hide his face from you his face which makes heaven a smile whereof or the lifting up the light of which countenance upon us refresheth us more then corn wine and oyl Psa 4.6 7. yea his loving kindness is better then life we had better have parted with this then that Mans sin is exprest by this that he turns his back to God and not the face and his punishment by this that God turns his back to him and not the face God carries it not like a friend but a stranger And indeed this hiding of his face is significative of many more miseries then I can now stay to instance in 2 Another and no less misery hereupon is that God hears not his prayers as it follows in that fore-mentioned Text Is 59.2 and so it attends the hiding of Gods face Is 1.15 God is a God hearing prayers but sin shuts out our shouting and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord and he calls them no better then howlings Hos 7.14 Yet further There are two or three other miseries not to name many more that are consequent upon this separation which continually attend poor sinful man 1 That man is without strength Mans great strength is in union with God separation weakens him for without him apart from him out of him separated from him we can do nothing to be a sinner is to be without strength Rom. 5.6 with 8. Man was once a Sampson for strength but having parted with his Lock his strength is departed from him that of himself as of himself he is not sufficient to think one good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 He was strong while in the Lord and the power of his might but now his â—ands are weak and knees feeble his legs cannot bear him up having got the Spiritual Rickers 2 Being separated from God man becomes afraid of God and ashamed to appear before him while Innocent though naked yet man was not afraid nor ashamed to approach to God or of Gods approaching to him but when he had sinned he was asham'd to shew his face and afraid to see Gods face or to hear his voice Gen. 3.9 10. When righteous he was bold as a Lyon but now he runs his head into a bush 3 This separation and departure hardens his heart against God that when God comes to talk and treat with man about his sinning he will lay it any where yea at Gods own door as Adam did rather then confess it 'T is three times said in one Chapter Hebr. 3.8.13 15. Harden not your hearts least any of you be hardened harden not your hearts and all this in relation 〈◊〉 hearing the voice of God as 't is there When God comes to convince man he cannot endure to hear on 't but hardens his heart and as it was in the beginning so it is now among the sinful children of men Thus have I as briefly as so large a subject would permit set out the sinfulness of sin as 't is against the good of man body and soul in this life in a natural and moral respect which was the first thing propounded The second follows 2 Sin is contrary to 2 Sin against the good of man in the life to come it damns men or against the good of man in the life to come It hath brought on man that eternal death Damnation In this life man by reason of sin is in deaths often but in the life to come he is in death for ever If sin had only wrong'd man in this life which is but for a moment it had not been so considerable but sins miserable effects are everlasting if mercy prevent not the wicked die and rise to die again the second and a worse death There is a Resurrection to life for the righteous the children of the Resurrection and for the wicked a Resurrection to condemnation or death for 't is opposed to life John 5.29 But Before I shew what and wherein damnation is and consequently the mischief and misery that sin hath thereby brought on man I shall premise a few things which will make our passage smooth and easie I say then 1 That God damns no man but for sin Damnation is a punishment Mat. 25.46 and all punishment supposeth guilt and transgression God the judge of all the earth will do right and he lays not on man more then is meet that man may not enter into judgment with God Job 34.23 or quarrel and find fault with him which man would quickly do if Gods judgment were not just even sinners themselves being Judges Death is but sins wages Rom. 6.23 that which it hath merited mans undoing is but the fruit of his own doing mans perdition is of himself Hos 13.9 His own wickedness correctâ— him Jer. 2.19 and that not only in this life but that to come Mat. 7.23 and Mat. 25 2 That by sin all men are liable to condemnation We were all of us children of wrath by nature Eph. 2.3 and the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Eph. 5.6 Hâ— that believeth not is condemned already he iâ— in a state of condemnation beside that which unbelief will bring upon him Joh. 3.18 and he that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him He was a child of wrath by nature and continues still so in unbelief Joh. 3.36 Thâ— wrath of God seiseth on him as its habitation anâ— abode Every mouth must be stop'd for all thâ— world is become guilty all have sinned and fallen short of the glory and are obnoxious tâ— the judgment of God Rom. 3 19.-23 3 Some men have been are and will be damneâ— for sin all but them who have do and shall condemn sin and themselves for sin If we judge our selves we shall not be condemned of thâ— Lord else woe be to us When our Saviour senâ— his Disciples to preach saith he Go preach the Gospel that 's good news and glad tidings he that believes shall be saved Mark 16.16 Ayâ— but what if they will not believe what shall we say then Why then tell them he that believeâ— not shall be damned This is as great a truth of the Gospel that he who believes not will be damned as this is that he who believes shall be saved Heaven and Salvation is not more surely promised to the one then hell and damnatioâ— is threatned to and shall be executed on the other broad is the way that leads to this destruction there are as many tracts to it as there aâ—â— sins but impenitency and unbelief are the high road way the beaten path wherein multitudes go to hell 4 Damnation is the greatest evil of suffering that can befall a man 't is the greatest punishment that God doth inflict This is the wrath of God to the uttermost 't is his vengeance Oh who knows the power of his wrath none but damned ones It is misery altogether misery and alwayes misery to be damned This will yet more fully appear upon
the Angels are ministring spirits for the good of them that shall be heirs of salvation Hebr. 1.14 They incamp round about them that fear the Lord Psa 34.7 And when wicked men or devils would hurt this their charge they rise up in their might Dan. 10.20 Gabriel and Michael joyn against the Prince of Persia Rev. 12.7 Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels and overcame When Balaam hanker'd after the wages of unrighteousness to curse Israel the Angel of the Lord withstood him Numb 22.32 Thus by their protection of the good they shew their detestation of sin in them that would touch Gods Anointed or do his Prophets harm 8 Angels discover themselves to be haters of sin as a most abominable thing by their readiness to execute Gods judgment and vengeance on sinners The Angel that was merciful to Balaams Ass was ready to slay Balaam but that he was reserved to fall by other hands When Herod was so wicked as to assume glory to himself which of right is Gods the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not glory to God Acts 12.23 When God will judge the Angels will execute the judgment written The Angels executed destruction from the Lord against Sodom and Gomorrah Gen. 19.13 because their sin was great When Israel sinned God sent destroying Angels among them great havocks have they made among the Armies of the Aliens They powre out the Vials of Gods wrath on the earth Rev. 16.1 and praised God as they went about their work because God is just in judging ungodly men At the end of the world the Angels will be the reapers and will gather out all that doth offend Mat. 13 39.-41 The Lord will come with his holy and mighty Angels to take vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thes 1.7 8. I might instance in other things also by which the Angels bear testimony against sin they are present at our worship and observe us which is a great obligation to reverence and a witness against immodesty 1 Cor. 11.10 They take account of our vows Eccl. 5.5 6. better it is thou shouldst not vow then vow and not pay because 't is before the Angel The Apostle chargeth Timothy not only before God but before the Elect Angels to be strictly conscientious 1 Tim. 5.21 They are witnesses of what we do and shall be witnesses of what God will do for he that confesseth Christ shall be owned by him and he that denies Christ shall be denied by him and that before the Angels Luke 12.8 9. 't will be one part of hereafter glory to be like Angels let 's be like them here in witnessing against sin and doing the will of God on earth as they do it in heaven But I proceed to evince that 2 Evil Angels 2 The evil Angels the devil and his Angels witness sin to be sinful not only in their being devils by it and suffering for it but many other ways as I shall evince We use to say that virtues confest by foes and vices confessed by friends are true Surely then by the Devil we shall find that vice and sin is as we have declared it to be and if such a friend of sin as the devil is will confess it to be sinful we may believe him for though he be the Father of Lies yet in this he speaks truth a clear and great truth 1 Then the devil witnesseth against sin by his trembling the devil trembles at this that there is a God James 2.19 Now God was never terrible to the Angels till they sinned then they saw and trembled at the terror of God Sin brought judgment on the devils 2 Pet. 2.4 at this they tremble so that sin is the first cause of devils trembling That then which makes devils tremble at the belief of a God who will be a God of judgment is exceeding sinful 2 As great as their judgment is and greater though it be like to be yet they acknowledge it just and so by consequence sin to be unjust and sinful The justness of judgment confest is a confession of the vileness of the sin which brings the judgment Say the devils Mat. 8.29 Art thou come to torment us before the time they confess that the Son of God was to judge them to torment that they had no exception to make against being tormented but only as to the time they are reserved in chains to judgment 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude 6. and say they art thou come to torment us before the time before the judgment of the great day to which we are reserved they deny not their being worthy of this death or that their damnation is just and therefore do confess the ugliness and filthiness of sin 3 They witness sin to be sinful in tempting men to sin They used to say that surely they must be good men whom Nero hated and persecuted so may we say that must needs be evil which the evil one tempts men to as that is good which he hates and persecutes he is the evil one and the Tempter Can that be good that the evil one tempts us to Can any good come out of this Nazareth Can any good come from hell 'T is enough to evince sin to be sinful that 't is of the devil 't is a clear proof of the evil of sin that the devil tempts to it 4 The devil tells us that sin is an ugly thing by this that he turns himself into an Angel of Light that he the more effectually lead us into darkness If he should come like a devil like an enemy all would be shy of him but he comes disguized and puts on the face of a friend and so puts tricks on us and cheats us and indeed doth prevail more by his wily subtilties then by his power If the devil had come to Eve and bespake her thus I was once a glorious Angel and lived above in the Court of Heaven but I have sinned and am cast down to hell do thou also eat the forbidden fruit and thou shalt be like me would this have taken Surely no So if he did come and tempt men to sin and tell them 't is the ready way to hell would this prevail with them to swear and whore c. No no the devil is subtil an old Serpent he colours and paints sin covers his hook with a bait c. and draws men in ere they are aware He is a deceiver but least he should be known he puts on a good garb and cloaths himself with false light 2 Cor. 11.13 14. And indeed as this is the danger least as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so our minds should be corrupted the same way 2 Cor. 11.3 so this disguize and subtil transformation proves sin to be a monstrous ugly thing why else doth the devil paint it why doth he pretend good when he intends evil this proves the
see what a deadly destructive and killing thing thy sin is Bvery mouth must be stopped there 's no room for complaint against God or his Law for thou art as all others are by becoming guilty sallen short of the glory and subject to the judgment of God Rom. 3 -19.-23 So that by the Commandment sin appears to be a desperate malignant thing the proper true and only cause of mans condemnation and death From this brief yet clear account of the Text and Context these following truths are deducible 1. Observations from the Text. That the Law of God in whole and every part is good not only not sin i. e. culpable or criminal as v. 7. or only holy and just v. 12. or spiritual v. 14. but good v. 12 13. good not only in it self but relatively in its institution with respect to man for 't was ordain'd to life v. 10. Yet 2. This good Law transgressed makes man over to death Patience that temperate and harmless thing if abused turns to rage and fury so the Law good though it be yet abused it condemns and kills But 3. Though the Law condemn mans fault and man for his fault yet still the Law is good and is not to blame nor to be blam'd The Law is as good as ever 't was 't is to be justified by man even then when it condemns man As man had no reason to break the Law so none to sind fault with the Law though it bind men over to death for breaking of it For 4. 'T is not the Law but sin that works mans death and ruine sin aims at no less and if grace prevent not it will end in no less for the end and wages of sin is death Rom. 6.21 22. Yet 5. Sin 't is true worketh mans death and destruction by that which is good scil the Law when sin hath used man to break the Law it useth the Law to break man to undo him by condemnation and death And 6. Sin is therefore exceeding sinful and wicked most unmeasurably spiteful poysonous and pernicious because it kills men and not only so but kills them by that which is good and was appointed to man for life it turns food into poyson ut agnoscatur quam sceleratus peccator sit hoc peccatum quam pestisera res dum per mandatum rem salutiferam exserit virus suum Clarius Like the horrid and cursed wickedness our stories tell us of so wickedly committed in poysoning a man yea a King by the Cup of Blessing So that 7. And lastly Sin by the Commandment appears to be excessively sinful Vt evidens sit quam perniciosum quam grave quam scelestum sit ipsum peccatum Zegerus If we look on this through the Microscope-glass of the Law it will appear a most hideous devillish and hellish thing the most wicked villanous mischievous virulent and deadly thing that ever was Sinful sin worse then the Devil c. of which anone I may not prosecute any of these particulars apart for I shall have occasion enough to speak to every and each of them in handling the sinfulness of sin in relation whereunto I intend to observe this method and to manifest thereby 1. What sin is The subject and method of handling it the thing so much and so deservedly evil spoken of whereof none can speak well but they that speak ill of it for they speak best who speak the worst of sin 2. Wherein the sinfulness of sin doth especially consist and so to lay open not only its effects but its nature also 3. What witness and evidence there is to make good this Indictment and Charge against Sin that it is so vile and abominable so sinful as the Apostle calls it And 4. What use and improvement is to be made of the Doctrine of Sins excessive sinfulness 1. To begin with the subject 1 Whâ—◠〈◊〉 is and to shew what sin is Sin is the transgression of a Law yea of a good Law yea of a Gods Law Sin supposeth a Law in being for where there is no Law there is no transgression Rom. 4.15 but where there is sin there is a Law and a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law for sin is a transgression of the Law and this is the sin intended here in the Text as appears by v. 7. Now the Law not only forbids the doing of evil whether by thought word or deed but also commands the doing of good so that to omit the good commanded is sin as well or ill as is the doing of the evil that is forbidden against the fruits of the spirit there is no Law but against the works of the flesh as the opposition holds there is Law for they are all against the Law as the Apostle tells us Galat. 5 19.-24 what ever then doth transgress the Law of God in whole or in part James 2.10 is therefore and is therein a sin whither it break an affirmative or a negative precept i. e. whither it be the omission of good or commission of evil 2. 2 Wherein the sinfulness of sin To proceed and lay open wherein especially the sinfulness of sin doth consist which is easily and readily known from its definition or description just now set before us Sin being a transgression of Gods Law which is not only holy and just as made and given by an holy and just God but good also as it respects man for whom God made it according to the Text and Context and as 't is in Deuter. 5.29 and 6.24 with many other places I say sin being a transgression of Gods Law which was made for mans good the sinfulness of sin must needs lie in this that it is contrary 1. To God 2. To Man These then are the two Heads I shall insist upon to declare the malignity and wicked nature of sinful sin and both these are evident from the Law for by it as our Text speaks sin appears sin and by the Commandment sin clearly and undeniably becomes most exceeding hyperbolically or above measure sinful i. e. extremely guilty of displeafing and dishonoring God of debasing and destroying man and on both accounts justly obnoxious to and deservingly worthy of the hatred of God and man as to which I do heartily wish the issue to be that man may hate it as God doth who hates it and nothing else but it or to be sure he hates none but for it Of sins contrariety to God 1. 1 Sin is contrary to God Then the sinfulness of sin not only appears by but consists in this that 't is contrary to God yea contrariety and enemity it self in the very abstract Carnal men or sinners are called by the name of enemies to God Rom 5.8 with 10. Col. 1.21 but the carnal mind or sin is called enmity it self Rom. 8.7 and accordingly it and its acts are exprest by names of enmity and acts of hostility as walking contrary to
foolish ignorant and as beast v. 22. so much fool that he could not expresse it enough what fools are they then thâ— say it with an open mouth because Job had bâ— glanced at such a thing Elihu reckons him among the foolish Job 34 7.-11 Hearken to me 〈◊〉 men of understanding for fools will not far 〈◊〉 it from God that he should do wickedly oh 〈◊〉 the work of man will he render to him theâ— is a day coming in which there will be a difference put between them that fear God and theâ— that fear him not which is spoken on this veâ—â— occasion Mal. 3. and then it shall appear tâ— no mans labour is in vain in the Lord I speâ— to wise men let them judge what I say and know they will conclude that 't is notorious aâ— egregious folly to say that 't is in vain to serâ—â— God 4 Herein and hereby appears mans folly 4 His Ingratitude that he is so disingenuous and ingrateful to God who hath so infinitely obliged him Do a fool never so many courtesies and 't is but as throwing Pearls before Swine who return evil for all the good turns are done to them with this Moses upbraids Israel Deut. 32.5 6. do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise I none but fools would do so and once more are men like Swine in this that they gather up the fruit that falls and never look up Were there not ten cleansed where are the nine said our Saviour Scarce one of ten proves thankful Alas men take Gods corn and wine and oyl to make a feast for Baal for their Bel and the Dragon for their belly and lusts and instead of giving God thanks and glory they return him sins they kick with the heel when fat and full yea and say who is the Lord as if they were not beholden to him nor did owe him any acknowledgments Oh fools 5 Herein also is evident the folly of by sins defiled and depraved man 5 Angâ—y with God correcting him that if God correct him or afflict him for his sin and folly he presently grows angry with God Such is the nature of fools that they cannot endure them that chastife them Though man be punished but for his iniquities yet he complains Lament 3. â—â— Though Gods judgment be just yet the foolishnesse of man perverteth his way and he fretteth against the Lord Prov. 19.3 Mans sin brings Gods judgment and then when God hedgeth up his way with or teacheth him by such thorns which prick him then he frees and sames wheâ—â— Job was sorely afflicted said his Wife Curse God and die oh cursed speech but saith Job thou speakest like one of the foolish women Men or women never speak more foolishly then when they speak against God They are fools who quarrel with God and charge him with folly 6 Mans folly is apparent in and by this 6 Unteachable that he is so unteachable one may better treat with seven men of reason then with one fool who is not only ignorant but conceited and stubborn Fools despise wisdome and instruction Prov. 1.7 they scorn to be instructed they are in love with folly How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity Prov. 1.22 A fool will not hearken to counsel Prov. 12.15 yea though instruction come from a Father yet a fool despiseth it Prov. 15.5 Though you add correction to instruction yet one reproof entreth more into a wise man then an hundred stripes into a fool Prov. 17.10 Yea though you bray a fool in a Mortar yet will not his foolishness depart from him Prov. 27.22 Whence is it that though Christs Messengers labour so much yet profit so little but from hence that sin hath made men fools and they will not receive instruction Yet 7 After some men have receiv'd the truth 7 Apostatizing and have gone far in the profession of it yet they are such fools as to Apostatize which is no small folly As a dog returneth to his vomit so a fool to his folly Prov. 26.11 compared with 2 Pet. 2.20 21. The Word of God works on some men like Physick it gives them a vomit makes them confess their sin which one of the Ancients calls vomitus animae as if it lay hard and heavy on their stomacks and they were sick of it but after a while they lick it up again they repent and sin again as if they repented of their repentance On this account the Apostle calls the Galatians fools Ch. 3 1.-3 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitcht you that you should not obey i. e. go on to obey the truth for they had begun to obey and therefore he adds are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit to think of perfection by the flesh this is folly with a witness An Apostate is a double fool a tree twice dead and his latter end worse then his beginning And thus alas we see how sin hath befool'd men But yet This is not all sin hath degraded man Sin hath beastializ'd mâ— and made him a beast 't is true he hath the shape of a man but alas is degenerated into a beastial and beastly nature I may begin as Ovid did his Metamorphosis in nova fert animus 〈…〉 must shew you a Monster yea many Monsters in one a dog-man a goat-man a wolf-man a soxman c. 'T were better to be a beast then to be like a beast so living and so dying 'twere better to be Balaams Al 's then such an As as Balaam himself was But to set this degeneration and degradation of man by sin before you the more clearly and fully I shall speak to these three heads Sin hath made man 1 Like a Beast 2 Like the worst of Beasts 3 Worse then the Beasts 1 Sinful man is 1 Lâ—ke a beast Sin hath made man like a Beast yea not only like to but a Beast The Man of Sin the great Antichrist is called a Beast and the great ones that Daniel saw in his Vision are called Beasts and sinners are ten or eleven times in Scripture called bruitish and what some men are all would be if left to themselves if common or special if restraining or renewing grace did not interpose and prevent Three things will evince this likeness 1 And that 1 In ignorance Sinful man is like the Beast in ignorance and stupidity Psa 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant as a beast before thee Psa 49.20 Man though a man in honor that understandeth not is like the beast that perisheth of no more value nor honor though he sit at the upper end of the world as the Antichristian Beast doth Psa 94.3 O ye bruitish when will ye understand O ye sools when will ye be wise bruitish and foolish are Synonymous and parallel expressions as was hinted before an heart void of understanding is the heart of a beast as is clear Dan. 4.16 with 34 -36 2 2 In sensuality
patience now argues his judgment to come 2 Pet. 3.9 10. and then when God sends men to hell and damns them they will know and acknowledge what an evil thing sin was and what bitterness it brings in the latter end Damnation being so dreadful a thing as the pouring out of Gods wrath for ever on sinners it must needs conclude sin to be extremely displeasing because contrary to him That 's no little matter for which God brings on men such great damnation Next judgment to this is being let alone or given up to a reprobate judgment and an hardned heart but that being future and this though present invisible I shall wave further speaking to them and shew that God hath visibly judged this world for sin from Age to Age He is a God that judgeth in the earth as he is a God that will judge the earth And the Lord is known to be against sin by the judgments which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Psa 9.16 which hath a double note upon it Higgaion Selah both which I do not remember to be added to any other Text so notable a Text is this God hath testified his displeasure against sin by 〈…〉 judgment 1 On Sinners 2 Saints 3 His Son 1 God hath executed judgment on sinners 1 On 〈…〉 and usually the first committer of any particular sin hath been punished with eminent and remarkable punishment Nor to mention Adam who was all men iâ— one virtually though he underwent a punishments â—nd a curse for his sin but Cain the first 〈…〉 was as 't were hung up in 〈◊〉 〈…〉 or a terrible warning to others Judas 〈◊〉 first Apostate was made an example under the Law Nadab and Abihu the first breakers of the Ceremonial Law after the establishment of Aarons Priesthood Ananias and Saphiâ—a the first that belied God in the beginning of the Christian Church were miraculously punished God hath made heaps of witnesses this way God hath set up monuments for Pillats of Salt like â—ots Wife The Flood that drowned the old world the Fire that burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah c. and the many things that befell Israel for an example were all types as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.11 God hath punished all sinners more or less he spared not the 〈…〉 sinned they were all doom'd to darkness he consumed almost a whole world at once having eight persons he hath cut off Cities and Nations not a few beside what hath â—â—allen particular persons and therefore men cannot say that all things continue as they were and that God is not a God of judgment or consequently an allower of the evil of sin There is no Age wherein God doth not really and actually judge sinners though perhaps this may not be so clear to a prejudiced and partial observer that will think nothing a punishment but what 's miraculous or extraordinary as if the earth must always swallow men up or God strike men down with thunderbolts continually and nothing less must be called a punishment Oh how often is Gods hand lifted up but men will not see yea felt yet not acknowledged God hath his Deputy in mens bosomes their own Consciences which doth often accuse and condemn them that they cannot stand before its judgment when their hearts smite them they sink and their countenance and courage falls as that of Cain and Judas and Spira did If men were but ingenuous and would but declare what stingings of Conscience they feel there would be witness enough how God lasheth men within and executeth judgment upon their spirits but sisibly and in the eyes of others God doth often inflict corporal punishments either immediately as was most usual before the Flood or mediately and that sometimes by Angels and sometimes by Men-Magistrates humane and mortal Gods Deputies to the God above and by these God as I may say rides Circuit and keeps Assizes very frequently Though judgment be now his strange work in comparison and seems not so proper to this day of patience as to that of a rath which is to come yet God doth often make examples and though he make not as yet a full end of all Nations he leaves none altogether unpunished 2 2 On his own people God hath executed judgment on his own people when they have sinned to shew how hateful sin is though it be in them he so dearly loves One would think that if God would spare any he would spare his own and indeed he doth pity them and spare them as a Father pitieth and spareth the Son that serves him I but though he forgive them yet he taketh vengeance on their iniquity Psa 99.8 Many a sinner God forgives as to punishment in this life who will not be forgiven in the world to come but seeing God fully resolves to forgive his people for ever he will not wholly forgive them i. e. leave them altogether unpunished here in time God hath carried it very severely to his people when they have sinned it hath cost them dear King David's adultery and murther cost him broken bones oh heal the bones that thou hast broken as 't is in that Penitential Psalm Psa 51.8 When Peter had sinned it cost him a bitter weeping repentance is a chargeable thing 't is disgrace sorrow and pain to man though it be a grace and duty If Gods children transgress and play the Trewant they must feel the Rod 't is the Rod of the Covenant chastenings and corrections of wantonness are in the Covenant as well as supplies of wants threatnings of judgment as well as promises of mercy and sometimes sin brings such sorrow on the very members of the Church that they are in danger of being swallowed up of overmuch sorrow even to despair of giving over to hope for mercy 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 Though God be a God gracious and merciful yet he is a God visiting iniquity and will sometimes punish them whom he hath known and loved above all the people of the earth and though he take not his loving kindness from them yet he will visit their transgression with the Rod and their iniquity with stripes Psa 89 30.3â— Yet further 3 God spâ—red not his Son when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh and was no sinner 3 On his Son but by imputation and representation God was ever well pleased with his Son yet when he stood in the behalf and stead of sinners it pleas'd the Lord to bruise him as if none else could strike a stroak hard enough and though he cry'd with strong cries yet his father would not take the Cup out of his hand he suffer'd not for sinning himself for though he were tempted to sin yet he was without sin but he suffer'd for the sin of others and in the glass of his suffering we â—â—y clearly see the sinfulness of sin And this leads me to the last and great testimony of God against sin Viz. 7 Gods not sparing
sins 'T is worse to be let alone and given up then if men were sent quick to Hell for they live but as reserved to fill up their measure brimful and to undergo the more of Hell to grow rich in wrath having treasured it up against that day As 't is the best of comforts to have assurance of the love of God and to be sealed to the day of Redemption so 't is the saddest of judgments to be given up as 't is three times in one place Rom. 1. to their lusts to an hardned heart a seared conscience a reprobate mind when God shall say let him that 's filthy be filthy still Rev. 22.11 and they shall not see nor understand lest they should be converted Isa 6.9 10. a dreadful place which is six times quoted in the New Testament as you may see in the Margine 4. Sin is the worst of Evils as appears by this that God hates men for it 't is not only sin Prov. 6.16.19 but sinners that God hates and that for sin Psal 5.5 't is said of God that be hates the workers of iniquity not only the works of iniquity but the workers of it hatred is not known by judgments the evil of suffering but 't is known by the evil of sin which is before us Eccl. 9 1 2. 't is for this that the merciful God saith he that made them will not have mercy on them nor shew them any favour Isa 27 11. and as a Learned person expresseth it This is the highest that can be spoken of the venom of sin that in a sort and to speak after the manner of men it hath put hatred into God himself it made the Lord hate and destroy his own workmanship God is Love and Judgment his strange work yet sin makes him out of love with men and in love with their destruction at last so though he delight not in the death of a repenting yet he doth in the death of an impenitent sinner 5. It proves Sin the worst and greatest of Evils that Christ is the best and greatest of Saviours and his Salvation the best and greatest Salvation he came to save sinners and to save them not from the petty evils of sickness affliction and perfection but from sin the greatest of all evils Math. 1.21 1 Tim. 1.15 To be saved from Egypt was of old reckoned great but being delivered out of the North was a greater Salvation Jer. 23.8 but Salvation from Sin is the greatest Salvation and therefore Sin the worst and greatest of Evils Having thus evinced Sin to be the worst of Evils â—n being against God infers the Evil of Evils none to be compared to it for evil I shall now apply it more distinctly and shew what we are to inter From the sinfulness of Sin His patience to be wonderful as 't is 1. Against God 2. Against Man As sin is considered against God I infer 1. That the patience of God with His patience to be wonderful and the long-suffering of God towards sinners is wonderful if sin be so exceeding sinful i. e. contrary to and displeasing to God then surely his patience is exceeding great his goodness exceeding rich his long-suffering exceeding parvellous even to wonder That God should intreat Sinners his enemies to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 that God should stand at a Sinners door and knock Rev. 3 20. that God should wait on Sinners to be gracious to them Isa 30.18 is not after the manner of men but of God yea the God of grace and patience and to be admired for ever That at first God should think thoughts of good and not of evil of peace and not of wrath but visit us in the cool of the day was a wonder but that after he had imparted and commended his heart-love to us in and by his Son Rom. 5.8 and both were rejected that he should yet continue to offer and call and wait 't is a miracle of miracles What shall we say 't is God who is as his Name is Exod. 34.6 Numb 10.18 Psal 86.15 and as he was yesterday he is to day the God of grace and patience Rom. 15.5 and rich in it Rom. 2.4 with 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Tim. 1.13 16. yea we are all living monuments and instances of his goodness and patience 't is of the Lords mercies that we all are not altogether and utterly consumed yea and that in Hell Lam. 3.22 Sin is so sinful so contrary and displeasing to God and hath made man so much Gods enemy that 't is a miracle he should find his enemies any of them and let them go well away That God who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity should look on the sins of men that his eye should so affect his heart as to grieve him yea that it tempts and provokes him to anger wrath and hatred and that God should keep in anger which is like burning coals in our bosom and not let out all his wrath and ease himself of his burthen by avenging himself of his adversaries but woo and wait on sinners Oh the power of his patience Oh the infiniteness of his mercy and compassions Oh the riches of unsearchable grace God sees it is not ignorant God is sensible of it and concern'd for it grieves and vexeth him God is able to right himself when he pleaseth and yet forbears and is patient Oh wonder Consider yet again 1. The multitude of sinners that are in the world if 't were but one or two they might be winkt at and past by but when all the world lies in wickedness as it doth 1 Joh. 5.19 when there is none righteous no not one if there had been but ten God would have spared Sodom c. though ten thousand sinners might be there but when there is not a man to be found that sinneth not but all ahve sinned Jew and Gentile high and low c. Oh what grace what patience is this 2. Consider the multitude of sins and the multitude of sins in and by every sinner the sins are more numerous then sinners if all men had finned and but once it would have mitigated the matter but sin hath grown up with men that were not only conceived and born in sin but went astray before they could go even from the womb not a good thought to be found in their heart Gen. 6.5 it grows up faster then men do they are old in sin when young in years they are adding iniquity to iniquity and drawing it on with cords and ropes committing it with both hands greedily as if they could not sin enough they dare God himself to judge them they drink down iniquity like water as if 't were their element and nourishment and pleasure also yea and among the rest his sons and daughters provoke him with their sins which go very near his heart Deut. 32.19 and yet behold how miraculously patient and long-suffering God is 3. Consider the length of time in which these
multitude of sinners have committed these multitudes of sins from the beginning even till now generation after generation if all the world had sinned and committed all manner of sins if it had been but for an hour or a day it had not been so provoking but as length of time aggravates misery so it doth sin God reckons up 120 years patience after many before that as to the old World Gen. 6 3 and to Israel forty years Heb. 3.17 He came to the Fig-tree of the Jewish Nation three years in person seeking fruit before he cut it down or so much as gave order for it Luke 13.6 7. He had waited longer on all these but these were over time such as Landlords allow their Tenants after Quarter-day space given before Distraint or Ejectment We were old enough to be damn'd when we were young but God hath given us an over-plus of time space for repentance and hath not yet cut us down as Cumber-grounds Oh patience 4 Consider that sins cry to God against us and the Devil to be sure is a constant Sollicitor against us The cry of Cains sin went up Gen. 4.10 the cry of Sodoms sin was great Gen. 18.20 21. 19.13 the detaining of labourers wages crys James 5.4 and indeed all oppression crys Hah 2.8 12. and yet God as if he were loth to judge us or take up reports against us comes down to see if these things be so and doth as 't were put Abraham and his friends upon interceding by telling them what he is about to do Amos 3.7 Oh the goodness of God! 5. There are many aggravating circumstances attending the sins of men beside the greatness of its own nature which do exceedingly provoke God mens sins are not only many and great but are both multiplied and magnified they are greatned by many circumstances men increase and heighten their sin by not repenting of it and greaten their impenitence by despising the goodness of God which should lead them to repentance Rom. 2. which makes them inexcusable and incapable to escape the judgment of God Men sin against deliverances as if they were delivered to do all manner of abominations and to sin more then before Jer. 7.8.9 10. Men sin against their purposes and promises vows and protestations made at Sea or Land on sick-beds or any times of danger and return like the dog to the vomit They compound with God in time of fear and danger but put him off with nothing when the danger is the more yet as they think over Mâ—n sin against means and means of grace they have precept on precept line on line yet sin still and more whatever way God takes with them yet nothing takes with them as Amos 4 6 11. this and this have I done yet and yet ye have not returned mourn or pipe to them 't is all alike they will not hearken nay alas Men sin against knowledge and conscience though they know God they glorifie him not as God they know their Masters will but do it not Rom. 1.21 Luke 12.47 James 4.17 't were in vain to attempt it because impossible to attain it viz. to reckon up all the aggravating circumstances of mens sins which make them more sins for degree multitude and magnitude and yet God waits to be gracious with a notwithstanding Oh grace grace unto it is it not a wonder that men are spared especially considering what quick dispatch God made with Angels that sinned Wonder of Grace But though God be so patient beyond what we could ask or think yet he doth sometimes and will for ever punish sinners that repent not 2. Therefore I infer The judgment of God on sinners is just that sin being so contrary to God and against his will and glory the judgments of God great though they be on sinners whether here or hereafter are just God often punisheth less never more then iniquity deserves the greatest sufferings are no more nor less then sin deserves the worst on this side Hell is mercy the worst of and in Hell is but justice For 1. If we consider the Nature of God that judgeth he is and cannot but be just shall not the God and Judge of all the Earth do right Can he do or will he do wrong Oh no he layeth on man no more then is meet that man might not enter into judgment with God Job 34.23 Cain could say his punishment was intolerable but could not say it was unjust though greater then he could bear yet not greater then he did deserve God will not argue the case with men meerly as a Soveraign but as a Judge who proceeds not by Will only but by Rule many times over when the judgments of God are spoken of in the Revelations as Chap. 15.3 16.7 't is still just and true and righteous though his ways unsearchable yet true and just and righteous he makes war in righteousness Death is but sins due wages Rom. 6.27 therefore 't is said their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 and every sin hath a just recompense of reward Heb. 2.2 guilt stops mens mouths under their suffering the judgment of God Lam. 3.39 Rom. 3.19 Psal 51.4 with Rom. 3.4 If God judge man God is found true but if man judge God man is found a lyar Would man complain of the Devil as Eve did 't is true he is to blame but is not so much the cause of mans sin as man himself is the Devil might tempt indeed but could not compel so that 't is man that sins though tempted to sin and though man could not prevent being tempted yet he might have forborn to have sinned Would man complain of God what Action would he enter what would he lay to his charge did not God make him in the best of Creature-state did not God tell him what was evil and the danger of sinning what may God say as of Israel what could I have done more that I have not done so that man must say that he hath rewarded evil to himself by doing evil and that his perdition is of himself Hos 13.9 Sinners have their option and choise why then do they complain 2. The severest Judgment of God on sinners is just if we consider the nature of sin 't is Deicidium God-murther and 't is just with God to do by sinners what they would have unjustly done by him viz. take away from them all good and glory displease and destroy them because they would him if we consider the person sinn'd against and the aim of sin to ungod God what punishment can be thought bad enough The Schools tell us and truly that objectively sin is infinite Oh what punishment can be too great for so great an evil if its deed could have answered its intention and will God had been no more Oh what an horrid thing is this As none but infinite power can pardon it so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently As its aim is infinite so is its
SIN THE PLAGVE of PLAGVES OR Sinful Sin the worst of Evils A Treatise of Sins Tryal and Arraignment wherein Sin is Accused for being proved to be and condemned for being exceeding sinful And that 1 As against God his Nature Attributes Works Will Law Image People Glory and Existence 2 As against Man his good and welfare of Body and Soul in this Life and that to come With the Use and Improvement to be made of this Doctrine that men may not be Damned but Saved c. Being the Substance of many Sermons Preached many Years ago in SOVTHWARK By Ralph Venning A.M. Prov. 8.36 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own Soul John 5.14 Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee London Printed for John Hancock to be sold at his Shop in Bishopsgate-street over against the Exchange next to the White-Lyon and the corner shop in Popes-head-Alley and by T. Parkhurst at the Golden Lyon on London-bridge 1669. Academiae Cantabrigiensis Liber To all that were Hearers and to all that shall be Readers of what 's contained in the following Treatise THE Christian Religion as it exposeth to so it fits for and is suited to Suffering as well as Glory Yea the All-wise God hath so ordered it that while we are on this side the Grave such Graces as suppose Suffering and are preparative to Glory should be most exercised by us which are to act their part and to have their continuance only in this world and which indeed had not had an actual being or existence if Sin had not entred into the world viz. such Graces as are Faith Repentance Hope and Patience There had been no need of Faith for righteousness if we had not lost our own no need of nor occasion for Repentance if we had remained Innocent no room for Hope seeing we had been in a continual sight enjoyment and possession of happiness if we had not sinned nor any use or exercise of Patience when there had been no suffering and none there had been if there had been no Sin The state of Innocency before sin was being in the next degree like to the state of Glory when sin shall be no more and that excludes these and such like things for then sorrow and sighing shall flee away and all tears be wiped from their eyes then Faith shall be turned into Vision and Hope into Fruition suffering and consequently patience shall be at an end as to good and holy men It cannot therefore but be hugely useful and advantageous toward the exciting exercising promoting and perfecting of these Graces to know what an exceeding sinful thing sin is not only that we may suffer well as did Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 2 19.-23 and make Moses's choice Hebr. 11.25 and not that which is charg'd on Job as his Chap. 36 21. But also because if ever we be saved these Graces must be practis'd and that they are not in a capacity to be till sin appear to us as it did to S. Paul an exceeding sinful deceitful and destructive thing And truly as Sinners are not like to be awakened hereunto till the Commandment come as it did to the Apostle and discover it to them so they who are awakened and converted are greatly obliged and no less provokt by it to admire the love and mercy of God and to pay him everlasting gratitudes for their deliverance and salvation from sin But of the usefulness of this Doctrine I speak in the Treatise it self and shall therefore forbear to name any thing more of that Nature in this place As to the Book I have but a few things to say this Treatise was began and almost finish'd before the late Sore and great Plague began and therefore though for a memorial of it I have taken occasion to give it a Name or Title from thence yet it is not calculated particularly thereunto but with a more general aspect upon the universal mischief that Sin hath done mankind as to Soul and Body Time and Eternity it being the root of all evil Corporal Spiritual and Eternal only in relation to that sweeping Beesom of destruction and the dreadful fire from heaven or hell and in several senses from both which since consumed the habitations as the Plague did the Inhabitants before both which I fear are alas but too much forgotten we should consider the operation of Gods hand lifted up to lay it to heart to confess our sin and give him glory For though God in the midst of judgment remembred mercy yet we in the midst of mercy should remember judgment both hands being to lead us to repentance else though the Plague be over and gone and that fire burns no longer yet if the plague of our hearts and not fiery lusts if our sins continue we are far from health and safety If after such deliverances as these we sin as if we were deliver'd to do nothing else or to speak as Ezra doth Ch. 9.13 14. and after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass seeing that God hath punished us less then our iniquities have deserved and hath given us such deliverance as this should we again break his Commandments and joyn in affinity with the people of with such and the like as our former abominations would not he be angry with us till he have consumed us so that there be none as hitherto through mercy there hath been remnant and escaping but the fire of his wrath may burn to and we burn in the lowermost hell Oh let us hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Deut. 13.11 for sin is so notoriously more then excessively and intollerably evil that as 't is at present the reproach 't will be hereafter the ruine of any people who repent not And what is impenitency but a treasuring up of and growing rich in sin and wrath together Rom. 2 4.-9 and what is that but to be abundantly damned As to this Subject I am well aware that several pious and learned men have treated of it but that is no discouragement to their Successors to do so too no more then 't was to S. Luke Ch. 1.1 2 3. to write the Gospel of which others had written before him And indeed what is the Gospel of S. Matthew Mark Luke and John but the same Gospel published with some little variety The Apostle S. Peter wrote of the same things which S. Paul had done 2 Pet. 3.15 and they both wrote of the same things over and again Phil. 3.1 2 Pet. 1.12 13. And Jude the Brother of James as v. 1. did transcribe or at least Epitomize a great part of S. Peters second Epistle almost in terminis verbatim word for word I remember S. Austin somewhere gives his advice to have the same things published by several men that by the interest relation and affection which they have in the world truths may come to the more hands which else would be confined and well high
God Levit. 26.21 rebelling against God Is 1.2 rising up against him as an enemy Mich. 2.8 striving and contending with God Is 45.9 despising of God Numb 11.20 it makes men haters of God Rom. 1.30 resisters of God Acts 7.51 sighters against God Acts 5.39 and 23.9 yea blasphemers of God and in sine very Atheists that they say there is no God Psal 14.1 it goes about to ungod God and is by some of the Ancients called Deicidium God-murther or God-killing And though all these things be not acted by every sinful man yet they are not only in the nature of sin yea of every sin more or less but are all of them in the heart of all sinners in their seed and root Mat. 15.19 and what is acted by any man would be acted by every man if God did not restrain some men from it by his power and constrain others to obedience by his love and power as 1 Cor. 5.14 Psa 110.3 Herein then is the desperately wicked nature of sin that it is not only crimen laesae Majostatis High Treason against the Majesty of God but it scorns to confess its crime 't is obstinate and will not that he reign over it 't is not only not subject but 't will not be subject no nor reconciled to God Paâ—ticularâ—y such is its enmity Yet more particularly 1. 1 To his Nature Sin is contrary to the nature of God Gods name is holy and as his name is so is he and his nature all holy yea he is so and cannot but be so And therefore God takes it more ill that men should think him wicked like themselves Psa 50 16-22 then that they think him not to be Psal 14.1 It s said to weary him when men do but say that evil is good in his sight Mal. 2.17 This is the thing God glorieth in that he is holy yea glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 And Holiness is the Attribute which freeth God from not only evil it self but from all appearance or suspition of evil Were not God holy many of the things which God doth would look unlike him his justice and judgments would look not only like severity but Tyranny were not it and they holy his love in its carriages and behaviours to some people would look like fondness and respecting of persons but that 't is holy his patience would look like a toleration if not approbation of sin but that 't is holy patience c. Thus many acts of God were it not for holiness would appear as seemingly evil as they are really good and be as much suspected by all as they are unjustly censured by some He is holy without spot or blemish or any such thing without any wrinkle or any thing like it as they also that are in Christ shall one day be Eph. 5.27 God is so holy that he cannot sin himself nor be the cause or Author of sin in another he doth not command sin to be committed 't were to cross his nature and will nor approve of any mans sin when 't is committed but hates it with a perfect hatred without iniquity is he and of purer eyes then to behold i. e. approve iniquity Hab. 1.13 On the contrary as God is holy all holy only holy altogether holy and alwayes holy so sin is sinful all sinful only sinful altogether sinful and alwayes sinful Gen. 6.5 In my flesh i. e. in my sinful corrupt nature there dwelleth no good Rom. 7.16 As in God there is no evil so in sin there is no good God is the chiesest of goods and sin is the chiefest of evils as no good can be compared with God for goodness so no evil can be compared with sin for evil 2. 2 To his Attributes Sin is contrary to all the Names and Attributes of God sets it self in opposition to them all 1 It deposeth the Soveraignty of God as much as in it lies it will not that the King of Kings should be in the Throne and govern this world which he hath made 't was by this instinct that Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go I know no Lord above me I will not let Israel go Exod. 5.2 'T is the voice and language of sin Psal 12. our lips are our own who is Lord over us and 't was from hence that the Jews of old said we are Lords we will come no more to thee Jer. 2.31 Thus it attempts to dethrone God! 2 It denies Gods All-sufficiency as if there were not content and satisfaction enough to be had in the enjovment of God but that vanity and wickedness had more of pleasure and profit then he whose wayes are all pleasantness and whose service is the whole of man Every Prodigal that leaves the Fathers house doth practically say 't is better to be elsewhere 3 It dares the Justice of God and challengeth God to do his worst Mal. 3.17 It provokes the Lord to jealousie and tempâ—s him to wrath 4 It disowns his Omniscience Tush say they God sees not nor doth the most High regard 5 It despiseth the riches of Gods goodness Rom. 2.4 6 It turns his Grace into wantonness Jude 4. It will make bold with God and sin because grace abounds In short 't is the Dare of Gods Justice the Rape of his Mercy the Jeer of his Patience the Slight of his Power the Contempt of his Love as one doth prettily express this ugly thing and we may go on and say 't is the Vpbraid of his Providence Psa 50. the Scoff of his Promise 2 Pet. 3.3 4. the Reproach of his Wisdom Is 29.16 and as 't is said of the Man of Sin made up of sin it opposeth and exaits its self above all that 's called God and above all that God is called so that it as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing it self as if it were God 2 Thes 2.4 3. Sin is contrary to the works of God 3 To his Works as it works contrary unto God so its contrary to Gods works and is called the work of the devil 1 Jo. 3.8 all Gods works were good exceedingly beautiful even to admiration but the works of sin are deformed and monstrously ugly for it works disorder confusion and every thing that 's abominable Sin may be impleaded for all the mischiefs and villanies that have been done in the world 't is the Master of Mis-rule the Author of Sedition the Builder of Babel the Troubler of Israel and all mankind And so contrary is sin to the works of God that it sought and still seeks to undo all that God doth that there might be no seed nor name nor root left him in the earth Every thing works according to its nature operari sequitur esse as the root is so is the fruit and by that every Tree is known whither it be a good Tree or a bad Mat. 7.17 18. God is good and doth good Psa 119.68 Sin is
life soul and all to get that which is not bread Isa 55.2 2 Sinners are likened to dogs I shall not run division in this nor persecute the Metaphor in prosecuting the particulars of which there was something said a little before but only to shew that though it were most usual with the Jews to call the Gentiles dogs and our Saviour speaks in their dialect and language when he told the woman that 't was not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs Mat. 15.26 yet 't is a common name to sinners whither Jews or Gentiles to all without God and Christ for without are dogs Revel 22.15 Upon the whole then 't is but too clear and evident what mischief sin hath done man in thus degrading him by making him a fool a beast a Monster and yet this is not all but 2 Sin hath not only degraded man 2 Sin separates man from God but hath also separated man from God in a moral sense for Acts 17.28 though by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are his Off-spring and in him we live move and have our being yet morally and spiritually sinners are separated from God and are without God This is a great injury and I may call it the greatest seeing God is mans chiefest good to be separated from him must be his greatest evil and loss There was ever a very great disproportion and distance between God and Man God the Creator and man the creature God Insinite and man finite c. but this was no misery to man 't is sin only sin that hath made a difference and separation between God and man and therefore sinners are said to be afar off Eph. 2.73 for they depart from God and like the Prodigal go into a far Country Luke 15.13 More particularly sin hath separated man 1 1 From the sight of God From the sight and seeing of God Man could talk with God face to face as a man converseth with his friend but woe and alas man cannot see his face and live One of the first discoveries of mans sinfulness and misery by it was that he could not endure but hid himself from the sight yea and the voice of God Genes 3.8 Our happiness lies so much in the sight of God that it hath the name of Beatifical Vision a sight which passeth all sights When our Saviour prays for the happiness of his he doth not only pray that they may be where he is but that they may see his glory Joh. 17.24 And this is the glory which doth not yet appear that we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 They that are regenerate and enlightned from above and are refined and clarified have some glimpses and gradual sights of God and yet 't is comparatively called darkness we see but darkly as 't were his back-parts through a glass which is short of seeing face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 We do live by faith now rather then by sight as the Apostle doth express it 2 Cor. 5.7 'T is true faith is to us instead of our eyes for 't is the evidence of things not seen Hebr. 11.1 and by it we look as Moses did to him who is and to his things which are invisible 2 Cor. 4.18 Seeing then mans happiness lies so much in seeing God what an exceeding great mischief hath sin done to man in separating him from the sight of God that man cannot see God and live whereas the best life is in seeing God 2 Sin hath separated man from the life of God 2 From the life of God not only from living unto God and with God but from living the life of God viz. such a life as God lives which is a life of holiness in perfection and therefore 't is said of sinners that they are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 yea and more that they are dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.1 So far from living that they are dead so far from living to God that they live against God so far from living the life of God that they live the life of Devils 'T is according to the Prince of the Power of the Air i.e. the Devil Eph. 1.2 Oh what an injury hath sin done in separating man from the Divine Life and Nature and sinking him into the dregs and death of sin viz. made him dead in sin 3 Sin hath separated man from the love of God 3 From the love of God I speak not now of what love and good will there is in God toward man but of that love and the actual communication thereof which man once had and enjoy'd whereof sin hath not only deprived him but made him the object of his wrath for God is angry with the wicked every day Psal 7.11 and they are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 4 and therefore said not to be beloved Rom. 9.25 Man was once the object of his love and delight when man came into the world in the likeness of God God lookt on him with delight and was enamour'd of this his Image but sin alas hath made him the object of his wrath Oh injurious sin 4 4 From communion Sin hath separated man from communion with God God and man kept company while man and holiness kept company but when that and man parted then God and man parted the redintegration of any is upon a new account they could not walk together because of this disagreement Amos 3.3 When man left walking in the light of holiness and walked in the darkness of sin fellowship ceased 1 John 1.6 7. 'T is true there is reconciliation and recovery by Jesus Christ but sin did what in it lay to cut man off from all communion with God for ever Oh this spiteful and pernicious sin 5 5 From Covenant-relation Sin separated man from the Covenant-relation wherein he stood unto God so that God had no obligation upon him to own him or look after him to have any thing to do with him but ruine him and what sin did at first it doth if not repented of and pardon'd to this day and therefore sinners called Loammi not my people which is worse then not to be a people 1 Pet. 2.10 and they are without God Promise and Covenant Eph. 2.12 Man can claim nothing of God upon any right or Plea of his own having sinned and therefore are said also to be without hope viz. in themselves Oh what a separation hath sin made in robbing man of God it robs him of all things for all things are ours but so far as God is ours 1 Cor. 3 21.-2 From hence come two great miseries on sinners from God as judgments upon this separation 1 God hideth his face and this follows on the separation as 't is express Is 59.2 Your iniquities have separated you and your God and your sin hath hid his face from you or as the Margin reads it have made him
shall be the portion of their Cup from the Lord they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is powred out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation and they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and of the Lamb Rev. 14.10 11. As many times when Judges suspect their Officers that they will not do it home enough they will have it done in their presence the whole Court and company looking on So shall it be and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day nor night Yet further 5 5 The aggravations Let us consider the aggravations of these torments As sin hath been aggravated so will the torments be there will be degrees of torment 't will be though intollerable for all yet more tollerable for some then others Mat. 11.21 24. their torments will be aggravated 1 Who have lived long in sin The longer men have lived in sin on earth the greater will their torments be in hell Isai 65.20 The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed with a witness for he hath been long treasuring up wrath much wrath against the day of wrath he hath a great account to make for all the patience and forbearance of God Some men grow rich by having other mens goods in their hands not called in when men forbear their money and leave it in their hands they grow rich by it so do wicked men grow rich in wrath by abusing the goodness and patience of God because God forbears them and doth not take out executions against them and enter into judgment they grow rich but alas 't is in wrath See Rev. 21.22 2 The more means men have had the more cost and charges God hath been at the more pains God hath taken with men and yet they continue impenitent the more severe will his judgment be upon them If Christ had not come they had had no such sin this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness Capernaum that was exalted to heaven by means will be thrown to hell in the end Mat. 11.23 To sall from earth to hell will be a great fall but to fall from heaven to hell will be a greater To go from Turky to hell will be sad but to go from England to hell and from London to hell ah how rufully sad 3 The more knowledge men attain to the more convictions men have had without practise and improvement the greater will their condemnation be Luke 12.47 That servant which knew his Lords will and did not according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes And 2 Pet. 2.21 it were better they had never known the way of righteousness then to know it and not walk in it or having walkt in it to depart from it to him that knows to do good and doth it not to him it is sin great sin sin with a witness and condemnation with a vengeance How can they escape the great condemnation that neglect the great salvation these become inexcusable under the judgment of God Rom. 1.32 with Rom. 2.1 2 3. 4 The further men have gone in a profession of Religion without the power of godliness the greater will their condemnation be Formalists and hypocrites will-know the worst of hell how can ye escape not only hell but the damnation of hell the hell of hell Mat. 23.33 The form of godliness and the power of ungodliness will fare alike as Mat. 24.51 with Luke 12.46 5 Apostates will meet with aggravated torments in hell the backslider will be filled with his own ways his latter end will be worse then his beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 better for them they had died in their sins at first then to be as now twice dead Jude 12. If we sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth if we do nuncium metere pietati turn our backs on Christianity and godliness there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful expectation or looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devoure them that by Apostasie become adversaries He that despised Moses Law died without mercy and yet of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who treads under foot the Son of God and counts the Blood of the Covenant wherewith it was sanctified an unholy thing c. Oh what fearful vengeance will such meet with See Hebr. 10 26.-32 and this little shall suffice to have spoken to the aggravations 6 And lastly 6 The effects of hell torments let 's take a view of the effects of these torments 1 There will be inexpressible sorrow sighing and groaning that cannot be utter'd weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8.12 anger indignation vexation even to madness and rage will be the effects of them 2 There will be intollerable horror and pain if thunder lightning and earthquakes make men afraid and shrink together what will hell do If the throbing Tooth-ach the gnawing Gout c. put men to such exquisite pains what will hell do If sickness make us fear death and the fear of death be so dreadful what will hell be If you Felix-like tremble to hear of this judgment to come what would you do if you were to undergo it If seeing ugly and devillish shapes affright us what will it do to be with the devil and his Angels 3 This will be the sad effect of these torments sinal and eternal impenitency and despâ—ir even to cursing and blaspheming he that dies impenitent continue so for ever and impenitency is attended with blasphemy Is 8.21 22. They shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry and it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry they shall fret themselves and curse their King and their God which I quote to shew the nature of a fretting and vexing heart under torments a thing very common with despairing and thereby made desperate persons Revel 16.9 10. When they were scorcht with great heat they blasphemed the name of God and repented not to give him glory and v. 10 11. they gnaw'd their tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores We see that when the plagues of God are on impenitent sinners they are cursing and though they may repent i.e. be sorry for the plagues yet not for the cause of them And hence many do infer this that if these plagues which are far inferiour to them in hell do provoke men thus that they will do it much more Woe and alas what a dismal doleful condition 't is to be damned and then what Oh what a sinful thing is sin that brings this damnation I have now dispatch'd the second thing viz. the contrariety of sin to the good of man and that not only in this life but in that to come Before I bring in the Wâ—tnesses to prove this Charge against Sin to be
duty to honor Father and Mother but still in the Lord it may be a duty to disobey yea to hate father and mother rather then obey them viz. when to obey them will be disobedience to God whither it be better to obey God or man judge you So that God will not allow us to sin to gratifie the greatest persons the nearest and dearest relations 3 God will not allow us to sin though we should professedly do it for his glory Sin can never directly glorifie God and though he know how to bring good out of evil yet he will not that we should sin for him who needs not us much less our sin God will take and is righteous in taking vengeance though our unrighteousness commend and set off the righteousness of God Rom. 3.5 Though the truth of God have more abounded through thy lye yet thou wilt be found a sinner Rom. 3.7 so that for this good evil must not be done v. 8. they that cast out their Brethren saying let God be glorified yet God will put them to shame Is 66.5 And though they thought in putting them to death they should do God good service yet God reckons it as their serving the devil John 16.2 with Rev. 2.10 When Saul excused his sin under the pretence of Sacrifice it was yet called Rebellion and reputed as witchcraft a most abominable thing 1 Sam. 15. Job upbraids his friends with this irreligious piety saith he Job 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him Surely v. 10. he will reprove you for it Sin is so much the worse for being committed in the name of the Lord men thereby do as it were make God to serve the devils designs Nay 〈…〉 will be no excuse that men like 〈…〉 Judâ—â— c. sulfill the conâ—â—el and 〈◊〉 will i.e. determination of God as to what eventually shall be if they sin against his revealed will which is the rule by which men are to walk and to which they ought to be obedient â—o that by all this it plainly appears how that God witnesseth against sin that we may not sin for the good of any nor for any good no not for God 4 4 Threatning God witnesseth against sin by threatning men in case they sin he makes penal Statutes against 〈◊〉 in the day thou eatest the forbidden 〈◊〉 thou shalt surely die If sin were not an â—â—onourable thing surely God would not have 〈…〉 it on such peril on pain of death of 〈…〉 will be said under the execution of 〈…〉 and â—he just judgment of God 〈◊〉 ◠〈…〉 God is 〈◊〉 with the wicked and that wit 〈…〉 angry with 〈…〉 argues and 〈…〉 by them for he 〈◊〉 〈…〉 displease him 〈…〉 is nor that evil 〈…〉 God to 〈…〉 sometime to 〈…〉 judgment 〈…〉 â—â—gry wer◠〈…〉 God would not â—ebuke 〈…〉 who knows the pow 〈…〉 his â—nger and 〈…〉 â—appy they that 〈…〉 do nor withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him Job 9.13 the helpers of pride so 't is man is apt to be very proud and hath helpers of pride and 't is observeable that the word we read pride signifies strength also to denote that man is very apt to be proud of his strength but all the strong helpers of pride must stoop if he withdraw not his anger The strength of riches Prov. 10.15 the strength of friends and families Psa 49.7 strength and stoutness of spirit must all stoop if his anger break forth if he take but one of his arrows and discharge it against a sinner if he strike him but with one blow of his sword as the phrases are Psa 7 11.-14 Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish perishing is at the heels of his anger Psa 2.12 The fear or terror of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul Prov. 20.2 Oh what dread is there then from the anger of the King of Kings when God sets our iniquities before him we are consumed by his anger and troubled by his wrath Psa 90.7 Now we infer that if Gods anger be so terrible and 't is sin that makes God angry that certainly sin is extremely sinful contrary to God or else the God of all grace the God of patience whose name is Love would never be so angry at it and for it 5 God witnesseth against sin by this that it 5 Repentâ—â—â— and it only put him upon repenting that he had made man Gen. 6.5 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at his heart and v. 7. God saith It repenteth me that I have made them The repentance of God argues a very great dislike of and displeasure against the wickedness of man Time was though 't were but for a little while that there was no sin and then when God lookt on what he had made he was so far from repenting that 't was wholly hid from his eyes and he was infinitely pleased but when sin had spoil'd the fashion and beauty of his work then indeed he speaking after the manner of men grieves and repents So that 't is not the work of his hand but the work of mans heart that put God on repenting Is God man that he should repent oh what an horrible thing is that which puts the unchangeable God on changing for such a thing repentance is viz. a change It repented the Lord that he had set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15. and when men do wickedly God repents that he hath done them good Jer. 18 7.-10 If men do evil against God God repents of the good he hath done men but such is his goodness if men repent of their evil God will repent of the evil he thought to do unto them Now as that must be very good that puts God on repenting of the evil so undoubtedly that must be very evil that puts God on repenting of the good he hath done to man 8 God witnesseth against sin by the many great and severe judgments which he hath executed upon â— Executing judâ—ment as well as threatned to sinners and which he will in all Ages execute on many and to all Eternity on some sinners for what God hath done shews what God will do as the Apostle infers 2 Pet. 2.3 4 5 6. Sinners do hugely mistake God when they say evil is good in his sight or where is the God of judgment Mal. 2.17 and do no less forget themselves and what God hath done when they say all things continue as they were and therefore scoffingly say where is the promise of his coming viz. to judgment 2 Pet. 3. 'T is true if God should judge as fast as men sin the world would be depopulated and at an end quickly But his
done no wickedness she will sin to avoid the scandal of her sin When Gehazi had taken a reward by lying in his Masters name of Naaman the Syrian and was returned his Master askt him where he had been saith he thy servant hath been no where 2 Kings 5.15 16. He was so asham'd of what he had done he durst not own it and this is a clear discovery that sin is an ugly thing that sinners will not dare not stand to avow and justifie it But 2 It further appears that sin is an unpleasing thing and that which sinners are asham'd of that they dare not look into their actions nor call themselves to an account 'T is as troublesome a thing to sinners to look into themselves and to examine their lives as 't is for men that go backward in their estates to look into their books and cast up their accounts Jer. 8.5.6 Why is this people backslâ—dden with a perpetual back-slâ—ding and never look behind them nor within them no man said so much or little as what have I done They care not to be alone least the thoughts of their sins should stare them in the face they study divisions and pastimes and run into company least their sins like Ghosts and Devils should haunt and lay hold of them and when these are over they sleep away the rest of their time they cannot endure to be at home least a worse thing then a scolding woman an upbraiding Conscience should fall upon them they can afford no leisure to think how they have idled and sinn'd away and thereby worse then lost so much of their time Amos 6 3.-6 we read of persons on whose hands time lay heavy and as a burthen and therefore studied Arts and Methods of laying it aside that they may put the thoughts of the evil day far from them sometimes by lying on their beds and being weary of that they stretch themselves upon their Couches and then they fall to eating and drinking and so rise up to play and dance c. what doth all this speak but an unwillingness to have any sense of sin or but to look on its picture 't is so hellish a thing 3 It appears yet further by this that they will decry and punish that sin in others which themselves are guilty of the better to conceal their own or to compensate for it by being severe to others when a Thief hath stoln and robbed he is the first that makes Hue and Cry they are loth to be found the sinners themselves We read that though Judah was guilty of Incest himself yet how forward he was to punish fornication in Jamar his Daughter-in-law Genes 38. When our Saviour put the case to the Pharisees what the Lord of the Vineyard would do with the Husbandmen that had abused and beaten his servants and which was worse slain his son they could readily answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will miserably Gr. wickedly i.e. with a punishment great as their sin will be destroy these wicked men Mat. 21.41 Thus when they knew not whom they condemn'd they condemn'd themselves and their own sin ex ore tuo out of thine own mouth art thou condemn'd O sinner 'T is true the case was alter'd when he said that they were the men but by this we see that when men are not concern'd or seem not to be so how severe they are against sin yea when they do it to hide their own wickedness as John 8.7 8 9. 4 It s yet more apparent by this that they usually fly to the horns of the Altar to some fits of devotion and forms of godliness as if they would compound with God to save them What meant all the purifications sacrifices and attonements which the Heathens used but that a sense of guilt was too heavy to be born and what more common among men of better profession then to say just as soon as they have sinned Lord have mercy upon me God forgive me they kiss their Crucifix tell over their Beads and go to confession and what doth all this conclude but that they have even themselves being witnesses and judges they have been injurious to God and their own souls and that without reconciliation and pardon or one fancied at least they cannot be quiet 5. And lastly they fully declare against sin as sinful in that they desire to die the death of the righteous Balaam and others that lived not the life of the righteous but accounted their life madness yet reckon their end happy and therefore would that their own might be as theirs By this we see that no wicked man cares for sins wages and surely that work cannot be good whose wages is so bad that no man cares to receive it but oh that their after state may be with the righteous Numb 23.10 The wages of sin is death and the end of sin is death oh no such death no such wages says Balaam though they go hell-ward while they live yet they would fain go to heaven when they die and what is deduceable from hence more then this that sin is a damnable thing and though sinners seek their happiness in their misery yet 't is happiness they seek and when ever they find their disappointment they grow angry with themselves with sin the devil and all There is one exception that may be made against this witness true there are some pittiful sneaking sinners cowardly and timerous ones that are daunted at and asham'd of sin but there are others past shame fear and sense roaring Boys ranting and rampant sinners Rodomontado Blades that boast of their sin and glory in being wicked that take pleasure in things worthy of damnation and yet scorn to be frighted with terrible Preachers but will sin in the face of the Sun without a blush we will hear what these say and be judged by these brave Sparks and bold Fellows Be it so 1 With sorrow for them that have none for themselves 't is to be confest that there are some hardned sinners sunk into the image practise and it may be condemnation as well as snare of the devil himself yea they seem to outgo the devils for they believe and tremble which is more then some sinners do Godly men rejoyce with trembling but some ungodly men sin without trembling and rejoyce at it too But 2 This is a sad and dreadful judgment upon them worse then any affliction that could befall them of all judgments this the most terrible as being the Suburbs of hell it self to be punished for sin by sin is the worst of punishments when God saith of a person or people he will let them go they shall take their course and not be punished viz. by bodily and sensible plagues he punisheth them most and worst of all To denote the greatness of it 't is three times said in Scripture Rom. 1. that God gave them up and gave them over v. 24.26.28 'T is no wonder men act the devils part when they
are under the devils doom 3 This therefore speaks no more in commendation of sin then a Bedlams going naked and enduring without feeling the pricks of pins in his flesh commends his condition Is it any part of handsommess to have a whores sorehead Shall we make blind men judges of colours or dead men of the affairs of the living and their concerns Who would take the judgment of them that are void of judgment and given up to a reprebate mind If men have lost their senses and will say Snow is black Honey is bitter c. shall we believe them But yet there 's none of these but will at one time or another bear witness against sin and blush at their own impudence Have you not heard Pharaoh saying who is the Lord and yet hardned as he was the same Pharaoh saying I have sinned against the Lord God hath ways enough to bring them to confession they who were once so wild as to call the Saints lives madness were at last tame enough to call themselves fools for 't we fools counted their lives madness There is a time coming when all these daring and impudent sinners will sneak and be asham'd either the grace or the judgment of God will awaken them out of their dead sleep and then though they dreamt of a feast they will be hungry then the mouth will confess the eyes weep the cheeks blush the hands smite on the thigh the heart bleed and break Cain feels little till he hear God calling from heaven and tell him he was accursed then sin became heavy in its punishment yea intollerable Gen. 4 9.-13 Judas makes merry a while and chinks his 30 Pieces but anon cannot endure the money nor himself but went to his own place The Prodigal gallants it long but yet at last cries peccavi I find 3 Times when 〈◊〉 sinners have confest their sin 1 In a day of affliction when the plagues of God have taken hold of them and the judgments of God have been heavy upon them The story of Pharaoh is too long to rehearse and that of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4 Oh how did God stoop their stout hearts and bring them on their knees Sinners that are shameless and seem to dare heaven and challenge God himself and scoff at his threatnings will then be made to change their note and to weep instead of singing another or the second part to the same tune Josephs Brethren that were shameless in Canaan were asham'd in Aegypt and cry'd out Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother The cruel Adonibezek would acknowledge the Justice of Gods retaliation Oh tell me what your Desperadoes will say in distress and on a Death bed if they do not then awake and repent yet 2 In the day of judgment the great and terrible day of the Lord they will be asham'd they that run now to all exâ—â—â—se of riot will not be able to stand then the wicked shall not stand in judgment they will then quake and tremble horror will take hold of and arrest them they will not stand to justifie themselves nor to be justified by any other they will be found specchless without a word to say for themselves or their sins as he that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment if the righteous be scarcely saved or with difficulty where shall the sinners and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4.18 See how they run away and would fain hide themselves Revel 6.15 c. 5 In the day of Eternity that long everlasting day then when they are in hell they will will confess the sinfulneâ—s of sin the place of torment will extort the consession of sin as it dâ—d from Dives Luke 16. Where 's the rusâ—ling of Silk and Sattin now where are the dainty bitâ— the generous wines and all the deceitful pleasures of sin now Alas though they have no pitty shown them they will pitty others and wish that none might come into that place of torment then they will cry out oh sinful sin oh devillish and hellish sin So much shall suffice to have spoken of this and thereby to have evinced the sinfulness of sin from the confession of wicked men I now proceed to call in other witnesses 4 4 The whole Creation witnesseth against sin As God Angels and men have witnessed against sin so the whole Creation doth witness against sin not one creature between or in heaven and earth or under the earth whither animate or inanimate but proclaim the sinfulness of sin not only the sensible but insensible creatures can find a tongue and language to speak against sin And that 1 With respect to themselves 2 With respect to God and man 1 The whole Creation witnesseth against sin as having done them a great deal of wrong and injury that sin hath deprived them of their priviledge that they are not now as when they came out of Gods hand and were made by him When God lookt on all that he had made behold it was very good Gen. 1.31 But ah how are things alter'd since sin came into the world The Angels he hath charged with folly Job 4.18 The Heavens are not clean in his sight Job 15.15 Man in his best now estate is altogether vanity Psa 39.5 The Earth is under a curse Gen. 3.17 18. Yea the whole Creation groans Rom. 8.21 22. The whole Universe as the Learned Grotius clearly observes and notes beside many others as well as he The Apostle had three times said the Creature v. 19 20 21. and yet more fully v. 22. The whole Creation or every creature is subject to vanity and under the bondage of corruption which makes it groan and puts it to pain as a woman in travel as if it cry'd out Oh sinful sin I was free born and though under dominion yet not under bondage I did once serve man freely but now from fear Gen. 9.2 I did nothing of my self may every creature that is under his power say to man to make me liable to bondage but being thy goods and chattels I suffer a part of the penalty of thy Treason if thou hadst not sinned I had not suffer'd but now I groan and wait to be deliver'd from the bondage of thy corruption Oh sinful sin 2 The Creation witnesseth against sin with respect to God and man For 1 It teacheth man many duties 2 It convinceth man of many a sin 1 The Creatures teach man his duty in general and many special ones In general they do all in their courses and places praise God and fulfill his word as you may read at large Psa 14.8 Rev. 5.13 Never did any creature but the fallen Angels and man transgress the Law or disobey the word of their Creator they are such good servants that when God bids them them go they go come and they come do this and they do it and by this they teach man to do what God bids him and what a sinful thing 't is to break his Law and to
meaning of this Text viz. that the law kept us in awe and bondage by its severity until Christ came Compare this Text with Ch. 4 1 2 3. The heir as he is a Child or Babe differs nothing from a servant but is under Tutors and Governours so we saith the Apostle were in bondage c. To be under Tutors is all one as to be under a Schoolmaster and that 's to be in a condition of bondage Many go to School with an ill will for they go to the Ferula to the Rod to the Whip to bondage to fear and torment the law doth nothing but frown on us puts us hard tasks and lasheth us for non-performance till Christ come and till we come to Christ as the Aegyptians did the Israelites Exod. 5.14 The law is the state of bondage and fear the very children are all subject to bondage through fear of death Hebr. 2.14 15. This also argues the sinfulness of sin that it made the law such a dread and terrour to us as it is to all till Christ come who is the end of the law for righteousness Rom. 10.4 and so takes off the Schoolmasters terribleness by taking us into the university of an higher and better state viz. that of believing in him for righteousness by which we come to have a spirit not of fear but of power of love and of a sound mind as S. Paul speaks 2 Tim. 1.7 5 The law silenceth man from making any complaint how great soever the judgment of God be upon him Mark what to whom and to what end and purpose the law speaketh Rom. 3.19 that every mouth be stopt All the world must be silent when God speaks judgment for all are guilty If living man complain he hath this answer presently and in short 't is for his sin Lam. 3.39 There 's no room for one that hath finned to complain when he is judged a sinner and yet complain Oh I I am punish'd 't is for sin now this stops his mouth Man hath no reason to enter into judgment with God when God enters into judgment with man O what a wicked thing is sin that hath brought man into such a condition that he cannot speak one word for himself if he should open his mouth the law would stop it by saying but this thou hast sinned The Law tells man that he is without excuse and therefore 't is in vain to plead all on this side hell is mercy for 't is the Lords mercy we are not consumed and hell it self is just judgment under this or that any or all judgment man under the law the sentence and condemnation of the law hath no cause to complain he must be silent for and because he hath sinned 6 And lastly The law leaves a man without hope when it hath once past sentence on man there 's no reversing it by the law Hope is one of the last succours and when this fails the heart breaks and sinners as they are without hope so they are broken-hearted Christ came to save sinners and to heal the broken-hearted men without hope Is 61.1 men that were in a desperate and despairing state The law condemns without mercy Hebr. 10.28 it leaves no place for hope from it if you present it with Petitions never so many and seek a pardon with tears the law is inexorable he is cursed and shall be cursed saith the law Now if there be any reprieve or hope of pardon that 's from the grace of heavens Prerogative which is above the Law and can revoke and disannul its sentence yea bestow a blessing where the law denounced a curse but the law it self admits of no altering 't is like that of the Medes and Persians peremptory and unalterable quod scripsi scripsi what I have written I have written saith the Law In all these respects sin by the Commandment and the law doth become and appear to be exceeding sinful But If it should be said by any that though the law be severe to sinners yet the Gospel is propitious and merciful to them and therefore sin seems not now at least to be so vile a thing as heretofore To this I shall answer and make it evident 6 That the Gospel also bears witness yea 6 The Gospel witnesseth against sin and is the greatest and clearest testimony that 's born against sin Though sinners find favour from the Gospel yet sin finds none The Gospel is not in the least indulgent to the least sin The whole voice of the Gospel is these things are written that ye sin not The Gospel is the Declaration of the life and death the design and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ which was and is all against sin The design of Christ was indeed to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 but to destroy sin Rom. 8.3 1 Joh. 3.5 with 8. he came to save his people from their sins he came not to save from the petty and contemptible evils of reproaches and afflictions c. but from the great and formidable evil of sin from the guilt for time past and the power for time to come he came to redeem us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 And this is the blessing with which he blesseth us to turn us every one away from every one of our iniquities Acts 3.26 so that whoever names and calls upon the Name of the Lord i.e. makes profession of being a Christian is thereby obliged to depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 How â—he life and death of our holy and blessed Saviour did witness against sin I declared before I shall now treat of the doctrine of â—he Gospel which doth so fully comport with and is adequately fitted to his aim and design viz. the taking away of sin The sum of Gospel Doctrine preacht by Christ himself and confirmed to us by them that heard him was and is repentance and faith Mark 1.15 and under these the Apostle compriseth the whole counsel of God Acts 20.21 with 27. both these doctrines speak aloud against sin as exceeding sinful Repent saith the Apostle for the remission of sins what an evil is that which man must repent of and none but the God of all grace rich in mercy can remit and forgive And which forgiveness argues him to be a God of great love rich in mercy c. or else sin could not be forgiven it being easier to heal diseases c. then to forgive sins as our Saviour tells us Mat 9.5 6. 'T is the manifestation of his power according to what Moses said in prayer let the power of my Lord be great to pardon c. Numb 14 17.-20 Repentance takes in many things it s made up of sorrow and shame confession and reformation all and every of which speak sins sinfulness Repent that your sins may be blotted out Acts 3.19 If sin be not blotted out man is undone his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life as Repentance so Faith speaks against sin Faith speaks men to
be void of righteousness and life for they both are by faith and as if men repent not they will not be forgiven so if they believe not they will be damned for not only they that know not God but they that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will have vengeance taken on them and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord 2 Thes 1.8 9. And how can they escape i. e. there 's no possibility of escaping this great damnation that neglect the great salvation Hebr. 2.3 Let us take the Doctrine of the Gospel apart and 't is as in the whole so in every part of it against sin not one Gospel doctrine but the application of it is and is to be made against sin Tit. 2.11 The grace of God bringing salvation or the saving grace of God hath appear'd to all men and so is against the sin of all men and against all sin teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts not one excepted and to live soberly as to our selves righteously as to others and godlily to God in this present world i e. all the daies of our life as 't is Luke 1.74 75. The Gospel is a witness against the old man with all his corrupt affections passions lusts and deeds and is all for new light and knowledge new love and affection new life and conversation and its design is that man be no longer an old but a new creature Eph. 4 17.-25 2 Cor. 5.17 'T is against all sin and for all righteousness and holiness 't is against hypocrisie and for truth against formality and for spirit and power More particularly 1 The Doctrinal part Of the Gospel is against sin 2 The Mandatory part Of the Gospel is against sin 3 The Promising part Of the Gospel is against sin 4 The Menacing part Of the Gospel is against sin 5 The Exemplary part Of the Gospel is against sin 6 The â—â—â—rimental part Of the Gospel is against sin 1 The Doctrinal part yea that which flesh and blood is apt to interpret as an incouragement to sin and takes occasion from it to abuse it As 1 The Doctrine of Gods free and abounding grace Rom. 5.20 21. S. Paul had taught that where sin abounded grace did much more abound and grace did reign to eternal life Hereupon Ch. 6.1 some were apt to take occasion to sin as if they were encouraged by grace but oh with what detestation and abhorrency doth the Apostle speak against it Shall we sin either because grace doth or that grace may abound God forbid and when men would do evil that good might come of it he speaks like a Son of Thunder and tells them their damnation is just Rom. 3.8 and S. Jude writes an Epistle purposely against them that turn the grace of God into wanconness perverting the end of grace calling them ungodly men and men ordain'd to this condemnation Jude 4. 2 The Doctrime of Redemption by the blood and death of Jesus Christ Christ Jesus died for our sins and some wicked wretches are apt to conclude that they may live in sin because Christ hath died for sin but he died for sin that we might die to sin Rom. 6. and gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie us to himself Tiâ— 2.14 the death of Christ calls for dying to sin and living to him that died for us 2 Cor. 5. 3 The doctrine of priviledges is against sin God hath dignified his people and given them titles of honor such a◠〈◊〉 when them of Caesars and Emperours are but 〈…〉 behold it as a matter of wonder 〈…〉 of love the Father hath 〈…〉 that we should be called 〈…〉 God! 1 Joh. 3.1 And you saith S. Peter of believers 1 Pet. 2 9. are a chosen generation a Royal Priesthood and which is more glorious an holy Nation Oh therefore abstain from fleshly lusts therefore shew forth the virtues and by them the praises of him who hath called you out of your marvellous darkness into his marvellous light 4 The Doctrine of judgment to come is against sin wicked men scoff at this 2 Pet. 3. and think if they may be let alone till thaâ— day they shall do well enough but remember for all things thou must come to judgment and therefore learn to fear God and keep his Commandments as the wiâ—e man teacheth Eccl. 12.13 14. and the Apostle speaking of the day of judgment says knowinâ— the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 viz. not to sin but to live in righteousness and holiness Seeing this must be what oh what manner of persons should we be in all holy conversations and godlinesses for the Greek is plural yea and to take heed not to fall into the errors of the wicked but to grow in grace as S. Peter concludes 2 Pet. 3 1â—.17.18 all the Doctrine of the Bible from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations is a continual preaching and witnessing against sin 2 The Mandatory the commanding and exhorting part of the Gospel witnesseth against sin What are men commanded and exhorted to but to serve God in righteousness and true holiness all the daies of their life to depart from iniquity as from the way to hell and walk holily in Christ Jesus as the way of heaven Yea God condescends so far as to entreat men to be reconciled that they may be happy 2 Cor 5.20 and what doth this speak but that sin is both displeasing to God and destructive to man that it is sinful sin 3 The promising part and promises of the Gospel are all against sin God hath given to us exceeding great Gr. the greatest and precious promises that by these we might escape the pollutions of the world through lust and be made partakers of a Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and that having these promises we should cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit to perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Promises of good are against the evil of sin 4 The Menacing and threatning part of the Gospel is against sin God threatens before men sin that they may not sin to prevent sin and he threatens after men have sinned that they may repent of sin 't is not only the Law but the Gospel also that threatens sinners and with no less then damnation Mark 16.16 and when any have sinned God threatens the execution of threatnings if they do not repent as Rev. 2.5.16.22 Ch. 3.3.19 This also witnesseth against sin 5 The Exemplary part doth the examples recorded in the Gospel do witness against sin as the examples of the Old Testament so them of the New are registred as witnesses against sin The examples of good men and good things are set up as way marks to shew us what to do the examples of the wicked as Sea-marks to shew us what to avoid the good examples are that we may not sin by omission of good
the flesh and spirit as if it were one with us as the Leopards spots and the Aethiopians blackness There was a leprosie so inveterate that though they scrapt the house round about and within and threw out the dust though they took other stones and mortar yet it return'd again Levit. 14. When distempers become as it were natural and are in the constitution they are hard to be cured 't is not easie obliterating that which is written with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond 't is difficult to soften an heart of stone Beside this filthiness hath had long possession even time out of mind it pleads prescription so long a Custom is become a Law and as another Nature Jer. 13.23 yea to shew how hard 't is to be cured and rooted out we may observe that very forceable means have bin used for the cleansing of it yet it hath not been done God poured out a whole flood of water which washt away most sinners yet sin as I may say kept above water and was found alive and strong after the flood When God sent fire and brimstone Hell as an Ancient calls it from Heaven on that Center of sin Sodom c. yet sin got out with Lot and his daughters Fire and water are very cleansing and purifying things yet these you see have not done it When others sinned the Earth swallowed them up yet sin remained it did not dye the same sins are still in the world after all these judgments Even in the Saints themselves with all the forces that Faith can make 't is very hardly kept under but the flesh will be lusting against the spirit and when their affections do not cleave to sin yet sin will cleave to their affection and it makes them cry out as burthen'd with St. Paul Wretch that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death the victory is by Christ Iesus 't is death kills sin And yet 4. It lives in its effects when we are dead and gone for it follows us to our grave and there it rots our bodies when it can no longer reach our souls to make them vile it yet forbears not to make our bodies putrid and vile He that sinned not saw no corruption but we that sinned do and stink within a few days as Lazarus did Oh sinful and infectious sin Thus far of the names of sin and how they witness against sin there remains only one thing more to witness against it and that is the second thing I mentioned as to sin witnessing against it self Viz. 2. The Arts or Artifices that sin useth to disguise it self if sin were not an ugly thing would it wear a vizard or if it had not evil designs would it walk disguised and change its name truth is not ashamed of its name or nakedness it can walk openly and boldly but sin is a cheat a lye and therefore lurks privily and puts on false names and colours for if it should appear like it self as it sooner or later will to all for conversion or confusion it would fright men into dying fits as it did the Apostle and when they come to themselves ingage men to abhor and hate it as he and the Prodigal did Men would never be so hardy as they are to sin but that sin hardens them and hardens them by deceiving them as the Apostle speaks Heb. 3.13 take heed lest any be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Sin useth all manner of Arts Methods and Devices as Satan doth to draw us in to inveigle us it puts many tricks upon us and hath all the faculties and knacks of deceiving and cheating us I may truly say that sin hath not learnt but taught all the deceits the dissimulations flatteries and false policies that are found in Courts the Stratagems of War the Sophisms and fallacies of the Schools the Frauds of Tradesmen whether in City or Country the Tricks of Cheaters and Juglers the Ambuscadoes of Thieves the Pretensions of false Friends the several Methods of false Teachers and whatever else there is of Consenage in the World and practiseth them all upon us to make us sin And though it be impossible to reckon up all the particular ways whereby the deceitful hearts and sins of men abuse them yet I will instance in a few that it may be for a warning to sinners and a witness against sin and then conclude this part of our Discourse 1. Sometimes sin perswades us that such or such a thing is no sin though it look like a sin as the Devil dealt by Eve at first and so deceiv'd her she was a little jealous and shy that what the Serpent put her upon was evil but he cunningly insinuates that however it seem'd to her yet that it was not so This way is the pride and wantonness of persons upheld that though these things are appearances of evil yet they are not evil but alas 't is next to being a sinner to look like a sinner appearance in good is too little in evil 't is too much 't is a very hard thing to look like a sinner to talk and garb it like a sinner and not to be one and which is the worst on 't 't is more then likely that what the Devil grants to be like a sin is a sin and they that are perswaded otherwise are deceived by him as Eve was 't is great odds but if we do like the picture we shall like the thing though an Idol be no God nor like him yet God hath utterly forbidden graven images for they are of the Devils carving If this prevails not then 2 It would perswade that though it may be a sin in another yet rebus sic stantibus all things consider'd it can be none in thee because thou art necessitated as for a poor man to steal but no man is necessitated to sin though under necessity sin is sin in any in all for though temptations may mitigare and eâ—cuse à tanto yet they do not excuse à toto from its being a sin or make it no sin 3 'T is but one and but this once If sin be good why but once if evil why once one sin though but once is one and once too much Beside when the Serpents head is in 't is hard keeping out the whole body one makes way for another 't is almost impossible to sin once and but once Yet then fourthly saith sin 't is but a little one that cannot be a little sin which is against a great God and deserves so great a punishment as death for the wages of sin of every single sin is death Rom. 6.23 I but saith sin 5 't is in secret none will see it but this is a cheat for 't is impossble to sin so secretly but there will be two Witnesses God and Conscience know all the sins that men commit I but saith sin 6 thou wilt hate it and dread it ever after as some go to Mass that they
may distasie it and to Plays to see the folly of them but who would be a burnt child to dread the firâ—â— 't is bad making such costly experiments as may cost us the loss of our souls 't is dangerous medling with that which is an appearance and may be an occasion of evil much more to parley and tamper with sin it self But then 7 saith sin I promise thee thou shalt get by it so much profit so much pleasure so much honour shalt thou have by it but sins gain is loss he that gets the world by a sin pays too dear for it for 't is the loss at least the hazard of his soul the pleasures of sin are grievous its honours disgraces and shame Did not our first Parents sind it so and do not we the Apostle appeals Rom. 6.21 the precious substance promised ends in a pernicious shadow and the spoils we get by sin do but spoil us Sin promiseth like a God but pays like a Devil sin tells us we shall not dye but live like Gods but we find nothing but death and such a life as they have in Hell Sins performances are contrary to its promises it promiseth gold and 〈◊〉 dross If any man have a mind to true miseâ—â—es let him take sins falle promiset Well but then 8 saith sin others do it and why mayest not thou 'T is not what others do but what they ought to do that we are to follow we must not follow any man nor a multitude of men to do evil if others will venture their damnation what 's that to us 't will be no solamen miseris socios habuisse no comfort to have had companions in sin and to meet them again in Hell I but saith sin 9 't is but repent and God will forgive thee to this we have to say that he who promised forgiveness to them that repent hath not promised repentance to them that sin beside if sin were to cost no more but repentance one in his wits would be loth to buy repentance at so dear a rate Repentance though it may free from greater yet it puts men to more grief and pain then ever sin could afford them pleasure I but saith sin 10 thou hast scapt well enough hitherto no evil hath yet befallen thee to this say it may be 't is so much the worse and not to be punished may be the worst punishment Isa 1.5 Hos 4.14 17. but what will it cost if God do awaken me if not that what will it cost when God shall damn me But then saith sin 11 't is but thine infirmity thou canst not help it this is a thing tell sin that none but fools and children can pretend to beside to plead for infirmities is more then an infirmity and that which is but an infirmity to day may become a disease to morrow if not prevented when once the will is ingaged 't is past an infirmity and is become a sin If these or other like do not prevail then it speaks more openly Sin saith Sin either there 's no such thing there 's no difference between good and evil as all things come alike to all so all things are alike or saith Sin evil is good in Gods sight else he would judge it Mal. 2.17 his silence bids thee think that he is such an one as thy self Psal 50. but here tell sin that this defeats and confutes it self and proves nothing more clear then that sin is exceeding sinful if there be no sin or no difference between good and evil to what purpose are these different words used by sin to prove that there is no difference to say 't is only in imagination and not real is to deny that there is any such thing as sense and conscience which every man ownes and cannot deny without denying himself and God to be Between good and evil there is more difference then between light and darkness life and death ease and pain food and poyson and yet these are real and not the differences of our fancy only That all things come alike to all is not always true there are contrary Instances and to say That all things are alike is never true but is a manifest contradiction To say that evil is good in Gods sight and that he is such an one as a sinner is to deny God to be for if he be not good and just he is not God but this speaks men willfully ignorant for the flood that drowned the old World and the fire that fell from Heaven on Sodom the Judgments which God executes in the Earth continually of which before do all witness that God is displeased with and the avenger of sin as his giving us rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons are witnesses that he is good and doth good and that his Sun shines and his rain falls on the unjust as well as just is a greater argument of his goodness which calls for repentance and that also doth witness that sin is evil And indeed over and above If sin were not exceeding sinful what need it use all these tricks and subterfuges if it were not and its deeds were not evil why doth it avoid the light Why like a false Coyner doth it put the King of Heavens stamp on its base metal Why doth Jacob call himself Esau and counterfeit his Brother if sin were not abominable Why do the Gibeonites pretend to come from far if they had not a mind to be unknown if it were not false and a Robber why doth it creep in privily climb up another way and avoid the door Why doth it flatter and deceive Why doth it never keep promise but breaks all that it ever made 't is because it is sinful sin Having shewn what sin is wherein its sinfulness consuts and proved it by many witnesses even it self being one before I come to the fourth thing viz. the application and improvement of this Doctrine I shall in brief sum up the charge against sin That which sin is accuseâ—d for and proved to be guilty of is High treason against God and that it attempts no less then the dethroning and ungoding of God himself that it hath unman'd man made him a fool a beast a Devil and subjected him to the wrath of God and made him lyable to eternal damnation It hath made men deny God to be or affirm him to be like themselves It hath put the Lord of Life to death and shamefully crucified the Lord of Gâ—ory It is always resisting the Holy Ghost it 's continually practising the defilement the dishonour the deceiving and the destruction of all men Ob what a prodigious monstrous devillâ—sh thing is sin 't is impossible to speak worse of it then or so bad of it as it is for 't is hyberbolically sinful there 's want in the words that are and need of more and worse words then there are any to speak its vileness to say 't is worse then death and devil the very Hell of Hell
desert and therefore though its punishment be so 't is but just Seeing sin contains all evil 't is not strange that its punishment should be answerable and proportionate That all sin should undergo all misery is not unjust God renders sufferings to man but according to his doings Jer. 17.10 3. The judgment of God is just if we consider the state of sinners wherein they dye which is a state of impenitency and they have thereby treasured up this wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2.5 They that dye impenitent continue as they dye and so consequently do sin and are impenitent for ever and is it or shall it seem unreasonable that everlasting sinning should be everlastingly punished 'T is no severity in God to damn such men for ever let man repair the injury he hath done and pay the debt he owes God to the utmost farthing and he shall go free if he say he cannot that 's his crime as well as misery for he might have chosen whether he would have done the injury and run into this debt Beside he cannot plead satisfaction made by Christ for he made none for final unbelief and impenitency and this man never accepting Christ on Gospel-terms cannot plead his Name or Righteousness to God and there is not Salvation in any other so that upon all accounts sins sinfulness clears the Justice and Judgments of God But though Gods Judgment be just how great soever on sinners yet he is pleased to pardon and forgive some sinners and therefore I shall thirdly shew how precious a mercy forgiveness of sin is Forgiveness of sin a wonder of mercy and that 't is a wonder that any is pardoned The preciousness of this mercy viz. forgiveness of sins appears in this That 't is 1 New Covenant-mercy the new Covenant is called a better Covenant and its Promises better Promises Heb. 8.6 the old Covenant that of works vouchsafed no pardon but this is the mercy of the new Covenant viz. that of grace Heb. 8 12. Forgiveness of sins is 2 The fruit of the precious blood of Christ which was shed to this end that must needs be precious that cost so great a price 1 Pet. 1 18. we were redeemed with no less then blood and no worse blood then that of the Lamb and Son of God which Redemption is called Forgiveness of sins Eph. 1.7 Col. 1.14 Yea 3 By forgiveness of sins we have the knowledge of Salvation pardoned and saved Luke 1.77 they that have their sins remitted are blest and shall be blessed Rom. 4.8 And then 4 By this mercy of sins forgiveness we have ease and rest for our souls and cause to be of good theer the sense of pardon will take away the sense of pain Isa 33 24. what sick when pardoned no I am no more sick when sin is taken away the abiding of sickness is as nothing The sense of sin makes us sick but the sense of pardon makes us well that we can say as Psal 116.7 return my soul unto thy rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee a man sensible of sin and not of pardon can hardly sleep or take any rest but when the joyful sound of a pardon is proclaimed and received the soul justified by faith hath peace with God and within himself and is at rest Though the sick of the palsie was not cured yet he had cause to be of good cheer because his sins were forgiven him Mat. 9.2 This is called speaking comfortably or to the heart Isa 40.1 2. comfort ye comfort ye my people speak comfortably to Ierusalem tell her that her warfare is accomplished is that all no but which iâ— more tell her that her iniquity is pardoned 'T is a greater comfort to hear that our sins are pardoned thâ—n that our afflictions are at an end it makes us able as well as willing to undergo affliction sufferings and persecutions Now if we consider what a sinful thing sin is against God how displeasing to him 't is a wonderful thing that God should pardon any manâ— sin God doth more then man can do for himself or expect that God should do for him yea it costs God more witness the blood of Christ and requires more of his power then to heal all our diseases and bestow all the good of this world upon us Our Saviour tells us 't is easier to say to an impotent man Arise take up thy bed and walk then to say Thy sins are forgiven thee and 't is a declaration of his power Mat. 9.5 and when Moses prays for pardon of Israels sin saith he let the power of the Lord be great Numb 14.17 19. 't is called Riches of mercy Eph. 2.4 and great love and such power as by which Christ was and we are raised from the dead Col. 2.13 Eph. 1.7 Oh who is a God likâ— unto thee that pardonest iniquity Micah 7.18 This is the Mystery that Angels pry into and admire 1 Pet. 1.12 God doth as 't were act against his own word Gen. 2.17 he revokes his threatning 't is more then we could ask or think 't is beyond our reach as 't is exprest Iâ—â— 55.7 8 9. Men when sensible of sin can hardly belleve that God will or can do it but are apt to say as Cain our iniquity is greater then can be forgiven Mans mercy is large when it reacheth to seven times what is God then that reacheth to more then seventy times seven in a day Mat. 18.21 When good men have prayed Lord forgive them not Isa 2.9 Jer. 18.23 yet God hath pardoned and when himself was so put to it as to say How shall I pardon thee for this Jer. 5 3. yet God offers it and teacheth men what to say to him in such cases Hos 14.1 4. that it may be done 4. I infer from hence Sin not to be committed oâ— any terms whatsoever that no sin is to be committed on any terms or on any account or reason whatsoever because 't is contrary to God against his will and glory this reason over-ballanceth and out-weighs any reason that can be given for sinning let sin and sinners plead never so plausibly how gainful or pleasureful sin is yet as 't was said of a Roman Embassador Romanus tamen 't is a sin i. e. 't is against God which is a greater reason why it should not then any can be alledged why it should be committed or so much as debated whether it should or not for no reason can equal this that 't is against God 'T is a common saying by which persons excuse their own and other mens sins that they are no mans foes but their own they wrong none but themselves if that were as true as 't is false yet therefore sin should not be committed but sinners are Gods foes they are injurious to God which is more then being so to any other or themselves as we should do good not
peace though we walk in the imaginations of our heart to add drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare them but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against them and when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction will come upon them as travel upon a woman with child and there will be no escaping 1 Thes 5.3 There are some other inferences yet to be spoken to and of them I shall say but a few things in brief Time spent in sin is worse then lost Sin being so sinful 2. I infer that time spent in sin is worse then lost Most of the pastime in the world is lost time but sinning time or time spent in sin is worse then lost it must be accounted for and who can give a good account of evil doing while men live in sin they do nothing but undo themselves Man was not sent into this world only to eat drink sleep and play much less to sin yea that he might not sin but as into a great Work-house to work for the glory of God Joh. 17.4 and so to work out his own Salvation and that with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 but they that live in sin work out their damnation and many times without fear or trembling of which they will have great store when they come to receive their just doom and damnation Time is a most precious Commodity for on this moment depends Eternity and as men sow in this seed-time they will reap in that harvest Time is a Prophet for Eternity as men live here they are like to live for ever they that sow sin must reap death Galat. 6.8 Time is to be redeemed Eph. 5.16 and every day to be numbred greatly valued and improved that we may apply our hearts to wisdom Psal 90.12 and this is wisdom the fear of the Lord and this understanding to depart from evil Job 28.28 This is wisdom to know and do what is the acceptable will of God Mat. 7.24 Eph. 5 15-17 We may be said to be but not to live if we live not to God and all time that is not so spent is but mis-spent and worse then lost poor distracted persons that have lost their understanding They that mock at sin are worse then fools wear out their days to less loss and disadvantage then sinners do 3. Then they that make a mock at sin are worse then fools and mad-men fools make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 tell them as Lot did his sons in Law the danger they are in the judgments that hang over their head and our is to them as Lot was to them as one that mocketh Gen. 19.14 they laugh at it as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sinners and as if they that preach against sin were but ridiculous persons It s a sport to fools to do mischief Prov. 10.23 and there are that sport themselves in their way to Hell as if 't were but a recreation Oh what fools are they that laugh at their own folly and destruction too 'T is a devilish nature in us to mock at the calamity of others but to laugh at our own seems to be worse then devilish There are many too many that mourn under affliction yet laugh over their sins that sigh weep when they feel any burden on their bodies but make merry at that which destroys their soul Can any thing be more mad then these that laugh mock and make sport at that which is a burden and weariness to God Isa 1.14 Amos 2.13 which is the wounding piercing and crucifying of Christ Jesus Zach. 12.10 Heb. 6.6 which is a grief to the Spirit of Consolation Eph. 4.30 which is a trouble to holy Angels Luke 15. which is a wrong to and the undoing of their own souls Prov. 8.36 and such is sin 4. It cannot be well with men in their sin Sin being so sinful infectious and pernicious it can never be well with a man how well soever he be while he is in his sins Was it well with Dives though he fared deliciously every day no it was better with Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores for that 's welâ— that ends well which it never doth with sinners if judgment be not executed speedily 't will surely for they are condemned already being sons of death and perdition No man hath cause to envy the prosperity of sinners 't is not good enough to be envied but 't is bad enough to be pitied they are but fatted and thereby fitted to destruction Prov. 1.32 the prosperity of fools shall destroy them their folly alone doth it but their prosperity doth double it and do it with a vengeance the prosperous sinner is in the worst case of all sinners they are set in slippery places and shall be cast down from their height to the depth of destruction Psal 73.18 5. Sin being so sinful It concerns us to be religious betimes it greatly concernes persons and hugely obligeth them to be religious betimes that they may prevent a great deal of sin which without being early religious and strictly so they cannot possibly do how precious and dear should that be to us which prevents the being of what is so pernicious and destructive how industriously careful should we be to keep our selves from that which will keep us from happiness and how ambitious to enjoy that which capacitates us for the enjoying of God for ever and gives us the first-fruits of it here We cannot be too soon nor too much religious but the sooner and more the better If ever you mean to be religious there is no time more proper then now the present now no day to to day Eccl. 12.1 remember now thy Creators as the word is viz. God in Christ for he â—reated all things by Christ Jesus Eph. 3.9 Col. 1.16 Remember now in the days of thy youth before the evil days come when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them not only no pleasure in the evil days of sickness death and judgment that evil day which I put far from me but I have none in the remembrance of my youthful days Youth is the most proper season of all our days and now is the most proper season of all our youth to remember God in If you say we will do that when we are old 't is now spring-time with us and no month to May we will think of Religion in a Winters night Oh do not boast of to morrow as young as thou art thou art old enough to dye this night thy soul may be taken from thee and be in Hell to morrow Take the Wise-mans counsel Eccl. 11.9 Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes yes Sir with all our heart we will take this counsel we like it well this is pleasing Doctrine
we had rather mind this then to be holy we will be dehonaire and jovial we care not for severe Preachers of strictness and devotion we will laugh and sing drink and dance away our time while we have it c. But mistake not Solomon speaks Ironically and hath something else to say take all and then if thou rejoyce 't will be with trembling rejoyce but let thy heart cheer thee but walk in thâ— ways of thine heart and eyes but but what Know thou that for all these things thou musâ— come to judgment and how wilt thou answer for thy vanities and follies thy pride and wantonness thy drunkenness and debauchery then Oh remember thy Creator before that evil day come and prevent a life of sin which is the miserablest life in the world and God hath promised that if thou seek him early thou shalt find him and in finding him thou findest all Prov. 8 17-21 Remember him in thy youth for memory is then in its prime and most flourishing shall he that gave thee thy being and memory be forgotten by thee If God should not remember thee what would become of thee and see what 's like to become of thee if thou forget God Psal 50.22 How good how excellent soever thy memory be I am sure thou hast a very bad one if thou forget and do not remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth The young mans glory is his strength whether of memory c. and wilt thou give thy strength to sin which is due to God Mark 12.30 Gods Sacrifices were to be young the first ripe fruits and the first-born which is the strength Gen. 49.3 were to be dedicated to God and he will not be put off with less now Gods chiefest Worthies have been and are his young men 1 Joh. 2.13 14. Gods men of valour are young men the Princes of this World like the Romans of old make up their Armies of young men the flower of their Army is Romana juventus of young and strong men and shall the King of Kings be put off with what 's decrepit and worn out no he will not Mal. 1.8.13.14 go offer it to thy Governour will he be pleased with or accept such persons no nor will God who is a great King the Lord of Hosts whose Name is dreadful They that have been religious betimes are greatly famed and honoured in and by the Scripture-Records God is taken with and remembers the kindness of their youth Jer. 2.2 Abel though dead is yet spoken of with an honourable testimony even that of God himself for serving God so young and so well Heb. 11.4 Joseph was very early religious so was Samuel Jeroboams little Son is not to be forgotten for God hath honoured him King Josiah Daniel and the three Children or young men of Israel are all inrolled in the Court of Honour and Heaven And in the New Testament St. John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved his Bosom-favourite and Darling and the reason usually given is because he came to Christ and became his Disciple while yet very young 't is the command of Timothy that he knew the Scriptures from a Child 2 Tim. 3.15 Many Parents are afraid to have serious and divine things taught their children lest it make them melancholy and dispirit them but is there any thing better to fit them for service to God oâ— man then Religion or any spirit comparable to that true greatness and gallantry of spirit which is in being afraid to sin We should teach children moral and religious courage and bravery which is more in fearing to sin then tâ— dye and to make Moses his choice to prefer thâ— reproaches of Christ before the treasures anâ— pleasures of this world and this way are theâ— like to attain better names and greater estates to enjoy more pleasure and preferment then any this world can confer upon them They are best bred who are taught to love and serve God best and they attain most honour who honour God for them will God himself honour I speak not in derogation of any thing that 's civil handsom and gentile but would press to more to what 's commendable to God and in his sight of great price to remember him in the days of youth For evil days are a coming sickness old age death is approaching the Judge is at the door and certainly that 's best while we are young that will be best when we are old and dye and that can be worth very little at the beginning which will be worth nothing at the end of our days The sins of youth will lye heavy upon an old age yea if God give repentance to thee when thou art old 't will cost thee the dearer that thou didst repent no sooner and thou wilt regret it that thou hast been so long in sin and art now to live but a little while to testifie thy conversion 'T was sad with Job to possess the sins of his youth Job 13.23 24. Youthful sweets do often prove old ages bitterness and the pleasures while young cost pains when old which made King David pray to God that he would not remember against him the sins of his youth Psal 25.7 I suppose this may suffice though much more might be added to shew how much persons are concerned to be religious betimes seeing sin is a thing so dangerous and destructive To welcome the the Gospel 6. Sin being so pernicious how welcome should the Gospel be which brings the good and happifying news of a Savior and how to be saved from sin the cause of wrath and wrath the effect of sin how beautiful should their feet be that bring this blessed Receipt to us Rom. 10.15 had we the gout or stone what would we not give for a Recipe an infallible medicine to cure us We use to welcome Chirurgions though they put us to pain and Apothecaries though they bring us loathsom drugs yea so dear is health that we not only thank but reward them too Oh what a welcome then should Christ his Gospel have who come with saving health to cure us of the worst of diseases and plagues viz. that of sin methinks we should press with violence and be so violent as to besiege Heaven and take it by force and we should no less hasten to receive the Gospel and take into us the wine and milk thereof and the waters of life seeing we may have them so freely for coming for indeed our Salvation cost Christ Jesus dear but he offers it us at a cheap rate and methinks we should not let Heaven be so thinly and Hell so populously inhabited when Salvation may be had at an easier rate then going beyond Sea for it Rom. 10 6-10 with Deut. 30 12-14 Oh seeing 't is so faithful a saying and worthy to bâ— received be not so unworthy as to refuse it and with that to refuse thy own Salvation But I shall take an occasion from hence to pass
or delayest it Oh if in this thy day thou consider not the things of thy peace thou mayst have them hid from thine eyes and go blindfold to Hell and be damned for ever and then God will require payment even use upon use to the utmost farthing Mat. 18 23-34 he will be paid all that is due for time for talents for means for mercies for patience and for bearance he will be paid for all If he be not glorified by thee now he will be glorified upon thee then But I hope you are sensible and I shall not need to urge or press this any further and therefore I pass to the Second Counsel believe the Gospel To believe the Gospel 't is not only repentance toward God but faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that 's required for the pardoning and purging of sin for destroying sin and saving thee Repentance is not enough for righteousness is not by repentance but by faith Phil. 3.9 Prayers and tears sighs and sorrows are not our Saviour 't is Jesus only that saves from sin Mat. 1.21 None can put our sint to death but be that dyed for our sins Do not think to compound with God if all the riches of the world were thine to give and thou wouldst give them all it must cost more then so to have thy soul justified and saved Psal 49.9 If all the men of the world would lend thee their blood and thou shouldst offer it up and with that thine own and that of thy first-born too 't were all too little Micah 6 7. bring all thy repentance and righteousness and it cannot compensate or make amends for one sin if all the Angels in Heaven should lend thee their whole stock and 't is a great one yet 't would not do there 's no satisfaction could be made nor any thing merited for thee but by the Son of God he and he only is the Saviour from sin nor is there any Name given under Heaven but his whereby we must be saved nor is there salvation in any other Acts 4.12 Oh then look to him and be saved for be thy sins what they will he can save to the very utmost all that come to God by him for he ever lives to make intercession for them Heb. 7.25 But if thou believe not in Christ Jesus though thou repent of sin and live as touching the Law blaineless as Saul did Phil. 3 though thou be celebrated for a Saint and mayst seem too good to go to Hell yet without Christ and faith in him thou wilt not be good enough to go to Heaven Though there be a Christ to be believed in who hath dyed for sinners yet if thou believe not in him thou mayst dye and be damned notwithstanding that Come then come to and close with Christ not with an idle or dead but with an effectual and lively faith receive whole Christ not only Jesus but Lord not only Saviour but Prince Col. 2.6 be as willing to dye to sin as he was to dye for sin and to live to him as he was to dye for thee be as willing to be his to serve him as that he should be thine to save thee Take him on his own terms give up thy self wholly to him forget thy fathers house depart from all iniquity and become wholly and intirely his let thy works declare and justifie thy faith by purifying thy heart Acts 15.9 by sanctifying thee Acts 26.18 by overcoming the world both the good and evil the best and worst the frowns and flatteries thereof 1 Joh. 5.4 5. as Moses and the rest did by faith Heb. 11. Thus come and thus make good thy coming to and believing in Christ And then thou shalt be saved as the Apostle told the Jaylor Acts 16.30 31. believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Sin this destructive thing Sin shall not destroy them sin this damning thing sin shall not damn them that do unfeignedly and with their heart believe in Jesus as there was need of a Jesus Christ and as there inrequired faith in Jesus Christ so Salvation iâ— ascertain'd and ensured to them that believe in Jesus Christ He that perseveres to the end shall find the end of his faith the saving of his soul Oh then hasten to take hold on him close with him and cleave to him as ever you would be saved from your sin and Gods wrath Do you like the end and not the way is Salvation desirable and is not faith without which 't is impossible to please God here or to be saved hereafter Have ye not souls as well as bodies would ye not be saved from sin as well as from sickness hasten to Christ Jesus then the Physitian the Saviour of Sours is there any other Christ is there Salvation in any other hath God any more Sons to send is there any other way to Heaven have we not been in hazard long enough Oh now come now to Christ if ever there will be reason for it there is now wilt thou need him thou dost now will he be lovely hereafter he is now Oh methinks these things being so we should flye like Doves to the windows and not stand off a moment longer lest we dye and dye in our sins and then adieu to happiness and hope for ever But I trust this is not in vain I am willing to hope I have not preacht from nor prayed to God in vain expostulated with and beg'd of you in vain but that you will yet repent and believe the Gospel There is yet another thing I have to exhort to on this occasion and that is 3. Not to sin again by returning to folly That you would sin no more nor return again to folly hear and fear and do no more wickedly 't is sad to lick up vomits and after being washt to wallow in the mire the latter end of such is worse then their beginning 2 Pet. 2. and better it had been for them they had not known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to apostatize and depart from the holy Commandment 't will be difficult next to impossible to renew such again unto repentance Heb. 6.6 and what can they expect but judgment fiery indignation and vengeance Heb. 10 26-30 Oh how is and will the sin and condemnation of Apostates be aggravated what after all his kindness wilt thou kick with the heel against him after sin hath cost thee so many sighs and tears and aking hearts wilt thou make work for more thou wilt have thy belly-full for the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways he will have enough of it one day Prov. 14.14 and then cry out Oh what an evil and a bitter thing is Apostacy Oh this evil heart of unbelief that made me again depart from after my returning to serve the living God! The fourth and last thing I have to say is Not to live in any known sin by way of
with works he hath made his Will and concluded all without him and his speech it may be fails him and then his main work and the conclusion the shutting up of the whole matter is in his thoughts so that when he comes into the new world and continues here and when he is going into the world to come his main employment is about and in his thoughts there he began and here he ends 7. God keeps an account of and will call us to account for thoughts as well as for words and actions he hath a book of remembrance written for them that think on his Name I and for them that think on their sins too with sinful thoughts There is no thought hid from him all things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 or as the words may be read before him to whom we are to give an account God knows our thoughts afar off Psal 139.2 long before they came out into words or actions Deut. 31.21 So the father saw the Prodigal while yet afar off while but thinking to return yea he doth search and try the heart to this very end that he may give to every man according to his way Jer. 17.9 10. God will judge righteous judgment not according to appearance as men do as the man thinketh so is he and so shall he be judged man judgeth our inside by our outside our heart by our works but God judgeth our outside by our inside our works by our hearts and 't is therefore we should fear God and keep his Commandments because God will bring as every work so every secret thing to judgment whether good or evil Eccl. 12.13 14. When the Lord comes he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart all the secret designs and projects of it 1 Cor. 4.5 and will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ as our Gospel teacheth Rom. 2.16 Oh think then that for thoughts thou must be judged and therefore make conscience of them for not only scientia divina Gods science or knowledge but conscientia humana mans conscience will be one of the books opened and a witness in that day according to which men shall be judged Well then what sayest thou or what shall I say to thee hast thou thought evil lay thine hand upon thy mouth Prov. 30.32 not only if thou have done foolishly but if thou have but thought evil lay thine hand on thy mouth i. e. be humbled and abased The vanity and vileness the folly and the filthiness of our thoughts should make us ashamed And lay thy hand on thy mouth for prevention also as persons when they cough lay their hand on their mouth lest any unsavory or unseemly thing should come from them so do thou for that which we say in our hearts we shall soon say with our lips if we lay not our hands on our mouth to stop the issue of vain thoughts from flowing out into and infecting our lips and lives our words and actions This Hive of Drones will swarm if thou lay not thy hand on the mouth This Cage of unclean birds will be open and they will take their flight thy thoughts will run wast at least like water beside the Mill if thou keep not a strong hand over them Oh keep thine heart with thine hand with mighty power and suppress sinful thoughts as well as keep them from expressing themselves In relation hereunto take these directions for thine help and assistance for know this that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think one good thought nor to subdue one evil thought 1. Humbly make thine address and supplication to God in whose hand thy heart is and to whom alone heart-work doth belong he only can search it cleanse it new-make and keep it Pray to God not only that past ones may be forgiven but that thy future ones may not need forgiveness beg him to new-make thine heart and to create a clean one in thee Wouldst thou be rid of sinful thoughts pray against them lift up a prayer and cry out as St. Paul did against the Messenger of Satan and pray without fainting that if they be not removed yet his grace may be sufficient for thee Cry out as a Virgin would do in case of a Rape and God will hear the cry of the oppressed and them that groan Be often in spiritual ejaculations which will be as so many deadly darts to wound and kill sinful thoughts call in God to thy relief tell him thou canst not stand before these Troops and Armies that defie Israel and Israels God and beg him to vindicate his own Name by his own Power as he can easily do for not only the heart of Kings is in his hand but he is the King and Ruler of all hearts and can by his Word command them into and keep them in order and obedience Then 2. Do as holy David did that he might be more holy hide the Word of God in thine heart that thou mayst not sin against him Psal 119.11 apply the plaister to the sore place the heart is the seat and center of sin apply the Word there lay it up and 't will rout and root out these Canaanites and Daughters of the Land that are a grief of heart unto thee Sin is in the heart hide the Word there as in ambush to cut it off upon the first appearance of it The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit and there 's none like it to wound and kill sin withal 't is one of the weapons of our warfare which is mighty through God to cast down and cast out wicked imaginations 2 Cor. 10.4 5. put on therefore this and the whole armour of God that thou mayst be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6. He is a God that works wonders even in this matter and of this kind by his Word and Spirit hide this Word then which is the sword of the Spirit and by which he atchieves such glorious conquests over hearts and thoughts 3. Begin the day with thoughts of God and good things let not fancies and vain imaginations get the start of thee in the morning fancy and we were Play-fellows many a year before we knew what reason and understanding was our child-hood and youth was vanity and you know that many times there 's such an intimate acquaintance and familiarity gotten by School and Play-fellows that its hard to break it off but fancy and imagination these childish things which yet have strong bold of and strong holds in us must be cast off before our thoughts will become obedient to Christ as the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 10.5 and therefore mount up with the Lark begin with God think much and often that he sees and observes thee Cave tibi spectat Cato this will awe thee as it did them Psal 44.20 21. and so it did David Psal