The Sinfulness of Sin, Sermon 1
THE SINFULNESSE OF SINNE, AND THE FULNESSE OF CHRIST. Delivered in Two Sermons, By Mr. WILLIAM BRIDGE. Sometime Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and 'late Preacher of the Word of God at Yarmouth.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1667.
CHRISTIAN READER,
THou art deſired to take notice, That theſe two Sermons are not expoſed to publique view by the Author's own hand, but were taken as they fell from his lips in his ordinary Preaching: Nevertheleſs, the ſtyle, method, ſpirituality, conciſeneſs, and depth of them, give in ample teſtimony to all that have acquaintance with him, that they are his genuine offſpring; And being ſuitable and uſefull to all perſons, in all conditions, thou mayeſt (through the bleſſing of God) reap much advantage by them.
THE SINFULNESSE OF SINNE.
Rom. 7. and part of the 13 Verſe. 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.
MY purpoſe is now to ſpeak ſomething concerning the evil and ſinfulneſs of ſin, and therefore have made choice of theſe words. In this Chapter the Apoſtle Paul doth give us ſome account of the way and manner of his Converſion: Before I was converted (ſayes he) I was alive without the Law, (ver. 9.) but when the Commandment came, ſin revived and I died; for without the Law ſin was dead, and I was alive without the Law once. I thought my ſelf a jolly man, I was very brisk and jolly; had good thoughts of my condition; I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandment came, when the word of the Lord came in power unto my ſoul; for I had the Law, and the Commandment always with me: Concerning the Law, I was blameleſs, Phil. 3. 6. the letter of the Law was not abſent from me: but when it pleaſed God to ſet on the Word of the Lord in power upon my ſoul; then, whereas I was alive before, now ſin revived: ſin that lay dead before, and was hid, now revived, and did appear to be ſin; for that in the 9 Verſe, and this in the 13, are the ſame: Verſ. 9. Sin revived, and I died: but ſin, that it might appear ſin, working death in me; in this 13 Verſe. But how did ſin revive, and appear? By the coming of the Law, by the coming of the Commandment, thereby it broke out the more, and ſo was diſcovered; as by the coming and ſhining of the Sun-beams upon the Dung-hill, the filth ſtinks the more; not that the Sun-beams are the cauſe, but the occaſion thereof. And ſin revived by the coming of the Commandment, and appeared to be ſin, appeared more to me in its own ſhape, and ſtruck me dead with the apparition thereof; whereas before, ſin was dead, and I alive, now ſin alive, and I dead.
From whence then I take up this Obſervation;
Obſerv. That there is a great deal of evil and ſinfulneſs in ſin, which doth not appear to a man, until he doth Convert, and turn unto God. Look when a man doth Convert, and turn unto God, then ſin appears to be ſin indeed, and not before.
For the clearing and proſecution whereof I ſhall labour to ſhew,
Firſt, That there is a great deal of evil, and ſinfulneſs in ſin.
Secondly, That this evil, and ſinfulneſs of ſin, doth not appear to a man, until Converſion-work paſs upon his ſoul.
Thirdly, Look when a man doth Convert, and turn to the Lord in truth, then ſin appears in the ſinfulneſs thereof unto him.
1. There is a great deal of evil and ſinfulneſs in ſin.
To make it out in the general, and then more particularly;
1. In the general, this may appear by the names of ſin, for ſin hath taken up all the names of evil of all evils. The Scripture doth not Nickname ſin, and yet what evil is there incident unto man, but ſin is inveſted with the name thereof in Scripture?
1. Is it an evil thing for a man to be unclean and filthy? Sin is called filthineſs: I will waſh you from all your filthineſs, Ezek. 36. 25.
2. Is it an evil thing for a man to be naked? Sin is called nakedneſs: That your nakedneſs may not appear, Rev. 3. 18.
3. Is it an evil thing for a man to be blind? Sin is called blindneſs: The blind ſhall lead the blind, Mat. 15. 14.
4. Is it an evil thing for a man to be fooliſh? Sin is called folly. That you may no more return unto folly, Pſal. 85. 8.
5. Is it an evil thing for a man to be mad? The Prodigal returned unto himſelf, Luke 15. 17, and I was mad, ſayes Paul, Acts 26. 11.
6. Is it an evil thing for a man to be dead? Sin is called death: Dead in treſpaſses and ſins. Epheſ. 2. 1.
7. It is called an Abomination, Prov. 8. 7. and becauſe there is no word that can expreſs the evil and ſinfulneſs of ſin, the Apoſtle in this place ſayes, That ſin might become exceeding ſinful. Why? Becauſe there is no word of evil that can reach the evil of ſin. Now look what that is that doth ingroſs and take up all the names of all evils that muſt needs be exceeding evil; So it is with ſin.
2. Look what that is that doth ſeparate betwixt us and God, who is the chiefeſt and univerſal good; That muſt needs be the greateſt evil. Now ſayes the Prophet, Your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, Iſa. 59. 2.
3. Look what that is that doth unite us to Satan, and make us the Children of the Devil; That muſt needs be very evil: Says our Saviour, You are of your father the devil. Why? For his works you do, Joh. 8. 44. Sin makes us the children of the devil.
4. Look what that is that did put Chriſt to death, that was the cauſe of his death; That muſt needs be exceeding evil. So ſin did: He was made ſin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21. He bare our ſins upon the Croſs, 1 Pet. 2. 24. and the Lord made the iniquity of us all to meet on him, Iſa. 53. 6.
5. Look what that is that doth bring a general curſe upon the whole Creation; That muſt needs be evil: So ſin hath done; curſed be the ground, and the earth for thy ſake, Gen. 3. 17.
6. Look what that is that doth ſoil and ſtain all our glory, and the Image of God in us; That muſt needs be great evil. Sin hath ſtayned the beauty of the Image of God that was ſtampt upon us, and by ſin, ſaith the Apoſtle, Row. 3. 23. we come ſhort of the glory of God, For all have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God.
7. Look what that is, that doth bring ſuch horror of Conſcience that a ſoul is not able to bear, and cannot be allayed but by the blood of Jeſus; That muſt needs be a very great evil: Sin, and the eating of the forbidden fruit hath bred this worm that never dies.
8. Look what that evil is, that is the fewel of Hell, that feeds Hell-fire to all Eternity; That muſt needs be great evil: Take ſin away and Hell-fire dies: Sin is that brimſtone that Hell-fire feeds upon to all Eternity.
9. Look what that Evil is, that is worſe than the worſt of afflictions; That muſt needs be very evil: The leaſt ſin is worſe than the greateſt affliction: For,
1. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, it doth not defile the man; for that which is from without, doth not defile the man, but that which is from within, Mar. 7. 15. Sin is from within; affliction is not from within, but from without, but ſin is from within: therefore if I give a reproachfull word to another, it more defiles me than a hundred reproachful words from another, becauſe my word comes from within me, his words from without me; Now affliction is from without, and doth not defile, but ſin is from within and doth defile; therefore the leaſt ſin is worſe than the greateſt affliction.
2. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, yet notwithſtanding, God is the Author of it; Is there evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it? Amos 3. 6. God bad Shimei curſe David: Let him alone, God hath bidden him, 2 Sam. 16. 11. I ſend Famine, and I ſend Peſtilence, and I ſend Mildew, ſayes God; God is the Author of Affliction, but God is not the Author of any ſin. Indeed it is ſaid God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and others, but that is non infundendo malitiam ſed ſubtrahendo gratiam; not by infuſing malice into their hearts, but by withdrawing his grace; God is not the Author of ſin, but God is the Author of all affliction.
3. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, yet it is not contrary to God; but ſin, though never ſo ſmall, is contrary to God.
4. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, yet notwithſtanding it is but the fruit, and the Claws of ſin: What are the Claws to the Lion? if the Lion be dead, the Claws can do us no hurt, but if the Lion be alive, his life puts ſtrength into his Claws: afflictions are but the Claws of ſin, The ſting of death is ſin, 1 Cor. 15. 56. and the ſting of affliction is ſin; but as for afflictions, they are but the bare Claws, and it is ſin that puts life and ſtrength into theſe Claws.
5. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, yet God doth not hate affliction, neither doth affliction make a man hate God; but God hates ſin, and ſin makes a man hate God.
6. Take an affliction, and though it be never ſo great, a man may be a bleſſed man in the worſt affliction; Bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered, Pſal. 32. 1. but he cannot be a bleſſed man that lies in sin. Curſed is every man that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them, Gal. 3. 10. Thus you ſee, the leaſt sin is worſe than the greateſt affliction, therefore certainly the evil of sin is very great. That's the 9th.
10. Look what that evil is that God doth puniſh with the greateſt ſeverity, both in His own and others, (though it be but ſmall in our eyes) that muſt needs be exceeding evil; Now he doth ſeverely puniſh that which we look upon as a ſmall sin, both in his own, and others. In his own, you think it was no great matter for Adam to eat the forbidden fruit; You think Moſes was but a little in paſſion with the Children of Iſrael, for which he was kept out of Canaan; And you think it was no great matter for Ʋzza to ſtay the Ark when it was falling: yet God puniſhed theſe ſmall sins, ſmall in our eyes, he puniſhed them ſeverely in his own people. And as for others, Becauſe there is an infinite evil in sin, and God doth juſtly puniſh, he puniſheth them to all eternity for the leaſt sin: for amongſt men, it is juſt to puniſh till a man repenteth; but in Hell men never repent, therefore God puniſheth them to all eternity. So that God doth puniſh sin with the greateſt ſeverity both in his own, and others; therefore ſurely it is very evil.
11. Look what that is, that is a worſe evil than Hell, or the Devil; that muſt needs be a very great and exceeding evil. Sin is worſe than the Devil; for the Devil is a Creature that God made, but Sin is none of Gods Creature: And it is worſe than Hell; for Hell is of Gods making too, but Sin is not; It is worſe to be given up to ſin, than to the Devil; if a man be given up to the Devil, it is that his ſoul may be ſaved; but if a man be given up to ſin, it is that his ſoul may be deſtroyed and not ſaved. So that Sin is worſe than Hell or the Devil.
12. Look what that evil is that is a puniſhment in it ſelf, that muſt needs be exceeding evil; Sin in it ſelf is a puniſhment, though there were no other puniſhment to follow; in keeping thy Commandments there is great reward, Pſal. 19. 11. So in breaking Gods Commandments there is great puniſhment. Therefore ſometimes when God would puniſh men for their ſins, he puniſheth them by giving them up to great ſins: Rom. 1. 26. God gave them up to vile affections, to uncleanneſs, &c. Now I ſay, look what that is which is in it ſelf a puniſhment, that muſt needs be exceeding evil; and thus it is with ſin: this therefore muſt needs be a very great evil. Thus in the general you ſee there is a great deal of evil and sinfulneſs in sin.
But now more particularly, I shall shew it you in three ſorts of ſins: The ſin of our Nature, The ſin of our Hearts and Thoughts, And the ſin of our Lives and Practiſes; eſpecially living under the Goſpel, the evil of theſe ſins.
1. Firſt, As for the ſin of our Nature, the more univerſal and overſpreading any leproſie or contagion is, the worſe and the greater it is; now the ſin of our Nature ſpreads over all our faculties; our Underſtanding, Reaſon, Will, Affections; it ſpreads over all our Faculties.
2. Look what that contagion or leproſie is, that is ſo great that nothing will help againſt it, but the pulling down the houſe: that muſt needs be very great: Truly the ſin of our Nature is ſuch, nothing will cure it but the pulling down the houſe.
3. Look what that ſin is that is moſt unwearied, and whereby a man is unwearied in ſin; that muſt needs be very great: The ſin of our nature is unwearied, as the Fountain is unwearied in ſending up water, bubbling up water; a man may be wearied in drawing up water our of the Fountain, and ſo a man may be wearied in ſinful actions; but ſinful nature is never weary, and that ſin that is unwearied is exceeding great.
4. Look what that ſin is that is the ground of all our relapſes, and returns to ſin; That muſt needs be very great. Now what is the ground of all our returns to evil, after all our repentance and reformation, but our nature? Suppoſe water be heated; after it is warmed and heated, it cools again: heat it again, and it cools again: Why? Becauſe coldneſs is its nature. And ſo what's the reaſon that men return again, and again to their ſin, after all their repentance and reformation, but the ſin of their nature?
5. Look what that evil is which is the leaſt lamented, and that whereby our ſin is moſt excuſed; That is a great, and dreadful evil: Now of all ſins, the ſin of our Nature is leaſt lamented, and thereby mens ſins are moſt excuſed. Bear with me, it is my nature; I am paſſionate, but it is my nature; I am froward, but it is my nature; Men excuſe themſelves thereby. Now I ſay look what that evil is which is leaſt lamented, and that whereby our ſin is moſt excuſed; that is a dreadful evil. Thus it is with the ſin of our nature.
2. But ſecondly, As for the ſin of our hearts and thoughts, the evil thereof,
1. Look what that ſin is that is the moſt incureable; That's worſt: A ſecret hidden wound within the body, or a diſeaſe within the body, is the moſt incurable. Such are the ſins of our hearts and thoughts, ſecret ſins, and ſothe moſt incurable.
2. Look what that ſin is that is a friend, a Parent to other ſins; That muſt needs be very evil. Now what are the Parents of all our ſinful actions but ſinful thoughts? What puts life into evil actions but ſinful thoughts? So with the godly, and ſo with the ungodly; With the Godly, for ſaith Abraham, I thought the fear of God was not in this place, Gen. 20. 11. and therefore I ſaid ſhe is my Siſter; ſhe was indeed his Siſter, and he lied not in ſaying ſo: but he diſſembled, and hid the truth, uſing an unworthy ſhift for his own preſervation; and where began this evil but in a ſinful thought? I thought, the fear of God is not in this place. So with the Ungodly, Pſal. 50. 21. Thou thoughteſt that I was alltogether ſuch an one as thy ſelf: The wicked ſteal, and commit Adultery, and deceive, and ſlander others, and how are they led into all this, but by thoughts? Thou thoughtest I was ſuch a one as thy ſelf: and you know what the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Cleanſe thou me from ſecret faults, then ſhall I be upright, and I ſhall be innocent from the great tranſgreſſion, Pſal. 19. 12, 13. Sins of our hearts and thoughts do principiate, and give a being unto ſinful actions, and therefore are very evil.
3. Thereby alſo, by the ſins of our hearts and thoughts, our former ſin committed, that was dead, is revived again, and hath a reſurrection by our muſing on it, contemplating on it with delight. As the witch at Endor called up Samuel that was dead; ſo a delightful thought calls up a ſinful action that was dead before. Thereby our ſins that were dead before are revived, and have a reſurrection.
4. Thereby alſo a man may poſſibly ſin that ſin in effect, which he never did commit in act, and ſo the Lord may puniſh him for it: As the Lord ſaid to David, becauſe it was in thine heart to build me an houſe, I will build thy Houſe: So ſayes God to a man in a way of puniſhment, becauſe it was in thy heart to do this evil, though thou didſt it not, I will punish thee for it. Poſſibly, I ſay, by the ſin of our hearts and thoughts, a man may ſin that ſin, in effect, which he never did commit in act, And that is evil.
5. Thereby a man may or doth repent of his very repentance: A man ſins and afterwards is ſorrowful, and repents thereof, and then after his repentance he thinks on his ſin with delight; What is this but to to repent of his very repentance? As by my repentance I am ſorrowful for my sin, ſo by musing on my sin with delight, I repent of my repentance: Now is it not a very great evil for a man to repent of his repentance? Lo this may a man do, and this men ordinarily do; they repent of their repentance by musing on their sin, and delighting in it in a way of sinful thoughts.
3. But thirdly, As for the sin of our lives and practiſe, eſpecially living under the Goſpel, the evil thereof, that is very great, for,
1. Sin under the Goſpel is ſinning againſt the remedy; and of all ſins, sinning againſt the remedy are the greateſt; and therefore it is worſe for a man to commit adultery that is married, than for an unmarried man to commit fornication; for he sins againſt the remedy. Now the great remedy againſt sin is the Goſpel; therefore for a man to ſin under the Goſpel, he ſins againſt the remedy.
2. The greater obligations a man ſinneth againſt, the worſe and the greater is his ſin. By the Goſpel we are brought under great obligations, and by our ſinning under the Goſpel, what do we? Weingage the very mercy of God to become our adverſary: by our ſinning under the Goſpel, we ſin againſt Mercy and Grace, and thereby ingage the very mercy of God, our greateſt friend, to become our greateſt adverſary.
3. Peccatum majus, ubi ſpecialis repugnantia inter peccantem & peccatum; The more repugnancy there is betwixt the ſin and the ſinner, the greater is the ſin; and therefore it is worſe for a Judg to be unjuſt, than for another, becauſe there is a ſpecial repugnancy betwixt the sin and the sinner. Now there is a ſpecial repugnancy betwixt the Goſpel, and a man that sins under the Goſpel; for he profeſſes the contrary, and therefore sin there is the greater.
4. Peccatum majus, ubi majus nocumentum; The more hurtful or miſchievous any sin is, the greater is that sin: Sinning under the Goſpel is very hurtful, to our ſelves, and to others. To our ſelve; as poyſon taken in Sack, or ſomething that is warm, is the moſt venemous, ſo ſin under the Goſpel is the deadlieſt poyſon: Why? Becauſe it is warmed with Goſpel heat; And it is hurtful to others, becauſe they are hardened; for when men ſin under the Goſpel, others are hardened thereby.
5. The more able that any ſin is to defend it ſelf by knowledg, ſhifts and diſtinctions, the worſe and greater it is: Now a man that lives under the Goſpel hath knowledg, and by his knowledg is able to defend his ſin by many diſtinctions; and ſins bred under the Goſpel are able to defend themſelves by knowledg fetched from the Goſpel, therefore the worſe.
6. The more deceitful that any ſin is, and the better ends and pretences it hath, the worſe it is, and holds the longer: Now ſins bred under the Goſpel are moſt deceitful, and have the beſt ends and pretences, and therefore the worſe.
7. The more that a man doth caſt contempt upon the great things of God by his ſin, the greater, and the worſe is his ſin: Sins under the Goſpel caſt contempt upon the great things of God, the glory of God, the glorious offer of the grace of God: to ſin under the Goſpel, is to caſt contempt upon the glory of God, and the great things of God, and therefore ſin there is the greater.
8. The more coſtly and chargeable that any ſin is, the greater and the worſe it is: Now a man that ſins under the Goſpel cannot, ſin at ſo cheap a rate as another, though he sins the very ſame sin that another commits: Why? He that knows his Maſters will and doth it not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes, Luke 12. 47. What an evil and dreadfull thing is it for men to ſin under the Goſpel, ſayes the Apoſtle, He ſhall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel, 2 Theſ. 1. 8. Flaming fire; not painted fire, but real fire; but there may be real fire in a ſpark, therefore he doth not ſay real fire neither; but He ſhall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Goſpel. O what an evil, and dreadful thing is it for a man to ſin living under the Goſpel. Now if there be ſo much evil in the ſins of our lives and practiſes, living under the Goſpel; if there be ſo much evil in the ſin of our hearts and thoughts; if there be ſo much evil in the ſin of our nature; if ſin hath taken up all the names of all evils; if ſin doth ſeparate between God and us; if ſin doth unite us to Satan, and make us the Children of the Devil; if ſin did put Chriſt to death; if ſin doth bring a general curſe upon the whole Creation; if ſin doth ſtain all our glory; if ſin doth awaken Conſcience to that horror that nothing but the blood of Chriſt can quiet it; if ſin doth feed the fire of Hell; if the leaſt ſin be worſe than the greateſt affliction; if God doth puniſh the leaſt ſin both in his own and others with the greateſt ſeverity; if ſin be worſe than Hell or the Devil; and if ſin it ſelf be a puniſhment; certainly there is abundance of evil and ſinfulneſs in ſin. So I have done with the firſt thing, namely, that there is a great deal of evil and ſinfulneſs in ſin.
2. Secondly, Though there be thus much evil and ſinfulneſs in ſin; this doth not appear to a man until he doth convert and turn unto God: till then his ſin is dead, but then it is revived: till then the ſinfulneſs of ſin doth not appear; for,
1. Till then a man is in the dark, and who can ſee the greatneſs of an evil in the dark.
2. Till then grace (the contrary) is not placed in the ſoul; one contrary doth ſhew the other: white is beſt ſeen by black; Grace is beſt ſeen by Sin, and Sin is beſt ſeen by Grace: till then a man hath no grace, no contrary to illuſtrate it, to make it appear.
3. And till then ſin is in its own place; elementum non gravidat ſuo loco, water is not heavy in its own place, it is not heavy in the River; a man may lay at the bottom of the River with all the water upon his back, and yet not feel the weight of it, becauſe it is in its place; but take but a pailful of water out of the River, and you feel the weight of it, becauſe then it is out of its place. Now till a man convert and turn unto God, ſin is in its own place, and therefore the ſinfulneſs of it doth not appear.
Queſt. But you will ſay, How comes this to paſs that sin ſhould not appear in the sinfulneſs of it, until a man convert, and turn unto God?
Anſw. 1. Sin is a ſpiritual thing; I mean a moral, not a natural thing; Sin is a ſpiritual thing, and a man that liveth by ſenſe cannot ſee what is ſpiritual.
2. A man is blind unto what he loves; till a man convert and turn unto God, he loves his Sin; he loves it above all the World; and therefore the evil and sinfulneſs of sin doth not yet appear to him.
3. The more Blinds a man hath that cover his sin, the leſs he ſees it; and the leſs sin appears to be sinful: Now before a man convert and turn unto God, all his duties are but Blinds to cover his sin, all his morality is but a Blind, all his natural uprightneſs is but a Blind: True (ſays he) I am a sinner; but I pray, and perform duty, therefore am not ſo great a sinner; I have ſuch and ſuch moralities, and my heart is as good as any ones, therefore I am not ſo great a sinner. What are all his duties before he convert and turn unto God, but ſo many Blinds to cover and hide his sin? No wonder therefore that sin doth not appear as it is, until a man doth convert and turn unto God.
4. The more a man looks upon sin as going into it, the leſs it appears to be; and the more a man looks upon sin as coming out of it, coming from it, the greater it appears to be; there is a going into sin by commiſſion, and there is a coming from it by repentance: Now when a man is going into his sin, there he ſees Profit, Pleaſure, and his own concernments, and this makes his sin appear little; but when he comes out of it, there he ſees ſorrow, and repentance, and that makes his sin appear great.
5. Sometimes by the providence of God, sin meets with good events; and holineſs meets with bad events in the world: and ſo the evil and sinfulneſs of sin is hidden from men.
6. and laſtly, The leſs a man is at the work of private examination, the leſs sin appears to be sin, and the leſs he ſees sin as it is: before a man convert, and turn unto God, he is little in the work of examining his own ſoul in private: No wonder therefore sin doth not appear to him to be sinful, becauſe he is little in the work of private examination. Thus ye ſee ſin doth not appear in the sinfulneſs of of it untill a man doth convert, and turn unto God: That's the ſecond.
III. Thirdly, Look when a man doth convert and turn unto the Lord, then sin appears in the sinfulneſs thereof unto his ſoul. For then,
1. He is weary and heavy laden under the burden of his sin; the more a man is weary and heavy laden under the burden of his sin, the more sin appears evil and sinfull to him: Now look when a man doth convert and turn unto God, then he is weary, and heavy laden under the burden of his sin: Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, Matth. 11. 28.
2. Then he ſees God, and not till then; the more a man ſees God, the glory of God, the goodneſs of God, the wiſdom of God, the holineſs of God, the ſoveraignty of God; the more sin appears in its sinfulneſs to him: Wo is me, I am undone, for I have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts, Iſa. 6. 5. and ſayes Job, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye ſeeth thee. What then? I abhor my ſelf, and repent in duſt and aſhes, Job 42. 5, 6. Look when I ſee God, the glory of God, the goodneſs of God, the holineſs of God, the wiſdom, and the ſoveraignty of God, then sin appears in its ſinfulneſs to me.
3. Then alſo a man comes to ſee Chriſt crucified, and not till then; there is nothing can give us ſuch a sight of the sinfulneſs of sin as Chriſt crucified: By the Law is the knowledg of ſin, Rom. 3. 20. but by the sight of Chriſt crucified, I ſee the hatred that God hath againſt sin: I do not ſee by the Law ſo much the hatred that God hath againſt sin as in Chriſt crucified; the more I ſee Gods hatred againſt sin, the more I ſee the sinfulneſs of it. Now look when a man doth convert and turn unto God, then he ſees Chriſt crucified.
4. Look when a man hath gotten the true proſpect of Hell, and of the wrath of God, then ſin appears ſinful to him: Now look when a man convert and turn unto God in truth, then he ſees the wrath of God, and hath the true proſpect of Hell, from which he is delivered.
5. The more a man is tired out, and wearied with the dogging and haunting of his ſin, that he can reſt no where for it, the more the ſinfulneſs of ſin appears to him: Now when a man doth convert, and turn unto God, what ſayes he? Ah; I am never at reſt, I am dogged and haunted, and tired out continually with my ſin; O now it appears very ſinful to me.
6. Look when a mans heart is filled with the love of God, and poſſeſſed with the Holy Ghoſt, then ſin appears to him to be very ſinful; for what comes the Holy Ghoſt for? To convince the world of ſin, Joh. 16. 8. Now look when a man doth convert and turn to God, then comes this convincing work of the Holy Ghoſt; then his heart is filled with the love of God, and poſſeſſed with the Holy Ghoſt; therefore then sin appears in the sinfulneſs thereof unto his ſoul. And thus I have done with the Doctrine, namely, That there is a great deal of evil and sinfulneſs in sin, which doth not appear to a man until he doth convert and turn unto God.
By way of Application.
1. Firſt, For the firſt part, If there be ſo much evil and sinfulneſs in sin; behold the power of the grace of God, the grace of God with out you, the grace of God within you: If a ſpark of fire ſhould be preſerved alive in an Ocean of water, you would think it is ſome ſtrong hand that did it; If a Candle ſhould be kept light in a great wind and ſtorm, you will ſay, it was a ſtrong hand that kept it light: There is an Ocean of sin in our hearts, and that a little ſpark, or Candle of grace ſhould be preſerved in us, in the midſt of this Ocean of sin; Oh the power of the grace of God!
2. If this be true, Behold the riches and the freeneſs of the grace of God, that you ſhould be delivered from all this evil; sin sinful, and ſo sinful, and evil, and you delivered from all this evil; oh the riches, and the freeneſs of the grace of God!
2. But ſecondly, For the ſecond part, If the sinfulneſs of sin doth not appear until a man convert and turn unto God, Then,
1. Here we may ſee ſome reaſon, why ſome men are not ſensible of their sins though very great, it is bccauſe they are not converted; the Commandment never came, the Commandment is not yet come: ſuch a poor ſoul goes on in his sin, and is not yet convinced of the evil of it, for the Commandment never yet came.
2. If this be true, what a ſad condition are all thoſe in that are not converted and brought home to God; they are in their sins, and their sin is in them; The whole world lies in wickedneſs, 1 Joh. 5. 19. 1 They lie in their sin, and are full thereof; they are full of this evil; this evil is full of evil, and they are full of this evil: they are full of it. For
1. They are always filling, and never emptying: A veſſel that is always filling, and never emptying, muſt needs be full. Thus it is with a man not converted, not turned to God, he is always filling with sin, and never emptying; yea, when he thinks he is emptying, when he thinks he is repenting and reforming, then he is filling with sin; always filling, and never emptying, therefore muſt needs be full.
2. They are full of it, becauſe they sin beyond their temptation: If a Beggar begs of me, and I give him more than he begs for; if he begs for 6 d. and I give him 12 d. he will ſay I am full, for I give him more than he begged for: ſo when temptation begs, and a man sins beyond his temptation, what doth this argue but that he is full of sin? Thus it is with men unconverted, they sin beyond their temptation, and what doth this argue, but that they are full of sin.
3. And full they are, becauſe they are dropping their sin whereſoever they go: You will ſay a Beggar is full of vermine, that drops his vermine whereſoever he goes; So men, not converted, not turned unto God, they are dropping their vermine whereſoever they go: if they come in good company, they are dropping their vermine there; if they come in bad company they are dropping their vermine there; why? becauſe they are full of vermine, full of sin.
2. But ſecondly, As men not converted, not turned to God are full of sin, ſo they are under the power of it: Why? How doth that appear? Becauſe their sin commands them off from their duty. Suppoſe a company of men sitting at table at meat together, and another comes into the room, and ſayes to one of them, Take your Cloak and follow me, and he preſently riſes from his meat and follows him; you will ſay certainly this man is his Maſter, becauſe he ariſes from his meat at his command and follows him. So when sin ſhall command a man off from his duty, from reading the Word, from private Prayer; What doth this argue, but that he is under the power of sin? As when a man is sinning, and grace comes and calls him off from his sin, it argues he is under the power of grace; ſo when a man is at his duty, and his sin comes and calls him off from his duty, it argues he is under the power of ſin; ſo it is with men unconverted, they are under the power of their ſin.
3. As a man unconverted is full of ſin, and under the power of it, ſo he knows it not; for ſin doth not appear to a man to be ſin untill he convert and turn unto God; it doth not yet appear, as the Apoſtle ſayes in another caſe, 1 Job. 3. 2. It doth not yet appear what we ſhall be, but it ſhall appear: So ſay I in regard of ſin, It doth not yet appear, but it ſhall appear to a mans ſelf, and others; before a man convert and turn to God, it doth not appear, but to ſuch a one it ſhall appear: when a man comes to die, and all his hoops be knocked off, then it will appear how full of ſin he is: As a veſſel that is full of liquor, and the liquor iſſue through the hoops, you ſee there is liquor in it, but you do not know how full it is till the hoops are knocked off: But then you will ſay, O how full was this Veſſel? Ah now our hoops are on, and it doth not yet appear how full of ſin men are; onelyonly it comes iſſuing through the hoops, through their duties, but a day is coming when all our hoops ſhall be knocked off, and then it will appear how full of ſin men are.
But to the third part.
3. If this be true, that when a man doth convert and turn unto God, then his ſin doth appear in the ſinfulneſs thereof unto him; then why ſhould we not all labour to get the true sight of sin, to be ſenſible of ſin? it is the property of a man converted to be ſenſible of sin; then ſin revived: As therefore you desire to have upon you the character of a man converted, labour to be ſensible of your sin, that it may appear in the sinfulneſs thereof.
It is the mind of God, that all his converted ones ſhould think much on, and be very ſensible of the sins they committed before their conversion: Such and ſuch were ſome of you, but ye are cleanſed, but ye are waſhed. 1 Cor. 6. 11. I ſay it is the mind and will of God, that thoſe that are converted ſhould be very ſensible of their sins which they committed before conversion. For,
1. Thereby they pity others that are in their sins.
2. Thereby they are kept from future sins, What is the reaſon that men are not kept from future sins, but becauſe they are not ſensible of their former sins.
3. Thereby alſo they are kept in the ſenſe of free grace towards them, and ſo they magnifie the free grace of God: I was a Blaſphemer, a Perſecutor; ſuch and ſuch a one I was; but I am waſhed, but I am cleanſed, and through grace juſtified; O the freeneſs of the grace of God! Thus they magnifie free grace. Therefore I ſay it is the mind of God, that thoſe that are converted ſhould be ſtill very ſensible of their sins committed before their Conversion: and this is a Character of a man converted, sin appears to him to be sinfull. Now therefore as you desire to have the character of a man converted, labour more and more to ſee sin in the sinfulneſs of it.
Queſt. Well, but then the Queſtion is What shall we do, whether converted or not what ſhall we do that we may be able to ſee sin in the sinfulneſs thereof?
Anſw. 1. Be ſure of this, that you look much upon Chriſt crucified: Chriſt on the Croſs is a glaſs wherein you may ſee the sinfulnes of sin. Study Chriſt crucified much.
2. Labour more and more to walk in the preſence of God, the ſhines of Gods countenance; For as when the Sun ſhines into the room, you ſee little motes, ſo when God ſhines into your heart, you ſee little sins: the beams of Gods countenance do diſcover sin in the sinfulneſs of it; Therefore labour to walk more in the preſence of God, and in the ſhines of his Countenance.
3. Labour more and more to examine your own ſouls; be much in private examination: hardly an ungrowing Chriſtian that is much in private examination; hardly a proud man that is much in private examination. Do you desire to ſee sin in the sinfulneſs of it? Go alone, call your ſelf often to account, be much in private examination.
4. Take as much pains to keep the ſenſe of sin upon your heart as ever you did to get it: Some take pains to get themſelves into a good frame, but take no pains to keep themſelves in it when they have gotten it: As the Apoſtle ſpeaks, They view themſelves in the glaſs of royal liberty, and go away and forget what manner of men they were.
5. In caſe you find any particular ſin, go round about it; conſider the circumſtances thereof, aggravate it upon your own ſoul.
6. Improve your afflictions this way. God ſends afflictions ſometimes to give you the sight of ſome sin that lay hid before; and ſometimes your afflictions have your ſin written on their forehead. Improve then your affliction for the diſcovery of the sinfulneſs of sin.
7. Be ſure you judge of sin as the Scripture judgeth of it, and not as men judge of it: the Scripture judgeth of sin by the conſequence thereof, as our Saviour Chriſt ſayes, I was an hungred, and ye fed me not; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; naked, and ye clothed me not. How ſo? In as much as ye did it not to one of theſe, ye did it not to me, Mat. 25. 42, 43, 44, 45. Chriſt judgeth of sin by the conſequence of it; therefore if you would ſee sin in the sinfulneſs of it, judge of it as Chriſt judgeth of it, and as the Scripture judgeth of it, and not as men judge of it.
8. If you desire to ſee sin in its own colours, in the ſinfulneſs of it; then look upon the Commandments of God as great things; the more the Commandment of God is greatned to you, the greater will ſin be in your eye; if the Commandment of God be great in your eye, the ſin, contrary to the Commandment will be great in your eye too.
9. Never think any thing ſmall betwixt God and you; there is nothing ſmall betwixt God and us, for God is an infinite God.
10. Never look upon ſin in the time of temptation; for then you are in the dark, and not fit to ſee the greatneſs of ſin: Labour to know the difference betwixt temptation and corruption, and betwixt the ſins of Gods people, and others; but never look upon ſin in the time of temptation; for then you are in the dark, and cannot ſee the ſinfulneſs of it.
11. And laſtly, If you would ſee ſin in the ſinfulneſs of it; then go unto God for the coming of the Commandment, that God would ſet on the Commandment upon you, as Paul here; ſays he, When the Commandment came ſin revived, and I died. Some, it may be here, never yet had the Commandment ſet on upon their hearts; O then go to God, and pray for the ſetting on of the Commandment upon you; then ſhall you ſee ſin in the ſinfulneſs thereof.
Now let me add two or three cautions to this, and ſo conclude.
1. Take heed that you do not ſo think on ſin as to forget Chriſt: If you think on ſin without Chriſt you will deſpair, if you think on Chriſt without ſin you will preſume; Never think on ſin without Chriſt; Labour to get the ſight of your ſin, but never think on ſin without Chriſt; but look on your ſin in the wounds of Chriſt, and read your ſins written out in Chriſts blood.
2. Humble your ſelves for ſin, though it be never ſo ſmall; but do not queſtion your condition for ſin though it be never ſo great; I do not ſpeak this to thoſe that are unconverted, for they have cauſe to queſtion their condition for every ſin, though never ſo ſmall; but being converted and turned unto God, I ſay, humble thy ſelf for every ſin though never ſo ſmall; but never queſtion thy condition for any ſin, though never ſo great.
3. The more ſenſe you have of ſin, and the ſinfulneſs thereof, the more labour to maintain your aſſurance of the pardon of it: and the more aſſurance you have of the pardon of your ſin, the more labour for a ſight and ſenſe of it: Let not your ſenſe of ſin quench your joy of pardon; let not your joy of pardon hinder your ſight of ſin: if both theſe be true and genuine, the one is an help unto the other.
4. (And to conclude) the more ſenſe you have of ſin, the more do you come to Chriſt: for, in Scripture you ſhall find, that every good work is not for it ſelf, but ſome good works are in order to others; as for example, to inſtance in the keeping of the Sabbath, you are to reſt on the Sabbath, and it is a good work, but not for it ſelf, but in order to Prayer, Hearing, Sanctification, other duties. So here, ſenſe of ſin is a good work; but it is not for it ſelf, but in order to going to Chriſt: Therefore now go to Chriſt, and ſay, Lord, now I ſee the ſinfulneſs of ſin, let me alſo ſee the graciouſneſs of grace, and the fulneſs of Chriſt; yea, now I do come to thee for righteouſneſs, becauſe I ſee my ſin is out of meaſure ſinful.
FINIS.