Now that the Scripture containeth Characters of sincerity, and that a man comparing himself by those Characters, might certainly know that he is sincere; will be evidenced by these Scriptures. Psal. 19.13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me: then mark [then] shall I be upright. When there is no one known sin, but a man is really willing should be mortified and parted with, his most beloved sin that is nearest to him, which by way of propriety he may call his own, in an especial manner, which is the last sin a man parteth with, and if there be any sin which a man is unwilling to part with, and will keep a man off from Christ, it is his bosom sin, his darling; and the truth is, that if any man keep, love any one sin, which he will not let go, to close fully with Christ, let his profession be never so great, he is an hypocrite. Some men part with Christ for one lust, for one sin, Luke 18.22. When Jesus heard these things, how far he had gone, how much he had done, he said unto him, yet lackest thou one thing. Love to his riches, and prizing them more than Christ was his ruin; one stab at the heart ⟨p. 309⟩with a Pen-knife, will as certainly kill a man, as a thousand wounds with a sword; one disease that is mortal, will as certainly bring a man to his grave, as twenty; and one leak in a ship, will sink it, as more. Herod did many things, but yet he would not let go his Herodias. Mark 6.17, 18, 19, 20. It is a sure rule, that which a man loves most, he will endeavour to keep longest, Skin for skin, all that a man hath will he give for his life. A man prizeth his right hand much, but his head more, and therefore to save his head, he will hold up his hand, and venture the loss of the one, to save the other. There may be many sins a man might love, but one especially, and he may be willing the other should be pared off to preserve that, but when he is willing to leave all, to indulge himself in none, no not his darling sin; it is a sign of sincerity. Consult these Scriptures; Psalm. 17.1, 3, 4. Psalm. 119.1, 2, 3, 6. Job 1, 8. & 2.3. & 31. cap. throughout.
Now that the Scripture containeth Characters of sincerity, and that a man comparing himself by those Characters, might certainly know that hee is sincere; will bee evidenced by these Scriptures. Psal. 19.13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over mee: then mark [then] shall I bee upright. When there is no one known sin, but a man is really willing should be mortified and parted with, his most beloved sin that is neerest to him, which by way of propriety hee may call his own, in an especial manner, which is the last sin a man parteth with, and if there bee any sin which a man is unwilling to part with, and will keep a man off from Christ, it is his bosome sin, his darling; and the truth is, that if any man keep, love any one sin, which hee will not let go, to close fully with Christ, let his profession bee never so great, hee is an hypocrite. Some men part with Christ for one lust, for one sin, Luke 18.22. When Jesus heard these things, how far he had gone, how much he had done, hee said unto him, yet lackest thou one thing. Love to his riches, and prizing them more than Christ was his ruine; one stab at the heart ⟨p. 309⟩with a Pen-knife, will as certainly kill a man, as a thousand wounds with a sword; one disease that is mortal, will as certainly bring a man to his grave, as twenty; and one leak in a ship, will sink it, as more. Herod did many things, but yet hee would not let go his Herodias. Mark 6.17, 18, 19, 20. It is a sure rule, that which a man loves most, hee will indeavour to keep longest, Skin for skin, all that a man hath will hee give for his life. A man prizeth his right hand much, but his head more, and therefore to save his head, hee will hold up his hand, and venture the loss of the one, to save the other. There may bee many sins a man might love, but one especially, and hee may bee willing the other should bee pared off to preserve that, but when hee is willing to leave all, to indulge himself in none, no not his darling sin; it is a sign of sincerity. Consult these Scriptures; Psalm. 17.1, 3, 4. Psalm. 119.1, 2, 3, 6. Job 1, 8. & 2.3. & 31. cap. throughout.
