The Cure of Misprision, Section 17
Sect. 17.
Whence it is▪ that the more unrebukable any naturall man is, the greater is the difficulty of his converſion. For doth not experience ſhew, that as nothing is more eaſily broken then that which is moſt hard, ſo notorious offendors, are nothing ſo hard to be convinced and converted, as the civilly honeſt. The civill …uſticiary is like the young man in the Goſpel, that ſuppoſed he had honeſtly kept all the commandements, who when he was bidden to follow Chriſt turned his backe upon him. But the looſe Libertine reſembles Matthew the Publican, a notorious ſinner, who was no ſooner called, but he left all and followed Chriſt.
Indeed there is ſmall hope of either in the caſe they are in, becauſe they ſee not their need of Chriſt, neither can they have the leaſt ſhare at all in him, untill with St. Paul, they ſee themſelves the greateſt of ſinners, find themſelves in a loſt condition, and utterly diſpaire of all other helpes, as they may ſee Marke 2. 17. Luke 1. 53. And indeed this conceited righteouſneſſe, or this opinion of being in caſe good enough, is the cheife and only cauſe of all unrighteouſneſſe, and many a man had proved good, if he had not ſo thought himſelfe. But no ſoule can be ſo dangerouſly ſick▪ as that which is leaſt ſenſible of its being ſicke. Neither is there a poorer wretch upon the face of the earth then ſuch a I…odi…ean that brags he is rich and wants nothing, …evel. 3. 17. only he is puſ… up and knowes nothing, 1 Tim. 6. 4. Yea, this puts him out of all poſſibilitie of being bettered, for what we preſume to have attained, we ſeek not after.
A man muſt know himſelfe ſicke, before he will ſeeke to the Phyſi…ian, Yea, the ſight of our filthineſſe, is the very firſt ſtep toward clea…neſſe: Untill Paul was humbled to the very ground, even trembling and aſtonied▪ he never asked Jeſus of Naz…reth, what ſhall I doe, Acts, 9▪ 4▪ 5, 6. Nor is a man fit to heare the ſoft voice of▪ evangelical mercy, till he is wrote upon by the guſts and flaſhes of the Law. Nor are they in the leaſt degree qualified for that▪ For admit they heare the Law, (whenc… comes the knowledge of ſinne, Rom▪ 7 7.) read and expounded never ſo cleerly, they cannot underſtand the ſpiritualty of it: Becauſe they have a vaile or curtaine drawne over their hearts, which is never taken away untill men turne to the Lord, at which tune it is taken away, as the Apoſtle moſt excellently diſcribes. 2 Cor. 3. 14▪ 15. 16. Rom. 12. 2. God muſt give them repentance, before they can acknowledge the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 25. Whence it is, that naturall men are never a whit, or very little troubled for their ſinnes, be they never ſo many and hainous. Yea, after long cuſtom in ſinne, their hearts and conſciences are ſo brawned and hardned, yea, ſo feared, as with an hot Iron, and caſt into ſuch a dead ſleep by Satan▪ that their conſciences become meere Idol conſciences, even wanting a month to ſpeake, becauſe it wants eyes to ſee. Indeed as dumb Miniſters in the world, goe for good Miniſters becauſe quiet … ſo ignorant and tongue-tyed conſciences … for good ones, with men of the world, though the time will come, that men ſhall curſe both thoſe …iniſters, and this peace of their conſciences for … them ſo quietly to Hell. Becauſe if each of theſe had done his office they could never have miſcaried. For forget thy good deeds and God will remember them, remember thy evill deeds, and he will forget them.