41 8 The Natur'f!, Danger, and Curr: ---'------ - - Fit ft, . Wbm a Ma11 fins ofttr ht 'bat~ d~libtrated with bim[tlf, 'vhethtr lu jl1td/ fin or nor. When upon debating the Cafe) at length, afrer much ponde1ing and corifidera.tion,he confentstO Si~ .: A~d dm~ t~ou~h St. Ptt(r d~l! i ed hisMatlcr upc n a Surpnzal, yet J udnJ betray d upon dehbe1:anon. Now dm IS moft defpera (e high Prefump,tion tp fin when a Man po~ders an~ confiders with hirnfelf, and :Wt..igh's the Reafons on both fides, whether he fhall fin or nor; and yer truly of tilcb prefumpcuous Si~s as thefe are, w~ ma~ all of us ~e .found .guilty. Why, a~k but your felves,D1d you never comma a Sm after you had we1ghed in you• <1C iiberat0 Thoughts all Circumfiances,putting in rhe benefici::il ConJequenccs,tht:PJeaiure Profit and Credit of Sin in the one Balance, and the i:lange•ous and drdlruttiv~ Confequences, rbat \V~at~ and Hell tha.t is du: to Sin, in the other Ba1 :.~nce? Who of us all can acqutt htmfelf from bemg guilty of fmning after fuch C.om~ parifons as thefe are have been made, after the due weighiflg both oi Sin and cur Duty; and yet have we not chofen the Sin before our D.uty: Trtl ly to fin after fuch deliberate Comparifons as thefe are, is a provoking and a prefumpru ous ~iri. Secondly, Whm Men do deliberate 11nd contrive hG1v they mr.y fin tfl thegruneft 11Jvtmtpge, h~w the] may make the mofl 4" their Ini<]Hitits; whtn rhry ph t ~ nd ctJn:. trive with th~mfc!vu how ther 7!'al fqueez:e and_ draw_ ctt.t th~ v~r; urbzdl of all rha: P/ea[ure and Sweet that thtJ tmagtne Sm carrm w:th tt ; thu mt•.lt.ts that Sin a pre{ttmptuous Sin. ~hus thofe Drunknrdi comrh•ed tO prolong their Sin, l[aiah 56. v . 12. Come, fay they, we will fit ch Wine, find fill our j el'tl rs '»J;th ji "l'1 rtg Drink, tmd to morrow Jludt bt 111 thii Jay, and much more abu11dnnt. Here rhe:f fOrecafie.d_to make as great advantage as they could of their Drunkennefs :.~nd "to get as;much pleafure out of it as cher could. This no \V is moil prr}Umpru( R~ Sin.. ning. Tlrus .the Prophet .J tremy alfo fpeaks of thofe that were wif"t ro do evil· Jer. 4· 2<2. That could improve Sin to the very utmoft, that could get tnor~ cut of a .Sin 'by their Husbanding of it, than another could that had not that Skill and Myftery ; thefe .a·re w!fe t~ do ~vil; and fll~h are P'·e(urnpwo:uJ S.m J when Men fireteh and ftra1n thetr Wits hnm~full of finfull Devices, Utber fd as they may reap mofi from them,- or fo as they may keep their WickeOnefS fecrec from the obfcrvation and notice of Men, then they fin prefuniptuouiJy. Do not therefore flatter your felves, that though indeed you are Sinners, as who indeed is not? yet you fin only through weaknefs and infirmity: Why, ask your own Confciences, Did you never fin, or, do you not nfe eo fin upon premediation and forecaft? When you have conceived Sin in your own hea rts, do you not nurfe it and nourilh it there, till you find fome fir opportunity to commit it, plotting to lay hold on fame fit occafion eo ad fame wicked immagination that you have hatched in your own Heart: If fo, this is clear, your~ finningis nor out of weaknefs,but _from fiubbornnefs and wilfulnefs. The mm Thirdly, Tht more quiet 1md calm yotw Affi8ions are when you fin, tht mbre free ':~'; ~i,~ ) 'Otl art from tht hu",JingJ and per_ru;batilmi of. Pnjfions when ;ou fi'!, _rhe m~re ~ff"eiliont trt{tnwptuous are you;_ ~ms. Indeed ~t IS n9 fuffic1em excufe_thar you fin 1n a Paf- ~tre, the fion,no more than 1t IS for a Murtherer to fay he was drunk when he did it ; but more pre. yet this takes off fomething from the prefumption in finning. Then a Man is r~~~~t~O!l.! a bold and arrogant Sinner, when he can fin calmly, and bid defi::nce to God 11 ' • · Sm. and Heayen in cold Blood. Now St. Peter's Denial of Chrifi, it was from the exceffive Paffion of Fear chat then furprized him, and fcattered his Graces; ~·{.;. but whenthat Paffion was over, he recruited again; but now ;ut/a; had no P<~1- .. . .'' lion; btit.t·11e wickednefs of his own heart wrought quietly an calmly in hin to '!.l;t.; '~the betraying of hisMafter.When the winds rage violemly, no wonder iffome- • ~\-!, times rhe .t alltft Ctdars are overthrown by them; bur rhofe Trees that fall of rh.eir ow.;l aCcord, when the Air is ftill and calm, it is a certain fign chey were roc.- ten: So -it. is" in this Cafe· ; when the Tempeftof Paffion ragech, be ic Fear, or any. o.the.r£a1Iion and Percurb<ltion of the Mind, no w~mder if fomecimes the talleW..;wd the firongeft ChriitiJ.ns fall, are cafi down, and overwhelmed by it; buc if Men f.all imo Sin when their Jmelleduals are clear, and when their Reafon is calm and undifiurbed, truly this i.s a certain flgn thefe Men are rotten, and thefe prefumpcuous fins have gonen dominion over them,for chey fall like roe.. ten Trees of their own accord, /without any Tempefi of Paffion eo ftir them. We m•J Fourthly Wh en .a ar.y rimt JOU commit a Sin, confider '»;'hat t ht Temptaticm 11rt h,,. .._;,.. th11t n.Diluit jou, ~nJ how you btlJR'rlt yo11r [ehm under rho[t TtmJfllti~m ? f or from ' thtnct
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=