CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Secondly, It's made an Argument of an Hypocrite and an insincere heart, to choose Sin rather then Affliction; To be affected with thy miseries and Troubles, earnestly desiring the removing of them rather then the sanctifying of them, Job 36.21, Elihu though he erred in the Application, yet in the general urgeth this as a Sign of one not rightly constituted towards God, when he bids him Take heed, because he had chosen Iniquity rather then affliction; We see the ordinary discovery of Hypocrites is to commit any sin that they may avoid trouble; Thus Matth. 15. The temporary Believer he withereth when the Sun ariseth to scorch: This hath been the great Cause of the Apostasy of so many Thousands when the Evil Day hath come upon them, They have not been able to be vilified and reproached and abhorred for Christ, and therefore are there so many Exhortations to persevere, and to overcome, to hold out to the last, so that thou canst not discover the rottenness, and the guile and deceit of thy Heart more then by being willing to commit any sin, to avoid thy immanent Dangers, and therefore what […] mercy is it when God shall so sanctify thy heart that in these waters of Afflictions thou canst see a full manifestation of thy Graces; In them thou dost perceive how upright and sincere thy Soul is to God, That all thy fear is, thou mayest not offend or displease God, Thou dost not so much think of thy own grief and pain as that thou shouldst do any thing to grieve the Spirit of God.

Secondly, It's made an Argument of an Hypocrite and an insincere heart, to choose Sinne rather then Affliction; To be affected with thy miseries and Troubles, earnestly desiring the removing of them rather then the sanctifying of them, Job 36.21, Elihu though he erred in the Application, yet in the generall urgeth this as a Signe of one not rightly constituted towards God, when he bids him Take heed, because he had chosen Iniquity rather then affliction; We see the ordinary discovery of Hypocrites is to commit any sinne that they may avoid trouble; Thus Matth. 15. The temporary Beleever he withereth when the Sunne ariseth to scorch: This hath been the great Cause of the Apostacy of so many Thousands when the Evil Day hath come upon them, They have not been able to be vilified and reproached and abhorred for Christ, and therefore are there so many Exhortations to presevere, and to overcome, to hold out to the last, so that thou canst not discover the rottennesse, and the guile and deceit of thy Heart more then by being willing to commit any sinne, to avoid thy immanent Dangers, and therefore what mercy is it when God shall so sanctifie thy heart that in these waters of Afflictions thou canst see a full manifestation of thy Graces; In them thou dost perceive how upright and sincere thy Soul is to God, That all thy fear is, thou maist not offend or displease God, Thou dost not so much think of thy own grief and pain as that thou shouldst do any thing to grieve the Spirit of God.