The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
There is ſome good in Affliction, but none in Sin: Firſt, no good of Entitie: Secondly, No good of Cauſality: Thirdly, No good principle from whence Sin can come: Fourthly, No Good anexed as is to Afflictions, viz. 1 Of Promiſe. 2 Of Evid…nce. 3 Of Bleſſing. Alſo Five different workings of the hearts of the Saints under Sin and under Affliction: Fifthly, It's not capable of any Good, 1 Adde all the good to ſin that all the Creatures in heaven and earth have, yet it cannot make ſin good. 2 Good ends though 1. to help againſt temptation, 2. to do good to others, 3. to glorifie God cannot make ſin good. 4 God can not make ſin good. Sixthly, It's not comparitively good.
WEL, for further Arguments, though this one thing were enough to ſtop all mouths in the world, and make every Soul ſubſcribe and acknowledg that there is greater Evil in the leaſt Sin, than in any Affliction: I ſhal be large in this Argument, becauſe it is of wonderful Concernment, to ſtop men in their courſe of Sin, and to humble them for ſin, and make them reſolve againſt ſin, and to ſee their miſerable eſtate in ſin, and ſo ſee their need of Chriſt.
Firſt, I ſhall fully make it out, That Affliction is to be choſen rather than ſin.
1 Firſt, Becauſe there is ſome good in Affliction, but none in Sin.
2 Becauſe Sin hath more Evil in it, than Affliction.
This Second I ſhal ſhew in the following Chapters.
Firſt, Affliction hath ſome good in it, but ſin hath none: You know what David ſaith, Pſ. 119 71. It is good for me that I have been Afflicted; thus he ſpake of Affliction: But when St. Paul ſpeaks of Sin, he ſaith, In me (that is in my fleſh) dwelleth no good, Rom. 7. as if he ſhould ſay, So far as I am Unregenerate, in my Unregenerate part there is no good at all; he cals ſin by the name of fleſh; there is no good at all in Sin.
Firſt, There is no good of Entity or Being; all things that have a Being, there is ſome good in them; for God hath a Being, and every thing that hath a being hath ſome good in it, becauſe it is of God; but Sin is a Non Entity, a no being: Its rather the deprivation of a Being then any being at al; & here is a great myſtery of Iniquity, That that which is a Non-entity in it ſelf, yet ſhould have ſuch a mighty efficacy to trouble heaven and earth. This is a great Myſtery.
Secondly, It hath no good of Cauſallity: that is, Sin is ſo evil, as it can bring forth no good: Afflictions bring forth good: Sin is ſuch an evil as it cannot be made good: not an inſtrument for good: Afflictions are made inſtrumental for good.
Object. No, wil you ſay, Cannot God bring good out of ſin? And doth not God bring good out of ſin?
Anſw. To this I Anſwer, True, God brings good out of ſin, that is Occaſionally, but not Inſtrumentally: He may take occaſion to bring good out of ſin committed: but (mark) God never makes ſin an inſtrument for good; for an inſtrument comes under ſomwhat as an Efficiency: for an inſtrument gives ſome power towards the Effect; but thus God never uſeth ſin, God never made ſin an inſtrument of any good; that is, that ſin ſhould have any power any influence into that good effect that God brings out of it as Afflictions have; God doth not only take occaſion by Afflictions to do his people good, but he makes them Channels to convey the Mercies to their Souls: And thus Afflictions have an inſtrumental efficacy in them, to do men good: Therefore ſaith the Holy Ghoſt in Heb. 12. He Chaſtens them for their profit, that they might be partakers of his holineſs: The greateſt good the Creature is capable of, Affliction is made oftentimes the inſtrument to convey: And in Iſa. 27. By this the iniquity of Jacob ſhal be purged: That is, by this as an inſtrument; but ſin is never thus: Sin is never ſanctified by God to do good to any Soul: Afflictions are ſanctified by God to do good; therefore ſin is a greater evil than affliction: ſin is ſo evil that it is not capable of any work of God to ſanctifie it for good; but no Afflictions are ſo evil but that they are capable of a work of God to ſanctifie the…r abundance of good. This is the Second.
Thirdly, Sin hath greater evil than Affliction in the riſe of it; there is no good principle whence ſin comes, but there are good principles from whence Afflictions ariſe: as thus, Whom he loves he chaſtens, he chaſtens every Son whom he receives; ſo that Chaſtiſement hath a principle of Love, but it cannot be ſaid whom God Loves he ſuffers to fal into Sin, that this can be a fruit of his Love: it can never be ſaid that it is a fruit of Gods love that ſuch a man or woman commits ſin; but it may be ſaid it is a fruit of Gods Love that ſuch a man or woman is afflicted, therefore there is more good in Afflictions than there is in Sin. Nay, obſerve this, Many times God doth not afflict a man or woman becauſe he doth not Love them, but it can never be ſaid God ſuffers not a man or woman to ſin becauſe he doth not love them: I ſay, There is many a man or woman goeth on in a proſperous Condition, and they meet not with ſuch Afflictions as others meet withal; and the Reaſon is, Becauſe God hath not ſuch a love to them as to other men, but it cannot be ſaid thus, That there be ſuch men that keep them ſelves from ſuch ſins that others do wallow in, & therfore they do it becauſe God hath not ſuch a love to them as to others, it cannot be ſaid ſo; but it may be ſaid ſuch be not afflicted ſo much as others becauſe God doth not love them as well as others: It is a dreadful fruit of Gods hatred that he doth not afflict them, but it is not a fruit of his hatred …ot to let them fall into ſin. I remember a Speech an Ancient hath upon that place of Hoſea, I will not puniſh their Daughters when they commit Adultery, Hoſ. 4. 14. ſaith he, Oh diſmal wrath of God that God will not afflict them and puniſh them! But now if this be ſo that want of afflictions may come from Gods wrath and the being put into affliction may come from Gods love, certainly then there is not ſo much evil in affliction as is in ſin; for it can never be ſaid ſo of ſin.
Fourthly, There is no good anexed to ſin as is to affliction: as thus, 1 Not the good of promiſe: 2ly Not the good of Evidence: 3ly Not the good of Bleſſing anexed to Sin as is to Affliction.
1. As now Afflictions hath abundance of Promiſes, I wil be with you in the Fire and in the Water: And by this ſhal the iniquity of Jacob be purged: and I could ſpend the remainder of the Book to open the many great Promiſes God hath annexed to Afflictions: but God hath not annexed any Promiſe of good to Sin; when God afflicts then you may challenge Gods Promiſe, Pſal. 119. 75. ſaith David, In very faithfulneſs haſt thou afflicted me, O Lord: this is but a fruit of thy Promiſe Afflictions: and thou art faithful in Afflicting, but ſin hath no Promiſe annexed to it: Yet it may be you wil ſay that all ſhal work together for the good of them that love God: But this doth not go in way of a Promiſe; this Scripture will not beat it, though it be true God may occaſionally work good to his people by Sin; but this Scripture cannot bear it, that there is any Promiſe for it in that place: For, Firſt it is againſt the Scope of that Text, for the Scope of that place is to uphold the hearts of Gods people in Afflictions: For he ſaith, All things: but Sin is no thing; and all things work together: and ſo he ſpeaks of that which hath an Efficacy in it, that will together with God, work for good; but ſin hath not any Efficacy to work on, for God will not work by that. That is one thing then, Affliction hath the good of Promiſe annexed to it, but ſo hath not Sin: therefore there is ſome good in Affliction, but none in Sin.
2ly. Affliction hath the good of Evidence: God makes our Afflictions ſigns of our Son ſhip and Adoption; If you be not afflicted then are you Baſtards, and not Sons: And Phil. 1. Be not troubled, or terrified: trouble of the Saints is an evidence of Salvation to them, but a token of their perdition who are the terrifiers or troublers of them, but a ſign of your Salvation: But it is not ſo of ſin.
3ly. Further, There is a Bleſſing propounded to Afflictions, Bleſſed be thoſe that mourn, and bleſſed be the man whom thou Chaſtiſeſt and teacheſt in thy Law; but there is no bleſſing allowed to Sin, it is not capable of it: there is not that good annexed to ſin that is to affliction; and therefore Affliction is to be Choſen rather than Sin.
And from hence ſee the different working of the hearts of the Saints under their Sin, and under their Affliction; That follows from this Head, That there is ſome good annexed to Affliction that is not to Sin.
1. Firſt, Hence it follows, That the Saints can Cry to God with Liberty of Spirit under Affliction, but they cannot under Sin: They can go to God, and tell God their Afflictions, and Challenge God with a holy boldneſs in Afflictions; but who can go to God and Challenge God becauſe he hath told a Lye, or the like? Doth this make them go with a holy boldneſs to God, and Challenge Gods Promiſe, becauſe I have committed ſuch and ſuch a ſin?
Secondly, When Affliction doth come, a gracious heart can kiſs the rod and accept of the puniſhment of his ſin, but now a gracious heart can never be well pleaſed with his ſin, can never accept of ſin, though God puniſh one ſin with another ſometimes, yet I ſay, there cannot be a well pleaſedneſs with ſin, and a kiſſing of that.
Thirdly, A gracious heart may rejoyce in Affliction, and have abundance of comfort in Afflictions, account it all joy (ſaith the Holy Ghoſt) when you fall into trials and afflictions, but now he can never rejoyce in ſin, no man can rejoyce in ſin though God ſhould turn ſin to never ſo much good: one cannot rejoyce in ſin, and have that comfort he may in affliction.
Fourthly, A gracious heart may bleſs God for Afflictions, bleſs God that ever he did Caſt him into an afflicted eſtate; but he can never bleſs God for putting him into a ſinful eſtate, though God do work good out of it: Nay further, That good a gracious heart hath ſometimes by afflictions may incourage him to be more willing to go into affliction again when God calls him to it, but if a gracious heart ſhould get good occaſionally by ſin, yet this good cannot incourage him to fall into ſin again, this were a deſperate wickedneſs if he ſhould.
Fifthly, A gracious heart may deſire of God that he would not take away Affliction till it be ſanctified, and that he would continue it till it be ſanctified; but no man may or ought to pray thus, Lord, continue me in this ſin till I am humbled: therefore you ſee there is abundance of difference between affliction and ſin, one hath a great deal of good annexed to it, and the other hath none at all.
5. Sin it is ſo evil that it is not capable of any good at all; the air though it be dark, yet it is capable of light; that were a diſmal darkneſs that were not capable of light to come to it: and that which is bitter, though never ſo bitter, yet it is capable of receiving that which will ſweeten it: that which is never ſo venemous, yet is capable of ſuch things as will make it wholſom; but ſin is ſo dark that it is uncapable of light; ſo bitter, as there is no way to make it ſweet; ſo venemous as it is no way capable of any wholſomneſs: now for the clearing of this, conſider theſe three Things:
1. Put all the good in heaven and earth, and in all the Creatures in heaven and earth together: Suppoſe the quintiſcence of all the good of all the Creatures of heaven and earth were put together, and bring that to ſin, and ad it to it, it would not make it good: no, ſin would remain ſtill as evil as before it was. Now that muſt needs be poyſon indeed, that bring all the ſoveraign things in the world and put to it, yet there would not be a deminiſhion of the leaſt ſtrength of that poyſon, and ſo it is with ſin: Therfore (I beſeech you Brethren obſerve it) thoſe men and women be mightily miſtaken, that think (I have been a ſinful creature indeed, but now I wil amend and reforme and be better) that by adding ſome good to their former ſinful Lives, it will make all good: Oh! know that there is ſo much evil in ſin, that the addition of all the good of all the creatures in heaven and earth cannot make it leſs evil than before; ſo that you muſt not only now think to live better & ad good unto your former evil, but you muſt take a courſe for the taking away of the former evil, for the delivering you from the guilt and ſtain and filth of your former ſin.
2. Sin is not capable of good; All thoſe good ends that any men have in the Cōmiſſion of ſin, yet do not make their ſin the better: that cannot make ſin good, becauſe they have good ends: as thus,
There may be Three good ends ſome may think they have in the Commiſſion of ſin.
1 They may perhaps think that by Commiſſion of ſome ſin they may further ſome grace, do good to others, or glorifie God; there may be ſuch deceit in the heart: as thus,
1 They may think ſuch a ſin will help ſuch a Grace, and help againſt ſuch a temptation, and ſuch a ſin may help my humility; and it is ordinary this temptation (when in trouble of Conſcience) make away thy ſelf, and then thou wilt ſin no more; for ſo long as I live I ſhall ſin againſt God, & therfore make away thy ſelf and ſo ceaſe to ſin: But know, if thou lay violent hands upon thy ſelf, and think thou ſhalt have this good by it to ſin no more; yet thy ſin is wicked and abominable, though thou put this good end upon it, though it were poſſible to in creaſe Grace never ſo much by the leaſt ſinful thought, we muſt not commit this leaſt ſinful thought for never ſo good an end, as to help forward ſuch a Grace.
2 A Second end may be to do good to others, and I ſay if it were poſſible, if a man might be a means to ſave the whole world if he would commit one ſin, if he could ſave the whole world from eternal Torments by the Commiſſion of one ſin, you ſhould ſuffer the whole world to periſh rather than commit one ſin, there is ſo much evil in ſin. It is the expreſſion of Auguſtine in a Tractate of his concerning an officious Lye, a friend of his wrote to him to Anſwer this Queſtion about telling of a Lye, Whether he might not tell a Lye, to do good to another man? Many think, What though I do tell a Lye ſo I do another good; indeed if I may do hurt then I muſt not, but if I may do good, may I not tell a Lye, (well) this Queſtion was brought to Auguſtine, and ſaith he, Thou muſt not tell a Lye to ſave the whole world: this was his Anſwer. Suppoſe that the Soul of thy Father, Mother, or Child, (this is but a ſuppoſition) or the like, ſhould lie upon it to be ſaved, or damned if thou wilt commit one ſin, ſuppoſe ſuch a temptation ſhould come, thou muſt not commit one ſin, though the ſoul of thy father or mother, or all the world lay upon it; now it is another manner of thing to commit a ſin to gain a groat; Oh now by a deceitful word I may have this gain, if it were twenty ſhillings, thou muſt not venture upon ſin to ſave the world; therefore not to gain ſix pence or a ſhilling: Certainly theſe be the truths of God, and for one to come and ſpeak theſe things in a ſolemn manner in the preſence of God if it were not upon deliberation and good ſearch, it were a great boldneſs; and therefore certainly beleeve there is ſuch evil in Sin: and though you paſs by a thouſand idle thoughts and evil actions and they be gone with you and you make little of them: but if you did know what the evil of Sin were, you would look upon them with amazement, and cry out, Lord what have I done! Men and women go abroad, and before they come home meet with Company, and there ſwear many Oaths commit lewdneſs, have told lyes, and done wickedneſs; Oh did they but know what they have done that day, they would come home wringing their hands and ready to tear their hair, and lie tumbling upon the very ground for the evil that they have done.
3. Further, We muſt not commit ſin though for the glory of God: for many put this end upon it: as the Papiſts, this is their Principle, To advance the Catholick Cauſe they think they may do any wickedneſs, murther Princes, blow up Parliaments, keep no Faith, Promiſes, Oathes: take liberty to riſe in Rebellion, to commit all outrages, and cut all the Proteſtants throats; and to advance the Catholick Cauſe take the Sacrament upon it, and yet think becauſe tis for ſo good an end (as they conceive) therefore they may commit any wickedneſs. It is certain God needs not the Devil to help his Cauſe: but ſuppoſe by ſin Gods glory might be furthered in ſome particular, yet we muſt not commit the leaſt ſin for the greateſt glory of God that can be imagined: ſo much evil there is in ſin. And therfore, for ſuch that many times ſtrain their Conſcience to do that which their Conſciences have regreet upon, and their Conſcience told them they ſhould not do it, yet meerly upon this pretence, that they might do ſervice in the Church, Oh their Miniſtry is dear, to do good to Souls, to preach to ſo many Souls, by this means God may have glory, and hereupon they venture to ſtrain their Conſciences to have liberty to Preach; this certainly is a great evil, we muſt not ſtrain our Conſciences in any thing to commit the leaſt ſin upon imagination of the greateſt glory that can be brought to God. Good ends put upon ſins, cannot make them better. This is the Second thing.
Fourthly, All the good that God himſelf can bring from ſin, can never make ſin good: ſuch evil there is in it, that the infinite power and goodneſs of God can never make ſin good: true, God may deſtroy Sin, Yet that which is Sin all the power of God cannot make that good: Such evil there is in Sin. This is a Fifth thing.
6. There is no good in Sin, not Comparatively. That is, Though it be true one Sin is leſs than another; yet no ſin is good in compariſon of another. In Affliction, as one affliction is leſs than another, ſo one affliction is good in compariſon of another: a leſs affliction is good in compariſon of a greater; and all affliction is good in compariſon of Sin. But in Sin, though one Sin be leſs than another, yet the leaſt Sin is not good in compariſon of the greateſt: and take the leaſt Sin of all it is not good in compariſon of any Affliction. And you ſhall ſee how this is Uſeful to us.