The Application of Redemption, Book 10 (3 of 13)

The Application of Redemption · Book 10 (3 of 13)

p. 107If yet the Truth will come in upon them, and the 2light wil shine in their saces that it cannot be avoided, if they cannot prevent the seeing of it, then they fall to gainsaying, they strive mightily to stop the passage of the Truth, and to darken the evidence of it, to take off the edg and force of that which they conceive wil fal most heavily upon them, and constrain them to alter their course, and lay down those distempers they are very loth to leave, Acts, 18. 6. They opposed themselves. They deal with the Truth as subtil Lawyers do with a good Cause, when the strength of it is such that they are not able to withstand, they labor to hide the Point of the Argument, and to hide that wherein the stress of the Cause lies, and fal hotly upon some bye business, or else deal most in those things which are most probable, but indeed do not touch the Point. So a Spirit that is not willing to be convinced, he wil endeavor p. 108to decline the strength of an Argument, and look least to that where the stress and the weight of the Rule or Duty lies that most concerns him, or his course, when he sees the stream and force of Reason coming in upon him, he wil hinder or interrupt the delivery of it, and turn it another way, or raise some blinds, and cast in some cavils, like the putting out of the light, or if not hinder the observation, yet take off the attendance and consideration of it, he wil get off from that as soon as may be, he will not stay there where the strength of the conviction lies, but foist in many Objections, start other Considerations, that so he may lose the Argument, and himself lose the power of the Truth that might prevail with him. Thus Elimas the Sorcerer, Acts, 13. 10. when Paul and Barnabas had preached, and he labored to turn away the Deputy from the Faith. Paul thus speaks to him, O full of all subtilty (he had a slight of hand to any wickedness) why dost thou crook the strait waies of the Lord. He cast in many cavils, put in many suspicions and pretences that he might not look at the simplicity of the Truth delivered. The word there used in the Original, implies a sleight of hand as we cal it, when such wily spirits can turn themselves into al shapes, to … by the evidence of the Truth; so many windings and turnings, so many wimblings of devices, so many outs and doubtings, that may bemist the manifest discovery of a Duty which ought to be done, or a sin that ought to be avoided, and so in conclusion loseth the Truth, and the benefit of it also, through Gods just Judgment, and their own just deservings. So the Scribes dealt touching our Savior when he had cured the Eyes of the blind man, John, 9. they would have taken him off from the attendance to the work to have slighted the person of our Savior, We know (say they) this man is a sinner, &c. as it's said of a Fish called the Sepia, when the Fisher-man comes to follow her, she casts forth a kind of black humor p. 109with which she … the water; and puts him to a loss in his proceedings; whereas an honest heart that is willing to be convinced, he looks most at that where there is most light, and most strength, and is desirous to attend that which gives in greatest Evidence to overcome the heart. So Ely spake to Samuel, 1 Sam. 3. 17. bide nothing from me. Job. 6. 24. teach me and I wil hold my tongue he wil quietly hear al, and attend that most, which may carry the cause to his Conscience.

If yet the evidence of the truth be such that he cannot 3gainsay, his mouth is stopped and his reasons are spent he hath nothing to oppose, there is a third distemper which is as bad if not worse than the two former, A restlesness of spirit to raise new brabbles and quarrels against the determination of the truth, which formerly he could not resist. When he is caught and held in the strength of Argument, is taken captive and prisoner, he would fain rescue himself with a restless jangling; he sees more, and can say more though no man else can see it, nor he make good what he pretends. He cannot answer yet wil not yield, cannot maintain his … yet wil not forsake them. As Lawyers they'l bring the cause about again, and have a fresh hearing in this and that Court; the reasons are the same, and were answered before yet he brings them over again and just in the place where he was, his arguments are at an end. if his spirit were so, but there is more in it (he saies) and he cannot see through it, and yet cannot tell how to prove his own argument or answer anothers, these spirits are like quicksilver which yet no man hath attained any skil to fix, so the Rulers, Elders, and Scribes when they knew not how to dash the Glory of the Gospel, and the powerful dispensation thereof mark how restlesly the venome of their spirits transported them against reason, Acts. 4. 15. 16. 17. they communed amongst themselves saying what shal we do to these men, p. 110for that indeed a notable … hath been done by them is manifest to all men, and we cannot deny it, but let us straightly charge them that they speak no more in this name, when in reason they should have inferred we cannot deny the Miracle and so not the truth, let us not deny the liberty to speak, so they in John 9. 24. when it was apparent Christ had cured the man, wrought the Miracle, and so gained honour in the heart of the man, therefore they had fished up and down to weaken that, and it would not do; It appeared he was blind, (to his parents) that Christ had cured him, so himself affirmed; then they come to this, give God the praise we know this man is a sinner. But what is that to the purpose or how know they that? he answered whether he be a sinner or no I know not, one thing I know wheras I was blind he hath opened my eyes; and this was to the purpose, Then said they what did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes, I have told you already &c. they are upon the same hinges not stirred a haires breadth Here are no reasons but only wrestlings of stomack, we are Moses Disciples but this fellow we know not whence he is.

If it be so that al these devises against the truth serve 4not his turn in the fourth place he sets himself against the truth he cares not for argument, but he wil stand against the truth, and then God in his just judgment leaves him, 2 Thes. 2. 18. he gave them up to strong delusions that they might believe lyes that they might be damned, because they received not, but opposed the truth thus it was with Balaam Numb. 24. 1 he went out not as formerly but resolved to Curse Israel whether God would or no, and this is to hold down the truth in unrighteousness, Rom. 1. 18. I told you before that in Conviction, when the heart is throughly Convicted, it lies stil under the work of God, but here the heart opposes the word of God. Exo. 10. 28. saies Pharaoh to Moses get thee out of my sight, the day thou p. 111seest my face thou shalt die, Moses saies, I wil see thy face no more, but God sends to him and kills his first born and afterwards drownes himself; It's certain that if the truth followes a man home to his beloved sin, if he be a dog he wil snarl against it, and resolve to keep his sin. Jer. 44. 16. 17. as the proud men there said, as for the word of the Lord thou hast spoken to us, we wil not hearken unto thee; and if a man goes thus far he is very neer to the sin against the Holy Ghost, and if ever God bring him home to himself it is by some strange judgments.

Exhortation to provoke the desires and quicken the endeavors Use. 5.of al that have heard or read the doctrin delivered & opened to lay out their labour & that unto the utmost of all their abilities never to give the Lord rest, nor rest unto their own souls, before they get this true sight of sin, if ever they hope to see the work of Gods Grace in their hearts here in this world, or to see the face of God in Glory, in that other world that is to come. Bretheren let not Satan deceive you, nor suffer your selves so far to be deluded as to dream of another course or to devise a shorter cut to Grace and Glory, for its certain if you do, you wil fal short of your hopes and Comforts and all. This is the way that God hath appointed and he wil bless, the order which he hath set in his infinite wisdom and which he wil prosper. If you would find his blessing walk in his way, if you expect success attend his order and direction which he hath left to bring us to his Christ, and so to life and happiness. If you see not your sins you are in hazard never to see good day while you live nor when you dye. Christ is said to stand at the dore and knock, and if any man wil open unto him, he wil come in and supp with him, Rev. 3. 20. Saving Contrition is a shooting back the boults of our base lusts, a severing and unlocking the heart from the Soveraignty of ones noysom Corruptions, that stop the passage and hinder the coming p. 112of our Saviour; this clear and convicting sight of our sins, is as it were the lifting up of the latch, or letting in of the Key, the powerful dispensation of the truth and operation of his spirit whereby the knot and combination between sin and the soul is broken and severed, and the way made that the authority of the truth may come at the heart and work kindly upon it for good An error here in the entrance is hardly ever recovered to miss here is mervailous dangerous, it spoyles our whol proceeding in the great work of our calling and everlasting comfort as the naturallist and Physitian observe an error in the first concoction is never recovered in the second, for the Lord in his wisdom and the course of nature hath so ordayned, that each part doth that which is its proper and peculiar work but doth not rectify or redress that which was done amiss by another, and so the goodness of the nourishment is never recovered or the body strengthened or health so comfortably preserved herby as were to be desired. So it is in the entrance of … great work of preparation for Christ and our effectual bringing home unto him, never see sin aright, the soul cannot be affected with it in a right manner, never truly see the need of a Savior, never seek after him or come to him; this through sight of sin is as it were the setting open of the window whereby the light and good of the truth, and the loath … of sin is laid open unto the soul, and comes in a main upon the Conscience to prevayl with it whereas shut this window and stop this passage, the soul is cooped up in the dungeon of darkness and delusion, be the ordinances never so powerful the means never so effectual there … no coming into the heart, no hope to work upon it or to prevail with it for good; the evil of sin is not acknowledged, and therefore not prevented, that which his reason cannot see, a man cannot shun, the excellency and necessity of a Christ is not discerned and therefore not endeavoured after as were meet. It befalls p. 113the soul, smote with this spiritual blindness as with the Assyrian Host when they came to surprize Elisha, 2 Kings 18. 19. 20. He prayed, Lord smite this people with blindness, & he did so and they saw nothing before they were in the midst of their enemyes so here, when the sinner is misguided by the dimness of his deluded mind he goes on in an evil way, and knowes not whither he goes, or where he is, before he be in the botintoless pit. Oh be wise and wary therefore that we err not here, least we rush into ruine and that past alrecovery. Expect then Gods blessing upon our endeavour but in Gods order, & attend his work in his own way. It is the aym of our Saviour in sending and the office of the Holy Ghost in coming into the world when he intends to work effectually the saving good of his people, to intitle them to the pardon of their sins, and to establish their hearts under the government of his spirit. John. 16. 7. 8. If I depart I wil send the Comforter, and when he is come he wil reprove, he wil convince, and set down the world by … conviction of sin of righteousness, of judgment, of righteousness, that the law is satisfied, justice answered, and that fully, because he that was in prison is now released, and therefore the debt payd, and he gone to heaven, to his Father. Of judgment the power of his Kingdom & government erected and set up in the soules of his servants and children, in that by death he overcame him that had the power of death that is the Devill, and therefore he is judged and falls in his cause as having no right nor in reason can challenge no rule in the hearts of those, for whom Christ hath satisfied divine justice, and therefore are free from that authority that sin and Satan had of them thereby. But before we can share either in the righteousness of Christ for our justification or the rule of his spirit in our Sanctification, the Holy Ghost must and doth convince us of sin, that we have rejected and not entertained this Saviour. If we do not convictingly p. 114see our sin in settling upon the root of our Corrupt rebellions and casting away the riches of Christs mercy & the rule of his Grace, its not possible that those spiritual benefits should ever be made ours. As ever therefore you desire to see and find the mercies of Christ sealed up unto your Consciences, in pardoning of sins and acceptation of your persons; As ever you would find the Kingdom of Satan cast down in your hearts, and the government of his Grace and spirit there set up; labor for this clear and convicting sight of sin, begin you where the Holy spirit begins that you may find his presence with you, & his effectual power and blessing to accompany your endeavours in that way. Catch not disorderly at pardon, look not for peace of Conscience or hope to see the government of Christs Grace set up in your souls before you come to … your sins by convicting evidence of the Holy Ghost. The holy spirit of Grace wil not cross his course to gratify our Corruption. That I may further set on the exhortation, I shal endeavour to do these two things.

First, To propound some means to help in … work.

Secondly, Some motives to quicken you therein.

The means are these that follow.

First, Labor we to see that unconceivable excellency Means 1.of holiness that is in the Lord, and search we into the … and the righteous laws there recorded for the direction of our daily course, and that wil make us see the loathsomness of our own hearts and the vileness of …. As its said of darkness, it cannot be seen by it self but its light that discovers it self and darkness; Its as true of sin, it is not by it self to be discerned, for it is spiritual darkness; the light of Gods Holiness and wisdom which by sin are wronged, and the law which is transgressed these are both lights, God is light and in him is no darkness,, John. 1. 5. The law is a light and the Commandement a lamp unto our feet, Prov. p. 1156. 23. And by the sight of both these we come to have a ful discerning of sin which is opposite to them both.

Our ignorance of God breeds the ignorance of our own hearts, and the hidden waies of wickedness, and the cunning conveyances of corrupt distempers which are there in Psal. 14. 1. 2. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, and then it followes they are become abominable he makes bones of no sins at al; for herein lies the spiritualness or spiritual evil of sins and that hidden poyson and malignity of the corruption of our natures, that they justle professedly against the Almighty so far as he is pleased to communicate himself unto us in the waies of his Holiness and goodness. Thus the blasphemer is said to pierce God by his oaths, Levit. 24. 11. and the wicked are said to walk contrary to him, Levit. 26. to … him, to weary him, to load him, while then we see not him whom we do oppose by our sins, no wonder that we neither see nor are sensible of the sins, by which we do oppose him. Whereas could we grope after the Almighty as the Apostle professeth we may, because he is not far from any of us, nay in him we live and move in every spiritual action of our minds and hearts. So that did but a wicked man, or could he perceive that in every thought of his mind, motion of his wil, stirring of any affection, that he did justle with the infinite Holiness and purity of the Lord, who meets with him in every action and motion of his mind and wil, It were able to sink the soul of a sinful creature, and make him sit down confounded in the sight of the loathsomness of his own … nature, as being wholly opposite to so infinite a good in all he is or doth; thus it was with Job when the Lord had schooled him out of the whirlwind, & discovered the surpassing excellency of his Glory to him, he puts him beyond al pleas of his own worth, Job. 40. 4. Behold I am vile yea more expresly he gives this as the reason of the discovery of his own wretchedness, I p. 116have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear, but now mine eye sees thee, wherefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes, Job, 42. 4. So it was with the Corinth who was convinced by the preaching of the Word, he saw God before he saw the secret vileness of his own heart presented to his view, 1 Cor. 14. 24. God is in you of a truth. Search we into the holy Law of God, and examine our hearts and lives thereby, and see how far they stand guilty of the breach thereof; but view the compass of the Law, and what is vertually contained therein; for though the words are few, yet the things are many that are comprehended in them: And especially look not at the Letter, but at the Spiritual Sense and Mind of the Almighty in each thing there required, that the whol heart must close with God and his Will, as the chiefest good; look at, and lift up his Glory as his last end in every duty we do, and that we make a breach in al those particulars in every sin we do commit: our heart is not with him, nor make we choyce of him, set not up his Name, but seek our own base ends thereby, and serve our selves, and not him.

By this narrow search, and dayly observation of our dayly course, we shal be able to see the frame of our hearts and carriages presented to our view, and so discern to the ful, the loathsomness of those noysom … that leprosie-like overspreads our whol man: Thus James adviseth, James, 1. 25. that we should look our selves into the Law of Liberty, that is a Cristal and cleer Glass, and wil discover what is amiss even to a mote, the smallest sins and …, and that unto their ful view. Paul a learned Pharisee, he saw more of sin, and more of himself by the Law, than either … conceived, or suspected to … to him, Rom. 7. 7. 9. I had not known that lust had been sin, but that the Law saith, Thou shalt not …: nor did he think himself bad, or his condition so miserable, but when the Law came, that is, the light and discovery of the Law. he p. 117perceived his sin alive, but himself dead.

When the Lord in any Ordinance by the Truth, shall Means 2.discover our sins, our Conscience shall come in as a witness to …, or as a Sergeant and Officer by Commission from the Almighty to arrest and condemn us for any evil, we should attend both; to see Gods mind to the utmost therein, and then it's certain we shal see. We must beware that neither out of carnal fear, nor sensual security of our sinful hearts, we be willing to lay aside the evidence of the truth as content not to hearken to the Verdict of it, … desirous not to listen to the dictate of Conscience, but to shake off the Consideration of either, lest we should sink down in discouragement. It's certain, Truth is terrible, and the Dictates of Conscience are dreadful when they come with Commission from the Almighty; yet true it is, walking humbly under Gods hand, we should be so far from fearing the discovery of our sins, that we should be comforted in this, that they are discovered to us: and we should compose our hearts in quietness with the right consideration of the manner of Gods dealing in this kind, and commune with our selves on this manner: It's a fearful thing indeed to fall into the hands of the Almighty, who is a consuming fire, but yet herein the faithfulness of the Lord is seen, he deals so with me as he doth with those that he intends good unto; he makes His see their sins, and that …, before they ever see his pardon of them, or power against them: if he never convinceth, he never …. He sent his holy Spirit into the World for this purpose, to perform the work; this is the way to Grace and Christ, I bless his Name I am in the way. I wil hearken to the Evidence of the Truth that I may understand al that God intends, and listen to the checks of Conscience that I may know to the full the Nature of my sin; When we have a little inkling either by an Ordinance, or Conscience, take hold of the least intimation, and leave it not until you come to the bottom, and perceive the utmost p. 118vileness in such a course. It was so with David who took hold of the reproof of the Prophet Nathan; and though he mentioned but one thing wherein the grosness and greatness of the evil appeared, yet hence he took occasion to overlook his whol course, to consider every circumstance, and to ravel out all until he came to the bottom, he confesseth al the falsness of his heart which he used in the contrivement of that evil, and leaves not there until he come to the Root of al, the wretchedness of his Nature, that Original corruption in which he was born and bred, Psal. 51. 5, 6. Behold Lord, I was warmed in wickedness, and in sin did my mother conceive me, but thou lovest Truth in the inward parts: but I would have colored over my vile carriage, and by false pretences I would have hidden the filthiness of my sins, by sending for Uriah, and sending him to his own house to have lien with his wife, that so he might have fathered the sin without suspicion. This was the guise and disposition of Eli, 1 Sam. 3. 17. he enjoyns Samuel not to … any thing from him of all the things that the Lord had spoken; he would hear al, and know the worst of al: So it ought to be with every man, that in earnest, desires to know the evil of his sin. If the Word discover, Conscience accuse for any sin, take the first notice and inkling, cease not to make ful enquiry, and see what wil become of it, search unto the very bottom.

Labor to take all those cursed Cavils, the wily shifts Means 3.and devices which carnal Reason casts in, to break the blow as it were, and to defeat, and put by the Authority of the Truth: So that the edg and powerful Operation of an Ordinance is wholly blunted and hindred, that it prevails not with the heart, nor can the Judgment … set down by Evidence of Argument and Reason, which comes to be darkened by such Cavils and devices. Here is then the great skil, and ought to be the chief care of a Christian; not to consult with flesh and blood; at least p. 119to cleer the Coast of al such Carnal Reasonings, that the Evidence of the Truth may be entertained without gainsaying, and attain his proper powerful effect upon the mind and heart.

These Cavils and Shifts are commonly referred to Three Heads.

1 To lighten the evil of sin, that it is not so hainous and dangerous a matter as Ministers seem to make it.

2 If it were so dangerous, yet the danger may easily be prevented.

3 If it cannot be prevented, yet it may be suffered without any such extream hazard, as many fear, and others would bear the world in hand.

To remove these out of the way, that so the Work of Conviction may go on with more success, we shal shortly speak to all of them in the Order propounded.

It's incident to al men naturally to have a slight apprehension 1of their sin; partly they do not know it, partly they are loth to be troubled and disquieted with it; and therefore out of their own ignorance and security they would easily perswade themselves, it's not so hainous and dangerous, that so they may not fear so much to commit, nor care so much to reform them when once they are fallen, nor yet suffer themselves to be overborn with terror and discouragement, though they continue in them. This lessening of the hainousness and dangerousness of sin issues upon a four-fold Ground for the most part.

The commonness of sin, makes men not start at the Shift, 1.commission of it; that which so many do, and so ordinarily, and happily such who are for their parts and places of no mean esteem, they imagine and conclude they may safely do. We are sinners say they, and good now, are not all so? If it go ill with us, then God be merciful to many. We have our failings, we are not alone, we have many fellows, who lives without them? If we p. 120were so gross as such, you had just reason to condemn us, and we to condemn and loath our selves, but being no other than the most are, I hope there is no great matter in it.

I Answer in three things:

1 The more common thy sin, the more … it is, Answ. 1.and the heavier thy Curse will be from the Lord. The more they be that oppose the Lord and his Truth, the more need of thy help, and the greater had been thy love to him and his cause now to stand by it, and the greater thy falsness and unfaithfulness to forsake both, and to joyn sides with the wicked. See how unkindly he takes the suspicion and appearance to be carried away in a common defection, …, 6. 66. When many went back and walked no more with Jesus, if commonness might have given encouragement, the Disciples had warrant enough to have carried them in the stream, yet see how il the Lord takes the least inclination or suspicion that way, Wil ye also go away? See how heavily the anger of the Lord breaks out against such Apostats, Iudg. 5. 3. Curse ye Meroz (said the Angel of the Lord) yea, curse ye Meroz bitterly, because they went not out to help the Lord against the mighty. When opposition grows sierce, and the numbers grow to be many, and the power mighty of such as become Adversaries to the …, … who then becomes careless of the Lord and his Cause, the Curse of God comes out against such in a peculiar manner, he aims at them by name; Curse ye such who go not out to help the Lord against the mighty pride, the mighty stubbornness, the mighty … and unprofitableness, and base Earthly-mindedness … gets footing, and grows common in the places, and amongst such with whom we ….

2 As it shews thy curse to be heavy, so thy estate to Answ. 2.be miserable, and thy soul as yet destitute of any saving work of Gods Grace. Thou art in the road and broad way to destruction, and this is one evidence it's the common p. 121track, Broad is the gate, wide is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat, Matth. 7. 13. It's easie to find, and as easie, yet certain thou shalt perish in it. It's made a description of a Child of wrath and such who are dead in sins and trespasses, Eph. 2. 2. Who walk according to the Course of this world according to the prince of the Aire, who rules in the hearts of the Children of disobedience. Dost thou walk in the common road according to the course of the world? thou art in the kingdome of darkness, and art ruled by the Prince of darkness and shall go to everlasting darkness. Dead Fishes Swim down the stream. Thou art a dead man if thou goest with the stream of the world.

Therefore the Apostle James gives it as an Evidence of true Religion and a man truly Religions James. 1. 27. This is true Religion to keep a mans self unspotted of this present Evil world. If a man say he be Religious and yet Refrain not his tongue, the Religion of that man is vain, If a man will lie and Rayl and Shift up and down because others do so, truly the Religion of that man is vain, and so his hopes and comforts will be.

The Commonness of this sin doth exceedingly aggravateAnsw. 3. it and make it out of measure sinful, even of a poysoning and spreading and infectious Nature, it's not consined within a mans own compas and conscience, it's not a sin in a mans self but there be many sins in this one, it becomes the Cause of sin to many others. Many are provoked and encouraged to the practice of the like Evils by thy practice, Examples are of a constrayning Nature, Peter dissembles and many are snatched … by his example to do as he did Gal. 2 Many are strengthened and confirmed in their wickedness because they have thy example to warrant them, they will certainly perish. But their Blood will be required at thy hand: thou wast the man that did lead them to an ungodly Course and didst harden them therein. And the Name p. 122of God and his truth will be blasphemed amongst the Heathen for thy sake Rom. 2. 24. How can they but conclude that Religion allows such an ungodly Course which men dare So Commonly to commit, and to Continue in without remorse or reformation.

The Second shift whereby our carnal hearts wouldShift 2. keep off the Evidence of Conviction, is this, As the commonness seems to … our corruption, so the naturalness is made pretence to excuse it: Here the plea is ready whereby men would challenge pity … connivance as their debt: It is my disposition or constitution, I cannot mend it; it is my Nature, I cannot alter it. Al flesh is frail, God knows whereof we be made, how feeble we be, and he doth not expect perfection at our hands, no man counts his coat the worse because there … some moats in it, or casts away his Gold because there is a flaw or mark in it: It's my natural infirmity, and hath not each man his failings? would you have us be Saints?

Saints? Yea, either Saints or Devils. The Lord would have thee to be so. This is the will of God, Answ.even your sanctification, 1 Thes. 4. 3. the Law would have thee to be so, 1 Peter, 1. 15. Be ye holy in all manner of Conversation: thy Profession would have thee to be …, Let every one that cals upon the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2. 19. And he that hath this hope purgeth himself as he is pure, 1 John, 3. 5. That generally, but to come a little neerer, and to shew the vanity of this Shift, I Answer,

First, This excuse that would cover one sin, discovers another; and thy Plea doth give in undeniable evidence that all the means of Grace that ever thou hast enjoyed, and God hath vouchsafed, hath never wrought upon thee, nor prevailed with thee for good to this very day, nor hast thou received benefit or profit therefrom; but al the pains that hath been taken with thee is like water spilt upon the ground. For that's the manner of the Lords proceeding with the soul of a sinner, when he intends savingly and effectually to work upon him, he p. 123changeth his Nature, gives him another heart, and as it was said of Saul in a like case, 1 Sam. he makes him another man. It's the Prophesie of the power of the Gospel, The Leopard becomes as a Lamb, and the Lyon as a Kid, Isai. 11. 6. the savage, harsh, and … distempers, which like a fretting Leprosie, possessed the nature of sinners, are taken away when the Lord comes to take possession of them, or to prevail with them in the power of any Ordinance. It's the first step in the profession of the Gospel: He that wil be Christs Disciple must deny himself, he must be able to say as the blind man whom our Savior cured; I was blind, but now I see; I was dead, but now I am alive: I was of a proud, peevish, wayward, waspish, contentious, froward, quarrelsom disposition, could agree with no body, nor with my self neither, but since the Lord hath met with me, and wrought upon me by his Word and Spirit, I am not I; I have another mind, and another heart, and another carriage and Conversation than formerly. He that is in Christ, and Christ in him, he is a new Creature, and hath a new Nature, he strives most against that unto which he is most addicted by his own disposition, he watcheth how to prevent that, he fears al the day long lest he should be surprized with it, fortifies most in the improvement of al means against that, confesseth that with most sorrow and bitterness, seeks with most care and diligence to obtain help from Heaven to subdue that, and commonly gets the greatest ground against the same.

Hast thou then the same corrupt Nature? Conclude thou mayest and write upon it, thou never hast prayed aright, heard aright, thou hast never received a Sacrament aright unto this day, thou hast never profited by any means thou hast enjoyed, or duties thou hast performed to this day.

Thy Disease and distempers are desperate, and likely Answ. 2.never to be cured, and thou recovered out of them: p. 124when they come to be natural as it were, and yield to no Remedy; Jer. 13. 23. Can the Black-more change his skin, and the Leopard his spots? no more can they learn to do well who are accustomed to do evil. There be some spots of filth which are cast upon our coats and flesh, there is a sooty blackiness wherewith our garments and our skins are somtimes sullied withal by somthing from without, which may be clensed and washed away with little labor in a short time; but … which grow out of Nature, as Moles and Wens in the Body, there is little hope that ever they should be altered as long as Nature it self continues. It is so with distempers, when some sudden occasions or temptations from without, taints and pollutes the soul, there is Hope in Israel that some Spiritual means, like healing Medicines seasonably applied, may help and recover. But when men out of a corrupt inclination are customarily carried in the continuance of some distemper, it … like another Nature, he may lose his life and soul, but is like never to lose his lust, that wil go to his Grave, and so to Hell with him. Job, 20. 11, 12. When wickedness is sweet in a mans mouth, when he hides it under his tongue, when he spares it, and forsakes it not, his bones are full of the sins of his youth; they have been bred and brought up with him, grown and continued and encreased dayly with them; he would not leave them, they wil not leave him, they shal lie down in the dust with him, rise with him to Judgment, and go to Hell with him in the end.

Thy person comes most to be abhorred and loathed by Answ. 3.the Almighty, for which thou vainly conceivest thou mayest be pitied. We pity a man that drinks poyson because it's not his disposition to be so, but the infection that befel him; but the Spider and the Toad we abhor the sight, and not endure to touch them, because they are … a poysonful Nature. So it is with the Spiritual plague of thy Soul; even the dearest of Gods Servants p. 125may be surprized with a pang of pride, overborn with a sudden hurry of passion, and frowardness, and the Lord pities, and pardons, and passeth it by, and wil not lay it to their charge, because it was their Disease, not their disposition, their temptation and surprizal; not their purpose, the Lord looks at it so. You have heard of the Patience of Job, James 6. But when such noysom lusts become Natural, and that we live in them, as in our Element, when we have, and keep, and own an accursed poysonful Nature, it's that which the Lord detests; The froward in spirit is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 3. 32. In the old Law it was observed, that when the Leprosie tainted the Skin, but did not spread, the Leaper was pronounced clean; but if it did fret into the flesh, it was unclean; to teach us, that though we had leprous distempers that tainted and defiled our performances, yet if they did not fret into the flesh, our affections taken aside with them, the Lord looks at us as clean in his Christ, because it was not we that in our hearts purposed the evil, but sin that prevailed against our purpose; but if we hugged them in our bosom, laid them nigh unto our hearts, and took them as our Natures, we were loathsom in the sight of God.

The third Shift whereby a carnal heart comes toShift. 3. lighten the hainousness of his evil, and therefore looks not at it as so loathsom as he should and it deserves. Because he can put off the blame from himself (as he conceives) upon his Companions, who either by their … and perswasions, have deluded him, and led him into sinful courses, beyond his intendment and sometimes contrary to his desire: and therefore he concludes he may justly free himself from blame, and lay the blame upon them wholly. It was the fault of such & such, I am free. Had not they counselled it, I had never committed the sin; had not they perswaded me, I had never purposed it, it was not in my thoughts, but they allured, deluded, and drew me to it. Let them be charged p. 126with the guilt, and bear the punishment, I hope I may be excused. This manner of sinful shifting of our faults unto another is that which all of us have … from our first Parents. It was their practice immediately after the fal, & We their Posterity have made it a president to our Posterity unto this day. when the Lord challenged Adam for his offence and breach of covenant, why hast thou done this? he puts it … to the woman, the woman to the Serpent. Gen. 3. 12. 13. 14. The woman which thou gavest me (Saies Adam) she gave unto me, and I did eat. the woman she takes the rebound and puts the ball behind her, The Serpent beguiled me. but al in vain, this could not free any of them from the punishmeut or excuse them from the fault.

To shew the feeblness of this fond pretence, I shal answerAnsw. several things.

The Aggravation of the evil of this sin, in yielding to 1the corrupt Counsel of loose and bad companions, and the suffering of a mans self to be … by their delusionsappears in this, that they who are here in guilty they do in this their practice prefer the folly of man before the wisdom of God, their falshood above his truth, serve their turn and base ends, maintain their honor, & that in an ungodly way, rather than the honor of the eternal God from whom they have received al they do possess to whom they owe themselves, and should improve al they have and are to his praise and yet they do not only set up base men but even the lusts of men before the honor of the Almighty, and profess so much by their practice, its not the command of God but the corrupt … of vile men shal carry us, not his promises though great and precious, but their perswasions shal prevayl with us, … suffer the name and honor of the Lord to lye in the dust, nay trample it under their feet that they may promote their persons, and … credit of their proceedings p. 127though wretchedly wicked. And what greater indignity can be offered to the great God of heaven and earth, who wil require it at your hands, when your companions wil not open their mouths to excuse you nor can defend you from his vengeance. the … of this conspiracie against the Lord he himself acknowledgeth in Eli's indulgence yielding out of the easiness of his spirit to his sons in their prophane carriage in that he did not proceed with that rigour and severity as the … of their carriage did justly … for. The Lord doth plainly and peremptorily charge him with a double evil 1 Sam. 2. 29. 30. 31. that they kicked at his Sacrifice that is, cast contempt upon his holy things, and honored his Sons, and that in their lewdness above him, when out of a feeble childishness he would suffer his sons to abuse Gods ordinances, and not administer a sharp reproof or execute a just and severe censure suitable to the nature of the fact upon them. he gave so far allowance to the contempt of Gods ordinances and was more willing to please them than God therefore the Lord denounceth his direful displeasure against him, he repented him of all the good he had intended, and would pursue him and all his Posterety to the utter confusion of their faces, because thou hast kicked against my …, and hast honored thy sons above me, therefore the … shal come I wil cut off thy arme &c. For those that honor me shal be honored, and those that despise me shal be despised. Thus the Lord dealt with … when he inconsiderately joyned sides with Ahab. 2. Cron. 18. 2. … thou love those that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Sodering with the society of the wicked is to … it against the God of all the world: the Lord cannot bear it but his anger breaks out immediately against such.

By your yielding to the counsel of the ungodly you do p. 112Answ. 2.… … in their wickedness, and appear as a … in the … with them, strengthen their hands and encourage their hearts, steel their faces and make them resolutely bold, and impenitently impudent in their ungodly …. they dare adventure to say and do what ever evil may serve their turnes, and maintain what they do without either fear or care, to hear or reform because they have others to maintain them in what they do. As the scripture speaks of Absolons rebellion 2 Sam. 15. 12. The conspiracy grew strong for the people … … with Absolon, the company and encrease of his numbers added encouragment to his rebellious course. Whereas had the people forsaken him his project and proceeding must needs have fallen to the ground, and he been forced to have forsaken his rebellious course, and hence it was … policy & that accursed counsel he gave to Absolon to enter into his Fathers Concubines, in the view of the people, that he might settle the hearts of the people more sure to him in that there was no hope of reconciliation and agreement betwixt him, and his Father and so establish his own safety. Common Soldiers if their numbers encrease though they be but weak and unskilful yet give encouragement to the trayned band, and the Commanders themselves, yea their very appearance in the field, though they strike not a stroke, helps much in the Fight. So the Prophet in the former place chargeth this evil upon … in siding with Ahab in his design, 2 Chron. 29. 2. Shouldest thou help the ungodly? he that yields to the Counsel of the ungodly, and joyns hands with them in their way and work, he helps the ungodly, and is guilty of their sin, and blood. Thou that art resolved to soldier with the Society of the ungodly, and so suit them in their way, to maintain what they say and do, let them say and do what they wil, thou helpest a false tongue to lye, a malicious heart to reproach and …, an unjust hand to oppress, p. 129for thou wilt defend what they do, let them do what they wil that is naught.

Thou that art thus deluded and taken aside with the 3invegleings of others, though the Lord looks at them as Leaders into evil, and so will reward them, Yet know thou must, that thy condition is far worse, in some … more dangerous than theirs, and thy plagues will prove more heavy; so … art thou from hoping for any … or pity to thy self, because thou art …, that thy sin and judgment wil hereby be encreased. It's the sad doom of our Savior, and worthy of most serious consideration, Matth. 23. 15. Wo be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites; for ye compass Sea and Land to make a Proselite; that is, to make one of their Sect and humor, one of their hang-by's that must be pinned to their sleeves, melt into their Opinions, and imbrace their practice; when they have made him their own, their sworn Vassal, al of a string, that they can stir him and turn him as they wil, mark the issue; They make him twice more the Child of the Devil than themselves. That Perdition comes to be their Portion, and Hell for their Inheritance, they are the heirs of it, and they have a double portion there; their plagues twice more heavy, and therfore their sins must carry the same proportion, twice more vile than those that were their Leaders into that leudness. Brethren, what a dreadful thing is it for one to think of it, The Scribes & Pharisees who were cruel oppressors, … exactors, who devoured widdows Houses, false Hypocrites, blind guides, painted Tombs, Serpents, and a generation of Vipers, who cannot escape the damnation of Hell, and one would think Hell it self had scarce any worse. Yet when they had miss-led some poor Sneaks, and deluded some ignorant silly people by their importunities, and painted appearances of Holiness, brought them to the bent of their bow, captivated them wholly to their Opinions and Practices, what a dreadful thing is it to think that these poor … p. 130Creatures should be twice more the Children of Hel than such, who to common apprehensions might seem to be the scum of Hell. Hear and fear, and let your hearts sink and shake within you, you poor … Creatures, take a scantling of your condition by the former example. Imagine you saw a proud Pharisee, a man of a … tongue ful of turnings and windings, he cannot live without lying, he is froward in spirit, and … not to … the straight wales of the Lord, that he may please his own wil, suit his own humor, bend the Rule to his mind, not his heart to the Rule; one of an uncontroulable Spirit that wil contend with God and men if they … him in a sinful course. Suppose thou sawest this man receive his Sentence at the day of Judgment, and sent down to the pit, For without shall be lyars, &c. …. 22. 15. They who pervert the straight … of the Lord are the Children of the Devil, Acts 13. 10. And such as sow contentions amongst brethren, and are contentious, and obey not the Truth, tribulation, and wrath, and anguish, shall be upon the soul of every one such, Rom. 2. 8. He hath learned thee his Trade of Lying, miss-led thee into the like perverse, contentious courses, How shalt thou escape the damnation of Hell? Oh thou wilt reply; Lord, it was his counsel that cozened me, his … and insinuations that drew me to those evils, I had never done them else: I hope therefore I may be pitied, though he be plagued; I may be excused, though the Curte fall upon him, who was the cause and Author of all: No, no, poor misguided creature, thou art utterly mistaken; He is the Child of the Devil, and hath received now his …, thou hearest him yelling in the bottomless pit; he hath his load more than he can bear; but thou art twice more the child of Hell, this is able to sink thy heart with the very thought of it. Thy slavery is far greater, thy obstinacy more, and therefore thy recovery harder than his; he is a slave to his sins, thou art a p. 131slave to the man and sin and all; he wil hear reason if it be propounded, thou knowest nothing, and therefore receivest nothing unless thou be allowed by thy Leader, the less hope that ever thou shouldst be convinced or reformed. The Lord is forced … let in the flashes of the fiercest of his fury into the faces of such misguided creatures, to bring them to the consideration of him and themselves, and to deal punctually for their conviction, Psal 50. 18. When thou sawest a Thief, thou consentedst, and thou wast partaker with Adulterers, q. d. they perswaded …, and thou didst imbrace their perswasion Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; he points out the time, the place, the company, the crew, amongst whom they sate, These things thou hast done, and I kept silence, and thou thoughtest that I was altogether like thee; but I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thee. Oh consider this, ye that forget God. You forget, you misguided sinners, that God was present, and saw what you plotted, that God is Omniscient, and knows what you intended, that he is the righteous Judg of all the World, and will bring the secret things of darkness, to light, and make known the hid Counsels of the heart. Therefore let me end with the Advice and Counsel of Moses; do not think to excuse your selves, because deluded by your company, but leave counsel and company, share not in their sins and Societies, if you wil not share in their plagues. Numb. 14. 26. Depart I pray you, from the Tents of these wicked men, touch nothing of theirs, their counsels and perswasions; and they … his Counsel good, and … own experience gave proof, They fled and cried whenthe Earth opened, lest the Earth swallow us up also. So be not you deceived also, lest you be damned also: stay not amongst wicked company lest you perish among them.Shift 4.

A Fourth Shift which seems to lessen mens sins, and to take off the strength of Conviction, and the danger of the evil, is the strength of such provocations which p. 132(as they pretend) constrain them against the heart and hair to the commission of evil, and therefore might excuse them in it. Why say men under such assaults, their speeches were so harsh and uncomely, I had almost said unchristian, and cross to rule, their carriage so cross and unreasonable, beyond the compass of humanity, yea, cross to common sence, their provocations so great, so many that they were unsufferable, they would have angred a Saint. If there fel any thing uncomly (as it's impossible but in reason it should) the fault is in him that gave the provocation; a man in that case may seem to be freed from blame, such unreasonable passages would put an Angel beyond his patience, flesh and blood cannot bear it.

True flesh and blood cannot bear it, therefore flesh Answ.and blood cannot please God, therefore flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; flesh and blood cannot save you, therefore should not rule you, if you wil hear the Rule of Christ, it's plain, 1 Pet. 3. 9. We must not render evil for evil, railing for railing, and if any man desire to see good daies, and to seek peace; this is the way which God appoints and blesseth: If you wil see the practice of our Savior Christ, it's also plain and precedential, He gave his cheeks to the Buffeters, and … back to the Snuters, and as a Lamb was dumb before the Shearer in all his sufferings; and he was more innocent than you, suffered more wrong, had more reason and Authority also, if it had been a Rule so to have righted himself: But he would not do so, 1 Pet. 2. 29. When he was reviled, he reviled not again; nay, the Text saies, he durst not do so, and that when he dealt with the Devil, the Accuser of the Brethren, for so many Interpreters understand the place, and I cannot see but it's safe and suitable; safe for the sence, and suitable to the Context. Jude, 8. 9. reproving that sin of reviling, verse 8. he confutes and condemns it thus, Yet Michael the Arch-Angel, when contending with the p. 133Devil, he … about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation. This Michael who appeared now as the Messenger of the Covenant, and in the form of a Servant, and therefore contested with Satan, as in the daies of his flesh when tempted. If Christ durst not, how dares any man? If not to the Devil, how any to such as are in Dignity?

But come we neerer to the Shift, and examine the vanity of it; and that wil appear in Two things:

1 It's very Unreasonable.

2 Very Dishonorable, that others provocations should prevail with us to break out unto any unseemly practice.

It is an unreasonable thing, Because another … me 1wrong, that therefore I should wrong the Lord, my soul, my place; It's not an evil in Truth, but an honor, and wil be a mans comfort, and bring a reward with it, to bear an injury, harsh dealing, and hard measure; Blessed are ye when men persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you, they bring great reward. But to revile, and deal harshly with others, because so dealt withal, is to be injurious to God, to my profession, to the peace and comfort of my own Conscience: Because a man cuts my finger, should I go and stab my heart? men would look at it as a way of Frenzy: Because men set themselves against me, should I set God against … also? This is the Apostles cure, 1 Pet. 3. 12. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the Righteous, but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Nay, how cross to common sence is it, when thou thinkest the carriages of men are unreasonable, their provocations unsufferable, yet thou wilt do the like, and so condemn thy self by thine own doing.

It's marvelous dishonorable to God: We do not … up 2his Name that is called upon by us, and express the vertues of him that hath called us to his marvelous Light, and out of the world, that we might shine as Lights in a p. 134crooked generation; what serves your strength for but for a time of trial? you say flesh and blood cannot bear, why good now? what serves your Grace for, but to do other and better than flesh and blood can do? This kind of distemper overtook Moses and it cost him dear, and the Lord would not once vouchsafe to hear an excuse or to abate him of the …, Psal. 106. 31. 32. It went ill with Moses for … sakes because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips. The fore Moses himself said Deutr. 1. 37. the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, saying thou shalt not go into the Land, nay Deutr. 3. 26. the Lord would not hear him, saying, speak no more to me of this …. This is a great dishonor to God and grace, when we are overcome of evil, whereas we ought to overcome evil with goodness. Rom. 12. 21.

Whereby men labor to put by the stroke of the truth, Shift 5.that either it shal not hit at least not wound, either not touch them, or not trouble them, it is they FORGET their duty wholly and therefore did it not. The throng of business pressed in upon them, and that somthing unexpectedly, did distract them, that croud of occasions coming in like a mighty sea did so take up their thoughts & surprise and hurry them, they remember not what they should do and therefore did not perform what they ought, it was the slip of a mans memory, no such great matter, nor wil be so sadly charged upon a man they hope, It were hard if it should, It was but my forgetfulness. But? forget thy duty man? what couldestAnsw. thou say more wherein thou mayest aggravate thy fault in a most heavy manner? Is not this the express wil of God, that a man should do with all his might what his hand finds to do Eccles. 9. 10. That he should abide in the calling unto which God hath called him, 1 Cor. 7. 20. Is not this the great errand of a mans life, the end why we came into the world to do Gods wil? the only charge that is laid upon us by the Almighty, wee p. 135are not charged to be rich or honorable, to gain the profits and pleasures of this world, there is not such a … to be seen in the whol Bible; thou only liyest to discharge thy duty, if thou forgettest that, thou forgettest why thou livest, and the very excuse is a far greater sin than that was which thou didst seem to excuse, and thy punishment wil be answerable when out of thine own mouth thou wilt be condemned. As it was said to him in the story, when the Prophet in his own person would discover the Kings carelesness, to him he disguised himself as the King passed by, and so passed by him and said; 1 Kings, 20. 39. Thy … went out into the midst of the …, and … a man brought a man to me, saying, Keep this man, if by any means he be missing, then shal thy life be for his life, and as thy servant was … here and there, he was gone; and the … of Israel said, so shal thy judgment, thy self hath decided it. Let me speak to thee in a like manner. The Lord hath given thee his holy commands in charge, the Grace of God, the Gospel of Grace which hath appeared and which bringeth Salvation teacheth men to deny ungodly & unworldly lusts, & to live Godly & soberly in this present evil world, & to be Zealous of good works, 2 Titus, 13. 14. that we … mortisy the deeds of the flesh, that we might live, Rom. 8. 13. but if we walk after the flesh we shal dy, these Evangelical commands thou art bound to observe, if by any means they be awanting thou loosest thy lise, if thou loosest them; forget these, and God wil forget thee. Now thou returnest thy excuse, that while thou wert busie here and there, busie in planting, and building, busie in plotting and contriving thine own carnal contents, thy heart busie and eager in the pursuit of earthly occasions and imployments, thy thoughts busie in devising and acting meanes, in observing and improving opportunities, thy hand busie in endeavouring to the utmost of thy power and skil to accomplish these, either sinful, or at the best p. 136earthly conveniences thou mindest these so much; the other was wholly out of thy mind; out of thy own mouth shalt thou be condemned, so shal thy judgment be thou heedless sinful creature, thou hast decided the matter, they that forget God shal be turned to Hell. Psal. 9. 17 They who mind earthly things their end is damnation, Phil. 3. 21. God in mercy wil not mind thee, he wil not mind the prayers thou makest, he wil not mind thy complaints, thy necessities thou presentest before him.

Thus generally: For a particular answer I shal doAnsw. two things.

1. Shew who those be that make this shift.

2. How this aggravates their sin.

Who those be that make this excuse, that each man 1may take his portion, that those may not be burdened by mistakes who desire to burden themselves, that we may not bruise the broken in spirit. There be two sorts of forgetful persons.

First, such who in the sence of their own feebleness and brickleness of memory are not able to keep the wholsom truths, those heavenly treasures which many times are commended to their care & observance, but those precious promises, precious comforts & directions, they slip away out of their weak memories like pure liquor out of a leaking vessel, which makes them sit down in silence, and their hearts sink in discouragement loaded with the loathsomness and greatness of the evil, that they cannot tel how to bear it, nor yet to bear up their hearts under the weight of it, they conceive it so hainous, so dangerous a sin; that which we cannot retain say they, how shal we have the use of it, how shal we answer the loss of such glorious truths, and the very weight of the evil shakes their very hopes many times. And you shal ever observe the favour the Lord shews to such weak ones and the work of his grace in them, that though through the scantness and narrowness of their memories, p. 137they are not able to keep things in their order & to make report of them; yet so much as they have present use for they wil have that at hand. and such truths which they shal have need of for after times they are never generally call'd to the practice of them, but they are call'd to their minds, Gods spirit brings them to remembrance their hearts by faith received them and hold them Mat. 13. 23. but the narrowness of their memory was like a house that had but scant roomes, kept them in a lumber together, but there they were, and therefore the … brings them forth. John 14. 26. The comforter … bring all things to your remembrance, These are not the persons we now speak unto, for they lighten a d lessen their evil by this means, these find it heavie and load … heurts with Godly sorrow for it.

2. There is therefore another sort, whose wound of … lyes not in the weakness of their memories, or scantness of … that they cannot retain the truths commended to them, and come within their charge, but such who stuff their minds and memories so ful of earthly occasions, or attendance to some distemper that either they keep out or croud out the rememberance of their duty and think because it was not in their minds, therefore they have plea sufficient if it be not in their practice, and thus their disposition and spirit is worse than their carriage and behavior, and this their excuse it encreaseth their sin, in three things, or ads a three fold aggravation to it.

They give in undeniable evidence that they do not 1only neglect the service but that they have no love to it; not only their endeavours are wanting but their hearts and faithfulness, are wanting also to the Lord and his work, love and faithfulness wil cause attendance and remembrance where ever it is. The man whose heart is endeared to the woman he loves, he dreams of her in the night, hath her in his eye & apprehension when he awakes, museth on her as he sits at table, walks with her when p. 138he travels and … with her in each place where he comes. So it would be with thee, If thou … little and makest that thy excuse, its certain thou lovest little, if thou mindest not, thou … not the Lord and his waies, Psal. 119. 97. Oh … I do love thy law, it is my meditation day and night so the Saints Isa. 26. 8. The … of our hearts are towards thee, and the remembrance of thy name. And therefore the Psalmist again …, thy Commandements are ever with me. The heart of the lover keeps company with the thing beloved. If thou mindest not to practice the duty its certain thou may est conclude thou … yet hadst love to the Lord Jesus and his service.

This forgetfulness not minding that which is thy 2charge, shewes thou never hadst a high esteem, never yet sett'st a price upon the … … of the ways and wil of God, thou undervaluest thy duties and lookest at them as things of little worth and therefore are out of sight, and out of mind, refuse things that are of mean account with us, we lay them by, cast them into any blind corner, we judg them not worth the remembrance and therefore we bestow not our memories upon them but if there be a pearl of price some special and rare jewel, each man cares … he laies it, and can easily find it and that in the dark. So it is when thou lookest at the Commands the Lord gives and the duties he requires as matters of no great consequence, and therefore bestowest not thy thoughts or remembrance about them, see how the prophet argues from this ground Jer. 2. 32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire, yet my … have forgotten me daies … number; so where their esteem is their memories are also. It's certain it's a base … heart of the duties which are in daily practice and the discharge of his place, which ought to be his daily wear. A man should put on Christ, his holiness, meekness &c. and … themselves with a quiet and modest and peacable spirit. yet p. 139these are not in his way nor his thoughts, It's certain thou carest not so much for Gods command as a frothy headed maid doth for a clout. Weigh then but in serious consideration, the wretchedness of thy pretence; shouldest thou hear a servant or a child excuse their idleness or disobedience to Master or Father on this manner, I hope you wil excuse my neglect, and pardon … disobedience, because I do not love your person, … or esteem your place or command, were not … … aggravate the evil no way to excuse it. Such is the silliness of this shift of thine, when thou wouldest make thy forgetfulness to lessen thy fault. Because thou doest not love the Lord nor reverence his holy law, this encreaseth the evil exceedingly.

It argues a sensual sottish, Atheistcal disposition of 3heart tolive without God and …, in our course … to put off the apprehensions of Christians and men these are joyned together Ezek. 23. 35. Thou hast forgotten me and cast me behind thy back, to live an outlaw upon earth, when we attend not, mind not a law by which wee live. Thy duty is plain which is required, the sin evident that is forbidden, thou neglectest the one and committest the other, and this is the balsom that heals and helps al; I did not once think of it. It was wholly out of thy mind, I did quite forget it; why then forget thou art a Christian, nay a man, forget there is a God, that there is a Heaven to reward … a Hell to Torment thee, forget thou hast a soul to be saved or sins to be pardoned, or avoyded until thou feelest the plagues of them, which thou … never be able to forget nor yet to bear.

Another Shift which keeps off the edg and power ofShift, 6. a Conviction, Is the deadly and destroying hazards they expect, and great extremities which they fear will … befal, if they should not dispense with some sins in such cases: Hence it is their Arguments come on armed with such unanswerable Interrogations in their p. 140apprehensions; Why? what would you have us do? You little know the desperate streights unto which we are driven, were you but in our places, we are perswaded you would not only pity us in what we have done, but would do the same things; Alas, would you have us begger our selves? undo our families? destroy our Liberties and Comforts? yea, hazard, nay lose our lives? herein we hope the Lord wil allow us some dispensation or connivance: Thus they with one … consent, not only desired, but took it for granted they should also obtain their desire, which to them appeared so reasonable; Luke, 14. 18. … Guests began to excuse themselves; One hath hired a Farm, and he must go and see it; Another a yoke of Oxen, and he must try them; and therefore I pray you have me excused; Another hath married a Wife, and he cannot come, and … desires he may be excused, q. d. We conceive the case so equal and reasonable, we suppose we need not speak our selves, you wil plead our excuse, which indeed pleads for it self: should not a man preserve his state, and therefore in a way of providence go visit his Farm? should he not attend his Calling? if he be called to follow the Plow, why should he not follow it?

For Answer, I shal shortly leave two or three ScripturesAnsw. with thee: Is it not one Command of the Gospel, That they that will … godly in Christ, must suffer persecution, and through many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, 2 Tim. 3. 12. He that will save his … shall lose it, Matth. 16. 25. He that loves … or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me, Matth. 10. 37. If thou art so far from yielding obedience to the Gospel, as to refuse the terms of it, canst thou be excused? To fear man more than God, to preser thine own ease more than his Honor, canst thou be excusable? To attend the Comforts of this world with the loss of the peace of thy Conscience, to p. 141look after the preservation of thy life, and neglect the Salvation of thy soul; nor God, nor man, nor Angels, nor Devils, nor … own Conscience will excuse thee.

The Seventh Shift and forgery whereby our Carnal Shift 7.Reason would … and defeat the power of the Truth, and lessen the loathsomness of sin, is that which seems to them so reasonable, even to common sence, as that it admits no denial; and it's taken from THE HOLINESS AND SPIRITUALNESS OF THE LAW, unto which they are bound, and that overbearing strength of the body of sin, and original corruption, … they are wholly disenabled to the performance thereof; so that there is not only a difficulty, but even an impossibility to corrupt Nature, and to men in their Natural condition, to answer the exactness thereof; doth not the Text say … such cannot cease from sin, 2. Pet. 2. 14. That which is … of the flesh, and comes from it, is flesh, John, 3. 8, 9. Are not the words plain, That the Prince of the Air rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, and that he takes them captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2. last. Nay, if the holy Apostle who had the Spirit of Grace, yet found his distempers bear up so hard, and make head against him, that they soiled him, and put him to the worse, and forced him to cry out as under captivity and thraldom, I see another Law in my members carrying me captive; Oh wretched man, who shall deliver me, Rom. 7. If he that had received the power of Grace against his sin, was yet so overborn, what can they be able to do that are yet in their natural condition (and have nothing but sin) as al the Sons of Adam are since the Fall? That as … in a storm are forced by the rage of winds and weather to go whither they wil carry them, not whither they should; men pity them for what they suffer, do not … them for what they cannot do: So it is with the strength of distempers, which like a mighty stream, carry us uncontroulably p. 142to the commission of evil, and it's impossible for us to prevail against; alas, what can Nature do in such a case, if God wil not help? Is it equal that men be put upon impossibilities? or that they should be punished for that which cannot be avoided? It's not in man to direct his own waies, to subdue his own sins: we are nothing else but a lump of corruption, the Lord knows we do what we can, and we hope we shal not be condemned for what we cannot do.

I Answer, The Lord knows, and thy ConscienceAnsw. knows, and the world knows, thou speakest a horrible fal ehood, or to use the Phrase of Scripture, Thou lyest, and speakest not the Truth. More particularly I answer Four things.

Thou doest not what thou mayest and canst do. … 1Lord hath left in thee the remainder of many natural abilities, hath lent thee the help of many common … and Graces, which by Art and Education have grown to some ripeness, and thou hast found the strokes of his Spirit partly restraining of thee from evil, and constraining of thee to good; and thou neither hast, nor dost put forth actions and endeavors answerable in any measure. It was said of them, it's as true of thee, Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God, they … him not as God. The unprofitable Servant was not condemned so much because he had no Talent, but that when he had received a Talent, he idled away his time and Talent, hid it in a napkin, he traded not, gained not consequently, Matth. 25. 25. This is thy condition, thou art in his rank, thy sin the same, and thy sentence wil be the same; thou hast … one, but many Talents; hath not the Lord given thee a mind to conceive, and a memory to retain things? why canst not thou lay out these for the Lord and his Truth, as wel as to lavish out both in the pursuit of the world, and thine own lusts, and lying vanities? thou mayest read the Bible as wel as other vain Books, seek the communion of Saints, and thy legs p. 143would carry … to them, as wel as to riotous company. Nay, thou art not only faulty in not doing what thou canst, but even neglecting, … opposing the practice of those Duties unto which thy judgment would carry thee, and … constrain thee, Rom. 1. 18. thou holdest down the Truth in unrighteousness, when thy reason props it, thy Conscience provokes and calls, this thou shouldest, this thou oughtest to do, and yet thou neglectest it. Yea, let thine own Experience give in evidence in this behalf; thou laziest away thy time in the waies of thy Calling, and the work of the Lord, reads not, … not, prayest not in private, recallest not the things heard, … not in thy place with meekness, but crooked carriages, peevish and froward speeches, rugged behaviors attend thee in thy dayly course: Answer me out of thine own heart; Would not so much money hire, such reward promised and performed, perswade thee to do such duties, or reform such sins? Would not the fear of some displeasure, at least the sharpness of some punishment, compel thee to reform outwardly; to find thy heart, and tongue, and mind, and force thee to pray, and read, and recal, make thee bite thy lip, and compose thy carriage, not to speak a cross word, or vent a passionate speech? Thou wretch, doth twenty pound, or a whipping post give thee any Grace, thou hadst therefore ability, which thou never didst improve as thou mightest.

Secondly, Be thy weakness whatit wil be, or inability, 2that is not the worst; but that which ads to the heap of the … of thy evil, and the height of it, Thou art not yet WILLING to be made ABLE, to receive the grace which the Lord in the Gospel hath prepared and now tenders, and would give thee, … thou but willing he should Rev. 22. 17. Oh every one that wil let him come to the waters, for the Gospel doth not require that a man should beleeve by his own power, nor yet condemn him because he doth not, but that he wil p. 144not encline his Ear, and suffer the power of the Truth to take place with him, and prevail with him for good. Christ comes to his own, and he comes with Grace and Life, but they receive him not, John, 1. 10, 11. yea, our Savior professed it to them, Ye will not come to me that you might have life, John, …. 40. And light is come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, John, 3. 19. men love their distempers, hug and … their lusts, they are weary of the Word that would reveal and remove their corruptions, Rom. 8. 7. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God, it is not subject to the Law, nor can be: It hath not any Spiritual good, it wil not bear the power of the Truth, that would pluck away our corruptions, and take place in us Do not plead so much therefore thou art not able, but go to the bottom, thou wouldest not be made able thou would'st have thy proud heart, and not be made humble; thou wouldst have thy loose heart, and not be purged: when thou art in Hell, and art tormented with these, and for these, know thou hast thy will, and therefore why dost thou complain?

Nay, it is thy disposition to withdraw thy self from those means, and not to give attendance, and leave thy self under the stroke of the Word that would take away thy unwillingness, John, 3. 20. He that doth evil, hates the Light, and comes not to the Light, he went away sorrowful, Matth. 19. 22. And after that time, many of his Disciples went away from him, and walked no more with him, because his words were spiritual and piercing, which they could neither hear nor bear.

Not attending for redress and help against the frowardness and perversness of thy heart, it's a just and righteous thing with God to stake thee down under all thosedistempers, that thou mayest be deluded with them, hardened in them, and damned for ever for them, and thou hast no more than thou hast righteously deserved, 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. Because they did not entertain the p. 145Truth in the love of it, therefore he gave them up to the activity of Error, that they might beleeve lyes; and it's the best Reason that ever yet appeared to my apprehension, why the Woman who in Reason could not but know the Serpent could not speak, yet would and did talk with it: But she had begun before not to love the Truth, being set to till the Garden, and to keep it, Gen. 2. that is, to keep the wild beasts out of it; she did not so, therefore God gave her up to be deluded by the Serpent: the like may be said of Balaams conference with his Ass; in reason he should have fled from his Ass, not have fallen in conference with him; but when men delight not to have God in knowledg, no marvel that he delivers them up to a reprobate sence, Rom. 1.

What ever difficulty and impossibility attends thy 3weakness, thou art the cause of it, and therefore must bear al the evil that is a consequent of it. The Debtor that hath borrowed a Sum of money, at the day of payment, if he shal return this Answer, That the money he borrowed he hath drunk away, whored or played it away; so that having spent his Stock, it's now impossible he should satisfie his Creditor. Doth he not deserve to be punished, not only for his not payment, but for his prodigality which brought that upon him?

The Eight Cavil, whereby our carnal hearts wouldShift 8. shift off the Authority and evidence of the Truth, as that it shal not be able to set down the Conscience by an overpowring Conviction, is, That the sins themselves are SLIGHT, of smal consequence, not worthy any such serious consideration, much less any trouble of heart, that should drive a man to a stand, and cause him to sit down in silence and sorrow, as under just condemnation: Alas, they were but some sudden words, and they were gone and past, and if there were no worse I wis, the world were at a good pass; or they were but the present and inward … of the heart, and the p. 146flashy thoughts of my mind, no body knew but my self, neither did nor could they hurt any body but my self, and are not thoughts free? Or lastly, were it a failing in practice, it was but in a petty thing, a very trifle not worth the while to spend time to take notice of it; some windy words, flashy and sudden thoughts, petty failings, and they are so far from troubling the heart, as that they touch it not; so far from sitting down convinced of the evil of these, as might break the heart, as that they see no weight, nor just cause at al to burden it, they go away as Sampson with the Gates of Gaza, and felt them not.

We shal therefore take the Severals into special consideration,Answ. and see what hainousness there is in these sins, when they are weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary: And we shal begin with Words, and examine what is the weight of the evil that is in them; and that wil appear in many Particulars.

Look at them in their own Nature absolutely, thy 1words have such weight that they are able to sink thy soul into the bottomless pit, and to pass sentence of life and death upon thee; for so our Savior, By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned, Matth. 12. 37. This is one part of the Inditement upon which the Judgment is executed at the great day by our Savior, When he shall come with ten thousand thousands Ministring unto him; to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly amongst them, of all their ungodly deeds, and of all their hard speeches, which they have spoken against him, Jude, 14. 15. Those harsh Expressions, the unkind language, currish, rugged; and cutting Speeches, whereby they would daunt and kil the hearts of the Saints; the secret scorns, and contempts, and reproaches, whereby they have tossed the names of the Saints in their Meetings, Merriments, and upon their Ale-benches; happily there is no man besides thy mates that p. 147hears thee, no witness can accuse thee, no Judg that can pass Sentence: The Lord Jesus he comes for this end, and thou art the man, and thy speeches are the matter of thy Inditement; of these he wil convince thee, and for these execute Judgment upon thee at that great day, he wil make thee sit down in silence, he wil stop that wicked mouth of thine, thou shalt not have a word to speak for thy self then: this is the Charge that the Lord puts in against such wretched Hypocrites, who think to carry al things covertly and cunningly that no man may lay hold of them; the Lord puls them out by the pole, Psal. 50. 19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit: It is his Trade, his lips are the forge of fals-hood, his mouth is as it were the mint of lying reproaches, of back-biting, he sits at it, keeps his shop, it's the sale and ware that is vented upon al occasions, when his Companions, as his Chapmen, come to buy: So the Text, Thou satest and spakest against thine own mothers son, &c. these things thou hast done, the Lord keeps these words upon Record, and sets them in order at the day of Judgment, Oh consider this, you do not now consider, the Lord doth, and he will tear you in pieces, as you have torn the names of his Servants by your taunts and reproaches; and in truth it's no marvel, for thy language and customary speech gives a tast of the temper of thy soul and spiritual condition, and is a sad evidence of thy corrupt and graceless estate, James 1. 16. If any seem to be Religious, and bridleth not his tongue, the Religion of that man is vain; his language loose and froathy, his words peevish and frampful, froward and scornful, the Religion of that man is not worth a rush, his prayers are vain, his hearing vain, his profession he wil never do good with it, never receive good or benefit from it: As we say of Money, the sound of it shews whether it … pure or base, true or counterfeit, it sounds like Brass or Copper, it's certainly counterfeit, it hath not the sound of silver, or as p. 148we say of Bels, the ring of them discovers whether they … of base matter, or of right …; so here, a mans speech is the discoverer of a mans Spirit. If his heart be the Inditer of a good matter, the tongue will be as the pen of a ready Writer, Psal. 45. 1. Those words that come from Grace in the speaker, wil administer Grace to the hearers; empty words do shew an empty heart. Thou art one of those, and thy speech bewraies thee, said they to Peter: A jeering and scoffing tongue is a note of an Ismaelite; by that Ismael was discovered to be of the flesh, Gal. 4. In a word, as a stinking breath argues a corrupt Stomach and … Lungs; so it is with base and vain language, it argues a corrupt and rotten heart: As light therefore as thou conceivest these vain and windy words of thine, thou wilt one day find the load of them so heavy, that they wil be like a Millstone to sink thee down into irrecoverable …, so that thy life and death lies in thy words as little as thou makest of them.

Look at them with respect to OTHERS, cast them into the Ballance of Comparison and Consideration, with the evil of others, and thereby the greatness of their evil wil more evidently appear: I answer therfore in the second place, The evil of thy words is in some regard, I say, in some regard, worse than the evil of thy heart; though that be the Store-house and Treasury of noysom distempers, and the Ware-house which furnisheth a mans whol course, yet corrupt language ads a deeper dye, and makes those evils of the heart more loathsom: As there is more store of Commodities in the Ware-house, yet the false light of the Shop makes them so much the worse, because it makes them not appear as they are; words darkens much of the Truth that is in the heart, which would make against sin, and covers and colers over that which is evil, that it might not appear to be such, that the heart purposeth and concludes certainly it wil have it, because it likes it: yet could a p. 149man but hear the privy Verdict which knowledg and conscience gives, 1. He should see them consenting to the Truth: 2. Condemning the wil of sin. Reason tels the heart, this is the way and the will of God, and you should not reject it; this is your Duty, and Gods Command, you perish for it if you do oppose; here Truth appears as wel as distempers. But when the Cause comes to be … and pleaded outwardly by words, the tongue hides the verdict of knowledg and conscience, suffers not their testimony, or the Truth once to come to light. But the corruption that the heart would have, it pleads for it under the color and pretence of that which is Lawful and allowable; So much light and knowledg as would discover the sin that is suppressed. The evil that was there suppressed, that is by color of cunning and false words, varnished over, and pleaded for under pretence of that which is good and Lawful. So that here is a double evil more in our words than in our hearts.

1. A Silencing of the Truth, when the testimony of Judgment and Conseience must not come to light.

2. Coloring of the loathsomness of sin that it might not appear like it self, by the paint and varnish of lying words. Thus some translate that of James, and though it be not the ful meaning, yet I see not but it is part of the meaning; The tongue is a world of evil, James, 3. 6. is an ornament of evil, when lying language … fair colors and pretences upon foul and unlawful practices. So the paint of words hides the foul visage of sin. Thus you shal observe in the Scribes and …, Acts, 4. 16, 17. It's manifest to all, and cannot be denied; yet that it spread no further, let us streightly … them that they speak no more in this name. If … Consciences might have: been heard to speak, they would have testefied that the wonder is great, and argues the Finger of God, and the worth of the men, and that it should be published, and God honored; p. 150but their tongue turnes it another way, this man is but an Impostor, his name must not be had in regard, his person in respect, so it was with them they would have forced the blind man to have spoken against our Savior John 9. 24. This man is a sinner give Glory to God, and so endeavored to have him deny the truth of the miracle, which in their own hearts they did undoubtedly acknowledge; so it was with the false witnesses packed by Jezabel, let Conscience be examined and suffered to give in evidence and you see the truth, Did Nabal blaspheme God and the King? no, is he worthy to dy? no, Is it not treachery for any to plot and pretend this? It is so, saies Conscience there is no truth at all but treacherie; but their false tongues hide the truth, and put an appearance of truth upon that which is false.

Somtimes a man out of an ignorant custom or neglect 2holds forth more evil in his words, than he either conceives or attends in his own apprehension, this is usual amongst Children conversing with naughty and leud company, they speak the evil words they hear frequently with their mates when they know not what they speak, or what the words imply that they speak. It may possibly be conceived that many of those children who cryed to Elisha come down thou bald pate, 2 Kings 2. 23. spake what was commonly said amongst their Parents, not knowing the evil of the words they spake.

All the while the evil is Confined and concealed 3in the closet of the heart it's not dangerous, nor yet infectious to any, but only to the soul of the party that harbours it. But when the wickedness of the heart walks abroad in our words, and communication it conveyes a taint and pollution with it; And herein lyes a greater evil: in our words than in our hearts in point of infection, the heart is like a dunghil of noysom abominations, but our speech and words let out the steem of it, which is able to annoy al that are in presence or p. 151pass by with the stench of it.

Compare the evil of our words with our practice also, 3& it wil appear that in many particulars the scales wil be cast this way, and the … of the evil wil ly here.

Our words are as it were the panders and provokers, 1more universally to al kinds of evil than our practice can be; There be many sins that come not within the compass of our practice as errours, false opinions, and those that do they come not within our power or possibility for the while. But there is no error so gross, no delusion so loathsom but our speech can vent and broach it. No practice so … but by our words and communication we can present it together with al the occasion to the heart to draw forth those sinful inclinations there, to linger after and to seek for opportunity to commit it 1 Cor. 15. 33. Evil words corrupt good manners and the Apostle specifies none but implies a taint and pollution of al, the sting of the Serpent we know spreads over the whol body, taints al the blood at an instant, so there is the poyson of Asps that is under the lips of the ungodly, So the Apostle James 3. 6. the tongue amongst the members defiles the whol body, Conference and Communication affects the whol man, … … up the heart to effect, the head to plot, … eye to look, the hand to work &c. Speech drives the chollerick man into a passion the melancholick man into discontent, the loose and vain person to be transported with his lusts, and uncleanness. Therfore the same Apostle compares it to a … vers. 5. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth a spark of fire sets a whol house a whol town on a flame, before one be aware.

As wordstaint more universally so they … of greater 2force and prevail more powerfully draw more effectually to the commission of evil, the sin is committed and the commission leaves a scandalous example behind it, and that as it were passively and in silence presents itself p. 152to the memory of him that attends it. but our words do not passively present a thing to the view of another, but awaken him and work upon, and actively, and prevailingly cal out any inclination to an evil, and that with … and overbearing importunity. Examples only offer the bait if the heart wil nibble and take it but words & perswasions take hold upon a man, and wil have no nay before they obtain their …, so the Adulterous woman Prov. 7. 21. with much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him, so Judg. 16. 16. Dalilah layd siege and made battery at the heart of Sampson, at last wearied him out and wrought him to her own wil and his ruine, an evil example is like the presenting of an army before a place and summoning of it, but spech is like a constant beleaguring of a City which wil force it to surrender and therefore I have ever judged it more dangerous to live with a person of an il language than of an evil life, because a mans practice wil be but seldom and occasional and mainly an enticement to some one kind of evil, but speech pursues a man with variety of enticements words are arrowes, and he that shoots a whol quiver wil hardly miss but wound with some or other at the last.