II Againfi fpiritualwickedneffe. his heart, Pray god, Cperhaps the tholight of thy heart may be for. given, A&. 8. 22. Said' finne in (paring Agag,, and faving the belt of the fbeep and oxen, which he was commanded to de- ftroy, was materially a farre leffe finne then 'David; adultery and murder, vet it is made equal with a greater then both, even witchcraft it felfe , i Sam. 15. 23. and whence receiv'd his finne fuch a dye , but from the wickednee ofhis heart, that was worfe then 'David, when deepeft in the temptation ? Fourthly , if Satin get into thy fpirit and defile it, 0 how hard wilt thou finde it to flay there ? thou haft already fipt of his broth, and now arc more likely to be overcome at fall to fit down and make thy full male ofthat,which by rafting bath vi- tiated thy palate already. It were ftrange if while thou art mu- ting and thy heart hot with the thoughts of lull-, the fire fhould not break forth at thy lips, or worfe. Butwhat help have we againfl this fort ofSatans temptati- "zefl,, ons? I fuppofe thee a Chriftian, that makeft this queflion ; and if nbinw. thou doll it in the plainneffe of thy heart it proves thee one. Whobefides will, or can defire in earneft to be eared of thefe peas ? even when a carnal heart prayes for deliverance from them, he would be loath his prayer fhould be heard. Not yet Lord, the heart of fuch a one cries, as Ateilin confeffed ofhim- felf. Sin is as truly the off-fpringof the foule as children are of our bodies, and it findes as much favour in our eyes, yea more for the firmer can flay a fon to fave a fin alive, Adieab 6,, l- and of all finnes none are more made on then thefe heart fins. Firft, becaufe they are the &ft, born of the finful heart, and the chiefeft ftrength ofthe foule is laid out upon them. Secondly, becaufe the heart path more (cope in them then in outward afts. The proud man is flaked down oft to a short Rate, andcannot ruffle it in the world, and appear to others in that pomp he would ; but within his own bofome he can fet up a flag, and in hisown foolifh heart prefent himfelf as great a Prince as he pleafeth. The malicious can kill in his defires as many in a fewminutes, as the Angel fmote in a night of Se- xacherths holt Nero thus could flayall Rome on the block at once, Thirdly,
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