A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Secondly, When Men do deliberate and contrive how they may sin to the greatest advantage, how they may make the most of their Iniquities; when they plot and contrive with themselves how they may squeeze and draw out the very utmost of all that Pleasure and Sweet that they imagine Sin carries with it; this makes that Sin a presumptuous Sin. Thus those Drunkards contrived to prolong their Sin, Isaiah 56. v. 12. Come, say they, we will fetch Wine, and fill our selves with strong Drink, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant. Here they forecasted to make as great advantage as they could of their Drunkenness, and to get as much pleasure out of it as they could. This now is most presumptuous Sinning. Thus the Prophet Jeremiah also speaks of those that were wise to do evil, Jer. 4.22. That could improve Sin to the very utmost, that could get more out of a Sin by their Husbanding of it, than another could that had not that Skill and Mystery; ⟨p. 168⟩these are wise to do evil; and such are presumptuous Sins; when men stretch and strain their Wits brim-full of sinf•• Devices, either so as they may reap mos• from them, or so as they may keep their Wickedness secret from the observation and notice of men, then they sin presumptuously. Do not therefore flatte• your selves, that though indeed you are Sinners, as who indeed is not? yet, you sin only through weakness and infirmity: Why, ask your own Consciences Did you never sin, or, do you not use to sin upon premeditation and fore-cast? When you have conceived Sin in your own hearts, do you not nurse it and nourish it there, till you find some fit opportunity to commit it, plotting to lay hold on some fit occasion to act some wicked imagination that you have hatched in your own Heart? If so, this is clear, your sinning is not out of weakness, but from stubbornness and wilfulness.

Secondly, When Men do deliberate and contrive how they may sin to the greatest advantage, how they may make the most of their Iniquities; when they plot and contrive with themselves how they may squeeze and draw out the very utmost of all that Pleasure and Sweet that they imagine Sin carries with it; this makes that Sin a presumptuous Sin. Thus those Drunkards contrived to prolong their Sin,