The Difference Between the Spots of the Godly and of the Wicked, Sermon 3
The Third SERMON. Auguſt the 10th, 1645.
VVE are now to come to ſhew the differences between the ſpots of wicked men, and godly men, in the different behaviour of their ſouls about their ſin: You ſhall find that the carriage and behaviour of a godly man about ſin, is a great deal different from that that there is in a wicked man; which will appear in many things: As in the firſt place,
Firſt, A godly man, at leaſt in his courſe and way, he doth not make proviſion for the fleſh, he doth not make proviſion for ſin, he …oth not lay in before hand for his ſin, as the wicked doth: The making proviſion for the fleſh, it is made in Scripture to be oppoſite to the putting on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in Rom. 13. 14. But put ye on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, make no proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfil the l…ſts thereof: You cannot put on the Lord Jeſuſ … yet make proviſion for the fleſh, both together. Now a wicked carnal heart, he think … apply Chriſt, and make proviſion for the fleſh, both at once: It's hard to ſay what poſſibly may befall a godly man in a temptation; but certainly, when a godly man … … acquainted with the wayes of Chriſt, and knows Chriſt, ſhall come to put on Jeſus Chriſt, and apply Chriſt by Faith, he cannot but ſee, that the making proviſion for the fleſh, and the putting on Chriſt at the ſame time, muſt needs be incompetible together: The way of the ungodly it is to be plotting and contriving for ſin; O… doth thy conſcience tell thee that this is thy way, to be in thy thoughts when thou art alone, contriving, plotting, adviſing, meditating, conſidering how to accompliſh the ſatisfying of the luſts of thy fleſh? thou art the man that knoweſt not what it is to put on Chriſt, and thy … is not the ſpot of Gods Children: The Apoſtle ſpeaking of the ſins of the Saints, in Gal. 6. ſaith he, If any man be overtaken with a …ault, ye that are ſpiritual, reſtore ſuch a man: As if there were no faults that the Saints were guilty of, but ſuch as they are overtaken with: But now, wicked men, they do overtake their ſins, rather than their ſins over take them: When a man ſhall be contriving and plotting, he will have ſuch ſatisfaction to a ſinful luſt, I ſay he ſeeks to overtake his ſin, rather than his ſin overtakes him: That's the firſt thing.
Secondly, Suppoſe the ſin hath in ſome meaſure overtaken a Saint: Yet in the ſecond place, it is not eaſily entertain'd: Suppoſe ſin did come and preſent it ſelf, and follow a Child of God, I ſay, ſin is not eaſily entertain'd, it is not admitted upon eaſie terms; a wicked man will admit of his ſin upon very eaſie terms, ſome ſin at leaſt. If your ſervants ſhall leave the door by the latch, you will ſuſpect them to be in covenant with the Thief, that they are one plotting with the other; So when any man ſhall admit of a ſin upon eaſie terms, that ſin ſhall get in eaſily into the ſoul, it's a ſign there is a …eague between the ſoul and ſin. A gracious heart is watchful againſt ſin, and is careful to keep it out, to lock and bolt it out: It will …t leave the door at latch, ſo as to admit of ſin upon eaſie terms.
Thirdly, Yet, ſuppoſe ſin hath got in, a gracious heart is eaſily convinc't of his ſin, a little matter will convince him, after his ſin hath overcome him; he will not ſtand pleading for his ſin, he will not ſtand in defence of his ſin, ſo as a wicked man doth: we find David, though a King, and a man of a notable Spirit, yet in 2 Sam. … when Nathan came to him to tell him of his ſin, preſently ſaith David to Nathan, in the 13. v. I have ſinned againſt the Lord: Nathan told him that he was the man, he did not ſtand out, Why, prove it if you can; who is able to ſay that I did this and this wickedneſs? No, I have ſinned againſt the Lord: He falls down before the word of the Prophet, and acknowledges his ſin, he is eaſily convinc't of his ſin, if he be godly: Whereas a wicked man will ſtand pleading for his ſin, pleading againſt it, that he hath not committed it, except that you find him out by ſome apparent hand; he will be pleading for his ſin, either that he is not guilty, or if he be guilty, that it is not ſo great, it is but his nature▪ O! a godly man pleads not after this manner▪ Nature! he looks upon his ſin as ſo much the more vile becauſe it proceeds from ſuch a wicked and curſed nature of his, and therefore David, in Pſal. 51. when he was acknowledging the act of ſin that he had been guilty of, when …e comes to conſider of hi… nature, O! I was conceived in ſin (ſaith he) and brought forth in iniquity: He makes tha… to be a great aggravation of his ſin, becauſe i… did flow from ſuch a wicked nature: It is an Argument of groſs ignorance, of a man or woman that knows not the things of God, and is not acquainted with Scripture, to plead for a ſin, That it is their nature; It is the worſe becauſe of that: If a Thief ſhould come to the barr, and plead before the Judg, Indeed I have committed this theft, but it is my nature; would this be a plea before a Judg? and certainly this plea will not go before the great Judg of all the World, to ſay, it is thy nature; No, the Saints know their ſin is aggravated by that—Secondly, Neither will a Child of God ordinarily plead that it is a temptation; O! I, it is a temptation that hath prevaild againſt me, I was tempted to it, and ſuch and ſuch were the cauſe of it; I, but a gracious heart will rather charge the wickedneſs that is within it, then charge a temptation; for the truth is, temptation could never prevail againſt us, were it not for the wickedneſs of our hearts; temptations came to Chriſt, but the Devil finding nothing in him, as the Scripture ſpeaks, therefore could they not prevail over him: And …vere it not for the baſeneſs of thy heart, temptations would not prevail; therefore for thee to put it off, It is thy temptation, O this is a carnal plea: I, but a gracious heart will charge himſelf before the Lord, O! it is
Thirdly, Much leſs will a gracious heart put of his ſin to God himſelf, and ſay, When God gives me more grace, I ſhall do better; but I cannot do any thing of my ſelf; and therefore becauſe God gives me no grace, that's the reaſon I fell into ſuch ſins: This is the boldneſs of the hearts of men and women, to think to put off all their ſins upon God himſelf, as if there were no other reaſon why they commit ſin, but becauſe God is the cauſe of it: As for their part, they would do better, but onelyonly God denies them his grace, and ſo they think to put off all from themſelves, even to God. But know, the Lord will find thee out one day, and he will charge thy ſin upon thy ſelf, and thy deſtruction and thy wickedneſs it is from thy ſelf; a gracious heart will not plead for ſin after ſuch away as this is: It's very dangerous when you hear of any that make profeſſion of Religion, to plead for their looſneſs after ſuch a manner as this is. We have cauſe to fear that their ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children.
Fourthly, When ſin hath preveil'd in ſome meaſure againſt a Child of God, yet he is quickly ſtopt in ſin; he is eaſily convinc't of it, pleads not for it, and is ready to be ſtopt; a little thing will ſtop the courſe of his ſin. O… any truths of God that come to him, his heart having a principle within it, ſuitable to the truths of God, his heart cloſes with thoſe truths, and ſo comes to be ſtopt in his courſe: A wicked man ſins, and having no principle of grace ſutable to any truth of God, when any thing oppoſes his ſin: his heart oppoſes that that would oppoſe ſin, But a Child of God, though he be overcome with a ſin, yet when the truth of God comes, it meets with ſomething within the heart that is ſutable to the truth, and it preſently cloſes together: You have a notable example for that in the Prophet David, 1 Sam. 25. 32. For the underſtanding of it, you may caſt your eye upon ſome verſes before; you ſhall find that David was in a way of ſin; That his choller had got up and prevail'd againſt him, and he was …out a very wicked act, to avenge himſelf, …d be guilty of blood: But Abigal meets …ith David in his way, when he was in the …ay of ſin, and ſhews him in a very fair maner, the evil of his courſe, if he ſhould ac…mpliſh what he did intend; And mark, …avid, though his blood was up, yet when …bigal came and ſpake but reaſon to him, to …ew to him what the evil of his ſin was like to …, Davids ſpirit falls, and David ſaid to …igal, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael …ich ſent thee this day to meet me: And …ſſed be thy advice, and bleſſed be thou, …ch haſt kept me this day from coming to ſhed blood—When David was in a mighty heat, in a way of ſin: O! if a man ſhould come to ſome of you when your paſſion is up, and you are reſolved to do ſuch and ſuch a thing, if a man ſhould come and plead the caſe fairly with you, that ſuch a thing is evil, it's a ſin againſt God; You will preſently anſwer, I will, and I will, I care not, and let come of it what will come, I will do it; thus when the luſt is up, there is no gainſaying of it, and no truth can ſtand againſt it; But now if the heart were gracious, though corruptions may be ſtirring for a while, yet let any truth of God come and be ſuggeſted to ſuch a ſoul, it meets with ſomething within that is ſutable to it, and preſently the hear… will be ready to fall down, Oh bleſſed b… God, and bleſſed be your Counſel, and bleſſed be God that hath hindred me fro… ſuch a way of ſin! O my retched nature w… ſtirring and working, and I was reſolved t… have done ſuch and ſuch a thing; if the Lo… had not in mercy ſent you to have ſtopt me i… ſuch a way, O what might I have done! he… now is the ſpirit of David. O conſider … this you that will plead ſometimes for Davi… ſin; and did not David commit ſuch a ſin, y… will ſay? I, but then take notice how qui… ly David was convinc't, and how ſoon was ſtopt in his ſin.
Fifthly, There's no godly man what ever, though he hath many ſins in him, yet there is no ſin that reigns over him: This is a certain truth, that there is no man or woman in the World that hath the leaſt degree of grace, that is under the power of any reigning ſin: Sin may dwell, but not reign in them, and the Scripture is ſo expreſs in this, that there can be no gainſaying of it: Rom. 6. 14. For ſin ſhall not have dominion over you; why? for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace; That ſoul that is under the dominion of any ſin, is under the Law, that is, it is under the curſe of the Law, it's in the ſtate of nature, it hath no intereſt in Chriſt: But now if the ſoul come once to be under grace, either ſin muſt not have domminion over you, or God muſt not be faithful, one of them; for this is the promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt, If you be under grace, ſin ſhall have no more dominion over you: He doth not ſay, that if you be under grace, then you ſhall commit no more ſin; but ſin ſhall have no dominion over you; therefore that man or woman over whom any one ſin hath dominion, certainly is not under grace; This is the word of God, and O that God would carry it unto the conſciences of whom it doth concern this day, that whoſoever is under the dominion and reign of any ſin, that ſoul for the preſent is not under grace, he hath no intereſt in the grace of Jeſus Chriſt.
Now you will ſay, for the reign and dominion of ſin, What's that?
What the reign and dominion of ſin is:Firſt, It's apparent in a great many, that they are under the reign of ſin, that is, ſuch men can go on conſtantly in a way of known-ſins, meerly for contentment unto the fleſh; why theſe are under the power and reign of ſin: Yea, ſometimes a ſin that is a ſecret ſin, may be a reigning ſin: A man may be the ſubject of a King that he never ſaw in all his life: Perhaps he knows not where the King is, and yet he may be his Subject, and he may reign over him: So a ſecret ſin may be a reigning ſin: That's a reigning ſin that a man gives himſelf up to, though it be in never ſo ſecret a way: There's a difference between a Tyrant that co meth violently to force men to ſubmit to him, or one that comes with a ſudden ſurpriſe, or with any cunning wayes to perſwade men to come in to ſubmit to him, and a Prince that is upon his Throne reigning, and having his Subjects acknowledging themſelves to be as Subjects to him: Now the ſins of the wicked they are reigning, tha… is, their ſins command them, and they yeel… up their very wills unto their ſins; the wi… and the affections, it is in the ſin; There is nothing more in the will of a natural man, then his ſin: And therefore the Scripture makes theſe to be all one, the will of man, and the will of the fleſh: Now when the will yeelds up to the wayes of ſin, then ſin may be ſaid to be in the Throne: But now in a godly man there is a univerſal, ſpiritual, and irreconcilable oppoſition unto ſin; though there be ſin abiding in him, yet I ſay, there is a univerſal, ſpiritual, irreconcilable oppoſition unto his ſin; ſin doth not reign in a ſoul: ſo long as there is an oppoſition in a kingdom to any man, certainly he cannot be ſaid to reign: I ſay, if there be a univerſal oppoſition. Now in the ſoul of a Child of God there is an oppoſition to ſin, a univerſal one, a ſpiritual one, and I may put a fourth, a powerful, univerſal, ſpiritual, irreconcilable oppoſition: I'le open theſe.
Firſt, A powerful oppoſition: That is, he doth not onelyonly wiſh that he could not ſin, and wiſh that he might be otherwiſe, but he makes it to be the great work of his life above all things in the World, to ſet himſelf againſt his ſin; ſo as if God would ſpeak from Heaven and ſay unto him, Poor creature! what wouldeſt thou that I ſhould do for thee? this ſoul would anſwer to God, Lord, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt this is the unfeigned deſire of my ſoul above all things, O giveme but power againſt my ſin, and eſpecially againſt thoſe ſpecial ſins that my nature is moſt inclinable to. O! this is that that my heart is moſt againſt. Many people extreamly deceive themſelves in this, in thinking that they oppoſe their ſins, becauſe they have ſome wiſhes, and deſires, they would be glad that things were better with them then they are: I, but doſt thou look upon it as a matter of life and death, and thereupon thy ſoul doth more ſtrongly work in its oppoſition againſt thy ſin, then againſt any thing in the World beſides? many men and women have ſtrong ſpirits in following their ſins, but their ſpirits are not ſtrong in the oppoſing of their ſins: But he that is gracious, makes it to be his greateſt and chiefeſt work.
And then the Second thing, It is a univerſal oppoſition; and that in theſe Two regards.
Firſt, All the faculties in the ſoul do riſe up againſt ſin: There is ſome kind of oppoſition in a wicked man againſt ſin, that is, his conſcience ſometimes doth oppoſe the luſts that there is in his affections: It may be, a wicked man hath a convinc't conſcience; and his conſcience will not let him to be at quiet; but in his affections there is a liking of ſin, onelyonly his conſcience will not let him be at quiet:—You will ſay, how ſhall a man diſcern this? You may diſcern it thus; If the oppoſition be meerly in your conſcience and not in your heart and affections, then, though indeed you dare not for the preſent commit ſuch a ſin, yet you could wiſh with all your heart that you might have liberty to do it; you could wiſh that there were not ſuch a Law to forbid it; you could be glad that that Law were more looſe: And you would fain have ſuch a thing not to be a ſin; and if you could commit it quietly without any danger, you would do it: Now the oppoſition is not in your will, it is onelyonly in your conſcience: This is an oppoſition to ſin that a carnal heart may have; that is, he may have his conſcience ſo flye in his face, as that he ſhall not dare for the preſent to commit his ſin, no not in ſecret; a man may come ſo far: You will ſay, Indeed, many hypocrites may go thus far, as not to commit ſin before others, but yet if it be in ſecret, then they will do it; No, a natural conſcience may be able to carry a man to this height, that is, not onelyonly to abſtain from ſin becauſe of others, but from the acts of ſin in ſecret, that he dares not for his life (though there be none but God and himſelf together) give way to his ſin, and yet no ſaving-grace all this while:—You will ſay, how can that be? becauſe though his conſcience will not let him be quiet, yet he would be glad to have his ſin if he might; here's no change of nature that's the evidence, that there is no grace; for if a man abſtain from ſin out of a principle of grace, it is from the change of his nature; and certainly here's no change of nature in this: ſo that it is not a univerſal oppoſition, it's but onelyonly in one part of his ſoul: But now the oppoſition of a gracious heart it is in the whole ſoul; not onelyonly my conſcience is againſt my ſin, but my will, and my aſfections; I have a principle in my will and affections, as well as in my conſcience; all the faculties of the ſoul do oppoſe the ſin.
And then Secondly, It's univerſal, that is, there's the oppoſition of all ſin: not onelyonly of ſome particular ſin, but of every ſin; what ever the ſin be, yet the heart doth oppoſe it: So as it can appeal to God, Lord, thou that knoweſt all things, knoweſt there is not one way of wickedneſs in me, there's not one ſin that my ſoul gives way to, but there is in my heart an oppoſition againſt every ſin.
And then I ſay, It's a ſpiritual oppoſition; by that I mean this, that it's an oppoſition, not from arguments onelyonly without that, becauſe of the danger, or ſhame, or prejudice that will come by it; but the oppoſition is from a contrary ſtream of grace that there is in the heart: There's ſuch a temptation to ſin; but a carnal heart may think if I commit it, then there may come this ill, and the other evil of it, and ſo I will not commit it: But a gracious heart doth not oppoſe onelyonly from ſuch arguments, but from a contrary ſtream of grace that there is in the ſoul; now when the oppoſition to ſin comes from a contrary ſtream of grace, then the oppoſition is not onelyonly to keep ſin from acting, but indeed it doth decreaſs the habits of ſin: And this ſhould be the care of a godly man or woman, not meerly to keep in, that is, to reſtrain ſin, but let me oppoſe the habits of ſin: Let me find the habits of my ſin to be weakned and mortified in me: Let me follow my corruption to the very root of it, and there labour to get the very root of my corruption to be deaded: O here's the work of a Child of God!
As now in the oppoſition of a ſtream of water, water that runs in ſuch a ſtream, there may be two wayes to oppoſe it: Either you may make a damm, and ſo damm it up:—Or otherwiſe, if there could be gotten a contrary ſtream, and ſo by that to overpower it; this would be another manner of oppoſition then meerly the damming of it up: If you damm up a ſtream, it riſes up higher and higher, and ſeeks to get vent one way or other; but if there were a contrary ſtream that would carry it ſmoothly away:—So 'tis when the ſins of wicked men are oppoſed, not onelyonly when they are oppoſed by their friends, that theſe will not let them commit ſuch a ſin; but when their very conſciences oppoſe their ſin, their ſin ſwells up the more, and they ſeek all evaſions how they can get to have liberty to the commiſſion of their ſin; and if once they have but broken over the damm, they run with more violence; as many young people, when they are under government, their ſin is but damm'd up, and their ſins are ſwelling, and their hearts would fain have vent for their ſin, but they dare not: But then afterwards when they come to be for themſelves, their ſin breaks out ſo much the more: But a gracious heart hath a new nature which God hath put into the ſoul, which is contrary to the nature of ſin: That's the ſpiritual way of oppoſition of ſin.
And then it's an irrecocinlable oppoſition; that is, ſuch a ſoul that hath any truth of grace, will never be reconcil'd with any one ſin: It reſolves with it ſelf, what ever becomes of me, yea though I ſhould periſh eternally, yet I am reſolved to fight againſt my ſin eternally: Yea, at ſuch a time as a ſoul is afraid that God will caſt it away for ever, yet at that time ſuch a ſoul would be loath to ſin againſt God—You ſhall have ſome men that have horrors of conſcience, and they are afraid that God will …aſt them off; why then upon that, then I …ad as good leave of all, ſay they; and if I muſt be damn'd, I had as good be damn'd for ſomewhat; O this is a ſign that grace hath not got …nto thy heart: But there's another now, that …ath ſome principles of grace got into his ſoul, …nd it may be ſuch a one may have terrors of …onſcience too, and may be afraid that at … it ſhall be caſt away: But yet it concludes …hus; Well, whatſoever becomes of me, let God do with me what he will, yet I will do …hat I can to honour him: The name of God … bleſſed for ever, what ever becomes of me: …nd therefore that evil of mine that is in my …eart, I am reſolved to ſet my ſelf againſt to …e uttermoſt for ever—Now this is a …gn that there is grace, though much cor…uption doth very much prevail,
You may ſee now as I go along, thus much, …hat there may be ſpots in one, and ſpots in the …ther; But here's a great deal of difference be…een the ſins of the one, and the ſins of the …her.
Further, Conſider the grounds upon which …icked men do ordinarily ſin: Godly men … rarely be found to commit ſin upon ſuch …ounds as wicked men do!—There are …any grounds upon which wicked men go, … the commiſſion of ſin:—I ſhall but …ame them, and yet in the naming of them, I do verily perſwade my ſelf I may ſpeak to many of your hearts.
As thus: Commit a ſin, why it's but one, and I will not live in many ſins: It's but one ſin that I would live in; and in that I hope God may favour me: What, not in one!—Why, Godly men will not do ſo; where was there ever a godly man on the face of the Earth that would allow himſelf in a ſin becauſe it was but one?—
Secondly, Saith a carnal heart, It's but one, and it's a little one: I will not commit ſuch groſs ſins as others do, I will not ſwear, and openly profane the Sabbath, and be drunk, and a Whore-maſter: But ſins in thought, and of a leſſer nature, I hope they may be born withall? And what need a man be ſo ſtrict and preciſe? I, but know, that a gracious heart would never reaſon after ſuch a manner; O no, ſuch a one knows, that the leaſt ſin is a greater evil then the greateſt affliction; that there is more evil in the leaſt ſin, then there is in all the torments of Hell beſides: And a godly man that underſtands the wayes of God, doth know, that the leaſt ſin muſt have the blood of Jeſus Chriſt to purge it out, that is more worth then ten Thouſand worlds; and therefore he will no… allow himſelf in the leaſt, becauſe it is a little one.
The Third ground is this:
Why, the beſt of all have their ſins as well as we: Thoſe that we read of in Scripture, have they not fallen into foul ſins: But I beſeech you mark, though godly men have their infirmities, yet ſhew me any example that ever there was ſince the beginning of the World, any one godly man that did plead for his ſin upon this account, becauſe another godly man had committed it: O! he doth not commit ſin upon ſuch a ground as this is: He will not venture upon the practice of ſin, becauſe he ſees others are guilty of it as well as himſelf; Oh no, If God hath diſhonour by another, let me take heed how I add to this diſhonour, ſaith a gracious heart.
Fourthly, Another ground is, becauſe their ſin is not ſo bad as the ſins of others; mine is not the worſt: Come and rebuke them for a ſin, why, God grant you never do any worſe—Indeed in matters of affliction we may reaſon from a leſs to a greater, and take up a leſs to prevent a greater; but in matters of ſin we ſhould never make ſuch compariſons; there is a kind of infiniteneſs in ſin, and the leaſt ſin is enough to be my eternal ruine: What's that to me becauſe others do worſe? I beſeech you conſider of it, as we name theſe things, for I do not ſtand to enlarge every one: For the truth is, there's never a one of theſe but might be inlarged into a Sermon, and might be a great uſe to take away theſe grounds of ſin upon which ungodly men do commit their ſin.
Fifthly, Another is this: A wicked heart will venture upon ſin, why, becauſe he heart that God is merciful, and God's not ſo ſtrict as many make him: This is a ſign thy ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children: Where do we ever find that a gracious heart would ever reaſon thus, there is mercy with the Lord and therefore let me ſin? O no, the reaſonings of a gracious heart are, There is mercies with thee, O Lord, that then mayeſt be feared, and therefore thou ſhalt be feared: Not, there are mercies with thee and therefore thou ſhalt be diſhonoured; If there be ſuch kind of reaſonings in thy heart, that thou ventureſt upon ſin upon this ground, becauſe God is merciful, know, that the Lord ſpeaks to thy ſoul this day, that thy ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children.
Sixthly, And farther, Not onelyonly becauſe God is merciful, but God hath been already merciful; Indeed I hear that there is a great deal of danger in ſin, but I have liv'd all this while, and nothing hath come of it; O! for men to ſin upon reaſoning of Gods patience! becauſe the Lord hath been patient and ſuffered them all this while: O this is wicked boldneſs in thy heart, thou knoweſt not with whom it is thou haſt to deal: Thou haſt eſcaped all this while, O but a ſinner a hundred years old ſhall be accurſed: Thy ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Child, that dar'ſt venture upon thy ſin becauſe thou haſt eſcap'd ſo long a time as thou haſt done.
Seventhly, And then yet farther; There's another ground that is worſe then all theſe, that ſome will venture upon ſin, why, becauſe Jeſus Chriſt hath died for ſinners, becauſe there is a purchaſe for the pardon of ſin: Oh this is a moſt deſperate turning the grace of God into wantoneſs, to dare to venture upon the commiſſion of thy ſin becauſe Chriſt came to purchaſe the pardon of ſin! why, did not Jeſus Chriſt come into the World to diſſolve the works of the Devil, and doſt thou make Jeſus Chriſt to be a means to ſtrengthen the works of the Devil: Bold and preſumptuous heart! the Lord rebuke thee, that doſt account the blood of Jeſus Chriſt not onelyonly as a common thing, but as a polluted thing, as an unclean thing; ſurely thy ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children.
Eighthly, Another ground is this: A temptation comes to ſin, and they will venture upon it: Why? they hope they ſhall repent afterwards; and though I do ſin, it is but repenting afterwards; and if I do repent afterwards, then my ſin ſhall be for given me, and not laid to my charge: But have you any thing in Scripture, That any Child of God committed ſin upon ſuch a ground as this is? and if thou doſt ſo, thy ſpot likewiſe is not the ſpot of Gods Children: O fooliſh and baſe heart, thou wilt do that now, that thou doſt know thou mayeſt wiſh thou had'ſt never done: This is in finite folly; and ſurely God doth not leave his Children to ſuch wickedneſs as this is, to venture upon ſin upon ſuch grounds as theſe are.
Ninethly, Another ground may be this: They will venture upon it; why? becauſe it may poſſibly ſtand with grace: You ſhall hear ſometimes, many that make ſome kind of profeſſion, to be reaſoning after this manner: They will not indeed commit ſuch things as they think cannot poſſibly ſtand with grace; but if they think it may poſſibly ſtand with grace, they will make that to be the ground of their venturing upon it: O wretched and vile heart, that ſhalt thus reaſon to commit ſin becauſe it may poſſibly ſtand with grace! Suppoſe it ſhould be ſo, that many a man that commits ſuch a ſin ſhould go to Heaven; but is it poſſible that a man commiting ſin upon ſuch a ground, may go to Heaven: There's a great deal of difference between a thing done, and a thing done upon ſuch a ground.
Tenthly, Laſtly, (though many others might be named) for a man to venture upon a ſin, why, becauſe he hath done much good: This likewiſe is not the ſpot of Gods Child, for one to ſin upon ſuch a ground: I have done ſome good, and therefore I may venture upon ſome ſin: This is the wickedneſs of a mans heart, that if he hath (as they uſe to ſay) kept his Church, he thinks he may have liberty in the week-day the more; if he be devout upon the Lords day, he may take liberty ſo much the more upon the week-day: O this is an Argument of a baſe and carnal heart, that knows not the wayes of God: To take liberty upon ſin at one time, becauſe they have been devout, and done good at another time: That's the next head, the different grounds.
I ſhall name but one thing more:
That a godly man in the commiſſion of ſin, he makes his falling into one ſin, to be a means to help him againſt that ſin, and againſt many others: If the Lord ſhall let him fall into ſome one ſin, I ſay, he will make that to be a means to cleanſe many others; but eſpecially, to take heed againſt that ſin: The beſpotting of himſelf in ſome one ſpot, will be a means for the cleanſing of many ſpots: Though he dare not commit ſin upon that ground, yet it falls out ſo in the effect: As ſometimes, if there be a few ſmall ſpots in a Childs Coat, you regard not them; but if there be ſome great ſpot, it cauſes you to waſh the whole Coat: So it is with one that hath any grace, if the Lord (notwithſtanding his watchfulneſs and care) ſhall let him fall into ſome great ſpot, he makes this uſe, To be cleanſing and waſhing of his ſoul, not onelyonly from that ſpot, but from all other ſpots he knows in himſelf; but eſpecially, to ſet himſelf againſt that particular ſin, he will take heed of ever falling into that again:
☞ And therefore give me an example in all the book of God, where any one man that was godly, committed the ſame ſin twice: I ſay, after an act of repentance: It's true Peter denyed his Maſter thrice, I, but that was as a continued thing, it was not after Peters heart was ſmitten and humbled, after his conviction and repentance—And for my part, I know no example from Geneſis to the Revelation, of any one Child of God that fe… twice into an outward Act; I do not ſay, the ſins of thought, they may be repented of, an fallen into again, though the heart do labour and ſtrive againſt them; but for an outward a… of ſin that any Child of God did ever fall into after God had ſhown him the evil, and h… had tepented of it:—And therefore the condition muſt needs be ſad, when it is ſuch as there can be no example in all the Scriptur to parallel it: For I appeal to thee, thou the makeſt any Profeſſion of Religion, and thou falleſt into ſome act of ſin; Either thy Conſcience doth accuſe thee, and thou doſt repent, or it doth not accuſe thee, and thou doſt not repent: If thy Conſcience doth not accuſe thee, and thou doſt not repent, that's a ſign thy heart is not troubled:—Well, if thy heart be troubled, and thou haſt repented, give me an example of any one Child of God, that fell into ſuch an act of ſin again—Yea, I ſhall ſhew you in divers examples in Scripture, that evermore thoſe Children of God that have been overtaken with their ſin, they have been more eminent in that grace that is moſt contrary to that ſin, than in any other grace.
Peter he fell through cowardiſe, to betray his Maſter: But yet when the Scripture ſpeaks of him afterwards, it notes him ſpecially for his boldneſs, in John 21. 7. Therefore the Diſciple whom Jeſu's loved, ſaith unto Peter, it is the Lord; now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fiſhers Coat unto him, and did caſt himſelf into the Sea: Oh the love of Peter towards Chriſt after he had denyed him! He had denyed Chriſt; but now he was the hoſt forward in his love to Chriſt; he would not ſtay till Chriſt came to the ſhip, but …rows himſelf into the Sea, that he might preſently be with Chriſt; he had broke his love before, and now you ſee how eminent he is in love above the other Diſciples!—And ſo in boldneſs; In Acts 2. 14. When the Jews did mock at the Apoſtles and Diſciples, the Text ſaith, That Peter ſtanding up with the eleven, lift up his voice, and ſaid unto them, Ye men of Judea: Not any of the other would ſpeak, but Peter he appears the moſt forward; I, it was becauſe Peter had denyed Chriſt, and therefore he would be the moſt forward in manifeſting love to Chriſt—You cannot have comfort that your ſpot is the ſpot of Gods Children, except, if you have been overcome with a ſin, yet afterwards you grow not up in that grace that is moſt eminently contrary to that ſin.
Another example we have of Nichodemus Nichodemus he began to have ſome work o… grace upon him, but the Scripture notes him for a very timerous man, and that was him ſpecial infirmity, that he was afraid, and ſo would come to Chriſt by night: Now afterwards when the Scripture takes notice of this Nichodemas, eſpecially it obſerves him for his boldneſs, for that which was contrary to that ſinful diſtemper of his heart before This you have in John 19. 39. And there came alſo Nichodemas, which at the firſt came to Jeſus by night, and brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Alots, about One hundrd weight: Then took they the body of Jeſus: He appeared now openly.
The third is Joſeph of Arimathea, v. 38. And after this, Joſeph of Arimathea, being a Diſciple of Jeſus, but ſecretly for fear of the Jews, beſought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jeſus: He was at the firſt ſtep a Diſciple; but dare not appear; but afterwards he is noted for one of the moſt forward of all, and would go and own him before Pilate himſelf, yea, and at that time when Chriſt was in his loweſt cond ti…r: That's a ſign indeed of grace, to own Chriſt when he is in the loweſt condition, when he was crucified and dead; yet now to appear to own him, and that before Princes! O! the Scripture takes ſpecial notice of thoſe that had fallen into ſin, that afterwards they grew more eminent in that grace that was contrary to that ſin, than any other: As it is with a bone that is ſet, it is more ſtrong then before; and ſo it is uſual with thoſe that are godly, if they be once overcome with their ſin, they afterwards grow more ſtrong againſt that ſin: And thus even Acts come to decreaſe Habits; and that's a Paradox in Philoſophy, it's true in Divinity, That the acts of the Saints ſin, come not only to reſtrain them from falling into them again, but it is uſed by God to decreaſs the habits of their ſin. Now I beſeech you carry home theſe things to your ſouls; and O that the Lord would cauſe you to lay your hand upon your hearts, and ſay, Lord have mercy upon me; we are indeed all ſinners, but we ſee that God will find a difference between one ſin and another; and though all have their ſpots, yet, as for my part, I am afraid that my ſpot is not the ſpot of Gods Children.