The Difference Between the Spots of the Godly and of the Wicked, Sermon 2

The Difference Between the Spots of the Godly and of the Wicked · Sermon 2

p. 27The Second SERMON. July the 20th, 1645.

3. Doct. BUt now comes in the Third Point: It's true, the people of God have all their ſpots; I, but know, There's a great deal of difference between the ſpots of the godly, and the ſpots of the wicked.

And this Scripture I choſe for the handlling of this point, to take away that vain plea that hardens the hearts of moſt men in their ſin; Why it's true, we have ſin, and who hath not? the beſt of all have their ſins. I appeal to you, whether you do not know that this is the great hardning conceit of moſt people in the World? Thou haſt thy ſins, and the beſt have their ſins; but there's a great deal of p. 28difference between the ſins of the one, and the ſins of the other; you will ſee a great deal of difference, however, whatever thou ſayeſt; Pſal. 22. 18. ſa…ih David, I have not wickedly departed from my God: David would not ſay but that he had ſometimes departed from God; I, but I have not wickedly departed from him, ſaith David, I can appeal to God in that: There is ſtill remaining in the Saints, corruptions; in their underſtandings there is ſome dimneſs, though there be light; But I may ſay of that, as in Iſa. 11. The dimneſs ſhall not be ſuch as was in her vexation; It ſhall not be ſuch dimneſs; It's ſpoken there in caſe of affliction and miſery: We may apply it thus, by way of allution, in caſe of the remaining corruptions: There is in the underſtanding a dimneſs, but not like that that was before, and is in natural men: There is not that dimneſs of darkneſs in the weakeſt Man or Woman in the World that is converted, that hath the leaſt natural parts as in the greateſt learned Man or Woman in the World that is unconverted: And though, perhaps, a Child of God may have ſome ſecurity in his heart for a while, yet in 1 Theſ. 5. 6. Let us not ſleep as do others, leſt perhaps we ſhould ſleep and he overtaken: yet ſaith the Apoſtle, God forbid we ſhould ſleep as do others: There's a great deal of difference between the p. 29ſleep of Gods people, and the ſléeep of others; that is, between the ſecurity of their hearts, and the ſecurity of other mens hearts: It was the ſpecial work of the Prieſt in the time of the Law, to diſcern between ſpot and ſpot; to ſhew which was the ſpot of Leproſie, and wich was not.

When there was a ſpot in the bodies of men, they were to come to the Prieſt to diſcern whether their ſpot were the ſpot of Leproſie, or no.

And 'tis a ſpecial work of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, to ſhew the difference of ſpots, between the ſpots of the wicked, and the ſpots of the Children of God. And here indeed doth conſiſt the ſpiritualneſs of their Miniſtry, and a great deal of efficacy of it is in this thing; and without this, our Miniſtry is like to do little good; and therefore, though I had thoughts of ſome other things, yet I thought alwaies, except there were ſomthing laid down about this, I might preach many Arguments, open many points of Religion to you, and the want of the knowledg of this, might hinder the efficacy of all. Jer. 15. 18. If thou ſhalt ſeparate between the precious and the vile (ſaith he to Jeremiah) then ſhalt thou be as my mouth: So that, that's the work that God looks for from his Miniſters; and indeed it's the work of a ſoul ſaving Miniſtry, to ſeparate between p. 30the precious and the vile; and then indeed when they ſpeak, they are as the mouth of God to a people: God makes men in this point, to be as his mouth, for it is a point that doth ſeparate between the precious and the vile: Therefore, as Moſes ſaid of the whole So…g in the 46 v. of this Chap. Set your hearts unto all the words which I teſtifie among you, &c. For it is not a vain thing for you, becauſe it is your life: … I may ſay of this part of the Song, I beſeech you brethren, ſet your hearts to it, and mind it, for certanly it is not a vain thing, it is your life; It's as much as your ſouls are worth, the underſtanding of this point rightly; and thouſands of ſouls do periſh eternally for want of the underſtanding this point rightly—Then let's fall upon it.

There's much difference between the ſins that are in wicked men, and the ſins that are in the Saints. It muſt be granted,

Firſt, that in ſome particular acts, a wicked man may do ſomething better then the godly; and not ſin ſo much in ſome acts; as we have famous examples of this.

As in the example of Abimelech; compare him with David: Abimilech in reſpect of Abraham's wife, and David in reſpect of Ʋriab's; Abimilech did carry himſelf like a Saint, and David rather like a wicked man, in compariſon.

p. 31And, Secondly, If we compare Rehoboam and Amaziah, with Aſa; Rehoboam and Amaziah were both wicked men, but yet they, in ſome acts, did better then Aſa that was a godly man; it is very remarkable, the comparing the ſtories of them: For, Rehoboam he was a wicked man, and yet in 1 Kings 12. 24. when ten tribes of his Kingdom did rebel againſt him, and he got an Army to reduce them again to their obedience, there comes but a poor Prophet of God to him, and ſaith, Thus ſaith the Lord, ye ſhall not go up nor fight againſt your Brethren the Children of Iſrael: Return every man to his houſe, for this thing is from me: The Text ſaith, they hearkned to the word of the Lord, and returne to depart according to the word of the Lord: A very ſtrange thing, that a King, a wicked man, exaſperated to the uttermo…, that had an Army ready, whoſe cauſe could not but be juſtified before all the World; for who would have ſaid what the Prophet did, That this was from the Lord: Yet that one poor man coming to him, and telling of him that it was from the Lord, though he muſt loſe ten parts of his Kingdom, ten of twelve, yet Rehoboam hearkens to God, lets go his Army, lets go the ten parts of his Kingdom, hearing but a Prophet ſay. It was from the Lord! one would think that this were a Saint! what an obedient p. 32man was this to the word of God? and yet this was a wicked man, an unregenerate man.

Again, Amaziah, that was a man whoſe heart was not upright with God, 2 Chron. 25. he had likewiſe hired an Army, and there comes a man of God to him, in v. 7. ſaying, O King, let not the Army of Iſrael go with thee, for the Lord is not with Iſrael, to wit, with all the Children of Ephralm—But ſaith Amaziah, what ſhall we do for the hundred talents, which I have given to the Army of Iſrael? They had their pay afore-hand, why, ſaith the Prophet, the Lord is able to give thee much more then this: and Amaziah was content not only to part with his Army, but to loſe the pay that he had given them beforehand, meerly at the word of God, by one poor Prophet of his: Now one would think, a wicked man that was a Soldier, ſhould have contemned ſuch a meſſage from a poor weak man, and bad him go and meddle with what he had to do with; yet theſe two men did not: But now, you ſhall find Aſa that was a godly, man he did not do ſo well: Theſe two the Scripture brands for wicked men at this time when they did ſo, and ſo for ought appears, continued and periſhed in their wickedneſs: But now, I ſay, Aſa, that the Scripture notes for a godly man, you find him quite owiſe, p. 332 Chron. 16. there a Prophet did but come to Aſa, and rebuke him for relying upon wicked men, for ſo much correſpondency with thoſe who were ungodly, the Text notes in the 10. v. Then Aſa was wroth with the Seer, and put him in a Priſon-Houſe, for he was in a rage with him, becauſe of this thing; and Aſa oppreſſed ſome of the people the ſame time: This was a godly man, and the other wicked—You will ſay, here now the ſpot of Aſa was worſe than the ſpot of Rehoboam, or Amaziah, that were wicked men; ſometimes, therefore, for ſome acts of ſin, wicked men may do better than the Saints—And therefore, by the way, you ſhould learn not to bleſs your ſelves in this, that you in ſome particular acts do good things; you may do good things, in particular acts, better than others that are godly, and yet you may periſh eternally, and they may be ſaved in the day of Jeſus Chriſt.

And it muſt be acknowledged likewiſe, that in regard of the excellency of the ſouls of …e Saints, any ſpot in them, is worſe than …he ſpots of wicked men: As a Fly in a box …f Ointment, is worſe than a thouſand in a …arrel of Beer; why, becauſe the Ointment … more precious than that &, in divers circum…ances likewiſe, the ſpots of the Saints may be …orſe than the ſpots of wicked men: Which p. 34I have had ſome occaſion to ſpeak to, out of another Scripture: But, for all this, in reſpect of ſome particular acts, and in reſpect of the excellency of their ſouls above others, and in reſpect of ſome circumſtances, one may be worſe than another: But take all together, and the ſpots or ſins of wicked men, are farr worſe than the ſins of the godly; and that I ſhall ſhew in theſe Three regards, the difference between the ſins of wicked men, and the godly; and ſhew, that one is far worſe than the other.

Firſt, In reſpect of the nature of their ſin.

Secondly, In reſpect of the behavours of their hearts about them.

And, Thirdly, In reſpect of the preſent dealings of God with them for their ſin—Their ſpots are different in theſe three regards.

For the Firſt, In regard of the nature of their ſpots, and that in divers regards, (except indeed in ſome extraordinary caſes, one of which we ſpoke of before in thoſe example… I ſay) the ſpots of the wicked are far worſe than the ſpots of the godly; yea, the truth is take them at any time, if you conſider all things together, they are worſe.

Firſt, The ſin of a godly man is rather … Scar, then a Wound that is healed, or almoſt p. 35healed: And the ſin of the ungodly is a rotten putrifying ſore in the fleſh. Look what the difference is between the Scar of a wound that is almoſt healed, and a filthy putrified ſore in the fleſh; that difference there is between the ſin of the Saints, and the ſins of other men.

You will ſay, that, that's but a ſimilitude; what do you mean by that of the ſcar, and a rotten ſore?—

Why, the plain meaning of it is this, That the ſin of a godly man, it is but the hinderance of his ſoul in the making of God to be his laſt End; the frame of a godly man's ſoul is alwayes for God as his laſt End; and his ſin comes in but as an impediment and hinderence unto him in this work of his, in making God to be his laſt End—But now the …in of a wicked man, it is the departing from God, and cloſing with ſome other thing as his …aſt End; and chief good. Now here lies a …road difference: When the heart of a man …hat is godly, makes God to be his End, and …e ſcope and aim of it, is at God; now in …me particular acts it is put off and hindered … this work of his. But now a man that is …cked, doth decline from God, and depart …m him, to ſome other good, for his End, …d cloſes with it as his chief good: Now this exceedidg vile and abominable—So p. 36that the ſin of a godly man is the hinderance of thy ſoul that's making after God as thy laſt End: But on, the other ſide, it is the declining of thy ſoul to ſome baſe contentment, as thy cheif good, that thou makeſt to be as thy God.

Secondly, The ſpot of the Children of God, it is not ſuch a contagious, ſuch an infectious ſpot as the ſpot of the wicked is. It is true, there is an infection in all ſin, ſome contagion; but there's a great deal of difference between the contagion and infection of the remainer of ſin that is in the Saints, and that that is in the hearts of unregenerate men.

You will ſay, What difference?

Difference? Firſt, In this: The contagion and infection of ſin in a wicked man, makes his very perſon to be abominable, and is loathſome, through his ſin: The ſins of the Saints, have no ſuch infection in them; they have not ſuch a contagion in them, as to make their perſons to be abominable and hateful before God: God hates the workers of iniquity; but he hates not the Saints, that have iniquity in them; and this is a wide difference, in their contagion and infection.

Yea, Secondly, That ſin that is in a wicked man, it doth defile all his actions, ſo as i… makes his very actions, the beſt of his actions, p. 37to be turned into ſin: While thou art an unregenerate man, thy ſin is of ſuch a contagious nature, that it makes all thy actions ſin, thy beſt actions it turns them even unto ſin: In Pſal. 109. 7. Let his prayer become ſin: All thine actions before God are ſinful, thy beſt actions, while thou art an unregenerate man: There is not onelyonly ſin in them, but that ſin hath ſo defil'd them, as they are even turned into ſin to thee: Out of an unclean thing there cannot proceed that which is clean; out of a corrupt Tree there cannot be good fruit. Now, there is nothing but the fruits of ſin, that comes from an unregenerate heart—But now, the Saints, though they have ſin in them, yea, they have ſome ſin cleaving to every one of their actions; there is no action that a Child of God doth, but hath ſome ſin cleaves to it: But yet there is not that infection in it, as to turn his actions into ſin; no, God looks upon his action as a holy action for all that: The work that he doth, is look't upon as the work of the ſpirit of God in him, though there be evil cleaves to it, as it comes through him: And therefore there is not ſuch an infection in their ſin, as in thine.

And then, Secondly, The infection and contagion of the ſin of wicked men is ſuch, as it defiles all they meddle with, and makes every thing that they meddle with, to be unclean p. 38to them: You know what the Scripture ſaith in 1 Tit. 1. 5. Ʋnto the pure all things are pure; but to the unbelieving and undefiled, is nothing pure, but even their mind and conſcience is defiled: The…e is that uncleanneſs and filthineſs in thee, while thou art unregenerate, as every thing is made unclean: All the Mercies of God are unclean to thee, thou haſt no ſanctified uſe of them; all the Ordinances, the uſe of them to thee are polluted and unclean: As in the Law, the uncleanneſs of the Leproſie was ſuch, as whatever the Leproſie did touch, it was unclean; ſo it is with thee, whatever thou medleſt with, thy meat, thy drink, thy clothes, thy eſtate, and every thing is made to be unclean to thee. We account the diſeaſe of the Plague a very grievous diſeaſe, becauſe they who have it, can meddle with nothing, but it is in danger to be infected; any clothes that they put on, and the meat and drink that they take into them: So it is in the ſins of unregenerate men, all things that they meddle with, are ſpiritually infected to them, and they have no ſanctified uſe of any thing. But it is not ſo with the Saints: They have ſin in them, but you never read that their ſin makes every thing unclean: No, to the pure all things are pure; God looks upon them as pure, and they have a holy uſe of Eſtate, they do enjoy Gods Ordinances, p. 39Gods Works, Gods Mercy: The wicked therefore, are not onelyonly ſpotted, but you find in Scripture, they are called ſpots, in the abſtract; becauſe of the impreſſion of their ſin: 2 Pet. 2. 13. and in Jude 12. They are ſpots in your Feaſts: Not ſpotted, but ſpots; as if they were all turned into pollution

Thirdly, The ſpots of the Saints are not like the ſpots of wicked men; nor their ſin, the ſpots of the Saints in this, they are not ſuch deadly ſpots; the ſpots of wicked men, they are deadly ſpots: Wicked men, therefore, being defil'd with their ſin, they lie in their ſin as a Carrion lies in a Common-ſhore; That's the ſimilitude that the Holy Ghoſt uſes to expreſs the wickedneſs, & wicked men & women in the World by; 1 John 5. 19, The whole World lies in wickedneſs; the meaning of that Text cannot be expreſt better than thus; Look, as you ſee a filthy Carrion, lying dead and rotten in the Common-ſhore, ſo doth the World lie in wickedneſs: Surely their wickedneſs is another manner of wickedneſs, than the wickedneſs of the Saints: There's a great deal of difference between a ſickly countenance of a weak man, and the gaſtly countenance of a dead carkaſe: a great deal of difference between the ſtiffneſs in a mans joynts, or in his fleſh, by reaſon of ſome cold; and the ſtiffneſs in a body that lies by the walls; a great p. 04deal of difference between ſome breakings out of your Children, breakings out of heat, or other humors; and the filthy corruption that is in a dead carkaſe, that breaks out there: The Saints, though they have ſin in them, yet they have a principle of life that works out that ſin that is in them: Now the ungodly, they have ſin, but they have no principle of life to work it out: Hence, in Prov. 25. 26. the Righteous when they fall, they are ſaid to be like a troubled Fountain: Now, you know, a Fountain that's troubled, or if there be dirt and filth put into a Fountain, it's all in a ſoil, and all looks filthy and dirty as any puddle doth; for the preſent you can ſee no difference between that, and any filthy puddle: But do but ſtay a while, and you will ſee, that the Fountain having a living ſpring in it, will work out all that filth. But now, if you caſt dirt into a plaſh of water in the high-way, there it lies, and there it putrifies. Juſt thus is the difference between the ſin of the wicked and ungodly, and the ſin of the godly; The ſin of the godly is as the troubled Fountain; I, but there is a principle of life to work out that ſin, and will work it out in time; but the ſin of the wicked is like the dirt that is caſt into the p…ſh in the high-way, and there it lies and putrifies, and … is filthy: There is no Spring to work out that filth: Hence in 1 Pet. 1. The p. 14hopes of the Saints are ſaid to be living hopes, that is, ſuch hopes as is working out that filth that is in their ſouls: The wicked, therefore, their ſpot is a deadly ſpot; but the Saints, they have a principle of life. Take the Saints of God in their worſt condition, when they are moſt overcome by temptation, and yet there is ſome ſymptoms of life; life will appear in them.

You will ſay, What ſymptoms of life will appear in a godly man or woman, when they are overcome with ſin and corruption? Yes, you ſhall find Four, that will act in them when they are moſt overcom with their corruptions.

The Firſt is this, If they ſin, if poſſibly they can, they labour to recall themſelves: You ſhall find that their judgments are yet for holineſs and ſtrictneſs in the wayes of God: perhaps they are overcome by a particular temptation, and they are troubled and afraid that there is no grace, and that there is no difference between them and wicked men: I, but you ſhall find that even at that time when they are overcome with temptations, yet their judgments remain for God, and for his truth, and for his way, for the ſtrictneſs of holineſs; and they account the Law of God to be good, and holy, and righteous at that very time. We read of Saint Paul in Rom. 7. he …ad as great a conflict with his corruptions, as p. 42you ſhall find almoſt in any; ſo that he was even led Captive, and that he was ſold under ſin: But yet mark, in v. 12. though he had ſuch a conflict with his corruptions, yet the Law was holy, and juſt, and good; I think he gives there ſome three Epatnites to the Law of God, when his corruptions did moſt ſtrive againſt the Law of God; wherefore the Law is holy, and the Commandment is holy, and juſt, and good: So you ſhall find gracious hearts, though they be under temptation, and may be overcome with an act of ſin, Well, though I be baſe and vile, though I have a filthy, and carnal, and baſe heart, yet Gods wayes are good wayes, and his Commandments are good Commandments, they are holy and bleſſed Commandments, onelyonly my heart cannot get up to them; I, but though I cannot, yet I would not have the Commandment come down to me, I would not have i…le…ly and good than it is: This ſymptom of life you ſhall find: I, but if a man comes to fall into ſin, and he begins to think that he was a fool to make ſo much conſcience of ſin, and to live ſo ſtrictly, and holily, and it was but when he was young, and ſilly, and fooliſh▪ why, the man's judgment is altered: O! when did you ever know ſuch a man, that having ſo apoſtatiſ'd, ever return'd again, if once his judgment were gone p. 43againſt the wayes of God; though he may be overcome in an act, or there may be many diſtempers of heart, and paſſions, and the like, out if once he be taken in his judgment againſt the wayes of God, the goodneſs, and ſtrictneſs, and the holineſs of them, it's to be feared, that this Man is quite gone, and that his ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children: In Lev. 13. 44. you have a notable Scripture there; and the reading of that Scripture, did hint to me this notion about the difference of the ſins of the one and the other: Now the Leproſie was butas a tipe of the uncleanneſs of ſin: The whole Chapter, you ſhall find, is ſpent in the diſcerning of Leproſie, what is the ſpot of Leproſie, and what not: Now mark, all a long you ſhall find that the Prieſt looking upon the ſpot, and ſeeing it to be thus and thus, ſaith the Text, he ſhall pronounce him unclean; but now in the 44. v. The Prieſt ſhall pronounce him utterly unclean, his Plague is in his head: If a man had it in other parts, then the Prieſt was onelyonly to pronounce him unclean: But now, when the Prieſt comes and looks upon a man, and ſees the Plague to be in his head, then ſaith the Text, the Prieſt ſhall pronounce him utterly unclean: So here in the Leproſie of ſin, if there be Leproſie of ſin in a mans affections, it's very ill, he may be unclean by it; if it be p. 44got into his will, or got into his thoughts, there is a great deal of evil, but if it be got into the upper part of all, if it be got in the ſences, the body, the actions, it may make him unclean; but if it be got into his judgment, if a man hath ſuch a corrupt judgment, that he gives a judgment againſt Gods wayes, againſt the goodneſs and ſtrictneſs of them, he gives a judgment againſt the holineſs of the word, and ſaith, What need men be ſo preciſe and ſtrict? and, the Law of God is not ſo ſtrict with men. Now I ſay, when it comes to the judgments of men and women, ſuch a Man or Woman is to be pronounced not unclean onelyonly, but utterly unclean, for the Plague is got into his head: But there's … ſymptom of life that is in the Saints, though they be over taken with corruptions, yet their judgments are for God, and the ſtrictneſs of the wayes of God, whereas the others are not.

Secondly, They do not yet forſake their leſt End; that that is their ultimate ſcope and end, their heart is not taken off from that, (though as I ſaid in the opening, they are hindered) I ſhall give you a Scripture for that, as coming in more fully, in Pſal. 18. 21. This Scripture was quoted before, to ſhew that there is a great deal of difference between the ſins of wicked men, & the ſins of the godly; p. 54in that act of David, ſaith David there, I have kept the wayes of the Lord; and have not wickedly departed from my God: But now, David, how do you prove that? thou didſt ſin againſt thy God very groſly, why then doſt thou ſay thou had'ſt not wickedly departed from thy God? why, he proves it in the 22 v. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his ſtatutes from me: That is, as if he ſhould ſay, Why Lord, though I was overtaken with this corruption, yet I made thee to be my end and my ſcope, my heart was yet towards thee; I did not put away thy ſtatutes from me, but I was willing that thy ſtatutes and judgments ſhould ſtand before me; and herein he proves that he had not wickedly departed from God. Can you ſay ſo now? you ſay you have ſin as others; but you hope your ſin is not like the ſin of wicked men; but, can you ſay as in the preſence of God, Lord, thou knoweſt that I have not wickedly departed from thee; For all thy judgments are before me, and I do not …ut away thy ſtatutes from me; O Lord, thou …noweſt there is none of thy ſtatutes that I would put away from me?

Thirdly, And then a Third ſymptom of …fe in the worſt condition, is this, That though … man be fallen into great ſins himſelf, yet …or all this, he will have his heart priſing other p. 46godly men that are not fallen into ſuch great ſins; when did you ever know any one godly man fall to be ſuch an Apoſtate, as to hate the Saints, and yet to turn again to God? for thereby you may know whether he were godly or no; if it were a temptation in one that is godly, though he doth Apoſtatiſe very far, yet he will return back again: But for my part, I never knew it, nor heard of any man, that was a profeſſor of Religion, and fell fo far, as to hate the Saints, to hate other godly men, and to perſecute them, I never knew any example that came again: But now you ſhall have many godly men, that fall foully; I, but yet their hearts are towards the Saints, and they think that they are in a bleſſed condition; Though I have a wicked and vile heart, and I cannot prevail againſt ſuch and ſuch corruptions, yet there are thoſe that are able to prevail againſt their corruptions, there are thoſe that are godly, O! they are in a happy condition; O! happy is ſuch a man, ſuch a woman, they are not overcome with ſuch corruptions as I am overcome with: So that, though they be overcome with ſin, yet they will ſtill have their heart towards the Saints, and priſing thoſe that are not overcome with ſuch corruptions as they are. But now it is not ſo with the wicked.

p. 47Fourthly, The laſt ſymptom of ſpiritual life that is in the Saints, is this: Though they be overcome with much corruptions, yet you ſhall find this ever in them, They do not loſe the ſavour and reliſh of the moſt ſpiritual Miniſtry, and the Word, as others do: Wicked men they are ſo defil'd with their corruptions, that that takes away all their reliſh and taſt of ſpiritual things: They cannot reliſh a ſpiritual Miniſtry more than a filthy one; but, now take one that ever had any true godlineſs in him, though he be very foully fallen, perhaps into ſome groſs ſins, yet he is able to taſte the word in ſome degree, he can taſte a difference between Miniſtry and Miniſtry; yea, between Company and Company, between the ſpirit of one Man, and the ſpirit of another; I ſay, he doth not wholly loſe his ſavour, but ſtill he hath ſome kind of ſavour, to taſte a difference between that that is ſpiritual, and carnal, and eſpecially in the Miniſtry of the word; he finds ſome ſavour in that; for if ever he was converted, it was a ſpiritual work of the word that did convert him, and there is ſome ſeed of it doth remain in his heart, hence is that of the Holy Ghoſt by the Apoſtle Saint Peter, 1 Epiſt. C 1. ver. laſt. The word of the Lord endureth for ever; and …his is the word which by the Goſpel is preached …o you: Now this word of the Lord, he doth p. 48not mean here the very Book and Letter of the word of God; but he means the word of God upon the hearts of the godly; for ſo you ſhall find he ſpeaks of it in the 23. v. Being born again, not of corruptible ſeed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever: For all fleſh is as Graſs, and all the glory, that is, all works of nature and common gifts, they vaniſh, but the word of God endureth forever: that is, the word of God upon the hearts …f the Saints: There is a ſpiritual ſeed, and efficacy of the word of God that firſt did beget the ſoul, that doth abide for ever: There is none falls off ſo, but hath ſome ſeed of the Spiritualneſs of Gods Word that doth abide in their hearts, that doth enable them to ſavour Gods Word—Thus you ſee their ſpot is not deadly: O! that if any of you that have godlineſs, and have fallen foully from God, that you would but conſider of theſe things: Are there ſuch ſeeds of life remaining in you? you are thoſe that do yet belong to him; therefore do not you fall off more and more; if you be one that do belong to God, you will not abuſe this that I am ſpeaking to you, but your ſouls will priſe it, and it will draw your hearts more to God: But now, the ſickneſs of the wicked, that's a death: as in John 11. 4. ſaith Chriſt concerning Lazarus, This ſickneſs is not unto p. 49death: Two men are ſick, one man he dies of it, the other is recovered; ſo you have your ſins, and the godly man hath his ſins, and outwardly the godly mans ſin appears as much as yours doth; I, but yours may be to death, for all that: As now, according to this ſimilitude of a ſpot, ſometimes a man hath ſome kind of grievous ſpot upon his ſleſh cauſed by ſome diſtemper; well, but yet this is not ſo now as in the time of the Plague, when you ſee thoſe blew tokens on you, which they call Gods Tokens, though perhaps you have no other ſpots nor ſores. So many men and women may ſeem to live very ſtrictly, and not break out into ſuch ſcandalous ſins as others do, and their ſpots ſeem not to be ſo full of corruption as other mens are; I, but there …e the blew ſpots of a Plague upon them …at be unto death: And you know, a Father …d Mother would rather a great deal, ſee the …odies of their Children to be all bliſtered, and …potted, and run with filth, then to ſee but one …f thoſe blew ſpots upon them, though their …kin ſhould be never ſo whole.

You will ſay now, What ſign may we give …f the ſickneſs of a ſoul to be unto death, ſee…ng that godly men may by their ſin be ſick as …ell as others? I will give you theſe:

Firſt, As in the diſtemper of the body, if be conſtant, though it be ſmall, it may p. 50prove deadly: As, if a man hath a Cough, yet if it continues conſtant, it may prove deadly: Take heed of conſtant ſins, though they be ſmall ſins; for if thou goeſt on in a conſtant way of ſin, it may prove deadly.

And then, Secondly, If the diſeaſe reach to the heart, it proves deadly. In time of infection, if you can keep it from the heart, you are well enough: Phyſicians, though they give Medicines to keep the infection from the heart, yet they have never a Medicine to cure the heart, if once the diſeaſe get into it: They can keep it out of the heart, but not get it out of the heart: Jer. 4. v. 1. O! thy ſin … evil and bitter, for it reaches unto thy heart, ſaith the Text: O! that's an evil and bitter corruption that reaches to thy heart, that is, ſo comes to thy heart, as it finds thy heart to cloſe with that diſtemper and corruption of thine.

Thirdly, When the ſickneſs is an increaſing ſickneſs. Lev. 13. 8. When the ſpot ſpreads, then the Prieſt muſt ſay, it's a ſpot of Leproſie… So when thou haſt ſome diſtemper and corruption, and it increaſes more and more; As it may be thou wert but a little vain, thou groweſt more vain, &c. Where the diſeaſ… grows more and more upon thee, take heed it's a ſpot of Leproſie, and may prove to b… thy ruine.

p. 51Fourthly, A ſickneſ: is then deadly, when Nature is overcome with it, ſo as the party is not ſenſible of his ſickneſs; a Man when he lies ſick, ſo long as Nature is ſtri…ing with it, there's good hopes; But one that comes to a man in a ſtrong Feaver, and asks him how he doth; why, well, I thank God; he is not ſenſible of it; O! that makes his wife and all about him turn their heads, and fall a weeping; It were better he did feel pain: So when men through the cuſtom of ſin, grow ſenſleſs of ſin, that's a ſign that it is unto death: perhaps when thou didſt firſt commit ſin, O, thy conſience did trouble thee; But thou haſt uſed thy ſelf ſo to it, that thou art not ſenſible of it; O it's a ſickneſs to death, and thou art like to dye by it, when by uſe of a ſin, thou comeſt to be ſenſleſs of it.

Fifthly, When a man in a ſickneſs cannot take any thing that will ſtay with him: So I may ſay of the ſin of wicked men, though thy ſin doth indanger thy ſoul, yet there's hope if ſo be that, that that is given thee might ſtay with thee, that is, the Word, that's as the Phyſick for thy ſoul: When ſome ſeaſonable truth comes, and is applyed to thy ſoul againſt thy …in, if thou canſt receive in that ingrafted word, that's like to ſave thy ſoul; But, if as ſoon as ever thou heareſt a truth that comes …ear to thee, preſently thy heart caſts it up, p. 52and it will not abide with thee at all, it is a dangerous ſign that thy ſickneſs is a ſickneſs unto death.

Laſtly, That's a ſickneſs to death, that, when a man doth take that that might help him, yet if it doth not work, then I ſay, it is dangerous too: So, it may be you do remember the Word, and it doth abide with you a while; but there's no good at all comes of it; it works mighty changes upon others, but nothing at all upon thee: If you come to a phyſicia in that caſe, and ſay, Sir, you did preſcribe ſuch or ſuch a thing, I, but it works not; why, I wonder ſaith he, I have known it hath wrought upon ſuch men and women, that I thought was in as deſperate a condition as one could be, it wrought upon them, I, and did recover them:—So I may ſay to ſome that ſit under the word, their ſouls are ſick, and the word works not upon them; I, but it hath wrought upon others that have been as dangerouſly ſick, why it's an Argument that their ſickneſs was not unto death; God did not intend they ſhould die. But if thou canſt ſit under the word, and it works not upon thee, it's a ſign that thy ſickneſs is unto death.

Fourthly, and Laſtly, The ſuitableneſ that there is in the ſin of one, to the nature of thoſe that have their ſin in them: One p. 53mans ſpot is like the ſpot of a Leproſie, that is, his ſpot is that that is ſuitable to the diſpoſition of his ſoul: But now the ſpot of another, it's that that is a ſpot indeed; I, but it doth not ariſe from his natural diſpoſition, but meerly an accidental diſtemper: The ſpot of one riſes from the very natural temper of the heart; but the ſpot of theother riſes from ſome accidental diſtemper that comes to him: When a Man or Woman, therefore, ſins, and it is ſuitable to his nature, take him when he is moſt himſelf; I beſeech you conſider this note, for it is as diſcerning as any: If ſo be, that thou be'ſt moſt thy ſelf, then thou be'ſt moſt free for thy ſin; know, that thy ſin is that that comes from thy natural diſtemper, and not from any accidental diſtemper: I ſhall ſhew you what I intend, by this: There is Poyſon in a Toad, and there's Poyſon got into a mans body: Now the Poyſon that is in the Toad, is ſutable to the nature of the Toad, and therefore the Toad likes well enough of it: But now let but a drop of Poyſon be in a mans body, O, it preſently makes a great deal of ſtir, and makes him deadly ſick; why, becauſe there's that got in, that is contrary to his nature:—Here's the difference between the ſin of a wicked man, and the ſin of a Child of God: The wicked man's ſin is like Poyſon in a Toad, that's ſuitable p. 54to his nature; But the ſin of a Child of God is like Poyſon in a mans ſtomack that is contrary to his nature; when a wicked man ſins, he ſinneth of himſelf, as it's ſaid of the Devil, he is a lyar, and when he lies, he lyeth of himſelf, it comes from his own nature; ſo is the ſin of a wicked man; ſin is in it's proper Element in him, and that's the reaſon that wicked men are ſo unſenſible of ſin, becauſe it is in its proper Element; But now the ſin of the Child of God is out of his place, and that's the reaſon that makes him feel it ſo much.

Now you will ſay, How may a man make uſe of this Note to know the nature of his ſin? There are five or ſix particulars that I ſhall name about this.

Firſt, When a Man or Woman is alone in ſecret, that no eye takes notice of them, then to examine themſelves; how doth thy heart ſtand then, when thou art in ſecret, alone? thou canſt not diſcern what the temper of thy heart is when thou art in company; thou arr moſt thy ſelf when thou art in ſecret, alone; and, O what hearts of wickedneſs are there when thou art alone! whereas a godly Man, though he may be overcome with ſin in Company, yet when he is alone, his heart is more for God, and ſet againſt his ſin.

p. 55Secondly, That may be ſaid to be a mans ſelf, that is the Firſt ſpring of his ſoul: As now, the thoughts and affections in the firſt riſe of them, how are they, how is the guiſe, as I may ſo ſay, or the temper and diſpoſition of thy thoughts and thine affections in the firſt riſe of them? As now you may know what is the proper nature of the Fountain, by that that is next to the Spring: Perhaps if the Fountain runs a Mile or two off, then there may come that that may alter the ſtream, that it may not be of the nature of the Fountain: So thou mayeſt know what thy nature is, by examining what the firſt working of thy thoughts and thine affections are, when thou art alone.

And Thirdly, Thou mayeſt know thy ſelf in this, how thou ſtandeſt when thou art got abroad from thoſe that know thee not: You ſhall have many men, that when they are at home, and among their neighbours, they live very fairly and civilly; But let them go a journey abroad among ſome ſtrangers, there they will be roaring, and filthy and unclean, there they all diſcover themſelves: Therefore examine your ſelves in that.

Fourthly, You may know when you are your ſelf, by examining your heart, how it works moſt naturally when you are from under government: Young people, many of them, p. 56they live fairly and civilly all the while they are under Government, but let them be once themſelves, that they are free-men, from under any Government, then will be the moſt natural workings of their hearts: O! then preſently you find that they fly out into wicked Company, why, that was the natural temper of their hearts before.

Fifthly, You may kn…w when you are yourſelf, by what you are in time of proſperity and peace; in time of affliction, then you are, as it were, in Gods Fetters and Irons, and then you will ſpeak very well, and promiſe very fair; but when you are at moſt peace in your own ſpirits, when you have the World at …ill, how do your hearts work then? the natural temper and pulſe of your hearts is then when you are in the moſt peace, and the moſt proſperity; when you have all things about you according as you do deſire, then is the moſt natural working of your hearts: It may be you think your hearts is good; why, becauſe you have many good moods in times of ſickneſs; O no, your heart may be very bad for all that: But look how your heart doth work when you are moſt in peace, and free from danger, that's the moſt natural working of a man's heart.

And then Sixthly, That's the moſt natural working of a man's heart, when he is himſelf, p. 57which he doth with moſt deliberation; a man may do otherwiſe then the natural temper of his heart would carry him on to, on a ſudden; But it cannot be ſaid, a mans ſelf, as Paul ſaid, It's not I that do it, but ſin that dwelleth in me: But now when a man upon deliberation and examination, will do a thing, then he doth it when he is moſt himſelf: So that by this you know the difference between the ſins of one, and the ſins of another:—The ſins of wicked men are ſuch as comes from their natural temper, that their hearts do cloſe withall when they are moſt themſelves: But, the ſins of the Saints are ſuch, that let them come but to be themſelves, and then their hearts will not cloſe with them ſo much: When temptations riſe, it may draw awaytheir hearts: I, but when they are themſelves, and are abroad, they keep godly and gracious; and likewiſe, when they are from under Government, they are rather better; one that was a ſervant, and gracious then, when he comes to be for himſelf, he is better then, then he was before, for when he was a ſervant, he was much hindered; But when they come to be for themſelves, then they appear to be more gracious: And though upon a ſuddein, they are overcome, yet let them come to deliberate, and then they are moſt for God; ſo that their ſin comes not from their natural diſpoſitions—Wicked p. 58men when they are moſt themſelves, they ſin moſt; but the Saints, when they are moſt themſelves, they ſerve God moſt: And here's the difference between the ſpot of the wicked, and the ſpot of Gods Children:—