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.

2. Use of Reproof. If that we ought to keep our selves from our own Iniquities, then this reproves,

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.

2. Those who instead of keeping them∣selves from their Iniquities, boast of them and glory in them, 3. Is. 9. Men are apt to boast and to brag of their own things, and so do sinners of their own Iniquities; as the Apostle Paul saith in another case; upon our uncomely members, we bestow the more abundant comeliness, so these Persons paint over and varnish what they can their uncomely sins, that so they may ••he more freely commit them, this is the •…•…ry height of Impiety to boast and glory in our Iniquities; and were they not our own, we should not thus glory in them.

3. Those who instead of forsaking their own Iniquities, are partakers also with o∣ther

men in their sins; there is none of us all, but hath sins enough of his own to sink him to the bottom of Hell; see what an account David gives us of his sins in the 40 Psalm. 12. if Davids were so many, how many then are ours, oh what despe∣rate madness then to add to that multi∣tude, which we are not able already to number. These Persons I cannot better compare them, than to broken Trades∣men that have spent all, and run them∣selves so far in debt, that they are like to lye in the Goal all their days, why these Persons are the readiest Persons to be bound for other mens debts. This is the right and true adding sin to sin and Iniquity to Iniquity, adding the sins of others to our own sins. Now the best way to remedy this, is with David in the Text; to keep our selves from our own Iniquities, and then we shall the better look to our selves, in keeping our selves from other mens sins; that man that is unwilling to give a bond for his own debt, will never be surety, or enter into bonds for another man's debt.

4. Those who instead of keeping them∣selves from their own Iniquities, are draw∣ing

on others, and perswading others to commit the like sins with them. Brethren, I think our sin hath done mischief enough, or at least will do mischief enough, if it ruin and damn only our own Souls, oh then, why should we be so greedy of bring∣ing others into the same guilt and condem∣nation with us; I think the World was never so full of such kind of Persons as 'tis now, sinners are stark mad that every body is not like them, and because they cannot draw others with them to the same excess of riot; sin is such a sweet bit, such a dainty morsel, that they love not to eat it alone, like some kind hearted men, who if they have a joynt of meat extraordina∣ry, presently send for some Neighbours or Friends to dine with them. Brethren, this is the very Image and Superscription of the Devil, that these men carry in their fore∣heads, the Devil after he had sinned him∣self, have made it his work ever since to make us all Devils like himself, by draw∣ing us into the same sins; now the best way to remedy this, is to keep our selves (as David in the Text) from our own sins, and when we see the evil of them our selves, we shall the more earnestly per∣swade

all others, to keep themselves from them likewise.