when he will Turn you out of your Clay Cottages at his pleasure Secondly Is it not folly to grieve him that can call you to an account when he will You must be accountable to him for your grieving of him at his own time and pleasure Thirdly Is it not a folly to grieve him that we cannot contend with Is there any standing out with God Did ever any harden himself against the Lord and prosper Job 9.4 Did you never Sinners read that word seriously over Can your hearts endure or your hands be made strong in that day that I shall deal with you saith the Lord Ezek. 22.14 You may it may be endure through the hardness of your hearts the day that Gods Servants deal with you But Oh Sinner God's day of dealing with thee will be another kind of Day Fourthly Is it not folly to grieve him that hath done you so many kindnesses Is not this great Ingratitude and is not this Folly O foolish People and unwise will you thus requite the Lord 4. Is not this Folly to mock at that which cost Jesus Christ his precious Blood What died the Lord Jesus Christ for Was it not the Remission of sins Without shedding of blood says the Apostle there is no Remission Heb. 1.3 When Christ had purged by himself our sins he sate down at the right Hand of the Majesty on high Ah poor sinners do not you tread the Blood of Christ under foot and account it an unclean thing while you make a mock at sin O hard hearted wretches can you make a mock at that which let out the Heart Blood of Christ Can you make that a matter of Laughter which made the Lord Jesus sorrowful even unto death Can you mock at the Gall and Vinegar that those cruel Jews that Crucified our Lord gave him to drink Would you have Laughed to have seen him hang upon the Cross You all that make a mock at sin do as much as if you Laught at him when he went to Execution And is it not Sinners to Crucifie him again and to put him to open shame 5. Is it not a Folly to mock at that which brought the Curse into the World until Sin entred into the World there was no such thing as the Curse known and to mock at sin is to mock at the Curse O what madness is this To mock at that which shortly you must feel the effects of which consists in two things First Death Temporal In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Would you know how Death that King of Terrours entred into the World and hath such an universal and uncontrollable Regency in the World The Apostle answers it Death entred into the World by sin Rom. 5.12 Ah sinners will you make a mock at Death Is dying a jesting matter with you Will you mock when this grim Serjeant shall Arrest you Will not then your mocking be turned into mourning Doth the guilty condemned Malefactor when ready to be turned off the Ladder use to die mocking at the Executioner I believe when you lie a dying you will tell another story Secondly The Curse that sin hath brought consists in eternal Death called the second Death The first Death that consists of separation betwixt Soul and Body but the second Death that consists in a seperation betwixt the Soul and God it is called Everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. 6. Is it not a Folly to make a mock at that which hath made many a poor Soul go groaning under the weight and burden of it many a Day yea many a Year Poor sinners you may sport at it for a while but if the Lord once make you feel the Load of it and lay upon you the Sense of it then your Note will be changed What was it that made David cry out Psal 38.4 5 6 7. My Wounds stink and are corrupt And at another time My Sores run day and night and ceaseth not I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart What was the matter What occasioned this tumult in the Soul of poor David He tells us For mine in quities are gone over mine head as a burden as too heavy a burden for me to bear c. And poor Sinner wilt thou mock at that which other gracious Souls have so sadly mourned over Poor penitent Souls are called weary and heavy laden Souls And shall it be to you a jesting mocking business 7. Is it not a great Folly to mock at that which Satan is so earnestly solicitous to draw Souls into It is the great design of Satan to draw Souls into Sin and Guilt It is called The work of the Devil O how industrious is he in tempting O how diligent is he in laying snares for poor Sinners And shall Sinners mock at Satans snares Are not Sinners his Vassals and Captives And is this a mocking matter to be tied to his Chariot Wheels To be lead in triumph by this devourer and destroyer of Souls Would you make a mock at a company of poor Captives that are taken by the Turks and there put into the Galleys or cruelly beaten and abused by their hard hearted Patroons And is not this the case Ah poor Soul thou art Captive to Satan for all thy mocking Thou art in a worse condition than any Galley-Slave in the World though thou art not sensible of it 8. Is it any mocking matter to mock at that which degraded Angels and Men How came Angels to be degraded from that Dignity and Honour in which they were Created We read an Answer to the Question 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell and delivered them into Chains of darkness to be reserved unto Judgment These Angels were glorious Courtiers once though condemned Prisoners now What was then the matter for which they were thus severely dealt with They rebelled against God and so were degraded from their first Station Jude tells us They kept not their first Station their first Estate Jude ver 6. Secondly Sin degraded Man and shall we mock at that which degraded us from that excellent State in which we were Created Man being in Honour abideth not he is like the Beast that perisheth Psal 49.12 Or Adam ledged not in Honour no not one night as the Hebrew reads it And the Septuagint He understood not He understood not the Excellency of that Estate in which he was Created and so was degraded And 〈◊〉 this a mocking matter Sinners To be degraded and stript of that glorious Robe of Original Righteousness with which he was in his Primitive State clothed To be rob'd of Communion with God and Conformity to God in which consisted his Excellency and to be degraded of this Glory O sinners is this a mocking matter Put all these Particulars together and weigh them in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and lay them to your
travelling in the Broad-way like Fools going to the Stocks and crys after them How long will ye simple ones love simplicity 3. Is not he a Fool that takes no care to prevent afterclaps of Danger Wisdom consists in fore-sight and in prevention Is it not the property of a fool to say I had not thought my sins would have brought me to this Doth not the Lord in his Word and in his Rod cry out to poor sinners as Jonathan said to David As the Lord liveth there is but a step betwixt thee and death Oh! says God sinners sinners there are but a few steps betwixt you and death a few Years Months it may be Days betwixt you and Hell betwixt you and Ruine and yet such Fools are poor sinners that they are not solicitous to prevent their misery Oh how it will cut poor sinners to the Heart another day to sign out that dolesul note We had not thought the Great God was in good earnest with us We had not thought Divine Threatnings would have proved such Realities O this will be the Worm that will so wofully torment them We were told of all this before-hand and might have prevented it O then they will cry out what Fools they have been But all too late they see their folly by the light of that fire that so intollerably torments them 4. Is not he a Fool that doth not consult the end of his way The end in all wise Agents is first in Intention though the last in Execution Here is the difference betwixt Wisdom and Folly The one says What will this end in As the Apostle argues in that case What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed For the end of those things is death Rom. 6.21 But now a Soul that is not wise for Heaven and Salvation may say What will this Way this Course end in Will not this be bitterness in the latter end Will it not be Wrath eternal Death Damnation in the end This is a way that seems right to a man But what is the end of it The end of it is Death Prov. 14.12 Ah Sinner Sinner Art not thou a fool that never looks before thee Wast thou wise would'st thou not look before thou leapst Why dost not thou ask thy soul O my soul what will this sin of mine end in Whether will this Course and Way of mine at last lead me Is not sin the Devils high way to Hell And doth not this Course lead down to the Chambers of Death Ah poor fool All wise Men that have their Eyes in their Heads pity thee they see whether thou art going and thou wilt see too when it is too late 5. Is not he a Fool that cannot tell how to make a good choice Wisdom you know is much seen in choice The trial of a Fool hath sometimes been made thus Fools and Ideots are not to inherit Lands and when they come to try them they lay down Apples and Gold and if they chuse the Apples before the Gold they are concluded Ideots Oh doth not God put this to trial sinners foolish sinners Here is Gold and Apples laid before you Creature-Comforts the Accommodations of this Life What are these but so many Apples as Josephus tells of that grow about the Lake of Sodom that look bravely to the Eye but as soon as touched they crumble to dust And do not many thousand poor foolish Sinners choose these before the Gold Before the Gold tried in the Fire viz. Real Grace Such as make such a choice are fools and shall never Inherit Did not Moses tell the People of Israel he laid Life and Death before them Deut. 30.19 and put them to their choice And Oh! what folly sinners is it to choose Death rather than Life Oh! this will be the sting of thy eternal misery that thou like a foolish wretch didst make such a choice it was thy own choice thou art undone for ever but it was thy own doing Thou thy self art the cause of all this This will justifie God in thy own Conscience to all Eternity Oh what crying out is there Sinner in Hell What a fool was I to make such a choice I might have been happy for ever as I am now miserable if I had made a wise choice 6. Is not he a Fool that is afflicted day by day and still goes on and keeps his course of sinning still A reproof enters more into a wise Man than an hundred stripes into a Fool Prov. 17.10 A Fool will be a fool still give him one blow after another until you tell an hundred O how many blows have many sinners had Sometimes a blow in their Estates another while a blow in their Bodies another while a blow in their Families sometimes in their Trading nay added to all these sometimes in their Souls by Convictions under Ordinances And thus God lays on time after time But what comes of all these blows Alas the poor sinner is a fool still he goes on still Bray a fool in a Morter among Wheat with a Pestle yet will not his foolishness depart from him Prov. 27.22 These Fools are worse than Mad-men and Bedlams they are often restored to Reason again by Correction and Severity Poor sinner hast not thou been such a fool O how many blows hast thou laid under How many Rods hath God spent upon thee How often hath God made thee sick by smiting thee And yet Gods Rod hath not whipt out the bundle of Folly that is wrapt up in thine Heart As thou hast been so thou art a poor foolish one to this day O poor sinner what if upon thy incorrigibleness the Lord should say to thee as he did to them Why should you be smitten any more You rebel more and more O how sad would this be Sinners did you never read that word Prov. 19.29 Judgments are prepared for the scorners and stripes for the backs of Fools Thou art both whilst thou makest a mock at sin It is no wonder if the Lord have Rods for such backs 7. Is not he a Fool who hath a price put into his hand and hath no heart to use it Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get Wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it Prov. 17.16 Ah sinners how many opportunities have you had in your day to get Wisdom for your Souls for Heaven and Eternity and you have let them slip O what grand folly is this to play the fool for your precious souls Is this to redeem your time Is this to walk as wise ones As those that are wise to Salvation Is he a wise Mariner amongst you that when the Wind presents will stay on the Downs or drinking a shore and so loose his Voyage Is he a wise Man Merchant in your repute that doth not esteem his Seasons to buy his Goods and Commodities at the best hand Is he a wise Husbandman that doth not observe his Seasons for getting his Seed
Sinners will you dare you make a mock of that which God keeps a Remembrance of which God Books down Sinners think what you will your sins are so far from being forgotten by God that your iniquity is marked before the Lord as he told them Jer. 2.22 No no the Day is coming God will reprove you and set your sins in order before you Psal 50.20 An Allusion to letters in a Book that are set in order all in a row before one The Lord hath Sinners such a Book where all your sins are Recorded and out of this Book you shall one day be forced to read all in their proper order you will then see God hath not forgotten any of them no not so much as the circumstances of them All is remembred 10. Another thing that leads Sinners to make a mock at sin is their stifling and strangling their Convictions of sin until they bring themselves under obduracy of heart Many sinners at first sinning are arrested with the Accusations of their own guilty tormenting Consciences but then they run into one Diversion or another to swallow up and drown their convictions and troubles as Cain did when he went out from the presence of God and dwelt in the Land of Nod and buildt a City Gen. 4.16 Which some think was to divert the troubles of an awakened guilty Conscience Many wounded Souls will run to their Pleasures for a little ease others to their Comforts others to their Callings and at last their Convictions wear off and then the Sinner comes to be hardned and now he arrives at the height of sin even to make a mock of it For usually Persons who have been under some common work and troubles for Sin and not being throughly wrought upon by them become Mockers and Scoffers afterwards O therefore Sinners look that your Convictions be through and through O beg of God they may not be transient like a flash of Lightning in a Room that makes it a little lighter for the present but leaves it dark when it is gone Now Sinners you have heard the occasions that leads you into making a mock of Sin Will you remember to pray against them that it may not be thus with you that you be not the Fools in the Text. Now to convince you poor Sinners that this is the greatest Folly in the World to make a mock at Sin 1. Is it not Folly to make a mock at that which you must certainly either mourn for here or hereafter As merry poor Sinner as thou art thy mirth is but madness I have said to Laughter thou art mad and to Mirth what doth it Eccles 2.2 It holds in this sense it lays a foundation for sorrow and bitter lamentation 1. Here if God have a design of love upon thee he will bring thee to mourn over that which thou hast so often mockt at Can you ever sinners expect to be pardoned if you have not repented Doth he comfort any that do not mourn Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Ah Sinner if thou didst but remember in thy Jollity and Madness when thou art making a mock of Sin ere long thou must be made to mourn over it and cry out of it as a burden too heavy for thee to bear Would not this check thee in thy careere of Madness and Folly 2. If thou mourn not over it here it will be worse thou wilt be made to mourn over it hereafter and then thou wilt mourn without hope Now thou mayest have hope of pardon there is hope concerning this thing but this afterwards mourning is altogether hopeless which makes me remember the sad condition of that poor sinner Prov. 5.11 12 13 14. And thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy body is consumed and say How have I hated Instruction and my heart despised Reproof And have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me I was in all evil in the midst of the Congregation and Assembly Whether we took it of mourning here in old Age as some or of mourning in Hell as others yet it holds true O what a mourning will this be Some read it Quoniam Because I have hated Instruction Others read it Cur Why have I hated Instruction As being a Confession he had no Cause no Reason to do so We read it Quomodo How have I hated Instruction As being an acquitting Gods Justice in his punishment O how have I hated Instruction and it is but just with God I now should be thus dealt withal God is Righteous in all this that is come upon me And is not this folly great folly to lay the foundation of such mourning and such bitter mourning 2. Is not this Folly to mock at that which the Righteous God hates with a perfect hatred yea and will be revenged of Did poor Sinners see God hated sin would they make a mock at it That you make a matter of Mockery of God makes a matter of hatred of As in that case of Idolatry so in this he says Do not the abominable thing my soul hates Jer. 44.4 And it is said of Christ He loves Righteousness and hates Iniquity Heb. 1.9 And do you think this is a mocking business Sirs Nay God's hatred boyls up into Revenge Shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this And is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Everliving God Who hath said Vengeance is his and he will repay First God will either be avenged of Sin here or hereafter He often takes Vengeance of it here and shall Sinners make a mock at Gods Judgments How many thousands hath God taken Vengeance of in this Life How hath Gods Righteous Judgments often taken hold of this wicked Person or that wicked Family Secondly Hereafter we read oâ— Christ coming in flaming Fire 2 Thes 1.8 to take vengeance on poor Sinners that know him not nor have obeyed his Gospel And do not we read of the Vengeance of Eternal Fire Jude ver 7. And is this a mocking matter with you Will there be any Laughter any Mocking any Drollery in Hell Now you Sinners make a meer piece of Drollery about Sin but stay when you come under a sentence of Damnation that will be no Drollery with you 3. Is not that Folly yea great Folly to make a mock at that which grieves God We would not grieve the dearest Friend thy dear Father thy dear Husband thy dear Wife would you willingly grieve them And O what folly is this to grieve God! to grieve that God that thou daily livest upon that is thy dearest Friend in the World Do you know what you do Sinners when you grieve God First What grieve that God thaâ— you depend upon for your lives for the lives of your Souls for the lives of your Bodies who can both kill Body and Soul He that is Lord of your Lives and can seal a Lease of Ejectment
and so they run on making a mock at Sin O but poor Sinners know the longer the Blow is fetching the heavier it falls Abused Patience turns to Incensed Wrath. If he have long refrained himself and held his peace when he crys He will then cry like a Woman in Travel and devour all at once Isa 42.14 Poor Sinner though God hath long kept Silence yet he will not always keep Silence therefore poor Soul look to it remember remember thy Blow is coming though it hath been kept off a great while 5. While thou makest a mock at Sin thou mockst at the Power of God as though God's Power could not reach thee while thou art mock-king at sin As though Gods Arm was shortned that he could not strike thee dead in the very Fact when thou art making a mock at sin Have not many been so How soon were those forty two Children destroyed by the She-Bears that came out of the Wood while they made a mock of the Servant of God in saying to him Go up thou Bald-head go up thou Bald-head 2 Kings 2.23 24. Could not God as speedily reach thee by his Power if he pleased while thou art making a mock at sin 6. While thou mockest at sin dost thou not make a mock of the Word of God that hath so and so described sin in its proper Colours that is the only true Glass to represent the ugly Face of Sin in do not you contradict all the Scriptures have said of Sin when you make a mock of it Is Sin such an evil as the Word says it is What and you make a mock of it Is sin so dishonourable to God that it pollutes his Name Is sin so defiling to precious Souls that it pollutes them Is it so dangerous that it will without sincere Repentance certainly Damn them Hath not the Word told you it grieves the Spirit of God it wounds your own Consciences it kindles the Fire of Gods displeasure against Nations Churches and Cities and Families and particular Persons and is all this a mocking matter And hath the Word of the Lord said all this of it and much more in Jest And will God bear his Word to be mockt at Would not any King be angry to have his Royal Proclamation laught at and made a mocking Business of 7. While you make a mock at sin do not you make a mock of the Messengers of God the Ministers of God They are sent to you from God to lay open to you the danger of sin of continuing in sin of mocking at sin our Business is to Decry sin and Preach down sin Cry aloud and spare not is our Commission shew my People their Transgressions and the House of Jacob their sins Isa 58.1 It is our Work to turn Men from their sins and while you make a mock at sin you do but make a mock of us and our Message Is it no sin to mock at them which mourn over you While they are weeping over you you are mocking them But remember While you despise them you despise him that sent them Luke 10.16 You mock their Master Lastly Take heed how you make a mock of Sin for in this you do but make a mock of Christ the Son of God Ah Sinners Sinners how do you with those Jews deride Christ Luke 16.14 They derided him The Word is Blew their Noses at him The highest Act of Scorn and Contempt imaginable You cannot mock at Sin but you must mock at Christ this is to Crucifie the Son of God afresh this is to put him to open shame this is to account the Blood of Christ which was shed for Sin an unclean thing this is to make a mock at the Sufferings of our dear Lord Jesus What did he Die for Was it not to Purge away Sin Was it not to take away Sin Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the World Do not we expect Redemption and Remission of sin through his Blood What and make a mock of sin This is to spit in the Face of a Dying Jesus of a Satisfying Christ Now Sinner hear the Call of God and ask thy own heart if it be not high time to be wise for Salvation Ah poor soul hast thou not plaid the Fool too long in running on in sin in making a mock at sin Now hear the Lord saying O ye simple understand Wisdom and ye Fools be of an understanding heart Prov. 8.5 Forsake the Foolish and live go in the Way of understanding The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the knowledg of the Holy is understanding Prov. 9.6 10. FINIS
A LOOKING-GLASS FOR THE WISE and FOOLISH THE GODLY UNGODLY Wherein They may see how much it Concerns them to be Wise unto Salvation before it be too late By JOHN RYTHER Minister of the Gospel in Wapping near London Prov. 9.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the knowledg of the Holy is understanding Prov. 12.23 But the heart of Fools proclaimeth foolishness LONDON Printed by J. D. for Henry White at the three Bibles in the Minories 1677. To the READER Christian Reader THe Design of the Author by presenting thee with this littie Piece is no other than casting in his Mite with many other abler Hands towards making thee Wise to Salvation which indeed is The Wisdom The true Wisdom and will make thee one of Wisdom's Children in such an Age wherein so much folly and madness appears especially in reference to Mens greatest Concerns viz. The concerns of Eternity and a future World This true heavenly Spiritual Wisdom will be thy greatest interest living and dying therefore it is high time to look about thee whether thou art a wise or a foolish Virgin whether thou hast got this true Oyl into thy Vessel and Lamp left thou for all thou hast trimmed thy Lamp shouldst he shut out from going in with Christ to the Supper of the Lamb. Didst thou never read that word in all thy life Who is a wise Man and endued with knowledg among you Let him shew out of a good Conversation his works with meekness of wisdom Jam. 3.13 So say I O shew thy wisdom make it appear render it visible to all Spectators in that thou art so far from making a mock of Sin that thou darst not meddle with it at any rate that thou abhor'st it as Hell that thou fliest from it as from a Serpent that thou dost hate it as a Toad this shews thy wisdom thou seest before thee thou considerst Actions and the consequences of Actions and doest act like a rational Man What will this sinful Course of mine end in Is it not a discovery of Child-like folly to play with a Rattle-Snake and take it up in our hands because it hath a shining skin and looks with a splendid outside or to swallow a Pill of Poyson because it is pleasant and guilded Or to venture on Rats-bane because it is sweet Such folly such madness is this in poor Sinners in thousands of poor Souls that play with sin put it into their Bosoms nay keep it as a sweet morsel under their Tongues because it pleases and flatters for the present It was good Counsel of the Philosopher Look upon Pleasures going and not upon them coming O poor Sinners how doth want of Heavenly Wisdom which much consists in fore sight carry many a soul vailed and mufled to Hell O therefore when thou readst this Piece let me beg of thee consider as well as read read read leisurely and make not too much haste over good Ground This is the fault of most Readers they do not mind their stops As thou readest take Pauses and ask Questions Is not this so O my soul Is not this true O my Conscience Canst thou evade it or deny it Is not this the Truth that must Judge thee another day Another Request I have to thee Read believingly If thou believest not why dost thou read Will it not be lost time and is there not too much of that precious Sand run already out of thy Glass O how hard it is to bring Sinners to believe before they feel Thou that wilt not believe so much Folly is bundled up in thy heart now ere long will lament thy infidelity and thy folly together when it will be past hope Sinner let me ask thee this Question Hast thou not been fool enough already but thou must hold on to be so whatsoever God Conscience Ministry Word or Rod say O hear that good Counsel be-times and practise it The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom And a good understanding have all they that do hereafter Begin to be wise then before it be too late and God say He will put no more pieces such pieces into the hands of such Fools Consider consider poor souls you have but a little time to get Wisdom in a little time to get the true Oyl your Glass is running fast and often meets with an Invisible hand to shake it too nay you cannot tell what sudden stop this frail Glass of your Lives may meet with O therefore will you yet loyter Will you dare you stand idle any longer that have lost so much time That have done so little work and yet have had so many pieces in your hands But like so many poor stupid foolish ones had not hearts to make use of the same Do you never ask your own hearts the Question Is there any Wisdom in the Grave any Work in the Grave whither you go Is not this life your only Market for this Commodity O that Sinners did but think the Grave too dark a Shop to do any Soul-work in they would not certainly leave so much work undone when they come to die Ah Sinners when will you be wise Do not you know either now or never for Heavenly Wisdom Remember the foolish Virgins when they crîed Lord open open unto us came a day after the Fair Now the door was shut and it was too late I have one other Request to thee good Reader Either read as one resolved to Practise or lay down and never read at all what will thy reading else be but one day a great Aggravation both of thy sins and Condemnation What to read and never the wiser To read and never the better What to be convinced of Folly and never labour after Wisdom To go on in thy Folly while thou knowest thou doest so O how sad is this If thou shalt grow any wiser for Heaven by thy reading the Piece now put into thy hand the Auther hath both his Desire and Design and begs thy Prayers that it may be a Blessing still to thee and others in the Hand of God Thine In the Service of the Gospel J. R. Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at Sin SInner or Believer for one of these thou art that takes up this little Piece to Read I will propound a Question to thee and beg thee in bowels to thy Soul to propound it to thy self and press thy Heart to return a direct Answer the Question is but short but yet of great weight and worth O my Soul what am I Is it not an easie Question to ask How soon may thou put this to thy own Soul But O how hard is it to Answer Am I a Fool or a Wise-man Am I wise to Salvation Am I a foolish Virgin or a wise Canst thou not Answer it Look seriously into the ensuing Treatise and thou mayest meet with something that will contribute towards a Solution of the present Question Fools make a mock at Sin The Text
for the World may have deep Heads for the compassing the things of this present Life and yet be fools for their precious Souls The Rich Man in the Gospel was so for all his projects Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken away Men may be wise Men for great Gifts and Learning and yet fools for their souls Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and revealed them unto Babes Mat. 11.25 Alas this Wisdom was Foolishness to the Greeks which were the great Scholars of their day 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this World Here it will be inquired in what particulars then doth true Wisdom consist wherein lies this true Spiritual Wisdom 1. Is not this true Spiritual Wisdom to provide for ones Eternal well being And is not he a wise Man that is wise unto Salvation And that thou from a child says Paul to Timothy hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 Now this is the only Wisdom that comes from above nay this Wisdom also leads the Soul thither again Canst thou be wise and never secure the interest of thy precious Soul Is this thy wisdom to neglect thy Eternal Concerns Thou wouldst be accounted a fool to neglect the concerns of thy Family of thy Trading of thy Ship of thy Shop And are not concerns of Eternity of greater moment Sinners can you think it your wisdom to cumber your selves about many things while you live in a total neglect of the one thing necessary Would any think him a wise Man that did eagerly pursue Feathers blown up in the Air while he neglects his Shop and Trading in the World Would that Merchant be accounted a wise Man that while he should be at the Exchange should amongst a company of Boys be following a Kite blown up in the Air And yet this is the case Ah sinners your Spiritual Wisdom lies in pursuit of your best interest 2. Is not he a wise Man that doth that which he came into the World for This is great Heavenly Wisdom Poor sinners do you ever consider for what ends you came into the World Was it to follow your lusts Was it to take your swinge in sin Was it to be swallowed up of your sensual pleasures Was it to gratifie the wills of the flesh Did God give you immortal souls to pursue such sensual employments Sure sinners God had other design in sending you into the World thiâ— was your errand thither to sue ouâ— your pardon to get an interest iâ— Christ to get your peace made uâ— with God Do you ever think of these things poor Souls This is to be wise for another World 3. Is not he a wise Man that doth his proper work in its season Wise Men will not only be found working but they will be found employed in their proper work Blessed is the Servant whom his Master shall find so doing viz. doing his proper work It is a great piece of Christian Wisdom to find out and fall upon ones proper work The wise Servant will be found doing what his Master hath peculiarly set him about is it humbling our souls for some particular guilt Is it getting power against sin Is it getting the sence of â—he Pardon of sin sealed up to the â—â—ul Is it laying in more Grace for a Rainy day O to be doing this york is great wisdom This is proâ—er work and further this must be â—one in its season too this work â—ust be done while it is to day Work while it is to day c. Herein is wisdom to observe Times and Seasons for such works the neglect of which occasioned God to complain of his own People Jer. 8.7 Yea the Stork in the Heavens knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow but my People knoweth not the Judgment of the Lord. All these Creatures have a natural instinct to know their times and seasons So in this case there is much wisdom O sinners what a sad thing will it be when God shall say unto you upon your Death-beds when you cry to him for Mercy and Pardon O you should have done this in time in it s proper season while you had health and opportunities calls and motions of the Spirit of Grace upon your hearts But now it is pastime I will not hear you Prayer is now out of season and Repentance out of season O now it is bast time O how will this cut the soul Will not this be bitter Will â—t not reach to the heart 4. Is not he a wise Man that gets his work done for Eternity while he hath means and helps to further him O says the wise Man it may be I shall never enjoy the like means and opportunities It may be never in all my days sit under the like Ministerial Showres again it nay be never be under the like â—reathings of the Spirit O therefore says the soul I will hoyse sail will no longer sit still but up and â—e doing Ah poor sinners Can my of you tell how long your day of Grace may last Have you any lease â—f your Gospel-Liberties any more â—an of your Lives Can you tell but â—our Sun may be darkned once more â—t Noon-dâ—y And if your Light hould be onâ—e more put out would â—our work go on well in the dark â—nner sinner wilt thou never be brought to debate these matters of Concernment soberly with thy self 5. Is not this wisdom to get that done which if you let alone undone your souls are undone for ever O say wise Men for the World this must we do Why what is the matter there is a must upon it Else we are undone our Wives and Children undone Well and there is something that must be done or else your souls are undone and this is the dreadful undoing of all Thou mayst be undone as thou call'st it as to thy Estate as to thy Trade and may recover it again many have been so But when thy soul is undone thou art for ever undone You will it may be ask what is this undoing It is to be lost for ever To be damned To be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power Alas what mourning is there over lost Ships sometimes amongst you over lost Relations over lost Estates But what are these to the loss of souls The former are recoverable losses but the latter is an irrecoverable loss And O what wise Man will hazard such a loss If your Ventures at Sea be considerable you will be solicitous to ensure O poor sinner your Ventures are very great and it will be your great wisdom to ensure and know you this for your comfort the Ensurer shall never fail nor break 6. Is it not wisdom to be doing that which you have been doing so long and
is not yet done O says a wise Man I have been often about such a Business and Concernment and one thing or other doth put me off and I have neglected and delayed it but I will no longer defer it O Wisdom will say thus for the soul Have not you been often resolving solving to break off your sin often thinking you would turn from the evil of your ways Saying with the Prodigal I will arise and go to my Father But O sinner is it not yet to do Have you to this day been as good as your word O poor souls what if Death should clap an Arrest upon you before you get it done Have you any lease of your Lives May not you be sought for in the Morning and not be found Is it not then wisdom to put off that no longer which you have put off too long already 7. Is it not wisdom to do that now which is impossible to be done afterwards A wise Man will not hang a Business of Concernment upon may-be's and uncertainties O no! Thus will a wise Man argue It is certain it may now be done but it is certain it cannot be done afterwards if it be not done now There is no wisdom nor work in the Grave He that dies a fool shall be damned for a fool He will have more wisdom in Hell or however he will there see his folly but he must bear it and the merit of it to all Eternity Now is the day of Salvation and wise Men I have told you take Time by the fore-lock they redeem it It cannot be done afterwards O how positive is God in the case Luke 13.25 26. When once the Master of the House is risen up and hath shut to the Door and you begin to stand without and to knock at the Door c. But what was the answer Depart from me I know you not whence you are Yet they plead priviledges We have eaten and drunk in thy presene and thou hast Taught in our streets O they would not be said nay but doth Christ call his first words in again O no! I tell you I know you not depart from me Be gone you wretched and damned souls be gone O cutting words Were these wise Souls or Fools judg you 8. Is it not wisdom to do that which we have but a little time to do it in Were you to live the age of Methusalem or the age of the Patriarchs before the Flood you then might have something to say for your folly in delaying the great work of your sou's But alas what is your Age before God David answers the case Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth and mine age is as nothing before thee Psal 39.4 5. Suppose sinners that you should live threescore Years and ten a full Age what is this You have an hundred Years work to do in this time and what is a days time to a weeks work Or a weeks time for a years work This is the case poor sinners Time is short And is not he a foolish Traveller that hath a Journey that is large to go and only a Winter day to do it in and yet he will have it Noon ere he set out In short days you say it is now Noon and now Night Alas poor sinners It is not only Noon with many of you and the Sun of your Life may set at Noon-day but at four a Clock or five of the Clock in some of your days of Grace And is it not wisdom to make haste before it be night a night of utter Darkness eternal Darkness with you O sinners spur on put on and mend your pace else you will be nighted 9. Is it not wisdom to do that now which will bring great returns of wisdom when you die when you come to your Journeys end Wise Men will be doing that for the present which will turn to good account though they see not good of it for the present So a wise soul for Eternity for Heaven this soul will be doing that which will bring great returns Wise Merchants and wise Mariners study to make good returns Here come your returns you wise Christians when you come to die O then the soul will have returns of Peace and Comfort This was the return that Hezekiah had Lord remember me how I have walked before thee with an upright and a perfect heart O that is a sweet word of Peters Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly unto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.10 11. Is it not greatly your wisdom to make this sure to have Peace Joy and Comfort upon a Death-bed at last 10. Is it not wisdom to do that now which you shall not have to do afterwards Now thou art moved breathed upon convinced inclined and hast a good will to repent and to return from the evil of thy ways O do it speedily for it may be neglect this time and thy Heart may be hardened Jezebel had space given her to repent in but she repented not Alas poor sinner it may be thou wilt be judicially hardned instead of mourning repenting or believing afterwards Now if thou put these together and compare them with the other ten in the Doctrinal part I think sinners you may easily see who is the Fool and who is the Wise Man and which of these you belong unto Come sinners rouze up your selves if you have plaid the fool thus long for the Lords sake for your souls sake for Christ's sake let me beg of you let me prevail with you that you play the Fools no longer lest as you have lived you shall die lest you die Fools And let me tell you sinners there is no fool like the dying fool for the dying fool will be the damned fool Prov. 14.9 Fools make a mock at Sin WE have done with the Description of the Persons in my Text the ungodly Man the Fool. We are now come to the Discovery of his Practice He makes a mock at Sin What he is you have heard but now we must enquire what he doth The Text tells us He makes a mock at Sin He is not only a Fool but he manifests his folly according to that word Prov. 13.16 A fool layeth open his folly Or spreadeth his folly layeth open the dung of his own foolishness Some read it The shame of his folly shall be spread abroad one reads it The heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness Prov. 12.23 Wherein doth this discovery of this folly consist The Text tells us They make a mock at Sin Some think the sense of it to be this * Thus some carry it They make a sport of it Seek not to appease the wrath of God kindled against them for it but amongst the Righteous there is favour viz. Among them the favour of God when they have offended is sought for by all
means and being sought for by mercy is obtained Others thus Fools not finding the Scourge of Sin viz. the Punishment of it not tied to the Act of it as if they were mockt when they are told of the Punishment of it to come they make a mock at it and go on in their wickedness The favour therefore the Righteous shews them is quickly to let them feel the Rod of Justice while they punish the offence they shew great love to the Offender Some read it Arias Montanus in loc Stultorum quisque palliabat delictum Every Fool will hide his fault And O what folly is this The favour therefore that the Righteous shew him is to let him see his sin I think it is a good reading They make a mock of sin viz. A small matter a light matter of it a matter of Laughter and Merriment Sport and Recreation O what an height of sin what a degree of impudency are such sinners arrived at Mocking at that upon Earth that souls are mourning for ever in everlasting burnings what sinners mock at that now that you must mourn over here or hereafter to all Eternity What make a Jest of that which is matter of Damnation Is going to Eternal Flames sinners a jesting business Ah poor sinner thou shalt assuredly have enough of mocking at sin when God shall mock at thee as thou once mockt at sin Stay here sinner read no further unless resolved thou wilt consider the next words thou readst If all this while thou hast not laid one word to heart canst thou read it without fear and amazement I will also laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear comes when your fear comes as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirl-wind When distress and anguish cometh upon you Pro. 1.26 27. The meaning of it is sinners shall be so tormented in their own Consciences Ridere Dei est nolle humanae Afflictioni miserere says one their sin and guilt laying hold upon them as if God mockt and laught at their torment This laughing of God is that he will not have pity upon humane Affliction The Observation I would insist on is this To make a mock of sin is the greatest discovery of Folly in the World We must inquire First What is meant by such as are mockers at sin Secondly We must inquire into the Pleas that lead sinners into this great piece of Folly Thirdly We must inquire into the Reasons why it is such great folly To make a mock at sin Fourthly We must Improve it by way of Application 1. What is meant or who are meant by such as are mockers at sin 1. Sometimes this Mocking is taken for Deceiving as she said to Samson Judges 16.10 Thou bast mocked me and told me lies deceived me So poor sinners they deceive themselves while they mock at sin Observe how my Text comes In the folly of fools is their deceit They deceive themselves while they make a mock at sin Ah sinner whilst thou art mocking at sin dost thou know what thou art doing Art thou not deceiving thy own soul 2. Sometimes it is taken to Jest or Sport even to Derision Psal 44.13 either by Words or Gesture Thus they make a mock at sin making a sport of it that is made a deriding matter with sinners which is a damning matter with God God takes notice of the gesture of Persons in such cases Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom make ye a wide mouth and draw out the tongue Isa 57.4 These are actions of scorn and God takes Cognizance of them The Lord sees you sinners when any of you make a mock at Him or his Word Ways or Servants This in the General 1. By making a mock at sin is understood a slighting and deriding at the Threatnings of God usually they that make a mock at sin make a mock at the approaching Judgments of God Thus Lots Sons in Law did he was to them as one that mocked Thus did the Jews in Ezekiel's days when they took a scornful Taunt Ezek. 12.27 The Vision is prolonged the Vision is prolonged the Vision that he seeth is for many days to come Tush say poor sinners this is far enough off as those Scoffers did in Peters time Where are the promises of his coming So say these Where are his Threatnings are they not long a coming As those did who said It is not near let us build Houses this City is the Chaldron and we are the Flesh Ezek. 11.3 The Prophet Jeremiah had Prophesied about thirty Years before of the Chaldeans besieging the City as you may see What seest thou Jeremiah I see a seething Pot and the face thereof was towards the North. Here was that now they spake of Now say they the old Prophet is mistaken is this a likely thing that after thirty Years such a strong City as Jerusalem should be the Chaldron the seething Pot They speak of it by way of a scornful Irony but yet it came upon them Ah sinners you may mock at that which hangs over your heads and is ready to come down upon you 2. Before sinners arrive at this height of sin they mock at the Messengers of the Gospel there is this to be understood in making a mock at sin We read of such as mocked the Messengers of God sent amongst them until the wrath of God broke out against them that there was no remedy O now it is no wonder if they make a mock at sin seeing they mock at those that are sent to denounce Divine Threatnings against sin 3. There are such as make a mock â—t the People of God Thus many â—id at David He was a derision to â—hem he was the Drunkards song We read of such as sit in the seat of the scornful 1. Some of these mock at the sufferings of the People of God which is no small degree of sin that say Aha aha so would we have it You know what God said to the Posterity of Esau Obad. 12.13 Thou shouldst not have looked on in the day of my Peoples Calamity neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the day of his distress c. O what a sad story was that of the People of God Lam. 2.15 16. All that pass by clap their hands at thee they hiss and wag their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem saying Is this the City that Men call the Perfection of Beauty the Joy of the whole Earth This is the day we have looked for we have found we have seen it Now this is a great height of sin to mock at Gods Peoples sufferings and sorrows 2. Many mock at their Duties and Services at their very Prayers and this is also a great height of sin 4. By making a mock at sin is understood such as make a mock at the Ways of God at the whole Cause of Religion Such as scoff at Holiness there are many such in the World that mock at Prayer at Hearing at
the strictness of Religion at the Ordinances of God yea make a mock at Repentance for sin 2. Inquiry What are the leading Occasions to this Folly of making a mock at sin They pretend something for it this is their folly but they have some pretended Reasons for this their wicked practice 1. Occasion of this sin being long before it be discovered it lying long â—id occasions sinners to make a mock at it they think because it is â—ong before it be discovered that it will never be Alas poor sinners â—ll this while your secret sins are set â—n the Light of Gods Countenance O what folly is this to think to hide â—hy sin and prosper You sinners that talk of your sins being hid dâ—o you ever consider these things While your sin is hid your Consciences will sting you O how will it flie in your Faces Did not the guilt of Josephs Brethren do so after many Years it had been hid When guilt shall have a Resurrection by Conviction and shall walk in your Consciences O how dreadful will this be what a fearful Spectrum is unpardoned guilt when it walks in aâ— awakened Conscience Ah sinner dost thou ever consider this What though thy sin be hid yet it will walâ— in thy Conscience 2. Dost thoâ— consider though thy sins be hid yeâ— God hath all thy secret sins in hâ— Treasures Deut. 32.34 are thâ— not laid up in store with him Aâ— they not sealed up among his Treasures Ah sinners what fools aâ— you to think God hath forgottâ—â— them until he hath forgiven them Though you have cast them behinâ— your backs yet God hath Treasured â—hem up And O dreadful will this be when the Lord shall open these Treasures to bring them forth against you 3. Sinners did you ever consider there is a Court-Day coming in which you must have all the Books opened and it will be read out of these Books what hath been hid for many Years all sinners Indictments are drawn out of these Books And the Dead were Judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their works Rev. 20.11 12. 4. Do you ever consider sinners that God often discovers that which sinners labour to hide most If it be thy design to hide it God will make it his design to discover it Ah sinners how sad is it to carry on contrary Designs to God 5. Did you â—ver consider that you have not more ways of sinning than God hath of discovering Sometimes God makes use of Conscience to discover sin sometimes he makes uâ—â— of Providence to discover sin as in Jonahs case The storm is sent to discover the guilty Person sometimes by Ordinances sometimes by such as were Partners with you in your sin Ah sinners put all these things together and you will see hiding of your sin is a poor Plea to make a mock at it 3. Sinners are led into the evil oâ— mocking at sin by sin growing successful and prosperous When theâ— see the path of the wicked to prosper O how are they hardned by it Prov. 1.24 The prosperity of Fools slâ— them Such Fools are we to thinâ— a prosperous Condition a good Condition but it hath been the undoing of many a poor Soul to all Eternity O how did the Church of the Jew Hos 2.7 8. run from God after other Lovers until God hedged uâ— her way with Thorns and madâ— Wall to prevent her And how â—id the Prodigal like a foolish Son â—hat causeth shame run from his Fathers House Luke 16.17 until his Father sent a Famine after him â—nd denied him Succour in his Apoâ—acy For he would gladly have filâ—ed his belly with the Husks which the 〈◊〉 wine did eat but no Man gave unto â—im Rubs in the ways of sin are â—â—eat Mercies what mercy it is to â—ave a Rub in the way to Hell to â—â—ing a sinner to a stand that stand â—ay bring him to a turn First the â—â—ner comes to a stand of Consideration before he comes to a turn of conversion I considered my ways says David and turned my feet to â—y Testimonies 3. Another thing that leads Fools 〈◊〉 make a mock at sin is Gods deferâ—â—g Punishment when sinners see 〈◊〉 escape the strokes of Divine Venâ—â—ance then they begin to think 〈◊〉 at sin is but a sport Because God kept silent viz. did not presently thunder upon them with the Tokens of his Wrath What was the use they made of it They thought God was like unto themselves Psal 50.21 Now they fall into Atheistical thoughts concerning God and surely this will lead them to make a mock at sin if they once come to make a mock at God Thus were they hardned upon whom Sentence was not speedily Executed O how many poor fools have been hardned and flattered by this to the Gallows here and to Hell hereafter 4. Another thing that leads Fools to make a mock at sin is they never have felt it a Burden upon thâ— back of their Consciences Anâ— poor Soul that hath felt it weigh 〈◊〉 dare say is past making a mock aâ— it David will tell you how 〈◊〉 weighed upon him It went over hâ—â— Head as a Burden yea as too heavâ— a Burden to bear It is the heavieâ— thing in the World to such as have felt the burden of it and it is the bitterest thing in the World to such as have tasted the bitterness of it It is true Afflictions are heavy burdens and Temptations are heavy burdens Doubts and Objections that press in upon many a Believers soul are heavy burdens but alas these are all light things comparatively to the guilt of sin What a burden was sin upon the backs of Angels Did it not tumble them headlong into Hell What a burden was it upon our first Parents did it not tumble them out of Paradise O what a burden was it to our dear Lord Jesus Christ Did not he cry out under it Though they were not his own sins but our sins which he took upon him And could you mock at this if ever you had felt â—t Ah what fools are poor sinners many Thousands are sunk into the Pit of Eternal Perdition with the weight and burden of their sins upon the back of their Immortal souls 5. Thing that leads sinners to make a mock at sin is custome in sin This is very hardning we say it is a second Nature Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati Alas when Souls have got a custome of sinning then they begin to make a mock at it being hardened in it O how often doth the custome of sin take away the feeling and conscience of it That is a great word in the Prophet Jer. 13.23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the Leopard his spots Theâ—â— may you do good that are accustomed to do evil And yet how ordinary is it for these poor Fools to plead a custome for sinning which is so far from being a Plea that it is an aggravation I
have say Sinners gotten a custome of it I cannot leave it Tell a sinner of his Drunkenness of his Uncleanness c. O hâ—â— hath gotten a custome of it Is this any Plea thou foolish sinner Suppose a Malefactor before a Judg of Assize should plead thus My Lord the Indictment is true I confess the Fact but I have gotten such a custome to Steal and play the Thief or I have gotten such a custome of it to cut Purses that I cannot leave it therefore I crave your Lordships favour Would this pleading Mittigate or Aggravate the Offence think you And yet is not this the Case of Thousands of sinners Some have Allegorized that passage of Lazarus being dead four days as though it set out a sinner dead in his sins and trespasses dead the first day â—y conceiving sin the second day by consenting to sin the third day by committing sin the fourth day by â—ustome in sin so that a Sinner accustomed to sin is not only dead â—ut buried in sin and a Grave-stone â—olled upon it and now no sense being left in this sinner being dead in sin he becomes a mocker at sin 6. Another thing that leads foolish ones into mocking at sin is because it doth not appear to them at present in its proper colours it appears to them in Disguises in Masks Sinners do not look at sin in two Glasses and so have not a right view and prospect of it 1. The Glass of the Law this will make sinâ— to appear in its proper colours Siâ— says Paul that it might appear sinâ— it did not appear sin before it did not look like it self before it had a painted Face but now it hath death in the Face of it yea Hell and Damnation in the Face of it Sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 10 11 12 13. The Apparition of it thâ— sight of it kill'd him O what 〈◊〉 thing is sin that thou mockst aâ— poor sinner The sight of it will kiâ—â— a man He had been looking upon his sin in the Glass of the Law thâ— Commandment Alas Do not the most of sinners in the World look upon sin like a painted Lion that cannot take a Man by the Throat O but the Law of God will let you see it is a real Roaring Lion and will tear you to pieces if you get it not pardoned 2. There is the Glass of the Gospel to shew you sin in its proper colours The Gospel lets you see sin is the Knife that cut the Throat of Gods Isaac viz. the Lord Jesus Christ This was the Dagger that stab'd the Son of God â—o the Heart This was the Spear that let Water and Blood out of his side The Nailes that fastned his Sacred Hands to the Cross And if â—hou hadst such a sight of sin couldst â—hou nay durst thou make a mock 〈◊〉 sin 7. Another thing that leads Fools 〈◊〉 make a mock at sin is their unbelief of the severe Threatnings of â—od against it Though the Lord hath threatned it with Eternal Condemnation with Destruction yea everlasting Destruction from his Presence and the Glory of his Power to lie under Wrath to come without the least hopes of Mercy to all Eternity But alas these sinners are such fools that they put them far from them and so make a mock at that they should mourn over Did they believe the soul that sins shall die Did they believe that the wages of sin is death Did they believe that the wayes of sin do lead down unto death Did they believe that Jesus Christ will come in flaming fire rendring Vengeance to them that know him not and obey not the Gospel Could it be that they durst make a mock at sin But alas Do not all these severe Threatnings seem to them like so many idle Tales as things spoken they think meerly in Terrorem and that God will never make theâ— good upon them But what a dream what a delusion is this God will as surely perform his Threatnings as he will his Promises Not one Threatning shall fall to the ground no more than one Promise 8. Another thing that leads Fools to make a mock at sin is this A secret apprehension that they have taken up that God will never call them to an account hereafter for what sin they run into now O if poor sinners did but reckon of a day of Account of standing before a Judgment Seat of being called before Gods Bar could they durst they make a mock at sin Did the Thief in the act consider I must answer for this before the Judg would it not strike him with dread and terrour while he is about it Would he then make a mock at it What at that which he must answer for And sinner hath not God said we must all appear at his Judgment Seat And that to give an account of all the deeds done in the Body whether they be good or evil And hath not he told us after death we must come to Judgment And that we must give an account for every idle word at the great Audit-Day Then surely we must for every action Mat. 12.36 1 Pet. 4.5 Is not Christ Judg of the Quick and the Dead before whom we must all appear And sinner is all this in Jest can the Holy God thus dally with guilty sinners What is all this an idle story Is this only a Romance Are these only big words Come come poor sinners you will find every syllable of this to be true and will you go on mocking at that which you must be accountable for to an Impartial Judg Will the Judgment Day be a mocking matter Is the dreadful Tribunal of God a jesting Business Then go on like Fools and make a mock of sin 9. Thing that leads Fools to make a mock at sin is a wretched Conceit sinners have taken up that God will forget sin as fast as they commit it Tush say they will God remember He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it Psal 10.11 And so poor deluded souls go on making a mock at it Ah poor sinner what a madness is this in thee to harbour such a Conceit God did foresee such a piece of Atheism as this in the hearts of the Sons of Men therefore he hath laid us in with plentiful Texts of Scripture against it Deut. 32.34 Is not this laid up in store with me and sealed among my Treasures God hath laid them up to bring them out when occasion serves Therefore you read that in Job Job 14.17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag thou sowest up mine iniquity Some read it Thou packest up mine iniquity Others complicate them together Lays one of them upon the top of another Former sins with present sins to make up the pack and aggravate one another When the great Assizes come we read how sinners must be proceeded against out of the Books which are written says the Text Rev. 20.15 O poor
hearts and then ask your Souls this Question Ah my Soul is sin a mocking jesting Business Argue them over with thy Soul and see if thou canst bring thy self to a sober sadness in this Debate and make a discovery of thy Folly in thinking sin to be a mocking matter Application Is it such egregious Folly to make a mock at sin Then it informs us of the madness of all impenitent secure merry Sinners There are a company of Jovial Sinners in this mad Age of this World that are running head-long to their eternal Ruine laughing that swim down merrily the stream of the sins of the present day to that Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone and the misery of it there is no stopping them because they are insensible whither they are going They say there is a Serpent that when Travellers are bit with it they die Laughing And is not this Sin this Serpent Do not many die eternally Laughing Go to the Pit of eternal Perdition as some ranting condemned Malefactors do to Execution But alas poor Sinner for all thy Laughing and Mirth and Mocking at sin now ere long thy Note will be altered when thou shalt be stated irrecoverably Where there is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth That such Merry Sinners may be reduced a little to their Reasons and right Minds let me ask them a few Questions and beg of them as they love their Souls that they would put them home to their own Souls and Consciences before they go hence and be no more seen First Dost thou know O poor foolish Sinner whither thou art going Didst thou never ask thy heart this Question whither thy sin and mocking at sin will lead thee at last Wilt thou meet with thy merry Companion in another World to rejoyce together to sport together as you have done upon Earth Is there any such Trade driven on in Hell Are there any Mockers at sin there Is there any Mirth and Jollity there Doth not the infallible Oracle of the Word of God tell us there is weeping and gnashing of Teeth Is there one word of Laughing What Sinner never come thus close with thy own Soul before thou lie on a Death-bed Come Sinner be perswaded to put the Question home it may so prove thou mayst bless God for it to all Eternity Secondly Dost thou remember Sinner what thou art doing while sinning Art thou not provoking a Great and Good God What art thou doing O my Soul treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath Wounding thy precious soul and a wounded spirit who can bear Every time thou sinnest against God art thou not carrying Fewel to the Eternal Flames to torment thy own soul Doth not every one that sins against God wrong his own soul And what is this a mocking matter Thirdly Dost thou remember Sinner what a little time thou hast to enjoy the pleasures of sin in thou art so mad upon These are but for a season and then thou wilt say with him O for how short a pleasure have I lost a Kingdom Will not thou ere long be saying O for how short a pleasure have I lost a precious Immortal Soul and an everlasting Kingdom Methinks Sinners the shortness of your time should make you think of something else than making a mock at sin O that Sinners would be perswaded to argue in the midst of their sinful mirth and madness O but will this last always Fourthly Dost thou remember wherefore thou camest in the World Dost thou never ask thy own Heart the Errand thou camest on hither Was it to sin or make a mock of sin Was it to dishonour that God that gave thee Life and Being Did God give thee an Immortal Soul so to degrade thy self as to mock at sin Did God send thee into the World to lift up the heel against him that had Bowels and pity in his Heart towards thee Was it to laugh at him who mourns for thee To spit in the Face of thy dear Redeemer who hath wept over thee as he did over Jerusalem as I may say Fifthly Dost thou remember thou must answer for thy bold presumption Is not this bold presumption to make a mock at sin Didst thou ever see a condemned Malefactor laugh in the face of an angry Judg And yet what is this less poor Sinner that thou doest when thou makest a mock at sin Sixthly Dost thou ever remember the Day is fast approaching that thou wilt cry to the Mountains and to the Rocks cover us from the Wrath of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne O what a change of thy Tune is here poor sinner now thou canst not make a mock at sin O now thou feelest the burden of sin intollerable and insupportable O how will such Souls cry out of it The second Vse Is it so that 't is so great a folly to make a mock at sin O then be cautioned poor sinners how you glory in that which is your shame and run on in that which will be your ruine If you glory in that which is your shame observe it is said of such Their end is destruction Phil. 3.19 You have heard what a folly it is to mock at that which will certainly cause your mourning another day May it not be said to such Woe be to them that laugh for they shall mourn You will find sinners it is no laughing business one day Is it not a folly to make a mock at that the Righteous God hates with a perfect hatred Reflect upon the former particulars and will you not take heed for all these warnings how you go on in these sinful Courses Shall all this be said unto you in vain poor Sinners Do you think God and Christ the Spirit Scriptures Ministers and Conscience are all in Jest while they tell you the danger of making a mock at sin Can you rationally think that God hath said what he hath said against sin only in Terrorem No Sinners you shall all know that sin is such a two edged Weapon that there is no jesting with it First be cautioned against making a mock at sin This is the highest degree that Sinners arrive at in this Life it is the height of sin it is bad enough to sin but it is worse to make a mock of it Sin is folly but to make a mock at sin is the height of folly and madness Would not you think him a Mad-man that should wound and gash his flesh and all this while laugh at himself for so doing and because he doth not feel it at present conclude that he shall never feel it afterwards would not every one say he was fit for Bedlam And is not this the case of Sinners that make a mock at sin They are like him you read of Mar. 5.5 that was among the Tombs and Mountains and cut himself with stones So sinners are cruelly gashing their own souls and yet all this while like a company of condemned Prisoners Singing and
Ranting before their Execution Would you not think him a Mad-man indeed that should laugh in the face of the Judg passing a Sentence of Law upon him to go from the Bar to the Gibbet This is such an high degree of sin that Scorners are said to be in the highest Form in Satan's school and that he is a blessed Man that is not one with them in this Form Blessed is the Man that walketh not in the councel of the ungodly Here is one degree one form in this School Nor standeth in the way of sinners Here is another Form of Sinners and this is still an higher Form Nor fitteth in the seat of the scornful Psal 1.1 This is the highest Form in in all the Devil's School This is to take the * The Septuagint reads it Chair it is called the Chair or Seat of Pestilence To note the height and hainousness of it Other Sins are like ordinary Diseases but this is the Plague this is the Pestilence this is the highest Infection the highest Malignity of Sin Such Sinners have taken their Degree they are Masters of this Black Art and are in the Chair For the Hebrew Moshab is used for a Chair And will not you be cautioned poor Sinners against such a piece of Sin which is the highest degree of Folly and Madness Secondly O take heed poor Sinners of making a mock at sin This degree of sin arrived at very rarely are poor sinners converted from I do not say but the Lord hath had Mercy of some gone thus far But such Instances are very rare very seldom heard of When a sinner is gotten into this Seat or Chair it is a very hard thing to raise him They frequenly die upon this Seat Satan puts forth all his power to hold his own he lulls them asleep in this Chair it is the Sinners sleepy Chair and their sleep usually is unto death Those die of a Spiritual Lethergy they are not in an ordinary way recovered if at any time they be Some of Satans snares are more easily broken but this holds many until they be found dead in it The Bands of mockers are usually made strong O then poor Sinners will not you take heed of coming under such Bands Thirdly O take heed of being mockers at sin many times such have had strange testimonies born against them O how often hath God reached forth his hand against such in a very eminent manner He hath not let this sin of all others go unpunished When Men come to glory in their shame then God makes their end destruction Judgments are prepared for sinners and stripes for the backs of fools Prov. 19.29 They must be sure great Judgments that are prepared Judgments yea prepared Judgments by the great God It speaks the greatness of his Judgment as preparing Mercy speaks the greatness of his Mercy How great are those things says the Apostle God hath prepared for them that love him They are Judgments too not one Judgment but variety of Judgments Little do such sinners know what they expose themselves unto When the scorners are punished the simple is made wise Prov. 21.11 It seems the Punishments are so great that they become teaching Examples unto others They that mocked the Messengers of the Lord did not wrath come upon them and that without remedy 2 Chron. 36.16 I might give you Instances out of History but I refer the Reader to Doctor Beard 's Theatre of Gods Judgments To Mr. Fox's Book of Martyrs and to Mr. Clerks Examples least this Piece should swell too bulky for the Readers Purse Fourthly Take heed of mocking at sin in this doing you mock at God himself and will God be thus mocked Mocking at sin is virtually mocking at God 1. Do not you in thus doing mock at the Justice of God Who many times makes Examples of such Persons If he be a Just God and will reward the Proud and the Evil doers will you mock at sin that God in his Justice is engaged sooner or later to punish Is not he the Judg of all the Earth and will not he do right He that makes a mock at Stealing and Murder and Robbery doth not he make a mock of the Judg upon the Bench that sits to pass Sentence upon these Crimes And will a Judg upon the Bench bear it to be mocked by the Prisoner at the Bar O sinners what do you do when you laugh at the Justice of God which ere long must pass a final and an irreversible Sentence upon your immortal souls 2. To mock at sin is to mock at the Holiness of God Is God an Holy God and cannot look upon Iniquity Is God so Holy a God that without Holiness no Man shall ever see him Is God so Holy a God as he is Glorious in Holiness Is God so Holy a God as he cannot be approached unto but out of the hand of a Mediator Is God so Holy a God as he could not bear the sin of the fallen Angels though thought to be only sin in thought Is God so Holy a God as to cast Adam out of Paradise upon his Fall Is God so Holy a God as he will not let sin go unpunished in the dearest of his Children And will you not take heed how you mock at sin lest you mock at the Holiness of God If God was not an Holy God then you might mock on but God being thus Holy look you to it poor sinners 3. While you make a mock at sin you mock at God's Threatnings hath not the Lord dreadfully threatned sin What stand all his Threatnings upon Record for What hath God told Sinners of Wrath to come for Is all this false Fire Are all Gods Comminations in vain against sin Is there any thing in all the Word threatned with Judgments here and Judgments hereafter like sin Is not the wages of sin death Hath not God that will make it good said The soul that sins shall die And shall not his Word of threatning as sure be made good upon Impenitent Sinners as his Word of Promise shall be made good to Penitent Believers You forget Sinners that sin which you mock at is the Butt that all the Arrows of Gods Threatnings are levelled at Could you run on in Sin but that you sin off your souls the sense of Gods Threatnings against Sin Should not you say Sure there is something in it something more than ordinary in it that Sin should be thus threatned by God 4. Do not you make a mock at the Patience of God while you make a mock at Sin Do not you say with those Mockers and Scoffers that Peter speaks of Where is the Promise of his coming So many that see for the present that God doth not punish Sin that Sentence is not speedily executed therefore their hearts are hardned and they go on mocking at Sin They see not that God is a Word and a Blow so quick as Preachers make him to be but the Lord keeps silence