A supplement to the several discourses upon various divine subjects

6. Those who are so far from mourning for common Sins, that they never truly mourned for their own. Who have yet the Treasures of wickedness, after the rod of God hath been upon them, Mich. 6.9, 10. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked reflecting upon the Rod they had felt? Common sins are but a Glass wherein we may see our common Nature. The best men have the worst Sins in their Nature, though by Grace they have them not in their Practice. He that grieves not for other Mens Sins, more or ⟨p. 73⟩less, never grieved truly for his own. He that is not concerned for the dishonours of God by others, is little concerned for the dishonour of God by himself. Let us use our Eyes for those ends for which God hath given them; they are instruments of sight, and instruments of sorrow.

6. Those who are so far from mourning for common Sins, that they never truly mournd for their own. Who have yet the Treasures of wickedness, after the rod of God hath been upon them, Mich. 6.9, 10. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked reflecting upon the Rod they had felt? Common sins are but a Glass wherein we may see our common Nature. The best men have the worst Sins in their Nature, though by Grace they have them not in their Practice. He that grieves not for other Mens Sins, more or ⟨p. 73⟩less, never grieved truly for his own. He that is not concerned for the dishonours of God by others, is little concerned for the dishonour of God by himself. Let us use our Eyes for those ends for which God hath given them; they are instruments of sight, and instruments of sorrow.

It is necessary for us to mourn for our own sins. We can never mourn for others Sins, unless we mourn for our own. If we sorrow not for our own, the sorrow we may pretend to have for others, proceeds not from a right cause. We have that one Sin of Adam in our Nature, which subjected the whole world to an Anathema. Let us not stay in generals; every Man will lay the fault upon Sin in the bulk, without reflecting on the sin in his own Bowels. We can complain particularly of those sins that are common, and why should we rest in generals, when we come to our own? Dolus versatur in universalibus, 'tis a deceitful sorrow that is for Sin in a heap. Is there not perfidiousness to God, coldness in his ways, too much slighting the Gospel, want of bowels and compassion, incorrigibleness under judgments, houses fired and pride not consumed; falseness in resolutions, like Oxen moving with the touch of the Goad, and presently standing still; deceitful bows, letting the string slip after they have stood fully bent?