might be no God for sinners are haters of God Rom. 1.30 And as he that hates his Brother is a Murtherer 1 Joh. 3.15 so as much as in him lies he that hates God is a murtherer of God It keeps Garrisons and strong holds against God 2 Cor 10.4 5. It strives with and fights against God and if its power were as great as its will is wicked it would not suffer God to be God â—s a troublesome thing to sinners and therefore â—hey say to him depart from us Job 21.14 and â—f Christ Jesus let us break his bonds in sunder and cast his cords far from us Psal 2.1 2. And when the Holy Ghost comes to woe and entreat them to be reconciled they resist and make war with the spirit of peace Acts 7.51 so that they are against every person in the Trinity Father Son and Spirit In short and for a conclusion sin is contrary to God and all that 's dear to him or hath his name upon it and though it be against all good yet not so much against any good as against God who is and because he is the chiefest good Before we pass on let me beseech thee who ever thou be that readest to pause a little and consider of what is said for mutato nomine dâ— te what 's said of sin is to be consider'd by the sinner and is meant of thine and my sin Shalâ— I not plead for God and thy Soul and entreaâ— thee to be on Gods side and depart from thâ— Tents of wickedness Poor Soul Canst thou finâ— it in thine heart to hug and imbrace such a Monster as this is Wilt thou love that which hateâ— God and which God hates God forbid Wiâ—â— thou joyn thy self to that which is nothing buâ— contrariety to God and all that 's good Oh saâ— to this Idol yea to this Devil Get hence whaâ— have I to do with thee thou Elymas Sorcereâ— thou full of all malignity and mischief thoâ— Child yea Father of the Devil thou that art thâ— Founder of Hell an Enemy to all righteousness that ceasest not to pervert the right way of the Lord and to reproach the living God Away away Shall I be seduced by thee to grieâ— the God of all my joy to displease the God 〈◊〉 all my comfort to vex the God of all my coâ—tent to do evil against a good God by whom I live move and have my being Oh no. Thus consider of these things and do not go on to provoke the Lord least a worse thing befall thee then any hitherto do not contend with God who is stronger then thou art who is able when he will and he will be one day found both able and willing enough to turn the wicked into hell the Element of sin and sinners who shall go into it as into their own place as Judas did Acts 1.25 Oh learn to pity thine own soul for he that sinneth doth as offend and wrong God so wrong and destroy his own soul or as some read the Text despiseth his own soul Prov 8.36 Oh think on 't what hast thou no value no regard for thy soul wilt thou neglect and despise it as if 't were good for nothing but to be damn'd and go to hell wilt thou be felo de se a self-soul-murtherer shall thy perdition be of thy self Oh look to thy self for sin notwithstanding all its flattering pretences is against thee and seeks nothing less then thy ruine and damnation And this brings and leads me to the second thing to be treated of Sins contrariety to Man The second thing wherein the sinfulness of sin doth consist 2 Sin is contrary to the good of man is its contrariety to the good of Man which is the thing that our Text doth especially ment on and intend and is therefore to be the more copiously spoken to Sin is contrary to the good of man and nothing is properly â—nd absolutely so but sin and this results and is evident from sins contrariety to God as there is nothing contrary to God but sin for Devils are not so but by sin so sin in being contrary to God is and cannot but be contrary to man that must he unavoidably evil to man that 's evil against God who is the chiefest good of man communion with and conformity to God is mans felicity his heaven upon earth and in heaven too without which it would not be worth his while to have a being Now sin being a separation between God and Man an interruption of this communion and conformity it must needs be prejudicial and hurtful to him Beside the Commandment of which sin is a transgression was given not only for Gods sake that he might have glory from mans obedience but for Mans sake that man might enjoy the good and benefit of his obedience and find that in keeping the Commands of God there is great reward These two were twisted together and no sooner is the Law transgrest but God and Man are joynt-sufferers God in his glory and Man in his good Mans suffering follows at the heel of sin yea as he suffers by so in sinning suffering and sinning involve each other No sooner did sin enter into the world but death which is a privation oâ— good did enter by it with it and in it for 't is the sting of death so that sin saith here its death and death saith here is sin No sooneâ— did Angels sin but they fell from their first estate and habitation which they had with God in glory not a moment between their sin and misery and as soon as man had sinned his conscienâ—â— told him that he was naked and destitute oâ— righteousness and protection and consequently an undone man that he could not endure Gods presence nor his own Genes 3.7 8. So apparent is it that sin and that in being contrary to God is contrary to man for what crosseth Gods glory is cross to mans happiness Now To proceed more distinctly and particularly 1 In this life I shall evince that sin is against mans good both present and future here in time and hereafter in Eternity in this life and world which now is and in that to come against all and every good of man and against the good of all and every man And herein lies the second instance of the sinfulness of sin as it is 1 Against mans present good in this life and that 1 Against the good of his body 2 Against the good of his soul For on both it hath brought a curse and death 1 Sin is against the good of mans body 1 Against his body it hath corrupted mans blood and made his body mortal and thereby render'd it a vile body our bodies though made of dust were yet more precious then the fine gold but when we sinned they became vile bodies before sin our bodies were immortal for death and mortality came in by sin but now alas they must return to dust and it s
the Apostle speaks of it Rom. 7.8 Sin taking occasion by the Commandment wrought in me all manner of concupiscence The Law said thou shalt not lust at this Lust grows mad and provokes to sin the more nitimur in vetitum gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas Sin is proud and impetuous it scorns to be checkt or have any chains put upon it Poor we such is the sinfulness of sin are apt to be the more proud the more covetous the more wanton c. because 't is forbidden us 2 The sinfulness of sin appears by the Commandment thus that it takes occasion by the Commandment to deceive us as the Apostle saith it did him Rom. 7.11 just as the devil took occasion from the Commandment to deceive our first parents as if God were envious to us or at least we mistake his meaning c. Thus did the devil and thus doth sin take occasion from the Commandment to deceive us to corrupt our understanding first and by that our affection and by that our conversation The devil and sin put their interpretations on Gods Text they gloss and comment upon it and put Queries hath God said Gen. 3. and 2 Cor. 11.3 You need not fear there 's no such danger there is another meaning in this command c. such are the sly and cunning tricks that Satan and sin put on us to harden us by deceit Hebr. 3.13 3 Sin appears exceeding sinful by the Commandment in that it makes use of it to slay and kill us it works our death and ruine by it as Rom. 7 11.-13 Sin at first makes us believe as the Serpent did Eve that we shall not die but live better and be like Gods But James 1.14 15. being tempted enticed and drawn away of our own lust then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death yea all sorts of deaths natural spiritual and eternal this is the wages and end of sin Rom. 6.21.23 Man no sooner sinned but he became mortal dead in Law and by living in sin men become spiritually dead in sin Eph. 2.1 2. and if grace prevent not will die in sin and be damned for sin which is eternal death Thus saith the Apostle while sin flatter'd and deceiv'd me as if I should go unpunished it brought me under condemnation and death and though God do let sentence of death pass upon some men that he may raise them from the dead yet these persons find themselves dead first before they pass from death to life as was the Apostles case in this place Conversion is a Resurrection from the dead Sin kills men grace revives men so like the Prodigal they that were dead are alive But by this we see the sinfulness of sin that it makes use of the Law which was ordain'd to life to condemn and pass sentence of death upon sinful men that which was made to be our strength against sin is become the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 Death were weak without its sting which is sin and sin were weak without its strength which is the Law Oh sinful sin exceeding out of measure sinful that worketh death by that which is good and was ordain'd to life Hereupon follow several things which proclaim the sinfulness of sin from the mouth of the Law Do we not hear the Law Gal. 4.21 what dreadful things it speaks against the transgressors of it As 1. This The Law allows us no favour if we break it in any one thing though we observe it in many things if we keep not all 't is as if we kept it not at all the Law will not pardon the least sin there is no compounding with the Law nor compensating a sin by doing a duty Rom. 2 25. What profiteth Circumcision it profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou break the Law Circumcision is as uncircumcision it profiteth not at all as one sinner destroyeth much good so doth one sin 't is like a dead fly in a box of oyntment James 2.10 whosoever shall keep the whole and yet offend in but one point he is guilty of all for the nature of all sin is in any and every one sin if a man sin once though but once the Law casts him for the Law is but the one will of God in divers particulars either of which transgressed is against the will of God which runs through all as a silken string through a great many pearls which if it be cut or broken but in one place the whole is broken and where ever there is but one transgression the Law pronounceth the curse Gal. 3.10 Had not God provided a City of refuge a new and living way we had never found any favour from or by the Law Rom. 8.2 3. Hence 2 The Law since sin entred cannot justifie any man it hath lost its power and grown weak as Rom. 8.23 If it were pitiful compassionate and friendly yet it wants power to justifie us the Law cannot give life though 't were made to that end Gal. 3.21 22. If there had been a law given which could have given life righteousness had been by the law but the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise viz. of life might be given to them that believe If the law could implying that it was not in the laws power but why not it could at first true but 't is weak through the flesh all are concluded under sin the law is transgrest and therefore cannot give life Sinful sin hath weakned the law as to the justification but it hath strengthened it as to the condemnation of sinners 3 The law makes sin abound and aggravates it exceedingly Gal. 3.19 Wherefore serves the law of what use is the law It was added because of transgression to make sin appear in its own colours the law written in mans heart was so obliterated that men could not discern sin by it as they had wont for saith the Apostle I had not known sin but by the law viz. new promulged and written I did not know it by the law in my heart for that let me alone so that the law was added to revive the sight and sense of sin that men might see what an ugly thing sin is infinitely worse then men are generally aware of till the commandment come The law entred that sin might abound Rom. 5.20 not that men might sin more but see their sin more that men might take a full measure of sin in all the dimensions of it in its heighth depth breadth and length the holiness goodness justice the severity c. of the law do all set out sin in its ugly shape and colour 4 The law witnesseth against sin as exceeding sinful in its being become as a Schoolmaster to us Gal. 3.24 We should scarce ever have lookt to Christ had not the law whipt and lasht us like a severe Schoolmaster for this not to exclude others is as I conceive much the
taking away of sin Isa 27.9 yea to make us partakers of his Holiness Heb. 12.10 which is the end of the greatest promises 2 Pet 1.4 2 Cor. 7.1 So that God aims at the same thing in bringing threatned evils on us as in making good promises and making them good to us Is not this better then sin did that ever do such kindnesses for us A as its mercies are cruclties its courtesies are injuries its kindnesses are killing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic notus Vlysses it never did nor meant us any good unless men be so mad to think that 't is good to be defiled dishonoured and damned 5. Sufferings tend to make us perfect but sin makes us more and more imperfect The second Adam was perfected by suffering Heb. 2.10 â—u the first Adam was made imperfect by sinning and thus it fares with both their seeds and children as it did with them a sinner and without strength Rom. 5.6 a sinner and without God without Christ without hope c Eph. 2.12 But a sufferer after a while 〈◊〉 be perfected by the same God of all grace who hath called him into eternal glory by Christ Jesus aâ—d after his example 1 Pet. 5.10 but the more a sinner the more imperfect and fitter for Hell 6. Suffering for God glorifies God 1 Pet 4.14 and calls on us to thank and glorifie God for it vers 16. but sin dishonours God by suffering the Saints are happy vers 14. being Gods Martyrs but by sinning sinners are miserable as the Devils Martyrs vers 15. and which I pray you is better to suffer for God or for the Devil to be suffering Saints or Sinners 7. Sufferings for God Christ and Righteousness adde to our glory as well as they glorifie God but sinning adds to our torment That suffering adds to our glory see Mat. 5.10 11 12. 2 Cor. 4.17 Light afflictions work an exceeding weight of glory but sin which is exceeding sinful works an exceeding weight of wrath and torment Rom. 2.5 It heaps heap upon heap load upon load to make up a treasury of wrath which then is the greatest evil I speak to wise men judge ye what I say light affliction or heavy sin which is better treasures of glory or treasures of wrath or which is all one to suffer or to sin Thus far I have evinced that sin is worse then affliction I but it may be said if we suffer not unto death 't is no great suffering skin for skin and all a man hath will he give for his life but to dye is dreadful 't is worse to sin I shall therefore prove 2. Sin is worse then death That sin is worse then death we use to say of two evils chuse the least now to dye is more cheap and easie then to sin as Gods loving-kindness is better then life we had better part with this then that so sin is worse then death we had better undergo this then do that better submit to death then commit sin as I hinted before from Mat. 10.28 But let us compare them Sin is more deadly then death viz. the separation of soul and body the dissolution of Natures frame and the union thereof this which we call Death is apprehended as a great evil as appears by mans unwillingness to dye men will live in sickness and pain they will be in deaths often rather then dye once and 't is not only an evil in apprehension but 't is really so to humane Nature for 't is called an enemy 1 Cor. 15.26 'T is true death is a friend to grace but 't is as true that death is an enemy to nature and there are four things in which death is evil and an enemy to man and in all these respects sin is more an enemy to man then death 1. Death is separating it separates the nearest and dearest relations yea that which God hath joyned together man and wife soul and body it separates from Estates Ordinances c. as I shewed before thus death is a great evil and enemy true but sin is worse for it brought death and all the evils that come by death and separates man while alive from God who is the light and life of our lives Death separates not from the love of God that sin doth Rom. 8.38 39. Isa 59.2 2. Death is terrifying 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of Terrors Job 18.14 't is a grim Sir a very sowre and tetrical thing 't is ghastly and frightful for men are not only unwilling but afraid to dye but all the terror that is in death sin puts there 't is the sting of death 1 Cor. 13.56 without which though it kill it cannot curse nor hurt any man so that sin is more terrible then death for without sin either there had been no death or to be sure no terror in death when the sting is taken away by the death of Christ there 's no danger nor cause of fear Heb 2.14 15. and the Apostle looking on the Prince of Peace was not afraid of the King of Terrors but could challenge and upbraid it 1 Cor. 15 55 3. Death is killing but sin much more death deprives of natural and temporal but sin deprives of spiritual and eternal life death kills but the body sin kills the soul and brings it uâ—der a worse death then the first viz. the second Men may kill us but only God can destroy us i. e. damn us and that he never doth but for sin so that sin is more â—iâ—ling then death is 4. Death is corrupting it brings the body to corruption and makes it so loathsom that we say of our dearest relations as Abraham of Sarah when she was dead bury her out of my sight death makes every man say to the worm thou art my mother and to corruption and putrefaction thou art my sister Job 17.14 But sin corrupts us more then death for he that dyed without sin saw no corruption it defiles us and makes us a stink in the nostrils of God and men Gen. 34.30 the old man and its lusts are corrupt and do corrupt us Eph. 4.22 They corrupt our souls and that which corrupts souls the principal man of the man is much worse then that which corrupts the body only but sin corrupts the body too while alive intemperance uncleanness corrupts soul and body so that sin is even in this worse then death Our Saviour tells the Jews that their great misery was not that they should dye but that they should dye in their sins Job 8 21. intimating that sin was worse then death and that which made death a misery better dye in an Hospital or a Ditch then in sin 't is better to dye any how then sin and dye in sin and therefore the Father told Eudoxia the Empress when she threatned him Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but to sin And ' ewas a Princely Speech of a Queen who said She had rather hear of her
for dying r. discease p. 262. l. 21. for command r. commend p. 273. l. 28. after then add these p. 279. l. 5. for a may r. a man may p. 289. l. 10. for i would r. it would SIN THE PLAGUE of PLAGUES OR Sinful Sin the worst of Evils ROM 7.13 Was then that which is good made death to me God forbid But Sin that it might appear Sin working death in me by that which is good that Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful BEing to treat of the exceeding sinfulness of Sin 't is not only expedient The Introduction by way of promise but necessary that I preface and premise such things as these viz. 1 That God made all things very good Genes 1.31 they were all endowed with the perfections which were suitable to their several beings so that none of them could find fault with or complain of God as if he had been wanting to them or had made them defective yet 2 of these the two most eminent and principal degrees of creatures did quickly degenerate for some of the Angels sinned and kept not their first estate but left their own habitation Jude 6. And by giving way to their subtil and envious infinuations the Man Adam who was a common person sinned also Genes 3. And thus by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.13 And 3 as to the Angels that fell God left them irrecoverable for 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and Jude 6. hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day Christ Jesus the Mediator and Redeemer took not on him Angels or as 't is in the Margine takes not hold of Angels Hebr. 2.16 but it pleas'd God to pity man his saving grace and loving-kindness hath appear'd to man Titus 2.11 and that in Christ Jesus Titus 3.4 whose delight was with the sons of men the habitable parts of the earth Prov. 8.31 and therefore he took on him the seed of Abraham Hebr. 2.16 And 4 this Doctrine of God our Saviour or the Gospel-doctrine doth suppose man a sinner 'T is a faithful saying and worthy of the best and all acceptance and reception that Christ Jesus came into the world on this very errand and design to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 The Doctrine of Repentance supposeth also that man hath done amiss Mat. 9.13 The Doctrine of Faith in another for righteousness and hope concludes man to be without righteousness and hope in himself Eph. 2.12 13. And the end of Christs sending the holy spirit was that he might in the first place convince of sin Joh. 16.8 These things being beside others that might be consider'd it cannot but be hugely useful to let men see what sin is how prodigiously vile how deadly mischievous and therefore how monstrously ugly and odious a thing sin is that so way may be made by it 1. For admiring the free and rich grace of God 2. For believing in our Lord Jesus Christ 3. For vindicating the holy just and good Law of God and his condemnation of sinners for breaking of it 4. For hating of repenting for and from sin thereby taking a holy just and good revenge on it and our selves 5. That we may love and serve God at a better rate then we ever did in the little and short time of Innocency it self And lastly that this black spot may serve for a set off to the admirable incomparable and transcendent Beauty of Holiness And now to the Text it self The Context and the Text explain'ds which may have this for its title The just vindication of the Law of God and no less just accusation and condemnation of the sin of man As to its connexion with what precedes 't is thus at the 10. v. the Apostle had said that the Commandment which was ordain'd to life he found unto death Hence an objection is rais'd v. 13. Seeing the Commandment is good how comes it to be unto death Was that which was good made death to me To which he answers 1. By way of negation and abhorrency God forbid absit I far be it from me or any other to think so no by no means to find fault with the Law were to find fault with God The Law is not to be blam'd What is then for something is to blame To this he answers 2. By way oâ— affirmation and accusation that sin is the truâ— cause of death The Commandment indeed condemns or is death to man not of it self but because of sin and hereby sin appears not only like it self but it self sin yea sinful yea exceeding sinful sin not in a disguize as when ' tiâ— committed but in its own lively colours oâ— rather and more properly dead and deadly colours 'T is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin in the abstract and that iterated and repeated as Pharaohs dreaâ— was for the certainty and assurance of the thing 't is sin 't is sin and this sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sinful or a sinner nothing else but sinning and sinful sin 't is masculinely and vigorously sinfulâ— for though Erasmus conclude this to be the Attick Dialect viz. the conjunction of this masculine and feminine yet others think that the Apostle doth dare personam peccato bring in sin as if it were a person as v. 17. and 20. 'T is not I but sin as if it were a person unless we may read it thus as Faius doth that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sinner might become sin in the same sense as the objection is made v. 7. Is the Law sin that is criminal and guilty However we read it we are sure of this that it denotes the malignant pestilent and pernicious nature and operation of sin it s own name being the worst that can be given it and yet as if this were not significant enough 't is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. supra modum Eraâ—m quam maxime Beza eximiâ— Grotius exceeding above measure excessively or in the highest degree for an Hyperbole is at extraordinary and the highest degree of speaking 't is as the Arabick Version hath it superans excessum 't is extremely and indeed beyond all expression sinful So that upon the whole I may Illustrate the scope and meaning by a familiar example or instance 'T is as if it had been said by a Malefactor to the Judge thus Oh my Lord how cruelly unmerciful are you to condemn me to die Nay saith the Judge 't is not I 't is the Law I am but the mouth of the Law Nay saith the Law 't is not I 't is sin if thou hadst not sinn'd I had not condemn'd for the Law is not against the righteous 1 Tim. 1.9 No against such there is no Law no condenmation from it Gal. 5.28 Thou mayst then in me as in a glass
life soul and all to get that which is not bread Isa 55.2 2 Sinners are likened to dogs I shall not run division in this nor persecute the Metaphor in prosecuting the particulars of which there was something said a little before but only to shew that though it were most usual with the Jews to call the Gentiles dogs and our Saviour speaks in their dialect and language when he told the woman that 't was not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Mat. 15.26 yet 't is a common name to sinners whither Jews or Gentiles to all without God and Christ for without are dogs Revel 22.15 Upon the whole then 't is but too clear and evident what mischief sin hath done man in thus degrading him by making him a fool a beast a Monster and yet this is not all but 2 Sin hath not only degraded man 2 Sin separates man from God but hath also separated man from God in a moral sense for Acts 17.28 though by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are his Off-spring and in him we live move and have our being yet morally and spiritually sinners are separated from God and are without God This is a great injury and I may call it the greatest seeing God is mans chiefest good to be separated from him must be his greatest evil and loss There was ever a very great disproportion and distance between God and Man God the Creator and man the creature God Insinite and man finite c. but this was no misery to man 't is sin only sin that hath made a difference and separation between God and man and therefore sinners are said to be afar off Eph. 2.73 for they depart from God and like the Prodigal go into a far Country Luke 15.13 More particularly sin hath separated man 1 1 From the sight of God From the sight and seeing of God Man could talk with God face to face as a man converseth with his friend but woe and alas man cannot see his face and live One of the first discoveries of mans sinfulness and misery by it was that he could not endure but hid himself from the sight yea and the voice of God Genes 3.8 Our happiness lies so much in the sight of God that it hath the name of Beatifical Vision a sight which passeth all sights When our Saviour prays for the happiness of his he doth not only pray that they may be where he is but that they may see his glory Joh. 17.24 And this is the glory which doth not yet appear that we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 They that are regenerate and enlightned from above and are refined and clarified have some glimpses and gradual sights of God and yet 't is comparatively called darkness we see but darkly as 't were his back-parts through a glass which is short of seeing face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 We do live by faith now rather then by sight as the Apostle doth express it 2 Cor. 5.7 'T is true faith is to us instead of our eyes for 't is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. 11.1 and by it we look as Moses did to him who is and to his things which are invisible 2 Cor. 4.18 Seeing then mans happiness lies so much in seeing God what an exceeding great mischief hath sin done to man in separating him from the sight of God that man cannot see God and live whereas the best life is in seeing God 2 Sin hath separated man from the life of God 2 From the life of God not only from living unto God and with God but from living the life of God viz. such a life as God lives which is a life of holiness in perfection and therefore 't is said of sinners that they are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 yea and more that they are dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 So far from living that they are dead so far from living to God that they live against God so far from living the life of God that they live the life of Devils 'T is according to the Prince of the Power of the Air i.e. the Devil Eph. 1.2 Oh what an injury hath sin done in separating man from the Divine Life and Nature and sinking him into the dregs and death of sin viz. made him dead in sin 3 Sin hath separated man from the love of God 3 From the love of God I speak not now of what love and good will there is in God toward man but of that love and the actual communication thereof which man once had and enjoy'd whereof sin hath not only deprived him but made him the object of his wrath for God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7.11 and they are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 4 and therefore said not to be beloved Rom. 9.25 Man was once the object of his love and delight when man came into the world in the likeness of God God lookt on him with delight and was enamour'd of this his Image but sin alas hath made him the object of his wrath Oh injurious sin 4 4 From communion Sin hath separated man from communion with God God and man kept company while man and holiness kept company but when that and man parted then God and man parted the redintegration of any is upon a new account they could not walk together because of this disagreement Amos 3.3 When man left walking in the light of holiness and walked in the darkness of sin fellowship ceased 1 John 1.6 7. 'T is true there is reconciliation and recovery by Jesus Christ but sin did what in it lay to cut man off from all communion with God for ever Oh this spiteful and pernicious sin 5 5 From Covenant-relation Sin separated man from the Covenant-relation wherein he stood unto God so that God had no obligation upon him to own him or look after him to have any thing to do with him but ruine him and what sin did at first it doth if not repented of and pardon'd to this day and therefore sinners called Loammi not my people which is worse then not to be a people 1 Pet. 2.10 and they are without God Promise and Covenant Eph. 2.12 Man can claim nothing of God upon any right or Plea of his own having sinned and therefore are said also to be without hope viz. in themselves Oh what a separation hath sin made in robbing man of God it robs him of all things for all things are ours but so far as God is ours 1 Cor. 3 21.-2 From hence come two great miseries on sinners from God as judgments upon this separation 1 God hideth his face and this follows on the separation as 't is express Is 59.2 Your iniquities have separated you and your God and your sin hath hid his face from you or as the Margin reads it have made him
hide his face from you his face which makes heaven a smile whereof or the lifting up the light of which countenance upon us refresheth us more then corn wine and oyl Psa 4.6 7. yea his loving kindness is better then life we had better have parted with this then that Mans sin is exprest by this that he turns his back to God and not the face and his punishment by this that God turns his back to him and not the face God carries it not like a friend but a stranger And indeed this hiding of his face is significative of many more miseries then I can now stay to instance in 2 Another and no less misery hereupon is that God hears not his prayers as it follows in that fore-mentioned Text Is 59.2 and so it attends the hiding of Gods face Is 1.15 God is a God hearing prayers but sin shuts out our shouting and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord and he calls them no better then howlings Hos 7.14 Yet further There are two or three other miseries not to name many more that are consequent upon this separation which continually attend poor sinful man 1 That man is without strength Mans great strength is in union with God separation weakens him for without him apart from him out of him separated from him we can do nothing to be a sinner is to be without strength Rom. 5.6 with 8. Man was once a Sampson for strength but having parted with his Lock his strength is departed from him that of himself as of himself he is not sufficient to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 He was strong while in the Lord and the power of his might but now his â—ands are weak and knees feeble his legs cannot bear him up having got the Spiritual Rickers 2 Being separated from God man becomes afraid of God and ashamed to appear before him while Innocent though naked yet man was not afraid nor ashamed to approach to God or of Gods approaching to him but when he had sinned he was asham'd to shew his face and afraid to see Gods face or to hear his voice Gen. 3.9 10. When righteous he was bold as a Lyon but now he runs his head into a bush 3 This separation and departure hardens his heart against God that when God comes to talk and treat with man about his sinning he will lay it any where yea at Gods own door as Adam did rather then confess it 'T is three times said in one Chapter Hebr. 3.8.13 15. Harden not your hearts least any of you be hardened harden not your hearts and all this in relation 〈◊〉 hearing the voice of God as 't is there When God comes to convince man he cannot endure to hear on 't but hardens his heart and as it was in the beginning so it is now among the sinful children of men Thus have I as briefly as so large a subject would permit set out the sinfulness of sin as 't is against the good of man body and soul in this life in a natural and moral respect which was the first thing propounded The second follows 2 Sin is contrary to 2 Sin against the good of man in the life to come it damns men or against the good of man in the life to come It hath brought on man that eternal death Damnation In this life man by reason of sin is in deaths often but in the life to come he is in death for ever If sin had only wrong'd man in this life which is but for a moment it had not been so considerable but sins miserable effects are everlasting if mercy prevent not the wicked die and rise to die again the second and a worse death There is a Resurrection to life for the righteous the children of the Resurrection and for the wicked a Resurrection to condemnation or death for 't is opposed to life John 5.29 But Before I shew what and wherein damnation is and consequently the mischief and misery that sin hath thereby brought on man I shall premise a few things which will make our passage smooth and easie I say then 1 That God damns no man but for sin Damnation is a punishment Mat. 25.46 and all punishment supposeth guilt and transgression God the judge of all the earth will do right and he lays not on man more then is meet that man may not enter into judgment with God Job 34.23 or quarrel and find fault with him which man would quickly do if Gods judgment were not just even sinners themselves being Judges Death is but sins wages Rom. 6.23 that which it hath merited mans undoing is but the fruit of his own doing mans perdition is of himself Hos 13.9 His own wickedness correctâ— him Jer. 2.19 and that not only in this life but that to come Mat. 7.23 and Mat. 25 2 That by sin all men are liable to condemnation We were all of us children of wrath by nature Eph. 2.3 and the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 Hâ— that believeth not is condemned already he iâ— in a state of condemnation beside that which unbelief will bring upon him Joh. 3.18 and he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him He was a child of wrath by nature and continues still so in unbelief Joh. 3.36 Thâ— wrath of God seiseth on him as its habitation anâ— abode Every mouth must be stop'd for all thâ— world is become guilty all have sinned and fallen short of the glory and are obnoxious tâ— the judgment of God Rom. 3 19.-23 3 Some men have been are and will be damneâ— for sin all but them who have do and shall condemn sin and themselves for sin If we judge our selves we shall not be condemned of thâ— Lord else woe be to us When our Saviour senâ— his Disciples to preach saith he Go preach the Gospel that 's good news and glad tidings he that believes shall be saved Mark 16.16 Ayâ— but what if they will not believe what shall we say then Why then tell them he that believeâ— not shall be damned This is as great a truth of the Gospel that he who believes not will be damned as this is that he who believes shall be saved Heaven and Salvation is not more surely promised to the one then hell and damnatioâ— is threatned to and shall be executed on the other broad is the way that leads to this destruction there are as many tracts to it as there aâ—â— sins but impenitency and unbelief are the high road way the beaten path wherein multitudes go to hell 4 Damnation is the greatest evil of suffering that can befall a man 't is the greatest punishment that God doth inflict This is the wrath of God to the uttermost 't is his vengeance Oh who knows the power of his wrath none but damned ones It is misery altogether misery and alwayes misery to be damned This will yet more fully appear upon
sorry with a sharp Epistle he doth not repent of it because it wrought such sorrow in them as wrought repentance to salvation not to be repented of as appear'd in their indignation against revenge upon themselves and zeal for God as he there speaks in their behalf Lastly It fully appears that godly men abhor sin by this that they desire to die upon no account more then this to berid of sin that they may sin no more but be holy as he which hath called them is holy they groan for a change upon this account 2 Cor. 5.4 mortality and corruption are conjoyn'd 1 Cor. 15. and this is not laid aside till that be and therefore they desire not only to be in Christ where there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 but to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 which is best of all for there is no sin no nor temptation to it There was never a temptation to sin in heaven since the devil was cast out nor will never be for the devil shall never be there nor corruption neither for that ceaseth when mortality is swallowed up of life So that upon the whole the witness of godily men is unexceptionable notwithstanding their having sinned I now proceed to shew 2 That wicked men themselves are witnesses of 2 Wicked men and against the sinfulness of sin that it is an ugly shameful and an abominable thing that which they are ashamed to own Let us hear some of the Heathens speak their sense of it Cicero tells us he thought not that man worthy the name of a man that spent one day in the pleasures of the flesh yea he faith further that after death he thinks there 's no greater torments then sin and another speaks after this manner that he thought it one of the greatest torments that men should have in another life to be bound to the sins they most delighted in in this life Socrates would die rather then consent to a sin of injustice and one of them saith Socrates was not unhappy in being put to death but they unhappy that put him to death he suffer'd but they sinned another hath a saying of mens living in pleasure much like that of S. Paul concerning the wanton widow 1 Tim. 5.6 she that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their reason of these things said by them concerning sin was because sin degraded man and was a degeneration that such live the life of a beast and not of a man which is a life of reason and virtue whence Plotinus saith the pleasures of the body do so interrupt the happiness of the soul that 't is the souls happiness to despise the bodies pleasures Sin say the Stoicks is the worst kind of suffering and he is the only miserable man that is wicked the greatest punishment of sinners is sin Seneca I could produce many more to this purpose but I shall not take in the witness only of these or such other brave magnanimous and well-bred Heathens but the very Herd of wicked men the very dregs of them shall give in testimony will they nill they by their thoughts words or works and sad experiences that sin is an ugly because finful thing Sinners are asham'd of sin 1 When before they commit it 2 After they have committed it 1 Sinners are asham'd of sin before and think it an ugly thing when they commit it For 1. though they are so daring and impudent as to sin yet they have not the courage to consider what 't is they are going about or at least to speak one what they think concerning sin they know that when they sin their conscience will accuse them and they shall find regrets which they are loath to feel much more to utter and declare therefore they dare not ask themselves what 't is they are about to do or are a doing to catechize themselves and say is there not a lye in or at my right hand Is 44. It argues that men are afraid they shall find what they have no mind to meet with when they are loath to entertain themselves with a few forethoughts concerning it but rush like horses into the battel The Scripture speaks as if 't were impossible for men to be so wicked if they were but considerative without which they act not like men if they think of it and yet sin they care not dare not speak out their thoughts but had rather conceal their shame and pain as well as they can then tell any body what fools they have been and how foolishly they have done If sin had any thing of Noble or Honorable in it why do they not proclaim its virtues and thereby their own in loving it If they think it good why do they call it by its name if they think it evil why do they but think it so 't is only because they are asham'd on 't that any body should know what they think as Psa 14.1 the fool hath said in his heart there is no God It seems he had not the hardiness nor heart to say it with his mouth he whisper'd and mutter'd or wish'd but was loath to be heard their speaking thus within speaks out this that they are ashamed of what they think and dare not utter it 2 Sinners dare not commit sin till they have given it a new name they sin not under the name and notion of sin no woe unto them they call as good evil so evil good Is 5. Revenge they will not own but a vindication of their Honor a doing right to their reputation Covetousness is a fordid thing they say theirs is but frugality and good husbandry Drunkenness is unmanly because unmanning 't is beastial they confess but theirs is only good fellowship in the liberal use of the creature Pride must be called decency and being in the fashion Fornication but a trick of Youth or gratifying nature Thus do men disguize sin for surely did they call it by its own name and but look it in the face they know they shall find it such an ugly Hag as were not fit for the imbraces of men no nor of devils This their new-naming it condemns it 3 This argues their being asham'd on 't that they do what they do as much as they can in the dark yea as they foolishly think in the dark from Gods sight also and do thereby implicitly confess that if men or God saw them they should be asham'd of what they do time was when they that were drunk were drunk in the night it being a business of shame And Eph 5.11 12. the Apostle tells us that 't is a shame to speak of what 's done by some in secret and therefore it seems they themselves do it secretly because they are asham'd it should be known and talkt of And indeed 't is a general rule given by Christ himself that he who doth evil hateth the light because his deeds are evil and he cannot endure that they should
done no wickedness she will sin to avoid the scandal of her sin When Gehazi had taken a reward by lying in his Masters name of Naaman the Syrian and was returned his Master askt him where he had been saith he thy servant hath been no where 2 Kings 5.15 16. He was so asham'd of what he had done he durst not own it and this is a clear discovery that sin is an ugly thing that sinners will not dare not stand to avow and justifie it But 2 It further appears that sin is an unpleasing thing and that which sinners are asham'd of that they dare not look into their actions nor call themselves to an account 'T is as troublesome a thing to sinners to look into themselves and to examine their lives as 't is for men that go backward in their estates to look into their books and cast up their accounts Jer. 8.5.6 Why is this people backslâ—dden with a perpetual back-slâ—ding and never look behind them nor within them no man said so much or little as what have I done They care not to be alone least the thoughts of their sins should stare them in the face they study divisions and pastimes and run into company least their sins like Ghosts and Devils should haunt and lay hold of them and when these are over they sleep away the rest of their time they cannot endure to be at home least a worse thing then a scolding woman an upbraiding Conscience should fall upon them they can afford no leisure to think how they have idled and sinn'd away and thereby worse then lost so much of their time Amos 6 3.-6 we read of persons on whose hands time lay heavy and as a burthen and therefore studied Arts and Methods of laying it aside that they may put the thoughts of the evil day far from them sometimes by lying on their beds and being weary of that they stretch themselves upon their Couches and then they fall to eating and drinking and so rise up to play and dance c. what doth all this speak but an unwillingness to have any sense of sin or but to look on its picture 't is so hellish a thing 3 It appears yet further by this that they will decry and punish that sin in others which themselves are guilty of the better to conceal their own or to compensate for it by being severe to others when a Thief hath stoln and robbed he is the first that makes Hue and Cry they are loth to be found the sinners themselves We read that though Judah was guilty of Incest himself yet how forward he was to punish fornication in Jamar his Daughter-in-law Genes 38. When our Saviour put the case to the Pharisees what the Lord of the Vineyard would do with the Husbandmen that had abused and beaten his servants and which was worse slain his son they could readily answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will miserably Gr. wickedly i.e. with a punishment great as their sin will be destroy these wicked men Mat. 21.41 Thus when they knew not whom they condemn'd they condemn'd themselves and their own sin ex ore tuo out of thine own mouth art thou condemn'd O sinner 'T is true the case was alter'd when he said that they were the men but by this we see that when men are not concern'd or seem not to be so how severe they are against sin yea when they do it to hide their own wickedness as John 8.7 8 9. 4 It s yet more apparent by this that they usually fly to the horns of the Altar to some fits of devotion and forms of godliness as if they would compound with God to save them What meant all the purifications sacrifices and attonements which the Heathens used but that a sense of guilt was too heavy to be born and what more common among men of better profession then to say just as soon as they have sinned Lord have mercy upon me God forgive me they kiss their Crucifix tell over their Beads and go to confession and what doth all this conclude but that they have even themselves being witnesses and judges they have been injurious to God and their own souls and that without reconciliation and pardon or one fancied at least they cannot be quiet 5. And lastly they fully declare against sin as sinful in that they desire to die the death of the righteous Balaam and others that lived not the life of the righteous but accounted their life madness yet reckon their end happy and therefore would that their own might be as theirs By this we see that no wicked man cares for sins wages and surely that work cannot be good whose wages is so bad that no man cares to receive it but oh that their after state may be with the righteous Numb 23.10 The wages of sin is death and the end of sin is death oh no such death no such wages says Balaam though they go hell-ward while they live yet they would fain go to heaven when they die and what is deduceable from hence more then this that sin is a damnable thing and though sinners seek their happiness in their misery yet 't is happiness they seek and when ever they find their disappointment they grow angry with themselves with sin the devil and all There is one exception that may be made against this witness true there are some pittiful sneaking sinners cowardly and timerous ones that are daunted at and asham'd of sin but there are others past shame fear and sense roaring Boys ranting and rampant sinners Rodomontado Blades that boast of their sin and glory in being wicked that take pleasure in things worthy of damnation and yet scorn to be frighted with terrible Preachers but will sin in the face of the Sun without a blush we will hear what these say and be judged by these brave Sparks and bold Fellows Be it so 1 With sorrow for them that have none for themselves 't is to be confest that there are some hardned sinners sunk into the image practise and it may be condemnation as well as snare of the devil himself yea they seem to outgo the devils for they believe and tremble which is more then some sinners do Godly men rejoyce with trembling but some ungodly men sin without trembling and rejoyce at it too But 2 This is a sad and dreadful judgment upon them worse then any affliction that could befall them of all judgments this the most terrible as being the Suburbs of hell it self to be punished for sin by sin is the worst of punishments when God saith of a person or people he will let them go they shall take their course and not be punished viz. by bodily and sensible plagues he punisheth them most and worst of all To denote the greatness of it 't is three times said in Scripture Rom. 1. that God gave them up and gave them over v. 24.26.28 'T is no wonder men act the devils part when they
meaning of this Text viz. that the law kept us in awe and bondage by its severity until Christ came Compare this Text with Ch. 4 1 2 3. The heir as he is a Child or Babe differs nothing from a servant but is under Tutors and Governours so we saith the Apostle were in bondage c. To be under Tutors is all one as to be under a Schoolmaster and that 's to be in a condition of bondage Many go to School with an ill will for they go to the Ferula to the Rod to the Whip to bondage to fear and torment the law doth nothing but frown on us puts us hard tasks and lasheth us for non-performance till Christ come and till we come to Christ as the Aegyptians did the Israelites Exod. 5.14 The law is the state of bondage and fear the very children are all subject to bondage through fear of death Hebr. 2.14 15. This also argues the sinfulness of sin that it made the law such a dread and terrour to us as it is to all till Christ come who is the end of the law for righteousness Rom. 10.4 and so takes off the Schoolmasters terribleness by taking us into the university of an higher and better state viz. that of believing in him for righteousness by which we come to have a spirit not of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind as S. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 1.7 5 The law silenceth man from making any complaint how great soever the judgment of God be upon him Mark what to whom and to what end and purpose the law speaketh Rom. 3.19 that every mouth be stopt All the world must be silent when God speaks judgment for all are guilty If living man complain he hath this answer presently and in short 't is for his sin Lam. 3.39 There 's no room for one that hath finned to complain when he is judged a sinner and yet complain Oh I I am punish'd 't is for sin now this stops his mouth Man hath no reason to enter into judgment with God when God enters into judgment with man O what a wicked thing is sin that hath brought man into such a condition that he cannot speak one word for himself if he should open his mouth the law would stop it by saying but this thou hast sinned The Law tells man that he is without excuse and therefore 't is in vain to plead all on this side hell is mercy for 't is the Lords mercy we are not consumed and hell it self is just judgment under this or that any or all judgment man under the law the sentence and condemnation of the law hath no cause to complain he must be silent for and because he hath sinned 6 And lastly The law leaves a man without hope when it hath once past sentence on man there 's no reversing it by the law Hope is one of the last succours and when this fails the heart breaks and sinners as they are without hope so they are broken-hearted Christ came to save sinners and to heal the broken-hearted men without hope Is 61.1 men that were in a desperate and despairing state The law condemns without mercy Hebr. 10.28 it leaves no place for hope from it if you present it with Petitions never so many and seek a pardon with tears the law is inexorable he is cursed and shall be cursed saith the law Now if there be any reprieve or hope of pardon that 's from the grace of heavens Prerogative which is above the Law and can revoke and disannul its sentence yea bestow a blessing where the law denounced a curse but the law it self admits of no altering 't is like that of the Medes and Persians peremptory and unalterable quod scripsi scripsi what I have written I have written saith the Law In all these respects sin by the Commandment and the law doth become and appear to be exceeding sinful But If it should be said by any that though the law be severe to sinners yet the Gospel is propitious and merciful to them and therefore sin seems not now at least to be so vile a thing as heretofore To this I shall answer and make it evident 6 That the Gospel also bears witness yea 6 The Gospel witnesseth against sin and is the greatest and clearest testimony that 's born against sin Though sinners find favour from the Gospel yet sin finds none The Gospel is not in the least indulgent to the least sin The whole voice of the Gospel is these things are written that ye sin not The Gospel is the Declaration of the life and death the design and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which was and is all against sin The design of Christ was indeed to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 but to destroy sin Rom. 8.3 1 Joh. 3.5 with 8. he came to save his people from their sins he came not to save from the petty and contemptible evils of reproaches and afflictions c. but from the great and formidable evil of sin from the guilt for time past and the power for time to come he came to redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 And this is the blessing with which he blesseth us to turn us every one away from every one of our iniquities Acts 3.26 so that whoever names and calls upon the Name of the Lord i.e. makes profession of being a Christian is thereby obliged to depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 How â—he life and death of our holy and blessed Saviour did witness against sin I declared before I shall now treat of the doctrine of â—he Gospel which doth so fully comport with and is adequately fitted to his aim and design viz. the taking away of sin The sum of Gospel Doctrine preacht by Christ himself and confirmed to us by them that heard him was and is repentance and faith Mark 1.15 and under these the Apostle compriseth the whole counsel of God Acts 20.21 with 27. both these doctrines speak aloud against sin as exceeding sinful Repent saith the Apostle for the remission of sins what an evil is that which man must repent of and none but the God of all grace rich in mercy can remit and forgive And which forgiveness argues him to be a God of great love rich in mercy c. or else sin could not be forgiven it being easier to heal diseases c. then to forgive sins as our Saviour tells us Mat 9.5 6. 'T is the manifestation of his power according to what Moses said in prayer let the power of my Lord be great to pardon c. Numb 14 17.-20 Repentance takes in many things it s made up of sorrow and shame confession and reformation all and every of which speak sins sinfulness Repent that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3.19 If sin be not blotted out man is undone his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life as Repentance so Faith speaks against sin Faith speaks men to
is not to rail at it but to tell it its own for 't is the Quinitessence of evil which hath made all the evils that are and is worse then all the evils it hath made 't is so evil that 't is impossible to make it good or lovely by all the Arts that can be used poyson may be corrected and made medicinal if not nutritive but sin is sin and can be no other its nature cannot be changed no not by a pardon To speak as the thing is 't is not only ugly but ugliness not only filthy but filthiness not only abominable but abomination there is not a worse thing in Hell it self it hath not its fellow there All this and much more may be said of and against sin and having laid this ground-work I shall now build upon it the fourth thing viz. The Application The Application and Improvement of the Doctrine of Sins sinfulness 1. Then Sin is the worst of Evils By way of Inference for our Information in several things as first in general That Sin is the worst of Evils the evil of evils and indeed the only evil nothing is so evil as nay nothing is evil properly but sin nor in comparison of it As the sufferings of this present time of our life which are upon us are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us so neither the sufferings of this life or that to come are worthy to be compared for evil with the evil of sin No evil is displeasing to God or destructiâ—e to man but the evil of sin 'T is worse then affliction then death then Devil then Hell affliction is not so afflictive death is not so deadly the Devil not so devilish Hell not so hellish as sin is and this will help to fill up the charge against its sinfulness especially as it is contrary to and against the good of man These four Evils that I have named are terrible indeed and from all which every one is ready to say Good Lord deliver us yet none of these are all of these are not so bad as sin and therefore our prayers should be more to be delivered from sin and if God hear no prayer else yet as to this we should say We beseech thee to hear us good Lord 1. Worse then affliction and suffering 'T is worse then any evil of affliction there are afflictions of several sorts and they are all called Evils is there any evil of what sort or kind or quality soever in the City and I have not done it Amos 3.6 God you see will owne himself the Author of it but not of sin that 's a bastard of someothers be getting and breeding the evil of plagues and afflictions are of Gods bringing though of sins deserving now indeed no affliction seemeth to be or is joyour for the present Heb. 12 11. but though they are not to be desired yet they may be endured but sin is neither to be desired nor endured any sin is worse then any suffering one sin then 〈◊〉 suffering the least sin then the greatest suffering What you will say is it worse then to be whipt to be burnt to be sawn asunder c yes by a great deal as appears by what our Saviour saith Mat. 10.28 fear not them that can kill but fear him that can damn q. d. 't is better to be killed then to be damned We maâ— more easily suffer from men then sin against God One may suffer and not sin but 't is impossible to sin and not suffer They that avoid suffering by sinning sin themselves into worse suffering Thâ—â— seems to be clear enough yet because truth are seldom well improved till they be believed and are seldom believed till they are well proved I shall therefore make this out more fully That sin is worse then suffering first by this Argument in general because Sin is all evil only evil and always evil which no affliction is nor can be in my flesh saith the Apostle there dwelleth no good no not the least and this is ever present with me this cannot be said of afflictions that there is no good in them that they dwell in and are always present with us there are some lucida intervalla Sun-shines in Winter One may say 't was good that I was afflicted Psal 119.71 't is good to bear the yoke in ones youth Lam. 3.23 but one can never say 't was good that I sinned no though 't were but in my youth Eccl. 11.9 12.1 All things may be corrected and made to work for our good and we can say not only God that afflicted me was good but the affliction wrought for good 2 Cor. 4.17 but we can never justly say that sin did us good Many can say periissem nisi periissem I had been undone had I not suffered but none can say periissem nisi peccassem I had perished if I had not sinned no no 't is by sin we perish and are undone many have thankt God for affliction but never any for sin Some indeed mistake that place Rom. 6.17 as if the Apostle thanked God that they were sinners no by no means but he thanks God that they who once were sinners were become obedient to the Gospel and the proper sense and reading is Thanks be to God though ye were the servants of sin in time past yet now ye have obeyed the form of Doctrine which was delivered to you or as the Margine and Greek whereunto ye were delivered Sin of it self is neither good before nor after its commission 't is not good to be committed nor good after 't is committed nor doth it do us any good but hurt all our days but other evils though we cannot call them good before and so desire them yet we can call them good after and so thank God for them More particularly 1. Suffering may be the object of our choice which sin cannot be for that which is evil and can be no other and so is sin cannot be the object of our volition and choice 't is contra-natural If men did not call evil good and good evil they could never love the evil nor hate the good nor can fin be chosen as a means to a good for as 't is evil and nothing else so it doth evil and nothing else But now affliction though not chosen for it self yet for an end a good end and effect of it may be chosen yea and rather then sin it may be chosen though no other good thing should follow then this that one did no evil Instances we have of this as the three young Worthies Dan. 3.17 whose gallantry of spirit was such that though they should not be delivered by their God yet they would not they were holily wilful they would not sin against their God nor so much as demur deliberate or take time to consider whether they should suffer or sin t was past dispute with them brave and noble
see what a deadly destructive and killing thing thy sin is Bvery mouth must be stopped there 's no room for complaint against God or his Law for thou art as all others are by becoming guilty sallen short of the glory and subject to the judgment of God Rom. 3 -19.-23 So that by the Commandment sin appears to be a desperate malignant thing the proper true and only cause of mans condemnation and death From this brief yet clear account of the Text and Context these following truths are deducible 1. Observations from the Text. That the Law of God in whole and every part is good not only not sin i. e. culpable or criminal as v. 7. or only holy and just v. 12. or spiritual v. 14. but good v. 12 13. good not only in it self but relatively in its institution with respect to man for 't was ordain'd to life v. 10. Yet 2. This good Law transgressed makes man over to death Patience that temperate and harmless thing if abused turns to rage and fury so the Law good though it be yet abused it condemns and kills But 3. Though the Law condemn mans fault and man for his fault yet still the Law is good and is not to blame nor to be blam'd The Law is as good as ever 't was 't is to be justified by man even then when it condemns man As man had no reason to break the Law so none to sind fault with the Law though it bind men over to death for breaking of it For 4. 'T is not the Law but sin that works mans death and ruine sin aims at no less and if grace prevent not it will end in no less for the end and wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 22. Yet 5. Sin 't is true worketh mans death and destruction by that which is good scil the Law when sin hath used man to break the Law it useth the Law to break man to undo him by condemnation and death And 6. Sin is therefore exceeding sinful and wicked most unmeasurably spiteful poysonous and pernicious because it kills men and not only so but kills them by that which is good and was appointed to man for life it turns food into poyson ut agnoscatur quam sceleratus peccator sit hoc peccatum quam pestisera res dum per mandatum rem salutiferam exserit virus suum Clarius Like the horrid and cursed wickedness our stories tell us of so wickedly committed in poysoning a man yea a King by the Cup of Blessing So that 7. And lastly Sin by the Commandment appears to be excessively sinful Vt evidens sit quam perniciosum quam grave quam scelestum sit ipsum peccatum Zegerus If we look on this through the Microscope-glass of the Law it will appear a most hideous devillish and hellish thing the most wicked villanous mischievous virulent and deadly thing that ever was Sinful sin worse then the Devil c. of which anone I may not prosecute any of these particulars apart for I shall have occasion enough to speak to every and each of them in handling the sinfulness of sin in relation whereunto I intend to observe this method and to manifest thereby 1. What sin is The subject and method of handling it the thing so much and so deservedly evil spoken of whereof none can speak well but they that speak ill of it for they speak best who speak the worst of sin 2. Wherein the sinfulness of sin doth especially consist and so to lay open not only its effects but its nature also 3. What witness and evidence there is to make good this Indictment and Charge against Sin that it is so vile and abominable so sinful as the Apostle calls it And 4. What use and improvement is to be made of the Doctrine of Sins excessive sinfulness 1. To begin with the subject 1 Whâ—◠〈◊〉 is and to shew what sin is Sin is the transgression of a Law yea of a good Law yea of a Gods Law Sin supposeth a Law in being for where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 but where there is sin there is a Law and a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is a transgression of the Law and this is the sin intended here in the Text as appears by v. 7. Now the Law not only forbids the doing of evil whether by thought word or deed but also commands the doing of good so that to omit the good commanded is sin as well or ill as is the doing of the evil that is forbidden against the fruits of the spirit there is no Law but against the works of the flesh as the opposition holds there is Law for they are all against the Law as the Apostle tells us Galat. 5 19.-24 what ever then doth transgress the Law of God in whole or in part James 2.10 is therefore and is therein a sin whither it break an affirmative or a negative precept i. e. whither it be the omission of good or commission of evil 2. 2 Wherein the sinfulness of sin To proceed and lay open wherein especially the sinfulness of sin doth consist which is easily and readily known from its definition or description just now set before us Sin being a transgression of Gods Law which is not only holy and just as made and given by an holy and just God but good also as it respects man for whom God made it according to the Text and Context and as 't is in Deuter. 5.29 and 6.24 with many other places I say sin being a transgression of Gods Law which was made for mans good the sinfulness of sin must needs lie in this that it is contrary 1. To God 2. To Man These then are the two Heads I shall insist upon to declare the malignity and wicked nature of sinful sin and both these are evident from the Law for by it as our Text speaks sin appears sin and by the Commandment sin clearly and undeniably becomes most exceeding hyperbolically or above measure sinful i. e. extremely guilty of displeafing and dishonoring God of debasing and destroying man and on both accounts justly obnoxious to and deservingly worthy of the hatred of God and man as to which I do heartily wish the issue to be that man may hate it as God doth who hates it and nothing else but it or to be sure he hates none but for it Of sins contrariety to God 1. 1 Sin is contrary to God Then the sinfulness of sin not only appears by but consists in this that 't is contrary to God yea contrariety and enemity it self in the very abstract Carnal men or sinners are called by the name of enemies to God Rom 5.8 with 10. Col. 1.21 but the carnal mind or sin is called enmity it self Rom. 8.7 and accordingly it and its acts are exprest by names of enmity and acts of hostility as walking contrary to
from them yet it is the leaâ—â— for they must part not only with these things but the joy pleasure and delight they had from them These things are most considerable for the use and comfort of them The rich man Luke 12. cheer'd himself not in having much goods but that he expected ease and mirth from them The wicked spend their daies in mirth Job 21.12 and have a brave time on 't as they think they sing care away all the day long and refresh themselves with Requiems and Placebo Songs they chant at the Viol c. and though indeed this frolick joy be a misery of it self for what truer misery then false joy their laughter being but madness yet 't is the best they have in this world But this also must be parted with these crackling of thorns will go out and their mirth will end in woe their joy in sorrow their light in darkness and 't will add to their grief in hell that they were so merry on earth When this evil day comes they will say there 's no pleasure in remembring their good daies It seems Dives was loath to think of this and therefore Abraham saith Son remember but 't was a sad remembrance to remember good as lost and gone for ever they will say then as Adrian did Animula vagula blandula quo vadis non ut soles dabis jocos Oh my poor soul thou wilt laugh and joke and droll no more 3 3 Pat wiâ—h their peace and â—â—cuâ—iâ—y or their insâ—â—sibility They must suffer the loss of all their peace 'T is trueâ— the wicked here have no real and solid peace for there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa 48.22 and 57.21 but they have that which they call peace and which is to them instead of peace viz. security and stupidity a seared and benum'd conscience and because of this they think they are in peace but when they come to hell all this will be otherwise Conscience that was sear'd as with a red hâ—t iron here will feel the flames there and startle at it They that met with no trouble here will be consumed with terrors there Psal 73.13 There are no seared consciences in hell they are all tender and sensible there Then will Conscience awake and rouse up like a Lyon or gnaw like a worm That they shall no longer have the little ease of dissembling their pain as they were woâ—â— to do here 4 4 With their hope Sinners then must lose the hopes they had of heaven Wicked men have no reason to hope for heaven and yet they will hope though against hope as Abraham and good men hope against hope when they have Gods promise so the wicked hope against hope notwithstanding Gods threatning they will be building their hopes as high as heaven though they build on the Sand and without a foundation but this house must fall and the fall will be great from the hopes of heaven into hell Mat. 7.22 27. The hope of Gods people keeps their heart from breaking and it shall never be ashamed but this hope of sinners will break their heart in hell for there 't will be asham'd when the wicked dies his expectation shall perish and the hope of unjust men perisheth Prov. 11.7 Their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost Job 11.20 The Hypocrites hope shall perish and his trust is but as a Spiders web he shall lean upon his house but it shall not stand he shall hold it fast but it shall not endure Job 8 13.-15 where will the hope of hypocrites be when God taketh away his soul will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him No no he will not Job 27.8 9. 5 They must part from 5 From all good company and suffer the loss of all good company they shall no more have the company of one good man in this world the wicked fare the better for Gods people being among them and though they despise and scoff at them and think them not worthy to live yet God himself assures us that the world is not worthy of their converse they are too good for this world Hebr. 11.38 yea though the wicked count good and holy mens lives to be folly and madness yet when they come to die they would be glad with all their hearts that their souls might be in as good a condition as theirs after death Balaam that wicked wretch who loved the wages of and lived in unrighteousness all his daies yet could wish to die the death of the righteous and that his latter end Hebr. his afterward or after state might be as theirs Numb 23.10 Then they would be glad to take hold of the shirt of a Jew one that is so inwardly Rom. 2.28 29. and say we will go with you for God is with you but they will find a great Gulf fixed between them Heaven will not hold any of the wicked nor shall Hell have any of the righteous to hold The wicked shall not stand in judgment nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous Psa 1.5 Here below they may through in the bad among the good but hereafter God will find them out and separate them and though now many a sinner may separate from the world to joyn with Saints yet then God will separate them from Saints and joyn with sinners and devils they shall be excommunicated from the society of Saints and be deliver'd up to Satan the Executioner of Gods wrath and vengeance and shall have no company but the damned Crew 6 6 They must be without the heaven they hoped for They must be not only without their hopes of heaven but without heaven which they hoped for to have parted with their hopes for possession had been no loss but gain but to part with their hopes and with heaven too is a double loss Whatever shall be the Saints portion they must go without it and be no sharers in it in the least degree And though perhaps as some think the wicked may be permitted to look into heaven as Dives saw Lazarus in Abrahams bosom yet it will be but to heighten the depth of their misery by letting them see what they by their sin have deprived themselves of To lose Heaven is to lose a Kingdome and glory more worth and glorious than all the Kingdomes of this world and their several glories united in one 't is to part with Rest Sabbatisme for so 't is called Sabbaths they cared not for while they lived and Sabbatisme or rest they will have none when they die They gloried in their shame in this world and they shall have shame enough but no glory in the world to come The thoughts of their having been happy though but in conceit and that others are really happy and for ever but they excluded from any share in any happiness 't will cut them to the heart 7 They must suffer the loss of God himself 7 They must
deliver'd to as different as grief is from joy as torment is from rest as terror from peace so different is the state of sinners from that of Saints in the world to come Rom. 2 6.-10 3 This state damnation-state of sinners 3 I admits of no relief will admit of no relief 't will be punishment without pitty miscry without mercy sorrow without succour crying without comfort torment without ease The sinner can look for no relief from God for God judgeth and condemns him none from conscience for that accuseth and upbraids him none from the Devils for they torment him none from hope for that 's departed from him none from time for 't is for ever it s a state of all misery it hath no consolation not so much as a little drop of water to cool the tongue 't is misery all misery nothing but misery as sin is all sin and nothing but sin Damnation-state more particularly consider'd under six Heads 1 The torments themselves the kinds of them 2 The quantity and quality of them 3 The duration of them 4 The Tormentors or inflicters of them 5 The aggravations of them 6 The effects of them By that time I have set these before you I presume you will conclude and cry out Oh sinful sin what a thing is sin and who would sin at this rate A he torments of Hell and be at such cost and charges to damn himself To begin with the torments themselves where I shall consider 1 The place with the names and appendices of it 2 The thing it self with its names 1 The place Hell is the place with its names In general and most frequently 't is called Hell the place and element of torment Luke 16. This is the Rendezvous General for the wicked after the day of Judgment and to express the dreadfulness of any condition or thing the name of Hell is annexed to it as to signifie the excellency of a thng the name of God and Heaven is joyn'd to it as Cedars of God c. 1 Therefore hell is a place and state of sorrow 1 Of sorrow for the greatest sorrows are called the sorrows of hell 2 Sam. 22.6 as the joys of heaven are the greatest joys so the sorrows of hell the greatest sorrows 2 A place and state of pains and pangs 2 Of pain far beyond them of a woman in travel Psa 116.2 The pains of hell gat hold of me there 's no ease in hell 3 Destruction is joyn'd with it 3 Destruction to be in hell is to be destroy'd Prov. 15.11 Hell and destruction are before him and he can destroy body and soul in hell Mat. 10.28 So 4. 'T is a place and state of five 4 Fiâ— of fiery indignation Mat. 5.22 He that calls his brother fool viz. without cause and in rash anger is in danger of hell fire the worst of flames Luk. 16. Yea 5. Damnation is in it and spoken of it 5 Damnation Mat. 23.33 How can ye escape the damnation of hell 6 Torment is attributed to it Luke 16.28 6 Tormen 'T is called the place of torment Thus you see what a kind of place and condition hell is 't is all these and much more than these words can express or you conceive by these expressions Yet more particularly 1 Hell is called a prison 'T is called 1 A prison As heaven is set out by things taking and delectable so hell is set out by what 's distastful and loathsome among which a prison is one and hell is called a prison Mat. 5.25 1 Per. 3.19 Prisons common Goals are the worst places to live in 't is a noysome pestilential air but hell is worse than the worst of prisons 2 2 A bottomless pit Hell is called the bottomless pit Revel 9.11 and elsewhere frequently The Devil is the Angel of the bottomless pit 't is a pit into which sinners must fall and be ever falling for there 's no bottom 3 3 A furnace of fire Hell is called a Furnace of fire and that 's a terrible thing Nebuchadnezars Furnace was terrible especially when heated seven times more than usually yet hell is a worse Furnace of fire Mat. 13.41 42. They that do iniquity that are sin-makers by trade shall be cast into a Furnace of fire which shall not devoure them but torment them and make them wail and gnash their teeth 4 4 A Lake c. It s called a Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Revel 21.8 Such and such as are there named shall have their part and portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone always over head and ears in this Lake yet never drown'd always burning but never burnt to ashes They will in this be like the burning bush which burnt with fire but was not consumed as the Church was so on earth sinners will be so in hell 5 5 Darkness This place though it burn with fire and brimstone is yet called utter and outer darkness those flames will administer heat of wrath but no light of consolation Darkness is a dreadful thing but to be in the fire in darkness to live in death always to be tormented in flames and yet in darkness Oh how dismal must this be Mat. 22.13 bind him hand and foot and cast him into outer darkness so that 't will be in vain to think of making resistance for thou wilt be bound hand and foot and be in darkness too yea 't is called chains of darkness 2 Pet. 2.4 and blackness of darkness for ever Jude 6.13 This of the place 2 Let us consider the thing it self 2 Hell is a state of damnation with its names for as its name is so is it The most common and usual name of this punishment is Damnation a dreadful word who knows how much it means 't will make the stoutest heart to tremble the most consident countenance to fall the most daring courage to fail when they feel it If his wrath be kindled but a little 't is terrible how much more is it so when it shall be wrath to the uttermost for 't is contrary to being saved to the utmost More particularly 't is called 1 Destruction viz. Which is 1 Destâ—â—ction moral destruction not of mans being but well being 2 Pet. 2.12 they shall be taken destroy'd and utterly perish And 2 Thes 1.8.9 they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Alas it had been better for them they had never been born or if born that they had never died or if died that they had never risen again then to be thus destroy'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hicrocles to be banish'd from God and the Divine Life is the worst of deaths 2 'T is a curse an accursed state 2 A curse to be under the curse of God as Mat. 25.41 not only depart from me but depart ye cursed There 's noâ— the
may distasie it and to Plays to see the folly of them but who would be a burnt child to dread the firâ—â— 't is bad making such costly experiments as may cost us the loss of our souls 't is dangerous medling with that which is an appearance and may be an occasion of evil much more to parley and tamper with sin it self But then 7 saith sin I promise thee thou shalt get by it so much profit so much pleasure so much honour shalt thou have by it but sins gain is loss he that gets the world by a sin pays too dear for it for 't is the loss at least the hazard of his soul the pleasures of sin are grievous its honours disgraces and shame Did not our first Parents sind it so and do not we the Apostle appeals Rom. 6.21 the precious substance promised ends in a pernicious shadow and the spoils we get by sin do but spoil us Sin promiseth like a God but pays like a Devil sin tells us we shall not dye but live like Gods but we find nothing but death and such a life as they have in Hell Sins performances are contrary to its promises it promiseth gold and 〈◊〉 dross If any man have a mind to true miseâ—â—es let him take sins falle promiset Well but then 8 saith sin others do it and why mayest not thou 'T is not what others do but what they ought to do that we are to follow we must not follow any man nor a multitude of men to do evil if others will venture their damnation what 's that to us 't will be no solamen miseris socios habuisse no comfort to have had companions in sin and to meet them again in Hell I but saith sin 9 't is but repent and God will forgive thee to this we have to say that he who promised forgiveness to them that repent hath not promised repentance to them that sin beside if sin were to cost no more but repentance one in his wits would be loth to buy repentance at so dear a rate Repentance though it may free from greater yet it puts men to more grief and pain then ever sin could afford them pleasure I but saith sin 10 thou hast scapt well enough hitherto no evil hath yet befallen thee to this say it may be 't is so much the worse and not to be punished may be the worst punishment Isa 1.5 Hos 4.14 17. but what will it cost if God do awaken me if not that what will it cost when God shall damn me But then saith sin 11 't is but thine infirmity thou canst not help it this is a thing tell sin that none but fools and children can pretend to beside to plead for infirmities is more then an infirmity and that which is but an infirmity to day may become a disease to morrow if not prevented when once the will is ingaged 't is past an infirmity and is become a sin If these or other like do not prevail then it speaks more openly Sin saith Sin either there 's no such thing there 's no difference between good and evil as all things come alike to all so all things are alike or saith Sin evil is good in Gods sight else he would judge it Mal. 2.17 his silence bids thee think that he is such an one as thy self Psal 50. but here tell sin that this defeats and confutes it self and proves nothing more clear then that sin is exceeding sinful if there be no sin or no difference between good and evil to what purpose are these different words used by sin to prove that there is no difference to say 't is only in imagination and not real is to deny that there is any such thing as sense and conscience which every man ownes and cannot deny without denying himself and God to be Between good and evil there is more difference then between light and darkness life and death ease and pain food and poyson and yet these are real and not the differences of our fancy only That all things come alike to all is not always true there are contrary Instances and to say That all things are alike is never true but is a manifest contradiction To say that evil is good in Gods sight and that he is such an one as a sinner is to deny God to be for if he be not good and just he is not God but this speaks men willfully ignorant for the flood that drowned the old World and the fire that fell from Heaven on Sodom the Judgments which God executes in the Earth continually of which before do all witness that God is displeased with and the avenger of sin as his giving us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons are witnesses that he is good and doth good and that his Sun shines and his rain falls on the unjust as well as just is a greater argument of his goodness which calls for repentance and that also doth witness that sin is evil And indeed over and above If sin were not exceeding sinful what need it use all these tricks and subterfuges if it were not and its deeds were not evil why doth it avoid the light Why like a false Coyner doth it put the King of Heavens stamp on its base metal Why doth Jacob call himself Esau and counterfeit his Brother if sin were not abominable Why do the Gibeonites pretend to come from far if they had not a mind to be unknown if it were not false and a Robber why doth it creep in privily climb up another way and avoid the door Why doth it flatter and deceive Why doth it never keep promise but breaks all that it ever made 't is because it is sinful sin Having shewn what sin is wherein its sinfulness consuts and proved it by many witnesses even it self being one before I come to the fourth thing viz. the application and improvement of this Doctrine I shall in brief sum up the charge against sin That which sin is accuseâ—d for and proved to be guilty of is High treason against God and that it attempts no less then the dethroning and ungoding of God himself that it hath unman'd man made him a fool a beast a Devil and subjected him to the wrath of God and made him lyable to eternal damnation It hath made men deny God to be or affirm him to be like themselves It hath put the Lord of Life to death and shamefully crucified the Lord of Gâ—ory It is always resisting the Holy Ghost it 's continually practising the defilement the dishonour the deceiving and the destruction of all men Ob what a prodigious monstrous devillâ—sh thing is sin 't is impossible to speak worse of it then or so bad of it as it is for 't is hyberbolically sinful there 's want in the words that are and need of more and worse words then there are any to speak its vileness to say 't is worse then death and devil the very Hell of Hell