freeman for evermore Those Saviours were meer men but Christ our Redeemer is God and Man They delivered their people by force of arms but Christ by his death first payed the price of our Redemption and then God by his great power rescued us from the hands of the Devil They brought their Redeemed into an earthly Canaan but Christ our Redeemer hath prepared for us an heavenly Inheritance They saved them that were oppressed and evil-intreated against their wills but Christ set us free who had voluntarily sold our selves into the state of slavery Quest How are these things to bee applied unto the heart Answ Upon consideration of these things wee must stir up our selves to seek the knowledge of Christ Jesus fly unto him with sound affiance rejoyce in God and sing praises to his name Oh my soul is deliverance from spiritual thraldome to bee found in Jesus Christ then enquire after him and seek to know him with gladness The Name Jesus is sweet honey in the mouth melody in the ear a Jubile in the heart What a servant were hee that knew not his Masters Name is not hee unworthy the benefit of Redemption that will not vouchsafe to enquire who hath paid his Ransome Oh my soul fly unto Christ in whom thou shalt finde deliverance from all spiritual thraldome God hath made Christ an Adam Head Root Store-house in whom are treasured all those good things which from him are communicated unto us Wee love to thrust amongst them with whom wee may finde benefit and profit Seek this above all that thou mayest bee by Faith in Christ Should Bankrupts hear of any that should answer their creditors for them they would quickly resort to him how much more shouldest thou resort to this Mediatour and Surety who will answer the debt of those that come unto him by Faith seek to bee ingrafted into him strive by Faith to grow up in him for the more nearly wee are united with any thing the more wee partake of the virtue and operation of it Those that are nearest the fire partake in the heat of it more than those that are further removed Thou seest men seek to bee made one person in law to bee most nearly joyned to such as may bring them in wealth Oh my soul why dost thou not seek more earnestly by a spiritual marriage to become one with him in whom is every good blessing Behold hee sueth unto thee not that hee might bee enriched by thee for thou hast nothing to give hee stands in need of nothing but that hee might answer thy debt set thee at liberty adorn thee with grace and endow thee with eternal life O my soul what great cause hast thou to love the Lord and rejoyce in his mercy God hath given his Son to dye for us before we asked it Christ hath when wee could not through our gracelesness once ask him fulfilled all Righteousness and discharged us from the danger of sin Wee take it as love in men if spoken to they will do small matters for us Hee that will bear a blow for us in our behalf bee bound for us in great summs of mony specially hee that will lye by it for our good But how much more art thou to acknowledge this grace of Christ who hath been thy Surety paid for thy deliverance not silver or gold but his precious blood The insensible creatures are called upon to rejoyce for the Redemption of Gods people when they were redeemed from Babel the joy did put them into an extrasie they knew not whether they were asleep or awake But this spiritual Redemption doth as far out-strip that temporal freedome as Heaven is above the Earth or hell worse than the house of bondage Sing unto the Lord oh my soul make a joyful noise unto the God of thy salvation What cause hast thou to praise him who hath visited and redeemed thee with such a Redemption Thou mayest remember the day when thou wast in thraldome to the burning wrath of God and stoodest under the condemnation of the Law when it was death to bee held to the duties of godliness in which is the exercise of true freedome and sin did hold thee so fast that though thou sawest the mischief of it and proposedst sometimes a new course yet thou couldest not return to it as before when this lust and that passion did tyrannize over thee and fears of conscience and death did hold thee in thraldome But now the Lord hath looked upon thee in mercy his wrath is appeased the Law is answered Satan is cast down and thou art received into special favour to walk with him Oh Lord I am ashamed that I should bee so senseless at the remembrance of this unspeakable love so forgetful of this undeserved kindness move the scales from mine eyes I pray thee and take the veil from my heart which will not let mee rejoyce in so excellent mercy Quest Shew how wee must proceed in Meditation on the Resurrection of Christ Ans Wee must consider the Subject Antecedents Causes End Time Place and things that happened with it the effects properties and consequents what is like and what unlike My soul desires to think upon the Resurrection of Christ in which I may behold the reconciled face of God Dear Father direct my mind rightly to conceive of this high mystery to the glory of thy Name and the comfort of my soul To rise from the sleep of sin is to leave or desist from evil Hee that is fallen prostrate ariseth when he gathers up himself Hee that layeth himself down to rest ariseth when hee is raised from sleep Hee that is dead ariseth when the soul is knit to the body The Resurrection of Christ is the first degree of his exaltation wherein the soul being united again to his body hee was raised up to spiritual and immortal life It is a motion partly natural partly supernatural Natural in respect of the subject bound and means For Christ rose so out of the grave that hee is said to bee there no more and he rose by means proper to a natural body that being removed which might seem to hinder Nor was this Resurrection in a moment but in certain succession of time which is required to every natural motion Nevertheless this motion is supernatural in respect of the cause efficient and the end The Divine Nature of Christ could not suffer nor dye nor rise again but hee was raised to life in respect of that nature that died for our sins or in respect of the body which for a time was separated from the soul and laid in the grave This was prefigured by types foretold by the Prophets of the Old Testament and most clearly spoken to his Disciples by our Saviour himself signifying unto them that the Son of Man must suffer at Jerusalem and bee buried and the third day rise again The principal cause of the Resurrection was the Divine Nature most strictly united with the Humanity In
of the mind bee not diminished Although for want of proof wee count all afflictions hard yet when wee have experience of the fruit and benefit that comes by them confidence in God will make them easie if our cause bee good Wee shall never want somewhat to exercise us sin or trouble we shall have neither is it unprofitable for us to the end wee may bee ever in the combate for our life is a warfare Fifthly Wee seldome keep unlawful commodities or rejoyce too much in lawful but the Lord doth cross us in them The things of this world are too sweet and pleasant to our corrupt taste but the Lord doth season them with bitterness vain liberties breed much sorrow and unchearfulness Sixthly The most vexations in our life become annoyances unto us through our own fault in that wee either prevent them not when wee may or bear them not as wee ought or make not use of them as wee might do Seventhly When matters of more importance than our salvation come into place let us bee occupied with more fervency in them than in that but not before Prov. 3.14 The practice of godliness is a rich and gainful trade but if it bee not well followed it will bring no great profit Eighthly To have a willing mind to bee well occupied and matter about which wee may and time to bestow therein and freedome from lets therefrom is an estate to bee much made of and yet for the most part they which have most outward incouragements cannot tell what to do with them Ninthly Whatsoever measure of graces wee have gotten yet it is certain that God hath much more than wee can think of if those bee the matters which we have in greatest price but being set light by and the means neglected which preserve them they dye That is a good state when wee have not onely joy in heavenly things at the first hearing of them but increasing in joy as our knowledge and experience increaseth and when wee are not onely delighted in the present duties of Gods service but also as joyful to think of them that are to come accounting that the more they bee the better they are The flesh is apt to take the smallest occasions that may bee to favour it self but our study must bee to increase in goodness and to delight more in walking with God in a Christian course Tenthly Love of the world makes death terrible and surfetting in pleasure lulleth us asleep Seeing it pleaseth the Lord to let us know that wee have this precious liberty all the day long to bee with him to enjoy his presence by Faith and solace our selves in bold affiance in him and that for all good things and to bee free from the fear terrour and anguish which haunteth the ungodly It were pity wee should for some deceivable folly deprive our selves of such happiness and peace as hee alloweth us even here to be partakers of Eleventhly The more sure thou art of Gods favour by Faith Mat. 15.27 the more humble thou art also One special point of profiting is to know our own vileness and misery better daily that so wee may come to know the inestimable bounty of God the better and what wee are beholding to him for as receiving increase from him multiplied pardons of sin and daily increase of grace Twelfthly They are worthy of great punishment who set light by the plenty of grace the crumms whereof Gods hungry servants do set great store by Look what care conscience zeal love and reverent estimation of good things thou hadst when first thou embracedst the Gospel the same at least retain and bee sure thou keepest still afterwards The more knowledge that thou hast take heed thou beest not more secure for thus it is with many at this day who therefore do smart for it wee shall not injoy the grace we had at first except wee bee as careful now to keep it as wee were then to come by it Thirteenthly When wee are afflicted and the wicked spared our estate seems to them most vile when wee are both in prosperity they seem more happy when they and wee bee both afflicted then they account our estate happier than their own but especially when they bee afflicted Exod. 14.25 and wee spared Wee may not assign the Lord in what place and state in what condition and company we should live but as strangers wait on him even as the handmaid on her Mistress for whatsoever hee will allow us wee are ready most commonly to bee called away by death before wee have learned how to live Fourteenthly Keep down carnal liberty and the spiritual liberty shall bee great rest on God and it shall make thee overcome the hardest things If thou wilt finde Christ sweet thou must ever finde sin bitter Fear ever to offend God and thou a Psal 32.7 91.11 needest not to fear any other peril No good thing abideth long with us in its strength and beauty without new quickning When wee feel any weariness in a godly course by what occasions or weighty dealings soever it bee the Devil hath met with us therefore wee must speedily take shame and sorrow and turn unto the Lord. Fifteenthly Wee must remember to serve and walk with God Psa 90.12 by daies not by weeks and months onely A great difference there is betwixt the observing and viewing of our life from day to day and the doing of it by fits now and then in the one wee are safe chearful and fruitful in the other rash offensive and often unquiet for it walking in fear and with little comfort Sixteenthly As husbandmen wait for their fruit so should wee for that which wee pray and hope for and that would make us joyful when wee obtain it If a man can rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner Luke 15.6 then is hee the friend of Christ Seventeenthly It is a folly yea a madness to bee heavy to the death for any earthly thing when yet a man desireth nothing more than life They who can neglect and set meanly by a little vain glory and credit with men may gain and injoy much peace with God All our life ought to bee a providing for a good end and a keeping away of woe which cometh by sin fear not the pain of death for God can make it easie or tollerable Eighteenthly The flesh would fain please it self in some unlawful liberty when we have pleased God in some duties but a wise man will keep him well while hee is well Nineteenthly Where there is wilfulness in sinning there is great difficulty in relenting and also no power nor boldness in beleeving many beginning well in godliness have fainted and quailed or been justly reproached before their end that others may the more fear their own weakness where new knowledge is not sought there is the less savour in the old and when men make not good use of the old the seeking of the new is
to remove the evil or obtain the good proceeding from a broken and contrite heart The sixth is fervent Petition earnestly craving and begging this at the hands of God who is only able to effect it The last is chearful confidence raising and rousing up our souls after such doleful complaining hearty wishing humble confessing unfeigned acknowledging and serious stirring up our selves and earnest craving of what wee want grounded upon the most sweet and sure Promises of God made to them that call upon him in Faith and upon the experience which the Saints of God in all ages have had of the success of their sutes who were never sent empty away but either obtained that thing which they begged or that which was much better for them but these things are specially observed in Meditation upon some grace or sin as will bee made more evident and plain by examples and are not ever necessary that they should bee particularly observed Quest What is to bee observed for conclusion of this exercise A. First We must begin when the heart is fitly disposed or at least labour to bring it into order before wee set upon this duty and break off before the spirits bee dulled and tired otherwise we shall lose the comfort and sweetness of it Secondly It is not good suddenly or abruptly to break off except some unavoidable necessity of company or business do urge us thereunto Thirdly The conclusion of this exercise consists principally in these things 1 Hearty thanksgiving to God that hath vouchsafed in such gracious measure to assist us in the performing of this duty 2 Recommending our selves and our waies to him that our life and carriage and all our thoughts and actions afterwards may bee answerable to those heavenly thoughts and desires which wee have had and express in the performing of this duty 3 Renewing our covenant to live by Faith and to walk with God in all holy conversation Quest Declare this by some example and first how should wee meditate on God his infinite excellency Answ Entrance may be made thus into it Oh Lord my heart desires to commune with thee that I might come into better acquaintance with thy Majesty but of my self I have no ability to conceive what is right or to think a good thought concerning thy highness Teach mee therefore Oh gracious God if not to comprehend thine excellency for that is impossible yet so to confer with thee that I may apprehend in some measure how thou hast revealed thy self and what thou wilt bee unto mee that knowing thee in thy power goodness truth soveraignty and grace I may unfeignedly cleave unto thee all the daies of my life Quest How must wee proceed in this Meditation Answ Wee must consider of his titles properties and works observing how infinitely hee exceedeth what excellency soever is in any or all the creatures in the world a 1 Tim. 6.16 1 Joh. 4.12 Exod. 33.20 Oh Lord thou dwellest in the light unapproachable whom man never saw neither can see and live thou art incomprehensible by reason and unnameable by words thy name is wonderful and thy nature secret I cannot comprehend what thou art I will labour to know what thou hast revealed I am not able to behold thy face let mee see thy back-parts for this is my life and joy of heart to know thee the onely true God which springeth and increaseth daily as I come to the fuller knowledge of thee and shall bee infinite because thou art infinite I beleeve as thou hast taught mee according to my manner and measure that thou art a Spirit without beginning without cause the first and absolute being living in and of thy self giving being and life to all creatures infinite eternal incomprehensible Gen. 17.1 without composition one in essence and three in persons most perfect a meer act blessed and glorious all sufficient in thy self for us a great reward void of all possibility to bee what thou art not great in power infinite in wisdome abundant in goodness everlasting in compassion rich in mercy faithful sincere constant in thy promises unchangeable in thy love gentle easie to bee entreated just and righteous in all thy Commandements and Proceedings the most absolute universal soveraignty of all things both in Heaven and Earth Thy name is wonderful in all the world for thou hast created all things and by thy appointment they continue unto this day Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it abideth thou hast stretched forth the heavens as a curtain Job 9.7 8 c. and in them or dained a Tabernacle for the Sun Thou stillest the raging of the Sea and the proud waves are quelled by thy command the day is thine the night also is thine the Moon and Stars are the work of thine hands Thou thunderest from Heaven by thy voice and bringest the winds out of their treasure thou breakest up the deep and causest the springs to ascend in the vallies Thou causest the grass to grow upon the mountains and satisfiest with thy goodness every living thing The earth Oh Lord is full of thy goodness but thy glory shines most bright in the assembly of thy Saints Oh what wisdome power grace mercy love long-suffering hast thou manifested in Jesus Christ the brightness of thy glory the image of the invisible God what great admirable things hast thou done for thy people thou hast reconciled them being enemies redeemed them being bond-slaves justified them being sinners of vassals of Satan thou hast adopted them to bee thy sons of unclean and polluted thou hast washed and made them clean Thou guardest them with thy Angels protectest them against dangers feedest them with fatness and marrow and hast reserved for them the Kingdome of Heaven All thy Works praise thee Oh Lord and thy Saints bless thee Great is the power wisdome holiness and glory of the heavenly Angels but they are finite created dependent great immortal glorious by participation only not able to behold the glory of God great is the renown dignity dominion of earthly Monarchs but their persons are mortal their glory fading their Dominion temporary their power limited what they are they have by deputation during pleasure As for our God hee is an infinite eternal absolute independent soveraign His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psa 90.1 2 Before the foundations of the earth were laid and ere the mountains were formed from everlasting to everlasting thou art God But Lord thine excellency far exceedeth all that I can conceive for what can a finite understanding comprehend of an infinite being I know very little of thy waies much less of thy nature yea what thou hast revealed of thy self in thy Word doth rather make known what thou wilt bee to thy people than what thou art in thy self As the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are thy waies higher than our waies and thy thoughts than our thoughts Quest How
Thus man was made the wonder of the world the principallest of living creatures indued with a reasonable soul most divinely qualified and strictly united to that earthly mass to quicken and inliven it The end why man was made in respect of God was the glory of his power goodness and wisdome appearing in the work it self of his justice in rewarding man if obedient and in punishing man if disobedient of his grace and mercy redeeming him fallen into the gulf of misery and that man should praise and magnifie his glorious name In respect of man that hee should live blessedly for ever if hee did obey man by creation was immortal for death is an enemy no consequent of nature but a companion of sin man dieth not because his body was framed of the dust 1 Cor. 15.26 but because hee is infected with sin Subjection to mortality and all miseries accompanying it is a fruit of disobedience Hee is reasonable and intelligent able to think invent judge devise compose discourse remember chuse refuse suspend and affect These powers being essential to mans nature do still remain but very weak and corrupt since the fall Also to man is given power to eat drink sleep weep laugh and speak whereby hee may communicate to others whatsoever hee conceiveth hee was perfectly conformable to the will of God made after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and true holiness But the Image of God is defaced with sin there remaining onely some reliques in us as the ruines of a magnificent and stately palace that served to shew what once wee had Moreover in the state of innocency man was honoured with great Royalties and Prerogatives for hee had liberty to eat of every tree in the Garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil and was made ruler over all earthly creatures that hee might freely use them to the glory of God his own necessity and lawful pleasure But these priviledges hee hath forfeited by rebellion against his Creator The effects of man are suitable to the faculties and gifts hee hath received as to know God call upon his name worship him sincerely preach the Word administer the Sacraments govern give counsel contemplate the works of God read write confer and dispute exercise the works of virtue and honesty govern the affections reverence superiors live peaceably and such like But in all these things wee have much dis-inabled our selves by wilful disobedience Would you see the prime dignity of man by comparison In soul hee is like the Angels invisible immaterial immortal beautified with understanding will and power inriched with admirable divine gifts whereby hee resembleth God or carrieth his Image In body hee is the perfection of all earthly things whom they are to serve In both hee is the Epitome of all created excellency in Heaven and Earth Quest How must these things bee applied unto the heart for the quickening of affection Answ Wee must stir up our selves to magnifie the goodness of the Lord towards man-kind to shame our selves in conscience of our sins and misery raise up the heart to the contempt of earthly things and love of obedience and seek unto God to have his Image repaired in us again through Jesus Christ Lord Psal 8.4 5 6 c. what is man that thou visitest him the son of man that thou so regardest him Thou hast made him little inferiour to the Angels adorned him with grace stamped upon him thy Image invested him with dignity and crowned him with glory and honour Thou hast given him Dominion over the work of thy hands and put all things in subjection under his feet Thou hast made him for thy service his soul to bee thy habitation his body to bee the Temple of thy spirit and all other things to bee serviceable unto him the world and all that is therein for his use All things are prepared for him all things are subject to him hee ruleth over all living creatures they labour for him obey his command Lord thou art the glory of man man the receptacle of thy works thy wisdome and power But as mine excellency by creation exceeds so doth my shame and misery by sin and disobedience The higher mine advancement the lower my fall This was my chief honour and title that I was the Image of God This is my disgrace and ignominy that I bear the Image of the Devil This is my comfort that God did love delight and desire to dwell in mee it is my misery that I am cast out of thy favour and lye under wrath Ah what grief is this to think how my condition is altered through my foolishness once immortal now mortal once pure now impure and polluted once rich in wisdome and grace now blinde and naked once the Image and free servant of God now the vassal of Satan once at peace with God my conscience all creatures now at war with his Majesty my self all the world Once a free man to walk at liberty now a bondslave that can doe nothing but sin once the Ruler of all creatures now of all creatures the basest Satan excepted once subject to no annoyance now secure from nothing that might offend If a Noble man fall from height of honour to great contempt and bitter extremities hee is much afflicted much greater cause have I to bemoan my folly who have cast my self headlong from Heaven unto Earth even to the gulf of misery and confusion Oh my soul why dost thou forget thy self so much as to affect the base things of this life It is a shame for him that was to subdue all things to suffer himself to bee subdued by men and to become a Lacquey to his vile affections doing honour to the three great Idols of the world profit pleasure and preferment The world is too vile for thy delight thou art created for more divine service the Lord himself covets thy love The glory of the world is put under thy feet as things to bee trodden upon that which thou shouldest affect is far above heavenly and glorious If the fashion of the body should bee so changed that the face and eyes bowed to the earth continually should never bee able to look up it would bee grievous But if the soul which should bee lifted up to God do creep upon earth bee glued to worldly vain delights the alteration is more uncomfortable and monstrous Hee that subdueth the world doth yeeld himself to the service of God which is perfect liberty But when wee become slaves to the world wee labour to make God servant to our lusts which is most abominable and accursed The glutton makes God his caterer his belly his God and himself the guest The covetous worldling would have God his Broker and himself the Usurer The angry sinner would have God his executioner and himself the Judge The ambitious inquisitor can sometimes make God and Religion his stile but honour shall bee his God and lust reign The Lord himself
in the garden besides and being strictly charged upon pain of death not to taste of it The just and good Law of God was a blameless occasion of mans sin as it did forbid an act in it self indifferent that it could not bee done without sin The Law and Sin as well as the Law and Obedience work together though in a distinct manner for of Obedience the Law is a principal cause but of sin an accidental as working besides his own scope and main drift which is to savour nothing but life and also as a contrary to sin The Lord in his wise providence did work in the fall of man as the Law by accident was occasion of it but hee is not the author of his sin hee did not constrain him to offend not withhold from him any grace that by Covenant or otherwise hee was bound to give him The principal inward cause of this transgression was the will of man freely turning from the Commandement of God which hee might and ought to have obeyed but would not and willingly hearkening to the suggestion of Satan which hee should have resisted but did not The sin of man was the eating of the forbidden fruit not absolutely considered in it self but in respect of the Commandement and charge whereby God had severely forbidden the tasting of the fruit of that tree and had threatned punishment to them that should transgress In evil actions no end can properly bee assigned for the end is of a good thing and to be desired But Satan in that temptation aimed at the dishonour of God and the damnation of Man Man being deceived by the old Serpent proposed this end to himself but obtained it not that hee might satisfie his superiour affection to the Image of God and his inferiour to the fruit of the tree The Lord who bringeth light out of darkness out of his infinite wisdome did order this evil to the setting forth of his mercy and justice and the utter confusion of Satan contrary to his purpose and intendment In this their disobedience wee may observe these degrees The impression of the suggestion obscuration of their thoughts concerning the excellency of God forgetfulness of what was done before and what God commanded doubting of the truth of God tickling of ambition whereby the woman affected great power dignity credit to the flatteries and allurements of Satan and familiarity with him and inclination of will to the forbidden fruit First This was the first sin committed by man in it self most hainous the fountain of all other evils both of sin and punishment Many things do shew the greatness of this sin 1 It was the transgression of that precept which God had given for the trial of mans obedience and so was an absolute denial of subjection and renouncing of obedience As the performance of it had been an open profession of submission and due obedience It was not a breach of some particular Commandement but an universal denial of all the branches of obedience 2 It was intollerable that man being inriched with so many graces priviledges and blessings should presently forget God being so much indebted and bound unto him in love for his inestimable favours 3 Amongst so many trees in the Garden it was easie for man to forbear the pursute of one and being made after the Image of God hee might have resisted the temptation of Satan Wherefore to suffer himself to bee drawn away in that manner was an hainous offence 4 This sin was committed in Paradise where the tree of life stood in their sight and God had manifested himself unto them familiarly In respect of God the Law the Offender this sin was hateful and notorious Secondly This sin was not the proper sin of our first Parents but the common sin of all their posterity who were in their loins when they did offend and afterwards by natural propagation descended from them for they did represent all mankind which was propagated from them as the root Thirdly The effects of this sin stayed not in the first authors of it but spread and stretched themselves over all mankind For if they whose Parents are infected with any disease their children do possess it by inheritance how is it possible that our first Parents being deprived of the Image of God wee their posterity should spring of them perfect and without maim For the beginnings of all things are all that in power which doth spring from those beginnings for the virtue that is in the beginnings is communicated to the things which receive beginning from them Like egg like bird what is in the root will bee in the branches and the vice or fault that is in the beginning is common to the thing begun The punishment of this sin doth degenerate into sin As the want of holiness and proneness to evil is not only a judgement inflicted for sin but it is sin and the cause of sin One sin begets another and the second is an effect of the former both properly and accidentally The effects of this first sin are bitterness it self to wit in respect of mankind in general wrath blame guilt deprivation of Gods Image corruption of nature spiritual bondage subjection to death temporal and eternal God is offended in that his Commandement is despised to the derogation of his soveraignty sin is vile and naught deserving blame man is guilty and tied to punishment whence issueth griping of conscience fear of the angry Judge and dread of punishment The loss of original Justice followed the act of sin in whose room succeeded corruption of the whole man in every power and faculty Thus the liberty of man was turned into miserable servitude and hee became bondslave to sin-revenging justice as his principal Lord to the Devil and his Angels and to the power of his accusing and condemning conscience as the Lords Ministers Moreover the natural man hath no spiritual liberty to do any thing spiritually good as hee did before sin entred but is led as a slave by lusts by passions by objects which please him So that hee is in a brutish bondage And death entred into the world by sin Rom. 5.12 and is gone over all men for as much as all men have sinned In respect of Adam and Eve the effects are common to both or particular to either 1 The common are sense of nakedness shame fear of the angry Judge slight and desire to hide themselves from the presence of the Lord ejection out of Paradise into the cursed Earth and stopping the way that they might not enter to eat of the tree of life 2 The particular effects in respect of Adam are that the Earth is accursed to bring forth briars and thorns that he should till the ground in labour and eat his bread in the sweat of his brows till hee return unto the dust The woman was sentenced to conceive and bring forth in forrow and to bee in painful subjection to her husband Satan intended the dishonour
perfect gift but sin was not created by him can receive no approbation from him God cannot possibly sin for hee may work besides his rule who may sin But Gods Rule is his most just and wise will which hee cannot but work after no more than hee can deny his own nature God cannot bee the author of sin in and with his creature as hee is of every good word and work for that which the creature doth God being the author and principal worker of it hee must inform the manner of it by his Commandement and work it in him by his Spirit But it is impossible for the creature to sin in working after that which is commanded him of God God cannot so far will sin as to approve it for good in it self it hath no proportion to his nature It is such a thing as hee cannot bee author of in the creature nor yet the creature work while it keepeth communion with him wherefore God cannot allow it as good in it self The Lord perswadeth to obedience threatneth the sinner commandeth the practice of holiness punisheth the disobedient Hee is just and holy in himself in all his waies and cannot bee tainted with the least spot or blemish Jam. 1.13 Thou oh God temptest no man as thou canst not bee tempted of evil and if it bee not of God it cannot bee good for hee is the absolute original goodness from whom cometh every good by participation The cause of sin is some voluntary agent that worketh besides Rule and comes short in goodness required Sin it self is an aberration the subordinate and deficient cause of sin is Satan or man himself revolted from God Satan soliciteth the flesh inticeth the will consenteth and so sin is finished The Devil was made an Angel of light but hee abode not in the truth and being fallen from Heaven ceaseth not to draw others into the same perdition God made man righteous but hee found out many inventions this is the cause but what is the end of sin Of evil there is no end for that is never good No gain to bee gotten by that which is naught and vile the poisoned stalk can bear no wholesome fruit Satan in tempting aimeth at mans perdition Man in sinning intendeth the satisfaction of his lusts The Lord doth by his providence order it to the glory of his name but of sin properly there is no end to the sinner God takes occasion by sin to give the promise of the Mediatour Hee can use sin for a punishment Rom. 1.24 for the exercising of his children No speech from Shimei but sinful reviling speech was Davids exercise but yet the goodness that cometh by sin is not of nor through it by nature but from the infinite wisdome of God who knoweth how to work good out of evil Let us somewhat inquire into the properties of this poison every sin is mortal in its own nature it deserveth and bringeth death endless and easeless of soul and body for it is a turning aside from God who is the life of the soul it is a breach of his Law an offence against his infinite Majesty If a man sin against the Majesty of an earthly Prince hee is punished with temporary death or perpetual imprisonment if hee could bee supposed to live alwaies hee should lye in for ever How much more deservedly am I subject to eternal death who have sinned against an eternal God Every sin in its own nature is accompanied with final impenitency Hee that sinneth once can never cease to sin by any natural power sin is a running leprosie that cannot bee stayed the soul that is once distempered must go amiss for ever if it bee not rectified by supernatural power It is of grace that sin is pardoned it is of supernatural power that any soul is set free from the power and tyranny of it For being once enthralled by voluntary submission wee cannot after draw back and work deliverance Sin is of a soiling nature and defileth all it toucheth Every good work and holy ordinance To the unclean all things are unclean The Word Prayer Sacraments Alms every thing is polluted by that touch Corrupt qualities are more apt to hurt than sound to heal one rotten sheep may infect the whole flock but cannot bee cured by them One filthy ragg stained with the plague may infect a whole pack but the clean garment cannot purifie it If a common garment touch holy flesh the garment is not sanctified but the flesh polluted The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Sin mixed with Gods ordinances is like poison mingled with wholesome meat that corrupteth it for our use and nourishment Mark and consider well the effects of sin O my soul the waters of this fountain are bitter the fruits of this tree unsavoury They that sow iniquity shall reap vanity and they that follow vanity forsake mercy Affliction pursueth sinners and shall overtake them to their cost without question the wages of sin is death Look as it is with men if they turn themselves from this aspectable light they are forthwith environed with darkness So man turning away by his sin from God the Father of lights from whence every good gift cometh hee cannot but bee forthwith in outward and inward darkness By reason of sin the soul is dead in ignorance and lust So that they have in them a seed apt to bring forth every sin Our bodies have mortality as a worm corrupting them our conditions are exposed to a thousand vanities and wearisome courses and these are the beginnings of evil Despair darkness fear horrour and shame are the companions of sin disgrace sickness poverty loss of goods the best fruit it beareth Hast thou lost any blessing sin hath robbed thee of it dost thou want any good thing sin keepeth thee from it art thou annoyed with evil thy perdition is of thy self sin sets man at odds with God the Law his own conscience all creatures and with himself Oh what a drudge is man made to his lusts by sin what confusion vexation bitterness doth lodge in the heart continually Look into the world and see what desolations it hath made How are the mighty slain and glorious Kingdomes laid on heaps Is not sin the cause of all disorders wars confusions bloodsheds famines and pestilences that ever were in the world The sorrows of this life are many and grievous but nothing comparable to spiritual and eternal miseries that sin bringeth with it Oh that thou didst behold how miserably the soul is mangled defaced wounded imprisoned by it the light of nature terrour of conscience power of grace is not able to set forth or comprehend the desert and fruit of sin for the full wrath of God which shall bee executed upon the ungodly exceedeth all that can bee imagined If the wicked prosper for a time sin turneth their blessings into curses The Table and by proportion the wealth strength and honour of the wicked are dangerous