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
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
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
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
true as I have said in this Indictment let me a little bespeak thee good Reader to consider of what hath been said and that thou wouldst be more afraid of sin then of hell which had not been but for sin and where thou shalt never be if thou repent and believe the Gospel for righteousness is not by repentance but by faith Believe they and love Faith as thou lovest thy Soul and Heaven hate sin and avoid it as thou wouldst hell and damnation sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee least the Rod be turned into a Scorpion least the next loss be the loss of heaven least the next sickness be unto death and death to damnation for if thou die in sin thou art damned irrecoverably 't were sad to die in an Hospital in a Prison in a ditch but as 't is worst living to live in sin so worst dying to die in sin if thou go on these Sermons will witness against thee as much as if not more then if one had risen from the dead if two or three devils or damned wretches should come from hell and cry fire fire it might startle thee but if thou believe not Moses and the Prophets yea Christ and his Apostles 't will work no good upon thee Oh mind the good of thy soul and do not bring on thy self this great universal intollerable and eternal damnation Take heed least Prov. 5.11 12 13. when thy flesh and thy body are consumed I and thy soul damned thou say too late how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof and have not obey'd the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me Oh! oh How have I rewarded evil to mine own soul by doing evil against God! I made a pish at these things and mocked at sin now I would hear now I would return but hope is perished Such will be the direful outcries of sinners one day take heed therefore for if thou have not on the wedding garment thou wilt be cast out Mat. 22.11 and if thou be found a worker of iniquity thou must depart accursed But not to prevent the application which I reserve to its proper place I now proceed to the third thing propounded 3. 3 The witnesses against sin The Witnesses and their Evidence against Sin as being exceeding sinful That sin is so exceeding sinful extremely and notorious guilty of contrariety to God and the good of man I have a cloud of witnesses to produce God himself Angels and men both good and bad the Law and Gospel the whole Creation sins names and sins actions even sins own confession do all bear witness to this Charge that it is true viz. that sin is an exceeding sinful thing from heaven from earth from hell will we bring witnesses against sin 1 3 God in 7 particulars God himself beareth witness against sin As he leaves us not without witness of his being good so he hath not left us without witness of sins being sinful against him and against the good of man 1 1 Forbidding it By this that God hath forbidden is and made a Law against it all the Laws and every command of God are his witnesses against sin and as he that believes not the testimony God beareth of his Son so he that believes not Gods testimony against sin makes God a lyar who is true and cannot lye The Law written in mans own heart the Law written in Tables of stone the Gospel also which is the Law of Faith is written as a witness against sin 1 Joh. 2.1 Now surely God would not have prohibited sin had it not been an abominable thing abominated by him and to be abominated by us God hath given man room and scope enough a very large allowance of all the Trees of the Garden man might eat only one excepted So Phil. 4.8 whatsoever things are true honest just pure lovely whatsoever is of good report if there be any virtue any praise these things think on and do Now sin comes under none of these names but is contrary to them all and therefore forbidden God hath not forbidden man honours riches nor any pleasures but them of sin Surely then seeing God delights not to grieve the children of men but rejoyceth over them to do them good with all his heart and all his soul as he is pleas'd to express it Jer. 32.41 he would never have forbidden any thing to man but what was prejudicial to him as well as displeasing to himself But I shall speak more of this when I shew how the Law of God witnesseth against sin 2 God witnesseth against sin by this 2 Will not allow us to do evil that good may come of it that he will not allow us to do evil that good may come of it As pleasing a thing as good is to God yet he will not allow us to do the least evil for the greatest good See how angrily and with what indignation the Apostle speaks against them that said the contrary Rom. 3.8 'T is a damnable Doctrine to teach that we may do evil for a good end or that good may come of it This Doctrine was first broacht by the Devil and usher'd in the first sin Gen. 3 1.-6 But 1 We may not do evil that good may came is our selves God allows man to love himself and hath made self-love the rule and measure of our love to others thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self God is not against mans being rich only God will not that men grow rich by sin as Jer. 17.11 God is not against mans pleasure if it be not by displeasing him nor against his honor if it be not by dishonoring him God well knows that good gotten by evil will do man no good but hurt To gain the world and lose a mans soul hath more of loss then gain and there is not any one sin but wrongs and hazards the loss of a mans soul God would not allow Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden Tree though 't were good for food pleasant to the eye and to be desired to make one wise Genes 3. 2 We may not do evil that good may come to others God hath indeed commanded us to do good to all but hath forbidden us to do evil that we may do good to any or to all He that provides not for his family is worse then an Infidel and so is he that provides for it by a sinful way of covetousness lying cheating oppressing c. See Habak 2 9.-12 Paul as Moses before him could wish himself dead and anathematiz'd to save the Jews but durst not sin for their sakes When one sent to S. Austin to know if he might not tell a lye for his Neighbours good Oh no saith the Father thou must not tell a lye to save the world There 's such a malignity in sin it s so contrary to God that it must not be done for no good 'T is our
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
the flesh and spirit as if it were one with us as the Leopards spots and the Aethiopians blackness There was a leprosie so inveterate that though they scrapt the house round about and within and threw out the dust though they took other stones and mortar yet it return'd again Levit. 14. When distempers become as it were natural and are in the constitution they are hard to be cured 't is not easie obliterating that which is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond 't is difficult to soften an heart of stone Beside this filthiness hath had long possession even time out of mind it pleads prescription so long a Custom is become a Law and as another Nature Jer. 13.23 yea to shew how hard 't is to be cured and rooted out we may observe that very forceable means have bin used for the cleansing of it yet it hath not been done God poured out a whole flood of water which washt away most sinners yet sin as I may say kept above water and was found alive and strong after the flood When God sent fire and brimstone Hell as an Ancient calls it from Heaven on that Center of sin Sodom c. yet sin got out with Lot and his daughters Fire and water are very cleansing and purifying things yet these you see have not done it When others sinned the Earth swallowed them up yet sin remained it did not dye the same sins are still in the world after all these judgments Even in the Saints themselves with all the forces that Faith can make 't is very hardly kept under but the flesh will be lusting against the spirit and when their affections do not cleave to sin yet sin will cleave to their affection and it makes them cry out as burthen'd with St. Paul Wretch that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the victory is by Christ Iesus 't is death kills sin And yet 4. It lives in its effects when we are dead and gone for it follows us to our grave and there it rots our bodies when it can no longer reach our souls to make them vile it yet forbears not to make our bodies putrid and vile He that sinned not saw no corruption but we that sinned do and stink within a few days as Lazarus did Oh sinful and infectious sin Thus far of the names of sin and how they witness against sin there remains only one thing more to witness against it and that is the second thing I mentioned as to sin witnessing against it self Viz. 2. The Arts or Artifices that sin useth to disguise it self if sin were not an ugly thing would it wear a vizard or if it had not evil designs would it walk disguised and change its name truth is not ashamed of its name or nakedness it can walk openly and boldly but sin is a cheat a lye and therefore lurks privily and puts on false names and colours for if it should appear like it self as it sooner or later will to all for conversion or confusion it would fright men into dying fits as it did the Apostle and when they come to themselves ingage men to abhor and hate it as he and the Prodigal did Men would never be so hardy as they are to sin but that sin hardens them and hardens them by deceiving them as the Apostle speaks Heb. 3.13 take heed lest any be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Sin useth all manner of Arts Methods and Devices as Satan doth to draw us in to inveigle us it puts many tricks upon us and hath all the faculties and knacks of deceiving and cheating us I may truly say that sin hath not learnt but taught all the deceits the dissimulations flatteries and false policies that are found in Courts the Stratagems of War the Sophisms and fallacies of the Schools the Frauds of Tradesmen whether in City or Country the Tricks of Cheaters and Juglers the Ambuscadoes of Thieves the Pretensions of false Friends the several Methods of false Teachers and whatever else there is of Consenage in the World and practiseth them all upon us to make us sin And though it be impossible to reckon up all the particular ways whereby the deceitful hearts and sins of men abuse them yet I will instance in a few that it may be for a warning to sinners and a witness against sin and then conclude this part of our Discourse 1. Sometimes sin perswades us that such or such a thing is no sin though it look like a sin as the Devil dealt by Eve at first and so deceiv'd her she was a little jealous and shy that what the Serpent put her upon was evil but he cunningly insinuates that however it seem'd to her yet that it was not so This way is the pride and wantonness of persons upheld that though these things are appearances of evil yet they are not evil but alas 't is next to being a sinner to look like a sinner appearance in good is too little in evil 't is too much 't is a very hard thing to look like a sinner to talk and garb it like a sinner and not to be one and which is the worst on 't 't is more then likely that what the Devil grants to be like a sin is a sin and they that are perswaded otherwise are deceived by him as Eve was 't is great odds but if we do like the picture we shall like the thing though an Idol be no God nor like him yet God hath utterly forbidden graven images for they are of the Devils carving If this prevails not then 2 It would perswade that though it may be a sin in another yet rebus sic stantibus all things consider'd it can be none in thee because thou art necessitated as for a poor man to steal but no man is necessitated to sin though under necessity sin is sin in any in all for though temptations may mitigare and eâ—cuse à tanto yet they do not excuse à toto from its being a sin or make it no sin 3 'T is but one and but this once If sin be good why but once if evil why once one sin though but once is one and once too much Beside when the Serpents head is in 't is hard keeping out the whole body one makes way for another 't is almost impossible to sin once and but once Yet then fourthly saith sin 't is but a little one that cannot be a little sin which is against a great God and deserves so great a punishment as death for the wages of sin of every single sin is death Rom. 6.23 I but saith sin 5 't is in secret none will see it but this is a cheat for 't is impossble to sin so secretly but there will be two Witnesses God and Conscience know all the sins that men commit I but saith sin 6 thou wilt hate it and dread it ever after as some go to Mass that they
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
conscience which tells them they ought not to sin and if they do chides them for it must needs be uneasie and unpleasant mens sins make them sick as Amnons did so far are they from being pleasures To desire the presence of what 's absent or the absence of what 's present or the continuance of what cannot be kept or the continuance and keeping whereof would surfeit them as the constancy of drunkenness and intemperance doth do must unavoidably be very tedious and such men even in the fulness of their sufficiency to allude to that in Job cannot but be in straights if they gratifie one they displease another of their lusts as if they gratifie pride and prodigality they displease covetousness and so are still far from pleasure being ev'n distracted and slain by one or other of their lusts all the day long they have sightings without and within and good men are not more persecuted by the Devil and wicked world then these men are tormented by their irregular and inordinate fleshly appetites and carnal inclinations But yet for all this men are loth to believe this which say they crosseth Scripture expression and their experience the Scripture mentions the pleasures of sin Heb. 11.25 and we find the pleasure on 't Thus men are apt to plead for sin and be its Advocate and can hug any Scripture that doth but speak of though it disown and disallow any such thing as sinful pleasures As to that misunderstood Text let me say this that Moses cannot be charged with any sin from whence he drew pleasure and therefore by the pleasures of sin are not meant such as slow from but such as lead unto sin he declined the pleasures which would have inclined him to sin Pleasures are allurements and baits to draw to sin as it was to Eve the Tree was pleasant to the eyes and inviting but the taste and digestion found no pleasure but bitterness from the fruit thus Moses lived where pleasures were and such as tended or were abused to sin yea such as he could not have enjoyed without committing the great sin which the Egyptians did viz. afflicting the people of God and being cruel to them instead of delivering them So that this Scripture speaks nothing in favour of sin or that there are any pleasures to be had by or from it Yet if we should take the Text as interpreted by them all that can be said of it is but this that it speaks as they think not that there are but there are thought to be pleasures of sin 'T is an ordinary thing for the Scripture to speak of such a thing as if it were and to say it is which is but supposed to be by others As for instance 1 Cor. 8 4-6 there are Gods many and Lords many not that really there was any such but by others they were reckoned such So in this Text he speaks after the manner of men concerning the pleasures of sin as they are reputed and this is confirmed by a passage of the Apostle 2 Pet. 2.13 they count it pleasure to riot in the day-time 't is no pleasure but they accounted it a pleasure 't was none for they did enjoy but a mock-sport or pleasure while they sported themselves in their own deceivings so that in counting it pleasure to riot they deceive themselves they suppose it a sport and pleasure but 't is not so Yet again If there be any pleasure it can be but to the body and sensual part of man which is a pleasure to the beast not to the man the body is but the case of man a mud-wall Cottage thatcht ovâ—â— with hair 't is the Soul that is the excellency and glory of man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of the man and whoever will take 〈◊〉 right measure of what 's good or evil to man must take it especially with respect and relatioâ— to the Soul He much mistoâ—k the Nature 〈◊〉 his Soul who bid it take ease in eating and drinking alas the Soul cannot feed on flesh ' â—iâ— a Spirit and must have a diet peculiar and proper i. e. spiritual Very usually the pleasure of the body prove the Souls pain to eat anâ— drink is the bodies pleasure but gluttony anâ— drunkenness which are the sins of eating and drinking are the Souls pain and many time the bodies too To take rest when weary is thâ— bodies pleasure but to be idle which is the siâ— of rest and ease is an affliction and trouble to the Soul Yet further That which men call the Pleasure of sin is both their dyâ—â— and punishment many laugh and are merry from the sickliness and distemper they are under as they say of them that are bitten by the Tarantula they laugh themselves to death Some are such ticklish things that they will laugh at the wagging of a feather but this is an Argument of their weakness and folly two ill diseases Many persons take pleasure in eating lime mortar coals and such like trash but 't is from a disease which vitiates and corrupts their palate else they would not feed on ashes had they not the Green-sickness disease so whoever pretends to find pleasure in sin proves himself distemper'd and diseased and under the old radicated disease of being in sins yea dead in them 'T is as a disease so a punishment because 't is false pleasure and what truer misery then false joy 't is like his pleasure who receives much money but 't is all false coyn or his who dreams of a feast and awakes so bungry and vext that he could eat his dream and on this account sin should be doubly bated because â—ugly and because false because it defiles and because it mocks us But Yet again If there be any pleasure 't is but for a season a very little while 't is soon over and gone like the crackling of thorns under a pot the triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment Job 20.5 but the miseries of sin may be yea without repentance will be Eternal so that as the sufferings of this present life to the godly are not worthy to be compared with the future glory so the pleasures of the wicked are as nothing take the best of them not to be compared with the future miscry certainly they are woful and ruful pleasures that men must repent of or be damned for to all Eternity Upon the whole then the inference is undeniable that there is no good of profit honour or pleasure to be had by sin and that they who seek for all or any of them there do as they that would seek case in Hell the very place and Element of torment If good be not good when better is expected how miserably vexatious must the disappointment be when men look for good and peace but behold evil and trouble yea and nothing else comes upon them when they bless themselves and say as Deut. 29.19 we shall have
to Exhortation and Counsel Exhortation for it may be some poor Soul or other may be prickt at heart anâ— cry out as they Acts 2.37 What shall we do 〈◊〉 or as the Jaylor in Acts 17.30 Sirs what muâ—â— I do to be saved Is there any hope for pooâ— sinners is there any balm in Gilead or Physitian there Jer. 8 22. yes surely there is God would never as a Learned person expresseth it have suffered so potent and malicious an enemy to have set foot in his Dominions but that he knew how to conquer it and that not only by punishing it in Hell but by destroying it He will not only pardon but subdue thy sin If thou wilt hear him hear then that thy soul may live hear the Call of Christ Jesus behold he calleth thee come to me ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. All that were in debt and distress came to David thou art such an one come to this David for so Christ is called take his counsel and thou shalt do well thou shalt live and sin shall dye What 's that counsel Repent and believe the Gospel Mark 1.13 1. Repent To repent Jesus Christ came to call sinners to repentance Mat 9.12 13. 't was one of the errands he came into the world about repent then not only for but from dead works Heb. 6 1. abhor both thy sin and thy self repenting as in dust and ashes Joh 42.6 be full of indignation against and take a full revenge upon thy sin and self as true repentance useth to do 2 Cor. 7.11 to be merciful to sin is to be cruel to thy soul to save that alive is to put this to death therefore spare it not but repent unfeignedly from the very bottom of thy heart Let it grieve thee that God is displeased with thee for thy sin but much more that he hath been displeased by thee and by thy sin bring forth fruit worthy of repentance amendment of life that thy repentance may appear to be a change of heart and life of thy mind and manners yea not only a reformation but a renovation and that thou art a new man The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance he might have driven thee into it by terrors but he gently leads thee 't is indeed his goodness that he will admit us to repent but that he will call and lead to repentance is goodness much more and Oh what goodness is it that he puts us to no greater penance then repentance Jer. 3.13 God might have said thou shalt lye in Hell so many thousand years to feel the smart of thy sin and if he had bid thee do some great thing wouldst thou not have done it how much more when he saith wash and be clean that I may allude to that of Naamans servant unto him 2 Kings 5.13 yea which is yet more God waits to be gracious and is patient even to long-suffering he might have called and knockt at thy door once and no more but he hath stood and knockt and beg'd given thee space and means Rev. 2.21 Luke 16.31 and why all this but that thou mightest come to repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 which if thou do not 't is a greater affront to God then thy former sin was Humanum est errare 't is humane frailty to sin but to continue in it without repentance is Devilish 't is to despise his goodness Rom. 2.4 't is to justifie thy sin and to upbraid God with a scoff as they did 2 Pet. 3. where is the promise of his coming But that his goodness may yet prevail I intreat thee to consider this much more 1. If thou repent thou shalt be forgiven Acts 3.19 repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out they shall be as if they had not been where God gives repentance for he also gives remission of sin Acts 5.31 He that hardneth his heart in impenitency shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 14. For God looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right i. e. if any do repent he will deliver his soul from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Job 33.27 28. yea he is not only merciful but if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 Oh how doth this oblige us to repent 2. Repentance is by Gods interpretation the undoing of all the evil thou hast committed and the doing the good thou hast omitted indeed he that repents of his sin tells all the world that if 't were to do again he would not do it and he that repents for not having done the will of God doth do it in repenting Mat. 21.30 Oh what goodness is this to put such a construction on repentance and shall we not repent 3. Thou wilt by repenting rejoyce all whom thou hast grieved by sin thou hast grieved thine own soul repentance will cheer it for though it spring from sorrow it ends in joy and will never be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 thou wilt rejoyce the generation of the righteous yea there will be joy in Heaven God and Angels will be glad and rejoyce at thy return Luke 15. 'T is their sin and greatly aggravated Rev. 16.9 that they repented not to give him glory sin dishonours but repentance gives glory to God and therefore Josuah said to Achan Jos 7.19 confess thy sin and give glory to God Oh may we rejoyce the heart and glorifie the Name of God both at once by repentance and shall we not repent Oh repent repent if not know 4. That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge thee and that calls on thee at thy peril to repent Acts 17.30 31. which if thou do not do thou dost but inrich thy self for Hell and by thy hardness and impenitent heart dost treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God The God that is long-suffering will not be all-suffering he that is a God of patience now will if that be abused be a God of vengeance hereafter to the abusers of his patience Gods Patience will be at end one day he will wait on thee no more no longer he waited forty years but then swore in his wrath Heb. 3.11 he waited three years on the Jewish Fig-tree but at last cut it down God hath set thee a day and that 's this day to day while 't is called to day hear his voice and harden not your hearts When this day of patience is over if thou be found unprovided then wo unto thee thou art undone for ever I pray thee think of it hast not grieved God enough yet nor wronged thy soul enough yet art afraid of being happy too soon or of going to Hell too easily and cheaply that thou wilt not repent
imprisoned Beside what Ausonius tells us â—â—us plus alio invenire potest nemo-omnia is a very great truth one may find out more then another but none will or can find and speak out all so exceeding broad are the commands and truths contain'd in the sacred Scriptures beyond any others Though therefore I think it no disparagement to me to acknowledge that I have perused others and profited by them yet I may without vanity or ostentation say that I have not only handled this Subject in another manner but that I have also spoken to other things then any hath done that I have yet met withall and do not doubt but much more may be said then hath been by me any or all that have written on this Theme As to the sinfulness of sin the Subject of the Treatise I have indeed handled it most largely as 't is against Mans good and happiness it being most properly the intent and scope of the Text and God is so condescending that he is pleased to treat man as a self-lover and so to gain him and win him by his own advantages yea he seems by his patience to have a concern for mans Salvation beyond his own vindication in this world as the Apostle gives us to believe 2 Pet. 3.9 And truly this vouchsafement self-denial and humbling of himself is so great and rich a goodness that it most forceably leads and draws us to repentance Rom. 2.4 As to the stile I have not minded any curiosity for I am still of my former opinion that that eloquence doth injury to things which draws us to observe it seeing words are only for the matters sake and should not hinder but help its promotion fine expressions according to what 's said by a Learned and Eloquent person fine expressions are but like the gawdy and guilded frame of a Looking-glass which acquaints us not with our faces and features The genuine use of a Looking-glass yea many times the richness of the frame doth so much amuse and dazle the eyes of some childish persons that they are regardless of any thing else The Rhetorick diverts men from attending the more concerning the instructive part of a discourse yea many that pretend to be Criticks make little other use of Sermons and good Books then to censure or to applaud the contrivance and the phrase without minding the Doctrine or caring to rectifie what hath been discover'd to them to be amiss 'T is no commend to a Preacher to be more sollicitous to make his expressions then to make his Hearers good There must be no flattering of sinners we must rather endeavour they may condemn themselves then applaud us and 't will be more joy to a good Divine to hear the peoples sighs for their sins then to hear their praises of his Sermon and that they follow his counsel then that they admire his language We must not speak against sin to shew an art of declaiming a skill of speaking Oratoriously but to exercise our own and to provoke others to exert their hatred against it and 't is to be fear'd that when the best of men have done their best and utmost there will yet be too many that read pious books with less reverence and concern then a Romance or a Play being more for the Rhetorick then Divinity for the wit then worth which is to say the shadow then substance of discourses and as the forementioned excellent person significantly expresseth it If a devout book have not good store of witty passages some Readers will not mind it at all and if it have they will mind nothing else And this experience confirms But whatever Readers this Book meet with I have endeavour'd that it may profit and so far please them that I hope they will find nothing worthy of their displeasure but the thing I write against I have committed it to God and beg'd his blessing that it may be of use to teach men to profit hereafter by their hitherto loss and get something by reading which they can never do by committing of sin But not to detain thee much longer I entreat thee to remember that this world is but a glittering and pompous vanity a thing that 〈…〉 using and will not reach beyond the grave and perhaps will not last so long for the lust and fashion of it pass yea take them wings and fly away Remember that sin leads no where but to hell the place and Element of torment Remember that ere long Death will arrest thee and carry thy body to the dust and Dungeon of the grave and if thou die in thy sins thy Soul to Hell and Damnation I entreat thee therefore to exercise thy self unto and in the power of godliness and do not live as if the practise of Piety were nothing but a Book of that Name Alas what is' t to have Religion in thy Bible in thy head and tongue and yet have none in thine heart and life Do but think what thou wilt say or do when thou comest to judgment as Solomon tells the young man Eccl. 11.9 Take the course which thou canst own and justifie in that day and do what thou wilt and then I am sure thou wilt not dare to do any thing but what thou oughtest for who can answer for one of a thousand or for but one sin As for any of them yet alive that were Hearers and shall now be Readers of what 's contain'd in the following Treatise I crave leave to tell them that they have it double as Precept upon Precept and line upon line and God seems to send it to them the second time that it may do more good upon them then it did at first that the repetition and calling of it to remembrance may do more then the preaching of it did though I know blessed be God that it was not then deliver'd and heard without good effects on many and I hope on more then I know of That God may be glorified and the Readers may profit by it is much the prayer as 't will be much the joy and rejoycing of my Soul whatever censures may be past upon me Ralph Venning There are several mis-pointings which the sense will help the Reader to Correct beside the following Errata which are to be amended thus PAge 16. line 12. for destruction read distraction p. 55. l. 20. for joyn'd r. injoyn'd l. 23. for sociability r. insociability p. 74. l. 24. for joyn with r. joyn them with p. 97. l. 2. for believe they r. believe then p. 126. l. 33. for no more r. the more p. 128. l. 2. for tell of God r. tell God p. 141. l. 24. for have r. leave p. 145. l. 2. for when before r. before and when p. 145. l. 33. for they call r. they not call p. 148. l. 27. for iuch r. such p. 152. l. 4. for divisions r. diversions p. 156. l. 26. for hundred r. hardned p. 157. l. 15. for exercise r. excess p. 255. l. 4.
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
the Revelations of God a Treasure is put into their hand but they such fools as know not how to use it Prov. 17.16 God hath been pleased in and by Christ Jesus to declare his mind to us 1 Cor. 2.16 His Gospel and grace hath appeared teaching us Tit. 2.11 12. But alas how do men pervert the Gospel turn grace into wantonness Jude 4. and sin abundantly because grace abounds What strivings and struglings reluctances and oppositions against the Gospel How do men stumble and kick at and against Christ Jesus instead of building on him as the Corner-stone as a Rock and sure Foundation How angry are they when Jesus Christ comes by his Word and Spirit to bless them in turning them away from their iniquity When God comes in Christ Jesus and the Ministry of his Gospel to reconcile them and make them happy they take up arms and make war against him When the Gospel comes with the weapons of its warfare to pull down the strong holds and to reduce men to obedience how do they fortifie themselves When God stands at the door and knocks and woes men for entertainment how do they lock themselves up bar and bolt up their hearts against him that the King of Grace and Glory may not enter in 'T is no less a power then that which raised Christ from the dead that makes men willing to believe and obey the Gospel Psal 110.3 Eph. 1.19 Christs Messengers make glorious reports but who believes it Rom. 10.16 they stretch out their hands but to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed they beseech and entreat but men harden their hearts And among the many that seem to profess the Gospel how few practise it in words they confesse God but in works deny him they are lovers of pleasures and themselves more then of God and though they have a form of godlinesse deny the power thereof All these their wayes of not or of mis-improving the means of Gods vouchsafement I say all these their wayes are their folly It were next to endlesse if 't were possible to enumerate the follies of man He thinks More of mans folly like a fool unsteadily and rowling independently and broken inconsistently and to no purpose at randome and rovers many run wast like water beside the Mill He builds Castles in the air his imaginations are like Vagabonds See Herberts Poem of giddiness his contrivances Romantick not to mention the more wicked and sinful thoughts which if they were but known would make one man asham'd and afraid to converse with another for not only vain but vile injurious adulterous and murtherous thoughts lodge in the hearts of men that when any comes to be awakened and to be made sensible of the sinfulnesse of his heart it makes him say as S. Paul of himself I am the chief of sinners Never was any heart such a Shop of vanity such a Den of thieves such a Cage of unclean birds such a Newgate of Murtherers such an Inn and thorow fare of travelling lusts such a Court of flattery ambition pride and envy c. such a Sink and common draught of filthiness such an Hell of blasphemy as mine is As man thinks he often speaks quicquid in buccam foolishly idly proudly c. and as he speaks he acts out of the abundance or fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh and out of the heart are all the issues of life All the follies of his life are but the untying and letting loose of that folly which is bound and bundled up in his heart they are there in gross and are retail'd out as he meets with customers occasions and opportunities in the course of his life and conversation Let us view some instances and but some of mans folly which appears 1 In mans being so heady 1 His rashness hasty and rash in his undertakings There is nothing more becoming a man then deliberation and consideration it being his preheminence above the beasts beasts do act but consider not And herein is a great part of mans foolishnesse that he considers not the end of his actions Oh that they were wise and would consider their end Deut. 32.28 29. People often say I never thought of this and insipientis est dicere non putarem 't is the property of a fool to say I had not thought of this which it may be most concern'd him to think upon The simple believeth every word which he would not do but that he is simple a very fool but the prudent man looks well to his goings The wise man feareth and departeth from evil but the fool rageth and is confident Prov. 14 15 16. Did men consider what 't is they do when they sin they would abhor it who would run on his ruine who would drink his bane none but fools or mad-men did men consider that the wages of sin is death that wrath and hell attended sin surely they would be more wary Men go on and on and never think what will the end of these things be will it not be bitternesse in the latter end non-consideration is an argument as great as 't is clear that man is foolish 2 Mans folly appears in this 2 Laughing at hâ—s sin and misery that he laughs at and sports himself in his sin and misery It is a sport to a fool to do evil Prov. 10.23 and this sporting and jesting at sin shews him to be a fool in earnest Fools use to laugh at the shrewd turns and mischiefs which they do Sinners are such fools that they make sin their trade they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are sin-makers and make it their recreation too 't is their pastime fools that they are to passe away to spend and lose their time and fouls in sinning Fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 when they have cheated others they laugh at them for fools though themselves are the verier fools for cheating others They sport themselves in their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2.13 yea though they know that they who do such things are liable to the judgment of God yet not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1.32 But they are fools for so doing for v. 22. professing themselves to be wise they became fools and v. 31. they were without understanding But oh when God shall laugh and mock at these mockers theâ—â— 't will appear what fools they were who sporter at that which should have been their greatesâ— sorrow and grief 3 Sinful mans folly appears in this 3 Saith its in vain to serve God that 〈◊〉 saith 't is in vain to serve God What greater folâ—ly then to call Religion and the Wisdome of Goâ— foolishnesse vanity and unprofitablenesse be side which there 's no profit under the Sun This is the whole of man all the rest is vanit and vexation of spirit The Author of thâ— 73. Psal for having but almost said this conclude himself a fool yea so
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
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
Rev. 14.11 and have no rest Here our sleep is a Parenthesis to care and sorrow and pain but there 's no sleeping there the God that executes wrath and they on whom wrath is executed neither slumber nor sleep here they have some intermissions and lucid intervals in their madness but there they will be e'en mad continually for vexation of heart Methinks I cannot go on till I have a little expostulated with thee who ever thou be that readest needs there any more to fright thee from sinning which is the way to damnation then the thoughts of damnation such a damnation which is at the end of the way of sin for thy Souls-sake hear and fear and do no more wickedly What! wilt thou be damned canst with patience think of going to hell hast thou no pity on thy precious Soul Oh if thou shouldst go from reading of hell into hell thou wouldst surely say there was a Prophet I would not believe it but now I feel it Think of it and 3 3 The duration Think of what 's now to be added concerning the duration of these torments they will be for ever though they were great universal and without intermission for a time yet if they were to have an end 't were some comfort but here lies the misery they will be to day as yesterday and for ever as in the beginning so all along and for ever alwayes the same if not encreasing This is the woe of woe the hell of hell that 't is woe and hell for ever After sinners have been in hell millions of millions of years hell will be as much hell as at first the fire that burns will never go out the worm that gnaws will never die which is three times repeated by our Lord and Saviour in one Chapter Mark 9.44.46.48 't will be a lasting yea an everlasting misery 't is everlasting punishment and everlasting fire Mat. 25.41.46 4 There 's yet to be consider'd the Tormentors 4 The tormentors or inflicters of these torments The Devil Conscience and God himself will torment the damned 1 The Devil 1 The devil the Tempter will be the Tormentor they will be tormented not only with but by Devils They will be deliver'd to the Goalers the Tormentors as 't is Mat. 18.34 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you viz. deliver you to the Tormentors When the Church Excommunicates which is an Embleme of this it doth deliver to Satan and when God Excommunicates he gives up to the Devil take him Goaler torment him Tormentor The Apostle thought it a great misery to fall into the hands of unreasonable men and therefore prays and begs prayers against it But if the tender mercies of wicked men are cruelties what are the cruelties of the Devil and his Angels especially when God delivers men up into their hands Oh what a misery is it to fall into the Devils clutches to be tormented by the Devil If he do so much now by permission what will he then do by Commission when he shall be under no restraint We may guess by what he doth do now what he is like to do and will do then We have many instances of his malice rage and power take one and another In Mark 9.17 22. there was one possessed of a dumb spirit and wheresoever this spirit taketh him he teareth him that he foameth gnasheth with the teeth and pineth away and v. 20. when he came into the presence of Christ Jesus he care him that he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming oftentimes it hath cast him into the fire and the water to destroy him You know also how the Devil dealt with Job and went to the utmost extent of his Commission and tantum non almost prevail'd for he brought him to curse the day of his birth though he did not curse God If the Devil do so much now to the tormenting of any when he is in Chains and under restraint Ah how sad is it like to be with men when the Devil shall have them in his hands by Commission from God! When God shall say take him Devil take him Gaoler into the fire with him do thy worst with him Oh who can stand before the Devils rage and envy thus whetted by Commission Oh sinful sin that thus gives up to the Devil 2 2 Conscience The second Tormentor is Conscience a reflecting an accusing an upbraiding Conscience which I may say is in some sort a greater torment then any the devil can inflict because Conscience is within us but the devil is without us That which is within hath the greatest influence on us whither for comfort as 1 Joh. 4.4 or for torment Mark 9.44 The worm that never dies which is within a man 't were a dreadful thing to be eaten up of worms to be continually fretted and vexed with the gnawing of worms but this worm gnaws the spirit which is more tender then the apple of ones eye a wounded spirit who can bear Judas sunk under the weight and burden of it and so have many more but if it be so terrible when awakened here what will it be when a man shall be fully convinced and have all his sins set in order before his face Psa 50.21 How will Conscience lash men then As Schoolmasters reckon up their Boys crimes imprimis for this and then a lash item for this and then another lash c. So saith Conscience Salvation was held forth Grace was offer'd and then lasheth for neglecting so great Salvation and turning Grace into wantonness Item saith Conscience you knew that the wages of sin was death and the judgment of God is just and yet you would do such things and then Conscience pricks and torments whips and lasheth them Item after thou hadst vomited up thy pollution and wer 't washed from thy filthiness thou didst return like the dog to thy vomit and like the Sow to wallowing in the miâ—e and then lasheth him If a man were falsly imprison'd 't would be a mitigation and some relief but when a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned and finds that his perdition is of himself that his own wickedness doth correct him this will be the sting of death and damnation 3 3 God also Not only the Devil and Conscience but God also will torment them for though God in this life suffer himself to be pressed with their sins as a Cart is prest with sheaves yet at last he will shew his power in revenging himself on wicked men though now he seem to have leaden feet and be slow to wrath yet then he will be found to have iron hands Here God is patient and if he judge yet in the midst of judgment he doth remember mercy and doth not deal with men as their wickedness deserves but then he will be extreme in punishing the Lord himself will rain upon the wicked snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest Psal 11.5 6. This
duty to honor Father and Mother but still in the Lord it may be a duty to disobey yea to hate father and mother rather then obey them viz. when to obey them will be disobedience to God whither it be better to obey God or man judge you So that God will not allow us to sin to gratifie the greatest persons the nearest and dearest relations 3 God will not allow us to sin though we should professedly do it for his glory Sin can never directly glorifie God and though he know how to bring good out of evil yet he will not that we should sin for him who needs not us much less our sin God will take and is righteous in taking vengeance though our unrighteousness commend and set off the righteousness of God Rom. 3.5 Though the truth of God have more abounded through thy lye yet thou wilt be found a sinner Rom. 3.7 so that for this good evil must not be done v. 8. they that cast out their Brethren saying let God be glorified yet God will put them to shame Is 66.5 And though they thought in putting them to death they should do God good service yet God reckons it as their serving the devil John 16.2 with Rev. 2.10 When Saul excused his sin under the pretence of Sacrifice it was yet called Rebellion and reputed as witchcraft a most abominable thing 1 Sam. 15. Job upbraids his friends with this irreligious piety saith he Job 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Surely v. 10. he will reprove you for it Sin is so much the worse for being committed in the name of the Lord men thereby do as it were make God to serve the devils designs Nay 〈…〉 will be no excuse that men like 〈…〉 Judâ—â— c. sulfill the conâ—â—el and 〈◊〉 will i.e. determination of God as to what eventually shall be if they sin against his revealed will which is the rule by which men are to walk and to which they ought to be obedient â—o that by all this it plainly appears how that God witnesseth against sin that we may not sin for the good of any nor for any good no not for God 4 4 Threatning God witnesseth against sin by threatning men in case they sin he makes penal Statutes against 〈◊〉 in the day thou eatest the forbidden 〈◊〉 thou shalt surely die If sin were not an â—â—onourable thing surely God would not have 〈…〉 it on such peril on pain of death of 〈…〉 will be said under the execution of 〈…〉 and â—he just judgment of God 〈◊〉 ◠〈…〉 God is 〈◊〉 with the wicked and that wit 〈…〉 angry with 〈…〉 argues and 〈…〉 by them for he 〈◊〉 〈…〉 displease him 〈…〉 is nor that evil 〈…〉 God to 〈…〉 sometime to 〈…〉 judgment 〈…〉 â—â—gry wer◠〈…〉 God would not â—ebuke 〈…〉 who knows the pow 〈…〉 his â—nger and 〈…〉 â—appy they that 〈…〉 do nor withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him Job 9.13 the helpers of pride so 't is man is apt to be very proud and hath helpers of pride and 't is observeable that the word we read pride signifies strength also to denote that man is very apt to be proud of his strength but all the strong helpers of pride must stoop if he withdraw not his anger The strength of riches Prov. 10.15 the strength of friends and families Psa 49.7 strength and stoutness of spirit must all stoop if his anger break forth if he take but one of his arrows and discharge it against a sinner if he strike him but with one blow of his sword as the phrases are Psa 7 11.-14 Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish perishing is at the heels of his anger Psa 2.12 The fear or terror of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul Prov. 20.2 Oh what dread is there then from the anger of the King of Kings when God sets our iniquities before him we are consumed by his anger and troubled by his wrath Psa 90.7 Now we infer that if Gods anger be so terrible and 't is sin that makes God angry that certainly sin is extremely sinful contrary to God or else the God of all grace the God of patience whose name is Love would never be so angry at it and for it 5 God witnesseth against sin by this that it 5 Repentâ—â—â— and it only put him upon repenting that he had made man Gen. 6.5 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and v. 7. God saith It repenteth me that I have made them The repentance of God argues a very great dislike of and displeasure against the wickedness of man Time was though 't were but for a little while that there was no sin and then when God lookt on what he had made he was so far from repenting that 't was wholly hid from his eyes and he was infinitely pleased but when sin had spoil'd the fashion and beauty of his work then indeed he speaking after the manner of men grieves and repents So that 't is not the work of his hand but the work of mans heart that put God on repenting Is God man that he should repent oh what an horrible thing is that which puts the unchangeable God on changing for such a thing repentance is viz. a change It repented the Lord that he had set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15. and when men do wickedly God repents that he hath done them good Jer. 18 7.-10 If men do evil against God God repents of the good he hath done men but such is his goodness if men repent of their evil God will repent of the evil he thought to do unto them Now as that must be very good that puts God on repenting of the evil so undoubtedly that must be very evil that puts God on repenting of the good he hath done to man 8 God witnesseth against sin by the many great and severe judgments which he hath executed upon â— Executing judâ—ment as well as threatned to sinners and which he will in all Ages execute on many and to all Eternity on some sinners for what God hath done shews what God will do as the Apostle infers 2 Pet. 2.3 4 5 6. Sinners do hugely mistake God when they say evil is good in his sight or where is the God of judgment Mal. 2.17 and do no less forget themselves and what God hath done when they say all things continue as they were and therefore scoffingly say where is the promise of his coming viz. to judgment 2 Pet. 3. 'T is true if God should judge as fast as men sin the world would be depopulated and at an end quickly But his
his Son 7 Not sparing Christ Jesus but delivering him up for us all Gods sending his Son into the world to condemn sin Rom. 8.3 and to destroy it 1 Joh. 3.8 doth clearly witness for God how odious sin is to him and ought to be to man for whom Christ suffer'd and died that sin might die and man might live yea live to him who died for us for to no less doth his love constrain us 2 Cor. 5.14 15. To clear and evince this the more plainly and fully I shall shew these three things 1 That Christs sufferings were for sinners 2 That Christs sufferings were exceeding great 3 That the greatness of his suffering are full witness on Gods part of Sins sinfulness against God and Man 1 1 He suffer'd for sinners That Christ his sufferings were for sinners Jesus Christ himself suffer'd but he did not suffer for himself for he was without sin Hebr. 4.15 and 7.26 neither was guile found in his mouth nor any misbecoming word when he suffer'd though 't were a provoking time 1 Pet. 2.22 23. 'T is a faithful saying that Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 This was the design errand and business about which he came he had his name Jesus because he was to save his people from their sins Mat. 1.21 And he himself professeth that he came to seek and to save that which was lost Luke 19.20 Now dead and lost is the sinners Motto Luke 15.32 accordingly when he was in the world he suffer'd and died that he might save sinners he died for our sakes and so loved his Church that he gave himself for it Eph. 5.25 Yea 't is not only said often that he died for us Rom. 5.8 and 8.32 but that he died for our sins not only for our good as the final cause but for our sins as the procuring cause of his death Rom. 4.25 He was deliver'd for our offences 1 Cor. 15.3 Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture according to what was typified prophesied and promis'd in the Scripture One eminent place instend of many others is in Is 53.5 He was wounded for ou◠transgression he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed To this the Apostles bear witness in the New Testament Gal. 1.4 he gave himself for our sins and 1 Pet. 2.24 who his own self bare our sins Now this dying for us and our sins notes 1 That he died and gave himself as a ransome for us Mat. 20.28 1 As a ransome I came to give my life a ransome for many said our sweet and blessed Saviour 1 Tim. 2.6 He gave himself a ransome for all Christs dying was the paying of a price a ransome price and hence we are said to be bought redeem'd and purchased 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are not your own ye are bought with a price viz. that of his blood as 't is in 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ and the Church is purchased with his own blood Acts 20.28 He gave himself as a Redemption price and we are a purchased people 1 Pet. 2.9 2 He died for us as a Sacrifice for our sins 2 A Sacrifice he became sin for us 2 Cor 5.21 In the Old Testament the Sin-offering is called sin so here Christ Jesus an Offering for sin is said to be made sin for us 'T is said in the holy Scripture that Christ offer'd his Body his Soul himself Hebr. 10.10 There 's the offering of his Body Is 53.10 He made his Soul an offering for sin And Eph. 5.2 He hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God Hebr. 9.14 He did offer himself without spot to God and v. 26. He put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself Now as we were redeem'd by the price so we are reconciled by the Sacrifice of his death For Rom. 5.9 10. We are reconciled by the death of his Son 3 3 3 A curse Christ laid down his life for us as bearing the curse and punishment due to our sins and therefore 't is said he was made a curse for us which was the punishment of our sin Gal. 3.13 He bare our sins i. e. the curse due to our sins The punishment of sin is called sin often in Scripture and to bear iniquity is to be punished and as Redemption came by the price and Reconciliation by the Sacrifice so Justification by his bearing the curse and punishment Is 53.11 12. He shall justifie many for he shall bear their sins He became a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us and that is Justification by Faith as you may see Gal. 3.13 14. with v. 8 9. This shall suffice as to the first thing viz. that Christs sufferings were for sinners 2 2 His sufferings were great The sufferings of Jesus Christ were exceeding great I shall omit what may be gather'd from the types under the Law and what is exprest by the Prophets concerning the suffering of Christ though many things might be collected thence but they being all fulfilled in him I shall confine my self especially to the relation made thereof in the N. Testament He was a man of sorrows as if he were a man made up of sorrows as the Man of Sin is as if he were made up of sin as if he were nothing else He knew more sorrow then any man yea then all men ever did For the iniquity and consequently the sorrows of all men met in him as if he had been their Center and he was acquainted with griefs he had little acquaintance else grief was his familiar acquaintance he had no acquaintance with laughter we read not that he laughed at all when he was in the world his other acquaintance stood afar off but grief follow'd him to his Cross from his birth to his death from his Cradle to the Cross from the Womb to the Tomb he was a man of sorrows and never were sorrows like his he might say never grief or sorrow like to mine 't is indeed impossible to express the sufferings and sorrows of Christ and the Greek Christians used to beg of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that for the unknown sufferings of Christ he would have mercy on them Though Christs sufferings are abundantly made known yet they are but little known eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it or can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what Christ suffer'd who hath known the power of Gods wrath Christ Jesus knew it for he underwent it but though it be impossible to declare all yet 't is useful to take a view of what we can I shall therefore draw a Scheme of Christs sufferings under three Heads 1 Jesus Christ underwent all manner of sufferings 2 Jesus Christ suffer'd by all manner of persons 3 All manner of aggravating circumstances did meet in
sinfulness of sin that the devil tempts not in his own name or shape he dares not say I am the devil I am a deceiver I will lead thee to hell for that would spoil his project 5 The devil grants sin to be the worst of evils by this that all the affliction and misery which he brings upon men is to make them sin more so that in the devils account sin is worse then suffering as it proves the goodness of God that he brings evil on us to do and make us good to cure us of the evil of sin by the evil of suffering so it argues the sinfulness of the devil and sin too that he brings evil on us to make us worse he doth not care to afflict us so much because we have sinned as that we may sin no more The end of the devil in persecuting Job was not only to make him smart but to make him sin that he might curse God 't is something beyond suffering which is worse then suffering that the devil aims at in bringing suffering and that is sin 6 The devil bears witness that sin is sinful by this that when any are awakened to see their own vileness he endeavours all he can to drive them to despair as he would at first they should presume to sin so after that they should not hope for but despair of pardon he littles it or nothings it before commission and greatens it after when sin revived the Apostle died Rom. 7.9 It wrought in him apprehensions of death and hell due to that state wherein he then was when Christ Jesus convinced him of his sin of persecution it made him tremble and struck him almost dead Acts 9. Conviction of sin pricks men to the heart and makes them cry out like undone men what shall we do what will become of us is there any pardon is there any hope Now the devil strikes in and tells them that their sin is greater then can be forgiven When the poor Penitent was sorrowful the devil made use of his devices that he might be swallowed up and drown'd in sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 with 11. as if he would have told him if these forgive thee not much less will God the Church hath cast thee off and so will God His great design is then to perswade men that the Mercy of God and Merit of Christ is not enough to save them Thus the devil speaks out fully that sin is exceeding sinful 7 And lastly the devil declares sin to be sinful in being the accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 Oh what stories doth he tell of God of the Brethren how sinful they are and thereby confesseth to God himself the ugliness of sin for from thence only doth he take the rise and frame the arguments of his accusation as Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us so the devil lives to make accusations against us day and night when God askt the devil if he had consider'd his servant Job Yes saith he I have and accuse him for an hired servant one that serves thee meerly for wages and would if but toucht by thee curse thee to thy face When Satan accused Joshua Zech. 3.1 2. 't was for his filthy garments his iniquity as v. 3 4. He is ever telling tales and sometimes true stories of the miscarriages of Professors he Registers their pride and wantonness their vanity and folly all their unworthy walkings and accuseth them to God for these things and even tempts God Job 2.3 to destroy them for their sinfulness and sometimes as in Jobs case without a cause whatever he say to us to be sure he says to God that sin is an exceeding and out of measure sinful thing when he accuseth the Brethren Thus of the devils witness I proceed to bring in 3 The witness of men Good Bad against sin 3 Men witness against sin 1 Good men bear witness against sin 1 Good men joyntly and severally to which of the Saints shall we turn as was said in another case they all with one consent as one man with one voice and one mouth cry out against sin as a sinful thing one says yea all say 't were damnation to be a sinner if there were no other hell another says 't were better to be in hell with Christ then in heaven with sin another saith 't is more ugly then the devil they all subscribe to this that sin is the most odious of all evils hell it self not more for it had not been had not sin made it Good men bear witness against other mens sins and against their own also 1 Against other mens sins 1 Against other mens sins if possible to prevent if not to convince For 1 They do give advise and counsel to men against sin that they may not sin which proves that sin is an abominable thing in their esteem The sum of what is spoken by way of commend as to Abraham Gen. 18.19 amounts to this that he would advise and charge his Posterity not to sin So that of Samuel to Israel 1 Sam. 12.24 25. and that of David to Solomon 1 King 2.1 2 3. c. yea to all his children Come saith he I will teach you the fear of the Lord Psal 34.11 and 't is by the fear of the Lord that men depart from evil So in the N.T. 1 Thes 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 2.11 1 Joh. 2.1 't is the advise-general that good men give to every one do not sin 2 If they find that their counsel hath not taken place but men have sinned then they bear witness against sin by reproving it Reproofs are arguments of sinfulness for men do not reprove any for what 's good reproof argues preceding guilt were it not that sin is odious to them good men would not be at the cost and charges nor run the hazard of reproving others for it reproving others is a thankless office and unacceptable imployment for the most part men take reproofs for reproachâ—â— yet God having laid it on good men as their they to rebuke and not suffer sin to lye upon their Brother they dare not omit it Levis 19.17 Though Eli reproved his sons for their sins yet he is sharply reproved for not reproving them more sharply 1 Sam. 2. We find Samuel reproving King Saul Is it meet to be said to a King thou art wicked Yet 1 Sam. 13.13 saith the Prophet to the King thou hast done foolishly thou hast done wickedly and Ch. 15.22 23. he calls his sin rebellion and stubbornness thus cuttingly did he reprove King Saul S. John was not afraid to tell Herod of his wickedness and to his face too Luke 3.19 S. Paul would not sâ—are S. Peter when he sound him tripping and dissembling Gal. 2.11 but withstood him to the face what doth this speak but that sin is an odious thing to good men and they judge it extremely sinful against God and man Further. 3 Good men witness against sin by withdrawing
They evidence their hatred of sin as sin and not for by-respects thus that they abhor all their secret sins which none knows but themselves yea such as they know not by themselves but only God knows them they hate that which none can accuse them for or lay to their charge as guilty of Psa 19.12 Lord who knows the error of his way and as S. Paul though I know nothing by my self yet c. 1 Cor. 4.4 the heart of man is such a maze as man himself cannot find out all the windings of it such a deep as man himself cannot fathom it so deceitful that man himself doth not know it only God searcheth it Well this being so Lord cleanse me from my secret errors undiscern'd and unknown yea by me unknowable errors and extravagancies 't is meet to be said to God as Job 34.32 that which I know not viz. wherein I have done amiss that shew thou me A man doth many things amiss which scape his own observation as much as that of others and of these would a good man be cleans'd these create no trouble to his conscience but only they are against God though unknown to him and therefore would berid of them that they might not lodge in his heart though as strangers and unknown Yea 4 They are against all inclinations to sin against the very conception of sin they do all they can not only that sin may not bring forth or breed but that it might not conceive that I may refer to James 1.14 15. Oh the burden of the body of death and Law of the members that though S. Paul can say 't is not he that sins but sin that dwelleth in him yet he would berid of this in being of sin that it might not so much as incline him to evil Yet once more 5. And lastly they are carried out against sin as sin as appears by this that they cannot content themselves not to do evil unless also they do good they think it not enough that they do not displease God unless they please God to be negatively unless they be positively good they would not only not commit evil but they would not omit good many men as they will do no hurt so no good the charge against them Mat. 25. is not that they did defraud or oppress or were cruel to the members of Christ but they did not actually do them good not cloath not feed not visit c. but good men are for being and for doing good not only cleanse me from secret sins or only keep me from presumption but oh that the thought of my heart the words of my mouth and consequently the works of my life may be acceptable to thee O Lord Psa 19. The Apostle in the name of all the houshold of faith speaks thus 2 Cor. 5.9 wherefore we labour the word is we are ambitious or like heavenly Courtiers we affect this honor that whither present or absent that is living or dying we may be accepted of him or as the Greek will bear it well to be actively read that we may be acceptable to him even to all well pleasing This to the first Objection The second Ob. is to this purpose We see that godly men have sinned 't is matter of fact Now if sin were so odious to them as you say would they sin Before I give answer to this Objection let me premise 1 By way of concession and confession that they do sin yea who is he that liveth and sinneth not If any man say he hath not sinned he makes God a lyar who hath concluded all men under sin and if we say we have no sin we both deceive and yet confute our selves for we sin in saying so 1 Joh. 8.10 Yet 2. There is this to be said that the sins of good men are more usually sins of captivity then sins of activity as the Apostle speaks Rom. 7. they are rather led into sin by temptation then go into sin by choice and inclination 't is against the Law of their mind 'T is indeed possible that a good man may plot and contrive a sin as David did the death of Uriah and this is the only thing wherein God himself saith that David sinned 1 Kings 15.5 God covers all his other sins as being rather overtaken by temptation then acted by design in the rest So that for the most part good men are captivated rather then active as to sin And David himself could say that he had not wickedly after the manner of the wicked Jude 15. departed from God Psa 18.21 3 God may sometime have a good man to this saddest of tryals to know all that is in his heart as he left the good King Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 we are not over-forward or willing to believe our selves so bad as we are in our hearts as to the seeds of evil sown there Is thy servant a dog said Hazael when his sin was foretold and S. Peter himself could not believe it possible that he should deny Christ his Master yet when left to himself he did it but then notwithstanding this there is enough to be said in the behalf of godly mens hatred of sin yea indeed they hate it the more for having sinn'd I answer then that the godly mans witness against sin is still true good and firm for 1 As he abhors to commit sin so he abhors sin committed and himself for committing it Job 40.4 40.6 Sin is the burthen of every good mans soul when the Author of Psa 73. had sinned he was so angry with himself that he could not do that which God did for him viz. forgive and pardon himself but calls himself fool and beast good men condemn not only their sin but themselves and sin in the more hateful to them for having been done by them 2 They are restless till sin be purged as well as pardon'd King David could not content himself to have sin blotted out by a pardon unless 't were washt and cleans'd away Psa 51.1 2. and the mending of his bea rt without new making it by Creation would not content him v. 10. Yea 3. If God chastise and afflict them for having sinned yet they justifie God and whoever justifies a punishing God condemns sin if the sentence be just the sin is unjust Thus they do continually Micah 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him So Psa 51.3 4. This confession I make and this prayer I make that thou O Lord mayst be justified when thou judgest This also speaks against sin Yea 4. They take an holy revenge on themselves and become the more zealous for God as S Peter who did not only weep bitterly but was made willing to feed sheep and Lambs to do any and every service for Christ And Psa 51.12 13. restore to me saith he the joy of thy salvation and I will teach the transgressors thy ways So 2 Cor. 7. when the Apostle had made them
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
of grace quis nisi mentis inops c. 'tad wont to be said who but foolâ— refuse gold when 't is offer'd them But alaâ— there are such fools as refuse Christ and heaven and happiness offer'd them and will no be entreated to be reconciled that they maâ— be saved but are set against the glory 〈◊〉 God and their own salvation now againâ—â— these do the stones of the street and the dâ—â— of the Apostles feet bear witness Luke 1â— 40. Luke 9.5 and 10.10 11. Indeed theâ— is not a sin but the Creation in whole and 〈◊〉 the several parts doth bear witness againsâ— the very dullest and worst-natured creatuâ— have exceeded man the Oxe and Ass aâ— Dives his dogs had more humanity then Dives himself and were witnesses against his cruelty In short whatever duties they teach by that they convince of and bear witness against the sins which are contrary to them duties and whatever sins they convince of they teach the duties contrary to them sins There remains yet another thing to prove the sinfulness of sin by the creatures which I shall but touch and that is as they are instruments in the hands of God to punish sinners which they do with much readiness as if they were revenging themselves as well as vindicating God witness the plagues of Aegypt The four Elements have born their testimony often Fire burnt Sodom Water drown'd the old World the Earth swallowed up Corah c. the Air hath conveyed infection in times of plague the Sun Moon and Stays have been warriours and fought in their courses against sin the beasts of the field and sowls of the air have done the like but I only hint these things Two ways they shew their displeasure and his whose creatures they are against sin in punishing sinners 1 By withdrawing their influences Deut 28.23 the heaven shall be brass and the earth iron that shall not rain nor drop dew this shall not bring forth fruit See Hos 2.18.22 2 By acting contrary to their ordinary course and nature for waters to stand on an heap Exod. 15.8 fire not to burn Dan. 3. are unwonted and contranatural things and they do this to witness against the contranaturalness of sin and both these were witnesses against the sin of persecuting Gods Israel This do the creatures continue to do upon occasions to this day they are always bearing witness though men observe it not which also infers their further sinfulness and this shall suffice as to the witness of the whole Creation Next If any should say notwithstanding all these witnesses we cannot put sin to death without a Law if there be no Law to condemn sin we cannot condemn it I shall therefore proceed to shew that there is a Law against sin which condemns sin as worthy of death for being guilty of the death of many and attempting the death of all so that we may legally and ought by Law to condemn and put sin to death For 5 The Law witnesseth against and condemns Sin The Law of God is without sin in it self 5 The Law doth witness against sin and 't is against sin in others The Law being holy just and good that which breaks the Law must be unholy unjust and evil The Law discovers the authority wisdome will and goodness of God in its primary intention and promulgation for 't was to life sin must therefore be exceeding sinful it being against all this The Law discover'd mans dâ—ty and mans happiness 't was the whole of man in both these senses how evil is sin then that is a contradiction of and contrariety to both the duty and happiness of man so that sin being a transgression of Gods good Law the sinfulness of sin appears by the Commandment More particularly 1 The Law is against sin before 't is committed 2 After 't is committed 1 The Law is against sin before 't is committed 't is against its being to be committed its holy and wholly against sin for it forbids sin all sin whither of Omission or Commission whither in thought word or deed whither against God or against man the voice and cry of the Law is thou shalt not sin so that in this sense by the Law is the knowledge of sin viz. what is sin as well as what sin is Rom. 7.7 Is the Law sin God forbid nay I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust or concupiscence to be a sin except or unless the Law had said thou shalt not covet thou shalt not lust The Law shews that lust is sin by forbidding it yea the Law doth not only forbid sin but forbids it upon great and severe penalty upon no less then pain of death on the peril of a curse for this it saith cursed be every one that doth not and continueth not to do all things which are written in the Law Gal. 3.11 So that the Law is utterly against the commission of sin 2 The Law is against sin after 't is committed and here even by the commandment sin appears to be exceeding sinful after commission For 1 The Law discovers as before what is sin so now what sin is how displeasing to God how destructive to man and that as 't is a transgression of the Law of God made for the good of man no sooner is sin committed but the Law is so far from indulging or justifying it or the sinner or from concealing it that it discovers it and the displeasure of God against it Rom. 3.20 yea not only discovers sin but 2 It condemns the sinner the Law is not against the righteous against such there is no Law nor condemnation but this Law which like a good Magistrate is an incouragement to them that do well is a terrour to evil doers saith the Apostle Rom. 7.9 when the commandment came and shew'd me sin as in a Perspective-glass sin revived it got the victory over me was too strong for me for the Law strengthened it against me 1 Cor. 15.56 and I died I was dead in Law I had sentence of death within me as he speaks in another case The transgressed Law worketh wrath Rom. 4.15 it sends abroad terrours thundrings and flashes of wrath it discovers wrath to them that by sin have made work for wrath Thus the Law is against sin before and after the commission of it Yet further to shew how the sinfulness the malignity of sin appears by the Commandment as 1 Thus That it takes occasion from its being prohibited and forbidden by the Law to sin against and transgress it the more It hath such a malignity such an enmity in it that it will not be subject to the Law of God Rom. 8.7 it strives to break this bond in sunder and to cast this cord far from it the Law stands in its way and therefore it rusheth upon the breaking of it with the more violence sin grows angry and swells like a river pent up and stopt in its course Thus
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
be void of righteousness and life for they both are by faith and as if men repent not they will not be forgiven so if they believe not they will be damned for not only they that know not God but they that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will have vengeance taken on them and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.8 9. And how can they escape i. e. there 's no possibility of escaping this great damnation that neglect the great salvation Hebr. 2.3 Let us take the Doctrine of the Gospel apart and 't is as in the whole so in every part of it against sin not one Gospel doctrine but the application of it is and is to be made against sin Tit. 2.11 The grace of God bringing salvation or the saving grace of God hath appear'd to all men and so is against the sin of all men and against all sin teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts not one excepted and to live soberly as to our selves righteously as to others and godlily to God in this present world i e. all the daies of our life as 't is Luke 1.74 75. The Gospel is a witness against the old man with all his corrupt affections passions lusts and deeds and is all for new light and knowledge new love and affection new life and conversation and its design is that man be no longer an old but a new creature Eph. 4 17.-25 2 Cor. 5.17 'T is against all sin and for all righteousness and holiness 't is against hypocrisie and for truth against formality and for spirit and power More particularly 1 The Doctrinal part Of the Gospel is against sin 2 The Mandatory part Of the Gospel is against sin 3 The Promising part Of the Gospel is against sin 4 The Menacing part Of the Gospel is against sin 5 The Exemplary part Of the Gospel is against sin 6 The â—â—â—rimental part Of the Gospel is against sin 1 The Doctrinal part yea that which flesh and blood is apt to interpret as an incouragement to sin and takes occasion from it to abuse it As 1 The Doctrine of Gods free and abounding grace Rom. 5.20 21. S. Paul had taught that where sin abounded grace did much more abound and grace did reign to eternal life Hereupon Ch. 6.1 some were apt to take occasion to sin as if they were encouraged by grace but oh with what detestation and abhorrency doth the Apostle speak against it Shall we sin either because grace doth or that grace may abound God forbid and when men would do evil that good might come of it he speaks like a Son of Thunder and tells them their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 and S. Jude writes an Epistle purposely against them that turn the grace of God into wanconness perverting the end of grace calling them ungodly men and men ordain'd to this condemnation Jude 4. 2 The Doctrime of Redemption by the blood and death of Jesus Christ Christ Jesus died for our sins and some wicked wretches are apt to conclude that they may live in sin because Christ hath died for sin but he died for sin that we might die to sin Rom. 6. and gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie us to himself Tiâ— 2.14 the death of Christ calls for dying to sin and living to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5. 3 The doctrine of priviledges is against sin God hath dignified his people and given them titles of honor such a◠〈◊〉 when them of Caesars and Emperours are but 〈…〉 behold it as a matter of wonder 〈…〉 of love the Father hath 〈…〉 that we should be called 〈…〉 God! 1 Joh. 3.1 And you saith S. Peter of believers 1 Pet. 2 9. are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood and which is more glorious an holy Nation Oh therefore abstain from fleshly lusts therefore shew forth the virtues and by them the praises of him who hath called you out of your marvellous darkness into his marvellous light 4 The Doctrine of judgment to come is against sin wicked men scoff at this 2 Pet. 3. and think if they may be let alone till thaâ— day they shall do well enough but remember for all things thou must come to judgment and therefore learn to fear God and keep his Commandments as the wiâ—e man teacheth Eccl. 12.13 14. and the Apostle speaking of the day of judgment says knowinâ— the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 viz. not to sin but to live in righteousness and holiness Seeing this must be what oh what manner of persons should we be in all holy conversations and godlinesses for the Greek is plural yea and to take heed not to fall into the errors of the wicked but to grow in grace as S. Peter concludes 2 Pet. 3 1â—.17.18 all the Doctrine of the Bible from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations is a continual preaching and witnessing against sin 2 The Mandatory the commanding and exhorting part of the Gospel witnesseth against sin What are men commanded and exhorted to but to serve God in righteousness and true holiness all the daies of their life to depart from iniquity as from the way to hell and walk holily in Christ Jesus as the way of heaven Yea God condescends so far as to entreat men to be reconciled that they may be happy 2 Cor 5.20 and what doth this speak but that sin is both displeasing to God and destructive to man that it is sinful sin 3 The promising part and promises of the Gospel are all against sin God hath given to us exceeding great Gr. the greatest and precious promises that by these we might escape the pollutions of the world through lust and be made partakers of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and that having these promises we should cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Promises of good are against the evil of sin 4 The Menacing and threatning part of the Gospel is against sin God threatens before men sin that they may not sin to prevent sin and he threatens after men have sinned that they may repent of sin 't is not only the Law but the Gospel also that threatens sinners and with no less then damnation Mark 16.16 and when any have sinned God threatens the execution of threatnings if they do not repent as Rev. 2.5.16.22 Ch. 3.3.19 This also witnesseth against sin 5 The Exemplary part doth the examples recorded in the Gospel do witness against sin as the examples of the Old Testament so them of the New are registred as witnesses against sin The examples of good men and good things are set up as way marks to shew us what to do the examples of the wicked as Sea-marks to shew us what to avoid the good examples are that we may not sin by omission of good
Loathsomness of Sin 2. The Infectiousness of Sin 1. That Sin is a filthy i. e. a loathsom thing will be clear if we do consider a little that to which sin is resembled and likened as to the most offensive and loathsom diseases 't is likened to a Canker or Gangrene 2 Tim 2.17 Now with such persons as are under these diseases others are loth to eat or drink 't is likened to the rot to the filth and corruption of the foulest disease which is so foul and rotten as according to the Proverb one would not touch it with a pair of Tongs The Apostle tells us of some who like Jannes and Jambres resist the truth and calls them men of corrupt or rotten minds And Solomon gives us to know that as a sound heart is the life of the flesh so Envy any thing opposed to the sound heart is rottenness to the bones yea sin is likened to the Plague which every one flies from 't is so noisom and loathsom that it separates the nearest relations now sin is called the Plague of the heart 1 Kings 8.38.39 which is much worse then any plague-sore of the body and this is not all but as sin is likened to the most loathsom diseases so to other the most loathsom things that are 't is likened to the blood wherein infants are born which is loathsom as Ezek. 16.5 6. It s likened to Mire and Dung to the very excrements that lye in Ditches and Common shores wherein Sows and Swine do wallow as 't is exprest 2 Pet. 2.22 yea to the Vomit of dogs in the same place to the Putrifaction of graves and sepulchres Math. 23.27 28. which is stinking as Martha said of Lazarus when he had been some days dead Joh. 11.39 't is likened to Poyson Rom. 3.13 All these things and others which I shall not name are loathsom things at which men stop their noses and from which they hide their eyes yet sin is more loathsom then they all if we consider that nothing but the fountain open'd for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse from this filthiness all the Nitre and Sope in the world cannot get it out beside 't is not only filthy but filthiness not only corrupt but corruption in the very abstract and all the things to which sin is resembled are far short of sin they are but shadows which are very imperfect representations of things all the former Instances or others of like name and nature reach but to the body and do not defile the man but sin reacheth and seizeth on soul and spirit and defiles the man Math. 15.19 20. This is the Canker the Rottenness the Plague the Poyson of the Soul and sin is not only worse then any but then all of these yea further if our righteousness be but as a menstruous rag Isa 64.6 how filthy must our sin be The Apostle St. Paul counted his righteousness which was of the Law to be but dung Phil. 3. what did he reckon his injuriousness persecution and blasphemy then surely as bad as death and hell if not only our righteousness but our righteousnesses yea all our righteousnesses be as filthy rags as 't is in that fore quoted place Isa 64.6 what is our sin our sins and all our sins Ah how filthy beyond expression or imagination yet again sin is not only filthy i. e. loathsom but it is 2. A polluting and infectious thing 't is of a pestilential and poysonous nature and therefore called not only corruption but pollution and defilement 2 Pet. 2.20 There are many things that may make a man foul and loathsom as Leprosie and ulcerous tumours c. and yet the soul of a man may be pure and fair as Jobs was when his body was all over of a scab or sore and he state on the dunghil but sin as was hinted before defiles the man and soaks into his very spirit and infects that But that we may take the clearer and fuller prospect of sins pestilent and infectious nature and operation let us behold it 1. In its Vniversality how it hath extended and spread it self over all the world there is no Land or Nation Tribe Language Kindred or People where it hath not been known from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof all Climats hot and cold all Quarters of the world Americans Africans Asians and Europeans have all been infected not only Sodom or Samaria but Jerusalem and Sion were infected and ruin'd by it 't is here and there and every where but in Heaven Beside this it hath infected all Ages 't is almost as old as the world it hath run in a blood from Adam to Moses and so on to this day 't is a plague that hath lasted almost 6000 years yea which is more not one man hath escaped it all kind of men of all ranks and qualities high and low rich and poor Kings and Beggars have been infected by it the wise the learned as well as foolish and illiterate Rom. 3.9 10. who is there that hath lived and sinned not our Saviour excepted and if any man say he hath not sinned he sins in saying so By one man sin came into the world but since not one man but every man hath sinned all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 and death came upon all in as much as all had sinned Rom. 5.12 If all men are mortal then all are sinners for death came in by sin where there is no sin there 's no death as in Heaven Rev. 21.4 All men have died of this plague yea our Lord and Saviour had not died if he had not been made sin for us Moreover this Leprosie hath spread it self not only on whole mankind but on the whole of man every whit of every man is infected it hath made flesh and spirit filthy 2 Cor. 7.1 from the crown of â—he head to the sole of the foot there 's no sound part in him all as I instanced above all his members are servants to sin and 't is no better within Gen. 6.5 his heart is evil the thoughts of his heart are evil the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil the very thoughts of his thoughts are evil every creature of the heart is evil How the Vnderstanding is darkned and depraved I shewed above that the Heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond any knowledge but Gods the Prophet assures us from God himself Jer. 17.9 the mind and Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 16. The Will is become perverse and stubborn worse then so 't is wilful and mad set upon sin and hell Eccle. 8.11 The Affections concupiscible are inordinate the Passions irascible are unruly that man 's more head-strong then the horse that rusheth into the battel It hath made some men so restless that they cannot sleep unless or until they have done mischief Prov. 4.16 To go on yet further Sin spreads its
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
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
childrens death then that they had sinned And they of whom the world was not worthy being too good to live long chose rather to dye then sin Heb. 11. and many a good man like S. Paul desires to dye because this dying will prove the death of sin Sin is worse then death yea and 3. Sin is worse then the Devil Sin is worse then the Devil the Devil is indeâ—d a terrible Enemy the evil and envious one the hater of mankind but he knows he can nor damn nor hurt men without sin Sin can do that without the Devil which the Devil cannot do without sin and that is undo men God and the Devil are not so contrary as God and Sin for the Devil hath something â—eft viz. a Being which was of God but sin never was nor can be of God he is neither Author of nor Tempter to it James 1.13 Sin made the Devil what he is as a Devil the Devil was not made so of God as to man the Devil 't is true doth now seek to devour him but he cannot do it without sin nor can he compel any man to sin But 1. Though the Devil tempt 't is man that sins Temptations from Satan to siâ— are not sins nor the way to Hell but the very temptations of sin are sins the way to more sins and so to Hell A man 's own lusts are more and worse tempters then the Devil and the Scripture speaks as if a man were not tempted nor indeed is effectually till his lust do it James 1.14 If a man were tempted by the Devil forty days and yet without sin as Christ was yea tempted all his days yet if a man yield not but the grace of God be sufficient for him he may as St. Paul glory in his infirmities and triumph over the messenger of Satan 2 Cor 12. The Devil gives over for a season which sinful lusts scarce ever do they haunt men more then the Devil doth There is a scum of filthiness beiling or â—ubling up when the Devil doth not meddle with us Libera me à male homine meipso was St Austins Prayer and should be ours for indeed no man nor Devil is so bad to us as evil-self is to us The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat was no excuse the Devil owed me a spight and paid it will not apologize 't is man that sins and sin that damns either of which the Devil cannot force upon man 2. As sin is worse then the Devil as a Tempter and a worse Tempter so sin is worse then the Devil as a Tormentor and a worse Tormentor The Devil is cruel enough a roaring Lion and many times takes possession of men and handles them most unmercifully and will much more torment men in Hell as I have shewn above but all this while the Devil is without the spirit of a man but sin is there takes possession of and torments that â—is a grief to be tempted to sin but 't is a torment to be a sinner and God doth more form when he pardons us and more to our ease and refreshment then if he did cast as many Devils out of us as he did out of Mary Maâ—â—â—â—lene or aâ— whole Legion as he did Mark 5.9 Yea in Hell the gnawing worm of a guilty and upbraiding conscience doth more torment men then Devils do 'T would be a relief to a man in Hell if he could but have peace in his conscience or if he could say that he were there without his demerit and that his perdition were not of himself But to eeke out this a little further I say 4. That Sin is worse then Hell Sin is worse then Hell Hell is but a punishment Sin is a crime which hath more evil then the punishment and is that which made Hell the punishment thereof yea the greatness of this punishment argues the greatness of the crime and the sinfulness of sin Gods being glorified upon men in such a way is a clear and full proof what an evil thing it is to sin against and dishonour a God and consequently that Hell it self doth not so much hurt no not to man as sin doth Hell indeed is a disinal place of horrour and torment the extremity of suffering but never had an existence till sin had nor never could admit of such names as it doth and such torments if sin were not there 'T is storied as a Saying of Anselmes that if Sin and Hell were set before him and he must go through one of them he would rather chuse to go through Hell then Sin 't is sin 't is sin that 's the worst of Hell and worse then Hell 't is that which makes sinners cry out of the unhabitableness of devouring sire and everlasting burnings which are no terrour to righteous and upright souls as 't is Isa 33.14.15 'T is sin that makes Hell to be Hell God was never angry till sin made him so his wrath was never kindled but by sin now as sin made Hell so the more sin the more Hell as Tyre and Sidon feel beyond Sodom and Gomorrah If there were no Hell but such as Cain and Judas felt within them 't were yet a great one and they would tell you 't were damnation enough to be a sinner and to feel the horrors of a guilty and accusing conscience Yet a little more to shew that Sin is the worst of Evils 1. Other proofs 〈◊〉 sin is the worst 〈…〉 There is more evil in it then good in all the Creation that is it doth us more hurt then all the Creation can do us good when we are sick or wounded there are many medicinal Creatures that can help to recover and cure us but of this evil of sin there is no cure by any or all the Creatures 't was too hard for that good wherein we were created and all created good ever since hath not been able to recover us from it no 't is not but by God that we can be either pardoned or purged of it all the Angels in Heaven could neither pay our debt for us nor cleanse our hearts for us and God himself doth new-make us for mending would not serve our turn and therefore mans recovery is called a new Creation and the man a new Man created c. Eph. 4. and 't was Davids prayer create inâ—â—â—e a clean heart Psal 51. Sin is an evil past the skill and power of all the Creation to cure and cleanse 2. There 's no evil but this to be repented of God allows us to sigh and groan to mourn and lament at other evils but for this he calls for and requires repentance which is a severe thing full of rebuke and disgrace to man though it be a grace How great is that evil for which a man must cry Peccavi and to bring him to the confession whereof and repentance for and from it other evils are inflicted 3. They are the greatest punishments which are made up of
sins 'T is worse to be let alone and given up then if men were sent quick to Hell for they live but as reserved to fill up their measure brimful and to undergo the more of Hell to grow rich in wrath having treasured it up against that day As 't is the best of comforts to have assurance of the love of God and to be sealed to the day of Redemption so 't is the saddest of judgments to be given up as 't is three times in one place Rom. 1. to their lusts to an hardned heart a seared conscience a reprobate mind when God shall say let him that 's filthy be filthy still Rev. 22.11 and they shall not see nor understand lest they should be converted Isa 6.9 10. a dreadful place which is six times quoted in the New Testament as you may see in the Margine 4. Sin is the worst of Evils as appears by this that God hates men for it 't is not only sin Prov. 6.16.19 but sinners that God hates and that for sin Psal 5.5 't is said of God that be hates the workers of iniquity not only the works of iniquity but the workers of it hatred is not known by judgments the evil of suffering but 't is known by the evil of sin which is before us Eccl. 9 1 2. 't is for this that the merciful God saith he that made them will not have mercy on them nor shew them any favour Isa 27 11. and as a Learned person expresseth it This is the highest that can be spoken of the venom of sin that in a sort and to speak after the manner of men it hath put hatred into God himself it made the Lord hate and destroy his own workmanship God is Love and Judgment his strange work yet sin makes him out of love with men and in love with their destruction at last so though he delight not in the death of a repenting yet he doth in the death of an impenitent sinner 5. It proves Sin the worst and greatest of Evils that Christ is the best and greatest of Saviours and his Salvation the best and greatest Salvation he came to save sinners and to save them not from the petty evils of sickness affliction and perfection but from sin the greatest of all evils Math. 1.21 1 Tim. 1.15 To be saved from Egypt was of old reckoned great but being delivered out of the North was a greater Salvation Jer. 23.8 but Salvation from Sin is the greatest Salvation and therefore Sin the worst and greatest of Evils Having thus evinced Sin to be the worst of Evils â—n being against God infers the Evil of Evils none to be compared to it for evil I shall now apply it more distinctly and shew what we are to inter From the sinfulness of Sin His patience to be wonderful as 't is 1. Against God 2. Against Man As sin is considered against God I infer 1. That the patience of God with His patience to be wonderful and the long-suffering of God towards sinners is wonderful if sin be so exceeding sinful i. e. contrary to and displeasing to God then surely his patience is exceeding great his goodness exceeding rich his long-suffering exceeding parvellous even to wonder That God should intreat Sinners his enemies to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 that God should stand at a Sinners door and knock Rev. 3 20. that God should wait on Sinners to be gracious to them Isa 30.18 is not after the manner of men but of God yea the God of grace and patience and to be admired for ever That at first God should think thoughts of good and not of evil of peace and not of wrath but visit us in the cool of the day was a wonder but that after he had imparted and commended his heart-love to us in and by his Son Rom. 5.8 and both were rejected that he should yet continue to offer and call and wait 't is a miracle of miracles What shall we say 't is God who is as his Name is Exod. 34.6 Numb 10.18 Psal 86.15 and as he was yesterday he is to day the God of grace and patience Rom. 15.5 and rich in it Rom. 2.4 with 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Tim. 1.13 16. yea we are all living monuments and instances of his goodness and patience 't is of the Lords mercies that we all are not altogether and utterly consumed yea and that in Hell Lam. 3.22 Sin is so sinful so contrary and displeasing to God and hath made man so much Gods enemy that 't is a miracle he should find his enemies any of them and let them go well away That God who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity should look on the sins of men that his eye should so affect his heart as to grieve him yea that it tempts and provokes him to anger wrath and hatred and that God should keep in anger which is like burning coals in our bosom and not let out all his wrath and ease himself of his burthen by avenging himself of his adversaries but woo and wait on sinners Oh the power of his patience Oh the infiniteness of his mercy and compassions Oh the riches of unsearchable grace God sees it is not ignorant God is sensible of it and concern'd for it grieves and vexeth him God is able to right himself when he pleaseth and yet forbears and is patient Oh wonder Consider yet again 1. The multitude of sinners that are in the world if 't were but one or two they might be winkt at and past by but when all the world lies in wickedness as it doth 1 Joh. 5.19 when there is none righteous no not one if there had been but ten God would have spared Sodom c. though ten thousand sinners might be there but when there is not a man to be found that sinneth not but all ahve sinned Jew and Gentile high and low c. Oh what grace what patience is this 2. Consider the multitude of sins and the multitude of sins in and by every sinner the sins are more numerous then sinners if all men had finned and but once it would have mitigated the matter but sin hath grown up with men that were not only conceived and born in sin but went astray before they could go even from the womb not a good thought to be found in their heart Gen. 6.5 it grows up faster then men do they are old in sin when young in years they are adding iniquity to iniquity and drawing it on with cords and ropes committing it with both hands greedily as if they could not sin enough they dare God himself to judge them they drink down iniquity like water as if 't were their element and nourishment and pleasure also yea and among the rest his sons and daughters provoke him with their sins which go very near his heart Deut. 32.19 and yet behold how miraculously patient and long-suffering God is 3. Consider the length of time in which these
multitude of sinners have committed these multitudes of sins from the beginning even till now generation after generation if all the world had sinned and committed all manner of sins if it had been but for an hour or a day it had not been so provoking but as length of time aggravates misery so it doth sin God reckons up 120 years patience after many before that as to the old World Gen. 6 3 and to Israel forty years Heb. 3.17 He came to the Fig-tree of the Jewish Nation three years in person seeking fruit before he cut it down or so much as gave order for it Luke 13.6 7. He had waited longer on all these but these were over time such as Landlords allow their Tenants after Quarter-day space given before Distraint or Ejectment We were old enough to be damn'd when we were young but God hath given us an over-plus of time space for repentance and hath not yet cut us down as Cumber-grounds Oh patience 4 Consider that sins cry to God against us and the Devil to be sure is a constant Sollicitor against us The cry of Cains sin went up Gen. 4.10 the cry of Sodoms sin was great Gen. 18.20 21. 19.13 the detaining of labourers wages crys James 5.4 and indeed all oppression crys Hah 2.8 12. and yet God as if he were loth to judge us or take up reports against us comes down to see if these things be so and doth as 't were put Abraham and his friends upon interceding by telling them what he is about to do Amos 3.7 Oh the goodness of God! 5. There are many aggravating circumstances attending the sins of men beside the greatness of its own nature which do exceedingly provoke God mens sins are not only many and great but are both multiplied and magnified they are greatned by many circumstances men increase and heighten their sin by not repenting of it and greaten their impenitence by despising the goodness of God which should lead them to repentance Rom. 2. which makes them inexcusable and incapable to escape the judgment of God Men sin against deliverances as if they were delivered to do all manner of abominations and to sin more then before Jer. 7.8.9 10. Men sin against their purposes and promises vows and protestations made at Sea or Land on sick-beds or any times of danger and return like the dog to the vomit They compound with God in time of fear and danger but put him off with nothing when the danger is the more yet as they think over Mâ—n sin against means and means of grace they have precept on precept line on line yet sin still and more whatever way God takes with them yet nothing takes with them as Amos 4 6 11. this and this have I done yet and yet ye have not returned mourn or pipe to them 't is all alike they will not hearken nay alas Men sin against knowledge and conscience though they know God they glorifie him not as God they know their Masters will but do it not Rom. 1.21 Luke 12.47 James 4.17 't were in vain to attempt it because impossible to attain it viz. to reckon up all the aggravating circumstances of mens sins which make them more sins for degree multitude and magnitude and yet God waits to be gracious with a notwithstanding Oh grace grace unto it is it not a wonder that men are spared especially considering what quick dispatch God made with Angels that sinned Wonder of Grace But though God be so patient beyond what we could ask or think yet he doth sometimes and will for ever punish sinners that repent not 2. Therefore I infer The judgment of God on sinners is just that sin being so contrary to God and against his will and glory the judgments of God great though they be on sinners whether here or hereafter are just God often punisheth less never more then iniquity deserves the greatest sufferings are no more nor less then sin deserves the worst on this side Hell is mercy the worst of and in Hell is but justice For 1. If we consider the Nature of God that judgeth he is and cannot but be just shall not the God and Judge of all the Earth do right Can he do or will he do wrong Oh no he layeth on man no more then is meet that man might not enter into judgment with God Job 34.23 Cain could say his punishment was intolerable but could not say it was unjust though greater then he could bear yet not greater then he did deserve God will not argue the case with men meerly as a Soveraign but as a Judge who proceeds not by Will only but by Rule many times over when the judgments of God are spoken of in the Revelations as Chap. 15.3 16.7 't is still just and true and righteous though his ways unsearchable yet true and just and righteous he makes war in righteousness Death is but sins due wages Rom. 6.27 therefore 't is said their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 and every sin hath a just recompense of reward Heb. 2.2 guilt stops mens mouths under their suffering the judgment of God Lam. 3.39 Rom. 3.19 Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 If God judge man God is found true but if man judge God man is found a lyar Would man complain of the Devil as Eve did 't is true he is to blame but is not so much the cause of mans sin as man himself is the Devil might tempt indeed but could not compel so that 't is man that sins though tempted to sin and though man could not prevent being tempted yet he might have forborn to have sinned Would man complain of God what Action would he enter what would he lay to his charge did not God make him in the best of Creature-state did not God tell him what was evil and the danger of sinning what may God say as of Israel what could I have done more that I have not done so that man must say that he hath rewarded evil to himself by doing evil and that his perdition is of himself Hos 13.9 Sinners have their option and choise why then do they complain 2. The severest Judgment of God on sinners is just if we consider the nature of sin 't is Deicidium God-murther and 't is just with God to do by sinners what they would have unjustly done by him viz. take away from them all good and glory displease and destroy them because they would him if we consider the person sinn'd against and the aim of sin to ungod God what punishment can be thought bad enough The Schools tell us and truly that objectively sin is infinite Oh what punishment can be too great for so great an evil if its deed could have answered its intention and will God had been no more Oh what an horrid thing is this As none but infinite power can pardon it so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently As its aim is infinite so is its
but how ridiculous are they and worse then childish that venture precious souls for that which doth not profit as God upbraids Israel of old that they changed their glory for that which did not profit and worse then that great King who sold his Kingdom for a draught of water they leave and part with a fountain of living waters for a cistern an empty cistern that hath none yea for a broken cistern that can hold no water no not a drop Jer. 2.21 Sinners are often asking this question What Profit is there if we serve God Job 21.15 Oh godliness is profitable for all times for here and hereafter it hath the promise of both lives this and that to come 1 Tim 4.8 But let me ask them and I wish they would often ask themselves What profit is there if we sin as Judah askt his brethren What profit is there if we slay our brother Gen. 37.26 surely none but shame and sorrow you may put your gains in your eyes and weep it out if not a greater loss will come unto you Thus then we have seen that no good of profit comes by sin no not by that which is called the most prositable sin Covetousness so that our inference holds good they are mistaken that seek good in evil 2 Of Honor or Credit As there is no good called Profit so none of that called Honour to be had by sin 't is not a creditable thing there are that glory in and make boast of their sin but they glory in their shame Phil. 3.19 and surely sooner or later they will be ashamed of their glory Sin is not a thing of good report it doth malè audire hear ill and hath an ill name all the world over Can that be honourable which is unreasonable can that be an honour to man which debaseth and degrades him the unreasonableness of sin appears by the reasonableness of the Law sin hath no reason for it for the Law which hath all reason in it is against it that sin degrades men I shewed above Take the sine and brave things of this world wherein men pride themselves and these cannot cover the nakedness of sinners much less be an ornament or honour to them for that can never be an honour or grace to the body which is a disgrace to the soul That cannot be an honour to men which they are generally ashamed to owne at least under its own name But though all the world should admire and celebrate the grandeur of sinners yet God accounts them vile though they sit at the upper end of the world and God is doubtless the best Judge of Honour that cannot be honourable to man that is abominable to God Luke 16.15 even appearing righteousness which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God much more then is sin it self Again 3. Of Pleasure There is none of the good called Pleasure to be had from or by sin 't is true indeed the pleasures of sin are much talked of and we read of some that take pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thes 2.12 and of some impudent and brazen-fac'd that they were who though they knew the Judgment of God yet took pleasure to do and in them that did such things as were worthy of death Rom. 1.32 and there were that lived in pleasure on the earth and seemed to grow fat by it nourishing themselves but 't was for the day of slaughter James 5.5 Notwithstanding all this we doubt not to make it evident that there is no such thing as they talked of or dreamt of pleasure in from or by sin Pleasure is the contentment and satisfaction of a mans mind in what he doth or hath but sinners have none of this from sin For 1. The God that searcheth their hearts and knows what 's there tells us that there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 the Septuagiâ—t read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no joy nor peace nor pleasure no serenity nor one Halcyon-day for they are like the raging Sea casting up mire and dirt by reason of its rowling and disquietment Men to our appearance seem to laugh and be merry but God sees that they have no peace within and I had rather believe the God of Truth then lying men for lye they do when they say they have peace or pleasure in sin Solomon said of laughter it was mad and of mirth what does it yea more in the midst or heart of laughter the heart is sad 2. The nature of the thing viz. sin cannot afford pleasure it being contra-natural to man and therefore the Heathen Philosophers could say that punishment succeeds guilt at the heels like that Gen. 4.7 if thou do evil sin lies dogging at the door Another saith more expresly that punishment doth not only succeed sin but they are born together and are Twins For they that deserve punishment expect it and who ever expects it suffers it in a degree so that the sinner is his own tormenter and sin his terment our knowledge of having miscarried will return and complain of the abuse and the impressions of the fault will bring fear which fear hath torment if there were no more to come the upbraids of conscience mar the mirth and make the pleasure very displeasing What pleasure can it be to feel the upbraids of meat though it taste pleasantly poyson it self is sweet to the taste but not therefore pleasant regrets and ill-savouring belchings do not speak pleasure Whatever crosseth and thwarteth Nature is a punishment not a pleasure and so is sin to primitive and created Nature if custom and a seared conscience seem to deny the sense of such regrets yet that argues the case the worse for what pleasure can that be that benums a man and makes him not only stupid but dead and they that live in such pleasures are by the infallible truth declared to be dead while they live 1 Tim. 5.6 When stupidity may pass for pleasure and death for life or dreams for enjoyments these then may have a large share But 3. There can be no satisfaction but of necessity much vexation because of the boundless and infinite desire in the heart of man which this cannot fill up but disappoints Lusts are like the Hoâ—sleech and the Grave which have never enough but cry give give the desire argues want and to desire again argues the continuance of want hence 't is that sinners shift so often or as the Apostle speaks serve divers lusts which changes and varieties clearly evince the poverty of their entertainments and emptiness of their pleasure While men seek to quench the thirst of sin by giving it salt water to drink they do but increase it and indeed every man may find it much more easie pleasant and satisfactory to him to mortifie then to gratifie sin to deny then fulfil the desires of the flesh For men to be ever contradicting and swimming against the stream of their
peace though we walk in the imaginations of our heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare them but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against them and when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction will come upon them as travel upon a woman with child and there will be no escaping 1 Thes 5.3 There are some other inferences yet to be spoken to and of them I shall say but a few things in brief Time spent in sin is worse then lost Sin being so sinful 2. I infer that time spent in sin is worse then lost Most of the pastime in the world is lost time but sinning time or time spent in sin is worse then lost it must be accounted for and who can give a good account of evil doing while men live in sin they do nothing but undo themselves Man was not sent into this world only to eat drink sleep and play much less to sin yea that he might not sin but as into a great Work-house to work for the glory of God Joh. 17.4 and so to work out his own Salvation and that with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 but they that live in sin work out their damnation and many times without fear or trembling of which they will have great store when they come to receive their just doom and damnation Time is a most precious Commodity for on this moment depends Eternity and as men sow in this seed-time they will reap in that harvest Time is a Prophet for Eternity as men live here they are like to live for ever they that sow sin must reap death Galat. 6.8 Time is to be redeemed Eph. 5.16 and every day to be numbred greatly valued and improved that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Psal 90.12 and this is wisdom the fear of the Lord and this understanding to depart from evil Job 28.28 This is wisdom to know and do what is the acceptable will of God Mat. 7.24 Eph. 5 15-17 We may be said to be but not to live if we live not to God and all time that is not so spent is but mis-spent and worse then lost poor distracted persons that have lost their understanding They that mock at sin are worse then fools wear out their days to less loss and disadvantage then sinners do 3. Then they that make a mock at sin are worse then fools and mad-men fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 tell them as Lot did his sons in Law the danger they are in the judgments that hang over their head and our is to them as Lot was to them as one that mocketh Gen. 19.14 they laugh at it as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sinners and as if they that preach against sin were but ridiculous persons It s a sport to fools to do mischief Prov. 10.23 and there are that sport themselves in their way to Hell as if 't were but a recreation Oh what fools are they that laugh at their own folly and destruction too 'T is a devilish nature in us to mock at the calamity of others but to laugh at our own seems to be worse then devilish There are many too many that mourn under affliction yet laugh over their sins that sigh weep when they feel any burden on their bodies but make merry at that which destroys their soul Can any thing be more mad then these that laugh mock and make sport at that which is a burden and weariness to God Isa 1.14 Amos 2.13 which is the wounding piercing and crucifying of Christ Jesus Zach. 12.10 Heb. 6.6 which is a grief to the Spirit of Consolation Eph. 4.30 which is a trouble to holy Angels Luke 15. which is a wrong to and the undoing of their own souls Prov. 8.36 and such is sin 4. It cannot be well with men in their sin Sin being so sinful infectious and pernicious it can never be well with a man how well soever he be while he is in his sins Was it well with Dives though he fared deliciously every day no it was better with Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores for that 's welâ— that ends well which it never doth with sinners if judgment be not executed speedily 't will surely for they are condemned already being sons of death and perdition No man hath cause to envy the prosperity of sinners 't is not good enough to be envied but 't is bad enough to be pitied they are but fatted and thereby fitted to destruction Prov. 1.32 the prosperity of fools shall destroy them their folly alone doth it but their prosperity doth double it and do it with a vengeance the prosperous sinner is in the worst case of all sinners they are set in slippery places and shall be cast down from their height to the depth of destruction Psal 73.18 5. Sin being so sinful It concerns us to be religious betimes it greatly concernes persons and hugely obligeth them to be religious betimes that they may prevent a great deal of sin which without being early religious and strictly so they cannot possibly do how precious and dear should that be to us which prevents the being of what is so pernicious and destructive how industriously careful should we be to keep our selves from that which will keep us from happiness and how ambitious to enjoy that which capacitates us for the enjoying of God for ever and gives us the first-fruits of it here We cannot be too soon nor too much religious but the sooner and more the better If ever you mean to be religious there is no time more proper then now the present now no day to to day Eccl. 12.1 remember now thy Creators as the word is viz. God in Christ for he â—reated all things by Christ Jesus Eph. 3.9 Col. 1.16 Remember now in the days of thy youth before the evil days come when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them not only no pleasure in the evil days of sickness death and judgment that evil day which I put far from me but I have none in the remembrance of my youthful days Youth is the most proper season of all our days and now is the most proper season of all our youth to remember God in If you say we will do that when we are old 't is now spring-time with us and no month to May we will think of Religion in a Winters night Oh do not boast of to morrow as young as thou art thou art old enough to dye this night thy soul may be taken from thee and be in Hell to morrow Take the Wise-mans counsel Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes yes Sir with all our heart we will take this counsel we like it well this is pleasing Doctrine
or delayest it Oh if in this thy day thou consider not the things of thy peace thou mayst have them hid from thine eyes and go blindfold to Hell and be damned for ever and then God will require payment even use upon use to the utmost farthing Mat. 18 23-34 he will be paid all that is due for time for talents for means for mercies for patience and for bearance he will be paid for all If he be not glorified by thee now he will be glorified upon thee then But I hope you are sensible and I shall not need to urge or press this any further and therefore I pass to the Second Counsel believe the Gospel To believe the Gospel 't is not only repentance toward God but faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that 's required for the pardoning and purging of sin for destroying sin and saving thee Repentance is not enough for righteousness is not by repentance but by faith Phil. 3.9 Prayers and tears sighs and sorrows are not our Saviour 't is Jesus only that saves from sin Mat. 1.21 None can put our sint to death but be that dyed for our sins Do not think to compound with God if all the riches of the world were thine to give and thou wouldst give them all it must cost more then so to have thy soul justified and saved Psal 49.9 If all the men of the world would lend thee their blood and thou shouldst offer it up and with that thine own and that of thy first-born too 't were all too little Micah 6 7. bring all thy repentance and righteousness and it cannot compensate or make amends for one sin if all the Angels in Heaven should lend thee their whole stock and 't is a great one yet 't would not do there 's no satisfaction could be made nor any thing merited for thee but by the Son of God he and he only is the Saviour from sin nor is there any Name given under Heaven but his whereby we must be saved nor is there salvation in any other Acts 4.12 Oh then look to him and be saved for be thy sins what they will he can save to the very utmost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 But if thou believe not in Christ Jesus though thou repent of sin and live as touching the Law blaineless as Saul did Phil. 3 though thou be celebrated for a Saint and mayst seem too good to go to Hell yet without Christ and faith in him thou wilt not be good enough to go to Heaven Though there be a Christ to be believed in who hath dyed for sinners yet if thou believe not in him thou mayst dye and be damned notwithstanding that Come then come to and close with Christ not with an idle or dead but with an effectual and lively faith receive whole Christ not only Jesus but Lord not only Saviour but Prince Col. 2.6 be as willing to dye to sin as he was to dye for sin and to live to him as he was to dye for thee be as willing to be his to serve him as that he should be thine to save thee Take him on his own terms give up thy self wholly to him forget thy fathers house depart from all iniquity and become wholly and intirely his let thy works declare and justifie thy faith by purifying thy heart Acts 15.9 by sanctifying thee Acts 26.18 by overcoming the world both the good and evil the best and worst the frowns and flatteries thereof 1 Joh. 5.4 5. as Moses and the rest did by faith Heb. 11. Thus come and thus make good thy coming to and believing in Christ And then thou shalt be saved as the Apostle told the Jaylor Acts 16.30 31. believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Sin this destructive thing Sin shall not destroy them sin this damning thing sin shall not damn them that do unfeignedly and with their heart believe in Jesus as there was need of a Jesus Christ and as there inrequired faith in Jesus Christ so Salvation iâ— ascertain'd and ensured to them that believe in Jesus Christ He that perseveres to the end shall find the end of his faith the saving of his soul Oh then hasten to take hold on him close with him and cleave to him as ever you would be saved from your sin and Gods wrath Do you like the end and not the way is Salvation desirable and is not faith without which 't is impossible to please God here or to be saved hereafter Have ye not souls as well as bodies would ye not be saved from sin as well as from sickness hasten to Christ Jesus then the Physitian the Saviour of Sours is there any other Christ is there Salvation in any other hath God any more Sons to send is there any other way to Heaven have we not been in hazard long enough Oh now come now to Christ if ever there will be reason for it there is now wilt thou need him thou dost now will he be lovely hereafter he is now Oh methinks these things being so we should flye like Doves to the windows and not stand off a moment longer lest we dye and dye in our sins and then adieu to happiness and hope for ever But I trust this is not in vain I am willing to hope I have not preacht from nor prayed to God in vain expostulated with and beg'd of you in vain but that you will yet repent and believe the Gospel There is yet another thing I have to exhort to on this occasion and that is 3. Not to sin again by returning to folly That you would sin no more nor return again to folly hear and fear and do no more wickedly 't is sad to lick up vomits and after being washt to wallow in the mire the latter end of such is worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2. and better it had been for them they had not known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to apostatize and depart from the holy Commandment 't will be difficult next to impossible to renew such again unto repentance Heb. 6.6 and what can they expect but judgment fiery indignation and vengeance Heb. 10 26-30 Oh how is and will the sin and condemnation of Apostates be aggravated what after all his kindness wilt thou kick with the heel against him after sin hath cost thee so many sighs and tears and aking hearts wilt thou make work for more thou wilt have thy belly-full for the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways he will have enough of it one day Prov. 14.14 and then cry out Oh what an evil and a bitter thing is Apostacy Oh this evil heart of unbelief that made me again depart from after my returning to serve the living God! The fourth and last thing I have to say is Not to live in any known sin by way of
Caution Take heed of living in any one especially any known sin Let us lay aside all the remains of naughtiness and the sin that doth most easily beset us let 's not have any favorite-sin but out with right eyes and off with right hands rather then offend yea let 's cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit without and within that we may perfect Holiness and grow up to a perfect man the measure of the stature of Christ Jesus Shall we continue in sin Oh no not in one God forbid he speaks as if it were not only inconsistent but impossible for them so to do that have seen and tasted that the Lord is gracious for now they see the sinfulness of sin more then they did before as that which went about to murder God and did indeed put the Son of God to death and shall say they shall we crucifie him again King David would not drink the water that hazarded mans blood how then how can we do any wickedness and sin against the blood of God which was shed to cleanse us from our sin Shall we take pleasure in that which put Christ to pain and live in that which put Christ to death Oh no by no means shall his love and power have no better influences and effects then have we put off the old man and shall we put it on again are we dead and shall we not cease from sin can we say we believe in him and not obey him no no get ye hence all ye Idols Thus will gracious persons and new creatures both reason and resolve the case I caution and beseech you then to take heed of living in any sin whether in Thought Word or Deed. Caution against 1. Thought-sins 2. Word-sins 3. Deed-sins 1. Not in Thought-sins Take heed of sinning in Thought or of Thought-sins Seeing sin is so sinful 't is evil to be though but a thinking sinner or a sinner though but in thought 'T is too commonly said That thoughts are free they are indeed free in respect of men they cannot judge us for them but God can and will Many persons that seem to be modest and sparing as to evil words and deeds will yet make bold with thoughts and as the saying is Pay it with thinking such as are speculative contemplative sinners There are some who are so wise as not to say with their tongues yet such fools as to say in their heart there is no God Psal 14.1 There are some that do not actually murder yet by anger and envy are murtherers in heart or thought as Joseph accuseth his Brethren saying you thought evil against me Gen. 50.20 There are Thought-adulterers who it may be never were nor durst to be adulterers as to fact Mat. 5.28 There are Blasphemers in heart who speak it not with their mouths as they who when they heard Christ forgiving sins they thought in their heart that he blasphemed and thereby blasphemed him Mat. 9.3 4 5. Some talk of the world and declaim against it as a vanity who think vainly in their heart that their houses shall endure for ever Psal 49.11 So the rich man said within himself thou hast good laid up for many years as if he thought these things his happiness but 't is said of the former this their way is their folly Psal 49.12 and of the latter thou fool Luke 12 20 for the thought of foolishness or a foolish thought is sin Prov. 24.9 and therefore 't is said in Deut. 5.9 Take heed that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart i. e. that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart 'T is true all thoughts of evil are not evil thoughts as all thoughts of good are not good thoughts a man may think of evil and yet his thoughts may be good and a man may think of good and yet his thoughts be evil One then thinks of evil yet with good thoughts when he thinks of evil to grieve and repent for it to abhor and forsake it and one thinks of good with evil thoughts when he thinks of good to neglect and scorn it to call it evil and so to persecute it But thoughts of sin may be sinful thoughts with respect to sin past or sin to come with respect to sin past when men please themselves in the thoughts of their past sins when they chew the cud and lick their lips after it or as 't is said in Job 20.12 13. they hide and rowl it as if 't were a Sugar-plum under their tongue they do it over and over again by thinking of it when they do not act it so some understand that in Ezek. 23.19 She multiplied her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the sins of her youth she acted it over again in her memory in new speculations of her old sins and on the other hand others and it may be the same persons think sinfully of the sins they have not done grieving at and regretting it that they had not taken such and such occasions and embraced such and such temptations as they had to sin So with respect to sins to come men think sinfully in plotting contriving and fore-thinking what sins they will do though they do them not Against this we are charged Rom. 13.14 make no provision for the flesh the word is do not project and cater for the flesh lay not in fuel for such fire do not lye abed and fore-cast to fulfil the lusts hereafter which thou canst not act at present That you may see the sinfulness of evil Thoughts consider 1. That sinful Thoughts do defile a man though they never come to words or deeds be never utter'd never practis'd Mat. 15.19 20. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murthers adulteries c. and these defile the man not only murther and adultery but the thoughts of murthering and committing adultery defile the man as the Text speaks and our Savior again in another Text says as much Mat. 5.22 28. as Job made a Covenant with his eyes that he might not think lust fully of a Maid Job 31.1 So should we take heed to our ways that we may not offend not only not with our tongues but in our thoughts for they are the words of our heart and the deeds thereof and all the words of our mouth and the acts of our lives come from thence and therefore above all keepings keep thine heart Prov. 4.23 2. Sinful thoughts are an abomination in thâ— sight of God God hath a special eye to thâ— thoughts of mens hearts to them of good men Mal. 3.16 and to them of bad men Gen. 6.5 In good men God accepts very often the will for the deed if to will be present with them though to do they have not power if they be as willing to do as to will the deed God accepts the will for the deed though they cannot do it 2 Cor. 8.12 Math. 26.41 So when men will and think wickedly God takes their
appointed to all men once to die and 't is well if they die but once and the second death have no power over them they must see corruption or death in equivalence i.e. a change for this flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God as that wherein we were created might possibly have done 1 Cor. 15.50 Our body is sown in corruption in dishonor in weakness 1 Cor. 15.42 43. and is therefore called vile Philip. 3.21 and before this body be laid in the grave 't is languishing in a continual Consumption and dying daily besides all the dangers that attend it from without And 2 Sin is against the good of mans Soul too 2 Against his Soul The Soul is transcendently excellent beyond the body and the good of that beyond the good of this so that a wrong done to the Soul is much more to mans hurt then a wrong done to the body therefore saith our Saviour Fear not them that can kill the body and do no more which is but little in comparison of what God can do to the soul if it sin but fear him that can destroy i.e. damn soul and body in hell Mat. 10. 'T is not very ill with a man if it be well with his soul but it can never be well with a man if it be ill with his soul so that we can more easily and cheaply die then be damned and may better venture our bodies to suffering then our souls to sinning for he that sinneth wrongs his soul Prov. 8.36 Nothing but sin doth wrong a mans soul and there is no sin but doth it Thus we see in general that sin is against the good of mans body and soul But yet for a more clear and full discovery hereof I shall consider and speak of man 1 In a Natural Sense 2 In a Moral Sense 1 If we consider man in a Physical or Natural state 1 In a natural sense we shall find sin to be 1. Against the well-being And 2. Against the very being of man it will not suffer him to be well or long in the world nor if possible to be at all 1 'T is against mans well-being in this life And so 1 Against his well-being vivere est valere well-being is the life of life and sin bears us so much ill will that it deprives us of our livelihood and that which makes it worth our while to live man was born to a great estate but by sin which was and is Treason against God he forfeited all Man came into the world as into an house ready furnished he had all things prepared and ready to his hands all the creatures came to war on him and pay him homage but when man sinn'd God turn'd him out of house and home all his lands goods and chattels were taken from him Paradise was mans Inheritance where he had every thing pleasant to the eye and good for food as for cloaths he needed none while Innocent but when he sinned God dispossessed him of all and drave him out into the wide world like a Pilgrim a Beggar to live on his own hands and to earn his meat with the sweat of his brow as you may read at large Genes 3. Thus by sin man that was the Emperour of Eden is banisht from his Native Country and must never see it more but in a new and living way for the old is stop'd up and beside that 't is kept against him with flaming swords Ever since it hath been every mans lot to come into and go out of this world naked to shew that he hath no right to any thing but lives on the alms of Gods charity and grace all â—â—e have or hold between our birth and death is clear â—gain and meer gift God might chuse whither â—he would allow us any thing or no and when he hath given he may take again and none of us have cause to say any thing but what Job did Chap. 1.21 Naked came I into the world and naked shall I return the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. All we have our food and rayment is but lent us we are only Tenants at will and therefore seeing we deserve nothing we should be content with and thankful for any thing 1 Tim. 6.7 8. 2 To shew that man by sin had lost all when our Lord Jesus came into this world for the recovery of man and stood as in the sinners stead he had not where to lay his head the Foxes had holes and the birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head Luke 9.58 Which plainly shews that the sin of man had left the Son of man nothing Though Christ were Lord of all yet if he will come in the likeness of sinful flesh he must speed not like the Son of God but Son of Man and be a man of sorrows destitute forsaken and afflicted and though we fare the better for his suffering yet he fared the worse for our sin and among other the miseries he under-went he had not where to lay his head Again To add yet another discovery of the venomous nature of sin as to this that we are upon 't is not a little observeable that though God took not the full forfeiture nor stript us so naked and bare a he might have done but indulged us comperent subsistance and accommodation and as the first fruits of his goodness made the first suit of cloaths which Adam and Eye wore yet sin is against that good which God left us and fills it with vanity and vexation with bitterness and a curse God left Adam many acres of land to till and husband but he hath it with a curse sweat and sorrow many a grieving bryar and pricking thorn stick fast to him Gen. 3 17.-19 God left him ground enough v. 23. but alas 't is cursed ground so that sin is against mans temporal good either in taking it from him or cursing it to him Sin is so envious that it would leave man nothing and if God be so good as to leave him any thing sins eye is evil because God is good and puts a sting in it viz a curse Yet more particularly 'T is 1 Against his rest 1 Sin is against mans rest and ease of which man is much a lover and indeed needs it as being a great part of the well-being of his life 'T is a sore travel which the sons of men have under the Sun yea what hath man of all his labour and the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured for all his daies are sorrows and his travel grief Eccl. 1.13.2.22 23. whither he increase wisdome and knowledge or pleasures and riches yea he taketh not rest in the night but is haunted with vain and extravagant if not feared with frightful dreams and his fancies which are waking dreams by day are more troublesome then them of the night
from sinners and their society to have no more to do with them then needs must this separation from their persons is only because of their sins if good men be constrain'd to converse with them yet they cry out as Psa 120.5 6. Woe is me that I dwell in Meshek and the Tents of Kedar The society of the wicked is very burthensome to the godly Lot was in a kind of hell when he was in Sodom their wickedness was continually vexing his soul 2 Pet. 2.7 8. This withdrawing from or groaning under the society of the wicked testifies against sin and is in obedience to the Command of God 2 Cor. 6.14 c. 4 Their mourning over other mens sins shews that in their eyes sin is an abominable thing though but the sin of others Psal 119.136 Mine eyes run down with rivers of tears why because men keep not thy Laws Oh how dear is the Law of God and how vile the sin of men to holy David so the Prophet Jeremiah Ch. 13 15.-17 expresseth the like zeal for God Hear ye and give ear be not proud give glory to the Lord c. But if you will not hear my soul shall weep in secret for your pride mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears The Apostle Paul when he speaks of the sins of men he doth it weeping Phil. 3.19 Other mens sins cost good men many a weeping eye and aking heart because sin is so contrary to God and the good of men 5 And lastly to name no more they testifie how sinful a thing sin is by their prayers and endeavours to get pardon for their sins who it may be scarce seek it for themselves Sinners little think how much they are beholding to good men who pray for their salvation even then when the wicked seek their destruction Said St. Stephen Father lay not this sin to their charge oh forgive them How earnestly did Abraham pray for mercy in behalf of Sodom that if possible it might not be destroy'd When Israel had sinned a great sin and provokt the Lord Moses mediates and intercedes for them and offers to die that they may live Exod. 32. Now if they did not know that sin were a sinful thing offensive to God and destructive to man would they interpose at such a rate no they would not But by all this it appears that good men witness against sin as the worst of evils yea and wicked men bears witness against sin no man hath a good word for sin There is no man can plead sins cause or be its Advocate but before I produce their testimony I am to shew 2 That good men witness against their own sin 2 Against their own sin as well as against other mens sins they do not only wish others reformation but do endeavour their own and would if possible be so innocent as not to sin at all 't is their ambition and prayer that their thoughts words and deeds may be all acceptable to God Psa 19 14. they would not dream extravagantly if they could avoid it nor that a vain thought should lodge within them 't is possible indeed that some men may declaim bitterly against other mens sins and yet indulge their own as if they had rather see other men reformed then themselves and virtue were a more pleasant Theme to talk of then a thing to be possest but godly men dare not do so but are against sin in others and against sinning themselves As appears 1 By this that they will not dare not sin though they have opportunity and may do it with pleasure honor and profit as the world rates these things Some men that do not sin for want of opportunity would sin if they had it they want not heart but occasion not inclination but opportunity they would sin if tempted to sin Others avoid sins that would bring disgrace c. but for pleasant fashionable and profitable sins they can easily imbrace such but godly men dare not sin though all these concur take an instance in Joseph who when he was courted into pleasure c. yet even then saith he how oh how can I find it in my heart can I do how shall I do this wickededness and sin against God! Gen. 39 7.-9 't is saith he sin against my Master sin against thee sin against mine own soul but the worst is 't is against God how shall I do this wickedness and sin against God! Another instance of him there is in relation to his brethren how ill they had deserved at his hands what opportunity he had to be revenged is well known yet he generously forgave them and provided for them and this was the reason I saith he fear God Gen. 42.18 Job also in his Apology Ch. 31. c. gives a full account how odious a thing sin of all sorts was unto him even in his prosperity when he might according to the course of this world have done whatever seem'd good in his own eyes and none have said to him what dost thou or why dost thou thus You shall find Balaam after the guize and mode of hypocrites talking and pretending like an Angel but acting and intending like a devil 't was a kind of trouble to him that he could not sin Numb 22.18 I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord but it seems he would if he could whereas a Saint would say I neither can nor will go against or beyond or short of the word of the Lord if I can help it 2 Good and godly men discover that sin is odious to them by this that they will rather suffer then sin Many men make an ill choice such an one as Elihu charged on Job Ch. 36.21 This viz. sin hast thou chosen rather then affliction but godly men make Moses his choice who chose affliction rather then the pleasures of sin Hebr. 11. As precious a thing as life is a godly man would not willingly sin to save his life Though the mouth of a Fiery Furnace heated seven-fold were open to devoure the three children as we use to call them yet they would not sin Dan. 3.18 and Daniel would rather adventure on the Lyons then neglect a duty to his God Dan. 6.10 Though bonds waited on S. Paul every where yet he could not be withheld by fear of them from preaching the faith of Jesus Acts 20.23 24. with 21.11 15. you have a long Catalogue a little Book of Martyrs Hebr. 11. who chose all manner of deaths before any kind or manner of sin and would not accept deliverance on ignoble terms but had rather die holily then live sinfully They all declare that 't is better to suffer to avoid sinning then sin to avoid suffering 3 They witness against sin by this that they will not sin though grace abound or that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 2 no God forbid Though they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous who is the Propitiation for their sin
1 Joh. 2.1 2. the very Doctrine of Grace and interest in the death of Christ is the great obligation upon them not to sin Read 〈◊〉 6.2 Cor. 5.15 Titus 2.11 12. the assurance of glory is an engagement to mortification Col. 3 4 5. when Christ who is our life shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory what then May we therefore gratifie corruption and live as we list Oh no but mortifie therefore c. though there be promises of forgiveness to him that confesseth his sin yet a godly man dare not sin and buy repentance at so dear a rate When S. John had said that if we confess our sin God is faithful and not only merciful but just to forgive us our sin and the blood of Jesus Christ shall cleanse us from all yet he adds these things I write that you sin not 1 Joh. 1.9 with 1 Joh. 2.1 nay they dare not sin that good may come of it nor tell a lye though the truth of God may thereby abound unto God his glory Rom. 3.7 8. 4 They witness that sin is an abominable thing by this the care they take and the means they use to prevent sin that they may not sin 1 They maintain a continual war against the devil world and flesh because they would not sin as much as they good souls love peace yet they live in war I and live in war to preserve their peace on which sin would make a breach Godly men would not hate the devil but that he is a sinner and tempts them to sin they would not hate their own flesh or Father and Mother but to prevent sinning Of this war you may read Rom. 7. and Gal. 5.17 They are fain to fight their way to heaven from day to day and duty to duty and are at great cost and charges pains and watchings to keep this war on foot and all that they may not sin 2 They are praying always that they may not sin Oh our Father lead us not into 〈…〉 on but deliver us from evil though temptations be no sins yet they are the way to sins and therefore they pray that if possible they might not be tempted Psa 119.113 Let not any iniquity have dominion over me saith good King David keep me from presumption that I may be upright c. Psa 19. yea 't is their joynt supplication thy will be done on earth as 't is in heaven 3 They hide the word of God in their heart as an antidote that they may not sin Psal 119.11 and when Princes persecuted this holy man without a cause yet he durst not meditate revenge but his heart stood in awe of the word which he had hid there Psa 119 161. 4 That they may not sin they abstain from appearances and occasions of evil Job made a covenant with his eyes Job 31.1 King David said he would take heed to his ways that he might not sin with his tongue Psa 39.1 that is that he might be perfectly holy in the sense of Saint James's phrase Ch. 3.2 If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man a great Commander of himself and able to bridle the whole body which is the expression used in the forequoted Psalm when chast Joseph met with a tempting Mistris 't is said of him he hearkned not unto her not only not to lye with her but not to be with her Gen. 39.10 but fled as from a plague or devil v 12. By all these things to name no more it clearly appears that in the esteem of good men sin is an exâ—eeding impious and pernicious thing But I am sensible there will be two exceptions made against this witness of these men 1 A posse from what may be it may be sin and sinners will say 't is true these men did reprove sin and condemn it in others and endeavour'd to prevent their own but was it for the ugliness of sin or some inconveniences that might else befall them was it because sin was sinful or for some other reasons 2 Ab esse from what is though you would make us believe that godly men are such Ermins such nice and tender things as if they could not endure any uncleanness though you make them so shy and strict as if they would not come near a sin yet 't is apparent they have sinned yea the very men whose instances you please your self in and make them patterns to and Patrons of all the rest Before we can proceed these Amasaes must be removed out of the way and therefore for the removal of the first I answer That though good men as Joseph did make use of all manner of arguments to keep themselve and others from sin yet it is sin as sin that they abhor as ugly and abominable though there were no affliction no hell no wrath yet would regenerate and new-born men declaim against and hate sin As appears 1 By this that the main thing which keeps them from committing it or which they repent for having committed it is that it is against God when Joseph had muster'd up many arguments this was the prevailing one with him how shall I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 against the will and glory of God Job tells us he durst not sin why not why because 't was against God as well as against himself Job 31 1.-4 and in their repentance after a sin this goes most to their heart that they have sinned against God Psa 51.4 Against thee thee only have I sinned how so Surely David had sinned against Vriah and against Bathsheba and against himself his bones as well as conscience felt it Oh but this goes most to the heart that 't was against God it grieves him more that God was displeased by him then that God was displeased with him he puts in twice as much of that consideration as of any other ingredient and as to others his tears run down like rivers not so much because men kept not his as because they kept not Gods Laws 2 By this because they abhor all sin all kinds and all degrees of sin Surely we may conclude that they who hate all sin hate sin as sin this godly men do and only godly men do and godly men always do it so far as godliness acts in power in them 't is the prayer in Psal 119.133 order my steps all and every of my steps in thy word and let not any not any i.e. none iniquity have dominion over me from the highest to the lowest from the greatest to the least let not any one iniquity have dominion over me Some other men abhor some sins as Atheisme blasphemy idolatry murther c. but pride and wantonness c. are pleasant to them as meat and drink Now this is no argument that they hate sin as sin he that hates sin as sin hates all sin and I think it may be inverted truly he that hates all sin hates sin as sin 3