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. When sin is got into the heart, that so it may keep possession, it begins to build and raise forts and bulwarks to keep out all its enemies. As Rehoboams policy to confirm his Kingdom; the first thing that he did after he came to be King, was build∣ing Cities and fortifying the strong holds, as you read in the 2 Chron. 11. c. 5, 11, 12. v. so sin fortifies it self in the heart, when once it hath got possession there; there∣fore we read in Scripture of the strong holds of sin, 2 Cor. 10. 4. the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth Forts, Towers, or Castles, places that are kept strong and fortified against all enemies and opposition what∣ever.

Thus sin when it is got into the heart, it presently raiseth forts, and bulwarks, and rampiers, builds Castles, lays in am∣munition against a Siege.

Will you see the particulars.

1. Sin hath its Forts, Castles and strong Holds.

1. A blind mind is one of sins strong Holds; sin strives to make the Soul as dark as any Dungeon, and keeps the Soul what it can from seeing any light. Thus the Apostle tells us of this strong Hold, 4. Eph.

18. As long as sin can keep the Soul in this posture, 'tis sure of it. O Brethren, this is such a strong Fort, that all the Batteries of the Scripture cannot overthrow it. Men that are resolved to be ignorant, and de∣light in their ignorance (as too many do) O how hard a matter it is to convert such Persons. Now sin raiseth this Fort in the Soul these three ways.

1. It keeps the Soul ignorant of Christ and the ways of Christ, it will not let the Soul see the excellency of these things, which are enough to ravish the Soul. Hence they cry out, 5. Cant. 9. and again 3. Mal. 14. when the Soul is thus 'tis far from conversion; there is no talking to such Persons of Christ and Grace, no perswa∣ding of such Persons to Holiness; they love not to hear of these things, because they know not the excellency of them.

2. It keeps the Soul ignorant of sin, as to the nature and danger of it. O you shall hear People cry out, what harm is there in telling a Lye, in swearing an Oath, in drinking a merry Cup now and then, in taking a little pleasure, 1 Sam. 14. 43. So say sinners, what must I be presently dam∣ned for every small sin, I did but do so and

so, and must I dye for it. Thus ignorant People will do all that they can to excuse and to extenuate and lessen their sins, be∣cause they are ignorant of the nature and danger of them; some will say, they see no reason why Ministers should keep such a stir about such petty trifling businesses, O 'tis a sign sin hath got strong Hold in their Souls.

3. It keeps the Soul ignorant of its e∣state and condition, it cries peace, peace, when God speaks no peace; Heaven frowns on them, and the Scriptures denounce no∣thing but Wrath and Judgment against them, 29. Deut. 13. O tell a sinner of such and such sins, O they will say they hope to be saved for all that; poor blind Souls, how doth sin lead them blindfold to Hell. O Brethren, this is a strong Fort, and 'tis hard to storm it, we may Preach and God may send his judgments on the earth, and all to no purpose, for they will not learn righteousness; O take heed of this; en∣deavour all that you can to learn while you have the means of grace continued to you; take pains for knowledge, for while sin keeps you in blindness, it keeps a strong Hold in you.

2. Another strong Fort or Castle, that sin raiseth up in the Soul, is hardness of heart; hence it is called in Scripture, an heart of stone, or a stony heart, 11. Ezek. 19. we account Castles that are built with Free-stone, and on Rocks, the strongest Castles. O, sin makes it self strong, when it makes it self a Fort, and a Castle of stone in the heart. Oh! how hard is it to get sin out of such an heart, 'tis like a stone hardned in sin; lay a Mountain upon a stone (saith a late Divine) and it never groans, so is it with sinners, let a Moun∣tain of sin, a World of guilt lye upon his Soul, he feels it not, he groans not under it; smite a stone while you will, beat it as long as you can stand over it, it com∣plains not; Oh, reprove sinners, beat them with the hammer of the word of God, they are not moved at all, they complain never the more of sin, read 6. Hosea 5. God hews sinners by the Preaching of the word as a Mason doth hew stones and cut them, yet are they stones still v. 7. A stone will not bend nor bow, break it you may, but bend it you cannot; so sinners, let them hear the best Sermons, sit under the most powerful Preaching and pathetical per∣suasions,

they are like stones still, God may break them to pieces with the stroaks and blows of his Judgments, yet every piece remains a stone still. Oh hard and rocky hearts! how hath sin fortifyed it self to the purpose in these hearts; when their hearts are so hard, that they are Sermon∣proof, or Ordinance-proof, and Judgment-proof, what shall we then say of their Sal∣vation.

3. Another Castle, Fort, or strong Hold, sin erects in the Soul, that it may keep the possession, is a seared Conscience, 1 Tim. 4. 2. Oh, this is an invincible Castle, 4. Eph. 19. When a man is not sensible of his vile∣ness, is not ashamed of sin, but rather boasts and glories in it, this is limen inferni, the very threshold of Hell. Reproof's like pistol bullets, will not enter such coats of mail as these; what will they say? tell us of Sin and Hell and Damnation? we care not a rush for these things. Oh Brethren, have a care of letting sin get such a power in your hearts, as to raise up such an in∣vincible Fort as this is, that all the Ser∣mons in the World, all reproofs and per∣suasions in the World, all the mercies and judgments of God should do you no good.

Oh, when men come to be once past feel∣ing, then do they work all uncleanness with greediness, then do they make hast to damnation, and gallop full speed to Hell; as the hard heart is a Castle of stone, this is a wall of brass, sic murus ahaeneus esto, nil conscire tibi nullâ pallescere culpâ.

Thus I have shewed you the strong Holds of sin, the Forts and Castles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 its strong Fortifications. Now,

2. I will shew you some of its Artillery or Ammunition, that it Fortifies these Ca∣stles withal; for the strongest Castle or Garrison, must yield at last for want of Ammunition; sin doth furnish the Soul herein. As,

1. With carnal affections and desires, these are like match, take fire with the least spark; blow but the coal of tempta∣tions over them, and they are presently all in a flame, 8. Rom. 6. Oh, take heed of all carnal affections, they are the Ammuni∣tion sin lays into the Soul.

2. With sinful and wicked Arguments to plead for sin. Oh, how are sinners fur∣nisht with these Hellish Arguments, these are sins Ammunition also: Oh what elo∣quent Tertulluses, are many sinners to

plead for their sins; as some will plead for Drunkenness, oh they must not be base, they must keep Gentlemen company and spend their money; others for Covetous∣ness, the times are hard, they have great Families, they must be sparing; others plead for sin, because Noah, David, and Peter committed the like sins. Oh Bre∣thren, sin will furnish you with a Thou∣sand Arguments against your Souls, these are like shields and bucklers to keep off the reproofs of the word.

3. With prejudices against the People of God, and the ways of God: Oh say some, these Saints are the basest fellows in the World, as Ahab said of Michaiah, I hate him, I can't endure him: Oh, these are like Granadoes that carry wild-fire in them, these are furious like Saul, and breath out threatnings against the People of God, and this makes them to hate the ways of God. Brethren, take heed of prejudices against the People of God, Oh this is sins Ammunition in the heart, when it cannot bring a man out of dislike with Religion, then it sets him to hate the Pro∣fessors of Religion. Oh take heed of har∣bouring ill thoughts of the Servants of

Christ. This very thing, have brought many sober Persons to debauchery and wickedness, because of their hatred to the Godly, and hath brought many to for∣sake Religion, because they have a preju∣dice against such as profess Religion.

4. With many curious and pleasant fantasies of the pleasures, happiness, and delights, that there are in sin; these fan∣tasies sin lays into the heart before-hand, as so many Barrels of Gun-powder, that it may be ready stockt against the tempta∣tion comes, and then with every little spark of temptation, sin is ready to blow up the Soul at once. Oh take heed of en∣tertaining any good thoughts of sin. It was a sure sign, that Jonathan loved David well, and was loath to part with David, because when ever Saul spake of Killing David, he would be speaking well of him and pleading for him; so Brethren, 'tis a sure sign you love sin well, and are loath to part with your sins, when ever Ministers or others, are speaking to you of slaying it, you will think well of it, and be still pleading for it. And thus you see a second piece of policy in sin, to keep possession of the heart, when once it is got in, by raif∣ing

strong Holds in the Soul, and furnish∣ing it with such abundance of ammuni∣tion, that 'tis hard to get it out.