Temptation 96 Chap. 20 A Sixt Corollary If sin be thus sinful it should teach us not only to be troubled for our own sins but the sins of others 103 Chap. 21 A Seventh Corollary If sin hath done thus much against God then all that are now converted had need do much for God 109 Chap. 22 The Eight Corollary If sin doth so much against God hence see why God manifest such sore displeasure against sin as he doth 1 Against the Angels that sinned 2 Against all Adams Posterity 3 See it in Gods giving the Law against sin 4 See it in Gods punishing sins that are accounted smal 5 See it in Gods destroying all the world for sin 6 See his displeasure in punishing sin eternally 112 Chap. 23 A Seventh Discovery of Gods displeasure against sin opened from the sufferings of Christ First See the several expressions of Scripture 1 He was sorrowful to death 2 He began to be amazed 3 He began to be in an Agony Secondly See the effects of Christs being in an Agony 1 He fell grovelling on the ground 2 He swet drops of Blood 3 He cries to God if it be possible to let this cup pass from me Thirdly There is eight Considerations of Christs sufferings 123 THE SECOND PART Sin is most opposite to Mans Good and far more opposite to the Good of man than Affliction Chap. 24 First Sin make a man evil but no affliction can make him so 1 Those that are in affliction are not the worse 2 But those that are wicked are vile persons though they be the greatest Princes 140 Chap. 25 Secondly Sin is more opposite to the good of man than Afflictions because most opposite to the Image of God in man Three Particulars instanced and a Question resolved 145 Chap. 26 Thirdly Sin is opposite to the Life of God in Man 151 Chap. 27 Fourthly Sin is opposite to mans good because it is most opposite to the last End for which man was made 258 Chap. 28 Fifthly Sin is more opposite to mans good than Affliction because 't is a defilement of the Soul 1 It defiles all a man medleth with 2 Sin is the matter the worm shall gnaw upon to all Eternity 262 Chap. 29 Sixtly Sin is more opposite to mans good than affliction because sin is the object of Gods hatred but God hateth not any for affliction 265 Chap. 30 Seventhly Sin is more opposite to mans good than affliction because sin brings guilt upon the soul 269 Chap. 31 Eightly Sin is a greater evil to man than Affliction because it 's that which put the Creature under the Sentence of Condemnation 277 Chap 32 Ninthly Sin is a greater evil to man than affliction because it breaks the Vnion between God and the Soul 282 Chap. 33 Tenthly Sin is more against mans good than Affliction for that it stirs up all in God to come against a sinner in way of enmity 285 Chap 34 XI Sin is more opposite to mans good than affliction for that sin makes all the Creatures of God at enmity with a sinner 288 Chap. 35 XII Sin is a greater evil to man than affliction because it puts a man under the Curse of God 291 Chap. 36 XIII Sin is the Seed of Eternal Evil therefore more hurtful to man than affliction An Use thereof Then see that those men are deceived that think to provide well for themselves by sin Use 2 The Ministry of the Word is for our good as well as Gods Glory 293 Chap. 37 XIV Sin is worse than affliction because it hardens the heart against God and the means of Grace 297 Chap. 38 XV. Sin is worse to us than affliction because sin brings more shame than affliction 303 Chap. 39 He that sins wrongeth despiseth and hateth his own Soul Use 1 Then see the maliciousness that is in sin Use 2 To pitty those that go on in sinful wayes Use 3 Let sin be dealt hardly with 308 THE THIRD PART Chap. 40 Sin is opposite to all good and therefore a greater evil than any affliction opened in five things 1 Sin take away the excellency of all things 2 It brings a Curse upon all 3 Sin is a burden to Heaven and Earth and all Creatures 4 Sin turn the greatest Good into the greatest Evil 5 Sin if let alone would bring all things to confusion 319 THE FOURTH PART Chap. 41 That Sin is the Evil and Poyson of all other Evils shewed in several Particulars First It 's the strength of all Evils Secondly It 's the sting of Affliction Thirdly It 's the Curse of all Evils opened in Five Particulars Fourthly Sin is the shame of all Evils Fifthly The Eternity of all Evil comes from Sin 327 THE FIFTH PART Chap. 42 Sin hath a kind of Infiniteness in it Opened in Seven Particulars First Because nothing but an Infinite Power can overcome it Secondly Sin hath a kind of infinitness because it hath an infinite desert in it expressed in Three Particulars 1 The desert of the loss of an infinite Good 2 It deserves to put an infinite distance between God and thee 3 It deserves infinite misery Thirdly Sin hath a kind of infinite Evil because there is required an infinite Price to make an Attonement between God and Man Fourthly There is a kind of infinit Evil in Sin because we must hate it infinitely Fifthly Sin is an infinite Evil because it is the Vniversal Cause of all Evil. Sixthly The Scripture make use of Evil things to set out the Evil of Sin Seventhly There 's an infiniteness in Sin because the Scripture set out Sin by Sin it self 344 THE SIXT PART Chap. 43 Sin makes a man conformable to the Devil opened in Six Particulars First Sin is of the same Nature with the Devil Secondly Sin is from the Devil Thirdly Sin is a furtherance of the Devils Kingdom in the World For 1 By Sin we oppose Christs destroying the Devils Kingdom in the World 2 By Sin thou opposest thy prayers when thou prayest Thy Kingdom come 3 By going on in a way of sin thou becomest guilty of all the sin in the World Fourthly Sinning is a fulfilling the will of the Devil Fifthly Sin sells the Soul to the Devil Sixtly Sin it turns the Soul into a Devil 357 Corollaries and Consequences from all the former Particulars Chap. 44 The First Corollary It 's worse for a man to be sinful than to be turned into a Beast 370 Chap. 45 The Second Corollary It 's worse to be sinful than to be afflicted with Temptation from the Devil 372 Chap. 46 The Third Corollary It 's worse to be under sin than to be haunted by the Devil 374 Chap. 47 The Fourth Corollary It 's worse to be given up to any way of sin than to be given up to the Devil Quest How the delivering up to Satan can be for the saving of the Soul 376 Chap. 48 The Fifth Corollary It is worse to be given up to one sin than to be actually
of the Law when it was first given That was only to set forth thus much to us That if the Law that God gave be broken that then God will be very dreadful to those that break it therefore he gives it at first in such a dreadful manner It may be many bold presumptuous sinners think it nothing to break the Law of the infinite eternal God but in that God gives the Law in such a dreadful manner as you may read in the 19. of Exodus how dreadfully God gave the Law God doth thereby declare to all the world how dreadful sinners are to expect him to be if they do break the Law But especially consider that dreadful Curse annexed to the Law Cursed is every one that abides not in every thing that is written in the Law to do that which the Law of God pronounces to be done a curse to every one that doth any thing at any time that shall break it That there should be such a dreadful Curse annexed this manifests the sore displeasure of God against sin Fourthly A fourth Manifestation of the sore displeasure of God against sin all this but to shew you further how Sin is a greater evil than Affliction the Manifestation I say of Gods displeasure against sin is seen in that we find in Gods word God hath so severely punâ—sh'd some sins that do appear to us to be very smal little sins and yet God hath been exceedingly severe against those sins which appear to us to be exceeding smal To instance in three 1 In 1 Sam. 6. 19. there you have this example that the men of Beth-shâ—â—esh when the Ark came to them they did but look into the Ark out of curiositie for ought we know for no other end but meerly out of curiositie Now because the Ark was a holy thing and none but the Priests of God were to meddle with it God did presently at an instant slay fiftie thousand and three score and ten men of them Upon this the text saith these men beholding this severitie of God for this offence they all said Oh! who shall stand before the holy God! If God be so holy that he cannot bear so smal a sin as this did appear to men that but for looking into the Ark so many thousands shall be slain presently who can stand before the holy Lord Many of you have slight thoughts of the Lord and his Holiness and think you may be bold and presumptuous you venture upon greater offences than this was but these men upon the venturing upon this one thing above fiftie thousand are slain presently This is the displeasure of God against sin though very smal to our thoughts 2 Again A second example you have in Uzzah that did but touch the Ark out of a good intention as being ready to fall yet that not being according to the Law God struck him with death presently it cost him his life he was struck with sudden death We are terrified when we see one fall down suddenly now upon that offence though he had a good meaning and good intention yet God brake in upon him with his wrath and struck him dead presently Consider this you that think you have good meanings and good intentions yet not doing according to the Law the least breach of the Law though we have a good meaning doth provoke the wrath of God and God when he pleaseth lets out this his wrath 3 A third example you have in that poor man that we reade of who did but gather sticks upon the Lords day and by the Command of God from Heaven this man must be stoned to death You would think these things little matters Alas poor man he might have need of them How many of you venture upon other manner of things upon the Lords Day profaning of it and yet God speaks from Heaven and gives command to have this man stoned to death Now Brethren though it be true that God doth not alwaies come upon men for such little sins it may be to make known his Patience and long-suffering Perhaps the Lord doth let others go on for a long time in greater sins but yet God by a few such examples doth declare to all the world what the evil of the least sin is and how his displeasure is out against the least sin If he do forbear that is to be attributed to his patience and long-suffering but not to the littleness of the sin or the littleness of the evil that is in that sin This is a Fourth Fifthly A fifth thing wherein God manifests his displeasure against sin is in those dreadful and hidious Judgments that the Lord executes abroad in the world that we have the stories of in the Scripture and all Ages As that God should come and drown a whol world except eight persons all the whol world swept away and drowned And so that God should command fire and Brimstone to come down from Heaven and burn and consume whol Cities Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities adjoyning yea and all the men women and children but only Lot and those few with him And so the fire to come down upon those Captains and their Fifties 2 Kings 1. And the Earth swallowing up Corah Dathan and Abiram There is no Age but hath some one or other dreadful example of His Judgments against Sin The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousness Now Brethren though some people have scaped and these manifestations of Gods Judgments are not so general and ordinary yet when they are but now and then God manifests what his displeasure is against Sin and what might be to all that Sin against him Sixthly A sixt manifestation of Gods displeasure against Sin is in those eternal torments and miseries in Hell that the Scripture speaks of the worm that never dies and the fire that never goes out when you hear Ministers speak of fire that never is quenched for poor people to lie burning in fire thousands of thousands of years in eternal flames scalding under the wrath of God you stand agast at the dreadfulness of these expressions Certainly these are only to reveal the displeasure of God against sin because there is no finite time can be sufficient to manifest to the full the displeasure of God against sin therfore those that perish must perish eternally CHAP. XXIII A Seventh discovery of Gods displeasure against sin opened from the sufferings of Christ First See the several expressions of Scripture 1 He was sorrowful to death 2 He began to be amazed 3 He began to be in an Agony Secondly See the effects of Christs being in an Agony 1 He fell grovelling on the ground 2 He swet drops of blood 3 He cries to God if it be possible to let this cup pass from me Thirdly There is eight Considerations of Christs sufferings SEventhly And that is greater than all that hath been said Put all the former six together His dealings with the Angels and with
is more pitiful than to hear the other roar out in the most grievous torture that any man or woman was ever in When we hear them in torture we have our hearts bleed and are not affected with their sinning this is a sign we know not the evil of sin Further if you should hear one in the anguish of Conscience crying out I am undone I am damned I am damned in the anguish of his Conscience thus crying out of hell and of the devil you look upon such with pity Now this I say Those that are in the greatest torment of Conscience for their sin they are in a better Case than those that go on most conceitedly and boasting in their sin Do you see one that is your neighbor or in your family or friend when he is rebuked or reproved for any sin that is careless and hardened in sin I say This man or woman servant or child is in a worse condition and a more lamentable object than if you should see another in the greatest horror and anguish and trouble of Conscience crying out most bitterly of sin For there is a great deal more hope of this man or woman that cryes out in anguish of Conscience for sin he may be saved and not eternally ruined by sin there is more hopes a great deal therefore learn who is to be pitied for sin is more against our own good than any affliction Vse 3. If Sin be so much against our selves Then learn to have sin hardly dealt withal For thus it follows That which we look upon as our own enemy we are willing should be hardly dealt withal Now nothing such an enemy to our good as sin is If you apprehend any one hath done you hurt or intends to do you hurt you think you may take liberty to let out your self to the utmost to revenge your self but this is sinful and the distemper of your hearts to do so But you men and women that have your hearts filled with revenge because you conceive others have done you hurt here is an object God gives you leave to let out your revenge to the full upon other men do you hurt therefore you think you may let out revenge that is your wickedness for vengeance belongs to God but sin doth you hurt more than any man can and in this God lets you have leave to revenge your selves upon sin Revenge your selves as much as you can look upon it as most mischievous There be some such spiteful and revengful men revengeful and spiteful dispositions that have it lie mouldring at their hearts because they cannot let it out upon objects so much as they would now here is an object you may let it out as much as you can to revenge your selves and to seek the ruine and destruction of sin and to labor to use it as hardly as possibly you can yea it is made in Scripture a sign of true Repentance to be willing to revenge ones self upon sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. when they had committed sin what revenge was there saith the Apostle they manifested their repentance by revenge upon sin follow thy sin with a deadly hatred if thou wilt thou hast a hateful disposition against others follow sin with as deadly a hatred as thou canst It was an Argument of Davids heart cleaving to Absalom when Joab was to go against him Vse the yong man kindly for my sake saith he this was an argument Davids heart was with him So when you would fain have sin used kindly gently it is an argument your hearts are not set against sin so much as they should No you should not say use sin kindly but roughly and hardly as the Prophet said of one that came to destroy him use him roughly when he comes at the door so when sin comes to the door when temptations be seeking to have entrance use them roughly at the door and say Let the righteous smiteme Oh that the Word might come as a two edged Sword to stab and slay my sin Oh that when I go to hear the Word I might meet with some hard thing against sin Thus we should come when we come to the Word and when sin hath got a blow by the Word of God bless God and say blessed be God my sins this day have got a blow this sin of mine that hath done me so much hurt and so pestered me and so hindred my peace and comfort blessed be God this day it hath got a blow thus we should do because Sin makes so much against our selves And thus we have finished the Two First Heads of Sins being against God and against our selves Now there be Four more THE THIRD PART OF THIS TREATISE CHAP. XL. Sin is opposite to all Good and therefore a greater evil than any Affliction opened in five things 1 Sin take away the Excellency of all things 2 It brings a Curse upon all 3 Sin is a burden to Heaven and Earth and all Creatures 4 Sin turn the greatest Good into the greatest Evil 5 Sin if let alone would bring all things to confusion THirdly Sin is opposite to all Good in General Sin is opposite to God and to our selves and I say in the third place It 's against all kind of Good and therefore a greater evil than any affliction Now for that there be five things to be opened only in the general take this sure Rule There must needs be more evil in Sin than in any Affliction because there is no other evil but is opposite to some particular good an Affliction is opposite to the particular good contrarie to that affliction but Sin is opposite to everie good not only is Sin opposite to the contrarie vertue but it is opposite to everie good so Divinitie teacheth us though Heathens in Moralitie teacheth that one Sin is opposite to the contrarie vertue but Divinitie teacheth that one Sin is opposite to everie Vertue and everie Good which appears in Five things First Sin spoils all Good takes away the Beauty and Excellency of all Good whatsoever It may be said of any thing that hath an Excellencie when Sin comes as it s said of Reuben Gen. 49. 4. His Excellency is gone is departed he shall not excel therefore Rom. 8. 20. it is said through the Sin of man All Creatures be subject to vanity the whol world is put under vanitie through mans Sin Now then it appears by that that the Lustre and Beautie and Excellencie of Glorie of all things in this world are spoiled by the Sin of man for all is put under vanitie by Sin and Sin not only makes the heart vain and so is against our selves but all things in the world is put under vanitie by Sin the Excellencie of thy Estate of thy Parts the Excellencie of any Creature thou doest enjoy all is spoiled through Sin therfore Tit. 1. 15. it is said All things be unclean to the sinner saith he To him that is unclean al things are unclean This
is the first Your Sin is opposite to al Good spoils al Good Secondlie Sin brings a Curse upon all I opened before how it puts man under a Curse but now I am to shew how it brings a Curse upon the whol World Gen. 3. Cursed shall the Earth be for thy sake and so by the same reason upon the whol World that thou hast to do withal not only the Sinner but through mans sin the world is under a Curse and therefore it is a most dangerous thing for any man or woman to seek after happiness in the things of the world when as the whol world is under a Curse and wilt thou seek thy happiness in that which is under a Curse no mervail though the Devil himself be called the god of this World why because the world is accursed through the Sin of man Sin brings a Curse upon the whol World Thirdly Sin is a burden to Heaven and Earth to all Creatures Rom. 8. 22. The whol Creation groans and travels in pain to be delivered and that through the Sin of man Now what is the evil of Sin when it is so weightie that it makes the whol frame of Heaven and Earth to groan to bear the burden of it It may be thy Sin is light to thy Soul thou earriest it lightlie but as light as it is to thee it is such a heavie burden to Heaven and Earth and the whol Frame of the Creation that if God did not hold it by his mightie Power it would make it not only shake but fall down Fourthly Sin turns the greatest Good into the greatest Evil therefore opposite to all Good As thus Take the greatest good of man in prosperitie the more prosperitie thou hast though a fruit of Gods Bountie yet thy Sin turns it to the greatest evil to thee As if Poyson get in Wine it works more strongly than in Water so Sin in a prosperous Estate usually works more strongly to turn it to a greater evil than Sin in a lower Estate Poor men by Sin have their Water poysoned and rich men by Sin have their Wine poysoned Now poysoned Wine hath more strength than poysoned Water And it turns not only prosperitie but the best means not only the means of grace but the better any means is thou injoyest the more evil it is turned into to thee except the means take away the sinfulness of thy heart if thou retainest the sinfulness of thy heart the more powerful Sermons thou hearest and the more glorious Truths laid open the worse will be thy condition and thou wilt one day curse the time that ever thou hadst such means Yea Sin turns God to be the greatest evil and makes him the greatest evil in all his Attributes And Christ himself though infinitely good to be the greatest evil Christ is a stumbling stone to wicked men and laid by God a stumbling stone What! Christ the precious Corner stone that hath infinite Treasures of all Excellencie in whom the Fulness of the God head dwels bodilie yet this Christ a stumbling stone and the greatest evil through sin to wicked men so that one day they will curse the time that ever they heard of Christ So Sin is opposite to all good because it turns the greatest good to the greatest evil Fifthly and Lastly Sin is the greatest evil Because if let alone it would bring all things to Confusion Therfore it is said by Christ all things subsists were it not for Christ who sets himself against the evil of sin al things would be brought to Confusion 1 Joh. 5. 19. The whole world lies in wickedness Just as a Carrion lies in slime and filth and there rots so the whol world would be in the same case that the Carrion is that lies in filth and brought to confusion were it not that God hath his number of Elect and they keep the world from confusion Now put all these together sin spoils all brings a Curse upon all is a burthen to heaven and earth turns the greatest good to the greatest evil and would bring all things to Confusion if let alone This is the evil of sin in Opposition to all good There be but Three more and they be 1 To shew how sin is the evil of all evils whatsoever 2 Hath a kind of infiniteness in it And 3 It hath Reference to the Devil But these I cannot come to in this Chapter but shall in the following to conclude all much you have read of the evil of sin and how it is above all afflictions afflictions are of a lower nature Oh Brethren This is that we should seek for and prise to injoy those means that may lessen sin and oppose wickedness among us And of all others these be the two great means to crush sin and bring down or make it less in all places the great Ordinance of the Magistracy and the great Ordinance of the Ministry Now as I told you before Reproach hath come to our Nation through sin and from whence is it sin hath grown to that height it hath but because there hath been corruption in both great Corruption in Magistracy and Ministery among us As we read of Dan and Bethel two Calves set up there Dan signifieth Judgement and Bethel The house of God So there was great Corruption in Dan and Bethel places of Judgement Magistracy and Bethel the house of God in the Ministry Now it hath pleased God of late to begin to be merciful to us this way through that great Ordinance of good he hath appointed for us The Assembly of Parliament to purge both Dan and Bethel Magistracy and Ministry to cast out Corruption from places of Judgement and the House of God And as we are to bless God for this so we are to further this work of theirs and stand by them to the utmost that we are able in all good wayes those Worthies of God in that great Assembly for the finishing of that Work which they have begun and that our sins and wickedness may be done away from among us And for that which hath been done certainly God hath received much praise and we have cause to bless God for it And those that have gone on in a good way according to what the Law doth permit them they are to be incouraged And in a more especial manner you that be the especial means of good to this Land I mean in regard of Safety and your imployment the Marriners in whom much of the Strength of this Nation consists for our Walls be Water and Wooden Walls Seas and Ships be the Walls of this Land and therefore much of the Good and of the Safety and Prosperity of this State depends upon those And if God stir up their hearts to the maintainance of their Protestation and Parliament and Liberties and to set themselves against Popery and Superstition and to incourage the Parliament in their good way this is that we be to bless God for and incourage you in We
calveth and casteth not her calf They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance They take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the organ They spend their daies in wealth They live merrie brave lives therefore their hearts be hardened in sin that they say to the Almightie depart from us what need we the knowledg of God what need so much preaching and so much ado we desire not such things I beseech you mark and observe what kind of men those are that so slight the Word of God and disesteem of it and that in their carriage and actions do as it were say unto God himself depart from us for so it is though it may be they think not so when the Word and Ordinances depart yet they do as much as if they should say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy way I say observe what kind of men these are not men under Gods wrath or afflictions observe what men they are and when they say so I say not when they be under Gods wrath but those that live in Authoritie and flourish and have delights and contentments to the flesh these say depart I confess many poor people that know nothing of God and that be meer Atheists that live all their daies in meer Atheism to hear them say so it is no wonder But I speak of men inlightened and where almost have you anie so readie to say depart from us let the Word and Ordinances depart and that slight God in his Ordinances as men do that are in the greatest Prosperitie that enjoy comforts and brave lives and have the world at will Now let all such know That though they may bless themselves and the world may bless them yet wo to them when God saith let them prosper in sin Hosea 4. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit iniquity God threatens it as a Judgment not to afflict them I remember Origen upon that Text hath this note Will you hear the terrible voice of God God speaking with indignation I will not visite when you sin this he calls the terrible voice of God speaking with indignation This is the most extream of Gods anger when thus he speaks And so Luther hath such an expression Wo to those men at whose sins God doth wink and connive and that have not afflictions as other men And so Jerom in writing to a friend that prospered in wicked waies saith he I judg thee miserable because thou art not miserable So certainly those men are therefore miserable because they be not miserable and it were a thousand times better for these men to lie under some heavie and dreadful affliction in this world And this is the Second Use If there be so much evil in Sin then a man may be a miserable man though he be not an afflicted man because there is evil enough in sin alone to make a man miserable without affliction CHAP. LIV. Use 3. If there be so much evil in sin then it 's a mighty mercy to get the pardon of sin Use III. IF there be so much evil in Sin as you have heard of then certainly this must needs follow That to get pardon of sin is a mighty mercy It must needs be a wonderful thing to have the pardon of sin to get to be delivered from that which hath so much evil that is so dreadful it must needs be very hard to be obtained grievous diseases be very hardly cured Certainly Brethren those men and women that do think that to get pardon of and power against sin is a little or light matter I dare charge them as in the presence of God they never yet knew what sin meant and all that I have delivered about the evil of sin hath been but as the beating of the air to them to no purpose that yet make but light of the great work of procuring pardon for sin and making peace with God for their sin If all the world were in a confusion turned into a Chaos we should think it a great work of God to bring all in frame and oâ—der again Certainly it is a greater work of God for to deliver the soul from the evil of sin and free the soul of it than it would be for to raise up the frame of Heaven and Earth again if all were turned into a Chaos Therefore Numbers 14. 17 19. verses where Moses speaks of pardon of Sin see how Moses speaks of it there And now I beseech thee saith he let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying What was this concerning which God had spoken that he would shew his great power in See the 19. verse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy Mark let the power of my Lord be great and then pardon the iniquitie of thy people as if Moses should say Oh Lord this requires great power the Almightie power of God is required for pardoning of iniquitie as well as the infinite mercy of God Oh consider this you that think lightly of getting pardon of sin this is the greatest business in the world and certainly that soul that God doth set in good earnest about this work to get the pardon of sin that soul is the most busie Creature in all the world never was the soul taken up about a more blessed work since it had a being than this is if it understand what it is about it takes up the whol strength of soul and bodie when the soul is about so great a work therefore you that come to have some inlightenings to shew you the evil of sin and you be about that work of getting pardon Oh you had need intend it and work mightily and strongly indeed for know this you are about the greatest business the greatest work that ever Creature was about in the world there is no creature in all the world was ever about so great a work as thou art about when thou art about the getting pardon of sin thou hadst need mind it and follow it and not have thy heart taken up about other things for it is the great work of the Lord that infinitely concerns thee Oh that men and women had cleer apprehensions about the sweetness of this work 't is true Gods mercie is above all our sins and he is readie to pardon and to forgive but the Lord will have his Creatures know that it is the greatest work that ever he did yea and take altogether Justification of a sinner is as great a work as ever God did the means that tend to it and the work of a soul about procuring pardon is the greatest work that ever soul was about so you must understand it and you cannot but understand it if you understand what hath been delivered This is the Third Use CHAP. LV. Use 4. If there be so much evil in sin this justifie the
there is required an infinite price to make an attonement nothing can make an attonement between God and a sinner but an infinite price paid You may think when you have sinned it may quickly be made up again Every Fool can sin can be drunk be unclean and wicked but when you have sinned how will you get it away All the Angels in Heaven and Men in the world cannot do it all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth connot get away one sin You let out your thoughts idlely take the guilt of one sin of an idle thought I say it is beyond the power of al the Angels in Heaven and Creatures in the World to get away that Sin it must be an infinite price there must be more done for to get away the guilt of this sin than if God should say here is a poor Creature hath sinned and is guilty I will make ten thousand worlds for his or her sake and they shall be all given that I may manifest my mercie towards them Now if God do but deliver thee from one Sin he doth more for thee than if thou shouldest hear him speak from Heaven and say he would do all that for thee for you know what the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1. 18. For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by tradition from your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ as of a Lamb without spot or blemish not with Gold and Silver if it were Gold and Silver all the Gold and Silver in the world would not redeem one but it was with an infinite price with which you were redeemed and mark from your vain Conversation he doth not say your vain wicked notorious Idolatry but vain Conversation yea and that vain Conversation which you might have some plea for received from the tradition of your fathers you will keep your old Customs you received from your Fathers received a great while ago you crie out of new things new kind of waies now I am sure I have lived this thirtie or this fourtie years and I never knew such things and heard of such things and so you will rest on the Traditions of your Fore fathers Mark what the Scripture saith speaking of those that were delivered from their vain Conversation and the vanities received by Tradition these were redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ not with Gold and Silver though you stick to them as being such as you received from your Fathers yet know all the world cannot deliver you from the guilt of one of these vain Conversations If you knew all you would see there were so much evil in one sin as required a price to ransom you from itâ— of more worth than Heaven and Earth yea than ten thousand Heavens and Earths there must be a price laid down of infinite worth And observe this before you go away there may be a price laid down to ransom a Captive and this price may Note not so much the greatness of the deliverance as the worth of the person for whom this price is laid down because the person is worthy not from the miserableness of the bondage but the greatness of the person But it is not so here the reason of the greatness of the price for your ransom is not from the worthiness of the person we be poor vile dirt and dross and filthy before God what if you were all buried to all eternity what great matter were it But God hath paid a great price to note the greatness of your misery and evil you have brought upon your selves by reason of sin and therefore this is the price of our ransom This is the third thing wherein the infiniteness of sin appears A Fourth thing to discover a kind of infiniteness of evil in Sin is this That Sin it is so evil that let there be never so much hatred against it in thy soul let there be as much hatred against it as possibly can be yet there is enough evil in sin to raise this hatred higher and higher if it were possible to an infinite hatred therefore there is a kind of infiniteness in it If Sin were but a meer finite Evil then there might be some bounds and limits set to the hatred of our sin but that cannot be there can be no bounds nor limits set to the hatred of our sin but we are to hate it more and more still and if we could grow to an infinite hatred therefore there must be some kind of infinite Evil in it Other things be not so we may set bounds to our hatred in other things but when it comes to sin there is no limits to be set to the hatred of it As Brethren thus It doth note the infiniteness of goodness that there is in God why Because we are to love God and our love to God must be without any bounds at all we love him thus much and still our love is to go further and higher and higher and if possible to raise our love to be infinite because he is an infinite good who is the object of our loves So hatred on the other side we are to hate sin we are to hate it more and more and still grow up in hatred and never set bounds to our hatred why doth not this as well argue a kind of infinitness in fin And here then Brethren by the way you may have a note of your true love to God and true hatred against Sin whether it be right or no as now If you will know if you love God truly then you set no bounds to your love not only to your love to him but to your love to his waies and your love to Grace and Christ and the like you set no bounds That man or woman that would be Religious but so far and saith why will you be so strict and so hot and sets bounds to the working of their hearts in Religious waies let such men and women know their Religion is in vain it is but meerly a Natural one I remember a Speech Seneca a Heathen hath though he applies it another way yet he makes it appear he had some understanding of this Truth saith he Would you know when desires be Natural and when not Natural If they be Natural then they be in bounds and you set limits to them but when they break bounds then they be no more Natural But he applies it to sinful desires for he knew no better than desires at the highest as they had some Naturalness in them and saith he speaking of sinful desires so long as you keep your desires in certain bounds they be Natural and good but when once you let them out beyond bounds they be no more Natural We may very well applie it to speak of the Work of Nature and the Work of Grace Would you know whether the ground of your desires or work be Natural or Supernatural
under Sin They can go to God and tell God their Afflictions and Challenge God with a holy boldness in Afflictions but who can go to God and Challenge God because he hath told a Lye or the like Doth this make them go with a holy boldness to God and Challenge Gods Promise because I have committed such and such a sin Secondly When Affliction doth come a gracious heart can kiss the rod and accept of the punishment of his sin but now a gracious heart can never be well pleased with his sin can never accept of sin though God punish one sin with another sometimes yet I say there cannot be a well pleasedness with sin and a kissing of that Thirdly A gracious heart may rejoyce in Affliction and have abundance of comfort in Afflictions account it all joy saith the Holy Ghost when you fall into trials and afflictions but now he can never rejoyce in sin no man can rejoyce in sin though God should turn sin to never so much good one cannot rejoyce in sin and have that comfort he may in affliction Fourthly A gracious heart may bless God for Afflictions bless God that ever he did Cast him into an afflicted estate but he can never bless God for putting him into a sinful estate though God do work good out of it Nay further That good a gracious heart hath sometimes by afflictions may incourage him to be more willing to go into affliction again when God calls him to it but if a gracious heart should get good occasionally by sin yet this good cannot incourage him to fall into sin again this were a desperate wickedness if he should Fifthly A gracious heart may desire of God that he would not take away Affliction till it be sanctified and that he would continue it till it be sanctified but no man may or ought to pray thus Lord continue me in this sin till I am humbled therefore you see there is abundance of difference between affliction and sin one hath a great deal of good annexed to it and the other hath none at all 5. Sin it is so evil that it is not capable of any good at all the air though it be dark yet it is capable of light that were a dismal darkness that were not capable of light to come to it and that which is bitter though never so bitter yet it is capable of receiving that which will sweeten it that which is never so venemous yet is capable of such things as will make it wholsom but sin is so dark that it is uncapable of light so bitter as there is no way to make it sweet so venemous as it is no way capable of any wholsomness now for the clearing of this consider these three Things 1. Put all the good in heaven and earth and in all the Creatures in heaven and earth together Suppose the quintiscence of all the good of all the Creatures of heaven and earth were put together and bring that to sin and ad it to it it would not make it good no sin would remain still as evil as before it was Now that must needs be poyson indeed that bring all the soveraign things in the world and put to it yet there would not be a deminishion of the least strength of that poyson and so it is with sin Therfore I beseech you Brethren observe it those men and women be mightily mistaken that think I have been a sinful creature indeed but now I wil amend and reforme and be better that by adding some good to their former sinful Lives it will make all good Oh! know that there is so much evil in sin that the addition of all the good of all the creatures in heaven and earth cannot make it less evil than before so that you must not only now think to live better ad good unto your former evil but you must take a course for the taking away of the former evil for the delivering you from the guilt and stain and filth of your former sin 2. Sin is not capable of good All those good ends that any men have in the Cōmission of sin yet do not make their sin the better that cannot make sin good because they have good ends as thus There may be Three good ends some may think they have in the Commission of sin 1 They may perhaps think that by Commission of some sin they may further some grace do good to others or glorifie God there may be such deceit in the heart as thus 1 They may think such a sin will help such a Grace and help against such a temptation and such a sin may help my humility and it is ordinary this temptation when in trouble of Conscience make away thy self and then thou wilt sin no more for so long as I live I shall sin against God therfore make away thy self and so cease to sin But know if thou lay violent hands upon thy self and think thou shalt have this good by it to sin no more yet thy sin is wicked and abominable though thou put this good end upon it though it were possible to in crease Grace never so much by the least sinful thought we must not commit this least sinful thought for never so good an end as to help forward such a Grace 2 A Second end may be to do good to others and I say if it were possible if a man might be a means to save the whole world if he would commit one sin if he could save the whole world from eternal Torments by the Commission of one sin you should suffer the whole world to perish rather than commit one sin there is so much evil in sin It is the expression of Augustine in a Tractate of his concerning an officious Lye a friend of his wrote to him to Answer this Question about telling of a Lye Whether he might not tell a Lye to do good to another man Many think What though I do tell a Lye so I do another good indeed if I may do hurt then I must not but if I may do good may I not tell a Lye well this Question was brought to Augustine and saith he Thou must not tell a Lye to save the whole world this was his Answer Suppose that the Soul of thy Father Mother or Child this is but a supposition or the like should lie upon it to be saved or damned if thou wilt commit one sin suppose such a temptation should come thou must not commit one sin though the soul of thy father or mother or all the world lay upon it now it is another manner of thing to commit a sin to gain a groat Oh now by a deceitful word I may have this gain if it were twenty shillings thou must not venture upon sin to save the world therefore not to gain six pence or a shilling Certainly these be the truths of God and for one to come and speak these things in a solemn manner in
Man-kind The dreadful giving of the Law His dreadful Judgments for smal sins And examples of his wrath abroad in the world And the eternal torments in Hell Put all these six together and yet I say all these six is not so much to manifest the displeasure of God against sin as this one that now I shall tell you of and if there be any thing in the world that should make us to see the evil of sin it should be this if any thing make our hearts to shake and tremble at the evil of that sin of which it is so much guiltie then this I say that now I speak of should do it and that is this The dealings of God the Father with his Son when Jesus Christ that was the second Person of the Trinity God blessed for ever came to be our Mediator and to have but our sins imputed unto him and according to Scripturs phrase to be made sin Do but then take notice how God deals with him how God manifests himself to his own Son when his own Son did but take mans sin upon him to answer for it do but then consider how God the Father did deal with him The Scripture saith he did not spare his Son but let out the vials of his wrath upon him in a most dreadful manner If we do but consider First that Christ God blessed for ever should come and be in the form of a Servant should be a man of sorrows as the Scripture speaks that in the whol course of his life should live a contemptible life before men and undergo grievous sufferings But because I must hasten do but look upon Christ in his Agony and upon the Cross at his death and there you will see the dreadful displeasure of God against sin and in nothing more than that True there is the bright glass of the Law wherein we may see the evil of sin but there is the red glass of the sufferings of Christ and in that we may see more of the evil of sin than if God should let us down to Hell and if there we should see all the tortures and torments of the damned in Hell see them how they lie sweltring under Gods wrath there it were not so much as beholding sin through the red glass of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and that of his Agony And give me leave a little to shew to you how God let out himself against his Son when he came into the Garden and a little before when he was to die and suffer upon the Cross And for this consider these two things First The several Expressions the holy Ghost useth in the several Evangelists for the setting out of those dreadful things Christ suffered as a fruit of Gods displeasure upon him 1 One Evangelist saith that Christ was very sorrowful even to the death Mat. 26. 38. he began to be the word in the Original signifies compassed about with sorrows to have sorrows round about him and as it were beset and besieged with grief and it was to the very death usque ad mortem sorrowful to the very death What was it for upon the apprehension of the wrath of his Father which he was to endure for the sin of man he was sorrowful to the death in the apprehension of it You it may be upon the sight of sin content your selves with some slight little sorrow You will it may be when you are told of sin cry Lord have mercy upon me I am sorry for it and so pass it away But Christ when God comes to deal with him he makes his soul to be compassed about with sorrows sorrowful to the death for our sins 2 Another Evangelist tels us he began to be amazed Mark 14. 33. that is when Christ came to drink the Cup of the wrath of his Father due for our sins he stood amazed at the sight of the dreadfulness of that Cup he was to drink of because he knew what Gods wrath was he understood what it was before he drunk of it and this made him stand amazed at it Many sinners hear Gods wrath and this makes them fear but they be not amazed at it they can pass it away and they be not affected with it afterward because they understand it not they know not what it is for a Creature to stand before the wrath of an infinite Deity Who knows the power of thy wrath saith the Scripture therfore they be not amazed But Christ that knew full well what the wrath of God was and saw to the bottom of it he understood to the dregs what that Cup was and he stood amazed at the sight of it when he was to drink it 3 Another Evangelist hath this Expression 't is in Luke 22. 44. Christ began to be in an Agony Now the word Agony signifies a strife a combat it is taken from the word that stgnifies a combate in Battel Christ was in an Agony in a Combate Combate with what with whom With the Wrath of God he saw coming out upon him to sink him he saw the Curse of the Law come out upon him he saw the infinite Justice of God of the infinite Deity come out upon him and he was in an Agony in combate with the infinite Justice and wrath of God and the dreadful Curse of the Law and so Christ came to be in an Agony These be the three Expressions of the Evangelists Secondly Consider the Effects of Christs being in an Agony and apprehending the wrath of his Father for sin 1 One Effect was this you shall find it in the story of the Gospel that the text saith he fell grovelling upon the ground upon the apprehension of Gods wrath and displevsure upon him for sin which he was to suffer he fell down grovelling upon the ground When he that upholds the Heavens and the Earth by his Power now falls grovelling upon the Earth having the weight and burden of mans Sin upon him he falls upon his face he falls to the ground Certainly Brethren Christ had that weight and burden upon him that would have prest all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World down to the bottomless gulf of despair If all the strength of all the men that ever were since the beginning of the world and all the Angels in Heaven were put into one and he had but that weight upon him that Christ had it would have made him sink down into eternal despair for had not Christ been God as well as Man he could never have born it but would have sunk down eternally But the burden and weight was so great that he sinks down to the ground 2 A second effect of Christs bearing the wrath of God for Sin is this He sweat great drops of blood the word in the Original is Clodders of Blood Blood thickned into Clods Never was there such a sweat it was in the Winters night a cold night abroad upon the ground in a cold Winters
night and he had nothing else upon him to make him sweat but the burden of sin and the weight of the wrath of God being upon him he being under that burden sweat and such a sweat as made the very blood break through his very Veins and run to Clodders and so run down upon the ground Clodders of Blood and all this but upon the apprehension of the wrath of God his Father against him for our Sin Now you know when Porters be under great Burdens somtimes they sweat but never did any sweat like this sweat of Christ being under the weight of mans Sin sweat so as Clodders of Blood should fall from him One would think fear should rather draw in the Blood fear naturally draws in the blood to the heart therefore it is that men and women when they are skar'd and are afraid they are so pale in their Countenance fear causeth paleness in the outward parts because the blood retires to the heart when they be afraid But such was the amazement upon Christ upon the apprehension of the wrath of his Father for Sin that it sends out blood in Clodders trickling down his sides 3 And then a third expression which shew the effect of Gods wrath on Christ is the Prayer of Christ Christ doth as it were shrink under this weight and burden of sin and cries to God if it be possible let this Cup pass from me When we cry with vehemency we say if it be possible let it be thus or thus but Christ cries out so three times We may apprehend Christ taking as it were the Cup of the wrath of his Father in his hand and because he knew it was the end wherefore he came into the world that he must drink of it for satisfaction for mans Sin and being willing to save Man-kind that he knew could not be saved but he must drink the Cup he takes it in his hand readie to drink it but beholding the hidiousness and dreadfulness of this Cup and knowing what was in it he puts it away and cries Father if it be possible let this Cup pass but now he sees if he did not drink it all the Children of men must be eternally damned for such was our miserie if Christ had not drunk this Cup we had all eternally perish't therefore Christ puts it to his mouth again as it were the second time but yet seeing what dreadfulness was in this Cup and he knowing it he takes it away again and cries If it be possible let this Cup pass but yet having love to Man-kind being loth to see so many thousands of poor Creatures perish eternally he puts it to his mouth again a third time and yet seeing the dreadfulness of it puts it away again and yet saith If it be possible let it pass This might make a man tremble to think that he shall as Job saith 21. Job drink of the wrath of God Thus it was with Christ and all this while he did not drink it But afterwards when he comes to the Cross there he drunk the Cup of Gods wrath and there he cries out with another cry more bitter than all the other and that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me so that he apprehends himself forsaken Oh the wrath of the Almighty that then was upon the Spirit of Jesus Christ at that time What! for the son of God blessed for evermore thus to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh you Heavens how could you be able to behold such a Spectacle as this was or the Earth be able to bear it Truly neither Heaven nor Earth were able for the Scripture saith that the Sun withdrew his light and was darkened so many hours it was from twelve to three that the Sun withdrew his light and did not shine but there was dismal darkness in the world as not being able to behold such a Spectacle as this and the Earth shook and trembled and the Graves opened and the Rocks clove in sunder the very stones themselves were affected with such a work as this and the vale of the Temple rent asunder these things were done upon Christs bearing of the Wrath of his Father for Sin Here you have the fruits of Gods displeasure for sin and in this you may see surely sin must needs be a vile thing that causeth God the Father thus to deal with his own Son when he had mans sin upon him Thirdly Consider yet further for there is much in it and if this do not shew the evil of sin and cause you to fear and tremble those that be guilty of sin and their consciences tell them so if their hearts tremble not certainly their hearts be hard and their minds be blinded and little hopes can they have for the present of ever having their parts in these sufferings of Christ what shall Christ suffer such sufferings and wilt thou go away and have slight thoughts of sin shall sin be so great a burden to Christ and wilt thou be so merry under it Certainly you see it is more than you were aware of for you to say I trust in Jesus Christ and hope to be saved by Jesus Christ you see how Christ felt sin the Scripture saith he was made a Curse Were it not we had it from the holy Ghost no man or Angel durst say so that Christ should be made a Curse in the abstract not Cursed but made a Curse What! he that was God and Man by the sin of man was made a Curse Oh the displeasure of God against sin But yet to give it you a little more fully see these Aggravations and you will say certainly the displeasure of God was great against his Son 1 As first All that Christ suffered he perfectly knew it long before he suffered and yet it was so dreadful unto him Oh Brethren there be many men and women understand nothing at all of the wrath of God against sin these think there is no great matter in it Of all the men and women in the world when they come to suffer this wrath it will be dreadful to them because it come unexpectedly they that went on merrily and cheerfully in the waies of sin and for the wrath of God never thought of it now then when the wrath of God comes on them it will be more dangerous and intollerable This is the reason why many people when their consciences are awakened upon their sick Beds then they despair crying and roaring under Gods wrath and rage with despair Why Because they never in their lives came to understand the danger of sin and of Gods wrath for sin and because it comes now suddenly upon them they be not able to bear it But it was not so with Christ Christ understood this long before he knew what it would be before he took our Nature and he knew what it would be when he came in humane Nature to undertake it Those men and women that know
one person to another Christ comes in and he puts on the Sentence of Condemnation for thee that hast it passed against thee so that the Sentence is not properly nullified but transferred to Christ Eccles 8. 11. saith the text there Because Sentence against an evil Work is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil Mark the Sentence against an evil work is not speedilie executed so that it appears there is a Sentence against every evil work The Sentence is out Brethren thou goest and art drunk or to the commission of such a sin I say presentlie the Sentence of death is clapt upon thee the Sentence is out against all sinners You see men go on and live in prosperitie a great while in the world but they be under the Sentence all the while sin is not removed by the blood of Christ and all the comforts I beseech you observe that that any man or woman have in the world that are in their natural condition and are not delivered from Condemnation by Christ they are all but just as meat and drink and some refreshments that are grantnd to a condemned Malefactor before Execution Suppose a Malefactor is condemned but now Execution is not till two or three daies after in that space of time he hath granted unto him libertie to have meat and drink and friends come to him and he may refresh himself in those two or three daies but he hath forfeited all his Estate and the tenure now upon which he holds any comfort it is not the same which he had before but meerly through the bountie of the Prince it is that he hath comforts So here wicked men have committed sin and the Sentence of death is out against them and they have forfeited all the comforts of their estates and of their lives only God in patience grants unto them some outward comforts here a few daies before Execution and upon this tenure do all wicked men hold their Estates I will not say that every wicked man is an Usurper of their Estates as some perhaps have held that they have no right at all before God some right he hath as you cannot say a Malefactor hath no right when he is condemned to meat and drink before Execution he hath right to what is given to him of Donation and Bountie but not that right which he had before So I say for wicked men that have Estates in this world they have a kind of right to that they have but how Just that right that a condemned man hath to his dinner or supper before Execution this is the right of wicked men to their Estates that is God of his bountie grants a little while before Execution they shall have a few comforts to them in this world And this is the evil of sin and the least sin there is not any one sin but the fruit of it is Condemnation And Brethren you must not mistake to think that wicked men are never condemned until they come before God in the day of Judgment they be condemned here mark that John 3. 18. He that beleeves not is condemned already now condemned not hereafter but a condemned man already this is a sad condition indeed If a man had the Sentence of death so past that the whol Parliament could not help him you would think that man in a sad condition Now let me speak it and God speaks it to the conscience of every sinner I say thou that standest before God in any one sin and not delivered through the blood of his Son Christ thou standest so under the Sentence of condemnation as all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth cannot help and deliver thee thou must have some help beyond the help of all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth to deliver thee When Paul would comfort the Saints against all troubles and afflictions they meet withal Rom. 8. he begins thus There is no condemnation to them in Christ Jesus as if he should say this is the comfort no Condemnation If I know I am delivered from the Sentence of Condemnation let what will fall out I am well enough but this be sure of there is Condemnation to those that are not in Christ I remember Luther had this Speech when he had got assurance of pardon of sin that he was freed and absolved by God he cries out Lord strike Lord now strike for I am absolved from my sins thou hast delivered me from sin now strike now let any affliction befal that possibly can let never so much trouble attend I am absolved from sin now Lord strike This is the Eighth Sin is more opposite against the good of man than Affliction for it brings them under the Sentence of Condemnation CHAP. XXXII Ninthly Sin is a greater Evil to man than Affliction because it breaks the Vnion between God and the Soul NInthly Sin is a greater evil than Affliction in this In that it is the very thing that breaks the Vnion between God and the Soul It is that doth it and no Affliction doth it Now Brethren this I confess might seem to be less than that of Hatred and might have come before it but now I bring it in here That it breaks the Union between God and the Soul Isa 59. 2. Your Sins have separated between you and your God! We are to know The Souls of men are capable of a very near and high Union between God and them the more spiritual any thing is the more power hath it to Unite and the more neer the Union As thus The beams of the Sun because they be very spiritual they can Unite a thousand of them into one Point as it were but grosser things cannot so Unite themselves together So Brethren God being a Spirit and our Souls being Spirits they come to be capable of a most neer Communion one with another And the Souls of men are neerer a glorious Union with God in this regard more neer than any Creature but the Angels Because the Object of mans Understanding is not any particular truth but Veritas truth in general truth it self in the whole latitude is the Object of mans Understanding So the Object of mans Will Is not this good or that good in particular but Bonitas good in general in the full latitude of it It is not so with other Creatures they have their Objects in some particular thing in such a limit and compass and they can work no further nor higher But it is otherwise with mans Soul God hath made man in such a kind that the Object of his Soul should be Truth and Goodness in the full latitude in the infinitness of it take it in the utmost extent that can be yet still it is the Object of the Soul of man Now hence it is that the Soul of man is of such a wonderful larg extent even capable of God himself of enjoyment of Union and Communion with God himself
reade in Judges 5. several Tribes when the People of God were in straits would not go up but had many excuses others did go to help in the Cause of God Judg. 5. 14. See how many excuse themselves but especially in the 16. Vers Why abodest thou among the Sheep-folds to hear the bleatings of the â—locks Oh Ruâ—en said We must not leave House and Cattel we must not go out And Giliad abode beyond Jordan and Dan abode in Ships some think Dan did not live neer the Sea but thought they ran to Ships and abode there And Asher continued by the Sea shore and abode in his Breaches He pleads thus We must continue our business in making Fences against the Sea we have many Breaches and we must continue there and look to our business But Zebulon and Naphtali they jeoparded their lives to the death in the high places of the field Who be those two Zebulon and Naphtali that were full of courage and zeal when others were-full of Pleas and would not venture their lives Who be these that ventured their lives These two were the especial Tribes of Marriners that were forward rather than others That these were Marriners appears Matt. 4. 15. The Land of Zebulon and Nephtali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan these that lived by the Sea Others would not stir that lived by the Sea but Zebulon and Nephtali these joparded their lives Now mark God seems to remember this they did not jeopard themselves in a good Cause in vain God remembers it many hundred years after When Christ comes the first Tribes that seem to be inlightned were these the people that sate in darkness saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up they sate in darkness a company of poor Marriners exceeding ignorant of the ways of God and Christ comes first to them and brings light to them It may be God might aim to shew Mercy to these Tribes the rather for this that they did in appearing in a good Cause though it were with jeopardy to themselves So go you on and in a good Cause appear and venture your selves to assist these Worthys of ours in whom so much of our good conssists and God will remember this in Spiritual Mercies Would you have the means of Grace continued and the means of Light come to them that sit in darkness if you would have the blessing of Zebulon and Nephtali then be Zebulons and Nephtalies to go out whatsoever excuses others have and jeopard your selves for the good of this Common-wealth THE FOVRTH PART OF THIS TREATISE CHAP. XLI That Sin is the Evil and Poyson of all other Evils shewed in several Particulars First It s the strength of all Evils Secondly It s the sting of Affliction Thirdly It s the Curse of all Evils opened in Five Particulars Fourthly Sin is the shame of all Evils Fifthly The eternity of all Evil comes from Sin THere are Four Things which except we be well instructed in and know we know nothing to Purpose Except we know God and Sin and Christ and Eternity These are the Four great Things that you had need to be well instructed in The knowledge of Sin I have endeavored to set before you In this Argument I have shewed you the evil of fin above al affliction The next thing I am to Open to you is the Fourth General Head Propounded in the Fifth Chapter Fourthly Therefore that Sin is the Evil of all other Evils It is the very pith of all other Evils there 's nothing that would be scarce worthy the name of Evil if Sin were not in it That it is the evil of all other evils will appear in these Particulars First It is the strength of all other Evils The strength the prevailing strength that any evil hath against man it is from Sin There is no Evil would have any prevailing strength to do us any hurt were there not Sin in it That is certain nothing in heaven or earth or hel would do any of the Children of men any hurt were it not for Sin if there were not Sin to give it strength The strength of any evil that can do us any hurt is from Sin Let the evil be never so smal yet if it come armed with the strength of the guilt of Sin it is enough to undo any man or woman in the world This is the Reason of the difference of the power the prevailing power of any cross and affliction in some more than in others you shall have some that let there be but the least cross and affliction upon them it sinks their hearts they are not able to stand under it others that have a hundred times more upon them they go under it with joy this is the especial difference one having the guilt of sin in â—he evil and the other being delivered from it It is a Comparison I remember of a learned man to express the difference of afflictions Afflictions are like water and a little water upon a mans shoulder in a Leaden vessel is a great deal heavier than much more water in a vessel of Leather or Wood take a Leather Bucket filled with water it is not so heavie as a little water in a Leaden vessel so a little affliction where there is much guilt of sin is abundantly more heavie than a great deal of affliction where there is not the guilt of sin Haman could not stand before such a pettie Cross as that Mordacai would not bow his knee being a wicked man that Cross being with sin troubled him sore and Achitaphel when he was crossed in his way could not bear it Therfore Brethren if you would bear afflictions this is your way your wisdom is to labor to know wherein the strength of an affliction lies if you would overcome it As you know the Philistims that desired to overcome Sampson their great care was to know wherein his strength lay if they could by Dalilahs means find out the strength of Sampson they thought they might easilie overcome him So certainlie if you could but find out where the strength of your afflictions â—lie it is easie then for you to have fears and disquiets taken away the reason why fears and disquiets overcome you as they do is because you find not out the strength of them if that were found out and gotten away you might quicklie overcome afflictions and they would be light to you The prevailing strength of all afflictions is from sin this is the first thing to shew sin is the evil of all evils Secondly Not only the prevailing strength But the bitterness the sting of Affliction that which makes it bitter to the Spirit is sin Sin makes it come like an Armed man with power And besides Sin makes it inwardly gaul at the very heart sting like a Serpent as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15 56. saith of death The sting of Death is sin saith the Apostle so that which
nothing else but the wrath of God working through that channel and let out through that though now thou die and the matter of the disease be gone yet when thou comest to hell there thou shalt meet with the same grievous pain only in another way That is The wrath of God shall let out this evil immediately through his wrath which was mediately through the Creature before and now it is immediately from himself And this meditation rightly considered is enough to bring down the proudest stoutest sinner on the earth to Consider how the Wrath of God is all that evil to a sinner that all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth are able to convey and much more And thus you have this opened how Sin is the evil of all evils THE FIFTH PART OF THIS TREATISE CHAP. XLII Sin hath a kind of Infiniteness in it Opened in Seven Particulars First Because nothing but an Infinite Power can overcome it Secondly Sin hath a kind of infiniteness because it hath an infinite desert in it expressed in Three Particulars 1 The desert of the loss of an infinite Good 2 It deserves to put an infinite distance between God and thee 3 It deserves infinite misery Thirdly Sin hath a kind of infinite Evil because there is required an infinite Price to make an Attonement between God and Man Fourthly There is a kind of infinite Evil in Sin because we must hate it infinitely Fifthly Sin is an infinite Evil because it is the Vniversal Cause of all Evil. Sixthly The Scripture make use of Evil things to set out the Evil of Sin Seventhly There 's an infiniteness in Sin because the Scripture set out Sin by Sin it self A Fifth General Head that was Propounded in the beginning is this Sin hath a kind of Infiniteness of Evil in it It is true we must acknowledg that nothing but God can be properly said to be infinite There is not an infiniteness in a strict sense in sin for then certainly all the Mercy of God and all the Power of God could never overcome it if properly and absolutely sin had an infiniteness in it therefore I do not say it is properly infinite Well but there is a kind of infiniteness it comes exceeding neer to infiniteness if we may so speak though it is somwhat improper to say it comes neer but we must speak so as we can to our own apprehensions you shall see in the opening what I mean As thus There is a kind of infiniteness of evil in sin beyond all bounds First Because there is nothing but infinite Power can overcome it Take the least sin that any man or woman lies under the power of nothing but the infinite Power of God can overcome that sin and this is the reason that many that have had many convictions of conscience of the evil of sin many resolutions against sin many Vows and Covenants and Promises they have made against sin Oh when they are sick now they see the evil of sin now they promise if God will restore them they will never do the like and they speak from their hearts they do not only dallie but they do verily think they will never come in companie more and commit sin more because it is so evil but when they be well they be under the power of sin as before and al their resolutions and experiences and all their own strength and power and all the means they have are nothing though sin be opened to be never so vile and they be convinced thereof yet al comes to nothing Certainly there is more dreadful evil in sin than we be aware of and all the pleasure and profit we have by sin can never countervail that evil that is in sin and this they see and therefore promise and hope they shal never commit such sins again Perhaps there hath been such thoughts in your hearts may be God hath had some beginnings to come in by his Power into your souls this is the way of Gods coming in to the hearts of men and women when he comes to convince and give them such resolutions But know all thy resolutions cannot overcome sin perhaps you may forbear for the present the acts of sin a while may be restrained but nothing but the infinite Power of an infinite God can overcome any one sin any one lust Sin shall not have Dominion over you Rom. 6. 14. for you are not under the Law but under Grace saith the Holy Ghost as if he had said if you be not now under the Grace of the Gospel in which the infinit Power of God comes upon the soul to deliver them from the Dominion of Sin Sin would for ever have Dominion over you but sin shall not have Dominion over you because you be not under the Law but under Grace It is the Grace of the Gospel through which this infinite Power of God comes upon your hearts that keeps sin from having Dominion over you This is the first there is a kind of Infiniteness in it because nothing but the infinite Power of God can overcome it Secondly There is a kind of Infiniteness in it Because it hath an infinite desert it doth deserve that which is infinite There is an infinite desert in it therefore a kind of infiniteness in it As thus the infinite desert of Sin may be set out in these three Particulars 1 The desert of the loss of an infinite Good all the good in God By every sin thou dost deserve to be deprived of that good there is in God that desert comes upon thee to lose all the good there is in the infinite God not in this or that particular good but in the Infinite God and all the good in him 2 Every Sin doth make an infinite breach between God and you not only you do deserve to lose all the good in God but it puts an infinit distance between God and thee Abraham could say to Dives when Lazarus was in his bosom there is a great gulph between you and us There is a great gulph between the sinner and those that are godly but what a gulf is there between God himself and a sinner If there be such a gulf between Abraham and Dives surely a greater gulf between God himself and a sinner 3 The desert of Sin is Infinite In regard of the Infiniteness of misery and pain and tortures that sin deserves which becaus they cannot possibly be infinit in degree for it is impossible for a finite Creature to bear any one moment pains infinite in degree But because it deserves infinite torment it must therefore be infinite in time because it cannot be infinite in degree and so it is infinite this way in duration because it cannot be infinite in degree thus sin is infinite Certainly that which makes such an infinite loss and such an infinite breach and brings such infinite tortures this must be an infinite evil in a kind Thirdly Sin is a kind of infinite evil Because
Christ said to the Pharisees Who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come So God will say Why what is the matter who told you this I hope some poor soul will have experience of this when you go to pray for Christ and you shall Pray after another manner than formerlie when your Prayers shall be even cries to heaven when God shall say Why what is the matter why cry you more than before I hope some poor souls can give a good account of it and say I see my self lost and undone without Christ better be a Dog or a Toad or anie thing than a man if I have not Christ because they are not capable of sin and my heart is full of sin and I have heard the evil of it and therefore Oh give me Christ or I am undone Oh! such a Soul will be exceeding acceptable unto God And therefore to such a soul I propound in the name of the Lord the Doctrine of Life and Salvation and Peace be it known therefore to you God the Father looking upon the sinful Children of men and seeing them all in a perishing condition by Sin out of infinite bowels of tender compassion he hath provided a glorious way of Mediation of Propisiation for Sin and to that end he hath sent his onlie beloved Son out of his bosom that hath taken mans Nature upon him united in a personal union to that end that he might be a fit Mediator to stand between a provoked God and sinful souls and this Christ hath born the full vials of the wrath of his Father the curse of the Law due to sin satisfied infinite divine Justice made a full Attonement between God and sinful man Onlie upon these terms now he doth tender and offer to everie poor wearied distressed soul al that his Son hath purchased by his blood all his merits that they might be an attonement for thy sin a Propisiation for thy soul to discharge all thy sin that thou mightest come through him to stand acquited before the father for ever more This is the sum of the Gospel and this I present and Preach it and offer it to you and this not onlie to the least sinner but to the greatest sinner in the world this I present as in the name of God that is the message we have in the name of God to deliver unto you and now whatsoever your sins have been heretofore God onlie requires that your souls should now stand admiring at the infinite riches of his Grace in his Son and that your souls should be taken off from the Creature and Sin and live upon Christ surrender your souls to him and cast your souls on that infinite rich grace of God in him and upon that instant every one of your sins though never so great and hainous yet I pronounce in the Name of the Lord everie one of them is pardoned and all done away as if they had never been committed This is the Sum of the Gospel unto those that come to see their Sins and be sensible of their need of Christ by their Sin Object But you will say This makes all you have done but a little matter if Sin may be done away thus what need all this discovery of the evil of Sin it is not so great an evil if it may be thus wash't away Answ Ah poor carnal heart that speaks thus Is this a light or little matter True it is in a few words in the end of a Sermon but be it known to you There is more in these words I have spake in this last half quarter of an hour there is more of the glorie of God in them than in Heaven and Earth beside not because they come from me but because I have spoken that which is the Sum of the Gospel and in truth in one Sentence of the Gospel there is more of the glorie of God than in all Heaven and Earth besides You must be convinced of this and know it is so and if ever you come to be partakers of the good of the Gospel you will see it to be so Oh Brethren in that I have said there is the glorious Mysterie of Godliness great is the Mysterie of Godliness God manifest in the flesh the great Counsel of God working from all Eternitie is in this in the Sum of the Gospel The greatest work that ever God did was in sending his Son and in the offer of his Son to Sinners that their sins might be pardoned Therefore think it not a smal thing and hear when I call upon Sinners to come and cast their souls upon Christ It is one of the gloriousest works that ever was done for a sinful soul to come and close with Christ the Mediator and if once you come in your hearts will be so full of the glorie of God that presentlie all the glorie of the Creature will be darkned in your eyes and you will be so filled with the glorie of God that you wil come to see the filthiness of Sin this way as much as in anie way All the Sermons I have delivered concerning the evil of sin will not set out the filthiness of Sin to you as that glorie of God that your hearts will be filled withal as soon as you come to close with God in this Mysterie of the Gospel Perhaps it is not so apparant to everie soul but wait a while and there will more of the evil of sin be discovered in this than in anie way Vse XI And then the Use that I shall make of it is this If there be such evil in sin then bless bless God for Christ Blessed is that man and woman whose sin is pardoned Psalm 32. Oh blessed is he whose sin is forgiven Certainly it is a blessed thing that sin should be forgiven this requires a whol Sermon by it self I shall but name it now because I shal it may be hereafter speak of this particularly of the great Blessedness of the Pardon of Sin onlie take notice of it any that hath a comfortable assurance of their sin being pardoned go away rejoycing Son Daughter rejoyce your sins are pardoned there is enough in that word to bring comfort and joy to your souls CHAP. LXII Use 12. If there be so much evil in sin then it is of great concernment to be Religious betimes and there by prevent much sin Use XII AGain One Use more If there be such evil in Sin Then it is of great use to begin to be Godlie and Religious betimes for yong ones to come to be godlie betimes why Because they may come to prevent so much evil and so much Sin Oh happie those that begin to be godlie when yong you prevent a thousand sins that others commit by their not knowing sin betimes True if there were no other use of Godliness than meerlie to bring you to Heaven then you might stay till your sick and death beds and then be Religious it were enough but besides bringing