Man-kind The dreadful giving of the Law His dreadful Judgments for smal sins And examples of his wrath abroad in the world And the eternal torments in Hell Put all these six together and yet I say all these six is not so much to manifest the displeasure of God against sin as this one that now I shall tell you of and if there be any thing in the world that should make us to see the evil of sin it should be this if any thing make our hearts to shake and tremble at the evil of that sin of which it is so much guiltie then this I say that now I speak of should do it and that is this The dealings of God the Father with his Son when Jesus Christ that was the second Person of the Trinity God blessed for ever came to be our Mediator and to have but our sins imputed unto him and according to Scripturs phrase to be made sin Do but then take notice how God deals with him how God manifests himself to his own Son when his own Son did but take mans sin upon him to answer for it do but then consider how God the Father did deal with him The Scripture saith he did not spare his Son but let out the vials of his wrath upon him in a most dreadful manner If we do but consider First that Christ God blessed for ever should come and be in the form of a Servant should be a man of sorrows as the Scripture speaks that in the whol course of his life should live a contemptible life before men and undergo grievous sufferings But because I must hasten do but look upon Christ in his Agony and upon the Cross at his death and there you will see the dreadful displeasure of God against sin and in nothing more than that True there is the bright glass of the Law wherein we may see the evil of sin but there is the red glass of the sufferings of Christ and in that we may see more of the evil of sin than if God should let us down to Hell and if there we should see all the tortures and torments of the damned in Hell see them how they lie sweltring under Gods wrath there it were not so much as beholding sin through the red glass of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and that of his Agony And give me leave a little to shew to you how God let out himself against his Son when he came into the Garden and a little before when he was to die and suffer upon the Cross And for this consider these two things First The several Expressions the holy Ghost useth in the several Evangelists for the setting out of those dreadful things Christ suffered as a fruit of Gods displeasure upon him 1 One Evangelist saith that Christ was very sorrowful even to the death Mat. 26. 38. he began to be the word in the Original signifies compassed about with sorrows to have sorrows round about him and as it were beset and besieged with grief and it was to the very death usque ad mortem sorrowful to the very death What was it for upon the apprehension of the wrath of his Father which he was to endure for the sin of man he was sorrowful to the death in the apprehension of it You it may be upon the sight of sin content your selves with some slight little sorrow You will it may be when you are told of sin cry Lord have mercy upon me I am sorry for it and so pass it away But Christ when God comes to deal with him he makes his soul to be compassed about with sorrows sorrowful to the death for our sins 2 Another Evangelist tels us he began to be amazed Mark 14. 33. that is when Christ came to drink the Cup of the wrath of his Father due for our sins he stood amazed at the sight of the dreadfulness of that Cup he was to drink of because he knew what Gods wrath was he understood what it was before he drunk of it and this made him stand amazed at it Many sinners hear Gods wrath and this makes them fear but they be not amazed at it they can pass it away and they be not affected with it afterward because they understand it not they know not what it is for a Creature to stand before the wrath of an infinite Deity Who knows the power of thy wrath saith the Scripture therfore they be not amazed But Christ that knew full well what the wrath of God was and saw to the bottom of it he understood to the dregs what that Cup was and he stood amazed at the sight of it when he was to drink it 3 Another Evangelist hath this Expression 't is in Luke 22. 44. Christ began to be in an Agony Now the word Agony signifies a strife a combat it is taken from the word that stgnifies a combate in Battel Christ was in an Agony in a Combate Combate with what with whom With the Wrath of God he saw coming out upon him to sink him he saw the Curse of the Law come out upon him he saw the infinite Justice of God of the infinite Deity come out upon him and he was in an Agony in combate with the infinite Justice and wrath of God and the dreadful Curse of the Law and so Christ came to be in an Agony These be the three Expressions of the Evangelists Secondly Consider the Effects of Christs being in an Agony and apprehending the wrath of his Father for sin 1 One Effect was this you shall find it in the story of the Gospel that the text saith he fell grovelling upon the ground upon the apprehension of Gods wrath and displevsure upon him for sin which he was to suffer he fell down grovelling upon the ground When he that upholds the Heavens and the Earth by his Power now falls grovelling upon the Earth having the weight and burden of mans Sin upon him he falls upon his face he falls to the ground Certainly Brethren Christ had that weight and burden upon him that would have prest all the Angels in Heaven and Men in the World down to the bottomless gulf of despair If all the strength of all the men that ever were since the beginning of the world and all the Angels in Heaven were put into one and he had but that weight upon him that Christ had it would have made him sink down into eternal despair for had not Christ been God as well as Man he could never have born it but would have sunk down eternally But the burden and weight was so great that he sinks down to the ground 2 A second effect of Christs bearing the wrath of God for Sin is this He sweat great drops of blood the word in the Original is Clodders of Blood Blood thickned into Clods Never was there such a sweat it was in the Winters night a cold night abroad upon the ground in a cold Winters
calveth and casteth not her calf They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance They take the timbrel and harp and rejoyce at the sound of the organ They spend their daies in wealth They live merrie brave lives therefore their hearts be hardened in sin that they say to the Almightie depart from us what need we the knowledg of God what need so much preaching and so much ado we desire not such things I beseech you mark and observe what kind of men those are that so slight the Word of God and disesteem of it and that in their carriage and actions do as it were say unto God himself depart from us for so it is though it may be they think not so when the Word and Ordinances depart yet they do as much as if they should say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy way I say observe what kind of men these are not men under Gods wrath or afflictions observe what men they are and when they say so I say not when they be under Gods wrath but those that live in Authoritie and flourish and have delights and contentments to the flesh these say depart I confess many poor people that know nothing of God and that be meer Atheists that live all their daies in meer Atheism to hear them say so it is no wonder But I speak of men inlightened and where almost have you anie so readie to say depart from us let the Word and Ordinances depart and that slight God in his Ordinances as men do that are in the greatest Prosperitie that enjoy comforts and brave lives and have the world at will Now let all such know That though they may bless themselves and the world may bless them yet wo to them when God saith let them prosper in sin Hosea 4. 14. I will not punish your daughters when they commit iniquity God threatens it as a Judgment not to afflict them I remember Origen upon that Text hath this note Will you hear the terrible voice of God God speaking with indignation I will not visite when you sin this he calls the terrible voice of God speaking with indignation This is the most extream of Gods anger when thus he speaks And so Luther hath such an expression Wo to those men at whose sins God doth wink and connive and that have not afflictions as other men And so Jerom in writing to a friend that prospered in wicked waies saith he I judg thee miserable because thou art not miserable So certainly those men are therefore miserable because they be not miserable and it were a thousand times better for these men to lie under some heavie and dreadful affliction in this world And this is the Second Use If there be so much evil in Sin then a man may be a miserable man though he be not an afflicted man because there is evil enough in sin alone to make a man miserable without affliction CHAP. LIV. Use 3. If there be so much evil in sin then it 's a mighty mercy to get the pardon of sin Use III. IF there be so much evil in Sin as you have heard of then certainly this must needs follow That to get pardon of sin is a mighty mercy It must needs be a wonderful thing to have the pardon of sin to get to be delivered from that which hath so much evil that is so dreadful it must needs be very hard to be obtained grievous diseases be very hardly cured Certainly Brethren those men and women that do think that to get pardon of and power against sin is a little or light matter I dare charge them as in the presence of God they never yet knew what sin meant and all that I have delivered about the evil of sin hath been but as the beating of the air to them to no purpose that yet make but light of the great work of procuring pardon for sin and making peace with God for their sin If all the world were in a confusion turned into a Chaos we should think it a great work of God to bring all in frame and oâ—der again Certainly it is a greater work of God for to deliver the soul from the evil of sin and free the soul of it than it would be for to raise up the frame of Heaven and Earth again if all were turned into a Chaos Therefore Numbers 14. 17 19. verses where Moses speaks of pardon of Sin see how Moses speaks of it there And now I beseech thee saith he let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying What was this concerning which God had spoken that he would shew his great power in See the 19. verse Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy Mark let the power of my Lord be great and then pardon the iniquitie of thy people as if Moses should say Oh Lord this requires great power the Almightie power of God is required for pardoning of iniquitie as well as the infinite mercy of God Oh consider this you that think lightly of getting pardon of sin this is the greatest business in the world and certainly that soul that God doth set in good earnest about this work to get the pardon of sin that soul is the most busie Creature in all the world never was the soul taken up about a more blessed work since it had a being than this is if it understand what it is about it takes up the whol strength of soul and bodie when the soul is about so great a work therefore you that come to have some inlightenings to shew you the evil of sin and you be about that work of getting pardon Oh you had need intend it and work mightily and strongly indeed for know this you are about the greatest business the greatest work that ever Creature was about in the world there is no creature in all the world was ever about so great a work as thou art about when thou art about the getting pardon of sin thou hadst need mind it and follow it and not have thy heart taken up about other things for it is the great work of the Lord that infinitely concerns thee Oh that men and women had cleer apprehensions about the sweetness of this work 't is true Gods mercie is above all our sins and he is readie to pardon and to forgive but the Lord will have his Creatures know that it is the greatest work that ever he did yea and take altogether Justification of a sinner is as great a work as ever God did the means that tend to it and the work of a soul about procuring pardon is the greatest work that ever soul was about so you must understand it and you cannot but understand it if you understand what hath been delivered This is the Third Use CHAP. LV. Use 4. If there be so much evil in sin this justifie the
and lay the burden of it upon your spirits then to let you sink under the burden of it for God to behold you sweltring under the burden of it without pittie and compassion and your own Conscience will be readie to tell you so yea now the weight of Sin is upon me but is forced whether I will or no now God may justlie let it lie This is a sad and a sinking thought and if anie thing let sin lie upon the soul that it shall never be purged it will be this When the Spirit would have brought Sin in the weight of it upon my Conscience I put it off and now God puts it upon me and therefore it troubles me thus Therefore be willing to be humbled and know if you be willing Jesus Christ is appointed for that end to raise you up and there is as much power in the Gospel to raise your heart as there is in sin to press down your heart if you be rightlie burdened with it CHAP. LX. Use 9 If there be so much evil in sin this should be a loud cry to stop men and turn them from sin Use IX ANother Use is this If there be so much evil in Sin Then the consideration and meditation of all that hath been said should be a mighty cry unto all to turn back and stop in the waies of sin Oh thou Sinner whosoever thou art in whatsoever place of the Congregation thou art God hath brought thee by his providence to hear or reade these Sermons concerning the evil of Sin know that all these Sermons that have been preached unto thee they be all but as one loud loud crie to thy soul stop stop Oh Sinner in thy sinful courses stop here turn turn Oh Sinner out of thy sinful waies turn turn why wilt thou die why wilt thou die Oh wretched sinful soul thou art lost cursed undone and wilt perish eternally in that way thou art in turn turn while thou hast time God cries his Word cries his Ministers cries Conscience cries all those that have known what the evil of sin means cry to thee unless thou wilt destroy thy self undo thy self eternallie stop in that way for it is a dangerous desperate way thou goest in the verie road way to the Chambers of eternal Death As ever thou wouldest be willing God shall hear thy crie upon thy sick bed in the anguish of thy soul thou wilt then crie now Lord have mercie upon a poor wretched sinful soul Thou wouldest be glad I say that the Lord should hear thy crie upon thy sick bed and death bed Now then as ever you would have God hear your crie when you are in the greatest anguish of your souls upon your sick bed and see death before you be willing to hear the crie of God to your souls at this present and know if you do not hear the crie of God that cries to you to stop you in sinful waies then these verie words I have spoken to you at this present may come in your mind when you crie for mercie and then you may think Oh wretch now I crie to God for mercy but do I not remember such a time was there not a loud crie in my Ears and Conscience as from God that I should stop in my sinful waies and courses and was not I then charged as in the Name of God and as ever I expected God should hear my crie in such a time that I should hear his voyce Oh it will be dreadful for you to hear such a voyce as this Because you would not hear me therfore I will not hear you Therfore behold I crie again in the Name of God stop stop turn thee Oh sinful soul alas whether art thou going from God from Comfort from Life from Happiness from all good whatsoever thou art going I call Heaven and Earth to record that these things that I have delivered to you concerning the evil of sin are the Truths of God and have been the Truths of God And certainlie what I have delivered and you read concerning the evil of sin it will come and rise up one day against everie sinful man and woman that doth go on in anie known way of Sin and it will prove as scalding lead in thy Conscience Everie Truth thou hast heard and everie Chapter thou hast read concerning the evil of Sin I say if yet thou goest on in any one known way of Sin it will one day be as scalding lead in thy Conscience the dropping of scalding lead in the eyes of a man will not be more terrible to him than the droppings in of these Truths will be in thy Conscience another day Now it will be a sad thing my Brethren if God should send me amongst you by his Providence onlie to aggravate anie of your Condemnations God forbid there should be this Errent sent amongst you that anie of his Messengers should be sent for this end to aggravate your condemnation this is that which is the prayers of my soul that this may not be the Errent I am sent for if possible not to seal the condemnation of anie one soul But this I know except there be great reformation among manie certainlie the verie Errand God intended in the conclusion though I do not say that is the primarie and first end but it is that which will prove so in the conclusion through the stubbornness of the hearts of sinners that will prove the Aggravation of their condemnation Wherefore yet let me labor with your souls who knows whether anie of you shall hear me preach anie one Sermon more whether ever God will call after you any more to stop or turn in the waies of Sin whether ever you shall hear the Word more Perhaps God will sear your conscience and say to him that is filthie let him be filthie God now speaks to you and cries after you if you harden your hearts now it is more than Angels or men know whether ever you will have one crie more Therefore let me abide here tell me Oh Sinner what is it thou gettest in waies of sin that thou wilt dwel here what is it the world hath to draw thy heart from the strength of all these Truths delivered in these Sermons Sure it must be some mightie thing when such Truths as these backed with Arguments from Scripture strength of Reason as all these be cannot restrain thee Sure it must be some wonderful thing that must over ballance all these Sermons and all these things what hast thou such a heart that is set upon any sinful way anie secret hant of Sin that thou findest such good in it that by it all these Truths are over ballanced Certainlie there is no such good in the world if all Creatures in the world should joyn together to give some comfort to ballance these Truths delivered concerning the evil of sin all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth could not give such things as would ballance it Therefore certainlie
thou art deceived the refore return return Oh Shulamite return return Oh that the Truths delivered in this Point might be as that sudden amazing â—igh that came to Saul when he was going oâ— iâ— courses of Sin Acts 9. there was an amazing Light came and stopt Saul in his course Oh that God would cause the light of these glorious Truths delivered concerning this Argument to be as an amazing light to thy soul to stop you in the waies of Sin Object Oh but you will say We cannot stop you put that upon our power that God must do Answ 1 First For that act I have told you what power God gives though you have none of your own God gives power for the bare outward act and do not say you cannot do this you know what convincements you have had of that therefore say no more you cannot And though you cannot yet God useth to convey power through the Word while God calls upon Sinners to stop and mend Gods way is then to convey power But in the mean time though there be no saving work of grace come in yet thus much by an ordinarie and common work of Gods Spirit may be done God may cause a Sinner to resolve whatsoever come of it that way of sin I dwelt in I will never meddle withal and so there may be a sequestration of the heart from sin though not a full possession of Gods Spirit come into the soul As thus It is many times with God and the Sinner as with man and man A man in debt and not able to pay an Arâ—est comes on his Goods and there is a Sequestration of the Goods but so as they are to lie in other mens hands so as though they be not quite take â—…way from the Debtor yet they be out of his power he can have no use of theÌ„ for the present til the debt is paid but whosoever wil come pay the debt he shal have the goods So w th the heart when the siner comes to venture on Christ for pardon of sin the sinner seeth I cannot over-rule my self sanctifie my heart overcome my lusts however God sequesters the heart for the present so far from them that I will not go on in these waies again I will not follow that Company again there is a forbearance of those acts of Sin that though the heart could not sanctifie it self yet it lies thus before the Lord Oh Lord do thou pardon do thou come in and Oh let Christ pay the debt for my Sin and let him take possession of my heart but in the mean time Satan shall not use it as before and the waies of Sin those gross waies I will forbear though I die for it I will rather sit still all my daies and never stir off my seat than go to such wicked Companie and I will rather never open my mouth again than swear and speak so filthilie but Oh Lord do thou discharge my soul and take it to thy self and then comes in a sanctifying work of God to sanctifie the soul and save it But Oh! that I might prevail thus far That there might be but a Sequestration of the Soul from sin this day though Sanctification come not in though the holy Ghost come not to rule in thy Soul yet that there might be a Sequestration that the heart might come and lie down and say Lord come thou in and take Possession but for those delights and contents I took in sin before I am resolved though I perish for ever I will not go on in them hereafter Here would be a good stop in the waies of sin for a man that goes in a dangerous way he must make a stop before he turns and consider Oh Lord where am I and whether am I a going and is this my way and then he turns Now this I endeavor if possible to make a stop in sinful waies that you might consider Oh Lord where am I what am I a doing what will become of me Oh! that you might go away with such thoughts in your bosoms And then followes the next CHAP. LXI Use 10 11. If there be so much Evil in Sin than turn to Christ and bless God for Christ Use X. TO labor to drive your hearts to Christ Oh then flie to Christ Here you have revealed to you that which one would think would terrifie the hearts of men and women and make them flie to Christ One would think that revealed concerning the Evil of Sin should make heaven ring with cries to God for Christ Oh! none but Christ none but Christ what would become of all your souls if it were not for Jesus Christ were it not for that glorious Mediator sent to be a Propisiation for sin and to make an Attonement to the Father for Sin Christ is set up as that Brasen Serpent that al those stung in Conscience with the venom and poison of sin might look up to the Brasen Serpent and be saved Is there anie soul that by all I have said of the Evil of Sin finds it self stung with the poison of Sin Know Christ is that Brasen Serpent that is set up for thee to look upon If thou find Sin as the avenger of blood pursue thee Oh now run to Christ If thy heart burn and scorch in the apprehensions of sin as the Hart brays after the water brooks so let thy heart bray after Christ there are cooling and refreshing waters then indeed shal that I have delivered be useful for the souls of poor creatures When the Soul hath been before the Lord crying mightilie to heaven for pardon and part in Jesus Christ if so be after I have Preached all these Sermons if God shall hear of Souls getting alone in their closets and crying out Oh Lord I never understood what the meaning of Sin was Oh what a wretched creature have I been all my daies now Lord except thou have mercie in thy Son in the mediation of Jesus Christ through his blood his heart blood that was shed for sinners I am a lost and undone Creature for ever Oh Lord that wch is done can never be undone Oh Lord let me find favor in thy Son here I am do with me whatsoever thou please onlie a pardon a pardon in Jesus Christ to deliver me from the guilt and uncleaness of my sin Yea now will God say here is somewhat done when sinners cries come up to heaven what hath been doing in this Congregation what is the matter you come crying for Christ heretofore your hearts were never stirred after Christ what is the matter why stir you so who hath told you anie thing As God said to Adam when God called and he hid himself when he comes out he saith I was afraid because I was naked saith God Who told you that you were naked So when poor souls cry to heaven for Christ God may say to the poor soul Why what is the matter who hath told thee any thing As
knowest better to provide for thy self than in that way God hath set thee how doest thou cast folly on the waies of God and settest thy shallow way and heart of thine before Gods as if thou couldest provide for thy self and thy own good more wisely than God hath set thee in a way to do The Word of God and that revealed in the light of Nature is nothing else but several beams of the infinite Wisdom of God for the guiding of manking unto happiness and glory the light of Nature helps somwhat though it reach not far enough yet I say the light of Nature is made up of several beams of Gods Wisdom but the light of the Word is made up of beams of Wisdom a great deal more bright than the beams of Nature now any Sinner that forsakes the waies of God rejects these beams of Wisdom as if they were dark and doth as if he should say I know how better to provide by this way Hence carnal men account the waies of God foolishness and preaching of the Word foolishness and the usual title that they give to those that walk more strict than others is this What fools they are nothing but a company of fools that keep such a stir And it is an ordinary thing in the world for carnal hearts to cast folly upon the waies of God and for themselves they can sit at home and applaud themselves in their Wisdom as if they go in a neerer way than others and why should they be such fools as others And it is usual for Parents that be carnal to come to their Children and cast folly upon them when they look after the waies of God some do it openly but every sin doth cast folly upon God and his blessed way and in every sin thou settest thy wisdom above Gods Wisdom Fourthly In Sin thou doest cast dirt on the Holiness of God Holiness is the brightness of of Gods glory and in the waies of Sin thou castest dirt upon the face of Holiness it self Gods Nature is pure thy Sin is filthy and vile and contrary to him and doth what it can to darken the brightness of the infinite Holiness of God Fifthly Thou wrongest God in this That thou settest up thy Will above the Will of God Gods Will is to be the rule of all the actions and waies of the Creature but thou comest and settest up thy Will above Gods there is this hidious wickedness in every sin at least in every wilful Sin when it comes into the will then the will of man is set up above the will of the infinite and glorious God do not you account your selves wronged when you will have your will and a poor boy saith he will have it otherwise do not you account your selves wronged when he dares set his will before yours Oh consider this you that are wilful you cannot bear to have your will crost to have an inferior or a Child set their will against yours you are not able to bear it Oh consider what you do when you set your will against the will of the infinite God nay above it in two regards 1 Because when Gods will is one way and yours another you will rather have yours than God shall have his 2 Though God doth onlie will that which is right and good and is content to have his will satisfied in nothing but in things good you will have yours right or wrong good or bad God will have his in onlie that which is righteous and good if you were set upon your will in that which were good it were another matter but in that you will have your will right or wrong good or bad as come to men in their passion and reason with them why this is not wel yet say they I wil and this carries it what a proud Spirit is this that dares set up his will against Gods will good or bad right or wrong I must have it and this is in sin Sixthly Sin wrongs God in the Dominion and Power and Soveraigntie of God which with men is a verie tender thing where there is Sovereigntie there cannot be endured the least wrong Men be mightie tender of Power and Sovereigntie sure if they be so God may much more be tender of his which is as the apple of his eye Let me suggest one Consideration to you which should make anie mans heart to bleed to consider how God is wronged in the world and that is this You shall have poor men and servants that dare not do anie thing to displease those that have power over them if but a Master or Landlord or Justice of the Peace especially if it come higher Oh how they shake and tremble if they be displeased and if anie thing go against their mind they dare not do it but there is not the basest fellow the vilest wretch that lives the poorest worm but he dares venture to sin against God blaspheme the Name of God shakes at the word of a man of power or a man but a little above him but he dares fill his mouth with Oaths even in the face of God himself there he hath courage and valor and he scorns to be afraid what to fear an Oath he hath too brave a Spirit to be afraid of that Oh horrible wrong to the infinite God! What is anie Superioritie in man so great that men dare not offend them and yet the poorest Spirit that is dares wrong and blaspheme the Name of God Seventhly There is a wrong to God in his Justice Sin wrongs God in his infinite Justice 1 In that it is not afraid of God God expects all Creatures should fear him because of his Justice 2 Thou doest wrong to his Justice in that by waies of Sin thou doest as much as in thee lies even accuse the waies of God for unjust-waies and not equal but that your waies be more just and equal than Gods Therefore God in Scripture reasons the Case with his People What are not my waies equal are not your waies unequal Ezek. 18. 29. Certainly there is this in sin for if you account not your waies more equal why chuse you them Eightly You wrong God in his Truth As if all Gods threatnings against the waies of Sin you walk in were nothing but a Tale and a Lie as if all the Promises God hath made in his word of grace and mercy to poor Sinners that will come in and repent they were all but a Lie thus Sin wrongs God in his Truth Hence it is that a Sinner is in a woful estate because he hath thus wronged God he hath therefore all the Attributes of God pleading against him yea they are continuallie against thee Therefore look to it till your Sins be done away in Christ and your Souls clensed in him both night and day all the Attributes of God are pleading against thee for to require that wrong you have done to them may be righted upon thee A man is in a sad
condition if he have but divers thousands of men come to plead against him and these cry out for Justice justice upon him but if a man have a whol Kingdom and everie one comes and cries Justice Justice upon this man that hath wronged this Kingdom this man is in a woful estate but I speak of everie Sinner before God if that thy sins be not done away in Christ know it is not a whol Kingdom speaks against thee but all the divine Attributes al the Attributes of God be continuallie before the Lord crying out against thee Justice against this sin he hath wronged me saith one and me saith another and me saith another and thus and thus and thus and therefore thou art in an evil condition and it is much that thou shouldest sleep quietlie when all Gods Attributes plead against thee it is a hard case when the Devil pleads against a man and but accuse him and plead against him before God but when all the Attributes of God plead against him as I might shew you more at large how woful is his condition Object But you will say though all the other Attributes plead against me yet I hope Mercy will plead for me Answ But that pleads against thee too for thou wrongest his Mercie also Indeed there is no Attribute more wronged by Sinners ordinarily than the Mercy of God is The Mercie of God doest thou think that shall plead for thee That is wronged especiallie Why Because there is no Attribute abused to be an Abettor to Sin more than the Mercie of God is and it s abused and made to harden the hearts of men and women in Sin no Attribute so much abused The Justice of God thou thinkest that pleads against thee but Mercie thou thinkest pleads for thee Justice is not so much wronged by Sin as Mercie is The Justice of God is not made an Abettor of Sin Now that is the greatest wrong that can be for Gods Mercie to be made a means to abet Sin and to harden mens hearts in Sin It is a great wrong to make use of any Creature to be serviceable to our Sin if a man make Meat or Drink or Cloathes or anie Creature serviceable to his Lust it is a wrong to that Creature and to God the Creator of that Creature that thou makest serviceable to thy lust but if it be a wrong to the Creature what is it to make the Mercie of God serviceable to your lusts and who is there almost but makes the mercy of God in some degree or other Serviceable to his lusts It is a horrible thing thus to abuse mercie how doest thou think the mercie of God should plead for thee when thou doest it such infinite wrong when thou venturest upon sin because God is a merciful God Thus you wrong the Attributes of God by sin CHAP. XII How sin wrongs God in his personal Relations 1 The Father 2 The Son 3 The Spirit SEcondly Now for the Personal Relations of God Father Son and holy Ghost how they be wronged in way of sin First God the Father Consider of these in those operations most proper and especially attributed to them As now that attributed to the Father is the work of Creation now thou wrongest God the Father in this especial operation In that thou abusest the gifts God hath given thee that Body and Soul God hath made thou abusest it to Gods dishonor abusest his Creatures takest Gods own Creatures and abusest them to his dishonor yea thy own Members that God made thee to honor him withal thou takest them and with his own weapons fightest against himself not only fightest against him but with his own weapons faculties and gifts he hath given thee thou fightest against him Thus thou wrongest God the Father in his work of Creation Secondly Thou wrongest Christ in the Work of Redemption 1 Because the least sin thou committest if ever it be pardoned it is that which stab'd Jesus Christ to the very heart I say thy sin was that which pierced Christ and brought forth blood and water from him it was that which whipt Christ it was that which put Christ to death that shed the blood of Christ that crucified Christ I may say to every sinner that expects to be saved by Christ as Peter in the 2. Acts said to those Jews Whom you have crucified and the text saith that then they were pricked to their hearts Certain it is thou sinner man or woman whosoever thou art that dost expect to have part in the blood of Christ Thy sin crucified Christ made Christ cry out upon the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me What dost thou think of thy sins now And if thou be such an one as hath never been affected with the Blood of Christ that was shed for thy sins then thou wrongest the Blood of Christ more for then thou dost trample the Blood of the everlasting Covenant under thy feet and accountest it a common thing Most men and women be such that live under the light of the Gospel that like Swine trample the very blood of Christ under their feet and make nothing of the Blood of Christ go to the Sacrament hand over head unpreparedly and so come to be guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ Certainly these be not strains of wit above the truth and reality of things there is a reality in it that thy soul is charged from God this day of wronging Christ the second Person Thirdly Thou wrongest the Spirit of God in defacing of the work of Sanctification what in thee lies in opposing the work of Gods Spirit in thy soul in resisting the motions of Gods Spirit Who is there but is guilty of resisting the motions of the Holy Ghost Who is there but at some time or other when they have been at the Word but they have had some stirrings of the Spirit of God within them when they have heard such and such truths of God But they have gone to company and laughed it away drunk and played it away talked it away What a wrong is this to the Holy Ghost thou wrongest the Holy Ghost by defiling thy Body which should be the Temple of the Holy Ghost CHAP. XIII Sin wrong the Counsels of God in setting that Order in the World that he hath set THirdly Thou wrongest the Counsels of God in setting that order in the world which he hath set To understand it know this God in his Eternal Counsel hath set a due order in all his Creatures they walk in an orderly way to fetch about that end that he himself did intend As a Workman that makes a curious work puts everie wheel and piece in a right frame and due order that so by that order his Art hath placed in the work the work may attain unto that end he made it for So God hath done he hath made all things by weight and measure in due order God made all things good very good and
reade in Judges 5. several Tribes when the People of God were in straits would not go up but had many excuses others did go to help in the Cause of God Judg. 5. 14. See how many excuse themselves but especially in the 16. Vers Why abodest thou among the Sheep-folds to hear the bleatings of the â—locks Oh Ruâ—en said We must not leave House and Cattel we must not go out And Giliad abode beyond Jordan and Dan abode in Ships some think Dan did not live neer the Sea but thought they ran to Ships and abode there And Asher continued by the Sea shore and abode in his Breaches He pleads thus We must continue our business in making Fences against the Sea we have many Breaches and we must continue there and look to our business But Zebulon and Naphtali they jeoparded their lives to the death in the high places of the field Who be those two Zebulon and Naphtali that were full of courage and zeal when others were-full of Pleas and would not venture their lives Who be these that ventured their lives These two were the especial Tribes of Marriners that were forward rather than others That these were Marriners appears Matt. 4. 15. The Land of Zebulon and Nephtali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan these that lived by the Sea Others would not stir that lived by the Sea but Zebulon and Nephtali these joparded their lives Now mark God seems to remember this they did not jeopard themselves in a good Cause in vain God remembers it many hundred years after When Christ comes the first Tribes that seem to be inlightned were these the people that sate in darkness saw a great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up they sate in darkness a company of poor Marriners exceeding ignorant of the ways of God and Christ comes first to them and brings light to them It may be God might aim to shew Mercy to these Tribes the rather for this that they did in appearing in a good Cause though it were with jeopardy to themselves So go you on and in a good Cause appear and venture your selves to assist these Worthys of ours in whom so much of our good conssists and God will remember this in Spiritual Mercies Would you have the means of Grace continued and the means of Light come to them that sit in darkness if you would have the blessing of Zebulon and Nephtali then be Zebulons and Nephtalies to go out whatsoever excuses others have and jeopard your selves for the good of this Common-wealth THE FOVRTH PART OF THIS TREATISE CHAP. XLI That Sin is the Evil and Poyson of all other Evils shewed in several Particulars First It s the strength of all Evils Secondly It s the sting of Affliction Thirdly It s the Curse of all Evils opened in Five Particulars Fourthly Sin is the shame of all Evils Fifthly The eternity of all Evil comes from Sin THere are Four Things which except we be well instructed in and know we know nothing to Purpose Except we know God and Sin and Christ and Eternity These are the Four great Things that you had need to be well instructed in The knowledge of Sin I have endeavored to set before you In this Argument I have shewed you the evil of fin above al affliction The next thing I am to Open to you is the Fourth General Head Propounded in the Fifth Chapter Fourthly Therefore that Sin is the Evil of all other Evils It is the very pith of all other Evils there 's nothing that would be scarce worthy the name of Evil if Sin were not in it That it is the evil of all other evils will appear in these Particulars First It is the strength of all other Evils The strength the prevailing strength that any evil hath against man it is from Sin There is no Evil would have any prevailing strength to do us any hurt were there not Sin in it That is certain nothing in heaven or earth or hel would do any of the Children of men any hurt were it not for Sin if there were not Sin to give it strength The strength of any evil that can do us any hurt is from Sin Let the evil be never so smal yet if it come armed with the strength of the guilt of Sin it is enough to undo any man or woman in the world This is the Reason of the difference of the power the prevailing power of any cross and affliction in some more than in others you shall have some that let there be but the least cross and affliction upon them it sinks their hearts they are not able to stand under it others that have a hundred times more upon them they go under it with joy this is the especial difference one having the guilt of sin in â—he evil and the other being delivered from it It is a Comparison I remember of a learned man to express the difference of afflictions Afflictions are like water and a little water upon a mans shoulder in a Leaden vessel is a great deal heavier than much more water in a vessel of Leather or Wood take a Leather Bucket filled with water it is not so heavie as a little water in a Leaden vessel so a little affliction where there is much guilt of sin is abundantly more heavie than a great deal of affliction where there is not the guilt of sin Haman could not stand before such a pettie Cross as that Mordacai would not bow his knee being a wicked man that Cross being with sin troubled him sore and Achitaphel when he was crossed in his way could not bear it Therfore Brethren if you would bear afflictions this is your way your wisdom is to labor to know wherein the strength of an affliction lies if you would overcome it As you know the Philistims that desired to overcome Sampson their great care was to know wherein his strength lay if they could by Dalilahs means find out the strength of Sampson they thought they might easilie overcome him So certainlie if you could but find out where the strength of your afflictions â—lie it is easie then for you to have fears and disquiets taken away the reason why fears and disquiets overcome you as they do is because you find not out the strength of them if that were found out and gotten away you might quicklie overcome afflictions and they would be light to you The prevailing strength of all afflictions is from sin this is the first thing to shew sin is the evil of all evils Secondly Not only the prevailing strength But the bitterness the sting of Affliction that which makes it bitter to the Spirit is sin Sin makes it come like an Armed man with power And besides Sin makes it inwardly gaul at the very heart sting like a Serpent as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15 56. saith of death The sting of Death is sin saith the Apostle so that which
he saith of death it is true of all evils of all afflictions that are but makers of way to death the sting of a sickness the sting of the loss of your estates the sting of discredit the sting of imprisonment the sting of all afflictions and that which makes them bitter to the soul is sin you have a notable place Jer. 4. 18. Thy waies and thy doings have procured these things unto thee this is thy wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thy heart In the Greek it is This is thy wickedness and because it is bitter it reacheth unto thy heart that interprets the word saith he thy wickedness hath procured this and the punishment to thy wickedness is bitter and reacheth to thy heart because it comes as a punishment of thy wickedness so it comes to be bitter and reacheth to thy very heart Oh when sin is in affliction it comes to the heart and is very bitter were the guilt of sin taken away in any affliction the soul might be able to make use of that expression of Agag in a better way than he did and come joyfullie and cheerfullie to look upon anie affliction and say The bitterness of death is past So doth God lay any affliction upon me or my familie the bitterness of death is gone the bitterness is gone because my sin is gone Sin is as it were the rotten Core in an Apple or Fruit it will make all the Fruit to be bitter and rotten And so sin that is the rotten core take away cut out the rotten core and then you will not tast so much bitterness in the Fruit So if Sin the rotten core be cut out affliction will not be so bitter This is the Second All the prevailing strength of affliction is from sin and the bitterness and anguish of spirit in affliction is from sin Thirdly The Curse of all evil is from sin the strength of all evil the bitterness of all evil and the curse of all evil I have shewed before Sin brings a Curse upon our selves yea how it brings a Curse upon all good Now I am to shew you how sin brings a Curse upon all evil it is that which makes the affliction to be accursed We have a most excellent Scripture for this to shew the difference between Gods afflicting of his people whom he hath pardoned when sin is pardoned and removed and Gods afflicting of the wicked and ungodly whose sin is yet upon them a most admirable Text for this and the difference between these two that you may see what a difference sin puts upon affliction when it is upon us the Text is Jer. 24. 5. compared with verse 9. We have before in the Chapter Gods expression of the differing estate of his people by the basket of good Figs and evil Figs those that were godlie like good Figs and the wicked by the evil Figs Mark the different dealing of God with both both were in Captivitie both good and evil they must both be delivered into the hand of their Enemies but see with what difference vers 5. like the good Figs So will I acknowledg them whom I have carried away Captive into the Land of the Caldeans for their good Mark they must go into the Land of the Caldeans but it must be for their good saith God though I do afflict them yet because I have pardoned them let them know I aim at nothing but their good Then he speaks of the bad Figs the wicked men in Captivitie vers 9. I do deliver them to be removed into all Kingdoms of the Earth for their hurt I will send them they shall go into Captivitie but I intend them no good it shall be for their hurt to be a reproach and a proverb a tant and a curse in all places whither I shall deliver them I beseech you keep this Text by you that which is said of this particular affliction is true of everie affliction when God doth bring any evil upon any wicked man or woman looking upon them saith he of such as are in their sins God certainly intends their hurt he brings it for their hurt even the same affliction that befals one whose sin is pardoned and God intends for their good so the priviledg of godly men that have their sins pardoned through Christ how different that is from the estate of wicked men that have the guilt of sin upon them Sin is the curse of all evils I will deliver them for their hurt that it may be a curse to them Now this Argument would enlarge it self but that I studie brevitie to shew how sin brings a Curse upon everie affliction and what that is and that thereby we shall make it appear Sin is a greater evil than affliction because it brings a Curse upon affliction I will but briefly name what might more largely be insisted upon 1 When there is sin and affliction affliction comes out of Gods revenge for sin God looks upon the guiltie Creature with indignation and wrath Here 's a wretch that hath been bold thus to sin against me and now my hand shall be upon him And so when the sinner is under Gods hand God is so far from looking upon him with pitie and compassion that he looks upon him with indignation and wrath as an Enemy to him when he looks upon the sinner that is got under him and this is a sore evil that when God that is the God of all mercy and of infinite compassion yet when he gets a wretched sinner under him he shall look upon him in the depth of his affliction with indignation and wrath as a loathsom Creature as loathing and abhorring this Creature under his wrath he shall be cast out in his wrath God casts out a Sinner and curses him when he looks upon him in such a manner 2 The Curse of afflictions when it comes in such a manner in way of sin is in this God regards neither the time nor the manner or the measure of the affliction whether it be a time sensonable for the Sinner or no nor the manner nor the measure whether it be such as the sinner can bear no let that go God minds not that Indeed when God comes with his afflicting hand upon those to whom sin is pardoned whom he looks upon in Christ he weighs out their afflictions God comes and with his Wisdom doth order it for the due time and weighs it out for the due proportion that there shall not be one dram put into it any further than their strength can bear he doth not tempt us beyond our strength he laies not upon us what we cannot be able to bear this is true of his People But when God comes upon those that have the guilt of sin lying on them he will come at that time that is most unseasonable for them at the worst time that can be As thus when a Husband-man would cut a Tree to make it fruitful he will observe his