alwaies as at their very mouths, even a David, a Solomon, a Noak, is not fafc. 2. They are in danger of those sins which they little think of; for it is a fign that they are not forewarned" and fortified, nor have they overcome that fin, før victory here is never got it fo cheap a rate: efpecially as to inward fins: If it have not coff you many a groan, and many a daics diligence, to conquer felfishness, pride and appetite; it's twenty to one they are not conquered. 3. They are much in danger of those fins which they extenuate, and count to be smaller than they are. For indeed their hearts are infected already, by thofe falfe and favourable thoughts. And they are prepared to entertain a neever familiarity with them. Men are cafily tempted upon a danger which feemeth fmall. 4. They are much in danger of thofe fins, which their conftitutions and temperature of body doth encline them to; and therefore muft here keep a double watch. No fmall part of the punishment of our Original fin (both as from Adam, and from our neereft Parents) is found in the ill complexion of our bodies: The temperature of fome inclineth them vehemently to paffion; and of others unto left; and of others to flub and dulness: and of others to gulofity,&c. And grace doth not immediately change this diftemper of the complexion; but only watch over it, and keep it under, and abate it confequently, by contrary actions, and mental difpofitions: Therefore we fhall have here unceffant work, while we are in the body. Though yet the power of grace by long and faithful use, will bring the very fenfe, and imagination, and paffions into fo much calmness, as to be far lefs raging, and cafily ruled: As a well ridden horfe will obey the Rider; and even dogs and other bruits will frive but little againft our government: And then our work will grow more çafie: For as Seneca faith, Maxima pars libertatis eft bene moratus venter: A good conditioned belly is a great part of a mans liberty: meaning, an ill conditioned belly is a great part of mens flavery: And the fame may be faid of all the fenfes, fantafe and paffions in their re(p:Яtive places. 5. We are much in danger of the fins which our callings, trades Trades and worldly intereft, do moft and conftantly tempt us to. Every man hath a carnal intereft, which is his great temptation and every wife man will know it, and there fet a double watch. The carnal intereft of a Preacher, is applause or preferment: The carnal intereft of Rulers and great men, I shall pals by; but they must not pass it by themselves. The carnal intereft of Lawyers and Tradefmen, is their gain, &c. Here we must keep a conftant watch. 6. We are much in danger of those fins, the matter of which is fomewhat good or lawful, and the danger lyeth only in the manner, circumftances or degree. For there the lawfulneß of the matter, occafioneth men to forget the accidental evil. The whole Kingdom feeleth the mischief of this, in inftances which I will now pafs by. If eating fuch or such a meat were not lawful it self, men would not be fo cafily drawn to gluttony. If drinking wine were not a lawful thing, the paffage to drunkennefs were not fo open: The apprehenfion that a lufory lot is a lawful thing (as Cards, Dice, &c.) doth occafion the heinous fin of time-wafting, and eftate-wafting gamefters. If apparel were not lawful, excefs would not be to cafily endured. Yea the goodness of Gods own Worship, quieter h many in its great abuse. . 7. We are much in danger of those fms, which are not in any great difgrace among those perfons whom we most bonour and eftcem. It is a great mercy to have fin lie under a common odium and disgrace: As swearing and drunkenness, and curfing, and fornication, and Popish errours, and fuperftition, is now amongst the forwardeft Profeffors in England: For here confcience is mo awakened, and helped by the opinion of men; or if there be fome carnal refpect to our reputation in it fometimes, yet it tendeth to fupprefs the fin: And it is a great plague to live where any great fin is in little difgrace (as the prophanation of the Lords day in moft of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea; and they fay, tipling, if not drunkennefs in Germany; and as backhiting and evil speaking against those that differ from them,is among the Profeffors in England, for too great a part; and alfo many fuperftitions of their own; and dividing principles and practices.) 8. But efpecially if the greater number of godly people live in. such a fin, then is the temptation great indeed; and it is but few of the weaker fort, that are not carryed down that ftream. The Munster cafe, and the Rebellion in which Münfter perished in Germany, and many other; but efpecially abundance of Schifms from the Apoftles dates till now, are too great evidences of mens fociableness in finning. We all like sheep have gone aftray, and turned every one to bi own way, Ifa. 53 6. And like sheep in this, that if one that is leading, get over the hedge, all the reft will follow after; but especially if the greater part be gone. And do not think that our Churches are infallible, and that the greater part of the godly cannot erre, or be in the wrong: For that would be but to do as the Papists, when we have finned by fallibility, to keep off repentance by the conceit of infallibility. 9. We are in great danger of finning, in cases where we are ignorant: For who can avoid the danger which he feeth not? And who can walk fafely in the dark? Therefore we fee that it is the ignor anter fort of Chriftians, and such as Paul calleth Novices, that mot erre; especially when Pride accompanyeth Ignorance, for then they fall into the special condemnation of the Devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. Study therefore painfully and patiently till you understand the truth. 10. But above all, we are in danger of thofe fins which are masked with a pretence of the greatest truths and duties, and ufe to be fathered on God and Scripture, and fo under the fpecious titles of Holiness and of Free Grace. For here it is the understanding chiefly that refifteth, while the very names and pretences fecretly fteal in, and bring them into love and reverence with the Will. And the poor honeft Chriftian is afraid of refifting them, left it fhould prove a refifting God. What can be fo falfe that a man will not plead for, if he take it to be a neceffary truth of God? And what can be fo bad that a man will not do, if he take it once to be of God's commanding? The forefaid inftances of the Munster and Germane actions, with thofe of the followers of David George in Holland (whe took himself to be the Holy Ghoft, or the immediate Prophet of his Kingdom) and Hacket and his Grundletonians; and the Familifts, the Ranters, the Seekers, the Quakers, the Churchdividers, and the Kingdom and State-overturners in England, have given fo great a demonftration of this, that it is not lawful lawful to overlook it or forget it. The time cometh, that they that kill you, shall think that they do God fervice, Joh. 16, 2. And then who can expect that their confciences should avoid it? Why did Paul perfecute the Chriftians, and compel them to blafpheme? Becaufe he verily thought that he ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus, Als 26.9. O it is religious fins which we are in danger of! fuch as come to us as in the Name of God, and Chrift, and the Spirit: fuch as pretend that we cannot be faved without them: and fuch as plead the holy Scriptures: fuch as James 3. is written againk, when a wifdom from beneath, which is earthly, fenfual and devilish, working by envy and ftrife, unto confusion and every evil work, pretendeth to be the wisdom from above: when Zeal confumeth Love and Unity, under pretence of confuming fin: which made Paul and John require us not to believe every fpirit, but to try the fpirits whether they be of God, 2 Thef. 2. 2. & 1 Thef. 5.20, 21. 1 Joh. 4. 1, 2, 3. And made Paul Lay, If an Angel from Heaven bring you another Gospel, let him be accur fed, Gal. 1.7,8. And more plainly, 2 Cor. 11. 13, 14. Sueb are falfe Apoftles; deceitful workers; transforming themfelves into the Apostles of Chrift: and no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light: therefore it is no great thing if bie Minifters alfo be transformed as the Minifters of righteousness, whofe end shall be according to their works. And as 20.30. Alfo of your own felves shall men arife, speaking perverse things, to draw away Difciples after them. And what need any Difciple of Chrift greater warning, than to remember that their Saviour himself was thus affaulted by the Devil in his temptation, with [It is written.] Yet let no Papift hence take occafion to vilifie the Scripture, because it is made a plea for fin: For so he might as well vilifie bumane Reason, which is pleaded for all the errours in the world; and vilifie the Law, because Lawyers plead it for ill Caufes; yea and vilifie God himself, because the fame and other finners plead his will and authority for their fins: when contrarily, it is a great proof of the Scripture Authority and Honour, that Satan himself, and his fubtileft instruments,do place their greatest hope of prevailing, by perverting and misapplying it, which could be of no ufe to them, if its authority were not acknowledged. 11. We Hhh 11. We are in conftant danger of those fins which we think we can conceal from men: Therefore fuppofe till that all that you do will be made known and do all as in the open ftreets: It's written (by two) in the life of holy Ephrem Syrus, that when a Harlot tempted him to uncleannefs, he defired but that he might chufe the place, which the confenting to, he chofe the open market-place, among all the people and when the told him, that there they thould be fhamed, for all would fee; he told her fuch a leffon of finning in the fight of God, who is every where, as was the means of her converfion. Conceit of fecrecy emboldeneth to fin. 12. We are in conftant danger of fins of fudden pafton and irruption, which allow us not feafon to deliberate, and furprize us before our reafon can confider. 13. We are in danger of fins that come on by infenfible degrees, and from fmall beginnings creep upon us, and come not by any fudden wakening affaults: Thus pride, and eve tor fness, and ambition, do infe&t men: And thus our zeal and deligence for God, doth ufually dreay. 14. Laftly, We are in much danger of all fins which require a conftant vigorous diligence to refift them; and of omitting thofe duties, or that part or mode of daty, which muft have a conftant vigorous diligence to perform it: Becaufe feeble fouls are hardly kept (as is aforefaid) to constant vigorous diligence. Queft. 2. Wherein differeth the fins of a fanctified perfonfrom ptber mens that are unfanctified. Anf. 1. In a fanctified man the babitual tent of his will, is ever more againft fio, than for it, however he be tempted into that particular ac 2. And as to the Al allo, it is ever contrary to the fcope and tenour of his life; which is for God and fincere obedience. 3. He hath no fin which is inconfiftent with the true Love of God, in the predominant babit: It never turneth his heart to another End, or Happiness, or Master. 4. Therefore it is more a fin of paffion, than of fettled inseret and choice. He is more liable to a halty paffion, or word, Os.unruly thoughts, than to any prevalent covetousness or am bition, |