Willful Impenitency, Sermon · Part 3
The firſt Ground.
THe firſt ground is this, which is obſerved by our learned Divines at the Synod at Dort, Art. 3. & 4. in refut. 3.4. error. pofit.namely,
Every man can do more good then he does, and ſhun more evil then he does, though I confeſſe not in a gracious manner. If I can prove this to be true, it will neceſſarily follow that the reaſon why a wicked man does not returne, is not becauſe hee cannot, but onelyonly becauſe hee will not.
Arguments to prove it.
1. Conſider,1. Conſi. Every man can do more good then hee doth. if a man can do more then he doth▪ nothing can hinder him from doing more then hee does but his will; when the fire can burne more, it doth burne more, becauſe it hath no will to come between the power of burning and the act of burning to ſuſpend it. The fire is a naturall agent, and therefore burns as much as it can: but a man is a voluntary agent, and therefore when he can do a thing and does not, tis becauſe his will comes between to ſuſpend it; So that the reaſon is this, he will not. Pilate hee had power to crucify Chriſt, and power not to do it; John 19.10. he had power not to do it, why then does he crucify him? not becauſe he had no power to do otherwiſe, hee confeſſes himſelfe hee had power to do otherwiſe, but he crucifyed Chriſt, becauſe hee would doe ſo. When a man hath power to do a thing, or not to do a thing; Its the will that either ſuſpends or determines.
Conſi. 2.2. Conſideration, that if a man can do more then he does, and yet will not, he muſt needes voluntarily hinder himſelf from doing that which he cannot; the reaſon is, becauſe a man muſt firſt do that which he can, before he can come to that part which he cannot. Suppoſe a lame man were to go to London from hence, and not able to go one mile of the journey, but there ſtands one at the Church-ſtile, that offers if he will but crawle thither, to carry him; he is able to crawle ſo far as the Church-ſtile, but he will not; does not hee voluntarily hinder himſelfe from going to London? that which he can do, muſt be done firſt, before that which he cannot. So yee that live in your ſinnes, you muſt firſt do that which you can, before you can looke that God ſhould helpe you to do that which you cannot; if thou doſt all that thou canſt, for ought that thou knoweſt, Chriſt though he hath not abſolutely engaged himſelfe, ſtands at the Church ſtile, there ready to helpe thee. There be men in the World whom hee is reſolved to helpe; thou dost not know but thou art the man. Chriſt hath not told thee any thing to the contrary, but only he bids thee do what thou canſt; canſt thou not cut off thy long haire? are no Sizers able to cut it? have not you a Tongue in your heads ye that keepe diſorders in your Alehouſes? cannot you ſay get you hence ye drunken companions, here's no entertainment for you? you muſt do that which you can, before you can expect Chriſts help to do that which you cannot; and if you will not do that which you can, you do voluntarily hinder your owne ſelves from doing that which you cannot; Joſhua could not ſtand before Ai nor hinder a cloſe Achan from taking the golden wedge; but when it was taken and known, he was able to make him an example. Joſhuah he faſted and cryed unto God all day untill night, that the Lord would mercifully ſave him and all Iſrael; Now heare what anſwer the Lord gives him, get thee up ſayth he, why lyeſt thou here? Joſh. 7.10. Iſrael hath ſinned, go and execute Iuſtice, go and do that firſt, and then I will anſwer thee about Ai; for if Joſhuah would not have done what he could, the Lord would never have helpt him to do that which hee could not. So thou prayſt for mercy and grace, oh that God would convert thee and pardon thee; get thee up ſayes God; doſt thou ſtand praying for mercy as long as ſuch things and ſuch things are not reformed? thou haſt drunkenneſſe in thy houſe, go and reform that; thou art in league with a ſort of baſe luſts, go and reforme them; if thou wilt not do that which thou canſt, how canſt thou be ſure God will helpe thee to do that which thou canſt not? no thou ſtickſt at a will not, as long as thou refuſeſt to do that.
3. Conſider if a man will not do that which hee can, 3. Conſid.neither will hee do that which he cannot if hee could; the ſervant that will not go five or ſix miles in a day which he can for his Maſter, neither would he go a hundred miles for his Maſter if hee could; you that can reforme outwardly, at leaſt if you would, and yet will not, neither would you reforme more if you could; ye have money in your purſes, cannot you ſpend it better then upon ſwilling and drinking and gaming? yee can well enough, but yee will not. So yee would do, had you that true riches, Luke 16.11. yee have naturall abilities; if ye will not be faithfull in them, ſo it would be if ſo be you had better; ye that have morall and civill endowments, if ye will not be faithfull in them, neither would you if God ſhould lend you more, &c. ye are able to avoid ſwearing and lying, but yee will not, neither would yee avoide all other ſinnes if yee could; if a man will not do that which hee can, neither will hee doe that which hee cannot if hee could.
4. Conſi.4. Conſider, if a man will not do that which he can, can or cannot …all's one to him, all ſticks at his will. I cannot repent and I cannot give over my ſinnes ſayeſt thou, and I pray thee who told thee that thou canſt not? I am naked ſayes Adam, and who tould thee that thou wert naked? ſayes God, Gen. 3.11. So may I ſay who told thee thou canſt not? does not thy own conſcience tell thee tis becauſe thou wilt not? I cannot digge ſayes the lazy Steward, and to begge I am aſhamed, Luke 16 3. I cannot digge; if he had a cudgell about his back, it would make him to digge; to beg I am aſhamed, ſayes he; he was not aſhamed to cozen his Maſter of his goods, but hee was aſhamed to begge. I have married a Wife and I cannot come, Luke 14.20. No. what did his wife tie his legges? there is a Lyon in the way, I cannot go out ſayes the ſluggard; alas thy owne ſluggiſh wilfull wils are this cannot. Prov. 22.13.Can or cannot alls one to them, they never come to trie whether they can, yea or no; the ſluggard never lookt out to ſee the Lyon in the way, but hee dreamt there was one there, and hee was willing to believe it, hee would not go out to ſee; the idle ſteward did not trie whether he could digge, yea or no; if he had taken the Spade in his hand and gon about the worke, 'twere another matter; but I cannot digge ſayes he, he never would put it to tryall, but takes another courſe without trying of that; ſo that alls one can or cannot, if a man will not do that which he can, can or cannot, alls one to him.
5. Conſider,5 Conſi. if a man will not do that which hee can, this will make a mans conſcience when it comes to ſpeake in ſober ſadneſſe, thanke himſelfe for his periſhing; mens conſciences do but jeſt with them now, while they can ſay tuſh tis becauſe I cannot believe, and becauſe I cannot repent; but at the houre of conviction or the day of judgement at fartheſt, then conſcience will ſpeake in ſober ſadneſſe; when I was hungry yee gave mee no meate ſayes Chriſt, when I was a thirst yee gave mee no drinke, I was a ſtranger and yee tooke mee not in, ſick and in priſon and yee viſited mee not, Mat. 25.43. marke Chriſt puts no cannots on their conſciences at the day of judgement; could they ſay, alas, we had never a bit of bread for to do it, never a drop of drinke for to do it? no, you ſhall ſee how their conſciences were mute; they could not ſay that they could not; could not ye comfort Chriſts deare members as well as mock them? couldſt thou not take them into thy houſe as well as carnall acquaintance? its worthy obſervation to conſi…er, that generally Gods threatnings do not turn againſt Cannots, nor his judgements againſt Cannots, …ut againſt mens particular ſinnes, that they might have avoyded; for though mens ſinfull conſciences doe neceſſarily incline men to ſinne, yet not unto this ſinne, nor that ſinne, non determinat neceſsario ad hoc vel illud malum, hic & nunc, ſay our Brittaine Divines at the Synod. Sinfull concupiſcence does not neceſſarily determine men upon theſe and theſe ſinnes, with the particular circumſtances which they live in, as this rapine, this lie, &c. thus yee ſee this will make a ſure ground of our Doctrine if ſo be we can prove it.
Every man can do more good then he does, and avoide more evill then hee does.
This is a moſt certaine and infallible truth, and needs no confirmation, but I will prove it notwithſtanding.
1. Argu.Firſt, becauſe God doth complaine againſt the wicked for the voluntary doing no more good then they doe; what ſo much preaching and no more good? ſo many meanes and no more fruit? &c. ſo God cemplaines againſt Iſrael, nevertheleſſe they departed not from the ſinnes of Jeroboam, &c. and there remained the groves alſo in Samaria, 2 Kings 13.6. the grove alſo; what not ſo much as the grove cut downe? and yee muſt have the ſinnes of Jeroboam; that were enough ſtubborneſſe one would thinke; but yee muſt ſuffer the grove alſo? reforme nothing, no, not the grove under your face? ſee how God girdeth their willfull ſecurity that they would do no more good then they did; not ſo much as cut down that grove? ſo many warnings and threatnings, &c. and yet the grove alſo? yet thy filthy Tongue thy covetouſneſſe alſo, &c. not only keep thy other luſts, but thy profaneſſe alſo?
Secondly,2. Argu. Tametfi impoſſibile er…t Judaeis convertiper externam praedicationem Evangelii, abſque praedeterminante gratia: quia tamen …bduratiores erant Iudaei proptia malitia quā Tyrii & Sydonii, idcirco à ſcrutatore cordium corripiūtur. Doct. Prid. lect. de med. ſcient p 65. becauſe otherwiſe there were no roome for prayſe nor diſpraiſe, if a man could do no more good then he does, nor ſhun no more evill then hee does, then no man could be prayſed nor diſpraiſed; you know that wicked men and women may do many commendable things, at leaſt more commendable ones then others? does not our Saviour diſcommend Bethſaida and Corazin, in compariſon of Tyre and Sidon; woe unto thee Corazin, woe unto thee Bethſaida, for if the mighty workes which have beene done in thee, had beene done in Tyre and Sydon, they would have repented in ſackcloath and aſhes, Mat. 11.21. might not they have ſhewed ſo much repentance at the leaſt? could not they have put on ſackcloath on their loines, and powered aſhes on their heads if they would? they might have done ſo much at the leaſt, and honoured the workes and preaching of our Saviour with an outward honour at the leaſt. You that have ſuch abundant teaching as yee have, ye might honour the Goſpell with ſome outward honour at the leaſt; that would bee more commendable, which moſt of you will not.
3. Argu.Thirdly, becauſe otherwiſe there would bee no roome for the Sword of the Magistrate; if a man could omit no more ſinne then hee does, then what meanes our Pillaries and Gallowes, &c and other puniſhments upon Malefactors? will any man be ſo vaine as to ſay Achan could not chuſe but take the Babyloniſh Garment? certainly he might have let it alone if he would; Why haſt thou troubled us ſayes J…ſhuah, Ioſh. 7.25. Alas he was not able to anſwer, oh Sir I could not do otherwiſe? No, no; hee might have omitted it, and therefore the Law of man is favorable to ſuch as offend againſt their wils; it does not hang ſuch as kill againſt their wils.
4. Argu.Fourthly, becauſe though a carnall man cannot put of the old man, nor ſhake off the dominion of ſinne in generall, nor deny himſelfe, but his very nature is ſinnefull and fleſhly, hee does naturally ſinne, yet it is not his nature to commit this ſinne at this time, and in this manner; the wickedeſt man under Heaven goes about his ſinne with previall deliberation, and a moſt free diſpoſition of the meanes; the drunkard goes freely into the Ale-houſe, and calls freely for a jugge or two or three, as his luſt is; his Hoſt, hee freely ſuffers theſe diſorders in his houſe, and freely goes to the Tap and does draw it, &c. Ephraim did willingly walke after the Commandement, Hoſ. 5.11. The wicked King of Iſrael commanded them that will worſhip at Bethell, and they did freely and willingly obey it. Pilate willingly contented the people, and therefore hee ſcourged our Saviour, Mark. 15.15. for though all this was done by the determinate counſell of God, yet Gods counſell put no ſimple neceſſity upon his will, hee did freely and willlingly do it; the wicked they turne the Grace of God into wantonneſſe, Jude 4. marke, the Grace of God; Grace whereby they might do more good then they do, and avoide more evill then they do. Its true, a wicked man is the ſervant of ſinne, and cannot but ſinne, hee is naturally a ſervant of ſinne; of ſinne I ſay, but he is voluntarily and freely a ſervant of this ſinne; for the Lord gives him reaſon, and counſell, and good motions, and many common graces, whereby he may be freed from this or that act, but hee will not, he will break out into theſe and theſe filthy paſſionate words, now and then; ſay reaſon what it will, and common grace what it will, he will do it, he will do this, and he will do that. I confeſſe that when a wicked man is deſperate and given up of God, then it is otherwiſe, then his will is ſo greedy, that hee cannot take it off; but hee is the more inexcuſable becauſe his will is then double.
Fifthly, A wicked man can do more good, &c. 5. Argu.for a godly regenerate ſoule may avoide more ſinne, then hee does. Though God have freed him from the ſlavery of ſinne, and he is become the ſervant of righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6.18. nevertheleſſe they may do more good then they do, and avoide ſinne a great deale more then they do; what man will ſay that David could not otherwiſe chuſe but commit that adultery which hee duplicate page duplicate page did, and that murder which hee did? I appeale to your conſciences yee ſoules that are godly. When yee pray forgive us our Treſpaſſes, do not ye acknowledge with all that ye have been wanting to the grace of God? Do not ye confeſſe it with ſhame that you have given way to ſundry temptations that by the grace of God yee might have overcome? And that yee have omitted many a good opportunity, that by the grace of God yee might have made uſe of?Imſuperabilite… movet, quamvis fit aliqua reſiſtentia. I deny not but God does irreſiſtibly convert his Elect at the firſt, and infallibly carry them on to the end, for the maine, but in particular actions hee does not ſo; but though their wills bee now free by grace, yet they may freely ſinne, even then when they obey: and freely obey, even then when they tranſgreſſe; and ſo they are forced to confeſſe they might avoide more evill then they doe, and do more good then they do.
Againe A wicked man may do more good then hee does, and avoide more evill then hee does; I prove it by induction upon his conſcience,
By theſe Particulars.
Firſt, for the outward acts of ſinne in the members; thus all profane perſons, drunkards, &c. yee are all convinced undeniably in your conſciences, theſe are ſinnes in the very outward members; voluntas it is domina membrorum; can yee ſay yee cannot paſſe by an Ale-houſe when yee turn in? yee cannot come unto Sermons? your owne legges they ſhall judge you; can you ſay you cannot give over your oathing and lying? &c. your owne Teeth and Lippes ſhall judge you, &c. If you do not root out theſe ſinnes, its without doubt becauſe ye will not. The Lord hath made al the outward man at the command of the will, and therefore if the outward man be out of order, tis becauſe yee will; foreign, ſayes Chryſoſt. Let no man ſay I have but one Talent, and I have no power to be good; a Talent hath power to go for a Talent, and 12 d. for a ſhilling and if it do not, tis becauſe yee will not. Haſt thou not power over thine owne outward members vouchſaf'd thee of God? the Lord in mercy lets thy will have a deſpoticall power over thy members, as the Moraliſts call it, and why canſt thou not bridle, them? as Chriſt ſaid to the Officer that ſmote him, if I have ſpoken well, why ſmiteſt thou mee? Joh. 18.23. couldſt thou not have held in thy fingers? thou art inexcuſable then for all thy profane ſinnes.Am…r ſui ipſius eſt objectum mo…ioum; at Amor Dei ipſius eſt tantum objectum terminativil. Ameſ. Caſ. conſe. de charit… erga deum.
Secondly, Thou haſt naturall affections in thee, and by them thou mayſt do more good then thou doſt, and ſhun more evill then thou doſt. Thus all civill Profeſſors are left inexcuſable, Canſt thou not get more ſtrictneſſe of walking, though not for love unto God, yet for love unto thy ſelfe? bee more frequent in good duties for hope of Heaven, and for feare of Hell? thats better then nothing, better do them ſo then not at all. What cannot a man do for ſelfe-love and for feare? there is never a duty of Religion, but a man may every day do for love unto himſelfe and for feare. God hath left theſe affections in thy ſoule on purpoſe. I know this is not enough; but what of that? Why doſt thou not go ſo far as thou mayeſt? what aileth thee that thou canſt not tame downe thy pride for feare of Gods judgements, and bridle thy baſe paſſions for feare of Hell? It is not unknowne that God hath vowed to deſtroy all the workers of iniquity. Tis not unknowne that he hath prepared Hell for ſuch as thou art, as long as thou liveſt as thou doſt; Thou knowſt this is true, and thou knowſt God will be as good as his Word; and thou art not able to abide it. Why doſt thou not curbe thy proude ſtubborne luſts for feare of this Hell? Thats better then nothing; if thou canſt not do it for love, yet why canſt thou not do it for feare? haſt thou not as much reaſon as a brute creature? that is greedy of meate, yet a whip-ſtick is able to ſcare him from it; an horſe is deſirous to ſtand ſ…ill, yet a ſpur and a rod is able to make it go faſter; and is not Hell more fearfull then all rods? Why doſt thou not take heede for feare, leaſt God ſhould ſend thee to Hell? a ſinner and a hypocrite are inexcuſable herein; for Hell may feare them; the ſinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulneſſe hath ſurpriſed the hypocrites; who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings?Quis poterit? as Mon…anus hath it. Eſay 33.14. who of us is able to dwell with everlaſting flames? and hypocrites may go ſo farre; feare Hell, and abſtaine from a million of ſinnes, for feare of theſe everlaſting burnings; canſt thou ſay thou canſt not reſiſt ſinne for feare of Gods judgements? No; thou canſt reſiſt ſinne for fear of leſſe evils then ſo; the feare of mens ſeeing thee can keepe thee from committing adultery in the market-place, and cannot the feare of God reſtraine thee from it in private? thou dareſt not tranſgreſſe the Kings Lawes for fear of the Gallowſe; and cannot the feare of Hell reſtraine thee from tranſgreſſing of Gods? Gods diſpleaſure is greater then the Kings? and thou knoweſt it; God is truer in his Law then any mortall man, and thou knoweſt it: and feareſt thou not me? feare yee not mee? ſaith the Lord, will yee not tremble at my preſence? Jer. 5.22. canſt thou ſay thou art not able to feare him ſo much as ſervilely? that is not ſo; for when thou art ſick and ready to dye, then thou wilt feare him, then oh thou wouldſt faine become a new creature, and all out of feare of the great God; and canſt thou not now? No, no; now here be pleaſures to be had, and thou wilt have them; here is the World, and thou wilt carke; here is buſineſſe, and thou wilt be doing, and thou wilt not finde leaſure for God. No, thou wilt not, canſt thou not do this that God bids thee at leaſt out of feare? this is nothing but a lie of Satan, thou wouldſt do them all for feare of a man. Suppoſe there were Lawes made that every man who does not pray in his Family Morning and Evening ſhould aſſuredly be hanged, whoſoever ſwears an Oath ſhould bee hanged, as ſoone as hee hath ſworne it; Whoſoever breakes out into any bitter rayling ſpeech ſhould ſuffer death. Suppoſe I ſay to all the duties of Religion it were death to omit them, and the King had made ſuch a certaine ſure Law▪ I dare ſay there would be many millions of Profeſſors more in England then there are; rather then yee would be gibbeted, many ſwearers would never ſweare more; many liers never lie more; many profane houſehoulders never omit Prayers in their Families more; and couldſt thou do this for fear of a man? why canſt thou not then do it for fear of the great God?
Thirdly, The Lord hath given thee naturall counſell, and naturall reaſon and prudence, Oh ſayſt thou I am tempted before I am aware, and the paſſion is up before I am aware, I cannot helpe it for my life; No, I believe thee when the Devill is once up, there is no alaying that fowle Fiend for the preſent; Thou canſt not immediately allay it. But why canſt thou not prevent it with counſell and deliberation? the very Heathens have done this; and thou haſt advantage of all heathen. God hath given thee not only reaſon in thy head, and a naturall conſcience in thy breaſt, but alſo direction in his Word to prevent it, and if thou doſt not, thou wilt not; are the luſts of thine appetite violent? why then doſt thou not forecaſt for to reine them? Why doſt thou not abſtaine from going to Feaſts awhile? Why doſt thou not ſtint thy Trencher with ſo much? If thy luſts be on fire why doſt thou feede them with fuell? Are the luſts of anger and wrath predominant in thee? thou rapſt out an Oath before thou art aware, why then doſt thou not as Chryſoſtome would have thee, Set forfeitures for every Oath? Why doſt thou not intreat Gods people ſeverely to reprove thee, and exact a fine of thee for every miſgoverning word? Why doſt thou not bawke ſuch acquaintance as may occaſion thy Tongue to caſt out? Oathes why doſt thou not club downe thy luſts with argument upon argument? ſhall I be touchy to be damned, and proud to be damned? &c. even arguments of ſelfe-love are able to knock them downe. I do not know how; No? that's becauſe thou wilt not know, they knew not neither will they underſtand, Pſal. 82.5. ſo thou knoweſt not, neither wilt thou underſtand; that's the reaſon thou ſtill walkeſt in darkneſſe; why doſt not thou oppoſe thy luſts at firſt riſing? non obtinebis ut deſinat ſi incipere permiſeris, ſayes Seneca; thou canſt never get victory except thou be here firſt in the feild. The Lord hath given thee counſells on this faſhion; why doſt thou not uſe them? onelyonly becauſe thou wilt not; haſt thou impediments? Clarancus had them too, but hee overcame them ſayes Seneca. Why doſt not thou? if thou wilt not, thou doſt willingly periſh; thou might do more then thou doſt, but thou wilt not; and thou mighſt ſhunne more then thou doſt, but thou wilt not.
Fourthly, becauſe thou wilt ſay all theſe things are but naturall and morall and civill, I may periſh for all theſe; but alas I am not able to do any thing ſpiritually; I cannot believe, I cannot repent; though this be very true, yet thy plea is no excuſe; for though they be naturall, yet they are firſt. Firſt that's in order which is naturall, and afterwards that which is ſpirituall, and if thou ſtickeſt there thou ſtickeſt at a will not. The Lord hath taken a ſufficient courſe to humble thee, and thou wilt not be humbled; thou ſayeſt thou canſt not obey ſpititually; I grant it, its moſt true: nor repent ſpiritually; why then wilt thou not be humbled that that canſt not, as God ſaid to Pharaoh, how long wilt thou refuſe to humble thy ſelfe before mee? Exodus 10.3. There is an externall humiliation, as Ahabs humiliation;1 Kings 21.29. thou mayſt come to before that humiliation thou canſt not expreſſe, why art thou not humbled with that which thou mayſt?
Firſt, then why doſt thou not ſee thy caſe to be damnable? Doſt thou not know that judgement is paſt upon all to damnation? Rom. 5.18. all men are damned out of Chriſt. Whoſoever is not a new creature, is not in Christ, but is a damn'd man to this day; thou knoweſt the Lord himſelfe doth ſay thus; what hinders thee now from deducting a particular therefrom? If upon all men, then upon mee; if all be damned to this day that are not new creatures in Chriſt, then I am a damned man to this houre; this logicke God doth vouchſafe thee; why doſt thou not reaſon on this faſhion? I am a damned man and a damned woman to this day; if thou wouldſt be brought to this paſſe there might be ſome hope of thee, but thou wilt not, thou wilt ſcrape up ſome hopes or other, thou wilt not beleeve this. Beleeve thus, ſayes God; but I will not ſayſt thou, no, thou wilt have thy luſt ſtill, and thou wilt not beleeve this, if thou wouldſt believe verily thou art a damned man, becauſe thou art not a new creature in Chriſt, may be thou wouldſt never have done til thou art one, thou wouldſt forſake all and follow Chriſt in all things, but thou wilt not.
Secondly, but I cannot ſayſt thou; why then wilt thou not diſpaire in thy ſelfe? a man muſt deſpaire as he is, otherwiſe hee can never get into Chriſt; as long as a man lives and does after the fleſh, hee can have no true hope of mercy or pardon, or any thing; no hee is a dead man, all the Angels of Heaven cannot help him; if there were a thouſand Chriſts he ſhould periſh without them; and why wilt thou not deſpaire in thy ſelfe? Deſpaire? God forbid. I'le never deſpaire while I live, God is more mercifull then ſo, and I hope I neede not deſpaire. Chriſt dyed for ſinners and I were a foole if I ſhould deſpaire. Thus thou pleadeſt with God for thy vaine hopes; but why wilt thou? ſayes God, why wilt thou plead with me, thou haſt tranſgreſſed againſt me, Jer. 2.29. Thou pleadeſt for hopes▪ and lieſt in thy ſinnes, why wilt thou? marke, the will is ſet on it, and thou wilt plead; thou might deſpaire of thy ſelfe, but thou wilt not, and therefore thou wilt wilfully periſh.
Thirdly, but I cannot pull downe my owne heart, nor maſter mine one will ſayſt thou; no? Why then canſt thou not goe and reſigne it to God? Lord, here is a proud heart, I cannot humble it; Oh; here is a ſtony heart, I cannot breake it; Lord do thou; here is a rebellious heart▪ I canno… ſubdue it. Lord do thou; but thou wilt not reſigne up this heart, thou wilt not ſet about it as well as thou canſt; they will not frame their doings, to turne unto God, Hoſ. 5.4. they will not; ſo thou wilt not frame thy ſelfe to do it as well as thou canſt. And therefore thou doſt willingly go on, and thou art wholy inexcuſable before God; and when he ſends thee to Hell, thou ſhalt know thine owne will brought thee thither. Thou mighſt reforme thine outward man, but thou wilt not; thou mighſt bridle thy luſts and thy paſſions, but thou wilt not, thou mighſt take a thouſand good opportunities, but thou wilt not. And therefore thou haſt no excuſe before God, thou doſt willingly periſh. Its true thou canſt not, may be,Repugnanti, non volenti neceſſitas eſt Sen. but neceſſity is not it, but thou wilt not; indeed if thou didſt every day labour to fight againſt thy luſts, and reſiſt to the utmoſt and couldſt not, then it were neceſſity, but thou doſt not, nay thou wilt not. Hee that reſiſteth and then cannot, hee may plead, Lord what a wofull neceſſity of ſinning am I in! but thou giveſt way to thy luſts a…d therefore thou art inexcuſable, and thou do…t willingly periſh.