Alas How art thou all over Disorder and Irregularity Madness and Unreasonableness Shame and Disgrace Depravity and Corruption How dost thou render the practicers of thee the Objects of God's curse and hatred who is otherwise the most kind and benign being for God who is Love it self Love in the very Abstract does however infinitely hate the Sinner hates him even unto Death Eternal O the Guilt the inexpiable Guilt of sin unrepented of that nothing less than an Eternity of punishment is its Recompence that it shall ever be Attoning for and yet never be Attoned that the precious blood of Jesus as infinitely satisfactory as it is can yet never quench the infernal flames to which sin unforsaken exposes us Ah did men but thoroughly understand the Evil Nature of Sin the baseness the turpitude the Disingenuity and Ingratitude thereof the Greatness of that Everlasting Vengeance to which it renders Sinners obnoxious the full import of Damnation Damnation occasioned through Neglect of so great Salvation as that the Gospel offers us no Temptation sure would be big or prevalent enough to entice them to the wilful commission of Impiety but they would reject it with the same holy scorn and abhorrence as Joseph did the impure sollicitations of his Egyptian Mistress crying out How can we do this Great wickedness and sin against God our Heavenly Father How can we do this great wickedness and sin against his Son our Saviour's most plenteous and merciful Redemption against the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier's most kind and earnest and often repeated Strivings with us to bring us to repentance who wou'd we suffer him to do it did we not resist him by sinning would seal would Confirm and Establish us in Grace unto the Day of Redemption 'T is observable that St. Paul describing the odious and heinous Nature of sin knew not better what to call it than by its own filthy impure Name sinful sin that Sin says he might appear sin and sin by the Commandment appeared exceeding sinful Any other Name than its own had been too Good for it any other than its own would have seemed to have Lessen'd its evil Quality There is nothing in the Creation Irregular and Deformed but as Sin has defaced and brought a Curse upon it Sin the Reverse to all that 's Great and Good Praise-worthy and Honourable the bane and Disorder of Universal Nature That which turned Angels of Light and Glory into Angels of Darkness and Confusion changed their once happy and pure Beings into the unhappyness and impurity of Devils which expelled Mankind out of Paradise expelled them at once out of a state of Innocence and felicity Sin that which exposed us to Sickness Misery and Death Temporal of the Body to Depravity of mind Disorderlyness of Appetites perturbation of passions and the Spiritual Eternal Death of the Soul 'T was fatal impiety and transgression which turned a fruitful Eden into a barren Wilderness turned the Garden of God into a Seed-plot of Temptation for the Devil Subjects the Creature unwillingly to bondage and Corruption makes it Groan earnestly for a Deliverance for the Renovation and Restitution of all things when there shall be no more pain Sorrow Sickness or Death because no more sin the occasion of them no more Bodily Evil because no more mental and moral evil Sin 't is the great Malady and Distemper of the Soul the destruction of its health beauty vigour and Safety that which puts it into a preternatural temper puts all its powers and faculties out of order renders it enflamed with violent passions Sick with inordinate appetites tortured with various and contrary desires and is it not madness to be in Love with such our Disease To hug and Retain so much Spiritual Sickness and infirmity Sin is also the Death of the Soul the Death of it to the Life of Grace and Vertue the Death of it to the Quickning influences and Renewing Efficacy of Gods Spirit the Death of it to any pleasing sense and Grateful Relish of Divine and Heavenly Good things and is it not the highest imprudence to be Jocund and Merry amidst a Dying condition Nay to be Dead actually Dead stupid and benummed in Sins and trespasses and yet Alive delighted in and well-pleased with such our calamitous estate Sin is likewise the most abject Slavery of the Soul that which renders us the Servants of Corruption a Slavery of it to impure lusts and vices to Tyrannous evil customs and habits to the over-ruling Temptations of the Devil who leads wilful sinners Captive at his pleasure And is it not folly to be Gratified and Contented with such a Servile state with such a base and loathsome Drudgery Sin 't is opposite to all God's glorious Attributes and Perfections for if we consider his Soveraignty of Dominion Sin is Disobedience and Rebellion if his Wisdom 't is Folly and Madness in contradicting it if his Power 't is Impotency in vainly defying it if God's Justice is respected Sin is Iniquity if his Goodness and Forbearance 't is Disingenuity and Unthankfulness if his Holyness and Purity 't is the Greatest Pollution and Degeneracy if his Truth and Veracity Sin is Falsehood and Error So that Sin being contrary to the pure and holy Nature of God which is the Original Pattern and Standard of all good Sin consequently must needs be the Top the Abstract and Epitome of all Evil And ought such a thing to be the Object of our Choice of our Love and Approbation of our practice and prosecution Sin contains in it the very formal Nature of Hell and future punishment for what makes Hell What but the Hellish that is the wicked impure tempers and dispositions of the wretches inhabiting it which evil tempers of mind would prove their unhappy owners internal Torment and Disquietude were there no External Lake of fire and brimstone of avenging flames and utter Darkness Nay Sin is not only the principal and constituent part of Hell but also a much worse and far Greater Evil than Hell it self for Hell is Good for something to take vengeance on the finally impenitent and disobedient and thereby to vindicate God's Justice and Holiness but sin serves only to abuse his Grace and Goodness Hell was of Gods making Sin of the Devils Nay Hell was made in pitty to Mankind to deter them from coming into that place of Torments but Sin offers violence to Hell as if it were the seat of Happiness forces open the Gates of that Infernal fiery Furnace dragging men into it much against the Will and Rescuing Endeavours of their Creator Preserver Sanctifier and Redeemer O Sin where is thy profit when as thy Loss is that of our immortal Souls that of Heaven of peace of Mind and Joys in the Holy-Ghost unspeakable and full of Glory Where thy pleasure when-as thy Torment is that of a guilty disquieted Conscience that of continual dread of Divine Punishment that of short empty Delights and after vexatious Reflections on them
that of an Afflictive sense of having no Lot or Portion in the Love and Enjoyment of God an infinite Good Sin must needs be the greatest Evil the worst of any thing which is Enemy to either God or Man because 't is God's usual method to punish sin with sin when all his other Reclaiming Essays of Providence have through the obstinacy of the sinner proved ineffectual I will chuse their delusions says God and give them over to their Iniquities he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still As if to be a Sinner was misery sufficient and no vengeance for Impiety like that of being permitted a continuance therein The exceeding Great Malignity of Sin is in nothing more seen than in this that it cost God more to Redeem the World than at first to Create it cost him but the fiat of his Will but a Word 's speaking to make it out of Nothing but stood him at the invaluable Expence of his Son's Blood to Ransom it out of worse than Nothing a polluted sinful self-undone Condition At God's Creation of the World there was only want and absence of previous matter whereout to make it no repugnant inaptitude no contrariety in the subject whereby in the least to obstruct or retard the Divine Efficacy whereas in the Redemption of the lost World there was the deep rooted Corruption of our Nature inveteracy of Evil Custom and Habit depravity of Affection and perverseness of Man's Will to be conflicted with and overcome by God's Spirit by his holy Word and Sacraments before the Ransome purchased could be applyed and made Savingly Effectual So much more is there in Sin of inconquerableness and Difficulty of subjection than in the most difficult and miraculous material product of an Almighty power O let but our thoughts carry us to the places of our Saviours bitter Agonies and Sufferings and there let us behold him greatly Amazed and sore troubled Sweating great drops of blood bowing beneath the weight of his Fathers Displeasure crying out Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me and at last suffering on a painful and Ignominious Cross those extream torments both of body and mind which the sins of all Mankind had deserved which none but the Manhood in Conjunction with the Godhead could have undergone and which were abundantly Sufficient to Expiate the Guilt of the whole world and of multitudes of worlds were multitudes really existing Let us consider our Blessed Lord suffering all this though without Sin in himself only because he had taken it on him by Imputation and by becoming our Surety bore the iniquities of us all and then let us if we can continue to think so Lightly so harmlesly oâ— Sin as we do Here 's a sight our Redeemers Crucifixion which at once shews his inestimable Love to us and the mighty Malignity of Sin in that nothing Less than his precious Bloodshed that Seal of the New-Covenant could Aâ—one Divine Justice and do away the Guilt the Condemnation of our impieties The Prayer O Thou immaculate Purity Thou perfectly holy and Righteous Divine Being who hast manifested thy Love to holyness and thy Hatred against all impiety chiefly in sending thy Son into the World by his pure Example and by his holy Doctrine to destroy the sinful works of the Devil and to promote a Life of uprightness O that those Excellent Graces which shined so eminently in our Saviour may be formed within us thy servants the Hope of Glory that the life which we henceforth lead in the Flesh may be by the Faith of the Son of God Conform us we beseech thee to his Image in Holiness making us partakers of a Divine Nature Ah blessed Lord 't is not the Guilt 't is not the Condemnation of sin we so much desire to be deliver'd from as the foul stain and pollution as the Reigning power and prevalency thereof destroy then Vice within us as well with respect to the inward Love and Approbation as to the outward Act and Performance While we are in the World preserve us holy Father from the Corruptions of the World suffer not sin to have Dominion over us in any kind for we are not under the Law but under Grace O may thy Grace be sufficient for us Keep us holy Spirit by thy power thorough Faith unto Salvation Let not Sin Reign in our mortal Bodies that we should fulfil the lusts thereof but Grant that thy good Spirit thy holy Word and heavenly Graces may bear sway in us and abound Turn our Eyes from beholding sinful vanity and cause thou us to make much of thy Law O give us to behold more of the malignant Nature of Sin of the Turpitude Folly Baseness and Ingratitude thereof and then shall we more thoroughly Grieve Detest and Resolve on the abandoning of it Convince us gracious God that Sin 't is the greatest of Evils and then shall we betake our selves to Thee the greatest of Goods work in us that Holiness without which we not only Shall not but also Cannot see Thee the Lord by reason of a natural Incapacity in us for Seeing Thee O divine Object of blessedness imports Enjoying thee a seeing thee with Delight and Satisfaction and this we can never do unless we first become Like Thee in Purity in the holy Tempers and Dispositions of our Souls O lay in us that Foundation of future Happiness Grace the Hope and Qualification of inheriting Endless Glory Lord we are poor and blind and naked blind as to true saving Knowledge operative by Love poor and naked as to any inherent Acceptable Righteousness of our own O let us be cloath'd upon with the Robes of thy perfect imputed Righteousness we are Dead in sins and trespasses O do thou Quicken do Thou Raise us up to Newness of Life and Obedience Purge our Consciences from dead Works that we may henceforth serve more Acceptably thee the Everliving God Let our lives be a continual Endeavour of subduing in our selves the Love of Sin of becoming Enamoured with the Beauty of Holiness of becoming Like thee therein more Approved of by thee and every way such as Thou wouldst have us to be Cleanse us O God from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and cause us to endeavour after the perfecting of Holiness in thy fear And then Holiness the chief ingredient of Heavenly Happiness being our New-Nature being the fix'd Temper and Habit of our Regenerate Minds we shall be both Meet for Heaven and our Souls will Tend thither as to their proper place and most desireable state of Enjoyment Amen Amen Meditation V. On Watchfulness against Sin and Temptations THat this is a Duty our Saviour teaches us Watch and Pray says he that ye enter not into Temptation that ye come not within the reach or first Enticements thereof And St. Peter exhorts Be ye sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil goes about as a roaring Lion
Loss of the Enjoyment of God for their Loss of Heavenly Joys unspeakable and full of Glory they should be tormented with the positive sufferings of infernal Regions should be banish'd into fire into fire Everlasting into fire Everlasting prepared for the Devil and his Angels the worst of Company the most Dismal Society Oh how Doubly afflictive and vexatious must this prove unto them We believe O Lord all this most solemne process of a final Judgment we believe and tremble thereat O make it an ingenuous fear converting our Souls We behold with an Eye of faith this thy Judiciary Tryal and Enquiry as clearly as if it was the Object of our bodyly vision O Grant it may have such an Effectual influence upon our hearts as to make us live in continual Expectation of it as if the last Trump were already sounding in our Ears and we saw the Graves open'd the Dead coming forth and the Divine Judge Seated on his Dreadful Tribunal May our habitual mindfulness of this Day of future Reckoning cause us to place a watch over our most Secret Thoughts a Guard over our most Innocently pleasant words over our most conceal'd Retired actions always remembring that God is about our path and our bed and will bring every Secret thought and purpose of the heart into Judgment with every Idle word and most clandestine performance O the brightness of the Discoveries of that time of Tryal How Searching how penetrating No Defence no Palliation no Denyal will that Day serve either to countenance or to cover our unrepented sins in vain will it be to offer at either Excuse or Concealment the Darkness of hidden wickedness shall appear no Darkness at all but shall be unto God as clear as the Noon-day Then shall not a well-dissembled Hypocrisie in Religion any longer pass for Sincerity and the power of Godliness then shall not habitually indulged vicious appetites and passions any longer pass for pardonable humane Infirmities a bare Negative holyness the not having done any Enormous evil shall not then Satisfie for the want of Real Positive piety for the want of having done all the Good we could neither shall bare Desires after Grace without the effectual Endeavours be reputed Grace it self But all false Disguises shall be taken off from both our selves and others and a Man shall be accepted only for that he Really hath of Vertue and Goodness not for that which he seem'd to have of it in this World but truely had not The Just shall then be Hardly found Just the Righteous shall Scarcely be Saved O where then shall the Sinner and Ungodly appear How shall they Stand as Justified when Judged O may we in serious thoughtfulness thereon fancy our selves before the Judgment-Seat of Christ may we Examine our selves whether we are Ready prepared for the giving up our Accounts Whether our Lives are able to bear a strict Scrutiny at the Day of our Judges Appearance What holy work we would then more especially desire to be found Eminent in And that let us Now more peculiarly be busied about what it is we would then be most Ashamed of and wish it had never been acted or sincerely Repented of And that let us Repent of Immediately in this our season of Grace and Salvation May we think no Religious pains too Great no Self-denyals too severe no Addresses to Heaven too frequent or too fervent to render us provided for our future Tryals but may we enter at present into Judgment with our selves Accusing and Condemning our own ways that when we shall appear before the Great Judge he may find that before-hand we are accused and Judged Let us often meditate Lord who can Stand before Thee when Thou art Angry Who can be cleared when judged shouldst not thou in the midst of Judgment remember Mercy Woe were it to the most innocent unblameable Life if Thou O God laying aside thy Clemency shouldst sift and Judge it Rigorously The Prayer O Blessed Saviour Thou most Righteous Judge Eternal ordain'd by thy Father to be Judge both of the Quick and Dead whereof he hath given us Assurance in that he hath raised thee from the Dead O Raise us from the Death of sin unto the Life of Righteousness and hereby fit and prepare us for the Day of Judgment Cause us so Effectually to think on it at present as that we may not Dread its Terrors hereafter but may be Justified by thy Sentence and cleared when we are Judged not Trusting in our own Righteousness which is but as filthy Rags but being cloathed with the imputed Righteousness which is of God through faith in Christ Jesus O that when we are Judged we may be found in Him having an Interest in the Merits of his Death and passion O that he who is to be our Judge may likewise be our Advocate and Acquitter Blessed be God the Father blessed be the holy Trinity that thou merciful Jesu art to be our Judge who by Assuming humane Nature wast toucht with a fellow-feeling of our infirmities being in all points Tempted as we are yet without sin that thou mightest have Compassion on us thy brethren who are Tempted and that we might come the more boldly to thy Judgment-seat finding Grace to help in that Greatest time of Need O may we obtain Mercy when our Lord enters into Judgment with us May we be Acquitted when Tryed May our Saviour look on all he has Done on all he has Suffered in our behalf when making tion what we have done Spoke or Thought and may he for the Satisfaction purchased by his Blood be Gracious unto us Give us Gracious God so to Accuse and Condemn our selves for sin by a penitent abhorrence of it that we may not be Accused and Condemned in thy fearful Judgment but may stand in the Judgment as found upright and Absolved therein O that our own hearts may pass that True Judgment on us in this world which Thou blessed Redeemer wilt pass on us in the other and if upon Calling our selves to an Account at present we find that our Consciences Condemn us Grant that we may make void that Condemnation by immediate Amendment considering that if our hearts condemn us Thou our God art Greater than our hearts and knowing all things will much more Condemn us Allay holy Saviour by the pleadings of thy Mediation and Intercession the Rigour and Severity of thy final Sentence cause us to live as if we ever heard that arouzing Summons in our Ears Awake ye dead and come to Judgment O make us in apprehension hereof to Judge and Examine our past Courses and to Correct and Reform whatever we find Amiss in them let the habitual Remembrance of the last Day of Tryal Quicken us unto a more than ordinary holy preparation for it That we may Expect it with comfortable Hope meet it with an humble well-grounded Assurance be Acquitted in it pleading our Lord 's most perfect Obedience and Relying wholely on his Meritorious Expiation