VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. la 341
businesses and employments of the present life, they contract some filth, which must be Avashed off every day by a renewed application of the blood of Christ, that fountain which God hath opened for unclean- ness. The infirmities of the saints are not like the voluntary wallow- ing of swine in the puddle, 2 Peter ii. 22. But only the defilements of their feet, of their affections and conversations in going through this polluted world ; as men's feet are fouled by the ground they tread upon. Every minute almost we are in danger, and therefore a total exemption cannot be hoped for in this world.
(4.) Sins committed by the sway of great and headstrong passions, or by some present prevailing temptation, which may strangely trans- port those that do in the general make conscience of their ways. These in some cases pass for infirmities ; as when a man offends through some great fear or anger, joy or sorrow, or some other consternation of spirit which hindereth the free debate of the soul, and so may run into some inconveniences ; as when any natural trembling or any other passion hindereth men from discerning or weighing the sinfulness of some light small sins ; but in materia gravi, in weighty cases, it is hard to say that passions excuse ; as sacrificing to idols out of fear, or killing another in passion or anger, or running into oaths and execrations ; because it is to be supposed that a christian doth not presently do so ; for the horridness of such facts cannot but stop the career of a generally well-disposed mind ; but when the fear is above the proportion and size of those ordinary notions that we have of the sin, it may pass for an infirmity that time, because through the sway of the present passion there is not a perfect deliberation, and those sudden unadvised acts are in part excused ; as, for instance, Deut. xvi. 29, * A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the right- eous.' A judge, though for his understanding wise, for his disposition a just man, yet may under a great temptation be so enchanted for a time as to err in judgment.
[2.] Sins of presumption are sins against light and knowledge, wittingly and willingly committed, with a full consent of will, carried on obstinately and proudly against God. They are usually such open and gross sins as are manifest ; as whoring, gluttony, drunkenness, which are manifest even to natural conscience ; or else are manifest by the common light of Christianity, as denying the faith ; so that there is no doubt of the unlawfulness of the act done.
(1.) There is knowledge in it as one ingredient, according to that. Gal. v. 19, ' The works of the flesh are manifest.'
(2.) Deliberation and studied contrivance. Men have time and space to consider with themselves ; and the more advisedness in any sin, the greater it is. It is not a thing done in passion, but in cool blood. But when men project and plot their sin, it is not an infirmity, but an iniquity : Prov. vi. 14, ' Frowardness is in his heart ; he deviseth mischief continually;' Micah ii. 1, 'Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds.' The heart dwells long upon it, as David plotted Uriah's death. All sins that require some space of time for their execution are deliberate sins ; as all acts of fornica- tion and adultery, acts of drunkenness, unless suddenly intoxicated by ignorance of the strength of the liquor. So lying, speaking that which
342 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SeR. L
is false to the wrong of others. So swearing, when men devise new oaths, and study to be wittily wicked in this kind : James i. 15, ' When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.' There is no stay.
(3.) There is a constancy or resolved purpose in these sins, without fear of God or men : Jer. xviii. 12, ' And they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart ; ' Jer. xliv. 16, 17, ' For the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee ; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth.' This obstinacy is seen in men's going against express admonitions, commandments, and reproofs from the word of God : Deufc. i. 43, ' So I spake unto you, and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up unto the hill.' Against warnings and threatenings in God's name from those that wish well to your souls : Prov. xxix. 1, * He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed with- out remedy.' But men are wedded to their inclination, out-facing all challenges of duty in God's name : Ps. xii. 4, ' Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail ; our lips are our own ; who is lord over us?' 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14-16, 'Moreover the chief of the priests and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathens, and polluted the house of the Lord. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling- place; but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of God arose against his people till there was no remedy.' Especially against checks of con- science : Acts vii. 51, 'Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ear, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; as your fathers did, so do ye.' Conscience telleth them, You ought not to yield to this sin, whatsoever the profit or pleasure be ; yet men will kick against the pricks, and do that which their own heart disalloweth in spite of inward motions. They will go on to follow the sin they have in chase, especially when against restraints of providence, and God hath hedged up their way with thorns. Or when they have found much incon- veniency in that course : 2 Chron. xxviii. 22, ' And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. This is that king Ahaz.' God sets a brand upon him : Josh. xxii. 17, ' Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which'we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord ? ' Well, then, here is some rude description of presumptuous sins.