the Convulsion but if we did know they were really possessed we should be terrified Oh such a friend such a neighbor lived wickedly before and now the Devil hath possessed him we thought it a Disease till now we thought it the Convulsion but now we see it is from the Devils possession of them Would you not endure any affliction in the world rather than God should say of you the next oath you swear when you open your mouthes to swear the Devil shal come in and take possession of your bodies or the next evil language you speak the Devil shall come in and possess you this were a fearful thing and you would take heed of this But this I am to make good That when you go on in sin in any one sin it is a greater evil than if never so many Devils possest you if there should be Legions as he said to Christ when he asked his name he said Legion because we be many It is not so great an evil if God should give up your bodies to be possessed by Legions of Devils you will say surely that is a great evil but not so great as to be under the power of one sin How will that appear you will say Thus Possession makes you not hateful to God and guilty before God and loathsom to God nor is it that which God hates but it is an object of pitty Christ pittied them when he saw them thus but Sin makes a man odious and hateful to God I remember an excellent Observation Gregory hath on the Book of Job saith he What is the reason when God gave up Job to the Devil and bid him do what he would but spare his life saith he What is the reason the Devil did not possess him when he was given up to his hands for so the words are He is in thy Hands only spare his life So that it appears he was in his power to possess him but yet he did not and what is the reason this is the Answer that Ancient gives the reason is this Because if he had possest him then though Job had fretted and frowned and torn himself it had not been his Sin his impatiency so as it was when he was not possessed Now because the Devil envied Job the Devil would bring that upon Job which he knew to be the greatest evil as much as he could for so all envy doth One that envies another labors to bring the greatest evil on him that he can So certainly the Devil envied Job and therefore he labored to bring the greatest evil on him that he could Now it seems possession was not the greatest evil but the Devil would go so to work as if he could possibly he would get Job to be impatient and make Job curse God and sin against God If Job should have cursed God in word by possession of the Devil the Devil cursed God in him it had not been Jobs sin so much as if he had got him to curse God otherwise Now the Devil would have him so curse God as to be a sin to him and therefore the Devil would not possess him because that was the lesser evil So that to be given up to sin is a greater evil than to be possest Therefore all you that have friends and children which you see wicked and licentious and you see some cause to fear they be given up to the power of sin for the present it should cause Fathers and Mothers to come to Christ as earnestly as ever those poor Creatures did that had Children possessed with the Devil in the Gospel poor women had children possessed and so men Fathers that had Children possessed with the Devil that did rent and tear him in the presence of Christ he cries out mightily to Christ if he could Oh that he would come and help him and so the woman of Canaan for her daughter cries after Christ to help her Daughter for she was miserably vexed with an unclean Spirit So you should even go and cry to God Lord help if possible and have mercy upon my Son upon my Daughter for they have unclean Spirits yea they are in a worse condition than if possessed by the Devil I have a Son a swearing yong man a Daughter that is vain and profane and wicked and licentious and stubborn and unruly Oh if it be possible help me if you could be as sensible of the sins and wickedness of your Children as in the time of the Gospel Fathers and Mothers were of the possession of their Children much might then be done CHAP. XLIX The Sixt Corollary Sin brings to wicked men the same Portion the Devils have SIxtly Hence it follows if Sin hath such reference to the Devil then this must needs follow That the same Portion that the Devils have must needs be at last the portion of wicked men The Scripture expresseth it Mat. 25. Go you wicked into the Portion prepared for the Devil And so in Timothy the same portion that the Devil hath shall be the portion of wicked and ungodly men We reade in the Book of the Revelations of fearful Judgments that shall befal such as have the mark of Antichrist upon them Revel 14. 9 10. An Angel followed saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his Image and receive his mark in their Foreheads or in their Hands the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God poured out without mixture and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the Presence of God and his holy Angels and of the Lamb. Mark the dreadful Judgments upon such as have the mark of Antichrist either openly in their Foreheads in profession or more privately in their Hands he shall drink of the wrath of God c. Now if such as have but the mark of Antichrist upon them shall have such dreadful punishment pray what shall those have that have such a likeness unto the Devil himself the mark of the Devil that are even turned into the very Nature of the Devil that are children of the Devil what shall the end of such wicked and ungodly men and women be And now Brethren we have finished all these Six Particulars in opening the evil of Sin and therein shewed that there is more evil in Sin that there is in any Affliction And now I had thought to have made some good entrance into the Application of this for though all this while in the Explanation I have mingled some Application yet there remains very many excellent useful Considerations which doth flow from all that hath been said of the evil of Sin that if possible it may be brought to your hearts that all may not vanish and come to nothing in the Conclusion Now this one Use I had verily thought to have gone through I shall only name it and shew what I intend in it and I shal finish it in the following Discourse CHAP. L. Use I. Shew that trouble of Conscience for
have slight thoughts of Sin and the troubl for it these thoughts of their hearts shall be altered You must come to know Sin in another manner than now you do you must come to feel what Sin is in another manner than now you do I remember I once heard a credible Relation of a Scholler that was in jovial Company and very merry and yet one that had some inlightnings of Conscience and being very prophane there was occasionally one in the Company speaking of a wounded Conscience he presently claps his hand upon his brest Well saith he One day this breast of mine must know what a wounded Conscience means He being Conscious to himself of abundance of guilt in him for he had light and yet was prophane and his Conscience told him though now he was merry yet one day that breast of mine must know what a wounded Spirit means So I say to you is there any prophane person this day before the Lord that hath had or stil hath slight thoughts of the evil of Sin and trouble of Conscience for Sin Well Go thy waies and lay thy hand upon thy breast and say to thy self One day this breast of mine must know what a wounded Spirit is and must have other manner of thoughts about a troubled Conscience for Sin If thy heart be not yet troubled for sin if thou feelest not the weight of sin now it is a dangerous sign that thou art reserved to feel the weight of sin in torment to know what the meaning of sin is in the burthen of it in torment If now thou hast slight thoughts concerning trouble for sin I say take it as from the Lord this day as spoken to thee it is a fearful sign a brand upon thee that thou art reserved to feel trouble for sin eternally God hath time enough to trouble you for Sin hereafter and therefore it may be he lets you go on in these slight thoughts for the present and you do bless your selves in your own conceits and God doth not now convince you because he hath time enough hereafter A Fifth thing I would say to those that have slight thoughts about trouble for sin is this That if ever God should in this world come to awaken your Conscience and lay the weight of sin upon your souls it were just with God then to let you sink under the burthen I say it were just with God so to wound you for sin as to see you sweltring in your wounds and deny compassion Why Because you have had slight thoughts of such a wound Certainlie brethren observe what I say unto you the very Reason why men and women are so long in anguish of Spirit for their sin and under such sore troubles and distress of Conscience by reason of their sin and can have no comfort it is because heretofore they have had such slight thoughts of trouble of Conscience Perhaps when they were in their jollitie and mirth they made a mock of it made nothing of it heard dreadful threats against sin and made light of it and thought people were troubled more than needs Well you once had such slight thoughts of trouble of Concience for sin now God comes upon you for it and this hand of God lies upon you and it is just with God you should feel it to purpose that you should have smart enough that God might instruct you and convince you of your error and might now come and teach you after another manner What do you think now of trouble of Conscience for sin you had such and such thoughts of it heretofore what be your thoughts of it now I remember there was one not far from the place where I ordinarily lived and it was a yong Maid hearing of many troubled in Conscience for Sin she in a kind of scorn and contempt of it would feign her self troubled in Conscience for sin and ô she was mightily troubled and in scorn of the Ministers Oh these and these Ministers must be sent for to comfort her meerly out of contempt and scorn but afterward God laid on in good earnest upon her Conscience and then she was troubled to purpose and so that she was at the very brink of making away her self and it was very much feared by al her friends indeed she would have made away her self and atempted it many ways if God had not wonderfully hindred it So those that have light thoughts of perplexities of conscience for sin when it comes indeed it may be just with God it should be so heavy that they should not be able to bear it but sink under it then it will be so strange a thing to such as have slight thoughts of it that the very strangness of trouble of Conscience for sin will amaze them that they wil not know what in the world to do This is a Fifth thing When trouble comes upon them God may justly leave them under trouble A Sixth thing I would say to such that have slight thoughts about trouble of Conscience for sin is this These thoughts of yours do take away a chief restraint of sin and causes you to disregard all the Authority of the Word There be these Two fearful Evils that do follow upon your slight thoughts of trouble of CONSCIENCE for SIN 1 They take away that which is the chief Restraint of Sin There are many outward restraints to keep men and women from sin but all outward restraints from sin are nothing to the restraints of Conscience a man that hath a tender Conscience hath the greatest restraint of sin that can be no restraint like to that but one that is so far from a tender Conscience that he thinks trouble of Conscience is a melancholly conceit such a man hath no restraint to purpose from sin he may have restraints from outward and gross sins but from close secret sins he hath none Now it is a great evil to a man that the hinderances to secret sins be taken away and he gives himself liberty in secret sins 2 And then for the Authority of the Word It is a great mercy for men and women to be in such a condition that their heart should be continually under the authority of the Word howsoever you think it a brave thing that you can get your hearts above the Word but certainly it is one of the greatest mercies of God upon the earth for God to keep the hearts of men and women under the authority of the Word But that man or woman that thinks lightly of troubles of Conscience such a one can slight the Word regards it not let what will be spoken he can easily put it off because the main hold that the Word hath upon the heart of a man or woman it is upon their Conscience the Word takes hold upon their Conscience and brings down the heart under the power of it but if the Word take not hold upon conscience it takes not hold at all But let a man or woman
you to Heaven there is use of Godliness to keep you away from Sin and Ungodliness and there is enough in that to countervail anie pleasure suppose you yong people abstain from some pleasure or joy that others have the truth is you have greater and better pleasures but suppose you had none but keeping of your souls from sin this meerlie were enough to countervail whatsoever you suffer in the waies of God There are manie converted when they were old and what would these give for to be delivered from the guilt of some sins committed when they were yong When they look back to their lives Oh this sin I committed in such a familie and when I was an Apprentise in such a place Oh that I were delivered from them Oh they lie upon my heart Oh that vanitie and wickedness Oh those oaths I swore in such a companie among yong men Oh those Sabbaths I brake Oh those lyes I told and the drunkennesse I was drawn to Oh I cannot look back to these but my thinks I could even tear my heart from my bellie to think what a heart I had to sin against God and multiplie Sin against Him Thus at the best when God awakens their hearts they would give ten thousand worlds to be delivered from the Sins of their Youth And therefore now you yong ones seeing there is such evil in Sin Oh prevent it You know how the Sins of Youth lay upon David Remember not against me the sins of my youth therefore now prevent those Sins that otherwise will lie so heavilie upon you as that you will be forced to crie out Oh remember not against me the Sins of my Youth Oh it is a happie thing to see yong ones good and it is the greatest hope that God will shew mercie to England in that God begins to draw yong ones on in the waies of Godliness so that we hope there will not be so manie Sins committed in the Age to come We have cried out of the Sins of yong ones and one Generation that hath followed another hath been but like the Kennel the lower and further it goeth the more filth it hath gathered and so the lower Generations have gone the more filthie they have been But we hope God intends to turn the course and to make Godliness as much honored as it hath been dishonored heretofore and that there should not be so much Sin in the next Generation Heretofore yong people when they had daies of Recreation what did they but multiplie Sin what abundance of wickedness was committed by Youth then and on Shrove-Tuesdaies abundance of wickedness committed by Youth then and so the Generation was filled with Sins of Youth But now God is pleased to stir up the hearts of yong ones that instead of multiplying of Sin they be got together on such daies to Fast and to Pray and make daies to attend upon the Word and so avoid Sin It is that certainlie that doth encourage the hearts of Gods People to pray to him and to seek him for mercie that God gives hearts to yong people that they multiplie not Sin as heretofore If there be anie here that have begun this Oh go on in that way and when others multiplie wickedness upon such daies get alone and attend upon the Word and recreate your Souls in the Word and holie conference true God gives libertie to recreate but let it he as it was wont to be with the Companies in London though they did recreate they would have their Sermons too So instead of horrible wickedness that was wont to be upon those daies as I suppose some of you can remember upon Shrove-Tuesdaies infinite wickednesses was committed in the Citie and thereabouts we hope instead of wickedness and joyning together in wickedness there will be joyning together in the Waies of God And thus doing you wil encourage us in the Waies of God and Peace and Mercie will be upon you CHAP. LXIII Use 13. If there be so much evil in sin Then it s a fearful thing for any to be instrumental to draw others to sin WEE are now to finish that Tractate about the greatness of the evil of Sin It hath been an Argument that hath much encreased in our hands like unto the bread the Loaves that Christ did break unto the People that in the verie breaking did multiplie and so hath this Argument done but we are now to put a period to it Manie Uses you know hath been made alreadie as Corollaries and Consequences from that great Doctrine of the evil of Sin that Sin is a greater evil than Affliction The last day the especial aim and intention of the Application was Therefore to drive Sinners to Jesus Christ seeing there is so much evil in Sin more than in all Affliction Oh what need have we who are such great Sinners of Jesus Christ that is the Propisiation for Sin I have only one Note to ad further on that and we shall proceed it is an Excellent Expression I find in Luther saith he There is a great deal of difference between the Consequencia Legis and Consequencia Evangelii There is a Consequence of the Law and that is this Thou hast sinned and therefore thou must be damned But the Consequence of the Gospel is this Thou hast sinned therefore go to Jesus Christ that is the Argument the Gospel uses from Sin But passing by all we have said concerning that Use we proceed to further Applications that are behind Four or Five Uses we are to speak of and then we shall have done with the Point I will be brief upon the first Two or Three and the Two last we shall stick most upon Vse XIII If there be such evil in Sin as you have heard Hence then it is a fearful thing for any one to be instrumental to draw others to sin All that hath been said in the opening of the evil of sin must needs speak very terribly unto all that ever have been any way instruments to draw others to sin in all their lives Now Oh that God would speak to every man and womans Conscience in this Congregation that are conscious to themselves that ever they have been any cause to draw others to sin Is there not one whose Conscience presently at the naming of this Use doth even tell you well now God speaks to me for certainlie there hath been some that I have drawn to sin that I have been a means to further sin in If any one of you have ever been a means by counsel or advise by approbation by perswasion by encouragement by abetting of any by joyning with any in anie sinful course to draw them to sin know that God speaks to you First God tells you this That if you had been born to do mischief you could not do a greater mischief than this is if you had been the means to undo men and women in their outward Estate it had been nothing so much but thou hast what in
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
you have wronged are dead you must not keep it if they have anie heirs or executors suppose you know not them then you must give it to the poor you must be rid of it So much stain and evil is in sin that anie thing that comes by way of sin must not be kept And this is not so strange a thing but that the heathen have been convinced of it I remember a storie of a heathen that did but owe to a Shoomaker for a pair of Shoos and no bodie knew he owed it when the Shoomaker was dead he thought to save it but his Conscience was so troubled though the man was dead and no bodie could charge him with it that he could not sleep or rest and be quiet but riseth with amazement and trouble in the night and runs to the Shoomakers house and throws the Money in and saith Though he be dead to others yet he is alive to me If a heathen had such convictions of Conscience that he must not keep that which was gotton by sin if he could see sin so sinful that what was gotten by sin must be cast out surely you Christians must be so wise Oh consider this you are a multitude come together is there never a man or womans Conscience now in the presence of God that tells them That there is something that they have gotten by such a sinful way Now this is the charge of God to you upon your spirits That as ever you do expect to find Mercie from God that you do forth with and immediatelie restore that which you have gotten by anie sinful way it will be your bane and your ruine you will venture your souls else that must be restored or your souls must go for it and all your sorrow and trouble will not do ezcept these be restored these be restored to your power either that or some other thing in lieu of it you must not think to live upon sin It may be servants in their Masters service pilfered and purloined whatsoever you got for your selves perhaps you have spent it but hereafter either your souls must perish or else you must if God have made you able restore it though it be all your estates you be bound to cast up those sweet morseâ—s you have taken There was once one that had wronged a man in five shillings and it was fiftie years after that wrong was done that he sent to these hands of mine those five shillings and desired me to restore it Conscience now did so sting him that he could not injoy it So though it be fortie fiftie or threescore years ago when you were yong that you did the wrong you be bound as you do expect mercie from God to restore what you have wronged because there can no prosperitie come in by sin no good there is so much evil in sin This is the First when a man comes to be prosperous by Sin then he may be miserable notwithstanding his prosperitie Secondly When a man comes to be sinful by Prosperity As when a man comes to Prosper by sin so when Sin comes in by Prosperitie And for this Three Considerations likewise Sin sometimes comes in by Prosperitie a man is more sinful because more Prosperous certainlie this man may be miserable notwithstanding his Prosperitie As First When Prosperitie is fuel for sin Secondly When it gives them further license and liberty to sin Thirdly When it more hardens them in sin Certainlie this man though he be freed from Afflictions all his daies yet is a most miserable man because he is delivered from Afflictions 1 He comes to have Prosperity fuel for sin That is matter for sin to work upon so that Prosperitie nourisheth and fattens up sin As manie men because they have Prosperitie their sins grow to a mightie height by Prosperitie Prosperitie is fuel for Lust fattens your malice and oâ—asions pride Were it not he had such an estate as he hath and a healthful lustie bodie then he could not be guiltie of so much Lust uncleanness drunkenness pride so much malice and revenge the more God doth deliver them from Afflictions sickness povertie the more feuel hath he for sin wickedness and the lusts of his heart to burn upon and grow up to a flame As it is with a bodie those humors of the bodie are matters for the disease to grow upon and feed the disease they be no good to the bodie but mischief to it some men have great big arms and legs but what bigness is it a bigness that comes by disease by dropsies such humors their bodies being full of them they feed the disease of the bodie now be these humors anie such things as that we should rejoice in do they make for the good of the bodie they make for the bigness but not the goodness of the bodie So anie mans estate that makes matter to feed lust upon and nourish and grow upon this such a man is so much the more miserable by how much the more Prosperous he is as usuallie wicked men through the malignitie in their hearts they do make all their Prosperitie to be nothing else but nourishment for lust to breed on As it is with a gracious heart it will turn al things he doth injoy to be matter for his grace to work upon and to further the work of grace so a wicked heart will turn all he doth injoy to be matter for his lust to work upon and to further his lust the excellencie of grace appears in the one and the malignitie of sin appears in the other Now if sin be so great an evil then whatsoever a man injoys if it be a furtherance of sin and nourish sin it makes him the more miserable a miserable creature though a prosperous man yet this man is miserable because his Prosperitie makes him more sinful 2 If his Prosperitie doth give him further liberty in Sin As thus Manie men that be poor be quicklie restrained they have manie restraints alas they be afraid the Law will get hold of them if they be drunk or unclean he is quicklie restrained may be he dares not for fear of the displeasure of some friend he depends upon a hundred things keeps in men in affliction from taking their libertie in Sin which otherwise his heart would have committed whereas a man Prosperous in the world takes libertie and who shall controule him he will be drunk and unclean and break the Sabbath and who dares controule and speak to him and I beseech you observe this manie men account that the greatest happiness of Prosperitie that by this means they may come to have their wils their sinful wills that they shall live without controul in the satisfying their sinful lusts this they account the happiness of Prosperitie This is a most abominable cursed happiness to account the good of Prosperitie to consist in this That it gives more libertie to sin Oh it is a most Pestelentious Power that inables to do mischief
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
strictness and care of Gods People against sin Two Directions to those that make Conscience of smal sins First Be even in your waies strict against all sin Secondly Be very yeilding in all Lawful things Use IV. IF there be so much evil in Sin Hence then is justified the strictness and care of the People of God against sin They be afraid of everie sin they dare not be so bold in the waies of sin as others are but they tremble when any sin is presented to them they be afraid and tremble others go on boldly and presumptuously and laugh at such as be afraid Oh such scrupulous Consciences Oh they dare not do such a thing because 't is a sin they say Oh they dare not by any means because they dare not sin thus others laugh at them because they think they be more scrupulous than they need be that should be afraid to do things so little as they think these are I beseech you observe the perversness of mens hearts you shall have them if men offend the Law of man them that are in Authoritie the Commands of men in things that they themselves will profess to be verie little and smal then they will cry out of such its Rebellion and Rebels against authoritie and they are not worthie to live and they would have the severest punishments that can be against them that will not obey mans authoritie in little things but mark these men that will so urge small things and where they be small the worse the disobedience say they in disobeying in small things Yet these men that seem verie Consciencious in such things when they see men afraid to offend God that dare not do little things if sinful dare not speak an idle word and be sinfullie merrie as others are that are afraid of intemperance and everie small thing as they think these men will jeer such what a horrible Sin is this What! urge mans Authoritie in small things and jeer those that be Consciencious to Gods Authoritie in small things What shal the Authoritie of man put weight upon smal things and not the Authoritie of the Almightie put weight in small things Well whatsoever they think brethren go on and make Conscience of small things and never call anie sin little because you have heard of so much evil in it go away with this impression of the Evil of Sin on your hearts Well by this I have heard of the Evil of Sin I have learned to account no sin smal though never so little in the eye of the world Is it a Sin If so do thou never admit of it if it be a sin abhorre it let this temptation never prevail with thee What will you not do this you may do worse This I would advise those gracious and godlie that do indeed make Conscience of small Sins and do well in making Conscience of small things I give you these Two Instructions to carrie along with you as you do make Conscience of small things and you do well in it because there is so much Evil in Sin So The First Instruction Be sure your Course be even this way that as you seem to make Conscience of some things smal so make Conscience of all Let not men of the world that observe your waies find you tripping and have just cause to say These men seem scrupulous in small things but in otherwaies they give libertie enough to themselves And say they though they will not swear they will lye and such like aspertions sometimes through malice the men of the world cast upon Profession But I speak to you in the name of the Lord take heed you give not occasion to the men of the world to say so to say I these be so scrupulous in Ceremonies and so nice in these things though certainlie we are bound to be so for God is a jealous God and if in anie thing we be Consciencious we must in his Worship be Consciencious there but then you had need be so much the more careful that they find you exact in everie thing that you do You servants perhaps you inquire after the Worship of God you yong people and it is a great mercie of God that God stirs up yong ones to inquire after the true worship of God and not to worship God in that ignorance that your fore-fathers did that took up everie thing upon custome or the use of the Parish they lived in for certainlie it is not the practise of manie nor the command of Authoritie can make it lawful if not warranted by the Word Well perhaps manie yong ones now begin to inquire after the way of Gods Worship and perhaps your Masters or Parents or may be Husbands be angry and vexed and wonder what is come to you because grown so scrupulous of these things Now I say you had need be verie exact in your Masters familie that you may not be found tripping in other things and you Wives had need be verie exact that your Husbands find you not faultie in other things and you Children had need be verie respectful to your Parents and careful of your Duties to them because they be more apprehensive of anie failings in that which is due to them then they are of any thing in the Worship of God and they know God tyes you to the practice of those duties Now if you cannot joyn in their practice and such Superstition as your Masters do Now if these Servants be unfaithful in Service and carelesss and stubborn and stout in answering again how doth this harden their Masters against this way of Worship and harden their hearts against them What You make Conscience of Superstition because sinful and is not this Sin as well as that to be unfaithful and stubborn and stout if you make Conscience of one sin why not of another therefore all you that seem to have more tender Consciences than others and more afraid of the least sin than others be sure you walk exactly and especially have a care of your duty towards men with whom you walk for they can spy you presently if you trip A Second Instruction I commend to those that make Conscience of little of the least Sin is this Be sure you be as yeilding and tractable in all other things as possible you may in all things lawful I ground it upon this Because those whose Consciences be tender and dare not commit the least Sin for anie seeming good they cannot but stand out rather than commit some evils some things that they be required to do they dare not do because sinful it cānot be but in some things they must stand out because they be convinced that it is a sin now this the world judges stoutness and pride you make Conscience of it but they think it pride and stoutness of spirit why Cannot you do this as well as others when alas God knows and your Consciences tels you that you would with all your hearts but cannot you
do good to the souls of their Children for know according to the nature of the wrong must the Restitution be One text is observable for this to shew that according to the nature of the wrong must the restitution be to the utmost that can be Exod. 22. 5. If a man shall cause a Field or Vinyard to be eaten and shall put in his Beast and shall feed in another mans field of the best of his own field and of the best of his own vinyard shall he make restitution This is the scope of the holy Ghost in this text of Scripture That if anie one shall wrong another in his vinyard or his field he shall make restitution and mark what the text saith not in anie slight manner but of the best of his field and vinyard he must not say I warrant my Cattel did not do any hurt but eat a little of the worst and I will make restitution of the worst no but must make restitution of the best of his field and vinyard he must not think to get off with a barren peice of ground but with the best must he make restitution This shews what a full restitution God will have So then if a man hath wronged his neighbor in his vineyard t is not enough for him to say I will make restitution in my barren ground no but out of his vinyard must he make restitution so if he have wronged his neighbor in his field he must not go and say I will give a part of the Common but of the best of his field must he make restitution so if he have wronged another in his estate he must give of his estate and if the wrong be to the soul the restitution must be to the soul according to the wrong must be the restitution And I beseech you be convinced of this All the sorrow in the world is not sufficient without you make restitution this is so cleer out of the word and even by the light of nature and of Conscience that they may easilie convince themselves whosoever doubts of the thing nothing in Religion more cleer than this is therefore restitution is required by God of thee as ever thou wilt expect to find mercie This Argument if God be pleased to set it home will make many men and women who when they were yong were ring leaders to wickedness to others Oh how forward would they be to good now they would be ring-leaders to good to others now I pronounce it as in the name of God you can have no assurance of the truth of Repentance except there be some indeavor in some degree to be as forward for God now as thou hast been in the waies of sin before if you have been Ring-leaders to the sin of Sabbath breaking you must be Ring-leaders to draw others to keep the Sabbath and if you have been Ring-leaders to ungodlinesse you must be forward to draw others to godlinesse Oh take heed of this it is a woful thing to draw others to sin seeing there is so much evil in sin as there is CHAP. LXIV Use 14. If there be so much Evil in Sin than there ought to be no pleading for sin Use XIV IF there be so much Evil in Sin as you have heard hence then surely there ought to be no pleading for sin there is too much evil in it for any one in the world to plead for it to make any excuse or any Plea for it As if there be a notorious wicked house where there is much evil done in it we account it a great disgrace for any to Plead for it If it be in Question and any Justice of Peace plead for wicked Ale-houses it is a blot to him If there were no sin committed in it it were not much but if it be a notorious house for sin to Plead for it is accounted a great blot And now you that have heard of the great evil of sin will you ever open your mouths to deminish and excuse sin and yet how ordinarie is this in the world Some go to evil wicked company and when they spend their times in drinking Plead Why they must have recreation I pray what work do they tire themselves withal that needs so much recreation what service do they do for God wherein they spend their Spirits and the strength of their Souls in serving God that they need so much refreshing And so when they spend whole daies in drinking and eating why they do but rejoice in the use of the Creature and may they not keep Companie with such men that be honest men and so anie kind of sin wicked ribaldry talking is but mirth and notorious covetousnesse but providing for their Familie and horrible pride but handsomnesse somwhat they will have to say Pleas and Excuses for almost anie sin Certainlie brethren if we understood the nature of sin we would say as Jerubael Let Baal plead for himself So let sin plead for it self never be heard to open thy mouth to plead for sin in others excuse it in others much lesse in thy self Those that be so full of excuses and pleas for sin it is an evident argument God never discovered the evil of sin yet to them never caused the weight and burthen of sin to lie upon their Conscience nor what we have mentioned of the evil of it Oh! know thou hast to deal with the infinite God it is a matter of thy soul and eternal estate and think not to put it off with vain pleas and excuses but set thy self in the presence of the eternal infinite God Indeed if you have to deal with your Mothers or Friends you may put them off with excuses for sin but if you would set your selves as in the presence of God and there set sin before your eyes you would not so easilie put it off with excuses as you do CHAP. LXV Use 15. If there be so much Evil in Sin Then of all JVDGEMENTS spiritual Judgements are the greatest Use XV. IF there be so much Evil in Sin as hath been delivered then above all Judgements spiritual Judgements are the greatest Oh! what a dreadful thing then is it for God to give men or women up to sin this is the most fearful Judgement that can befal anie man or woman in the world except God should send them quick down to hell Yea it may be if God should send them quick down to Hell and cause Hells mouth to open presentlie it would not be so great a Judgement as to give them up to sin And yet this the Scripture speaks of much of Gods wrath burning this way God hardened the heart of Pharaoh God gives up to a Reprobate sence he that wil be filthie let him be filthie still he gives men up to their own Counsels I might shew you divers texts of Scripture for this but there are Two Things in this POINT that requires large discusion 1 How can God that is so infinitly good have a hand in