Burgess - BT715 B85 1654

:ig8 ofSinnes sffgnwance~ .,-nd the ~tintle 'mighl fee ; Underftand then in wlta:t cafe t1l'is is true, vi~. when we are diligent and defiroos to finde out .every hidden finne, we,pray, we fearch, we bring our felves to the light that every thing may be manifefted, then God ·is ready to pardon: bot if we refufe the light, are willing to · cover and hide our finnes~ then' the Scripture fpeaks of fuch ai are more certainly defigned for defi:roction. Do then as the :blinde man, Ioh.9. Cbrift asked him, If he didkelee'lle in the Son ·8fGod : who u he Lord, faith the man: fo, Doll thou andtr– ftand and know thy errours? Which are they ~ord. ? fay, lfi knew them I would abhor t~m·. ' ' · ~. ThofeJinnes thAt are hidden to m 11re the more ea.ftiJ pllr~ .d6nefl, '"'hichare in their own natHreJ /effe aifoernah/e : bat if 'they be fins of fuch a grolfe nature that their guilt may be eafily found out, then we are the more inexcufabJe in fucb ; If a man fhould think his fwcarieg~ his drunkennefs, his lufis were not finnes; This would not help him, to fay, I did not know it was a finne to do fo or fo, for feeing by ordinary diligence thou maift come to finde out thefe finnes, There– for~ this fig~ leaf will not cover thy nakednetfe.: No, thy fins arefo great, -that e\'ery eyemay fenhem, fuch Camels they are that his throat muti: needs be vtry wide that can (wallow them and not feel them. ' . 3• Our fecret fins '"'ill he the{oonerforgivm When We h~eve n~t the me;eHJand occafionJ to finde out the triJe n111tt~re ofthem; Thus . the Apollle faith, 'ThtJ that'areWithout the Law/hall be judged · 1 WithfJut the Law: And thus cur Divines fay, Negative belief doth not damn ; The Heathens flull not be damned for not ~eleeving inChrllt, becaufe they have not the means to know this duty. · 4· If thou doft not perceive tby finncs from a fiupidity and cufiomarine1fe that thou hatl in fin, then this doth ~£ excufc but aggravat-e; As Ari.ft()t!e faith of adrunkard , what mifchitf he doth in his drunken· fit~, tbough he knowtth not,' yet he de(erveth a double punifhment, becaufe he willfully put himfelf into fuch a fenfde(neffe ; The Apoll:Ie .Eph~: fpealis of fomc who were paft feeling, and othersof a fear– edtoofcicnce; andour Saviour tels us of fome that bad eyes · -···-· - - - -- · ··· - --- · --- - but

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