6. Again, a man may know that he truly hates sin, if he can endure ad- monition and reproof for sin. He that hates a venomous plant which troubleth the ground, will not be displeased if a man come and tell him that he hath such a plant in his gi-ound, and will help him to dig it up : surely he cannot be displeased with the party. So here, if a man do truly hate sin, ^vill he be angry with him that shall tell him that he is obnoxious to such an evil, which will hurt him dangerously, and damn his soul if it be not helped ? Surely no. Therefore let men pretend what they wUl, those who swell against private reproof, they do not hate sin as sin. Only add we this caution : a reproof may be administered with such indiscre- tion, out of self-love, and with a high hand, as that a man may dislike the carnal manner of reproving; but if it be done in a good manner, he that hates reproof, because he loveth himself and his sin, pretend what he will, he hates not sin.
7. So, if a man love to be flattered in his sin, it is a sigyi he hates not sin tndy. For there is naturally a great deal of self-love in man, which makes him that he loves to be flattered in his sins ; -whereupon he comes to be abused to his own destraction, especially gi-eat men. Now, it is a sign of an ill state of soul to be subject to be abused by flattery, and to hate in- struction. Saith Paul, ' Am I your enemy, because I have told you the trath ? ' Gal. iv. 16.
8. Again, we may know what our hatred to sin is, hy our u-illvvjness m unwillingness to talk of it or mention it, or to venture upon the occasions thereof. Where hatred is, there is outward aversation. We fly from what we hate, and shun to frequent places where we may receive ofience. Whatsoever hath an antipathy to nature, that we hate and run away from. Therefore those that present themselves to the occasions of sin, upon no calUng, say what they will, they feed sin, and live according to the flesh. Those that hate a thing will never come near it if they can choose. There- fore, those that present themselves willingly to places infected, where there is nothing reUgious, but scorning of religion, your common representations of abomination, pretend what they will, their intent is to strengthen their own corruption, against the good of their souls. This is the issue. Those that hate sin will hate all that which may lead to it, the representations of
* That is, ' aversion' = turning from. — G. t That is, ' avoid,' — G.
872 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON X.
sin also. Can a man hate sin and see it acted ? Wickedness is learned when one seeth it acted, as one of the ancients saith well. Therefore let us by these and the like trials take notice what our hatred to sin is.
Only this our zeal and indignation to sin must have a mitigation and be regulated, lest, like an exorbitant river, it exceed the bounds. Therefore, not to follow the school niceties in the exactness of differences, we will touch the mark a little, how this zeal and hatred to sin, in reproof especially, must be qualified ; wherein we must consider divers things.
1. First, our calling must he respected. For howsoever we must carry an universal hatred to sin thus far, that we must not do it, yet in the dis- covery of hatred and dislike to others, we must consider what calling we have, and how far we go.
2. And it must be done nith a siceet temper, keeping our distance, and reserving the due respect unto those in whom we shew our dislike. As we see Nathan, when he came to tell David of his fault, how he doth it, what art he useth ! It must so be done as that it may appear to be done out of pure zeal, that it is no wild-fire nor no heat of nature ; but that it cometh merely from the Spirit, and in much love, with mildness and pity, in which. case it carrieth a wondrous authority. The discovery of hatred to the faults either in a minister or in a magistrate, though they must be truly dealt with, and have their faults told them, yet there must be respect had to their place, by reason of the weakness of men. As it is with the body, great men have their physicians as well as meaner, only their physic must be more costly, because perhaps of the tenderness of their constitutions ; but as for their bodies, they must not be suffered to perish, nor wiU not. So for their souls, they must have that which other men have to help them, but it must be done with reservation and respect ; as Paul, speaking to Festus the governor, calleth him 'most noble Festus,' &c., Acts xxvi. 25. Pressing also goodness in some sort upon king Agrippa, ' 0 king Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ? I know thou dost,' Acts xxvi. 26. So we see how we may examine whether our hatred to sin be true or not.