God and brings death to the soul wholly takes away this life and were it not for the Covenant of grace even one sin would take away this Image of God for sin did it in Adam and so would in the Regenerate if it were not for the Covenant of grace My Brethren Life is the most excellent of any thing as Augustine saith The life of a Fly is more excellent than the Sun it is his expression not mine because the Sun though an excellent Creature hath not life but a Fly though little yet it hath life though we know little of it yet it shews the excellency of God to make a living Creature but if the life of a Fly or a Beast be so excellent much more the life of Man Now then what is the life of God! now if that be evil which strikes at the natural life of the Body the life of Man we account those Diseases most grievous that are mortal as if a man have a Disease only painful this is not so much if they be painful if not mortal as those that be mortal If a Physitian come and tell one you must endure pain but be of good cheer your life is sure this comforts him but take a Disease that he feels no pain of it may be the sence of pain is gone but if the Physitian come and tell him Oh you be dangerously ill because your distemper is like to prove mortal we account that without pain that strikes at life more than that with a great deal of pain that doth not strike at life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life Now that which strikes at the highest life even the life of God and makes the Creature appear so vile before God as certainly sin makes the Creature more vile than any dead Carrion that lies stinking in a ditch sin is more vile in Gods eyes than any dead Dog on the Dunghil is in your Eyes This is the third Particular How sin is most opposite to mans good more than affliction therefore a man were better bear the greatest affliction than commit the least sin because affliction never strikes at the life of God nay many live not the life of God so gloriously as they do in affliction many seem to have their hearts dead in times of prosperity but when afflictions come then they manifest a glorious life of God CHAP. XXVII Fourthly Sin is opposite to mans good because it is most opposite to the last end for which man was made A Fourth thing wherein the evil of sin consists as most opposite to mans good is this Because it lies most opposite to the last end for which man was made In that other passage I opened before I shewed how sin opposeth God in his own end therfore there was a great deal of evil in sin But now I must shew how sin opposeth Man in that end God made man for I am afraid some of these things are such that some cannot go along with me in them it is my endeavor to make things though spiritual and above our natural reach to make them as low as I can but if there be some that do not understand I hope others do and such I hope will make use of what I speak For certainly these things I speak of do more declare the evil of sin and will keep an ingenuous spirit more from sin than all the evils and torments of Hell It is more against mans last End Now we use to say the end and the good of a thing is the same That which is the last end is better than the thing it self therfore whatsoever strikes at the last end is the greatest evil of all That is the happiness of any Creature to enjoy its last end As thus The greatest good or the last end of a Plant or a Tree is to flourish and bear fruit and be sitted for the service of man this is its end And what is the evil of a Tree When it comes to flourish and when fruit hangs full upon it if it be blasted and never come to attain to its utmost end to be serviceable for that for which it was appointed that is the evil of it And we account it a great evil if we see this flourishing Tree when it is full of fruit if before it come to maturity it be blasted So look upon mans end and if that be blasted that is his great evil Now the end of man is this To live to the eternal praise of God in the everlasting injoyment of him God made the Children of men for this end That they might eternally live to his praise in the eternal injoyment of himself Now if man be blasted in this there is his great evil to blast man in this end for which he was made Now no Affliction doth it all the Afflictions in the world doth not hinder man from the attaining to his end But Sin comes and directly opposeth that end for which man was made and crosseth him in this Excelleney of his in living to the praise of the infinite eternal first-Being of al things Now before I could not shew you the evil of Sin but by shewing you the Excellency of the Image and Life of God So here I cannot shew the evil of Sin being opposite to mans last end but by shewing you the Excellency of mans last end Now the Excellency of mans last end I mean the good God hath made man for it appears in this 1 It is such a kind of Excellency as is worthy of all the good that there is in mans Nature or that mans Nature is capable of For the end and happiness of any thing must be that that must have as much excellency in it that all in the thing must tend to the making of him happy Mans nature is capable of the Image and life of God Now that which must be the happiness of such a Creature must be worthy of such an Excellency as the Image of God and the life of God in man therfore it must be a very high and glorious Excellency 2 That which is mans happiness and end is that which is worthy of al the wayes of God toward mankind Now I beseech you observe this thing The wayes of God towards the Children of Men in bringing them to his last end be the most glorious of all Gods wayes to any Creature God did never manifest so much glory in all the world nor never wil manifest so much glory to al eternity in any thing as he hath manifested in these waies of his to bring mankind to the attaining his last end for which he made him Now if God be so glorious in that way of his concerning his working in bringing man to his last end then certainly that end of man that happiness man was made for must be very glorious because it must have so much glory and excellency in it as must be worthy all the glorious wayes
of the Law when it was first given That was only to set forth thus much to us That if the Law that God gave be broken that then God will be very dreadful to those that break it therefore he gives it at first in such a dreadful manner It may be many bold presumptuous sinners think it nothing to break the Law of the infinite eternal God but in that God gives the Law in such a dreadful manner as you may read in the 19. of Exodus how dreadfully God gave the Law God doth thereby declare to all the world how dreadful sinners are to expect him to be if they do break the Law But especially consider that dreadful Curse annexed to the Law Cursed is every one that abides not in every thing that is written in the Law to do that which the Law of God pronounces to be done a curse to every one that doth any thing at any time that shall break it That there should be such a dreadful Curse annexed this manifests the sore displeasure of God against sin Fourthly A fourth Manifestation of the sore displeasure of God against sin all this but to shew you further how Sin is a greater evil than Affliction the Manifestation I say of Gods displeasure against sin is seen in that we find in Gods word God hath so severely punâ—sh'd some sins that do appear to us to be very smal little sins and yet God hath been exceedingly severe against those sins which appear to us to be exceeding smal To instance in three 1 In 1 Sam. 6. 19. there you have this example that the men of Beth-shâ—â—esh when the Ark came to them they did but look into the Ark out of curiositie for ought we know for no other end but meerly out of curiositie Now because the Ark was a holy thing and none but the Priests of God were to meddle with it God did presently at an instant slay fiftie thousand and three score and ten men of them Upon this the text saith these men beholding this severitie of God for this offence they all said Oh! who shall stand before the holy God! If God be so holy that he cannot bear so smal a sin as this did appear to men that but for looking into the Ark so many thousands shall be slain presently who can stand before the holy Lord Many of you have slight thoughts of the Lord and his Holiness and think you may be bold and presumptuous you venture upon greater offences than this was but these men upon the venturing upon this one thing above fiftie thousand are slain presently This is the displeasure of God against sin though very smal to our thoughts 2 Again A second example you have in Uzzah that did but touch the Ark out of a good intention as being ready to fall yet that not being according to the Law God struck him with death presently it cost him his life he was struck with sudden death We are terrified when we see one fall down suddenly now upon that offence though he had a good meaning and good intention yet God brake in upon him with his wrath and struck him dead presently Consider this you that think you have good meanings and good intentions yet not doing according to the Law the least breach of the Law though we have a good meaning doth provoke the wrath of God and God when he pleaseth lets out this his wrath 3 A third example you have in that poor man that we reade of who did but gather sticks upon the Lords day and by the Command of God from Heaven this man must be stoned to death You would think these things little matters Alas poor man he might have need of them How many of you venture upon other manner of things upon the Lords Day profaning of it and yet God speaks from Heaven and gives command to have this man stoned to death Now Brethren though it be true that God doth not alwaies come upon men for such little sins it may be to make known his Patience and long-suffering Perhaps the Lord doth let others go on for a long time in greater sins but yet God by a few such examples doth declare to all the world what the evil of the least sin is and how his displeasure is out against the least sin If he do forbear that is to be attributed to his patience and long-suffering but not to the littleness of the sin or the littleness of the evil that is in that sin This is a Fourth Fifthly A fifth thing wherein God manifests his displeasure against sin is in those dreadful and hidious Judgments that the Lord executes abroad in the world that we have the stories of in the Scripture and all Ages As that God should come and drown a whol world except eight persons all the whol world swept away and drowned And so that God should command fire and Brimstone to come down from Heaven and burn and consume whol Cities Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities adjoyning yea and all the men women and children but only Lot and those few with him And so the fire to come down upon those Captains and their Fifties 2 Kings 1. And the Earth swallowing up Corah Dathan and Abiram There is no Age but hath some one or other dreadful example of His Judgments against Sin The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness Now Brethren though some people have scaped and these manifestations of Gods Judgments are not so general and ordinary yet when they are but now and then God manifests what his displeasure is against Sin and what might be to all that Sin against him Sixthly A sixt manifestation of Gods displeasure against Sin is in those eternal torments and miseries in Hell that the Scripture speaks of the worm that never dies and the fire that never goes out when you hear Ministers speak of fire that never is quenched for poor people to lie burning in fire thousands of thousands of years in eternal flames scalding under the wrath of God you stand agast at the dreadfulness of these expressions Certainly these are only to reveal the displeasure of God against sin because there is no finite time can be sufficient to manifest to the full the displeasure of God against sin therfore those that perish must perish eternally CHAP. XXIII A Seventh discovery of Gods displeasure against sin opened from the sufferings of Christ First See the several expressions of Scripture 1 He was sorrowful to death 2 He began to be amazed 3 He began to be in an Agony Secondly See the effects of Christs being in an Agony 1 He fell grovelling on the ground 2 He swet drops of blood 3 He cries to God if it be possible to let this cup pass from me Thirdly There is eight Considerations of Christs sufferings SEventhly And that is greater than all that hath been said Put all the former six together His dealings with the Angels and with
Man-kind The dreadful giving of the Law His dreadful Judgments for smal sins And examples of his wrath abroad in the world And the eternal torments in Hell Put all these six together and yet I say all these six is not so much to manifest the displeasure of God against sin as this one that now I shall tell you of and if there be any thing in the world that should make us to see the evil of sin it should be this if any thing make our hearts to shake and tremble at the evil of that sin of which it is so much guiltie then this I say that now I speak of should do it and that is this The dealings of God the Father with his Son when Jesus Christ that was the second Person of the Trinity God blessed for ever came to be our Mediator and to have but our sins imputed unto him and according to Scripturs phrase to be made sin Do but then take notice how God deals with him how God manifests himself to his own Son when his own Son did but take mans sin upon him to answer for it do but then consider how God the Father did deal with him The Scripture saith he did not spare his Son but let out the vials of his wrath upon him in a most dreadful manner If we do but consider First that Christ God blessed for ever should come and be in the form of a Servant should be a man of sorrows as the Scripture speaks that in the whol course of his life should live a contemptible life before men and undergo grievous sufferings But because I must hasten do but look upon Christ in his Agony and upon the Cross at his death and there you will see the dreadful displeasure of God against sin and in nothing more than that True there is the bright glass of the Law wherein we may see the evil of sin but there is the red glass of the sufferings of Christ and in that we may see more of the evil of sin than if God should let us down to Hell and if there we should see all the tortures and torments of the damned in Hell see them how they lie sweltring under Gods wrath there it were not so much as beholding sin through the red glass of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and that of his Agony And give me leave a little to shew to you how God let out himself against his Son when he came into the Garden and a little before when he was to die and suffer upon the Cross And for this consider these two things First The several Expressions the holy Ghost useth in the several Evangelists for the setting out of those dreadful things Christ suffered as a fruit of Gods displeasure upon him 1 One Evangelist saith that Christ was very sorrowful even to the death Mat. 26. 38. he began to be the word in the Original signifies compassed about with sorrows to have sorrows round about him and as it were beset and besieged with grief and it was to the very death usque ad mortem sorrowful to the very death What was it for upon the apprehension of the wrath of his Father which he was to endure for the sin of man he was sorrowful to the death in the apprehension of it You it may be upon the sight of sin content your selves with some slight little sorrow You will it may be when you are told of sin cry Lord have mercy upon me I am sorry for it and so pass it away But Christ when God comes to deal with him he makes his soul to be compassed about with sorrows sorrowful to the death for our sins 2 Another Evangelist tels us he began to be amazed Mark 14. 33. that is when Christ came to drink the Cup of the wrath of his Father due for our sins he stood amazed at the sight of the dreadfulness of that Cup he was to drink of because he knew what Gods wrath was he understood what it was before he drunk of it and this made him stand amazed at it Many sinners hear Gods wrath and this makes them fear but they be not amazed at it they can pass it away and they be not affected with it afterward because they understand it not they know not what it is for a Creature to stand before the wrath of an infinite Deity Who knows the power of thy wrath saith the Scripture therfore they be not amazed But Christ that knew full well what the wrath of God was and saw to the bottom of it he understood to the dregs what that Cup was and he stood amazed at the sight of it when he was to drink it 3 Another Evangelist hath this Expression 't is in Luke 22. 44. Christ began to be in an Agony Now the word Agony signifies a strife a combat it is taken from the word that stgnifies a combate in Battel Christ was in an Agony in a Combate Combate with what with whom With the Wrath of God he saw coming out upon him to sink him he saw the Curse of the Law come out upon him he saw the infinite Justice of God of the infinite Deity come out upon him and he was in an Agony in combate with the infinite Justice and wrath of God and the dreadful Curse of the Law and so Christ came to be in an Agony These be the three Expressions of the Evangelists Secondly Consider the Effects of Christs being in an Agony and apprehending the wrath of his Father for sin 1 One Effect was this you shall find it in the story of the Gospel that the text saith he fell grovelling upon the ground upon the apprehension of Gods wrath and displevsure upon him for sin which he was to suffer he fell down grovelling upon the ground When he that upholds the Heavens and the Earth by his Power now falls grovelling upon the Earth having the weight and burden of mans Sin upon him he falls upon his face he falls to the ground Certainly Brethren Christ had that weight and burden upon him that would have prest all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World down to the bottomless gulf of despair If all the strength of all the men that ever were since the beginning of the world and all the Angels in Heaven were put into one and he had but that weight upon him that Christ had it would have made him sink down into eternal despair for had not Christ been God as well as Man he could never have born it but would have sunk down eternally But the burden and weight was so great that he sinks down to the ground 2 A second effect of Christs bearing the wrath of God for Sin is this He sweat great drops of blood the word in the Original is Clodders of Blood Blood thickned into Clods Never was there such a sweat it was in the Winters night a cold night abroad upon the ground in a cold Winters
men now the sin of their hearts alienated them from the life of God Quest Now you will say What do you mean when you speak of the Life of God and that the Soul of Man is capable of the Life of God and shew how sin is opposite to God Certainly if I should come and tell you of the flames of Hell and torments of Hell due to sin perhaps I might scare some more that way but for those that have any understanding and truly know the excellency of man their hearts will more rise upon the opening of this than if I should spend many Sermons to open the torments of Hell to you well then what is this Life of God Answ 1. That everlasting Principle of grace in the souls of men united unto Christ by his Spirit whereby men come to act and work as God doth act and as God doth work for his own glory as the utmost end As life is a Principle whereby the Creature moves within himself unto perfection unto that which tends to perfection an active Principle within it self to move towards perfection that we account life Now that Principle whereby a man shall come to move and work just as God moves and works still speaking after the manner of man that is to have the likeness of God not in the very same thing but the same in proportion of likeness as the Creature is capable of How is that you will say Thus This is the Life of God so far as we can conceive of him that God is a continual act alwaies working for himself and willing of himself as the last end of all the very Life of God consists in that and in that consists the nature of Holiness Now then when a man hath such a Principle within him as that he can work unto God as his last and highest end and obey God as his chiefest good he works as God himself doth Now Brethren this is the Life of God that the Children of men be capable of above all other Creatures and it is this that makes them fit to converse with God himself I say it is that which makes the children of men to be fit to converse with that infinite glorious eternal first-Being of all things and here is the happiness of man That he is of that Nature that he is capable of this excellency to have to do with the infinite eternal first-Being For many know no more excellency than to converse with meat and drink that Swine and Dogs and other Peasts do but know you be of more Noble Natures than so God hath made the meanest and poorest in this Congregation God hath made you of so Noble a Nature that you may come to converse with the infinite glorious first-Being of all things As we know the excellency of men that which puts a difference between man and man is this that this man that lives in a mean condition their meanness consists in this that they spend all their daies in converse with bruit Beasts and turning the clods of the Earth but Noble and great men are busied in State Affairs they be raised higher because they converse with Princes and great Affairs of State the things they converse about are higher and therefore they are more noble and higher than other men As some children of men know no other excellency than to eat and drink and play and be filthy and have nothing but that which the Beasts have but others to whom God hath revealed himself and hath made them of such a noble Nature that when others be in base acts of uncleanness that know no other way of rejoycing in time of Joy but laughing and eating and drinking and filthiness but others can get alone and there contemplate of the glory of the great God and their souls be opened to God and God lets in beams of himself to them and they let out beams of their love to God and their desires to God there is an intercourse between Heaven and them God opens himself to them and they open their souls to God and so enjoy communion from God and they because they have the Life of God in them they be fit to converse with God For mark those things that converse one with another they be such things that must live the same life as now man can converse with man why because he lives the same life that man lives but man is not so fit to converse with beasts because they live not the same life though some men live even the very life of beasts as a beast cannot converse with plants but only devours them because they live not the same life but those that live the same life be fittest for converse So if man did not live the same life God doth he could not converse with God Hence wicked and ungodly men cannot converse with God because they live not the same life of God When you talk of conversing with God it is a riddle to many men why because they are strangers to the Life of God they have nothing of the Life of God in them but it is strange to them therfore they cannot converse with God But now that which strikes at this Life and is the death of the soul is sin for sin is the death of the Soul therefore Ephes 2. beginning You be dead in trespasses and sins sin brings death he means not a bodily death though that be a truth but there is this death the Life of God is gone all men by nature have the Life of God gone and if ever it be renewed it is by a mighty work of Gods Spirit but sin strikes at the Life of God in us at this Candle of the Lord in this Earthen Pitcher 2 Again The excellency of the Life of God will consist in this as to make a man converse with him so in this That God must needs take infinite delight in the souls of those that live his life as before in looking upon his Image now much more when he can see his Creatures work as he himself works this is the delight of God to see his Creatures work just as himself As a man takes delight to see his Pictute but abundantly more to look upon himself in his Child and to see his life in his Child that comes from him to see it able to work as he works As suppose any Artificer or one skilled in Navigation suppose he see a Picture drawn of Navigation he takes delight in that because there is somthing of himself in it but now suppose he hath a Child and he puts skill into him and he seeth him work as he works and discourse about Naval Affairs as he discourseth this is wonderfully delightful to him So when God shall see the same life in his Creature that is in himself that he works and wills as he doth this takes the very heart of God and this shews the excellency of grace But sin is that which strikes at this Life of
thee from it yea the guilt so remains that though thou feel it not now for the present it may stick terriblely many years after But Affliction is terrible only for the present not for afterward but guilt and sin laies a foundation of Mis◅ for many years after Nay many times it is grievous painful to the Soul long after it is committed as it was in Josephs Brethren we reade of them that they committed that great Sin against their Brother and it troubled them not a great while but twenty two years after when they were in an affliction then the guilt of their sin comes a fresh Oh then we sinned against our Brother when they were in prison there now it was twenty two years from the time they committed that sin to that time when they were in trouble there So you that have committed sin and think some slight sorrow may wash it away know the guilt may abide upon your spirits perhaps twenty may be forty years after And you that are yong take heed and know that sin is more evil than any affliction for the sin that you commit when you are yong in your Masters Families the guilt may abide upon you and youthful sins may prove ages terror It may be with you as with a man that gets a bruis when he is yong he feels it not but when he is old than it ach in his bones and puts him to terrible pain many times so many yong people feel not sin when their bloud is hot but afterward the guilt of sin abides upon them and is the torment of their souls when their bloud is cold Now what evil is there in sin that may do a man mischief perhaps twenty or forty years hence As it is with some poyson there are some poysons men have skill in that they can give poyson shall not work in three or four perhaps not till seven years afterward and yet they know certainly That if that man be not cut off before except God work extraordinarily he shall dye at the seven years end of that poison he took seven years before So sin is such a thing that it wil do a man a mischief many years after Again The guilt of sin hath this evil further in it which appears in that difference between men that come to suffer with guilt and those that come to suffer without guilt Take them that have come to the most grievous sufferings in the world and had not the guilt of sin upon their Consciences who had all cleer between God and their souls their sufferings be joyful and they can rejoice in tribulation and troubles as the Martyrs in Persecution how did they rejoyce and glory in their sufferings with what a Spirit of magnanimitie did they come to their sufferings But take those who suffer through guilt as Malefactors when they come to suffer what shame and confusion is upon them Thus Affliction is nothing to them that have no guilt but those that have the guilt of sin upon them when they come to suffer their guilt is a thousand times more than their affliction There is a great deal of difference between a man guilty of treason when he come to suffer for it there is shame and confusion and dismal darkness in the spirit where there is guilt but let one be accused for treason or any such horrible crime and no guilt upon the spirit such a one can go on with joy and comfort and peace whatsoever can be done to him is very little or nothing when guilt is removed The truth is there is no suffering can countervail the suffering that guilt makes The guilt makes the suffering evil otherwise not If one man come upon another man with suffering it is nothing without guilt so it is true when God comes it is nothing if God and we be at peace but now when God comes with any such affliction as the very affliction shall have the mark of the sin upon it and so shall stir up Conscience to accuse you for it then the heart is ready to sink when the affliction shall bear the name of the sin together with it I remember the difference of Davids Spirit at several times one time Though an Host incampe about me yet will I not fear and though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil Psal 23. Another time he is afraid when he flies from Absolon and when there was a breach between God and his soul when he had brought guilt upon his spirit then David was quickly cooled and upon any occasion of trouble David was quickly frightened This is a seventh thing wherein sin appears to be a greater and more evil thing than Affliction because it makes the soul guiltie before God CHAP. XXXI Eighthly Sin is a greater evil to man than affliction because it 's that which put the Creature under the Sentence of Condemnation EIghthly Sin is a greater evil than Affliction Because it is that which puts the Creature under the Sentence of Condemnation and so makes more against the good of man than any affliction can do For a poor Creature to see himself stand before the great Judg of all the World and have the Sentence of Condemnation come out against him this is a greater evil than to have any affliction that all the Creatures of Heaven and Earth could bring upon him As now take a Malefactor that is to stand before Mans Judgment Seat and to receive Sentence of Condemnation is not this a greater evil unto him than if he should hear of loss in his estate than if he had sickness in his bodie any pain in his limbs to stand thus to receive the Sentence he looks upon it as a greater evil than possibly can befal him in this world otherwise But then when the soul shal see it self stand before the infinite glorious eternal first-Being of all things and looks upon God sitting upon his Tribunal passing Sentence of Eternal Death upon him this is another manner of evil than any affliction and suffering that can befal him But now know there is not any one sin that thou committest but if you look upon it as in it self God sits I say upon his Trone and passeth Sentence of death upon thee for it as really as ever he will do at the great day of Judgment it is done now as really and as truly in this world as ever it shall be at the day of Judgment only here is the difference then it is irrecoverable nay shall I say it cannot be recalled here no certainly it shall not only it may be transmitted to Christ he must bear it he must have the sentēce so that it is not properly recalled God doth not as a Judg that passeth Sentence and afterward nullifies it no but God passeth Sentence and condemns the sinner only Christ comes in and takes the Sentence upon himself so that the Sentence goeth on still only it is transferred from
one person to another Christ comes in and he puts on the Sentence of Condemnation for thee that hast it passed against thee so that the Sentence is not properly nullified but transferred to Christ Eccles 8. 11. saith the text there Because Sentence against an evil Work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil Mark the Sentence against an evil work is not speedilie executed so that it appears there is a Sentence against every evil work The Sentence is out Brethren thou goest and art drunk or to the commission of such a sin I say presentlie the Sentence of death is clapt upon thee the Sentence is out against all sinners You see men go on and live in prosperitie a great while in the world but they be under the Sentence all the while sin is not removed by the blood of Christ and all the comforts I beseech you observe that that any man or woman have in the world that are in their natural condition and are not delivered from Condemnation by Christ they are all but just as meat and drink and some refreshments that are grantnd to a condemned Malefactor before Execution Suppose a Malefactor is condemned but now Execution is not till two or three daies after in that space of time he hath granted unto him libertie to have meat and drink and friends come to him and he may refresh himself in those two or three daies but he hath forfeited all his Estate and the tenure now upon which he holds any comfort it is not the same which he had before but meerly through the bountie of the Prince it is that he hath comforts So here wicked men have committed sin and the Sentence of death is out against them and they have forfeited all the comforts of their estates and of their lives only God in patience grants unto them some outward comforts here a few daies before Execution and upon this tenure do all wicked men hold their Estates I will not say that every wicked man is an Usurper of their Estates as some perhaps have held that they have no right at all before God some right he hath as you cannot say a Malefactor hath no right when he is condemned to meat and drink before Execution he hath right to what is given to him of Donation and Bountie but not that right which he had before So I say for wicked men that have Estates in this world they have a kind of right to that they have but how Just that right that a condemned man hath to his dinner or supper before Execution this is the right of wicked men to their Estates that is God of his bountie grants a little while before Execution they shall have a few comforts to them in this world And this is the evil of sin and the least sin there is not any one sin but the fruit of it is Condemnation And Brethren you must not mistake to think that wicked men are never condemned until they come before God in the day of Judgment they be condemned here mark that John 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already now condemned not hereafter but a condemned man already this is a sad condition indeed If a man had the Sentence of death so past that the whol Parliament could not help him you would think that man in a sad condition Now let me speak it and God speaks it to the conscience of every sinner I say thou that standest before God in any one sin and not delivered through the blood of his Son Christ thou standest so under the Sentence of condemnation as all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cannot help and deliver thee thou must have some help beyond the help of all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth to deliver thee When Paul would comfort the Saints against all troubles and afflictions they meet withal Rom. 8. he begins thus There is no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus as if he should say this is the comfort no Condemnation If I know I am delivered from the Sentence of Condemnation let what will fall out I am well enough but this be sure of there is Condemnation to those that are not in Christ I remember Luther had this Speech when he had got assurance of pardon of sin that he was freed and absolved by God he cries out Lord strike Lord now strike for I am absolved from my sins thou hast delivered me from sin now strike now let any affliction befal that possibly can let never so much trouble attend I am absolved from sin now Lord strike This is the Eighth Sin is more opposite against the good of man than Affliction for it brings them under the Sentence of Condemnation CHAP. XXXII Ninthly Sin is a greater Evil to man than Affliction because it breaks the Vnion between God and the Soul NInthly Sin is a greater evil than Affliction in this In that it is the very thing that breaks the Vnion between God and the Soul It is that doth it and no Affliction doth it Now Brethren this I confess might seem to be less than that of Hatred and might have come before it but now I bring it in here That it breaks the Union between God and the Soul Isa 59. 2. Your Sins have separated between you and your God! We are to know The Souls of men are capable of a very near and high Union between God and them the more spiritual any thing is the more power hath it to Unite and the more neer the Union As thus The beams of the Sun because they be very spiritual they can Unite a thousand of them into one Point as it were but grosser things cannot so Unite themselves together So Brethren God being a Spirit and our Souls being Spirits they come to be capable of a most neer Communion one with another And the Souls of men are neerer a glorious Union with God in this regard more neer than any Creature but the Angels Because the Object of mans Understanding is not any particular truth but Veritas truth in general truth it self in the whole latitude is the Object of mans Understanding So the Object of mans Will Is not this good or that good in particular but Bonitas good in general in the full latitude of it It is not so with other Creatures they have their Objects in some particular thing in such a limit and compass and they can work no further nor higher But it is otherwise with mans Soul God hath made man in such a kind that the Object of his Soul should be Truth and Goodness in the full latitude in the infinitness of it take it in the utmost extent that can be yet still it is the Object of the Soul of man Now hence it is that the Soul of man is of such a wonderful larg extent even capable of God himself of enjoyment of Union and Communion with God himself
know not the Excellency of man they know not wherein the excellency of the Rational Creature consists and therefore they are not ashamed of that which brings them under the excellency of the Rational Creature Besides They know not Gods infinite Holiness therefore are not ashamed They be now among other sinners and they think though some seem to be Religious yet they think others are as bad as themselves in their hearts at least though not in Practice As Nero because he was bad he thought others were as bad as himself So a wicked man when he cannot see others break out in such great sins as he doth yet he thinks they are as bad some other way and have some other sins as great And because they live among them that are as bad as themselves and live in the same sins therefore they are not ashamed For as a Collier living among Colliers is not ashamed but if he lived among Princes and Noblemen he would be ashamed So wicked men in this world because they live in this world among sinners they conceive to be sinners like themselves they be not ashamed but when God shall come to open what sin means and what the Holiness of God means and they see themselves stand in the presence of the holy God then they will be ashamed But certainly sin is a greater-shame than Affliction none need be ashamed of Affliction any further-than it hath a Connexion to some great sin but sin in the greatest prosperity hath shame with it CHAP. XXXIX He that Sins wrongeth dispiseth and hateth his own Soul Use 1. Then see the malitiousness that is in Sin Use 2. To pitty those that go on in sinful wayes Use 3. Let Sin be dealt hardly with THus we have Discovered how Sin makes more against our good than Affliction doth Now there be divers things which follow hence as Consequences I spake of one or two before I will name them no more But only thus far Hence we see that sin makes more against our selves than any thing else Therefore it is the worst way for any to provide for themselves by giving way to live in any sinful course And for this I shall ad Two or Three Scriptures I spake not of before to shew how men go against themselves and those men that think to provide best for themselves the truth is in the wayes of sin they go most against themselves You have these Three notable Expressions for this in Scripture First That men by Sin wrong their own Souls Secondly That they Dispise their own Souls Thirdly They Hate their own Souls If I should Charge these Three things upon the most vile sinner at this present before the Lord Oh thou dost wrong thy own soul Thou dost despise thy own soul Thou hatest thy own soul he would be loth to yeild to it and yet the Scripture chargeth this upon sinners Prov. 8. 36. He that sins against me wrongs his own soul he doth not only wrong God that was in the first thing we opened but by sin he wrongs his own soul You will say somtimes I do no body wrong I thank God none can say I wrong them but thou wrongest thine own soul and certainly it is as great an evil to wrong thy own soul as to wrong the Body of another and a great deal more Nay further mark All they that hate me that is Wisdom and Instruction the Rule of Lise they love death It is a strange expression if any Minister should say thus to you you love death you would think it a rash speech from us the Holy Ghost saith so of al that hate Instruction if there be any Truth of God revealed against sin and thy heart rise against it thou lovest death thy own ruine and thy own destruction And what pitie is it for men and women to die who can pitie them that die eternally when as they love death if they love death they must have it So the Holy Ghost saith they wrong their souls and they love death and Prov. 15. 32. He that refuseth Instruction destiseth his own soul when you come and hear any Instruction against any sinful way and refuse it you despise your own souls as if your own souls were worth little Hence it is that men and women though they hear Sin tends to the death of their souls to their eternal ruine yet if they have but any temptation but to get a groat or sixpence they will venture upon it what is this but to despise thy soul that is to despise a thing to account it little worth though thy soul be worth a whol world There is none so poor in this place the meanest boy servant or girl but hath a soul more worth than Heaven and Earth but though the meanest here hath a soul more worth than the World yet we see it ordinarie that to get twopence or a groat they will venture the ruine of their souls Is not this to despise their souls as if they were not worth a groat or sixpence and they will lye or steal to get that which is less Nay not onlie so but they are haters of their own souls and this you have Prov. 29. 24. He that is partner with a Thief hates his own soul there is an instance in that one sin but it is true of everie sin for this must be taken as a rule to help you to understand the evil of sin Know what is said of any one sin is vertually true of all that evil which is in any one sin is vertually in any sin he hates his own soul that goes on in anie one sin therefore if you will provide for your own good you must abandon sin Object But it may be said Is that Lawful for a man to abstain from sin out of self respects for this I am upon I am shewing how sin is against our selves and therfore urge you to abandon and take heed of sin as it is against our selves then this Question ariseth What should we abstain from sin out of self respects what good is in this is that from grace To that I answer three things Answ 1. That at first when God doth begin to work upon the soul God doth usually move us from self most and these self grounds works most to take men and women off from the acts of their sin from outward acts at least and to stop them from the commission of sin and bring them to the means of grace self motives God makes use of at first but yet the work is not done till the soul goeth beyond these it is good for men and women to abstain from sin upon any grounds there is so much evil in sin that upon any grounds men and women abstaining from sin it is well but only except it be such a ground that the ground it self be a greater sin than the sin I abstain from But yet the work is not done Therefore 2. Know That though when grace is come
reade in Judges 5. several Tribes when the People of God were in straits would not go up but had many excuses others did go to help in the Cause of God Judg. 5. 14. See how many excuse themselves but especially in the 16. Vers Why abodest thou among the Sheep-folds to hear the bleatings of the â—locks Oh Ruâ—en said We must not leave House and Cattel we must not go out And Giliad abode beyond Jordan and Dan abode in Ships some think Dan did not live neer the Sea but thought they ran to Ships and abode there And Asher continued by the Sea shore and abode in his Breaches He pleads thus We must continue our business in making Fences against the Sea we have many Breaches and we must continue there and look to our business But Zebulon and Naphtali they jeoparded their lives to the death in the high places of the field Who be those two Zebulon and Naphtali that were full of courage and zeal when others were-full of Pleas and would not venture their lives Who be these that ventured their lives These two were the especial Tribes of Marriners that were forward rather than others That these were Marriners appears Matt. 4. 15. The Land of Zebulon and Nephtali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan these that lived by the Sea Others would not stir that lived by the Sea but Zebulon and Nephtali these joparded their lives Now mark God seems to remember this they did not jeopard themselves in a good Cause in vain God remembers it many hundred years after When Christ comes the first Tribes that seem to be inlightned were these the people that sate in darkness saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up they sate in darkness a company of poor Marriners exceeding ignorant of the ways of God and Christ comes first to them and brings light to them It may be God might aim to shew Mercy to these Tribes the rather for this that they did in appearing in a good Cause though it were with jeopardy to themselves So go you on and in a good Cause appear and venture your selves to assist these Worthys of ours in whom so much of our good conssists and God will remember this in Spiritual Mercies Would you have the means of Grace continued and the means of Light come to them that sit in darkness if you would have the blessing of Zebulon and Nephtali then be Zebulons and Nephtalies to go out whatsoever excuses others have and jeopard your selves for the good of this Common-wealth THE FOVRTH PART OF THIS TREATISE CHAP. XLI That Sin is the Evil and Poyson of all other Evils shewed in several Particulars First It s the strength of all Evils Secondly It s the sting of Affliction Thirdly It s the Curse of all Evils opened in Five Particulars Fourthly Sin is the shame of all Evils Fifthly The eternity of all Evil comes from Sin THere are Four Things which except we be well instructed in and know we know nothing to Purpose Except we know God and Sin and Christ and Eternity These are the Four great Things that you had need to be well instructed in The knowledge of Sin I have endeavored to set before you In this Argument I have shewed you the evil of fin above al affliction The next thing I am to Open to you is the Fourth General Head Propounded in the Fifth Chapter Fourthly Therefore that Sin is the Evil of all other Evils It is the very pith of all other Evils there 's nothing that would be scarce worthy the name of Evil if Sin were not in it That it is the evil of all other evils will appear in these Particulars First It is the strength of all other Evils The strength the prevailing strength that any evil hath against man it is from Sin There is no Evil would have any prevailing strength to do us any hurt were there not Sin in it That is certain nothing in heaven or earth or hel would do any of the Children of men any hurt were it not for Sin if there were not Sin to give it strength The strength of any evil that can do us any hurt is from Sin Let the evil be never so smal yet if it come armed with the strength of the guilt of Sin it is enough to undo any man or woman in the world This is the Reason of the difference of the power the prevailing power of any cross and affliction in some more than in others you shall have some that let there be but the least cross and affliction upon them it sinks their hearts they are not able to stand under it others that have a hundred times more upon them they go under it with joy this is the especial difference one having the guilt of sin in â—he evil and the other being delivered from it It is a Comparison I remember of a learned man to express the difference of afflictions Afflictions are like water and a little water upon a mans shoulder in a Leaden vessel is a great deal heavier than much more water in a vessel of Leather or Wood take a Leather Bucket filled with water it is not so heavie as a little water in a Leaden vessel so a little affliction where there is much guilt of sin is abundantly more heavie than a great deal of affliction where there is not the guilt of sin Haman could not stand before such a pettie Cross as that Mordacai would not bow his knee being a wicked man that Cross being with sin troubled him sore and Achitaphel when he was crossed in his way could not bear it Therfore Brethren if you would bear afflictions this is your way your wisdom is to labor to know wherein the strength of an affliction lies if you would overcome it As you know the Philistims that desired to overcome Sampson their great care was to know wherein his strength lay if they could by Dalilahs means find out the strength of Sampson they thought they might easilie overcome him So certainlie if you could but find out where the strength of your afflictions â—lie it is easie then for you to have fears and disquiets taken away the reason why fears and disquiets overcome you as they do is because you find not out the strength of them if that were found out and gotten away you might quicklie overcome afflictions and they would be light to you The prevailing strength of all afflictions is from sin this is the first thing to shew sin is the evil of all evils Secondly Not only the prevailing strength But the bitterness the sting of Affliction that which makes it bitter to the Spirit is sin Sin makes it come like an Armed man with power And besides Sin makes it inwardly gaul at the very heart sting like a Serpent as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15 56. saith of death The sting of Death is sin saith the Apostle so that which
he saith of death it is true of all evils of all afflictions that are but makers of way to death the sting of a sickness the sting of the loss of your estates the sting of discredit the sting of imprisonment the sting of all afflictions and that which makes them bitter to the soul is sin you have a notable place Jer. 4. 18. Thy waies and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thy heart In the Greek it is This is thy wickedness and because it is bitter it reacheth unto thy heart that interprets the word saith he thy wickedness hath procured this and the punishment to thy wickedness is bitter and reacheth to thy heart because it comes as a punishment of thy wickedness so it comes to be bitter and reacheth to thy very heart Oh when sin is in affliction it comes to the heart and is very bitter were the guilt of sin taken away in any affliction the soul might be able to make use of that expression of Agag in a better way than he did and come joyfullie and cheerfullie to look upon anie affliction and say The bitterness of death is past So doth God lay any affliction upon me or my familie the bitterness of death is gone the bitterness is gone because my sin is gone Sin is as it were the rotten Core in an Apple or Fruit it will make all the Fruit to be bitter and rotten And so sin that is the rotten core take away cut out the rotten core and then you will not tast so much bitterness in the Fruit So if Sin the rotten core be cut out affliction will not be so bitter This is the Second All the prevailing strength of affliction is from sin and the bitterness and anguish of spirit in affliction is from sin Thirdly The Curse of all evil is from sin the strength of all evil the bitterness of all evil and the curse of all evil I have shewed before Sin brings a Curse upon our selves yea how it brings a Curse upon all good Now I am to shew you how sin brings a Curse upon all evil it is that which makes the affliction to be accursed We have a most excellent Scripture for this to shew the difference between Gods afflicting of his people whom he hath pardoned when sin is pardoned and removed and Gods afflicting of the wicked and ungodly whose sin is yet upon them a most admirable Text for this and the difference between these two that you may see what a difference sin puts upon affliction when it is upon us the Text is Jer. 24. 5. compared with verse 9. We have before in the Chapter Gods expression of the differing estate of his people by the basket of good Figs and evil Figs those that were godlie like good Figs and the wicked by the evil Figs Mark the different dealing of God with both both were in Captivitie both good and evil they must both be delivered into the hand of their Enemies but see with what difference vers 5. like the good Figs So will I acknowledg them whom I have carried away Captive into the Land of the Caldeans for their good Mark they must go into the Land of the Caldeans but it must be for their good saith God though I do afflict them yet because I have pardoned them let them know I aim at nothing but their good Then he speaks of the bad Figs the wicked men in Captivitie vers 9. I do deliver them to be removed into all Kingdoms of the Earth for their hurt I will send them they shall go into Captivitie but I intend them no good it shall be for their hurt to be a reproach and a proverb a tant and a curse in all places whither I shall deliver them I beseech you keep this Text by you that which is said of this particular affliction is true of everie affliction when God doth bring any evil upon any wicked man or woman looking upon them saith he of such as are in their sins God certainly intends their hurt he brings it for their hurt even the same affliction that befals one whose sin is pardoned and God intends for their good so the priviledg of godly men that have their sins pardoned through Christ how different that is from the estate of wicked men that have the guilt of sin upon them Sin is the curse of all evils I will deliver them for their hurt that it may be a curse to them Now this Argument would enlarge it self but that I studie brevitie to shew how sin brings a Curse upon everie affliction and what that is and that thereby we shall make it appear Sin is a greater evil than affliction because it brings a Curse upon affliction I will but briefly name what might more largely be insisted upon 1 When there is sin and affliction affliction comes out of Gods revenge for sin God looks upon the guiltie Creature with indignation and wrath Here 's a wretch that hath been bold thus to sin against me and now my hand shall be upon him And so when the sinner is under Gods hand God is so far from looking upon him with pitie and compassion that he looks upon him with indignation and wrath as an Enemy to him when he looks upon the sinner that is got under him and this is a sore evil that when God that is the God of all mercy and of infinite compassion yet when he gets a wretched sinner under him he shall look upon him in the depth of his affliction with indignation and wrath as a loathsom Creature as loathing and abhorring this Creature under his wrath he shall be cast out in his wrath God casts out a Sinner and curses him when he looks upon him in such a manner 2 The Curse of afflictions when it comes in such a manner in way of sin is in this God regards neither the time nor the manner or the measure of the affliction whether it be a time sensonable for the Sinner or no nor the manner nor the measure whether it be such as the sinner can bear no let that go God minds not that Indeed when God comes with his afflicting hand upon those to whom sin is pardoned whom he looks upon in Christ he weighs out their afflictions God comes and with his Wisdom doth order it for the due time and weighs it out for the due proportion that there shall not be one dram put into it any further than their strength can bear he doth not tempt us beyond our strength he laies not upon us what we cannot be able to bear this is true of his People But when God comes upon those that have the guilt of sin lying on them he will come at that time that is most unseasonable for them at the worst time that can be As thus when a Husband-man would cut a Tree to make it fruitful he will observe his
You may know them by this If you propound limits thus far you will go this certainlie is a Natural work But when the heart lets out it self to God without any limits or bounds this is a Supernatural work So you dislike sin and Oh you would not commit it but this is the Question Whether your dislike or hatred be Natural or Supernatural If Natural then there be some limits and bounds you propound that is you will not commit such gross sins and live in such open sins and upon such and such grounds you will abstain from such and such Sins But if there be a Supernatural work your hearts are set against all sins with a kind of infiniteness without anie bounds or terms you will set no bounds to your hatred of anie Sin that man or woman that so hates Sin as to set no bounds at all unto their hatred and will admit it upon no terms this is a Supernatural hatred Manie are against Sin Naturally but in that true hatred it is so boundless that there must be no bounds set to your hatred it evidentlie shews Sin to have a kind of infinitness of evil in it Fifthly Sin hath a kind of infiniteness in it in that it is the Vniversal Cause of all Evil As God appears to be an infinite good because he is the universal cause of all good this doth much set out the infiniteness of Gods goodness in that he is the universal cause of all good So it doth set out the infiniteness of Sin in that Sin is the universal cause of all evil all evils flow from it This is the Fifth Thing Sixthly There is an infiniteness of Evil in Sin it appeareth thus That as the infiniteness of good in God is shaddowed out unto us by all good things and in as much as we and the Scripture makes use of all good things to shaddow out the goodness of God this manifests an infiniteness of good in him So in as much as the Scripture makâ—s use of all kind of Evil things only to set and shaddow out the evil in sin this makes it appear there is a kind of infiniteness of Evil in it As thus That all those Creatures Vipers Serpents Dogs Cockatrices Dragons Wolves all deadly Creatures the Scripture makes use of but to shaddow out the evil in Sin As if the Holy Ghost should say do you see any evil in such Creatures that you account the worst put them all together and that is in Sin and more So take all kinds of uncleanness the vomit of a dog menstruous Cloaths all this doth but shaddow out the evil in Sin Look at sicknesses leprosies plague and death it self and darkness any hidious evil all these do but shaddow out the evil of Sin We might mention many more to shew you the evil of Sin And in that the Scripture makes use of so many evil things to shew the evill of Sin This shews Sin hath a kind of infiniteness in it Seventhly As Gods infinite goodness is set out thus that he is his own Happiness and Blessedness in this God doth appear to be infinitely good because he is his own good and happiness there is no higher good to be the goodness of God no higher blessedness to be the blessedness of God but himself because he is infinitly good and blessed So the Scripture sets out to us the Evil of Sin by it self because there is no greater evil to set Sin out by but by it self Therfore this shews there is a kind of infiniteness of evil in Sin And therefore you have that of Rom. 7. 13. Was that then that was good made death to me God forbid but Sin that it might appear sin working death in me by that which was good that Sin by the Commandement might become EXCEEDING SINFVL He doth not say that sin might appear to be Exceeding miserable but that it might become Exceeding Sinful So that the sinfulness of Sin is that which sets out the evil of Sin more than any other thing doth It was the Speech of the Heathen Seneca It is the punishment of Sin to have Sin So it is the reward of Vertues to have them Godliness in it self is the Excellency of a man and Sin in it self is the misery of a man and this is a Proof of this That there is a kind of infiniteness of evil in Sin Now then by all these Seven Discoveries of the evil in Sin having a kind of infiniteness in it this one thing comes fully and powerfully from them That for to fall into sin again and for to be prevailed withal by any such temptation as this Oh it is no great matter if I do no worse than this I hope it is well and others do worse I say to yield again to the commission of any sin upon such a temptation is a great wickedness What dost thou make any comparison in sin and use any such words when thou hast heard it or read it proved to thee that Sin hath a kind of infiniteness of evil in it Nay which I thought to have finished here but cannot now come to it but shal in the next Chapter shew the reference Sin hath to the Devil this shews the greatness of Sin above all Evils Sin is that which makes the Soul conformable to the Devil Afflictions doth not they make the soul conformable to Jesus Christ I suppose you know that place Phil. 3. 10. mark there the difference between Sin and Affliction Paul there accounted all things dung and dross for the Excellency of the knowledg of Christ and what more That he might be found in him and that he might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death He did desire above all things to have the fellowship of his sufferings and to be conformable to his death he accounts all the world as dung and dross to be conformable to Christ by Afflictions or sufferings It is true it may be many account all the world to be nothing to be conformable to Christ in Glory in Heaven But here is the work of Grace and I beseech you observe this in the conclusion and carry it away That a gracious heart accounts all the world dung and dross to be conformable to Jesus Christ in his sufferings there is so much excellencie and glorie in the Sufferings of Jesus Christ Now you see the wide difference between Afflictions and Sin Sin makes a man conformable to the Devil Afflictions make a man conformable to Jesus Christ I would have shewed wherein in several Particulars how sin makes us conformable to the Devil I will but name this one now and that which might be enough to make every soul out of love with Sin in that by Sin thou joynest with the Devil and conspirest with the Devil against God himself There is no Creature that is against God but Men and Devils The Devil was Gods first Enemie and now
come to know what trouble of conscience for sin is and what the power and authority of the word is and how then doth the soul prise the word no man or woman ever comes to prise the word tell they have felt the powâ—er of the word troubling their conscience then they come to prise the word You have a famous place for this Job 33. 16. Then he opens the ears of man and seals their instruction That is God coming upon men in times of affliction opens their ears and seals their instructions that is makes the word come with power and authority As a thing sealed comes with more authority than a blank or a writing not sealed Sealed that is when the word comes with power That I may with-draw man from his purpose and hide pride from man That is Having Sealed instruction â—he humbles the heart First he causeth the word to come with power and then he humbles the heart He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing he is chastened also with paine upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pains and so forth And in vers 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down unto the pit That is when God comes to â—eal Instruction and to humble the heart â—and to cause pains to be upon the man and so make them sensible of their sin then let a messenger an Interpreter be found one of a thousand such a one doth account a Messenger and Interpreter that shal be able to declare the way of Righteousness and shew him a ransom how to be delivered from sin he accounts him a man of a thousand Oh he is a man of a thousand wheras if he should come thus before â—he were no body and the Word nothing a meer silly business but now he is a man of a thousand Oh such a Messenger let such a one come and welcome And therefore you shall have many men slight a consciencious Minister in their health and prise those that preach slightly but in their sickness when conscience is open they will not send to a slight vain Minister that preach and never touch conscience but they will have those that have preached most to Conscience they shall be most prised by them upon their sick and death beds when Conscience is awake such a one will be one of a thousand then This is the Sixt. Seventhly and lastly and indeed one of the Principallest and I desire all those that have had slight thoughts of trouble of conscience for sin to attend to it it is this Those slight thoughts of thine about trouble of conscience for sin they are a high degree of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost If I make this plain that they be guilty of a high degree of Blasphemie against the Holy Ghost this should â—…we the hearts of men and women and make them take heedâ— what they do in giving way to these vain thoughts about trouble of Conscience yea such a degree I will not say it reacheth the highest degree of blasphemie yet I shall make it out to you that they come neer it It is a high degree of blasphemie against the Holy Ghost it appeareth thus Because trouble of Conscience for sin it is an especial work of the Spirit of God upon the Soul of a man or woman wheresoever it is such a work of the Spirit of God as from thence the Spirit of God the Holy Ghost hath the denomination so as he is called the Spirit of Bondage no God hath no denomination from any light and slight work there must be some especial and great work of God in which God doth much glorie that he hath a denomination from it now Rom. 8. 15. the Spirit of God hath this denomination it is called the Spirit of Bondage For you have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear but you have received the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father Ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again to fear as if the Holy Ghost should say there was a time when you had the Spirit of Bondage and what was this Spirit of Bondage It was no other but the Spirit of God discovering unto and setting upon the heart of a man or woman that bondage that they be in under the Law and corrupttion and Satan This is the Spirit of Bondage when Gods Spirit shall come to enlighten a man and convince the Conscience and so lay this upon the conscience of any man or woman thou art by reason of sin a bond-slave to the Devil under bondage of all the Curses of the Law by reason of sin yea a bond-slave to thy Lusts this the Spirit discovering and making the Soul sensible of this bondage is that which causeth this denomination to the Spirit of God to be called the Spirit of Bondage Now for thee to attribute that to foolish melancholly conceits that is one of the especial works of the HOLY GHOST in the SOUL and is the Spirit of Bondage Is not this Blasphemie against God This is Gods work and it is a work of Gods glory for all the works of God be his glory and that which the Spirit of God glories in as that work proper to him thou saiest it is but folly and melancholly conceits and the like is not this blasphemie and reproach to the Spirit God Certainly it is no other but reproach and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost in attributing the trouble of conscience to these conceits 2 Nay further It is a great degree towards the unpardonable sin if ye do it out of malice and knowledg by it you come to the unpardonable sin Take for that this one place of Scripture Mark 3. compare the 22. verse with the 24. 30. Verse 22. when Christ cast out Devils the Text saith of the Scribs and Pharisees that came from Jerusalem that they said he hath Belzebub and by the Prince of the Devils casts he out Devils they attributed the work of Christs casting out Devils to the power of the Devil he casts out Devils by the Devil But now it was by the Finger of God well Christ calls them to him and said How can Satan cast out Satan There he convinceth them Satan could not cast out Satan and told them it was by the Spirit of God they were cast out Mark how he goeth on in the 28. verse Verily I say unto you all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men and Blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness but is in danger of Eternal Damnation Because they said he hath an unclean Spirit Christ tells them other blasphemies shall be forgiven but the blasphemies against the Spirit of God shall never be forgiven Why doth Christ speak of this how comes it in Mark the
bread from door to door than have got their estate by sin Seeing there is so much evil in Sin let these men consider these things Such as have Prosperity by Sin let them consider 1 This thy Prosâ—… it cost dear exceeding dear of thou make up thy reckoning and put all in that it cost thee you will find you be no gainers at all When men have got any thing in possession they usually reckon I but what did this cost me thus much or thus much and if they see that the costs and charges comes not so high as the benefit then they applaud themselves as gainers Well you have gotten Estates Preferments Honors be it what it will in the world but what did it cost you Some sin or other did you not strain your Conscience in that benefit you have got And if did so certainly if this be put in the reckoning if there were any sin in it thou hast got nothing by the bargain What hope hath a hipocrite though he hath gained though he may seem to have gained his own hearts desire yet if all be reckoned put in what Sin it cost and there is no gain at all If any of you should go to Sea and when you come there you suffer shipwrack and yet thou makest a shift to get home by boat or some other way saving your life and when you come home you have brought a toy or trifle to your wife now hath this been a good voyage do you reckon this a good voyage perhaps it was for a toy you suffered shipwrack and you bring this home do you think this will make the voyage good when you have cast up your reckoning How many men and women in the world for trifles and toyes suffer shipwrack of a good Conscience when you look upon that you have got it is but a trifle and a toy you might have been happie without it and you have ventured shipwrack of a good Conscience for this do you think your prosperitie to be delighted in that you have got in sinful and vile evil waies I remember the Prophet when he came to Ahab when he had gotten Naboths Vineyard by most cursed sinful wicked waies 1 Kings 21. 19. God bad him go and meet Ahab and say What hast thou killed and gotten possession As if the Prophet should say Oh wretched man that thou art thou hast gotten possession of the Vinyard but hast thou killed and gotten possession So may I say to anie wicked man or woman in the world that hath got by waies of sin What hast thou sinned and gotten possession lyed and gotten possession cozened and cheated and gotten possession Dost thou think good will come of this art thou happie in the enjoyment of this Well 2 Know Whatsoever thou hast gotten by sin it is accursed to thee Thou maiest look upon every bit of bread thou eatest that thou hast got by sinful waies look upon it as having death in it and everie draught of beer wine thou drinkest thou maiest look upon it as having the wrath of the Almightie mixed with it You have got an Estate perhaps you were poor and mean before but now you have wronged and cheated and cozened others in sinful waies and now you have your tables furnish't and can go to the Tavern and drink in this meat and drink of thine there is the wrath and curse of God Suppose a man had stollen a garment and it proved to be in a house that had the plague suppose a theef got into a house that hath the plague and hath got cloathes and perhaps the bed-cloathes of one that died of the plague and if one tel him what they be can he have delight in them perhaps he hath them upon his bed but the plague is in them Certainly whatsoever any of you in all your lives have got by any way of sin the plague is in it that is a certain truth there is the plague the very curse of the Almightie in it 3 Therefore Whatsoever is got by sin it must be cast away or else thy soul is cast away It must be restored again there must be restitution made to the utmost of thy power for any thing got in a sinful way for there is so much evil in the way of sin that God will not have any man by any means in the world enjoy comforts that come that way God himself doth so hate Sin and he would have all his people so hate Sin that he would not have any one in the world have any comfort by Sin Therefore as soon as ever anie ones Conscience comes to be enlightened to understand what Sin means if they find that there be any thing in the house got in a sinful way they can never be quiet til they have render'd it back again the sight of it strikes terror into them they cannot endure to come into the room to see that got in a sinful way There have been some have got much by waies of Sin and when they have lain upon their sick and death beds and conscience awakened Oh they have cried for Gods sake take them from my sight they could not bear such things in their sight that they have got in the waies of sin As â—udas got thirtie pieces out of a covetous huâ—or he would have money and not be so poor as the other Disciples but he gets mony in a sinful way but when Conscience came to be awakened and terrified he goeth and a kind of vengeance goeth with him he goeth and throweth it to the Scribes and Pharisees he throws them down they were to hot for him he could not indure the scalding of them in his Conscience they were even as it were melted in his Soul he could not keep the thirtie pieces they were so terrible to him So certainly that 's thy 30. peeces any houshold stuffe any thing thou hast got in a sinful way oh it will be terrible to you one day I beseech you brethren take notice of it any one that hath got by waies of sin anie thing it is not enough to the salvation of that soul that it hath been never so much sorrowful all the sorrow in the world and repentance thou canst have for sin will not save thy soul except thou dost restore except restitution to the utmost of your abilitie be made you can never have comfort and assurance that sin is pardoned It is an old speech of an ancient The Sin is not remitted till that taken away be restored There are many men and women they think if they can get anie thing by sinful waies they will repent and pray to God for forgiveness and be sorrie and yet keep that gotton in a sinful way No that will not serve the turn all thy praying to God with never so much sorrow yet there must be restitution of what you have sinfully gotton to the utmost of your abilities though the partie be dead you must not keep it Suppose whomsoever
to hurt ones own soul or others So that is a most pesteferous estate condition that gives a man libertie to satisfie his lusts the more Brethren consider of this it is a most dreadful curse of God upon a man that God wil let a man go on smothlie in waies of Sin without controul that he shall have libertie without controul if there be anie brand of Reprobation that one may give this is it as black a brand as can be given that God suffers a man to go on smoothly in sin without any controul that he can have full libertie It is a speech of Barnards Therefore doth God spare the Rich because his iniquitie is not found only to DISPLEASVRE but to HATRED because God is not onlie now Angry but he Hates him for Sin that is a Speech of Barnard Therefore doth God spare the rich and deliver manie wicked men from Affliction because Sin is grown to the height that it is above Gods Displeasure God may be displeased with his children for Sin but he doth not come to Hate them they be not children of hatred because of infirmitie but now when God suffers a wicked man to go on smoothlie without anie affliction in his way of Sin and so take libertie in Sin this mans Sin it is to be feared is grown to the height that it comes to the verie hatred of God not onlie to displeasure I remember Barnard in another place calls this kind of mercie in God to deliver men from affliction in a sinful way he cals it a mercie more cruel than all anger and praies God to deliver him from that mercie That is That he should go on Prosperously in a wicked way And if you knew all it would be one Petition to God you in a Prosperous way it would be one Petition you would put up to God everie day Oh Lord never let me prosper in a sinful way and course Oh Lord rather let any Affliction be upon me than that my smoothness in my way should make my sin more smooth and delightful I appeal to you Marriners suppose you were sailing neer Rocks or sands and were becalmed till you come just there where they are and then you should have a wind come full upon you and fill your sails to the full your sails perhaps are all up and a wind comes that fills them to the full with wind I but this wind carries you directlie upon the sands or rocks would you not rather have the wind a little more still would you not rather have a half wind or a side wind would you not rather have your sails down or not half so much filled as they are when they carrie you upon the rocks and sands So here it is just as if you should see a man rejoice that his sails be filled with wind and all his sails up when another that stands by knows it carries him upon the sands that will undo him So it is with a man that rejoiceth in Prosperitie that carries him with full sail to wickedness God fills their sails their hearts be filled to the full with all that their hearts can desire and they be filled with all their braverie but this as the sail carries them on further to Sin and wickedness upon the rocks and sands to eternal destruction It were better for these men that their sails were down and all under the hatches a thousand times better than to have all the libertie to Sin I beseeeh you brethren observe the difference between Gods dispensations and his dealings with the wicked and his dispensations and dealings with his Children in this one thing it is verie observable with the wicked God deals thus in just judgment he suffers stumbling blocks to lie in the way of Religion that they stumble therein and find abundance of difficultie when they have some good stirrings of their affections and good motions and intentions but there is such a stumbling block they be offended at and such a thing lies there and hinders them and makes the waies of RELIGION difficult but when they come to the waies of Sin there all their waies be smooth there 's no stumbling block lies there but all is clear and God suffers them to prosper and go on a pace the way to life is full of stumbling blocks but the way to destruction is clear thus God deals with the wicked But with his Children God will make the way to life and Salvation to be very smooth and clear The way of the upright is plain if the heart be upright those things others be offended at and stumble at they be delivered from those stumbling blocks be taken away gracious hearts find the Waies of Godliness plain comfortable and smooth waies But now the waies of Sin to Gods Children they be full of stumbling blocks there God is pleased to lay stumbling blocks when God seeth his Children hanker after sinful waies God makes this let and the other let this affliction and the other affliction one thing or other they shall find in Gods Providence to stop them in the way A most excellent Promise for this to the Children of God when God was in a way of mercie to them you have in Hosea 2. 6 7. Therefore behold I will hedg up thy way with thorns and make a wall that she shall not find her paths Mark when God intends good to his Church he promises to hedg up the way and wall it up that is the way to Idols that they should not find it so easilie as before Oh take notice of this Oh all ye Servants of God when you have found your hearts hanker after evil waies Oh the goodness of God he hath laid stumbling blocks in the waies of death whereas others when they have come to the waies of death all is clear and smooth before them and they have their hearts desire This is the difference between Gods dealings with his people and the wicked 3 As Prosperitie is fuel for sin and gives libertie to sin So it hardens the hearts of men and women in sin As it is with the Clay when the Sun shines upon it it grows harder mire and dirt grows harder with the shining of the Sun so wicked and ungodly men their hearts grow hard in the waies of sin with the shine of Prosperitie upon it As the Iron is soft when the fire is in it but harder when the fire is out so with men and women in affliction they seem soft but they are the harder when out again We have a notable place for this Job 21. from the 7. verse to the 14. there is a description of the prosperous Estate of the wicked now at the 14. verse see how their hearts be hardned Therefore they say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of his way because he had said before of them Their houses are safe from fear neither is the rod of God upon them Their bull gendreth and faileth not their cow
this Scripture culs out that man and woman whosoever they be that ever deceaved their neighbor And afterwards when they come among their companions laughed at it As mad men or women mark what the text saith who casts fire-brands arrows and death so is the man that deceives his neighbor and saith Am I not in Sport and it is but a jest and a matter of nothing and can jeer him when he hath done mark this is a mad man that casts fire-brands arrows and death Oh that God this day would cast a fire-brand and arrows and every sentence of death upon thy heart that hast been guiltie of this and not humbled to this day for it Oh it is the fool as I have shewed makes a mock of sin What Canst thou commit a wickednesse be drunk or unclean or filthie and then thou afterward go and tell thy companions and make a sport or a mock at sin Thou art one of the fools in Israel and God this day casts shame in thy face thou hast shame cast in thy face even by the Almightie this day out of his Word Certainlie Brethren if we understand what the evil of Sin is when we are in any company where men and women be never so merry if there were but one wilful sin committed among them anie one apparent sin it were enough to damp all the joy that day and indeed it should be so We reade of David when he carried the Ark a gracious work and there was but one sin committed in touching the Ark unadvisedly and it damped all the joy And certainlie it was the sin from which there was more cause of damping the joy than from the punishment for there was more evil in the sin than in the punishment Now you shall have many men and women in merrie Meettings and Companie they be merry and eat and drink and laugh well but abundance of sin is committed in the Companie but not one whit dampt all that day but can go on in their mirth and tales and laughing go on as freelie and fullie as if there were no sin committed Be it known to you this day from the Lord any of you that have been in anie Companie merrie and jollie and yet sin hath been committed before your eyes and you have heard it with your ears if it have not dampt your joy and mirth know your hearts be not right with God and it is a sign your hearts have been vile cursed hearts that when you have seen sin committed in your companie yet you can go on with joy Suppose in your company in the midst of your mirth one takes a knife and stabs himself into the heart would not this damp your joy would you goon in your mirth still would not all your joy be gone when you be in companie and hear one swear if you had eyes you would see them even stab them selves to the heart and there is more Evil in this than in the other and yet you can go on in your joy and mirth though since you sate down there hath been fortie oaths sworn there We reade in the 2 Sam. 13. 29. at the feast of Davids Sons Absaloms inviting of Amnon to dinner Absalom bids his servants whem Amnon was merrie to strike him to the wall and they did so and then every one of the King's Sons gat up and all their mirth was done though they were very merrie before So if your hearts be right when you are in companie and hear one swear or blaspheme Gods Name or speak against Religion it would be as much as if one were stab'd in the room all the mirth of that day would be gone if your hearts were right And do not think this too strict that sin committed by others should damp your joy Certainlie the thing is most reasonable and apparent as possibly can be to convince anie mans Conscience that understands what the Evil of Sin means and yet many of you have not onlie continued your joy but have been joyful and jocond the rather because sin is committed in the companie As suppose one make a jest upon Religion and scorn Profession you laugh with them and make merrie with them When one makes a lye upon Religion you can laugh and be merrie Oh certainlie if you have anie Conscience at all you cannot but be this day convinced of horrible sin against God Suppose thou wert in merrie companie and thou shouldest hear of a certain that tydings is come that thy Ship is cast away and that thou hast lost all that ever thou didst venture in that Ship wouldest not thou give over wouldst thou go on wouldst not thou say it is time for me to be gone now and dost thou not account more the hazard of thy own soul and the soul of thy brother than of thy Goods Certainlie thy heart cannot be right with God Oh! take heed than in your merrie Meettings we do not denie but men and women may be ioyful and eate and drink together and delight themselves in the Creature but it must be so that it must be without apparent sin I know there will be natural infirmities in anie action but I speak of open and apparent wickednesse joy must not be when there is apparent wickednesse You think godlie people are not for Societie and good-fellowship indeed you cannot expect they should be joyful and merrie but that they should rather be melancholly and heavie and sad in your companie when they see so many sins committed there what would you have them merrie when they see the companie inbrue their hands in their fathers bloods would you have the Son merrie when the companie imbrue their hands in his Fathers blood Certainlie everie godlie man or woman when they come in companie and see so manie sins committed they do actuallie and reallie see you stab and imbrue your hands in Gods blood when you rejoyce in the Lord they can be as merrie and joyful as anie of you all and have sweet comfort in your companie but not when sin is there committed Manie of you when you have been in merrie companie when you are gone you can report Oh we were to day in such a place and we had such merrie companie it would do ones heart good to be among them we were so merrie and jocund we had a brave time Well but was there no apparent wickednesse committed in your companie never an oath sworn no excess in the Creature in drinking no ribaldry talking you never think of that as if that were nothing at all it did not abate the least of thy joy Certainlie thy heart is not right thou knowst not what sin means thou must know it after another manner One Particular more because t is useful and these merry times are most pleasing among the yonger people when they come abroad in company they will make a sport of sin and think nothing of it I will apply one text of Scripture to that sport of yong men
Nation wherein is shewed how to Cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge 5 The Anatomy of the Body of Man wherein is exactly described the several parts of the Body of Man illustrated with very many large Brass Plates 6 A New Method both of studying and practising Physick Six Sermons Preached by Doctor Hill viz. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Churches of Christ 3 The Spring of strengthning Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4 The strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their Strength 5 The Best and Worst of Paul 6 Gods eternal preparation for his dying Saints The Bishop of Canterbuâ—â—es Speech on the Scaffold The Kings Speech on the Scaffold King Charles his Case or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Tryal A Congregational Church is a Catholick visible Church By Samuel Stone in New-England Mr. Owens stedfastness of the Promises Mr Owen against Mr Baxter A Vindication of Free Grace By John Pawson The Magistrates support and Burden By John â—ordel The Discipline of the Church in New-England by the Churches and Synod there A Relation of the Barbadoes A Relation of the Repentance and Conversion of the Indians in New-England by Mr Eliot and Mr Mayhew An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist S. Matthew by Mr Ward Clows Chyruâ—geâ—y Marks of Salvation An Exposition of the whol first Epistle of Peter by Mr. John Rogers of Dâ—… in Essex Christians Engagement for the Gospel By John Goodwin Great Church Ordinance of Baptism Mr Love's Case containing his Petitions Narrative and Speech Vox Pacifica or a Perswasive to Peace Dr Prestâ—â—s Saints Submission and Satans Overthrow A Treatise of the Rickets Published in Latin by Dr Glisson Dr Bate and Dr Regemorter now translated into English Mr Symsons Sermon at Westminster Mr Feaks Sermon before the Lord Major Mr Phillips Treatise of Hell Of Christs Geneology Mr Eaton on the Oath of Allegiance and Covenant shewing that they oblige not THE ALPHABETICAL TABLE A Addition NO addition to sin can make it good Page 18 Affliction Affliction is better than sin 3 It 's light ibid Christs the greatest 8 Some good in it 11 It is instrumentally good 12 It is sanctified to the Soul ibid A fruit of Gods love 13 Good annexed to it 14 Good of Promise ibid Good of Evidence 15 Good of Blessing ibid Affliction cannot make a man evil 140 Affliction may stand with Gods love 266 Affliction to sinners the beginning and forerunner of all evil 336 337. Ripens them for destruction 337 It is not mercy to be delivered from affliction when we are in a sinful way 439 It is sometimes a judgement not to be afflicted 443 Approve God approves no sin 38 Abstain Some abstain from sin for fear of Affliction only 523 Avoid Some sin to avoid affliction 526 Authority Sin resists Gods Authority 65 Attributes Sin wrongs God in his Attributes 58 They plead against sinners 67 Alsufficiency Sin wrongs God in his Alsufficiency 59 B Beams Beams of Gods wisdom in the light of nature 63 Bitterness Sin makes affliction bitter 330 Bless Saints bless God for afflictions 16 Not for sin ibid Bless God for Christ 482 Burden Christs burden 127 Sin a burden to heaven and earth 321 Beast A sinner worse than a beast 370 371 Bondage Sinners in bondage to the Devil 264 265 Bounds No bounds to be set to our love of God and hatred of sin 350 351 352. C Capable Sin is not capable of good 17 Men and Angels only capable of sin 73 Charge Job's false charge 1 Saints must charge their hearts 54 Choice Sin a worse choice than affliction 2 The wicked choice 60 Conscience Conscience must not be strain'd 21 Trouble of Conscience being overcome if men return to sin they are worse 91 Make Conscience of all sins 450 Conscience troubled for sin what 385 c. It is the beginning of the second death 399 409 Cry Saints cry unto God 16 Creator Sin wrongs God as a Creator 69 Contrary Nothing contrary to God but sin 35 Contraries seek the destruction one of another 53 Cause God no cause of sin 37 Creature Creature comforts in order to God 38 All Creatures against sinners 289 The Devil the lowest Creature 364 Curse Christ made a Curse 131 Sinners under the Curse 291 Sin is a Curse ibid Sin brings a Curse upon the whole world 321 Sin brings a Curse upon al evil 331 Comforts Of wicked men what 279 No comfort by sin 432 Confusion Sin would bring all to confusion 323 Conformity To Christ in sufferings to the Devil in sin 355 356 357 358. Condemnation Sin brings men under the sentence of it 277 Condemnation not recalled but transmitted to Christ 278 Communion With God what 254 Converse They fit to converse that live the same life 254 255 Covenant The Covenant of Grace keeps sin from taking away the Image of God in the regenerate 256 Consequence Of the Law and Gospel 492 Course Some get from affliction by sinful courses 534 D Death Sin the Death of the soul 255 Deliberation Sin needs no deliberation because wholly evil 29 Disease Sin compared to a disease 257 Despise Sin is despising of God 46 Who despise their souls 310 Destruction Sin seeks Gods destruction 54 Devil The Devil better than a base lust 61 Sin is Originally from the Devil 358 359 Lay not all upon the Devil 360 Sins reference to the Devil 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 Do Few men know what they do when they sin against God 8 Deceive The way of the wicked deceiveth 294 Deliver Delivering up to Satan what 377 Some bless themselves in sins after their deliverance from Affliction 536 Dealings God 's dealings with the wicked and godly are different 440 Draw Draw not others to sin 492 Defile Sin defileth the soul 262 It defileth all things man meddleth with ibid Delight vide Joy Delight in sins dreadful 462 463 c. God takes delight in the souls that converse with him 255 Departing Sin a departing from God 285 Despair Despair is not from the depth of humiliation 86 But from want of it ibid Divorce It is hard to make a divorce between sin and the soul 90 Displeasure Gods displeasure against sin 113 Against Angels 114 Against Men 117 Manifested in his law 118 In its Terror and Curse 119 In his severity against smal sins 119 120 121 His Wrath Hell 122 Gods dealing also with his fore-shews his displeasure against sin 123 124 c. Gods displeasure with his people 438 439 Deceit Against deceit 466 E Enemy Who Gods enemies 48 To whom God an enemy 285 286 All the Creatures are enemies to sinners 288 289 Encourage Saints encouraged to bear afflictions 17 End Men think of three good ends in committing of sin 18 No good
Christ said to the Pharisees Who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come So God will say Why what is the matter who told you this I hope some poor soul will have experience of this when you go to pray for Christ and you shall Pray after another manner than formerlie when your Prayers shall be even cries to heaven when God shall say Why what is the matter why cry you more than before I hope some poor souls can give a good account of it and say I see my self lost and undone without Christ better be a Dog or a Toad or anie thing than a man if I have not Christ because they are not capable of sin and my heart is full of sin and I have heard the evil of it and therefore Oh give me Christ or I am undone Oh! such a Soul will be exceeding acceptable unto God And therefore to such a soul I propound in the name of the Lord the Doctrine of Life and Salvation and Peace be it known therefore to you God the Father looking upon the sinful Children of men and seeing them all in a perishing condition by Sin out of infinite bowels of tender compassion he hath provided a glorious way of Mediation of Propisiation for Sin and to that end he hath sent his onlie beloved Son out of his bosom that hath taken mans Nature upon him united in a personal union to that end that he might be a fit Mediator to stand between a provoked God and sinful souls and this Christ hath born the full vials of the wrath of his Father the curse of the Law due to sin satisfied infinite divine Justice made a full Attonement between God and sinful man Onlie upon these terms now he doth tender and offer to everie poor wearied distressed soul al that his Son hath purchased by his blood all his merits that they might be an attonement for thy sin a Propisiation for thy soul to discharge all thy sin that thou mightest come through him to stand acquited before the father for ever more This is the sum of the Gospel and this I present and Preach it and offer it to you and this not onlie to the least sinner but to the greatest sinner in the world this I present as in the name of God that is the message we have in the name of God to deliver unto you and now whatsoever your sins have been heretofore God onlie requires that your souls should now stand admiring at the infinite riches of his Grace in his Son and that your souls should be taken off from the Creature and Sin and live upon Christ surrender your souls to him and cast your souls on that infinite rich grace of God in him and upon that instant every one of your sins though never so great and hainous yet I pronounce in the Name of the Lord everie one of them is pardoned and all done away as if they had never been committed This is the Sum of the Gospel unto those that come to see their Sins and be sensible of their need of Christ by their Sin Object But you will say This makes all you have done but a little matter if Sin may be done away thus what need all this discovery of the evil of Sin it is not so great an evil if it may be thus wash't away Answ Ah poor carnal heart that speaks thus Is this a light or little matter True it is in a few words in the end of a Sermon but be it known to you There is more in these words I have spake in this last half quarter of an hour there is more of the glorie of God in them than in Heaven and Earth beside not because they come from me but because I have spoken that which is the Sum of the Gospel and in truth in one Sentence of the Gospel there is more of the glorie of God than in all Heaven and Earth besides You must be convinced of this and know it is so and if ever you come to be partakers of the good of the Gospel you will see it to be so Oh Brethren in that I have said there is the glorious Mysterie of Godliness great is the Mysterie of Godliness God manifest in the flesh the great Counsel of God working from all Eternitie is in this in the Sum of the Gospel The greatest work that ever God did was in sending his Son and in the offer of his Son to Sinners that their sins might be pardoned Therefore think it not a smal thing and hear when I call upon Sinners to come and cast their souls upon Christ It is one of the gloriousest works that ever was done for a sinful soul to come and close with Christ the Mediator and if once you come in your hearts will be so full of the glorie of God that presentlie all the glorie of the Creature will be darkned in your eyes and you will be so filled with the glorie of God that you wil come to see the filthiness of Sin this way as much as in anie way All the Sermons I have delivered concerning the evil of sin will not set out the filthiness of Sin to you as that glorie of God that your hearts will be filled withal as soon as you come to close with God in this Mysterie of the Gospel Perhaps it is not so apparant to everie soul but wait a while and there will more of the evil of sin be discovered in this than in anie way Vse XI And then the Use that I shall make of it is this If there be such evil in sin then bless bless God for Christ Blessed is that man and woman whose sin is pardoned Psalm 32. Oh blessed is he whose sin is forgiven Certainly it is a blessed thing that sin should be forgiven this requires a whol Sermon by it self I shall but name it now because I shal it may be hereafter speak of this particularly of the great Blessedness of the Pardon of Sin onlie take notice of it any that hath a comfortable assurance of their sin being pardoned go away rejoycing Son Daughter rejoyce your sins are pardoned there is enough in that word to bring comfort and joy to your souls CHAP. LXII Use 12. If there be so much evil in sin then it is of great concernment to be Religious betimes and there by prevent much sin Use XII AGain One Use more If there be such evil in Sin Then it is of great use to begin to be Godlie and Religious betimes for yong ones to come to be godlie betimes why Because they may come to prevent so much evil and so much Sin Oh happie those that begin to be godlie when yong you prevent a thousand sins that others commit by their not knowing sin betimes True if there were no other use of Godliness than meerlie to bring you to Heaven then you might stay till your sick and death beds and then be Religious it were enough but besides bringing
you to Heaven there is use of Godliness to keep you away from Sin and Ungodliness and there is enough in that to countervail anie pleasure suppose you yong people abstain from some pleasure or joy that others have the truth is you have greater and better pleasures but suppose you had none but keeping of your souls from sin this meerlie were enough to countervail whatsoever you suffer in the waies of God There are manie converted when they were old and what would these give for to be delivered from the guilt of some sins committed when they were yong When they look back to their lives Oh this sin I committed in such a familie and when I was an Apprentise in such a place Oh that I were delivered from them Oh they lie upon my heart Oh that vanitie and wickedness Oh those oaths I swore in such a companie among yong men Oh those Sabbaths I brake Oh those lyes I told and the drunkennesse I was drawn to Oh I cannot look back to these but my thinks I could even tear my heart from my bellie to think what a heart I had to sin against God and multiplie Sin against Him Thus at the best when God awakens their hearts they would give ten thousand worlds to be delivered from the Sins of their Youth And therefore now you yong ones seeing there is such evil in Sin Oh prevent it You know how the Sins of Youth lay upon David Remember not against me the sins of my youth therefore now prevent those Sins that otherwise will lie so heavilie upon you as that you will be forced to crie out Oh remember not against me the Sins of my Youth Oh it is a happie thing to see yong ones good and it is the greatest hope that God will shew mercie to England in that God begins to draw yong ones on in the waies of Godliness so that we hope there will not be so manie Sins committed in the Age to come We have cried out of the Sins of yong ones and one Generation that hath followed another hath been but like the Kennel the lower and further it goeth the more filth it hath gathered and so the lower Generations have gone the more filthie they have been But we hope God intends to turn the course and to make Godliness as much honored as it hath been dishonored heretofore and that there should not be so much Sin in the next Generation Heretofore yong people when they had daies of Recreation what did they but multiplie Sin what abundance of wickedness was committed by Youth then and on Shrove-Tuesdaies abundance of wickedness committed by Youth then and so the Generation was filled with Sins of Youth But now God is pleased to stir up the hearts of yong ones that instead of multiplying of Sin they be got together on such daies to Fast and to Pray and make daies to attend upon the Word and so avoid Sin It is that certainlie that doth encourage the hearts of Gods People to pray to him and to seek him for mercie that God gives hearts to yong people that they multiplie not Sin as heretofore If there be anie here that have begun this Oh go on in that way and when others multiplie wickedness upon such daies get alone and attend upon the Word and recreate your Souls in the Word and holie conference true God gives libertie to recreate but let it he as it was wont to be with the Companies in London though they did recreate they would have their Sermons too So instead of horrible wickedness that was wont to be upon those daies as I suppose some of you can remember upon Shrove-Tuesdaies infinite wickednesses was committed in the Citie and thereabouts we hope instead of wickedness and joyning together in wickedness there will be joyning together in the Waies of God And thus doing you wil encourage us in the Waies of God and Peace and Mercie will be upon you CHAP. LXIII Use 13. If there be so much evil in sin Then it s a fearful thing for any to be instrumental to draw others to sin WEE are now to finish that Tractate about the greatness of the evil of Sin It hath been an Argument that hath much encreased in our hands like unto the bread the Loaves that Christ did break unto the People that in the verie breaking did multiplie and so hath this Argument done but we are now to put a period to it Manie Uses you know hath been made alreadie as Corollaries and Consequences from that great Doctrine of the evil of Sin that Sin is a greater evil than Affliction The last day the especial aim and intention of the Application was Therefore to drive Sinners to Jesus Christ seeing there is so much evil in Sin more than in all Affliction Oh what need have we who are such great Sinners of Jesus Christ that is the Propisiation for Sin I have only one Note to ad further on that and we shall proceed it is an Excellent Expression I find in Luther saith he There is a great deal of difference between the Consequencia Legis and Consequencia Evangelii There is a Consequence of the Law and that is this Thou hast sinned and therefore thou must be damned But the Consequence of the Gospel is this Thou hast sinned therefore go to Jesus Christ that is the Argument the Gospel uses from Sin But passing by all we have said concerning that Use we proceed to further Applications that are behind Four or Five Uses we are to speak of and then we shall have done with the Point I will be brief upon the first Two or Three and the Two last we shall stick most upon Vse XIII If there be such evil in Sin as you have heard Hence then it is a fearful thing for any one to be instrumental to draw others to sin All that hath been said in the opening of the evil of sin must needs speak very terribly unto all that ever have been any way instruments to draw others to sin in all their lives Now Oh that God would speak to every man and womans Conscience in this Congregation that are conscious to themselves that ever they have been any cause to draw others to sin Is there not one whose Conscience presently at the naming of this Use doth even tell you well now God speaks to me for certainlie there hath been some that I have drawn to sin that I have been a means to further sin in If any one of you have ever been a means by counsel or advise by approbation by perswasion by encouragement by abetting of any by joyning with any in anie sinful course to draw them to sin know that God speaks to you First God tells you this That if you had been born to do mischief you could not do a greater mischief than this is if you had been the means to undo men and women in their outward Estate it had been nothing so much but thou hast what in