from man and not from God from the gifts of men and not from the Spirit of God or that the Ministers of Christ should monopolize to every ones self Now the people are much in fault this way when they cry up one in opposition to another or in a way of party and glory in this I am of such a mans way and Church but I saith another like such a man better I can walk in such a Communion and I saith another can edifie more under such a man O saith one he with whom I walk teaches very powerfull and plainly and I am for him I but saith a second I am for such an one for he preaches elegantly and powerfully too he pleases the ear yet searcheth the heart too I but saith a third I am for neither of those but such a man he preaches movingly he is all spirituall and inward he is not so strict-laced nor so much for good works and duties a very Gospel-preacher indeed he useth no terrible threats but doth deal by love and promises with priviledges of believers he is none of your legall preachers he doth not take upon him to reprove and rebuke for sin as others doe every body may please themselves but for my part I am neither for that nor the other you named though they may be usefull in their way but I am for this man I speak of and if you would forsake your way and follow this way you should quickly see a difference come be of our way and joyn with us And thus men that seem to themselves wise are carnall indeed while they make parties and divisions fractions and factions in the Church S. 91 Now if thou be one of these siders and gatherets see 1 Cor. 3.3 4. if thou art one that dost not labour to preserve the peace of the Church of Christ and dost not obey the truth without respect of persons because it is the doctrine of Christ 1 Cor. 3.9 then art thou guilty of this fault here condemned and you must amend and reform this fault also and that without delay remember you are told of the sin and danger of Heresie and Schism take heed of them both Take with thee the exhortation of Paul touching this thing Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.10 that you all speak the same things that there be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment §. XVI Witchcraft S. 92 There is no abomination imaginable but the corrupt nature of man is apt to close withall even to a familiarity with and seeking to the very devills themselves hence it is that witchcraft and sorcery become so frequent sins among those that bear the name of Christians but yet truly are of the devil and confederate with evil spirits and hold commerce with them there is much witchcraft and sorcery exercised now adays and many pretenders to Conjuration and Judiciall Astrologie therefore many witches and many that are bewitched by them there are some that pretend by their strength of Fancie and help of Art or familiar spirit to discover secrets to determine of future contingencies to tell of things lost and many such tricks by which the ignorant people are befool'd and cheated yet all this shews what men would be at some would be accounted Wizards and as the vulgar sots call them cunning-men and others are so impious as to seek unto such as an oracle and in this their practise are no better then those poor wretches of some parts of the world that worship the Devil S. 93 Now if thou hast made any compact with the devil or hast at any
years and art of a longer standing it may be twenty thirty fourty fifty sixty years thou hast all this while enjoyed the plentifull meanes of grace and so long hath God been bearing with thee still expecting from thee somewhat of all that beneficence of his toward thee and now at last coming to thee and findes no fruit on thee onely a few leaves of profession may he not say in high displeasure never fruit grow on thee more henceforth by this time thou mightest have been strong and well rooted in faith abundant in charity and well knowing in the things of God and of thy own soul able by thine own experience and example to instruct the younger by this time thou mightest have been able to resist the strongest temptations and have understood the wiles of Satan and decei fulness of sin have been sufficiently guarded from their prevalencies by this time thou mightest have overcome the world and have been crucified to all the worldly pleasures honors riches and have had thy love delight and happiness placed on God and Heaven long ere this hour of the day of thy life hadst thou not been unfaithfull to thy Lord and Master Christ and unfruitfull under the meanes of grace mightest thou have been one prompt and ready to and zealous of good works and thy life might have been an ornament to the Gospel and the doctrine of our Saviour in all things of piety and charity Titus 2.10 and thou thy self a shining light Phil. 2.16 Mat. 5.16 holding forth the word of life and faith in all manner of good works as becometh Christianity to the glory and praise of Gods free grace towards thee but is it so with thee or not hast thou continued all this while as at first unfruitfull S. 157 Try thy heart and wayes and if thou hast profited and laboured in the things of religion piety charity humility righteousness sobriety bless God for it goe on to perfection and give not out to the last moment being never weary of well-doing abounding alwayes in the work of the Lord Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15.58 2 Cor. 7.1 Heb. 13.1 2. perfecting holiness in the fear of God lay aside every weight and run the rest of your race before you with patience looking to Jesus the author and finisher of your raith believing that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But if hitherto thou hast been unfruitfull then let the consideration of it prick thee to the heart repent repent thee speedily for all thy unfruitfulness and barrenness and redeem thy time for all is lost and thy soul will be lost for ever if thou repent not of this sin even this of unfruitfulness and henceforth learn to doe well and apply thy heart withall to bring fruit unto the Lord even the fruit of his care and Gospel-mercies in Christ unto thy soul Doe not slight this admonition and warning 't is from the Lord for thy good therefore see to it in time CHAP. VI. An Enumeration of more sins and wayes by which man offends God and contracts guilt to his soul of which he must be reformed S. 1 I Have in the foregoing Sections given you a particular of some of the most gross and notorious sins their names nature and condemnation all or any one of them if thou art guilty and meanest to live in will bring damnation to thy body and soul most certainly S. 2 And there are many more sins then those mentioned which lay claim to Hell for their reward which the holy book of God and the spirituall guides of thy soul if thou consult them would sufficiently instruct thee about how thou mayst either avoid and prevent them or repent and forsake them all though lying within thy heart thoughts words or actions for Gods Spirit would conduct thee also S. 3 And further things sometimes tolerably lawfull to be done may through circumstances time and place become unlawfull and a sin to thee if thou dost them and there are some things some persons may doe at some times in some cases which another may not doe without a sin nor the same person at another time or under another relation but it will be a fault It were easie to instance in examples of this kind but they would be a subject fit for determination of cases of Conscience which now I am not about yet this I would advise thee if thou meanest to walk circumspectly and exercise a good conscience always that in things doubtfull and disputable take the surest part that part of the question which is surely no sin for instance is dicing or carding lawfull or to wear black spots as the manner of some is or to put money to usury With some this may be a question but for my part I would thus resolve it that it may be unlawfull and a sin to play at cards or dice or to put on those strange fashions or to practise usury c. but not to play at either or with either at any time at all nor to lend upon usury nor to conform to the fantastical fashions of dressing is doubtless no sin and a wise soul would take the safest course and walk in the surest way and avoid all appearance of sin as well as all sins and he that doth not doe that that is shun as much as possible all appearance of evil transgresseth a Gospel-rule 1 Thess 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil S. 4 There are also other sins which lie somewhat closer that make not so great a noise nor so suddenly wast the conscience yet the amount of them may prove an eternal guilt and men may often flatter themselves into hell with them under pretence that they are but little ones and sins of infirmity onely which as men are apt to think have a certain divine indulgence waiting on them of course S. 5 And indeed many foul and il-favoured sins to which men give full consent and delight are choked with the name and maintained in heart and practice with an opinion that they will be accounted of as lesser irregularities deviations humane frailties and infirmities for men are pleased to think they may live in sins of infirmities safely and laudably and therefore are willing to believe that all their omissions of good duties and commissions of evil works are but as so many infirmities and easily pardoned without either forsaking them or striving against them or repenting of them S. 6 But say the best thou canst of thy infirmities either natural or moral either thy inclination and propension of nature to evil or slipping into a fault through a sudden surprisal and violent temptation or ignorance and inconsiderateness or suppose they be onely the defects in our duty as wandring thoughts sometimes dulness drowsiness and weariness in our service of God or thy backwardness to every good work thy want of proportionable zeal for Gods glory and the Church S. 7 Or grant it to be but
weakness of judgment erroneous opinions though but in lesser truths or thy knowing not nor searching after thy secret sins be it but a sudden eruption of passion into anger and shrewd words or desires after forbidden and unlawfull objects or immoderate desires after things lawfull in themselves yet all these and all other infirmities to speak the most favourably of them are the disease sickness and disorders of the soul and ought to be the matter of our sorrow and humiliation and must be confessed to God in the enumeration of our sins and pardon must be begged in Christs name for his sake for them and except thy soul be humbled for all thy secret sins and all thy infirmities if not in every instance yet in the whole summe and thy labour and watchfulness be for the suppressing of their rise and preventing their reign as much as possible yea even they so little as they seem to thee they will prove mortal at the last and thy plea of Infirmity will not serve thy turn except thy sins of infirmities be pardoned and they will not be pardoned any more then greater sins but upon thy repentance and that which far greater offences could not doe if repented of in time and forsaken in heart and practice that these sins of infirmities will doe if not repented of in time and amended to what degree is possible for thee even these will procure thy damnation at the last S. 8 Now concerning all those sins which the vulgar sort of men who pretend to Christianity account either no sins at all or very lightly of them as small and inconsiderable yet by a long custome and frequent repetition are become habituall and so very sinfull and so very destructive and besides men that think them so small and innocent seldome if ever charge them upon their souls as sins to be grieved at repented of and amended when they examine their lives and actions as to other sins which are noted with a blacker character by reason of which neglect those smaller sins are let alone unmortified and men goe to their graves with impenitency as to those sins which will sink a man as deep into the gulf of misery and drown the soul in destruction and perdition and if they be but foolish lusts yet they are thus hurtfull to the soul 1 Tim. 6.9 To instance in some things of this kind for thy fuller conviction § I. Evil motions of lust the taint and corruption in nature S. 9 There are in every mans nature the seeds of all evil Gen. 6.5 Mat. 15.19 20. Jam. 1.14 15. Col. 3.5 which are the beginnings of all actuall sins mans nature is tainted and corrupted naughty Concupiscences and lusts are born with us which are defiling and corrupting the whole man the heart of man is full of them and in their first motions they are sins even that proneness inclination to evil and aversness and indisposedness to good which is in thee which thou mayst and must take notice of as a matter of sorrow and complaint against thy self as it is thy unhappiness and misery so it is thy sin and thy death and such a disease it is Gal. 3.22 Rom. 5 12. Psam 51 5. Rom. 7.5 that if not healed and pardoned in thee by regeneration will leave thee under wrath and the curse This that I mean is that which is understood by the name of Originall sin that is the corruption of humane nature by the sin of our first parents propagated to the whole kind of Adams race and posterity which is every man and woman as they receive life and birth these motions of sins doe work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death S. 10 Now though this be every mans case scarce any man makes it his own particular grief men make light of it and are so far from watching over and resisting the first motions and lustings after evil things and mortifying these corruptions that they are most apt to plead it by way of excuse for their faults and actuall transgressions which are the issues and effects of this corruption and lust from within S. 11 But if ever thou hopest to be savingly reformed this old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts must be put off that is must not be served nor yeilded unto but resisted and prayed against and indeed for my part had I no other sin that might be laid to my charge yet I find this inbred wickedness this naturall proneness to evil so exceeding sinfull that I should account it a choice mercy to be quite rid of it and 't is for this I have cause to hang the head and mourn and 't is that the moving corruptions may be quite destroyed and mortified in me is the prayer and care of my poor soul for my joy cannot be full untill my enemies that is my sins both root and branch seed and fruit be plucked up and withered and untill Christ alone his grace and vertues be formed in my soul and triumph in my conversation S. 12 O doe not make light of that which put thee under the wrath of God and power of Satan that may not be slighted by thee which is in thee the cause and originall of all sins that set the whole man upon evil the cause of all disorder and confusion every where in thee and every where in the world in a word 't is exceeding sinfull all evils lie folded up in thy original concupiscence S. 13 Take heed therefore and take a special view and measure of this thy sin and because thy flesh will never be weary in it's sinfull motions then be thou never weary nor give over resisting these lusts in thy self weakening this body of sin and hinder the progress of it and if thou canst not get it quite discharged suffer it not what ere it cost thee to reign in thee or prevail over thee listen not to lusts solicitations entertain no treaty with lust believe not its promises fear not its threats when God hath said and commanded one thing let no arguments make thee believe the contrary §. II. Vain thoughts S. 14 Thy thoughts though they lie hid from man and free from the laws and censures of men yet to God are they known who discerns the inward counsels of the heart and are judged by him according to the agreement they have with or dissonancie from or repugnancie to the laws of sobriety righteousness and holiness And what ever is uncomely or undecent to speak or act is as much to think and as much a sin as the word or act would be though not so apparent and if it be an evil to speak or practise evil so is it to think evil and a man that would search and trie himself for discovery may know what he is for grace or sin by his thoughts one may know another by words or actions thy own thoughts to thee are the Signatures of thy own heart whether