that to these there is no condemnation wherefore saith David Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not Sinne. Psal 32. Againe he healeth our sinne by quenching the inherent flame thereof by the force of his Holy Spirit for it is the operation of Gods Spirit to beat downe sinne Rom. 6.6 to mortifie corruption and to renew in us the Image of God Thus wee see Ephes 4.24 that it is God that healeth sinne as the efficient and principall Agent Therfore to him let us seeke of him let us desire the pardon and remission of our sinnes of him let us intreat for the force of his Holy Spirit to quench the flame of our inborne Corruption bidding a farewell to all Romish superstitions indulgences satisfactions and invocations of Saints for our God is a iealous God and will not give his Glory to another Againe as it is proper unto God alone to heale Sinne so hee is most ready to performe that Cure which is the second point to bee considered No sooner did Ephraim submit himselfe and intreat the pardon of iniquitie but presently the Lord replies I will heale their Rebellions plainly witnessing that he is not wanting to us if wee be not wanting to our selves but if wee acknowledge our miserie and moure for our transgression he is most ready to cure us Oh how frequent are examples in this kinde When David from his mourning soule did cry out 2. Sam. 12.15 peccavi I haue sinned presently God had his Messenger ready to speake comfort to his soule Thy Sinne is put away When that Luxurious sonne that had prodigally spent his portion Luke 15. did but once cry out Father I have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne presently his loving Father did runne to meet him hee did embrace him in his armes hee did kisse him with the kisses of his mouth and gave him royall entertainement Alas Luk. 7.38 when deepe wandring Mary had the feeling of her Misery that shee came and stood at the feet of CHRIST wept and mourned for her transgression oh how soone were the gates of Mercy opened unto her how soone did shee heare a comfortable absolution Oh that then wee would bee cautions that wee be not wanting to our selves by the hardnesse of our hearts refusing this blessed Cure Cant. 5.2 we haue Christ Iesus crying unto us with sweet and familiar termes Open unto mee my sister my love my dove my undefiled Rev. 3.20 Hee tells us that hee stands and knockes at the doore If any man open unto him hee will come unto him and will supp with him Oh that then wee would endeavour to open our hearts to entertaine this heavenly Physitian that hee might heale and cure the deepe corruptions of them lest whilst wee keepe fast the doore of our hearts at length the doore of mercie bee shut against us and wee perish in the loathsome desease of our sinne and wickednesse And so much briefly for the person emphatically set forth in the pronoune Ego I I will heale their Rebellions Come we now unto the Action exprest in the word heale by which Metaphoricall speech is plainly intimated that sinne is a desease for as there are corporeall Maladies that doe affect the body so there are spirituall Maladies that doe affect the soule Wherefore to insist upon this Metaphor and the more cleerly to shew that sinne is a desease even a furious and a grievous desease that doth in a speciall manner oppresse contaminate and infect the soule we may fitly compare it to a Fever to a Leprosie to a Phrensie to a Lethargie And first unto a Fever and that in a fivefold respect first in regard of debilitation for as a Fever doth wonderfully debilitate and weaken the body making it unfit to performe any validious exercise so dealeth sinne with the soule it so weakens it that it becoms unable to performe any holy duty Prov. 15.18 any fit action pleasing in the sight of God for what saith Salomon The sacrifice of the wicked is abhominable unto God Heb. 11.6 all he doth is odious in his sight for as the author to the Hebrewes speakes without faith it is impossible to please God But where sinne hath plenall domination there sauing faith hath no impression therefore it followes that all that these doe is utterly dispeasing unto God Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever in respect of debilitation it so weakens the soule that it makes it unable to doe any thing that is savorie in the sight of God Secondly sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter gustum in respect of tast for as to him that is affected with a vehement Fever the most sweetest things become bitter and distastfull so is it where the soule is laden with impiety Psal 19.10 there the most wholsome and pleasant things that which David proclaimes was sweeter to him than hony and the hony combe becomes most sharp and unsavory What could bee more sweet than Christs most heavenly speech delivered in the sixt of Iohn Ioh. 6.53 54. Except yee eate my flesh and drinke my bloud yee have no life in you Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life c. Oh what could bee more sweet than this heavenly voice but what could bee more harsh Ioh. 6.60 or more distastfull to the soule-sick carnall Capernaites therfore they cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oh this is a hard speech who is able to heare it Againe what could be more sweet than our Saviours blessed speech to that penitent sinfull woman Luke 5. pronouncing to her a most comfortable absolution Thy sinnes be forgiven thee yet what could bee more displeasing to the arrogant Pharisees Luke 7.49 therefore they murmured among themselves Who is this that even forgiveth sinnes Thus secondly sinne may fitly bee compared to a Fever propter gustum in respect of tast for it makes the sweetest and most savorie nutritives to seem as if they were most sharp and violent distructives Thirdly sinne is fitly compared to a Fever in respect of digestion for as the fierce inflaming Maladie doth so oppresse the stomack that it disables it to admit digestion to the most wholsome food but oft makes it become so loathsome to it that it doth evomere send it forth againe so dealeth sinne with the soule it disables it to admit digestion to the most heavenly things but makes them so loathsome to it that it suffers it not to possesse so much as any quiet impression Hence it was that though Noah spake to the old world to returne from their impieties Gen. 6.3 or else the Lord would destroy them by a generall deluge from off the face of the earth though he did build the Arke in their sight to shew the certainty of this iudgement unlesse they would revert and continued this admonition by the space of
rest upon their soules oh in these it will breake forth into a fierie flame that will grievously scortch Holcâ—t in Iâ—br Sap. Peccatum inquietat hominem nec permittit habere pacem burne torment their consciences for sinne it disquiets a man generally all sorts of men and suffers them not to possesse any true peace of conscience When Adam had once committed sinne against God oh how hee was vext how his soule burnt with feare and trembling Gen. 3.9 so that hee ran away from God hee hid himselfe from his presence that God was faine to call after him Where art thou Adam When Ionah Gods owne Prophet had disobeyed the voyce of the Lord oh how hee was stung in conscience he had no rest he fled from place to place he shipt himselfe to sea he bestowed himselfe in the lowest houldes Ion. 1 1â— to hide himselfe from God and to passe by the furie of his burning sinne he betooke himselfe to sleepe but all in vaine hee is rows'd up againe for without the winde and the waves pursue him the Lott discovers him within his conscience huntes him with a fiery flame which makes him cry out Take me and cast me into the sea so shall the sea be calme to you for I know oh the force of a guilty conscience that for my sake this great tempest is come upon you This was Davids state Psal 38.3 4. which made him complaine There is no rest in my bones because of my sinne my iniquities are gone over my head they overwhelme mee and are as a sore burthen too heavy for mee to beare oh inflamed conscience This was Hezekiahs state which made him conclude That it broke his bones like a Lion Esa 38.13 14. and enforced him to cry like a Crane to chatter like a Swallow and mourne like a Dove nay which farre exceeds all comparison when that blessed Saviour that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus which had no sinne inhesive sinne onely imputative ours none of his owne when hee in this kinde did beare our sinnes it made him grovell upon the earth Luke 22.44 it made him distil down drops of bloud Mat. 27.46 at length mournfully to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So that sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter inflammationem in respect of the burning heate it brings upon soule and conscience perplexing the very Saints of God yea as wee see often deeply plunging the most cauterized conscience Wicked men may for a while brave out their sinnes and pass them by with a senselesse heart despising casting off the testimony of their conscience Without remorse of conscience Senec. â—p 43 Oh te miserum si contemnis hunc testem as did those Gentiles which the Apostle tells us were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past feeling by which as Seneca speakes they became the more miserable and inthralled yet this will hardly bee alwaies their estate sometimes the horror of conscience will broile up in their soules as an unquenchable fire for as Iuvenall speakes Iuvenal de scelerat Nocte dieque suum gestant in pectore testem they doe day and night carry their witnesse in their breasts which will sometime or other pierce them and make them to heare his voyce therefore faith the Prophet Esay Esa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt the filth of their sinnes and abominations to the most grievous terror of their soules Esa 57.20 For as Isidore speakes nulla gravior poenae quà m mala conscientia no greater punishment than an evill conscience Prov. 13.21 For there is no peace saith my God unto the wicked Hence it is that Salomon tells us That afflictions doe follow sinners even wrath anguish and horrour of soule they may seeke many meanes to passe them by but their wickednesse will lie in waite for them to scorch and burne them with unappeasable miserie Lastly sin is fitly compared unto a Fever propter privationem in respect of privation for as that fierce maladie doth often times deprive of all vitall power The axiom à privatione ad habitum impossibilis est regressus may well be said to be true in respect of this spiritual death and brings downe the body to the dust of the earth so is it with sinne it doth oft times so seaze upon the soule that at length it deprives it of all spirituall life and throwes it downe to eternall miserie never to bee recovered So that in this respect well may wee say that true is the axiom that from the privation to the habit the returne is impossible for whom sinne hath once totally slaine and throwne downe to the grave of miserable impenitencie there is no returne againe This was the estate of the aspiring Angells sinne slew them and deprived them of all spirituall life and threw them downe to eternall miserie never to be regained againe So deales sinne with all prophane persons who continue it and nourish it in their soules at length it utterly kills them takes from them all hope of life all hope of felicity all grace in this world all glory in the world to come and makes them owners of eternall thraldome Thus we see sinne is a desease and therefore first in a fivefold respect fitly compared unto a Fever Secondly the maladie of sinne is fitly compared to a Leprosie and that in regard of a threefold Sympathie Separation Infection and Curation Esa 59.2 This separation is not the least punishment that shall befall the wicked for if Absolom did desire rather to die than not to behold the face of his father David what great dolour shall it be to the wicked that they shall be separated from the presence of God and all the godly for ever Chrysost concludes that omnes poena non sunt illi poena comparari all punishments are not to be compared to it First it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of Separation for as that loathsome maladie doth occasion a man to bee separated from the company of men so deales sinne by the soule it doth cause a separation and that a most grievous one betweene the Creature and the Creator between God and our soules and therefore from all Grace and Glory from all holy men and Angells This the worthy Prophet declares to bee the force of sinne Your iniquities saith he have separated betweene you and your God and caused him to hide his face from you that hee will not heare This the last sentence to bee pronounced against the wicked doth plainely witnesse Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire Goe there is the separation of most grievous nature even from God and all the godly from all joy and comfort from all blisse and happinesse unto endlesse miserie Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of separation Secondly it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect
aggravation of their wickednesse and is thus inforced to us in that they not onely committed things worthy of death themselves but favoured them that did the same It was a grievous wickednesse for them themselves to commit things worthy of death by their owne proper sinnes but to favour and patronize the same in others was most intolerable and declared them to be even of an incurable nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word used here by the Apostle doth not signifie merely an assent but an approbation or patronizing or as some reade an applauding of others in their wickednesse which was a thing common amongst many of the heathen So â—iscator for they mainetained and defended publikely those things which by the light of nature they knew to be sinnes and to deserve death as Fornication Idolatrie yea Murther it selfe as amongst divers others we may see in Anaxarchus Aristander and Calisthenes who when Alexander had slaine his friend Clitus they became patrons of that horrible wickednesse For the first an Epicure perswaded all things was lawfull for Kings the second a Stoick referred it wholly to fate and destinie the third used morall and civill perswasions onely but none of them laid open unto him the greatnesse and foulnesse of his sinne but did sooth him and defend him in that his horrid wickednesse Briefly for the further manifesting and opening this great and odious guilt consider we how many waies we may become partakers of the sinnes of others which wee may reduce unto twelve particulars 1. Iubendo First therefore understand wee that iubendo by bidding and commanding a wickednesse to be done we become to participate of that wickednesse So Saul became guilty of the murther of innocent Abimelech and his associats 1. Sam. 22.18 because hee did command this wickednesse to be done Dan. 3. So Nebuchadnezzer became guilty of the peoples Idolatrie in falling down and worshipping the golden Image because he commanded it to be done Mat. 1. So wicked Herod became guiltie of that great slaughter of infants done in Bethlehem and in the Coasts round about because hee commanded that bloody stratagem to be acted So also that Herod spoken of Mar. 6. Marke 6. became guilty of the death of that bright shining light Iohn the Baptist because he commanded it to bee done Thus first iubendo by commanding a wickednesse to be done we become guiltie of the sinne of others 2. Obediendo Secondly obediendo by obeying such unlawfull commands wee become to participate of the sinnes of others Dan. 3. This Shadrach Meshach and Abednego knew right well and therefore no violent threats nor terrors could draw them to yeeld to an unlawfull command This the worthy Apostles knew most cleerly wherefore when the Priests and Elders commanded them that they should teach no more in the name Iesus Acts 4.18 20. they plainly answer We cannot but speake the things which wee have seene and heard This was the fault of treacherous Doeg by which he became to participate of the wickednes of Saul for although Saul coÌ„manded his footmen that stood by him to slay Abimelech his associates not a hand was stirred nor foot moved to that bloudy action 1. Sam. 22.17 18. but assoon as he spake to Doeg he became presently a readie instrument to execute his cruell unlawfull coÌ„mand This also was the fault of Ioab for David writing to him that Vriah should be put in the forefront of the battell 2. Sam. 11.15 16. and that there should be a reculing backe from him that he might be smitten and dye presently hee consents unto this unlawfull command sinisterly to betray the life of an innocent man and so became to participate of that bloody sinne 2. Sam. â—4 So also when David commanded him to number the people though hee misliked it and his conscience told him it was an evill yet he desisted not but became the instrument of this sinne This was also the fault of those corrupt Iudges 1. Kings 21. 1. King 21. for pernicious Iezabel writing a letter to them in Ahabs name that they should get two wicked men to sweare against poore Naboth that they had heard him blaspheme God and the King and so to stone him to death they performed it with all expedition and so became guilty of that crying sinne the shedding of the innocent blood of poore Naboth oh how much better had it beene for them to have undergone the frowne of Iezabel and the anger of Ahab than thus to have enthralled their soules with the guilt of a grievous crying sinne And thus we see obediendo by obeying the unlawfull commands of others wee become guilty of sinne and wickednesse Thirdly consulendo by giving advice and counsell unto sinister and ungodly passages wee become guilty of the sinnes of others 2. Sam. 15. So Achitophel was guilty of the conspiracie of Absolom against his Father David 2. Sam. 16.21 2. Sam. 17.1 Ver. 14. because hee did advise and counsell him therein So in like manner the youngsters of Rehoboam were guilty of his violent answer to the people of Israell 1. King 12. and consequently of the rending of the ten Tribes from the two because they did advise and counsell him to that virulent replie So also pernicious Herodias became guiltie of the death of Iohn the Baptist Marke 6. because she did counsell and advise her daughter to make that the subiect of her request And so wee may see in the twenty third of Ieremie those false Prophets were guilty of the sinnes and errors of the people Ier. 23.26 27. because they did advise them to false and evill things the deceits of their owne heart Thus consulendo by advising and counselling unto evill we become culpable of that evill Fourthly adiuvando by giving any helpe or assistance unto evill wee become guilty of the evill whether it bee personally 1. King 22. verbally or manually First personally so was Iehosophat guilty of the sin of the Idolatrous King of Israell because he did personally assist aid him in his rash violent enterprise Againe verbally we become guilty of this sin when wee yeeld any assisting speeches to exasperate or set forward an evill So were the Edomites guilty of the crueltie of the Babylonians against Ierusalem Psal 137.7 because to exasperate and set forward the mischiefe they cryed out Downe with it downe with it even to the ground So in like manner were the Israelites guilty of the abomination of Baal Iudg. 6.29 30. whilst they used strong assistant speeches for him who hath done this thing who hath thus dishonoured Baal as to break downe his Altar and when they finde it was Gideon the sonne of Ioash Ver. 31. they cry out Bring out thy sonne that hee may dye that Ioash was faine to say Will yee plead the cause of Baal will you use assistant speeches for him and so participate
Zophar in Iobs Historie Iob 20.12 c. When wickednesse is sweet in the mouth of the wicked when they hide it under their tongues when they favour it and will not forsake it but keepe it close in their mouthes then shall the meate in their bowells bee turned and the gall of Aspes shall be in the midst of them and the substance they have devoured they shall vomit it God shall draw it out of their bellies Thus wee see it cleere that the state of man may well be deciphered by a Race whether wee respect quantitie or qualitie his naturall life or his corrupted nature And thus much for the word Runne in the Abstract as it simply impies a Race Come we now to consider it in the Contret with the coherence of the Text as it implies a certaine speciall kinde of Race And because in every Race two things are specially remarkable the terminus à quo and the terminus ad quem the place from which and the place to which wee bend our passage consider wee therefore here in this spirituall Race the thing from which wee are to runne and the thing to which we are to speed our course And observe we That that from which wee are to bend our passage is the loathsome sink of sin our heape of foule corruptions And this for speciall reason for as the Prophet Esay speakes Esay 59.2 sinne makes a divorse between God and us Your iniquities saith he have separated betweene you and your God and have caused him to hide his face from you Sinne oh t is odious in Gods sight for as the Psalmist speakes Psal 11.5 his soule abhors all them that love iniquitie yea Hab. 1.13 saith the Prophet Habacuck his eyes are pure eyes and can behold no wickednesse that is to favour it Sinne as much as in it lyeth is distructive of the very nature of God or approve it wheresoever And no marvell for sinne as much as in it lies is distructive of the very nature and essence of God that is though not really yet intentatively although not in respect of the reall inferring of an evill for nothing can be opposed to God immediately in himselfe Nil Deo immediate in seipso opponatur contrariè vel privative Impius omnino vellet Deum peccata sua aut vindicare non posse aut nolle aut ea nescire Bern. Serm. 3. de resurrect Dom. either contrarily or privatively yet by attempting it and therefore in regard of will and affection for as Bernard speakes a wicked man would by all meanes that either God could not revenge his sinnes or that hee would not or that hee did not know them to be revenged of them therefore great reason all sinne should bee odious in Gods sight as endeavouring as much as in it lieth to destroy the very nature of God for if that could befall God which a wicked man desires he could not be God it would destroy his Deity Rom. 6.23 Hence therefore it is that the Apostle worthily concludes that the wages of sinne is death and that not onely temporall and corporeall but eternall of soule and body for ever And this also most iustly for what can be more equall than that there should bee an eternall and an infinite punishment imposed upon that which carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitie But sinne doth carry with it a kinde of infinitie though not * Non secundum Physicam entitatem physically or intrinsically yet morally and extrinsically or avertively and obiectively avertively as it is an evill turning man from an infinite good Peccatum non est infinitum in genere morali ut est malum hominis sed ut est malum avertens ab infinito bono Peccatum contra Deum commissum quandam habet infinitatem ex infinitate divinae Majestatis tanto enim offensa est gravior quanto major est ille in quem delinquitur Aquinas obiectively in regard of the person against whom it is committed for as Aquinas speakes the offence is so much the greater by how much the person is greater against whom it is committed as therefore God is the obiect against whom sinne is committed so sinne carries with it a certaine kinde of infinitenesse In a word many are the instances of Gods loathing and abhorring sinne and wickednesse Gen. 6.13 We neede never speake of the old worlds many sinnes for which she was absorpt swallowed up with a generall deluge Gen. 7. â—â— wee neede never speake of Sodomes heape of crying sinnes Gen. â—8 â—0 Esay 9.18 for which she was destroyed with fire from Heaven for as the Prophet Esay speakes wickednesse burnes like fire all wickednesse whatsoever Alas Gen. 19.24 for one sinne Adam was throwne out of Paradise and became a prey to Satan Gen. 3.19.23 a terrour to himself a scourge to his posteritie obnoxious unto death even a threefold death corporeall spirituall and eternall nay looke we upon the second Adam Christ himself that immaculate lambe which had no inherent spot of sinne no sinne of his owne Esay 53.5 sinne onely imputative and no more for hee was wounded for our transgressions and was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him Matt. 26.39 yet when this blessed Saviour beheld the wrath of God against this sinne Luke 22.44 it made him grovell upon the earth it made him distill downe sweat like drops of bloud it made him mournfully complaine My soule is heavy round about unto the death it made him earnestly intreat Father Mat. 26.33 if it be possible let this cup passe from me From all which it is cleere that sinne is loathsome in Gods sight all sinne whatsoever what then can be more fit for us than to runne from the sinke of foule corruptions daily mortifying them The terminus ad quem or a place unto which we are specially to bend our Race 1. Cor. 2 9. and as it were leaving them behinde us continually more and more bending our whole course unto the blessed state of glory This is the second branch the terminus ad quem or place unto which wee are to speed our passage Oh this is a blessed state indeed such as the eye hath not seene such as the eare hath not heard nor can come into the heart of man to conceive Rev. 21.4 where as Iohn speakes all teares shall be wiped from their eyes where neyther death nor sorrow 1. Cor. 15.28 nor paine shall ever have anie entrance but God shall be all in all Rev. 22.4 Psal 16.11 and they shall behold the face of God before whose face saith the Psalmist there is the fulnesse of joyes at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore pleasures so absolute and full of delectation that when Peter had but some glimmering tast hereof in the transfiguration of our blessed Saviour upon mount Tabor it so ravished his