Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	death_n	put_v	sting_n	3,229	5	11.9873	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26847	A posing question, put by the wise man, viz. Solomon, to the wisest men concerning making a judgment of the temporal conditions : wherein you have the ignorance of man (in knowing, what is good, or evil, for man in this life) discovered, together, with the mistakes that flow from it : and the great question resolved, viz. whether the knowledg of, what is good for a man in this life, be so hid from man, that no man can attain it / preached at the weekly lecture at Upton ... by Benjamin Baxter ...	Baxter, Benjamin, Preacher of the Gospel.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1662 (1662)	Wing B1172A; ESTC R39509	142,945	270

to Gods Glory For the Reason why he prayes against poverty is this lest I be Poor and Steal and the Name of God be taken in Vain Where see that he only prayeth against Poverty upon this account lest it might occasion him to Sin and Dishonour God Agur doth not say lest I be poor and Steal and be Whipt and Stockt or Hanged but lest the Name of God be taken in Vain 2. Concerning the keeping off of Afflictions There is a praying either against 1. The Things themselves 2. The Evil of the things 1. Against the Things themselves For that we say as formerly We ought not to pray Absolutely but with Submission 2. There is a praying against the Evil of the things So we may pray absolutely against the Evil of the Evils though we may may not pray absolutely against the Afflictions yet against the Sting of the Affliction The Apostle Paul calleth Sin the Sting of Death and it is the Sting of every Affliction and against the Sting we may pray absolutely Thus for the first concerning praying for the keeping off of Afflictions 2. Concerning praying for the taking off Afflictions So these Rules are to be observed 1. We must not put our wills as a Law to God's Then it is right when while we desire God to remove the Affliction we get our hearts willing to bear the Affliction if God will have it so 2. In praying for the removal of them there must be a Submission to the Will of God in relation to all Circumstances to wit the time and manner of removing We must submit to his Wisdom for the means and be content to wait his Leasure for the time of taking them off 3. We must choose rather Affliction than Sin and pray more for the taking away of Sin then the taking off Affliction It was a Pharoah that prayed only for the taking off of Affliction Exod. 10. 17. Pray to the Lord your God that He may take away from me this Death only He was only for having his Judgment taken away not his Sin 4. We must pray more for God's Sanctifying Afflictions to us then for his Removing them from us That the Rod may do its work for which it is sent before it be taken off that we may be better'd by the Affliction before we are freed from the Affliction Thus in Answer to the First Question CHAP. V. The Second Question IF a Man know not What is good for a man in this Life Is it then Lawfull for a man to pray for the things of this Life viz. Riches c Since he knoweth not but they may be Hurtful for him His prosperity may be his Ruine his Table may be his Snare and that which he thought was for his Welfare may become his Trap. To this Question I shall give an Answer 1. In General 2. More Particular I. In General I Answer thus That it is Lawful to pray for the things of this Life although we know not whether they are good for Man in this Life There are these Arguments to make it good 1. Riches and Health and the Comforts of this Life are in themselves Blessings of God They flow from Him who is the Fountain of Good and are in themselves Streams that issue from that Fountain and speak His Goodnesse They are some of those things by which He that is Good as the Psalmist speaks doth good to his Creatures Acts 14. 17. God left not Himself without Witness in that he did Good and gave them Rain and Fruitful Seasons filling their hearts with Joy and Gladness So upon that account they may be pray'd for 2. The things of this Life may be prayed for In that our Saviour hath taught us to pray for our Daily Bread Where by Bread is meant all those Good things that are necessary for this Life Bread is there a Comprehensive word being the Staff of Life And so call'd the Staff of Bread And by a Synechodoche it is put for All both Necessary and Comfortable supports of mans Life Now being to pray for our Daily Bread we may pray for what is Necessary and Comfortable for Life 3. Outward Good things are necessary for our Uses and for our Well-being in this World Mat. 6. 32. Your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things In Prayer there is a making known of our Needs and Wants to God not only Spiritual but Temporal too not only those that relate to our Souls but also to our Bodies The Apostle bids us Phil. 4. 6. In nothing be careful but let your Wants be made known to God Then no doubt but we may Lawfully pray for all Comfortable and Suitable supplies to our Wants 4. These Outward things do not of themselves Hurt Of themselves they make none Evil. Outward things are to Men as they are to Them It is not from the things Themselves but from Lusts within that they become Evil. The Poyson is not in the Flower but in the nature of the Spider So the Evil of Outward things is not in the things Themselves but from our Lusts that turn them into Evil. It is not mens Possessions but mens Corruptions that make them to become Evil to them When a mans Table comes to be his Snare the Creatures are not to be blamed but a mans own Lusts The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 4. speaks of the Corruptions that are in the world through Lust The World and the things of the world are the Object but the Cause why they become Evil to us is Lust The Fault why men are Covetous or Sensual or Effeminate is not in Gold or Wine or Women but in Mens Sensual Affections and naughty Dispositions So it is Observable when St. John 1 John 2. 16. doth Sum up what of the World is opposite to the Love of God He doth not name the Objects but the Lusts He doth not say What ever is in the World is Pleasure or Honour or Profit but he names The Lusts of the Eye The Lusts of the Flesh and the Pride of Life And these are not of the Father but are of the World i. e. These are not of God as Riches and Honour and outward things are but of that world that man hath made within himself by his own Corrupt desires and Sensual Lusts and Affections By this you see The Evil is not in the things themselves but in our selves We find they are such things as are Consistent with Grace and Holinesse We read of Abrahams and Jobs Wealth and Riches St. Austin speaking of these Worldly things saith Dantur bonis ne putentur mala dantur malis ne putentur summa bona It is a certain Truth That God never giveth any thing in it self Evil to those that are Good so neither doth he give the chiefest good Things to those that are Evil. So that when these things become Evil to men it is from a mans own Corruptions When men make these things the Bellows of Pride the Fewel of

and evil good and so are disabled from knowing what is good for a man in this life I shall name some of those ways by which most judge of the good or evil of a Condition 1. Opinion 2. Sense 3. Affection I. Most judge of Conditions by Opinion they take things to be as they account them It is Opinion that makes things to be good and evil to some that if rightly considered are not so Thus Conditions are looked upon as good or evil according as they are in our Opinion It was the saying of Seneca Levis est Dolor si nil Opinio adjecerit The misery would be little if our Opinion did not adde to it Opinion is a leight judgment of things by which things are good in the imagination but never arrive at the understanding to be made Reason It is an ill Guide and therefore some call it the Guide of Fools when Reason is the Guide of the Wise Most men judg of Conditions by Opinion and so it is impossible they should make a right Judgment of Conditions of what is good or evil for a man in this life And therefore we find the Scripture setting it self to oppose and cross the Opinions of Men in relation to what is good and evil for a man in this life Jam. 5. 1. Howl ye Rich Men c. Now it is the Opinion of most that Rich men have cause to Rejoyce Prov. 15. 16. Better is a little with the Fear of the Lord then great Treasures with Trouble This crosseth the general Opinion of men Psal 37. 16. A little that a Righteous man hath is better then the Riches of many Wicked Now the Opinion of the World is That much is alwayes better then little One place more Eccles 7. 2 3. Vers 2. It is better to go to the House of Mourning then to go to the house of Feasting But most men think not so Vers 3. Sorrow is better then laughter But this crosseth the general Opinion of men II. Another way by which men Judg of the Good or Evil of Conditions is by Sense They judg of the good evil of things according as they are pleasing or displeasing to their Senses They judg of Conditions as many do of Meats who judg of them by the taste and so take them to be Wholsome that are Toothsome And so on the contrary those meats Unwholsome that are Unpleasant And therefore the Apostle tells those Heb. 12. 11. how they were mistaken about their Condition which was then a Suffering Condition No Affliction saith he for the present seemeth Joyous but Grievous Why Sense at the present can feel no good in it But afterwards it bringeth forth the quiet Fruit of Righteousness This way of judging deceived Eve She saw the Fruit was desirable it looked fair to the Eye Thus many are deceived about their Conditions They are like the Book St. John eatt As Hony in the Mouth but in the Belly as bitter as Gall. Thus men look upon Conditions whether they are Hony in the Mouth they look no further whether they may not prove Gall in the Belly Why thus most judg of Conditions by Sense and while they judg so it is impossible for them to know what is good or evil for them in this life III. Some make a judgment of Conditions by their sinfully-sensual Affections and so account that good for them in this life that suits with their Lusts and Inordinate Desires Thus men come to be beguiled with the appearance of Good instead of Real Good Most men take the word of their Lusts and corrupt and sinful Desires concerning what is good for them As Sampson said Give her me for she pleaseth me well Since the Fall man rather consults with his own Corrupt desires then any thing else and makes them his Oracle at which he enquires about the good and evil of things and while they seek to that Oracle it must needs follow that Good must be rejected under the Notion of Evil and evil lookt upon as desirable under the Notion of good Affections sensually-sinful are wofully blinded in judging of Conditions CHAP. IV. HAving Explained and Confirmed the Point I come now to Resolve some Questions that may be put in Relation to the Truth delivered 1. Question Whether it be lawful to Pray against Afflictions Since no man knoweth what is good for a man in this life and so in praying against them we may Pray against and Deprecate that that for ought we know may be for out Good 2. Quest. Whether it be lawful to Pray for outward and worldly good things as Riches c. Since we know not but we may pray for what is evil for us 3. Quest. Whether our being ignorant of what is good for us in this life doth not warrant us to undertake things and adventure on them hand over head or at hap-hazard as we say or at adventure without any Circumspection Consideration Prudential Foresight or Providential Care as in Marriage c. Why some may say I know not what is good for me in this life and therefore Let it happen how it will So the Question is Whether this Truth do not deny and destroy all Care of Providence I shall Answer to these in order 1. Quest. Whether according to the Truth delivered it be lawful for a man to Pray against Afflictions Since he knoweth not but that he may Pray against his own good Since some by Experience have found It was good for them that they were Afflicted Answ Some have bin of this Opinion that It is unlawful to Pray against Afflictions and that it was not the Errour of Tertullian to say Afflictions were to be sought for and desired and said That men ought to be so far from praying against them that they ought to pray for them and desire them But this I look upon as one of his Errours I shall give an Answer to the Question 1. General 2. Particular I. General So I Answer That notwithstanding it so falls out that Afflictions are good for a man yet they may be lawfully prayed against And this Truth I shall clear up to you by four things 1. Afflictions are in their own Nature Fruits and Effects of Sin and such as Nature abhors such are Sickness Poverty all sorts of Losses and Crosses they were brought in by Sin The Apostle saith Rom. 5. 12. Sin entred into the world and Death by Sin Death is there put for All Miseries As Life in Scripture is put for all Good so Death is the Topick for all Miseries being called the King of Fears and so the King of Evils being the King of whatsoever is fearful to man and what Nature abhoreth As Death so all Evils as Death's attendants came into the world by Sin Sin was the Mother and Afflictions of all sorts are the Daughters So then looking upon them under this Notion as the Effects of Sin they may be prayed against When Sin came into the world these Evils

crowded in with It and when Sin shall be no more these Miseries and Evils shall be no more Rev. 21. 4. There shall be no more Death c. The Thred followeth the Needle Sin was the Needle that drew in with it the Thred of Miseries and Afflictions Man had never known what Losses and Crosses and Miseries and Afflictions had bin had it not been for Sin 2. Afflictions of themselves do us no good of themselves they do not make a man better The Good by Afflictions comes from a Superiour Work from those admirable Influences and Concurrences of the Spirit of God on and with the Afflictions As our Saviour said Man lives not by Bread only So man is not amended by Afflictions only Put a Stone into the Fire it cometh out a Stone still No water either hot or cold will make a Blackmore White Empty Vinegar from Vessel to Vessel it will be Vinegar still So let a man be emplyed from Condition to Condition he is still the same We know the Plough breaks up the Earth but of it self doth not better it it leaveth it as it was there is nothing put in by the Plough If the Husbandman Dung it and cast in good Seed when he hath broken it up with his Plough then there is like to be a Harvest else there is nothing but Weeds and Nettles The Plough of Afflictions may break our Bodies and Estates and Spirits but there will be no Harvest without something more without an Heavenly Influence Afflictions will bring forth only Briars and Thorns The Expression of the Psalmist is Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest and teachest out of thy Law It is then happy when Correction and Instruction go together 3. As Afflictions are fruits of Sin and of themselves do no good so oftentimes through Mans Corruption they prove occasions of Sin They are so far from making men Better that they often make men Worse I have shewed before what Evils are incident both to a state of Prosperity and Adversity Satan knoweth how to make Afflictions to become Temptations And therefore we find this to be the Reason why Agur prayed against Poverty Prov. 30. 9. lest I be Poor and Steal and the Name of God be taken in Vain q. d. Poverty may put me under a Temptation of using Unlawful means to the Dishonour of God Thus Afflictions prove somtimes occasions of Sin and we are taught to Pray That we may not be led into Temptation 4. Consider again this That the Saints and Servants of God have prayed against Afflictions So they have prayed for 1. The Preventing of them and Keeping them off 2. The Removing them and Taking them off 1. For the Preventing them and keeping them Off. Thus did Agur Prov. 30. 8 9. where you have his Prayer First Against the Evils of Sin Ver. 7. Take from me Vanity and Lying Next Against the Evils of Affliction Ver. 8. Give me not Poverty 2. They have prayed for the Removing them and taking them off And those have done it who got as much good by their Afflictions as any under Heaven Thus David Psal 39. 10. Take away thy Stroak from me Psal 119. 22. Turn away Shame and Reproach from me Thus did Job Job 9. 34. Let him take away his Rod from me Job 13. 20 21. Withdraw thine Hand from me c. Where he Prayeth for Gods taking away his Afflicting Rod and for his with-drawing his Afflicting Hand And these Two men got as much good by their being Afflicted as ever any did Thus in General You see what we Answer to the Question Whether Evils of Affliction may be Prayed against II. We come to give a more particular Answer to the Question And tell you That though we say It is Lawful to pray against Afflictions yet it must be with the Observation of some Rules and Cautions and Directions That as our Saviour said in another case concerning Hearing Take heed how ye Hear So in this case of praying against Afflictions we say Take heed how ye Pray So consider There is a double praying against Afflictions as I told you before 1. For the Keeping them off 2. For the Taking them off 1. For the Keeping them off So there is a Twofold praying for the Keeping off Afflictions 1. Absolute 2. Conditional and with Submission 1. Absolute When men Pray that in no Case the Evil may happen to them so making their Will a Law to God's This praying against Afflictions is Unwarrantable and Unlawful We must know for Moral Evils of Sin we may pray absolutely against but not so against the Evils of Affliction 2. There is a Praying against them that is Conditional with Submission to the Will of God This is Lawful Our Saviour himself prayed that the Cup might pass from Him but adds this Not my Will but Thine be done Our praying against Afflictions is then right when there is a sweet Submission of our wills to the Will of God So that though we know that Afflictions are grievous to our Natures yet because we know not what the Decrees and Purposes of God are concerning us and not knowing but that He may see them good for us and make them good to us we do sweetly submit our wills to the Will of God and Proclaim Liberty to Him to deal with us as He please And herein is the Work of Grace seen that though Nature desireth wholly to be freed from them they being such things as are bitter to It yet a Christian leavs himself wholly to the Will of God and saith Not my Will but Thine be done When Christians see the Cup of Affliction preparing for them or coming towards them they must pray against it only as our Saviour did It is then right when in praying against Afflictions we pray absolutely that God may be Glorified but for the things that concern our selves we pray with Submission to His Will Thus Christ did John 12. 27 28. Save me from this Hour but for this cause came I to this Hour Father Glorify thy Self Our Saviour is absolute in that request of his That His Father would Glorify his Name and received an Answer But for the other Request he sweetly submitted to His Father 's Will. Thus doth a Gracious Heart pray absolutely that God may be Glorified let it be in Relation to himself which way the Lord please Thus in desiring freedom from Affliction though a Gracious Heart looks upon it as desirable to Nature to be freed from Losses and Crosses Sickness and Poverty c Yet he looks upon Gods Glory as That that is to preferred before its own worldly Welfare Ease Quiet Contentment and Comfort Whereas some may say that Agur prayed absolutely against Poverty Prov. 30. 8 9. Give me not Poverty c. We Answer that though it looketh like an absolute Request yet it is not If we look upon the Reason of the Request Vers 9. we shall find that he prayed absolutely only in relation

us as our Daily Bread It is strange yet it is true These Thorns will bear Grapes and these Thistles will bear Figgs And there is a Day when the Saints of God shall say They could not have been without such and such Afflictions and that It was good for them that they were Afflicted Some Trees there are whose Root is Bitter yet their Fruit Sweet A natural Eye seeth no Good in them and tastes no Sweetness And indeed the Spiritual man doth not always at present discern what Advantage cometh by them We must know those Creatures that we look upon as Venemous and Noxious are yet useful for some Ends and some Respects Thus even Toads c. The skilful Apothecary knoweth how to make Vipers and Scorpions Medicinal Enquire of the Saints of God and they will tell you from their own Experience What good Afflictions have done them and that they were Chastned for their Profit Heb. 12. 10. Afflictions seem to be but dry Rods yet like Aaron's Rod they have found them bringing forth both Blossomes and Fruit. 3. Some say Afflictions are bitter and burthensom to Nature and therefore conclude they are not good for a man in this Life We shall a little examine this to see whether there be Truth in it The Premises are granted That they are Bitter and Grievous to Flesh and Blood and the Apostle grants it Heb. 12. 11. But the Consequence is denied That what is Bitter and Grievous to Flesh and Blood is therefore Evil for a man in this Life And therefore we are to distinguish between what is Toothsom and what is Wholsom Between things that are Pleasingly and Profitably good Things may be Profitably good for us that are not Pleasingly good Those things are sometimes most Wholsom that are least Toothsom There be sweet and honied Poysons that Destroy And there be bitter and distastful Medicines that do Cure We know Wormwood is a Bitter hearb and yet Wholesom and Useful for Man Some things may be sweet in the Mouth that yet are bitter in the Stomack Heb. 12. 11. The Apostle saith of Afflictions though they are Grievous yet they bring forth the quiet fruit of Righteousness Here is the Difference between the Evils of Sin and of Affliction The Evils of Sin they are Sweet in the Mouth but bitter afterwards but the Evils of Affliction are bitter in the Mouth but sweet in the Close Afflictions indeed are bitter but oftentimes the bitternesse ariseth from our own Spirits When our Taste is Vitiated some things seem to be Bitter to us that otherwise would not be so It 's our Spirits that many times Imbitter our Condition and make our Chain much Heavier than other waies it would be There are many Afflict themselves when they are under an Affliction As it is with a Bird when it is gotten into a Room or Chamber it might do well if it sate still till the Doors and Casements were opened but till then with flying against the Walls it doth but hurt and bruise it self To close up this Physitians do observe we are most apt to Surfeit of those things that are most Sweet and Luscious And we find Solomon the Wisest of Men prefers bitter things before Sweet Eccles 7. 3. Sorrow is better than Laughter Ver. 4. It is better to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting 4. Some say That Afflictions are the Effects and Fruits of Sin And therefore not Good for a man in this Life We shall a little Examine this Ground It is true That Afflictions were at first Fruits of Sin But we must make a Difference between what they were at First and what Jesus Christ hath made them to His People now It is true they were at first the products of Sin but to the People of God they are now Changed and Altered We must Distinguish between what is Sinfully Evil and Penally Evil. What is Sinfully Evil is Unchangeably Evil but Afflictions are but Penally Evil and may be made good We must know As there is a Regeneration of Persons so of Things To him that is Born again All is Born again As his Outward Comforts are born again so all his Outward Afflictions It is true the Evils of Afflictions were first Conceived in the womb of Sin and Sin brought them Forth but there is the womb of the Covenant and of the Promise where they are New-formed and out of which those things that were Punishments come forth Priviledges and what was Loss comes forth Gain We read Rom. 5. 12. Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin We see Death came in by Sin Death which is the King of Fears and so its Attendants with it viz. all Miseries and Afflictions whatsoever Thus at first they were conceived in and came forth of the womb of Sin but the Covenant and Promise have changed and altered them it turneth Miseries into Mercies and Punishments into Priviledges and Evil into Good 1 Cor. 3. 22. All is yours saith the Apostle to Believers and among other things he names Death where he makes Death one of the Believer's Priviledges put into the Believer's Charter And the same Apostle Phil. 1. 21. saith To him to Die was Gain Death in respect of its first Birth was Losse but being born again it becomes Gain And as Death which is the King of Fears and so the chief of Evils so likewise all other Evils are Gain to a believer Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for Good to them that love God Thus we have examined the Grounds that those go upon in making this Judgment of an Afflicted Condition That it is Evil for a Man in this Life I shall Conclude with these Queries 1. Who knows or can say that That is Evil for a man in this Life that God inflicts upon the best in this Life We often find the cup of Gall and Wormwood going round about the Saints Tables We usually find it the Diet-drink with which God doth Physick his Dearest Children With the same Sword wherewith He destroyeth his Enemies He sometimes wounds his Friends and all this for their Good We find the Godly ones of Judah were carried Captives to Babylon as well as others they lost their Houses Estates were taken out of the Land of their Nativity and carried into a strange Land And yet the Lord saith of them Jer. 24. 5. That he had sent them into Captivity for their Good 2. Who knows or can say that that is Evil for man in this Life that may be consistent with Happinesse An Afflicted Man may yet in this Life be a happy Man As Man at his best Estate is but Vanity so there are that in their worst Estate may be Happy A Man may be Great and Rich and yet Miserable And a Man may be Poor and Afflicted and yet Happy Job 5. 17. Behold Happy is the Man whom God Correcteth It seems to be a strange thing and therefore a BEHOLD is put to it A