Sincerity, or, The upright mans walk to heaven in two parts shewing I. that sincerity is the true way to happiness, II. that the keeping of our selves from our own iniquity is the true way to sincerity / delivered in several sermons in the parish church of St. Michael in Long-Stratton Norfolk by James Oldfield, late minister there.

1. Those who instead of keeping them∣selves from their Iniquities, keep up close

and hide up their Iniquities; who deal with their sins as Rachel with her Idols, when Laban came to make a search after them, she hid them in the midst of the stuff. How many Persons are there that will not be known of their sins as if they knew not what they meant, tell the Swear∣er of his swearing, he denies it, he is not the man, or the Drunkard, or Covetous &c. Brethren, you deal unfaithfully with your Souls, why do you go thus to hide up your sins? I can tell you the true Rea∣son, because you have no mind to leave them, the Scripture puts confessing and forsaking of sin together, and confessing is always first, and a means to the latter, 28. Prov. 13. I can tell you further, the Scripture puts confessing and forgiving together, 32. Ps. 5. So that no confessing no forsaking, no forsaking no forgiving. And this is the great danger that these sins our own Iniquities bring us into, keep us from confession and therefore seldom are pardoned. That man is in a forlorn co••¦dition, who when his sin like the Small∣pox would break out, drives it in again and strikes it to the very heart; what a madness is it for a man to send to a Phy∣sician,

and desire him to heal him, and yet will not be known of any disease that troubles him. So, this is desperate folly and hypocrisie, for men to come and pray to God to pardon their sins, and yet will not be known of any sin that is in them; of all things take heed of such sins as you cannot endure should be touched, or med∣led with, or reproved, but will do all that you can to hide them, and keep them se∣cret, these are your own Iniquities, and are very dangerous.