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
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
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
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
Cor. 5.21 There are yet other circumstances which added to his sorrow and suffering such as these he came to his own and they receiv'd him not he had least honor among his own in his own Country yea he was wounded in the house of his friends and one of his own betray'd him devil that he was Joh. 6.70 He did good to many but had little thanks from any of ten Lepers cleansed but one returned to give him thanks oh disingenuity and ingratitude but oh the aggravating circumstances at the latter end He was taken and apprehended as a sinner they came against him as to take a Thief with swords and staves they charged him with blasphemy for speaking the truth they preferr'd Barabbas the Son of their Father the Devil before him his Disciples left him his Father forsook him as was hinted before Alas who can reckon up the aggravating circumstances of his sufferings he was crucified between two thieves and upbraided by one of them his death was painful shameful c. as before But I pass from hence to the Third thing 3 His suffering witnesseth the sinfulness of sin to shew that the greatest sufferings that Christ underwent are a full witness against the sinfulness of sin Oh what an odious thing is sin to God that he will pardon none without blood Hebr. 9.22 that God would accept no blood but the blood of his Son not that of Bulls and Goats Hebr. 9.22 but that of his Son 1 Pet. 1.18 19. that God would not abate one drop one dram of this blood but he must powre out his life the very heart-blood must be spilt and spent for sinners and which is the wonder of wonders all this was a pleasure to God for it pleased the Lord to bruise him That it should please the Lord to bruise the Son in whom he was well-pleased is to us men an inconceiveable mystery Well then upon the whole this is a great witness that God hath born against sin that he would send his Son to die for sinners oh what an hell of wickedness is that which none but God can expiate and purge and that God doth not do it without taking humane nature and that God-man could not do it without suffering and no suffering serve but death no death but an accursed one oh what an evil odious evil is sin that must have blood the blood of God to take it away This shall suffice for the first thing viz. the witness of God against sin as exceeding sinful 2 Angels bear witness against sin 2 Angels witness against sin 1 The good both good Angels and bad Angels 1 Good Angels the Angels of God and heaven as they are often called do bear witness against sin as an exceeding sinful thing 1 Their very title which contains their nature and imployment too being holy Angels sheweth that they have an antipathy against and are at enmity with sin that which is meat and drink to wicked men to do the will of the devil 't is poyson to holy angels whose meat and drink it is to do the will of God they are all holiness to the Lord and cannot endure iniquity they often contend and fight with evil Angels and so witness against sin Jude 9. Their being holy loving holiness and contention against the Devil are their witnessings 2 Holy Angels witness against sin in being Gods Heralds to proclaim the Law which is against sin 't is the aggravation of the sin of the Jews that they kept not the Law which they receiv'd by the disposition of Angels Act. 7.53 The Law which was added because of transgressions was ordained by Angels Gal. 3.19 Every transgression of this Law receiv'd a just recompence of reward for the word spoken by Angels was stedfast Heb. 2.2 So that Angels in proclaiming the Law have openly declared against sin as exceeding sinful 3 They witness against sin in that they will not sin though provoked to it to be revenged on the Devil himself They will not rail at a Devil because railing is a sin nay 't is said of Michael that he durst not bring a railing accusation Jude 9. One would have thought he would have told the Devil his own and have put it home upon him that 's true but he durst not bring a railing accusation nor give the Devil ill language We hot-spurs and hot spirited that we are are apt to render evil for evil and railing for railing to pay men their own in coin but Angels dare not to do so for 't is a sin railing is language that holy Angels cannot speak 4 They witness against sin by this that they will not suffer men to sin that would do it to honor them When John fell at one of their feet to worship him saith the Angel See thou do it not Rev. 19.10 do not that to me which is to be done to God alone And again Ch. 22.8 9. I fell down saith S. John to worship before the feet of the Angel which shew'd me these things but he said unto me see thou do it not but worship God The Angels are so holy that they cannot endure the least reflection should be cast on God or least duty neglected towards God though they might be worshipped 5 Their testimony against sin appears thus that where they find it though in Gods own people they rebuke it and that sharply and severely Though Hagars hard usage made her run away yet saith the Angel to her return to thy Mistris and submit thy self to her Gen. 16.8 9. As if he had said Hagar Hagar 't is better to suffer then to sin When Sarah laugh'd at the tyding of a Son and after denied it being afraid Nay saith the Angel but thou didst laugh he told her her own roundly Gen. 18 12.-15 When Zachary believed not the Angel he was made dumb Luke 1 13.-20 Thus they rebuke for sin 6 Angels witness against sin by rejoycing at the conversion of sinners 'T is the recovery of a soul from a dead and lost condition to be converted and then do Angels rejoyce Luke 15 7 -10 As there is a kind of joy in hell among the Devils when one sins that is converted and when sinners are not converted so there is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner The Rabbies speak as if while sinners are rejoycing in their sins the Angels were grieving for them when and while men live in sin they dishonor their and the Angels God but when converted they give glory to God which is the Angels work and joy 't is their Song glory to God on high and when men bear a part with them in this Song 't is their joy 7 Angels witness against sin by the constant opposition they make against wicked Angels and wicked men Who would abuse their charge that is good and holy men good men are committed to the charge of good Angels He gives his Angels charge to keep them in all their ways Psa 91.11 and
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
SIN THE PLAGVE of PLAGVES 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 SOVTHWARK By Ralph Venning A.M. Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul John 5.14 Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee London Printed for John Hancock to be sold at his Shop in Bishopsgate-street over against the Exchange next to the White-Lyon and the corner shop in Popes-head-Alley and by T. Parkhurst at the Golden Lyon on London-bridge 1669. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber To all that were Hearers and to all that shall be Readers of what 's contained in the following Treatise THE Christian Religion as it exposeth to so it fits for and is suited to Suffering as well as Glory Yea the All-wise God hath so ordered it that while we are on this side the Grave such Graces as suppose Suffering and are preparative to Glory should be most exercised by us which are to act their part and to have their continuance only in this world and which indeed had not had an actual being or existence if Sin had not entred into the world viz. such Graces as are Faith Repentance Hope and Patience There had been no need of Faith for righteousness if we had not lost our own no need of nor occasion for Repentance if we had remained Innocent no room for Hope seeing we had been in a continual sight enjoyment and possession of happiness if we had not sinned nor any use or exercise of Patience when there had been no suffering and none there had been if there had been no Sin The state of Innocency before sin was being in the next degree like to the state of Glory when sin shall be no more and that excludes these and such like things for then sorrow and sighing shall flee away and all tears be wiped from their eyes then Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Fruition suffering and consequently patience shall be at an end as to good and holy men It cannot therefore but be hugely useful and advantageous toward the exciting exercising promoting and perfecting of these Graces to know what an exceeding sinful thing sin is not only that we may suffer well as did Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2 19.-23 and make Moses's choice Hebr. 11.25 and not that which is charg'd on Job as his Chap. 36 21. But also because if ever we be saved these Graces must be practis'd and that they are not in a capacity to be till sin appear to us as it did to S. Paul an exceeding sinful deceitful and destructive thing And truly as Sinners are not like to be awakened hereunto till the Commandment come as it did to the Apostle and discover it to them so they who are awakened and converted are greatly obliged and no less provokt by it to admire the love and mercy of God and to pay him everlasting gratitudes for their deliverance and salvation from sin But of the usefulness of this Doctrine I speak in the Treatise it self and shall therefore forbear to name any thing more of that Nature in this place As to the Book I have but a few things to say this Treatise was began and almost finish'd before the late Sore and great Plague began and therefore though for a memorial of it I have taken occasion to give it a Name or Title from thence yet it is not calculated particularly thereunto but with a more general aspect upon the universal mischief that Sin hath done mankind as to Soul and Body Time and Eternity it being the root of all evil Corporal Spiritual and Eternal only in relation to that sweeping Beesom of destruction and the dreadful fire from heaven or hell and in several senses from both which since consumed the habitations as the Plague did the Inhabitants before both which I fear are alas but too much forgotten we should consider the operation of Gods hand lifted up to lay it to heart to confess our sin and give him glory For though God in the midst of judgment remembred mercy yet we in the midst of mercy should remember judgment both hands being to lead us to repentance else though the Plague be over and gone and that fire burns no longer yet if the plague of our hearts and not fiery lusts if our sins continue we are far from health and safety If after such deliverances as these we sin as if we were deliver'd to do nothing else or to speak as Ezra doth Ch. 9.13 14. and after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing that God hath punished us less then our iniquities have deserved and hath given us such deliverance as this should we again break his Commandments and joyn in affinity with the people of with such and the like as our former abominations would not he be angry with us till he have consumed us so that there be none as hitherto through mercy there hath been remnant and escaping but the fire of his wrath may burn to and we burn in the lowermost hell Oh let us hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Deut. 13.11 for sin is so notoriously more then excessively and intollerably evil that as 't is at present the reproach 't will be hereafter the ruine of any people who repent not And what is impenitency but a treasuring up of and growing rich in sin and wrath together Rom. 2 4.-9 and what is that but to be abundantly damned As to this Subject I am well aware that several pious and learned men have treated of it but that is no discouragement to their Successors to do so too no more then 't was to S. Luke Ch. 1.1 2 3. to write the Gospel of which others had written before him And indeed what is the Gospel of S. Matthew Mark Luke and John but the same Gospel published with some little variety The Apostle S. Peter wrote of the same things which S. Paul had done 2 Pet. 3.15 and they both wrote of the same things over and again Phil. 3.1 2 Pet. 1.12 13. And Jude the Brother of James as v. 1. did transcribe or at least Epitomize a great part of S. Peters second Epistle almost in terminis verbatim word for word I remember S. Austin somewhere gives his advice to have the same things published by several men that by the interest relation and affection which they have in the world truths may come to the more hands which else would be confined and well high
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
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
many others that might be named that mans happiness cannot be made up of any or all creature enjoyments of having though all the world for a portion For beside what 's newly said 1 It was not so when man was in Paradise when not only man but all the creatures were in a better condition then and not subject to vanity as now they are All that God made was very good and Adam had all that God made and yet that was not his happiness Now if the creatures in their best estate were not mans happiness much less are they so in this their worse estate so that our sin in placing happiness in creature enjoyment now is worse then Adams sin was for the creatures were then far more allicient attractive and taking then now they are for as a worthy person expresseth it though the old walls and ruinous Palace of the world stands to this day yet the beauty gloss and glory of the hangings is soiled and marred with many imperfections cast on every creature what 's without us only cannot be our happiness 2 That cannot be our happiness which is below us the design of Gods making the creatures was that they should serve us and not be served by usâ— God put Adam colere to till the earth not colere to worship the earth and make a God of it as earthly-minded men do for covetousness is â—dolatry Not only God placed them but man reckons them below himself below man for skin for skin or skin after skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life a great truth though spoken by the Father of lies by which its evident that man reckons all below himself and though old Jacobs life were bound up in the life of young Benjamin yet he would part with him rather then starve Now without further inlargement 't is clear as the Sun that what 's inferiour to us cannot be our happiness 3 That cannot be our happiness which is not so much as a token of the love of God If you had all the Cattel on a thousand hills and never so many thousand bags of gold in your Chest though all the beauty and honor in the world centr'd in you yet I must tell you what a very wise man hath told me Eccl. 9.1 Man knows not love by prosperity no more then hatred by adversity Indeed the world is not as great and good as 't is or 't was 't is not good enough for a Love-token God sent his Son and never any thing but him and what 's in him for a Love-token Well then upon the whole we conclude that seeing happiness is of an higher nature then the Creation and is not in less then God himself that man is a fool in seeking it elsewhere and that sin is very pernicious to man in making him such a fool But 2 Mans folly appears to be great 2 As to means which relates to his end or happiness not only in relation to his end and happiness in his mistaking that but in relation to the means and way leading to happiness in mistaking this also The enjoyment of God is our happiness Religion viz. right worshipping and serving God is the means of enjoying God i. e. of our happinesse Alas here man is a very fool Though in the general men acknowledge that there is a God and that God is to be worshipped and obey'd yet who this God is and how to be worshipped man is full of darknesse doubt and perplexity about it whence it is that we have such expressions in the Scripture concerning sinners ye worship ye know not what Joh. 4.22 Surely they that worship they know not what do worship also they know not how as it there follows The Athenian Altar had this Inscription To the unknown God Acts 17.23 and the world by wisdome knew not God viz. manifest in the flesh 1 Cor. 1.21 Though there be nothing more knowable yet nothing more unknown then God 'T is visible to all the Creation by the Creation that there is a God as Rom. 1.22 but who and what he is and what his will is who hath known the mind of God 1 Cor. 2.16 Sin hath made men worship either 1 A false God and that 's Idolatry Or 2 God falsly and that 's Superstition Man is become such a fool In being 1 Idolatious that his worship till enlightned and converted is either a breach of the first or second Commandment and he fails as to the object or manner of worship and both speak mans folly that his Religion is either Idolatry or Superstition 1 Idolatry is mans folly to worship no God or that which is not a God but an Idol is folly and therefore the Gentiles are called not only Atheists but a foolish people and with this the Apostle upbraids them Gal. 4.8 Rom. 1.21.125 Man is such a fool that he neglects to serve the God that made him and serves Gods of his own making though that make proves that they are not as their name is but Gods like their knowledge falsly so called as 't is at large imputed to them of old Is 44 14.-16 The world hath been guilty of most abominable idolatry the Romans made diseases Gods as the Feaver c. and sinners make not only creatures as gold and their belly their God but among the fore-mentioned Romans theft and murder sins were reputed and called Gods yea the Devil himself hath been made a God and sacrificed to he is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 and saith the Apostle they sacrifice to devils 1 Cor. 10.20 Deut. 32.17 and sacrificed not only their children Psa 106.37 but their souls for in all services the soul is the sacrifice Oh sinful sin But yet again 2 Superstition is mans folly as to Religion 2 Superstitious and this is younger brother to Idolatry 't is of the same venter womb with Idolatry Superstition is not worshipping a false God but the true God falsly in a way that God commandeth not but it teacheth and practiseth for doctrines the devices and commandments of men or worships not according to the will of God but the will of man This also is called the sacrifice of fools Eccl. 5.1 They mind the matter more then the manner and take up with the work done though it be not well done and mind the outside more then the in-side yea and worship God more because they fear then because they love him And this shall briefly suffice for the evincing of mans folly or how sin hath befool'd man as to his end happiness and the means to it Religion I proceed 3 To shew mans folly 3 As to non or ill-improvement of means as to non or ill improvement of means when made known in truth and clearness though the Will of God as to worship be revealed yet sin makes men fools still either in this that they use not or in this that they make an ill use of
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
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
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
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
Heb. 12.1 the bad that we may not sin by commission of evil 1 Cor. 10 6.-11 Abrahams faith Moses's meekness Jobs patience c. they are examples for us to follow that we should tread in their steps Ananias and Saphira's lying Judas his covetousness and Apostasie c. are written for our example that we might hear and fear and not do so wickedly 6 The Experiences that any have had of Gods goodness and their own deceitful and evil hearts and what they have suffer'd by sin do all bear witness against sin Hath God been so and so good and are ye so foolish to requite the Lord evil for his goodness which should have lead unto repentance Deut. 32.6 God was angry with Solomon because he departed from the Lord God of Israel who had appear'd to him twice 1 Kings 11.9 we should draw inferences as Ezra did Ch. 9.13 14. After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds seeing thou hast punisht us less then our iniquity deserves and hast given us such a deliverance as this what then what â—â—e is there to be made of it shall we again break thy Commandments Oh no! wouldst thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us Oh yes we could expect no other Hast thou had so many experiences of a deceitful heart what and yet so foolish as to trust it Prov. 28.26 'T is sad and dangerous sinning after experiences Heb. 6.4 5 6. It s impossible very difficult at least morally impossible for those that have been enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift c. to renew them again to repentance if they fall away thou hast had many an aking heart for sinning already oh sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee Having such a Cloud of experimental witnesses let us lay aside the sin that so easily besets us If you â—in against these witnesses these witnesses will witness against you and aggravate your condemnation Let us therefore say to our sins as Ephraim to his Idols with a great indignation get ye hence what have we any more to do with you That I may draw to a conclusion 7 There is but one witness more 7 Sin it self confesseth its sinfulness that I shall produce against sin and that is sin it self I shall evince that sin proclaims its own sinfulness 1 By its names which it cannot disown 2 By the Arts which it owneth and useth to disguize it self 1 I shall consider sins names which sin cannot deny but confess to be its proper names of which I shall instance but two 1 'T is as 't is called the work of the devil 2 'T is defiling polluting and pestilential filthiness worse then any Plague-fore 1 Sin is the work of the devil 1 Joh. 3.8 with 5. not that mans sin is not of himself or only of the devil but that sin is that which the devil doth and tempts others to do so that to sin is to act and work like the devil he that sinneth is of the devil Man indeed is of God but the sinner is or sinful man is of the devil The devil was the first sinner and he that sinneth is of him as his child Joh. 8.44 He that doth the devils work is of the devil sinning is the devils trade and he that follows this trade is of the devil he lives a devillish a devils life The devil doth nothing but sin 't is his business and they that tread in his steps are of him and like him they are devils incarnate Particularly 1. To sin and live in sin is to do as the devil doth to be like him and conformable to him Sin is his work he is so evil and wicked that he is called emphatically and by way of eminence the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil and the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.13 Ch. 3.12 as if there were none evil or at least so evil as he yea the devils are not only wicked but called wickednesses in the abstract Eph. 6.12 and abstracts note Essences He sinned from the beginning and continneth sinning to this day and they that do imitate him in his work are his children as much as if they were begotten of him Joh. 8.44 ye are of your father the devil and his works his lusts ye will do he was and is a marderer he attempted it upon God but effected it on himself and man he is the Abaddon and Apollyon the murderer to this day Rev. 9.11 he is 't is true a lyar deceiver a tempter but he doth all these as subserving his name as a King for so he is called Rev. 9.11 his reigning sin which is a destroyer or murderer 1 Pet. 5.8 Now just thus 't is said of them that sin Prov. 8.36 they destroy their own souls they are selones deâ—se self-murderers Sin is devils work 2 He that sinneth doth not only do as the devil doth such work as he but he doth work for the devil he is servant and slave to the devil he worketh in the children of disobedience and they work for him he is their Prince and their God whose servants they are and whose work they do his servants ye are whom ye obey saith the Apostle Rom. 6.16 So then they that serve and obey the devil are his servants Sin is the service of the devil the work that sinners do for the devil Oh what wages are they like to have who serve such a Master though sinners defie the devil in words yet they deifie him in works and at last he will devillize them and bring them into like nature and misery with himself Sinners are led by him at his will like his dogs in a string when men are converted they are deliver'd from his power Acts 26.18 and they that apostatize or are excommunicated are deliver'd again to Satan so that in whatever state a sinner be a sinner whither Infidel Formalist or Apostate he is under the power of the devil doing his work and making work for his wages 3 He that sinneth as he is of the devil and doth the devils work so yet further he is a devil is so of the devil and so doth the devils work as to have the name of and to be called devil he is as the devil to God as a devil to himself as a devil to others S. Peter for one sin had the name of Satan Mat. 16.23 but wicked men are called devils Judas was a devil Joh 6.70 Sin made Angels devils and it makes men devils Traytors as Judas was to their Lord and Master Rev. 2.10 't is said the devil shall cast some of you into prison surely the devil did not appear in person to do it but by his instruments and agents devils incarnate Oh sinful sin the work of the devil Let me here take occasion to offer to your view some sins which are especially said to be the devils sin and they that do them are of work for and are like to and called devils 1 Murther
especially soul-murther of which Antichrist the devils Son is hugely guilty in making merchandize of souls Rev. 18.13 and lying Prophets that hunt souls Ezek. 13.18 19 20. that devoure and destroy souls Ezek. 22.25.27 The devil was a murtherer from the beginning Joh. 8.44 and they that murther are as Cain was of the devil 1 Joh. 3.12 the rise of murther is from anger and hatred who so hateth his brother is a murtherer 1 Joh. 3.15 therefore saith the Apostle be not angry so as to sin let not the Sun go down on your wrath for that 's to give place to the devil Eph. 4.26 27. Pride is for contention and that 's for murther Pride produceth discontent discontent produceth envy and envy hatred and malice and hence comes murther If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts this is not only earthly and sensual but devillish James 3.14 15. So that originally the devils sin and his condemnation was from pride 1 Tim. 3.6 Pride made him discontented envious angry and a murtherer and so it did Cain his eldest Son as a murtherer The proud spirit lusteth to envy James 4 5.-7 and when S. Peter teacheth us how to resist the devil he tells us it must be by submission and humility 1 Pet. 5 5.-8 2 The second sin that calls the devil father and denominates them that do it to be his children is lying Joh. 8.44 the devil is a lyar and the Father of lies When Ananias told a lye saith the Apostle Satan filled his heart Acts 5.3 and they that do lye are of the Synagogue of Satan members and Sons of the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 with 3.9 and God says of his children that they will not lye Is 63.8 They that love and make lyes are without among dogs and devils Rev. 22.15 they are without the gates of the City of God and Rev. 21.8 they have their portion with the devil in the Lake of Fire 3 Deceivers and seducers are of the devil who is the deceiver Rev. 12.9 20.12 the old Serpent that deceived Eve and deceiveth the whole world They that deceive the souls of men are like the devil whither it be done by calling the truth into question as the devil did at first and against which the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 11.2 â—or whither by abusing and wresting or false quoting of Scripture 2 Pet. 3.16 as the devil did Mat. 4.6 or by transforming themselves into Angels of light as the devil doth 2 Cor. 11.14 they that sin in the name of the Lord and attribute that to the spirit which is but their fancy if not a falsehood or whither it be done by false and pretended miracles after the manner of Satan 2 Thes 2.9 10. 4 They that tempt men to sin come under the devils denomination and do his work who is the tempter Ma. 4.1 1 Thes 3.15 he tempts all men to one or other sin the devil had a hand in Cains murthering his brother 1 Joh. 3.12 in Judas's treason Lu. 22.2 in Ananias's lye Act. 5.3 in Davids numbring the people 1 Chro. 21.1 in Peters denying his Master Luk. 22.31 32. he tempted to the first sin and hath tempted all men to sin and to all sin ever since 't is the devils work and sin to tempt others to sin and they that do so do the devils work 5 False accusing slandering evil speaking and back-biting of others is of and like the devil Rev. 10.12 he is the accuser of the Brethren as he did Job and Joshuah so he doth others very often without cause they that do so their tongues are set on fire of hell Jam. 3.6 make-bates slanderers calumniators are called by the devils name Diaboli of which we read in three places of S. Pauls Epistles 1 Tim. 3.11 2 Tim. 3.3 Tit. 2.3 to carry slanders is the work of the devil 6 Another sin which is the work of the devil and which makes them that do it like the devil is bindring persons from believing and closing with the truth of the Gospel which may be done several ways As 1 By keeping them in ignorance and blinding of them 2 Cor. 4.4 either by stealing and taking away the word Mat. 13.4 with 19. or by hindring and keeping off means from them 1 Thes 2.18 2 By sowing tares among the wheat Mat 13.27 28. with 38 39. 3 By perverting the ways of the Lord Acts 13.10 representing them as tedious dangerous c. who ever keep means from men or men from means or make false representations of the ways of God are of the devil 7. Apostacy is a Devil-like sin John 8.44 The Devil abode not in the truth but left his first love life and estate 2 Pet. 2.4 with Jude 6. Hence Judas is called Devil Joh. 6.70 and Apostates are said to turn aside after Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 as Converts are turned from Satan to God so Apostates return from God to Satan He that abideth not in the truth is like unto the Devil 8. To name no more but this Persecuting the righteous for righteousness sake is the Devils work 1 Joh. 3.12 Math. 23.15 and they that do it are of and called Devils Some he oppresseth some he possesseth and where he is dispossest he there turns Persecutor Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into prison this was a persecuting Devil incarnate Thus in the general and particular I have clear'd this That sin is the work of the Devil 't is sins name and is a great witness against it I may here add that in some sense sin in men or in some respects the sin of men is more horrible and hainous then that of Devils I speak not of the first sins of either but of their sins from the time that God discover'd his pleasure concerning the disposal of Devils and Men. 1 The Devil hath some kind of gratification in tempting men 't is a kind of victory being a revenge but men do wrong and torment themselves 2 The Devils are past hope and grown desperate being rejected of God 2 Pet. 2.4 for Christ Jesus took not them on him Heb. 2.16 they are hardned against God as punishing them and are grown so envious that they will be revenged on man seeing they cannot on God if they had but a door of hope opened 't is probable they would not be so wicked as they are When there is no hope persons are more resolute Jer. 2.25 But now for men to sin whom God hath spared for whom he spared not to give his own Son men whom God calls and woes and even begs them to be reconciled and be happy for these men to sin Oh what an horrible ingratitude is this Oh what aggravating and inexcusable sin is this 't is worse then the devils sin they sin not against second mercy and offers of grace as men do But I hasten to sins second name filthiness of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 2. Sin is all filthiness which denotes 1. 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
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
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
first deceived and then slew St. Paul as he speaks Rom. 7.11 It pretends as Jael did to Sisera to bring milk and butter in a Lordly dish but the hammer and nail is in its heart and hand They that serve divers lusts are deceived as the Apostle speaks Titus 3.3 All the servants of sin are deceived not of sins wages but of sins promises and though they sport themselves while they play and nibble at the bait like silly fishes 't is but in their own deceiving for an evil heart hath deceived them 2 Pet. 2.13 and therefore the Apostle exhorts to take heed lest we be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Heb 3.13 Sins first work is to deceive us and when it hath thereby drawn us in then it hardens and so destroys us But more particularly 1. Whether 1. Of Profit I shall evince that there is not nor can be any profit to man by sin can that be profitable that wrongs his soul Alas what doth it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul Sin costs dear but profits nothing they make an ill purchase that buy their damnation What got Cain by killing Christ in his type Abel or Judas by selling his person surely he bought damnation dear though he sold his Saviour cheap Take your money saith he I have sinned that I have sinned made him weary of his gain and life he got Hell or as the saying is Devil and all What profit have any by that whereof they are ashamed Rom. 6.21 All the works of darkness are unsruitful as to any good Eph. 5.11 but good works are profitable Titus 3.8 Sin is a very chargeable thing it cannot be maintained without great cost Men might build Hospitals at cheaper rates then they can maintain their lusts some mens sins cost them more in a day then their families do in a week perhaps in a year Some starve their families to feed their lusts which have turned many an house out of door and brought great Estates to a morsel of bread beside what comes hereafter Lusts consume health and wealth Prov. 5. Gluttony Drunkenness Uncleanness are costly and chargeable sins Object But it may be said true these are as you say costly sins indeed but what say you to Covetousness that frugal and thrifty that saving and getting sin I answer That Covetousness and all its gets or saves is unprofitable For I pray consider 1. All is not gain that 's gotten I will tell you what a wise man saw and said Eccl. 5.13 There is a fore evil under the Sun namely riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt here are riches and riches kept but alas 't is for the owners hurt and detriment better he had not had them or had not kept them did these profit him yes if hurt be profit not else Where is the profit he can shew you his hurt but not his profit They perish by evil travel and he begets a son but can leave him nothing for 't is not in his hand vers 14. while he had them he could not sleep for them vers 12. and his abundance made him poor perhaps 't was his crime that he was rich and some Vespasian or other mightier then he finding this sponge swell'd and full would needs squeeze him and leave him hollow and empty Stories tell us of times when Estates have been the greatest crimes persons have been guilty of though charged with malignancy or treason Or 2. Consider Covetousness it self may be a thief and rob men of the use and comfort of their own possessions the covetous man doth always need and is indeed the poorest man in the world Eccl. 4.8 There is one alone there is not a second he is a single man unmarried without a second-self yet there is no end of his labour yet saith he not for whom do I bereave my self of good observe it while he gets goods he bereaves himself of good yea of the good of his goods Is this profitable no 't is a sore travelâ— for he hath not power to eat thereof Eccl. 6.2 To fill his purse he starves his belly and grudgeth himself victuals 3. Consider that though you have much and use it much yet it will never satisfie and therefore must needs vex no satisfaction no prefit A mans aim is satisfaction Luke 12 1â— but the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the car with hearing Eccl. 1.8 Now if they cannot satisfie the senses much less the souls of mâ—n Eccl. 6.7 and which addeth to the vexation the love of money increaseth faster then the money so that Eccl. 5.10 11. he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loves â—â—â—ndance with increase Well it may be thou 〈◊〉 say none of these are my cases if not 〈◊〉 4. Consider that which must be thy case thou 〈◊〉 not carry away one penny of thy estate with thee and where 's the profit then what thou leavest behind thee is none of thine but thou dyest the poorer for leaving thy riches behind thee and having not laid up thy treasures in Heaven 1 Tim. 6. The rich man said to his soul thou hast goods but thou Fool saith our Saviour thou must die to night and whose shall they be not thine What dost thou get by all thy gettings to leave them all behind thee and it may be to them whom of all men thou wert most unwilling should enjoy them Psal 39.6 Eccl. 2.18 21. To go naked out of the world is a sore evil and no profit Eccl. 5 15 16. If thou enjoy all to thy dying day yet then thou losest all and it may be dost not only lose it but lose by it riches profit not in the day of wrath and surely that cannot be worth much while we live that will be worth nothing when we dye Beside there is no man in more danger to lose by getting then the covetous man who is in the ready way to lose his soul for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some have coveted after they have gotten nothing by it but the loss of their souls being drowned in perdition 1 Tim. 6 9 10. And truly take it here for the present while â—is in its best the pains of getting the cares of keeping and fear of losing eat out the comfort of having so that all must subscribe to what our Saviour said Luke 12.15 a mans life neither the length health or comfort much less the happiness of a mans life consisteth in the things he enjoyeth in this world life needs more and better things Oh what silâ—y foolish things are sinners to place the good of profit in that which is not only unprofitable but chargeable to pay so dear a price for so vile a commodity to pay after the rate of Heaven and be put off with Hell We laugh at the simplicity and childishness of little ones that will part with gold for a toy for a new-nothing
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
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
sober-minded flee then all these and any other youthful lusts make the most haste you can from them not only creep or go or run or ride but flee Are you old hear then ye old men Joel 1.2 what shall we hear that in Titus 2.2 take heed of old age sins old age lusts concupiscentia non senescit when men are dying and have one leg in the grave when they are about to give up the Ghost yet like the Thief on the Cross they will be sinning Take heed of Solomons old age sin a kind of dotage which suffered him to apostatize 1 Kings 11.3 be sound in the faith as in Titus 2.2 take heed of the peevishness of old age be patient saith the Text take heed of the covetousness of old age be charitable saith the Text. Be fruitful in your old age that your latter end may be better then your beginning and the better because it may be your beginning was bad and that your last days may be your best days and so you may dye in a good old age which is best so when you dye good in an old age and are such as St. Paul the aged who had finished his course 't is a Crown and Glory to be an old good Disciple as Mnason was Acts 21.16 2. Relation-sins Take heed of the sins which men and women are guilty of as they are relatives and stand in relation to one another art thou husband or wife take heed of being false to or but faining of love art parent or child art master or servant take heed of the sins which do attend either of the relations wherein thou standest I had thought indeed to have particularized the sins but they are so commonly written of and known that I shall forbear that and only hint this direction and counsel which I have often thought may be of great good use viz. That every relative person as husband wife c. would read and if they can write out and pray that God would write in their hearts the several directions which the Scripture so frequently and abundantly gives to all relations and keep them before their as holy David did the loving-kindness of God before his eyes that they may walk in the truth Relative Duties are too little minded but if we did consider that we are that and usually but that really which we are relatively 't would hugely oblige and quicken us to be relatively good 'T is not like that they are good Christians who are bad husbands or wives bad parents or children bad superiors or inferiors in their places 3. Place-sins Take heed of the sins of the age country and places where you live there are sins as 't were appropriated to some ages and countries as to them of the latter and last days see 1 Tim. 4 1-4 and 2 Tim. 3 1-5 When sin becomes Epidemical 't is the less abstained from for few but very good persons care to be singular when sins are as 't were the custom and fashion of the country most will be sinners especially if it be countenanced by the examples of great ones But as we should not be conformed to this world at large so not to any part of it Is there any sin by which the Land is defiled for which the Land mourns and is ready to spue out the Inhabitants thereof for it Levit. 18.27 28. take heed thou be not found guilty but be one of the mourners which God will set a mark upon Ezek. 9.4 When Formality Hypocrifie and Apostacy are in sashion be cautious not to sin any of these ways no more then by swearing drunkenness and uncleanness though they be common and uncontrouled Take heed of minding the favour and praise of men more then or without the favour and praise of God which Hypocrites and none but Hypocrites do Joh 12.42 43. Daniel and the three Children would not sin for fashions-sake no though they were commanded to sin And the Apostles made their appeal to them that would have had them sin saying Whether it be better to obey God or man judge ye Acts 4.18 19 20. 'T is God will judge us and not men and he only hath absolute authority over us to command what he please and therefore our chief care should be to please him We shall find that the best way to please all or to displease any with least danger ' is to please him who is all in all Though therefore any should think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot and speak evil of you 1 Pet. 4.4 answer them as Joseph did his Mistress how shall I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39.9 and tell them as the Apostle doth 1 Pet. 4.5 that thou and they must give an account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead seeing therefore the end of all things is at hand let us be sober and watch unto prayer for so 't is added in vers 7. as Holy David did when they spake evil of him fought against him without a cause and for his love became his adversaries Psal 109. 2-4 4. Calling-sins Take heed of the sins that attend your Callings Occupations and Trades and here I premise 1. That every man should as was toucht above have a Calling to follow and follow his Calling God hath given no man a dispensation to be idle the rule is 2 Thes 3.10 and that by command if any will not that can work neither should he eat and if this rule were observed I am afraid that more rich then poor would go with hungry stomachs and empty bellies Of idleness comes no good but to be sure a great deal of evil They that are at work are not at leisure to sin but they that are idle are at leisure to do nothing but to sin Adam in innocency that better then golden age had his Calling and Employment he was a Gardner * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cultivator of the ground or an Husbandman Gen. 2.15 The Angels of Heaven are not without their Calâ—ing when they are abroad here on earth they are ministring Spirits Heb. 1.14 and when at home in Heaven they rest not day or night from praising God as one of the Greek Fathers expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their service and calling is to sing Songs and Psalms of praise I may therefore say Take heed of the sin of being without a Calling or of having no Calling especially you that are young and strong to labour 2. No mans Calling necessitates him to sin there 's many a Trade of which I scruple not to say 't is no Calling many make Trades for a livelibood of that which is no Calling Harlotry and Thieving are no Callings for we are called not to uncleanness but to holiness and as to lawful Callings sin is but accidental and springs up more from our inclination then 't is occasioned by our Callings Necessities are things that
into the way of the wicked if thou have been so foolishly forward yet go not on in the way of evil men but avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away you cannot stand at too great a distance from sin if you will not sit in the seat of the scornful do not stand in the way of sinners nor walk in the counsel of the ungodly Psal 1.1 touch not pitch lest ye be defiled gaze not like one enamour'd on the wine when it looks well and danceth in the glass make a Covenant with thine eyes lest by looking too much on beauty thine eyes become sore and sinful Abhor not only the flesh or the spot but the very garment that is but spotted with the flesh Jude 23. yea abstain from what 's inexpedient as well as from what 's unlawful for in being inexpedient as such and then it is unlawful if it be not a sin yet if it be malè coloratum and look like a sin beware of it 'T is next to being a sinner to be like one to being proud and wanton to seem so or look so an appearance of good is too little but an appearance of evil is too much 't is the Hypocrites sin that he appears better then he is and it may be a good mans evil to appear worse then he is a rod is for the back of fools and 't will be laid on a wise mans if found in a fools coat Eighthly and lastly Of being guilty of other mens sins Take heed of being any way in any kind or degree guilty of other mens sins Alas have we not many too many sins of our own but will we have other mens sins to answer for they being our-other-mens sins as I may call them Take heed of being an occasion of a partaker of or but accessory to other mens sins God forbids it that it may not be Eph. 5 7-11 1 Tim. 5.22 and sharply reproves and punisheth it where he finds it to be Psal 50.18 2 Sam. 12 9. 1 Kings 21.19 in which two last places King David and King Ahab are found guilty of the murther which was acted by other hands but alas by their commission 'T is sad to sin against God our selves but sadder to make others sin against God too this way the world is made worse then it would be men are too prone to be vile enough of themselves were there no Devil to tempt them but when they have companions and brethren in iniquity they are apt to sin more lustily St. Augustine confesseth that he used to boast of sins he was not guilty of that he might seem to be as bad as his companions who thought them the best that were worst Oh what sins many and great are committed in with and for company that would else haply never have been committed there would be no stealers were there no receivers and therefore the receiver is as bad as the thief there would be no adulteresses were there no adulterers Many in Hell would probably have been less wicked then they were and so have had less torment then they have had they not been furthered by others their companions Though all sins come from the heart and may there be acted when men are alone yet as to matter of fact some sins cannot be committed by persons alone but every such sin hath a double sinner if not a greater number Beside this way men are confirmed and hardned in their wickedness where all go naked none are ashamed examples and company steel men in their sins who were Iron enough of themselves and sometimes emboldens them who were modest and tender before as 1 Cor. 8.10 If any see thee who hast knowledge sit at meat in the Idols Temple shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned the Greek is edified or built he takes it for a good example and makes a kind of conscience to do so too as if thou hadst instructed him to edification when alas 't is edification only to the wounding and endangering of his perishing as it follows vers 11.12 and ye sin against Christ Jesus as he also doth for thou makest him to offend vers 13. So that hereby we become guilty of other mens sins and we are like sooner or later to resent and regret this very grievously yea though we our selves may be saved at last 't will certainly pain us to think that any went to Hell in whose sins we had an head or hand and it may be an heart Beside 't is very usual that we partake of their plagues whose sins we partake of which no less then a voice from Heaven gives us warning Rev. 18.4 and because for these things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience be not ye therefore partakers with them Eph. 5.5 6 7. 't is sad to be found on the Devils ground as the Devil said he found the woman whom he possest when at a Play But yet more particularly we may be guilty of other mens sin 1. As Occasions if not causes of it before 2. As Partakers with them when 3. As Accessories after it is committed 1. As Occasioners before In being Occasioners of it before when it may more then probably be said such sins had not been committed but upon and for such occasions given and that 1. By neglecting what might and ought to be done for its prevention Qui non prohibet cum potest debet facit scelus He that when he can and ought hinders not a sin doth contribute to its production as when men neglect to instruct or teach them who are under their charge whether Ministers Parents or Masters of Families see Ezek. 3 17-20 'T was the Apostles rejoycing that in this case he was pure from the blood of all men Acts 20.26 27. Many a child and servant that hath come to prison and execution have made this sad complaint my Parents my Master never gave me warning never shewed me the danger of sin nor instructed me in the way of the Lord the way of Righteousness and Holiness beware of this And when sin begins to bud and blossom nip it by reproofs and discipline or else you may be charged with sin as old Eli was 1 Sam. 3.13 Oh crush the Cockatrice while in the Egg dash the Brats against the wall while young if you be silent or indulgent children and servants take it for consent and approbation as they mis-interpreted Gods holding his peace Psal 50. Inclinations will come into acts and they into customs and habits if not checked and restrained But if you thus meet with them betimes you may prevent a great deal of sin 't is the best proof of your love Prov. 13.24 And it may be they will say as David did to Abigail 1 Sam. 25.39 blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent thee this day to meet me blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day from coming to
name but four 1. In not grieving for other mens sins All sin is against God and for that reason he that truly grieves for his own will grieve for other mens 'T was the great commend of Lot that his righteous soul was vext with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites 't was a torment a kind of hell to him 2 Pet. 2.7 David could not prevent mens sinning and therefore grieved for it and so much that his eyes run down with rivers of tears Psal 119.136 And this made the Prophet Jeremiah wish his eyes fountains that he might weep day and night And all these persons were remembred by the Lord in mercy when others were rewarded with misery There is scarce any way like this to be kept from partaking in the ruine of sinners as Ezek 9 4-6 God will set his mark on his weeping and mourning people and as for the rest they will be found as accessories if not principals in wickedness and judged accordingly Oh that there were more crying persons when there are so many crying sins They that grieve not and mourn not are guilty as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 5.1 2. and by mourning they were cleared of this matter 2 Cor. 7.11 2. By concealing that which we ought to discover and make known as may be easily proved from Levit. 5.1 If a soul sin and hear the voice of swearing and is a witness whether he hath seen or known of it if he do not utter it then shall he bear his iniquity and Prov. 29.24 whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul he heareth cursing and bewrayeth it not which he ought to do Yet once more Deut. 13 6-8 if thy brother the son of thy mother or thy son or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosom or thy friend which is as thine own soul entice thee secretly saying let us go and serve other Gods which thou hast not known thou nor thy fathers thou shalt not consent unto him is that enough no nor hearken to him is that enough no neither shall thine eye pity him is that enough no neither shalt thou spare is that enough no neither shalt thou conceal him is that enough no thou shalt by discovering him to the judges surely kill him thine hand shall be first upon him c. but you will say is not this unnatural what betray a brother one of the same venter the son of my mother nay more my own son nay more my wife and most of all my friend no matter for all that thou shalt not conceal him to conceal such a sinner were to partake of his sin 2 Joh. 10.11 These Spirits these soul-stealers must not be concealed lest the receiver and concealer be reckoned as bad as the thief 3. You may be accessory to other mens sins in not separating from them when God calls you to it Remember Lots wife who was loth to withdraw and was turned into a Pillar of Salt as the Father said to season us There are persons with whom we should not eat 1 Cor. 5.11 To joyn in communion with known sinners is the greatest testimony you can give either that they are Saints or you are sinners you bear a false witness for them and a true witness against your selves When the Apostle had reckoned up a whole troop of sinners of whom self-love led the Van and a form of godliness brought up the Rear he adds from such turn away 2 Tim. 3.5 and Rev. 18.4 You may hear a voice from Heaven saying come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins be not therefore unequally yoked with Unbelievers c. 2 Cor. 6.14 4. We may be accessory to other mens sins if instead of reproving we approve of it Eph. 5.11 have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but reprove them rather not to reprove them but instead thereof to have fellowship with them is to approve and beside this there are three things which speak approbation as 1. When we take pleasure in the actions or the actors Jer. 5.30 31. the Prophets prophesie falsely and the Priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so q. d. they set their seal to it to approve and confirm what the Prophets and Priests do Of this import is that Rom. 1.32 Though they knew the Judgments of God that they who did such things were worthy of death yet they not only did the same but took pleasure in them that did them As men are said to help on the affliction of Gods people and to approve them by saying Ha Ha so would we have it Ezek. 25.3 and 26.2 To take pleasure in such things as others do is to be accessories and as if they had done them When the Apostle Paul tells of other mens sins he doth it weeping Phil. 3.18 and so frees himself from any the least degree of approbation but when men laugh take pleasure in and make sport of other mens sins 't is by construction an approbation of them 2. Approbation and being accessory is concluded from hence when men flatter others and speak peace to them in their evil ways When men say peace where God saith there is none i. e. to the wicked God and man will curse him that saith to the wicked thou art righteous Prov. 24.24 and Ezek. 13.10 because they have seduced or flatter'd my people saying peace and there was no peace and have daubed with untemper'd mortar and vers 18. have sowed pillows under their elbows therefore will I pull down the wall and will tear your your pillows and kerchiefs because vers 22. they made the hearts of the righteous sad and strengthned the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way There is a wo against such as vers 18. 3. Approbation is declared by this when any defend and excuse other mens sins as if they were retained like Lawyers and had their fee They that justifie the wicked are equally an abomination with them that condemn the righteous Prov. 24.17 Some are so wicked as to defend other mens wickedness not only like Lawyers but like Souldiers by sword and force of arms as they did for him who had abused the Levites Concubine Judges 20.14 c. but to plead for other mens sins is to be as guilty as they who commit it Many more things might be added but I forbear them because I have been somewhat large upon this subject which I was the more willing to be because 't is a thing too seldom treated and too little taken notice of and laid to heart viz. the share that we too often have in other mens sins Thus am I at last come to the Close and Conclusion of the whole matter The Close or Conclusion and I could wish with my soul that there may never be an occasion for me or any other to preach on this subject any more shall I now intreat you to consider of what hath