whose glory and property it is to be (neprovvwins) the knower, searcher, and judge of all hearts. Again,

$45. Obs. 27. The error of the heart in preferring the ways of sin, before obedience with its promises and rewards, is the root of all great provoking sins and rebellions against God. Many sins are the effects of men's impetuous lusts and corruptions; many there are hurried into by the power and efficacy of temptations; most are produced by both these in conjunction: but as for great provocations, such as carry in them apostasy or rebellion against God, they proceed from a deceiving and a deceived heart. There are many noisome and hurtful errors in the world; but this is the great soul ruining error, when the heart is practically corrupted, to prefer sin and its wages before obedience and its reward. In brief, when the directive part of the mind is diverted from attending to the reason of the things proposed; when it is corrupted by false pretences imposed on it by the outrage of corrupt lusts and affections, which have possessed the imagination with their objects, and their present deceivableness. When the accusing judging faculty is baffled, slighted, and at best partially silenced, as wearied with doing its work in vain, and accustomed to repulses: when in its reflective acts, whereby it should receive impressions from its own self-accusations and reproofs, are made obtuse, hard, and senseless, not regarding what is spoken in it or to it; and when by these means carnal affections bear sway in the soul, impetuously inclining it to seek after their satisfaction; then is the heart under the power of the error we speak of, that error which is the principle of all great provocations and ruinous apostasies from God.

For, this heart error sets all the lusts of the soul at liberty to seek ter their satisfaction in sin; makes it

slight and contemn all the promises annexed to obedience, and disregard the threatenings that lie against sin; and so prepares it for the utmost rebellion. And of all errors let us take heed of this practical error of the heart. It is not men's being orthodox or sound in their opinions that will relieve them, if they are under the power of this great fundamental error. And it is a matter to be lamented, to see how men will contest for their opinions under the name of truth, and cast all manner of severe reflections on those that oppose them, whilst themselves err in their hearts and know not the ways of God. And this is a frame which of all others God most abhorreth. For when men pretend to be for him, and are really against him, as all such are, shall not the Searcher of hearts find it out? Orthodox liars, swearers, drunkards, adulterers, oppressors, persecutors, are an unspeakable burden to the patience of God. Again,

$46. Obs. 28. A constant persisting in the course of sin, is the utmost, highest, and last aggravation of sin. They err always in every instance of obedience, and that continually. This filled up their measure. For herein consists that finishing of sin which brings forth death, 1 James i, 14. Sin may be conceived and brought forth, and yet death not ensue. But if it be finished, if men err in their hearts "always," inevitable destruction will be the consequent of it. This, as was said, is the highest and last aggravation of sin. For,

(1.) It includes a neglect and contempt of all times and seasons of amendment. God gives to men, especially those who live under the dispensation of the word, many peculiar times or seasons for their recovery. They have their "day," their special day, wherein they ought in an especial manner to look after the things of their peace. It may be this day, is often

revived to the persons spoken of, and often returned upon them; but it is as often despised and neglected by them.

(2.) It includes a rejection and disappointment of the means of repentance, which God is pleased graciously to afford them. During the season of his patience towards sinners, God is pleased to grant them sundry means and advantages for their amendment, and that in great variety; but they are all rejected and rendered fruitless in an unchanged course of sinning. (3.) It includes a contempt of the whole work of conscience from first to last. Many assistances doth conscience receive in its work. Convictions from the word, excitations by judgments, mercies, dangers, deliverances; but yet in this condition all its actings are baffled and despised. And what can be more done against God? What can add to the guilt of such sins and sinners? And this may serve to justify God in his severity against persons that "always err" in their hearts, that continue in a course of sinning. In the day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed," and all transactions between God and the souls of men laid open, the holiness, righteousness, and just severity of God against impenitent sinners, will, on these and other accounts, be gloriously displayed.

$47. Obs. 29. None despise or desert the ways of: God, but those that know them not. Or, whatever they may profess, profligate sinners know neither God nor his ways. They err in their hearts and have not known my ways." Who would seem more fully to have known the ways of God than his people? The ways of his providence wherein he walked towards them, and the ways of his law wherein they were to walk towards him, were all before them. And yet all this while, being unbelieving and obdurate, they knew

not the ways of God; nay, though they professed that they knew, and that they would observe them, yet in truth they knew them not. And such were their posterity and successors in unbelief and disobedience, of whom the apostle speaks, Titus i, 16; "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Whatever notions such persons have, or may have, of the ways of God, whatever skill in the outward letter of his laws and institutions, yet they know neither their righteousness, nor the holiness, nor the grace, nor the efficacy, nor the usefulness, nor the beauty of any of them. These things are spiritually discerned, and they are spiritually blind; these are spirit and life, and they are flesh and dead. And all this is evident from men's despising the ways of God, or their dereliction of them. This none can do but those that know them not. For they that know the name of the Lord, that is, any of the ways whereby he reveals himself, will put their trust in him, Psalm ix, 10. Julian, that infamous apostate, was wont to boast concerning the scriptures, that he had read them, known them, and condemned them: unto whom it was truly replied, that if he had read them, yet he understood them not, of which there needed no other evidence but that he condemned them.

$48. Obs. 30. When God expresseth great indignation in himself against sin, it is to teach men the greatness of sin in themselves. For that end is he said here, to "swear in his wrath." There are expressions in scripture about God's respect to the sins of men, that are strangely emphatical. As sometimes he is said to be "pressed under them as a cart is pressed when laden with sheaves;" sometimes, that he is made to "serve

with sin," and "wearied with iniquity;" sometimes to be "broken with the whorish heart of a people;" and "grieved at the heart that he had ever made such a creature as man;" sometimes that the sins of men are "a fume in his nostrils," that which his soul loatheth; and very commonly to be angry, vexed, and grieved, to be wrathful, stirred up to fury, and the like. What is it then that God intends by all these expressions? it is all to express what indeed sin deserves, and that a recompense of revenge is to be expected, or that it is of so great a demerit as to excite all the perturbations mentioned in the nature of God, were it any way capable of them. So doth he make use of all ways and means to deter us from sin. And there is much love, tenderness, and care in all these expressions of anger, wrath, and displeasure. Again,

§49. Obs. 31. God gives the same firmitude and stability to his threatenings as he doth to his promises. He swears to them also. Men are apt secretly to harbor a supposition of a difference in this matter. The promises of God they think indeed are firm and stable; but as for his threatenings, they suppose that one way or other they may be evaded. It was by this deceit

sin came into the world; namely, that the threatenings of God either would not be accomplished, or that they were to be understood after another manner than was apprehended. "Hath God said so, that you shall die if you eat? Mistake not, this is not the meaning of the threatening; or, if it be, God doth not intend to execute it; it will be otherwise, and God knows it will be otherwise." This gave sin its first entrance into the world; and the same deceit still prevails in the human mind. Hath God said that sinners shall die, shall be cursed, shall be cast into hell? Nay, but sure enough it will be otherwise, there will be one way or other to