A Body of Practical Divinity, Sermon 83 · Part 10

A Body of Practical Divinity · Sermon 83 · Part 10

p. 860Matt. 6.13.

But deliver us from Evil.

2. THe Second Branch of this Sixth Petition, is, Libera nos a malo; Deliver us from evil. There is more in this Petition than is expressed: The thing Expressed is, that we may be kept from Evil: The thing farther intended is, that we may make a Progress in Piety, Titus 2.11. Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts; there is, being delivered from Evil; that we should live soberly, righteously and godly; there is a progress in Piety.

I begin with the first thing in this Petition Expressed, Deliver us from Evil.

Quest. What Evil do we Pray to be delivered from?

Answ. 1. In General, from the evil of sin.

2. More particularly, we Pray to be delivered,

First, From the Evil of our own Heart; it is called an Evil Heart, Heb. 3.12.

Secondly, From the Evil of Satan; He is called, foreign, the Evil One, Matt. 13.19.

Thirdly, From the Evil of the World; it is called the present evil World, Gal. 1.4.

1. In General; Deliver us from evil: We Pray to be delivered from the evil of sin. Not that we pray to be delivered immediately from the Presence and In-being of sin, for that cannot be in this life. We cannot shake off this Viper: but we Pray that God will deliver us more and more from the Power and Practice, from the Scandalous Acts of Sin, which cast a Reflection upon the Gospel.

Sin then is the Deadly Evil we pray against; Deliver us from Evil: With what Pencil shall I be able to draw the deformed face of sin. The Devil would Baptize sin with the Name of Vertue: 'Tis easie to lay fair Colours on a Black Face.

But I shall endeavour to shew you what a Prodigious Monster sin is; and there is great reason we should pray, Deliver us from evil.

Sin is, (as the Apostle saith) foreign, exceeding sinful, Rom. 7.13. Sin is the very Spirits of Mischief distilled; 'tis called, foreign, the Accursed thing, Josh. 7.13. That sin is the most execrable evil, appears several ways.

1. Look upon Sin in its Original.

2. Look upon Sin in its Nature.

3. Look upon Sin in the Judgment and Opinion of the Godly.

4. Look upon Sin in the Comparative.

5. Look upon Sin in the manner of cure.

6. Look upon Sin in its direful effects, and when you have seen all these you will apprehend, what an horrid evil sin is, and what great reason we have to pray, Deliver us from evil.

1. Look upon sin in its Original; it fetcheth its pedigree from Hell: Sin is of the Devil, Iohn 8.44. Sin calls the Devil Father, it is Serpentis venenum, as Austin saith, it is the Poison the Old Serpent hath spit into our Virgin Nature.

2. Look upon Sin in its Nature, and so it is evil.

1. See what the Scripture compares it to. Sin hath got a bad name, 'tis compared to the Vomit of Dogs, 2 Pet. 2.22. to a menstruous Cloath, Isa. 30.22. which as Ierom saith, was the most unclean thing under the Law, it is compared to the Plague, 1 Kin. 8.38. to a Gangrene, 2 Tim. 2.17. persons under these diseases we would be loth to Eat and Drink with.

2. Sin is evil in its Nature as it is injurious to God three ways.

1. It is foreign a breach of Gods Royal Law, 1 John 3.4. Sin is a transgression of the Law: It is Crimenlaesae Majestatis, High Treason against Heaven. What greater injury can be offered to a Prince, than to trample upon his Royal Edicts? Neh. 9.26. They have cast thy Laws behind their Backs.

2. Sin is a contumacious affront to God, 'its a walking contrary to him, Lev. 26.40. the Hebrew word for sin, Pashang, signifies Rebellion; sin flies in the Face of God, Iob 15.25. He stretcheth out his hand against God; we ought not to lift up a thought against God, much less to lift up an hand against him; but the sinner doth so; Sin is Deicidium, it would not only un-throne God, but Ungod him, if Sin could help it God should be no longer God.

p. 8613. Sin is injurious to God as it is an act of high ingratitude. God feeds a sinner, Screens off many evils from him, yet he not only forgets Gods Mercies, but abuseth them, Hos. 2.8. I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil, and multiplied her Silver, which they prepared for Baal. God may say, I gave thee Wit, Health, Riches, which thou hast employed against me. A sinner makes an Arrow of Gods Mercies, and shoots at him, 2 Sam. 16 17. Is this thy kindness to thy friend? did God give thee life to sin? Did he give thee Wages to serve the Devil? O what an ungrateful thing is sin! Ingratitude forfeits Mercy, as the Merchant doth his Goods by not paying custom.

3. Sin is evil in its nature, as it is a foolish thing, Luk. 12.20. foreign, Thou Fool, this night shall thy Soul be required of thee. 1 Sam 13.13. Is it not foolish to prefer a short Lease before an Inheritance? a sinner prefers the pleasures of sin for a season, before those pleasures which run at Gods right hand for evermore. Is it not folly to gratifie an Enemy? Sin gratifies Satan. Mortalium errores epulae sunt daemonum. Mens sins feast the Devil. Is it not folly for a Man to be felo de se, guilty of his own destruction, to give himself Poison? a Sinner hath an hand in his own Death, Prov. 1.18. They lay wait for their own blood, no creature did ever willingly kill it self but Man.

4. Sin is a polluting thing. Sin is not only a defection, but a pollution, tis as rust to Gold, as a stain to Beauty, 'tis call'd filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, 2 Cor. 7.1. it makes the Soul red with guilt, and black with filth, quanta saeditas vitiosae mentis! Cicero. This filth of sin is inward. A spot in the Face may easily be wiped off, but to have the Liver and Lungs tainted is far worse; sin hath got into the Conscience, Tit. 1.15. sin defiles all the faculties, the Mind, Memory, Affections, as if the whole Mass of Blood were corrupted, sin pollutes and fly-blows our holy things: the Leper in the Law if he had touched the Altar, the Altar had not cleansed him, but he had polluted the Altar; an Emblem of sins Leprosie spotting our holy things.

5. Sin is a debasing thing, it degrades us of our honour, Dan. 11.25. In those days shall stand up a vile person; this was spoken of Antiochus Epiphanes who was a King, and his name signifies illustrious, but sin had made him vile; sin blots a Mans name, nothing so turns a Mans Glory into shame as sin doth, sin makes one like a Beast, Psal. 49.20. 'tis worse to be like a Beast, than to be a Beast, 'tis no shame to be a Beast, but it is a shame for a Man to be like a Beast, Lust makes a Man Brutish, and Wrath makes him Devilish.

6. Sin is an enslaving thing. A sinner is a Slave when he sins most freely. Grave servitutis jugum, Cicero. Sin makes Men the Devils Servants. Satan bids them sin, and they do it, he bid Iudas betray Christ, and he did it; he bid Ananias tell a Lye, and he did it, Act. 5.3. when a Man commits a sin he is the Devils Lacky, and runs on his errand, they who serve Satan have such a bad Master, that they will be afraid to receive their Wages.

7. Sin is an unsavory thing, Psal. 14.3. They are altogether become filthy, in the Hebrew, neelachu they are become stinking! sin is very noisome to God, that person who shall Worship in Gods House, yet live in the sin of uncleanness, let him be perfum'd with all the Spices of Arabia his Prayers are unsavoury, Isa. 1.13. Incense is an abomination to me; therefore God is said to behold the Proud afar off, Psal. 138.6. He will not come near the Dung-hill sinner, that hath such noisome Vapours coming from him.

8. Sin is a painful thing, it costs Men much labour and pains to accomplish their wicked designs▪ Jer. 9.5. They weary themselves to commit iniquity. Peccatum est sui ipsius paena. What pains did Iudas take to bring about his Treason? He goes to the High-Priest, and then after to the Band of Soldiers, and then back again to the Garden: What pains did the Powder-traiters take in digging through a thick Stone Wall? what pains in laying their Barrels of Powder, and then covering them with Crows of Iron? How did they tire out themselves in sins Drudgery, Chrysostom saith Vertue is easier than Vice. 'Tis easier to be sober than intemperate. 'Tis easier to serve God than to follow sin. A wicked man sweats at the Devils Plough, and is at great pains to Damn himself.

9. Sin is a disturbing thing. Whatever defiles disturbs. Sin breaks the peace of the Soul. Isa. 57.21. No peace to the Wicked. When a Man sins presumptuously he stuffs his Pillow with Thorns, and his head will lie very uneasy when he comes to dye. Sin causeth a Trembling at the Heart. When Spira had sinn'd he had a Hell in his Conscience, he was in that horror that he professed he envied Cain and Iudas. Charles the ninth who was guilty of the Massacre in p. 862Paris, was afterwards a terrour to himself, he was frighted at every noise, and could not endure to be waked out of his sleep without Musick. Sin breaks the peace of the Soul. Cain in killing Abel stab'd half the World at a blow, but could not kill the Worm of his own Conscience. Thus you see what an evil sin is in the nature of it, and had not we need pray, Deliver us from Evil.

3. Look upon sin in the Iudgment and opinion of the Godly, and it will appear to be the most prodigious evil.

1. Sin is so great an evil, that the Godly will rather do any thing than sin, Heb. 11.24. Moses chose rather to suffer with the People of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin. The Primitive Christians said, Ad leonem potius quàm lenonem, they chose rather to be devoured by Lions without, than Lusts within. Irenaeus was carried to a place where was a Cross on one side and an Idol on the other, and he was put to his choice either to bow to the Idol or suffer on the Cross, and he chose the latter; a Wise Man will chuse rather to have a rent in his Coat than in his Flesh. The Godly will rather endure outward sufferings, than a rent in their Conscience. So great an evil is in sin, that the Godly will not sin for the greatest gain, they will not sin tho' they might purchase an estate by it; nay, tho' they were sure to promote Gods Glory by it.

2. The Godly testifie sin is a great evil, in that they desire to die upon no account more than this, that they may be rid of sin; they are desirous to put off the clothing of the Flesh, that they may be uncloathed of sin. It is their greatest grief that they are troubled with such Inmates, they have the stirrings of Pride, Lust, Envy. It was a cruel Torment Mezentius used, he tied a dead Man to a living: Thus, a Child of God hath corruption join'd with Grace, here is a dead Man tied to the living. So hateful is this, that a believer desires to die for no other reason more than this, that death shall free him from sin. Sin brought death into the World, and death shall carry sin out of the World. Thus you see in the opinion of the Godly, sin is the most hyperbolical and execrable evil.

4. Look upon sin in the comparative, and it will appear to be the most deadly evil. Compare what you will with it;

1. Affliction,

2. Death,

3. Hell;

And still sin is worse.

First, Compare sin with affliction; there is more evil in a drop of sin than in a Sea of affliction.

1. Sin is the Cause of affliction, the cause is more than the effect. Sin brings all mischief, foreign, &c. Chrysost. Sin hath sickness, Sword, Famine, and all Judgments in the Womb of it. Sin rots the name, consumes the estate, wastes the radical moisture, as the Poets …ain of Pandora's Box, when it was opened, it filled the World full of Diseases: when Adam broke the Box of Original Righteousnes, it hath caus'd all the Penal evils in the World. Sin is the Phaeton that sets the World on Fire. Sin turn'd the Angels out of Heaven, and Adam out of Paradise; foreign. Chrys. Sin causeth Mutinies, Divisions, Massacres, Jer. 47.6. O thou Sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? the Sword of Gods justice lies quietly in the Scabbard, till sin draws it out, and whets it against a Nation, so that sin is worse than affliction, it being the cause of it; the cause is more than the effect.

2. God is the author of affliction, Amos 3.6. Is there any evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it? it's meant of the evil of affliction. God hath an hand in affliction, but no hand in sin! God is the cause of every action, so far as it is Natural, but not as it is Sinful. He who makes an instrument of Iron is not the cause of the Rust or Canker which corrupts the Iron. So God made the Instrument of our Souls, but the Rust and Canker of sin which corrupts our Souls God never made; Peccatum Deus non fecit, Austin. God can no more act evil than the Sun can darken. In this sense sin is worse than affliction; God hath an hand in affliction, but disclaims having any hand in sin.

3. Affliction doth but reach the Body and make that miserable, but sin makes the Soul miserable. The Soul is the most noble part, foreign, Macar. The Soul is a Diamond set in a ring of Clay; it is excellent in its Essence, a Spiritual, immortal substance; excellent in the Price paid for it, redeemed with the p. 863Blood of God, Act. 20.28. it is more worth than a World, the World is of a courser make, the Soul of a finer spinning, in the World we see the Finger of God, in the Soul the Image of God. To have the pretious Soul endangered, is far worse than to have the Body endangered. Sin wrongs the Soul, Prov. 8.36. Sin casts this Jewel of the Soul over-board. Affliction is but Skin deep, it can but take away the Life, but sin takes away the Soul, Luk. 12.20. the loss of the Soul is an unparallell'd loss, it can never be made up again. God (saith St. Chrysostom) hath given thee two Eyes, if thou losest one thou hast another, but thou hast but one Soul, and if that be lost, it can never be repaired. Thus sin is worse than affliction, one can but reach the Body, the other ruins the Soul; is there not great reason then, that we should often put up this Petition, deliver us from evil?

4. Afflictions are good for us, Psalm. 119.71. It is good for me that I was afflicted; many can bless God for affliction. Affliction humbles, Lam. 3.19. remembring my affliction, the Wormwood and the Gall, my Soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me; afflictions are compar'd to thorns, Hos. 2.8. these Thorns are to prick the Bladder of Pride. Affliction is the School of Repentance, Jer. 31.18. Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised, I Repented. The Fire being put under the Still, makes the Water drop from the Roses: the fire of Affliction makes the Water of Repentance drop from the Eyes. Affliction brings us nearer to God. The Loadstone of Mercy doth not draw us so near to God, as the Cords of Affliction. When the Prodigal was pinch'd with want, then saith he, I will arise and go to my father, Luke 15.18. Afflictions prepare for glory. 2 Cor. 4.17. This light affliction works for us an eternal weight of glory; the Limner lays his Gold upon dark colours: so God lays first the dark colours of affliction, and then the Golden colour of Glory. Thus Affliction is for our good, but sin is not for our Good; it keeps good things from us, Jer. 5.25. Your sins have with-holden good things from you; sin stops the current of Gods Mercy, it precipitates men to ruine. Manassehs affliction brought him to humiliation, but Iudas his sin brought him to desperation.

5. A man may be afflicted, and his Conscience may be quiet. Pauls feet were in the stocks, yet he had the Witness of his Conscience, 2 Cor. 1.12. the Head may ake, yet the Heart may be well, the outward Man may be afflicted, yet the Soul may dwell at ease, Psal. 25.13. the Hail may beat upon the Tiles of the House, when there is Musick within, in the midst of outward pain, there may be inward peace. Thus in affliction Conscience may be quiet: but when a Man commits a presumptuous scandalous sin, Conscience is troubled; foreign, by defiling the purity of Conscience, we lose the peace of Conscience, when Spira had sinned, and abjured the Faith, he was a terror to himself, he had an Hell in his Conscience.

Tiberius the Emperor, felt such a sting in his Conscience that he told the Senate he suffered death daily.

6. In Affliction we may have the Love of God. Afflictions are love tokens, Rev: 3.19. as many as I love I rebuke. Afflictions are sharp arrows, but shot from the Hand of a loving Father. If a Man should throw a Bag of Money at another, and it should bruise him a little, and raise the Skin, he would not be offended, but take it as a fruit of love: so when God bruiseth us with affliction, it is to enrich us with the Golden Graces of his Spirit, all is love, but when we commit sin God withdraws his love; 'tis like the Sun overcast with a Cloud, nothing appears but anger and displeasure. When David had sin'd in the matter of Vriah, 2 Sam. 11.27. the thing that David had done displeas'd the Lord.

7. There are many encouragements to suffer affliction. God himself suffers with us, Isa. 63.9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted; God will strengthen us in our sufferings, Psal. 37.39. He is their strength in the time of trouble. Either God makes our burden lighter, or our Faith stronger. He will compensate and recompence our sufferings, Mat. 19.29. Every one that hath forsaken Houses or Lands for my name sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and inherit Life everlasting. Here are encouragements to suffer affliction, but there is no encouragement to sin! God hath brandish'd a flaming Sword of threatnings to deter us from sin, Psal. 68.21. God shall wound the Hairy scalp of such an one as goes on still in his trespasses. There is a flying Roul of Curses which enter into the House of a sinner, Zac. 5.4. if a Man sin, be it at his peril, Deut. 32.42. I will make mine Arrows drunk with Blood. God will make Men weary of their sins or he will make them weary of their Lives. Thus sin is p. 864worse than Affliction, there are Encouragements to suffer Affliction, but no Encouragement to sin.

8. When a Person is afflicted, only he himself suffers, but by sinning openly he doth hurt to others.

1. He doth hurt to the Vnconverted; one mans sin may lay a stone in another mans way, at which he may stumble and fall into Hell; O the Evil of scandalous Sin! some are discouraged, others hardned; thy sinning may be a cause of anothers damning, Mal. 2.7, 8. The Priests going wrong caused others to stumble.

2. He doth hurt to the Converted; by an open scandalous sin he offends weak Believers, and so sins against Christ, 1 Cor. 8.12. Thus sin is worse than Affliction, because it doth hurt to others.

9. In Afflictions the Saints may Rejoyce, 1 Thes. 1.6. Ye receiv'd the Word in much Affliction with Ioy, Heb. 10.34. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods. Aristotle speaks of a Bird that lives among Thorns, yet sings sweetly; so a Child of God can rejoyce in Affliction, St. Paul had his Prison-songs, Rom. 5.3. We glory in Tribulation, foreign, the Word, signifies an Exuberancy of Joy, a Joy with Boasting and Triumph. God doth oft pour in those Divine Consolations as cause the Saints to rejoyce in Afflictions; they had rather have their Afflictions, than want their Comforts; God doth candy their Wormwood with Sugar, Rom. 5.5. You have seen the Sun shine when it rains. The Saints have had the shining of Gods Face, when Affliction hath rained and drop'd upon them. Thus we may rejoyce in Affliction, but we cannot rejoyce in sin, Hos 9.1. Rejoyce not O Israel, for Ioy, as other people, for thou hast gone a Whoring from thy God. Sin is Matter of Shame and Grief, not of Joy. David having sinn'd in numbring of the people, His Heart smote him, 2 Sam. 24.10. as the pricking of a Vein lets out the Blood: so when sin hath prick'd the Conscience, it lets out the Joy.

10. Affliction is a Magnifying of a Person, Iob 7.17. What is Man that thou shouldest magnifie him, and visit him every morning? That is, visit him with Affliction.

How do Afflictions magnifie us?

Answ. 1. As they are signs of Son-ship, Heb. 12.7. If ye endure Chastening, God deals with you as Sons. Every Print of the Rod is a Badge of Honor.

2. As the sufferings of the Godly have raised their Fame and Renown in the World▪ the Zeal and Constancy of the Martyrs in their Suffering have Eterniz'd their Name: O how Eminent was Iob for his Patience! Iam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job. Iob the Sufferer was more Renown'd than Alexander the Conqueror. Thus Afflictions Magnifie a Person, but sin doth not magnifie, but vilifie him. When Eli…s Sons had sinn'd, and prophan'd their Priesthood, they turn'd their glory into shame; the Text saith, They made themselves Vile, 1 Sam. 3.13. Sin casts an indelible Blot on a mans Name, Prov. 6.32, 33. Whoso commits Adultery with a Woman, a Wound and Dishonour shall he get, and his Reproach shall not be wiped away.

11. A man may suffer Affliction and bring Honour to Religion. Pauls Iron Chain, made the Gospel wear a Gold Chain; suffering Credits, and propagates the Gospel: but committing of sin brings a Dishonour and Scandal upon the ways of God. Cyprian saith when in the Primitive Times a Virgin who vow'd her self to Religion, had defil'd her Chastity, Totum Ecclesiae Caetum erubescere, Shame and Grief fill'd the face of the whole Congregation. When scandalous sins are committed by a few, they bring a Reproach upon all that profess. As three or four brass shillings in a summ of Mony make all the rest suspected.

12. when a mans Afflictions are upon a good Account, that he uffers for Christ, he hath the Prayers of God's People. 'Tis no small priviledge to have a stock of Prayer going; 'tis like a Merchant that hath a part in several Ships: Suffering Saints have a large share in the Prayers of others, Acts 12.5. Peter was in Prison, but Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church to God for him. What greater Happiness than to have God's Promises▪ and the Saints Prayers? But when a Man sins presumptuously and scandalously, he hath the Saints bitter Tears, and just Censures; he is a burden to all that know him, as David speaks in another Case, Psal. 31.11. They that did see me without fled from me. So a scandalous sinner, the People of God fly from him; he is like an infected person, every one shuns and avoids him.

13. Affliction can hurt a Man only while he is living, but sin doth hurt when he is dead; as a Mans Vertues and Alms may do good when he is dead: so a Mans sin may do Mischief when he is dead. When a Spider is kill'd, the p. 865Poison of it may do hurt: so the Poison of an Evil Example may do much hurt, when a man is in his Grave. Affliction at most can but last a Mans Life, but his sin lives and doth hurt when he is gone. Thus you see sin is far worse than Affliction.

2. Sin is worse than Death, Aristotle calls Death foreign, the Terrible of Terribles, and Iob calls it The King of Terrors, Iob 18.14. but sin is more deadly than Death it self.

First, Death tho' it be painful, yet it were not hurtful but for sin. It is sin that imbitters Death, and makes it sting, 1 Cor. 15.56. The Sting of Death is sin. Were it not for sin, tho' Death might kill us, it could not curse us. Sin poisons Deaths Arrow, so that sin is worse than death, because it puts a sting into Death.

Secondly, Death doth but separate between the Body and the Soul: but sin (without Repentance) separates between God and the Soul, Iudg. 18.24: Ye have taken away my Gods, and what have I more? Death doth but take away our Life from us; but sin takes away our God from us. So that sin is worse than Death.

Thirdly, Sin is worse than Hell. In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire, but sin is worse.

1. Hell is of God's making, but sin is none of his making. 'Tis a Monster of the Devils Creating.

2. The Torments of Hell are a burden only to the sinner; but sin is a burden to God, Amos 2.13. I am pressed under you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves.

3. In Hell-Torments there is something that is Good. There is the Execution of God's Justice; there is justice in Hell, but sin is the most unjust thing: It would rob God of his Glory, Christ of his Purchase, the Soul of its Happiness. So that it is worse than Hell.

Fifthly, Look upon sin in the manner of its Cure; it cost dear to be done away. The Guilt of sin could not be removed, but by the Blood of Christ, he who was God must die and be made a Curse for us before sin could be remitted. How horrid is sin that no Angel or Arch-Angel, nor all the Powers of Heaven could procure the Pardon of sin, but it cost the Blood of God. If a Man should commit an Offence, and all the Nobles should kneel upon their Knees before the King for him; but no Pardon could be had unless the King's Son be Arraigned and suffer Death for him; all would conceive it was an horrible Fact that must be the cause of this: such is the case here, the Son of God must die to appease God's Anger for our sins. O the Agonies and Sufferings of Christ! 1. In his Body; his Head Crown'd with Thorns, his Face spit upon, his Side pierced with the Spear, his Hands and Feet nailed,—Totum pro vulnere Corpus.—2. He suffered in his Soul, Mat 26.38. foreign, My Soul is exceeding sorrowful unto Death. He drank a bitter Cup mingled with Curses; which made him tho' he were sanctified by the Spirit, supported by the Diety, comforted by Angels, sweat great Drops of Blood, and cry out upon the Cross, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? All this was to do away our sin; view sin in Christ's Blood and it will appear of a Crimson Colour.

Sixthly, Look upon sin in the dismal Effects of it, and it will appear the most horrid prodigious Evil, Rom. 6.23. The Wages of sin is Death, that is, the Second Death, Rev. 21 8. Sin hath shame for its Companion and Death for its Wages. A wicked man knows what sin is in the Pleasure of it, but doth not know what sin is in the Punishment of it. Sin is Scorpio pungens, it draws Hell at the heels of it. This hellish Torment, consists of two Parts.

1. Poena damni, the Punishment of Loss, Mat. 7.23. Depart from me. It was a great trouble to Absalom that he might not see the Kings face; to lose Gods Smiles, to be banished from his Presence, in whose Presence is fulness of Joy, how sad and tremendous! this word Depart saith Chrysostom is worse than the fire. Sure sin must be the Greatest Evil which separates us from the Greatest Good.

2. Poena sensus, the Punishment of Sence, Mat 25.41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Why, might sinners plead, Lord, if we must depart from thee, let us have thy Blessing; no, Go ye Cursed. But if we must depart from thee, let it be into some place of Ease and Rest; no, go into fire. But if we must into the fire, let it be but for a little time; let the fire be quickly put out; no, go into everlasting fire. But if it be so that we must be there, let us be with good Company; no, with the Devil and his Angels. O what an Evil is sin? All the Torments of this p. 866Life are but Ludibrium & Risus, a kind of sport to Hell-Torments; what is a burning Fever, to the burning in Hell? It is call'd the Wrath of the Almighty, Rev. 19.15. The Almighty God inflicts the Punishment, therefore it will be heavy; a Child cannot strike very hard, but if a Giant strike he kills with a Blow. To have the Almighty God to lay on the stroke, it will be intolerable. Hell is the EMPHASIS of Misery. The Body and Soul which have sinn'd together, shall suffer together; and these Torments shall have no Period put to them, Rev. 9.6. They shall seek Death, and shall not find it. Rev. 24.11. And the Smoak of their Torment ascendeth for ever and ever. Here the wicked thought a Prayer long, a Sabbath long; but how long will it be to lie upon Beds of Flames for ever; this word ever breaks the Heart. Thus you see sin is the most deadly and execrable Evil; look upon it in its Original, in its Nature, in the Judgment and Estimate of the Wise; look upon it comparatively, it is worse than Affliction, Death, Hell; look upon it in the manner of Cure, and in the dismal Effect, it brings Eternal Damnation; is there not then a great deal of Reason that we should make this Prayer, Deliver us from Evil?

Vse 1. Branch I. Is Sin such a deadly, pernitious Evil, the Evil of Evils? See then what it is we are to pray most to be delivered from, and that is from Sin. Our Saviour hath taught us to pray, Deliver us from Evil. Hypocrites pray more against Temporal Evils than Spiritual. Pharaoh pray'd more to have the Plague of Hail and Thunder to be remov'd, than his hard Heart should be removed, Exod. 9.28. The Israelites pray'd, Tolle Serpentes, Take away the Serpents from us more than to have their sin taken away, Numb. 21.8. The Hypocrites prayer is Carnal, he prays more to be cured of his Deafness and Lameness than of his Unbelief. More that God would take away his Pain, than take away his sin. But our Prayer should be, Deliver us from Evil. Spiritual Prayers are best; hast thou a diseased Body? Pray more that the Disease of thy Soul may be removed than thy Body, Psal. 41.4. Heal my Soul, for I have sinned. The Plague of the Heart is worse than a Cancer in the Breast. Hast thou a Child that is crooked? Pray more to have its Unholiness removed than its Crookedness; spiritual Prayers are more pleasing to God, and are as Musick in his Ears. Christ hath here taught us to pray against sin, Deliver us from Evil.

II. Branch. If sin be so great an Evil, then admire the Wonderful Patience of God that bears with Sinners. Sin is a breach of God's Royal Law, it strikes at his Glory; now, for God to bear with sinners who so provoke him, it shews admirable Patience; well may he be called, The God of Patience, Rom. 15.4. It would tire the Patience of the Angels to bear with mens sins one day; but what doth God bear? How many Affronts and Injuries doth he put up? God sees all the Intreagues and horrid Impieties committed in a Nation, Ier. 29.23. They have committed Villany in Israel, and have committed Adultery, even I know, and am a Witness, saith the Lord. God could strike men dead in their sins, but he forbears and respites them. My thinks I see the Justice of God with a flaming Sword in his Hand ready to strike the Stroke, and Patience steps in for the sinner; Lord Spare him a while longer. My thinks I hear the Angels saying to God, as the King of Israel to the Prophet, 2 King. 6.21. Shall I smite them, shall I smite them? Lord, here is such a sinner, shall I smite him? Shall I take off the Head of such a Drunkard, Swearer, Sabbath-breaker? And Gods Patience saith as the Dresser of the Vineyard, Luke 13.8. Let him alone this year, O the infinite Patience of God, that sin being so Great an Evil, and so Contrary to God, he should bear with sinners so long, 1 Sam. 24.19. If a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? God finds his Enemies, yet he lets them go, he is not presently aveng'd on them? Every sin hath a voice to cry to God for Vengeance. Sodom's sin cried, Gen. 18.20. yet God spares men; But let not sinners presume upon God's Patience▪ if they repent not, long forbearance is no forgiveness; Gods Patience abus'd will leave men more inexcusable.

III. Branch. If Sin be so great an Evil, then there is no sin little. There's no little Treason; every sin strikes at God's Crown and Dignity; and in this sence it may be said, as Iob 22.5. Are not thy Iniquities infinite? The least sin (as the Schoolmen say) is infinite objective, because it is committed against an infinite Majesty. And besides, nothing can do away sin, but that which hath an Infiniteness in it. For tho' the Sufferings of Christ (as Man) were not infinite, yet the Divine Nature did shed forth an Infinite Value and Merit upon his Sufferings, So that no sin is little, there is no little Hell for sin; as we are not to p. 867think any of Gods Mercies little, because they are more than we can deserve: so neither are we to think any of our sins little, because they are more than we can answer for. That sin we esteem lightest, without Christ's Blood will be heavy enough to sink us into Perdition.

IV. Branch. If Sin be so great an Evil, then see whence all personal or national Troubles come; they come from the Evil of Sin; our Sins grow high, that makes our Divisions grow wide: Sin is the Achan that troubles us, it is the Cockatrice's Egg, out of which comes a fiery flying Serpent. Sin is like Phaeton, who (as the Poets fain) driving the Chariot of the Sun, set the World on fire. Sin like the Planet Saturn hath a Malignant Influence; Sin brings us into straits, 2. Sam. 24.14. David said unto Gad, I am in a great Streight, Ier. 4.17. As Keepers of a field are they against her round about: As Horses or Deer in a field are so enclosed with Hedges, and so narrowly watched, that they cannot get out: so, Ierusalem was so close besieg'd with Enemies, and watch'd that there was no escape for her. Whence was this? Ver. 18. This is thy Wickedness. All our Evils are from the Evil of Sin. The Cords that pinch us are of our own twisting. Flagitium & flagellum sunt tanquam Acus & Filum. Sin raiseth all the Storms in Conscience; the Sword of God's Justice lies quiet till Sin draws it out of the scabbard, and makes God whet it against a Nation.

V. Br. If sin be so great an Evil, then how little Reason hath any one to be in Love with sin? Some are so infatuated with sin, that they delight in it. The Devil can so cook and dress sin, that it pleaseth the sinners Palate, Iob 20.12. Tho' Wickedness be sweet in his Mouth. Sin is as delightful to corrupt Nature as Meat to the Taste. Sin is a Feast on which Men feed their Lusts? but there's little cause to be so in love with sin, Iob. 20.14. Tho' Wickedness be sweet in his Mouth, it is the Gall of Asps within him. To love sin is to hug an Enemy. Sin puts a Worm into Conscience, a Sting into Death, a Fire into Hell. Sin is like those Locusts, Rev. 9.7. On their Heads were as it were Crowns like Gold, and they had Hair as the Hair of Women; and their Teeth were as the Teeth of Lions; and they had Tails like Scorpions, and they had Stings in their Tails; after the Womens Hair comes the Scorpions Sting.

VI. Br. If sin be so great an Evil, then what may we judge of them who make light of sin? as if there were no danger in it; as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sin; or as if Ministers were about a needless Work, when they Preach against sin. Some people make nothing of breaking a Commandment; they make nothing of telling a Lie, of Couzening, of Slandering, nothing of living in the sin of Uncleanness; if you weigh sin in the Ballance of some mens Judgments, it weighs very light; but who are those that make so light of sin? Solomon hath describ'd them, Prov. 19.9. Fools make a mock of sin, Stultus in vitia cito dilabitur, Isidor. Who but Fools would make light of that which grieves the Spirit of God? who but Fools would put such a Viperous sin in their Bosoms? Who but fools would laugh at their own Calamity, and make sport while they give themselves Poison.

VII. Br. If sin be so great an Evil, then I infer that there's no good to be gotten by Sin; of this Thorn we cannot gather Grapes. If Sin be so deadly an Evil, then we cannot get any profit by it; no man did ever thrive upon this Trade: Those Atheists said, Mal. 3 14. It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it? But we may say more truly, what profit is there in Sin? Rom. 6.21. What Fr…t had ye in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? Where are your Earnings? what have you gotten by Sin? It hath shame for its Companion, and death for its Wages. What profit had Achan of his Wedge of Gold? That wedge seemed to cleave asunder his Soul from God: What profit had Ahab of the Vineyard he got unjustly? the Dogs licked his Blood, 1 King. 21.19. What profit had Iudas of his Treason? For thirty pieces he sold his Saviour and bought his own Damnation. All the Gain men get by their Sins, they may put in their Eye; nay, they must, and weep it out again.

VIII. Br. If Sin be so great an Evil, see then the Folly of those who venture upon sin, because of the Pleasure they have in it, 2 Thes. 2.12. foreign, Who have Pleasure in Unrighteousness. As for the Pleasure of sin, 1. It is but Seeming, it is but a pleasant Fancy, a golden Dream. 2. And besides, it is a mixed Pleasure, it hath Bitterness intermingled, Prov. 7.17. I have (saith the Harlot) perfum'd my Bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinnamon. For one sweet here are two bitters. Cinnamon is sweet, but Myrrh and Aloes are bitter; the Harlots Pleasure is mix'd. There are those inward Fears, and Lashes of Conscience, as imbitter the Pleasure. 3. If there be any Pleasure in sin, it p. 868is only to the Body, the bruitish Part; the Soul is not at all gratified by the Pleasure, Luk. 12.19. Soul, take thy Ease. He might more properly have said, Body take thy Ease. The Soul cannot feed on sensual Objects. 4. In short, that Pleasure men talk of in sin, is their Disease; some take pleasure in eating Chalk, or Coals, this is from their Disease. So when men talk of Pleasure in eating the Forbidden Fruit, it is from the Sickness and Disease of their Souls; they put bitter for sweet, Isa. 5.20. O what folly is it for a Cup of Pleasure to drink a Sea of Wrath? Sin will be bitter in the end, Prov. 23.31, 32. Look not on the Wine when it is red, when it gives his Colour in the Cup; at last it bites like a Serpent. Sin will prove like Ezekiels Rowl, sweet in the Mouth, but bitter in the Belly, Mel in Ore, Fel in Corde; ask Cain now how he likes his Murder? Achan how he likes his golden Wedge? O remember that saying of Austin, Momentaneum est quod delectat, aeternum quod Cruciat. The Pleasure of sin is soon gone, but the sting remains.

IX. Branch. If Sin be so great an Evil, then what Wisdom is it to depart from Evil? Iob 28.28. To depart from Evil is Vnderstanding. To sin is to do foolishly: therefore to depart from sin is to do wisely, Solomon saith, Prov. 29.6. In every Transgression there is a Snare. Is it not Wisdom to avoid a Snare? Sin is a Deceiver, it cheated our first Parents; instead of being as Gods, they became like the Beasts that perish, Psal. 49.20. Sin hath cheated all that have medled with it; is it not Wisdom to shun such a Cheater? Sin hath many fair pleas, and tells you how it will gratifie all the Senses with Pleasure: But saith a gracious Soul▪ Christ's Love is sweeter; Peace of Conscience is sweeter; what are the Pleasures of Sin▪ to the Pleasures of Paradise? Well may the Saints be call'd Wise Virgins, because they spie the Deceits that are in sin and avoid the Snares. The Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom, and to depart from Evil is Understanding.

X. Branch.. If Sin be so great an Evil, then how justifiable and commendable are all those Means which are used to keep Men from sin. How justifiable are a Ministers Admonitions and Reproofs? Titus 1.13. Rebuke them sharply. foreign, Cuttingly; a Metaphor from a Chirurgeon that searches a Wound and cuts out the Proud Flesh, that the Patient may be sound: So God's Minister comes with a cutting Reproof, but it is to keep you from sin, and to save your Souls, Si Meritò objur gaverit te aliquis, scito quia profuit. Sen. Esteem them your best Friends, who would keep you from sinning against God. If a man were going to poison or drown himself, were not he his Friend who would hinder him from doing it? All a Ministers Reproofs are but to keep you from sin, and hinder you from Self-Murder; all is in Love, 2 Cor. 5.11. Knowing the Terror of the Lord, we perswade men. 'Tis the Passion of most to be angry with them that would reclaim them from sin, Amos 5.10. They hate him that rebuketh in the Gate. Who is angry with the Physician for prescribing a bitter Potion, seeing it is to purge out the peccant Humour? 'Tis Mercy to Mens Souls to tell them of their sins. And surely those are Priests for the Devil, 2 Chr. 11.15. who see men go on in sin and ready to drop into Hell, yet never pull them back by a Reproof; nay, perhaps flatter them in their sins. God never made Ministers as false Glasses, to make bad Faces look Fair. Such make themselves guilty of other mens Sins.

11. Inference. If sin be so great an evil, the evil of evils; then see what a bad choice they make, who choose sin to avoid affliction: As if to save the Coat from being rent, one should suffer his Flesh to be rent. It was a false charge that Elihu brought against Iob, Chap. 36.21. Thou hast chosen iniquity rather than affliction. This is a bad choice. Affliction hath a Promise made to it, 2 Sam. 22.28. but sin hath no Promise made to it. Affliction is for our good, but Sin is not for our good; it would intail Hell and Damnation upon us. Spira chose iniquity rather than affliction, but it cost him dear. He at last repented of his choice. He who commits sin to avoid suffering, is like one that runs into a Lions Den to avoid the stinging of a Gnat.

12. Inference. If sin be so great an evil, see then what should be a Christians great care in this life, to keep from sin: Deliver us from evil. Some make it all their care to keep out of trouble; they had rather keep their Skin whole, than their Conscience pure: But our care should be chiefly to keep from sin. How careful are we to forbear such a Dish, as the Phisician tells us is hurtful for us; it will bring the Stone or Gout? Much more should we be careful, that we eat not the forbidden fruit, which will bring Divine Vengeance, 1 Tim. 5. p. 86922. Keep thy self pure. It hath been always the study of the Saints, to keep aloof off from sin, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God. Psal. 19.13. Keep back thy Servant from presumptuous sins. It was a saying of Anselm, If Sin were on one side, and Hell on the other, I would rather leap into Hell, than willingly sin against my God. O what a Mercy is it to be kept from sin? We count it a great Mercy to be kept from the Plague and Fire; But what is it to be kept from sin?

13. Inference. Is sin so great an evil; see then that which may make us long for Heaven, when we shall be perfectly freed from sin; not onelyonly from the outward Acts of sin, but from the in-being of sin. In Heaven we shall not need to pray this Prayer, Deliver us from evil. What a blessed time will it be, when we shall never have a Vain Thought more? Then Christ's Spouse shall be sine macula & ruga▪ without spot or wrincle, Ephes. 5.27. Now, there's a Dead Man tied to the Living; we cannot do any Holy Duty but we mix Sin; we cannot Pray without Wandring; we cannot Believe without Doubting: But then, our Virgin-Souls shall not be capable of the least tincture of Sin, but we shall all be as the Angels of God.

In Heaven we shall have no Temptation to sin. The Old Serpent is cast out of Paradise, and his fiery …arts shall never come near to touch us.

2. Vse of Exhort. And it hath Two distinct Branches.

1. Branch. To all in General. If Sin be so great and prodigious an evil; Then as you love your Souls, Take heed of sin. If you tast of the Forbidden Fruit, it will cost you dear, it will cost you Bitter Tears, it may cost you lying in Hell: O therefore flie from sin.

First, Take heed of sins of Omission, Matt. 23.23. It is as well dangerous not to do things Commanded, as to do things forbidden. Some think it no great matter to omit Reading Scripture. The Bible lies by like Rusty Armour, which they never use: They think it no great matter to omit Family, or Closet-prayer; they can go several Months and God never hear of them. These have nothing sanctified to them; they feed upon a Curse; For every Creature is Sanctified by Prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. The Bird may shame many, it never takes a drop, but the eye is lift up towards Heaven. Oh take heed of living in the neglect of any known duty. It was the Prayer of a Reverend Holy Man on his Death bed, Lord, forgive my sins of Omission.

Secondly, Take heed of Secret sins. Some are more modest than to sin openly in a Belcony; but they will carry their sins under a Canopy, they will sin in Secret. Rachel did not let her Fathers Images be seen, but She put them under her, and sat upon them, Gen. 31.34. Many will be Drunk, and Unclean, if they may do it that no body may see them. They are like one that shuts up his Shop-windows, but follows his Trade within doors. But if sin be so great an evil, let me warn you this day, not to sin in Secret; know, that you can never sin so privately, but that there are Two Witnesses always by, God and Conscience.

Thirdly. Take heed of your Complexion-sin. That sin which your Nature and Constitution doth most incline you to. As in the Hive there's a Master-Bee, so in the Heart there's a Master-sin, Psal. 18.23. I have kept my Self from mine Iniquity: There is some sin that is the special Favourite, the peccatum in deliciis; the Darling-Sin, that lies in the Bosom; and this doth bewitch and draw away the heart. O beware of this.

Quest. How may this Darling-sin be known?

Answ. 1. That Sin which a Man doth most cherish, and to which all other sins are subservient; This is the sin which is most tended and waited upon: The Pharisees darling-sin was Vain-glory, all they did was to feed this sin of Pride, Matt. 6.2. That they may have Glory of Men: When they gave Alms, they sounded a Trumpet. If a stranger had Asked the Question, Why doth this Trumpet sound? The Answer was, The Pharisees are going to give Alms to the Poor. Their Lamp of Charity was fill'd with the Oil of Vain-glory, Matt. 23.5. All their Works for to be seen of Men. Pride was their Bosom-sin. Oftentimes Covetousness is the darling-sin; all other sins are committed to maintain this. Why do Men Equivocate, Oppress, Defraud, Take Bribes, all is to uphold Covetousness.

2. That sin which a Man doth not love to have reproved, is the darling-sin: Herod could not endure to have his Incest spoken against: if Iohn Baptist meddles with that Sin, it shall cost him his Head.

p. 8703. That Sin which hath most power over one, and doth most easily lead him Captive, that is the Beloved of the Soul. There are some sins a Man can better put off, and give a repulse to; but there is one sin, which, if it comes to be a Suitor, he cannot deny, but is overcome by it; this is the bosom-sin. The young Man in the Gospel had a Complexion-sin which he could not resist, and that was the Love of the World: His Silver was dearer to him than his Saviour. It is a sad thing a Man should be so bewitch'd by a Lust, that he will part with the Kingdom of Heaven to gratifie it.

4. That sin which Men use Arguments to defend, is the darling sin. To plead for sin is to be the Devil's Attorney. If the sin be Covetousness, and we vindicate it; if it be rash Anger, and we justifie it, Jonah 4.9. I do well to be angry: This is the Complexion-sin.

5. That sin which doth most Trouble one, and fly in his Face in an hour of Sickness and Distress, that is the beloved sin. When Ioseph's Brethren were distressed, their sin came to remembrance in selling their Brother, Gen. 12.21. So when a Man is upon his Sick-bed, and Conscience shall say, Dost not thou remember how thou hast lived in such a sin, though thou hast been often warned, yet thou wouldst not leave it. Conscience reads a Curtain Lecture: Sure that was the Darling sin.

6. That sin which a Man is most unwilling to part with, that is the Darling sin. Iacob could, of all his Sons, most hardly part with Benjamin, Gen. 42.36. Ioseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away. So saith the Sinner, this and that sin I have parted with, But must Benjamin go? Must I part with this delightful sin? That goes to the Heart. This is the Dalilah, the beloved sin. O if sin be such a deadly evil, dare not to indulge any bosom sin: This is of all other most dangerous; like an Humour striking to the Heart, which is mortal. Leave open but one Gap, the wild Beast may enter at it. One darling sin liv'd in, is setting open a Gap for Satan to enter.

4. Take heed of the Sins which attend your particular Callings. A Calling you must live in. Adam in Paradise Tilled the Ground: God never Sealed Warrants to Idleness: but every Calling hath its snare. As some sin in living out of a Calling; so others sin in a Calling. Remember how deadly an evil sin is, avoid those sins which you may be exposed to in your Trade. Take heed of all fraud and collusion in your dealings, Matt. 7.12. Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you, do ye even so to them.

First, Take heed of a deceitful tongue in Selling: The Scripture makes it the Character of one that goes to Heaven, Psal. 15.2. He speaketh the truth from his heart. It is the Custom of many to say, The Commodity stands them in more, yet take less. This is hardly credible.

Secondly, Beware of a deceitful Balance, Hos. 12.7. The Balances of deceit are in his hand: Men, by making their Weights lighter, make their Account heavier.

Thirdly, Beware of sophisticating, mingling and embasing commodities, Am. 8.6. They sell the refuse of the Wheat. They would pick out the best Grains of the Wheat, and sell the worst at the same price as they did the best; to mix a courser commodity with a fine, and yet sell it all for fine, is no better than deceit, Isa. 1.22.

Fourthly. Beware of stretching your Consciences too far, or taking more a great deal for a Commodity than it is worth, Levit. 25.14. If thou sell ought unto thy Neighbour, ye shall not oppress one another. There is a lawful gain allowed, yet one may not so advantage himself, as to damnifie another. Let that be the Tradesman's Motto, Act. 24.16. A Conscience void of offence towards God, and towards Man. He hath an hard bargain, that doth Purchase the World with the loss of his Soul.

Fifthly. Sin being so deadly an evil, take heed of the Appearance of sin, 1 Thes. 5.22. Abstain from the appearance of evil. Abstain not onelyonly from apparent evil, but the appearance of Evil: If it be not absolutely a sin, yet if it looks like sin, avoid it. He who is loyal to his Prince, not onelyonly forbears to have his hand in Treason, but he will take heed of that which hath a show of Treason. Ioseph's Mistriss tempted him, and he fled and would not be with her, Gen. 39.12. An appearance of Good is too little, and an appearance of Evil is too much.

1. The appearance of evil is oft an occasion of evil: Dalliance is an appearance of evil, and oftentimes it occasions evil. Touching the Forbidden Fruit, may p. 871occasion tasting. Dancing in Masquerades hath oft been the occasion of Uncleanness.

2. The appearance of evil may scandalize another, 1 Cor. 8.12. when ye sin against the Brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ: sinning against a Member of Christ, is a sinning against Christ.

Thus you see, sin being so deadly an evil, we should avoid all sin; Sins of Omission, Secret Sins, Complexion Sins, Sins that attend our particular Calling, yea, the appearance of evil.

Quest. What means shall we use to be kept from the Acts of Sin?

R. If you would be preserved from actual and scandalous Sins, labour to Mortifie Original Sin. If you would not have the branches bud and blossom, smite at the root. I know Original Sin cannot in this life be removed, but labour to have it subdued. Why do Men break forth into Actual sins, but because they do not mortifie Heart-sins. Suppress the first risings of Pride, Lust, Passion: Original sin unmortified will prove such a Root of Bitterness, as will bring forth the cursed fruit of Scandalous Sin.

2. If you would be kept from Actual Sins, think what an odious thing sin is. Besides, what you have heard, remember, Sin is the Accursed thing, Iosh. 7.21. It is the abominable thing God hates, Ier. 44.4. O do not this abominable thing that I hate. Sin is the Spirits of Witchcraft. It is the Devil's Excrement; it is call'd foreign, filthiness ▪ Jam. 1.21. If all the evils in the World were put together, and their quintessence strain'd out, they could not make a thing so filthy as Sin doth. So odious is a Sinner, that God loaths the sight of him, Zec. 11.8. My Soul loathed them. He who defiles himself with Avarice, What is he but a a Serpent licking the dust? He who defiles himself with the Lust of Uncleanness, What is he but a Swine with a Man's Head? He who defiles himself with Pride, What is he but a Bladder, whom the Devil hath blown up? He who defiles himself with Drunkenness, What is he but a Beast that hath got the Staggers. To consider how odious and base a thing Sin is, would be a means to keep us from sinning.

3. If you would be kept from actual sins, get the Fear of God planted in your hearts; foreign, Chrys. Prov. 16.6. By the Fear of the Lord Men depart from evil. Cavebis si pavebis; Fear is a Bridle to Sin, and a Spur to Holiness. Fear puts an holy awe upon the heart, and binds it to its good behaviour. By the Fear of the Lord Men depart from evil. When the Emperess Eudoxia threatned to banish Chrysostom; Tell her, saith he, I Fear nothing but sin. Fear is janitor animae; it stands as a Porter at the door of the Soul, and keeps sin from entring: All sin is committed for want of the fear of God, Rom. 3.14. Whose Mouth is full of Cursing and Bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; there is no fear of God before their eyes. Holy fear stands Sentinel, and is ever watching against Security, Pride, Wantonness. Fear is a Christians Life-guard, to defend him against the fiery darts of Temptation. Si vis esse securus, semper time. The way to be safe, is always to fear, Prov. 28.14.

4. If we would be kept from actual Sins, let us be careful to avoid all the In-lets and Occasions of sin? Run not into Evil Company: he that would not have the Plague, will not go into an infected House. Guard your Senses, which may be the Inlets to sin. Keep the two Portals, the Eye, and the Ear. Especially, look to your Eye; much sin comes in by the Eye; the Eye is oft an Inlet to sin; sin takes fire at the Eye: The first sin in the World began at the Eye, Gen. 3.6. When the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food, and was pleasant to the Eyes; then she to…k of the Fruit thereof. Looking begat Lusting, Intemperance begins at the Eye; Looking on the Wine when it is red, and gives its Colour in the Glass, causeth Excess of drinking, Prov. 23.21. Covetousness begins at the Eye, Josh. 7 21. When I saw among the Spoils, a goodly Babylonish Garment, and a Wedge of Gold, I coveted and took them. The fire of Lust begins to kindle at the Eye. David walking upon the Roof of his House, saw a woman washing her self, and sh… was (saith the Text) beautiful to look upon, and he sent Messengers and took her, and defiled himself with her, 2 Sam. 11.2. O therefore look to your Eyes; Job made a Covenant with his Eyes, Job 31.1. If the Eye be once inflamed, it will be hard to stand out long against sin. If the out-works are taken by an Enemy, there's great danger of taking the whole Castle.

5. If you would be kept from actual gross sin, study Sobriety and Temperance, 1 Pet. 5.8. Sobrii este, Be sober. Check the inordinacy of Appetite: Sin doth p. 872frequently make its entrance this way. By gratifying the sensitive appetite, the Soul that is a-kin to Angels, is inslav'd to the bruitish part. Many drink, if not to Drunkenness, yet to Drowsiness. The not denying the sensitive appetite, makes Mens Conscience so full of guilt, and the World so full of scandal. If you would be kept from running into sin, lay restraint upon the flesh: What hath God given reason and conscience for, but to be a bridle to check inordinate desires?

6. If you would be kept from actual sins, be continually upon your spiritual watch: foreign· Chrysost.

1. Watch your Thoughts, Jer. 4.14. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? Sin begins at the thoughts. First Men cherish revengeful thoughts, then they dip their hands in blood. Set a Spy over your thoughts.

2. Watch your Passions; Passions of Anger, Passions of Lust. The heart is ready to be destroyed by its own Passions, as the Vessel is to be overturned by the Sail. Passion transports beyond the bounds of reason; it is brevis insania, Sen. A short frenzy. Moses, in a Passion, spake unadvisedly with his Lips, Psal. 106.33. The Disciples, in a Passion, called for fire from Heaven. A man in a Passion is like a Ship in a Storm, that hath neither Pilot nor Sails to help it, but it is expos'd to the Waves and Rocks.

3. Watch your Temptations. Satan continually lies in ambush, and watcheth to draw us to sin; Stat in procinctu diabolus; he is fishing for our Souls: he is either laying of snares, or shooting of darts, therefore we had need watch the Tempter, that we be not decoyed into sin. Most sin is committed for want of watchfulness.

7. If you would be kept from the evil of sin, consult with the Oracles of God, be well versed in Scripture, Psal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. The word is Anceps gladius, a two-edged Sword, to cut asunder mens lusts. When the Fogs and Vapours of sin begin to arise, let but the Light of Scripture shine into the Soul, and it dispels those Fogs: Let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, Col. 3.16. Alphonsus King of Arragon read over the Bible Fourteen times. The word shews the damnable evil of sin; it furnisheth us with Precepts, which are so many Receipts and Antidotes against sin. When Christ had a Temptation to sin, he beat back the Tempter, and wounded him Three times with this Sword of the Spirit, It is written.

Why do men live in sin, but because they either do not Read the Word, or do not believe it.

8. If you would be preserv'd from gross, presumptuous sin, get your hearts fired with love to God. Love hath a great force in it, it is strong as death; it breaks the league between the heart and sin.

Two things in God cause Love.

First, His Orient Beauty: Moses desired to see some glimpse of it; Lord, shew me thy glory.

2. His Amazing Love; What a Prodigy of Love was it, to give his Son out of his Bosom, and lay such a Jewel to pawn for our Redemption. These two, the Orient of God's Beauty, and the Magnitude of his Love, may, like two Loadstones, draw our Love to God; and if we love him, we will not sin against him. He that loves his Friend, will not by any means displease him. I have read of four men meeting together, who asked one another, What it was that kept them from sinning? One said, The Fear of Hell; Another said, The Joys of Heaven; The Third said, The Odiousness of Sin; The Fourth said, That which keeps me from sin, is, Love to God: Shall I sin against so good a God? Shall I abuse Love? Love to God is the best Curben-bit to keep from sin.

9. If you would be kept from the evil of sin, be diligent in a Calling. Dū laboribus omnia vendunt—Adam in Paradise must till the Ground. Such as live idly expose themselves to sin: if we have no work to do, Satan will find us work. He sows most of his seed in Fallow ground. A Woman being much tempted to sin, came to Reverend Mr. Greenham for Advice, What she should do to resist the Temptation? He gave her this Answer; Be always well employed, that so when Satan comes, he may find thee busied in thy Calling, and thou maist not be at leisure to listen to his Temptations.

10. If you would be kept from sin, fix the eye of your Mind upon the Beauty of Holiness: Holiness consists in our Conformity to God; Holiness is the sparkling of the Divine Nature; a beam of God shining in the Soul. How lovely is Christ's Bride, when decked and bespangled with the Jewels of Holiness? What makes p. 873the Seraphims Angels of Light but their Holiness? Do but think with your selves what a splendid glorious thing Holiness is, and it will cause a disgust and hatred of sin, which is so contrary to it. The beholding of Beauty, makes one out of love with Deformity.

11. If you would keep from the evil of sin, meditate frequently of Death, First, The unavoidableness of it, Heb. 9.27. Statutum est, It is appointed for all once to die. We are not so sure to lie down this night in our Bed, as we are to lie down in our Grave. Secondly, The uncertainty of the Time. We are but Tenants at will; we hold our Life at the Will of our Landlord; And how soon may God turn us out of this house of clay? Death oft comes when we least look for it. The Floud (as some Learned Writers observe) came in the Month Zif, or April, in the Spring, when the Trees were Blossoming, and the Birds Singing; then came the Floud, when they least looked for it. So oft in the Spring of Youth, when the Body is most healthy, and the Spirits most sprightly and vigorous, and Death is least thought on, then it comes. Could we think often and seriously of Death, it would give a Death's-wound to sin. Nihil sic revocato peocata quàm crebra mortis contemplatio. Aug. No stronger Antidote against sin than this: Am I now Singing, and to morrow may be Dying? What if Death should take me doing the Devil's work? Would it not send me to him to receive my Wages? Would but the Adulterer think, I am now in the Act of Sin, but how soon may Death come; and then I who have burned in lust, must burn in Hell. This sure would strike a damp into him, and make him afraid of going after strange Flesh.

12. If you would be kept from Gross Scandalous Sins, beware of a Covetous Heart. Covetousness is a dry Drunkenness. He who thirsts insatiably after the World, will stick at no sin, he will betray Christ and a Good Cause for Money: Cui nihil satis eidem nihil turpe. Tacitus. 1 Tim. 6.10. The love of Money is the root of all evil. From this Root comes, First, Theft. Achan's covetous humour made him steal the VVedge of Gold, Josh. 7.21. Covetousness makes the Jayls so full. Secondly, From this root comes Murder. VVhy did Ahab Stone Naboth to death, but to possess his Vineyard? 1 King. 21.13. Covetousness hath made many swim to the Crown in blood. Thirdly, From this bitter Root of Covetousness proceeds Cousenage: It is the Covetous hand holds false weights. Fourthly, From this Root of covetousness comes Uncleanness. You read of the hire of a Whore, Deut. 23.18. For Money she would let both her Conscience and Chastity be set to sale. O if you would be kept from the evil of sin, beware of Covetousness which is the In-let to so many sins.

13. Let us be much in Prayer to God, to keep us from Ingulphing our selves in sin, Psal. 19.11. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins. We have no power inherent to keep our selves from evil. Arnoldus saith, That Man in his corrupt estate, hath Aliqua… reliquias vitae Spiritualis—Some Reliques of Spiritual Life left: And Arminius saith, Man hath a sufficiency of Grace in himself, whereby he may, Abstinere à malo, abstain from evil. Free-will is a sufficient curb to check and pull him back from sin. But then what needed Christ to have Taught us this Prayer, Libera nos à malo, Deliver us from evil? If we have power of our selves to keep from sin, What need we pray to God for power? Alass, if David and Peter who had an Habit of Grace, fell, for want of a fresh gale of the Spirit to hold them up, much more will they be in danger of falling, who have onelyonly the power of Free will to hold them.

Let us therefore sue to God for strength to keep us from sinning; Pray that Prayer of David, Psal. 119.117. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and that other Prayer, Psal. 17.5. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. Lord keep me from dishonouring thee, keep me from the defiling sins of the Age, that I may not be worse for the Times, nor the Times the worse for me. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins. Lord, whatever I suffer, keep me from sin. The Child is safe in the Nurses arms; and we are onelyonly safe from falling into Sin, while we are held up in the Arms of Christ and Free-Grace.

2. Branch Of the Exhortation hath an aspect to God's Children, you that are Professors, and carry Christ's Colours, I beseech you, above all others, to p. 874take heed of sin; beware of any action that is scandalous and unbecoming the Gospel. You have heard what a prodigious hyperbolical evil sin is. Come not near the forbidden fruit, Hos. 4.15. Though Israel play the harlot, yet let not Iudah offend. So, though wicked Men run into sin, yet let not the Spouse of Christ defile the breasts of her Virginity. Sin doth ill become any, but it doth worse become Professors. Dung is unhandsome in the Street, but to see it in the Temple, How offensive is it? Leprosie in the Foot doth ill, but to see a leprous sore in the Face is much worse. To see sin break forth in them, who have a Face of Religion, is most to be abominated. The sins of the wicked are not so much wondered at, Dan. 12.10. The wicked shall do wickedly. It is no wonder to see a Toad spit Poison; it was not so much wondered to see Cain, or Ahab sin; but to see Lot's Incest, to see David's hands stained with blood, this was strange. When the Sun is Eclipsed, every one stands and looks upon it. So when a Child of light is Eclipsed by scandalous sin, all stand and gaze at this Eclipse.

The Sins of God's People, do, in some sense, more provoke God, than the sins of the Wicked. We read of the provoking of his Sons and Daughters, Deut. 32.19. The sins of the Wicked Anger God, but the sins of his People Grieve him. The sins of God's People have a more malignant aspect, and are of a blacker dye than others: There are those aggravations in the sins of God's People, as are not to be found in the sins of the Unregenerate, in Eight Particulars.

For, First, The Godly have something which may ponere obicem, Restrain them from sin. Wicked Men, when they sin, have no Principle to restrain them; they have Wind and Tide to carry them, but have nothing to pull them back from sin: but a Child of God hath a Principle of Grace to give check to sin. He hath the impulses of God's Spirit disswading him from evil;Gal. 5.17.Gal 5:17 therefore for him to commit sin is far worse than for others. This is to sin more desperately; it is as if a Woman should go about to kill the Child in her Womb. Christian, this thou art going to do, when thou sinnest Presumptuously, thou doest what in thee lies to kill the Babe of Grace in thy Soul.

Secondly. The sins of God's People are greater than others, because they sin against more Mercy. This is like a Weight put in the Scale, it makes sin weigh heavier. God hath given Christ to a Believer, he hath cut him off from the wild stock of Nature, and grafted him into the True Olive; and for him to abuse all this Mercy, it is to out-do the Wicked, and to sin with an higher aggravation, because it is to sin against greater love. How was Peter's sin inhaunced and accented, that when Christ had done more for him than others, he had dropped some of the Holy Oil upon him; He had taken him into the number of the Apostles, he had carried him up into the Mount of Transfiguration, and shewn him the Glory of Heaven in a Vision; now that Peter should deny Christ after all this Mercy, this was heinous, and could not be forgiven but by a Prodigy and Miracle of Love.

Thirdly, The Sins of the Godly are worse, and have this aggravation in them, that they Sin against more clear illuminations than the Wicked, Iob 24.13. They are of those that rebel against the Light: Light is there taken figuratively for knowledge. It can't be deny'd but the Wicked Sin knowingly; but the Godly have a light beyond them, such a divine, penetrating light, as no Hypocrite can attain unto: They have better eyes to see Sin than others, and for them to meddle with Sin, and embrace this Dunghil, How must this needs provoke God, and make the Fury rise up in his Face? Oh therefore you that are the People of God fly from Sin; your Sins are more inhanc'd, and have worse aggravations in them than the Sins of the Unregenerate.

Fourthly, The Sins of the Godly are worse than the Sins of the Unregenerate; for when they Sin, it is against Greater Experiences. They have felt the bitterness of Sin in the pangs of the New-birth, and afterwards God hath spoken peace, and they have had an experimental tast how Sweet the Lord is; and yet, after these Experiences, that they should touch the Forbidden Fruit, venture upon a Presumptuous Sin, How doth this inhance and aggravate their Guilt, and is like putting a weight more in the Scale to make their Sin weigh heavier? The Wicked, when they Sin, never tasted the sweetness of an Heavenly Life; they never knew what it was to have any Smiles from God; they never tasted any thing p. 875sweeter than Corn and Wine, therefore no wonder if they Sin: But for a Child of God, who hath had such Love-Tokens from Heaven, and Signal experiences, for him to Gratifie a Lust, How horrid is this! It was an aggravation of Solomon's Sin, that his heart was turned from the Lord which had appeared to him Twice, 1 King. 11.9.

Fifthly, The Sins of the Godly are greater than others, because they Sin against their Sonship. When Wicked Men Sin, they Sin against the Command; but when the Godly Sin, they Sin against a Priviledge, they abuse their Sonship. The Godly are adopted into the Family of Heaven, they have a New Name: Is it a light thing [said David] to be Son-in-Law to a King? So to be called the Sons of God, to be Heirs of the Promises, is no small honour: Now, for such to run into any open offence, it is a Sinning against their Adoption; they hereby make themselves Vile; as if a King's Son should be tumbling in the Mire, or lie among Swine.

Sixthly, The Sins of the Godly are worse than others, because they are committed against more Vows and Engagements. They have given up their Names to God; They have Bound themselves solemnly to God by Oath, Psal. 119.106. I have Sworn that I will keep thy Statutes: And, in the Supper of the Lord, they have renewed this Sacred Vow: and, after this, to run into a Presumptuous Sin, tis a Breach of Vow, a kind of Perjury, which dyes the Sin of a Crimson Colour.

Seventhly, The Sins of the Godly are worse than others, because they bring a greater Reproach upon Religion: for the wicked to Sin, there's no other expected from them: Swine will wallow in the Mire. But when Sheep do so, when the Godly Sin, that redounds to the dishonour of the Gospel, 2 Sam. 12.14. By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. A Stain in Scarlet, every ones eye is upon it. For the Godly to Sin, it is like a Spot in Scarlet, it is more taken notice of, and it reflects a greater dishonour upon the ways of God. When the Sun is Eclipsed, every one stands and looks upon it: So when a Child of Light is Eclipsed by scandalous Sin, all stand and gaze at this Eclipse. How doth the Gospel suffer by the miscarriages of the Godly? their Blood can never wash off the stain that they bring upon Religion.

Eighthly, The Sins of the Godly are worse, because they are a means to encourage and harden wicked Men in Sin: If the Wicked see the Godly to be loose and uncircumspect in their lives, they think they may do so to. The Wicked make the Godly their Pattern, not in imitating their Vertues, but their Vices; And is not this fearful to be a means to damn others? These are the aggravations of the Sins of the Godly; therefore you, above all others, beware of Presumptuous sins: your Sins wound Conscience, weaken Grace, and do more highly provoke God than the Sins of others: and God will be sure to punish you; whoever escapes you shall not, Amos 3.3. You onelyonly have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for all your Iniquities. If God doth not damn you, yet he may send you to Hell in this Life. He may cause such Agonies and Tremblings of heart, that you may be a Terror to your selves. You may draw nigh to despair, and be ready to look upon your selves as Cast-aways. When David had stained himself with Adultery and Murder, he complained of his Broken Bones, Psal. 51.8. A Metaphor to set forth the Grief and Agony of his Soul: he lay in sore desertion Three Quarters of a year, and it is thought he never recovered his full joy to his Dying day. Oh therefore you, who belong to God, and are enrolled in his Family, take heed of blemishing your Profession with scandalous Sin; you will pay dear for it; think of the Broken Bones. Though God doth not blot you out of his Book, yet he may cast you out of his Presence, Psal. 51.11. He may keep you in long desertion. You may feel such lashes in your Conscience, [that you may roar out, and think your selves half in Hell.]

So much for the First, Deliver us from evil; We Pray to be delivered from Evil in General, that is, Sin.

2. In Special, Deliver us from Evil: We Pray to be delivered from evil, under a Three-fold Notion.

p. 876First, From the Evil of our Heart. It is call'd foreign, an Evil Heart, Hebr. 3.12.

Secondly, From the Evil of Satan. He is call'd foreign, The Evil one, Mat. 13.19.

Thirdly, From the Evil of the World. 'Tis call'd an Evil World, Gal. 1.4.

1. In this Petition, Deliver us from Evil; we pray to be delivered from the evil of our Heart, that it may not decoy and trapan us into sin: The Heart is the poisoned Fountain, from whence all actual sins flow, Mark 7.21. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Fornications, Murders. The Cause of all Evil lies in a mans own Breast. All sin begins at the Heart. Lust is first conceived in the Heart, and then it is midwifed into the World. Whence comes rash Anger? The Heart sets the Tongue on fire. The Heart is a Shop or Work-house where all sin is contrived and hammer'd out. How needful therefore is this Prayer, Deliver us from Devil, from the Evil of our Hearts. The Heart is the greatest Seducer, therefore the Apostle Iames saith, Every man is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed, Iam. 1.14. The Devil could not hurt us, if our own Hearts did not give consent. All that he can do is to lay the Bait, but it is our fault to swallow the Bait.

O let us pray to be delivered from the Lusts and Deceits of our Hearts; Deliver us from Evil. Luther fear'd his Heart more than the Pope or Cardinal, and it was Austins Prayer, Libera me Domine à meipso, Lord, deliver me from my self. It was good Advice one gave to his Friend, Caveas teipsum; beware of the bosom-Traytor, the Flesh. The Heart of Man is the Trojan Horse, out of which comes a whole Army of Lusts.

2. In this Petition, Deliver us from Evil, we pray to be delivered from the Evil of Satan. He is foreign The Evil One, Mat. 13.19.

Quest. In what respect is Satan the Evil One?

Answ. 1. He is the first Inventor of Evil, Ioh. 8.44. He plotted the first Treason.

2. His Inclination is only to Evil, Ephes. 6.12.

His constant Practice is doing Evil, 1 Pet. 5.8.

4 All the Evils and Mischiefs that fall out in the World, he hath some hand in them.

First, He hinders from Good, Zach. 3.1. He shewed me Joshua the High-Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan at his right Hand to resist him.

Secondly, He provokes to Evil; He put it into Ananias's Heart to lie, Act. 5.3. Why hath Satan fill'd thy Heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? The Devil blows the fire of Lust and Strife. When men are proud, the Old Serpent hath poison'd them, and makes them swell. Thus he is the Evil One, and well may we pray, Lord deliver us from the Evil One. The Word Satan, in the Hebrew signifies an Opponent or Adversary.

1. He is a Restless Adversary, he never sleeps; Spirits needs no sleep. He is a Peripatetick, He walks about, 1 Pet. 5.8. and how doth he walk? Not as a Pilgrim, but as a Spye; he narrowly observes where he may plant his Pieces of Battery, and make his Assaults with most Advantage against us. Satan is a subtil Engineer; there is no place that can secure us from Satans Assaults and In…des. We find him while we are Praying, Hearing, Meditating. We are sure of his Company, uncertain how we came by it.

2. Satan is a puissant Adversary, he is armed with Power. He is call'd foreign, The strong Man, Luke 11.21. He takes men captive at his pleasure, 2 Tim. 2.26. Who are taken captive by him at his Will. Gr. foreign, who are taken alive by him. It alludes to a Bird that is taken alive in the Snare; thus you see he is the Evil one. The Devils work is to angle for mens Souls; he lays suitable Baits. He allures the ambitious Man with Honour, the covetous Man with Riches, he hooks his Baits with Silver, he allures the lustful Man with Beauty, he tempts Men to Delila's Lap, to keep them from Abraham's Bosom. The Devil glories in the Damnation of Souls; how needful then is this Prayer? Deliver us from Evil. p. 877Lord keep us from the Evil One. Tho' Satan may sollicite us to sin; suffer us not to give Consent. Tho' he may Assault the Castle of our Hearts, yet, let us not deliver up the Keys of the Castle to our mortal Enemy.

3. In this Petition, Deliver us from Evil; we pray to be delivered from the Evil of the World. 'Tis call'd an Evil World, Gal. 1.4. not but that the World (as God made it) is Good; but through our Corruption it becomes Evil, and we had need pray, deliver us from an Evil World.

Quest. In what Sence is it Saeculum malum, an Evil World?

Answ. 1. As it is a defiling World. 'Tis like living in an infectious Air, it requires an high degree of Grace to keep our selves unspotted from the World, Iam. 1.27. 'Tis as hard to live in the World and not be defiled, as to go much in the Sun and not be tanned.

1. The Opinions of the World are defiling, that a little Religion will serve the turn; like Leaf-Gold, it must be spread but thin. That Morality runs parallel with Grace; that to be Zealous, is to be Righteous over-much. That it is better to keep the skin whole, than the Conscience Pure. That the Flesh is rather to be gratified, than mortified. These Opinions of the World are defiling.

2. The Examples of the World are defiling Examples, have a great Force in them to draw us to Evil. —Princeps imperio magnus exemplo major, Princes are Looking-Glasses which we dress our selves by; if they do Evil, we are apt to imitate them. Great Men are Copies we set before us, and usually we write most like the Copy when it is blotted; there's a great Proneness in us to follow the Examples of the World. Therefore God hath put in a Caveat against it, Exod. 23.2. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do Evil. How easily are we hurried to sin, when we have the Tide of Natural Corruption, and the wind of Example to carry us. Lot was the worlds Wonder, the Complexion of his Soul kept Pure in Sodoms infectious Air. The River of Peru in America, after it hath run into the main Sea, keeps fresh, and doth not mingle with the salt Waters: To this River might Lot be compared, whose Piety kept fresh in Sodoms salt Water. Bad Examples are catching, Psal. 106.35. They were mingled among the Heathen, and Learned their Works. Had not we need then pray, Lord deliver us from this Evil World? Living in the World is like travelling in a dirty Road.

2. It is an evil World, as it is an insnaring World. The World's full of Snares. Company is a snare, Recreation a snare, Oaths are snares, Riches are golden snares; —Opes irritamenta malorum. The Apostle speaks of the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, 1 Ioh. 2.16. The Lust of the Flesh is Beauty, the Lust of the Eye is Money, the Pride of Life is Honour; these are the natural Mans Trinity. In mundo splendor Opum, Gloriae Majestas, Voluptatum illecebrae ab amore Dei nos abstrahunt. The World is a flattering Enemy; whom it kisses, it oft betrays; it is a silken Halter: the Pleasures of the World like Opium, cast men into the sleep of Security. Lysimachus sold his Crown for a draught of Water; so many part with Heaven for the World. It is an ensnaring World; the King of Armenia was sent Prisoner to Queen Cleopatra in Golden Fetters. Too many are inslaved with the worlds golden Fetters; the World bewitch'd Demas, 2 Tim. 4.10. One of Christs own Apostles was caught with a silver Bait. 'Tis hard to drink the Wine of Prosperity and not be giddy. Thus the World through our innate Corruption is Evil, as it is a Snare, 1 Tim. 6.9. They that will be rich, fall into Temptation and a Snare. If an Angel were to live here, there were no danger of the Worlds insnaring him, because he hath no Principle within to receive the Temptation: but we have a Corrupt Principle that suits with the Temptation, and that makes us always in Danger.

3. It is an evil World, as it is a discouraging World. It casts Scorn and Reproach upon them who live vertuously; what, you will be holier than others? Wiser than your Ancestors? The World deals with the Professors of Religion, as Sanballat did with the Iews when they were building, Nehem. 4.1. He mocked the Jews, and said, What do th…se feeble Jews, will they Fortifie themselves? will they revive the Stones out of the heaps of Rubbish that are burnt? So the wicked p. 878World casts out Squibs of Reproach at the godly, what will ye build for Heaven? What needs all this Cost? What Profit is it to serve the Almighty? Thus the World would pluck off our Chariot-Wheels when we are driving towards Heaven: they are called Cruel Mockings, Heb. 11.36. It requires a great measure of Sanctity to with-stand the Discouragements of the World, to dance among Serpents, to laugh at Reproaches, and bind them as a Crown about our Head.

4. It is an evil World, as it is a deadning World. It dulls and deadneth the Affections to Heavenly Objects. The World cools Holy Motions, like a Damp in a silver Mine which puts out the Light; Earthly things choke the Seed of the Word. A man intangled in the World, is so taken up about secular Concerns, that he can no more mind the things above, than the earth can ascend, or the Elephant fly in the Air. And, even such as have Grace in them; yet, when their Affections are belimed with the Earth, they find themselves much indisposed to Meditation and Prayer, 'tis like swimming with a Stone about the Neck.

5. 'Tis an evil World, as it is a maligning World. It doth disgust and hate the people of God, Iohn 15.19. Because ye are not of the World, therefore the World hateth you. Hatred is foreign, (as Aristotle saith) against the whole Kind. Hamans hatred was against the Seed of the whole Iews. When you can find a Serpent without a Sting, or a Leopard without Spots, then you may expect to find a wicked World without Hatred. the White that is shot at is Piety, Psal. 38.20. They are mine Adversaries, because I follow the thing that Good is. The World pretends to hate the Godly for something else, but the ground of the Quarrel is Holiness. The Worlds Hatred is Implacable; Anger may be reconciled, Hatred cannot. You may as well reconcile Heaven and Hell as the two Seeds. If the World hated Christ, no wonder it hates us, Iohn 15.18. The World hated me before it hated you Why should any hate Christ? This Blessed Dove had no Gall, this Rose of Sharon did send forth a most sweet Perfume; but this shews the worlds Baseness, it is a Christ-hating and a Saint-eating World. Had not we need pray, Deliver us from this evil World?

6. It is an evil World, as it is a Deceitful World.

First. There is Deceit in dealing, Hos. 12.7. He is a Merchant, the Balances of Deceit are in his Hand. The Hebrew word Rimmah in Pyhil, signifies both to deceive and to oppress. He who dares use Deceit will not spare to oppress.

Secondly, There is Deceit in Friendship, Prov. 20.6. But a faithful Man who can find? —Trita frequens que via est per amici fallere Nomen.— Some use too much Courtship in Friendship: they are like Trumpets which make a great noise, but within they are hollow. Some can flatter and hate, commend and censure. Mel in Ore, Fel in Corde. Dissembled Love is worse than Hatred.

Thirdly, There is Deceit in Riches, Mat. 13.22. foreign, The Deceitfulness of Riches. The World makes us believe it will satisfie our Desires, and it doth but encrease them; it makes us believe it will stay with us, and it takes wings, Prov. 23.5.

7. It is an Evil World, as it is a disquieting World. 'Tis full of Trouble, Iohn 16.33. The World is like a Bee-hive, when we have tasted a little Hony, we have been stung with a thousand Bees. St. Basil was of opinion, that before the Fall, the Rose did grow without prickles; but now, every sweet flower of our Life hath its prickles. There are many things cause disquiet; loss of Friends, Law-Suits, Crosses in Estate: Relations are not without their Troubles. Some are troubled that they want Children, others troubled that they have Children; the World is a vexing Vanity. If a man be poor, he is despised by the p. 879Rich; if he be rich, he is envied by the poor. If we do not find it an insnaring World, we shall find it an afflicting World; it hath more in it to mean us than tempt us. The World is a Sea, where we are tossed upon the surging Waves of Sorrow, and often in danger of Shipwrack; the World is a Wilderderness, full of fiery Serpents. [What storms of Persecution are raised against the Righteous? 2 Tim. 3.12.] The wicked are Briars, Micah 7.4. where Christ's sheep lose some of their Golden Fleece. Then had not we need pray, Lord deliver us from being hurt by this Evil World? Why should we Love the World? Tho' we are commanded to love our Enemies, yet this Enemy we must not love, 1 Iohn 2.15. Love not the World.

I have been all this while opening the first Sence of this Petition, Liber a nos à malo, Deliver us from Evil; we pray to be delivered from Sin in general, and to be delivered from Evil under this three-fold Notion, from the Evil of our Heart, from the Evil of Satan, from the Evil of the World; ere I leave this, let me insert a Caution.

Caution. Not that our abstaining from, or forbearing the external Acts of Sin is sufficient to intitle us to Salvation; but when we pray, Deliver us from Evil, there is more implyed in it▪ namely, that we make a progress in Holiness. Being divorced from sin is not enough, unless we are espoused to Vertue; therefore in Scripture, these two are joyn'd, Psal. 34.14. Depart from Evil, and do Good. Rom 12.9. And Isa. 1.16. Cease to do Evil Learn to do well. 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holiness. Leaving sin is not enough, unless we embrace Righteousness. Virtutis est magis honesta agere quàm non Turpia, as it is in the Body, it is not enough that the Disease be stop'd, but it must grow in health. So it is in the Soul; it is not enough Acts of sin be forborn, (which is the stopping a Disease) but it must be healthy, that is, grow in Holiness.

Vse, Which reproves those who labour only to suppress the Outward Acts of sin, but do not press on to Holiness. They cease from doing Evil, but do not learn to do well; their Religion lies only in Negatives. They glory in this, that they are given to no Vice, none can charge them with any foul Miscarriages, Luke 18.11. God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are; Extortioners, Vnjust, Adulterers. This is not enough; you must advance a step further in solid Piety. It is not enough, that a field be not sown with Tares or Hemlock; but it must be sown with good Seed. Consider two things.

1. If this be the best Certificate you have to shew, that you are not guilty of gross Sins, God makes no Account of you. A piece of Brass tho' it be not so bad as Clay, yet not being so good as Silver, it will not pass for currant Coyn. So tho' you are not grosly prophane, yet not being of the right Mettal, wanting the stamp of Holiness, you will never pass currant in Heaven.

2. A Man may abstain from Evil, yet he may go to Hell for not doing good, Mat 3.10. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire. Why were the foolish Virgins shut out? They had done no hurt, they had not broke their Lamps; Yea but their fault was, there was no goodness in them, they had no Oyl in their Lamps. Oh! therefore let us not content our selves in being free from gross Acts of Sin, but let us launch forth further in Holiness. Let us cleanse our selves from all Pollution perfecting Holiness.

Secondly, Deliver us from Evil; that is, from Temporal Evil; we pray that God will either prevent temporal Evils, or deliver us out of them.

1. We pray that God will prevent Temporal Evils; That he will be our Screen to stand betwen us and Danger, Psal. 7.1. Save me from them that persecute me. We may lawfully pray against the Plots of the wicked, that they may prove abortive. That tho' they have a design upon us, they may not have their desire upon us, Psal. 141.9. Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me.

p. 8802. We pray, that God will deliver us out of Temporal Evils. That he will remove his Judgments from us, whether Famine, Sword, Pestilence, Psal. 39.10. Remove thy Stroke away from me. Yet with this Caution.

Caution. We may pray to be delivered from Temporal Evils, only so far as God sees it good for us. We may pray to be delivered from the Evil of Sin absolutely, but we must pray to be delivered from Temporal Evils conditionally, so far as God sees it fitting for us, and may stand with his Glory.

Vse. In all the Troubles that lie upon us, let us look up to God for Ease and Succour; Deliver us from Evil, Isa. 8.19. Should not a people seek unto their God? To blame then are the Papists, who knock at the wrong door. When they are in any Trouble, they pray to the Saints to deliver them. When they are in danger of Shipwrack, they pray to St. Nicholas; when they are in the fit of a Fever, they pray to St. Petronelle; when they are in Travel, they pray to St. Margaret. How unlawful it is to invocate Saints in Prayer, I will prove from one Scripture, Rom. 10.14. How then shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? We may pray to none but such as we may believe in, but we ought not to believe in any Saint, therefore we may not pray to him. The Papists have in their Ladies Psalter directed their Prayers for Deliverance to the Virgin Mary. Deliver me O Lady, Benedicta Domina, in manibus tuis reposita est nostra salus; O thou blessed Lady, in thy hands our Salvation is laid up. But Abraham is ignorant of us, Isa. 63.16. The Saints and Virgin Mary are ignorant of us.

To pray to Saints is Idolatry advanced to Blasphemy. Our Saviour hath taught us better, in all our Distresses to pray to God for a Cure, Deliver us from Evil.—He only knows what our Troubles are, and can give us help from Trouble; he only that laid the Burden on can take it off. David went to God, Psal. 25.17. O bring thou me out of my Distresses. God can with a word heal, Psal. 107.20. He sent forth his Word and healed them. He delivered the three Children out of the fiery Furnace, Ioseph out of Prison, Daniel out of the Lions Den. This proves him to be God, because none can deliver as he doth, Dan. 3.29. There is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Let us then in all our Straits and Exigencies seek to God, and say, Deliver us from Evil.