to know wisdom God had taught David Wisdom and some spiritual skill and yet he sinned against him So Christ Iohn 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin that is none in comparison According to the proportion of Light so the rate of Sin riseth the more you know of the Law the more you sin against the Law It is sad to put the finger in Natures Eye but it is worse to sin against the light of the Word that will make sin rise high indeed Then there is more of Enmity and Malice in it when a Man will break through the Convictions and Restraints of Conscience it is a sign a Man does love Sin and sins for its own sake which is sensibly and clearly discerned in Apostates who are carryed on with most wilful Malice and Rage against the Truth which once they professed Apostatae sunt maximi osores sui ordinis Hosea 5.2 The revolters are profound to make slaughter Forward Professors when they revolt turn violent Persecutors They set themselves against the light Alexander was once a Disciple yet he made shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim. 1.19 20. And he is the Man that must set on the multitude against Paul Acts 19.33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude the Iews putting him forward The same Man is intended for by the Epistles to Timothy we learn that he dwelt at Ephesus where Timothy was when those Epistles were directed to him Now the Iews set him up as the fittest Accuser of Paul he knew his Doctrine and he must appear to turn all the blame of the uproar on the Christians Once more we read of this Alexander as a desperate Adversary to the truth 2 Tim. 4.21 Alexander the Coppersmith did me much hurt Certainly their Rage and Malice is the greater because of the abundance of light which they have forsaken No Vinegar is so tart as that which is made of the sweetest Wine so when knowledge is once corrupted it fills the heart with most rage Prov. 28.4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked They not only commit sin but like it in others they are the most violent and forward Men to defend wicked ways and unjust courses Sins against knowledge have the greatest marks of the Divine Vengeance and Displeasure When Men abuse Knowledge God giveth them up to sottishness madness hardness of heart or despair To sottishness Rom. 1.21 22 23. Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkned Professing themselves wise they became fools And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things Heathens that had some common knowledge of the Divine Nature when they sinned against their Light God darkned their hearts and made them more foolish The Heathens that were most civil and had most light were given up to the most beastly Errors about the Nature of God the Romans worshipped Feavers Passions and Paltry Gods the Egyptians Thunder and the Sun Or else the Lord gives them up to Madness the most Moral Heathens were the sorest Persecutors as Severus Antoninus they abused their light and therefore God gave them up to fury and madness against his wayes Or else they are given up to hardness of heart Iron oft heated and oft quenched groweth harder God justly punisheth contempt of light with obduracy when a Man hath had frequent Convictions and still he quencheth them he grows the harder Or else the Lord gives them up to a sad Despair God opens their Consciences and makes them to see how they have gone against their own light Much knowledge not digested is like Meat in the Stomach that being not concocted breedeth the Collick it breedeth sad gripes in the Conscience 4. If they are committed against Love It is sad to sin against Gods Laws it is more to sin against Gods Love Suppose it be but against common Love against God that giveth us food and raiment rain from Heaven and fruitful Seasons The Apostle calls this a despising the goodness of God Rom. 2.4 either by imploying it to vile uses or else by a careless slighting and not taking notice of it you that slight the kindness of God do as it were say God shall not gain me to his wayes for all this Every Sin is not committed against Knowledge but every Sin is against Love and Bowels Christ may say to every Sinner as he said to the Iews Iohn 10.32 Many good works have I shewed you from my Father for which of those works do you stone me Thus the Lord may plead I have given you Protection and Provision and Food and Raiment for which of these do you violate my Law and put such an affront upon me It is I that have been so liberal to you in giving you the Fruits of the Earth the Fish of the Sea the Fowls of the Air it is I that have caused your Sheep to bring forth thousands and your Fields to yield Meat and will you return upon me with my own weapons Malefactors are punished in the same things in which they offend and you seek to do me despight by my own Blessings as if I did you wrong when I did you good But much more if you sin against special Love you that are Christ's Favourites every Sin of yours is as a stab at the heart of Mercy As when the multitude forsook him saies Christ to his Disciples Iohn 6.61 Will ye also go away That went to his Heart God reckoneth upon you that he shall have much Service and Obedience from you and Disappointment is the worst kind of vexation Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Isa. 63.8 Surely they are my people children that will not lye That which in others is but single Fornication in you is Adultery others Sin against common Mercies but you against the Bowels of Christ they are not thankful for a piece of Bread nor you for the Bread of Life As Absalom said to Hushai 2 Sam. 16.17 Is this thy kindness to thy friend So is this the fruit of all those tender Loves and Mercies which God hath melted out to you It is unnatural as if a Hen should bring forth the Egg of a Crow 5. If it be against Vowes and Covenants against frequent and reiterated Promises and Purposes By such finning you break double Chains Gods and your own It is not a simple Sin but Treachery Iudah hath dealt treacherously Ier. 3.7 Her treacherous sister Iudah saw it you commit a Sin under the shew of friendship Obedience is due though it were never promised but it is a help to our weakness that we vow It is Gods Condescention to make a Covenant his Laws bind though we do not Seal and
Desires of his holy Soul concerning our Salvation Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am and so he appears in our Names as well as in our Nature Partly by some Acts of Adoration of the Sovereign Majesty of God some Address to God there is Iohn 14.16 I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever He doth not only ask the Enlargement of his own Kingdom Psal. 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession but the Pardon Comfort Peace and Supply of particular Persons 1 Iohn 2.1 If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Partly in his presenting our Prayers and Supplications Rev. 8.3 And another angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and therefore he is called A minister of the sanctuary Heb. 8.2 This is the nature of Christ's Intercession 6. The success of Christ's Intercession Father forgive them Was he heard in this Yes this Prayer converts the Centurion and those Acts 2.41 above three thousand and presently after five thousand more Acts 4.4 In the compass of a few days above eight thousand of his Enemies were converted Christ is good at Interceding his Prayers are always heard Iohn 11.42 I knew that thou hearest me always And therefore let us seek no other Mediator God cannot deny his own Son Jesus Christ the righteous intercedes for us let us put all our Requests into his hands II. I come now to the Argument used They know not what they do But you will say Christ elsewhere complaineth of his Enemies that they know him and refused him out of malice Iohn 15.24 Now they have both seen and hated both me and my father and therefore he saith They had no Cloak for their Sin but were utterly without Excuse for they could not plead Ignorance Answ. 1. This is not spoken of all but of some only The greatest part were moved with the Command Authority and Perswasion of the Priests or blinded with a false Zeal to preserve their old Religion and so thought they did God service in crucifying Christ. Those that sinned out of malice Christ had told them their Doom before Mat. 12.32 Whosoever speaketh against the Holy-Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come 2. They knew him to be a just Man though they knew him not to be the Lord of Glory and that he did many Signs which the Prophets foretold should be done by the Mâ—ssias and therefore at least that he was a great Prophet and as such they should have reverenced and received him so that they had the less cloak for their Sin 3. Christ excused not a toto but a tanâ—o not altogether but only sheweth that they were capable of Pardon because of their Ignorance Christ excuseth the Sin of his Enemies in that manner that he could excuse them he could not altogether excuse the Injustice of Pilate nor the Cruelty of the Soldiers nor the Envy of the Chief Priests nor the Folly and Unthankfulness of the People nor the Perjury of the false Witnesses all that he could plead was some ignorance of the Dignity of his Person 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory The chief Men of the Iews did not understand the Mystery of Redemption and many were ignorant not only of the Divinity of Christ but his Innocency also They know not what they do Doctr. There is a difference between Sinners and it is a more dangerous thing to sin against Knowledge than out of Ignorance 1. Some sin wittingly and wilfully as Cain Saul Iudas c. who against the apparent Light of their Consciences venture upon the foulest Actions 2. Others sin out of Ignorance either they do not certainly know what they do to be Sin or do not expresly consider it So Paul in persecuting the Church of God 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a persecutor and a blasphemer and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief 3. Some sin knowingly indeed but out of Infirmity either arising from some great fear of Danger and present Death as Peter denied his Master it is done with a troubled Mind These may be recovered to God but with difficulty Or else they are hurried to Evil by the baits of the Flesh and pleasing Temptations Iames 1.12 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Now their Case cannot easily be spoken to for it needs much discussion It may be by surprizal and that for one Act and none of the grossest Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye that are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness The Devil many times leaveth no time for deliberation and bringeth his tempting Baits not to the fore-door of Reason but to the back-door of Sensual Appetite which being in a rage blindeth the Mind But if they sin with a strong Will their Case is more dangerous especially if they live and lie in Sin after many Experiences of the Evil of it their Condition is deplorable This Foundation being laid let us see how far Ignorance excuseth from Sin 1. Whatever Sin we commit it is Sin and of it self deserveth Damnation Sin is not determined to be Sin by its being voluntary or involuntary but by its contrariety to the Law of God 1 Iohn 3.4 Sin is the transgression of the Law Therefore the causal Particle For in the Text doth not shew the Reason of Pardon but the capableness of Pardon So Paul's Ignorance was not the cause of God's Mercy for Sin cannot be the cause of Mercy but only the occasion of it The Nature of Sin is not determined by the Voluntariness of it but only the Degree of it 2. Ignorance is either Antecedent Concomitant or Consequent 1. Antecedent going before the Act as in the generality of the Iews Acts 3.17 And now brethren I wâ—t that through ignorance ye did it as did also your Rulers Out of Ignorance and blind Zeal they Crucified him whom God did make both Lord and Christ. 2. Concomitant a Man hath Knowledge but useth it not for the present It is one thing to sin with Knowledge and another thing to sin against Knowledge He that hath Knowledge but for the present may be binded by his Lusts and Carnal Affections sinneth not against Knowledge directly but collaterally only as he that stealeth or committeth Adultery doth not this for Sin 's sake for none can will Evil as Evil but he only attendeth to the
Every Sinner is as a mad Gamester he ventures a Kingdom the largest and fairest that ever was at every throw and he is fure to lose it too Then consider the pains of Hell they will set out the greatness of Sin and consider them either in regard of Gods Ordination or Appointment or in regard of your own feeling 1. In regard of Gods Ordination and Appointment That the good of God who is meekness and sweetness and Bowels it self should adjudge his Creature to Eternal Torments certainly there is some cause We pity a Dog if he should be cast into a furnace for half an hour yet those tender Bowels of Mercy shrink not up at the sight of Sinners though Man be the work of his own hands and though the Creature screech and howl under these pains yet he will not lessen and take them away Surely there is some great evil in Sin that hath tyed up the hands of Mercy 2 Consider it in regard of your selves and your own feeling Oh for a short Temporal Pleasure thou runnest the hazard of Eternal pains We that cannot endure the scratch of a Pin or the aching of a Tooth how shall we endure the torment of so many thousand years and yet still to look for more Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Mark the Attribute the living God who Lives for ever to see the Vengeance accomplished as long as God is God Hell will be Hell there can never be any Hope that Gods Being can be destroyed or that there will be aâ—cessation of those torments and pains God ever liveth to reward the Godly and to punish the wicked 3. The third sort of Arguments are from the aggravations of Sin that may enhance it and show the greatness of it to your thoughts 1. It is natural to us It is necessary to reflect upon this Circumstance because it is the hardest matter in our Humiliation to be sufficiently affected with our Birth-Sin Evils that come by Accident are Objects of Pity but Evils of Nature are Objects of Hatred we pity a Dog that is poysoned but we hate a Toad that is poysonous by Nature oh how may the Lord hate us that have Evil in our Nature it is not accidental to us It is the great fondness of Men to make that an excuse which is in it self the greatest aggravation Some will say when they are reproved for Sin I cannot do otherwise it is my Nature this will be the cause of thy ruine without an Interest in Christ. The Waters that come out of a pure Fountain may be soiled and dirtied but they will be clear again but a puddle that runneth out of a Dunghil will be alwaies nasty and filthy Our Sins are not by Accident but by Nature they are not like the muddying of a clear Fountain but like the unsavoury liquor that comes out of a Dunghil Original Sin however you think of it is the sin of sins we are born with such a Sin and it is worse than any other Sin Actual Sins are but as a transient Act whereby there is a violence offered to one of Gods Commandments but this is a constant rooted abiding contrariety to Gods own Nature Actual Sins are a blow and away but this is a remaining Enmity Actual Sins are like a fit of Anger and Displeasure soon up and soon down but this is a rooted hatred This is the cause of all other Sins the bitter root that diffuseth a poyson into all the branches All other Sins that a Man commits are but Original Sin acted and exercised Look as in the Art of numbring the greatest number that can be numbred is but One multiplyed so the whole fry of Actual Transgressions is but Original Sin multiplyed this Spawn diffused and spread abroad all those Traiterous Actions that we are guilty of in the course of our Lives are all summed up in this sinning Sin 2. Our Sins are many We sin in praying in eating in ploughing in trading and any one of these is enough to undo a World The Angels became Devils for one Sin for one Sin of thought a proud thought against Gods Empire and Greatness and for this they were thrown into places of Darkness what ruine then will a great many Sins procure to thy Soul If single Sins seem light in themselves yet what are they all together There is nothing lighter than one Sand and yet nothing heavier than Sand in a great quantity A Gnatt a Fly a Locust are poor inconsiderable Creatures yet when they come in multitudes they are called Gods great Army and destroy whole Countreys Ioel 2.11 The Lord shall utter his voice before his Army for his camp is very great If every pore in the Body were but pricked with a Pin the veins would soon be emptied of Blood One Sin was deadly but what are they altogether when from Top to Toe there is nothing but sores and putrefaction Herod was eaten up with Lice a small inconsiderable kind of Vermin yet the abundance of them destroyed him so though Sins seem small in themselves yet when they come in clusters how soon will they devour and eat out the life and comfort of the Soul Psal. 40.12 Innumerable evils have encompassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore my heart faileth me And if David may say so may not we much more Nothing can be little that is committed against the great God but suppose them small yet they are a Company oh this will make your hearts fail The little finger of Sin is weighty but when all the loins of it are laid upon the Soul how great will the Burden be Lok upon all the troubles of the Servants of God and you will find they were first occasioned by a small Sin as Mr. Peacocks by eating too freely at a Meal but when innumerable evils shall compass you about that wherever you look there is Sin if you look on Duty there is Sin if you look on your Calling there is Sin if you look on your Recreations there is Sin if you look on the hours of your repast there is Sin Oh this will make your hearts fail indeed 3. If they have been such as have been committed against Knowledge There is more of the Nature of Sin in such Acts for the Nature of Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law now the more we know the Law the greater is the Transgression according to the sense we have of the Law so the offence is elevated and raised He that hath Knowledge is magis particeps legis the Law is a piece of himself it is impressed upon his Conscience and he offereth violence to the Principles of his own Bosome This is the Reason why the Children of God use this aggravation as David Psal. 51.6 In the hidden part thou shalt make me
Suspicion for Charity thinketh no Evil 1 Cor. 13.5 nor upon an uncertain Hearsay Isa. 11.3 Neither reprove after the hearing of his Ears not upon flying Report or forged Stories or the Censures of any But here we must distinguish between the Reproof of a publick and private Person and a bosom-Friend 1. Mere private Persons are not bound to use Inquisition themselves nor are they to be too suspicious and credulously give Ear to Slanders If private Persons were bound to search and find out Faults that they may reprove them the Obligation were intolerable the number of Sinners being so innumerable as they are and a Man could hardly avoid the Imputation of a Busy-body and Whisperer Therefore it is a good Rule of Austin Do not seek out what thou mayst reprove but seek to mend what thou dost reprove Therefore private Men are not bound to search and find out Faults The Knowledg of another's Sin is not scientia juris which all are bound to have but scientia facti which none are bound to to whom the particular Care of others Souls doth belong by Office for par in pares non habet imperium Equals have no Power over one another The Fault must be known either by certain Knowledg or common Fame when you see your Brother sinning 2. A Superiour and bosom-Friend may go upon Suspicion but then his Reproof must be rather by way of Caution than Charge and by virtue of special Friendship that as no Guilt so no Blame may rest upon his Friend A Superiour is to search out the Matter 2. Not if he hath repented already For to upbraid Men with past Sins is to â—ake in the Filth which God hath covered The elder Brother said Luke 15.30 Assoon as this thy Son is come which hath devoured thy Living with Harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calf There is a Difference between the Correction of a Superiour and the Reproof of a Neighbour the Correction of a Magistrate respects the common Good or the Example of others and therefore whether the Man repent or no he may be corrected and punished for his Faults and he must patiently indure the Punishment But Brotherly Reproof respects the private Good of the Party admonished or reproved to remove the Fault not to inflict Punishment the End is obtained if thou hast gained thy Brother But yet here is an Exception if we have good Cause to suspect his Repentance is not thorow and sincere or if he be in Danger of a Relapse into the Sin again 3. If it be evident he shall do no good by his Reproofs For all means are required in order to the End Therefore when there is no Appearance of doing good at all or that our Reproof will be profitable or attain its proper End we are not bound in such a Case Ministerial Reproof must be given though there be no Hope Ezek. 2.5 And they whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious House yet shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them The Waters of the Sanctuary must flow whether Men drink of them or no. But in private Reproof we are bound while there is Hope and while they are not incorrigible Yet there is this Exception every Attempt must not discourage us noâ— every Reproach and Scorn make us give over the Cause as remediless but we must reprove and reprove again as long as we have any Hopes of reducing them into the right way 2 Pet. 1.13 Wherefore I will not be negligent saith the Apostle Peter to put you always in Remembrance of these things Let us do our Duty and trust God with the Event Those that for the present do storm and rage may afterwards come to themselves again especially if God stirreth us up by the secret Motions of his Spirit to continue our Indeavours Acts 17.16 Paul's Spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry Impulse of Spirit doth determine Circumstances of known Duty though it doth not constitute new Duties 4. When the Party is likely to be the worse rather than better if he be reproved Prov. 9.7 He that reproveth a Scorner getteth to himself Shame and he that rebuketh a wicked Man getteth himself a Blot if it provoketh them to rail So Matth. 7.6 Give not holy things to Dogs neither cast ye your Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their Feet and turn again and rent you Some are so wedded to their Sins that God's Providence calleth upon us to let them alone No good Statue can be made of crooked or knotty Timber A vitious Stomach turneth all things into Choler Rain maketh a spungy morish Ground the worse Blowing increaseth the Fire A Dunghil stinketh the worse the more 't is stirred Some are contemptuous and scornful their Corruptions are irritated by seeking to restrain them Therefore if he sinneth the more grievously that is a worse Inconveniency than the Reproof can bring good Yet we must take heed that we do not censure People to be such without a Cause the Reasons for our Omission of such a necessary Duty must be clear and sure such as we can urge and avouch before God himself we must not put by the Duty upon slight Conjectures but still remember that God seeth and will consider it It is very notable that Cautions against rash Judging are given before the Direction of not casting Pearls before Swine and Dogs Matth. 7.1 Iudg not that you be not judged 5. When it will be rationally presumed that he will amend without our Reproof As Alms ought not to be given to one that is indeed in Poverty when we know there are those that will plentifully relieve him So in the Case of Reproof when neither by our Selves nor by the Help of any other a Man is likely to be awakened then we are bound to reprove him or procure another that may do it more succesfully for some are capable to manage it with more Wisdom than our selves I confess this must be taken cautiously A general Presumption that another will do his Office doth not absolve us in Foro Conscientiae because this Duty ariseth not from any voluntary Contract or Paction between Men and Men but from the Law of God our supreme Governour and Judg binding every one and therefore we must do our own Duty and not think to be discharged by the Zeal and Diligence of others And besides a Presumption that others will do it may cause it wholly to fall to the Ground As Luke 10.33 The good Samaritan had not been absolved from Uncharitableness if he had presumed that the Priest and Levite would relieve the distressed Man or if not they that some other of his Country-men that came that way and were nearer to him by Nation and Blood and more charitable than the former that they would relieve him but he neither minded the one nor the other but performeth his Duty he saw a miserable Spectacle