An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, The Scripture speaketh of that sinful trusting, which every natural man is in an high manner guilty of, and that is, To trust in a mans own heart. Pro. 28. 26. He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool. Now is not the world full of such fools? Yea the Church of God? Is not every unregenerate man this fool? Can you persuade him that his heart is naught, that he is in a state of gall and bitterness? What is the reason, that under so many powerful discoveries out of Gods word, every hearer doth not wring his hands, smite upon the breast, cry out, he is undone, he is found out to be a sinner, he cannot flatter and deceive himself any longer? Whence (I say) is it, that most do sit so sottishly, so securely and senslesly under the preaching of the Word? Is it not because they trust in their hearts? They thank God they have a good heart, their heart is right; and all this while, if they did truly know, what true grace meaneth, and how short they come of it, they would be amazed, and not able to open their mouths for their justification any longer. And the truth is we may call this the damning sin. This is that which destroyeth soul and body, that though men are afar off from the way of grace, though they wallow in their lusts, yet they trust in their hearts for all this. Prov. 21. 2. Every mans way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord pondereth the hearts. It is no matter what thy thoughts, thy persuasions are, but how doth the Lord account thee? Men are subject to a two-fold great mistake:

First, The Scripture speaketh of that sinfull trusting, which every natural man is in an high manner guilty of, and that is, To trust in a mans own heart. Pro. 28. 26. He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool. Now is not the world full of such fools? Yea the Church of God? Is not every unregenerate man this fool? Can you perswade him that his heart is naught, that he is in a state of gall and bitternesse? What is the reason, that under so many powerfull discoveries out of Gods word, every hearer doth not wring his hands, smite upon the brest, cry out, he is undone, he is found out to be a sinner, he cannot flatter and deceive himself any longer? Whence (I say) is it, that most do sit so sottishly, so securely and senslesly under the preaching of the Word? Is it not because they trust in their hearts? They thank God they have a good heart, their heart is right; and all this while, if they did truly know, what true grace meaneth, and how short they come of it, they would be amazed, and not able to open their mouths for their justification any longer. And the truth is we may call this the damning sin. This is that which destroyeth soul and body, that though men are afar off from the way of grace, though they wallow in their lusts, yet they trust in their hearts for all this.