In this respect it is that sins against the second table grieve more than sins against the first, because here the conscience is more awakened. These be sins against a multiplied light, against the light of nature, light of the ■word and Spirit ; and such sins are contrary to human society. They dis- solve those bonds that nature, even by the common relics it hath left, studies to maintain. Though corrupt nature hath no good in it, for we deserved to be like devils, yet God intending to have civil society, out of vi'hich he usually gathers his church, preserveth in man's nature an hatred of sins that overthrow society. Such sins, therefore, being committed against more light, wound more ; as in case of murder, notorious perjury, theft, &c.
Therefore God oft gives up men, upon breach of the first table, to breaches of the second, that so they may come to more grief and shame, as being the breakers of both tables. Men never fall into the breach of the second table, but upon breach of the first. No man despiseth man's law, but he despiseth God's law first. No man breaks the law of nature, but he despiseth the God of nature. Profane atheistical persons, that glory in the breach of the third commandment by swearing, God meets with them by giving them over to gross abominable sins of the second table ; which vexeth them more, though they should not, than sins against the first table ; exposing them, besides inward grief, to open shame. Then God opens conscience to tell them, not only that they are to blame for their gross sins, but for the root of them, atheism, profaneness, looseness, which are sins against the first table. This is an aggi-avation of sins against knowledge, when our knowledge hath been holpen and strengthened
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by education, by example of others running into our eyes, wbicb is a more familiar teacliing than that of rule, and strengthened also by observa- tion and experience of ourselves, and the former strength we have had, against the sin we now commit ; and sweetness we have found in the resist- ing of it. None are worse than those that have been good and are naught,* and might be good, and will be naught, when there is more deliberation and foreknowledge of the dangerous issue, and this also joined with the warning of others. As Keuben said unto the rest of his brethren, * Spake I not unto you,' &c.,t so may God's Spirit and conscience say to men, Did not I acquaint you with the danger of sin ? You are now in misery and terrors of conscience, but did you not slight former admonitions, and helps, and means ? Conscience is an inferior light of the Spirit : to do things against conscience is to do them against the Spirit. God spake to me, and I heeded him not. How doth God speak ? "When conscience speaks, and saith. This is good, this is bad, then God speaks. Conscience hath somewhat divine in it. It is a petty god. It speaks from God. Especially when the Spirit joins with conscience, then God speaks indeed ; then there is light upon light.
Upon divers respects some sin may grieve more or less than another. As the Holy Ghost is a Spirit, so spiritual sins grieve most — as pride, envy — imprinting upon the soul as it were a character of the contrary ill spirit. Carnal sins, whereby the soul is drowned in delight of the body, may more grieve the Spirit in another respect ; as defiling his temple, and as taking away so much of the soul. Love and delight carry the soul with them ; and the more deeply such sins enter into the creature, besides the defilement, the less strength it hath to spiritual duties. Grace is seated in the powers of nature. Now carnal sins disable nature, and so sets ua in a greater distance from grace, as taking away the heart, Hos. iv. 11. Hereupon the apostle sets being ' filled with wine,' contrary to being ' filled with the Spirit,' Eph. v. 18. And hence it is the apostle forbids, in the former words, ' unclean communication.' The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth, hates hypocrites, being 2)aiiited sepulchres; but as a spirit of purity hates foul livers, and foul-mouthed speakers, as * ojien' sepulchres. They cannot therefore but much grieve the Spirit, that feed corrupt lusts, and study to give contentment, and pay tribute to the flesh, to which they owe no service and are no debtors, and by sowing to the flesh, from which we can reap nothing but corruption, Gal. vi. 8. When our thoughts are exercised to content the outward man, to contrive for the things of the world only, this is to pay tribute of the strength and vigour of our affections to the utter enemy of God's Spirit, and our own souls. When our thoughts run deeply into earthly things, w^e become one with them.
Who will think himself well entertained into an house, when there shall be entertainment given to his greatest enemy with him, and shall see more regard had, and better countenance shewed, to his enemy than to him ? When the motions of corrupt nature are more regarded than the motions of the Spirit ? The ' wisdom' of the Spirit, ' which is from above, is first pure,' James iii. 17, and maketh us so, and raiseth the soul upward to things above. Christians indeed have their failings ; but if a true Chris- tian examine himself, his heart will say, that every day he intends the glory of God, and the good of the state he lives in. He hath a larger heart than a base worldling, that keeps within the sphere of himself, spending all his thoughts there, and consults only with flesh and blood, with profit * That is, ' naughty' = wicked.— G. f Cf. Gen. xxxvii. 22, and xlii. 22.— Q.