There be many godly people that through Gods mercy, are able to keep from gross sins, they do not find it any great matter to keep from company, swearing, drinking, uncleanness, lying, or wronging of others, and such kind of sins as those are, so that they see not such need of humiliation in this regard, unless it be for that their natures are as corrupt as any, though they break not forth into those actual gross sins, but the main work of the humiliation of those that are godly, it is to be humbled for their thoughts, for the misspending of time, and for not sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties, those are the main things that are the subject of the humiliation of the Saints, beside the body of sin and death that they carry about with them. And it would be a good sign that thy heart hath some tenderness in it when thou makest these to be the matter of thy humiliation: Carnal people little are troubled for these, if they fall into such sins as that their Consciences do fly in their faces, then they are troubled and humbled: But for such things as these are, they are seldom humbled: To be humbled for thy holy offerings is a good sign of a gracious heart. We read of the Cherubims that they had six wings, and with two of their wings (the text saith) they covered their faces: so my Brethren we had need have wings (as it were) to cover our best duties: they had wings, and with two they covered their legs, and with two their faces; we had need, not only of a covering for our lower parts and meaner duties, but a covering for our holy duties, to cover our faces, our best duties of all, the most heavenly duties we perform had need be purged by the blood of Christ, In Levit. 16.14.16. we read of their holy things, that there was need of purging of them by blood; and so it should be in our holy duties: Let us be humbled for our ⟨p. 112⟩best performance that ever we performed in our lives: The best had need be so, but then as for others that have made little or no conscience of Sanctifying of Gods name, how had they need be humbled? Thou hast something more to repent of then thou thoughtest of; for the truth is, those that have not made conscience of Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties, they never in all their lives did any service for the honour of God, thou hast lived perhaps 30. or 40. it may be 60.
There be many godly people that through Gods mercy, are able to keep from gross sins, they do not find it any great matter to keep from company, swearing, drinking, uncleanness, lying, or wronging of others, and such kind of sins as those are, so that they see not such need of humiliation in this regard, unlesse it be for that their natures are as corrupt as any, though they break not forth into those actuall grosse sins, but the main work of the humiliation of those that are godly, it is to be humbled for their thoughts, for the mispending of time, and for not sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties, those are the maine things that are the subject of the humiliation of the Saints, beside the body of sin and death that they carry about with them. And it would be a good signe that thy heart hath some tenderness in it when thou makest these to be the matter of thy humiliation: Carnall people little are troubled for these, if they fall into such sinnes as that their Consciences do fly in their faces, then they are troubled and humbled: But for such things as these are, they are seldom humbled: To be humled for thy holy offerings is a good signe of a gracious heart. We reade of the Cherubims that they had six wings, and with two of their wings (the text saith) they covered their faces: so my Brethren we had need have wings (as it were) to cover our best duties: they had wings, and with two they covered their legs, and with two their faces; we had need, not onely of a covering for our lower parts and meaner duties, but a covering for our holy duties, to cover our faces, our best duties of al, the most heavenly duties we perform had need be purged by the blood of Christ, In Levit. 16.14.16. we reade of their holy things, that there was need of purging of them by blood; and so it should be in our holy duties: Let us be humbled for our ⟨p. 112⟩best performance that ever we performed in our lives: The best had need be so, but then as for others that have made little or no conscience of Sanctifying of Gods name, how had they need be humbled? Thou hast something more to repent of then thou thoughtest of; for the truth is, those that have not made conscience of Sanctifying of Gods Name in holy duties, they never in all their lives did any service for the honour of God, thou hast lived perhaps 30. or 40. it may be 60.
