The Morning exercise [at] Cri[ppleg]ate, or, Several cases of conscience practically resolved

7. It may be known, by the covers, and cloaks, and fair pretences, that the sinner hath for this sin. Uncleanness, and intemperance, are but tricks of youth, and sowing his wild Oats: Luxury is magnificence, covetousness is good husbandry, pride is a piece of nobleness, and grandeur of spirit: yea, which is more, tis humility, you have some that disparage themselves in company, and they call this humility, when in truth, it is the height of their spirits; like the Archer, that draws back the arrow, that it may fly so much the higher, and so much the further. Tis strange blindness, or deceit, or both, to call not yellow, or some middle colour, but black white: yet thus it is with many; they shape their darling lust, like those virtues, unto which they are extremely contrary. Every wicked man is sins advocate, and will plead its cause gratis. Oh saith Judas, to what purpose is this waste,¹ This ointment might have been sold for much and given to the poor: this he said, saith another Evangelist, Not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, & had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Beware of speaking any thing, towards the justification of your selves in any way of wickedness: you know the malefactor is condemned before he is put to death, & so it is in the case of sin, cum peccator justificatur, peccatu• condemnatur, when a sinner is justified, his sin is condemned, and after condemnation followeth execution:² Job vindicates himself in this particular: If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquities in my bosom, &c. then let thistles grow instead of wheat: as if he had said, I did not hide mine iniquity as Adam did, I did not cover my transgression, I was open and ingenuous: the Psalmist saith, Bl•ssed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered, but then it must be by Gods hand, not ours.

7. It may be known, by the covers, and cloaks, and fair pretences, that the sinner hath for this sin. Uncleanness, and intemperance, are but tricks of youth, and sowing his wild Oats: Luxury is magnificence, covetousness is good husbandry, pride is a piece of nobleness, and grandure of spirit: yea, which is more, tis humility, you have some that disparage themselves in company, and they call this humility, when in truth, it is the height of their spirits; like the Archer, that draws back the arrow, that it may fly so much the higher, and so much the further. Tis strange blindness, or deceit, or both, to call not yellow, or some middle colour, but black white: yet thus it is with many; they shape their darling lust, like those vertues, unto which they are extreamly contrary. Every wicked man is sins advocate, and will plead its cause gratis. Oh saith Judas, to what purpose is this waste,