Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins tryal and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...

SIN , THE PLAGUE of PLAGUES ; OR Sinful Sin the worst of Evils . ROM. 7.13 .

Was then that which is good made death to me ? God forbid ! But Sin , that it might appear Sin , working death in me by that which is good ; that Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful .

BEing to treat of the exceeding sinfulness of Sin , 't is not only expedient , The Introduction by way of promise . but necessary that I preface and premise such things as these ; viz. (1) That God made all things very good , Genes. 1.31 . they were all endowed with the perfections which were suitable to their several beings ; so that none of them could find fault with , or complain of God , as if he had been wanting to them , or had made them defective : yet (2) of these , the two most eminent and principal degrees of creatures did quickly degenerate ; for some of the Angels sinned , and kept not their first estate , but left their own habitation , Jude 6. And by giving way to their subtil and envious infinuations , the Man Adam ( who was a common person ) sinned also , Genes . 3. And thus by one man sin entred into the world , and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men , for that all have sinned , Rom. 5.13 . And (3) as to the Angels that fell , God left them irrecoverable , for 2 Pet. 2.4 . God spared not the Angels that sinned , but cast them down to hell ; and Jude 6. hath reserved them in everlasting chains under darkness , unto the judgment of the great day . Christ Jesus the Mediator and Redeemer took not on him Angels , or ( as 't is in the Margine ) takes not hold of Angels , Hebr. 2.16 . but it pleas'd God to pity man ; his saving grace and loving-kindness hath appear'd to man , Titus 2.11 . and that in Christ Jesus , Titus 3.4 . whose delight was with the sons of men , the habitable parts of the earth , Prov. 8.31 . and therefore he took on him the seed of Abraham , Hebr. 2.16 . And (4) this Doctrine of God our Saviour , or the Gospel-doctrine , doth suppose man a sinner : 'T is a faithful saying , ( and worthy of the best and all acceptance and reception ) that Christ Jesus came into the world ( on this very errand and design ) to save sinners , 1 Tim. 1.15 . The Doctrine of Repentance supposeth also that man hath done amiss , Mat. 9.13 . The Doctrine of Faith in another for righteousness and hope , concludes man to be without righteousness and hope in himself , Eph. 2.12 , 13. And the end of Christs sending the holy spirit , was , that he might in the first place convince of sin , Joh. 16.8 .

These things being , beside others that might be consider'd , it cannot but be hugely useful to let men see what sin is , how prodigiously vile , how deadly mischievous , and therefore how monstrously ugly and odious a thing sin is ; that so way may be made by it : ( 1. ) For admiring the free and rich grace of God . ( 2. ) For believing in our Lord Jesus Christ . ( 3. ) For vindicating the holy , just and good Law of God , and his condemnation of sinners for breaking of it . ( 4. ) For hating of , repenting for and from sin , thereby taking a holy , just and good revenge on it and our selves . ( 5. ) That we may love and serve God at a better rate then we ever did , in the little and short time of Innocency it self . And lastly , that this black spot may serve for a set off , to the admirable , incomparable , and transcendent Beauty of Holiness .

And now to the Text it self , The Context and the Text explain'ds which may have this for its title , The just vindication of the Law of God , and no less just accusation and condemnation of the sin of man . As to its connexion , with what precedes , 't is thus ; at the 10. v. the Apostle had said , that the Commandment which was ordain'd to life , he found unto death : Hence an objection is rais'd , v. 13. Seeing the Commandment is good , how comes it to be unto death ? Was that which was good made death to me ? To which he answers : ( 1. ) By way of negation and abhorrency , God forbid ! absit I far be it from me or any other to think so ! no , by no means ! to find fault with the Law , were to find fault with God : The Law is not to be blam'd : What is then ? for something is to blame : To this he answers ; ( 2. ) By way o● affirmation and accusation , that sin is the tru● cause of death : The Commandment indeed condemns , or is death to man , not of it self , but because of sin : and hereby sin appears ( not only like it self , but it self ) sin , yea sinful , yea exceeding sinful sin ; not in a disguize , as when 't committed , but in its own lively colours , o● ( rather and more properly ) dead and deadly colours .

'T is , saith he , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , sin in the abstract , and that iterated and repeated ( as Pharaohs drea● was ) for the certainty and assurance of the thing ; 't is sin , 't is sin , and this sin is 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 sinful , or a sinner , nothing else but sinning and sinful sin , 't is masculinely and vigorously sinful● for though Erasmus conclude this to be the Attick Dialect ( viz. the conjunction of this masculine and feminine ) yet others think that the Apostle doth dare personam peccato , bring in sin as if it were a person ; as v. 17. and 20. 'T is not I but sin ; as if it were a person : unless we may read it thus , as Faius doth , that the 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , the sinner might become sin ( in the same sense as the objection is made , v. 7. Is the Law sin ? ) that is , criminal and guilty ; However we read it , we are sure of this , that it denotes the malignant , pestilent and pernicious nature and operation of sin , it s own name being the worst that can be given it ; and yet , as if this were not significant enough , 't is so 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , i. e. supra modum , Era●m . quam maxime , Beza : eximi● Grotius : exceeding , above measure , excessively , or in the highest degree , for an Hyperbole is at extraordinary and the highest degree of speaking ; 't is as the Arabick Version hath it , superans excessum ; 't is extremely , and indeed , beyond all expression sinful .

So that upon the whole I may Illustrate the scope and meaning , by a familiar example or instance : 'T is as if it had been said by a Malefactor to the Judge , thus ; Oh my Lord , how cruelly unmerciful are you to condemn me to die ? Nay , saith the Judge , 't is not I , 't is the Law , I am but the mouth of the Law : Nay , saith the Law , 't is not I , 't is sin ; if thou hadst not sinn'd I had not condemn'd , for the Law is not against the righteous , 1 Tim. 1.9 . No , against such there is no Law , no condenmation from it . Gal. 5.28 . Thou mayst then in me ( as in a glass ) see what a deadly destructive and killing thing thy sin is : Bvery mouth must be stopped , there 's no room for complaint against God or his Law , for thou art ( as all others are ) by becoming guilty , fallen short of the glory , and subject to the judgment of God , Rom. 3 . -19.-23 . So that by the Commandment sin appears to be a desperate malignant thing , the proper , true and only cause of mans condemnation and death .

From this brief yet clear account of the Text and Context , these following truths are deducible .

1. Observations from the Text. That the Law of God in whole and every part is good ; not only not sin i. e. culpable or criminal , as v. 7. or only holy and just , v. 12. or spiritual , v. 14. but good , v. 12 , 13. good , not only in it self , but relatively in its institution with respect to man , for 't was ordain'd to life . v. 10. Yet

2. This good Law transgressed makes man over to death : Patience , that temperate and harmless thing , ( if abused ) turns to rage and fury ; so the Law ( good though it be , yet ) abused , it condemns and kills .

But 3. Though the Law condemn mans fault , and man for his fault , yet still the Law is good , and is not to blame , nor to be blam'd : The Law is as good as ever 't was , 't is to be justified by man , even then when it condemns man : As man had no reason to break the Law , so none to sind fault with the Law , though it bind men over to death for breaking of it . For

4. 'T is not the Law but sin that works mans death and ruine ; sin aims at no less , and ( if grace prevent not ) it will end in no less ; for the end and wages of sin is death , Rom. 6.21 , 22.

Yet 5. Sin ( 't is true ) worketh mans death and destruction by that which is good , scil. the Law : when sin hath used man to break the Law , it useth the Law to break man , to undo him by condemnation and death . And

6. Sin is therefore exceeding sinful and wicked , most unmeasurably spiteful , poysonous and pernicious , because it kills men , and not only so , but kills them by that which is good , and was appointed to man for life ; it turns food into poyson : ut agnoscatur quam sceleratus peccator sit hoc peccatum , & quam pestisera res , dum per mandatum , rem salutiferam , exserit virus suum , Clarius . Like the horrid and cursed wickedness ( our stories tell us of ) so wickedly committed , in poysoning a man , yea a King , by the Cup of Blessing , So that

7. And lastly , Sin by the Commandment appears to be excessively sinful : Vt evidens sit quam perniciosum , quam grave , quam scelestum sit ipsum peccatum , Zegerus . If we look on this through the Microscope-glass of the Law , it will appear a most hideous , devillish , and hellish thing ; the most wicked , villanous , mischievous , virulent and deadly thing that ever was . Sinful sin ! worse then the Devil ! &c. of which anone .

I may not prosecute any of these particulars apart , for I shall have occasion enough to speak to every and each of them in handling the sinfulness of sin ; in relation whereunto I intend to observe this method , and to manifest thereby

1. What sin is , The subject and method of handling it . the thing so much and so deservedly evil spoken of , whereof none can speak well , but they that speak ill of it ; for they speak best who speak the worst of sin .

2. Wherein the sinfulness of sin doth especially consist ; and so to lay open not only its effects , but its nature also .

3. What witness and evidence there is to make good this Indictment and Charge against Sin , that it is so vile and abominable , so sinful as the Apostle calls it . And

4. What use and improvement is to be made of the Doctrine of Sins excessive sinfulness .

1. To begin with the subject , 1 1 Wh●● 〈◊〉 is . and to shew what sin is : Sin is the transgression of a Law , yea of a good Law , yea of a Gods Law : Sin supposeth a Law in being , for where there is no Law , there is no transgression , Rom. 4.15 . but where there is sin , there is a Law , and a transgression of the Law , 1 Joh. 3.4 . whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the Law , for sin is a transgression of the Law ; and this is the sin intended here in the Text , as appears by v. 7.

Now the Law not only forbids the doing of evil ( whether by thought , word or deed ) but also commands the doing of good ; so that to omit the good commanded is sin , as well ( or ill ) as is the doing of the evil that is forbidden : against the fruits of the spirit there is no Law , but against the works of the flesh ( as the opposition holds ) there is Law , for they are all against the Law , as the Apostle tells us , Galat. 5 . 19.-24 . what ever then doth transgress the Law of God ( in whole or in part , James 2.10 . ) is therefore , and is therein a sin , whither it break an affirmative or a negative precept ; i. e. whither it be the omission of good , or commission of evil .

2. 2 2 Wherein the sinfulness of sin . To proceed and lay open wherein especially the sinfulness of sin doth consist , which is easily and readily known from its definition or description just now set before us : Sin being a transgression of Gods Law , which is not only holy and just , as made and given by an holy and just God ; but good also , as it respects man , for whom God made it , according to the Text and Context , and as 't is in Deuter. 5.29 . and 6.24 : with many other places : I say , sin being a transgression of Gods Law , which was made for mans good , the sinfulness of sin must needs lie in this , that it is contrary 1. To God . 2. To Man .

These then are the two Heads I shall insist upon , to declare the malignity and wicked nature of sinful sin ; and both these are evident from the Law , for by it ( as our Text speaks ) sin appears sin , and by the Commandment sin ( clearly and undeniably ) becomes most exceeding , hyperbolically , or above measure sinful ; i. e. extremely guilty of displeafing and dishonoring God , of debasing and destroying man ; and on both accounts justly obnoxious to , and deservingly worthy of the hatred of God and man ; as to which I do heartily wish the issue to be , that man may hate it as God doth , who hates it , and nothing else but it ; or ( to be sure ) he hates none but for it .

Of sins contrariety to God .

1. 1 1 Sin is contrary to God . Then the sinfulness of sin not only appears by , but consists in this , that 't is contrary to God , yea contrariety and enemity it self in the very abstract : Carnal men , or sinners , are called by the name of enemies to God , Rom 5.8 . with 10. Col. 1.21 . but the carnal mind or sin is called enmity it self , Rom. 8.7 . and accordingly it and its acts are exprest by names of enmity , and acts of hostility ; as walking contrary to God , Levit. 26.21 . rebelling against God , Is. 1.2 . rising up against him as an enemy , Mich. 2.8 . striving and contending with God , Is. 45.9 . despising of God , Numb. 11.20 . it makes men haters of God , Rom. 1.30 . resisters of God , Acts 7.51 . sighters against God , Acts 5.39 and 23.9 . yea blasphemers of God , and in sine very Atheists , that they say there is no God , Psal. 14.1 . it goes about to ungod God , and is by some of the Ancients called Deicidium , God-murther , or God-killing . And though all these things be not acted by every sinful man , yet they are not only in the nature of sin , yea of every sin , more or less , but are all of them in the heart of all sinners ( in their seed and root ) Mat. 15.19 . and what is acted by any man would be acted by every man , if God did not restrain some men from it by his power , and constrain others to obedience by his love and power ; as 1 Cor. 5.14 . Psa. 110.3 . Herein then is the desperately wicked nature of sin , that it is not only crimen laesae Majostatis , High Treason against the Majesty of God , but it scorns to confess its crime , 't is obstinate , and will not that he reign over it ; 't is not only not subject , but 't will not be subject , no nor reconciled to God , Pa●ticular●y . such is its enmity ! Yet more particularly .

1. 1 1 To his Nature . Sin is contrary to the nature of God ; Gods name is holy , and as his name is , so is he and his nature , all holy , yea he is so , and cannot but be so : And therefore God takes it more ill , that men should think him wicked like themselves , Psa. 50 . 16-22 . then that they think him not to be , Psal. 14.1 . It s said to weary him , when men do but say that evil is good in his sight , Mal. 2.17 . This is the thing God glorieth in , that he is holy , yea glorious in holiness , Exod. 15.11 . And Holiness is the Attribute , which freeth God from not only evil it self , but from all appearance or suspition of evil . Were not God holy , many of the things which God doth would look unlike him ; his justice and judgments would look not only like severity but Tyranny , were not it and they holy ; his love in its carriages and behaviours to some people , would look like fondness and respecting of persons , but that 't is holy ; his patience would look like a toleration , if not approbation of sin , but that 't is holy patience , &c. Thus many acts of God , were it not for holiness , would appear as seemingly evil as they are really good , and be as much suspected by all , as they are unjustly censured by some . He is holy , without spot or blemish , or any such thing , without any wrinkle , or any thing like it ; as they also that are in Christ shall one day be , Eph. 5.27 . God is so holy , that he cannot sin himself , nor be the cause or Author of sin in another ; he doth not command sin to be committed ( 't were to cross his nature and will ) nor approve of any mans sin when 't is committed , but hates it with a perfect hatred ; without iniquity is he , and of purer eyes then to behold , i. e. approve iniquity , Hab. 1.13 .

On the contrary , as God is holy , all holy , only holy , altogether holy , and alwayes holy , so sin is sinful , all sinful , only sinful , altogether sinful , and alwayes sinful , Gen. 6.5 . In my flesh , i. e. in my sinful corrupt nature , there dwelleth no good , Rom. 7.16 . As in God there is no evil , so in sin there is no good ; God is the chiefest of goods , and sin is the chiefest of evils ; as no good can be compared with God for goodness , so no evil can be compared with sin for evil .

2. 2 2 To his Attributes . Sin is contrary to all the Names and Attributes of God ; sets it self in opposition to them all . (1) It deposeth the Soveraignty of God , as much as in it lies ; it will not that the King of Kings should be in the Throne , and govern this world which he hath made : 't was by this instinct that Pharaoh said , who is the Lord , that I should obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know no Lord above me , I will not let Israel go , Exod. 5.2 . 'T is the voice and language of sin , Psal. 12. our lips are our own , who is Lord over us ? and 't was from hence that the Jews of old said , we are Lords , we will come no more to thee , Jer. 2.31 . Thus it attempts to dethrone God! (2) It denies Gods All-sufficiency , as if there were not content and satisfaction enough to be had in the enjovment of God , but that vanity and wickedness had more of pleasure and profit then he , whose wayes are all pleasantness , and whose service is the whole of man : Every Prodigal that leaves the Fathers house doth practically say , 't is better to be elsewhere . (3) It dares the Justice of God , and challengeth God to do his worst , Mal. 3.17 . It provokes the Lord to jealousie , and temp●s him to wrath . (4) It disowns his Omniscience ; Tush , say they , God sees not , nor doth the most High regard , (5) It despiseth the riches of Gods goodness , Rom. 2.4 . (6) It turns his Grace into wantonness , Jude 4. It will make bold with God , and sin because grace abounds ! In short , 't is the Dare of Gods Justice , the Rape of his Mercy , the Jeer of his Patience , the Slight of his Power , the Contempt of his Love , as one doth prettily express this ugly thing : and we may go on and say ; 't is the Vpbraid of his Providence , Psa. 50. the Scoff of his Promise , 2 Pet. 3.3 , 4. the Reproach of his Wisdom , Is. 29.16 . and as 't is said of the Man of Sin ( made up of sin ) it opposeth and exaits its self above all that 's called God ( and above all that God is called ) so that it as God sitteth in the Temple of God , shewing it self as if it were God , 2 Thes. 2.4 .

3. Sin is contrary to the works of God ; 3 3 To his Works . as it works contrary unto God , so its contrary to Gods works , and is called the work of the devil , 1 Jo. 3.8 . all Gods works were good exceedingly , beautiful even to admiration , but the works of sin are deformed , and monstrously ugly , for it works disorder , confusion , and every thing that 's abominable : Sin may be impleaded for all the mischiefs and villanies that have been done in the world ; 't is the Master of Mis-rule , the Author of Sedition , the Builder of Babel , the Troubler of Israel ; and all mankind . And so contrary is sin to the works of God , that it sought and still seeks to undo all that God doth , that there might be no seed , nor name , nor root left him in the earth : Every thing works according to its nature ( operari sequitur esse ) as the root is , so is the fruit , and by that every Tree is known , whither it be a good Tree or a bad , Mat. 7.17 , 18. God is good , and doth good , Psa. 119.68 . Sin is evil , and doth evil , yea nothing else ; so that sin and its works are contrary to God and his works .

4. Sin is contrary to the Law and Will of God , 4 4 To his Law . yea to all the rules and orders of his appointment : There is not one of his Laws which it hath not broken , and endeavoured to make void , and of none effect ; yea , 't is not only a transgrestion of , but a contradiction also to the Will of God : When the Son of God came into the world to declare and do his Fathers Will , he was encountred by and under-went the contradiction of sinners , Hebr. 12.3 . who would have made men believe , that neither he nor his Doctrine was of God . 'T is an Anti-will to Gods Will ; it sets it self to oppose preaching , prayer , and all the Institutions of God , and that not only out of envy to man , that he should not be the better for them , but out of enmity to God , that he should not be worshipped in the world . Now to act contrary to the will and Statutes of God , is to act contrary to God himself ; as may be seen by comparing Levit. 26.14 , 15. with 21 , 23 , 27. and many other places . David in fulfilling the Will of God , was said to be a man after Gods own heart , Acts 13.22 . and they that obey the will of sin , are said to walk after the heart of sin , Ezek. 11.21 ,

5. 5 5 To his Image . Sin is contrary to the Image of God , wherein man was made : God made man in his own likeness , viz. in righteousness and true holiness , Eph. 4.24 . Now sin is clean contrary to this Image , as much unlike it as deformity and ugliness is unlike to handsomness and beauty , as darkness is to light , as hell to heaven , yea and more too : Sin is the Devils Image ; as when God made man , he made him in his own image ; so when the Devil made man sin , he thereby made him his own image and likeness : and so I conceive the Devil meant that phrase , Ye shall be like Gods , Elohim , Genes. 3.5 . He did not say , nor mean , that he should be like the Elohim , ( the Creators , as the word is , Job 35.10 . Eccl. 12.1 . ) the God that made them , but like Elohim Gods , viz. such as I and my Angels are , who once knew good , but now know evil , both by doing it , and suffering the sad effects of it . The word Elohim is used not only of God and good Angels , but of fallen Angels , or Devils , 1 Sam. 28.13 . And under the covert of this ambiguous and dubious word he craftily abused our first Parents ; for he well knew that by sinning they could not become like Elohim , God above , but would become like Elohim , the Gods below : And alas ! are we not like Elohim-devils , knowing good by loss , and evil by the sad and dismal effects thereof ? Thus he that runs may read the Picture , Image and likeness of the Devil in sin ; sinners are as like the Devil as any thing , for he that sinneth is of the Devil , 1 John 3.8 . not only a servant , but a child of the Devil ; Ye are of your Father the Devil , said holy Jesus to the sinful Jews , John 8.44 . Never was Child more like the Father , then a sinner is like the Devil ; sin hath the nature , the complexion , the air , the features , and very behaviour of the Devil .

6. 6 6 To his people . Sin is contrary to the people and children of God : 'T is true , sin cannot hate them so much as God loves them , nor do them so much hurt as God can do them good ; yet out of spite and envy 't will do its worst , and hate them because God loves them : Gods Children are his Darlings and Favorites , dear to him as the apple of his eye ; in all their afflictions he bears a part , and is afflicted , and looks upon it as if he himself were treated as they are in this world , Acts 9.4 , 5. Mat. 25 . 41.-45 . Now the nearer and dearer they are to God , the more Gods heart is set upon then for good , the more sin sets its heart against them for evil : Sin is alwayes warring against the Seed of God in them , the flesh lusteth against the spirit , Gal. 5.17 . and warreth against their souls , 1 Pet. 2.11 . So that by sins ill-will Gods people should neither enjoy nor do any good in this world ; 't is alwayes provoking the Serpentine Race to make war upon , to imprison and persecute ( even to destruction ) the little Flock and Remnant of the holy Seed ; it will not ( further then rebuked by grace ) let them have one quiet day , it disturbs and interrupts them , that they cannot attend upon God without destruction ; when they would do good , a evil is present with them , either to keep it undone , or to make it ill done ; it endeavours to spoil all they take in hand , and to turn their holy things into iniquity , by reason whereof they cry out as greatly opprest , wretches that we are ! who shall deliver us from this body of death ? Rom. 7. This evil and envious sin is bent also to hinder ( all it can ) the comfort , welfare , and happiness of the Saints : Sin , like the Devil , hath not such an evil eye or aking tooth at all the sinners of the world , as it hath at the Saints in the world : 't is true the Devil is a man-hater , but more a Saint-hater ; watch , for your Adversary the devil seeks whom ( of you ) he may devoure , as S. Peter tells us , 1 Pet. 5.8 . And this it doth to cross and thwart God and his design , who and which is set upon the happiness of his people .

7. 7 7 To his Glory . Sin is contrary to , and set against the glory of God , and all that should and would give glory to him , or hath any tendency thereunto : Confession of sin and repentance gives glory to God , Jos. 7.19 . and this sin endeavours to obstruct and hinder : It began to practise it on Adam and Eve , and still keeps on this trade among the children of men , Revel. 16.9 . Faith would give glory to God ; now that men may not believe , sin imployes the Devil to blind their eyes , 2 Cor. 4.4 . Good men would do all they do ( but sin will let them do nothing at all ) to the glory of God , but is ever throwing one dead fly or other into their most precious boxes of oyntment : Sin is so malicious , that it will not only displease and dishonor God it self , but labours to defeat and frustrate the endeavours of all that attempt to do otherwise : Might sins desires take place , there should not be a person or thing by whom and whereby God should be pleas'd or glorified . It gives out false reports of God and goodness , layes prejudices , and rocks of offence , and stumbling in mens wayes , that they may be out of love with all that 's good , so desperately is it bent against the honor of God .

8. 8 8 To his being . Sin ( as was hinted before ) is contrary to and opposite against the being and existence of God ; it makes the sinner wish and endeavour that there might be no God ; for sinners are haters of God , Rom. 1.30 . And as he that hates his Brother is a Murtherer , 1 Joh. 3.15 . so ( as much as in him lies ) he that hates God is a murtherer of God : It keeps Garrisons and strong holds against God , 2 Cor: 10.4 , 5. It strives with , and fights against God ; and if its power were as great as its will is wicked , it would not suffer God to be . God ●s a troublesome thing to sinners , and therefore ●hey say to him , depart from us , Job 21.14 . and ●f Christ Jesus , let us break his bonds in sunder , and cast his cords far from us , Psal. 2.1 , 2. And when the Holy Ghost comes to woe and entreat them to be reconciled , they resist and make war with the spirit of peace , Acts 7.51 . so that they are against every person in the Trinity , Father , Son and Spirit . In short , and for a conclusion , sin is contrary to God , and all that 's dear to him , or hath his name upon it ; and though it be against all good , yet not so much against any good as against God , who is , and because he is the chiefest good .

Before we pass on , let me beseech thee , who ever thou be that readest , to pause a little and consider of what is said ; for ( mutato nomine , d● te ) what 's said of sin ( is to be consider'd by the sinner , and ) is meant of thine and my sin . Shal● I not plead for God and thy Soul , and entrea● thee to be on Gods side , and depart from th● Tents of wickedness ? Poor Soul , Canst thou fin● it in thine heart to hug and imbrace such a Monster as this is ? Wilt thou love that which hate● God , and which God hates ? God forbid ! Wi●● thou joyn thy self to that which is nothing bu● contrariety to God , and all that 's good ? Oh sa● to this Idol , yea to this Devil , Get hence , wha● have I to do with thee , thou ( Elymas ) Sorcere● thou full of all malignity and mischief ; tho● Child , yea Father of the Devil , thou that art th● Founder of Hell , an Enemy to all righteousness , that ceasest not to pervert the right way of the Lord , and to reproach the living God Away , away , Shall I be seduced by thee to grie● the God of all my joy , to displease the God 〈◊〉 all my comfort , to vex the God of all my co●tent , to do evil against a good God , by whom I live , move , and have my being ? Oh no. Thus consider of these things , and do not go on to provoke the Lord , least a worse thing befall thee then any hitherto ; do not contend with God who is stronger then thou art , who is able when he will , and he will be one day found both able and willing enough , to turn the wicked into hell , the Element of sin and sinners , who shall go into it as into their own place , as Judas did , Acts 1.25 . Oh learn to pity thine own soul , for he that sinneth doth ( as offend and wrong God , so ) wrong and destroy his own soul ; or ( as some read the Text ) despiseth his own soul , Prov 8.36 . Oh think on 't , what ! hast thou no value , no regard for thy soul ? wilt thou neglect and despise it , as if 't were good for nothing but to be damn'd , and go to hell ? wilt thou be felo de se , a self-soul-murtherer ? shall thy perdition be of thy self ? Oh look to thy self , for sin ( notwithstanding all its flattering pretences ) is against thee , and seeks nothing less then thy ruine and damnation . And this brings and leads me to the second thing to be treated of .

Sins contrariety to Man .

The second thing wherein the sinfulness of sin doth consist , 2 2 Sin is contrary to the good of man . is its contrariety to the good of Man , which is the thing that our Text doth especially ment on and intend , and is therefore to be the more copiously spoken to : Sin is contrary to the good of man , and nothing is properly ●nd absolutely so but sin , and this results and is evident from sins contrariety to God : as there is nothing contrary to God but sin , ( for Devils are not so but by sin ) so sin in being contrary to God , is and cannot but be contrary to man ; that must he unavoidably evil to man , that 's evil against God , who is the chiefest good of man ; communion with , and conformity to God , is mans felicity , his heaven upon earth , and in heaven too , without which it would not be worth his while to have a being : Now sin being a separation between God and Man , an interruption of this communion and conformity , it must needs be prejudicial and hurtful to him . Beside , the Commandment ( of which sin is a transgression ) was given not only for Gods sake , that he might have glory from mans obedience , but for Mans sake , that man might enjoy the good and benefit of his obedience , and find that in keeping the Commands of God there is great reward . These two were twisted together , and no sooner is the Law transgrest , but God and Man are joynt-sufferers , God in his glory , and Man in his good Mans suffering follows at the heel of sin , yea , as he suffers by , so in sinning ; suffering and sinning involve each other : No sooner did sin enter into the world , but death ( which is a privation o● good did enter by it , with it , and in it , for 't is the sting of death ; so that sin saith , here its death , and death saith , here is sin : No soone● did Angels sin , but they fell from their first estate and habitation which they had with God in glory , not a moment between their sin and misery and as soon as man had sinned , his conscien●● told him , that he was naked and destitute o● righteousness and protection , and consequently an undone man , that he could not endure Gods presence , nor his own , Genes. 3.7 , 8. So apparent is it that sin ( and that in being contrary to God ) is contrary to man , for what crosseth Gods glory , is cross to mans happiness . Now

To proceed more distinctly and particularly , 1 1 In this life . I shall evince that sin is against mans good , both present and future , here in time , and hereafter in Eternity , in this life and world which now is , and in that to come , against all and every good of man , and against the good of all and every man : And herein lies the second instance of the sinfulness of sin , as it is 1 Against mans present good in this life , and that 1 Against the good of his body . 2 Against the good of his soul . For on both it hath brought a curse and death .

1 Sin is against the good of mans body ; 1 1 Against his body . it hath corrupted mans blood , and made his body mortal , and thereby render'd it a vile body : our bodies , though made of dust , were yet more precious then the fine gold ; but when we sinned , they became vile bodies : before sin our bodies were immortal ( for death and mortality came in by sin ) but now alas they must return to dust , and it s appointed to all men once to die , ( and 't is well if they die but once , and the second death have no power over them ) they must see corruption , or death in equivalence , i.e. a change ; for this flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdome of God ( as that wherein we were created might possibly have done ) 1 Cor. 15.50 . Our body is sown in corruption , in dishonor , in weakness , 1 Cor. 15.42 , 43. and is therefore called vile , Philip. 3.21 . and before this body be laid in the grave , 't is languishing , in a continual Consumption , and dying daily , besides all the dangers that attend it from without . And

2 Sin is against the good of mans Soul too : 2 2 Against his Soul . The Soul is transcendently excellent beyond the body , and the good of that beyond the good of this ; so that a wrong done to the Soul is much more to mans hurt , then a wrong done to the body therefore saith our Saviour , Fear not them that can kill the body , and do no more , ( which is but little in comparison of what God can do to the soul , if it sin ) but fear him that can destroy , i.e. damn soul and body in hell , Mat. 10. 'T is not very ill with a man if it be well with his soul , but it can never be well with a man if it be ill with his soul ; so that we can more easily and cheaply die then be damned , and may better venture our bodies to suffering , then our souls to sinning , for he that sinneth wrongs his soul , Prov. 8.36 . Nothing but sin doth wrong a mans soul , and there is no sin but doth it . Thus we see in general , that sin is against the good of mans body and soul : But yet for a more clear and full discovery hereof , I shall consider and speak of man : 1 In a Natural Sense . 2 In a Moral Sense .

1 If we consider man in a Physical or Natural state , 1 1 In a natural sense . we shall find sin to be 1. Against the well-being : And 2. Against the very being of man ; it will not suffer him to be well or long in the world , nor if possible to be at all .

1 'T is against mans well-being in this life ; And so 1 Against his well-being . vivere est valere , well-being is the life of life , and sin bears us so much ill will , that it deprives us of our livelihood , and that which makes it worth our while to live , man was born to a great estate , but by sin ( which was and is Treason against God ) he forfeited all : Man came into the world as into an house ready furnished , he had all things prepared and ready to his hands ; all the creatures came to war on him , and pay him homage , but when man sinn'd , God turn'd him out of house and home ; all his lands , goods and chattels were taken from him ; Paradise was mans Inheritance , where he had every thing pleasant to the eye , and good for food ; ( as for cloaths he needed none while Innocent ) but when he sinned , God dispossessed him of all , and drave him out into the wide world , like a Pilgrim , a Beggar , to live on his own hands , and to earn his meat with the sweat of his brow , as you may read at large , Genes. 3. Thus by sin man that was the Emperour of Eden , is banisht from his Native Country , and must never see it more but in a new and living way , for the old is stop'd up , and beside that 't is kept against him with flaming swords . Ever since it hath been every mans lot to come into and go out of this world naked , to shew that he hath no right to any thing , but lives on the alms of Gods charity and grace ( all ●●e have or hold between our birth and death is clear ●gain and meer gift ) God might chuse whither ●he would allow us any thing or no , and when he hath given , he may take again , and none of us have cause to say any thing but what Job did , Chap. 1.21 . Naked came I into the world , and naked shall I return ; the Lord hath given , and the Lord hath taken away , blessed be the Name of the Lord . All we have ( our food and rayment ) is but lent us , we are only Tenants at will , and therefore seeing we deserve nothing , we should be content with and thankful for any thing , 1 Tim. 6.7 , 8.

2 To shew that man by sin had lost all , when our Lord Jesus came into this world for the recovery of man , and stood as in the sinners stead , he had not where to lay his head ; the Foxes had holes , and the birds of the air have nests , but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head , Luke 9.58 . Which plainly shews , that the sin of man had left the Son of man nothing : Though Christ were Lord of all , yet if he will come in the likeness of sinful flesh , he must speed not like the Son of God , but Son of Man , and be a man of sorrows , destitute , forsaken and afflicted : and though we fare the better for his suffering , yet he fared the worse for our sin ; and among other the miseries he under-went , he had not where to lay his head . Again ;

To add yet another discovery of the venomous nature of sin as to this that we are upon , 't is not a little observeable , that though God took not the full forfeiture , nor stript us so naked and bare a he might have done , but indulged us , comperent subsistance and accommodation , and ( as the first fruits of his goodness ) made the first suit of cloaths which Adam and Eye wore , yet sin is against that good which God left us , and fills it with vanity and vexation , with bitterness and a curse : God left Adam many acres of land to till and husband , but he hath it with a curse , sweat and sorrow , many a grieving bryar and pricking thorn stick fast to him , Gen. 3 . 17.-19 . God left him ground enough , v. 23. but alas 't is cursed ground ! so that sin is against mans temporal good , either in taking it from him , or cursing it to him : Sin is so envious , that it would leave man nothing ; and if God be so good as to leave him any thing , sins eye is evil , because God is good , and puts a sting in it , viz a curse .

Yet more particularly : 'T is 1 Against his rest . 1 Sin is against mans rest and ease , of which man is much a lover , and indeed needs it , as being a great part of the well-being of his life : 'T is a sore travel which the sons of men have under the Sun ; yea , what hath man of all his labour , and the vexation of his heart wherein he hath laboured ? for all his daies are sorrows , and his travel grief , Eccl. 1.13.2.22 , 23. ( whither he increase wisdome and knowledge , or pleasures and riches ) yea he taketh not rest in the night , but is haunted with vain and extravagant , if not feared with frightful dreams ; and his fancies , which are waking dreams by day , are more troublesome then them of the night : Mans ground is over-grown with thorns , that he hath many an aking head and heart , many a sore hand and foot ( before the year come about ) to get a little livelihood out of this sin-cursedground : Mans Paradisical life was easie and pleasant , but now 't is labour and pain , such as makes him sweat ( yea , Eccl. 2.1 , 2. his recreations fall little short of his labour for pain and sweat ) The old world was very sensible of this , as may be gather'd from Genes. 5.29 . He called his name Noah , saying , this same shall comfort us concerning our work , and toil of our hands , because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed ; sin , curse and toil keep company .

2 Sin is against mans comfort and joy , 2 2 His comfort and joy . Genes. 3.17 . In sorrow shalt thou eat all the daies of thy life ; not one whole merry day ! 't were some comfort to a man , if after he had toil'd and moil'd all day , he could eat his bread with joy , and drink his wine with a merry heart , but sin will not suffer him ; if he laugh sin turns it to madness , Eccl. 2.2 . or else 't is no better Musick then the crackling of thorns , Eccl. 7.6 . In Paradise the blessing of God on Adams diligent hand made him rich , and there was no sorrow with it ; to allude to Prov. 10.22 . but now mans sweet meats have sowre sawces , in sorrow shalt thou eat , his bread is the bread of affliction .

Yea the Femaie ( the She-man or Manness ) the Woman , hath a peculiar sort and share of sorrow , for the time of conception , breeding , bearing , and birth , are tedious ; yet alas ! many that feel the pain which sin brought , are not sensible of the sin which brought the pain : though their sorrow and pain too be greatly multiplied , as we find it exprest , Genes. 3.16 . and the more for want of faith and sobriety , 1 Tim. 2.15 .

3 3 3 His health . Sin is against mans health : Hence come all diseases and sicknesses , till sin there were no such things : For this cause ( in general ) many are weak and sick among you : Let a man take the best air he can , and eat the best food he can , let him eat and drink by rule , let him take never so many Antidotes , Preservatives and Cordials , yet man is but a crazy sickly thing for all this : Verily every man in his best estate is a frail and brittle thing , yea altogether vanity , Psal. 39. which is spoken with reference to diseases and sickness : take him while his blood danceth in his veins , and his marrow fills his bones , yet then is he a brittle piece of mortality !

4 Sin is against the quiet of a mans natural conscience , for it wounds the spirit , 4 4 The quiet of conscience . and makes it intollerable ; a wounded spirit who can bear ? Prov. 18.14 . while that is sound and whole , all infirmities are more easily born , but when that is broken , the supports fail : and this hath great influence upon the body ; for Prov. 17.22 . a merry heart doth good like a medicine , ( no cordial like it ) but a broken spirit drieth the bones , it sucks away the marrow and radical moisture , Prov. 12.25 . heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop ; a good conscience is a continual feast , but sin mars all the mirth . When Cain had killed his Brother , and his conscience felt the stroak of the curse , he was like a distracted man and mad : when Judas had betray'd his Master , he was weary of his life .

5 Sin is against the beauty of man ; 5 5 His beauty . it takes away the loveliness of mens very complexions , it alters the very air of their conntenance , Psa. 9.11 . When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity , thou mak'st his beauty ( or that which is to be desir'd in him , as 't is in the margine ) to consume or melt away like a Moth ; surely every man is vanity , his beauty vain : Now there was no such thing as vanity or deformity , till sin entred , every thing was lovely before , and man above any thing of the inferiour world .

6 6 6 The loving cohabitation of soul and body . Sin is against the loving and conjugal cohabitation of soul and body , they were happily matried , and lived lovingly together for a while , till sin sowed discord between them , and made them jar ; many a falling out is there now between body and soul , between sense and reason , they draw several wayes , there 's a self-civil war , even in this sense the flesh lusteth against the spirit , that poor man is hall'd and pulled this way and that , tossed to and fro as with several winds : nunc hic nunc flectitur illic : man is full of contradictions : Time was when the mind commanded the body , but now this servant rides on horse-back , when that Prince walks on foot : Man is inverted , his head is where his heels should be ; his soul is become a prisoner to the body ( rather then a Free-man ) too too often ; the beast is too hard for the man , and the horse rides the rider , sense Lords it and domineers over reason !

7. 7 7 His relative good . Sin is against mans relative good in this world ; mans comfort or sorrow lies much in relations ; the weal or woe of his life is as relation ; are ; that which was made for an help , proves but too often an hindrance : Sin hath spoil'd Society , that homo homini lupus , & diabolus , one man is a wolf , yea a devil to another : Sin will not let Husband and Wife . Parents and Children to live quietly , but sets them at variance , and many times a mans Enemies are them of his own house and bosome ; they who eat bread at our Table , lift up their heel against us , and familiar friends become enemies . Lust makes wars , James 4.1 . and from pride comes contention , Proverbs 13.10 . It breeds divisions , factions in Church and State , that there is little of union or order , harmony , society or friendship in the world . Thus doth sin set it self to oppose mans well-being . Yea

2 Sin is against the very being of man ; 2 2 'T is against the being of man . sin doth aim not only that man should not be well , but that man should not be at all : How many doth it strangle in the Womb ? how many miscarriages and abortions doth it cause ? how many doth it send from the Cradle to the grave , that they have run their race before they can go ? others die in their full strength , ( beside the havocks it makes by war , &c. ) as some do alwayes eat their bread in darkness , Job 21.23 . Man no sooner begins to live , but he begins to die ; and after a few daies , ( which are but as a span , and do passe away more swift then a Weavers Shuttle ) sin lays all in the dust , Princes as well as Beggars : Sin hath reduced mans age to a very little pittance , from almost a thousand to a very uncertainty , not only to seventy , but to seven ; for among men no mans life is valued at more ; mans time is short and uncertain , he that 's born to day , is not sure to live a day : And what is our life , but as a vapour , which soon passeth away ? I might inlarge here , but this may suffice , to shew that sin is against all the good man in this life , consider'd in a natural sense ; and now I proceed to shew that sin is against the good of man .

2 In a Moral sense , 2 2 In a moral sense . for

1 Sin hath degraded man by defiling him , and tantum non almost unmann'd him ; for as our Text speaks of sin as a man , so the holy Scripture speaks of man as if he were sin , and every man were a man of sin ( made up of sin ) whither we consider the outer or inner man : Man was a very noble thing , made little lower then the Angels , Psal. 8. But alas by sin he is made almost as low as Devils : Man was once a companion for God himself , but sin hath separated between God and him , sin hath robbed man of his primitive excellency ; of a Lord he is become a servant , yea a slave to creatures , to Devils , and lusts of all sorts . Now this debasement came by defilement , which defilement cleaves

1 1 1 His body defiled . To his body ; for the flesh is silthy , 2 Cor. 7.1 . and the body needs sanctifying and cleansing , 1 Thes 5.23 . the body is a body of sin , the members are servants to uncleanness , and to iniquity , Rom. 6.19 . Take him from head to foot , from the Crown of that to the sole of this , there 's no whole ( because not holy ) part in him , but all filthy and full of putrefactions and sores : If we dissect and anatomize man , we shall find this but too true , for not to name every sin that cleaves to the whole or every part , but in a more general way , 't is thus said of sinful men , their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness , with their tongues they use deceit , the poyson of Asps is under their lips , their throat is an open Sepulchre , Rom. ● , 13 , 14. eyes full of adultery , 2 Pet. 2.14 . the eye-lids haughty , Prov. 30.13 . ears dull of hearing , Hebr. 5.11 . yea deaf as the Adder , Psa. 58.4 , 5. the forehead is impudent as a brow of brass , Is. 48.4 . both hands are imploid to work iniquity , Mic. 7.3 . the belly an Idol-God , Phil. 3.19 . the feet are swift to shed blood , Rom. 3.15 . and if we look within , their inward part is very wickedness ( Hebr. wickednesses ) Psa. 5.9 . the gall is a gall of bitterness , in a moral as in a natural sense ; the spleen is affected , yea infected with envy and malice ; what part is there which is not the seat of one or other evil ? Yea this defilement cleaves

2 To the Soul , 2 2 His soul defiled . which is the principal subject of it ; 't is not only flesh but spirit that is filthy , 2 Cor. 7.1 . Gods Image was more in and on the Soul then body of man , and sins ambition and envy is to deprive the Soul of this Image ; righteousness and holiness were stamp'd on mans Soul , but sin hath blotted this Image and Superscription , which on●● told from whence it came , and to whom it belong'd , so that man is fallen short of the glory of God , and the glory of being Gods ; it must be new created or renewed till God will own it for his , because till then his Image is not legible , if it ( in this sense ) be at all , for there is none righteous , no not one , Rom. 3.10 .

'T is not any one faculty only that sin hath defiled , but like a strong poyson , it soaks and ears through all ; that whereas all was holy , and holiness to the Lord , 't is now evil , and evil against the Lord , Genes. 6.5 . Every imagination ( figment or creature ) of the heart is only evil continually ; yea , the Flood , which washt away so many sinners , could not wash away sin ; the same heart remains after the Flood , as before , Genes. 8.21 . and as it was with the heart of man from his youth , it hath continued to be to this old and decrepit age of the world ; for to this day there proceeds out of the heart the same evil thoughts , words and deeds , that then did , Mat. 15.20 And from this unclean Fountain issues forth all that defiles the man .

Sin hath made the heart of man deceitful , and desperately wicked , Jerem. 17.9 . and its hardned in impenitency through the deceitfulness of sin , Hebr. 3.12 , 13. yea , though thereby man do nothing but undo himself , and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath , Rom. 2.5 . It makes man obstinate , that he will not be saved , but will be damned ; you will not come to me that you may have life , Joh. 5.40 . As for the Word of the Lord , we will not hearken , but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth , Jerem. 44.16 , 17. and 't is out of the abundance of folly and madness that is in mens hearts ( and bound up there ) that they thus speak , not only vain thoughts and words , but villanous ones bubble and break forth from this corrupt fountain , which sets the tongue on fire of hell , that the devil could not broach and belch out more horrid blasphemies against God , then the tongues and hearts of sinful men . It hath defiled and spoiled mans memory and conscience also ; his memory , how treacherous is it as to good , but alas too tenacious as to evil ! The conscience is become an evil conscience , and in many a seared conscience : Thus all over , without and within is man defiled and polluted , of which I may speak yet more in another place , only at present a little more largely , to shew how sin hath almost put out mans eyes , and even extinguished the Candle of the Lord ; how it hath dimned and benighted mans leading faculty , the understanding , which should shew a man the difference between good and evil , and guide him in the way wherein he should walk , but is now too often an ignis fatuus , that leads men into bogs and ditches , into errors and immoralities .

Sin hath 1 Blinded mans understanding , and made him ignorant . 2 Depraved his understanding , and made him a fool .

1 Sin hath darkned mans understanding : I●h●h 〈◊〉 Darkned mans understanding , and made him blind . Poor man is wise to do evil , but to do good hath no knowledge , Jerem. 4.52 . yea there is none that understandeth ( viz. as , and what he ought ) Rom. 3.11 . All the workers of iniquity have no knowledge , Psal. 14.4 . Poor man is cover'd with Egyptian thick darkness , yea said to be not only dark , but darkness ( in the abstract ) Eph. 5.8 . and ( which is sad ) is in love with darkness , Joh. 8.19 . and his light is darkness , Mat. 6.23 . That man is in darkness by sin , is clear as the light of the Sun by the light of Scripture truth , beside that of sad experience ; for in general when men are converted , they are called out of ; ●nd turned from darkness to light , Acts 26.18 . 1 Pet. 2.9 . &c. And our Lord Jesus came to be , and give light to them that sate in darkness , Luke 1.76.79 . And indeed none but he can open the eyes of them that are born blind , Joh: 9. He was the light of the world , which without him is a dark Dungeon .

More particularly it appears that man is dark : As appears 1 By his groping . 1 By his groping , which is constantly attributed to blindness and darkness in the Scripture : Be pleas'd to peruse Deut. 28.29 . Job 5.14 . and 12.25 . Is. 59.10 . Man had ( like Solomons wise man ) his eyes in his head , and clearly saw his way before him ; the door and way of peace and happiness lay wide open to him ; but now ( like the blind Sodomites ) he gropes to find the door of hope , and wearies himself in vain pursuits : Man hath lost his way , since he lost his eyes : Poor man catcheth at every straw , grasps every trifle , if he can but find out what 's good for him ! Oh how did Solomon seek and search this and that , to the tiring and vexing of himself , till the true light guided him into the true way ? How did he grope after happiness , but felt none , till he came to fear God , &c. Eccl. 12.13 .

2 2 2 Not comprehending the light . Mans darkness is evident by this , That though the light shine , yet his darkness comprehendeth it not , Joh. 1.5 . Ah how blind is that man , who at mid-day ( when the Sun shines in full strength ) sees it not ! It was no great wonder that the Law was darkness to man , for Mose● had a veil on his face ; but that the Gospel , the clearest light that ever shone in the world ; that Christ himself , the brightness of his Fathers glory , should not be comprehended , Oh marvellous darkness ! In the innocent Golden-age man could have comprehended the least hint that came from God , and have seen day at a little hole or crevice ; he could have look't on the Sun , and his eye not twinkle ; but now the natural man receives not the things of the spirit , nor can he discern them : No , the Wisdome of God , the preaching of the Gospel is foolishness to him , 1 Cor. 2.14 . This Gospel ( while revealed ) continues an hidden thing to this blinded world , 2 Cor. 4.3 , 4. and to know Christ Jesus requires as great a power as was in the Creation , when God commanded light to shine out of darkness , as the Apostle tells us in the same place , 2 Cor. 4.6 , 7. Again :

3 Mans darkness is apparent , 3 3 By walking in the wayes , and doing the works of darkness . by his walking in all manner of wickedness , which are called the works of darkness , Eph. 5.11 . Good and holy works are of the light ( and give light , for they shine , Mat. 5.20 . ) but wicked works are from darkness ; Who but blind men would walk in dirt up to the ears , yea over head and ears ? Solomon speaking of wicked men , Prov. 2.13 . saith , that they leave the paths of uprightness , and walk in the wayes of darkness ; which is a clear argument of their darkness , especially if we add this consideration to it , the boldness of men in sinning ( who more bold then the blind ? ) that they rush like horses into the battel , without fear or wit . Did men see the danger that attends sin and wickedness ; would they follow it to ●estruction ? Oh no ; he goes after her as a ●ol to the Stocks , till a Dart strikes through ●s Liver ; a●● Bird haste a to the snare , and knows not , or sees not , that 't is for his life , Prov. 7.22 , 23. For in vain i● the Net spread in the sight of any Bled , Irov . 1.17 . or of a seeing man .

4 4 4 That he knows not whither he goeth . It appears that sin hath blinded man , for he knows not whither he goes , Joh. 12.35 . 1 Joh. 2.11 . Men are busie in this world ( like a company of Ants ) creeping up and down from one Mole-hill to another , but are not so wise , for the Ants know , but poor blind men know not whither they go , whither forward or backward , from home , or to home , they are in a maze , and bewilder'd ; they think they are going to pleasure and profit , honor and happiness , but alas they are mistaken , and are going to pain and loss , to disgrace and death ; like the Syrians , who thought they had been going to Dotha● as Conquerours , but were found in Samaria , at the mercy of their enemies ; they were hood winkt with blindness , 2 Kings 6. So men thin● they are going heaven-ward , when alas sin lead● them to hell , while their eyes are shut , and they know not where they go .

5 5 5 By stumbling . Mans darkness is seen by this ; That he stumbles , and knows not at what , Joh. 11.9 , 10. Pro● 4.19 Sinners are ever and anone stumbling 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus , they are offended at him , but connot tell for what ; something they would complain of , and find fault with , if they knew wha● but quaerunt nodum in scirpo they seek faults whe● none are to be found ; yet rather then not 〈◊〉 offended , this shall be his crime , that he is guil● of none ; and the reason why they find so mu●● fault with God , is , because he finds out the faults , and finds fault with them : Mans waspishness and touchiness , his being so captious and ready to take offence at God and godliness , are clear discoveries of his darkness ; for did they know him , they would never crucifie , nor be offended with the Lord of Life , light and glory : Blessed he that is not offended with Christ .

6 It s evident that man ( ever since the fall ) hath brnis'd his intellectuals , 6 6 Not knowing his time . hath a soft place in his head ( laesa principid ) for he knows not his time , nor how to order ( his thoughts , words and actions ) any of his affairs in season , which is the beauty of all ▪ 〈◊〉 could have said as Job . Ch. 29.3 , 4. His candle shined upon my head , by his light I walked through dirkness , the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle : But alas now he must say , as Eccl. 8.6 , 7. because to every purpose there is a time and judgment , therefore the misery of man is great upon him , for he knows not what shall be , and who can tell him , when or how it shall be ? And Eccl. 9.12 . Man knows not his time , 't is not in man to direct his way , Jerem. 10.23 . We cannot order our speech by reason of darkne●● , Job . 7.19 . We know not what to pray for 〈◊〉 we ought , Rom. 8.26 . Ah! What a poor sorry silly thing hath sin made man !

7 And lastly , 7 7 Bring content to be led by a 〈◊〉 , or by ● bl●●d guide . 'T is evident that sin hath blinded man , that he can be content to be led , though but ●y a dog : Inter Caecos Inscus regnare potest , A ●alf-ey'd man may reign among the blind : Would 〈◊〉 man be led by a dog if he were not blind ? he would scorn it : Our Saviour tells us , that the ●lind lead the blind , Mat. 15.14 . and surely ●f men were not blind , they would never be led by blind guides ; but now being in the dark , suitable guides please them best ; like people , like Priest , as God complains , Jerem. 3.31 . The Prophets prophesie falsly , and the Priests bear rule by their means , and my people love to have it so ; falshood and slattery was their business , and the peoples choice and pleasure : God and godliness , righteousness and holiness were troublesome and tedious , they must have smooth things , and soft pillows , and alas they were fitted to an hair , this suited their tooth , and pleas'd their palate well : but all this while , it argues undeniably that men are dark and blind , who can be content with such dogs to lead them , yea not only dumb dogs , but blind guides , yea and false Prophets too , who lead them into the Ditch of Sin , and Dungeon of Hell ! What doth all this argue but mans darkness ? and what doth that infer but sins sinfulness in darkning the understanding of man ? Is not light good ? God that made it saw it so ; but now , that the soul is without knowledge , it is not good , Prov. 19.2 . So that sin is against the good of man , in putting out the sight of his eyes , which is worse ( in a spiritual sense ) then if it had put out the eyes of his body . Mans eyes are very dear to him , God expresseth the tenderness he hath for his people by this , that htey are to him as the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 . And the Apostle sets out the love of the Galatians by this , that they would have pull'd out their eyes for him , Gal. 4.15 . And to she● love to God , we are to pull out our right eye , i● it do offend , Mat. 5.29 . Israel took great indig●nation at Naash the Ammonite , that he would have put out their eyes , 1 Sam. 11. Herein then lies the malignity of sin , that it hath so darkned the eyes of mans understanding , and left it for a reproach . Yet this is not all , but

2 Sin hath depraved mans understanding , 2 2 Sin hath depraved mans understanding , and made him a fool . and made him a fool , a sot , a very bruit ; ignorant , foolish , and beast , are joyned together , Psa. 73.22 . folly is the common name of sin , and so is fools of sinners in the Scripture , Psa. 94.8 . O ye fools , when will ye be wise , i. e. O ye sinners when will ye fear God , for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome , yea 't is wisdome , Job 28.28 . yea the top of wisdome , Prov. 1.7 . Till a man fear God , he doth but play the fool , he is indeed unmann'd , and beside himself : for of the Prodigal , ( the Representative of Sinners and Converts ) when he repented and was converted , 't is said that he came to himself , and then quickly went to his Father . And in the recovery of man , our Lord Jesus Christ is made of God to us , not only righteousness , but light and wisdome , 1 Cor. 1.30 . we were without that our selves , which Christ is made to us .

That this is the common case of Jew and Gentile , i. e. all men , the Apostle assures us , Rom. 3.9 , 10 , 11. yea men themselves declare it ; and I may say of man , as Solomon doth of the sool , Eccl. 10 3. When he walketh by the way , he saith to every one , that he is a fool ; the way and course he takes , his carriage and behaviour shews him to be a fool ; as a child ( so a man ) is known by his doings , Prov. 20.11 . as he that doth righteousness is righteous , so that doth folly is a fool . And

His folly appears to be very great Mans folly appears . 1 With respect and relation to his end or happinesse . 2 With respect to the means which relate to the end . 3 By non or ill-improvement of means in relation to the end .

1 1 1 As to his end or happiness . Mans folly is but too apparent in relation to his chief and ultimate end , the summum bonum ; Man is exceedingly to seek for happinesse , where to place it , as how to obtain it . Oh the variety of opinions that men have had about happinesse ! Varro tells us of a great many , but who can tell us of all ? So many men , so many minds ; for when man goes from unity , he falls into multitude ; he hath found out many inventions : Time was when man had light and wisdome enough to know that God was the 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , the Supreme and chief good , and that his happinosse lay in knowing and enjoying God ; but since sin man is become such a fool , as to say in his heart there is no God , at least no happinesse in knowing God ; for if sin make not men such Atheists as to believe there is no God , yet it makes them such as to wish that there were no God , and to say that 't is no happinesse to know him , or profit to serve him : Let us eat and drink , &c. is the voice of more men , then let us seek and serve God , who will shew us any good , viz. corn , wine and oyl , is the voice of mary , Psal. 4. yea of all till regenerate : Man is become so sottish and bruitish , that he lives by sense : Now sense will never look to God who is invisible ( that 's for saith ) but to the creatares which are visible , and the objects o● sense . How did Solomon set this out to the life , in his Ecclesiastes , viz. that sense seeks for happinesse below God ; that man is fond of toys and trifles , and seeks contentment where there 's nothing but vexation , as if he could sind ease in the place , and element of torment , viz. in hell ; he sets his eyes and heart upon that which is not , Prov. 23.5 . The lust of the eye , the lust of the slesh , the pride of life is ( the Trinity ) the God of this world , and excludes the love of God , 1 Joh. 2.15 , 16.

All things of sense are but for the one ( and the worse ) half of man , viz. the body ; and when all a mans labour is for this , with neglect of the soul ( which is the principal man of the man ) what folly is it ? to mind the lesse , and neglect the greater ; to be troubled about these many things , and neglect the one thing necessary , is folly with a witnesse , and will be followed with a vengeance ! what is it to labour for the back and belly ( as if it were God ) to mind earthly things , and neglect , yea despise heavenly , but folly in extremity ! 't is to glory in shame , Phil. 3.19 . He that bid his soul take ease , in eating , drinking , and being merry , was called fool ; and so ( i. e. such another fool ) is every one that lays up treasure for himself , ( his sensual self ) and is not rich toward God , as our Saviour tells us , Luke 12.16 . — 21. on which Text to shew the folly of such men . I have discoursed elsewhere ( which if God please may in due time come to view ) and therefore I shall wholly wave and omit to speak to it here , though I did treat of it when I preacht these Sermons on the sinfulnesse of sin . Only

Before I proceed to the other discoveries of mans folly , in relation to the way and means that lead to happiness , let me briefly evince by three things ( among many others that might be named ) that mans happiness cannot be made up of any , or all creature enjoyments , of having ( though all ) the world for a portion . For beside what 's newly said :

1 It was not so when man was in Paradise , when not only man but all the creatures were in a better condition then , and not subject to vanity as now they are : All that God made was very good , and Adam had all that God made , and yet that was not his happiness . Now , if the creatures in their best estate were not mans happiness , much less are they so in this their worse estate ; so that our sin in placing happiness in creature enjoyment now , is worse then Adams sin was , for the creatures were then far more allicient , attractive and taking , then now they are ; for ( as a worthy person expresseth it ) though the old walls and ruinous Palace of the world stands to this day , yet the beauty , gloss and glory of the hangings is soiled and marred with many imperfections cast on every creature ; what 's without us only cannot be our happiness .

2 That cannot be our happiness which is below us ; the design of Gods making the creatures was , that they should serve us , and not be served by us● God put Adam ( colere ) to till the earth , not ( colere ) to worship the earth , and make a God of it , as earthly-minded men do , for covetousness is ●dolatry : Not only God placed them , but man reckons them below himself ; below man ; for skin for skin , or skin after skin , and all that a man hath will he give for his life ; ( a great truth , though spoken by the Father of lies ) by which its evident , that man reckons all below himself ; and though old Jacobs life were bound up in the life of young Benjamin , yet he would part with him rather then starve : Now ( without further inlargement ) 't is clear as the Sun , that what 's inferiour to us , cannot be our happiness .

3 That cannot be our happiness , which is not so much as a token of the love of God : If you had all the Cattel on a thousand hills , and never so many thousand bags of gold in your Chest , though all the beauty and honor in the world centr'd in you , yet I must tell you what a very wise man hath told me , Eccl. 9.1 . Man knows not love by prosperity , no more then hatred by adversity . Indeed the world is not ( as great and good as 't is , or 't was ) 't is not good enough for a Love-token : God sent his Son ( and never any thing but him , and what 's in him ) for a Love-token : Well then , upon the whole we conclude , that seeing happiness is of an higher nature then the Creation , and is not in less then God himself , that man is a fool in seeking it elsewhere , and that sin is very pernicious to man , in making him such a fool . But

2 Mans folly appears to be great , 2 2 As to means which relates to his end or happiness . not only in relation to his end and happiness , in his mistaking that , but in relation to the means and way leading to happiness , in mistaking this also : The enjoyment of God is our happiness ; Religion , viz. right worshipping and serving God is the means of enjoying God , i. e. of our happinesse . Alas ! here man is a very fool ! Though in the general men acknowledge that there is a God , and that God is to be worshipped and obey'd , yet who this God is , and how to be worshipped , man is full of darknesse , doubt and perplexity about it : whence it is that we have such expressions in the Scripture concerning sinners ; ye worship ye know not what , Joh. 4.22 . Surely they that worship they know not what , do worship also they know not how ; as it there follows . The Athenian Altar had this Inscription , To the unknown God , Acts 17.23 . and the world by wisdome knew not God , viz. manifest in the flesh , 1 Cor. 1.21 . Though there be nothing more knowable , yet nothing more unknown then God : 'T is visible to all the Creation , by the Creation , that there is a God ; as Rom. 1.22 . but who , and what he is , and what his will is , who hath known the mind of God ? 1 Cor. 2.16 .

Sin hath made men worship either 1 A false God , and that 's Idolatry : Or , 2 God falsly , and that 's Superstition .

Man is become such a fool , In being 1 Idolatious . that his worship ( till enlightned and converted ) is either a breach of the first or second Commandment , and he fails as to the object or manner of worship , and both speak mans folly , that his Religion is either Idolatry or Superstition .

1 Idolatry is mans folly , to worship no God , or that which is not a God , but an Idol , is folly ; and therefore the Gentiles are called not only Atheists , but a foolish people ; and with this the Apostle upbraids them , Gal. 4.8 . Rom. 1.21.125 . Man is such a fool , that he neglects to serve the God that made him , and serves Gods of his own making , though that make proves that they are not as their name is , but Gods ( like their knowledge ) falsly so called , as 't is at large imputed to them of old , Is. 44 . 14.-16 . The world hath been guilty of most abominable idolatry ; the Romans made diseases Gods , as the Feaver , &c. and sinners make not only creatures , as gold and their belly their God , but among the fore-mentioned Romans ( theft and murder ) sins were reputed and called Gods : yea , the Devil himself hath been made a God , and sacrificed to ; he is called the God of this world , 2 Cor. 4.4 . and saith the Apostle , they sacrifice to devils , 1 Cor. 10.20 . Deut. 32.17 . and sacrificed not only their children , Psa. 106.37 . but their souls ; for in all services the soul is the sacrifice . Oh sinful sin ! But yet again ;

2 Superstition is mans folly , as to Religion , 2 2 Superstitious . and this is younger brother to Idolatry , 't is of the same ( venter ) womb with Idolatry : Superstition is not worshipping a false God , but the true God falsly , in a way that God commandeth not ; but it teacheth and practiseth for doctrines the devices and commandments of men ; or worships not according to the will of God , but the will of man : This also is called the sacrifice of fools , Eccl. 5.1 . They mind the matter more then the manner , and take up with the work done , though it be not well done , and mind the outside more then the in-side ; yea , and worship God more because they fear , then because they love him .

And this shall briefly suffice for the evincing of mans folly , or how sin hath befool'd man as to his end , happiness , and the means to it , Religion . I proceed

3 To shew mans folly , 3 3 As to non or ill-improvement of means . as to non or ill - improvement of means , when made known in truth and clearness ; though the Will of God as to worship be revealed , yet sin makes men fools still , either in this that they use not , or in this , that they make an ill use of the Revelations of God ; a Treasure is put into their hand , but they such fools as know not how to use it , Prov. 17.16 .

God hath been pleased in and by Christ Jesus to declare his mind to us , 1 Cor. 2.16 . His Gospel and grace hath appeared teaching us , Tit. 2.11 , 12. But alas ! how do men pervert the Gospel , turn grace into wantonness , Jude 4. and sin abundantly , because grace abounds ? What strivings and struglings , reluctances and oppositions against the Gospel ? How do men stumble , and kick at , and against Christ Jesus , instead of building on him as the Corner-stone , as a Rock and sure Foundation ? How angry are they when Jesus Christ comes by his Word and Spirit to bless them , in turning them away from their iniquity ? When God comes in Christ Jesus , and the Ministry of his Gospel to reconcile them , and make them happy , they take up arms , and make war against him ! When the Gospel comes with the weapons of its warfare , to pull down the strong holds , and to reduce men to obedience , how do they fortifie themselves ? When God stands at the door and knocks , and woes men for entertainment , how do they lock themselves up , bar and bolt up their hearts against him , that the King of Grace and Glory may not enter in ? 'T is no less a power then that which raised Christ from the dead , that makes men willing to believe and obey the Gospel , Psal. 110.3 . Eph. 1.19 .

Christs Messengers make glorious reports , but who believes it ? Rom. 10.16 . they stretch out their hands , but to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed ? they beseech and entreat , but men harden their hearts : And among the many that seem to profess the Gospel , how few practise it ; in words they confesse God , but in works deny him ; they are lovers of pleasures , and themselves , more then of God ; and though they have a form of godlinesse , deny the power thereof . All these their wayes of not , or of mis-improving the means of Gods vouchsafement , I say , all these their wayes are their folly .

It were next to endlesse ( if 't were possible ) to enumerate the follies of man : He thinks , More of mans folly like a fool , unsteadily and rowling , independently and broken ; inconsistently , and to no purpose , at randome and rovers , many run wast ( like water beside the Mill ) He builds Castles in the air , his imaginations are like Vagabonds , See Herberts Poem of giddiness . his contrivances Romantick : not to mention the more wicked and sinful thoughts , which if they were but known , would make one man asham'd and afraid to converse with another ; for not only vain , but vile , injurious , adulterous , and murtherous thoughts lodge in the hearts of men , that when any comes to be awakened , and to be made sensible of the sinfulnesse of his heart , it makes him say as S. Paul of himself , I am the chief of sinners . Never was any heart such a Shop of vanity , such a Den of thieves , such a Cage of unclean birds , such a Newgate of Murtherers , such an Inn and thorow fare of travelling lusts , such a Court of flattery , ambition , pride and envy , &c. such a Sink and common draught of filthiness , such an Hell of blasphemy as mine is !

As man thinks he often speaks quicquid in buccam , foolishly , idly , proudly , &c. and as he speaks he acts ; out of the abundance or fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh , and out of the heart are all the issues of life : All the follies of his life are but the untying and letting loose of that folly which is bound and bundled up in his heart , they are there in gross , and are retail'd out ( as he meets with customers , occasions and opportunities ) in the course of his life and conversation .

Let us view some instances ( and but some ) of mans folly ; which appears

1 In mans being so heady , 1 1 His rashness . hasty and rash in his undertakings : There is nothing more becoming a man then deliberation and consideration , it being his preheminence above the beasts ; beasts do act , but consider not : And herein is a great part of mans foolishnesse , that he considers not the end of his actions : Oh that they were wise and would consider their end , Deut. 32.28 , 29. People often say , I never thought of this , and ( insipientis est dicere non putarem ) 't is the property of a fool to say , I had not thought of this , which it may be most concern'd him to think upon : The simple believeth every word ( which he would not do but that he is simple , a very fool ) but the prudent man looks well to his goings : The wise man feareth , and departeth from evil , but the fool rageth , and is confident , Prov. 14 15 , 16. Did men consider what 't is they do when they sin , they would abhor it : who would run on his ruine ? who would drink his bane ? none but fools or mad-men , did men consider that the wages of sin is death , that wrath and hell attended sin , surely they would be more wary : Men go on and on , and never think what will the end of these things be ; will it not be bitternesse in the latter end ? non-consideration is an argument as great as 't is clear , that man is foolish .

2 Mans folly appears in this , 2 2 Laughing at h●s sin and misery . that he laughs at , and sports himself in his sin and misery : It is a sport to a fool to do evil , Prov. 10.23 . and this sporting and jesting at sin , shews him to be a fool in earnest : Fools use to laugh at the shrewd turns and mischiefs which they do : Sinners are such fools , that they make sin their trade ( they do 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , and are sin-makers ) and make it their recreation too ; 't is their pastime ( fools that they are ! ) to passe away , to spend and lose their time and fouls in sinning : Fools make a mock at sin , Prov. 14.9 when they have cheated others , they laugh at them for fools , though themselves are the verier fools for cheating others : They sport themselves in their own deceivings , 2 Pet. 2.13 . yea , though they know that they who do such things are liable to the judgment of God , yet not only do the same , but have pleasure in them that do them , Rom. 1.32 . But they are fools for so doing ; for v. 22. professing themselves to be wise , they became fools ; and v. 31. they were without understanding : But oh ! when God shall laugh and mock at these mockers , the●● 't will appear what fools they were , who sporter at that which should have been their greates● sorrow and grief !

3 Sinful mans folly appears in this , 3 3 Saith its in vain to serve God . that 〈◊〉 saith 't is in vain to serve God : What greater fol●ly then to call Religion and the Wisdome of Go● foolishnesse , vanity and unprofitablenesse , be side which , there 's no profit under the Sun This is the whole of man , all the rest is vanit and vexation of spirit . The Author of th● 73. Psal. for having but almost said this , conclude himself a fool , yea so foolish , ignorant , and as beast , v. 22. so much fool that he could not expresse it enough ; what fools are they then th● say it with an open mouth ? because Job had b● glanced at such a thing , Elihu reckons him among the foolish , Job 34 . 7.-11 . Hearken to me 〈◊〉 men of understanding , for fools will not ; far 〈◊〉 it from God that he should do wickedly ; oh 〈◊〉 the work of man will he render to him : the● is a day coming in which there will be a difference put between them that fear God , and the● that fear him not , ( which is spoken on this ve●● occasion , Mal. 3. ) and then it shall appear t● no mans labour is in vain in the Lord ; I spe● to wise men , let them judge what I say , and know they will conclude that 't is notorious a● egregious folly to say , that 't is in vain to ser●● God .

4 Herein and hereby appears mans folly , 4 4 His Ingratitude . that he is so disingenuous and ingrateful to God , who hath so infinitely obliged him . Do a fool never so many courtesies , and 't is but as throwing Pearls before Swine , who return evil for all the good turns are done to them ( with this Moses upbraids Israel , Deut. 32.5 , 6. do ye thus requite the Lord ? O foolish people and unwise ! I , none but fools would do so ) and once more are men like Swine in this , that they gather up the fruit that falls , and never look up : Were there not ten cleansed , where are the nine , said our Saviour ? Scarce one of ten proves thankful : Alas ! men take Gods corn , and wine , and oyl , to make a feast for Baal , for their Bel and the Dragon , for their belly and lusts , and instead of giving God thanks and glory , they return him sins ; they kick with the heel when fat and full , yea , and say , who is the Lord ? as if they were not beholden to him , nor did owe him any acknowledgments : Oh fools !

5 Herein also is evident the folly of ( by sins defiled and depraved ) man , 5 5 Ang●y with God correcting him . that if God correct him , or afflict him for his sin and folly , he presently grows angry with God : Such is the nature of fools , that they cannot endure them that chastife them : Though man be punished but for his iniquities yet he complains , Lament. 3. ●● . Though Gods judgment be just , yet the foolishnesse of man perverteth his way , and he fretteth against the Lord , Prov. 19.3 . Mans sin brings Gods judgment , and then when God hedgeth up his way with ( or teacheth him by ) such thorns which prick him , then he frees and sames , whe●● Job was sorely afflicted , said his Wife , Curse God and die ( oh cursed speech ! ) but saith Job , thou speakest like one of the foolish women : Men or women never speak more foolishly , then when they speak against God : They are fools who quarrel with God , and charge him with folly .

6 Mans folly is apparent in and by this , 6 6 Unteachable . that he is so unteachable ; one may better treat with seven men of reason , then with one fool , who is not only ignorant , but conceited and stubborn : Fools despise wisdome and instruction , Prov. 1.7 . they scorn to be instructed , they are in love with folly : How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity ? Prov. 1.22 . A fool will not hearken to counsel . Prov. 12.15 . yea though instruction come from a Father , yet a fool despiseth it , Prov. 15.5 . Though you add correction to instruction , yet one reproof entreth more into a wise man , then an hundred stripes into a fool , Prov. 17.10 . Yea though you bray a fool in a Mortar , yet will not his foolishness depart from him , Prov. 27.22 . Whence is it , that though Christs Messengers labour so much , yet profit so little , but from hence , that sin hath made men fools , and they will not receive instruction . Yet

7 After some men have receiv'd the truth , 7 7 Apostatizing . and have gone far in the profession of it , yet they are such fools as to Apostatize , which is no small folly : As a dog returneth to his vomit , so a fool to his folly , Prov. 26.11 . compared with 2 Pet. 2.20 , 21. The Word of God works on some men like Physick , it gives them a vomit , makes them confess their sin ( which one of the Ancients calls vomitus animae ) as if it lay hard and heavy on their stomacks , and they were sick of it , but after a while they lick it up again ; they repent and sin again , as if they repented of their repentance : On this account the Apostle calls the Galatians fools , Ch. 3 . 1.-3 . O foolish Galatians , who hath bewitcht you , that you should not obey , i. e. go on to obey the truth , for they had begun to obey ; and therefore he adds , are ye so foolish , having begun in the spirit , to think of perfection by the flesh ? this is folly with a witness ! An Apostate is a double fool , a tree twice dead , and his latter end worse then his beginning . And thus alas ! we see how sin hath befool'd men ! But yet

This is not all ; sin hath degraded man , Sin hath beastializ'd m● and made him a beast ; 't is true , he hath the shape of a man , but alas ! is degenerated into a beastial and beastly nature ! I may begin , as Ovid did his Metamorphosis , in nova fert animus , 〈…〉 must shew you a Monster , yea many Monsters in one ; a dog-man , a goat-man , a wolf-man , a soxman , &c. 'T were better to be a beast , then to be like a beast ( so living , and so dying ) 't were better to be Balaams Als , then such an As . as Balaam himself was . But to set this degeneration and degradation of man by sin before you the more clearly and fully . I shall speak to these three heads .

Sin hath made man ; 1 Like a Beast . 2 Like the worst of Beasts . 3 Worse then the Beasts .

1 Sinful man is 1 L●ke a beast . Sin hath made man like a Beast , yea not only like to , but a Beast : The Man of Sin , the great Antichrist , is called a Beast ; and the great ones that Daniel saw in his Vision , are called Beasts ; and sinners are ten or eleven times in Scripture called bruitish ; and what some men are , all would be , if left to themselves , if common or special , if restraining or renewing grace did not interpose and prevent .

Three things will evince this likeness .

1 And that 1 In ignorance . Sinful man is like the Beast in ignorance and stupidity , Psa. 73.22 . So foolish was I and ignorant , as a beast before thee , Psa. 49.20 . Man ( though a man in honor ) that understandeth not , is like the beast that perisheth , of no more value nor honor , though he sit at the upper end of the world , as the Antichristian Beast doth , Psa. 94.3 . O ye bruitish , when will ye understand ? O ye sools , when will ye be wise ? bruitish and foolish are Synonymous and parallel expressions , as was hinted before ; an heart void of understanding , is the heart of a beast , as is clear , Dan. 4.16 . with 34 . -36 .

2 2 2 In sensuality . Sinful man is like the beast in sensuality , as if he were only belly-wise , and had no soul to mind , or a soul only to mind his body ; he placeth his happinesse in sensual and corporal enjoyments and satisfactions ; and in this sense some understand that saying , Eccl. 3.18 . I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men , that ( oh that ) God would manifest them , ●●d that they might see ( what they are , viz. ) that they are but beasts : Solomon useth not a gentle or courtly complement , but calls them ( in downright and plain English ) Beasts ; they live and die like beasts , make no provision for Eternity , mind not the world to come , which is the world of eternal good or evil .

3 3 3 Unsociableness . Sinful mans likenesse to the Beast is and appears much by this , His unfitness and unsuitableness for society and communion with God and men : Sinners society is but societas bellu●na , the society of beasts , and good men are as shy of it , as of conversing with beasts . In the state of Innocency , among all the Beasts , there was not found a meet help , any one for man to associate himself to , and keep company with ; and since , sinful man is as unfit for pleasing and profitable converse , as beasts were then : Jobs friends took it in great scorn and disdain , that they should be counted as beasts , and reputed vile in his sight , i.e. not fit for , nor worthy of his conversation : God and sinful men walk not together , they are not agreed ; and good men are joyn'd by God himself not to be unequally yoked , for what communion ? &c. 2 Cor. 6. Thus by their ignorance , sensuality , and sociability , are sinful men become like the beast ; yea and more .

2 Sinners are not only like to beasts in the general , but they are like the worst of beasts , 2 2 Like the wo●st of beasts . such as in Scripture are called evil and hurtful beasts : Sinners are not likened to the Dove or the sheep , the harmless creatures , but to Lyons , Tygers , Boars and Bears , &c. the ill-quality'd and ill-condition'd creatures : If he be at any time likened to a creature that 's harmlesse , yet 't is not for that good quality , but for some bad one which is in that creature ; as Ephraim is likened to a Dove , Hos. 7.11 . not for Innocency , but sillinesse : So when sinners are likened to Serpents , 't is not for their wisdome , but their venomous and poysonous nature , or the enmity that 's in them against mankind ; but usually sinners are set and painted out like the worst of beasts , like a dog , an angry dog , a creeping dog , an howling dog , a back-biting dog , a greedy dog , a dumb dog ; by Lyons , devouring Lyons , roaring Lyons ; by a raging Bear ; by a deceitful Fox , &c. So that man is like the evil and hurtful beasts , for as one Lyon will devoure many beasts , one Wolf devoure many sheep , so one Sinner destroyeth much good , Eccl. 9.18 . and his tender mercies are cruel , Prov. 12.10 .

3 3 3 Worse then beasts Sin hath made men worse then beasts , more beasts then the beasts , and worse then the worst of beasts : Sinful man is not only ignorant as , but more ignorant then the beast , more sensual and more unsociable then the sensual and unsociable beasts . This appears

1 By this , that the beasts transgresse not the Law of their nature , but man hath done , and doth do it over and over : the instinct of these creatures is their Law , and they constantly observe it : The quality of a beast , which is condemnable in man , is not condemnable in the beast ; ignorance and stupidity is no crime in an Oxe or an Asse , but 't is in man : 't is no sault in a Eyon to be devouring , but 't is sin in man to be like a Lyon in devouring ; The beasts fulfill , but men transgress the Law of their Nature , when they act like beasts : so that sinful man is worse then the beast . Yea

2 Sinful man is worse then beasts in the very quality for which he is likened to the beast : The Oxe and the Asse which have no understanding , and to which sinful man is compar'd for ignorance and stupidity , is yet more knowing then sinful man ; as 't is Is. 1.3 . And the like is spoken of the Stork , Crane , and Swallow , by way of upbraid to man , Jer. 8.7 . These foolish creatures have more understanding then sinful man ; so as to sensuality , man is worse then the beast ; for things of sense are the proper objects of a beasts appetite , but not of the natural appetite and inclination of man ; 't is no sin in the beast to be sensual , but 't is so in a man , who ( though ●reated to higher ends and purposes ) is yet so degenerated , as to be in many things more sensual and carnal then the beasts are : Sin hath made man so unsociable and cruel too , that Bears are more kind to one another , then men are , saevis inter se convenit ursis , and 't were better for a man ( safer ) to meet a Bear in her rage , when robbed of her Whelps , then to meet a fool in his folly , Prov. 17.12 . Man is more hurtful to man , then beasts are to man . I might now instance in a long List or Catalogue , what beasts sinners are likened to , and wherein the parallel or similitude holds , viz. the wicked tyrannical Rulers of the world are compared to a roaring Lyon , and ranging Bear , Prov. 28.15 . They have no pity , but make a prey of all they come near to : Hypocrites are like to Vipers , Mat 23.23 . Herod was called a Fox , not only for his craft and cunning , but for hunting after the life of the Lamb , Christ Iesus . Thus some sinners are like to some beasts , and some to others ; but there are two beasts that all sinners are likened to ; the Goat , and the Dog .

1 Sinners are called Goats , Mat. 25.32 , 33. He shall set the sheep , i.e. the godly on his right hand , and the Goats , i.e. the wicked on the left : And there are two or three things which Naturalists observe concerning Goats , in which the wicked are like them .

As 1. Goats are very lascivious , wanton and lustful ; sinners are so too , the lust of the flesh , and the lust of the eye , are the things they are taken with , 1 Joh. 2.16 . To these they give up themselves , saith the Apostle , among whom we all had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh , Eph. 2.3 , and served divers lusts , Tit. 3.3 . Thus are they like Goats .

And 2. Goats are stinking beasts , a Goatish smell is a stinking smell , ( Gorgonius Hircum ) to smell of , or like to the Goat , is a very strong unsavoury and stinking sent ; and in a resembling sense , the wicked are an abomination to the Lord , a very stink in his Nostrils .

3. Goats are very bold and adventurous beasts , they climb Rocks and Precipices to browse and feed on what they can get with hazard ; and in this sinners are like them too in running hazards , and many dangerous adventures for a little , yea no satisfaction ; they venture peace , conscience , life , soul and all , to get that which is not bread , Isa. 55.2 .

2 Sinners are likened to dogs : I shall not run division in this , nor persecute the Metaphor in prosecuting the particulars , of which there was something said a little before , but only to shew , that though it were most usual with the Jews to call the Gentiles dogs , ( and our Saviour speaks in their dialect and language , when he told the woman , that 't was not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs , Mat. 15.26 . ) yet 't is a common name to sinners , whither Jews or Gentiles , to all without God and Christ , for without are dogs , Revel. 22.15 .

Upon the whole then 't is but too clear and evident , what mischief sin hath done man in thus degrading him , by making him a fool , a beast , a Monster ; and yet this is not all , but

2 Sin hath not only degraded man , 2 2 Sin separates man from God . but hath also separated man from God in a moral sense ; for Acts 17.28 . though by nature 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 we are his Off-spring , and in him we live , move , and have our being ; yet morally and spiritually sinners are separated from God , and are without God : This is a great injury , and I may call it the greatest , seeing God is mans chiefest good , to be separated from him must be his greatest evil and loss . There was ever a very great disproportion and distance between God and Man ; God the Creator , and man the creature , God Insinite , and man finite , &c. but this was no misery to man ; 't is sin , only sin that hath made a difference and separation between God and man ; and therefore sinners are said to be afar off , Eph. 2.73 . for they depart from God , and like the Prodigal , go into a far Country , Luke 15.13 .

More particularly sin hath separated man .

1 1 1 From the sight of God . From the sight and seeing of God : Man could talk with God face to face , as a man converseth with his friend , but ( woe and alas ! ) man cannot see his face and live : One of the first discoveries of mans sinfulness and misery by it was ; that he could not endure ( but hid himself from ) the sight , yea and the voice of God , Genes. 3.8 . Our happiness lies so much in the sight of God , that it hath the name of Beatifical Vision , a sight which passeth all sights : When our Saviour prays for the happiness of his , he doth not only pray that they may be where he is , but that they may see his glory , Joh. 17.24 . And this is the glory which doth not yet appear , that we shall be like him , for we shall see him as he is , 1 Joh. 3.2 . They that are regenerate , and enlightned from above , and are refined and clarified , have some glimpses and gradual sights of God , and yet 't is comparatively called darkness ; we see but darkly ( as 't were his back-parts ) through a glass , which is short of seeing face to face , 1 Cor. 13.12 . We do live by faith now rather then by sight , as the Apostle doth express it , 2 Cor. 5.7 . 'T is true , faith is to us instead of our eyes , for 't is the evidence of things not seen , Hebr. 11.1 . and by it we look ( as Moses did ) to him who is , and to his things which are invisible , 2 Cor. 4.18 . Seeing then mans happiness lies so much in seeing God , what an exceeding great mischief hath sin done to man in separating him from the sight of God , that man cannot see God and live , whereas the best life is in seeing God .

2 Sin hath separated man from the life of God , 2 2 From the life of God . not only from living unto God , and with God , but from living the life of God , viz. such a life as God lives , which is a life of holiness in perfection ; and therefore 't is said of sinners , that they are alienated from the life of God , Eph. 4.18 . yea , and more , that they are dead in sins and trespasses , Eph. 2.1 . So far from living , that they are dead so far from living to God , that they live against God ; so far from living the life of God , that they live the life of Devils : 'T is according to the Prince of the Power of the Air , i.e. the Devil , Eph. 1.2 . Oh what an injury hath sin done in separating man from the Divine Life and Nature , and sinking him into the dregs and death of sin , viz. made him dead in sin !

3 Sin hath separated man from the love of God : 3 3 From the love of God . I speak not now of what love and good will there is in God toward man , but of that love , and the actual communication thereof , which man once had and enjoy'd , whereof sin hath not only deprived him , but made him the object of his wrath ; for God is angry with the wicked every day , Psal. 7.11 . and they are by nature the children of wrath , Eph. 2.3 , 4 and therefore said not to be beloved , Rom. 9.25 . Man was once the object of his love and delight ; when man came into the world in the likeness of God , God lookt on him with delight , and was enamour'd of this his Image ; but sin ( alas ) hath made him the object of his wrath : Oh injurious sin !

4 4 4 From communion . Sin hath separated man from communion with God ; God and man kept company , while man and holiness kept company , but when that and man parted ; then God and man parted ( the redintegration of any is upon a new account ) they could not walk together , because of this disagreement , Amos 3.3 . When man left walking in the light of holiness , and walked in the darkness of sin , fellowship ceased , 1 John 1.6 , 7. 'T is true , there is reconciliation and recovery by Jesus Christ , but sin did what in it lay to cut man off from all communion with God for ever ; Oh this spiteful and pernicious sin !

5 5 5 From Covenant-relation . Sin separated man from the Covenant-relation wherein he stood unto God ; so that God had no obligation upon him to own him , or look after him , to have any thing to do with him , but ruine him ; and what sin did at first , it doth ( if not repented of , and pardon'd ) to this day ; and therefore sinners called Loammi , not my people , which is worse then not to be a people , 1 Pet. 2.10 . and they are without God , Promise and Covenant , Eph. 2.12 . Man can claim nothing of God upon any right or Plea of his own , having sinned ; and therefore are said also to be without hope , viz. in themselves : Oh what a separation hath sin made ! in robbing man of God , it robs him of all things , for all things are ours , but so far as God is ours , 1 Cor. 3 . 21.-2 .

From hence come two great miseries on sinners from God , as judgments upon this separation .

1 God hideth his face ; and this follows on the separation , as 't is express , Is. 59.2 . Your iniquities have separated you and your God , and your sin hath hid his face from you , or ( as the Margin reads it ) have made him hide his face from you ; his face which makes heaven , a smile whereof , or the lifting up the light of which countenance upon us , refresheth us , more then corn , wine , and oyl , Psa. 4.6 , 7. yea , his loving kindness is better then life ; we had better have parted with this then that : Mans sin is exprest by this , that he turns his back to God ; and not the face ; and his punishment by this , that God turns his back to him , and not the face ; God carries it not like a friend , but a stranger : And indeed this hiding of his face is significative of many more miseries then I can now stay to instance in .

2 Another , and no less misery hereupon is , that God hears not his prayers , as it follows in that fore-mentioned Text , Is. 59.2 . and so it attends the hiding of Gods face , Is. 1.15 . God is a God hearing prayers , but sin shuts out our shouting , and the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord , and he calls them no better then howlings , Hos. 7.14 . Yet further .

There are two or three other miseries , not to name many more that are consequent upon this separation , which continually attend poor sinful man .

1 That man is without strength : Mans great strength is in union with God , separation weakens him ; for without him , apart from him , out of him , separated from him we can do nothing ; to be a sinner , is to be without strength Rom. 5.6 . with 8. Man was once a Sampson for strength , but having parted with his Lock , his strength is departed from him , that of himself ( as of himself ) he is not sufficient to think one good thought , 2 Cor. 3.5 . He was strong , while in the Lord , and the power of his might ; but now his ●ands are weak , and knees feeble , his legs cannot bear him up , having got the Spiritual Rickers .

2 Being separated from God , man becomes afraid of God , and ashamed to appear before him ; while Innocent ( though naked , yet ) man was not afraid nor ashamed to approach to God , or of Gods approaching to him ; but when he had sinned , he was asham'd to shew his face , and afraid to see Gods face , or to hear his voice , Gen. 3.9 , 10. When righteous , he was bold as a Lyon ; but now he runs his head into a bush .

3 This separation and departure hardens his heart against God , that when God comes to talk and treat with man about his sinning , he will lay it any where , yea at Gods own door ( as Adam did ) rather then confess it : 'T is three times said in one Chapter , Hebr. 3.8.13 , 15. Harden not your hearts , least any of you be hardened , harden not your hearts ; and all this in relation 〈◊〉 hearing the voice of God , as 't is there : When God comes to convince man , he cannot endure to hear on 't , but hardens his heart ; and as it was in the beginning , so it is now among the sinful children of men .

Thus have I as briefly as so large a subject would permit , set out the sinfulness of sin , as 't is against the good of man ( body and soul ) in this life , in a natural and moral respect , which was the first thing propounded . The second follows :

2 Sin is contrary to , 2 2 Sin against the good of man in the life to come ; it damns men . or against the good of man in the life to come : It hath brought on man that eternal death , Damnation : In this life man by reason of sin is in deaths often , but in the life to come , he is in death for ever . If sin had only wrong'd man in this life ( which is but for a moment ) it had not been so considerable , but sins miserable effects are everlasting , if mercy prevent not : the wicked die , and rise to die again the second , and a worse death : There is a Resurrection to life for the righteous , the children of the Resurrection ; and for the wicked , a Resurrection to condemnation , or death , ( for 't is opposed to life ) John 5.29 . But

Before I shew what ( and wherein ) damnation is , and consequently the mischief and misery that sin hath thereby brought on man , I shall premise a few things which will make our passage smooth and easie . I say then :

1 That God damns no man but for sin : Damnation is a punishment , Mat. 25.46 . and all punishment supposeth guilt and transgression : God the judge of all the earth will do right , and he lays not on man more then is meet , that man may not enter into judgment with God , Job 34.23 . or quarrel and find fault with him ; which man would quickly do , if Gods judgment were not just , even sinners themselves being Judges ▪ Death is but sins wages , Rom. 6.23 . that which it hath merited ; mans undoing , is but the fruit of his own doing ; mans perdition is of himself , Hos. 13.9 . His own wickedness correct● him , Jer. 2.19 . and that not only in this life , but that to come , Mat. 7.23 . and Mat. 25

2 That by sin all men are liable to condemnation : We were all of us children of wrath by nature , Eph. 2.3 . and the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience , Eph. 5.6 . H● that believeth not , is condemned already ; he i● in a state of condemnation , beside that which unbelief will bring upon him , Joh. 3.18 . and he that believeth not , the wrath of God abideth on him : He was a child of wrath by nature and continues still so in unbelief ; Joh. 3.36 . Th● wrath of God seiseth on him , as its habitation an● abode : Every mouth must be stop'd , for all th● world is become guilty , all have sinned and fallen short of the glory , and are obnoxious t● the judgment of God , Rom. 3 . 19.-23 .

3 Some men have been , are , and will be damne● for sin ; all but them who have , do and shall condemn sin , and themselves for sin : If we judge our selves , we shall not be condemned of th● Lord , else woe be to us ! When our Saviour sen● his Disciples to preach , saith he , Go preach , the Gospel ( that 's good news and glad tidings ) he that believes shall be saved , Mark 16.16 . Ay● but what if they will not believe , what shall we say then ? Why then tell them , he that believe● not shall be damned : This is as great a truth of the Gospel , that he who believes not will be damned , as this is , that he who believes shall be saved : Heaven and Salvation is not more surely promised to the one , then hell and damnatio● is threatned to , and shall be executed on the other : broad is the way that leads to this destruction ( there are as many tracts to it as there a●● sins , but ) impenitency and unbelief are the high road way , the beaten path wherein multitudes go to hell .

4 Damnation is the greatest evil of suffering that can befall a man ; 't is the greatest punishment that God doth inflict : This is the wrath of God to the uttermost , 't is his vengeance : Oh who knows the power of his wrath ? none but damned ones : It is misery , altogether misery , and alwayes misery to be damned . This will yet more fully appear upon examination , and discovery of

What Damnation is . What damnation is , and that privatively and positively consider'd .

Damnation may be consider'd :

1 Privatively , as ( paena damni ) a punishment of loss .

2 Positively , as ( paena sensus ) a punishment of sense .

An instance of both we have , Mat. 25.41 . Then shall he say to them on his left hand , Depart from me ( there 's privative damnation ) into everlasting fire , there 's positive damnation : As sin is negatively a not doing good , and positively a doing evil ; so damnation is a denial of good to , and inflicting of evil upon sinners . Salvation is ademptio malt , the taking away of evil , and adeptio boni , an obtaining and enjoying of good ; 't is both wayes exprest , Joh. 3.16 . God so loved the world , that he gave his Son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , ( there 's negative salvation ) but have everlasting life , there 's positive salvation : So the damnation of sinners , 't is negative , depart from me ; and positive , into everlasting sire : In which Text we may observe :

1 Who are to hear and to undergo this doom , viz. them on his left hand , the goats , the s●●ners , the workers of iniquity , as 't is Matth. 〈◊〉 23.

2 The Sentence or Doom it self , Depart frome ; woe unto you , saith God , Hos. 9.12 . whe● I depart from you ; but woe , woe , woe will it b● when sinners must depart from God : The punishment ( which i● worthy of a remark ) doth answer to , and is called by the name of sin ; What is sin ? but a departure from God : And what the doom of sinners ? departure from God ; a● if God should say to them , you liked departin● while you lived , now depart from me ; yo● would none of me , nor my company , now I'● none of you , nor yours ; Depart from us , is th● cry of sinners to God , Job 21.14 . Depart from m● will be the cry of God to sinners .

3 Here is the state wherein sinners must b● when they receive this doom ( Cursed ) God wi●● not fend them away in peace , or bless them before they go , but away they must with a vengeance , and with a curse at their backs ; they loved cursing , and cursing shall be unto them ; all the curses in the Book of God shall light on them .

4 Here is the torment they are to undergo fire , yea everlasting fire , kindled by the wrath and maintained by the wrath of God .

Lastly , the company they are to have , none but the Devil and his Angels : Depart from me y● cursed into everlasting fire , prepared for the Devil and his Angels .

A little to gloss on this briefly ; 't is as if sinners should say to God in the day of Judgment Lord have mercy upon us ; Mercy ! saith G●● mercy upon you ! No , no , I will have no mercy on you ; time was when you might have had mercy without judgment , but now you shall have judgment without mercy ; depart , depart : If they should then beg and say , Lord , if we must depart , let it be from thy Throne of judgment , but not from thee : Yes , saith the Lord , depart from me , depart from that presence of mine , in which there 's joy , depart , and go to hell : Lord ( if they say ) seeing we must be gone , yet bless us before we go , let thy blessing be upon us : Oh no , saith God , be gone with a curse , depart ye cursed : Oh Lord , if we must go from thee , let us not go into the place of torment , but appoint some place , if not of pleasure , yet of ease : No , depart into fire , burning and tormenting flames : Oh Lord , if into fire , let it be but for a little while , let the fire be soon out , or we soon out of it , for who can dwell in everlasting burnings ! No , no , neither shall you nor the fire know an end , be gone into everlasting fire : Ah Lord ! let it be long then before we go thither : No , depart presently , the Sentence shall be presently put in execution : Ah Lord , let 's at least have good company , that will pitty us , though they cannot help us ! No , no , you shall have none but tormenting Devils , they that you obey'd when they were Tempters , you shall be with as Tormentors . Oh what misery hath sin brought on man ! to brin ; him to hear this dreadful doom , Depart from me ye cursed ! &c.

But as to the particulars . I shall begin with the privative part , Paena damni ; or , privative damnation the ( paena damni ) penalty of loss which will not be the least plague of the sinner● hell ; he shall be deprived of all good , never to enjoy good day or good thing more : when once a man is damned , he may bid adieu to all good , Luke 16.25 . But to go on by degrees , and step by step : This then we say ;

1 1 1 Parting with all the good things they had here . That damned sinners will be strip'd naked , and deprived of all the good things they had in this life : Wicked men are called the men of this world , Psal. 17.14 . they have their portion and consolation in this life , Luke 6.24 . and 16.25 . Many of them fare well , and prosper in this world , they have stately houses , spread Tables , full Cups , soft Beds , pleasant Walks , delightful Gardens , filled with fragrant and odoriferous fruits and flowers ; they sit at the upper end , they have the grandure and gallantry of this world ; but when they come to be damned , neither riches , nor honors , nor pleasures will descend with them : Wicked men would be content with the good they have , if they might have it alwayes , if ( Dives-like ) they might be cloathed with Purple , and fine Linnen , and fare deliciously for ever , they would say , happy is the people that is in such a case ! Psa. 144 . 12.-15 . But this vain petty happiness , such as 't is , they must part with for ever , and bid adieu for good and all to all their good : When Devils fetch away their soul , whose shall all these things be ? Luke 12.20 . none of theirs , all must be left behind ; the● cannot carry with them a drop of water to coo● their tongue : to have a portion of this world may be a mercy , but to have the world for a portion is a misery ; to have all good things in this life , and but for this life , is a misery indeed ! thou shalt be cloath'd with silks no more ! eat the fat , and drink the sweet no more !

O● . But Saints themselves must part with these things t●● ?

A. 〈…〉 But the best on 't is , they shall have better things in lieu of them : The impenitent sinner 〈◊〉 from all his good to all evil , but the Saint g●●s from all his evil ( and but from a little good ) 〈…〉 goods who would not part with Coun●e●● for gold ? with a world for heaven ? this the Saint doth , and 't is a good exchange , I trow ; but when a man must part with all his Jewels , all his fine things , his wine and musick , and the delig●ts of the Sons of men , and have no good thing left him ●h how sad !

2 Though sinn●●● will count this a great loss , 2 2 Part with the comfort they had from them . yet it is the lea●● , for they must part not only with these things , but the joy , pleasure , and delight they had from them : These things are most considerable for the use and comfort of them : The rich man , Luke 12. cheer'd himself not in having much goods , but that he expected ease and mirth from them : The wicked spend their daies in mirth , Job 21.12 . and have a brave time on 't , as they think ; they sing care away all the day long , and refresh themselves with Requiems and Placebo Songs ; they chant at the Viol , &c. and though indeed this frolick joy be a misery of it self ( for what truer misery then false joy ? ) their laughter being but madness , yet 't is the best they have in this world : But this also must be parted with , these crackling of thorns will go out , and their mirth will end in woe , their joy in sorrow , their light in darkness ! and 't will add to their grief in hell , that they were so merry on earth : When this evil day comes , they will say there 's no pleasure in remembring their good daies : It seems Dives was loath to think of this , and therefore Abraham saith , Son remember , but 't was a sad remembrance to remember good as lost and gone for ever ! they will say then as Adrian did , Animula vagula , blandula , quo vadis ? non ut soles dabis jocos ! Oh my poor soul , thou wilt laugh , and joke , and droll no more !

3 3 3 Pat wi●h their peace and ●●cu●i●y , or their ins●●sibility . They must suffer the loss of all their peace : 'T is true● , the wicked here have no real and solid peace , for there is no peace to the wicked , saith my God , Isa. 48.22 . and 57.21 . but they have that which they call peace , and which is to them instead of peace , viz. security and stupidity , a seared and benum'd conscience , and because of this they think they are in peace ; but when they come to hell , all this will be otherwise , Conscience that was sear'd as with a red h●t iron here , will feel the flames there , and startle at it : They that met with no trouble here , will be consumed with terrors there , Psal. 73.13 . There are no seared consciences in hell , they are all tender and sensible there : Then will Conscience awake , and rouse up like a Lyon , or gnaw like a worm : That they shall no longer have the little ease of dissembling their pain , as they were wo●● to do here .

4 4 4 With their hope . Sinners then must lose the hopes they had of heaven : Wicked men have no reason to hope for heaven , and yet they will hope , though against hope ; as Abraham and good men hope against hope when they have Gods promise ; so the wicked hope against hope , notwithstanding Gods threatning ; they will be building their hopes as high as heaven , though they build on the Sand , and without a foundation ; but this house must fall , and the fall will be great , from the hopes of heaven into hell , Mat. 7.22 . — 27. The hope of Gods people keeps their heart from breaking , and it shall never be ashamed , but this hope of sinners will break their heart in hell , for there 't will be asham'd , when the wicked dies , his expectation shall perish , and the hope of unjust men perisheth , Prov. 11.7 . Their hope shall be as the giving up of the Ghost , Job 11.20 . The Hypocrites hope shall perish , and his trust is but as a Spiders web ; he shall lean upon his house , but it shall not stand ; he shall hold it fast , but it shall not endure , Job 8 . 13.-15 . where will the hope of hypocrites be when God taketh away his soul , will God hear his cry , when trouble comes upon him ? No , no , he will not , Job 27.8 , 9.

5 They must part from , 5 5 From all good company . and suffer the loss of all good company ; they shall no more have the company of one good man ; in this world the wicked fare the better for Gods people being among them ; and though they despise , and scoff at them , and think them not worthy to live , yet God himself assures us , that the world is not worthy of their converse , they are too good for this world , Hebr. 11.38 . yea , though the wicked count good and holy mens lives to be folly and madness , yet when they come to die , they would be glad with all their hearts , that their souls might be in as good a condition as theirs after death . Balaam that wicked wretch , who loved the wages of , and lived in unrighteousness all his daies , yet could wish to die the death of the righteous , and that his latter end ( Hebr. his afterward , or after state ) might be as theirs , Numb. 23.10 . Then they would be glad to take hold of the shirt of a Jew ( one that is so inwardly , Rom. 2.28 , 29. ) and say , we will go with you , for God is with you ; but they will find a great Gulf fixed between them , Heaven will not hold any of the wicked , nor shall Hell have any of the righteous to hold . The wicked shall not stand in judgment , nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous , Psa. 1.5 . Here below they may through in , the bad among the good , but hereafter God will find them out , and separate them ; and though now , many a sinner may separate from the world to joyn with Saints , yet then God will separate them from Saints , and joyn with sinners and devils , they shall be excommunicated from the society of Saints , and be deliver'd up to Satan ( the Executioner of Gods wrath and vengeance ) and shall have no company but the damned Crew .

6 6 6 They must be without the heaven they hoped for . They must be not only without their hopes of heaven , but without heaven which they hoped for ; to have parted with their hopes for possession , had been no loss , but gain ; but to part with their hopes ; and with heaven too , is a double loss : Whatever shall be the Saints portion , they must go without it , and be no sharers in it in the least degree : And though perhaps ( as some think ) the wicked may be permitted to look into heaven , as Dives saw Lazarus in Abrahams bosom , yet it will be but to heighten the depth of their misery , by letting them see what they by their sin have deprived themselves of : To lose Heaven , is to lose a Kingdome and glory , more worth and glorious than all the Kingdomes of this world , and their several glories united in one ; 't is to part with Rest ( Sabbatisme ) for so 't is called : Sabbaths they cared not for while they lived , and Sabbatisme , or rest , they will have none , when they die . They gloried in their shame in this world , and they shall have shame enough , but no glory in the world to come : The thoughts of their having been happy , though but in conceit , and that others are really happy , and for ever , but they excluded from any share in any happiness , 't will cut them to the heart .

7 They must suffer the loss of God himself , 7 7 They must be parted from God who is the Heaven of Heaven : All good things are but as a drop to the Ocean , in comparison of him , Psa. 73.25 . whom have I in Heaven but thee , as if all the rest were nothing : If a Saint were to go to Heaven this very day , he would say as Absolom , why am I come up from Geshur , if I may not see the Kings face , 2 Sam. 14.32 . This then will be the misery of miseries to the damned , that they must depart from God , in whose presence only there is joy and pleasures for evermore : This face of his they must see no more , unless it be as ever frowning upon them in Hell . The good people sorrowed most for the words that Paul spake , viz. that they should see his face no more , Acts 20.38 . This , this will be the pricking , cutting , wounding of sinners to the heart , that they must see Gods face no more , no more of his goodness , no more of his patience , no more of his mercy . When Cain ( a type of this ) was turned out of , and banished from the presence of the Lord , he cryes out , that his punishment was intollerable , Genes. 4.13 .

8. 8 8 This estate unalg terable . They shall not only be deprived of all good things , but continue in an utter incapacity of any alteration for the better . This makes Heaven so much Heaven , that 't is alwayes so ; and this makes Hell to be so much Hell , that 't is alwayes so : In this world there is a door of hope , a day , an offer and means of grace , space for repentance , a Mediator in Heaven , a patient God , possibility of being blessed ; but when once damned , the door is shut , 't is in vain to knock ; the day , offers , and means of grace is at an end ; there 's no room left for repentance ; Gods long suffering will suffer no longer , the Mediation of Christ Jesus is over , there 's no possibility of mending their condition : Oh methinks we should hear the words of the wise , Eccl. 9.10 . Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do , do it with thy might , for there is no work ( no working out salvation ) in the grave , whither thou art going : Think of it , poor soul , think of it betime , till it be too late ; for if thou die in thy sins , though thou shouldest weep out thine eyes in Hell , 't will stand thee in no stead ; God will not know thee , nor hear they cry , but laugh at thy calamity , and mock thee in the midst of thy torments , Prov. 1.25 , 26.

Thus I have briefly shown the privative part of Damnation ; wicked men must part with all their goods , with their joys , their peace , their hopes , good company , ( all which stood them in great stead in this world ) with Heaven , and which is more and worst of all , with God himself , and be utterly incapable of ever being in a better condition : And what think you now ? Is not sin exceeding sinful ? that separates him from all good , past , present , and to come ; if 't were only from past good , that which Adam enjoy'd in Paradise , or only from present good , what men have in this world , 't were the better to be endured ; if futurity and Eternity were secured , 't were pretty well ; but sinful sin hath cut off Paradise , that none of us were ever in Eden since we came into the world ; it hath spoiled , imbitter'd and poyson'd with a curse all present temporal enjoyments , that they prove satisfactions to none , but vexations to all ; and yet so spiteful , and of so malignant a nature is sin , that it reserves its worst till last , even Hell and Damnation , and 't will be worse to us in Eternity , then 't was in time . And to make this appear yet more evidently and fully , I proceed to the

Second part of Damnation ;

Which the Schools ( and justly ) call paena sensus , Para scusus ; or , posi●ive d●●●nation . the punishment of sense ; if 't were not for this , that men will be then sensible of , and feel both their loss and their gain , viz. the pain which they have gotten by their sins , Damnation would seem to be but a dream , or an imagination ; but their senses as well as their understanding , feeling as well as fancy , will tell them what a dreadful thing 't is to be damned ; a thing which I wish with all my soul , that none of you may ever know but by hearing of it , and that the hearing may be a means to prevent the feeling of it . But now , what shall I do ? who that hath not been in Hell , can tell what Hell is ? who would go thither ( periculum facere ) to try what ' t is ? Surely , eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive , as what God hath prepared for them that love him , so for them that hate him , that is , for sinners , impenitent sinners . It is sins design and work to make man eternally miserable , to undo him soul and body for ever . Now the better to represent this doleful state and woful misery , I shall search the Scriptures , and endeavour to fathom the depth of expressions used there , that we may learn from thence what Damnation is , and from thence the sinfulness of sin , in relation whereunto I lay down three Propositions in general .

1 1 1 All the miseries of this life not to be compar'd with it . This punishment that sinners must undergo , will be such a state of misery as all the miseries of this life are not to be compared with it , they are nothing to it : Take the dregs of all the miseries of this life , and out of them extract an Essence , the very spirit of miseries ( as men do Strong-waters from the Lees and dregs of Wine and Beer ) it will fall infinitely short of this misery damnation : The gripings and grindings of all the diseases and torments that men do or can suffer in this life , are but flea-bitings to it ; to pluck out a right eye , to cut off a right hand , were a pleasure and recreation , in comparison of being damned in Hell , Mat. 5. o. A Burning Feaver is nothing to burning in Hell ; nay , let me speak a true , though a great and big word , If all the miseries that have been undergone by all men in the world , were all met together and center'd in one man , it were nothing to Hell ; Hell would be a kind of Paradise , if 't no worse then the worst of this world .

2. 2 2 'T is contrary to what the Saints shall enjoy This state will be a state clean contrary to that which the Saints shall enjoy in Eternity ; their differing states are exprest in contrary terins , as Mark 16.16 . He that believeth shall be saved , but he that believeth not shall be damned : Now damnation and salvation are contrary states ; that 's a state all of evil , and of all evil , this all of good , and of all good . So Mat. 25.46 . The wicked shall go into everlasting punishment , but the righteous into life Eternal : The life that Saints obtain , sinners go without ; and the misery that Saints are deliver'd from , sinners are deliver'd to ; as different as grief is from joy , as torment is from rest , as terror from peace , so different is the state of sinners from that of Saints in the world to come , Rom. 2 . 6.-10

3 This state , damnation-state of sinners , 3 3 I admits of no relief will admit of no relief , 't will be punishment without pitty , miscry without mercy , sorrow without succour , crying without comfort , torment without ease : The sinner can look for no relief from God , for God judgeth and condemns him ; none from conscience , for that accuseth and upbraids him ; none from the Devils , for they torment him ; none from hope ; for that 's departed from him ; none from time , for 't is for ever ; it s a state of all misery , it hath no consolation , not so much as a little drop of water to cool the tongue ; 't is misery , all misery , nothing but misery , as sin is all sin , and nothing but sin .

Damnation-state more particularly consider'd under six Heads . 1 The torments themselves , & the kinds of them . 2 The quantity and quality of them . 3 The duration of them . 4 The Tormentors , or inflicters of them . 5 The aggravations of them . 6 The effects of them .

By that time I have set these before you , I presume you will conclude and cry out , Oh sinful sin ! what a thing is sin ! and who would sin at this rate , A he torments of Hell . and be at such cost and charges to damn himself ! To begin with the torments themselves , where I shall consider : 1 The place , with the names and appendices of it 2 The thing it self , with its names .

1 The place , Hell is the place . with its names : In general , and most frequently , 't is called Hell , the place and element of torment , Luke 16. This is the Rendezvous General for the wicked after the day of Judgment ; and to express the dreadfulness of any condition or thing , the name of Hell is annexed to it ( as to signifie the excellency of a thng , the name of God and Heaven is joyn'd to it , as Cedars of God , &c. )

1 Therefore hell is a place and state of sorrow , 1 1 Of sorrow for the greatest sorrows are called the sorrows of hell , 2 Sam. 22.6 . as the joys of heaven are the greatest joys , so the sorrows of hell the greatest sorrows .

2 A place and state of pains and pangs , 2 2 Of pain . far beyond them of a woman in travel , Psa. 116.2 . The pains of hell gat hold of me ; there 's no ease in hell .

3 Destruction is joyn'd with it , 3 3 Destruction . to be in hell is to be destroy'd , Prov. 15.11 . Hell and destruction are before him , and he can destroy body and soul in hell , Mat. 10.28 .

So 4. 'T is a place and state of five , 4 4 Fi● . of fiery indignation , Mat. 5.22 . He that calls his brother fool ( viz. without cause , and in rash anger ) is in danger of hell fire , the worst of flames , Luk. 16.

Yea 5. Damnation is in it , and spoken of it , 5 5 Damnation . Mat. 23.33 . How can ye escape the damnation of hell ?

6 Torment is attributed to it , Luke 16.28 . 6 6 Tormen . 'T is called the place of torment .

Thus you see what a kind of place and condition hell is ; 't is all these , and much more than these words can express , or you conceive by these expressions . Yet more particularly .

1 Hell is called a prison : 'T is called 1 A prison As heaven is set out by things taking and delectable , so hell is set out by what 's distastful and loathsome , among which a prison is one , and hell is called a prison , Mat. 5.25 . 1 Per. 3.19 . Prisons , common Goals , are the worst places to live in ( 't is a noysome pestilential air ) but hell is worse than the worst of prisons .

2 2 2 A bottomless pit . Hell is called the bottomless pit , Revel. 9.11 . and elsewhere frequently : The Devil is the Angel of the bottomless pit ; 't is a pit into which sinners must fall , and be ever falling , for there 's no bottom .

3 3 3 A furnace of fire . Hell is called a Furnace of fire , and that 's a terrible thing : Nebuchadnezars Furnace was terrible , especially when heated seven times more than usually ; yet hell is a worse Furnace of fire , Mat. 13.41 , 42. They that do iniquity ( that are sin-makers by trade ) shall be cast into a Furnace of fire which shall not devoure them , but torment them , and make them wail and gnash their teeth .

4 4 4 A Lake , &c. It s called a Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone , Revel. 21.8 . Such and such ( as are there named ) shall have their part and portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ; always over head and ears in this Lake , yet never drown'd ; always burning , but never burnt to ashes : They will in this be like the burning bush , which burnt with fire , but was not consumed ; as the Church was so on earth , sinners will be so in hell .

5 5 5 Darkness . This place , though it burn with fire and brimstone , is yet called utter and outer darkness ; those flames will administer heat of wrath , but no light of consolation : Darkness is a dreadful thing , but to be in the fire in darkness ( to live in death always ) to be tormented in flames , and yet in darkness , Oh how dismal must this be ? Mat. 22.13 . bind him hand and foot , and cast him into outer darkness , so that 't will be in vain to think of making resistance , for thou wilt be bound hand and foot , and be in darkness too ; yea , 't is called chains of darkness , 2 Pet. 2.4 . and blackness of darkness for ever , Jude 6.13 . This of the place .

2 Let us consider the thing it self , 2 2 Hell is a state of damnation with its names ; for as its name is , so is it : The most common and usual name of this punishment is Damnation , a dreadful word ! who knows how much it means ? 't will make the stoutest heart to tremble , the most consident countenance to fall , the most daring courage to fail when they feel it : If his wrath be kindled but a little , 't is terrible ; how much more is it so , when it shall be wrath to the uttermost ? for 't is contrary to being saved to the utmost . More particularly 't is called

1 Destruction ( viz. Which is 1 Dest●●ction . moral destruction ) not of mans being , but well being , 2 Pet. 2.12 . they shall be taken , destroy'd , and utterly perish : And 2 Thes. 1.8.9 . they shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord . Alas ! it had been better for them they had never been born , or if born , that they had never died ; or if died , that they had never risen again , then to be thus destroy'd ; 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , as Hicrocles , to be banish'd from God , and the Divine Life , is the worst of deaths .

2 'T is a curse , an accursed state , 2 2 A curse . to be under the curse of God ; as Mat. 25.41 . not only depart from me , but depart ye cursed : There 's no● the least dram of blessing or blessedness in th● state : If so many curses were to wait on th● J●ws on earth when they continued in impenitency , as we read Deut. 28.16 . — 20. Oh what 〈◊〉 cursed thing , how full of curses is damnation 〈◊〉 this valley of Gehinnom ( this hell ) is a Mount Ebal , the Mount of curses , Deut. 17 13.

3 3 3 The second death . Damnation is called the second death , Revel 21.8 . 't will be a marvellous miraculous kind of death , a living death , a death that never dies , a● immortal mortality ; they will live whose portion this death is , and death will be their portion all their life .

4 4 4 Shame . It s a state of shame and contempt ; there is scarce any thing in the world we are less willing to undergo then shame : The Thief , who is not afraid to steal , yet when taken , he is ashamed : Shame , and confusion , and contempt , will be their lot , Dan. 12.2 , 3. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake , some to everlasting life , and some to shame and everlasting contempt .

2 The quantity and quality of hell torments . We shall take into consideration the quantity and quality of those torments of hell and damnation .

1 They will be exceeding great and terrible . 2 They will be universal . 3 Without intermission .

1 1 1 Great . They will be exceeding great and terrible , such as will make the stoutest hearts to quake and tremble : If the writing of Mene , Mene , Tekel , &c. made a change in Belshazzars countenance , and trouble in his thoughts , so that the joynts of his loyns were loosed , and his knees smote one against another , Dan. 5.6 . what a commotion and heart-quake will the day of Gods wrath and vengeance produce ? See an instance in type , at least , of this kind of speech and thing , Rev. 6 . 15.-17 . where not only bondmen ( persons of little and puny souls ) but great and mighty men , chief Captains and Kings of the earth ( persons of great souls that have made the earth to tremble ) shall hide themselves in Dens and Rocks , and say to the Mountains fall on us , and hide us from the face of him that sits on the Throne , and from the wrath of the Lamb , for the great day of his wrath is come , and who shall be able to stand ! For bond-men to be faint-hearted and fly , is no great wonder ; but for men of might and valour to run away and hide , that 's strange ! I , but 't is from wrath , though but of a Lamb ; What will they do then when he shall rise up , and roar like the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah ? 'T is the day of wrath , which is the terrible day of the Lord ; 't is the day of vengeance , which is implacable ; for God who is ( now ) hearing prayer , will not ( then ) spare for their crying , no though they cry Lord , Lord . God always acts like himself , like a God ; when he shews mercy , 't is like the God of all grace , who is rich in mercy , and loves with a great love ; so when he executes wrath and vengeance , he makes bare his arm , and strikes like a God : Who knows the power of his anger ? none but damned ones . The sense of it here , the receiving or searful reception of judgment ( as 't is in the Greek , Hebr. 10.27 . ) and fiery indignation makes a kind of hell , so fearful a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God , when he acts like a God of vengeance , as the Apostle there speaks , v. 30 , 31. How dreadful then will it be to be in hell it self , under the tortures of his executed wrath for ever ? as the man is , so is his strength ; 't is but sport to be whipt by a child , but to be whipt and lashed by a man , a Gyant , whose little finger is heavier then anothers loins , how painful must it be ! The rod is for the back of fools , but when it shall be turned into Scorpions , and God himself shall lay on stroaks without mercy or pitty , oh how tormenting will it be ! A stone thrown from a weak arm will not hit very hard , but when the hand and arm of God shall throw down that wrath from heaven , which is now but threatned against ungodly men , and turn them into hell , as a mighty man throws one over his shoulders , oh how will it sink them deep into hell !

2 2 2 Universal . The torments of hell will be universal , and universally inflicted .

1 The torments themselves will be universal ; 't will be not a torment two or three , but all tormants met together ; hell is the place of torment it self , Luke 16 28. 't is the center of all punishments , sorrow and pain , wrath and vengeance , sire and darknesse , all are there , as we proved before : If one disease put a man so much to it , what would a complication of discases ? If one punishment , the Strapado , the Rack , or any other be so tormenting , what would all at once be ? Oh what then will hell be ?

2 The persons on whom these torments will be inflicted ; will be universally tormented ; not one or two parts , but all , and all over ; whole man hath sinned , and whole man will be tormented ; not soul alone , or body only , but soul and body after the Resurrection and Judgment day : As for the body , all the members of it have been instruments of unrighteousness , and therefore all the members will be punished ; as man is defiled , so man will be plagued , from the crown of the head to the soal of the foot : The senses which men have indulged and gratified , will be filled with pain and torment , that shall be clean contrary to those pleasures wherewith they were gratified in this world . The eye which took so much pleasure in , and was enamour'd of beauty , shall then see nothing but ugly Devils , and deformed Hags of damned wretches , &c. What shall the ear ( that was delighted with Musick and Love-songs , what shall it ) hear ? but hideous cryes and gnashing of teeth , the howlings and yawlings of damned Fiends . The smell , that was gratified with Rose-buds , and sweet perfumes ; shall have no pleasing sents , but unsavoury brimstone , and a stink . The taste , that was refreshed with eating the fat , and drinking the sweet , must have nothing but the dregs of the cup of Gods wrath : The touch and seeling shall be sensible then , not of fine and silken things , but of burning flames , and scorching fiery indignation .

Ann as to the soul and all its faculties , it and they will speed no better ; their understanding will be tormented with having the truth understood in miserable effects ; that which it laught at as foolishness , it will then find true by the loss of it , viz. Gospel happiness : The conscience will be like a stinging Adder , a gnawing worm : The will will be vex'd that it had its will so long ; Here men think it a Princely thing to have their will , but there they 'l find it a devillish thing .

3 3 3 Without intermission . Yet further , these torments will be without intermission ; they shall be tormented day and night , Rev. 14.11 . and have no rest : Here our sleep is a Parenthesis to care , and sorrow , and pain , but there 's no sleeping there ; the God that executes wrath , and they on whom wrath is executed , neither slumber nor sleep : here they have some intermissions , and lucid intervals in their madness , but there they will be e'en mad continually for vexation of heart .

Methinks I cannot go on till I have a little expostulated with thee , who ever thou be that readest ; needs there any more to fright thee from sinning , which is the way to damnation , then the thoughts of damnation ( such a damnation ! ) which is at the end of the way of sin ? for thy Souls-sake hear and fear , and do no more wickedly : What! wilt thou be damned ? canst with patience think of going to hell ? hast thou no pity on thy precious Soul ? Oh if thou shouldst go from reading of hell into hell , thou wouldst surely say , there was a Prophet , I would not believe it , but now I feel it : Think of it , and

3 3 3 The duration Think of what 's now to be added concerning the duration of these torments , they will be for ever ; though they were great , universal , and without intermission for a time , yet if they were to have an end , 't were some comfort : but here lies the misery , they will be to day as yesterday , and for ever ; as in the beginning , so all along , and for ever , alwayes the same , if not encreasing : This is the woe of woe , the hell of hell , that 't is woe and hell for ever . After sinners have been in hell , millions of millions of years , hell will be as much hell as at first ; the fire that burns will never go out : the worm that gnaws will never die , which is three times repeated by our Lord and Saviour in one Chapter , Mark 9.44.46.48 . 't will be a lasting , yea an everlasting misery ; 't is everlasting punishment , and everlasting fire , Mat. 25.41.46 .

4 There 's yet to be consider'd the Tormentors , 4 4 The tormentors . or inflicters of these torments : The Devil , Conscience , and God himself will torment the damned .

1 The Devil , 1 1 The devil . the Tempter will be the Tormentor ; they will be tormented not only with , but by Devils : They will be deliver'd to the Goalers , the Tormentors , as 't is Mat. 18.34 , 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you , viz. deliver you to the Tormentors : When the Church Excommunicates , ( which is an Embleme of this ) it doth deliver to Satan ; and when God Excommunicates , he gives up to the Devil , take him Goaler , torment him Tormentor . The Apostle thought it a great misery to fall into the hands of unreasonable men , and therefore prays and begs prayers against it : But if the tender mercies of wicked men are cruelties , what are the cruelties of the Devil and his Angels ? especially when God delivers men up into their hands ; Oh what a misery is it to fall into the Devils clutches , to be tormented by the Devil . If he do so much now by permission , what will he then do by Commission , when he shall be under no restraint ? We may guess by what he doth do now , what he is like to do , and will do then .

We have many instances of his malice , rage and power , take one and another : In Mark 9.17 . — 22. there was one possessed of a dumb spirit ; and wheresoever this spirit taketh him , he teareth him , that he foameth , gnasheth with the teeth , and pineth away : and v. 20. when he came into the presence of Christ Jesus , he care him , that he fell on the ground , and wallowed foaming ; oftentimes it hath cast him into the fire , and the water , to destroy him . You know also how the Devil dealt with Job , and went to the utmost extent of his Commission , and tantum non almost prevail'd , for he brought him to curse the day of his birth , though he did not curse God : If the Devil do so much now to the tormenting of any , when he is in Chains , and under restraint , Ah how sad is it like to be with men when the Devil shall have them in his hands by Commission from God! When God shall say , take him Devil , take him Gaoler , into the fire with him , do thy worst with him : Oh who can stand before the Devils rage , and envy thus whetted by Commission ! Oh sinful sin , that thus gives up to the Devil !

2 2 2 Conscience . The second Tormentor is Conscience ; a reflecting , an accusing , an upbraiding Conscience ; which I may say is in some sort a greater torment then any the devil can inflict , because Conscience is within us , but the devil is without us : That which is within hath the greatest influence on us , whither for comfort , as 1 Joh. 4.4 . or for torment , Mark 9.44 . The worm that never dies , which is within a man : 't were a dreadful thing to be eaten up of worms , to be continually fretted and vexed with the gnawing of worms ; but this worm gnaws the spirit , which is more tender then the apple of ones eye : a wounded spirit who can bear ? Judas sunk under the weight and burden of it , and so have many more : but if it be so terrible when awakened here , what will it be , when a man shall be fully convinced , and have all his sins set in order before his face , Psa. 50.21 . How will Conscience lash men then ? As Schoolmasters reckon up their Boys crimes , imprimis for this , and then a lash , item for this , and then another lash , &c. So saith Conscience , Salvation was held forth , Grace was offer'd , and then lasheth for neglecting so great Salvation , and turning Grace into wantonness : Item , saith Conscience , you knew that the wages of sin was death , and the judgment of God is just , and yet you would do such things ; and then Conscience pricks and torments , whips and lasheth them : Item , after thou hadst vomited up thy pollution , and wer 't washed from thy filthiness , thou didst return like the dog to thy vomit , and like the Sow to wallowing in the mi●e , and then lasheth him : If a man were falsly imprison'd , 't would be a mitigation , and some relief ; but when a man is 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 self-condemned , and finds that his perdition is of himself , that his own wickedness doth correct him , this will be the sting of death and damnation .

3 3 3 God also Not only the Devil and Conscience , but God also will torment them ; for though God in this life suffer himself to be pressed with their sins , as a Cart is prest with sheaves , yet at last he will shew his power in revenging himself on wicked men : though now he seem to have leaden feet , and be slow to wrath , yet then he will be found to have iron hands : Here God is patient , and if he judge , yet in the midst of judgment he doth remember mercy , and doth not deal with men as their wickedness deserves ; but then he will be extreme in punishing ; the Lord himself will rain upon the wicked snares , fire and brimstone , and an horrible tempest , Psal. 11.5 , 6. This shall be the portion of their Cup from the Lord ; they shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God . which is powred out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation , and they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone , in the presence of the holy Angels , and of the Lamb , Rev. 14.10 , 11. As many times , when Judges suspect their Officers , that they will not do it home enough , they will have it done in their presence , the whole Court and company looking on : So shall it be , and the smoak of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever , and they have no rest day nor night . Yet further

5 5 5 The aggravations . Let us consider the aggravations of these torments : As sin hath been aggravated , so will the torments be ; there will be degrees of torment , 't will be , though intollerable for all , yet more tollerable for some then others , Mat. 11.21 . — 24. their torments will be aggravated .

1 Who have lived long in sin : The longer men have lived in sin on earth , the greater will their torments be in hell , Isai. 65.20 . The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed , with a witness ; for he hath been long treasuring up wrath ( much wrath ) against the day of wrath : he hath a great account to make for all the patience and forbearance of God : Some men grow rich by having other mens goods in their hands , not called in : when men forbear their money , and leave it in their hands , they grow rich by it ; so do wicked men grow rich in wrath by abusing the goodness and patience of God , because God forbears them , and doth not take out executions against them , and enter into judgment , they grow rich , but alas ! 't is in wrath . See Rev. 21.22 .

2 The more means men have had , the more cost and charges God hath been at , the more pains God hath taken with men , and yet they continue impenitent , the more severe will his judgment be upon them : If Christ had not come , they had had no such sin ; this is the condemnation , that light is come into the world , and men love darkness . Capernaum that was exalted to heaven , by means , will be thrown to hell in the end , Mat. 11.23 . To sall from earth to hell will be a great fall , but to fall from heaven to hell will be a greater : To go from Turky to hell will be sad , but to go from England to hell , and from London to hell , ah how rufully sad !

3 The more knowledge men attain to , the more convictions men have had ; without practise and improvement , the greater will their condemnation be , Luke 12.47 . That servant which knew his Lords will , and did not according to his will , shall be beaten with many stripes : And 2 Pet. 2.21 . it were better they had never known the way of righteousness , then ( to know it , and not walk in it , or ) having walkt in it , to depart from it : to him that knows to do good , and doth it not , to him it is sin , great sin , sin with a witness , and condemnation with a vengeance . How can they escape the great condemnation , that neglect the great salvation ; these become inexcusable under the judgment of God , Rom. 1.32 . with Rom. 2.1 ; 2 , 3.

4 The further men have gone in a profession of Religion , without the power of godliness , the greater will their condemnation be ! Formalists and hypocrites will-know the worst of hell , how can ye escape , not only hell , but the damnation of hell , the hell of hell ? Mat. 23.33 . The form of godliness , and the power of ungodliness , will fare alike , as Mat. 24.51 . with Luke 12.46 .

5 Apostates will meet with aggravated torments in hell : the backslider will be filled with his own ways ; his latter end will be worse then his beginning , 2 Pet. 2.20 . better for them they had died in their sins at first , then to be as now twice dead , Jude 12. If we sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth , ( if we do nuncium metere pietati , turn our backs on Christianity and godliness ) there remains no more sacrifice for sin , but a certain fearful expectation , or looking for of judgment and fiery indignation , which shall devoure ( them that by Apostasie become ) adversaries : He that despised Moses Law died without mercy , and yet of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy , who treads under foot the Son of God , and counts the Blood of the Covenant , wherewith it was sanctified , an unholy thing , &c. Oh what fearful vengeance will such meet with ! See Hebr. 10 . 26.-32 . and this little shall suffice to have spoken to the aggravations .

6 And lastly , 6 6 The effects of hell torments . let 's take a view of the effects of these torments .

1 There will be inexpressible sorrow , sighing and groaning that cannot be utter'd ; weeping , and wailing , and gnashing of teeth , Mat. 8.12 . anger , indignation , vexation , even to madness and rage , will be the effects of them .

2 There will be intollerable horror and pain : if thunder , lightning , and earthquakes make men afraid , and shrink together , what will hell do ! If the throbing Tooth-ach , the gnawing Gout , &c. put men to such exquisite pains , what will hell do ! If sickness make us fear death , and the fear of death be so dreadful , what will hell be ! If you Felix-like tremble to hear of this judgment to come , what would you do , if you were to undergo it ! If seeing ugly and devillish shapes affright us , what will it do to be with the devil and his Angels !

3 This will be the sad effect of these torments , sinal and eternal impenitency , and desp●ir , even to cursing and blaspheming : he that dies impenitent , continue ; so for ever , and impenitency is attended with blasphemy , Is. 8.21 , 22. They shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry , and it shall come to pass , that when they shall be hungry , they shall fret themselves , and curse their King , and their God ; which I quote to shew the nature of a fretting and vexing heart under torments , a thing very common with despairing ( and thereby made desperate ) persons , Revel. 16.9 , 10. When they were scorcht with great heat , they blasphemed the name of God , and repented not to give him glory : and v. 10 , 11. they gnaw'd their tongues for pain , and blasphemed the God of heaven , because of their pains , and their sores . We see that when the plagues of God are on impenitent sinners , they are cursing , and though they may repent ; i.e. be sorry for the plagues , yet not for the cause of them : And hence many do infer this , that if these plagues ( which are far inferiour to them in hell ) do provoke men thus , that they will do it much more : Woe and alas ! what a dismal , doleful condition 't is to be damned ! and then what ! Oh what a sinful thing is sin that brings this damnation !

I have now dispatch'd the second thing , viz. the contrariety of sin to the good of man , and that not only in this life , but in that to come : Before I bring in the W●tnesses to prove this Charge against Sin to be true , as I have said in this Indictment , let me a little bespeak thee , good Reader , to consider of what hath been said , and that thou wouldst be more afraid of sin then of hell , which had not been but for sin , and where thou shalt never be , if thou repent and believe the Gospel , for righteousness is not by repentance , but by faith : Believe they , and love Faith as thou lovest thy Soul , and Heaven ; hate sin , and avoid it , as thou wouldst hell and damnation ; sin no more , least a worse thing come unto thee , least the Rod be turned into a Scorpion , least the next loss be the loss of heaven , least the next sickness be unto death , and death to damnation ; for if thou die in sin , thou art damned irrecoverably : 't were sad to die in an Hospital , in a Prison , in a ditch ; but as 't is worst living to live in sin , so worst dying to die in sin ; if thou go on , these Sermons will witness against thee , as much as if not more then if one had risen from the dead ; if two or three devils or damned wretches should come from hell , and cry fire , fire , it might startle thee , but if thou believe not Moses and the Prophets , yea Christ and his Apostles , 't will work no good upon thee : Oh mind the good of thy soul , and do not bring on thy self this great , universal , intollerable and eternal damnation : Take heed least , Prov. 5.11 , 12 , 13. when thy flesh and thy body are consumed , I , and thy soul damned , thou say too late , how have I hated instruction , and my heart despised reproof , and have not obey'd the voice of my teachers , nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me ! Oh! oh ! How have I rewarded evil to mine own soul by doing evil against God! I made a pish at these things , and mocked at sin ; now I would hear , now I would return , but hope is perished ! Such will be the direful outcries of sinners one day ; take heed therefore , for if thou have not on the wedding garment , thou wilt be cast out , Mat. 22.11 . and if thou be found a worker of iniquity , thou must depart accursed . But not to prevent the application , which I reserve to its proper place ; I now proceed to the third thing propounded .

3. 3 3 The witnesses against sin . The Witnesses , and their Evidence against Sin , as being exceeding sinful .

That sin is so exceeding sinful , extremely and notorious guilty of contrariety to God , and the good of man , I have a cloud of witnesses to produce ; God himself , Angels and men , both good and bad , the Law and Gospel , the whole Creation , sins names , and sins actions , even sins own confession , do all bear witness to this Charge , that it is true , viz. that sin is an exceeding sinful thing ; from heaven , from earth , from hell will we bring witnesses against sin .

1 3 3 God in 7 particulars God himself beareth witness against sin : As he leaves us not without witness of his being good , so he hath not left us without witness of sins being sinful , against him , and against the good of man .

1 1 1 Forbidding it . By this , that God hath forbidden is , and made a Law against it ; all the Laws , and every command of God , are his witnesses against sin ; and as he that believes not the testimony God beareth of his Son , so he that believes not Gods testimony against sin , makes God a lyar , who is true and cannot lye : The Law written in mans own heart , the Law written in Tables of stone , the Gospel also ( which is the Law of Faith ) is written as a witness against sin , 1 Joh. 2.1 . Now surely God would not have prohibited sin , had it not been an abominable thing , abominated by him , and to be abominated by us . God hath given man room and scope enough , a very large allowance ; of all the Trees of the Garden man might eat , only one excepted . So Phil. 4.8 . whatsoever things are true , honest , just , pure , lovely ; whatsoever is of good report , if there be any virtue , any praise , these things think on and do : Now sin comes under none of these names , but is contrary to them all , and therefore forbidden : God hath not forbidden man honours , riches , nor any pleasures , but them of sin : Surely then , seeing God delights not to grieve the children of men , but rejoyceth over them to do them good with all his heart , and all his soul , as he is pleas'd to express it , Jer. 32.41 . he would never have forbidden any thing to man , but what was prejudicial to him , as well as displeasing to himself : But I shall speak more of this , when I shew how the Law of God witnesseth against sin .

2 God witnesseth against sin by this , 2 2 Will not allow us to do evil , that good may come of it . that he will not allow us to do evil , that good may come of it : As pleasing a thing as good is to God , yet he will not allow us to do the least evil for the greatest good . See how angrily , and with what indignation the Apostle speaks against them that said the contrary , Rom. 3.8 . 'T is a damnable Doctrine to teach , that we may do evil for a good end , or that good may come of it . This Doctrine was first broacht by the Devil , and usher'd in the first sin , Gen. 3 . 1.-6 . But

1 We may not do evil ; that good may came is our selves : God allows man to love himself , and hath made self-love the rule and measure of our love to others ; thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self : God is not against mans being rich , only God will not that men grow rich by sin , as Jer. 17.11 . God is not against mans pleasure , if it be not by displeasing him , nor against his honor , if it be not by dishonoring him : God well knows that good gotten by evil , will do man no good but hurt : To gain the world , and lose a mans soul , hath more of loss then gain ; and there is not any one sin but wrongs and hazards the loss of a mans soul . God would not allow Adam and Eve to eat of the forbidden Tree , though 't were good for food , pleasant to the eye , and to be desired to make one wise , Genes. 3.

2 We may not do evil that good may come to others : God hath indeed commanded us to do good to all , but hath forbidden us to do evil , that we may do good to any , or to all : He that provides not for his family , is worse then an Infidel ; and so is he that provides for it by a sinful way of covetousness , lying , cheating , oppressing , &c. See Habak. 2 . 9.-12 . Paul ( as Moses before him ) could wish himself dead and anathematiz'd , to save the Jews , but durst not sin for their sakes . When one sent to S. Austin to know if he might not tell a lye for his Neighbours good ; Oh no , saith the Father , thou must not tell a lye to save the world : There 's such a malignity in sin , it s so contrary to God , that it must not be done for no good : 'T is our duty to honor Father and Mother , but still in the Lord ; it may be a duty to disobey , yea to hate father and mother rather then obey them , viz. when to obey them will be disobedience to God : whither it be better to obey God or man , judge you : So that God will not allow us to sin to gratifie the greatest persons , the nearest and dearest relations .

3 God will not allow us to sin , though we should professedly do it for his glory . Sin can never directly glorifie God , and though he know how to bring good out of evil , yet he will not that we should sin for him , who needs not us , much less our sin : God will take , and is righteous in taking vengeance , though our unrighteousness commend and set off the righteousness of God , Rom. 3.5 . Though the truth of God have more abounded through thy lye , yet thou wilt be found a sinner , Rom. 3.7 . so that for this good , evil must not be done , v. 8. they that cast out their Brethren , saying , let God be glorified , yet God will put them to shame , Is. 66.5 . And though they thought in putting them to death , they should do God good service , yet God reckons it as their serving the devil , John 16.2 . with Rev. 2.10 . When Saul excused his sin under the pretence of Sacrifice , it was yet called Rebellion , and reputed as witchcraft , a most abominable thing , 1 Sam. 15. Job upbraids his friends with this irreligious piety ; saith he , Job 13.7 . Will ye speak wickedly for God , and talk deceitfully for him ? Surely ; v. 10. he will reprove you for it : Sin is so much the worse for being committed in the name of the Lord ; men thereby do ( as it were ) make God to serve the devils designs : Nay 〈…〉 will be no excuse that men ( like 〈…〉 , Jud●● , &c. ) sulfill the con●●el and 〈◊〉 will ( i.e. determination of God , as to what eventually shall be ) if they sin against his revealed will , which is the rule by which men are to walk , and to which they ought to be obedient : ●o that by all this it plainly appears , how that God witnesseth against sin , that we may not sin for the good of any , nor for any good , no not for God .

4 4 4 Threatning . God witnesseth against sin by threatning men ; in case they sin , he makes penal Statutes against 〈◊〉 , in the day thou eatest the forbidden 〈◊〉 thou shalt surely die : If sin were not an ●●onourable thing ; surely God would not have 〈…〉 it on such peril , on pain of death , of 〈…〉 will be said under the execution of 〈…〉 , and ●he just judgment of God 〈◊〉 .

● 〈…〉 God is 〈◊〉 with the wicked , and that wit 〈…〉 angry with 〈…〉 ) argues and 〈…〉 by them for he 〈◊〉〈…〉 displease him : 〈…〉 is nor that evil 〈…〉 God to 〈…〉 sometime to 〈…〉 judgment 〈…〉 ●●gry wer● 〈…〉 God would not ●ebuke 〈…〉 who knows the pow 〈…〉 his ●nger and 〈…〉 ●appy they that 〈…〉 do nor withdraw his anger , the proud helpers do stoop under him , Job 9.13 . the helpers of pride , so 't is ; man is apt to be very proud , and hath helpers of pride ; and 't is observeable , that the word we read , pride , signifies strength also , to denote that man is very apt to be proud of his strength ; but all the strong helpers of pride must stoop , if he withdraw not his anger : The strength of riches , Prov. 10.15 . the strength of friends and families , Psa. 49.7 . strength and stoutness of spirit must all stoop , if his anger break forth , if he take but one of his arrows and discharge it against a sinner ; if he strike him but with one blow of his sword , as the phrases are , Psa. 7 . 11.-14 . Kiss the Son least he be angry , and ye perish ; perishing is at the heels of his anger , Psa. 2.12 . The fear or terror of a King is like the roaring of a Lyon , whoso provoketh him to anger , sinneth against his own soul , Prov. 20.2 . Oh what dread is there then from the anger of the King of Kings , when God sets our iniquities before him , we are consumed by his anger , and troubled by his wrath , Psa. 90.7 . Now we infer , that if Gods anger be so terrible , and 't is sin that makes God angry , that certainly sin is extremely sinful , contrary to God ; or else the God of all grace , the God of patience , whose name is Love , would never be so angry at it , and for it .

5 God witnesseth against sin by this , that it , 5 5 Repent●●● . and it only put him upon repenting , that he had made man , Gen. 6.5 , 6. God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth , and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually , and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth , and it grieved him at his heart ; and v. 7. God saith , It repenteth me that I have made them : The repentance of God argues a very great dislike of , and displeasure against the wickedness of man . Time was , ( though 't were but for a little while ) that there was no sin , and then when God lookt on what he had made , he was so far from repenting , that 't was wholly hid from his eyes , and he was infinitely pleased ; but when sin had spoil'd the fashion and beauty of his work , then indeed he ( speaking after the manner of men ) grieves and repents : So that 't is not the work of his hand , but the work of mans heart , that put God on repenting : Is God man that he should repent ? oh what an horrible thing is that which puts the unchangeable God on changing ! for such a thing repentance is , viz. a change : It repented the Lord that he had set up Saul to be King , 1 Sam. 15. and when men do wickedly , God repents that he hath done them good , Jer. 18 . 7.-10 . If men do evil against God , God repents of the good he hath done men , but ( such is his goodness ) if men repent of their evil , God will repent of the evil he thought to do unto them : Now as that must be very good that puts God on repenting of the evil , so undoubtedly that must be very evil , that puts God on repenting of the good he hath done to man .

8 God witnesseth against sin by the many great and severe judgments which he hath executed upon , ● Executing , jud●ment . as well as threatned to sinners , and which he will in all Ages execute on many , and to all Eternity on some sinners ; for what God hath done , shews what God will do ; as the Apostle infers , 2 Pet. 2.3 , 4 , 5 , 6. Sinners do hugely mistake God , when they say evil is good in his sight , or where is the God of judgment , Mal. 2.17 . and do no less forget themselves , and what God hath done , when they say , all things continue as they were ; and therefore scoffingly say , where is the promise of his coming , viz. to judgment , 2 Pet. 3. 'T is true , if God should judge as fast as men sin , the world would be depopulated , and at an end quickly : But his patience now argues his judgment to come , 2 Pet. 3.9 , 10. and then when God sends men to hell , and damns them , they will know and acknowledge what an evil thing sin was , and what bitterness it brings in the latter end . Damnation being so dreadful a thing , as the pouring out of Gods wrath for ever on sinners , it must needs conclude sin to be extremely displeasing , because contrary to him : That 's no little matter for which God brings on men such great damnation : Next judgment to this , is being let alone , or given up to a reprobate judgment , and an hardned heart ; but that being future , and this ( though present ) invisible , I shall wave further speaking to them , and shew that God hath visibly judged this world for sin , from Age to Age : He is a God that judgeth in the earth , as he is a God that will judge the earth : And the Lord is known ( to be against sin ) by the judgments which he executeth , the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands , Psa. 9.16 , which hath a double note upon it , Higgaion , Selah ; both which I do not remember to be added to any other Text , so notable a Text is this .

God hath testified his displeasure against sin , by 〈…〉 judgment 1 On Sinners . 2 Saints . 3 His Son .

1 God hath executed judgment on sinners ; 1 1 On 〈…〉 . and usually the first committer of any particular sin , hath been punished with eminent and remarkable punishment : Nor to mention Adam ( who was all men i● one , virtually ) though he underwent a punishments ●nd a curse for his sin : but Cain the first 〈…〉 , was as 't were hung up in 〈◊〉〈…〉 , or a terrible warning to others . Judas 〈◊〉 first Apostate , was made an example under the Law : Nadab and Abihu , the first breakers of the Ceremonial Law , after the establishment of Aarons Priesthood , Ananias and Saphi●a , the first that belied God in the beginning of the Christian Church , were miraculously punished : God hath made heaps of witnesses this way : God hath set up monuments for Pillats of Salt , like ●ots Wife : The Flood that drowned the old world , the Fire that burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah , &c. and the many things that befell Israel for an example , were all types , as the Apostle speaks . 1 Cor. 10.11 . God hath punished all sinners more or less ; he spared not the 〈…〉 sinned , they were all doom'd to darkness ; he consumed almost a whole world at once , having eight persons ; he hath cut off Cities and Nations , not a few , beside what hath ●●allen particular persons , and therefore men cannot say , that all things continue as they were , and that God is not a God of judgment , or consequently an allower of the evil of sin .

There is no Age wherein God doth not really and actually judge sinners ; though perhaps this may not be so clear to a prejudiced and partial observer , that will think nothing a punishment , but what 's miraculous , or extraordinary , as if the earth must always swallow men up , or God strike men down with thunderbolts continually , and nothing less must be called a punishment : Oh how often is Gods hand lifted up , but men will not see , yea felt , yet not acknowledged : God hath his Deputy in mens bosomes , their own Consciences , which doth often accuse and condemn them , that they cannot stand before its judgment ; when their hearts smite them , they sink , and their countenance and courage falls , as that of Cain , and Judas , and Spira did ; If men were but ingenuous , and would but declare what stingings of Conscience they feel , there would be witness enough , how God lasheth men within , and executeth judgment upon their spirits ; but sisibly , and in the eyes of others , God doth often inflict corporal punishments , either immediately , as was most usual before the Flood ; or mediately , and that sometimes by Angels , and sometimes by Men-Magistrates , humane and mortal Gods , Deputies to the God above ; and by these God ( as I may say ) rides Circuit , and keeps Assizes very frequently : Though judgment be now his strange work in comparison , ( and seems not so proper to this day of patience , as to that of a rath which is to come ) yet God doth often make examples ; and though he make not ( as yet ) a full end of all Nations , he leaves none altogether unpunished .

2 2 2 On his own people . God hath executed judgment on his own people when they have sinned , to shew how hateful sin is , though it be in them he so dearly loves : One would think , that if God would spare any , he would spare his own ; and indeed he doth pity them , and spare them , as a Father pitieth and spareth the Son that serves him : I , but though he forgive them , yet he taketh vengeance on their iniquity , Psa. 99.8 . Many a sinner God forgives ( as to punishment ) in this life , who will not be forgiven in the world to come ; but seeing God fully resolves to forgive his people for ever , he will not wholly forgive them , i. e. leave them altogether unpunished here in time : God hath carried it very severely to his people when they have sinned , it hath cost them dear ; King David's adultery and murther cost him broken bones , oh heal the bones that thou hast broken ; as 't is in that Penitential Psalm , Psa. 51.8 . When Peter had sinned , it cost him a bitter weeping ; repentance is a chargeable thing ; 't is disgrace , sorrow and pain to man , though it be a grace and duty : If Gods children transgress , and play the Trewant , they must feel the Rod , 't is the Rod of the Covenant ; chastenings and corrections of wantonness are in the Covenant , as well as supplies of wants ; threatnings of judgment , as well as promises of mercy ; and sometimes sin brings such sorrow on the very members of the Church , that they are in danger of being swallowed up of overmuch sorrow , even to despair of giving over to hope for mercy , 2 Cor. 〈◊〉 Though God be a God gracious and merciful , yet he is a God visiting iniquity , and will sometimes punish them whom he hath known and loved , above all the people of the earth : and though he take not his loving kindness from them , yet he will visit their transgression with the Rod , and their iniquity with stripes , Psa. 89 . 30.3● . Yet further .

3 God sp●red not his Son when he came in the likeness of sinful flesh , and was no sinner , 3 3 On his Son . but by imputation , and representation : God was ever well pleased with his Son , yet when he stood in the behalf and stead of sinners , it pleas'd the Lord to bruise him ; as if none else could strike a stroak hard enough ; and though he cry'd with strong cries , yet his father would not take the Cup out of his hand : he suffer'd not for sinning himself , ( for though he were tempted to sin , yet he was without sin ) but he suffer'd for the sin of others ; and in the glass of his suffering we ●●y clearly see the sinfulness of sin : And this leads me to the last and great testimony of God against sin . Viz.

7 Gods not sparing his Son , 7 7 Not sparing Christ Jesus , but delivering him up for us all ; Gods sending his Son into the world to condemn sin , Rom. 8.3 . and to destroy it , 1 Joh. 3.8 . doth clearly witness for God , how odious sin is to him , and ought to be to man , for whom Christ suffer'd and died , that sin might die , and man might live ; yea , live to him who died for us , for to no less doth his love constrain us , 2 Cor. 5.14 , 15.

To clear and evince this the more plainly and fully I shall shew these three things .

1 That Christs sufferings were for sinners . 2 That Christs sufferings were exceeding great . 3 That the greatness of his suffering are full witness on Gods part of Sins sinfulness against God and Man .

1 1 1 He suffer'd for sinners . That Christ his sufferings were for sinners : Jesus Christ himself suffer'd , but he did not suffer for himself ; for he was without sin , Hebr. 4.15 . and 7.26 . neither was guile found in his mouth , nor any misbecoming word , when he suffer'd , though 't were a provoking time , 1 Pet. 2.22 , 23. 'T is a faithful saying , that Christ came into the world to save sinners , 1 Tim. 1.15 : This was the design , errand and business about which he came ; he had his name Jesus , because he was to save his people from their sins , Mat. 1.21 . And he himself professeth , that he came to seek and to save that which was lost , Luke 19.20 . Now dead and lost is the sinners Motto , Luke 15.32 . accordingly when he was in the world , he suffer'd and died , that he might save sinners ; he died for our sakes , and so loved his Church , that he gave himself for it , Eph. 5.25 . Yea , 't is not only said often , that he died for us , Rom. 5.8 . and 8.32 . but that he died for our sins ; not only for our good , as the final cause , but for our sins , as the procuring cause of his death , Rom. 4.25 . He was deliver'd for our offences , 1 Cor. 15.3 . Christ died for our sins , according to the Scripture , according to what was typified , prophesied and promis'd in the Scripture . One eminent place instend of many others is in Is. 53.5 . He was wounded for ou● transgression , he was bruised for our iniquities , the chastisement of our peace was upon him , and by his stripes we are healed . To this the Apostles bear witness in the New Testament , Gal. 1.4 . he gave himself for our sins ; and 1 Pet. 2.24 . who his own self bare our sins . Now this dying for us , and our sins , notes :

1 That he died , and gave himself as a ransome for us , Mat. 20.28 . 1 1 As a ransome . I came to give my life a ransome for many , said our sweet and blessed Saviour , 1 Tim. 2.6 . He gave himself a ransome for all : Christs dying was the paying of a price , a ransome price ; and hence we are said to be bought , redeem'd , and purchased , 1 Cor. 6.20 . Ye are not your own , ye are bought with a price , viz. that of his blood ; as 't is in 1 Pet. 1.18 , 19. Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ : and the Church is purchased with his own blood , Acts 20.28 . He gave himself as a Redemption price , and we are a purchased people , 1 Pet. 2.9 .

2 He died for us , as a Sacrifice for our sins ; 2 2 A Sacrifice . he became sin for us . 2 Cor 5.21 . In the Old Testament the Sin-offering is called sin ; so here Christ Jesus an Offering for sin , is said to be made sin for us . 'T is said in the holy Scripture , that Christ offer'd his Body , his Soul , himself , Hebr. 10.10 . There 's the offering of his Body . Is . 53.10 . He made his Soul an offering for sin : And Eph. 5.2 . He hath given himself for us an offering , and a Sacrifice to God , Hebr. 9.14 . He did offer himself without spot to God : and v. 26. He put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself . Now as we were redeem'd by the price , so we are reconciled by the Sacrifice of his death : For Rom. 5.9 , 10. We are reconciled by the death of his Son .

3 3 3 3 A curse . Christ laid down his life for us , as bearing the curse and punishment due to our sins ; and therefore 't is said , he was made a curse for us , which was the punishment of our sin , Gal. 3.13 . He bare our sins , i. e. the curse due to our sins : The punishment of sin , is called sin often in Scripture , and to bear iniquity , is to be punished ; and as Redemption came by the price , and Reconciliation by the Sacrifice , so Justification , by his bearing the curse and punishment , Is. 53.11 , 12. He shall justifie many , for he shall bear their sins : He became a curse for us , that the blessing of Abraham might come upon us , and that is Justification by Faith ; as you may see , Gal. 3.13 , 14. with v. 8 , 9. This shall suffice as to the first thing , viz. that Christs sufferings were for sinners .

2 2 2 His sufferings were great . The sufferings of Jesus Christ were exceeding great . I shall omit what may be gather'd from the types under the Law , and what is exprest by the Prophets concerning the suffering of Christ , though many things might be collected thence , but they being all fulfilled in him , I shall confine my self especially to the relation made thereof in the N. Testament : He was a man of sorrows , as if he were a man made up of sorrows ( as the Man of Sin is , as if he were made up of sin ) as if he were nothing else : He knew more sorrow then any man , yea , then all men ever did : For the iniquity ( and consequently the sorrows ) of all men met in him , as if he had been their Center ; and he was acquainted with griefs , he had little acquaintance else , grief was his familiar acquaintance ; he had no acquaintance with laughter ; we read not , that he laughed at all when he was in the world ; his other acquaintance stood afar off , but grief follow'd him to his Cross ; from his birth to his death , from his Cradle to the Cross , from the Womb to the Tomb , he was a man of sorrows , and never were sorrows like his , he might say , never grief or sorrow like to mine : 't is indeed impossible to express the sufferings and sorrows of Christ ; and the Greek Christians used to beg of God , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , that for the unknown sufferings of Christ he would have mercy on them : Though Christs sufferings are abundantly made known , yet they are but little known ; eye hath not seen , nor ear heard , nor hath it , or can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what Christ suffer'd ; who hath known the power of Gods wrath ? Christ Jesus knew it , for he underwent it : but though it be impossible to declare all , yet 't is useful to take a view of what we can ; I shall therefore draw a Scheme of Christs sufferings under three Heads .

1 Jesus Christ underwent all manner of sufferings . 2 Jesus Christ suffer'd by all manner of persons . 3 All manner of aggravating circumstances did meet in his sufferings .

1 1 1 All manner of sufferings . Jesus Christ suffer'd all manner of sufferings ; 't is said , Hebr. 4.15 . that he was tempted in all things like unto us , and among other things meant by temptations , suffering are not the least , he suffer'd being tempted , he suffer'd while he lived , but especially a little before , and when he died ; all his life was a suffering ( not to mention his self-denials , which were voluntary ) he was no sooner born , but suffering came upon him ; he was born in an Inne , yea in a Stable , he had but a Manger for his Cradle ; as soon as his birth was nois'd abroad , Herod sought his life ; so that his supposed Father ( or Father-in-law , as I may call him ) was fain to fly into Aegypt ; he was persecuted before he could ( after the manner of men ) be sensible , and have understanding of his sufferings : and when he returned , his sufferings grew up with him ; hunger and thirst , travel and weariness , scorns and reproaches , false accusations and contradictions waited on him , and he had not where to lay his head : But his special sufferings were a little before , and at his death ; and here you find him suffering in 1 His body . 2 His soul .

1 1 1 In his body . In his body , that was wounded and crucified ; he suffer'd in bearing his Cross ( as Isaac his Type did ) and he suffer'd in his body on the Cross , 1 Pet. 2.24 . and he did not only suffer unto death , but in the manner of his dying ; 't was a shameful , a painful , an accursed death ; yea , he bled to death : Christ Jesus lost blood several times ; at his Circumcision , in his Agony , when he sweat drops and clods of blood , when he was whipt and scourged , when he was nail'd to the Cross , and probably when they platted a Crown of Thorns ( the earths curse ) on his head : And lastly , when they thrust the spear into his side , with which he bleeds out his life , and gave up the Ghost .

He suffer'd in all parts and members of his body , from head to foot : His Head ( which deserved a hetter Crown then the best in the world ) was crown'd with thorns , and they smote him on the head : His Face suffer'd , being spat upon ; His Back , 't was turned to the smiters , 't was stript and whipt , yea they even plow'd upon his back , and made deep and long furrows ; his hands and feet were pierced and nail'd to the Cross , yea , saith he by the Prophet , all my bones are out of joynt ( as if he had been on the Rack ) Psa. 22.14 . He suffer'd also in his senses , his feeling ; Could he be smitten wounded , nailed and pierced , without feeling ? His tast suffer'd , for they gave him ( instead of strong drink and wine of consolation , which was usual to them ready to die Prov. 31.6 . ) instead of this they gave him vinegar and gall to drink : His sight suffer'd , and among other things , the sight of his Mother , and other grieving friends , could not but affect his heart , Luke 23.27 . 'T was a grief to him to see them grieve for him : Did it not afflict him to see his Enemies wag their heads ? His hearing suffer'd many a scoff and jeer , many an ill word and blasphemy : His smell could not but suffer when he came to Golgotha , the place of skulls , where filthiness and putrefaction lodged , the very stinking sink of the City : But more yet :

2 2 2 In his soul . Christ Jesus suffer'd in his soul : We read of his sighing and groaning , but let us consider him especially in his Agony , and upon the Cross : In his Agony , Mat. 26.37 , 38. He began to be sorrowful , and very heavy ; ( these were but the beginnings of sorrow ) he began , &c. sorrow is a thing that drinks up our spirits ; and he was heavy , as feeling an heavy load upon him : And v. 38. he was exceeding sorrowful unto death ; sorrowful ! exceeding sorrowful ! and unto death ! It was in such extremity , that it made him cry out , Father , if it be possible , let this Cup pass ; and this was with strong cryings and tears , Heb. 5.7 . When he was upon the Cross he was under a desertion , which made him cry again , My God , my God , why , or how hast thou forsaken me ? Now to cry , and to cry with a loud voice , argues some extremity of suffering ; and after this he gave up the Ghost , he poured out his soul an offering for sin : And yet further , as he suffer'd all manner of sufferings , both in soul and body ; so to proceed ,

2 2 2 He suffer'd from all manner of persons , He suffer'd from all manner of persons ; Christ Jesus suffer'd from the Devil ; for though Christ bruised his head , yet he bruised Christ his heel : No sooner had Christ the testimony from heaven , that he was the Son of God , but he was immediately carried into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil ; and this was the thing question'd and disputed whither he were the Son of God or not : and though Christ worsted him , and beat him out of the field , yet he departed but for a season ; for when Christ was about to suffer , the Prince of this world muster'd up all his forces again , and came upon him with much violence , and made men of all qualities his Agents , to add to the sufferings of Christ : And indeed , he suffer'd not only from bad men , as you have it , Acts 4.26 , 27. which fulfilled that in Psa. 2. beg . He was tempted by the Pharisees often , and he endured the contradiction of sinners ; yet this was not all , but he suffer'd from his own disciples , and nearest relations . Peter was a Satan to him once , and denied him thrice ; the rest griev'd him with their slowness and littleness of faith : Judas betray'd him , his Brethren believ'd not on him ; and which was heavest of all the rest , he suffer'd from his Father , he put the Cup into his hands , and took pleasure to bruise him , and he laid upon him the iniquities of us all , yea , God did not spare him , nor abate him any thing , but hid his face from him , as if he had been angry with his only and most beloved Son .

3 3 3 His sufferings aggravated by circumstances . Jesus Christ had all manner of aggravating circumstances met together in his sufferings . He was made of a woman ; now that he who made the woman should be made of a woman , and become and be made a Son to the work of his own hands , was a degree of suffering : he that made the Law , was made under the Law , Gal 4.4 . He that was Lord of all , was made in the form of a servant , and though equal to God , yet came in sinful flesh , and so obey'd as a servant , of which these sayings speak ( as Dr. Jackson observes ) I ●ame not to do mine own will , but the will of him that sent me , &c. and suffer'd as a sinner , for so he was judged , and as such put to death , though his Judge confest he found no fault in him ; yea , more then this , he became a curse , Gal. 3.13 . yea , which is the worst of words , he became sin for us , 1 Cor. 5.21 .

There are yet other circumstances , which added to his sorrow and suffering , such as these , he came to his own , and they receiv'd him not , he had least honor among his own in his own Country ; yea , he was wounded in the house of his friends , and one of his own betray'd him , devil that he was , Joh. 6.70 . He did good to many , but had little thanks from any ; of ten Lepers cleansed , but one returned to give him thanks ; oh disingenuity and ingratitude ! but oh the aggravating circumstances at the latter end ! He was taken and apprehended as a sinner , they came against him , as to take a Thief , with swords and staves ; they charged him with blasphemy for speaking the truth ; they preferr'd Barabbas ( the Son of their Father the Devil ) before him ; his Disciples left him , his Father forsook him , as was hinted before : Alas ! who can reckon up the aggravating circumstances of his sufferings ? he was crucified between two thieves , and upbraided by one of them ; his death was painful , shameful , &c. as before . But I pass from hence to the

Third thing , 3 3 His suffering witnesseth the sinfulness of sin . to shew that the greatest sufferings that Christ underwent , are a full witness against the sinfulness of sin : Oh what an odious thing is sin to God , that he will pardon none without blood , Hebr. 9.22 . that God would accept no blood , but the blood of his Son ! not that of Bulls and Goats , Hebr. 9.22 . but that of his Son , 1 Pet. 1.18 , 19. that God would not abate one drop , one dram of this blood , but he must powre out his life ! the very heart-blood must be spilt and spent for sinners ! and which is the wonder of wonders , all this was a pleasure to God , for it pleased the Lord to bruise him : That it should please the Lord to bruise the Son in whom he was well-pleased , is to us men an inconceiveable mystery ! Well then upon the whole , this is a great witness that God hath born against sin , that he would send his Son to die for sinners : oh what an hell of wickedness is that , which none but God can expiate and purge , and that God doth not do it , without taking humane nature , and that God-man could not do it , without suffering , and no suffering serve but death , no death but an accursed one : oh what an evil odious evil is sin , that must have blood , the blood of God to take it away ! This shall suffice for the first thing , viz. the witness of God against sin as exceeding sinful .

2 Angels bear witness against sin ; 2 2 Angels witness against sin . 1 The good . both good Angels , and bad Angels .

1 Good Angels ; the Angels of God and heaven , as they are often called , do bear witness against sin , as an exceeding sinful thing . 1 Their very title ( which contains their nature and imployment too ) being holy Angels , sheweth , that they have an antipathy against , and are at enmity with sin ; that which is meat and drink to wicked men , to do the will of the devil , 't is poyson to holy angels , whose meat and drink it is to do the will of God ; they are all holiness to the Lord , and cannot endure iniquity ; they often contend and fight with evil Angels , and so witness against sin , Jude 9. Their being holy , loving holiness and contention against the Devil , are their witnessings .

2 Holy Angels witness against sin , in being Gods Heralds , to proclaim the Law which is against sin : 't is the aggravation of the sin of the Jews , that they kept not the Law which they receiv'd by the disposition of Angels , Act. 7.53 . The Law which was added because of transgressions , was ordained by Angels , Gal. 3.19 . Every transgression of this Law receiv'd a just recompence of reward ; for the word spoken by Angels was stedfast , Heb. 2.2 . So that Angels in proclaiming the Law , have openly declared against sin , as exceeding sinful .

3 They witness against sin , in that they will not sin ( though provoked to it ) to be revenged on the Devil himself : They will not rail at a Devil , because railing is a sin ; nay , 't is said of Michael , that he durst not bring a railing accusation , Jude 9. One would have thought he would have told the Devil his own , and have put it home upon him ; that 's true , but he durst not bring a railing accusation , nor give the Devil ill language . We ( hot-spurs and hot spirited that we are ) are apt to render evil for evil , and railing for railing , to pay men their own in coin ; but Angels dare not to do so , for 't is a sin ; railing is language that holy Angels cannot speak .

4 They witness against sin by this , that they will not suffer men to sin , that would do it to honor them . When John fell at one of their feet to worship him , saith the Angel , See thou do it not , Rev. 19.10 . do not that to me , which is to be done to God alone : And again , Ch. 22.8 , 9. I fell down ( saith S. John ) to worship before the feet of the Angel , which shew'd me these things , but he said unto me , see thou do it not , but worship God . The Angels are so holy , that they cannot endure the least reflection should be cast on God , or least duty neglected towards God , though they might be worshipped .

5 Their testimony against sin appears thus , that where they find it , though in Gods own people , they rebuke it , and that sharply and severely : Though Hagars hard usage made her run away , yet saith the Angel to her , return to thy Mistris , and submit thy self to her , Gen. 16.8 , 9. As if he had said , Hagar , Hagar , 't is better to suffer then to sin : When Sarah laugh'd at the tyding of a Son , and after denied it , being afraid : Nay , saith the Angel , but thou didst laugh ; he told her her own roundly , Gen. 18 . 12.-15 . When Zachary believed not the Angel , he was made dumb , Luke 1 . 13.-20 . Thus they rebuke for sin .

6 Angels witness against sin , by rejoycing at the conversion of sinners : 'T is the recovery of a soul from a dead and lost condition , to be converted ; and then do Angels rejoyce , Luke 15 , 7 . -10 . As there is a kind of joy in hell among the Devils when one sins that is converted , and when sinners are not converted ; so there is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner : The Rabbies speak , as if while sinners are rejoycing in their sins , the Angels were grieving for them : when and while men live in sin , they dishonor their and the Angels God ; but when converted , they give glory to God , which is the Angels work and joy ; 't is their Song , glory to God on high , and when men bear a part with them in this Song , 't is their joy .

7 Angels witness against sin by the constant opposition they make against wicked Angels , and wicked men : Who would abuse their charge , that is good and holy men : good men are committed to the charge of good Angels ; He gives his Angels charge to keep them in all their ways , Psa. 91.11 . and the Angels are ministring spirits for the good of them that shall be heirs of salvation , Hebr. 1.14 . They incamp round about them that fear the Lord , Psa. 34.7 . And when wicked men or devils would hurt this their charge , they rise up in their might , Dan. 10.20 . Gabriel and Michael joyn against the Prince of Persia , Rev. 12.7 . Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon , and his Angels , and overcame . When Balaam hanker'd after the wages of unrighteousness , to curse Israel , the Angel of the Lord withstood him , Numb. 22.32 . Thus by their protection of the good , they shew their detestation of sin in them that would touch Gods Anointed , or do his Prophets harm .

8 Angels discover themselves to be haters of sin , as a most abominable thing , by their readiness to execute Gods judgment and vengeance on sinners . The Angel that was merciful to Balaams Ass , was ready to slay Balaam , but that he was reserved to fall by other hands . When Herod was so wicked as to assume glory to himself , which of right is Gods , the Angel of the Lord smote him , because he gave not glory to God , Acts 12.23 . When God will judge , the Angels will execute the judgment written : The Angels executed destruction from the Lord against Sodom and Gomorrah , Gen. 19.13 . because their sin was great : When Israel sinned , God sent destroying Angels among them ; great havocks have they made among the Armies of the Aliens : They powre out the Vials of Gods wrath on the earth , Rev. 16.1 . and praised God as they went about their work , because God is just in judging ungodly men . At the end of the world , the Angels will be the reapers , and will gather out all that doth offend , Mat. 13 . 39.-41 . The Lord will come with his holy and mighty Angels to take vengeance on them that know not God , and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ , 2 Thes. 1.7 , 8.

I might instance in other things also , by which the Angels bear testimony against sin ; they are present at our worship , and observe us , which is a great obligation to reverence , and a witness against immodesty , 1 Cor. 11.10 . They take account of our vows , Eccl. 5.5 , 6. better it is thou shouldst not vow , then vow and not pay , because 't is before the Angel . The Apostle chargeth Timothy , not only before God , but before the Elect Angels , to be strictly conscientious , 1 Tim. 5.21 . They are witnesses of what we do , and shall be witnesses of what God will do ; for he that confesseth Christ , shall be owned by him , and he that denies Christ , shall be denied by him , and that before the Angels , Luke 12.8 , 9. 't will be one part of hereafter glory , to be like Angels ; let 's be like them here , in witnessing against sin , and doing the will of God on earth , as they do it in heaven . But I proceed to evince that

2 Evil Angels , 2 2 The evil Angels . the devil and his Angels witness sin to be sinful , not only in their being devils by it , and suffering for it , but many other ways , as I shall evince : We use to say , that virtues confest by foes , and vices confessed by friends , are true : Surely then by the Devil we shall find that vice and sin is , as we have declared it to be ; and if such a friend of sin as the devil is , will confess it to be sinful , we may believe him ; for though he be the Father of Lies , yet in this he speaks truth , a clear and great truth .

1 Then the devil witnesseth against sin by his trembling ; the devil trembles at this , that there is a God , James 2.19 . Now God was never terrible to the Angels till they sinned , then they saw and trembled at the terror of God : Sin brought judgment on the devils , 2 Pet. 2.4 at this they tremble ; so that sin is the first cause of devils trembling : That then which makes devils tremble at the belief of a God , ( who will be a God of judgment ) is exceeding sinful .

2 As great as their judgment is ( and greater though it be like to be ) yet they acknowledge it just , and so by consequence sin to be unjust and sinful : The justness of judgment confest , is a confession of the vileness of the sin which brings the judgment . Say the devils , Mat. 8.29 Art thou come to torment us before the time ? they confess that the Son of God was to judge them to torment ; that they had no exception to make against being tormented , but only as to the time ; they are reserved in chains to judgment , 2 Pet. 2.4 . Jude 6. and say they , art thou come to torment us before the time ? before the judgment of the great day , to which we are reserved ? they deny not their being worthy of this death , or that their damnation is just , and therefore do confess the ugliness and filthiness of sin .

3 They witness sin to be sinful , in tempting men to sin : They used to say , that surely they must be good men whom Nero hated and persecuted ; so may we say , that must needs be evil , which the evil one tempts men to , as that is good which he hates and persecutes ; he is the evil one , and the Tempter , Can that be good that the evil one tempts us to ? Can any good come out of this Nazareth ? Can any good come from hell ? 'T is enough to evince sin to be sinful , that 't is of the devil , 't is a clear proof of the evil of sin , that the devil tempts to it .

4 The devil tells us that sin is an ugly thing by this , that he turns himself into an Angel of Light , that he the more effectually lead us into darkness . If he should come like a devil , like an enemy , all would be shy of him ; but he comes disguized , and puts on the face of a friend , and so puts tricks on us , and cheats us ; and indeed doth prevail more by his wily subtilties , then by his power : If the devil had come to Eve and bespake her thus , I was once a glorious Angel , and lived above in the Court of Heaven , but I have sinned , and am cast down to hell , do thou also eat the forbidden fruit , and thou shalt be like me ; would this have taken ? Surely no : So if he did come and tempt men to sin , and tell them 't is the ready way to hell , would this prevail with them , to swear and whore , &c. No , no , the devil is subtil ( an old Serpent ) he colours and paints sin , covers his hook with a bait , &c. and draws men in ere they are aware : He is a deceiver , but least he should be known , he puts on a good garb , and cloaths himself with false light , 2 Cor. 11.13 , 14. And indeed as this is the danger , ( least as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty , so our minds should be corrupted the same way , 2 Cor. 11.3 . ) so this disguize and subtil transformation , proves sin to be a monstrous ugly thing ; why else doth the devil paint it ? why doth he pretend good , when he intends evil ? this proves the sinfulness of sin , that the devil tempts not in his own name or shape , he dares not say , I am the devil , I am a deceiver , I will lead thee to hell , for that would spoil his project .

5 The devil grants sin to be the worst of evils by this , that all the affliction and misery which he brings upon men , is to make them sin more ; so that in the devils account , sin is worse then suffering : as it proves the goodness of God , that he brings evil on us , to do and make us good , to cure us of the evil of sin by the evil of suffering ; so it argues the sinfulness of the devil , and sin too , that he brings evil on us to make us worse ; he doth not care to afflict us so much because we have sinned , as that we may sin no more . The end of the devil in persecuting Job , was not only to make him smart , but to make him sin , that he might curse God ; 't is something beyond suffering , which is worse then suffering , that the devil aims at in bringing suffering , and that is sin .

6 The devil bears witness that sin is sinful by this , that when any are awakened to see their own vileness , he endeavours all he can to drive them to despair ; as he would at first they should presume to sin , so after that they should not hope for , but despair of pardon : he littles it ( or nothings it ) before commission , and greatens it after ; when sin revived , the Apostle died , Rom. 7.9 It wrought in him apprehensions of death and hell , due to that state wherein he then was : when Christ Jesus convinced him of his sin of persecution , it made him tremble , and struck him almost dead , Acts 9. Conviction of sin pricks men to the heart , and makes them cry out like undone men , what shall we do ! what will become of us ! is there any pardon ? is there any hope ? Now the devil strikes in , and tells them , that their sin is greater then can be forgiven . When the poor Penitent was sorrowful , the devil made use of his devices that he might be swallowed up , and drown'd in sorrow , 2 Cor. 2.7 . with 11. as if he would have told him , if these forgive thee not , much less will God , the Church hath cast thee off , and so will God : His great design is ( then ) to perswade men , that the Mercy of God , and Merit of Christ , is not enough to save them . Thus the devil speaks out fully , that sin is exceeding sinful .

7 And lastly , the devil declares sin to be sinful , in being the accuser of the Brethren , Rev. 12.10 . Oh what stories doth he tell of God , of the Brethren , how sinful they are ! and thereby confesseth to God himself the ugliness of sin ; for from thence only doth he take the rise , and frame the arguments of his accusation : as Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us , so the devil lives to make accusations against us , day and night : when God askt the devil if he had consider'd his servant Job , Yes , saith he , I have , and accuse him for an hired servant , one that serves thee meerly for wages , and would , if but toucht by thee , curse thee to thy face . When Satan accused Joshua , Zech. 3.1 , 2. 't was for his filthy garments , his iniquity ; as v. 3 , 4. He is ever telling tales ( and sometimes true stories ) of the miscarriages of Professors ; he Registers their pride and wantonness , their vanity and folly , all their unworthy walkings , and accuseth them to God for these things , and even tempts God , Job 2.3 . to destroy them for their sinfulness , and sometimes , ( as in Jobs case ) without a cause : whatever he say to us , to be sure he says to God , that sin is an exceeding , and out of measure , sinful thing , when he accuseth the Brethren . Thus of the devils witness . I proceed to bring in

3 The witness of men Good & Bad against sin . 3 3 Men witness against sin .

1 Good men bear witness against sin , 1 1 Good men . joyntly and severally , to which of the Saints shall we turn ? ( as was said in another case ) they all with one consent , as one man , with one voice , and one mouth , cry out against sin as a sinful thing : one says , yea all say , 't were damnation to be a sinner , if there were no other hell : another says , 't were better to be in hell with Christ , then in heaven with sin : another saith , 't is more ugly then the devil : they all subscribe to this , that sin is the most odious of all evils , hell it self not more , for it had not been , had not sin made it : Good men bear witness against other mens sins , and against their own also .

1 Against other mens sins , 1 1 Against other mens sins . if possible to prevent , if not to convince : For

1 They do give advise and counsel to men against sin , that they may not sin , which proves that sin is an abominable thing in their esteem : The sum of what is spoken , by way of commend , as to Abraham , Gen. 18.19 . amounts to this , that he would advise and charge his Posterity not to sin : So that of Samuel to Israel , 1 Sam. 12.24 , 25. and that of David to Solomon , 1 King . 2.1 , 2 , 3. &c. yea to all his children ; Come , saith he , I will teach you the fear of the Lord , Psal. 34.11 . and 't is by the fear of the Lord , that men depart from evil : So in the N.T. 1 Thes. 2.11 , 12. 1 Pet. 2.11 . 1 Joh. 2.1 . 't is the advise-general that good men give to every one , do not sin .

2 If they find that their counsel hath not taken place , but men have sinned , then they bear witness against sin , by reproving it : Reproofs are arguments of sinfulness , for men do not reprove any for what 's good ; reproof argues preceding guilt : were it not that sin is odious to them , good men would not be at the cost and charges , nor run the hazard of reproving others for it ; reproving others is a thankless office , and unacceptable imployment , for the most part : men take reproofs for reproach●● yet God having laid it on good men as their they to rebuke , and not suffer sin to lye upon their Brother , they dare not omit it , Levis . 19.17 . Though Eli reproved his sons for their sins , yet he is sharply reproved for not reproving them more sharply , 1 Sam. 2. We find Samuel reproving King Saul ; Is it meet to be said to a King , thou art wicked ? Yet 1 Sam. 13.13 . saith the Prophet to the King , thou hast done foolishly , thou hast done wickedly : and Ch. 15.22 , 23. he calls his sin rebellion and stubbornness ; thus cuttingly did he reprove King Saul . S. John was not afraid to tell Herod of his wickedness , and to his face too , Luke 3.19 . S. Paul would not s●are S. Peter , when he sound him tripping and dissembling , Gal. 2.11 . but withstood him to the face : what doth this speak , but that sin is an odious thing to good men , and they judge it extremely sinful against God and man . Further.

3 Good men witness against sin , by withdrawing from sinners , and their society ; to have no more to do with them then needs must : this separation from their persons is only because of their sins ; if good men be constrain'd to converse with them , yet they cry out , as Psa. 120.5 , 6. Woe is me , that I dwell in Meshek , and the Tents of Kedar : The society of the wicked is very burthensome to the godly ; Lot was in a kind of hell , when he was in Sodom , their wickedness was continually vexing his soul , 2 Pet. 2.7 , 8. This withdrawing from , or groaning under the society of the wicked , testifies against sin , and is in obedience to the Command of God , 2 Cor. 6.14 . &c.

4 Their mourning over other mens sins , shews , that in their eyes sin is an abominable thing , though but the sin of others , Psal. 119.136 . Mine eyes run down with rivers of tears ; why ? because men keep not thy Laws : Oh how dear is the Law of God , and how vile the sin of men to holy David ! so the Prophet Jeremiah , Ch. 13 . 15.-17 . expresseth the like zeal for God : Hear ye , and give ear , be not proud , give glory to the Lord , &c. But if you will not hear , my soul shall weep in secret for your pride , mine eyes shall weep sore , and run down with tears . The Apostle Paul , when he speaks of the sins of men , he doth it weeping , Phil. 3.19 . Other mens sins cost good men many a weeping eye , and aking heart , because sin is so contrary to God , and the good of men .

5 And lastly ( to name no more ) they testifie how sinful a thing sin is , by their prayers and endeavours to get pardon for their sins , who , it may be , scarce seek it for themselves . Sinners little think how much they are beholding to good men , who pray for their salvation , even then when the wicked seek their destruction : Said St. Stephen , Father , lay not this sin to their charge , oh forgive them : How earnestly did Abraham pray for mercy in behalf of Sodom , that if possible it might not be destroy'd : When Israel had sinned a great sin , and provokt the Lord , Moses mediates and intercedes for them , and offers to die that they may live , Exod. 32. Now if they did not know that sin were a sinful thing , offensive to God , and destructive to man , would they interpose at such a rate ? no , they would not . But by all this it appears , that good men witness against sin as the worst of evils , yea , and wicked men bears witness against sin ; no man hath a good word for sin : There is no man can plead sins cause , or be its Advocate ; but before I produce their testimony , I am to shew ,

2 That good men witness against their own sin , 2 2 Against their own sin . as well as against other mens sins : they do not only wish others reformation , but do endeavour their own ; and would , if possible , be so innocent , as not to sin at all ; 't is their ambition and prayer , that their thoughts , words and deeds , may be all acceptable to God , Psa. 19 14. they would not dream extravagantly , if they could avoid it , nor that a vain thought should lodge within them : 't is possible indeed , that some men may declaim bitterly against other mens sins , and yet indulge their own ; as if they had rather see other men reformed then themselves , and virtue were a more pleasant Theme to talk of , then a thing to be possest ; but godly men dare not do so , but are against sin in others , and against sinning themselves . As appears

1 By this , that they will not , dare not sin , though they have opportunity , and may do it with pleasure , honor and profit , as the world rates these things : Some men that do not sin for want of opportunity , would sin if they had it , they want not heart , but occasion , not inclination , but opportunity , they would sin , if tempted to sin : Others avoid sins that would bring disgrace , &c. but for pleasant , fashionable , and profitable sins , they can easily imbrace such ; but godly men dare not sin , though all these concur ; take an instance in Joseph , who when he was courted into pleasure , &c. yet even then , saith he , how , oh how , ( can I find it in my heart ? ) can I do ? how shall I do this wickededness , and sin against God! Gen. 39 . 7.-9 . 't is , saith he , sin against my Master , sin against thee , sin against mine own soul , but the worst is , 't is against God ; how shall I do this wickedness , and sin against God! Another instance of him there is in relation to his brethren ; how ill they had deserved at his hands , what opportunity he had to be revenged , is well known yet he generously forgave them , and provided for them ; and this was the reason , I , saith he , fear God , Gen. 42.18 . Job also in his Apology , Ch. 31. &c. gives a full account , how odious a thing sin of all sorts was unto him , even in his prosperity , when he might ( according to the course of this world ) have done whatever seem'd good in his own eyes , and none have said to him , what dost thou ? or why dost thou thus ? You shall find Balaam ( after the guize and mode of hypocrites ) talking and pretending like an Angel , but acting and intending like a devil ; 't was a kind of trouble to him , that he could not sin , Numb. 22.18 . I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord , but it seems he would if he could ; whereas a Saint would say , I neither can nor will go against , or beyond or short of the word of the Lord , if I can help it .

2 Good and godly men discover that sin is odious to them by this , that they will rather suffer then sin : Many men make an ill choice , such an one as Elihu charged on Job , Ch. 36.21 . This ( viz. sin ) hast thou chosen rather then affliction ; but godly men make Moses his choice , who chose affliction rather then the pleasures of sin , Hebr. 11. As precious a thing as life is , a godly man would not willingly sin to save his life : Though the mouth of a Fiery Furnace ( heated seven-fold ) were open to devoure the three children ( as we use to call them ) yet they would not sin , Dan. 3.18 , and Daniel would rather adventure on the Lyons , then neglect a duty to his God , Dan. 6.10 . Though bonds waited on S. Paul every where , yet he could not be withheld by fear of them from preaching the faith of Jesus , Acts 20.23 , 24. with 21.11 . — 15. you have a long Catalogue , a little Book of Martyrs , Hebr. 11. who chose all manner of deaths before any kind or manner of sin , and would not accept deliverance on ignoble terms , but had rather die holily , then live sinfully . They all declare , that 't is better to suffer to avoid sinning , then sin to avoid suffering .

3 They witness against sin by this , that they will not sin though grace abound , or that grace may abound , Rom. 6.1 , 2 no , God forbid ! Though they have an Advocate with the Father , Jesus Christ the righteous , who is the Propitiation for their sin , 1 Joh. 2.1 , 2. the very Doctrine of Grace and interest in the death of Christ , is the great obligation upon them not to sin : Read 〈◊〉 . 6.2 Cor. 5.15 . Titus 2.11 , 12. the assurance of glory is an engagement to mortification , Col. 3 4 , 5. when Christ who is our life shall appear , then shall we appear with him in glory ; what then ? May we therefore gratifie corruption , and live as we list ? Oh no , but mortifie therefore , &c. though there be promises of forgiveness to him that confesseth his sin , yet a godly man dare not sin , and buy repentance at so dear a rate : When S. John had said , that if we confess our sin God is faithful , and ( not only merciful , but ) just to forgive us our sin , and the blood of Jesus Christ shall cleanse us from all ; yet he adds these things , I write that you sin not , 1 Joh. 1.9 . with 1 Joh. 2.1 . nay , they dare not sin that good may come of it , nor tell a lye , though the truth of God may thereby abound unto God his glory , Rom. 3.7 , 8.

4 They witness that sin is an abominable thing by this , the care they take , and the means they use to prevent sin , that they may not sin .

1 They maintain a continual war against the devil , world and flesh , because they would not sin ; as much as they ( good souls ) love peace , yet they live in war ; I , and live in war to preserve their peace , on which sin would make a breach : Godly men would not hate the devil , but that he is a sinner , and tempts them to sin : they would not hate their own flesh , or Father and Mother , but to prevent sinning : Of this war you may read Rom. 7. and Gal. 5.17 . They are fain to fight their way to heaven from day to day , and duty to duty , and are at great cost and charges , pains and watchings , to keep this war on foot , and all that they may not sin .

2 They are praying always that they may not sin ; Oh our Father , lead us not into 〈…〉 on , but deliver us from evil : though temptations be no sins , yet they are the way to sins , and therefore they pray that ( if possible ) they might not be tempted , Psa. 119.113 . Let not any iniquity have dominion over me , saith good King David keep me from presumption , that I may be upright , &c. Psa. 19. yea 't is their joynt supplication , thy will be done on earth , as 't is in heaven .

3 They hide the word of God in their heart ( as an antidote ) that they may not sin , Psal. 119.11 . and when Princes persecuted this holy man without a cause , yet he durst not meditate revenge , but his heart stood in awe of the word , which he had hid there , Psa. 119 161.

4 That they may not sin , they abstain from appearances and occasions of evil : Job made a covenant with his eyes , Job 31.1 . King David said he would take heed to his ways , that he might not sin with his tongue , Psa. 39.1 . that is , that he might be perfectly holy in the sense of Saint James's phrase , Ch. 3.2 . If any man offend not in word , the same is a perfect man , a great Commander of himself , and able to bridle the whole body , which is the expression used in the forequoted Psalm : when chast Joseph met with a tempting Mistris , 't is said of him , he hearkned not unto her , not only not to lye with her , but not to be with her , Gen. 39.10 . but fled , as from a plague , or devil , v 12.

By all these things ( to name no more ) it clearly appears , that in the esteem of good men , sin is an ex●eeding impious and pernicious thing : But I am sensible there will be two exceptions made against this witness of these men .

1 A posse , from what may be ; it may be sin and sinners will say , 't is true , these men did reprove sin , and condemn it in others , and endeavour'd to prevent their own ; but was it for the ugliness of sin , or some inconveniences that might else befall them ? was it because sin was sinful , or for some other reasons ?

2 Ab esse , from what is ; though you would make us believe that godly men are such Ermins , such nice and tender things , as if they could not endure any uncleanness ; though you make them so shy and strict , as if they would not come near a sin , yet 't is apparent they have sinned ; yea , the very men whose instances you please your self in , and make them patterns to , and Patrons of all the rest .

Before we can proceed , these Amasaes must be removed out of the way ; and therefore for the removal of the first , I answer ; That though good men ( as Joseph did ) make use of all manner of arguments to keep themselve and others from sin , yet it is sin , as sin , that they abhor , as ugly and abominable ; though there were no affliction , no hell , no wrath , yet would regenerate and new-born men declaim against , and hate sin . As appears

1 By this , that the main thing which keeps them from committing it , or which they repent for having committed it , is , that it is against God : when Joseph had muster'd up many arguments , this was the prevailing one with him , how shall I do this wickedness , and sin against God , Gen. 39.9 . against the will and glory of God . Job tells us he durst not sin ; why not ? why ? because 't was against God , as well as against himself , Job 31 . 1.-4 . and in their repentance after a sin , this goes most to their heart , that they have sinned against God , Psa. 51.4 . Against thee , thee only have I sinned ; how so ? Surely David had sinned against Vriah , and against Bathsheba , and against himself ( his bones as well as conscience felt it . ) Oh but this goes most to the heart , that 't was against God ; it grieves him more that God was displeased by him , then that God was displeased with him ; he puts in twice as much of that consideration , as of any other ingredient ; and as to others , his tears run down like rivers , not so much because men kept not his , as because they kept not Gods Laws .

2 By this , because they abhor all sin , all kinds , and all degrees of sin : Surely we may conclude , that they who hate all sin , hate sin as sin ; this godly men do , and only godly men do , and godly men always do it , so far as godliness acts in power in them : 't is the prayer in Psal. 119.133 . order my steps ( all and every of my steps ) in thy word , and let not any ( not any , i.e. none ) iniquity have dominion over me ; from the highest to the lowest , from the greatest to the least , let not any one iniquity have dominion over me . Some other men abhor some sins , as Atheisme , blasphemy , idolatry , murther , &c. but pride and wantonness , &c. are pleasant to them as meat and drink . Now this is no argument that they hate sin as sin ; he that hates sin as sin , hates all sin ; and I think it may be inverted truly , he that hates all sin , hates sin as sin .

3 They evidence their hatred of sin as sin , and not for by-respects , thus , that they abhor all their secret sins , which none knows but themselves , yea such as they know not by themselves , but only God knows them : they hate that which none can accuse them for , or lay to their charge as guilty of , Psa. 19.12 . Lord , who knows the error of his way ? and as S. Paul , though I know nothing by my self , yet , &c. 1 Cor. 4.4 . the heart of man is such a maze , as man himself cannot find out all the windings of it ; such a deep , as man himself cannot fathom it ; so deceitful , that man himself doth not know it , only God searcheth it : Well , this being so , Lord cleanse me from my secret errors , undiscern'd and unknown , yea , by me unknowable errors and extravagancies : 't is meet to be said to God , as Job 34.32 . that which I know not ( viz. wherein I have done amiss ) that shew thou me : A man doth many things amiss , which scape his own observation , as much as that of others , and of these would a good man be cleans'd : these create no trouble to his conscience , but only they are against God , though unknown to him , and therefore would berid of them , that they might not lodge in his heart , though as strangers and unknown . Yea

4 They are against all inclinations to sin , against the very conception of sin , they do all they can , not only that sin may not bring forth , or breed , but that it might not conceive , that I may refer to James 1.14 , 15. Oh the burden of the body of death , and Law of the members ; that though S. Paul can say , 't is not he that sins , but sin that dwelleth in him ; yet he would berid of this in being of sin , that it might not so much as incline him to evil . Yet once more .

5. And lastly , they are carried out against sin as sin , as appears by this , that they cannot content themselves not to do evil , unless also they do good ; they think it not enough that they do not displease God , unless they please God ; to be negatively , unless they be positively good ; they would not only not commit evil , but they would not omit good ; many men as they will do no hurt , so no good : the charge against them , Mat. 25. is , not that they did defraud , or oppress , or were cruel to the members of Christ , but they did not actually do them good ; not cloath , not feed , not visit , &c. but good men are for being , and for doing good , not only cleanse me from secret sins , or only keep me from presumption , but oh that the thought of my heart , the words of my mouth , and consequently the works of my life may be acceptable to thee O Lord , Psa. 19. The Apostle in the name of all the houshold of faith , speaks thus , 2 Cor. 5.9 . wherefore we labour ( the word is , we are ambitious , or ( like heavenly Courtiers ) we affect this honor ) that whither present or absent , that is ( living or dying ) we may be accepted of him ; or ( as the Greek will bear it well , to be actively read ) that we may be acceptable to him , even to all well pleasing . This to the first Objection .

The second Ob. is to this purpose , We see that godly men have sinned , 't is matter of fact : Now if sin were so odious to them ( as you say ) would they sin ? Before I give answer to this Objection , let me premise ,

1 By way of concession and confession , that they do sin ; yea , who is he that liveth and sinneth not ? If any man say he hath not sinned , he makes God a lyar ( who hath concluded all men under sin ) and if we say we have no sin , we both deceive , and yet confute our selves , for we sin in saying so , 1 Joh. 8.10 .

Yet 2. There is this to be said , that the sins of good men are more usually sins of captivity , then sins of activity , as the Apostle speaks , Rom. 7. they are rather led into sin by temptation , then go into sin by choice and inclination ; 't is against the Law of their mind : 'T is indeed possible that a good man may plot and contrive a sin , as David did the death of Uriah ; and this is the only thing wherein God himself saith that David sinned , 1 Kings 15.5 . God covers all his other sins , as being rather overtaken by temptation , then acted by design in the rest : So that for the most part , good men are captivated rather then active as to sin : And David himself could say , that he had not wickedly ( after the manner of the wicked , Jude 15. ) departed from God , Psa. 18.21 .

3 God may sometime have a good man to this saddest of tryals , to know all that is in his heart , as he left the good King Hezekiah , 2 Chron. 32.31 . we are not over-forward or willing to believe our selves , so bad as we are in our hearts , as to the seeds of evil sown there : Is thy servant a dog , said Hazael , when his sin was foretold ? and S. Peter himself could not believe it possible , that he should deny Christ his Master ; yet , when left to himself , he did it ; but then notwithstanding this , there is enough to be said in the behalf of godly mens hatred of sin ; yea indeed they hate it the more for having sinn'd . I answer then , that the godly mans witness against sin is still true , good and firm ; for

1 As he abhors to commit sin , so he abhors sin committed , and himself for committing it , Job 40.4 . & 40.6 . Sin is the burthen of every good mans soul : when the Author of Psa. 73. had sinned , he was so angry with himself , that he could not ( do that which God did for him , viz. ) forgive and pardon himself , but calls himself fool and beast : good men condemn not only their sin , but themselves , and sin in the more hateful to them , for having been done by them .

2 They are restless till sin be purged , as well as pardon'd : King David could not content himself to have sin blotted out by a pardon , unless 't were washt and cleans'd away , Psa. 51.1 , 2. and the mending of his bea rt , without new making it by Creation , would not content him , v. 10.

Yea 3. If God chastise and afflict them for having sinned , yet they justifie God ; and whoever justifies a punishing God , condemns sin ; if the sentence be just , the sin is unjust . Thus they do continually , Micah 7.9 . I will bear the indignation of the Lord , because I have sinned against him : So Psa. 51.3 , 4. This confession I make , and this prayer I make , that thou ( O Lord ) mayst be justified when thou judgest . This also speaks against sin .

Yea 4. They take an holy revenge on themselves , and become the more zealous for God ; as S Peter , who did not only weep bitterly , but was made willing to feed sheep and Lambs , to do any and every service for Christ : And Psa. 51.12 , 13. restore to me ( saith he ) the joy of thy salvation , and I will teach the transgressors thy ways : So 2 Cor. 7. when the Apostle had made them sorry with a sharp Epistle , he doth not repent of it , because it wrought such sorrow in them , as wrought repentance to salvation , not to be repented of , as appear'd in their indignation against , revenge upon themselves , and zeal for God ; as he there speaks in their behalf .

Lastly , It fully appears that godly men abhor sin by this , that they desire to die upon no account more then this , to berid of sin , that they may sin no more , but be holy , as he which hath called them is holy ; they groan for a change upon this account , 2 Cor. 5.4 . mortality and corruption are conjoyn'd , 1 Cor. 15. and this is not laid aside till that be ; and therefore they desire not only to be in Christ , where there is no condemnation , Rom. 8.1 . but to be with Christ , Phil. 1.23 . which is best of all ; for there is no sin , no , nor temptation to it : There was never a temptation to sin in heaven , since the devil was cast out , nor will never be , for the devil shall never be there , nor corruption neither , for that ceaseth , when mortality is swallowed up of life : So that upon the whole , the witness of godily men is unexceptionable , notwithstanding their having sinned . I now proceed to shew ,

2 That wicked men themselves are witnesses of , 2 2 Wicked men . and against the sinfulness of sin , that it is an ugly , shameful , and an abominable thing , that which they are ashamed to own . Let us hear some of the Heathens speak their sense of it ; Cicero tells us , he thought not that man worthy the name of a man , that spent one day in the pleasures of the flesh ; yea , he faith further , that after death , he thinks there 's no greater torments then sin : and another speaks after this manner , that he thought it one of the greatest torments that men should have in another life , to be bound to the sins they most delighted in in this life : Socrates would die rather then consent to a sin of injustice ; and one of them saith , Socrates was not unhappy in being put to death , but they unhappy that put him to death ; he suffer'd , but they sinned : another hath a saying of mens living in pleasure , ( much like that of S. Paul concerning the wanton widow , 1 Tim. 5.6 . she that lives in pleasure is dead while she lives ) 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 their reason of these things said by them concerning sin , was , because sin degraded man , and was a degeneration , that such live the life of a beast , and not of a man , which is a life of reason and virtue : whence Plotinus saith , the pleasures of the body do so interrupt the happiness of the soul , that 't is the souls happiness to despise the bodies pleasures : Sin ( say the Stoicks ) is the worst kind of suffering , and he is the only miserable man that is wicked ; the greatest punishment of sinners is sin . Seneca . I could produce many more to this purpose , but I shall not take in the witness only of these , or such other brave , magnanimous , and well-bred Heathens , but the very Herd of wicked men , the very dregs of them shall give in testimony ( will they , nill they ) by their thoughts , words or works , and sad experiences , that sin is an ugly , because finful thing .

Sinners are asham'd of sin : 1 When before they commit it . 2 After they have committed it .

1 Sinners are asham'd of sin before , and think it an ugly thing when they commit it : For 1. though they are so daring and impudent as to sin , yet they have not the courage to consider what 't is they are going about , or at least to speak one what they think concerning sin ; they know that when they sin their conscience will accuse them , and they shall find regrets which they are loath to feel , much more to utter and declare ; therefore they dare not ask themselves what 't is they are about to do , or are a doing , to catechize themselves , and say , is there not a lye in ( or at ) my right hand ? Is . 44. It argues that men are afraid they shall find what they have no mind to meet with , when they are loath to entertain themselves with a few forethoughts concerning it , but rush like horses into the battel : The Scripture speaks , as if 't were impossible for men to be so wicked , if they were but considerative , without which they act not like men : if they think of it , and yet sin , they care not , dare not speak out their thoughts , but had rather conceal their shame and pain , as well as they can , then tell any body what fools they have been , and how foolishly they have done : If sin had any thing of Noble or Honorable in it , why do they not proclaim its virtues , and thereby their own in loving it ? If they think it good , why do they call it by its name ? if they think it evil , why do they but think it so ? 't is only because they are asham'd on 't , that any body should know what they think , as Psa. 14.1 . the fool hath said in his heart , there is no God : It seems he had not the hardiness nor heart to say it with his mouth ; he whisper'd , and mutter'd , or wish'd , but was loath to be heard : their speaking thus within speaks out this , that they are ashamed of what they think , and dare not utter it .

2 Sinners dare not commit sin , till they have given it a new name ; they sin not under the name and notion of sin , no , woe unto them ; they call , as good evil , so evil good , Is 5. Revenge they will not own , but a vindication of their Honor , a doing right to their reputation ; Covetousness is a fordid thing , they say , theirs is but frugality , and good husbandry ; Drunkenness is unmanly ( because unmanning ) 't is beastial , they confess , but theirs is only good fellowship in the liberal use of the creature ; Pride must be called decency , and being in the fashion ; Fornication but a trick of Youth , or gratifying nature . Thus do men disguize sin , for surely did they call it by its own name , and but look it in the face , they know they shall find it such an ugly Hag , as were not fit for the imbraces of men , no nor of devils . This their new-naming it condemns it .

3 This argues their being asham'd on 't , that they do what they do , as much as they can , in the dark ; yea ( as they foolishly think ) in the dark , from Gods sight also , and do thereby implicitly confess , that if men or God saw them , they should be asham'd of what they do : time was , when they that were drunk were drunk in the night , it being a business of shame : And Eph 5.11 , 12. the Apostle tells us , that 't is a shame to speak of what 's done by some in secret ; and therefore , it seems , they themselves do it secretly , because they are asham'd it should be known and talkt of : And indeed 't is a general rule given by Christ himself , that he who doth evil hateth the light , because his deeds are evil , and he cannot endure that they should be manifested , for then they would be reproved by the light , Joh. 3.19 , 20. The abominations of the Ancients of Israel were so abominable , that they did them in the dark , and thought them hid from God himself , Ezek. 8 . 5.-12 .

4 That sinners find sin a painful thing , and are asham'd on 't , is clear by this , that they are tormented while taking their pleasure , and are stung with eating the honey ; their conscience accuseth them when it takes them in the very act , Rom. 2.15 . Even in laughter the heart is sad , 't is not only at the end of laughter , but in it , while at it , Prov. 14.13 . while men are taking the pleasures of sin , they hear a But remember thou must die , and go to judgment , which chills and cools their heat , Eccl. 11.9 . We little think what secret sighs and groans are within , when wicked men are merry , or seem at least to be so from the teeth outward .

In 2 Sam. 13. you will find no meaner person then a Kings Son vext and tormented with his own passion , 2 Sam. 13. he was in a Burning Feaver with lust , it made him sick and lean , even to being consumptive ; but it may be said , this was because he had not his will , was he so when he had ? Yes , and worse too by his own confession , for the hatred wherewith he hated her , was nor● then the love wherewith he loved her ; as much as to say , he was more tormented now then before : Sin disappoints men , they have false joyes , but true miseries , and suffer rather then enjoy any pleasure from sin ; they are vext to see how they are cheated : This Amnon was now in an hot , presently in a cold fit , and toss'd as from a Feaver to an Ague , cast into the fire , and into the water , contrary torments , sick of love , and sick of loathing , sick for want of her company , and sick of having it , discontented at not , and at having his will ; sin pleaseth not men either full or fasting : Oh how are they tormented , whose desires are great , and enjoyments little , yea contradictions to what they thought of ? they expected pleasure , and find pain , sought joy , and met with grief ! Hence sinners are so weary of time , and not only of business , but recreations ; their changing so often , argues they have no satisfaction : Hence the Pythagoreans place the wicked on a rowling pin , as having no quiet or peace , but are like the raging Sea , as the Prophet speaks , Is. 48.22 . and 57.21 . The soul , saith Tacitus , is lasht with guilt , as the body is with stripes ; and Tiberius as impudent as he was , could not protect himself from those inward scourges , which are such horrid and hideous furies and torments , as hell hath not worse .

5 Sinners are so asham'd of sin , that they mask it under a form of godliness ; they paint it , and think to make it look well , though it be so much the more ugly for being colour'd and complexion'd with a form of godliness ; the thing it self , and they that do it , being witnesses : Though sinners are like devils , yet they would be thought Saints : Sauls sin must needs be for a sacrifice , and so God must patron the sin that was committed against himself , 1 Sam. 15. Absolom covers his Rebellion and Treason with the devotion of a vow , 2 Sam. 6.6 . Herod smooths over his murtherous intentions with the pretence of worship , and will murther S. John least he should be perjur'd , as if forsooth he durst not sin , unless he did it conscientiously ( ne sit sceleratus secit scelus ) This shall suffice to shew , that wicked men are asham'd of sin , and to own it as such , they are asham'd of it before , and when they do commit it .

2 Yet further , Sinners are asham'd of sin after they have committed it : good men are asham'd of what does but look like a sin , and of what may be interpreted to be meant for a sin , though 't were not so ; as David for cutting off the lap of Sauls garment ; which argues their loathness to , and aversness from sin : and we shall find that wicked men also , when they have done evil , are asham'd that they have done it , which is a witness what an ugly ( because sinful ) thing sin is . As

1 Sinners dare not own their sin , to avow it , and stand to it , to justifie their wickedness , ( though they may excuse it , as I shall shew presently ) which clearly shews they are asham'd of it , and are not satisfied with what they have done . The Thief ( as bold and sturdy a sinner as he is ) when he is taken is ashamed ; so is the house of Israel asham'd , Jer. 2.26 . they cannot plead sins cause to justification . Particularly .

1 They cannot endure to be called by the name of the sin which they have committed , and live in the practise of : No Drunkard cares to be called so , but takes it for a disgrace ; no Lyar will receive the lye given him , but as an affront ; no Adulterer will own that name : Now , whoever follows a lawful honest Trade or Calling , is not ashamed of its name , though never so mean ; as Shoe maker , &c. but sin is such an ugly base imployment , that they who commit sin , will not endure to be called Sin-makers , though it be their trade : Sinners charge God with slandering of them , when he complains of their sin , Mal. 1.6 . and 2.17 . and 3.8.13 . When God accuseth them , they put God on the proof , and say , wherein ? so impatient are sinners to be called sinners .

2 They are asham'd of their sin , and dare not own it , as appears by their palliations , excuses , and put off s : when sin was but young , yet Adam and Eve were asham'd of their First born ( as lewd women are asham'd of their base born children ) they cloaked , and hid their sin , Job 31.33 . If they do well , what need excuses ? if ill , excuses plead against it , and are accusations of its illness : They who were invited to the wedding made excuses , which were indeed proofs of their denials , and that they would not come , Mat. 22. ● . their seeming civilities and apologies were arguments of their being criminal ; all our fig-leaf aprons and coverings are proofs that we are atham'd of what we have done ; yea , many times it is laid at the wrong door ; Nature is blamed , as if the fault were in their constitution ; the De●●● is blam'd , because he tempted and beguiled ; yea God himself is blam'd for permission , or it may be for more ; the woman thou gavest me , &c. Gen. 3. what doth all this prove , but that in the eyes of sinners sin is a very ugly and abominable thing . Yet again .

3 That sinners dare not own what they have done , but are asham'd of it , is evident by this , they deny that they have sinned , and commit a sin to cover sin ; 't is an hard and difficult thing to bring sinners to confession , sin is such a shameful thing : 'T is said of the adulterous woman , Prov. 30.20 she eateth ( viz. her stoln bread in secret , Ch 9.17 . ) and wipeth her mouth ( which argues 't was foul and filthy ) and says , I have done no wickedness , she will sin to avoid the scandal of her sin . When Gehazi had taken a reward ( by lying in his Masters name ) of Naaman the Syrian , and was returned , his Master askt him where he had been ; saith he , thy servant hath been no where , 2 Kings 5.15 , 16. He was so asham'd of what he had done , he durst not own it : and this is a clear discovery , that sin is an ugly thing , that sinners will not , dare not stand to avow and justifie it . But

2 It further appears that sin is an unpleasing thing , and that which sinners are asham'd of , that they dare not look into their actions , nor call themselves to an account : 'T is as troublesome a thing to sinners to look into themselves , and to examine their lives , as 't is for men that go backward in their estates , to look into their books ; and cast up their accounts , Jer. 8.5.6 . Why is this people backsl●dden with a perpetual back-sl●ding , ( and never look behind them , nor within them ) no man said ( so much , or little as ) what have I done ? They care not to be alone , least the thoughts of their sins should stare them in the face ; they study divisions and pastimes , and run into company , least their sins ( like Ghosts and Devils ) should haunt and lay hold of them ; and when these are over , they sleep away the rest of their time , they cannot endure to be at home , least ( a worse thing then a scolding woman ) an upbraiding Conscience should fall upon them , they can afford no leisure to think how they have idled and sinn'd away , and thereby worse then lost so much of their time , Amos 6 . 3.-6 . we read of persons on whose hands time lay heavy , and as a burthen , and therefore studied Arts and Methods of laying it aside , that they may put the thoughts of the evil day far from them , sometimes by lying on their beds , and being weary of that , they stretch themselves upon their Couches , and then they fall to eating and drinking , and so rise up to play and dance , &c. what doth all this speak , but an unwillingness to have any sense of sin , or but to look on its picture , 't is so hellish a thing .

3 It appears yet further by this , that they will decry and punish that sin in others , which themselves are guilty of , the better to conceal their own , or to compensate for it , by being severe to others : when a Thief hath stoln and robbed , he is the first that makes Hue and Cry , they are loth to be found the sinners themselves . We read that though Judah was guilty of Incest himself , yet how forward he was to punish fornication in Jamar his Daughter-in-law , Genes. 38. When our Saviour put the case to the Pharisees , what the Lord of the Vineyard would do with the Husbandmen that had abused and beaten his servants , and ( which was worse ) slain his son ; they could readily answer , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 he will miserably ( Gr. wickedly , i.e. with a punishment great as their sin , will be ) destroy these wicked men , Mat. 21.41 . Thus when they knew not whom they condemn'd , they condemn'd themselves , and their own sin , ex ore tuo , out of thine own mouth art thou condemn'd , O sinner ! 'T is true , the case was alter'd , when he said that they were the men ; but by this we see , that when men are not concern'd , or seem not to be so , how severe they are against sin , yea , when they do it to hide their own wickedness , as John 8.7 , 8 , 9.

4 It s yet more apparent by this , that they usually fly to the horns of the Altar , to some fits of devotion and forms of godliness , as if they would compound with God to save them : What meant all the purifications , sacrifices and attonements which the Heathens used , but that a sense of guilt was too heavy to be born ? and what more common among men of better profession , then to say ( just as soon as they have sinned ) Lord have mercy upon me , God forgive me ? they kiss their Crucifix , tell over their Beads , and go to confession , and what doth all this conclude ? but that they have ( even themselves being witnesses and judges ) they have been injurious to God and their own souls , and that without reconciliation and pardon ( or one fancied at least ) they cannot be quiet .

5. And lastly , they fully declare against sin as sinful , in that they desire to die the death of the righteous . Balaam , and others , that lived not the life of the righteous , but accounted their life madness , yet reckon their end happy , and therefore would that their own might be as theirs : By this we see , that no wicked man cares for sins wages : and surely that work cannot be good , whose wages is so bad , that no man cares to receive it ; but oh that their after state may be with the righteous , Numb. 23.10 . The wages of sin is death , and the end of sin is death ; oh no such death , no such wages , says Balaam ; though they go hell-ward while they live , yet they would fain go , to heaven when they die ; and what is deduceable from hence more then this , that sin is a damnable thing ? and though sinners seek their happiness in their misery , yet 't is happiness they seek , and when ever they find their disappointment , they grow angry with themselves , with sin , the devil and all .

There is one exception that may be made against this witness ; true , there are some pittiful sneaking sinners , cowardly and timerous ones , that are daunted at , and asham'd of sin ; but there are others past shame , fear and sense , roaring Boys , ranting and rampant sinners , Rodomontado Blades , that boast of their sin , and glory in being wicked , that take pleasure in things worthy of damnation , and yet scorn to be frighted with terrible Preachers , but will sin in the face of the Sun without a blush ; we will hear what these say , and be judged by these brave Sparks and bold Fellows . Be it so .

1 With sorrow , for them that have none for themselves , 't is to be confest , that there are some hardned sinners , sunk into the image , practise , and it may be condemnation ( as well as snare ) of the devil himself ; yea they seem to outgo the devils , for they believe and tremble , which is more then some sinners do : Godly men rejoyce with trembling , but some ungodly men sin without trembling , and rejoyce at it too . But

2 This is a sad and dreadful judgment upon them , worse then any affliction that could befall them ; of all judgments this the most terrible , as being the Suburbs of hell it self ; to be punished for sin by sin , is the worst of punishments : when God saith of a person or people , he will let them go , they shall take their course , and not be punished , ( viz. by bodily and sensible plagues ) he punisheth them most and worst of all : To denote the greatness of it , 't is three times said in Scripture , Rom. 1. that God gave them up , and gave them over ; v. 24.26.28 . 'T is no wonder men act the devils part , when they are under the devils doom .

3 This therefore speaks no more in commendation of sin , then a Bedlams going naked and enduring ( without feeling ) the pricks of pins in his flesh , commends his condition : Is it any part of handsommess to have a whores sorehead ? Shall we make blind men judges of colours , or dead men of the affairs of the living , and their concerns ? Who would take the judgment of them that are void of judgment , and given up to a reprebate mind ? If men have lost their senses , and will say Snow is black , Honey is bitter , &c. shall we believe them ? But yet there 's none of these but will at one time or another bear witness against sin , and blush at their own impudence : Have you not heard Pharaoh saying , who is the Lord ? and yet ( hardned as he was ) the same Pharaoh saying , I have sinned against the Lord : God hath ways enough to bring them to confession ; they who were once so wild , as to call the Saints lives madness , were at last tame enough to call themselves fools for 't ; we fools counted their lives madness : There is a time coming when all these daring and impudent sinners will sneak and be asham'd ; either the grace or the judgment of God will awaken them out of their dead sleep , and then though they dreamt of a feast , they will be hungry , then the mouth will confess , the eyes weep , the cheeks blush , the hands smite on the thigh , the heart bleed and break . Cain feels little till he hear God calling from heaven , and tell him he was accursed , then sin became heavy in its punishment , yea intollerable , Gen. 4 . 9.-13 . Judas makes merry a while , and chinks his 30 Pieces , but anon cannot endure the money nor himself , but went to his own place . The Prodigal gallants it long , but yet at last cries peccavi . I find

3 Times when 〈◊〉 sinners have confest their sin .

1 In a day of affliction , when the plagues of God have taken hold of them , and the judgments of God have been heavy upon them : The story of Pharaoh is too long to rehearse , and that of Nebuchadnezzar , Dan. 4 Oh how did God stoop their stout hearts and bring them on their knees ! Sinners that are shameless , and seem to dare heaven , and challenge God himself , and scoff at his threatnings , will then be made to change their note , and to weep instead of singing another , or the second part to the same tune . Josephs Brethren that were shameless in Canaan , were asham'd in Aegypt , and cry'd out , Verily we are guilty concerning our Brother : The cruel Adonibezek would acknowledge the Justice of Gods retaliation : Oh tell me what your Desperadoes will say in distress , and on a Death bed ; if they do not then awake and repent , yet

2 In the day of judgment , ( the great and terrible day of the Lord ) they will be asham'd : they that run now to all ex●●●se of riot , will not be able to stand then : the wicked shall not stand in judgment ; they will then quake and tremble , horror will take hold of , and arrest them ; they will not stand to justifie themselves , nor to be justified by any other ; they will be found specchless , ( without a word to say for themselves , or their sins ) as he that came to the wedding feast without a wedding garment ; if the righteous be scarcely saved , or with difficulty , where shall the sinners and ungodly appear ? 1 Pet. 4.18 . See how they run away , and would fain hide themselves , Revel. 6.15 . &c.

5 In the day of Eternity , ( that long , everlasting day ) then when they are in hell , they will will confess the sinfulne●s of sin ; the place of torment will extort the consession of sin , as it d●d from Dives , Luke 16. Where 's the rus●ling of Silk and Sattin now ? where are the dainty bit● , the generous wines , and all the deceitful pleasures of sin now ? Alas ! though they have no pitty shown them , they will pitty others , and wish that none might come into that place of torment ; then they will cry out , oh sinful sin , oh devillish and hellish sin !

So much shall suffice to have spoken of this , and thereby to have evinced the sinfulness of sin , from the confession of wicked men . I now proceed to call in other witnesses .

4 4 4 The whole Creation witnesseth against sin . As God , Angels and men have witnessed against sin , so the whole Creation doth witness against sin ; not one creature between , or in heaven and earth , or under the earth , whither animate or inanimate , but proclaim the sinfulness of sin ; not only the sensible , but insensible creatures can find a tongue and language to speak against sin : And that 1 With respect to themselves . 2 With respect to God and man .

1 The whole Creation witnesseth against sin , as having done them a great deal of wrong and injury : that sin hath deprived them of their priviledge , that they are not now as when they came out of Gods hand , and were made by him . When God lookt on all that he had made , behold it was very good , Gen. 1.31 . But ah , how are things alter'd since sin came into the world ! The Angels he hath charged with folly , Job . 4.18 . The Heavens are not clean in his sight , Job 15.15 . Man in his best ( now ) estate is altogether vanity , Psa. 39.5 . The Earth is under a curse , Gen. 3.17 , 18. Yea , the whole Creation groans , Rom. 8.21 , 22. The whole Universe , as the Learned Grotius clearly observes and notes , beside many others as well as he . The Apostle had three times said the Creature , v. 19 , 20 , 21. and yet more fully , v. 22. The whole Creation ( or every creature ) is subject to vanity , and under the bondage of corruption , which makes it groan , and puts it to pain , as a woman in travel ; as if it cry'd out , Oh sinful sin ! I was free born , and though under dominion , yet not under bondage ; I did once serve man freely , but now from fear , Gen. 9.2 . I did nothing of my self , may every creature ( that is under his power ) say to man , to make me liable to bondage , but being thy goods and chattels , I suffer a part of the penalty of thy Treason ; if thou hadst not sinned . I had not suffer'd ; but now I groan and wait to be deliver'd from the bondage of thy corruption , Oh sinful sin !

2 The Creation witnesseth against sin , with respect to God and man : For , 1 It teacheth man many duties . 2 It convinceth man of many a sin .

1 The Creatures teach man his duty in general , and many special ones : In general , they do all in their courses and places praise God , and fulfill his word ; as you may read at large , Psa. 14.8 . Rev. 5.13 . Never did any creature , but the fallen Angels and man , transgress the Law , or disobey the word of their Creator ; they are such good servants , that when God bids them them go , they go ; come , and they come ; do this , and they do it ; and by this they teach man to do what God bids him , and what a sinful thing 't is to break his Law , and to disobey his word : The creatures cry shame on us when we sin : But specially

1 The creatures do teach man dependance upon God ; they depend on God , and teach man to do so too , as our Saviour speaks , Mat. 6 . 25.-34 . take no anxious ( and soul-disturbing ) thoughts for your livelihood , &c. learn of the Fowls of the Air , and Lillies of the field , to trust God , &c.

2 They teach man to pray , or call upon man to call upon God ; for they cry to God , they observe their morning prayer before they break their fast ( as I may speak ) the Ravens forget it not , Psa. 147.9 . He giveth to the Beast his food , and to the young Ravens which cry ; this cry is made to God , for Joh 38.41 . who provideth for the Ravens his food , when his young ones cry unto God ; they are no sooner hatcht , but they cry unto God : ( Oh man then remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth . ) All the creatures do the like , Psa. 104.27 , 28. they all wait upon thee , that thou mayst give them their meat in due season ; yea , beside their waiting , they petition too , Psa. 145.15 , 16. Thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing : Now if thou be a prayerless , or ( as before ) a distrustful person , these creatures witness against thy sin , for they teach thee to pray and trust .

3 They teach us to be weary of the bondage of corruption ; they are a weary on 't , they groan under it , and wilt not thou cry out , Oh wretch that I am , who shall deliver me from this bondage of corruption , and this body of death ! if not the creature witness against thee , and withall teach thee to wait , and long for a better state , and to long for the glorious liberty of the Sons of God . Again

4 The creatures teach us to be fruitful under means , to answer the cost and charges that God bestows on us : The earth , which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it , bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is drest , Hebr. 6.7 . with Is. 53.10 . The Oxe knows his owner , and the Ass his Masters crib , Is . 1. The Flock feeds the shepherd , &c. 1 Cor. 9.7 . If thou be barren and unfruitful , thy gardens and thy fields ; if thou be disobedient , thine Oxe and thine Ass will upbraid thee , and God himself appeals to heaven and earth against thee , Deut. 32.1 . Is. 1.2 .

2 The creatures , as they teach many duties , so they convince of many sins ; they are in both respects Schoolmasters to man : The use we have of the creature now bears witness against sin ; our eating flesh doth , there was no such grant in the first blessing , since sin our appetites more canine ; our cloaths witness against sin , and ( in the Hebrew ) the same word signifies treachery or prevarication , and a garment ; the cloaths that cover our nakedness tell us , that sin dispoiled us of better robes , viz. our Innocency , the dust tells us we must to dust , having sinned ; as the use , so the vanity and disappointments , and thence vexations we meet with , in and from the creatures , do all witness against sin . Particularly ,

1 The Creation witnesseth against Atheisme , Rom. 1.20 . He that hath said in his heart there is no God , is called fool by every creature ; quaelibet herba Deum . The very notion of a creature supposeth a God , and we may more reasonably conclude , that there is nothing then that there is no God ; their being made , argues a first cause , and who is that but God ? 'T is so clear , saith the Apostle , from the Creation , viz. the Eternal Godhead , that they are left without excuse , Rom. 2.20 . Rain from heaven , &c. is Gods witness of his being , and being good , as the Apostle infallibly concludes , Acts 14 . 15.-18 . Creation and Providence ( which is Creation upheld and continued ) are witnesses for God! so that I may say with Job , Ch. 12.7 , 8 , 9 Ask now the beasts , and they shall teach thee , and the Fowls of the air , and they shall tell thee ; or speak to the earth , and it shall teach thee , and the Fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee , what ? that the hand of the Lord hath wrought all these ; if there be any being , there is a God , saith the Creation .

2 The creatures witness against disingenuity and ingratitude , against non-acknowledgments of beholdingness to God ; yea the dullest among the creatures witness against this , Is. 1.3 . God upbraids the ingratitude and rebellion of Israel , with the gratitudes and services that the Oxe and the Ass pay their owners : The rivers of waters return continually to pay their acknowledgments to the Fountain-general , the Sea , Eccl. 1.7 . These waters upbraid them that make none but ill returns to God , and say in effect , what Moses did in words , O foolish people and unwise , do ye thus requite the Lord , evil for good !

3 The creatures bear witness against the idleness of man , and the sinfulness thereof : Man was not to be idle in Paradise , every man should have a calling to follow , and should follow his calling ; and he ( saith the Apostle ) that will not labour , must not eat ; of idleness comes no good ; yet alas how many busie-bodies are there , that do nothing but idle away their daies ? to these the creature speaks by his industry , and Solomon turns the Sluggard to the Ant to learn , Prov. 6 . 6.-11 . 'T is not only go to the Infidel , for he that provides not for his family is worse then an Infidel ; but 't is , go to the Ant: It may be thou hast a wife and children that want conveniences , yea necessaries , whilest thou art ●dle ; go to the Ant thou Sluggard .

4 Against ignorance , and its sinfulness , against mans non-observance of times and ●easons , and the judgments of God , Jer. 8. ● , 9. The Stork in the heaven knoweth her ●ppointed time ; the Turtle , the Crane , and be Swallow , observe the time of their coming , but my people ( wise though they thingk hemselves to be ) do not know the judgment ●f the Lord ; though they pretend skill in the ●●ce of the Skies , yet discern not the signs of ●●e times , they scarce know what time of ●●y 't is , nor that 't is the day of their visitat . -●● , as 't is in Luke 12.56 . and 19.42 .

5 They witness against oppression and covetousness , as exceeding sinful ; the stone shall cry out of the wall , and beam out of the timber shall answer it , Hab. 2.11 , 12. But what do these strange kind of speakers and witnesses say ? this , woe to him , and woe to him , &c. Some mens Lands , and the furrows of their fields cry against them , as Job 31.38 . possibly the poor labouring man that plow'd and reapt hath not yet his wages , as James 5.4 . the gold and the silver also , yea the canker and rust thereof ; the moth-eaten garments also are witness against these sins , James 5 1 , 2. The Ass rebuked the madness of the Prophet , when he was hastening after an evil covetousness , 2 Pet. 2.15 , 16.

6 They will and do witness against the sinfulness of resusing the tenders of the Gospel , and the offers of grace ; quis nisi mentis inops , &c. 't ad wont to be said , who but fool● refuse gold when 't is offer'd them ? But ala● there are such fools as refuse Christ , and heaven , and happiness offer'd them , and will no be entreated to be reconciled , that they ma● be saved , but are set against the glory 〈◊〉 God , and their own salvation ; now again●● these do the stones of the street , and the d●● of the Apostles feet bear witness , Luke 1● 40. Luke 9.5 . and 10.10 , 11. Indeed the● is not a sin but the Creation in whole , and 〈◊〉 the several parts doth bear witness agains● the very dullest and worst-natured creatu● have exceeded man , the Oxe and Ass ; a● Dives his dogs had more humanity then Dives himself , and were witnesses against his cruelty . In short , whatever duties they teach , by that they convince of , and bear witness against the sins which are contrary to them duties , and whatever sins they convince of , they teach the duties contrary to them sins .

There remains yet another thing to prove the sinfulness of sin by the creatures ( which I shall but touch ) and that is , as they are instruments in the hands of God to punish sinners , which they do with much readiness , as if they were revenging themselves as well as vindicating God , witness the plagues of Aegypt . The four Elements have born their testimony often ; Fire burnt Sodom , Water drown'd the old World , the Earth swallowed up Corah , &c. the Air hath conveyed infection in times of plague ; the Sun , Moon and Stays have been warriours , and fought in their courses against sin ; the beasts of the field and sowls of the air have done the like ; but I only hint these things : Two ways they shew their displeasure ( and his , whose creatures they are ) against sin , in punishing sinners .

1 By withdrawing their influences , Deut 28.23 . the heaven shall be brass , and the earth iron , that shall not rain nor drop dew , this shall not bring forth fruit . See Hos. 2.18.22 .

2 By acting contrary to their ordinary course and nature ; for waters to stand on an heap , Exod. 15.8 . fire not to burn , Dan. 3. are unwonted and contranatural things , and they do this to witness against the contranaturalness of sin , and both these were witnesses against the sin of persecuting Gods Israel : This do the creatures continue to do upon occasions to this day , they are always bearing witness , though men observe it not , which also infers their further sinfulness ; and this shall suffice as to the witness of the whole Creation . Next .

If any should say , notwithstanding all these witnesses , we cannot put sin to death without a Law ; if there be no Law to condemn sin , we cannot condemn it : I shall therefore proceed to shew , that there is a Law against sin , which condemns sin , as worthy of death , for being guilty of the death of many , and attempting the death of all ; so that we may legally , and ought by Law to condemn and put sin to death : For ,

5 The Law witnesseth against , and condemns Sin .

The Law of God is without sin in it self , 5 5 The Law doth witness against sin . and 't is against sin in others : The Law being holy , just and good , that which breaks the Law must be unholy , unjust and evil : The Law discovers the authority , wisdome , will and goodness of God ( in its primary intention and promulgation , for 't was to life ) sin must therefore be exceeding sinful , it being against all this : The Law discover'd mans d●ty and mans happiness ( 't was the whole of man , in both these senses ) how evil is sin then that is a contradiction of , and contrariety to both the duty and happiness of man ; so that sin being a transgression of Gods good Law , the sinfulness of sin appears by the Commandment . More particularly .

1 The Law is against sin before 't is committed .

2 After 't is committed .

1 The Law is against sin before 't is committed , 't is against its being to be committed , its holy , and wholly against sin , for it forbids sin , all sin , whither of Omission or Commission , whither in thought , word or deed , whither against God , or against man , the voice and cry of the Law is , thou shalt not sin ; so that ( in this sense ) by the Law is the knowledge of sin , viz. what is sin , as well as what sin is , Rom. 7.7 . Is the Law sin , God forbid ! nay , I had not known sin but by the Law , for I had not known lust or concupiscence ( to be a sin ) except , or unless the Law had said , thou shalt not covet , thou shalt not lust : The Law shews that lust is sin by forbidding it ; yea , the Law doth not only forbid sin , but forbids it upon great and severe penalty , upon no less then pain of death , on the peril of a curse , for this it saith , cursed be every one that doth not , and continueth not to do all things which are written in the Law , Gal. 3.11 . So that the Law is utterly against the commission of sin .

2 The Law is against sin after 't is committed ; and here , even by the commandment , sin appears to be exceeding sinful after commission . For

1 The Law discovers ( as before what is sin , so now ) what sin is , how displeasing to God , how destructive to man , and that as 't is a transgression of the Law of God made for the good of man , no sooner is sin committed , but the Law is so far from indulging or justifying it , or the sinner , or from concealing it , that it discovers it , and the displeasure of God against it , Rom. 3.20 . yea , not only discovers sin , but

2 It condemns the sinner ; the Law is not against the righteous , against such there is no Law , nor condemnation ; but this Law , which ( like a good Magistrate ) is an incouragement to them that do well , is a terrour to evil doers , saith the Apostle , Rom. 7.9 . when the commandment came ( and shew'd me sin as in a Perspective-glass ) sin revived , it got the victory over me , was too strong for me ( for the Law strengthened it against me , 1 Cor. 15.56 . ) and I died ; I was dead in Law , I had sentence of death within me , as he speaks in another case : The transgressed Law worketh wrath , Rom. 4.15 . it sends abroad terrours , thundrings and flashes of wrath ; it discovers wrath to them , that by sin have made work for wrath . Thus the Law is against sin , before and after the commission of it .

Yet further , to shew how the sinfulness , the malignity of sin appears by the Commandment ; as

1 Thus , That it takes occasion from its being prohibited , and forbidden by the Law , to sin against , and transgress it the more : It hath such a malignity , such an enmity in it , that it will not be subject to the Law of God , Rom. 8.7 . it strives to break this bond in sunder , and to cast this cord far from it ; the Law stands in its way , and therefore it rusheth upon the breaking of it with the more violence ; sin grows angry , and swells like a river pent up , and stopt in its course . Thus the Apostle speaks of it , Rom. 7.8 . Sin taking occasion by the Commandment , wrought in me all manner of concupiscence : The Law said , thou shalt not lust ; at this Lust grows mad , and provokes to sin the more : nitimur in vetitum ; gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas . Sin is proud and impetuous , it scorns to be checkt , or have any chains put upon it : Poor we ( such is the sinfulness of sin ! ) are apt to be the more proud , the more covetous , the more wanton , &c. because 't is forbidden us .

2 The sinfulness of sin appears by the Commandment thus , that it takes occasion by the Commandment to deceive us , as the Apostle saith it did him , Rom. 7.11 . just as the devil took occasion from the Commandment to deceive our first parents ; as if God were envious to us , or at least we mistake his meaning , &c. Thus did the devil , and thus doth sin take occasion from the Commandment to deceive us , to corrupt our understanding first , and by that our affection , and by that our conversation : The devil and sin put their interpretations on Gods Text , they gloss and comment upon it , and put Queries , hath God said ? Gen. 3. and 2 Cor. 11.3 . You need not fear , there 's no such danger , there is another meaning in this command , &c. such are the sly and cunning tricks that Satan and sin put on us , to harden us by deceit , Hebr. 3.13 .

3 Sin appears exceeding sinful by the Commandment , in that it makes use of it to slay and kill us ; it works our death and ruine by it ; as Rom. 7 . 11.-13 . Sin at first makes us believe ( as the Serpent did Eve ) that we shall not die , but live better , and be like Gods : But James 1.14 , 15. being tempted , enticed and drawn away of our own lust , then when lust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is finished , bringeth forth death , yea all sorts of deaths , natural , spiritual and eternal ; this is the wages and end of sin , Rom. 6.21.23 . Man no sooner sinned , but he became mortal , dead in Law ; and by living in sin , men become spiritually dead in sin , Eph. 2.1 , 2. and ( if grace prevent not ) will die in sin , and be damned for sin , which is eternal death : Thus saith the Apostle , while sin flatter'd and deceiv'd me , ( as if I should go unpunished ) it brought me under condemnation and death ; and though God do let sentence of death pass upon some men , that he may raise them from the dead , yet these persons find themselves dead first ( before they pass from death to life ) as was the Apostles case in this place ; Conversion is a Resurrection from the dead : Sin kills men , grace revives men ; so ( like the Prodigal ) they that were dead , are alive : But by this we see the sinfulness of sin , that it makes use of the Law , which was ordain'd to life , to condemn and pass sentence of death upon sinful men ; that which was made to be our strength against sin , is become the strength of sin , 1 Cor. 15.56 . Death were weak without its sting , which is sin , and sin were weak without its strength , which is the Law : Oh sinful sin , exceeding , out of measure sinful , that worketh death by that which is good , and was ordain'd to life !

Hereupon follow several things which proclaim the sinfulness of sin from the mouth of the Law : Do we not hear the Law ? Gal. 4.21 . what dreadful things it speaks against the transgressors of it .

As 1. This , The Law allows us no favour , if we break it in any one thing , though we observe it in many things , if we keep not all , 't is as if we kept it not at all ; the Law will not pardon the least sin ; there is no compounding with the Law , nor compensating a sin by doing a duty , Rom. 2 25. What profiteth Circumcision ? it profiteth if thou keep the Law , but if thou break the Law , Circumcision is as uncircumcision , it profiteth not at all : as one sinner destroyeth much good , so doth one sin ; 't is like a dead fly in a box of oyntment , James 2.10 . whosoever shall keep the whole , and yet offend in but one point , he is guilty of all ( for the nature of all sin is in any and every one sin ) if a man sin once , though but once , the Law casts him ; for the Law is but the one will of God in divers particulars , either of which transgressed is against the will of God , which runs through all ( as a silken string through a great many pearls , which if it be cut or broken but in one place , the whole is broken ) and where ever there is but one transgression , the Law pronounceth the curse , Gal. 3.10 . Had not God provided a City of refuge , a new and living way , we had never found any favour from , or by the Law , Rom. 8.2 , 3. Hence

2 The Law ( since sin entred ) cannot justifie any man , it hath lost its power , and grown weak ; as Rom. 8.23 . If it were pitiful , compassionate and friendly , yet it wants power to justifie us ; the Law cannot give life ( though 't were made to that end ) Gal. 3.21 , 22. If there had been a law given , which could have given life , righteousness had been by the law ; but the Scripture hath concluded all under sin , that the promise ( viz. of life ) might be given to them that believe : If the law could , implying that it was not in the laws power , but why not ? it could at first ; true , but 't is weak through the flesh , all are concluded under sin , the law is transgrest , and therefore cannot give life : Sinful sin hath weakned the law , as to the justification , but it hath strengthened it , as to the condemnation of sinners .

3 The law makes sin abound , and aggravates it exceedingly , Gal. 3.19 . Wherefore serves the law ? of what use is the law ? It was added because of transgression , to make sin appear in its own colours : the law written in mans heart was so obliterated , that men could not discern sin by it , as they had wont : for , saith the Apostle , I had not known sin but by the law , viz. new promulged and written , I did not know it by the law in my heart , for that let me alone ; so that the law was added to revive the sight and sense of sin , that men might see what an ugly thing sin is , infinitely worse then men are generally aware of , till the commandment come . The law entred that sin might abound , Rom. 5.20 . not that men might sin more , but see their sin more , that men might take a full measure of sin in all the dimensions of it , in its heighth , depth , breadth and length ; the holiness , goodness , justice , the severity . &c. of the law , do all set out sin in its ugly shape and colour .

4 The law witnesseth against sin as exceeding sinful in its being become as a Schoolmaster to us , Gal. 3.24 . We should scarce ever have lookt to Christ , had not the law whipt and lasht us , like a severe Schoolmaster , for this ( not to exclude others ) is , as I conceive , much the meaning of this Text , viz. that the law kept us in awe and bondage , by its severity , until Christ came : Compare this Text with Ch. 4 : 1 , 2 , 3. The heir , as he is a Child or Babe , differs nothing from a servant , but is under Tutors and Governours ; so we ( saith the Apostle ) were in bondage , &c. To be under Tutors , is all one as to be under a Schoolmaster , and that 's to be in a condition of bondage : Many go to School with an ill will , for they go to the Ferula , to the Rod , to the Whip , to bondage , to fear and torment ; the law doth nothing but frown on us , puts us hard tasks , and lasheth us for non-performance , till Christ come , and till we come to Christ , as the Aegyptians did the Israelites , Exod. 5.14 . The law is the state of bondage and fear ; the very children are all subject to bondage through fear of death , Hebr. 2.14 , 15. This also argues the sinfulness of sin , that it made the law such a dread and terrour to us ( as it is to all ) till Christ come , who is the end of the law for righteousness , Rom. 10.4 . and so takes off the Schoolmasters terribleness , by taking us into the university of an higher and better state , viz. that of believing in him for righteousness , by which we come to have a spirit not of fear , but of power , of love , and of a sound mind , as S. Paul speaks , 2 Tim. 1.7 .

5 The law silenceth man from making any complaint , how great soever the judgment of God be upon him : Mark what , to whom , and to what end and purpose the law speaketh , Rom. 3.19 . that every mouth be stopt : All the world must be silent when God speaks judgment , for all are guilty : If living man complain , he hath this answer presently , and in short , 't is for his sin , Lam. 3.39 . There 's no room for one that hath finned to complain when he is judged : a sinner , and yet complain ? Oh I , I am punish'd , 't is for sin ; now this stops his mouth : Man hath no reason to enter into judgment with God , when God enters into judgment with man : O what a wicked thing is sin , that hath brought man into such a condition , that he cannot speak one word for himself ; if he should open his mouth , the law would stop it , by saying but this , thou hast sinned : The Law tells man that he is without excuse , and therefore 't is in vain to plead ; all on this side hell is mercy ( for 't is the Lords mercy we are not consumed ) and hell it self is just judgment , under this , or that , any , or all judgment , man under the law ( the sentence and condemnation of the law ) hath no cause to complain , he must be silent for and because he hath sinned .

6 And lastly , The law leaves a man without hope ; when it hath once past sentence on man , there 's no reversing it by the law : Hope is one of the last succours , and when this fails , the heart breaks , and sinners ( as they are without hope , so they ) are broken-hearted ; Christ came to save sinners , and to heal the broken-hearted , men without hope , Is. 61.1 . men that were in a desperate and despairing state : The law condemns without mercy , Hebr. 10.28 . it leaves no place for hope from it , if you present it with Petitions never so many , and seek a pardon with tears , the law is inexorable , he is cursed , and shall be cursed , saith the law . Now if there be any reprieve , or hope of pardon , that 's from the grace of heavens Prerogative , which is above the Law , and can revoke and disannul its sentence , yea bestow a blessing , where the law denounced a curse ; but the law it self admits of no altering , 't is like that of the Medes and Persians , peremptory , and unalterable : quod scripsi , scripsi , what I have written , I have written , saith the Law . In all these respects , sin by the Commandment , and the law , doth become and appear to be exceeding sinful . But

If it should be said by any , that though the law be severe to sinners , yet the Gospel is propitious and merciful to them ; and therefore sin seems not ( now at least ) to be so vile a thing as heretofore : To this I shall answer , and make it evident ;

6 That the Gospel also bears witness , yea , 6 6 The Gospel witnesseth against sin . and is the greatest and clearest testimony that 's born against sin : Though sinners find favour from the Gospel , yet sin finds none : The Gospel is not , in the least , indulgent to the least sin : The whole voice of the Gospel is , these things are written , that ye sin not : The Gospel is the Declaration of the life and death , the design and doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ , which was and is all against sin : The design of Christ was indeed to save sinners , 1 Tim. 1.15 . but to destroy sin , Rom. 8.3 . 1 Joh. 3.5 . with 8. he came to save his people from their sins ; he came not to save from the petty and contemptible evils of reproaches and afflictions , &c. but from the great and formidable evil of sin ; from the guilt for time past , and the power for time to come ; he came to redeem us from all iniquity , Tit. 2.14 . And this is the blessing with which he blesseth us , to turn us every one away from every one of our iniquities , Acts 3.26 . so that whoever names and calls upon the Name of the Lord ( i.e. makes profession of being a Christian ) is thereby obliged to depart from iniquity , 2 Tim. 2.19 . How ●he life and death of our holy and blessed Saviour did witness against sin , I declared before : I shall now treat of the doctrine of ●he Gospel , which doth so fully comport with , and is adequately fitted to his aim and design , viz. the taking away of sin .

The sum of Gospel Doctrine ( preacht by Christ himself , and confirmed to us by them that heard him ) was and is , repentance and faith , Mark 1.15 . and under these the Apostle compriseth the whole counsel of God , Acts 20.21 . with 27. both these doctrines speak aloud against sin , as exceeding sinful : Repent , saith the Apostle , for the remission of sins ; what an evil is that which man must repent of ! and none but the God of all grace , rich in mercy , can remit and forgive ? And which forgiveness argues him to be a God of great love , rich in mercy , &c. or else sin could not be forgiven , it being easier to heal diseases , &c. then to forgive sins , as our Saviour tells us , Mat , 9.5 , 6. 'T is the manifestation of his power ; according to what Moses said in prayer , let the power of my Lord be great to pardon , &c. Numb. 14 . 17.-20 . Repentance takes in many things , it s made up of sorrow and shame , confession and reformation , all and every of which speak sins sinfulness : Repent , that your sins may be blotted out , Acts 3.19 . If sin be not blotted out , man is undone , his name will be blotted out of the Book of Life : as Repentance , so Faith speaks against sin : Faith speaks men to be void of righteousness and life , for they both are by faith ; and , as if men repent not , they will not be forgiven , so , if they believe not , they will be damned ; for not only they that know not God , but they that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ , will have vengeance taken on them , and be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord , 2 Thes. 1.8 , 9. And how can they escape ( i. e. there 's no possibility of escaping ) this great damnation , that neglect the great salvation , Hebr. 2.3 .

Let us take the Doctrine of the Gospel apart , and 't is ( as in the whole , so in every part of it ) against sin ; not one Gospel doctrine , but the application of it is ( and is to be made ) against sin , Tit. 2.11 . The grace of God bringing salvation ( or the saving grace of God ) hath appear'd to all men ( and so is against the sin of all men , and against all sin ) teaching us to deny ungodliness , and worldly lusts ( not one excepted ) and to live soberly ( as to our selves ) righteously ( as to others ) and godlily ( to God ) in this present world , i e. all the daies of our life ; as 't is Luke 1.74 , 75. The Gospel is a witness against the old man , with all his corrupt affections , passions , lusts and deeds , and is all for new light and knowledge , new love and affection , new life and conversation ; and its design is , that man be no longer an old , but a new creature , Eph. 4 . 17.-25 . 2 Cor. 5.17 . 'T is against all sin , and for all righteousness and holiness ; 't is against hypocrisie , and for truth ; against formality , and for spirit and power .

More particularly 1 The Doctrinal part Of the Gospel is against sin . 2 The Mandatory part Of the Gospel is against sin . 3 The Promising part Of the Gospel is against sin . 4 The Menacing part Of the Gospel is against sin . 5 The Exemplary part Of the Gospel is against sin . 6 The ●●●rimental part Of the Gospel is against sin .

1 The Doctrinal part ; yea that which flesh and blood is apt to interpret as an incouragement to sin , and takes occasion from it to abuse it : As

1 The Doctrine of Gods free and abounding grace , Rom. 5.20 , 21. S. Paul had taught , that where sin abounded , grace did much more abound , and grace did reign to eternal life : Hereupon , Ch. 6.1 . some were apt to take occasion to sin , as if they were encouraged by grace : but oh with what detestation and abhorrency doth the Apostle speak against it ; Shall we sin , either because grace doth , or that grace may abound , God forbid ! and when men would do evil that good might come of it , he speaks like a Son of Thunder , and tells them , their damnation is just , Rom. 3.8 . and S. Jude writes an Epistle purposely against them , that turn the grace of God into wanconness , ( perverting the end of grace ) calling them ungodly men , and men ordain'd to this condemnation , Jude 4.

2 The Doctrime of Redemption by the blood and death of Jesus Christ : Christ Jesus died for our sins , and some wicked wretches are apt to conclude , that they may live in sin , because Christ hath died for sin ; but he died for sin , that we might die to sin , Rom. 6. and gave himself for us , to redeem us from all iniquity , and to purifie us to himself . Ti● 2.14 . the death of Christ calls for dying to sin , and living to him that died for us , 2 Cor. 5.

3 The doctrine of priviledges is against sin : God hath dignified his people , and given them titles of honor ( such a● 〈◊〉 when them of Caesars and Emperours are but 〈…〉 ) behold it ( as a matter of wonder ) 〈…〉 of love the Father hath 〈…〉 , that we should be called 〈…〉 God! 1 Joh. 3.1 . And you , saith S. Peter of believers , 1 Pet. 2 9. are a chosen generation , a Royal Priesthood , and ( which is more glorious ) an holy Nation : Oh therefore abstain from fleshly lusts , therefore shew forth the virtues ( and by them the praises ) of him who hath called you out of your marvellous darkness , into his marvellous light .

4 The Doctrine of judgment to come is against sin ; wicked men scoff at this , 2 Pet. 3. and think if they may be let alone till tha● day , they shall do well enough ; but remember , for all things thou must come to judgment , and therefore learn to fear God , and keep his Commandments , as the wi●e man teacheth , Eccl. 12.13 , 14. and the Apostle speaking of the day of judgment , says , knowin● the terror of the Lord we perswade men , 2 Cor. 5.11 . viz. not to sin , but to live in righteousness and holiness . Seeing this must be , what , oh what manner of persons should we be in all holy conversations , and godlinesses ! ( for the Greek is plural ) yea , and to take heed not to fall into the errors of the wicked , but to grow in grace , as S. Peter concludes , 2 Pet. 3 . 1●.17.18 . all the Doctrine of the Bible , from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelations , is a continual preaching and witnessing against sin .

2 The Mandatory , the commanding and exhorting part of the Gospel witnesseth against sin : What are men commanded and exhorted to , but to serve God in righteousness , and true holiness , all the daies of their life ? to depart from iniquity , as from the way to hell , and walk holily in Christ Jesus as the way of heaven : Yea , God condescends so far , as to entreat men to be reconciled , that they may be happy , 2 Cor 5.20 . and what doth this speak , but that sin is both displeasing to God , and destructive to man , that it is sinful sin .

3 The promising part and promises of the Gospel are all against sin : God hath given to us exceeding great ( Gr. the greatest ) and precious promises , that by these we might escape the pollutions of the world through lust , and be made partakers of a Divine Nature , 2 Pet. 1.4 . and that having these promises , we should cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , to perfect holiness in the fear of God , 2 Cor. 7.1 . Promises of good are against the evil of sin .

4 The Menacing and threatning part of the Gospel is against sin ; God threatens before men sin , that they may not sin , to prevent sin ; and he threatens after men have sinned , that they may repent of sin : 't is not only the Law , but the Gospel also that threatens sinners , and with no less then damnation , Mark 16.16 . and when any have sinned , God threatens the execution of threatnings if they do not repent , as Rev. 2.5.16.22 . Ch. 3.3.19 . This also witnesseth against sin .

5 The Exemplary part doth ( the examples recorded in the Gospel do ) witness against sin , as the examples of the Old Testament , so them of the New are registred as witnesses against sin : The examples of good men and good things are set up as way marks to shew us what to do ; the examples of the wicked as Sea-marks to shew us what to avoid ; the good examples are , that we may not sin by omission of good , Heb. 12.1 . the bad , that we may not sin by commission of evil , 1 Cor. 10 . 6.-11 . Abrahams faith , Moses's meekness , Jobs patience , &c. they are examples for us to follow , that we should tread in their steps . Ananias and Saphira's lying , Judas his covetousness and Apostasie , &c. are written for our example , that we might hear and fear , and not do so wickedly .

6 The Experiences that any have had of Gods goodness , and their own deceitful and evil hearts , and what they have suffer'd by sin , do all bear witness against sin : Hath God been so and so good , and are ye so foolish to requite the Lord evil for his goodness , which should have lead unto repentance ? Deut. 32.6 . God was angry with Solomon because he departed from the Lord God of Israel , who had appear'd to him twice , 1 Kings 11.9 . we should draw inferences as Ezra did , Ch. 9.13 , 14. After all that is come upon us for our evil deeds , seeing thou hast punisht us less then our iniquity deserves , and hast given us such a deliverance as this ; what then ? what ●●e is there to be made of it ? shall we again break thy Commandments ? Oh no! wouldst thou not be angry with us , till thou hadst consumed us ? Oh yes ! we could expect no other : Hast thou had so many experiences of a deceitful heart ? what ? and yet so foolish as to trust it , Prov. 28.26 . 'T is sad and dangerous sinning after experiences , Heb. 6.4 , 5 , 6. It s impossible ( very difficult , at least morally impossible ) for those that have been enlightned , and have tasted of the heavenly gift , &c. to renew them again to repentance , if they fall away : thou hast had many an aking heart for sinning already , oh sin no more , least a worse thing come unto thee . Having such a Cloud of experimental witnesses , let us lay aside the sin that so easily besets us : If you ●in against these witnesses , these witnesses will witness against you , and aggravate your condemnation . Let us therefore say to our sins , ( as Ephraim to his Idols ) with a great indignation , get ye hence , what have we any more to do with you !

That I may draw to a conclusion :

7 There is but one witness more , 7 7 Sin it self confesseth its sinfulness . that I shall produce against sin , and that is sin it self ; I shall evince that sin proclaims its own sinfulness .

1 By its names , which it cannot disown . 2 By the Arts , which it owneth and useth to disguize it self .

1 I shall consider sins names , which sin cannot deny , but confess to be its proper names ; of which I shall instance but two . 1 'T is ( as 't is called ) the work of the devil . 2 'T is defiling , polluting , and pestilential filthiness , worse then any Plague-fore .

1 Sin is the work of the devil , 1 Joh. 3.8 . with 5. not that mans sin is not of himself , or only of the devil , but that sin is that which the devil doth , and tempts others to do ; so that to sin is to act and work like the devil ; he that sinneth is of the devil : Man indeed is of God ; but the sinner is , or sinful man is of the devil : The devil was the first sinner , and he that sinneth is of him , as his child , Joh. 8.44 . He that doth the devils work is of the devil , sinning is the devils trade , and he that follows this trade is of the devil ; he lives a devillish , a devils life : The devil doth nothing but sin , 't is his business , and they that tread in his steps are of him , and like him , they are devils incarnate .

Particularly 1. To sin , and live in sin , is to do as the devil doth , to be like him , and conformable to him : Sin is his work , he is so evil and wicked , that he is called ( emphatically , and by way of eminence ) the 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , the evil , and the wicked one , 1 Joh. 2.13 . Ch. 3.12 . as if there were none evil , or at least so evil as he : yea , the devils are not only wicked , but called wickednesses in the abstract , Eph. 6.12 . and abstracts note Essences : He sinned from the beginning , and continneth sinning to this day ; and they that do imitate him in his work , are his children as much as if they were begotten of him , Joh. 8.44 . ye are of your father the devil , and ( his works his lusts ye will do ; he was and is a marderer , he attempted it upon God , but effected it on himself and man ; he is the Abaddon and Apollyon , the murderer to this day , Rev. 9.11 . he is ( 't is true ) a lyar , deceiver , a tempter , but he doth all these as subserving his name as a King ( for so he is called , Rev. 9.11 . ) his reigning sin , which is a destroyer or murderer , 1 Pet. 5.8 . Now just thus 't is said of them that sin , Prov. 8.36 . they destroy their own souls , they are selones de●se , self-murderers . Sin is devils work .

2 He that sinneth doth not only do as the devil doth , such work as he , but he doth work for the devil , he is servant and slave to the devil ; he worketh in the children of disobedience , and they work for him ; he is their Prince , and their God , whose servants they are , and whose work they do ; his servants ye are whom ye obey , saith the Apostle , Rom. 6.16 . So then , they that serve and obey the devil are his servants : Sin is the service of the devil , the work that sinners do for the devil : Oh what wages are they like to have , who serve such a Master ! though sinners defie the devil in words , yet they deifie him in works , and at last he will devillize them , and bring them into like nature and misery with himself : Sinners are led by him at his will , like his dogs in a string : when men are converted , they are deliver'd from his power , Acts 26.18 . and they that apostatize or are excommunicated , are deliver'd again to Satan ; so that in whatever state a sinner be a sinner , whither Infidel , Formalist , or Apostate , he is under the power of the devil , doing his work , and making work for his wages .

3 He that sinneth , as he is of the devil , and doth the devils work , so ( yet further ) he is a devil , is so of the devil , and so doth the devils work , as to have the name of , and to be called devil ; he is as the devil to God , as a devil to himself , as a devil to others . S. Peter for one sin had the name of Satan , Mat. 16.23 . but wicked men are called devils ; Judas was a devil , Joh 6.70 . Sin made Angels devils , and it makes men devils , Traytors ( as Judas was ) to their Lord and Master , Rev. 2.10 . 't is said , the devil shall cast some of you into prison ; surely the devil did not appear in person to do it , but by his instruments , and agents , devils incarnate : Oh sinful sin , the work of the devil !

Let me here take occasion to offer to your view some sins , which are especially said to be the devils sin , and they that do them are of , work for , and are like to , and called devils .

1 Murther , especially soul-murther , of which Antichrist the devils Son is hugely guilty , in making merchandize of souls , Rev. 18.13 . and lying Prophets that hunt souls , Ezek. 13.18 , 19 , 20. that devoure and destroy souls , Ezek. 22.25.27 . The devil was a murtherer from the beginning , Joh. 8.44 . and they that murther are ( as Cain was ) of the devil , 1 Joh. 3.12 . the rise of murther is from anger and hatred , who so hateth his brother is a murtherer , 1 Joh. 3.15 . therefore , saith the Apostle : be not angry , so as to sin ; let not the Sun go down on your wrath , for that 's to give place to the devil , Eph. 4.26 , 27. Pride is for contention , and that 's for murther : Pride produceth discontent , discontent produceth envy , and envy , hatred and malice , and hence comes murther : If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts , this is not only earthly and sensual , but devillish , James 3.14 , 15. So that originally the devils sin , and his condemnation , was from pride , 1 Tim. 3.6 . Pride made him discontented , envious , angry , and a murtherer ; and so it did Cain his eldest Son , as a murtherer : The proud spirit lusteth to envy , James 4 . 5.-7 . and when S. Peter teacheth us how to resist the devil , he tells us , it must be by submission and humility , 1 Pet. 5 . 5.-8 .

2 The second sin that calls the devil father ( and denominates them that do it to be his children ) is lying , Joh. 8.44 . the devil is a lyar , and the Father of lies . When Ananias told a lye , saith the Apostle , Satan filled his heart , Acts 5.3 . and they that do lye , are of the Synagogue of Satan , members and Sons of the Synagogue of Satan , Rev. 2.9 . with 3.9 . and God says of his children , that they will not lye , Is. 63.8 . They that love and make lyes , are without among dogs and devils , Rev. 22.15 . they are without the gates of the City of God ; and Rev. 21.8 . they have their portion with the devil in the Lake of Fire .

3 Deceivers and seducers are of the devil , who is the deceiver , Rev. 12.9 . & 20.12 . the old Serpent that deceived Eve , and deceiveth the whole world : They that deceive the souls of men , are like the devil , whither it be done by calling the truth into question , as the devil did at first , and against which the Apostle speaks , 2 Cor. 11.2 , ●or whither by abusing and wresting , or false quoting of Scripture , 2 Pet. 3.16 . as the devil did , Mat. 4.6 . or by transforming themselves into Angels of light ( as the devil doth 2 Cor. 11.14 . they that sin in the name of the Lord , and attribute that to the spirit , which is but their fancy , if not a falsehood ; or whither it be done by false and pretended miracles , after the manner of Satan , 2 Thes. 2.9 , 10.

4 They that tempt men to sin come under the devils denomination , and do his work , who is the tempter , Ma. 4.1 & 1 Thes. 3.15 . he tempts all men to one or other sin ; the devil had a hand in Cains murthering his brother , 1 Joh. 3.12 . in Judas's treason , Lu. 22.2 . in Ananias's lye , Act. 5.3 . in Davids numbring the people , 1 Chro. 21.1 . in Peters denying his Master , Luk. 22.31 , 32. he tempted to the first sin , and hath tempted all men to sin ( and to all sin ) ever since : 't is the devils work , and sin , to tempt others to sin , and they that do so , do the devils work .

5 False accusing , slandering , evil speaking , and back-biting of others , is of , and like the devil , Rev. 10.12 . he is the accuser of the Brethren ; as he did Job and Joshuah , so he doth others very often without cause : they that do so , their tongues are set on fire of hell , Jam. 3.6 . make-bates , slanderers , calumniators are called by the devils name , Diaboli , of which we read in three places of S. Pauls Epistles , 1 Tim. 3.11 . 2 Tim. 3.3 . Tit. 2.3 . to carry slanders is the work of the devil .

6 Another sin , which is the work of the devil , and which makes them that do it like the devil , is bindring persons from believing and closing with the truth of the Gospel , which may be done several ways : As ,

1 By keeping them in ignorance , and blinding of them , 2 Cor. 4.4 . either by stealing and taking away the word , Mat. 13.4 . with 19. or by hindring and keeping off means from them , 1 Thes. 2.18 .

2 By sowing tares among the wheat , Mat , 13.27 , 28. with 38 , 39.

3 By perverting the ways of the Lord , Acts 13.10 . representing them as tedious , dangerous , &c. who ever keep means from men , or men from means , or make false representations of the ways of God , are of the devil .

7. Apostacy is a Devil-like sin , John 8.44 . The Devil abode not in the truth , but left his first love , life , and estate , 2 Pet. 2.4 . with Jude 6. Hence Judas is called Devil , Joh. 6.70 . and Apostates are said to turn aside after Satan , 1 Tim. 5.15 . as Converts are turned from Satan to God ; so Apostates return from God to Satan : He that abideth not in the truth , is like unto the Devil .

8. To name no more but this , Persecuting the righteous for righteousness sake is the Devils work , 1 Joh. 3.12 . Math. 23.15 . and they that do it , are of and called Devils . Some he oppresseth , some he possesseth ; and where he is dispossest , he there turns Persecutor , Rev. 2.10 . The Devil shall cast some of you into prison ; this was a persecuting Devil incarnate . Thus in the general and particular I have clear'd this , That sin is the work of the Devil , 't is sins name , and is a great witness against it .

I may here add , that in some sense sin in men ( or in some respects the sin of men ) is more horrible and hainous then that of Devils ; I speak not of the first sins of either , but of their sins from the time that God discover'd his pleasure concerning the disposal of Devils and Men. (1) The Devil hath some kind of gratification in tempting men ( 't is a kind of victory being a revenge ) but men do wrong and torment themselves . (2) The Devils are past hope , and grown desperate , being rejected of God , 2 Pet. 2.4 . for Christ Jesus took not them on him , Heb. 2.16 . they are hardned against God as punishing them ; and are grown so envious , that they will be revenged on man , seeing they cannot on God : if they had but a door of hope opened , 't is probable they would not be so wicked as they are . When there is no hope , persons are more resolute , Jer. 2.25 . But now for men to sin , whom God hath spared , for whom he spared not to give his own Son ; men , whom God calls and woes , and even begs them to be reconciled , and be happy , for these men to sin , Oh what an horrible ingratitude is this ! Oh what aggravating and inexcusable sin is this ; 't is worse then the devils sin ! they sin not against second mercy and offers of grace as men do ! But I hasten to sins second name , filthiness of flesh and spirit , 2 Cor. 7.1 .

2. Sin is all filthiness , which denotes , 1. The Loathsomness of Sin . 2. The Infectiousness of Sin .

1. That Sin is a filthy , i. e. a loathsom thing , will be clear , if we do consider a little that to which sin is resembled and likened , as to the most offensive and loathsom diseases ; 't is likened to a Canker or Gangrene , 2 Tim 2.17 . Now with such persons as are under these diseases , others are loth to eat or drink : 't is likened to the rot , to the filth and corruption of the foulest disease , which is so foul and rotten , as ( according to the Proverb ) one would not touch it with a pair of Tongs . The Apostle tells us of some who ( like Jannes and Jambres ) resist the truth , and calls them men of corrupt ( or rotten ) minds : And Solomon gives us to know , that as a sound heart is the life of the flesh , so Envy ( any thing opposed to the sound heart ) is rottenness to the bones ; yea , sin is likened to the Plague , which every one flies from ; 't is so noisom and loathsom , that it separates the nearest relations : now sin is called the Plague of the heart , 1 Kings 8.38.39 . which is much worse then any plague-sore of the body ; and this is not all , but as sin is likened to the most loathsom diseases , so to other the most loathsom things that are ; 't is likened to the blood wherein infants are born , which is loathsom , as Ezek. 16.5 , 6. It s likened to Mire and Dung , to the very excrements that lye in Ditches and Common shores , wherein Sows and Swine do wallow , as 't is exprest , 2 Pet. 2.22 . yea , to the Vomit of dogs , in the same place ; to the Putrifaction of graves and sepulchres , Math. 23.27 , 28. which is stinking , as Martha said of Lazarus , when he had been some days dead , Joh. 11.39 : 't is likened to Poyson , Rom. 3.13 . All these things and others which I shall not name , are loathsom things , at which men stop their noses , and from which they hide their eyes ; yet sin is more loathsom then they all , if we consider , that nothing but the fountain open'd for Judah and Jerusalem to wash in , nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse from this filthiness : all the Nitre and Sope in the world cannot get it out : beside , 't is not only filthy , but filthiness ; not only corrupt , but corruption , in the very abstract , and all the things to which sin is resembled are far short of sin , they are but shadows , which are very imperfect representations of things : all the former Instances ( or others of like name and nature ) reach but to the body , and do not defile the man ; but sin reacheth and seizeth on soul and spirit , and defiles the man , Math. 15.19 , 20. This is the Canker , the Rottenness , the Plague , the Poyson of the Soul ; and sin is not only worse then any , but then all of these : yea , further , if our righteousness be but as a menstruous rag , Isa. 64.6 . how filthy must our sin be ? The Apostle St. Paul counted his righteousness which was of the Law to be but dung , Phil. 3. what did he reckon his injuriousness , persecution , and blasphemy then ? surely as bad as death and hell ; if not only our righteousness , but our righteousnesses , yea , all our righteousnesses be as filthy rags , as 't is in that fore quoted place , Isa. 64.6 . what is our sin , our sins , and all our sins ? Ah how filthy beyond expression or imagination ! yet again , sin is not only filthy , i. e. loathsom , but it is ,

2. A polluting and infectious thing : 't is of a pestilential and poysonous nature , and therefore called not only corruption , but pollution and defilement , 2 Pet. 2.20 . There are many things that may make a man foul and loathsom , as Leprosie and ulcerous tumours , &c. and yet the soul of a man may be pure and fair , as Jobs was when his body was all over of a scab or sore , and he state on the dunghil ; but sin ( as was hinted before ) defiles the man , and soaks into his very spirit , and infects that . But that we may take the clearer and fuller prospect of sins pestilent and infectious nature and operation , let us behold it ,

1. In its Vniversality , how it hath extended and spread it self over all the world ; there is no Land or Nation , Tribe , Language , Kindred , or People , where it hath not been known , from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof , all Climats , hot and cold , all Quarters of the world , Americans , Africans , Asians , and Europeans have all been infected ; not only Sodom or Samaria , but Jerusalem and Sion were infected and ruin'd by it : 't is here , and there , and every where , but in Heaven . Beside this , it hath infected all Ages , 't is almost as old as the world ; it hath run in a blood from Adam to Moses , and so on to this day , 't is a plague that hath lasted almost 6000 years ; yea , which is more , not one man hath escaped it ; all kind of men , of all ranks and qualities , high and low , rich and poor , Kings and Beggars have been infected by it ; the wise , the learned , as well as foolish and illiterate , Rom. 3.9 , 10. who is there that hath lived and sinned not , our Saviour excepted ? and if any man say he hath not sinned , he sins in saying so . By one man sin came into the world , but since , not one man but every man hath sinned , all have sinned , and come short of the glory of God , Rom. 3.23 . and death came upon all , in as much as all had sinned , Rom. 5.12 . If all men are mortal , then all are sinners , for death came in by sin ; where there is no sin , there 's no death , as in Heaven . Rev. 21.4 . All men have died of this plague , yea , our Lord and Saviour had not died , if he had not been made sin for us . Moreover this Leprosie hath spread it self not only on whole mankind , but on the whole of man ; every whit of every man is infected , it hath made flesh and spirit filthy , 2 Cor. 7.1 . from the crown of ●he head to the sole of the foot , there 's no sound part in him all ( as I instanced above ) all his members are servants to sin ; and 't is no better within , Gen. 6.5 . his heart is evil , the thoughts of his heart are evil , the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil , the very thoughts of his thoughts are evil , every creature of the heart is evil . How the Vnderstanding is darkned and depraved , I shewed above ; that the Heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond any knowledge but Gods , the Prophet assures us from God himself , Jer. 17.9 . the mind and Conscience is defiled , Tit. 1.15 , 16. The Will is become perverse and stubborn , worse then so , 't is wilful and mad , set upon sin and hell , Eccle. 8.11 . The Affections ( concupiscible ) are inordinate , the Passions ( irascible ) are unruly , that man 's more head-strong then the horse that rusheth into the battel : It hath made some men so restless , that they cannot sleep , unless ( or until ) they have done mischief , Prov. 4.16 .

To go on yet further , Sin spreads its infections to the defiling of mans duties and holy things ; it defiles his natural and civil actions , the plowing of the wicked is sin , Prov. 21.4 . Man should d● all ( from the highest to the lowest duty ) to the glory of God ; but , Alas , what doth man do that is not ill done , and to the dishonour of God Sin infects mens prayers , the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord , Prov. 28.9 . yea , though offer'd up with incense to persume them , Isa. 1.13 . Under the Law Aaron was to bear the iniquity of the holy things , Exod. 28.38 . Israel brought God many a present , but sin ( like a dead flye in a box of oyntment ) spoiled all , Isa. 1.11.16 . Yet again ,

Sin infects all that belongs to man : when man was created , God furnished his house for him , gave him the world and fulness thereof , and it was good ; but , Alas , how is it chang'd ! ( as I spake before ) for sin hath made all that belongs to man very vanity , i. e. empty and unprofitable , Eccl. 1. The fulness of the creature cannot fill a man , the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor ear with hearing , for all is vanity ; the gloss and beauty , the pleasure and profit of creature-enjoyments are become vanity ; yea , and more , sin hath made it vexation too , sin hath imbitter'd mans enjoyments ; man lives among his comforts but a vexatious life ; as in the fulness of his sufficiency he is in straits , so in the fulness of his comforts he is in sorrow , in the midst ( the very heart ) of laughter , his heart is sad : Mans enjoyments are disappointments , they fail his expectations , and so add not to his content , but vexation ; neither the length nor the comfort of his life is in the abundance of these things , Luke 12.15 . and which is yet worse , sin hath not only made things vain and vexatious , but a snare and temptation to man ; they are sins baits , by which it catcheth men ; what are honours , pleasures , and riches , but snares to the children of men ? Prov. 30.8 , 9.

This we have said in brief as to the universality of sins infection , how it hath spread it self all over . 2. Let us consider how suddenly it infects , and withal doth increase and multiply : Sin is not barren , but , Alas , too fruitful to beget and bring forth more : it is not lazy , but gets ground continually : how great a fire hath a spark kindled ? Adams ●●●●erity have not been so numerous as his sins : A little Cloud ( as it seems at first ) no bigger then ones hand , grows and spreads to cover the whole Hemisphere . The water that at first seem'd little and shallow , swell'd more and more , from the ankles to the knees , from the knees to the loyns , thence to the head , till it grows to so great a River , as cannot be passed over ; and so doth sin , a very monster for its growth . Particularly let 's observe how it increaseth in our selves , and then how in others .

1. How it increaseth in our selves . Sometimes the same sin increaseth from little to great , it grows from an inf●nt to a man : 't is as a snow-ball , that ( like same crescit eundo ) grows bigger by rolling it in the snow : the little grain of mustard grows to a great tree ; a little seed of sin becomes a great tree : Adams sin was but one , but 't was a breeding and big-bellied sin , the mother of all abominations . One sin transgresseth the whole Law , James 2.10 . when lust hath conceiv'd , it hastens to bring forth , and when it hath brought forth , it brings it up till it come to its full stature , James 1.14 , 15. 't is at first but a Lust , an appetite , inclination , or motion , thence it proceeds to Inticement , by that to draw us aside , and then to tempt and impregnate us , by this temptation it conceives , and there 's an Embryo ; this grows in the womb , and when 't is brought forth , 't is a sin ; and this being finished or perfected , it proves deadly . So James 3.5 , 6. the tongue is a little member , but as a little spark of fire , but it being kindled ( becomes a world of iniquity , and ) defiles the whole body , and sets on fire the whole course of Nature ; a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump , and sometimes one sin begets many more sins , not only of the same kind , but others also . Josh. 7.11 . God had forbidden them to take the accursed thing ; but when they had taken , they dissembled also , and put it among their own stuff ; and when Achan confesseth his sin , you may see how one drew on another , vers. 19.20 , 21. saith he , when I saw , I coverted , and when I coveted , I took , and when I had taken , I hid them ; thus one begat another . Sin degrees it self into a greatness , and multiplies into a number : If we abhor not the garment , we may be ( as it ) spotted with the flesh : if we withdraw not from occasions of evil , we may by the occasions be drawn to evil ; and in not abstaining from appearances of evil , be brought to apparent evil . There is one Chapter that gives us two sad Instances of this thing , Gen. 34. Dinah , out of curiosity , will needs make a visit to the Daughters of the Land ; while she goes to see the daughters , the son saw her , ( visamque cupit ) having seen her , he took her , having taken her , he lay with her , and by lying with her , defiled her . The report whereof coming to Jacobs sons , they were griev'd , being griev'd , they were wroth , being wroth , they meditate revenge , meditating revenge , they spake deceitfully , having deceiv'd , they slew , and having slain , they fall upon the spoil : How hard it is to sin once and but once ! sin grows upon us Let us see ,

2. How sin increaseth in others , and infects others ; it went from one man to every man : how soon had the world got the name of ungodly world , or world of ungodly ? 2 Pet. 2.5 . and after the flood , how soon was the world overspread with sin from seven or eight persons ? one root of bitterness defiles many , Heb. 12.15 . Mens ill examples are very pestilential and pernicious , a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump , as our Country Proverb hath it , one scabbed sheep infects a whole flock . The world grows worse and worse , the latter days most perill us because most sinful ; and as if there had not been sin enough , some set up projects and trades of new sins , being inventors of evil things , Rom. 1.30 . Oh how diffusive and catching is this infection , for others will quickly be in these new-invented fashions of sin and sinning ! Yet again ,

3. The infection of sin is ( tantum non ) almost incurable ( 't is to us impossible , and only possible with God , and that at a costly rate , by the blood of Christ , to cure this plague , and cleanse us of it ) 't is very hard to be cured , because 't is within us , and dwelleth in us , Rom. 7.17.20 . an ulcer in the flesh is more easily cured then one in the lungs ; a disease that 's inward cannot be so well reacht ; yea , 't is not only in us , but 't is rivetted in us , 't is gotten into the flesh and spirit , as if it were one with us , as the Leopards spots and the Aethiopians blackness . There was a leprosie so inveterate , that though they scrapt the house round about and within , and threw out the dust , though they took other stones and mortar , yet it return'd again , Levit. 14. When distempers become as it were natural , and are in the constitution , they are hard to be cured ; 't is not easie obliterating that which is written with a pen of Iron , and the point of a Diamond ; 't is difficult to soften an heart of stone . Beside , this filthiness hath had long possession , even time out of mind : it pleads prescription , so long a Custom is become a Law , and as another Nature , Jer. 13.23 . yea , to shew how hard 't is to be cured and rooted out , we may observe , that very forceable means have bin used for the cleansing of it , yet it hath not been done : God poured out a whole flood of water , which washt away most sinners ; yet sin ( as I may say ) kept above water , and was found alive and strong after the flood . When God sent fire and brimstone ( Hell , as an Ancient calls it ) from Heaven on that Center of sin , Sodom , &c. yet sin got out with Lot and his daughters . Fire and water are very cleansing and purifying things ; yet these you see have not done it . When others sinned , the Earth swallowed them up , yet sin remained , it did not dye ; the same sins are still in the world after all these judgments . Even in the Saints themselves , with all the forces that Faith can make , 't is very hardly kept under , but the flesh will be lusting against the spirit , and when their affections do not cleave to sin ; yet sin will cleave to their affection , and it makes them cry out as burthen'd with St. Paul , Wretch that I am , who shall deliver me from this body of death ! the victory is by Christ Iesus ; 't is death kills sin . And yet ,

4. It lives in its effects when we are dead and gone ; for it follows us to our grave , and there it rots our bodies ; when it can no longer reach our souls to make them vile , it yet forbears not to make our bodies putrid and vile . He that sinned not saw no corruption , but we that sinned do , and stink within a few days , as Lazarus did . Oh sinful and infectious sin !

Thus far of the names of sin , and how they witness against sin ; there remains only one thing more to witness against it , and that is the second thing I mentioned as to sin witnessing against it self . Viz.

2. The Arts or Artifices that sin useth to disguise it self : if sin were not an ugly thing , would it wear a vizard ? or if it had not evil designs , would it walk disguised and change its name ? truth is not ashamed of its name or nakedness , it can walk openly and boldly ; but sin is a cheat , a lye , and therefore lurks privily , and puts on false names and colours ; for if it should appear like it self ( as it sooner or later will to all , for conversion or confusion ) it would fright men into dying fits , as it did the Apostle , and when they come to themselves , ingage men to abhor and hate it , as he and the Prodigal did . Men would never be so hardy as they are to sin , but that sin hardens them , and hardens them by deceiving them , as the Apostle speaks , Heb. 3.13 . take heed lest any be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin : Sin useth all manner of Arts , Methods , and Devices ( as Satan doth ) to draw us in , to inveigle us ; it puts many tricks upon us , and hath all the faculties and knacks of deceiving and cheating us . I may truly say , that sin hath not learnt , but taught all the deceits , the dissimulations , flatteries , and false policies that are found in Courts ; the Stratagems of War , the Sophisms and fallacies of the Schools , the Frauds of Tradesmen , whether in City or Country , the Tricks of Cheaters and Juglers , the Ambuscadoes of Thieves , the Pretensions of false Friends , the several Methods of false Teachers , and whatever else there is of Consenage in the World , and practiseth them all upon us to make us sin .

And though it be impossible to reckon up all the particular ways whereby the deceitful hearts and sins of men abuse them ; yet I will instance in a few , that it may be for a warning to sinners , and a witness against sin ; and then conclude this part of our Discourse .

1. Sometimes sin perswades us that such or such a thing is no sin , though it look like a sin , as the Devil dealt by Eve at first , and so deceiv'd her : she was a little jealous and shy , that what the Serpent put her upon was evil , but he cunningly insinuates , that however it seem'd to her , yet that it was not so : This way is the pride and wantonness of persons upheld , that though these things are appearances of evil , yet they are not evil : but , alas , 't is next to being a sinner to look like a sinner ; appearance in good is too little , in evil 't is too much : 't is a very hard thing to look like a sinner , to talk and garb it like a sinner , and not to be one ; and which is the worst on 't , 't is more then likely , that what the Devil grants to be like a sin is a sin ; and they that are perswaded otherwise , are deceived by him , as Eve was : 't is great odds , but if we do like the picture , we shall like the thing : though an Idol be no God , nor like him ; yet God hath utterly forbidden graven images , for they are of the Devils carving .

If this prevails not , then (2) It would perswade , that though it may be a sin in another ; yet ( rebus sic stantibus ) all things consider'd , it can be none in thee , because thou art necessitated , as for a poor man to steal ; but no man is necessitated to sin , though under necessity , sin is sin in any , in all : for though temptations may mitigare and e●cuse à tanto , yet they do not excuse à toto , from its being a sin , or make it no sin .

3 'T is but one , and but this once . If sin be good , why but once ? if evil , why once ? one sin though but once , is one and once too much : Beside , when the Serpents head is in , 't is hard keeping out the whole body ; one makes way for another , 't is almost impossible to sin once and but once . Yet then fourthly , saith sin , 't is but a little one ; that cannot be a little sin which is against a great God , and deserves so great a punishment as death , for the wages of sin ( of every single sin ) is death , Rom. 6.23 . I but saith sin , (5) 't is in secret , none will see it ; but this is a cheat , for 't is impossble to sin so secretly but there will be two Witnesses , God and Conscience know all the sins that men commit . I but , saith sin , (6) thou wilt hate it and dread it ever after ; as some go to Mass that they may distasie it , and to Plays to see the folly of them : but who would be a burnt child to dread the fir●● 't is bad making such costly experiments as may cost us the loss of our souls , 't is dangerous medling with that which is an appearance , and may be an occasion of evil , much more to parley and tamper with sin it self . But then (7) saith sin , I promise thee thou shalt get by it ; so much profit , so much pleasure , so much honour shalt thou have by it ; but sins gain is loss , he that gets the world by a sin , pays too dear for it , for 't is the loss , at least the hazard of his soul ; the pleasures of sin are grievous ; its honours , disgraces and shame . Did not our first Parents sind it so , and do not we ? the Apostle appeals , Rom. 6.21 . the precious substance promised , ends in a pernicious shadow , and the spoils we get by sin do but spoil us . Sin promiseth like a God , but pays like a Devil ; sin tells us we shall not dye , but live like Gods , but we find nothing but death and such a life as they have in Hell . Sins performances are contrary to its promises : it promiseth gold , and 〈◊〉 dross : If any man have a mind to true mise●●es , let him take sins falle promiset . Well but then , (8) saith sin , others do it , and why mayest not thou ? 'T is not what others do , but what they ought to do that we are to follow ; we must not follow any man , nor a multitude of men to do evil : if others will venture their damnation , what 's that to us ? 't will be no ( solamen miseris socios habuisse ) no comfort to have had companions in sin , and to meet them again in Hell . I but , saith sin (9) 't is but repent , and God will forgive thee : to this we have to say , that he who promised forgiveness to them that repent , hath not promised repentance to them that sin ; beside , if sin were to cost no more but repentance , one in his wits would be loth to buy repentance at so dear a rate ; Repentance ( though it may free from greater , yet it ) puts men to more grief and pain , then ever sin could afford them pleasure . I but , saith sin ( 10 ) thou hast scapt well enough hitherto , no evil hath yet befallen thee : to this say , it may be 't is so much the worse , and not to be punished may be the worst punishment , Isa. 1.5 . Hos. 4.14 17. but what will it cost if God do awaken me ? if not that , what will it cost when God shall damn me ? But then saith sin ( 11 ) 't is but thine infirmity , thou canst not help it : this is a thing ( tell sin ) that none but fools and children can pretend to ; beside , to plead for infirmities , is more then an infirmity , and that which is but an infirmity to day , may become a disease to morrow , if not prevented ; when once the will is ingaged , 't is past an infirmity , and is become a sin . If these ( or other like ) do not prevail , then it speaks more openly ; Sin , ( saith Sin ) either there 's no such thing , there 's no difference between good and evil ; as all things come alike to all , so all things are alike ; or saith Sin , evil is good in Gods sight , else he would judge it , Mal. 2.17 . his silence bids thee think that he is such an one as thy self , Psal. 50. but here tell sin , that this defeats and confutes it self , and proves nothing more clear then that sin is exceeding sinful : if there be no sin , or no difference between good and evil , to what purpose are these different words used by sin to prove that there is no difference ? to say 't is only in imagination and not real , is to deny that there is any such thing as sense and conscience , which every man ownes , and cannot deny without denying himself and God to be . Between good and evil , there is more difference then between light and darkness , life and death , ease and pain , food and poyson ; and yet these are real , and not the differences of our fancy only . That all things come alike to all , is not always true , there are contrary Instances ; and to say , That all things are alike , is never true , but is a manifest contradiction . To say that evil is good in Gods sight , and that he is such an one as a sinner , is to deny God to be ; for if he be not good and just , he is not God : but this speaks men willfully ignorant ; for the flood that drowned the old World , and the fire that fell from Heaven on Sodom ; the Judgments which God executes in the Earth continually ( of which before ) do all witness that God is displeased with , and the avenger of sin : as his giving us rain from Heaven , and fruitful seasons , are witnesses that he is good and doth good ; and that his Sun shines and his rain falls on the unjust as well as just , is a greater argument of his goodness , which calls for repentance , and that also doth witness that sin is evil . And indeed over and above ,

If sin were not exceeding sinful , what need it use all these tricks and subterfuges ? if it were not , and its deeds were not evil , why doth it avoid the light ? Why ( like a false Coyner ) doth it put the King of Heavens stamp on its base metal ? Why doth Jacob call himself Esau , and counterfeit his Brother , if sin were not abominable ? Why do the Gibeonites pretend to come from far , if they had not a mind to be unknown ? if it were not false and a Robber , why doth it creep in privily , climb up another way , and avoid the door ? Why doth it flatter and deceive ? Why doth it never keep promise , but breaks all that it ever made ? 't is because it is sinful sin .

Having shewn what sin is , wherein its sinfulness consuts , and proved it by many witnesses ( even it self being one ) before I come to the fourth thing , viz. the application and improvement of this Doctrine ; I shall in brief sum up the charge against sin . That which sin is accuse●d for , and proved to be guilty of , is High treason against God , and that it attempts no less then the dethroning and ungoding of God himself ; that it hath unman'd man , made him a fool , a beast , a Devil , and subjected him to the wrath of God , and made him lyable to eternal damnation . It hath made men deny God to be , or affirm him to be like themselves . It hath put the Lord of Life to death , and shamefully crucified the Lord of G●ory : It is always resisting the Holy Ghost : it 's continually practising the defilement , the dishonour , the deceiving , and the destruction of all men . Ob what a prodigious , monstrous , devill●sh thing is sin ! 't is impossible to speak worse of it then , or so bad of it as it is , for 't is hyberbolically sinful ! there 's want in the words that are , and need of more and worse words then there are any to speak its vileness ! to say 't is worse then death and devil , the very Hell of Hell , is not to rail at it , but to tell it its own ; for 't is the Quinitessence of evil , which hath made all the evils that are , and is worse then all the evils it hath made ; 't is so evil , that 't is impossible to make it good , or lovely by all the Arts that can be used ; poyson may be corrected and made medicinal , if not nutritive ; but sin is sin , and can be no other , its nature cannot be changed , no not by a pardon . To speak as the thing is , 't is not only ugly , but ugliness , not only filthy , but filthiness , not only abominable but abomination : there is not a worse thing in Hell it self , it hath not its fellow there . All this and much more may be said of and against sin ; and having laid this ground-work , I shall now build upon it the fourth thing , viz. The Application .

The Application and Improvement of the Doctrine of Sins sinfulness .

1. Then Sin is the worst of Evils . By way of Inference for our Information in several things ; as first in general , That Sin is the worst of Evils , the evil of evils , and indeed the only evil ; nothing is so evil as , nay , nothing is evil ( properly ) but sin , nor in comparison of it . As the sufferings of this present time ( of our life which are upon us ) are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us ; so neither the sufferings of this life or that to come , are worthy to be compared ( for evil ) with the evil of sin : No evil is displeasing to God or destructi●e to man , but the evil of sin . 'T is worse then affliction , then death , then Devil , then Hell ; affliction is not so afflictive , death is not so deadly , the Devil not so devilish , Hell not so hellish as sin is ; and this will help to fill up the charge against its sinfulness , especially as it is contrary to and against the good of man .

These four Evils that I have named are terrible indeed , and from all which every one is ready to say , Good Lord deliver us ; yet none of these are , all of these are not so bad as sin , and therefore our prayers should be more to be delivered from sin ; and if God hear no prayer else , yet as to this we should say , We beseech thee to hear us , good Lord !

1. Worse then affliction and suffering . 'T is worse then any evil of affliction ; there are afflictions of several sorts , and they are all called Evils : is there any evil ( of what sort , or kind , or quality soever ) in the City , and I have not done it ? Amos 3.6 . ( God , you see , will owne himself the Author of it , but not of sin , that 's a bastard of someothers be getting and breeding , the evil of plagues and afflictions are of Gods bringing , though of sins deserving ) now indeed no affliction seemeth to be ( or is ) joyour for the present , Heb. 12 11. but though they are not to be desired , yet they may be endured but sin is neither to be desired nor endured : any sin is worse then any suffering , one sin then 〈◊〉 suffering , the least sin then the greatest suffering What ( you will say ) is it worse then to be whipt , to be burnt , to be sawn asunder , &c yes , by a great deal , as appears by what our Saviour saith , Mat. 10.28 . fear not them that can kill , but fear him that can damn , q. d. 't is better to be killed then to be damned , We ma● more easily suffer from men , then sin against God . One may suffer and not sin , but 't is impossible to sin and not suffer . They that avoid suffering by sinning , sin themselves into worse suffering . Th●● seems to be clear enough ; yet because truth are seldom well improved till they be believed and are seldom believed till they are well proved , I shall therefore make this out more fully , That sin is worse then suffering , first by this Argument in general : because Sin is all evil , only evil , and always evil , which no affliction is nor can be ; in my flesh , saith the Apostle , there dwelleth no good , no not the least , and this is ever present with me ; this cannot be said of afflictions , that there is no good in them , that they dwell in and are always present with us : there are some lucida intervalla , Sun-shines in Winter . One may say , 't was good that I was afflicted , Psal. 119.71 . 't is good to bear the yoke in ones youth , Lam. 3.23 . but one can never say , 't was good that I sinned , no , though 't were but in my youth , Eccl. 11.9 . & 12.1 . All things may be corrected and made to work for our good , and we can say , not only God that afflicted me was good , but the affliction wrought for good , 2 Cor. 4.17 . but we can never justly say , that sin did us good . Many can say ( periissem nisi periissem ) I had been undone had I not suffered ; but none can say ( periissem nisi peccassem ) I had perished if I had not sinned ; no , no , 't is by sin we perish and are undone : many have thankt God for affliction , but never any for sin . Some indeed mistake that place , Rom. 6.17 . as if the Apostle thanked God that they were sinners , no by no means ; but he thanks God that they who once were sinners , were become obedient to the Gospel : and the proper sense and reading is , Thanks be to God , though ye were the servants of sin ( in time past ) yet ( now ) ye have obeyed the form of Doctrine which was delivered to you , or ( as the Margine and Greek ) whereunto ye were delivered . Sin of it self is neither good before nor after its commission , 't is not good to be committed , nor good after 't is committed , nor doth it do us any good , but hurt all our days ; but other evils , though we cannot call them good before , and so desire them ; yet we can call them good after , and so thank God for them .

More particularly . 1. Suffering may be the object of our choice , which sin cannot be ; for that which is evil , and can be no other ( and so is sin ) cannot be the object of our volition and choice , 't is contra-natural . If men did not call evil good , and good evil , they could never love the evil , nor hate the good : nor can fin be chosen as a means to a good ; for as 't is evil and nothing else , so it doth evil and nothing else . But now affliction , though not chosen for it self , yet for an end ( a good end and effect of it ) may be chosen , yea , and rather then sin ; it may be chosen , though no other good thing should follow then this , that one did no evil . Instances we have of this , as the three young Worthies , Dan. 3.17 . whose gallantry of spirit was such , that though they should not be delivered by their God , yet they would not ( they were holily wilful ) they would not sin against their God , nor so much as demur , deliberate , or take time to consider , whether they should suffer or sin , t was past dispute with them , brave and noble Souls that they were . The like we have of Daniel himself , Chap. 6. and of St. Paul in Chap. 20 , 21. of the Acts , of which I spake before ; I shall therefore only adde this to it , which is observable , That when he speaks of his afflictions , he calls them light , 2 Cor. 4.17 . but when of sin , he speaks of it as a burden that prest him down , and made him cry out , Wretch that I am ! and again , we groan being burthened , 2 Cor. 5. Moses his choice is famous and celebrated all the world over ; for 't was not made when he was a Child , but when he came to ( forty ) years of age : and he preser'd suffering , not only before sinning , but before honours , riches , and pleasures , accounting the worst of Christ ( Reproaches ) better then the best of the world . There is one Instance more which is more then all the rest , and that is of our blessed Saviour , who had the greatest offer made him that ever was made , and though tempted , and suffer'd by being tempted ; yet he scorn'd and abhorred to sin , Math 4. yea , he endured the Cross , and despised the shame , Heb. 12.1 . — 4. he met the Cross , shame , and pain , and as an addition , the contradiction of sinners ; yet all this he endured , rather then he would sin , for vers. 4. 't was striving against sin : And when St. Peter would have him decline suffering , he calls him Satan , and said as to him , Get behind me , Satan : reaching us this , That 't is better to suffer then to sin .

2. We may and ought to ( not only chuse suffering , and not sin , but ) rejoyce in suffering , and that with all j●y , and ( in the highest degree ) glory in tribulation ; but sin is matter of shame and grief , not of joy . James 1 2. account it all joy , not simply joy , or a little joy , but all joy , matter , of glory , when you fa●l into divers temptations , that is , tribulations , as Saint Paul speaks Rom. 5.3 . they were temptations for tryal of faith , and the tryal thereof is the furnace of affliction , Isa. 48.10 . with 1 Pet. 1.6.7 . Now if any glory in their sin , and pride themselves in that as a glory , they glory in their shame , Phil. 3.19 . yea , if we do but fall into sin , 't is matter of grief and shame : so that suffering is as far to be prefer'd before sin , as joy is before grief , and glory is beyond shame ; to which this also may be added , That God himself takes pleasure , joy and delight in the tryals of good men ; for though he delight not to grieve the children of men , yet , Job 9.23 . he laughs at the tryal of the innocent ; and in this sense many understand that Text. God laughs not at them as at the wicked , by way of derision and scorn , but by way of pleasure : just as a Commander in War rejoyceth when he puts a Party , of whose valour and skill he is confident , upon some dangerous service : though he knows that some of them must bleed , and perhaps dye for it , yet it pleaseth him to see such ingaged in it . Thus God laughs at the tryal of the innocent , for he sees they are men that will bide a tryal ; as the excellent Expositor on the Book of Job expresseth it , with much more to this effect . God took pleasure in the sufferings of Christ ( as Christ himself also did ) and so he doth in the sufferings of his people , as he did in Jobs , of whom God makes his boast to the Devils face , that he still held fast his integrity , though he were afflicted by the Devil , who moved God against him to destroy him without a cause , Job 2 3. upon which an ingenious and eloquent person speaks thus : Surely one may call him more then happy Job , since if , as David tells us , the man is happy , whose sins God is pleased to cover ; what may that man be accounted , whose graces he vouchsafeth to proclaim ? God then ( we see ) takes pleasure in and laughs at the tryal of such his Champions and Heroes : The H●athen Moralist ( Seneca ) ventur'd to say , That if there were any spectacle here below noble enough , and worthy to entertain the eyes of God , it was that of a good man generously contending with ill fortune ( as they used to phrase ) afflictions and sufferings . But now , when men sin , he laughs them to scorn , if his sons and daughters sin , it provokes him to grieve and be angry ; but the sins of others provoke him to laugh at and to hate them , Psal. 2.4 , 5 Psal. 37.13 . and which is better to suffer and please , or to sin and grieve God ? to undergo that which by patient suffering of it , will rejoyce and glorifie God , and give him occasion to magnifie us too ? or to do that which will provoke him to be angry with us till we be consumed , and then laugh at our calamity ? Prov. 1.26 , 27.

3. There are many blessed incouragements given us to suffering , none to sin , but all manner of discouragements against sinning : all incouragement and no discouragement to suffering ; all discouragement and no incouragement to sin . As , when we suffer for God , God suffers with us ; but when we sin , God suffers by us : In all their ( his peoples ) afflictions he was afflicted , he sympathized with them , Isa. 63.9 . Heb. 4.15 . but when he speaks of sin , 't is Saul , Saul , why persecutest thou me ? Sauls sin persecuted Christ Jesus , Acts 9.4 . God complains of their iniquity , as a burden , as if they made a Cart of God , and loaded him with sins as with sheaves , Amos 2.13 .

Again , when we suffer for God , he hath promised to help and assist us with counsel and comfort , with succour and support ; but when we sin , God leaves us and withdraws his presence and consolations ; if Jacob be in the fire or water , God will be with him , Isa. 43.1 , 2 but , saith God , if you forsake me , I will forsake you . 1 Chro. 18 9. & 2.15.2 . Sin is a forsaking o● God , and sin makes God forsake us : now which is better , to have God with and for , or against us ? if God be for us , it matters not who be against us , Rom. 8.31 . but if God be against us , and depart from us , all is Ichabad , 1 Sam. 4.21 , 22. Job 34.29 .

Yet once more , sufferings for God are evidences and tokens of his love , and that we are his children and darlings , Heb. 12 . 6-8 . but sin i● a proof that we are not born of God , 1 Joh. 5.18 , 19. but are children of wrath , and heirs o● the Devil and Hell . Thus the incouragement to suffering , and discouragements to sinning speak sin the worst evil .

4 Suffering , though for sin , is designed to cure us , and kill sin ; surely the remedy is better then the disease ; but sin kills us , and doth strengthen sin : they that adde sin to sin , feed it , give it nourishment , and new life , and strength , its adding fuel to the fire , which sufferings are to quench and put out .

Psal. 119.71 . 'T was good for ●e that I was afflicted , why ? because before I was afflicted I went astray ; affliction is better then going astray : the fruit is the taking away of sin , Isa. 27.9 . yea , to make us partakers of his Holiness , Heb. 12.10 . which is the end of the greatest promises , 2 Pet 1.4 . 2 Cor. 7.1 . So that God aims at the same thing in bringing threatned evils on us , as in making good promises , and making them good to us : Is not this better then sin , did that ever do such kindnesses for us ? A as , its mercies are cruclties , its courtesies are injuries , its kindnesses are killing ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , Sic notus Vlysses ? ) it never did ( nor meant ) us any good , unless men be so mad to think , that 't is good to be defiled , dishonoured , and damned !

5. Sufferings tend to make us perfect , but sin makes us more and more imperfect . The second Adam was perfected by suffering , Heb. 2.10 . ●u the first Adam was made imperfect by sinning ; and thus it fares with both their seeds and children as it did with them , a sinner and without strength , Rom. 5.6 . a sinner and without God , without Christ , without hope , &c Eph. 2.12 . But a sufferer after a while 〈◊〉 be perfected by the same God of all grace , who hath called him into eternal glory by Christ Jesus ( a●d after his example ) 1 Pet. 5.10 . but the more a sinner , the more imperfect , and fitter for Hell .

6. Suffering for God glorifies God , 1 Pet 4.14 . and calls on us to thank and glorifie God for it , vers. 16. but sin dishonours God : by suffering the Saints are happy , vers. 14. being Gods Martyrs ; but by sinning sinners are miserable , as the Devils Martyrs , vers. 15. and which ( I pray you ) is better , to suffer for God , or for the Devil ? to be suffering Saints , or Sinners ?

7. Sufferings for God , Christ , and Righteousness , adde to our glory ( as well as they glorifie God ) but sinning adds to our torment : That suffering adds to our glory , see Mat. 5.10 , 11 , 12. 2 Cor. 4.17 . Light afflictions work an exceeding weight of glory ; but sin ( which is exceeding sinful ) works an exceeding weight of wrath and torment , Rom. 2.5 . It heaps heap upon heap , load upon load , to make up a treasury of wrath : which then is the greatest evil ( I speak to wise men , judge ye what I say ) light affliction , or heavy sin ? which is better , treasures of glory or treasures of wrath ? or which is all one , to suffer , or to sin ?

Thus far I have evinced , that sin is worse then affliction : I , but it may be said , if we suffer not unto death , 't is no great suffering , skin for skin and all a man hath will he give for his life , but to dye is dreadful ; 't is worse to sin : I shall therefore prove ,

2. Sin is worse then death . That sin is worse then death : we use to say , of two evils chuse the least , now to dye is more cheap and easie then to sin : as Gods loving-kindness is better then life , we had better part with this then that ; so sin is worse then death , we had better undergo this , then do that , better submit to death , then commit sin , as I hinted before from Mat. 10.28 . But let us compare them .

Sin is more deadly then death , viz. the separation of soul and body , the dissolution of Natures frame and the union thereof : this ( which we call Death ) is apprehended as a great evil , as appears by mans unwillingness to dye ; men will live in sickness and pain , they will be in deaths often rather then dye once : and 't is not only an evil in apprehension , but 't is really so to humane Nature , for 't is called an enemy , 1 Cor. 15.26 . 'T is true , death is a friend to grace ; but 't is as true that death is an enemy to nature ; and there are four things in which death is evil , and an enemy to man , and in all these respects , sin is more an enemy to man then death .

1. Death is separating ; it separates the nearest and dearest relations , yea , that which God hath joyned together , man and wife , soul and body : it separates from Estates , Ordinances , &c. as I shewed before ; thus death is a great evil and enemy ; true , but sin is worse , for it brought death , and all the evils that come by death , and separates man ( while alive ) from God , who is the light and life of our lives . Death separates not from the love of God , that sin doth , Rom. 8.38 , 39. Isa. 59.2 .

2. Death is terrifying , 't is ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) the King of Terrors , Job 18.14 . 't is a grim Sir , a very sowre and tetrical thing : 't is ghastly and frightful , for men are not only unwilling but afraid to dye ; but all the terror that is in death , sin puts there , 't is the sting of death , 1 Cor. 13.56 . without which , though it kill , it cannot curse , nor hurt any man : so that sin is more terrible then death , for without sin either there had been no death , or ( to be sure ) no terror in death ; when the sting is taken away by the death of Christ , there 's no danger nor cause of fear , Heb 2.14 , 15. and the Apostle looking on the Prince of Peace , was not afraid of the King of Terrors , but could challenge and upbraid it , 1 Cor. 15 55

3. Death is killing , but sin much more ; death deprives of natural and temporal , but sin deprives of spiritual and eternal life ; death kills but the body , sin kills the soul , and brings it u●der a worse death then the first , viz. the second : Men may kill us , but only God can destroy us , i. e. damn us , and that he never doth but for sin ; so that sin is more ●i●ling then death is .

4. Death is corrupting , it brings the body to corruption , and makes it so loathsom , that we say of our dearest relations ( as Abraham of Sarah when she was dead ) bury her out of my sight ; death makes every man say to the worm , thou art my mother , and to corruption and putrefaction , thou art my sister , Job 17.14 But sin corrupts us more then death ( for he that dyed without sin , saw no corruption ) it defiles us , and makes us a stink in the nostrils of God and men , Gen. 34.30 . the old man and its lusts are corrupt and do corrupt us , Eph. 4.22 . They corrupt our souls , and that which corrupts souls ( the principal man of the man ) is much worse then that which corrupts the body only ; but sin corrupts the body too while alive , intemperance , uncleanness corrupts soul and body ; so that sin is even in this worse then death . Our Saviour tells the Jews , that their great misery was not that they should dye , but that they should dye in their sins , Job . 8 21. intimating that sin was worse then death , and that which made death a misery ; better dye in an Hospital or a Ditch then in sin ; 't is better to dye any how , then sin , and dye in sin , and therefore the Father told Eudoxia the Empress , when she threatned him , Nil nisi peccatum timeo , I fear nothing but to sin . And ' ewas a Princely Speech of a Queen , who said , She had rather hear of her childrens death , then that they had sinned . And they of whom the world was not worthy , being too good to live long , chose rather to dye then sin , Heb. 11. and many a good man ( like S. Paul ) desires to dye , because this dying will prove the death of sin . Sin is worse then death , yea , and ,

3. Sin is worse then the Devil : Sin is worse then the Devil . the Devil is inde●d a terrible Enemy , the evil and envious one , the hater of mankind , but he knows he can nor damn nor hurt men without sin : Sin can do that without the Devil , which the Devil cannot do without sin , and that is , undo men . God and the Devil are not so contrary as God and Sin ; for the Devil hath something ●eft ( viz. ) a Being which was of God : but sin never was nor can be of God , he is neither Author of , nor Tempter to it , James 1.13 . Sin made the Devil what he is ( as a Devil ) the Devil was not made so of God : as to man , the Devil ( 't is true ) doth now seek to devour him , but he cannot do it without sin , nor can he compel any man to sin . But ,

1. Though the Devil tempt , 't is man that sins . Temptations from Satan to si● , are not sins nor the way to Hell ; but the very temptations of sin are sins , the way to more sins , and so to Hell . A mans own lusts are more and worse tempters then the Devil , and the Scripture speaks as if a man were not tempted ( nor indeed is effectually ) till his lust do it , James 1.14 . If a man were tempted by the Devil forty days , and yet without sin as Christ was ; yea , tempted all his days , yet if a man yield not , but the grace of God be sufficient for him , he may as St. Paul , glory in his infirmities , and triumph over the messenger of Satan , 2 Cor 12. The Devil gives over for a season , which sinful lusts scarce ever do ; they haunt men more then the Devil doth , There is a scum of filthiness beiling or ●ubling up , when the Devil doth not meddle with us . Libera me à male homine meipso , was St Austins Prayer , and should be ours ; for indeed , no man nor Devil is so bad to us , as evil-self is to us . The Serpent beguiled me , and I did eat , was no excuse ; the Devil owed me a spight , and paid it , will not apologize ; 't is man that sins , and sin that damns , either of which the Devil cannot force upon man .

2. As sin is worse then the Devil as a Tempter , and a worse Tempter ; so sin is worse then the Devil as a Tormentor , and a worse Tormentor . The Devil is cruel enough , a roaring Lion , and many times takes possession of men , and handles them most unmercifully , and will much more torment men in Hell ( as I have shewn above ) but all this while the Devil is without the spirit of a man ; but sin is there , takes possession of , and torments that ●is a grief to be tempted to sin , but 't is a torment to be a sinner ; and God doth more form when he pardons us , and more to our ease and refreshment , then if he did cast as many Devils out of us , as he did out of Mary Ma●●●●lene , or a● whole Legion , as he did , Mark 5.9 . Yea , in Hell , the gnawing worm of a guilty and upbraiding conscience doth more torment men then Devils do : 'T would be a relief to a man in Hell , if he could but have peace in his conscience ; or if he could say , that he were there without his demerit , and that his perdition were not of himself . But to eeke out this a little further , I say :

4. That Sin is worse then Hell ; Sin is worse then Hell . Hell is but a punishment , Sin is a crime , which hath more evil then the punishment , and is that which made Hell the punishment thereof ; yea , the greatness of this punishment argues the greatness of the crime , and the sinfulness of sin ; Gods being glorified upon men in such a way , is a clear and full proof what an evil thing it is to sin against and dishonour a God , and consequently that Hell it self doth not so much hurt ( no not to man ) as sin doth . Hell indeed is a disinal place of horrour and torment , the extremity of suffering , but never had an existence till sin had ; nor never could admit of such names as it doth , and such torments , if sin were not there . 'T is storied as a Saying of Anselmes , that if Sin and Hell were set before him , and he must go through one of them , he would rather chuse to go through Hell then Sin : 't is sin , 't is sin , that 's the worst of Hell , and worse then Hell : 't is that which makes sinners cry out of the unhabitableness of devouring sire , and everlasting burnings , which are no terrour to righteous and upright souls , as 't is , Isa. 33.14.15 . 'T is sin that makes Hell to be Hell ; God was never angry , till sin made him so , his wrath was never kindled but by sin ; now as sin made Hell , so the more sin , the more Hell , as Tyre and Sidon feel beyond Sodom and Gomorrah . If there were no Hell but such as Cain and Judas felt within them , 't were yet a great one ; and they would tell you 't were damnation enough to be a sinner , and to feel the horrors of a guilty and accusing conscience .

Yet a little more to shew , that Sin is the worst of Evils .

1. Other proofs 〈◊〉 sin is the worst 〈…〉 . There is more evil in it , then good in all the Creation , that is , it doth us more hurt then all the Creation can do us good ; when we are sick or wounded , there are many medicinal Creatures that can help to recover and cure us ; but of this evil of sin there is no cure by any or all the Creatures : 't was too hard for that good wherein we were created , and all created good ever since hath not been able to recover us from it : no , 't is not but by God that we can be either pardoned or purged of it ; all the Angels in Heaven could neither pay our debt for us , nor cleanse our hearts for us ; and God himself doth new-make us , for mending would not serve our turn , and therefore mans recovery is called a new Creation , and the man , a new Man , created , &c. Eph. 4. and 't was Davids prayer , create in●●●e a clean heart , Psal. 51. Sin is an evil past the skill and power of all the Creation to cure and cleanse .

2. There 's no evil but this to be repented of : God allows us to sigh and groan , to mourn and lament at other evils ; but for this he calls for and requires repentance , which is a severe thing , full of rebuke and disgrace to man , though it be a grace . How great is that evil for which a man must cry Peccavi , and to bring him to the confession whereof , and repentance for and from it , other evils are inflicted !

3. They are the greatest punishments , which are made up of sins : 'T is worse to be let alone and given up , then if men were sent quick to Hell ; for they live but as reserved to fill up their measure brimful , and to undergo the more of Hell , to grow rich in wrath , having treasured it up against that day . As 't is the best of comforts to have assurance of the love of God , and to be sealed to the day of Redemption ; so 't is the saddest of judgments to be given up ( as 't is three times in one place , Rom. 1. ) to their lusts , to an hardned heart , a seared conscience , a reprobate mind ; when God shall say , let him that 's filthy be filthy still , Rev. 22.11 . and they shall not see nor understand , lest they should be converted , Isa. 6.9 , 10. a dreadful place , which is six times quoted in the New Testament , as you may see in the Margine .

4. Sin is the worst of Evils , as appears by this , that God hates men for it ; 't is not only sin , Prov. 6.16.19 . but sinners that God hates , and that for sin : Psal. 5.5 . 't is said of God , that be hates the workers of iniquity , not only the works of iniquity , but the workers of it : hatred is not known by judgments , the evil of suffering , but 't is known by the evil of sin which is before us , Eccl. 9 1 , 2. 't is for this that the merciful God saith , he that made them will not have mercy on them , nor shew them any favour , Isa. 27 11. and as a Learned person expresseth it , This is the highest that can be spoken of the venom of sin , that in a sort , and to speak after the manner of men , it hath put hatred into God himself , it made the Lord hate and destroy his own workmanship . God is Love , and Judgment his strange work ; yet sin makes him out of love with men , and in love with their destruction at last ; so though he delight not in the death of a repenting , yet he doth in the death of an impenitent sinner .

5. It proves Sin the worst and greatest of Evils , that Christ is the best and greatest of Saviours , and his Salvation the best and greatest Salvation : he came to save sinners , and to save them , not from the petty evils of sickness , affliction , and perfection , but from sin , the greatest of all evils . Math. 1.21 . 1 Tim. 1.15 . To be saved from Egypt was of old reckoned great ; but being delivered out of the North , was a greater Salvation , Jer. 23.8 . but Salvation from Sin is the greatest Salvation , and therefore Sin the worst and greatest of Evils .

Having thus evinced Sin to be the worst of Evils , ●n being against God , infers : the Evil of Evils , none to be compared to it for evil ; I shall now apply it more distinctly , and shew what we are to inter From the sinfulness of Sin , His patience to be wonderful . as 't is 1. Against God . 2. Against Man .

As sin is considered against God , I infer :

1. That the patience of God with , His patience to be wonderful . and the long-suffering of God towards sinners , is wonderful ; if sin be so exceeding sinful , i. e. contrary to and displeasing to God , then surely his patience is exceeding great , his goodness exceeding rich , his long-suffering exceeding parvellous , even to wonder ! That God should intreat Sinners his enemies to be reconciled , 2 Cor. 5.20 . that God should stand at a Sinners door and knock , Rev. 3 20. that God should wait on Sinners to be gracious to them , Isa. 30.18 . is not after the manner of men , but of God ; yea , the God of grace and patience and to be admired for ever ! That at first God should think thoughts of good , and not of evil , of peace , and not of wrath , but visit us in the cool of the day , was a wonder ; but that after he had imparted and commended his heart-love to us in and by his Son , Rom. 5.8 . and both were rejected , that he should yet continue to offer , and call , and wait , 't is a miracle of miracles . What shall we say ? 't is God , who is ( as his Name is , Exod. 34.6 . Numb. 10.18 . Psal. 86.15 . and as he was yesterday , he is to day ) the God of grace and patience , Rom. 15.5 and rich in it , Rom. 2.4 . with 2 Pet. 3.9 . 1 Tim. 1.13 . — 16. yea , we are all living monuments and instances of his goodness and patience : 't is of the Lords mercies that we all are not altogether and utterly consumed , yea , and that in Hell , Lam. 3.22

Sin is so sinful , so contrary , and displeasing to God , and hath made man so much Gods enemy , that 't is a miracle he should find his enemies ( any of them ) and let them go well away : That God who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity , should look on the sins of men , that his eye should so affect his heart , as to grieve him , yea , that it tempts and provokes him to anger , wrath , and hatred , and that God should keep in anger ( which is like burning coals in our bosom ) and not let out all his wrath , and ease himself of his burthen by avenging himself of his adversaries , but woo and wait on sinners , Oh the power of his patience ! Oh the infiniteness of his mercy and compassions ! Oh the riches of unsearchable grace ! God sees it , is not ignorant , God is sensible of it , and concern'd ; for it grieves and vexeth him : God is able to right himself when he pleaseth , and yet forbears , and is patient , Oh wonder !

Consider yet again :

1. The multitude of sinners that are in the world , if 't were but one or two , they might be winkt at , and past by ; but when all the world lies in wickedness , as it doth , 1 Joh. 5.19 . when there is none righteous , no not one ( if there had been but ten , God would have spared Sodom , &c. though ten thousand sinners might be there ) but when there is not a man to be found that sinneth not , but all ahve sinned , Jew and Gentile , high and low , &c. Oh what grace , what patience is this !

2. Consider the multitude of sins , and the multitude of sins in and by every sinner ; the sins are more numerous then sinners : if all men had finned , and but once , it would have mitigated the matter ; but sin hath grown up with men , that were not only conceived and born in sin , but went astray before they could go , even from the womb ; not a good thought to be found in their heart , Gen. 6.5 it grows up faster then men do , they are old in sin , when young in years , they are adding iniquity to iniquity , and drawing it on with cords and ropes , committing it with both hands greedily , as if they could not sin enough ; they dare God himself to judge them ; they drink down iniquity like water , as if 't were their element , and nourishment , and pleasure also : yea , and among the rest his sons and daughters provoke him with their sins , which go very near his heart , Deut. 32.19 . and yet , behold , how miraculously patient and long-suffering God is !

3. Consider the length of time in which these multitude of sinners have committed these multitudes of sins ; from the beginning even till now , generation after generation : if all the world had sinned and committed all manner of sins , if it had been but for an hour or a day , it had not been so provoking : but as length of time aggravates misery , so it doth sin : God reckons up 120 years patience ( after many before that ) as to the old World , Gen. 6 3 and to Israel , forty years , Heb. 3.17 . He came to the Fig-tree of the Jewish Nation , three years in person , seeking fruit before he cut it down , or so much as gave order for it , Luke 13.6 , 7. He had waited longer on all these , but these were over time ( such as Landlords allow their Tenants after Quarter-day ) space given before Distraint or Ejectment . We were old enough to be damn'd when we were young ; but God hath given us an over-plus of time , space for repentance , and hath not yet cut us down as Cumber-grounds : Oh patience !

4 Consider that sins cry to God against us ; and the Devil to be sure is a constant Sollicitor against us . The cry of Cains sin went up , Gen. 4.10 . the cry of Sodoms sin was great , Gen. 18.20 , 21. & 19.13 . the detaining of labourers wages crys , James 5.4 . and indeed all oppression crys , Hah . 2.8 . — 12. and yet God ( as if he were loth to judge us , or take up reports against us ) comes down to see if these things be so , and doth as 't were put Abraham and his friends upon interceding , by telling them what he is about to do , Amos 3.7 . Oh the goodness of God!

5. There are many aggravating circumstances attending the sins of men ( beside the greatness of its own nature ) which do exceedingly provoke God : mens sins are not only many and great , but are both multiplied and magnified , they are greatned by many circumstances : men increase and heighten their sin by not repenting of it , and greaten their impenitence by despising the goodness of God which should lead them to repentance , Rom. 2. which makes them inexcusable , and incapable to escape the judgment of God . Men sin against deliverances , as if they were delivered to do all manner of abominations , and to sin more then before , Jer. 7.8.9 , 10. Men sin against their purposes and promises , vows , and protestations made at Sea or Land , on sick-beds , or any times of danger , and return like the dog to the vomit : They compound with God in time of fear and danger , but put him off with nothing , when the danger is ( the more , yet as they think ) over . M●n sin against means and means of grace , they have precept on precept , line on line , yet sin still and more : whatever way God takes with them , yet nothing takes with them , as Amos 4 6 — 11. this and this have I done , yet and yet ye have not returned ; mourn or pipe to them , 't is all alike , they will not hearken ; nay , alas , Men sin against knowledge and conscience ; though they know God , they glorifie him not as God ; they know their Masters will , but do it not , Rom. 1.21 . Luke 12.47 . James 4.17 't were in vain to attempt it , because impossible to attain it , viz. to reckon up all the aggravating circumstances of mens sins , which make them more sins , for degree , multitude , and magnitude ; and yet God waits to be gracious with a notwithstanding ! Oh grace , grace unto it ! is it not a wonder that men are spared , especially considering what quick dispatch God made with Angels that sinned ! Wonder of Grace !

But though God be so patient beyond what we could ask or think , yet he doth sometimes , and will for ever punish sinners that repent not .

2. Therefore I infer , The judgment of God on sinners is just . that sin being so contrary to God , and against his will and glory , the judgments of God ( great , though they be ) on sinners ( whether here or hereafter ) are just : God often punisheth less , never more then iniquity deserves ; the greatest sufferings are no more nor less then sin deserves , the worst on this side Hell is mercy , the worst of and in Hell is but justice . For ,

1. If we consider the Nature of God that judgeth , he is and cannot but be just , shall not the God and Judge of all the Earth do right ? Can he do , or will he do wrong ? Oh no ; he layeth on man no more then is meet , that man might not enter into judgment with God , Job 34.23 . Cain could say , his punishment was intolerable , but could not say , it was unjust ; though greater then he could bear , yet not greater then he did deserve . God will not argue the case with men meerly as a Soveraign , but as a Judge , who proceeds not by Will only , but by Rule : many times over when the judgments of God are spoken of in the Revelations , as Chap. 15.3 . & 16.7 . 't is still just , and true , and righteous , though his ways unsearchable , yet true , and just , and righteous ; he makes war in righteousness . Death is but sins due wages , Rom. 6.27 . therefore 't is said , their damnation is just , Rom. 3.8 . and every sin hath a just recompense of reward , Heb. 2.2 . guilt stops mens mouths under their suffering the judgment of God , Lam. 3.39 . Rom. 3.19 . Psal. 51.4 . with Rom. 3.4 . If God judge man , God is found true ; but if man judge God , man is found a lyar .

Would man complain of the Devil ? ( as Eve did ) 't is true , he is to blame , but is not so much the cause of mans sin , as man himself is ; the Devil might tempt indeed , but could not compel ; so that 't is man that sins , though tempted to sin , and though man could not prevent being tempted , yet he might have forborn to have sinned . Would man complain of God ? what Action would he enter , what would he lay to his charge ? did not God make him in the best of Creature-state ? did not God tell him what was evil , and the danger of sinning ? what ( may God say as of Israel ) what could I have done more that I have not done ? so that man must say , that he hath rewarded evil to himself by doing evil , and that his perdition is of himself , Hos. 13.9 . Sinners have their option and choise , why then do they complain ?

2. The severest Judgment of God on sinners is just , if we consider the nature of sin ; 't is Deicidium God-murther , and 't is just with God to do by sinners what they would have unjustly done by him , viz. take away from them all good and glory , displease and destroy them , because they would him : if we consider the person sinn'd against , and the aim of sin to ungod God , what punishment can be thought bad enough ? The Schools tell us , and truly that objectively sin is infinite ; Oh what punishment can be too great for so great an evil ! if its deed could have answered its intention and will , God had been no more , Oh what an horrid thing is this ! As none but infinite power can pardon it , so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently : As its aim is infinite , so is its desert , and therefore though its punishment be so , 't is but just . Seeing sin contains all evil , 't is not strange that its punishment should be answerable and proportionate : That all sin should undergo all misery , is not unjust ; God renders sufferings to man but according to his doings , Jer. 17.10 .

3. The judgment of God is just , if we consider the state of sinners wherein they dye , which is a state of impenitency , and they have thereby treasured up this wrath against the day of wrath , and revelation of the righteous judgment of God , Rom. 2.5 They that dye impenitent , continue as they dye , and so consequently do sin , and are impenitent for ever , and is it ( or shall it seem ) unreasonable that everlasting sinning should be everlastingly punished ? 'T is no severity in God to damn such men for ever ; let man repair the injury he hath done , and pay the debt he owes God to the utmost farthing , and he shall go free : if he say he cannot , that 's his crime as well as misery , for he might have chosen whether he would have done the injury , and run into this debt . Beside , he cannot plead satisfaction made by Christ , for he made none for final unbelief and impenitency , and this man never accepting Christ on Gospel-terms , cannot plead his Name or Righteousness to God , and there is not Salvation in any other ; so that upon all accounts sins sinfulness clears the Justice and Judgments of God .

But though Gods Judgment be just , how great soever on sinners ; yet he is pleased to pardon and forgive some sinners , and therefore I shall thirdly shew how precious a mercy forgiveness of sin is , Forgiveness of sin a wonder of mercy . and that 't is a wonder that any is pardoned , The preciousness of this mercy , viz. forgiveness of sins appears in this ;

That 't is (1) New Covenant-mercy , the new Covenant is called a better Covenant , and its Promises , better Promises , Heb. 8.6 . the old Covenant , that of works , vouchsafed no pardon ; but this is the mercy of the new Covenant , viz. that of grace , Heb. 8 12.

Forgiveness of sins is , (2) The fruit of the precious blood of Christ , which was shed to this end : that must needs be precious that cost so great a price ; 1 Pet. 1 18. we were redeemed with no less then blood , and no worse blood then that of the Lamb and Son of God , which Redemption is called Forgiveness of sins , Eph. 1.7 . Col. 1.14

Yea , (3) By forgiveness of sins we have the knowledge of Salvation ( pardoned and saved ) Luke 1.77 they that have their sins remitted are blest , and shall be blessed , Rom. 4.8 .

And then , (4) By this mercy of sins forgiveness , we have ease and rest for our souls , and cause to be of good theer ; the sense of pardon will take away the sense of pain . Isa. 33 24. what , sick when pardoned ? no , I am no more sick ; when sin is taken away , the abiding of sickness is as nothing : The sense of sin makes us sick , but the sense of pardon makes us well ; that we can say , as Psal. 116.7 . return , my soul , unto thy rest , for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee : a man sensible of sin , and not of pardon , can hardly sleep or take any rest ; but when the joyful sound of a pardon is proclaimed and received , the soul justified by faith , hath peace with God and within himself , and is at rest . Though the sick of the palsie was not cured , yet he had cause to be of good cheer , because his sins were forgiven him , Mat. 9.2 . This is called speaking comfortably ( or to the heart ) Isa. 40.1 , 2. comfort ye , comfort ye , my people , speak comfortably to Ierusalem , tell her that her warfare is accomplished , is that all ? no , but which i● more , tell her that her iniquity is pardoned . 'T is a greater comfort to hear that our sins are pardoned , th●n that our afflictions are at an end : it makes us able as well as willing to undergo affliction , sufferings , and persecutions .

Now if we consider what a sinful thing sin is against God , how displeasing to him , 't is a wonderful thing that God should pardon any man● sin ! God doth more then man can do for himself , or expect that God should do for him ; yea , it costs God more ( witness the blood of Christ ) and requires more of his power , then to heal all our diseases , and bestow all the good of this world upon us . Our Saviour tells us , 't is easier to say to an impotent man , Arise , take up thy bed and walk , then to say , Thy sins are forgiven thee : and 't is a declaration of his power , Mat. 9.5 . and when Moses prays for pardon of Israels sin , saith he , let the power of the Lord be great . Numb. 14.17 . — 19. 't is called Riches of mercy , Eph. 2.4 . and great love , and such power as by which Christ was , and we are raised from the dead , Col. 2.13 . & Eph. 1.7 . Oh who is a God lik● unto thee that pardonest iniquity ! Micah . 7.18 . This is the Mystery that Angels pry into and admire , 1 Pet. 1.12 . God doth as 't were act against his own word , Gen. 2.17 . he revokes his threatning : 't is more then we could ask or think , 't is beyond our reach , as 't is exprest , I●● . 55.7 , 8 , 9. Men ( when sensible of sin ) can hardly belleve that God will or can do it , but are apt to say ( as Cain ) our iniquity is greater then can be forgiven . Mans mercy is large when it reacheth to seven times , what is God , then that reacheth to more then seventy times seven in a day ! Mat. 18.21 . When good men have prayed , Lord , forgive them not , Isa. 2.9 . Jer. 18.23 . yet God hath pardoned : and when himself was so put to it , as to say , How shall I pardon thee for this ? Jer. 5 3. yet God offers it , and teacheth men what to say to him in such cases , Hos. 14.1 . — 4. that it may be done .

4. I infer from hence , Sin not to be committed o● any terms whatsoever . that no sin is to be committed on any terms , or on any account or reason whatsoever , because 't is contrary to God , against his will and glory ; this reason over-ballanceth and out-weighs any reason that can be given for sinning ; let sin and sinners plead never so plausibly , how gainful or pleasureful sin is , yet ( as 't was said of a Roman Embassador , Romanus tamen ) 't is a sin , i. e. 't is against God , which is a greater reason why it should not , then any can be alledged , why it should be committed , or so much as debated , whether it should or not : for no reason can equal this , that 't is against God . 'T is a common saying by which persons excuse their own and other mens sins , that they are no mans foes but their own , they wrong none but themselves ; if that were as true as 't is false , yet therefore sin should not be committed ; but sinners are Gods foes , they are injurious to God , which is more then being so to any other or themselves : as we should do good , not only because 't is good for us , but because 't will glorifie God , which is an higher end ( and so much higher as God is above us ) so we should forbear to do evil , not only because 't is against us , but because 't is against God , who is more to be beloved by us then our selves . To sin against God admits of many aggravations , for 't is against God that made us , yea , fighting against God that made us ; we are all the off-spring of God , the children of God by the first nature , though children of wrath by corrupt nature : 't is observable how the Genealogy runs , Luke 3.39 . which was the son of Adam , which was the Son of God . Adam was , and so were we the children of God by creation , God was our Father , who made us , and wo to him that striveth with ( and fights against ) his Maker , Isa. 43.9 . 't is woful sinning against God as a Maker ; Oh how unnatural is it to sin against our Parents ! so hainous was it , that Exod. 21.15 . he that smiteth father or mother shall dye . Oh what is it then to smite the Father of our Spirits , the Father of our father and mother ! if the Ravens of the Valley shall pick out the eyes of them that curse father and mother , Prov. 30.17 . what 's like to come on them that make nothing of cursing God himself !

'T is against God in whose hand our breath is , and whose are all our ways , on which account we should glorifie him , Dan. 5.23 . he hath our being and well-being at his dispose , he can crush us as the moth , and turn us not only to the dust , but to the hell of death : what he doth for us , and what he can do against us , do hugely and strongly oblige us not to sin against him : We are beholden to him for all the good we have : that nakedness which had once a Reverence , paid it from the creatures , would now be a scorn to them , if God did not cloath it : the creatures would not serve us , nor be serviceable to us , if God did not command and bless them ; for bread we should have none , or no good by it , if he did not provide and bless it : what could weak things do to strengthen ? or dead things do to keep us alive , did not his Word do more then they ? we live not by bread , but by his Word . If God should deny us bread by day , or sleep by night , what would become of us ? Oh how can we find it in our heart to sin against God! There are two great wonders ; the one , that God should be so good to man , who is , and doth evil against him : the other , that man should do evil against so good a God! O foolish people , and unwise , thus to requite the Lord !

'T is God that preserves our going out and coming in ; and keeps us from infinite , invisible , as well as many visible dangers abroad and at home : if we did but know our dangers , we thould go in fear of our lives every moment ; the Earth would swallow us up , the fire would burn us , the water would drown us , if God were not with us to preserve us ; he could have sent us down to Hell long ago , and yet gives space for repentance , and waits to be gracious : 'T is true , he will at last judge us , and what shall we do ? how shall we stand , if found sinners when he riseth up to judge terribly the Earth ? what Sanctuary or City of refuge shall we flye to , that we may be secure ? Alas ! there will be no ●scaping , his vengeance in that day will overtake and ruine us . Think of this , and think whether thou canst find it in thy heart to sin , or to think it a little or light thing to sin against God , such a God , whatever may be pretended for it ; yet let me say this further , that if God had not laid so many obligations on us , yet were we bound not to sin against his Soveraignty , and the Authority he hath over us ; but when he humbles himself , and vouchsafeth so many kindnesses to us , 't were a monstrous ingratitude and rebellion to sin against him , whatever profit or pleasure might come to us thereby , or whatever reason may be alledged or pretended for our so doing .

5. I might hence infer the beauty , the transcendent and incomparable beauty of Holiness , how lovely a thing it is in the eyes of God , and ought to be in the eyes of men : this is the thing that is so agreeable and pleasing to God , so adorning and beneficial to man . The black spot of sin sets off the beauty of Holiness ( contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt . ) But having in a Discourse by it self ( and which I have published in Print ) I say , having already spoken thereunto , I refer you to that Sermon , and shall adde no more to this Head here .

Secondly , Sins being against mans good , infers . I shall draw some Inferences from the Consideration of Sin , as 't is contrary to the good of Man .

1. That they are mistaken who seek for any good in or from sin . Then I infer , that they are miserably mistaken that seek for any good in Sin ; as sin is , so its effects are , all evil to man : there are ( wo unto them ) that call evil good , or as 't is in the Margine , Isa. 5.20 . that say concerning evil , it i● good ; they think ( and stick not to say as they think ) that evil is good , and place their chief happiness in the chiefest evil , i. e. in sin , and ( as 't is said of Doeg , and such as he , Psal. 52.3 . ) they love evil more then good . Alas , how many do not only undo themselves , but take pains and pleasure to do and in doing of it ; yea , that think it strange , that others are not so mad as they , and run not with them to the same excess of riot , 1 Pet 4.4 . all which proceeds from this mistake , that evil is good , viz. to them , as bringing profit , honour , or pleasure to them , which is called the Lust of the Eye , flesh , and pride of life , 1 Joh. 2 16. from whence came the first sin , Gen 3.6 . but , alas , ( as the event proved then , 't will always ) they gather no grapes from thorns , nor figs from thistles , they seek the living among the dead , and may as well find case in and from Hell , as good in or from sin : the morsels of sin are deceitful , though called Dainties ; sin is a meer cheat , with ( not so much fair as ) false shews it deceives the heart of the simple : the stollen waters of sin ( how sweet soever they seem to be in the mouth and to the taste ) will be gall and wormwood in the belly ; bitterness in the latter end . All the corruption that is in the world , came in by lust , 2 Pet. 1 4 and all lust is deceitful , Eph. 4.22 . and thus the woman was first deceived , and by her the man , 1 Tim. 2 14 and instead of being as God , which they thought was promised , they became as the Devil , which was the thing intended and designed by him ; and sin first deceived , and then slew St. Paul , as he speaks , Rom. 7.11 . It pretends as Jael did to Sisera , to bring milk and butter in a Lordly dish , but the hammer and nail is in its heart and hand : They that serve divers lusts are deceived , as the Apostle speaks , Titus 3.3 . All the servants of sin are deceived , not of sins wages , but of sins promises ; and though they sport themselves ( while they play and nibble at the bait , like silly fishes ) 't is but in their own deceiving , for an evil heart hath deceived them , 2 Pet. 2.13 . and therefore the Apostle exhorts to take heed lest we be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin , Heb 3.13 . Sins first work is to deceive us , and when it hath thereby drawn us in , then it hardens , and so destroys us . But more particularly ,

1. Whether 1. Of Profit . I shall evince that there is not , nor can be any profit to man by sin : can that be profitable that wrongs his soul ? Alas , what doth it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul ? Sin costs dear , but profits nothing ; they make an ill purchase that buy their damnation : What got Cain by killing Christ in his type Abel , or Judas by selling his person ? surely he bought damnation dear , though he sold his Saviour cheap : Take your money , saith he , I have sinned ; that I have sinned , made him weary of his gain and life ; he got Hell , or ( as the saying is ) Devil and all . What profit have any by that whereof they are ashamed , Rom. 6.21 . All the works of darkness are unsruitful ( as to any good ) Eph. 5.11 . but good works are profitable , Titus 3.8 . Sin is a very chargeable thing , it cannot be maintained without great cost . Men might build Hospitals at cheaper rates , then they can maintain their lusts : some mens sins cost them more in a day , then their families do in a week , perhaps in a year . Some starve their families to feed their lusts , which have turned many an house out of door , and brought great Estates to a morsel of bread , beside what comes hereafter . Lusts consume health and wealth , Prov. 5. Gluttony , Drunkenness , Uncleanness are costly and chargeable sins .

Object . But it may be said , true , these are ( as you say ) costly sins indeed ; but what say you to Covetousness , that frugal and thrifty , that saving and getting sin ? I answer ,

That Covetousness and all its gets or saves is unprofitable : For I pray consider .

1. All is not gain that 's gotten ; I will tell you what a wise man saw and said , Eccl. 5.13 . There is a fore evil under the Sun , namely , riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt ; here are riches and riches kept , but , alas , 't is for the owners hurt and detriment ; better he had not had them , or had not kept them : did these profit him ? yes , if hurt be profit , not else : Where is the profit ? he can shew you his hurt , but not his profit . They perish by evil travel , and he begets a son , but can leave him nothing , for 't is not in his hand , vers. 14. while he had them , he could not sleep for them , vers. 12. and his abundance made him poor ; perhaps 't was his crime that he was rich , and some Vespasian or other mightier then he , finding this sponge swell'd and full , would needs squeeze him , and leave him hollow and empty . Stories tell us of times , when Estates have been the greatest crimes persons have been guilty of , though charged with malignancy or treason . Or ,

2. Consider , Covetousness it self may be a thief , and rob men of the use and comfort of their own possessions : the covetous man doth always need , and is indeed the poorest man in the world , Eccl. 4.8 . There is one alone , there is not a second ( he is a single man unmarried , without a second-self ) yet there is no end of his labour , yet , saith he not , for whom do I bereave my self of good ; observe it , while he gets goods , he bereaves himself of good , yea of the good of his goods . Is this profitable ? no , 't is a sore travel● for he hath not power to eat thereof , Eccl. 6.2 . To fill his purse he starves his belly , and grudgeth himself victuals .

3. Consider , that though you have much , and use it much , yet it will never satisfie , and therefore must needs vex : no satisfaction , no prefit . A mans aim is satisfaction , Luke 12 . 1● . but the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the car with hearing , Eccl. 1.8 . Now if they cannot satisfie the senses , much less the souls of m●n , Eccl. 6.7 . and which addeth to the vexation , the love of money increaseth faster then the money ; so that , Eccl. 5.10 , 11. he that loveth silver , shall not be satisfied with silver , nor he that loves ●●●ndance with increase . Well , it may be thou 〈◊〉 say , none of these are my cases ; if not , 〈◊〉 .

4. Consider that which must be thy case , thou 〈◊〉 not carry away one penny of thy estate with thee ; and where 's the profit then ? what thou leavest behind thee , is none of thine , but thou dyest the poorer for leaving thy riches behind thee , and having not laid up thy treasures in Heaven , 1 Tim. 6. The rich man said to his soul , thou hast goods ; but thou Fool , saith our Saviour , thou must die to night , and whose shall they be ? not thine . What dost thou get by all thy gettings , to leave them all behind thee ? and it may be to them whom of all men thou wert most unwilling should enjoy them , Psal. 39.6 . Eccl. 2.18 21. To go naked out of the world , is a sore evil , and no profit , Eccl. 5 15 , 16. If thou enjoy all to thy dying day , yet then thou losest all , and it may be dost not only lose it , but lose by it ; riches profit not in the day of wrath , and surely that cannot be worth much while we live , that will be worth nothing when we dye . Beside , there is no man in more danger to lose by getting then the covetous man , who is in the ready way to lose his soul ; for the love of money is the root of all evil , which while some have coveted after , they have gotten nothing by it but the loss of their souls , being drowned in perdition , 1 Tim. 6 9 , 10. And truly , take it here for the present , while ●is in its best ; the pains of getting , the cares of keeping , and fear of losing , eat out the comfort of having ; so that all must subscribe to what our Saviour said , Luke 12.15 . a mans life ( neither the length , health , or comfort , much less the happiness of a mans life ) consisteth in the things he enjoyeth in this world ; life needs more and better things . Oh what sil●y foolish things are sinners ! to place the good of profit , in that which is not only unprofitable , but chargeable , to pay so dear a price for so vile a commodity , to pay after the rate of Heaven , and be put off with Hell ! We laugh at the simplicity and childishness of little ones that will part with gold for a toy , for a new-nothing : but how ridiculous are they , and worse then childish , that venture precious souls for that which doth not profit ! as God upbraids Israel of old , that they changed their glory for that which did not profit , and ( worse then that great King who sold his Kingdom for a draught of water ) they leave and part with a fountain of living waters , for a cistern , an empty cistern that hath none , yea , for a broken cistern that can hold no water , no not a drop , Jer. 2.21 . Sinners are often asking this question , What Profit is there if we serve God ? Job 21.15 . Oh , godliness is profitable for all times , for here and hereafter , it hath the promise of both lives , this and that to come , 1 Tim 4.8 . But let me ask them ( and I wish they would often ask themselves ) What profit is there if we sin ? as Judah askt his brethren , What profit is there if we slay our brother , Gen. 37.26 . surely none but shame and sorrow , you may put your gains in your eyes , and weep it out ; if not , a greater loss will come unto you . Thus then we have seen that no good of profit comes by sin , no not by that which is called the most prositable sin , Covetousness ; so that our inference holds good , they are mistaken that seek good in evil .

2 Of Honor or Credit . As there is no good called Profit , so none of that called Honour to be had by sin , 't is not a creditable thing : there are that glory in , and make boast of their sin , but they glory in their shame , Phil. 3.19 . and surely sooner or later , they will be ashamed of their glory . Sin is not a thing of good report , it doth ( malè audire ) hear ill , and hath an ill name all the world over . Can that be honourable which is unreasonable ? can that be an honour to man which debaseth and degrades him ? the unreasonableness of sin appears by the reasonableness of the Law , sin hath no reason for it ; for the Law ( which hath all reason in it ) is against it : that sin degrades men , I shewed above . Take the sine and brave things of this world , wherein men pride themselves , and these cannot cover the nakedness of sinners , much less be an ornament or honour to them , for that can never be an honour or grace to the body , which is a disgrace to the soul . That cannot be an honour to men , which they are generally ashamed to owne , at least under its own name . But though all the world should admire and celebrate the grandeur of sinners , yet God accounts them vile , though they sit at the upper end of the world , and God is , doubtless , the best Judge of Honour ; that cannot be honourable to man , that is abominable to God : Luke 16.15 . even appearing righteousness , which is highly esteemed among men , is an abomination in the sight of God , much more then is sin it self . Again ,

3. Of Pleasure . There is none of the good called Pleasure to be had from or by sin : 't is true indeed , the pleasures of sin are much talked of , and we read of some that take pleasure in unrighteousness , 2 Thes. 2.12 . and of some ( impudent and brazen-fac'd that they were ) who though they knew the Judgment of God , yet took pleasure to do , and in them that did , such things as were worthy of death , Rom. 1.32 . and there were that lived in pleasure on the earth ( and seemed to grow fat by it ) nourishing themselves , but 't was for the day of slaughter , James 5.5 . Notwithstanding all this , we doubt not to make it evident , that there is no such thing ( as they talked of or dreamt of ) pleasure in , from , or by sin . Pleasure is the contentment and satisfaction of a mans mind in what he doth or hath ; but sinners have none of this from sin . For ,

1. The God that searcheth their hearts , and knows what 's there , tells us that there is no peace to the wicked , Isa. 57.21 . the Septuagi●t read it 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , there is no joy , nor peace , nor pleasure , no serenity , nor one Halcyon-day , for they are like the raging Sea , casting up mire and dirt , by reason of its rowling and disquietment : Men ( to our appearance ) seem to laugh , and be merry , but God sees that they have no peace within ; and I had rather believe the God of Truth then lying men , for lye they do when they say , they have peace or pleasure in sin ; Solomon said of laughter , it was mad , and of mirth , what does it ? yea more , in the midst ( or heart of laughter ) the heart is sad .

2. The nature of the thing , viz. sin cannot afford pleasure , it being contra-natural to man : and therefore the Heathen Philosophers could say , that punishment succeeds guilt at the heels ; like that , Gen. 4.7 . if thou do evil , sin lies ( dogging ) at the door . Another saith more expresly , that punishment doth not only succeed sin , but they are born together , and are Twins : For they that deserve punishment , expect it , and who ever expects it , suffers it in a degree ; so that the sinner is his own tormenter , and sin his terment : our knowledge of having miscarried will return and complain of the abuse , and the impressions of the fault will bring fear , which fear hath torment , if there were no more to come ; the upbraids of conscience mar the mirth , and make the pleasure very displeasing . What pleasure can it be to feel the upbraids of meat , though it taste pleasantly ? poyson it self is sweet to the taste , but not therefore pleasant : regrets and ill-savouring belchings do not speak pleasure . Whatever crosseth and thwarteth Nature , is a punishment , not a pleasure , and so is sin to primitive and created Nature ; if custom and a seared conscience seem to deny the sense of such regrets , yet that argues the case the worse ; for what pleasure can that be that benums a man , and makes him not only stupid , but dead ? and they that live in such pleasures , are ( by the infallible truth declared to be ) dead while they live , 1 Tim. 5.6 . When stupidity may pass for pleasure , and death for life , or dreams for enjoyments , these then may have a large share . But ,

3. There can be no satisfaction , but of necessity much vexation , because of the boundless and infinite desire in the heart of man , which this cannot fill up , but disappoints : Lusts are like the Ho●sleech and the Grave which have never enough , but cry , give , give ; the desire argues want , and to desire again , argues the continuance of want ; hence 't is , that sinners shift so often , or ( as the Apostle speaks ) serve divers lusts ; which changes and varieties clearly evince the poverty of their entertainments , and emptiness of their pleasure . While men seek to quench the thirst of sin by giving it salt water to drink , they do but increase it ; and indeed every man may find it much more easie , pleasant , and satisfactory to him , to mortifie then to gratifie sin , to deny then fulfil the desires of the flesh . For men to be ever contradicting and swimming against the stream of their conscience , which tells them they ought not to sin , and if they do , chides them for it , must needs be uneasie and unpleasant : mens sins make them sick ( as Amnons did ) so far are they from being pleasures : To desire the presence of what 's absent , or the absence of what 's present , or the continuance of what cannot be kept , or the continuance and keeping whereof would surfeit them ( as the constancy of drunkenness and intemperance doth do ) must unavoidably be very tedious ; and such men , even in the fulness of their sufficiency ( to allude to that in Job ) cannot but be in straights : if they gratifie one , they displease another of their lusts ; as , if they gratifie pride and prodigality , they displease covetousness , and so are still far from pleasure , being ev'n distracted and slain by one or other of their lusts all the day long ; they have sightings without and within , and good men are not more persecuted by the Devil and wicked world , then these men are tormented by their irregular and inordinate fleshly appetites , and carnal inclinations .

But yet for all this , men are loth to believe this , which ( say they ) crosseth Scripture expression and their experience : the Scripture mentions the pleasures of sin , Heb. 11.25 . and we find the pleasure on 't . Thus men are apt to plead for sin , and be its Advocate , and can hug any Scripture that doth but speak of ( though it disown and disallow ) any such thing as sinful pleasures : As to that misunderstood Text , let me say this , that Moses cannot be charged with any sin from whence he drew pleasure , and therefore by the pleasures of sin are not meant such as slow from , but such as lead unto sin ; he declined the pleasures which would have inclined him to sin . Pleasures are allurements and baits to draw to sin , as it was to Eve , the Tree was pleasant to the eyes , and inviting ; but the taste and digestion found no pleasure , but bitterness from the fruit : thus Moses lived where pleasures were , and such as tended or were abused to sin , yea , such as he could not have enjoyed without committing the great sin ( which the Egyptians did ) viz. afflicting the people of God , and being cruel to them , instead of delivering them . So that this Scripture speaks nothing in favour of sin , or that there are any pleasures to be had by or from it .

Yet if we should take the Text as interpreted by them , all that can be said of it , is but this , that it speaks as they think , not that there are ( but there are thought to be ) pleasures of sin . 'T is an ordinary thing for the Scripture to speak of such a thing , as if it were , and to say it is , which is but supposed to be by others . As for instance , 1 Cor. 8 . 4-6 . there are Gods many , and Lords many , not that really there was any such , but by others they were reckoned such : So in this Text he speaks ( after the manner of men ) concerning the pleasures of sin , as they are reputed ; and this is confirmed by a passage of the Apostle , 2 Pet. 2.13 . they count it pleasure to riot in the day-time ; 't is no pleasure , but they accounted it a pleasure ; 't was none , for they did enjoy but a mock-sport or pleasure , while they sported themselves in their own deceivings : so that in counting it pleasure to riot , they deceive themselves ; they suppose it a sport and pleasure , but 't is not so . Yet again ,

If there be any pleasure , it can be but to the body and sensual part of man , which is a pleasure to the beast , not to the man : the body is but the case of man ( a mud-wall Cottage thatcht ov●● with hair ) 't is the Soul that is the excellency and glory of man , the 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 the man of the man , and whoever will take 〈◊〉 right measure of what 's good or evil to man must take it especially with respect and relatio● to the Soul . He much misto●k the Nature 〈◊〉 his Soul , who bid it take ease in eating and drinking ; alas , the Soul cannot feed on flesh , ' ●i● a Spirit , and must have a diet peculiar and proper , i. e. spiritual . Very usually the pleasure of the body prove the Souls pain ; to eat an● drink is the bodies pleasure , but gluttony an● drunkenness ( which are the sins of eating and drinking ) are the Souls pain , and many time the bodies too : To take rest when weary , is th● bodies pleasure , but to be idle ( which is the si● of rest and ease ) is an affliction and trouble to the Soul .

Yet further , That which men call the Pleasure of sin , is both their dy●● and punishment : many laugh , and are merry from the sickliness and distemper they are under , as they say of them that are bitten by the Tarantula , they laugh themselves to death : Some are such ticklish things , that they will laugh at the wagging of a feather ; but this is an Argument of their weakness and folly , two ill diseases . Many persons take pleasure in eating lime , mortar , coals , and such like trash , but 't is from a disease which vitiates and corrupts their palate , else they would not feed on ashes , had they not the Green-sickness disease : so whoever pretends to find pleasure in sin , proves himself distemper'd and diseased , and under the old radicated disease of being in sins , yea , dead in them .

'T is as a disease , so a punishment , because 't is false pleasure , and what truer misery then false joy ? 't is like his pleasure who receives much money , but 't is all false coyn ; or his who dreams of a feast , and awakes so bungry and vext , that he could eat his dream ; and on this account sin should be doubly bated , because ●ugly , and because false , because it defiles , and because it mocks us . But ,

Yet again , If there be any pleasure , 't is but for a season , a very little while , 't is soon over and gone , like the crackling of thorns under a pot ; the triumphing of the wicked is short , and the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment , Job 20.5 . but the miseries of sin may be , yea , ( without repentance ) will be Eternal : so that as the sufferings of this present life ( to the godly ) are not worthy to be compared with the future glory ; so the pleasures of the wicked are as nothing ( take the best of them ) not to be compared with the future miscry : certainly they are woful and ruful pleasures that men must repent of , or be damned for to all Eternity .

Upon the whole then , the inference is undeniable , that there is no good ( of profit , honour , or pleasure ) to be had by sin , and that they who seek for all or any of them there , do as they that would seek case in Hell , the very place and Element of torment . If good be not good , when better is expected , how miserably vexatious must the disappointment be ? when men look for good and peace , but behold evil and trouble ( yea , and nothing else ) comes upon them : when they bless themselves , and say ( as , Deut. 29.19 . ) we shall have peace , though we walk in the imaginations of our heart , to add drunkenness to thirst , the Lord will not spare them , but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against them ; and when they shall say , peace and safety , then sudden destruction will come upon them ( as travel upon a woman with child ) and there will be no escaping , 1 Thes. 5.3 .

There are some other inferences yet to be spoken to , and of them I shall say but a few things in brief . Time spent in sin is worse then lost . Sin being so sinful ,

2. I infer , that time spent in sin is worse then lost . Most of the pastime in the world is lost time , but sinning time or time spent in sin , is worse then lost : it must be accounted for , and who can give a good account of evil doing ? while men live in sin , they do nothing but undo themselves . Man was not sent into this world only to eat , drink , sleep , and play ( much less to sin , yea , that he might not sin ) but as into a great Work-house , to work for the glory of God , Joh. 17.4 . and so to work out his own Salvation , and that with fear and trembling , Phil. 2.12 . but they that live in sin , work out their damnation , and many times without fear or trembling ; of which they will have great store when they come to receive their just doom and damnation . Time is a most precious Commodity , for on this moment depends Eternity , and as men sow in this seed-time , they will reap in that harvest : Time is a Prophet for Eternity , as men live here , they are like to live for ever : they that sow sin , must reap death , Galat. 6.8 . Time is to be redeemed , Eph. 5.16 . and every day to be numbred , greatly valued and improved , that we may apply our hearts to wisdom , Psal. 90.12 . and this is wisdom , the fear of the Lord , and this understanding , to depart from evil , Job 28.28 . This is wisdom , to know and do what is the acceptable will of God , Mat. 7.24 . Eph. 5 . 15-17 . We may be said to be , but not to live , if we live not to God , and all time that is not so spent , is but mis-spent , and worse then lost : poor distracted persons that have lost their understanding , They that mock at sin are worse then fools . wear out their days to less loss and disadvantage then sinners do .

3. Then they that make a mock at sin , are worse then fools and mad-men : fools make a mock at sin , Prov. 14.9 . tell them ( as Lot did his sons in Law ) the danger they are in , the judgments that hang over their head , and our is to them ( as Lot was to them ) as one that mocketh , Gen. 19.14 . they laugh at it , as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sinners , and as if they that preach against sin , were but ridiculous persons . It s a sport to fools to do mischief , Prov. 10.23 . and there are that sport themselves in their way to Hell , as if 't were but a recreation ! Oh what fools are they that laugh at their own folly and destruction too ! 'T is a devilish nature in us to mock at the calamity of others , but to laugh at our own , seems to be worse then devilish ! There are many , too many , that mourn under affliction , yet laugh over their sins ; that sigh & weep when they feel any burden on their bodies , but make merry at that which destroys their soul ! Can any thing be more mad then these , that laugh , mock , and make sport at that which is a burden and weariness to God , Isa. 1.14 . Amos 2.13 . which is the wounding , piercing , and crucifying of Christ Jesus , Zach. 12.10 . Heb. 6.6 . which is a grief to the Spirit of Consolation , Eph. 4.30 . which is a trouble to holy Angels , Luke 15. which is a wrong to , and the undoing of their own souls , Prov. 8.36 ? and such is sin .

4. It cannot be well with men in their sin . Sin being so sinful , infectious , and pernicious , it can never be well with a man ( how well soever he be ) while he is in his sins . Was it well with Dives , though he fared deliciously every day ? no , it was better with Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores ; for that 's wel● that ends well , which it never doth with sinners : if judgment be not executed speedily , 't will surely , for they are condemned already , being sons of death and perdition . No man hath cause to envy the prosperity of sinners , 't is not good enough to be envied ; but 't is bad enough to be pitied ; they are but fatted , and thereby fitted to destruction , Prov. 1.32 . the prosperity of fools shall destroy them ; their folly alone doth it , but their prosperity doth double it , and do it with a vengeance ; the prosperous sinner is in the worst case of all sinners , they are set in slippery places , and shall be cast down from their height , to the depth of destruction , Psal. 73.18 .

5. Sin being so sinful , It concerns us to be religious betimes it greatly concernes persons , and hugely obligeth them to be religious betimes , that they may prevent a great deal of sin , which without being early religious ( and strictly so ) they cannot possibly do : how precious and dear should that be to us , which prevents the being of what is so pernicious and destructive ? how industriously careful should we be to keep our selves from that , which will keep us from happiness ? and how ambitious to enjoy that , which capacitates us for the enjoying of God for ever , and gives us the first-fruits of it here ? We cannot be too soon nor too much religious , but the sooner ( and more ) the better . If ever you mean to be religious , there is no time more proper then now , the present now , no day to to day : Eccl. 12.1 . remember now thy Creators ( as the word is , viz. God in Christ , for he ●reated all things by Christ Jesus , Eph. 3.9 . Col. 1.16 . ) Remember now , in the days of thy youth , before the evil days come , when thou shalt say , I have no pleasure in them : not only no pleasure in the evil days ( of sickness , death , and judgment , that evil day , which I put far from me ) but I have none in the remembrance of my youthful days . Youth is the most proper season of all our days , and now is the most proper season of all our youth to remember God in . If you say , we will do that when we are old , 't is now spring-time with us ( and no month to May ) we will think of Religion in a Winters night : Oh do not boast of to morrow , as young as thou art , thou art old enough to dye , this night thy soul may be taken from thee , and be in Hell to morrow !

Take the Wise-mans counsel , Eccl. 11.9 . Rejoyce , O young man , in thy youth , and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth , and walk in the ways of thine heart , and in the sight of thine eyes : yes , Sir , with all our heart , we will take this counsel , we like it well , this is pleasing Doctrine ; we had rather mind this , then to be holy , we will be dehonaire and jovial , we care not for severe Preachers of strictness and devotion , we will laugh and sing , drink and dance away our time , while we have it , &c. But mistake not , Solomon speaks Ironically , and hath something else to say , take all , and then if thou rejoyce , 't will be with trembling ; rejoyce but ; let thy heart cheer thee , but ; walk in th● ways of thine heart and eyes , but ; but what Know thou , that for all these things thou mus● come to judgment : and how wilt thou answer for thy vanities and follies , thy pride and wantonness , thy drunkenness and debauchery then ? Oh , remember thy Creator , before that evil day come , and prevent a life of sin , which is the miserablest life in the world ! and God hath promised , that if thou seek him early , thou shalt find him , and in finding him , thou findest all , Prov. 8 . 17-21 .

Remember him in thy youth , for memory is then in its prime and most flourishing ; shall he that gave thee thy being and memory be forgotten by thee ? If God should not remember thee , what would become of thee ? and see what 's like to become of thee , if thou forget God , Psal. 50.22 . How good , how excellent soever thy memory be , I am sure thou hast a very bad one , if thou forget and do not remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth . The young mans glory is his strength ( whether of memory , &c. ) and wilt thou give thy strength to sin , which is due to God ? Mark 12.30 . Gods Sacrifices were to be young , the first ripe fruits , and the first-born ( which is the strength , Gen. 49.3 . ) were to be dedicated to God , and he will not be put off with less now . Gods chiefest Worthies have been and are his young men , 1 Joh. 2.13 , 14. Gods men of valour are young men : the Princes of this World ( like the Romans of old ) make up their . Armies of young men , the flower of their Army is ( Romana juventus ) of young and strong men ; and shall the King of Kings be put off with what 's decrepit and worn out ? no , he will not , Mal. 1.8.13.14 . go offer it to thy Governour , will he be pleased with , or accept such persons ? no ; nor will God , who is a great King , the Lord of Hosts , whose Name is dreadful .

They that have been religious betimes , are greatly famed and honoured in and by the Scripture-Records : God is taken with , and remembers the kindness of their youth , Jer. 2.2 . Abel , though dead , is yet spoken of with an honourable testimony , even that of God himself , for serving God so young and so well , Heb. 11.4 . Joseph was very early religious ; so was Samuel : Jeroboams little Son is not to be forgotten , for God hath honoured him . King Josiah , Daniel , and the three Children ( or young men of Israel ) are all inrolled in the Court of Honour and Heaven : And in the New Testament St. John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved , his Bosom-favourite and Darling , and the reason usually given is , because he came to Christ , and became his Disciple , while yet very young : 't is the command of Timothy , that he knew the Scriptures from a Child , 2 Tim. 3.15 . Many Parents are afraid to have serious and divine things taught their children , lest it make them melancholy and dispirit them ; but , is there any thing better to fit them for service to God o● man , then Religion ? or any spirit comparable to that true greatness and gallantry of spirit which is in being afraid to sin ? We should teach children moral and religious courage and bravery , which is more in fearing to sin then t● dye ; and to make Moses his choice , to prefer th● reproaches of Christ before the treasures an● pleasures of this world : and this way are the● like to attain better names and greater estates , to enjoy more pleasure and preferment , then any this world can confer upon them . They are best bred , who are taught to love and serve God best ; and they attain most honour , who honour God , for them will God himself honour . I speak not in derogation of any thing that 's civil , handsom , and gentile , but would press to more , to what 's commendable to God , and in his sight of great price , to remember him in the days of youth . For evil days are a coming , sickness , old age , death is approaching , the Judge is at the door ; and certainly that 's best while we are young , that will be best when we are old and dye ; and that can be worth very little at the beginning , which will be worth nothing at the end of our days : The sins of youth will lye heavy upon an old age ; yea , if God give repentance to thee when thou art old , 't will cost thee the dearer , that thou didst repent no sooner ; and thou wilt regret it , that thou hast been so long in sin , and art now to live but a little while to testifie thy conversion . 'T was sad with Job to possess the sins of his youth , Job 13.23 , 24. Youthful sweets do often prove old ages bitterness ; and the pleasures while young , cost pains when old : which made King David pray to God , that he would not remember against him the sins of his youth , Psal. 25.7 . I suppose , this may suffice ( though much more might be added ) to shew how much persons are concerned to be religious betimes , seeing sin is a thing so dangerous and destructive . To welcome the the Gospel .

6. Sin being so pernicious , how welcome should the Gospel be , which brings the good and happifying news of a Savior , and how to be saved from sin the cause of wrath , and wrath the effect of sin ? how beautiful should their feet be that bring this blessed Receipt to us ? Rom. 10.15 . had we the gout or stone , what would we not give for a Recipe , an infallible medicine to cure us ? We use to welcome Chirurgions , though they put us to pain , and Apothecaries , though they bring us loathsom drugs ; yea , so dear is health , that we not only thank , but reward them too : Oh , what a welcome then should Christ & his Gospel have , who come with saving health , to cure us of the worst of diseases and plagues , viz. that of sin ? methinks we should press with violence , and be so violent , as to besiege Heaven , and take it by force ; and we should no less hasten to receive the Gospel , and take into us the wine and milk thereof , and the waters of life , seeing we may have them so freely for coming for : indeed our Salvation cost Christ Jesus dear , but he offers it us at a cheap rate , and methinks we should not let Heaven be so thinly , and Hell so populously inhabited , when Salvation may be had at an easier rate , then going beyond Sea for it , Rom. 10 . 6-10 . with Deut. 30 . 12-14 . Oh , seeing 't is so faithful a saying , and worthy to b● received , be not so unworthy as to refuse it , and with that to refuse thy own Salvation . But ,

I shall take an occasion from hence to pass to Exhortation and Counsel : Exhortation . for it may be some poor Soul or other may be prickt at heart , an● cry out , as they , Acts 2.37 . What shall we do 〈◊〉 or as the Jaylor in Acts 17.30 . Sirs , what mu●● I do to be saved ? Is there any hope for poo● sinners ? is there any balm in Gilead , or Physitian there ? Jer. 8 22. yes , surely there is : God would never ( as a Learned person expresseth it ) have suffered so potent and malicious an enemy to have set foot in his Dominions , but that he knew how to conquer it , and that not only by punishing it in Hell , but by destroying it . He will not only pardon , but subdue thy sin . If thou wilt hear him , hear then , that thy soul may live , hear the Call of Christ Jesus , behold , he calleth thee , come to me , ye that are weary and heavy laden , and I will give you rest , Mat. 11. All that were in debt and distress came to David ; thou art such an one , come to this David ( for so Christ is called ) take his counsel , and thou shalt do well , thou shalt live , and sin shall dye . What 's that counsel ?

Repent , and believe the Gospel , Mark 1.13 .

1. Repent , To repent Jesus Christ came to call sinners to repentance , Mat : 9.12 , 13. 't was one of the errands he came into the world about ; repent then not only for , but from dead works , Heb. 6 1. abhor both thy sin and thy self , repenting as in dust and ashes , Joh 42.6 . be full of indignation against , and take a full revenge upon thy sin and self , as true repentance useth to do , 2 Cor. 7.11 . to be merciful to sin , is to be cruel to thy soul , to save that alive , is to put this to death ; therefore spare it not , but repent unfeignedly from the very bottom of thy heart . Let it grieve thee that God is displeased with thee for thy sin , but much more that he hath been displeased by thee , and by thy sin : bring forth fruit worthy of repentance , amendment of life ; that thy repentance may appear to be a change of heart and life , of thy mind and manners , yea , not only a reformation , but a renovation , and that thou art a new man .

The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance , he might have driven thee into it by terrors , but he gently leads thee ; 't is indeed his goodness that he will admit us to repent , but that he will call and lead to repentance , is goodness much more : and , Oh , what goodness is it , that he puts us to no greater penance then repentance ! Jer. 3.13 . God might have said , thou shalt lye in Hell so many thousand years to feel the smart of thy sin , and if he had bid thee do some great thing , wouldst thou not have done it ? how much more when he saith , wash and be clean ( that I may allude to that of Naamans servant unto him ) 2 Kings 5.13 . yea , which is yet more , God waits to be gracious , and is patient even to long-suffering : he might have called and knockt at thy door once and no more , but he hath stood , and knockt , and beg'd , given thee space and means , Rev. 2.21 . Luke 16.31 . and why all this ? but that thou mightest come to repentance , 2 Pet. 3.9 . which if thou do not , 't is a greater affront to God then thy former sin was ; Humanum est errare , 't is humane frailty to sin , but to continue in it without repentance is Devilish ; 't is to despise his goodness , Rom. 2.4 . 't is to justifie thy sin , and to upbraid God with a scoff , as they did , 2 Pet. 3. where is the promise of his coming ? But that his goodness may yet prevail , I intreat thee to consider this much more .

1. If thou repent , thou shalt be forgiven , Acts 3.19 . repent , and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out : they shall be as if they had not been : where God gives repentance for , he also gives remission of sin , Acts 5.31 . He that hardneth his heart in impenitency shall not prosper ; but he that confesseth and forsaketh , shall find mercy , Prov. 28.13 , 14. For God looketh upon men , and if any say , I have sinned and perverted that which was right ( i. e. if any do repent ) he will deliver his soul from going into the pit , and his life shall see the light , Job 33.27 , 28. yea , he is not only merciful , but if we confess our sins , he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins , and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness , 1 Joh. 1.9 . Oh , how doth this oblige us to repent !

2. Repentance is ( by Gods interpretation ) the undoing of all the evil thou hast committed , and the doing the good thou hast omitted ; indeed he that repents of his sin , tells all the world , that if 't were to do again , he would not do it ; and he that repents for not having done the will of God , doth do it in repenting , Mat. 21.30 . Oh , what goodness is this to put such a construction on repentance , and shall we not repent !

3. Thou wilt , by repenting , rejoyce all whom thou hast grieved by sin ; thou hast grieved thine own soul , repentance will cheer it ; for though it spring from sorrow , it ends in joy , and will never be repented of , 2 Cor. 7.10 . thou wilt rejoyce the generation of the righteous ; yea , there will be joy in Heaven ; God and Angels will be glad , and rejoyce at thy return , Luke 15. 'T is their sin , and greatly aggravated , Rev. 16.9 . that they repented not to give him glory ; sin dishonours , but repentance gives glory to God ; and therefore Josuah said to Achan , Jos. 7.19 . confess thy sin , and give glory to God : Oh , may we rejoyce the heart , and glorifie the Name of God both at once by repentance , and shall we not repent ? Oh , repent , repent ; if not , know ,

4. That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge thee , and that calls on thee ( at thy peril ) to repent , Acts 17.30 , 31. which if thou do not do , thou dost but inrich thy self for Hell , and by thy hardness and impenitent heart , dost treasure up wrath against the day of wrath , and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God . The God that is long-suffering will not be all-suffering , he that is a God of patience now , will ( if that be abused ) be a God of vengeance hereafter to the abusers of his patience . Gods Patience will be at end one day , he will wait on thee no more , no longer : he waited forty years , but then swore in his wrath , Heb. 3.11 . he waited three years on the Jewish Fig-tree , but at last cut it down . God hath set thee a day , and that 's this day , to day while 't is called to day hear his voice , and harden not your hearts . When this day of patience is over , if thou be found unprovided then , wo unto thee , thou art undone for ever . I pray thee , think of it , hast not grieved God enough yet ? nor wronged thy soul enough yet ? art afraid of being happy too soon ? or of going to Hell too easily and cheaply ? that thou wilt not repent , or delayest it ; Oh , if in this thy day thou consider not the things of thy peace , thou mayst have them hid from thine eyes , and go blindfold to Hell , and be damned for ever ; and then God will require payment ( even use upon use ) to the utmost farthing , Mat. 18 . 23-34 . he will be paid all that is due ; for time , for talents , for means , for mercies , for patience , and for bearance , he will be paid for all : If he be not glorified by thee now , he will be glorified upon thee then . But , I hope , you are sensible , and I shall not need to urge or press this any further , and therefore I pass to the

Second Counsel , believe the Gospel ; To believe the Gospel . 't is not only repentance toward God , but faith in our Lord Jesus Christ , that 's required for the pardoning and purging of sin , for destroying sin , and saving thee . Repentance is not enough , for righteousness is not by repentance , but by faith ; Phil. 3.9 . Prayers and tears , sighs and sorrows are not our Saviour ; 't is Jesus only that saves from sin , Mat. 1.21 . None can put our sint to death , but be that dyed for our sins . Do not think to compound with God ; if all the riches of the world were thine to give , and thou wouldst give them all , it must cost more then so to have thy soul justified and saved , Psal. 49.9 . If all the men of the world would lend thee their blood , and thou shouldst offer it up , and with that thine own , and that of thy first-born too , 't were all too little , Micah . 6 7. bring all thy repentance and righteousness , and it cannot compensate or make amends for one sin ; if all the Angels in Heaven should lend thee their whole stock ( and 't is a great one ) yet 't would not do ; there 's no satisfaction could be made , nor any thing merited for thee , but by the Son of God ; he , and he only is the Saviour from sin , nor is there any Name given under Heaven but his , whereby we must be saved , nor is there salvation in any other , Acts 4.12 . Oh then look to him , and be saved , for be thy sins what they will , he can save to the very utmost all that come to God by him , for he ever lives to make intercession for them , Heb. 7.25 . But if thou believe not in Christ Jesus , though thou repent of sin , and live as touching the Law blaineless ( as Saul did , Phil. 3 ) though thou be celebrated for a Saint , and mayst seem too good to go to Hell , yet without Christ and faith in him , thou wilt not be good enough to go to Heaven . Though there be a Christ to be believed in , who hath dyed for sinners ; yet if thou believe not in him , thou mayst dye and be damned notwithstanding that . Come then , come to , and close with Christ , not with an idle or dead , but with an effectual and lively faith ; receive whole Christ , not only Jesus but Lord , not only Saviour but Prince , Col. 2.6 . be as willing to dye to sin , as he was to dye for sin , and to live to him , as he was to dye for thee ; be as willing to be his to serve him , as that he should be thine to save thee . Take him on his own terms , give up thy self wholly to him ; forget thy fathers house , depart from all iniquity , and become wholly and intirely his : let thy works declare and justifie thy faith , by purifying thy heart , Acts 15.9 . by sanctifying thee , Acts 26.18 . by overcoming the world , both the good and evil , the best and worst , the frowns and flatteries thereof , 1 Joh. 5.4 , 5. as Moses and the rest did by faith , Heb. 11. Thus come , and thus make good thy coming to , and believing in Christ .

And then thou shalt be saved , as the Apostle told the Jaylor , Acts 16.30 , 31. believe in the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved . Sin , this destructive thing Sin , shall not destroy them ; sin , this damning thing sin , shall not damn them that do unfeignedly , and with their heart believe in Jesus : as there was need of a Jesus Christ , and as there inrequired faith in Jesus Christ , so Salvation i● ascertain'd and ensured to them that believe in Jesus Christ ; He that perseveres to the end , shall find the end of his faith , the saving of his soul . Oh then hasten to take hold on him , close with him , and cleave to him , as ever you would be saved from your sin and Gods wrath . Do you like the end , and not the way ? is Salvation desirable , and is not faith ? without which 't is impossible to please God here , or to be saved hereafter . Have ye not souls as well as bodies ? would ye not be saved from sin as well as from sickness ? hasten to Christ Jesus then , the Physitian , the Saviour of Sours ; is there any other Christ ? is there Salvation in any other ? hath God any more Sons to send ? is there any other way to Heaven ? have we not been in hazard long enough ? Oh , now , come now to Christ , if ever there will be reason for it , there is now : wilt thou need him ? thou dost now : will he be lovely hereafter ? he is now . Oh , methinks these things being so , we should flye like Doves to the windows , and not stand off a moment longer , lest we dye , and dye in our sins , and then adieu to happiness and hope for ever . But I trust this is not in vain , I am willing to hope , I have not preacht from , nor prayed to God in vain , expostulated with , and beg'd of you in vain , but that you will yet repent and believe the Gospel .

There is yet another thing I have to exhort to on this occasion , and that is ,

3. Not to sin again by returning to folly . That you would sin no more , nor return again to folly ; hear and fear , and do no more wickedly : 't is sad to lick up vomits , and after being washt , to wallow in the mire , the latter end of such is worse then their beginning , 2 Pet. 2. and better it had been for them they had not known the way of righteousness , then after they have known it , to apostatize and depart from the holy Commandment : 't will be difficult ( next to impossible ) to renew such again unto repentance , Heb. 6.6 . and what can they expect but judgment , fiery indignation , and vengeance , Heb. 10 . 26-30 . Oh , how is , and will the sin and condemnation of Apostates be aggravated ! what , after all his kindness , wilt thou kick with the heel against him ! after sin hath cost thee so many sighs and tears , and aking hearts , wilt thou make work for more ! thou wilt have thy belly-full , for the back-slider in heart shall be filled with his own ways , he will have enough of it one day , Prov. 14.14 . and then cry out , Oh , what an evil and a bitter thing is Apostacy ! Oh , this evil heart of unbelief that made me ( again ) depart from ( after my returning to serve ) the living God!

The fourth and last thing I have to say is , Not to live in any known sin by way of Caution , Take heed of living in any one ( especially any known ) sin . Let us lay aside all the remains of naughtiness , and the sin that doth most easily beset us , let 's not have any favorite-sin , but out with right eyes , and off with right hands , rather then offend ; yea , let 's cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit ( without and within ) that we may perfect Holiness , and grow up to a perfect man , the measure of the stature of Christ Jesus . Shall we continue in sin ? Oh no , not in one , God forbid ; he speaks as if it were not only inconsistent , but impossible for them so to do , that have seen and tasted that the Lord is gracious : for now they see the sinfulness of sin more then they did before , as that which went about to murder God , and did indeed put the Son of God to death , and shall ( say they ) shall we crucifie him again ? King David would not drink the water that hazarded mans blood ; how then , how can we do any wickedness , and sin against the blood of God , which was shed to cleanse us from our sin ? Shall we take pleasure in that which put Christ to pain , and live in that which put Christ to death ? Oh no , by no means : shall his love and power have no better influences and effects then ? have we put off the old man , and shall we put it on again ? are we dead , and shall we not cease from sin ? can we say we believe in him , and not obey him ? no , no , get ye hence , all ye Idols . Thus will gracious persons and new creatures both reason and resolve the case . I caution and beseech you then to take heed of living in any sin , whether in Thought , Word , or Deed.

Caution against 1. Thought-sins . 2. Word-sins . 3. Deed-sins .

1. Not in Thought-sins . Take heed of sinning in Thought , or of Thought-sins : Seeing sin is so sinful , 't is evil to be ( though but ) a thinking sinner , or a sinner , though but in thought . 'T is too commonly said , That thoughts are free ; they are indeed free in respect of men , they cannot judge us for them , but God can and will . Many persons that seem to be modest and sparing as to evil words and deeds , will yet make bold with thoughts , and ( as the saying is ) Pay it with thinking ; such as are speculative , contemplative sinners : There are some who are so wise , as not to say with their tongues , yet such fools as to say in their heart , there is no God , Psal. 14.1 . There are some that do not actually murder , yet ( by anger and envy ) are murtherers in heart or thought , as Joseph accuseth his Brethren , saying , you thought evil against me , Gen. 50.20 . There are Thought-adulterers , who it may be never were , nor durst to be , adulterers as to fact , Mat. 5.28 . There are Blasphemers in heart , who speak it not with their mouths , as they who when they heard Christ forgiving sins , they thought in their heart , that he blasphemed , and thereby blasphemed him , Mat. 9.3 , 4 , 5. Some talk of the world , and declaim against it as a vanity , who think vainly in their heart , that their houses shall endure for ever , Psal. 49.11 . So the rich man said within himself , thou hast good laid up for many years ( as if he thought these things his happiness ) but 't is said of the former , this their way is their folly , Psal. 49.12 . and of the latter , thou fool , Luke 12 20 for the thought of foolishness ( or a foolish thought ) is sin , Prov. 24.9 . and therefore 't is said in Deut. 5.9 . Take heed that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart , i. e. that there be not a wicked thought in thy heart .

'T is true , all thoughts of evil are not evil thoughts , as all thoughts of good are not good thoughts : a man may think of evil , and yet his thoughts may be good ; and a man may think of good , and yet his thoughts be evil . One then thinks of evil , yet with good thoughts , when he thinks of evil , to grieve and repent for it , to abhor and forsake it : and one thinks of good with evil thoughts , when he thinks of good to neglect and scorn it , to call it evil , and so to persecute it . But thoughts of sin may be sinful thoughts , with respect to sin past , or sin to come ; with respect to sin past , when men please themselves in the thoughts of their past sins , when they chew the cud , and lick their lips after it , or as 't is said in Job 20.12 , 13. they hide ( and rowl ) it ( as if 't were a Sugar-plum ) under their tongue ; they do it over and over again by thinking of it , when they do not act it : so some understand that , in Ezek. 23.19 . She multiplied her whoredoms in calling to remembrance the sins of her youth ; she acted it over again in her memory , in new speculations of her old sins : and on the other hand others ( and it may be the same persons ) think sinfully of the sins they have not done , grieving at , and regretting it , that they had not taken such and such occasions , and embraced such and such temptations as they had to sin . So with respect to sins to come , men think sinfully in plotting , contriving , and fore-thinking what sins they will do , though they do them not . Against this we are charged , Rom. 13.14 . make no provision for the flesh ( the word is ) do not project and cater for the flesh ; lay not in fuel for such fire , do not lye abed and fore-cast to fulfil the lusts hereafter , which thou canst not act at present .

That you may see the sinfulness of evil Thoughts , consider ,

1. That sinful Thoughts do defile a man , though they never come to words or deeds , be never utter'd , never practis'd : Mat. 15.19 , 20. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts , murthers , adulteries , &c. and these defile the man ; not only murther and adultery , but the thoughts of murthering and committing adultery defile the man , as the Text speaks , and our Savior again in another Text says as much , Mat. 5.22 . & 28. as Job made a Covenant with his eyes , that he might not think ( lust fully ) of a Maid , Job 31.1 . So should we take heed to our ways , that we may not offend , not only not with our tongues , but in our thoughts ; for they are the words of our heart , and the deeds thereof , and all the words of our mouth , and the acts of our lives come from thence : and therefore above all keepings , keep thine heart , Prov. 4.23 .

2. Sinful thoughts are an abomination in th● sight of God : God hath a special eye to th● thoughts of mens hearts , to them of good men , Mal. 3.16 . and to them of bad men , Gen. 6.5 . In good men God accepts ( very often ) the will for the deed , if to will be present with them , though to do they have not power ; if they be as willing to do as to will the deed , God accepts the will for the deed , though they cannot do it , 2 Cor. 8.12 . Math. 26.41 . So when men will and think wickedly , God takes their will for the deed ; as he takes the good mans will for the deed with acceptation , so he takes the wicked mans will for the deed with abomination : for Prov. 15.26 . the thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord , i. e. their wicked thoughts are filthy steams and stinks in the nostrils of God . Sin is a filthiness , and sinful thoughts have their filthiness as well as sinful actions , and it 's therefore said , Jer. 4.14 . Oh , Jerusalem , wash thine heart from wickedness , that thou mayst be saved , how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee ? the very remedy speaks out the disease ; if they must be washt , they were filthy sure ; for sweeping will not serve the turn : and what was the wickedness of their heart ? it follows in the Text , the vain thoughts that were there , and these must be washt , or they could not be saved , so abominable in the sight of God is the villany and vanity of thoughts .

3. Thought-sins are root-sins , and the roots of all other sins ; they are the mother-sins , actions are their issue , Prov. 4.23 . evil deeds are the off-spring and children of evil thoughts , the branches and fruit that grow out of this root . Thoughts are the first-born of the soul , words and actions are but younger brothers : They are the oyl that feeds and maintains the wick , which would else go out ; life-sins receive their juyce and nourishment from thought-sins . St. James speaks as if our thoughts were the belly and womb where sin is conceived , James 1.15 . Now when men would ( as Job did ) curse grievously , they curse the day and place of their birth , the womb that bare them ; so do you curse sin even in the very womb that bare it , lay the ax to the root of this tree . The wickedness of mens lives is charged upon their thoughts , as having its root and rise there , Gen. 6.5 . Mat. 12.35 . & 15.19 . murders , adulteries , &c. they all come out of the heart , as out of the belly of a Trojan-horse : one would wonder ( as we do at some birds , where they lodge all winter ) to see so many flocks and herds of wickedness , one would wonder whence , from what corner of the world they come ; why , they all come out of the heart , the rendez-vous of wickedness , the common Inn that lodges all the thieves and travelling lusts that are in , and do so much mischief in this world ; all the unclean streams flow from this unclean Fountain , this Ocean , and Sea of Sin . Saith holy David , Psal. 119.113 . I hate ( vain ) thoughts , any thoughts that are against thy Law , which I love ; we all hate that which is against what we love : but why doth he hate thoughts of sin ? because evil thoughts beget evil words , and evil words corrupt good , and beget ill manners ; vain imaginations beget vain conversations : 't is hard for them that think well to do ill , and more hard for them that think ill to do well , for as the root is , so is the fruit , and by that the tree is known , Mat. 7.17 .

4. If we had no other sins to be pardoned , yet we were to beg pardon for sinful thoughts : a may think himself to Hell , if the sinfulness of his thoughts be not forgiven him : Acts 8.20 . saith St. Peter to Simon Magus , repent of thy thought-wickedness , and pray , if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven thee : if God should pardon all our word-sins and evil deeds , and leave but our thought-sins unpardoned , we were undone for ever ; yea , blessed David was so afraid of sin , that he begs God to cleanse him from his secret sins , which lay lurking in his heart , and were undiscernable there , Psal. 19. if they should not increase to more ungodliness ( which they will attempt , and too easily effect ) yet there is impiety and ungodliness enough in them to ruine us everlastingly : Oh , that they would think of it , that make nothing of vain thoughts , no not of evil thoughts , as if they had no evil in them !

5. 'T is the great design ( and indeed argues the great power ) of the Gospel , to bring thoughts to the obedience of Christ Jesus : 'T is far more casie to reform mens manners , then to renew mens minds , the Laws of men may do that , but 't is the Law of God doth this . Many men could live alone with their heart and thought-sins , though they had no other company , pleasing themselves , and blessing themselves too in their own vain imaginations , and acting sins in their fancy : they will more casily surrender their tongue and hand , then their heart-sins : Now the Gospel comes to throw down these strong Towers , to cast down imaginations , to conquer whole Armies of thoughts , to reduce these stragling and thievish high-way men into good order and obedience . This is the glory of the Gospel ( beyond all the Philosophy in the world ) that it hath so great influence on the hearts and thoughts of men , 2 Cor. 10.4 , 5.

6. Conversion begins , is carried on , and is compleated in the heart and thoughts of men . It begins there , while men are in ( and dead in sins ) they are inconsiderate , and regard not what 's in their heart and thoughts ; but when the grace of God comes in power , and they receive it in truth , they bethink themselves and consider , what shall we do to be saved ? men are in a great quandary in their thoughts , they begin to wamble , and their bowels are turned within them : and therefore regoneration is called the Renewing of the mind , and Repentance is a change of mind , and the heart becomes a new heart , and when the heart is gained , all the rest follows . If the wicked forsake his thoughts , he will quickly forsake his ways , Isa. 55.7 . The first turn is in the thoughts , Psal. 119.59 . I thought on my ways , and turned my feet unto thy testimonies ; the thoughts go before , and the feet follow after : and the first motions of the Prodigal were in his thoughts , when he came to himself , he said within himself , I will arise and go to my father , and while he was thus thinking ( which is said , while he was afar off , but taking the first step ) his father saw him , and had compassion on him , &c.

As Conversion begins , so it s carried on in the heart and thoughts especially , though not only ; when others study ( like the Pharisees ) only to make the outside look fair and beautiful , the godly man is employed about his inside , to keep his heart clean ; the prayers of godly men are chiefly taken up about their heart , Psal. 51.10 . create in me a clean heart , and renew a right spirit within me . And ( as an excellent person words it ) wherein lyes the difference between sincere-hearted Christians and others ? but in the keeping of thoughts , without which all Religion is but bodily exercise : Papists may mumble over their prayers , Hypocrites talk , but this is Godliness .

As it begins , and is carried on , so Conversion is compleated , finished , and perfected in thoughts , it ends there ; for when a godly man comes to dye , his chief and last employment is about his thoughts ; he hath done with works , he hath made his Will , and concluded all without him , and his speech ( it may be ) fails him , and then his main work and the conclusion , the shutting up of the whole matter is in his thoughts ; so that when he comes into the new world , and continues here , and when he is going into the world to come , his main employment is about and in his thoughts : there he began , and here he ends .

7. God keeps an account of , and will call us to account for thoughts , as well as for words and actions : he hath a book of remembrance written for them that think on his Name , I , and for them that think on their sins too , with sinful thoughts . There is no thought hid from him , all things are naked and open before him with whom we have to do , Heb. 4.13 . or as the words may be read , before him , to whom we are to give an account . God knows our thoughts afar off , Psal. 139.2 . long before they came out into words or actions , Deut. 31.21 . So the father saw the Prodigal , while yet afar off , while but thinking to return : yea , he doth search and try the heart to this very end , that he may give to every man according to his way , Jer. 17.9 , 10. God will judge righteous judgment ( not according to appearance , as men do ) as the man thinketh , so is he , and so shall he be judged : man judgeth our inside by our outside , our heart by our works ; but God judgeth our outside by our inside , our works by our hearts : and 't is therefore we should fear God , and keep his Commandments , because God will bring , as every work , so , every secret thing , to judgment , whether good or evil , Eccl. 12.13 , 14. When the Lord comes , he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness , and make manifest the counsels of the heart , all the secret designs and projects of it , 1 Cor. 4.5 . and will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ , as our Gospel teacheth , Rom. 2.16 . Oh think then that for thoughts thou must be judged , and therefore make conscience of them , for not only scientia divina , Gods science or knowledge , but conscientia humana , mans conscience will be ( one of the books opened , and ) a witness in that day , according to which men shall be judged .

Well then , what sayest thou , or what shall I say to thee ? hast thou thought evil ? lay thine hand upon thy mouth , Prov. 30.32 . not only if thou have done foolishly , but if thou have but thought evil , lay thine hand on thy mouth , i. e. be humbled and abased : The vanity and vileness , the folly and the filthiness of our thoughts should make us ashamed . And lay thy hand on thy mouth for prevention also , as persons when they cough lay their hand on their mouth , lest any unsavory or unseemly thing should come from them , so do thou ; for that which we say in our hearts , we shall soon say with our lips , if we lay not our hands on our mouth , to stop the issue of vain thoughts from flowing out into , and infecting our lips and lives , our words and actions . This Hive of Drones will swarm , if thou lay not thy hand on the mouth : This Cage of unclean birds will be open , and they will take their flight : thy thoughts will run wast at least like water beside the Mill , if thou keep not a strong hand over them ; Oh , keep thine heart with thine hand , with mighty power , and suppress sinful thoughts as well as keep them from expressing themselves . In relation hereunto , take these directions for thine help and assistance ; for know this , that of thy self thou art not sufficient to think one good thought , nor to subdue one evil thought .

1. Humbly make thine address and supplication to God , in whose hand thy heart is , and to whom alone heart-work doth belong : he only can search it , cleanse it , new-make , and keep it . Pray to God , not only that past ones may be forgiven , but that thy future ones may not need forgiveness , beg him to new-make thine heart , and to create a clean one in thee . Wouldst thou be rid of sinful thoughts , pray against them , lift up a prayer , and cry out as St. Paul did against the Messenger of Satan , and pray without fainting , that if they be not removed , yet his grace may be sufficient for thee . Cry out as a Virgin would do in case of a Rape , and God will hear the cry of the oppressed , and them that groan . Be often in spiritual ejaculations , which will be as so many deadly darts to wound and kill sinful thoughts : call in God to thy relief , tell him , thou canst not stand before these Troops and Armies that defie Israel and Israels God , and beg him to vindicate his own Name by his own Power , as he can easily do ; for not only the heart of Kings is in his hand , but he is the King and Ruler of all hearts , and can by his Word command them into , and keep them in order and obedience . Then ,

2. Do as holy David did , that he might be more holy , hide the Word of God in thine heart , that thou mayst not sin against him , Psal. 119.11 . apply the plaister to the sore place , the heart is the seat and center of sin , apply the Word there , lay it up , and 't will rout and root out these Canaanites and Daughters of the Land that are a grief of heart unto thee . Sin is in the heart , hide the Word there ( as in ambush ) to cut it off upon the first appearance of it : The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit , and there 's none like it to wound and kill sin withal : 't is one of the weapons of our warfare , which is mighty through God to cast down , and cast out wicked imaginations , 2 Cor. 10.4 , 5. put on therefore this and the whole armour of God , that thou mayst be strong in the Lord , and in the power of his might , Eph. 6. He is a God that works wonders ( even in this matter and of this kind ) by his Word and Spirit ; hide this Word then , which is the sword of the Spirit , and by which he atchieves such glorious conquests over hearts and thoughts .

3. Begin the day with thoughts of God and good things ; let not fancies and vain imaginations get the start of thee in the morning : fancy and we were Play-fellows many a year , before we knew what reason and understanding was , our child-hood and youth was vanity ; and you know that many times there 's such an intimate acquaintance and familiarity gotten by School and Play-fellows , that its hard to break it off ; but fancy and imagination ( these childish things which yet have strong bold of , and strong holds in us ) must be cast off , before our thoughts will become obedient to Christ , as the Apostle tells us , 2 Cor. 10.5 . and therefore ( mount up with the Lark ) begin with God , think much and often that he sees and observes thee ( Cave tibi , spectat Cato ) this will awe thee , as it did them , Psal. 44.20 , 21. and so it did David , Psal. 139.17 , 18. If vanity get possession in the morning , 't will strive to keep it all the day ( Quo semel est imbuta recent servabit odorem testa diu ) what the vessel is first seasoned with , it reserves a tang of it long after . Take a good mornings-draught to prevent the windy vapours of vain thoughts ; as soon as thou wakest , there are many Fidlers at thy Chamber door to sing thee wanton Songs , but listen not to them , tell them , and all the Suitors and Clients that sollicite thee , that thou art otherwise engaged , and hast business of consequence to mind ; listen not to any Syrens , stop thine ear against all such Charmers , though they chant and charm never so pleasingly , for it can never be wisely nor to advantage . Thus , if when thou awakest , thou art with God in meditation , thou art like ( when thou risest ) to walk with God in thy whole conversation , and to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long .

4. If this do not do , but they haunt thee still ( and like flies that are beaten off , yet they return again ) then chide and check them , use severity and sharpness : we are ( alas , that we are ! ) but too indulgent , courteous , and gentle to these bold intruding Travellers , for so they are called , 2 Sam. 12.4 . There came a Traveller to the rich man ( a lust to David in the case of Bathsheba , for to that it refers ) and he killed anothers Lamb for this Traveller , this lust ; if he had but examined it , he would have found it a Spye or a Vagabond , which should not have been feasted , but sent to the Whipping-post . The reason we have so many Pedlars come to our doors , is because we use to buy and take their trifles , and the reason so many of these wandring Beggars and Gipsies knock at our door , is because we give them alms and lodging : if we did but frown on them , and execute the Law upon them , we should probably have none , or less of their company .

5. Turn away thine eyes from beholding vanity , avoid occasions and appearances of evil ; for the world is cheated by appearances and shews , and men become thieves ( occasio facit furem ) when occasion is offered them , who without it , would not perhaps have thought of being so : As the heart inflames the eye , so the eye affects and inflames the heart . Curiosity to see and hear lascivious pictures and wanton songs hath often induced persons to think such thoughts , and to do such things , as else they would scarce have dreamt of ; vain objects and vain discourses ingender vain fancies and imaginations , and so proceed and increase to more ungodliness , 2 Tim. 2.16 . Therefore the Apostle would not that Christians should tell stories of fornication , uncleanness , or covetousness , they should not be so much as named or mentioned , Eph. 5.3 . such stories , ( though but Romantick ) yet leave ill impressions on the sancies of men . There needs to be a strict watch over eyes and ears , as ever we would preserve our hearts and thoughts to be pure and chast , lest we tempt the Tempter to tempt us , and make our hearts worse by occasion and custom , then they are by nature : which made King David beg of God to turn away his eyes from beholding vanity , Psal. 119.37 . and good Job was so much afraid of himself , that he made a Covenant with his eyes , lest he should think ( unbecomingly ) of a maid : Looking produceth lusting , as lusting puts on looking , Mat. 5.28 .

6. Take heed of Idleness : every man should have a Calling to follow , and follow his Calling , which is an excellent preservative from evil thoughts : Idle persons have no business but to sin , and they that follow their Callings have no leisure to sin ; their thoughts are too intent to be diverted . Time lies heavy on some mens hands for want of imployment , and therefore they become busie-bodies , gadding and wandring about , as their Fancy or the Devil ( like a wind ) doth drive them , or like a Decoy doth draw and allure them , 1 Tim. 5 . 13-15 . yea , these idlers or busie-bodies are joyned with evil doers , thieves , and murtherers , 1 Pet. 4.15 . they know that their time doth , and will pass away , but they know not how to pass it away 〈◊〉 so that come what temptation will come , they seem to be ready ; the wink of an eye , the holding up of a finger prevails with them ; they follow the Devils whistle , and dance after his Pipe : they spend their days like Vagrants , and their life is a meer diversion from that which is the business of it : they cannot endure to be with themselves , and therefore visit away ( most impertinently ) their precious time , and adventure the loss of their precious souls , by becoming sinners for company . Our thoughts are so active and restless , that something or other they will be doing , and like unruly soldiers , if others employ them not well , they will employ themselves ill : God hath therefore in mercy appointed us Callings to take up our thoughts , that they may be not only innocent , but profitable to our selves and others . Paradise had , and Heaven also will not be , without , employment . Idleness is an hour of temptation ; and we can have no excuse to stand idle in the market-place , when God himself offers to imploy us . The best way to rid our ground of weeds , is to till it , and the best way to free our hearts from evil thoughts , is good imployment ; only remember , that thy particular Calling must not justle out , nor intrench upon thy general , nor thy being a Tradesman make thee forget that thy conversation ( 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 ) thy Trading must be for Heaven : ‛ I would be ill with thee to mind what 's convenient , and forget what 's necessary . Let Maries one thing be preferr'd before Martha's many .

7. Love God and his Law much , and thy thoughts will be much upon him and it ; the love of God will fi●d thy heart work enough to do : he that delights in God and his Law , will find occasion enough to meditate therein , and pleasure enough in meditating thereof day and night , Psal. 1.2 . Psal. 119.97 . your soul will be where it loves , and where your treasure is , there your heart and thoughts will be , Mat. 6.21 . set your affections on things above , and when once your love is setled , your thoughts will center and dwell there : Love will make you watchful and fearful , lest you should offend the Beloved of your Soul ; 't will make you angry with , and cause you to hate all the sinful thoughts that would attempt to withdraw you , or to divert you ; and 't will make you like a tree planted by the rivers side , exceeding and beautifully fruitful , for you will be so in season ; and 't is meditation that 's there likened to the watering of the river , and that meditation flows from delight , and that from love , as you may see , Psal. 1.2 , 3. Thus wilt thou grow up and prosper , and so much , that thy leaf shall not fade or wither , vers. 3. Thus I have endeavoured to discover the sinfulness , and endeavoured the prevention of sinful thoughts : I now proceed to Caution .

2. Not in Word-sins . Against sinful Words .

As I have endeavoured before to clear the Heart , so now to clear and cleanse the Mouth , that as there might not be an evil thought in that , so not an evil word in this : persons too many are apt to think that words are but wind , things that they shall not account for , and therefore are so bold and daring as to say , as Psal. 12.4 . with our tongue will we prevail , our lips are our own , who is Lord over us ? we may speak what we will , and we will speak what we may : Oh , what an unruly tongue hath that man , who can say his tongue is his own ! Patient Job in a fit of passion did say , let me alone that I may speak , and come of me what will , Job 13.13 . Alas , is 't not thus with many , when we tell them of the sinfulness of sin and of tongue-sins , they flye in our faces , and say , hold your peace , we will speak , let there come on us what will . Ob desperate !

But if you will be a little serious , I would ask you ( when cool and calm ) this question , Would you not live and see good days ? yes , we would , who is there that doth not desire life , and to see good days while he lives ? many say , who will shew us any good ? and every one says , life , life , skin for skin , and all for life . Co●● then , come ye children , hearken unto me , and I will teach you the fear of the Lord ; what man is he that desireth life , and loveth many days that he may see good ? Keep thy tongue from evil , and thy lips from speaking guile , Psal. 34.11 , 12 , 13. Oh , that all the parents in the world would call their children together to read them such Lectures as this : many say , come , my children , I will teach you the way to grow rich and great , how to be sine and in fashion , &c. but few call them and say , come , my children , I will teach you the fear of the Lord , the best wisdom ; and godliness , the best and most enriching Trade , good for this life , and that to come . Oh that they would ask them , would you see life ? &c. yes , but how ? why , if you be for life and good days , keep your tongue from evil , &c. this is confirmed in the New Testament , 1 Pet. 3.10 . The next and best way to live and live well is ( as the Proverb hath it ) to keep a good tongue in our heads , and have no evil words in our mouths : for as the Wiseman assures us , Prov. 21.23 . whoso keepeth his mouth and tongue , keepeth his soul from troubles : and this is not only a political , but a divine assertion , and is true between God and man , as 't is between man and man .

Holy David was so afraid of his tongue , lest he should offend with it , that he put a bridle into his mouth , Psal. 39.1 . and surely the tongue is an unruly thing , that it must be bridled like an Horse or an Ass ; yea , 't is so unruly , that one may better rule Horses , and manage them , and more easily turn such unwieldy things as great Ships are , then keep the tongue in order ; and therefore St. James pronounceth him a perfect man , that offends not in word , and one that is able with ease to bridle the whole body , when he hath the mastery of his tongue , James 3.2 , 3 , 4. Oh , 't is a rare thing to use the tongue well !

Now to help you against this evil , that you may not sin with your mouths , tongues , or lips ( which are all one in signification ) let me intreat you to consider ,

1. That sinful words are wholly forbidden us , and the contrary to them are injoyned us ; God hath told us what we shall not , and what we shall say , what words we ought not , and what we ought to use . For the Negative ; let no corrupt , or filthy , and rotten , unsavory communication ( no kind of it , no degree of it ) proceed out of your mouth ; but ( affirmatively ) that which is good to the use of edifying , that it may minister grace unto the Hearers , Eph. 4.29 . so again , Chap. 5.3 , 4. but fornication , and all uncleanness , or covetousness , filthiness , foolish talking , and scurrilous jesting and gibing , let it not be named , i. e. let not these be subject and matter of your discourse and talk ; but giving of thanks , or that which is graceful and thank-worthy , fit to season and edifie others by ministring grace to them , as 't was said before : and again , Col. 4.6 . let your speech be always with grace , let it be as becometh Saints , graceful and comely , seasoned and savory , that which may not defile any , but edifie all : Though a Christian be not always to talk of grace , yet he is always to talk so , as to shew himself a gracious person . Our very Table-talk , as well as our meat , should be seasoned with salt , it should be with the first and second course ; for salt is the first put on , and the last taken off , that all may be seasoned and savory , and so should all our discourse be , and not like salt that hath lost its savour , which is not good , no not for the dunghil , Luke 14.35 .

2. Unless a man take heed to his words , and bridle his tongue , that mans Religion is vain , and consequently in vain : 't is unprofitable , idle , and impertinent , James 1.26 . he doth but seem to be religious , and thereby both flatters and deceives himself : 't is too much to seem to be evil , and too little but to seem to be good : appearance in evil is too much , but appearance of or in good , is not enough . If he seem to be religious , and doth not bridle his tongue , notwithstanding his seeming to be , he is not religious : A seeming Religion is worse then none , as vanity is less then nothing , Isa. 40.17 . He that hath a form , and but a form of godliness , denying the power thereof , is worse then he that hath not so much as a form , or makes no profession of godliness . Oh , how should this oblige us to take heed of tongue-sins !

3. Sinful words are arguments of sinful hearts ; words are the image of the mind , and the declaration of it : as a man is known by his picture , so an heart by its words . Thou art a Galilean , thy speech bewrayeth or discovers thee . We may know what Country-men any are by their language , whether French , Dutch , &c. whether of the heavenly or hellish World . 'T is out of the abundance ( the fulness and overflowing of ) the heart , that the mouth speaketh , Mat. 12.34 . broach any full vessel , and what 's there will come out ; words are as the broaching of the heart , and giving it vent , and then out comes that which was within . 'T is indeed both possible and common for persons to speak well , when they mean ill , peace is in their mouth , when war is in their heart ; but that heart is hypocritical , and out of that double heart , which is full of Hypocrisie , they speak with their tongues , as Psal. 12.2 . Jer. 42.20 . so that if wicked men speak well , yet 't is still from an evil heart of Hypocrisie , and out of that abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh .

4. Evil words corrupt men and their manners : our great care should be , not to be corrupt , and the next to that , not to corrupt others ; but evil words corrupt both : they corrupt and defile our selves , Mat. 15.17 , 18. What goeth into the mouth ( viz. meat ) defileth not the man , but what cometh out of the mouth ( viz. evil words ) proceeds from the heart , and they defile the man . The tongue is but a little member , yet it boasteth great matters , 't is but as a spark of fire , but it kindles a great deal of wood , a world of iniquity , the whole course of nature , and defiles the whole body , James 3.5 , 6. It defiles , not only a mans own body and course , but the body and community of them with whom we converse too , a little leaven leavens the whole lump : be not deceived , evil communication corrupts good manners , 1 Cor. 15.33 . What 's the ill language or evil discourse the Apostle means ? That which he had mentioned , vers. 32. let us ( say and do like Epicures , as they say and do ) let us eat and drink , for to morrow we shall dye . Such loose Epicurean and Atheistical discourses do debauch men and their manners . Many an ingenuous and hopeful person hath been corrupted by such ill discourse : they have no good conversation , who use evil communication ; persons of evil words are seldom persons of good manners , or if so for a while ( for nemo repentè fit pessimus ) none being suddenly wicked , or worst at first , yet they degenerate and grow immoral and ill-manner'd more and more . Lying frequently makes men at last so unacquainted with truth , that they scarce think any difference to be between them ; and they jest so long , that they forget to be in earnest , till awaked by the quarrels that these things beget in and among themselves .

5. The tongue is either mans glory of shame , worth much or nothing , as 't is good or evil . God made mans tongue his glory , but sin makes it his shame . Saith holy David to his tongue , awake , my glory , Psal. 57.8 . and Psal. 16.9 . my glory rejoyceth ; which the Apostle ( according to the Septuagint ) renders , my tongue was glad ; Acts 2.26 . And when is our tongue our glory , but when it speaks to the glory of God ? when its words are savory and gracious ; but if our tongue be a lying tongue , a slandring tongue , or any other way evil , 't is then our shame . Oh , the vast difference that there is between a good and a bad tongue ! Prov. 10.20 . The tongue of the just is as choice silver ( a precious commodity ) but the heart of the wicked ( and therefore his tongue ) is little worth , 't is but dross ; he pays too dear by a farthing , that pays but a farthing for that which is nothing worth : and this is so little worth , that he cannot tell how little , worth nothing , or if you will , 't is worse then nought in being naught . Again , Prov. 12.18 . there is that speaketh ( Daggers , as we say ) like the piercing of a Sword , dangerous and killing words , but the tongue of the wise is ( not only a medicine or wholesom , but in the abstract ) health . There is as much difference between a good and bad tongue , as between soundness and wounds , health and sickness . Yet once more , Prov. 15.4 . an wholesom tongue is a tree of life ( which is for healing ) but perversness therein is a breach in the spirit : and a wounded spirit who can bear ? or who can bear up under a broken spirit ? But ,

Sixthly and lastly consider this , God will judge us for and by our words , as well as by our works and actions . There is a place may make us tremble , and should ingage us to take heed of our words , while we have a day to live , 't is in Mat. 12 36. I say unto you , that every idle word that men shall speak , they shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgment ; and vers. 37. for by thy words thou shalt be justified , and by thy words thou shalt be condemned . If we must give an account of idle , what account shall we give of filthy and ill-working words ! of words that are corrupt , and do corrupt others ! Solomon upon this account tells us , Prov. 18.21 . death and life are in the power of the tongue ; a man shall be judged and sentenced according to it . There is such a connexion between heart , tongue , and deed , that he who is judged by one , is judged by all of them , for they agree in one . 'T is observable , that though all the charge , or most of it , in Psal. 50. is for words , the sin of the tongue . 1. In abusing Gods good Word . 2. Using their own ill words , they gave their mouth to evil , &c. yet that the heart was consenting , and the deed executing , there was a concurrence and co-working of all three : after his words are spoken of , saith God , these things hast thou done , and it follows , thou thoughtest , &c. vers. 21. but I will judge thee , viz. for all this , yet especially for thy words , according to what is said , Jude 15. Behold , the Lord cometh to execute judgment upon all , to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds , which they have ungodlily committed , and of all their ( mark it ) their hard speeches which they have spoken against him : yea , against him in his members . 'T is said , vers. 16. their mouth speaks great swelling words , viz. as Murmurers and Complainers use to do : they will jeer the people of God , and twit them with the name of Holy and Spiritual , and utter hard speeches against them ; but when Christ comes to Judgment , he will call to account for all the hard speeches , and all the great swelling words , which by way of complaint they have spoken against his members ; or by way of flattery and admiration ( for lucres sake ) they have spoken in commendation and praise of wicked and cruel men . Oh , take heed of tongue-sins ; when Dives was in Hell , the part that ( it seems ) was most tormented , was his tongue ; for he begs water to cool his tongue , which gives some occasion to think that ( even in relation to Lazarus ) he had sinned much with his tongue , and used hard speeches against poor Lazarus ; for 't was by him he would have the water brought : In quo peccamus , in hoc plectimur , as and in what we sin , we smart and are pained and plagued , as Dives with and in his tongue . If the tongue be set on fire of Hell while on earth , Ah , how will it be set on fire when in Hell ! The sins of the mouth cry for vengeance with an open mouth , and make others cry for it too , Psal. 59.11 , 12 , 13. the holy man ( not yet King , but Prophet ) prays , scatter them , bring them down , O Lord ! why , David , why so severe , what have they done ? Oh , 't is for the sin of their mouth , and the words of their lips , for their cursing and lying ; and then he is at it again , consume them , consume them in thy wrath . This is the dreadful imprecation that the sin of their mouth occasioned this merciful and good person to make against them , and to beg God to execute it upon them . Sad will the account be that men will have to make for speaking , as for working of iniquity .

On all these considerations , let me beseech you to take heed as to your words , and , 1. let your words be few ; and that not only in your commerce and conversation with men , but in your addresses to God , Eccl. 5.2 . God is in Heaven , and thou upon Earth , therefore let thy words be few ; which is much of the meaning of our Saviour in the Prayer which he taught his Disciples , as will appear by comparing the 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. vers. of Mat. 6. 'T is a vanity that attends men in Religion , that they think to be heard for their loud and much speaking ; silence were better then ill-speaking , yea ( and many times ) then much-speaking . 'T is true , there is a time to speak , as there is to be silent ( and happy they that improve it well ) but yet 't is seldom that a multitude of words are without sin ; and therefore he that refraineth his lips is wise , Prov. 10.19 . Silence discovers wisdom , and conceals ignorance , and 't is a property so much belonging to wise men , that the Oracle tells us , Prov. 17.28 : That a fool when he holds his peace , is accounted wise , and he that shuts his lips , is esteemed a man of understanding : And as a very worthy and noble Person expresseth it , If silence were as much in fashion , as 't is charitable to mankind to wish it , the Regions of Hell would be far thinlier peopled , then now they are like to be . Many have repented for using their tongues too much ; 't is true , a man that holds his peace may offend with his tongue , but 't is a more scarce and seldom crime , then that of much ( which is usually too much ) speaking . 'T is Gospel-doctrine which teacheth us to be swift to hear , and slow to speak , James 1.19 . Moses's imperfection or defect would be an excellency in some persons , to be slow of speech ; and 't were well with some , if they had got such a cold , as would keep them from speaking . Oh , the prittle , prattle that abounds among the busie bodies of this world ! and there are many , not only vain , but unruly talkers , Titus 1.10 . that a man had need of more patience to hear them , then to hear the beating of an unbraced Drum : and , alas , 't is not only the chat and tattle of idle Gossips ( such as , 1 Tim. 5.13 . ) who spake unbecomingly , and things which they ought not ; but much of the discourse that wastes mens time ( who would be loth to drink and swear it away ) consists of talk that flatters the present , or detracts from the absent ; censuring of Superiors , or despising of Inferiors ! what empty and ridiculous , if not frothy discourses ( that excite to carnality ) are the common entertainments , even among them that pretend to better things ! what 's such company and converse good for , but to quench zeal and fervency , yea , the ready way to lose credit and good name ; and if not innocency , yet always time , which is too precious to be squander'd away and lost , much more to be sinned away ! Shall a man of much talk be justified , Job 11.2 . Oh no , much talk is full of folly ; for a dream cometh through a multitude of business , and a fools voice is known by multitude of words , Eccl. 5.3 . and in the multitude of dreams and many words , are divers vanities ; but fear thou God , vers. 7. as if multitude of words were inconsistent with the fear of God ; for to that purpose the words sound . We cannot well speak too little , unless we speak by command from God , and in obedience to it . Therefore ,

2. If we will , or must be speaking , let us speak as we ought , let our words be wholesom words , such as carry Physick and health in them : safe and sound speech that may not be gain-said nor reproved : that may do no hurt , but that may do good . We should speak that which is good to edifie men , that which is good for our selves and others , either naturally , civilly , morally , or spiritually good , as occasion offers and requires . I intend no particular enumeration of Tongue-sins to be avoided , nor any distinct and particular Discourse about speaking and ordering our Tongues ; but only to hint these things in general , leaving the particular Application and Improvement to be made by every man , as his own case calls for ; and therefore to conclude this , I shall commend but these two things in relation hereunto .

1. Look well to your hearts , if they be not well kept , your tongues will be ill kept ; and therefore 't is said , Prov. 4.23 . keep thine heart with all diligence , or ( as 't is in the Hebrew ) above all keeping : it needs more keeping then any thing else , for all the rest are at the hearts dispose , both faculties and members ; therefore keep a strict watch and strong guard over thine heart ; the speaking of the tongue is from the musing of the heart , which is as fire in the bosom that cannot be hid , but will break out into a flame of words , as the Phrases are used , Psal. 39.3 . when thou art heart-full , thy mouth will run over , and if the fountain of thy heart be bitter , the streams of thy words cannot be sweet . When Holy David prayed that the words of his mouth might be acceptable , he prays for this in relation to it , Let the meditations of my heart be acceptable , Psal. 19.14 . If the latter , viz. our meditations be not ; the former , viz our words , are not like to be acceptable . When our heart speaks our words , our words speak our heart , and 't is but one thing : and no sooner doth our heart indite a good matter , but our tongue will be as the Pen of a ready Writer , Psal. 45.1 . The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth , Prov 16.23 . the Hebrew is , maketh his mouth wise : the fool speaks with an open mouth , any thing that 's uppermost ; but a wise man opens his mouth and speaks , gravely , wisely , and upon deliberation . The mouth needs going to School , and if we will have it wise , let us get it a wise heart to be its Tutor , to teach it the art and grace of speaking wisely and well ; the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth .

2. Pray to God , for prayer is the means-general for preservation and sanctification of heart , tongue , and life : lift up thy heart and soul to him , and pray as , Psal. 19.14 of which I newly spake ; and say as , Psal. 51.15 . O Lord , open thou my lips , and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise ; and as , Psal. 71.8 . let my mouth be filled with thy praise , and with thine honour all the day . And again , Psal. 141.3 , 4. set a watch , O Lord , before my mouth , and keep the door of my lips , and incline not my heart to any evil thing . That 's well kept that God keeps , and if he keep not the City , the watchmen watch in vain . Commit thy self to the Keeper of Israel , and all will be well , Prov. 16.1 , 2 , 3.

3. Not in Deed-sins Caution against Deed-sins .

The third thing I am to dehort from , and caution against , is living in the practice of any sin ; yet before I directly speak thereunto , I crave leave to say some things about and against sins of omission , a thing too seldom treated or taken notice of , though scarce any guilt more common .

I shall therefore dehort 1. From sins of Omission . 2. From sins of Commission

1. Take heed of sins of Omission ; Of sins of Omission . it is a sin to omit what good is commanded , as well ( or ill ) as to commit what evil is forbidden , not to do what we ought , as to do what we ought not . We are not only to eschew evil , but to do good also , 1 Pet. 3.11 . and I the rather insist a little hereon , because many are more apt and prone to omit Duties , to be neglectful of doing good , then to commit ( especially ) gross and palpable evils ; and withal , to look upon it as a less evil , if any at all , there being so many ( though but trifling ) excuses ready for it , as you may see , Luke 14.18 , 19 , 20. I beseech you therefore to consider these things .

1. That good , and some of the best of men have been guilty hereof , and have suffered hereby ; to instance but in two : the first is Jacob , who was exceeding tender of telling a lye , though 't were to get a blessing , Gen. 27.11 , 12. but this Jacob was so forgetful of , and did so long neglect and omit to pay his vow , which he made at Bethel , that God minds him of it , Gen. 35.1 . and for the omission whereof , it s suppo●ed , that the afflictions mentioned in the former Chapter did befal him . The other Instance is Hezekiah , a good man and a good King , who returned not to the Lord according to the benefit he had received , nor did answer the end of it , but was guilty of not being humble or thankful enough , though he sung a Song of Praise ( and it seems , annually ) unto God : and therefore wrath was upon him , 2 Chron. 32 25. with Isa. 38.20 . Alas , how apt are good men to neglect Duties , and especially returning ones , even them of praise ; and for these things sake the wrath of God comes on his own Children , as for gross sins , it comes upon the children of disobedience , Eph. 5.5 , 6. How dear did it cost the Spouse her not opening to her Be●oved , Cant. 5.6 , 7.

2. Yet generally , and for the most part , 't is a great affliction to good and godly men to be forced to omit , and to be constrained to be absent from Duties , though the omission of them ( at such a time , and in such a case ) be no sin of theirs , as in time of sickness , or in case of flight : how doth David mourn while in the wilderness ( being persecuted and driven there ) how doth be lament his absence from the Assemblies of them that kept Holy-day , Psal. 42 . 1-4 . Though God in cases of such necessity dispense with his Sabbath , and consequently his instituted Worship on that day ; yet holy men lament this necessity , and mourn that they are restrained from bearing a part with others , and forced to do that which else were not lawful to do on a Sabbath-day : and 't is on this account ( not to exclude others ) that ( as I conceive ) our Saviour bid the Disciples pray , that their flight might not be on the Sabbath-day , Mat. 24.20 . For the usual Ordinances of the day could not be enjoy'd , nor the ordinary Duties of the day practised and performed . But ,

3. As it should be an affliction to be in a necessity , so 't is a sin to be willing to omit a Duty . 'T is an affliction not to have an head or hand , but a sin not to have an heart for Duty . As 't is a sin to will evil , so 't is a sin not to will good ; but to be willing not to do good , is more a sin : too many persons are glad of diversions ( as School-boys are when they have no mind to their books ) any thing shall serve to put off a Duty . When the flesh was weak , and the spirit willing , Christ himself excused them , Mat. 26.41 . but if the spirit be unwilling , 't is no excuse , though the flesh be never so weak . 'T was some comfort to St. Paul , that though to do he had not power , yet to will was present with him , Rom. 7.18 . but not to will , though we have no power , and much more not to will when we have power , is a sin . The reason why the wicked bad God depart from them , was , because they had no mind nor desire to be acquainted with his ways , Job 21.14 . so Rom. 1.28 . they did not like to retain God in their knowledge , or to pay acknowledgments to him , they had no mind nor will , nor list to do it ; and this is sin , as well as the other sins wherewith they are charged .

4. One omission makes way for another ; he that under pretence of unfitness to Duty puts it off , makes himself fit for nothing more then to omit again ( qui non est hodie , eras minùs aptus erit ) he prepares and fits himself to be unfit for , and to omit Duty : much and too long fasting takes away and deadens our appetite ; he that omits one , is like to omit another , and so another , till he omit all , and give up his very profession , and when that 's gone , the mans Religion dies , and he becomes twice dead . Omissions make way for commissions ( as it did in our first Parents ) and 't will be worth our while to observe a few Texts that speak of sluggards ( from whence sins of omission generally arise ) Eccl. 10.18 : by much slothfulness the building decays , and through idleness of the hands , the house drops through : it not only lyes open to wind and weather , but at last falls down , the repairs being neglected and omitted . Our bodies are called the Temples of God , of which our souls are ( as I may say ) the Holy of Holies , or as we call it , the Chancel , and 't is through sloth that this glorious Fabrick decays so much , Prov. 18.9 . he that is slothful in his work , is brother to him that is a great waster , he is a man that will come to nothing , and be worse then nought very shortly and speedily ; for he is a Prodigal , a spend-thrift , he spends more then he gets , and more then was given him ; true , and 't is as true , that his brother , the slothful man , will not hold out much longer then he : for , Prov. 20.4 . the sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold , therefore shall he beg in harvest , and have nothing . A Prodigal comes to nothing , and so doth the Sluggard . Love is a laborious thing , we read of the labour of love , 1 Thes. 1.3 . and love never grieves to be obedient , 1 Joh. 5. Now idleness argues a defect and want of love ; for when the Angel of Ephesus left his first love he left also his first works , Rev. 2.4 , 5. When love grows cold , practice becomes dead . Prov. 26.13 , 14 , 15. the slothful man saith , there is a Lyon in the way ; ask him , why do not you arise and walk with God ? why do not you go forth and serve God ? Oh , saith he , there is a Lyon in the way , there is danger in it ; when this is but his conceit , as 't is vers. 16. as the door turneth upon the hinges , so doth the slothful upon his bed ; how is that ? why , first one way , then another , he cannot rest on his bed of idleness , and yet is loth to rise , and therefore turns him to this and t'other side : and if after much ado , and many a yawn he get up , then he hides his hand in his bosom ( 't is cold weather ) and he is grieved to bring it twice to his mouth , though it be to feed himself : This is the guise of idle and sl●thful people , yea , Professors ; we are to do what we do with our might , and how can that be , while our hand is in our bosom ? for shame take it out , for as he that having put his hand to the plow looks back , so he that puts not his hand to the plow , will be found unfit for the Work and Kingdom of God , he shall beg in harvest , but have nothing . In the great day of recompense , these slothful ones will learn to pray and beg , saying , Lord , Lord , open to us , but they shall have nothing , viz. of that which they beg , no door opened to let them into the House of God , where is bread enough .

I remember I said , that sins of omission made way for sins of commission , and 't is but too true : Johs friends hearing such unsaint-like language from him as cursing , concluded that he omitted praying ; thou restrainest prayer from God , Job 15.4 . When men neglect Duty , they do usually fall into sin : to carry on this by the story of the slothful , see Prov. 24.30 . I went by the field of the slothful ; and what did he observe ? Lo it was all grown over with thorns , nettles covered the face thereof , and the stone-wall was broken down ; alas , Eden becomes a wilderness , and Paradise a desart , the poor soul is under the curse , it brings forth grieving thorns and pricking bryars , and stinging nettles , and is again nigh unto more cursing for bringing this forth , Heb. 6.8 . Sin comes on by degrees , it seems modest at first , do but omit , then it grows bold , and bids thee commit , and so from omission to commission , till at last the man become a man of sin , and a son of perdition , vir perditus , an hopeless , desperate , lost , and undone man . Yet again , to shew the worst of it , which follows hereupon , such persons are frequently given up , as Rom. 1.21 . their first sin was not glorisying God as God , and then not being thankful , they became vain , being vain , they were darkned , thence they became fools , and so on to abominable Idolatries , and at last it came to this , that God gave them up , vers. 24. Oh , the danger of sins of omission , one makes way for another , and thence they proceed to commission , till they be given up and cursed !

5. The more knowledge of any Duty we have , the more clear 't is , and the more we are convinced of it , the more is the omission of tha● Duty aggravated ; the clearer the light is , th● greater the sin of not receiving it , this is the condemnation , Joh. 3.19 . If Christ had not come , their sin had not been so great ; but now not to believe , is to be without excuse , Joh. 15.22 . & 24. If God had not told us what we ought to do , we might have made excuse , and said , Had we known better , we would have done better ; but God hath shewn thee , O man , what is good , Micah . 6.8 . and that not only by his Works , but by his Word ; and if the knowledge of him by them only aggravated their sin as it did , Rom. 1.21 . how greatly will their sin be aggravated that neglect so great Salvation , which at first was preacht by the Lord Jesus Christ , and afterward confirmed by them that heard him , God bearing them witness with signs and wonders , divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost , as 't is , Heb. 2.3 , 4. To him that knows to do good , and doth it not , to him it is sin , a great sin , an hainous sin , sin with a witness . It may be sin to another that knows not to do good , but not so great a sin as 't is to him that knows ; and therefore he that knew not his masters will was beaten but with a few stripes , but he that knew it , and did it not , was beaten with many , Luke 12.47 , 48. The Jews had wont to abate one of the forty stripes which the Law allowed , and that to St. Paul ( as much as they hated him ) for of them twice he received forty stripes save one , 2 Cor. 11.24 . But he that knows his masters will , and doth it not , nor prepares himse●f , shall be beaten with many stripes , with the full number , without abatement or mitigation , the total sum of the Law shall be inflicted on him .

6. Sins of omission ( if in the view of others ) are evil examples , as sins of commission are ; a man may do a great deal of hurt by not doing good : we are commanded to let our good works shine before others , Mat. 5.16 . and to be examples of faith and charity unto others , to be presidents of good works , Titus 3.8 . for so the word signifies in that place . The world is led by the eye as much , if not more then by the ear , and are as much prevailed with by examples as they are by precepts ; and are ( on the other hand ) very inclinable to think , that they may do what others ( especially their betters ) do ; if rich men give but little , others ( that are not so rich , and yet able to give ) think they may be excused , if they give nothing to the poor . If the parents neglect prayer , the children scarce think it their duty to pray : As 't is an excellent thing to be an examplary Christian , it shews that Religion is practicable , and tolls men on : 't is a dull Jade that will not follow and strive to keep pace , when another mettled horse leads the way : So 't is sad to be an examplary sinner ; for such an one hath more sins to answer for then his own , even them of other men , that were committed by his example . 'T is a common plea , such learned and knowing men do so and so , and why may not I ? Oh follow not a multitude ( how mighty & wise soever ) to do evil ; let us therefore provoke one another to love and good works by our example ; let us not only shew , but lead the way .

7. Consider this , sins of omission are sins which God hath severely judged men for in this world , and for which he will judge men in the great day . 'T is observable how severe God hath been to them that have omitted what he commanded them to do , though they have pretended to do it for Gods-sake ; an instance whereof we have in Saul , 1 Sam. 15. God sent Saul to destroy Amaleck root and branch , King and people , from head to foot , from Throne to threshold , not to leave one person alive ; man , woman , infant , and suckling , all must dye ; oxen and sheep , &c. none must escape . But Saul spared Agag , and the best of the sheep and oxen , &c. and would not utterly destroy them ; whereupon it follows , that the Lord repented of having set up Saul to be King , vers. 11. and though it were pretended to be done for a Sacrifice to God , vers. 15. & 22. yet 't is charged upon him as rebellion and witchcraft , vers. 23. and his not obeying the voice of the Lord , is called a doing evil in his sight , vers 19. so that he who omits a good , commits an evil ; the omission of good is the commission of evil , and judged accordingly . Oh , how dear did this sin of omission cost Saul ; Another instance is ,

That of Eli ( which is remarkable ) who is charged with honouring his sons before God , 1 Sam. 2.29 . how so ? Eli was a good old man , and can it be thought that he preferr'd his sons before God ? what should the meaning of this be ? see Chap. 3.13 . and there 't is cleared up ; for saith God , I will judge his house for ever , for the iniquity which he knoweth , because his sons made themselves vile , and he restrained them not : he did not give them so much as a sowre look , or as the Hebrew reads it , he frowned not upon them . And yet let me tell you , Eli went so far , that had his children had any ingenuity , or any respect to the rebukes of a Priest and Father , one would have thought he had said enough , for Chap. 2.23 . &c. the old man very gravely takes them up with this expostulation , Why do you do such things ? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people , nay , my sont , for it is no good report which I hear , ye make the Lords people to transgress ; if one man sin against another , the Judge shall judge him , but if a man sins against the Lord , who shall intreat for him ? thus he layes their sin and danger before them pretty roundly , and yet , saith God , he restrained them not , there was an omission and neglect of more severe discipline ; and this omission cost him dear , as dear almost as the sins of commission did cost his sons , which was not to be purged with Sacrifice , vers. 14.

Another instance , is that concerning the Ammonites and Moabites ( who were a bastard brood ) and therefore like Bastards , they were not to enter into the Congregation of the Lord , till the tenth generation , Deut. 23.2 , 3 , 4. and the reason is taken , 1. From a sin of omission , because they met not Israel with bread and water , when they came out of Egypt . 'T is a dreadful thing to be excommunicated from , and a dreadful thing not to be admitted into the Congregation of the Lord ; and you see that a sin of omission may keep men out for a long time . But ,

2 God will judge men for sins of omission in the great and terrible day of his righteous Judgment : not only the wicked , but the slothful servant will be judged , and the slothful will be judged wicked , as we have it from the mouth of Truth it self , Mat. 25.26 . thou wicked and slothful servant , wicked because slothful ; he was no waster , but brother to him ( as was lately noted ) because slothful ; for omitting the improvement of his talent , he was called and judged a wicked and slothful servant , and his punishment was ( beside the loss of his talent ) to be cast into utter darkness , where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth : he had not turned the grace of God into wantonness , yet for being unprofitable , he is sent to Hell . And again , vers. 41. he shall say to them on his left hand , depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire , for your sins of omission , because when I was hungry and thirsty , ye ( like the Ammonites and Moabites newly mentioned , ye brought me no bread and water ) ye gave me no meat and drink . Some are apt to justifie themselves thus , we never did any man hurt , we have wronged and oppressed no man ; I , but God will condemn them that have not done such evils , because they have not done good : Oh , think of these things , and beware of sins of omission . And ,

2. Take heed of sins of Commission . Of sins of Commission .

As we should be careful not to omit our Duties , the things commanded , for ( beside all that hath been said , I might add this , that ) to omit ( especially ) the weightier things of the Law ( though we be observant of the lesser ) is a sign of Hypocrisie , Mat. 23.23 . so we should be no less careful to keep our selves from the evil that is forbidden , from all kinds and sorts of sins ( the enumeration of which were endless ) in relation to which , let me caution you to beware of , and watch against ,

1. Such as are most peculiarly our sins . That which may be most properly called your own sin , the sin to which you are most inclined , and which doth most easily beset and conquer you : 'T was Holy Davids Crown of rejoycing , that he had kept himself from his iniquity , Psal. 18.23 . I was upright before him , and kept my self from mine iniquity , not only that which was charged upon me by others to be mine iniquity in relation to Saul , but ( as most Interpreters carry it ) that which was the sin of mine inclination , as one would say , from my complexion and constitution-sin , my natures darling-sin . Are you young ? avoid the sins proper to this age , 2 Tim. 2.22 . flee youthful lusts , or the lusts of youth ; there are some lusts almost peculiar to youth , as , 1. Ambition , vain Glory , Pride , 1 Pet. 5.5 . which much appears in their odd , fantastick garbes and flanting behaviours ( as that Text implies ) and especially in not submitting to the elder . 2. Gratifying the sensual appetite and carnal inclination ; they are much for the lust of the eye and of the flesh too , as well as for the pride of life ; as Eccl. 11.9 . and 12.1 . tells us , that they are much set upon pleasure , the young mans favouritc . The Prodigal ( who was the younger brother ) did this way waste his estate , his time , and himself , he spent all on back and belly , on riotous living : 't was a young man that Solomon saw going the way to her house , Prov. 7.7 . which way leads to Hell . 3. Another lust of youth is self-conceitedness , too much proneness to be wise in their own eyes . They think old men fools , but old men know that they are fools . Their conceitedness puffs them up , and makes them incapable of instruction , and very unteachable ( Reh●boam and his young Counsellors may save us the labour of instancing in any others , 1 Kings 12. ) and 't is on this account that the Apostle would have Titus exhort young men to be discreet or sober-minded ; flee then all these and any other , youthful lusts , make the most haste you can from them , not only creep , or go , or run , or ride , but flee . Are you old ? hear then ye old men , Joel 1.2 . what shall we hear ? that in Titus 2.2 . take heed of old age sins , old age lusts ( concupiscentia non senescit ) when men are dying , and have one leg in the grave , when they are about to give up the Ghost , yet ( like the Thief on the Cross ) they will be sinning . Take heed of Solomons old age sin , a kind of dotage which suffered him to apostatize , 1 Kings 11.3 . be sound in the faith , as in Titus 2.2 . take heed of the peevishness of old age , be patient ( saith the Text ) take heed of the covetousness of old age , be charitable , saith the Text. Be fruitful in your old age , that your latter end may be better then your beginning , and the better , because it may be your beginning was bad : and that your last days may be your best days , and so you may dye in a good old age , which is best so , when you dye good in an old age , and are such as St. Paul the aged , who had finished his course ; 't is a Crown and Glory to be an old good Disciple , as Mnason was , Acts 21.16 .

2. Relation-sins . Take heed of the sins which men and women are guilty of , as they are relatives , and stand in relation to one another ; art thou husband or wife ? take heed of being false to , or but faining of love : art parent or child ? art master or servant ? take heed of the sins which do attend either of the relations wherein thou standest . I had thought indeed to have particularized the sins , but they are so commonly written of and known , that I shall forbear that , and only hint this direction and counsel , which I have often thought may be of great good use , viz. That every relative person , as husband , wife , &c. would read and ( if they can ) write out , and pray that God would write in their hearts the several directions , which the Scripture so frequently and abundantly gives to all relations , and keep them before their ( as holy David did the loving-kindness of God before his ) eyes , that they may walk in the truth . Relative Duties are too little minded , but if we did consider that we are that ( and usually but that ) really which we are relatively , 't would hugely oblige and quicken us to be relatively good . 'T is not like that they are good Christians , who are bad husbands or wives , bad parents or children , bad superiors or inferiors in their places .

3. Place-sins Take heed of the sins of the age , country , and places where you live ; there are sins as 't were appropriated to some ages and countries , as to them of the latter and last days , see 1 Tim. 4 . 1-4 . and 2 Tim. 3 . 1-5 . When sin becomes Epidemical , 't is the less abstained from , for few ( but very good persons ) care to be singular : when sins are as 't were the custom and fashion of the country , most will be sinners ; especially if it be countenanced by the examples of great ones . But as we should not be conformed to this world at large , so not to any part of it . Is there any sin by which the Land is defiled ( for which the Land mourns ) and is ready to spue out the Inhabitants thereof for it , Levit. 18.27 , 28. take heed thou be not found guilty ; but be one of the mourners , which God will set a mark upon , Ezek. 9.4 . When Formality , Hypocrifie , and Apostacy are in sashion , be cautious not to sin any of these ways , no more then by swearing , drunkenness , and uncleanness , though they be common and uncontrouled . Take heed of minding the favour and praise of men , more then , or without the favour and praise of God , which Hypocrites , and none but Hypocrites do , Joh , 12.42 , 43. Daniel and the three Children would not sin for fashions-sake , no though they were commanded to sin : And the Apostles made their appeal to them that would have had them sin , saying , Whether it be better to obey God or man , judge ye , Acts 4.18 , 19 , 20. 'T is God will judge us , and not men , and he only hath absolute authority over us , to command what he please , and therefore our chief care should be to please him . We shall find that the best way to please all , or to displease any with least danger , ' is to please him , who is all in all . Though therefore any should think it strange , that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot , and speak evil of you , 1 Pet. 4.4 . answer them as Joseph did his Mistress , how shall I do this wickedness and sin against God , Gen. 39.9 . and tell them as the Apostle doth , 1 Pet. 4.5 . that thou and they must give an account to him , who is ready to judge the quick and the dead ; seeing therefore the end of all things is at hand , let us be sober and watch unto prayer ( for so 't is added in vers. 7. ) as Holy David did , when they spake evil of him , fought against him without a cause , and for his love became his adversaries , Psal. 109. 2-4 .

4. Calling-sins . Take heed of the sins that attend your Callings , Occupations , and Trades : and here I premise , 1. That every man should ( as was toucht above ) have a Calling to follow , and follow his Calling ; God hath given no man a dispensation to be idle , the rule is , 2 Thes 3.10 . and that by command , if any will not , that can , work , neither should he eat ; and if this rule were observed , I am afraid that more rich then poor would go with hungry stomachs and empty bellies . Of idleness comes no good , but to be sure a great deal of evil : They that are at work are not at leisure to sin , but they that are idle are at leisure to do nothing but to sin . Adam in innocency ( that better then golden age ) had his Calling and Employment , he was a Gardner , * * 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , a Cultivator of the ground , or an Husbandman . Gen. 2.15 . The Angels of Heaven are not without their Cal●ing ; when they are abroad ( here on earth ) they are ministring Spirits , Heb. 1.14 . and when at home in Heaven , they rest not day or night from praising God ; as one of the Greek Fathers expresseth it , 〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 , their service and calling is to sing Songs and Psalms of praise . I may therefore say , Take heed of the sin of being without a Calling , or of having no Calling , especially you that are young and strong to labour . 2. No mans Calling necessitates him to sin ; there 's many a Trade , of which I scruple not to say , 't is no Calling : many make Trades for a livelibood of that which is no Calling ; Harlotry and Thieving are no Callings ; for we are called , not to uncleanness , but to holiness : and as to lawful Callings , sin is but accidental , and springs up more from our inclination , then 't is occasioned by our Callings . Necessities are things that few men are competent Judges of ; many things are called so , which are far from being so ; and nothing should be called so , that is a sin ; he that cannot follow a Calling without sinning , had better lay aside his Trade , then live by sinning : That there is sin in Callings , is not from our vocation , but from our corruption ; 't is not our Calling , but our evil hearts that put us upon sinning . There 's no need to tell a lye , or to steal , or cheat , there are many other better ways to live , and if we were not distrustful of God , and indulgent to the baseness of our own hearts , we might find them out . Yet ,

3. I say this , there are snares in our Callings , the Devil lays his nets and baits every where : he lays his snares to intangle us , not only in our general , but particular Callings , to turn all our duties into sins . Many men do sin , and most men are liable ( being tempted ) to sin in their Callings . There are many temptations attend and wait on every Calling ; and were I to speak to men of any Calling , I would follow the example of St. John , Luke 3.10 . &c. who spake to every one according to the sin he was guilty of , or tempted to in his place : The Publicans were very great oppressors , and therefore he calls on them to exact no more then their due ; your stated and appointed allowance ; the souldiers were boisterous and unruly , and therefore he speaks to them to do violence to no man , or ( as in the Margine ) to put no man in fear ; do not trepan men , and falsely accuse them ; do not plunder and steal , but be content with your pay . But seeing I cannot speak to every particular , I will lay before you some things in general , which may be applyed to each and every one .

1. Take heed of lying and equivocating , which is a thing grown so common in buying and selling , that it passeth but for words of course ; It cost me more , and yet sell it for less ; I cannot afford it , yet take the money ; I will get nothing by you , as if men could buy and sell , and live by the loss ; do you think that men believe this , or do you your selves believe it without one or other equivocal distinction ? I will not undertake to tell you the words you shall use , but I tell you from the Lord , that you should use but few , and speak in truth , in a multitude of words there wants not sin ; for the seller to extol a commodity with variety of words , and tell men , 't is the best in town , there cannot better be bought for gold , &c. is many times but a Trade-complement ; so for the buyer , to say its naught , it s naught , and when he is gone , to boast , is not short of a sin , Prov. 20.14 . or to say , he will give no more , though he intend to do it . Words are precious commodities , and should not be exposed at an adventure : What 's beyond yea and nay , and reacheth to superfluity , cometh of evil , and evil comes of it , Mat. 5.37 . James 5.12 . and if you tell untruths and lyes , 't is as bad as stealing , Levit. 19.11 . ye shall not steal , nor deal falsely , nor lye one unto another . He that lyeth , doth constructively steal : and the Apostle , 1 Tim. 1.10 . joyns lyars and stealers , and perjured persons together , and tells us , that the Law is against them all , and that they are contrary to sound Doctrine : and if mans Law were as Gods , there would be a recovery of restitution for what 's gotten by lying , as for what is stollen , Levit. 6 . 1-5 . and before you can come to God with your offering , you ought to restore that which is gotten by fraud , as well as that which is gotten by force ; yea , to lye is a thing inconsistent with being a Child of God , without ( among the dogs ) are lyars , and shall ( if they repent not ) have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone , which is the second death , Rev. 21.8 . & 22.15 . and the getting of treasure by a lying tongue , is a vanity tossed to and ●●o of them that seek ( this ) death , Prov. 21.6 . He that is not delivered from the way of lying on earth , will never be delivered from lying in Hell . Surely , saith God of his people , they are children that will not lye , Isa. 63.8 . to be sure , they will not make a trade of it , nor live in or by lying : and 't is added , so he was their Saviour , as if God would not save a cheating Hypocrite , a lying Professor , no nor will he without repentance ; for lying lips are an abomination to the Lord , Prov. 12.22 . but they that deal truly are his delight : which had you rather be , abhorred , or delighted in by God ? think of this in your Ware-houses and Shops , or when you go abroad to buy or sell , that you may do all in truth . Methinks I hear your wives and children begging of you , Oh , do not lye to be rich , do not venture your going to Hell to leave me an estate ! Thus do I deal plainly and truly with you , that you may do so with all men , and I hope you will not take it ill , that I endeavour to do you good ; if you do , I say with the Apostle , forgive me this wrong .

2. Take heed of putting men off , and paying them with false and unlawful money ; as you should not buy stollen and unlawful goods , so you should not pay unlawful money , that which you would not take , and know that others will not receive , if it be discerned : The children of Abraham should be like him , who when he had bought , he weighed or told out his silver , current money with the Merchant , Gen. 23.16 . And this sin is so much the worse ( viz. paying of brass and uncurrent money ) because it usually falls into the hands of the poor , who can least discern , and suffer most by the receiving of it ; do as you would be done unto , and do not pay that which is not payment , but an abuse and wrong .

3. Use not false weights or measures , nor keep your books falsely : take heed of writing down more then was delivered or bargained for , or writing greater prices then were agreed upon . As to false weights and measures , they are utterly forbidden , Levit. 19.35 , 36. and Deut. 25 . 13-16 . you are to have a standardmeasure , and not think it enough to have one only when the Quest comes , but all the year long , or else you ( as your weights and measures ) are an abomination to the Lord , Prov. 20.10 . You have a good saying ( and I wish it be made good ) you shall have your weight , or measure , or tale , though you buy it for a penny or a farthing . Saith God , shall I count them pure with the wicked ballance and deceitful weights ? no , no , let them never be so great Professors , I will not count them pure , but an abomination , Micah . 6.10 , 11.

4. Take heed of counterfeit and false Lights ; alas , one can hardly see day by day in many mens shops , they either shut out the light , or let it in , one scarce sees how : men may seek for light at noon-day . Men have learnt to draw up or let down so much by the Ell or by the Yard , that people can scarce see what they look upon with their eyes : That which seemed very fine and fair by a false light , is found far otherwise by a true one . Now by the same reason that weights are , lights are an abomination to the Lord , viz. because they are false and deceitful . If you tell me , 't is the custom of the City and all the world , I ask you , whether that will answer God , and make it no sin ?

5. Take heed of breaking Bargains and Covenants , when you perceive you can buy cheaper of , or sell dearer to another : I am almost afraid that this practical kind of Religion is with many like an old Almanack out of date , as if Religion were confined to the first Table ( some Duties to God ) and the second Table ( Duties to Man ) were of little concern or consequence ; when as most frequently in holy Writ the characters of godly men are drawn from their obedience to the second Table-commands , and among the rest this that I am upon is one , Psal. 15.4 . he that sweareth , and changeth not , though it be to his loss and detriment : and it ought to hold good in promises as well as oaths , in bargaining as well as swearing ; for a man ought to be just , though he have not sworn to be so , but wo to them that promise and swear too , yet are not just , but false and perjured both .

6. Take heed of carnal and sinful compliance with your Customers and Chapmen in their swearing , drinking to excess , &c. have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , though you profit by them that work them , but reprove them rather , Eph. 5.11 . and so you shall not suffer sin upon your brother ( nor upon your selves ) Levit. 19.17 . otherwise 't is to hate him in your heart , which is a great sin ; for he that hates his brother is a murtherer , 1 Joh. 3.15 . Perhaps you will say , this is the ready way to lose our Customers , and then we may shut up shop , and run away ; if that fall out , 't is better to part with any then God , and to lose any thing rather then his favour and loving-kindness , which is better then life , and therefore much better then livelihood 〈◊〉 but it may not so fall out , 't is better to tru●● God then to be beholding to the Devil , and sin ; d● as you ought to do , and if bad men do not , good men may become your Customers ; and when your ways please the Lord , he can and will make your enemies to be ( friends ) at peace with you , Prov. 16.7 . Whatever you do , keep a good conscience towards God and men , and though the children of this world should call you fools , yet they will call themselves fools another day , for calling you so now : 't is undoubtedly better and more profitable to please God then men ; and what will it profit thee to gain the world , and lose thy soul ? we are too prone to comply with , and to be drawn away by them we get by , and have therefore a kindness for them ; but consider what God saith , Exod. 34 . 12-15 . Take heed lest thou make a Covenant with the Inhabitants of the Land , lest it prove a snare to thee , that when they do sacrifice to their Gods , and one call thee , and thou eat of their Sacrifice ; intimacy , and familiarity , and trading together , may be a snare , Gen. 34.21 . And when a good Customer calls thee , covetousness is like to make thee to do like him ; rather then men will lose their gain , they will cry up Diana , though they cry down Godliness and God himself , Acts 19 . 23-28 .

7. Take heed of abusing and grinding the face of the poor , Isa. 3.15 . either , 1. By taking advantage of their necessity ; you know they must have it , because they need it , and their necessity is urgent , Oh , do not be cruel to them ; you know they must sell at the weeks end to buy bread , or at Quarters end to pay Rent ; Oh , do not oppress them , and add affliction to their affliction , by making them under-sell the sweat of their brow , and labour of their hands ; wo to thee , if the spoil of the poor be in thy house , Isa 3.15 . Nor do thou take any advantage of their ignorance , to over-reach and defraud them : ignorance should be pitied , and the unskilful should be well used ; it may be , he refers himself to thee ; Oh , do not put a bad for a good commodity into his hands . Or ,

2. Grind them not by detaining the wages of the poor work-men ; Oh , do not think of growing rich by the poor mans money ; do not put him off till to morrow , when thou hast it by thee ; if thou shouldst not doit in point of charity , much less in a case of justice . This is a crying sin , as you may read , James 5.4 . Poor souls , they have wrought hard , and when they have done , they go home and cry for want of money to buy bread , and truly this cry of theirs enters into the ears of the Lord of Hosts , for so Sabaoth signifies ; and though thou be too mighty for the poor , yet thou art no match for the Lord of Hosts , who takes their part , and will not always bear with thy covetousness and oppression . Oh , pay off the poor , as soon as they have done their work .

3. Grind them not by forcing upon them braided and trashy ware , because they are in your debt : You complain many times that your Chapmen break , and 't is to be feared they may complain that you break them ; either by forcing too much , or very bad commodities into their hand , which they cannot vend or put off but to their great loss . They are in your books , and for fear of your displeasure , lest you should arrest them , they are willing to take it of you : but , Oh , for the poors-sake , for Gods-sake , and for your own , and your famililies-sake , do not grow rich by the poor mans poverty . If you know any more beside these ( for I have but little knowledge of your Mysteries ) I intreat you to take heed of them . If you shall say in your heart , that he is a silly fellow that cannot distinguish away the danger and dread of all this , I list not to answer your objections : But this I say ,

That you can never evade your consciences , where this is indelibly written , that you ought to do as you would be done by in justice , and if you would not another should wrong you , do not you wrong them : if your conscience should be bribed , yet God will not , and what will you do when he riseth up to Judgment ? how will you answer God , to whom you must give an account ? be not deceived , God will not be mocked : 't is as cheap as easie to laugh at , and put off such a poor thing as man is ; but believe it , Conscience and God will not be so put off . Thus I have in this also endeavoured to discharge my own soul , and to save yours , as well as to be free from your blood . Oh , consider , consider ! If you are not guilty , I have not condemned you , but speak this , that you may not be guilty ; and that you may pray to God to be kept from , and praise him if you have been kept from such crying sins . To proceed yet further .

5. Of little sins . Take heed of such sins as the world call Peccadillos , little sins : some men account great sins to be but little ones , and little ones to be none or very venial : say they , what hurt is there in an innocent lye , or a pious fraud ? Alas , what a contradiction is this , can a lye be innocent , and fraud pious ? Wo be to them that call evil good , and joyn good and evil , as if they were one , or agreed in one . Oh , saith another , 't is but a trick of youth ; I , but 't is such a trick as may cost thee a going to Hell . Another deceives his neighbour , and ( laughing while he strikes ) says , am not I in sport ? Prov. 26.19 . Ah , but he that sins in jest , or makes a jest of sin , may be damned in earnest . Consider ,

That no sin against a great God can be properly ( though compared with a greater , it may be ) a little sin ; but be it never so little , to account it so , makes it greater : and the nature of the greatest sin is in the least ; a spark of fire , a drop of poyson hath the nature of much more , yea of all , James 2.10 . And God hath severely punished them that have been lookt upon as little sins , yea some of them well-meant sins , as that of Vzza's taking hold of the Ark , when the Cart shook , 2 Sam. 6.6 , 7. When they did but look into the Ark , it cost them dear , 1 Sam. 6.19 . gathering of a few sticks on the Sabbath , was severely punished , Numb. 15 . 32.-36 . These seem small matters , but in sin we must not consider so much what is , as why 't is forbidden , and who forbids it . Beside , a little sin makes way for a greater , as a little boy-thief entring an house , makes way for a man-thief to enter ; 't is hard to sin once , and but once , to commit one little sin , and but one ; give the Devil and sin an inch , and they will take an Ell ; vain babling increaseth to more ungodliness : a little leak in a ship may by degrees fill it with water and sink it ; the Devil doth not much care by what sins we go to Hell , whether small or great , formality or prophaneness . And to conclude , he that makes no conscience of little sins , makes conscience of no sin ; he that breaks the least of Gods Commandments , hath none or very little love for God ; for herein is love , that we keep his Commandments , and they are not grievous , no not the greatest of them , much less the least , 1 Joh. 5. To have respect to all the Commandments of God , is an Argument of a sound heart , and excludes shame , as appears by comparing Psal. 119.6 . with 80. A good conscience is an universal conscience ; and if a man make no conscience of little sins , to which the temptations can be but little how little conscience is that man like to make of great sins , to which there are greater temptations ? If Judas betray his Lord for thirty pieces , what would he not do for more ? Consider what our blessed Saviour saith , Luke 16.10 . he that is faithful in that which is least , is faithful also in much ; and he that is unjust in the least , is unjust also in much : beware then of little sins . And

6. Of secret sins . Take heed of them that men call Secret Sins . There are but too many who bless themselves in their wickedness , because ( as they think ) none knows how wicked they are ; they are drunkards , but 't is in the night ; they are unclean , but 't is in the dark ; their Mystery of iniquity trades in the works of darkness and in the dark : indeed , if men could sin , and no eye see them , they might seem to sin securely , but this is a falshood as well as a mistake . I have met with two stories , which may haply serve you in some stead ; the one is of a Maid that was tempted to be unchast and unclean ; the person that sollicited her , promised her to do great matters for her , if she would yield ; I will ( saith he ) do any thing for thee ; wilt thou so ? ( said she ) then burn thine hand in that fire : Oh , that 's unreasonable , answers he ; but replied she , 't is much more unreasonable , that I should burn in Hell for thy sake . Oh , who would venture his soul to torment , to gratifie his own or anothers pleasure and lust ? The other ( which comes to the case in hand ) is of a Maid sollicited to the same folly , who would not give her consent , unless he would bring her to a place where no eye could see them ; whereupon he brought her to a very dark place , and prosecuted his sollicites , saying , here no body can see us : Oh but , said she , here God sees us . Oh that we would tell all the tempting Courtships of men and Devils , that we can never sin , but there will be two witnesses present to observe and register it , our own selves and God himself : we owe a great deal of reverence to our selves , and ( though none were by ) we should revere our consciences and our selves ; what ! shall we be witnesses against our selves , and be condemned by our own testimony ? and yet if our hearts condemn us , God ( who is greater then our hearts , and knoweth all things ) will much more condemn us : It made St. Paul very modest , when he knew nothing of which to condemn himself , yet that the Lord was to judge him , 1 Cor. 3.4 . we cannot escape the sight no more then the judgment of God . He sees us , and what we do when under the fig-tree , though ( as Adam and Eve did ) we cover our selves with fig-leaves ; and he will one day call to us ( as to them ) Adam , sinner where art thou ? if thou go up to Heaven , he is there , 't is his Throne ; if down to Hell , he is there , 't is his Prison ; thou canst not go from his presence : you may more easily hide from men and your selves , then from God ; and therefore that you may not be so foolish and wicked as to sin in secret , or to think any thing or place secret from God , I intreat you often and seriously to read the 139. Psal. and then I hope you will say ( I am sure you will see cause to say ) how shall I do this wickedness , and sin against God!

7. Of occasions and appearances of evil . Take heed of the occasions and very appearances of this evil , Sin : abstain not only from apparent evils , but from the ( yea from all and every the ) appearances of evil , 1 Thes. 5.22 . do not be so irreligious as to go into temptation , when thou hast been so religious as to pray God , not to lead thee into temptation ; this is mock-prayer ; keep out of harms way , Prov. 4.14 , 15. enter not ( put not a foot ) into the way of the wicked ; if thou have been so foolishly forward , yet go not on in the way of evil men ; but avoid it , pass not by it , turn from it , and pass away : you cannot stand at too great a distance from sin ; if you will not sit in the seat of the scornful , do not stand in the way of sinners , nor walk in the counsel of the ungodly , Psal. 1.1 . touch not pitch , lest ye be defiled ; gaze not ( like one enamour'd ) on the wine , when it looks well , and danceth in the glass ; make a Covenant with thine eyes , lest by looking too much on beauty , thine eyes become sore and sinful . Abhor not only the flesh or the spot , but the very garment that is but spotted with the flesh , Jude 23. yea , abstain from what 's inexpedient ( as well as from what 's unlawful ) for in being inexpedient ( as such , and then ) it is unlawful : if it be not a sin , yet if it ( be malè coloratum and ) look like a sin , beware of it . 'T is next to being a sinner , to be like one ; to being proud and wanton , to seem so , or look so : an appearance of good is too little , but an appearance of evil is too much : 't is the Hypocrites sin , that he appears better then he is , and it may be a good mans evil to appear worse then he is : a rod is for the back of fools , and 't will be laid on a wise mans , if found in a fools coat .

Eighthly and lastly , Of being guilty of other mens sins . Take heed of being any way , in any kind or degree , guilty of other mens sins : Alas , have we not many ( too many ) sins of our own ? but will we have other mens sins to answer for ? they being our-other-mens sins , as I may call them . Take heed of being an occasion of , a partaker of , or but accessory to other mens sins . God forbids it , that it may not be , Eph. 5 . 7-11 . 1 Tim. 5.22 . and sharply reproves and punisheth it , where he finds it to be , Psal. 50.18 . 2 Sam. 12 9. 1 Kings 21.19 . in which two last places , King David and King Ahab are found guilty of the murther which was acted by other hands , but ( alas ) by their commission . 'T is sad to sin against God our selves , but sadder to make others sin against God too ; this way the world is made worse then it would be ; men are too prone to be vile enough of themselves ( were there no Devil to tempt them ) but when they have companions and brethren in iniquity , they are apt to sin more lustily . St. Augustine confesseth , that he used to boast of sins he was not guilty of , that he might seem to be as bad as his companions , who thought them the best that were worst . Oh , what sins ( many and great ) are committed in , with , and for company , that would else haply never have been committed ! there would be no stealers , were there no receivers , and therefore the receiver is as bad as the thief ; there would be no adulteresses , were there no adulterers . Many in Hell would probably have been less wicked then they were ( and so have had less torment then they have ) had they not been furthered by others their companions . Though all sins come from the heart ( and may there be acted when men are alone ) yet as to matter of fact , some sins cannot be committed by persons alone , but every such sin hath a double sinner , if not a greater number .

Beside , this way men are confirmed and hardned in their wickedness ; where all go naked , none are ashamed ; examples and company steel men in their sins , who were Iron enough of themselves ; and sometimes emboldens them who were modest and tender before , as 1 Cor. 8.10 . If any see thee , who hast knowledge , sit at meat in the Idols Temple , shall not the conscience of him that is weak be emboldned ? the Greek is , edified or built ; he takes it for a good example , and makes a kind of conscience to do so too , as if thou hadst instructed him to edification , when , alas , 't is edification only to the wounding and endangering of his perishing , as it follows vers. 11.12 . and ye sin against Christ Jesus , as he also doth ; for thou makest him to offend , vers. 13.

So that hereby we become guilty of other mens sins , and we are like sooner or later to resent and regret this very grievously ; yea ( though we our selves may be saved at last ) 't will certainly pain us to think that any went to Hell , in whose sins we had an head or hand , and it may be an heart . Beside , 't is very usual , that we partake of their plagues , whose sins we partake of , which no less then a voice from Heaven gives us warning , Rev. 18.4 . and because for these things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience , be not ye therefore partakers with them , Eph. 5.5 , 6 , 7. 't is sad to be found on the Devils ground , as the Devil said , he found the woman ( whom he possest ) when at a Play . But yet more particularly , we may be guilty of other mens sin , 1. As Occasions ( if not causes ) of it , before . 2. As Partakers with them , when . 3. As Accessories , after it is committed .

1. As Occasioners before . In being Occasioners of it before , when it may more then probably be said , such sins had not been committed , but upon , and for such occasions given ; and that , 1. By neglecting what might and ought to be done for its prevention , Qui non prohibet cum potest ( & debet ) facit scelus , He , that when he can and ought , hinders not a sin , doth contribute to its production ; as when men neglect to instruct or teach them who are under their charge , whether Ministers , Parents , or Masters of Families , see Ezek. 3 . 17-20 . 'T was the Apostles rejoycing , that in this case he was pure from the blood of all men , Acts 20.26 , 27. Many a child and servant that hath come to prison and execution , have made this sad complaint , my Parents , my Master never gave me warning , never shewed me the danger of sin , nor instructed me in the way of the Lord , the way of Righteousness and Holiness ! beware of this . And when sin begins to bud and blossom , nip it by reproofs and discipline , or else you may be charged with sin , as old Eli was , 1 Sam. 3.13 . Oh , crush the Cockatrice while in the Egg , dash the Brats against the wall , while young ; if you be silent or indulgent , children and servants take it for consent and approbation ( as they mis-interpreted Gods holding his peace , Psal. 50. ) Inclinations will come into acts , and they into customs and habits , if not checked and restrained . But if you thus meet with them betimes , you may prevent a great deal of sin ; 't is the best proof of your love , Prov. 13.24 . And it may be they will say as David did to Abigail , 1 Sam. 25.39 . blessed be the Lord God of Israel , who sent thee this day to meet me ; blessed be thy advice , and blessed be thou , who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood , and from avenging my self : so may one say , I had been an adulterer to day , and another , I a drunkard to day , &c. hadst not thou given me counsel and correction , hadst not thou given me an Item , an helping hint , I had sinned to day , Oh blessed be thou of the Lord . Think of it , is it not better to hear of their blessing then their cursing thee ? Oh prevent sin all you can ; Solon a Heathen gives a good advice , Liberis nè arrideas , nè in posterum fleas , too many laugh at their childrens cunning shifts , their fibbing , and lying ; but this laughing may cost you weeping , when you ( and before they ) are old . It was a Law among the Lacedemonians , Quicunque senum delinquentem puerum videns non increpat , eadem poena cum delinquente teneatur ; That if any of the Ancient saw a young one sinning , and did not reprove him , they should undergo the same punishment with the offender . But , 2. We may occasion other mens sins , and be guilty of their crime , by doing something which we ought not to do , and the doing whereof doth further other mens sinning : as , 1. If Superiors , by way of command ; some are so wicked , as to command others to be wicked , and they are so wicked as to obey their command : as Absolom commanded his servants to kill his brother Amnon , and they obeyed , 2 Sam. 13.28 . Jezebel wrote Letters in Ahabs name to the Elders to hire sons of Belial ( so false witnesses are called ) that they might accuse Naboth of blasphemy , and then stone him to death , 1 Kings 21. yea , David himself was guilty of this great sin , and therefore 't is spoken of as his only sin , 1 Kings 15.5 . Some have made Laws to command men to sin , as if they should sin cum privilegio and with authority , as Dan. 3.10 . and Chap. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. And how many Masters command their servants to say , they are not at home , though they be , and to commend their commodity for one of the best , though never so bad , and to do that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath-day , &c. Now poor servants being under awe , and standing in fear , they are inclinable to obey : Oh , take heed what you command your servants ; for whatever sin they commit by your command , will be charged on you , as on them , if not more .

2. We may be the occasion of other mens sins by counselling them to sin ; they that cannot command , may counsel , which is next to it : 't is recorded three times in one Chapter , in three successive verses , that Ahaziah walked in the ways of Ahab , and did evil in the sight of the Lord , by the counsel of Athaliah , and the house of Ahab , to his destruction , 2 Chron. 22.3 , 4 , 5. So Amnon sinned according to the counsel of Jonadab , 2 Sam. 13.5.6 . Jonadab is called his friend , and friends use to take sweet counsel together ; but , Oh , what bitter counsel is wicked counsel ! never counsel any to sin under the pretence of friendship , 't is killing kindness , and as Rebeccah told Jacob when she counselled him to lye and counterfeit , that upon her should the curse be , Gen. 27 . 6-13 . So say I to thee , the curse will be on thee .

3. By Example ; and the more eminent the example , the more taking 't is : Great men cannot sin at a little or low rate , because they are examples ; the sins of Commanders , are commanding sins ; sins of Rulers , ruling sins ; sins of Teachers , teaching sins : there is a kind of sorcery and bewitchingness goes along with such examples , Gal. 2.12 , 13. When Peter and the rest of the Jews dissembled with him , Barnabas ( though a good man , and full of the Holy Ghost , Acts 11.24 . yet ) he also was carried away with ( by the example of , and in compliance with ) their dissimulation ; so that example which I newly spake to , is instanced in as very catching and infectious , 1 Cor. 8.10 . The world is more easily exampled into sin then into goodness ; for sin finds a party within . Abrahams Faith , Moses Meekness , Jobs Patience , Peters Courage are not so easily followed , as their contraries . Give no ill Examples .

4. By Tempting ( Devil-like ) and provoking to sin . The Trumpeter ( according to the Apologue ) though he do not fight , yet if taken , speeds as ill as the souldiers that do , because he stirs them up : and when Ahabs wickedness is reckoned up , 't is with this remark , that his wife Jezebel incited or stirred him up , 1 Kings 21.25 . There was none like to Ahab , he had no peer , no fellow , he was a non-such in wickedness , and this he was irritated and provokt to by his wife . Take heed of tempting , or stirring up any to sin . Some mens corruptions would sleep more then they do , if others did not awake and stir them up . Some are so wicked , as not to sleep , nor let others to sleep , till they have done mischief . Men may tempt others to sin several ways , I shall name but some .

1. By inticement and sollicitation ; 't is a sad employment to be sins sollicitor , yet too many such there are ; Pimps , Bawds , and Panders for lust and sin : and though the sollicited person do not sin , as Joseph did not , yet the sollicitor is a sinner , as his Mistress was . There are sinners that go up and down ( like the Devil ) to entice others to sin , Prov. 1 . 10-16 . even flattery hath a force in it , and offers a kind of violence , as Prov. 7.21 .

2. By Importunity ; Delilah made poor Samson almost weary of his life , she never left him till she had undone him ; he stood it out a great while , but her importunity prevailed at last , Judg. 16.16 , 17. and 't was by much fair speech , or importunity that the Harlot prevailed with the young man , who it may be was going about his business , and thought no hurt , till she importuned him , Prov. 7.13 . with 21.

3. By lying to men in the Name of the Lord , as the old Prophet did to the young , 1 Kings 13.18 . The Name of the Lord is a great Argument , and very taking with them that fear him , and therefore some ( false Prophets ) pretend it , and turn themselves into Angels of light , though they be of the Devil , and quote Gods authority , as he had the impudence to do ( though falsely ) to our Saviour himself , Mat. 4.3 , 4. This is a shrewd way of temptation .

4. By giving undecent language , and offering affronts to persons . Some men have lavish tongues , and can hardly answer without a thou lyest , &c. such is their pride and passion , that they answer rudely , and give such ill language , as would anger a Saint , as the saying is . Persons of Quality and Honor that are used to , and deserve Civility , will not bear such provoking words , nor take them but on the point of their Rapier , and return it to the givers throat . Great sins are committed from such beginnings ; therefore Solomon tells us , Prov. 15.1 . that a soft answer turneth away wrath , as it did Judg. 8.2 , 3. but grievous ( and fierce ) words stir up anger , as they did 2 Sam. 19.43 . compared with Chap: 20.1 . God will not allow Parents to provoke their children to wrath , Eph. 6.4 . As unhandsom words , so ill and ill-becoming behaviours , abuses , and affronts tempt men to sin ; when Jacobs Sons had deceived , and by it slew the Sichemites ( as the Law did Paul , for so he speaks , Rom. 7.11 . ) they made this surly answer ( as an excuse ) to their Father , should he deal with our Sister as with an Harlot ? Gen. 34.31 . as if his sin justified theirs , and they did well to be angry ; we could not put up such an abuse and dishonour . Oh , give no provoking language , to put men upon sin .

5. By sending others to insnare and trepan them ; they that employ such decoys , are in part guilty of their sin , and Christ Jesus called it Tempting , when such were employed to intangle and insnare him . The Pharisees sent the Herodians , who should feign themselves just men , and praise him into a snare , and court him into ( crimen laesae majestatis ) a crime against Caesar : They pretend a case of conscience , but saith our Saviour to this sort of men ( Spies and Catchpoles ) Why tempt ye me , ye Hypocrites : They that were employed sinned , and so did they that employed them . See the story , Mat. 22. and Luke 20. I shall name no more , though there be too many more of this nature ; but add only one other thing , whereby we may occasion other mens sins . As ,

6. By declaring a thing otherwise then the truth is , by mincing and equivocating ; there are instances more then enough , wherein good men have been guilty in this kind , which I speak , that Saints as well as sinners , may hear and fear , and not do wickedly . Abraham prevails with Sarah to say she was his sister , whereby Pharaoh concluded she was not his wife , and took her ; but when God plagued Phara●h for so doing , he reasons the case with Abraham . What is this that thou hast done to me ? Why didst thou not tell me she was thy wife ? so I might have taken her to be my wife , &c. a severe expostulation and an upbraid , Gen. 12. and yet Chap. 20. Abraham is at it again , and meets with a more plain and home rebuke , and is charged with no less then sin by Abimelech , vers . 9. Thou ( even thou ) hast brought on me and my Kingdom a great sin , thou hast done deeds unto me , that ought not to be done ; he lays the sin at Abrahams door , and Sarah also ( for her suppleness ) had a reproof from him , vers. 16. yet after all this , Abrahams Son Isaac is found tandy in the same thing , and meets with the same rebuke , and that from one who pretended not to such , or so much Religion as Isaac did , Gen. 26. Alas , how many by taking false oaths , and bearing false witness , give occasion to Judges to justifie the wicked , and condemn the righteous . Much more might be spoken to these things , but a word to the wise is sufficient .

2. Of being partners in sin . Take heed of being partners in others sins when they are committed , as co-helpers and concauses of their production . You may partake of other mens sins , 1. As instruments to execute others sinful designs or commands , as Doeg was in executing the Priests , 1 Sam. 22. or as any others are , that serve the lusts of men . All persons that are to be obeyed , ( as father and mother , &c. ) they are to be obeyed in the Lord , Eph. 6.1 . Whose ever will be left undone , Gods will should be done , and never left undone to fulfil that of another or our own . They that put unrighteous Decrees in execution , are under the same wo with them who decree them ; for without the execution , the Decree would do no hurt to them against whom 't were made , Isa. 10.1.3 . They are wicked , and partners in the wickedness of them that command wickedness , who put such wicked commands in practice and execution . See 1 Kings 12.30 . though it be light , or fall heaviest on them that command .

2. As Confederates with others ; though the sin be not committed by you that are Confederates , yet your being such , takes part of ( because with ) their sin , Psal. 83 . 3-9 . the Counsellors and Combiners are judged equally with the Practisers . Blessed are they that walk not in the counsel of the ungodly , Psal. 1.1 . And saith the Prophet , The Lord spake to me with a strong hand , not simply the Word of the Lord came to me , or the Lord spake to me , but he spake with a strong hand , what ? why , say not a confederacy with them that say a confederacy , Isa. 8.11 , 12. The men of the League and Association speed ( because they sin ) alike , Psal. 2. with Acts 4 . 26-28 .

3. As Consenters , giving your consent to others sin , which if you had denied , it may be , they had not sinned , Psal. 50.18 . when thou sawest a thief , thou consentedst with him , and wert partaker with the adulterer ; an adulterer is a thief ( he steals waters from anothers cistern ) and to consent with him , is to be a partaker : therefore , Prov. 1.10 . if sinners entice thee , consent not ; enter thy dissent , and let not thy soul have any thing to do with their secrets . This consent may be , 1. By symbolizing and complying actions , as Paul speaks in what was once his own case , Acts 22.20 . he consented , and gives for witness of it , both that he stood by , and that he kept the raiment of them that slew St. Stephen . So many consent to the sin of others by standing Sentinel , watching the door , they not only wink at , but incourage and embolden others to sin this way .

2. Consent may be given by silent connivance , when any see persons about to sin , & do not witness against it : Silence ( we say ) gives consent , it doth so often indeed , though not always ; for the case may be such , that it were but to throw pearl before swine , to speak to some scorners ; yea , some will speak a little gently , as if 't were no great matter or of consequence , but will not put forth the power they have to prevent it ; Pilate seemed to witness against the Jews , when they cryed out for the crucifying of Christ Jesus , and would wash his hands to testifie his innocency , Mat. 27.24 . and yet because he did not put forth his power , he is reckoned one of the number of them that killed him , Acts 4.27 .

3. Consent may be openly and notoriously given by word of mouth ; as Saul ( afterward Paul ) gave his voice , Acts 26.10 . his vote went with the rest , and he gave it with a voice , a loud voice . If any bring false Doctrine , and a man bid him God-speed , this man is partaker of his evil deeds , Epist. of John 2.10 , 11. When men say , as Jehosaphat did to Ahab , I am as thou art , and my people as thy people , and we will be with thee in the war , 2 Chron. 18.3 . When we thus give consent , 't is notorious .

3. Of being accessories after sins commission . To draw to a close ; be not accessory to other mens sins after they are committed , which you may be guilty of many ways ; I shall name but four .

1. In not grieving for other mens sins . All sin is against God , and for that reason he that truly grieves for his own , will grieve for other mens : 'T was the great commend of Lot , that his righteous soul was vext with the filthy conversation of the Sodomites , 't was a torment , a kind of hell to him , 2 Pet. 2.7 . David could not prevent mens sinning , and therefore grieved for it , and so much , that his eyes run down with rivers of tears , Psal. 119.136 . And this made the Prophet Jeremiah wish his eyes fountains , that he might weep day and night . And all these persons were remembred by the Lord in mercy , when others were rewarded with misery . There is scarce any way like this , to be kept from partaking in the ruine of sinners , as Ezek 9 . 4-6 . God will set his mark on his weeping and mourning people , and as for the rest , they will be found as accessories , if not principals in wickedness , and judged accordingly . Oh , that there were more crying persons , when there are so many crying sins ! They that grieve not and mourn not , are guilty , as the Apostle tells us , 1 Cor. 5.1 , 2. and by mourning they were cleared of this matter , 2 Cor. 7.11 .

2. By concealing that which we ought to discover and make known , as may be easily proved from Levit. 5.1 . If a soul sin , and hear the voice of swearing , and is a witness , whether he hath seen or known of it , if he do not utter it , then shall he bear his iniquity : and Prov. 29.24 . whoso is partner with a thief , hateth his own soul , he heareth cursing , and bewrayeth it not , which he ought to do . Yet once more , Deut. 13 . 6-8 . if thy brother , the son of thy mother , or thy son or thy daughter , or the wife of thy bosom , or thy friend which is as thine own soul , entice thee secretly , saying , let us go and serve other Gods ( which thou hast not known , thou nor thy fathers ) thou shalt not consent unto him ; is that enough ? no , nor hearken to him ; is that enough ? no , neither shall thine eye pity him ; is that enough ? no , neither shalt thou spare ; is that enough ? no , neither shalt thou conceal him ; is that enough ? no , thou shalt ( by discovering him to the judges ) surely kill him , thine hand shall be first upon him , &c. but you will say , is not this unnatural ? what ! betray a brother , one of the same venter , the son of my mother ? nay more , my own son ; nay more , my wife , and most of all , my friend ; no matter , for all that thou shalt not conceal him : to conceal such a sinner , were to partake of his sin , 2 Joh. 10.11 . These Spirits , these soul-stealers must not be concealed , lest the receiver and concealer be reckoned as bad as the thief .

3. You may be accessory to other mens sins , in not separating from them when God calls you to it . Remember Lots wife who was loth to withdraw , and was turned into a Pillar of Salt ( as the Father said ) to season us . There are persons with whom we should not eat , 1 Cor. 5.11 . To joyn in communion with known sinners , is the greatest testimony you can give , either that they are Saints , or you are sinners : you bear a false witness for them , and a true witness against your selves . When the Apostle had reckoned up a whole troop of sinners , of whom self-love led the Van , and a form of godliness brought up the Rear , he adds , from such turn away , 2 Tim. 3.5 . and Rev. 18.4 . You may hear a voice from Heaven , saying , come out of her , my people , that ye be not partakers of her sins ; be not therefore unequally yoked with Unbelievers , &c. 2 Cor. 6.14 .

4. We may be accessory to other mens sins , if instead of reproving , we approve of it , Eph. 5.11 . have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness , but reprove them rather ; not to reprove them , but instead thereof to have fellowship with them , is to approve : and beside this , there are three things which speak approbation ; as ,

1. When we take pleasure in the actions or the actors ; Jer. 5.30 , 31. the Prophets prophesie falsely , and the Priests bear rule by their means , and my people love to have it so , q. d. they set their seal to it , to approve and confirm what the Prophets and Priests do : Of this import is that Rom. 1.32 . Though they knew the Judgments of God , that they who did such things were worthy of death ; yet they not only did the same , but took pleasure in them that did them . As men are said to help on the affliction of Gods people , and to approve them by saying , Ha , Ha , so would we have it , Ezek. 25.3 . and 26.2 . To take pleasure in such things as others do , is to be accessories , and as if they had done them . When the Apostle Paul tells of other mens sins , he doth it weeping , Phil. 3.18 . and so frees himself from any the least degree of approbation : but when men laugh , take pleasure in , and make sport of other mens sins , 't is ( by construction ) an approbation of them .

2. Approbation and being accessory is concluded from hence , when men flatter others , and speak peace to them in their evil ways : When men say peace , where God saith there is none , i. e. to the wicked . God and man will curse him that saith to the wicked , thou art righteous , Prov. 24.24 . and Ezek. 13.10 . because they have seduced ( or flatter'd ) my people , saying , peace , and there was no peace , and have daubed with untemper'd mortar ; and vers. 18. have sowed pillows under their elbows ; therefore will I pull down the wall , and will tear your your pillows and kerchiefs , because vers. 22. they made the hearts of the righteous sad , and strengthned the hands of the wicked , that he should not return from his wicked way : There is a wo against such , as vers. 18.

3. Approbation is declared by this , when any defend and excuse other mens sins , as if they were retained ( like Lawyers ) and had their fee : They that justifie the wicked are equally an abomination with them that condemn the righteous , Prov. 24.17 . Some are so wicked , as to defend other mens wickedness ( not only like Lawyers , but like Souldiers ) by sword and force of arms ; as they did for him , who had abused the Levites Concubine , Judges 20.14 . &c. but to plead for other mens sins , is to be as guilty as they who commit it . Many more things might be added , but I forbear them , because I have been somewhat large upon this subject , which I was the more willing to be , because 't is a thing too seldom treated , and too little taken notice of , and laid to heart , viz. the share that we too often have in other mens sins .

Thus am I at last come to the Close and Conclusion of the whole matter , The Close or Conclusion . and I could wish with my soul , that there may never be an occasion for me , or any other , to preach on this subject any more ; shall I now intreat you to consider of what hath been said , and to bethink you what an ugly and abominable thing sin is ? The worst of Evils , worse then the worst of words can express it to be . I have shewn you how contrary 't is to God and man ; for proof whereof I have brought witness from Heaven , Earth , and Hell : I have shewn you how dear it cost Christ Jesus who dyed for it , and how dear it will cost you , if you live and dye in it . Stand in awe and sin not ; lay up the Word of Gods Command , Promise , and Threatning , that you may not sin against him : take heed of sinning , for at once you sin against God and your own souls . I have entred your closets and your hearts , to tell you of your secret sins ; I have told you of , and warned you against the sins of your lips , and of your life ; I have told you of your Shop and Calling-sins , that you might beware : and what shall I say or do more for you ? I have preacht to you , pray'd , and wept for you ; I have shewn you the way of repentance , faith , and holiness ; and were it to dye for you , I hope I should not account my life dear to me , that I might save your souls by losing it . Oh , let me again intreat , beseech , and beg you for Gods sake and your souls sake not to sin ( these things are written , that ye sin not ) but as 't is , Jer. 13.15 , 16 , 17. Hear ye , and give ear , be not proud , for the Lord hath spoken , give glory to the Lord God , &c. But if ye will not hear , my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride , and mine eyes shall weep sore , and run down with tears . If you hear not , you make this sad work for me , and others that teach you , but ( alas ! ) much sadder for your selves ; you make us weep on earth , but you ( if you repent not ) will weep in Hell . I beseech you therefore , learn what the grace ( the saving grace ) of God teacheth you , to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts , to live soberly , righteously , and godlily in this present world , Titus 2.11 , 12. or as 't is in Luke 1.75 . to serve the Lord in righteousness and true holiness all the days of your life ; and as 't is 2 Cor. 7.1 . Having these promises ( which according to 2 Pet 1.4 . are the greatest and precious ) let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit , perfecting holiness in the fear of God . Shall we commend holiness in them that are dead , and not like holiness in our selves while we are alive ? Holiness is the beauty of Earth and Heaven , without which we cannot live well on Earth , nor shall ever live in Heaven : certainly they that jeer and scoff at holiness , and rejoyce that they are none of the holy ones , they do as if they should make Bon-fires , ring the Bells , and give thanks that they shall never be saved ; for if they be not holy , saved they cannot be : or as one words it , they that shall be in Heaven , will be in no danger to be derided for the sake of piety , for those that deride it , will not be admitted there . And as for the wicked , God will turn them into Hell , and all the Nations ( all them of any Nation ) that forget God , Psal. 9.17 . Poor Soul , think a little , yea , think much of the great day of thine accounts & Gods judgment , which though thou put far from thee , yet it will surely come ; and wo unto thee , if it overtake thee unawares , and as a thief in the night , 1 Thes. 5.3 , 4. Seeing this may be , and that will be , Oh , what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversations and godlinesses ! ( as 't is in the Greek ) 2 Pet. 3.10 , 11. What shall I say more ? I will shut up all with what was long since excellently spoken by a great Doctor in our Israel , and which is worthy to be written in the hearts of all men , and to be often before their eyes , and in their thoughts : 't is this ,

At the last ( saith he ) there will come a day , when all mankind shall be summon'd naked ( without difference or degrees ) before the same Tribunal ; when the Crowns of Kings and shackles of Prisoners ; when the Robes of Princes , and the rags of Beggars ; when the Gallants Bravery , the Peasants Russet , the Statists Policy , the Courtiers Luxury , and the Scholars Curiosity , shall be all laid aside ; when all men shall be reduced to an equal Plea , and without respect of persons , shall be doomed according to their works . Then those Punctoes and Formalities , Cuts and Fashions , Distances and Complements ( which are now the darling-sins of the upper end of the world ) shall be proved to have been nothing else , but well-acted vanities . Then the Pride , Luxury , Riot , Swaggerings , interlarded and complemental Oaths , nice and quaint Lasciviousness , new-invented Courtings , and Adorations of Beauty ( the so much studied and admired sins of the Gallantry of the world ) shall be pronounced out of the mouth of God himself , to have been nothing else but glittering abominations . Then the adulterating of Wares , the counterfeiting of Lights , the double Weight and false Measures , the courteous Equivocations of men greedy of gain ( which are now almost woven into the very Art of Trading ) shall be pronounced nothing else but Mysteries of iniquity and self-deceivings . Then the curious subtleties of more choice Wits , the knotty Questions and vain strife of words , the disputes of Reason , the variety of Reading , the very Circle of general and Secular Learning ( pursued with so much eagerness by the more ingenious Spirits of the world ) shall be all pronounced but the thin Cob-webs , and vanishing Delicacies of a better temper'd Prophaneness . And lastly , Then the poor despised Profession of the power of Godliness , a trembling at the Word of God , a scrupulous and conscientious forbearance , not only of oaths , but of idle words , a tenderness and aptness to bleed at the touch of any sin , a boldness to withstand the corruptions of the times , a conscience of but the appearances of evil , a walking bumbly and mournfully before God , an Heroical resolution to be strict and circumspect , to walk in an exact and Geometrical Holiness in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation ( which the world esteems and scorns as the peevishness of a few silly , unpolitick men ) shall in good earnest from the mouth of God himself , be declared to have been the true narrow way which leadeth to Salvation ; and the enemies thereof shall then ( when it is too late ) be driven to that desperate and shameful confession : We fools counted their life madness , and their end to have been without honour ; how are they now reckoned among the Saints ? and have their portion with the Almighty !

Consider what hath been said , and the Lord give thee understanding in all things , 2 Tim. 2.7 .

FINIS .