Answ. I answer, if thou hast this hatred, and thy heart is carried against thy sins with an utter indignation against them, then certainly thy soul hath been truly broken; indeed, sometimes a man doth hate his sins, more then ever he hath been burdened with them; but thus it is commonly, if thy hatred be good, thy sorrow hath been sincere; for how can thy heart go against sin,1 except thou have found some evil in it? and how canst thou be an enemy to corruption, except thy heart hath been wounded with it? therefore let me advise all those that desire to have an evidence of the work of grace in their souls, to go in secret, and examine their hearts, whether they can make hue and cry after their corruptions; can you be content that all your sinful distempers, (even those that would affect you most) should be made known either in public by the ministry of the word, or in private by some faithful Christian? and can you be content that he should come home to your hearts, and drag out your corruptions before the world? then you have been wounded for sin, and are enemies against it, (as David saith) Try me O Lord, and examine me, and prove my heart, and my reins; 2and see if there be any wickedness in me. He deals like a good ⟨p. 256⟩subject that locks all the doors, and bids the officers search if there be any traitor in his house, if any one hide the traitor, he is a traitor himself in so doing; so David as it were sets open the door of his heart, and saith, Good Lord, if there any wickedness in me, yet not discovered, Lord let that word, that Spirit, and that messenger of thine, find it out; reprove me, convince me Lord, and discover my hypocrisy, and pride of heart, This is an honest heart certainly.
Answ. I answer, if thou hast this hatred, and thy heart is carried against thy sinnes with an utter indignation against them, then certainely thy soule hath been truly broken; indeed, sometimes a man doth hate his sinnes, more then ever he hath been burthened with them; but thus it is commonly, if thy hatred be good, thy sorrow hath been sincere; for how can thy heart goe against sinne,1 except thou have found some evill in it? and how canst thou be an enemy to corruption, except thy heart hath beene wounded with it? therefore let me advise all those that desire to have an evidēce of the worke of grace in their soules, to goe in secret, and examine their hearts, whether they can make hue and cry after their corruptions; can you be content that all your sinfull distempers, (even those that would affect you most) should be made knowne either in publique by the ministry of the word, or in private by some faithfull Christian? and can you be content that he should come home to your hearts, and dragge out your corruptions before the world? then you have beene wounded for sinne, and are enemies against it, (as David saith) Trie me O Lord, and examine me, and prove my heart, and my reines; 2and see if there be any wickednesse in me. He deales like a good ⟨p. 256⟩subject that lockes all the doores, and bids the officers search if there be any traitor in his house, if any one hide the traitor, he is a traitor himselfe in so doing; so David as it were sets open the doore of his heart, and saith, Good Lord, if there any wickednesse in me, yet not discovered, Lord let that word, that Spirit, and that messenger of thine, finde it out; reprove me, convince me Lord, and discover my hypocrisie, and pride of heart, This is an honest heart certainly.
- 1How to know that your souls are truly broken for sin.How to know that your soules are truly broken for sin.
- 2Psal. 39.24▪ opened.
