Answ. Yes, much, very much: For though it be a drawer of water to your Grace, yet it is a Gibeonite, a Native, a Canaanite, that will upon all occasions be ready to betray you, and to open the door unto greater Thieves, and will always be a thorn and good in your sides; and though it do not put out your light, yet it is a thief in your Candle, which may smare out much of your Comfort, and blemish your Duty. Ye know how it is with a good writing Pen; if there be a small hair in it, though the hair be never so little a thing, yet if it be not pulled out, it will blot and blemish the whole writing sometimes. So may this Sin of Infirmity do; your whole Duty may be blotted and blemished by this small hair, and although God can, and doth make use of your infirmities for to keep your Graces, yet they are but your Lees and Dregs, whereas your Graces should be all refined: the Word of God is as Gold refined seven times; your Ordinances are refined Ordinances, refined by the hand of Reformation; your Comforts, and Mercies, and Privileges, are refined Mercies, Privileges, and Comforts; surely therefore your Graces should be refined Graces, and your Duties, refined Duties: When Christ shall sit as a Refiner, and Purifier of Silver, he shall purify the Sons of Levi as Gold and Silver, and then shall the Offerings of Judah, and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, Malach. 3.3.4. O! what an evil thing therefore is it, for a man to be unrefined: Is it not an evil thing to ⟨p. 394⟩be burdensome unto others? By your sin, though it be but an infirmity, you may be a burden to others; for the Apostle speaking of Infirmities,1 saith, Bear ye one another's burden; And ye that are strong, ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak, Rom. 14.1. And although Christ will not cast you off for a Sin of Infirmity, yet you may provoke him thereby, to chide you, and to be angry with you: the unbelief of the Disciples, was but their infirmity, yet Christ did upbraid them because of their unbelief: The Remissness, and loss of first Love in the Church of Ephesus, is by Christ, called, a Somewhat; Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee: and yet Christ threatens her, that he will for this somewhat, come against her quickly, and remove her Candle-stick, if she did not repent; and Revel. 2.16. the Lord Christ threatens the Church of Smyrna, that unless she repented, he would come unto her quickly:
Answ. Yes, much, very much: For though it be a drawer of water to your Grace, yet it is a Gibeonite, a Native, a Canaanite, that wil upon al occasions be ready to betray you, and to open the door unto greater Theeves, and wil alwaies be a thorn and good in your sides; and though it do not put out your light, yet it is a thief in your Candle, which may smare out much of your Comfort, and blemish your Duty. Ye know how it is with a good writing Pen; if there be a smal hair in it, though the hair be never so little a thing, yet if it be not pulled out, it wil blot and blemish the whol writing somtimes. So may this Sin of Infirmity do; your whol Duty may be blotted and blemished by this smal hair, and although God can, and doth make use of your infirmities for to keep your Graces, yet they are but your Lees and Dregs, whereas your Graces should be all refined: the Word of God is as Gold refined seven times; your Ordinances are refined Ordinances, refifined by the hand of Reformation; your Comforts, and Mercies, and Priviledges, are refined Mercies, Priviledges, and Comforts; surely therefore your Graces should be refined Graces, and your Duties, refined Duties: When Christ shall sit as a Refiner, and Purifier of Silver, he shal purifie the Sons of Levi as Gold and Silver, and then shall the Offerings of Judah, and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, Malach. 3.3.4. O! what an evil thing therefore is it, for a man to be unrefined: Is it not an evil thing to ⟨p. 394⟩be burdensom unto others? By your sin, though it be but an infirmity, you may be a burden to others; for the Apostle speaking of Infirmities,1 saith, Bear ye one anothers burden; And ye that are strong, ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak, Rom. 14.1. And although Christ wil not cast you off for a Sin of Infirmity, yet you may provoke him thereby, to chide you, and to be angry with you: the unbelief of the Disciples, was but their infirmity, yet Christ did upbraid them because of their unbelief: The Remisness, and loss of first Love in the Church of Ephesus, is by Christ, called, a Somwhat; Nevertheless I have somwhat against thee: and yet Christ threatens her, that he wil for this somwhat, come against her quickly, and remove her Candle-stick, if she did not repent; and Revel. 2.16. the Lord Christ threatens the Church of Smyrna, that unless she repented, he would come unto her quickly:
- 1Gal. 6.1.6.
