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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64834	Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins tryal and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...	Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.	1669 (1669)	Wing V226; ESTC R38391	212,020	400

may distasie it and to Plays to see the folly of them but who would be a burnt child to dread the fir●● '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 mise●●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 accuse●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 G●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 devill●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

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

his sufferings 1 1 All manner of sufferings Jesus Christ suffer'd all manner of sufferings 't is said Hebr. 4.15 that he was tempted in all things like unto us and among other things meant by temptations suffering are not the least he suffer'd being tempted he suffer'd while he lived but especially a little before and when he died all his life was a suffering not to mention his self-denials which were voluntary he was no sooner born but suffering came upon him he was born in an Inne yea in a Stable he had but a Manger for his Cradle as soon as his birth was nois'd abroad Herod sought his life so that his supposed Father or Father-in-law as I may call him was fain to fly into Aegypt he was persecuted before he could after the manner of men be sensible and have understanding of his sufferings and when he returned his sufferings grew up with him hunger and thirst travel and weariness scorns and reproaches false accusations and contradictions waited on him and he had not where to lay his head But his special sufferings were a little before and at his death and here you find him suffering in 1 His body 2 His soul 1 1 In his body In his body that was wounded and crucified he suffer'd in bearing his Cross as Isaac his Type did and he suffer'd in his body on the Cross 1 Pet. 2.24 and he did not only suffer unto death but in the manner of his dying 't was a shameful a painful an accursed death yea he bled to death Christ Jesus lost blood several times at his Circumcision in his Agony when he sweat drops and clods of blood when he was whipt and scourged when he was nail'd to the Cross and probably when they platted a Crown of Thorns the earths curse on his head And lastly when they thrust the spear into his side with which he bleeds out his life and gave up the Ghost He suffer'd in all parts and members of his body from head to foot His Head which deserved a hetter Crown then the best in the world was crown'd with thorns and they smote him on the head His Face suffer'd being spat upon His Back 't was turned to the smiters 't was stript and whipt yea they even plow'd upon his back and made deep and long surrows his hands and feet were pierced and nail'd to the Cross yea saith he by the Prophet all my bones are out of joynt as if he had been on the Rack Psa 22.14 He suffer'd also in his senses his feeling Could he be smitten wounded nailed and pierced without feeling His tast suffer'd for they gave him instead of strong drink and wine of consolation which was usual to them ready to die Prov. 31.6 instead of this they gave him vinegar and gall to drink His sight suffer'd and among other things the sight of his Mother and other grieving friends could not but affect his heart Luke 23.27 'T was a grief to him to see them grieve for him Did it not afflict him to see his Enemies wag their heads His hearing suffer'd many a scoff and jeer many an ill word and blasphemy His smell could not but suffer when he came to Golgotha the place of skulls where filthiness and putrefaction lodged the very stinking sink of the City But more yet 2 2 In his soul Christ Jesus suffer'd in his soul We read of his sighing and groaning but let us consider him especially in his Agony and upon the Cross In his Agony Mat. 26.37 38. He began to be sorrowful and very heavy these were but the beginnings of sorrow he began c. sorrow is a thing that drinks up our spirits and he was heavy as feeling an heavy load upon him And v. 38. he was exceeding sorrowful unto death sorrowful exceeding sorrowful and unto death It was in such extremity that it made him cry out Father if it be possible let this Cup pass and this was with strong cryings and tears Heb. 5.7 When he was upon the Cross he was under a desertion which made him cry again My God my God why or how hast thou forsaken me Now to cry and to cry with a loud voice argues some extremity of suffering and after this he gave up the Ghost he poured out his soul an offering for sin And yet further as he suffer'd all manner of sufferings both in soul and body so to proceed 2 2 He suffer'd from all manner of persons He suffer'd from all manner of persons Christ Jesus suffer'd from the Devil for though Christ bruised his head yet he bruised Christ his heel No sooner had Christ the testimony from heaven that he was the Son of God but he was immediately carried into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil and this was the thing question'd and disputed whither he were the Son of God or not and though Christ worsted him and beat him out of the field yet he departed but for a season for when Christ was about to suffer the Prince of this world muster'd up all his forces again and came upon him with much violence and made men of all qualities his Agents to add to the sufferings of Christ And indeed he suffer'd not only from bad men as you have it Acts 4.26 27. which fulfilled that in Psa 2. beg He was tempted by the Pharisees often and he endured the contradiction of sinners yet this was not all but he suffer'd from his own disciples and nearest relations Peter was a Satan to him once and denied him thrice the rest griev'd him with their slowness and littleness of faith Judas betray'd him his Brethren believ'd not on him and which was heavest of all the rest he suffer'd from his Father he put the Cup into his hands and took pleasure to bruise him and he laid upon him the iniquities of us all yea God did not spare him nor abate him any thing but hid his face from him as if he had been angry with his only and most beloved Son 3 3 His sufferings aggravated by circumstances Jesus Christ had all manner of aggravating circumstances met together in his sufferings He was made of a woman now that he who made the woman should be made of a woman and become and be made a Son to the work of his own hands was a degree of suffering he that made the Law was made under the Law Gal 4.4 He that was Lord of all was made in the form of a servant and though equal to God yet came in sinful flesh and so obey'd as a servant of which these sayings speak as Dr. Jackson observes I ●ame not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me c. and suffer'd as a sinner for so he was judged and as such put to death though his Judge confest he found no fault in him yea more then this he became a curse Gal. 3.13 yea which is the worst of words he became sin for us 1

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 ●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

if wicked men speak well yet 't is still from an evil heart of Hypocrisie and out of that abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh 4. Evil words corrupt men and their manners our great care should be not to be corrupt and the next to that not to corrupt others but evil words corrupt both they corrupt and defile our selves Mat. 15.17 18. What goeth into the mouth viz. meat defileth not the man but what cometh out of the mouth viz. evil words proceeds from the heart and they defile the man The tongue is but a little member yet it boasteth great matters 't is but as a spark of fire but it kindles a great deal of wood a world of iniquity the whole course of nature and defiles the whole body James 3.5 6. It defiles not only a mans own body and course but the body and community of them with whom we converse too a little leaven leavens the whole lump be not deceived evil communication corrupts good manners 1 Cor. 15.33 What 's the ill language or evil discourse the Apostle means That which he had mentioned vers 32. let us say and do like Epicures as they say and do let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye Such loose Epicurean and Atheistical discourses do debauch men and their manners Many an ingenuous and hopeful person hath been corrupted by such ill discourse they have no good conversation who use evil communication persons of evil words are seldom persons of good manners or if so for a while for nemo repentè fit pessimus none being suddenly wicked or worst at first yet they degenerate and grow immoral and ill-manner'd more and more Lying frequently makes men at last so unacquainted with truth that they scarce think any difference to be between them and they jest so long that they forget to be in earnest till awaked by the quarrels that these things beget in and among themselves 5. The tongue is either mans glory of shame worth much or nothing as 't is good or evil God made mans tongue his glory but sin makes it his shame Saith holy David to his tongue awake my glory Psal 57.8 and Psal 16.9 my glory rejoyceth which the Apostle according to the Septuagint renders my tongue was glad Acts 2.26 And when is our tongue our glory but when it speaks to the glory of God when its words are savory and gracious but if our tongue be a lying tongue a slandring tongue or any other way evil 't is then our shame Oh the vast difference that there is between a good and a bad tongue Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver a precious commodity but the heart of the wicked and therefore his tongue is little worth 't is but dross he pays too dear by a farthing that pays but a farthing for that which is nothing worth and this is so little worth that he cannot tell how little worth nothing or if you will 't is worse then nought in being naught Again Prov. 12.18 there is that speaketh Daggers as we say like the piercing of a Sword dangerous and killing words but the tongue of the wise is not only a medicine or wholesom but in the abstract health There is as much difference between a good and bad tongue as between soundness and wounds health and sickness Yet once more Prov. 15.4 an wholesom tongue is a tree of life which is for healing but perversness therein is a breach in the spirit and a wounded spirit who can bear or who can bear up under a broken spirit But Sixthly and lastly consider this God will judge us for and by our words as well as by our works and actions There is a place may make us tremble and should ingage us to take heed of our words while we have a day to live 't is in Mat. 12 36. I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment and vers 37. for by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned If we must give an account of idle what account shall we give of filthy and ill-working words of words that are corrupt and do corrupt others Solomon upon this account tells us Prov. 18.21 death and life are in the power of the tongue a man shall be judged and sentenced according to it There is such a connexion between heart tongue and deed that he who is judged by one is judged by all of them for they agree in one 'T is observable that though all the charge or most of it in Psal 50. is for words the sin of the tongue 1. In abusing Gods good Word 2. Using their own ill words they gave their mouth to evil c. yet that the heart was consenting and the deed executing there was a concurrence and co-working of all three after his words are spoken of saith God these things hast thou done and it follows thou thoughtest c. vers 21. but I will judge thee viz. for all this yet especially for thy words according to what is said Jude 15. Behold the Lord cometh to execute judgment upon all to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their mark it their hard speeches which they have spoken against him yea against him in his members 'T is said vers 16. their mouth speaks great swelling words viz. as Murmurers and Complainers use to do they will jeer the people of God and twit them with the name of Holy and Spiritual and utter hard speeches against them but when Christ comes to Judgment he will call to account for all the hard speeches and all the great swelling words which by way of complaint they have spoken against his members or by way of flattery and admiration for lucres sake they have spoken in commendation and praise of wicked and cruel men Oh take heed of tongue-sins when Dives was in Hell the part that it seems was most tormented was his tongue for he begs water to cool his tongue which gives some occasion to think that even in relation to Lazarus he had sinned much with his tongue and used hard speeches against poor Lazarus for 't was by him he would have the water brought In quo peccamus in hoc plectimur as and in what we sin we smart and are pained and plagued as Dives with and in his tongue If the tongue be set on fire of Hell while on earth Ah how will it be set on fire when in Hell The sins of the mouth cry for vengeance with an open mouth and make others cry for it too Psal 59.11 12 13. the holy man not yet King but Prophet prays scatter them bring them down O Lord why David why so severe what have they done Oh 't is for the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips for their cursing and

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 destructi●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 ma● 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 Th●● 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