Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

III. By what ways and means this trouble is brought upon the soul: four ways instanced, 1. By dreadful reflections upon divine justice, as provoked. 2. By fearful apprehensions of the divine mercy, as 3. By God's withdrawing his presence, and the sense of his love from the spirit. 4. By God's giving commission to the tempter more than usually to trouble and disquiet it.

abused.

IV. What is God's end and design in casting men into such a perplexed condition. 1. For the wicked

reprobate, it is but the first-fruits of hell, and the earnest of their damnation. 2. For the pious and sincere. God designs it, (1.) To imbitter sin to them; (2.) To endear and enhance the value of returning mercy.

V. The inferences to be drawn from the whole are, 1. That no man presume to pronounce any thing scoffingly of the present, or severely of the final estate of such as he finds exercised with the distracting troubles of a wounded spirit. 2. Let no secure sinner applaud himself in the presumed safety of his spiritual estate, because he finds no such trouble upon his spirit for sin.

3. Let no

person exclude himself from the number of such as are sincere and truly regenerate, only because he never yet felt any of these amazing pangs of conscience for sia.

SERMON XXXI.- P. 271.

"Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest."- PSALM XCV. 11.

By this expression, "I sware in my wrath," is meant God's peremptory declaring his resolution to destroy the murmuring and rebellious Jews. The wordswearing" is very significant, and seems to import, 1. The certainty of the sentence here pronounced. 2. The terror of it; if the children of Israel should say, "Let not God speak to us, lest we die." As for the word "rest," we must admit, in this scripture, as well as in many others of the like nature, a double interpretation: 1. A temporal rest in Canaan, the promised land; 2. An eternal rest in the heavenly Canaan.

The words thus explained are drawn into one proposition, namely, That God sometimes in this life, upon extraordinary provocations, may and does inevitably design and seal up obstinate sinners to eternal destruction. The prosecution is managed under these particulars :—

I. Shewing how and by what means God seals up a sinner to perdition. There are three ways by which God usually does this:-1. By withholding the virtue and power of his ordinances. 2. By restraining the convincing power of his providences. And there are three sorts of providence instanced, in which God often speaks convincingly (1.) In a general, common calamity; (2.) By particular, personal, and distinguishing judgments; (3.) By signal, unexpected deliverances. 3. By delivering up a sin ner to a stupidity or searedness of conscience.

II. Shewing what sort of obstinate sinners those are that God deals with in this manner: which are, 1. Such as sin agains: clear and notable warnings from God. 2. Such as sin against special renewed Vows and promises of obedience made to God.

III. Answering and resolving two questions that may arise from the foregoing particulars :—

1st, Whether the purpose of God passed upon an

[blocks in formation]

--

2dly, Whether a man may know such a purpose to have passed upon him antecedently to its execution? In answer to which, from a consideration of the ordinary ways by which God imparts his will to men, namely, 1. By his word. 2. By men's collection of it from its effects, it is affirmed, that no man in this life can pass any certain judgment concerning the will of God in reference to his own final estate. But here is observed a wide difference between the purpose of God hitherto discoursed of, and that which the schools call God's decree of reprobation. 1. Because that decree is said to commence upon God's good pleasure and sovereign will, but this purpose upon the provocation of the sinner. 2. Because that decree is said to be from all eternity; but this purpose is taken up after some signal provocation.

IV. From all which we are exhorted to beware of sinning under sin-aggravating circumstances, and shewn the danger of dallying with and venturing upon the Almighty, by a daring continuance in a

course of sin.

[blocks in formation]

In these words we have two particulars, wherein we may consider,

I. An assertion made," There is no God." 1. The thing asserted, which may be understood, (1.) Of an absolute removal of the divine being and existence; or, (2.) Of a removal of God's providence, by which he governs and takes account of all the particular affairs of the world, and more especially of the lives and actions of men; 2. The manner of the assertion, "The fool hath said in his heart ;" it wears the badge of guilt, privacy, and darkness. By the "fool's saying in his heart, There is no God," may be implied, 1. An inward wishing that there was no God. 2. His seeking out arguments to persuade himself that there is none. 3. Not only a seeking for reasons and arguments, but also a marvellous readiness to acquiesce in any seeming probability or appearance of reason, that may make for his opinion. 4. Another way, different from all the former: for a man to place his sole dependence, as to his chief good and happiness, on any thing besides God, is (as we may say in his heart, There is no God." so speak) virtually and by consequence for him "

to

II. The second particular considered is, the person who made this assertion, "the fool," whose folly will appear from these following reasons: — 1. That in making and holding this assertion, he contradicts the general judgment and notion of mankind. 2. That he lays aside a principle easy and suitable to reason, and substitutes in the room of it one strange and harsh, and at the best highly improbable. 3. His folly appears from the causes and motives inducing him to take up this opinion, which, amongst others, are, (1.) Great impiety, and disquiet of conscience consequent thereupon; (2.) Great ignorance of nature and natural causes. 4. From those cases in which such persons begin to doubt and waver, and fly off from their opinion, instanced, (1.) In the time of some great and imminent danger; (2.) In the

time of approaching death. The modern and more
thorough paced sinners affect a superiority in villainy
above their ancestors; therefore this discourse against
atheism is supposed to be of some use; and if so, the
most proper use is, to give every one of us a view
and prospect into his own heart; and such as are
willing to watch over that, so as to prevent this mon-
strous birth, are advised to beware, 1. Of great and
crying sins, such as make the conscience raw and
sick; 2. Of discontents about the cross passages of
God's providence towards them; 3. Of devoting
themselves to pleasure and sensuality; there being
nothing in the world that casts God out of the heart
like it.

[merged small][ocr errors]

The resemblance between the transactions of Pro-

vidence with the children of Israel in their redemp-

tion from Egypt, and with ourselves in the restoration

of the royal family, being briefly considered, to shew

how like we are to them for their miraculous ingrati-

tude, we must observe three things in the text:

I. The unworthy and ungrateful deportment of

the Israelites towards God upon a most signal mercy

and deliverance; "they provoked him;" which ex-

pression seems to import an insolent, daring resolu-

tion to offend; and, as it relates to God, strikes at

him in a threefold respect: 1. It rises up against his

power and prerogative; 2. It imports an abuse of

his goodness; 3. It is an affront upon his long-suffer-

ing and his patience.

II. The second thing to be observed is, the aggra-

vation of this deportment from the nature and cir-

cumstance of the deliverance, "They provoked him

at the sea, even at the Red Sea." The baseness

and ingratitude of which God casts in their teeth,

by confronting it with the glorious deliverance he

vouchsafed them; a deliverance ennobled with these

four qualifications: 1. Its greatness; 2. Its unex-

pectedness; 3. The eminent seasonableness of it;

4. Its absolute undeservedness. Our case is severally

shewn in the above particulars to be parallel to that

of the Israelites, and likewise in the return made to

God for his goodness.

III. The third thing observable is, the cause of

this misbehaviour, "They understood not thy won-

ders in Egypt." Now in every wonderful passage

of Providence two things are to be considered:

1. The author by whom it is done; 2. The end for

which it is done: neither of these, in the cases be-
fore us, were understood by the Israelites, nor have
been attended to by us as they ought to have been.

"Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and
fasting."- MATT. xvii. 21.

It was a general received command, and an ac-
knowledged rule of practice in all ages and places of
the Christian world, that we are "to hear the church ;"
which, being acted by the immediate guidance of

As

the Holy Ghost, hath set apart the time of our
Saviour's fasting in the wilderness, to be solemnized
with the anniversary exercise of abstinence, for the
subduing the flesh and quickening the spirit.
for the words, among other expositions, they are
more judiciously interpreted of an evil spirit having
had long and inveterate possession of the party out
of whom it was cast, and the sense of thein, as im-
provable into a standing, perpetual precept, is this;
that there are some vices which, partly by our tem-
per and constitution, partly by habit and inveterate
continuance, have so firm a hold of us, that they
cannot be thoroughly dispossessed but with the
greatest ardour and constancy of prayer, joined with
the harshest severities of mortification. In the
text are two parts: 1st, An intimation of a peculiar
duty, "prayer and fasting." 2dly, The end and
design of it, which is to eject and dispossess the un-
clean spirit. The entire discussion is managed in
three particulars:

I. In taking a survey of the extent of this text.
This duty of fasting admits of several kinds and de-
grees: The first kind is of constant, universal exer
cise; universal, both because it obliges at all times,
and extends to all persons. The second is a fast of

a total abstinence, when for some time we wholly

abstain from all bodily repasts. The third is an

abstinence from bodily refreshments in respect of a

certain sort or degree, and that undertook for some

space of time. This head is closed with a caution,

that the observation of fasting in this solemn season

should be so strict, as not to bend to any man's

luxury; so dispensable, as not to grate upon his

infirmity of body.

II. In shewing what are the qualifications that

must render this duty of fasting acceptable to God,

and efficacious to ourselves. There are four condi-

tions or properties, a joint concurrence of all which

is a necessary qualification of it for this great pur-

pose: 1. That it is to be used, not as a duty either

necessary or valuable in itself, but only as an instru-

ment. 2. That it be done with a hearty detestation

of the body of sin, for the weakening of which it is

designed. 3. That it be quickened and enlivened

with prayer. 4. That it be attended with alms and

works of charity.

III. In shewing how this duty of fasting comes to

have such an influence in dispossessing the evil spirit,

and subduing our corruptions.

It does not affect this, either, 1. By any casual

force naturally inherent in itself; neither, 2. By

way of merit, as procuring and engaging the help of

that grace that does effect it. But it receives this

great virtue, 1. From divine institution; 2. By being

a direct defiance to that disposition of body and

mind, upon which especially the Devil works. But

when we have taken all these courses to eject the

evil spirit, we must remember that it is to be the
work of God himself, whom the blessed spirits adore,
and whom the evil obey.

[blocks in formation]

xvi

into sin.

One would think that the cause of it must of necessity be one of these three: 1st, That he is ignorant of the curse attending his sin; which cannot be here the cause. 2dly, That he may know the curse, and yet not believe it. 3dly, That though he knows and believes the curse, yet perhaps he relaxes nothing of his sin, because he resolves to bear it. But it is shewn that it can proceed from neither of these reasons; therefore the true one is conceived to be a presuming confidence of a future repentance: other reasons indeed may allure, this only argues a man Now the face of these words is directly set against this soul-devouring imposture of a deferred repentance. In the prosecution of them it will be convenient to inquire into their occasion. In the 12th verse we find, they are part of a letter to the church (here collectively taken, as including in it many particular churches) of Pergamos, indited by the Spirit of God, and directed to the angel, that is, the chief pastor of that church. The letter contains a charge for some sinful abuse that had crept in, and was connived at, verse 14. This abuse was its toleration of the Nicolaitans, whose heresy consisted in this, 1st, That they held and abetted the eating of sacrifices offered to idols to be lawful. 2dly, That they held and abetted the lawfulness of fornication. It likewise contained the counsel of speedy and immediate repentance in the words of the text, in which are two parts: 1. The first stands directed to the church itself; Repent, or I will come unto thee quickly." God's " coming" is shewn to mean here his approach in the way of judgment. 2. The other part of the words relates to those heretics ; “ And I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth ;" that is, with the reprehending, discovering force of the word, and the censures of the church. From this expression these two occasional observations are collected (1.) That the word of God, powerfully dispensed, has the force and efficacy of a spiritual sword. 2. When God undertakes the purging of a church, or the reformation of religion, he does it with the weapons of religion, with "the sword of his mouth."

[ocr errors]

The general explication of the words thus finished, the principal design of them is prosecuted by enforc ing the duty of immediate repentance; which is done, I. In shewing what that repentance is that is here enjoined. Repentance, in Scripture, has a threefold acceptation: 1. It is taken for the first act, by which the soul turns from sin to God. 2. It is taken for the whole course of a pious life, from a man's first turning from a wicked life to the last period of a godly which is the only repentance that Socinus will admit. But this is not the proper notion of repentance; (1.) Because then no man could properly be said to have repented till his death; (2.) Because Scripture, no less than the natural reason of the thing itself, places repentance before faith; (3.) Because Scripture makes all those subsequent acts of new obedience after our first turning to God, not to be the integral, constituent parts, but the effects, fruits, and consequents of repentance. 3. Repentance is taken for a man's turning to God after the guilt of some particular sin.

II. Arguments are produced to engage us in the speedy and immediate exercise of this duty, which are, 1. That no man can be secure of the future. 2. That supposing the allowance of time, yet we cannot be sure of power to repent. 3. That admitting a man has both time and grace to repent, yet by such delay the work will be incredibly more difficult. And

the delay of this duty is most eminently and signally provoking to God, upon these reasons: (1.) Because it is the abuse of a remedy; (2.) Because it clearly shews that a man does not love it as a duty, but only intends to use it for an expedient of escape; (3.) Because it is evidently a counterplotting of God, and being wise above the prescribed methods of salvation, to which God makes the immediate dereliction of sin necessary.

After the general nature of this subject, follows a consideration of it in particular. The grand instance of it is a death-bed repentance; the efficacy of which, having been much disputed in the world, is here dis

cussed under two heads :

I. This great case of conscience is resolved, whether a death-bed repentance ever is or can be effectual to salvation. Several arguments against it being stated and answered, six positive arguments are produced to prove and assert it: 1. That such ▶ repentance, commenced at the last hour of a man's life, has de facto proved effectual to salvation. 2. Is taken from the truth and certainty of that saying, owned and attested by God himself, "that if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted, according to that a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not." 3. Because repentance saves not, as it is a work, or such a number of works, but as it is the effect of a renewed nature and a sanctified heart, from which it flows. 4. If to repent sincerely be a thing at the last moments of our lives impossible to be done, then, for that instant, impenitence is not a sin. 5. That to deny that a death-bed repentance can be effectual to salvation, is a clear restraint and limitation of the compass and prerogative of God's mercy. 6. That if a death-bed repentance cannot possibly be effectual to salvation, then a sinner upon his death-bed, having not repented before, may lawfully, and without sin, despair.

. Supposing a death-bed repentance may prove effectual, yet for any one to design and build upon it beforehand is highly dangerous, and therefore abso lutely irrational; which appears from these considerations 1. From the exceeding unfitness of a man at this time, above all others, to exercise this duty. 2. That there can be no arguments, from which either the dying person himself, or others by him, can certainly conclude that his repentance is sound and effectual. In fine, this alone can be said for it, (and to a considering person no more need to be said against it,) that it is only not impossible.

SERMON XXXVII.-P. 318.

"Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead."-ROMANS, i. 3, 4.

Where the construction of the text lies so that we cannot otherwise reach the full sense of it without making our way through doubts and ambiguities, philosophical discourses are necessary in dispensing the word. The present exercise therefore consists of two parts:

I. An explication of the words: for the scheme of the Greek carries a very different face from our translation, which difference renders the sense of them very disputable. The explication is comprised

in the resolution of these four inquiries: 1. Whether the translation rightly renders it, that Christ was "declared to be the Son of God," since the original admits of a different signification. 2. What is imported by the term, "with power." 3. What is intended by the following words, "according to the spirit of holiness." 4. How those words, "by the resurrection from the dead," are to be understood.

II. An accommodation of the words to the present occasion, which is in shewing, 1. How Christ's resurrection may be a proper argument to prove his divinity and eternal sonship, next, that it is the greatest and principal of all others. For this we may observe, that it is not only true, but more clear and evident than the other arguments for the proof of the truth of Christ's doctrine, when we consider them as they are generally reducible to these three: 1st, The nature of the things taught by him. 2dly, The fulfilling of prophecies in his person. 3dly, The miracles and wonderful works which he did in the time of his life. And though these were undoubtedly high proofs of Christ's doctrine, yet his resurrection had a vast pre-eminence over them upon two accounts : 1. That all the miracles he did, supposing his resurrection had not followed, would not have had sufficient efficacy to have proved him to be the Messias. But his resurrection alone, without relation to his preceding miracles, had been a full proof of the truth of his doctrine; which appears upon these two accounts: (1.) That considered absolutely in itself, it did outweigh all the rest of his works put together; (2.) That it had a more intimate and near connection with his doctrine than any of the rest. 2. Because of the general opinion and judgment that the world had of both.

The Jews and unbelievers never attempted to assign any causes of the resurrection besides the power of God, so as by that means to destroy the miraculousness of it; though they constantly took exceptions to Christ's other miracles, still resolving them into some cause short of a divine power; which exceptions may be reduced to these two heads: 1. The great difficulty of discerning when an action is really a miracle. 2. Supposing an action is known to be a miracle, it is as difficult to know whether it proves the truth of the doctrine of that person that does it, or not. But neither of these exceptions take place against the resurrection; for, (1.) Though we cannot assign the determinate point where the power of nature ends, yet there are some actions that at first appearance so vastly transcend it, that there can be no suspicion that they proceed from any power but a divine. (2.) Should God suffer a miracle to be done by an impostor, yet there was no necessity hence to gather, that God did it to confirm the words of that impostor: for God may do a miracle when and where he pleases.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

against knowledge, it is against that only that is so much adored by the world, and falsely called philosophy; and yet more significantly surnamed by the apostle," rain philosophy." To rectify the absurd opinions of the world concerning knowledge, and to take down the excessive estimation of it, in the prosecution of the words, it is demonstrated to be the cause, or at least the inseparable companion of sorrow in three respects:

I. In respect of the nature and properties of the thing itself. Under this head a question is started, whether or no there be indeed any such thing as true knowledge in the world? And three reasons advanced, which seem to insinuate that there is none. And then the uncertainty of knowledge, its poorness, and utter inability to contribute to the solid enjoyments of life, is shewn in several theolo gical and philosophical problems.

II. In respect of the laborious and troublesome acquisition of it: in setting forth which, the scholar's labour is considered with that of the soldier and the husbandman, and a view is taken of those callings to which learning is necessary, the physician, the lawyer,

and the divine.

III. In respect of its effects and consequents, three whereof are instanced: 1. The increase of knowledge is an increase of the desire of knowledge. 2. Knowledge rewards its followers with the miseries of poverty, and clothes them with rags. 3. Knowledge makes the person who has it the butt of envy, the mark of obloquy and contention; which considered, men are advised to make him that is the great Author, also the subject of their knowledge. For though there is a vanity, a sorrow, and a dissatisfaction in the knowledge of created, inferior objects, yet we are assured that "it is life eternal, to know God, and whom he has sent, his Son Christ Jesus."

SERMON XXXIX.-P. 331.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." PSALM lxvi, 18.

The resolution and model of this whole Psalm, which is David's grateful commemoration of all God's mercies, together with a retribution of praise being given, and therein the occasion and connection of these words. They are considered two ways: 1. As they have a peculiar reference to David and his particular condition, and so they are a vehement asseveration of his integrity. 2. Absolutely in themselves, and so they are applicable to all men. being resolved, as they lie in supposition, into a positive assertion, they afford this doctrine, "Whosoever regards iniquity in his heart, the Lord will not hear him." In prosecution of which is shewn,

And

I. What it is for a man to regard or love sin in his heart, which he may be said to do several ways: 1st, There is a constant and habitual love of sin in the unregeneracy and corrupt estate of the soul.

2dly, There is a regarding of sin in the heart, that consists in an unmortified habit or course of sin, much different from the former, because even a child of God may thus regard sin. Which may be evinced, 1. From example. 2. From Scripture reason, which is grounded upon those exhortations that are there made even to believers for the mortification of sin. And the soul may thus love sin two ways: (1.) Directly, and bv a positive pursuance of it;

(2.) Indirectly, and oy not attempting a vigorous mortification of it.

3dly, There is another kind of regarding sin in the heart, and that is, by an actual intention of the mind upon sin.

:

II. What it is to have our prayers accepted with God and this is to prevail with God for the obtaining the good thing we desire, by virtue of an interest in Jesus Christ, and in the covenant of grace. Several objections to this doctrine stated and answered.

III. Whence it is that a man's regarding or loving sin in his heart hinders his prayers from acceptance with God. 1. Because in this case he cannot pray by the spirit. 2. Because he cannot pray in faith, that is, he cannot build a rational confidence upon any promise, that God will accept him. 3. Because he cannot pray with fervency, which, next to sincerity, is the great qualification of prayer, to which God has annexed the promise of acceptance.

By way of application, the duty of sincerity in our worship is pressed from these two motives: 1. By praying to God with insincere, sin-regarding hearts, we incur the certain frustration of all our prayers. 2. In such prayers we are not only certain not to gain a blessing, but also we incur the danger of a heavy And to direct us how to pray with sincerity, this rule is laid down, to endeavour first to prepare our hearts by a thorough and a strict examination.

curse.

SERMON XL.-P. 338.

"God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things."1 JOHN, iii. 20.

The words are plain, and need no explication; therefore, after premising some things concerning God's attributes in general, this doctrine is drawn from them, not much different from the words themselves, namely, that "God is an all-knowing God." This is indeed a principle, and therefore ought to be granted yet since it is now controverted and denied by the Arminians and the Socinians, it is no less needful to be proved. In prosecution of this,

I. The proposition is proved, and that both by Scripture and by reason. Under this head we are exhorted to the knowledge of God in Christ.

II. Is shewn the excellency of God's knowledge above the knowledge of men or angels. And this appears,

1st, From the properties of this knowledge. 1. Its first property is the exceeding evidence, and consequently the certainty of it. 2. Its second property is this, that it is a knowledge independent upon the existence of the object or thing known. For God beholds all things in himself, and that two ways: (1.) By reflecting upon his power, and what he can do, he has a perfect knowledge of all possibilities, and of things that may be produced ; (2.) By reflecting upon his power and his will, he knows whatsoever shall be actually produced.

2dly, The excellency of God's knowledge appears in respect of his objects, which are all things knowable; but they may be reduced to three especially, which God alone perfectly knows, and are not to be known to men or angels. 1. The nature of God himself. 2. Things future. 3. The thoughts of men.

III. Is shewn, by way of application, that the consideration of God's omniscience may serve as an argument to press several duties upon us: 1. It must be a strong motive to bring us to a free confession

of all our sins to God. 2. It may enforce us to an humble submission to all God's commands and directions, and that both in respect of belief and of practice. 3. That as we are commanded "to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect," we should endeavour to resemble him in knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, that we make a true judgment of every thing relating to our temporal or eternal happiness or misery.

SERMON XLI. — P. 345.

A FAST SERMON, PREACHED IN 1658. "But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

"Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?"— JONAH, iii. 8, 9.

We are called this day by public authority to the work of humiliation; and the occasion of this work is the deplorable eruption of a sad distemper in sundry parts of the nation; and the cause of this, we are to know, is sin.

In this chapter we have the example of a fast celebrated by heathens, (the men of Nineveh,) but worthy of the imitation of the best Christians. Here are several things considerable: 1. Jonah's denunciation of a judgment of God impendent upon them. 2. Their humiliation upon the hearing of this judgment; in which fast or humiliation there is considerable,

I. The manner of it, which consists in two things: 1. The external humiliation of the body. 2. An internal, spiritual separation from sin.

II. The universal extent of it, and the particular application of it, ver. 8.

III. The motive of it, which was hope of mercy and a pardon upon the exercise of this duty.

2. The

The words afford six observations, which are here discussed: 1. The consideration of a judgment approaching unto, or actually lying upon, a people, is a sufficient argument for fasting and humiliation : (1.) Because in every judgment God calls for humiliation; they are the alarms of the Almighty, by which he terrifies and awakens sleepy souls; (2.) It deserves our humiliation; though this be an unpleasing duty to the flesh, yet it is abundantly countervailed by the greatness of the trouble it does remove. affliction of the body is a good preparative to the humiliation of the soul: (1.) Because the operations of the soul do much follow the disposition and temper of the body; (2.) Because afflicting of the body curbs the flesh, and makes it serviceable to the spirit. 3. The nature of a fast especially consists in a real, sincere separation from sin. The truth of this will appear from these considerations: (1.) That fasting is a spiritual duty; (2.) The nature of a fast chiefly consists in a separation from sin, because this is the proper end of it. 4. National sins deserve national humiliation (1.) Because a general humiliation tends most to solve the breach of God's honour; (2.) Generality gives force and strength to humiliation. 5. The best way to avert a national judgment, is for every particular man to inquire into and amend his own personal, particular sins. This is proved, (1.) Because particular sins oftentimes fetch

« AnteriorContinuar »