. But
though it be so, that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, that
there is a fountain opened in the house of David for sin and for
uncleanness, for sin and separation, for such heinous offences as may
separate people even from the congregation of the Lord's people, yet there
are some sins, some spots, that ordinarily his people are not defiled
with, and in this respect they may be called holy and undefiled in the
way. There are some marks and characters of unregenerated men so legible
and express, that we may even read from men's conversation, that they are
not the children of God. Though the blood of Christ wash from all, yet the
child of God ordinarily is kept from some kind of spots, so that if a man
shall be spotted with them it is no marvel he question if he be a child or
not. There are two, which I think so gross and unclean spots that I cannot
conceive how a soul washen by Jesus Christ can be defiled with them. One
is, a course of profanity. The common walk of the multitude is so gross
and profane, so void of God and godliness, that it witnesseth to their
face that they are not the sons of God. "He that is born of God sinneth
not; he maketh not sin his way and trade to walk into, and please himself
into." What are the most part of you, I pray you? Is your spot like the
spot of his children? Do not ye declare your sin as Sodom, ye drunkards,
who wallow in it daily, and though ye profess repentance, yet never amend?
Ye who have a custom of swearing and blaspheming his holy name, do not ye
carry in your forehead a spot that is not like his children? The child of
God may fall in many particulars, but it is not the spot of a child to
continue in them to add drunkenness to thirst, and yet to dream of
escaping wrath. I pray you, consider it, for it is of great moment. Do ye
carry such a black mark,--the devils mark? O do not think yourselves safe.
May not this persuade you? Do but compare yourselves in your converse and
walk with an heathen without the church. Set aside your public profession
of coming to the church, and hearing the word, and church privileges, and
is the difference visible between you and them? Many of you pray no more
in secret or in your families than they. Ye curse and swear as they, ye
are covetous and worldly as they. If ye can, do but draw a line of
difference, and if ye cannot, then I ask, what are ye? Is not this the
spot of bastards? Another spot is, hatred of godliness and the godly.