Aggravation of Sin, Sermon 1 – Title page 3
AGGRAVATION OF SINNE.
ROM. 7. 13.
Was that then which is good made death unto mee? God forbid. But ſinne, that it might appeare ſin, working death in mee by that which is good: that ſinne by the commandement might become exceeding ſinfull.
WEE finde our Apoſtle in the 9. verſe to have been alive, but ſtruck upon the ſudden dead, by an apparition preſented to him in the glaſſe of the law, of the ſinfulneſſe of ſinne. Sin revived, ſayes the 9. verſe, appeared to be ſinne, ſayes the 13. verſe, lookes but like it ſelfe, above meaſure ſinfull: and hee falls downe dead at the very ſight of it: I dyed, ſayes he in the 9. it wrought death in me, ſayes the 13. that is, an apprehenſion of death and hell, as due to that eſtate I was then in. But yet as the life of ſinne was the death of Paul, ſo this death of his was but a preparation to a new life, I through the Law and dead to the Law, that I might live to God, Gal. 2. 19. and here hee likewiſe ſpeakes of Gods worke upon him at his firſt converſion; for then it was that hee relates how ſinne became in his eſteeme, ſo above meaſure ſinfull.
The ſubject then to be inſiſted on is the ſinfulneſſe of ſinne, a ſubject therefore as neceſſary as any other, becauſe if ever we be ſaved, ſinne muſt firſt appeare to us all, as it did here to him, above meaſure ſinfull.
And firſt, becauſe all knowledge begins at the effects which are obvious to ſenſe, and interpreters of the nature of things, therefore wee will begin this Demonſtration of the evill of ſin, from the miſchievous effects it hath filled the world withall, it having done nothing but wrought miſchiefe ſince it came into the world, and all the miſchiefe that hath beene done, it alone hath done, but eſpecially towards the poore ſoule of man, the miſerable ſubject of it.
Which firſt it hath debaſed the ſoule of man, the nobleſt creature under heaven, and higheſt allyed, made to be a companion fit for God himſelfe, but ſinne hath ſtript it of its firſt native excellency, as it did Reuben, Gen. 49. 41. debaſed the ſoule more worth than all the world, as Chriſt himſelfe ſaith, that onelyonly went to the price of it: yet ſinne hath made it a drudge and ſlave to every creature it was made to rule: therefore the Prodigall as a type is ſaid to ſerve ſwine, and feed on huskes, ſo as every vanity maſters it. Therefore we find in Scripture, that men are ſaid to be ſervants to wine, Tit. 2. 3. ſervants to riches, and divers luſts, &c.
And hence it is that ſhame attends upon it, Rom. 6. 21. Now ſhame ariſeth out of an apprehenſion of ſome excellencie debaſed: and by how much the excellencie is greater, by ſo much is the ſhame the greater, and therefore unutterable confuſion will one day befall ſinners: becauſe ſinne is the debaſement of an unvaluable excellencie.
Secondly, it not onelyonly debaſeth it, but defiles it alſo; and indeed there was nothing elſe that could defile it, Mat. 15. 20. for the ſoule is a moſt pure beame, bearing the image of the Father of lights: as farre ſurpaſſing the ſinne in pureneſſe, as the ſunne doth a clod of earth; and yet all the dirt in the world cannot defile the ſunne; all the clouds that ſeeke to muffle it, it ſcatters them all: but ſinne hath defiled the ſoule, yea, one ſinne, the leaſt defiles it, in an inſtant, totally, eternally.
Firſt, one ſinne did it in the fall of Adam, Rom. 5. 17. one offence polluted him, and all the world. Now ſuppoſe you ſhould ſee one drop of darkneſſe ſeazing on the ſunne, and putting out that light and eye of heaven, and to looſen it out of the orbe it moves in, and cauſe it to drop downe a lump of darkneſſe, you would ſay it were a ſtrange darkneſſe: this ſinne did then in the ſoule, to which yet the ſunne is but as a Taper.
Secondly, it defiles it thus in an inſtant. Take the moſt glorious Angell in heaven, and let one of the leaſt ſinnes ſeaze upon his heart, he would in an inſtant fall downe from heaven, ſtript of all his glory, the uglieſt creature that ever was beheld: you would count that the ſtrongeſt of all poyſons, that would poyſon in an inſtant; as Nero boiled a poiſon to that height, that it killed Germanicus as ſoone as he received it; now ſuch an one is ſinne.
Thirdly, ſinne defiles it totally: it reſts not in one member onelyonly, but beginning at the underſtanding, eates into the will and affections; ſoaks through all. Thoſe diſeaſes we account ſtrongeſt, which ſeaze not on a joynt or a member onelyonly, but ſtrikes rottenneſſe through the whole body.
Fourthly, it defiles eternally, it being aterna macula, a ſtaine which no nitre or ſope, or any creature can waſh out, Ier. 2. 21. There was once let in a deluge of water, and the world was all overflow'd with it; it waſhed away ſinners indeed, but not one ſinne. And the world ſhall be a fire again at the latter day, and all that fire, and theſe flames in hell that follow, ſhall not purge out one ſinne.
Thirdly, it hath robbed the ſoule of the image of God, deprived us of the glory of God, Rom. 3. 23. the image of Gods holineſſe, which is his beauty and ours: wee were beautifull and all glorious once within, which though but an accident, is more worth than all mens ſoules devoid of it, it being a likeneſſe unto God, a divine nature, without which no man ſhall ſee God. Though man in Innocency had all perfections united in him via eminentiae, that are to be found in other creatures, yet this was more worth than all: for all the reſt made him not like to God, as this did; without which all Paradiſe could not make Adam happy; which when he had loſt, he was left naked, though thoſe his other perfections remained with him; which is profitable for all things, as the Apoſtle ſayes. The leaſt dramme of which, the whole world emballanced with, would be found too light; without which the glorious Angels would be damned devills, the Saints in heaven damned ghoſts, this it hath robbed man of.
Fourthly, it hath robbed man even of God himſelfe: Your ſinnes ſeparate (ſayes God) betwixt you and me: and therefore they are ſaid to live without God in the world: and in robbing a man of God, it robs him of all things; for all things are ours, but ſo farre as God is ours; of God whoſe face makes heaven, he is all in all, his loving kindneſſe is better than life, and containeth beauty, honours, riches, all: yea they are but a drop to him.
But its miſchiefe hath not ſtaid here, but as the Leproſie of the Lepers in the old Law, ſometimes infected their houſes, garments; ſo it hath hurld confuſion over all the world, brought a vanitie on the creature, Gen. 2.Rom. 8. 23. and a curſe: and had not Chriſt undertooke the ſhattered condition of the world to uphold it,Heb. 1. 2. it had fallen about Adams cares.
And though the old walls and ruinous palace of the world ſtands to this day, yet the beauty, the gloſſe, and glory of the hangings is ſoyled and marred with many imperfections caſt upon every creature.
But as the houſe of the Leper was to be pulled downe, and Traitors houſes uſe to be made jakes: ſo the world (if Chriſt had not ſtept in) had ſhrunke into its firſt nothing: and you will ſay, that is a ſtrong carrion that retaines not onelyonly infection in it ſelfe, but infects all the aire about: ſo this, that not the ſoule the ſubject of it onelyonly, but all the world.
Laſtly, it was the firſt founder of hell, and laid the firſt corner ſtone thereof: ſinne alone brought in and filled that bottomleſſe gulfe with all the fire, and brimſtone, and treaſures of wrath, which ſhall never be burnt and conſumed. And this crucified and pierced Chriſt himſelfe, poured on him his Fathers wrath, the enduring of which for ſinne, was ſuch, as that all the Angels in heaven had crackt and ſunke under it.
But yet this eſtimate is but taken from the effects of it, the eſſence of it which is the cauſe of all theſe evills, muſt needs have much more miſchiefe in it. Shall I ſpeak the leaſt evill I can ſay of it? It conteins all evills alſ… in it: therefore Iames 1. 23. the Apoſtle calls it filthineſſe, and abundance of ſuperfluitie, or excrement as it were, of naughtineſſe. foreign. As if ſo tranſcendent, that if all evills were to have an excrement, a ſcumme, a ſuperfluitie, ſinne is it, as being the abſtracted quinteſſence of all evill. An evill, which in the nature and eſſence of it virtually, and eminently, containes all evills of what kinde ſoever that are in the world; Inſomuch as in the Scriptures you ſhall finde that all the evills in the world, ſerve but to anſwer for it, and to give names to it. Hence ſinne it is called poyſon, and ſinners ſerpents: ſinne is called a vomit, ſinners dogs: ſinne the ſtench of graves, and they rotten ſepulchres: ſinne mire, ſinners ſowes: and ſinne darkneſſe, blindneſſe, ſhame, nakedneſſe, folly, madneſſe, death, whatſoever is filthy, defective, infective, painfull. Now as the holy Ghoſt ſayes of Nabal, as is his name, ſo is he; ſo may wee ſay of ſinne: for if Adam gave names to all things, according to their nature, much more God, who calls things as they are. Surely God would not ſlander ſinne, though it be his onelyonly enemie. And beſides, there is reaſon for this, for it is the cauſe of all evills. God ſowed nothing but good ſeed in the world; He beheld, and ſaw all things were very good. It is ſinne hath ſowne the tares: all thoſe evills that have come up, ſorrowes and diſeaſes, both unto men and beaſts. Now whatſoever is in the effect, is via eminentiae in the cauſe. Surely therefore it is to the ſoule of man (the miſerable veſſell and ſubject of it) all that, which poyſon, death, and ſickneſſe is unto the other creatures, and to the body; and in that, it is all theſe to the ſoule, it is therefore more than all theſe to it: for corruptio optimi peſsima: by how much the ſoule exceeds all other creatures, by ſo much muſt ſinne, which is the corruption, poyſon, death, and ſickneſſe of it, exceed all other evills.
But yet this is the leaſt ill that can be ſaid of it. There is 2. ſome further tranſcendent peculiar miſchiefe in it, that is not to be found in all other evills, as will appeare in many inſtances.
For firſt, all other evills God proclaimes himſelfe the author of, and ownes them all; though ſinne be the meritorious cauſe of all, yet God the efficient and diſpoſing cauſe. There is no evill in the City but I have done it. He onelyonly diſclaimeth this, Iam. 1. 13. as a baſtard of ſome others breeding, for he is the Father of lights, ver. 17.
Secondly, the utmoſt extremity of the evill of puniſhment God the Sonne under-went, had a cup mingled him of his Father, more bitter than if all the evils in the world had beene ſtrained in, and he dranke it off heartily to the bottome; but not a drop of ſinne, though ſweetned with the offer of all the world, would goe downe with him.
Thirdly, other evils the Saints have choſen and imbraced as good, and refuſed the greateſt good things the world had, as evill, when they came in competition with ſinne. So Moſes thoſe rather to ſuffer, much rather than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſinne, Heb. 11. from 24. to 28. So Chryſoſtome, when Eudoxia the Empreſſe threatned him: goe tell her, ſayes he, Nil niſi peccatum timeo, I feare nothing but ſinne.
Fourthly, take the Devill himſelfe, whom you all conceive to be more full of miſchiefe than all the evills in the world, called therefore in the abſtract ſpirituall wickedneſſe, Eph. 6. 12. yet it was but ſinne that firſt ſpoiled him, and it is ſinne poſſeſſeth the very devils: he was a glorious Angell, till he was acquainted with it: and could there be a ſeparation made betweene him and ſinne, he would be againe of as good, ſweet, and amiable a nature, as any creature in earth or heaven.
Fiftly, Though other things are evill, yet nothing makes the creature accurſed but ſinne: as all good things in the world doe not make a man a bleſſed man, ſo nor all the evills accurſed. God ſayes not, bleſſed are the honorable, and the rich, nor that accurſed are the poore: but curſed is the man that continues not in all things, Gal. 3. 10. a curſe to the leaſt ſinne; and on the contrary, bleſſed is the man whoſe iniquities are forgiven, &c. Rom. 4. 7.
Sixtly, God hates nothing but ſinne. Were all evills ſwept downe into one man, God hates him not ſimply for them, not becauſe thou art poore and diſgraced, but onelyonly becauſe ſinfull. It is ſin he hates, Rev. 2. 15. Iſa. 27. 11. yea it alone: and whereas other attributes are diverſely communicated in their effects to ſeverall things: as his love and goodneſſe, Himſelfe, his Sonne, his children, have all a ſhare in: yet all the hatred (which is as large as his love) is ſolely poured out upon, and wholly, and limited onelyonly unto ſinne.
All the queſtion will be what tranſcendencie of evill is in the eſſence of it, that makes it above all other evills, and hated, and it onelyonly by God, Chriſt, the Saints, &c. more than any other evill.
Why? It is enmity with God, Rom. 8. 7. abſtracts we know ſpeake eſſences: the meaning is, it is as directly contrary to God, as any thing could be: for contrary it is to God, and all that is his.
As 1. contrary to his eſſence, to his exiſtence, and being God: for it makes men hate him, Rom. 1. 30. and as he that hateth his brother is a murtherer, 1 Ioh. 3. 15. ſo hee that hateth God may be ſaid to be a murtherer of him, and wiſheth that he were not. Peccutum eſt Dei-cidium.
2. Contrary it is to all his attributes which are his name: men are jealous of their names: Gods name is himſelfe; as 1. It makes a man ſlight Gods goodneſſe, and to ſeeke happineſſe in the creature, as if hee were able to be happy without him. And 2. it depoſeth his ſoveraignty, and ſets up other Gods before his face. 3. It contemns his truth, power, and juſtice. And 4. turnes his grace into wantonneſſe.
And as to himſelfe, ſo to what ever is his, or deare to him. Beſides, A King hath 3. things in an eſpeciall manner deare to him: His Lawes, His favour ites, his image ſtampt upon his coine: and ſo hath God.
Firſt, his lawes and ordinances: God never gave Law, but it hath beene broken by ſinne; foreign is the definition of it, The transgreſsion of the Law, 1 Ioh. 3. 4. yea it is called deſtroying the Law, Pſal. 119. 126. And know, that Gods Law, the leaſt tittle of it, is more deare to him, than all the world. For ere the leaſt tittle of it ſhall be broken, heaven and earth ſhall paſſe. The leaſt ſinne therefore, which is a breach of the leaſt law, is worſe than the deſtruction of the world: and for his worſhip, (as envying God ſhould have any,) it turns his ordinances into ſinne.
Secondly, for his favourites: God hath but a few poore ones; upon whom becauſe God hath ſet his love, ſinne hath ſet its hatred.
Laſtly, for his image even in a mans owne breaſt: the law of the members fights againſt the law of the mind, and endevoureth to expell it, though a man ſhould be damned for it. Gal. 5. 17. The fleſh (namely ſinne) luſteth againſt the Spirit, for they are contraries. Contrary indeed; for me thinkes though it hates that image in others, that yet it ſhould ſpare it in a mans ſelfe, out of ſelf-love; but yet, though a man ſhould be damned, if this image be expelled, it yet laboureth to doe this; ſo deadly is that hatred, a man hates himſelfe, as holy, ſo farre as he is ſinfull.
It abounds now ſo high, as our thoughts can follow it no farther: Divines ſay, it aſpires unto infinity, the object againſt whom it is thus contrary unto, being God, who is infinite, they tell us, that objectively, ſinne it ſelfe is infinite. Sure I am, the worth of the object or party offended, aggravates the offence: an ill word againſt the King is high treaſon, not the greateſt indignity to another man. Sure I alſo am, that God was ſo offended with it, as, though he loves his Sonne as himſelfe, yet he (though without ſinne) being but made ſinne by imputation, yet God ſpared him not: and becauſe the creatures could not ſtrike a ſtroake hard enough, he himſelfe was pleaſed to bruiſe him, Eſay 53. 16. He ſpared not his owne Sonne, Rom. 8. 32. His love might have overcome him, to have paſſed by it to his Sonne; at leaſt a word of his mouth might have pacified him: yet ſo great was his hatred of it, and offence at it, as he powred the vialls of his wrath on him: Neither would entreaty ſerve, for though he cryed with ſtrong cryes it ſhould paſſe from him, God would not, till he had out-wraſtled it.
And as the perſon offended, aggravates the offence, as before, ſo alſo the perſon ſuffering, being God and man, argues the abounding ſinfulneſſe of it. For, for what crime did you ever hear a King was put to death? their perſons being eſteemed in worth above all crime, as civill. Chriſt was the King of Kings.
And yet there is one conſideration more to make the meaſure of its iniquity fully full, and to abound to flowing over, and that is this, that the leaſt ſinne virtually more or leſſe containes all ſinne in the nature of it (I meane not that all are equall, therefore I adde more or leſſe) and I prove it thus: becauſe Adam by one offence contracted the ſtaine of all, no ſooner did one ſinne ſeaze upon his heart, but he had all ſinnes in him.
And ſo every ſinne in us by a miraculous multiplication inclines our nature more to every ſinne than it was before: it makes the pollution of nature of a deeper dye; not onelyonly to that ſpecies of ſinne, whereof it is the proper individuall act, but to all elſe: as bring one candle into a roome, the light ſpreads all over; and then another, the light is all over more increaſed: So it is in ſinne; for the leaſt cuts the ſoule off from God, and then it is ready to goe a whoring after every vanity that will entice it, or entertaine it.
And this ſhewes the fulneſſe of the evill of it, in that it containes not onelyonly all other evills in the world in it, but alſo all of its owne kinde. As you would count that a ſtrange poyſon, the leaſt drop of which containes the force of all poyſon in it: That a ſtrange diſeaſe, the leaſt infection whereof brought the body ſubject to all diſeaſes: yet ſuch an one is ſinne, the leaſt making the ſoule more prone and ſubject to all.
And now you ſee it is a perfect evill; and though indeed it cannot be ſaid to be the chiefeſt in that full ſenſe wherein God is ſaid to be the chiefeſt good; becauſe if it were as bad as God is good, how could he pardon it, ſubdue it, bring it to nothing as he doth? and then how could it have addition to it, one ſin being more ſinfull than another? Ezek. 8. 15. Iohn 19. 11. But yet it hath ſome analogie of being the chiefeſt evill, as God the chiefeſt good.
For 1. as God is the chiefeſt good, who therefore is to be loved for himſelfe, and other things but for his ſake; ſo alſo in ſin the chiefeſt evill, becauſe it is ſimply to be avoided for its ſelfe; but other evills become good, yea deſirable when compared with it.
Secondly, as God is the chiefeſt good, becauſe he is the greateſt happineſſe to himſelfe; ſo ſin, the greateſt evill to it ſelfe: for there can be no worſe puniſhment of it,Rom. 1. than its ſelfe; therefore when God would give a man over, as an enemie he meanes never to deale withall more, he gives him up to ſinne.
And thirdly, it is ſo evill, as it cannot have a worſe Epithete given it, than it ſelfe; and therefore the Apoſtle, when he would ſpek his worſt of it, and wind up his expreſſion highteſt, uſque ad hyperbolem, calls it by its own name, ſinfull ſinne, foreign, Rom. 7. 13. that as in God being the greateſt good, quicquid eſt in Deo eſt Deus ipſe, therefore his attributes and names are but himſelfe, idem praedicatur de ſeipſo: ſo it is with ſinne, quicquid eſt in peccato, peccatum eſt, &c. he can call it no worſe than by its owne name, ſinfull ſinne.
USE.
AND what have I beene ſpeaking of all this while? Why? but of one ſinne in the generall nature of it. There is not a man here, but hath millions of them; as many as the ſands upon the Sea ſhore; yea, as there would be Atomes, were all the world pounded to duſt, it exceeds in number alſo; and therefore ere we goe any further, let all our thoughts break off here in wonderment at the abounding of ſinne, above all things elſe; for other things, if they be great, they are but a few; if many, they are but ſmall: the world, tis a big one indeed, but yet there is but one; the ſands, though innumerable, yet they are but ſmall; your ſinfulneſſe exceeds in …oth.
And next, let all our thoughts be wound up to the moſt deepe and intenſe conſideration of our eſtates; for if one ſin abounds thus, what tongue can expreſſe, or heart can conceive their miſery, who to uſe the Apoſtles phraſe, 1 Cor. 15. are yet in their ſinnes? that is, ſtand bound to God in their owne ſingle bond onelyonly, to anſwer for all their ſinnes themſelves; and cannot, in the eſtate wherein yet they ſtand of impenitencie and unbeleefe, plead the benefit of Chriſts death, to take off and eaſe them of the guilt of one ſinne, but, all their ſinnes are yet all their owne, which to a man in Chriſt they are not; for his owne bonds are cancelled, and given in, and Chriſt entred into bonds for him, and all his ſins tranſlated upon him.
Now for a proper character of their eſtate, and ſutable to this expreſſion:
Firſt then a mans ſinnes may be ſaid to be ſtill his owne: when he committeth ſinne, out of his owne, that is the full frame and inclination of his heart. Thus the devill is ſaid to ſinne, Ioh. 8. 44. foreign out of his owne; the whole frame of his ſpirit is in it; which a man in Chriſt cannot be ſo fully ſaid to doe, for hee hath a new creature in him that ſinneth not, 1 Ioh. 3. 1, 9. that can ſay even when he ſins, It is not I, but ſinne.
And ſecondly, then ſinne is a mans owne, when he hates it not, but loves it: The world loves his owne, ſaith Chriſt, Ioh. 15. 29. and ſo doth a wicked man his ſinne, more than any good; which is Davids character, Pſal. 52. 3.
And thirdly, what is a mans owne, he nouriſheth and cheriſheth; therefore Eph. 5. 19. No man hates his owne fleſh, but loveth it, and cheriſheth it: ſo doe men their ſinnes, when they are their owne. Thoſe great and rich oppreſſors, Iam. 5. 5. are ſaid to nouriſh their hearts in wantonnes, and in pleaſure, as in a day of ſlaughter; as living upon the creame of ſinning, and having ſuch plenty, they pick out none but the ſweeteſt bits to nouriſh their hearts withall.
4. So what a man provides for, that is his own; ſo ſayes the Apoſtle, A man that provides not for his owne, is worſe, &c. When therefore men make proviſion for the fleſh, as the phraſe is, Rom. 13. 14. have their Caterers and contrivers of their luſts, and whoſe chiefeſt care is every morning, what pleaſures of ſinne they have that day to be enjoyed, it is a ſigne that their ſins are their owne.
In a word, when men live in ſinne, 'tis the expreſſion uſed, 1 Tim. 5. 6. She that lives in pleaſure, is dead while ſhe lives. When the revenewes of the comfort of mens lives come in, from the pleaſures of ſinne, and that ſupplies them with all thoſe neceſſaries that belong to life; as when 'tis their element they drink in like water; their meat, they eate the bread of wickedneſſe, Prov. 1. 7. and it goes downe, and troubleth them not; their ſleepe alſo, they cannot ſleepe till they have done or contrived ſome miſchiefe, ver. 16. their apparell, as when violence and oppreſsion covers them as a garment, and pride compaſſeth them as a chaine, Pſal. 73. their recreation alſo, It is a paſtime for a foole to doe wickedly, he makes ſport and brags of it, Prov. 10. 23. yea their health, being ſick and diſcontented, when their luſts are not ſatisfied, as Ahab was for Naboths vineyard; Amnon grew leane, when hee could not enjoy his Paramore.
All theſe, as they live in their ſins here, and ſo are dead whileſt they live, and ſo are miſerable, making the greateſt evill their chiefeſt good; ſo when they come to die (as we all muſt doe one day) and how ſoone, and how ſuddenly we know not; wee carry our ſoules, our precious ſoules, as precious water in a brittle glaſſe, ſoone cracked,2 Sam. 14. 14. and then we are ſpilt like water, which none can gather up againe; or but as a candle in a paper lanthorne; in clay walls, full of cranyes, often but a little cold comes in, and blowes the candle out;) and then, without a through change of heart before, wrought from all ſinne, to all godlineſſe, they will die in their ſinnes. And all, and the utmoſt of all miſeries is ſpoken in that one word: and therefore Chriſt, when he would ſumme up all miſeries in one expreſſion, tells the Phariſees they ſhould die in their ſins, Iohn 8. 28.
Vſe 2.
ANd let us conſider further, that if ſin be thus above meaſure ſinfull, that Hell that followeth death, is then likewiſe above meaſure fearful. And ſo it is intimated to be a puniſhment without meaſure, Ier. 30. 11. compared with Iſa. 27. Puniſh them as I puniſh thee (ſayes God to his owne) but I will puniſh thee in meaſure. And indeed, ſinne being committed againſt God the King of Kings, it can never be puniſhed enough. But as the killing of a King, is amongſt men a crime ſo hainous, that no tortures can exceed the deſert of it: we uſe to ſay, all torments are too little, any death too good for ſuch a crime. Now peccatum eſt Dei … as I ſaid before, a deſtroying God as much as in us lies: and therefore none but God himſelfe can give it a full puniſhment: therefore it is called a falling into Gods hands, Heb. 10. 31. which, as he ſayes there,Iſa. 40. is fearfull. For if his breath blowes us to deſtruction, Iob 4. 9. for we are but duſt heaps; yea, his nod, he nods to deſtruction, Pſal. 80. 16. then what is the weight of his hands, even of thoſe hands, which ſpan the heavens, and hold the earth in the hollow of them? and if God take it into his hands to puniſh, he will be ſure to doe unto the full. Sinne is mans worke, and puniſhment is Gods, and God will ſhew himſelfe as perfect in his worke, as man in his.
If ſinne be malum catholicum, as hath been ſaid, that containes all evils in it; then the puniſhment God will inflict ſhall be malum catholicum alſo, containing in it all miſeries; it is a cup full of mixture, ſo called Pſal. 75. 8. as into which God hath ſtrained the quinteſſence of all miſeries, and the wicked of the earth muſt drink the dregges of it, though it be eternity unto the bottome. And if one ſin deſerves a hell, a puniſhment above meaſure, what will millions of millions doe? And we reade that every ſinne ſhall receive a juſt recompence, Heb. 2. 3. oh let us then take heed of dying in our ſinnes, and therefore of living in them; for we ſhall lie in priſon till we have paid the very utmoſt farthing.
And therefore if all this that I have ſaid of it wil not engender anſwerable apprehenſions of it in you, (this being but painting the toad, which you can look upon and handle without affrightment) I wiſh that if without danger you could but lay your eares to hell, that ſtanding as it were behind the ſkreene, you might heare ſinne ſpoken of in its owne dialect by the oldeſt ſonnes of perdition there, to heare what Cain ſayes of murthering his brother Abel; what Saul of his perſecuting David, and the Prieſts of Iehovah; what Balaam and Achitophel ſay of their curſed counſels and policies; what Ahab ſayes of his oppreſſion of Naboth; what Iudas of treaſon; and heare what expreſſions they have, with what horrors, yellings, groanes, diſtractions, the leaſt ſin is there ſpoken of. If God ſhould take any mans ſoule here, and as he rapt His, into the third heavens, where he ſaw grace in its fulleſt brightneſſe; ſo carry any ones ſoule into thoſe chambers of death, as Solomon calls them, and leading him through all, from chamber to chamber, ſhew him the viſions of darkneſſe, and hee there heare all thoſe bedlames cry out, one of this ſinne, another of that, and ſee ſinne as it lookes in hell! But there is one aggravation more of the evill and miſery ſinne brings upon men, I have not ſpoken of yet, that it blinds their eyes, and hardens their hearts, that they doe not ſee, nor lament their miſery, till they be in hell; and then it is too late.
Vſe 3.
BUt what, doth ſin ſo exceed in ſinfulneſſe, and is the venome of it boyled up to ſuch a height of miſchiefe, that there ſhould be no name in heaven and earth able to grapple with it, and deſtroy it? Is there no antidote, no balme in Gilead more ſoveraigne, than it is deadly? Surely yes, God would never 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 by puniſhing of it onelyonly in hell, but by deſtroying it: onelyonly it is too potent for all the creatures to encounter with. This victory is alone reſerved for Chriſt, it can die by no other hand, that he may have the glory of it; which therefore is the top of his glory, as mediator, and his higheſt title, the memory of which he beares written in his name JESUS, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſinnes, Mat. 1. 21. And therefore the Apoſtle Paul, his chiefeſt Herauld, proclaimes this victory with a world of ſolemnity and triumph, 1 Cor. 15. 36. Oh death, where is thy ſting? oh grave, where is thy victory? the ſting of death is ſinne, the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law: but thankes be to God that gives us the victory through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt: which yet again addes to the Demonſtration of the ſinfulneſſe of it: for the ſtrength of ſinne was ſuch, that like Goliah it would have defied the whole hoſt of heaven and earth. It was not poſsible the blood of Bulls and goats ſhould take away ſinne, Heb. 10. 4. nor would the riches of the world, or the blood of men have beene a ſufficient ranſome: Will the Lord be pleaſed with rivers of oyle? ſhall I give my firſt borne for my tranſgreſſion? No, ſayes he, there is no proportion, for thy firſt borne is but the fruit of thy body, and ſinne is the ſinne of thy ſoule, Mich. 6. 7. it muſt coſt more to redeeme a ſoule than ſo, Pſal. 49. 9. No, couldeſt thou bring rivers of teares, in ſtead of rivers of oyle; which if any thing, were like to pacifie God, yet are they but the excrements of thy braines; but ſinne is the ſinne of thy heart: yea all the righteouſneſſe that we could ever do, cannot make amends for one ſinne: for ſuppoſe it perfect, when as yet it is but dung. Mal. 2. 3. and a menſtruom cloath, yet thou oweſt it already as thou art a creature; and one debt cannot pay another. If then we ſhould goe a begging to all the Angels, who never ſinned, let them lay all their ſtock together, it would begger them all to pay for one ſinne: no, it is not the merit of Angels will doe it; for ſinne is the tranſgreſſion, the deſtruction of the Law, Pſal. 109. 1. and the leaſt foreign is more worth than heaven, and all that is therein.
OnelyOnly, though it be thus unconquerably ſinfull by all created powers, it hath not gone beyond the price that Chriſt hath paid for it; the Apoſtle compares to this very purpoſe, ſinne and Chriſts righteouſneſſe together, Rom. 5. 15, 20. 'Tis true, ſayes hee, that ſinne abounds, and that one ſinne, foreign, and inſtanceth in Adams ſinne, which ſtaineth all mens natures to the end of the world; yet ſayes he, the gift of righteouſneſſe by Chriſt abounds much more; abounds to flowing over, foreign, ſayes the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1. 14. as the ſea doth above mote-hills, Malach. 7. 14. Though therefore it would undoe all the Angels, yet Chriſts riches are unſearchable, Eph. 3. 8. hee hath ſuch riches of merit, as are able to pay all thy debts the very firſt day of thy mariage with him, though thou hadſt beene a ſinner millions of yeares, afore the creation to this day: and when that is done, there is enough left to purchaſe thee more grace and glory than all the Angels have in heaven. In a word, he is able to ſave to the utmoſt, all that come to God by him, Heb. 7. 5. let their ſins be what they will.
But then wee muſt come to him, and to God by him, and take him as our Lord, and King, and head, and husband, as he is freely tendered, we muſt be made one with him, and have our hearts divorced from all our ſinnes for ever. And why not now? doe we yet look for another Chriſt? and to allude to us, as Naomi ſaid to Ruth, Is there yet any more ſonnes in my wombe, that they may be your husbands? So ſay I, Hath God any more ſuch ſonnes? or is not this Chriſt good enough? or are we afraid of being happy too ſoon, in being married to him?
But yet if we will have Chriſt indeed (without whom we are undone) how ſhall we thou continue in ſinne, Rom. 6.which is thus above meaſure ſinfull? no not in one. The Apoſtle ſpeaks there in the language of impoſſibility and inconſiſtencie. Chriſt, and the raigne of one ſinne, they cannot ſtand together.
And indeed, wee will not ſo much as take Chriſt, untill firſt wee have ſeene more or leſſe this viſſion here, and ſinne appear to us, as to him, above meaſure ſinfull: naturally we ſlight it and make a mock of, and account it preciſeneſſe to ſtick and make conſcience of it: but if once ſinne duplicate page duplicate page thus appeares to any but in its owne colours, that man will looke upon the leaſt ſinne then, as upon hell it ſelfe; and like a man affrighted, feare in all his wayes, leſt he ſhould meet with ſinne, and ſtarts at the very appearance of it; he weepes if ſinne doe but ſee him, and hee doe but ſee it in himſelfe and others; and cryes out as Ioſeph did, How ſhall I doe this, and ſinne? and then a man will make out for Chriſt, as a condemned man for life, as a man that can no longer live, oh give me Chriſt, or elſe I die; and then if upon this Chriſt appeares to him, and manifeſts himſelfe, as his promiſe is to thē that ſeek him, Ioh. 14. 21. his heart thereupon will much more deteſt and loathe it: he ſaw it evill afore, Out then it comes to have a new tincture added, which makes it infinitely more ſinfull in his eyes; for he then lookes upon every ſinne as guilty of Chriſts bloud, as dyed with it, though covered by it; the grace of God appearing, teacheth us to deny all ungodlineſſe and worldly luſts. The love of Chriſt conſtraines him. Thinkes he, Shall I live in that for which Chriſt died? ſhall that be my life, which was his death? did he that never knew ſinne, undergoe the torment for it, and ſhall I be ſo unkinde as to enjoy the pleaſure of it? No, but as David when hee was very thirſtie, and had water of the well of Bethleem brought him, with the hazard of mens lives, powred it on the ground; for ſayes hee, It is the blood of theſe men: So ſayes he, even when the cup of pleaſures is at his very lips, It coſt the blood of Chriſt, and ſo pours it upon the ground. And as the love of Chriſt conſtraines him, ſo the power of Chriſt doth change him. Kings may pardon Traytors, but they cannot change their hearts; but Chriſt pardons none, hee doth not make new creatures, and all old things paſſe away, becauſe he makes them friends, favourites to live with, and delight in; and if men put on Chriſt, and have learned him, as the truth is in Ieſus, they put off as concerning the former converſation the old man, with the deceitfull luſts; and he ceaſeth from ſinne, that is, from the courſe of any knowne ſin: they are the Apoſtles owne words,1 Pet. 5. … which ſhall judge us; and if we ſhould expect ſalvation from him upon any other termes, we are deceived; for Chriſt is author of ſalvation to them onelyonly that obey him, Heb. 5. 9.
AGGRAVATIONS OF SINNING AGAINST KNOWLEDGE.
BY THO: GOODWIN B. D.
LONDON, Printed by M. F. for Iohn Rothwell, … be ſold at the Sun in Pauls Church … M DC XXXVII.