_Direct._ XXVIII. But it is easy to see, how these men deceive and condemn themselves. This is as if you should plead that a beast is wiser than a man, because some men are drunk, and some are passionate, and some are mad. Drunkenness and passions, which are the disturbances of reason, are no disgrace to reason, but to themselves: nor were they a disgrace themselves, if reason which they hinder were not honourable. So no man's sins are a disgrace to holiness, which condemneth them: nor were they bad themselves, if holiness were not good, which they oppose. It is no disgrace to the daylight or sun, that there is night and darkness: nor were darkness bad, if light were not good. Will you refuse health, because some men are sick? nay, will you rather choose to be dead, because the living have infirmities? The devil's reasoning is foolisher than this! Holiness is of absolute necessity to salvation. If many that do more than you, are as bad as you imagine, what a case then are you in, that have not near so much as they! If they that make it their greatest care to please God, and be saved, are as very hypocrites as the devil would persuade you, what a hopeless case then are you in, that come far short of them! If so, you must do more than they, and not less, if you will be saved; or else out of your own mouths will you be condemned.
_Tempt._ XXIX. Another way of the tempter is, by drawing them desperately to venture their souls; come on them what will, they will put it to the venture, rather than live so strict a life.
_Direct._ XXIX. But, O man, consider what thou dost, and who will have the loss of it! and how quickly it may be too late to recall thy adventure! What should put thee on so mad a resolution? Is sin so good? is hell so easy? is thy soul so contemptible? is heaven such a trifle? is God so hard a master? is his work so grievous, and his way so bad? doth he require any thing unreasonable of you? hath God set you such a grievous task, that it is better venture on damnation than perform it? You cannot believe this, if you believe him to be God. Come near, and think more deliberately on it, and you will find you might better run from your food, your friend, your life, than from your God, and from a holy life, when you run but into sin and hell.
_Tempt._ XXX. Another great temptation is, in making them believe that their sins are but such common infirmities as the best have: they cannot deny but they have their faults; but are not all men sinners? They hope that they are not reigning, unpardoned sins.
_Direct._ XXX. But, oh how great a difference is between a converted and an unconverted sinner! between the failings of a child and the contempt of a rebel! between a sinner that hath no gross or mortal sin, and hateth, bewaileth, and striveth against his infirmities; and a sinner that loveth his sin, and is loth to leave it, and maketh light of it, and loveth not a holy life. God will one day show you a difference between these two, when you see that there are sinners that are justified and saved, and sinners that are condemned.
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_Tempt._ I. But here are many subordinate temptations, by which Satan persuades them that their sins are but infirmities: one is, because their sin is but in the heart, and appeareth not in outward deeds: and they take _restraint_ for sanctification.
_Direct._ I. Alas! man, the life and reign of sin is in the heart; that is its garrison and throne: the life of sin lieth in the prevalence of your lusts within, against the power of reason and will. All outward sins are but acts of obedience to the reigning sin within; and a gathering tribute for this, which is the king. For this it is that they make provision, Rom. xiii. 14. On this all is consumed, James iv. 3. Original sin may be reigning sin (as a king may be born a king). Sin certainly reigneth, till the soul be converted and born again.
_Tempt._ II. The devil tells them it is but an infirmity, because it is no open, gross, disgraceful sin: it is hard to believe that they are in danger of hell, for sins which are accounted small.