The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Part 5
THE FIFTH PART OF THIS TREATISE.
CHAP. XLII.
Sin hath a kind of Infiniteneſs in it: Opened in Seven Particulars. Firſt, Becauſe nothing but an Infinite Power can overcome it. Secondly, Sin hath a kind of infiniteneſs, becauſe it hath an infinite deſert in it, expreſſed in Three Particulars: 1 The deſert of the loſs of an infinite Good. 2 It deſerves to put an infinite diſtance between God and thee. 3 It deſerves infinite miſery. Thirdly, Sin hath a kind of infinite Evil, becauſe there is required an infinite Price to make an Attonement between God and Man. Fourthly, There is a kind of infinite Evil in Sin, becauſe we muſt hate it infinitely. Fifthly, Sin is an infinite Evil, becauſe it is the Ʋniverſal Cauſe of all Evil. Sixthly, The Scripture make uſe of Evil things, to ſet out the Evil of Sin. Seventhly, There's an infiniteneſs in Sin, becauſe the Scripture ſet out Sin, by Sin it ſelf.
A Fifth General Head that was Propounded in the beginning is this: Sin hath a kind of Infiniteneſs of Evil in it.
It is true, we muſt acknowledg that nothing but God can be properly ſaid to be infinite: There is not an infiniteneſs in a ſtrict ſenſe in ſin, for then certainly all the Mercy of God, and all the Power of God, could never overcome it, if properly and abſolutely ſin had an infiniteneſs in it; therefore I do not ſay it is properly infinite. Well, but there is a kind of infiniteneſs, it comes exceeding neer to infiniteneſs (if we may ſo ſpeak, though it is ſomwhat improper to ſay it comes neer, but we muſt ſpeak ſo as we can to our own apprehenſions, you ſhall ſee in the opening what I mean) As thus, There is a kind of infiniteneſs of evil in ſin beyond all bounds.
Firſt, Becauſe there is nothing but infinite Power can overcome it. Take the leaſt ſin that any man or woman lies under the power of; nothing but the infinite Power of God can overcome that ſin: and this is the reaſon that many that have had many convictions of conſcience of the evil of ſin, many reſolutions againſt ſin, many Vows and Covenants, and Promiſes they have made againſt ſin: Oh when they are ſick, now they ſee the evil of ſin, now they promiſe if God will reſtore them▪ they will never do the like; and they ſpeak from their hearts, they do not only dallie, but they do verily think they will never come in companie more, and commit ſin more becauſe it is ſo evil: but when they be well, they be under the power of ſin as before, and al their reſolutions and experiences, and all their own ſtrength and power, and all the means they have, are nothing; though ſin be opened to be never ſo vile, and they be convinced thereof, yet al comes to nothing. Certainly there is more dreadful evil in ſin than we be aware of; and all the pleaſure and profit we have by ſin can never countervail that evil that is in ſin: and this they ſee, and therefore promiſe and hope they ſhal never commit ſuch ſins again. Perhaps there hath been ſuch thoughts in your hearts, may be God hath had ſome beginnings to come in by his Power into your ſouls: this is the way of Gods coming in to the hearts of men and women, when he comes to convince and give them ſuch reſolutions. But know, all thy reſolutions cannot overcome ſin; perhaps you may forbear for the preſent, the acts of ſin a while may be reſtrained; but nothing but the infinite Power of an infinite God can overcome any one ſin, any one luſt, Sin ſhall not have Dominion over you, Rom. 6. 14. for you are not under the Law, but under Grace, ſaith the Holy Ghoſt: as if he had ſaid, if you be not now under the Grace of the Goſpel, in which the infinit Power of God comes upon the ſoul to deliver them from the Dominion of Sin, Sin would for ever have Dominion over you; but ſin ſhall not have Dominion over you, becauſe you be not under the Law, but under Grace: It is the Grace of the Goſpel through which this infinite Power of God comes upon your hearts, that keeps ſin from having Dominion over you. This is the firſt, there is a kind of Infiniteneſs in it, becauſe nothing but the infinite Power of God can overcome it.
Secondly, There is a kind of Infiniteneſs in it, Becauſe it hath an infinite deſert, it doth deſerve that which is infinite: There is an infinite deſert in it, therefore a kind of infiniteneſs in it. As thus, the infinite deſert of Sin, may be ſet out in theſe three Particulars:
1 The deſert of the loſs of an infinite Good, all the good in God: By every ſin thou doſt deſerve to be deprived of that good there is in God; that deſert comes upon thee, to loſe all the good there is in the infinite God, not in this or that particular good, but in the Infinite God, and all the good in him.
2 Every Sin doth make an infinite breach between God and you; not only you do deſerve to loſe all the good in God, but it puts an infinit diſtance between God and thee. Abraham could ſay to Dives when Lazarus was in his boſom, there is a great gulph between you and us: There is a great gulph between the ſinner, and thoſe that are godly; but what a gulf is there between God himſelf and a ſinner? If there be ſuch a gulf between Abraham and Dives, ſurely a greater gulf between God himſelf, and a ſinner.
3 The deſert of Sin is Infinite, In regard of the Infiniteneſs of miſery, and pain, and tortures that ſin deſerves, which becauſ they cannot poſſibly be infinit in degree, for it is impoſſible for a finite Creature to bear any one moment, pains infinite in degree: But becauſe it deſerves infinite torment, it muſt therefore be infinite in time, becauſe it cannot be infinite in degree: and ſo it is infinite this way, in duration, becauſe it cannot be infinite in degree: thus ſin is infinite. Certainly that which makes ſuch an infinite loſs, and ſuch an infinite breach, and brings ſuch infinite tortures; this muſt be an infinite evil in a kind.
Thirdly, Sin is a kind of infinite evil, Becauſe there is required an infinite price to make an attonement: nothing can make an attonement between God and a ſinner, but an infinite price paid. You may think when you have ſinned, it may quickly be made up again: Every Fool can ſin, can be drunk, be unclean, and wicked; but when you have ſinned, how will you get it away? All the Angels in Heaven, and Men in the world cannot do it; all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth connot get away one ſin: You let out your thoughts idlely; take the guilt of one ſin, of an idle thought, I ſay, it is beyond the power of al the Angels in Heaven, and Creatures in the World to get away that Sin: it muſt be an infinite price; there muſt be more done for to get away the guilt of this ſin, than if God ſhould ſay, here is a poor Creature hath ſinned, and is guilty, I will make ten thouſand worlds for his or her ſake, and they ſhall be all given that I may manifeſt my merciemercy towards them: Now if God do but deliver thee from one Sin, he doth more for thee, than if thou ſhouldeſt hear him ſpeak from Heaven, and ſay, he would do all that for thee: for you know what the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Pet. 1. 18. For as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold from your vain Converſation, received by tradition from your Fathers, but with the precious Blood of Jeſus Chriſt as of a Lamb without ſpot or blemiſh▪ not with Gold and Silver▪ if it were Gold and Silver, all the Gold and Silver in the world would not redeem one; but it was with an infinite price with which you were redeemed: and mark, from your vain Converſation; he doth not ſay, your vain wicked, notorious Idolatry, but vain Converſation; yea, and that vain Converſation which you might have ſome plea for, received from the tradition of your fathers: you will keep your old Cuſtoms you received from your Fathers, received a great while ago; you crie out of new things, new kind of waies, now I am ſure I have lived this thirtie, or this fourtie years, and I never knew ſuch things, and heard of ſuch things, and ſo you will reſt on the Traditions of your Fore fathers: Mark what the Scripture ſaith, ſpeaking of thoſe that were delivered from their vain Converſation, and the vanities received by Tradition; theſe were redeemed by the precious Blood of Jeſus Chriſt, not with Gold and Silver: though you ſtick to them as being ſuch as you received from your Fathers, yet know all the world cannot deliver you from the guilt of one of theſe vain Converſations: If you knew all you would ſee there were ſo much evil in one ſin, as required a price to ranſom you from it… of more worth than Heaven and Earth, yea, than ten thouſand Heavens and Earths: there muſt be a price laid down of infinite worth: And obſerve this before you go away; there may be a price laid down to ranſom a Captive, and this price may Note not ſo much the greatneſs of the deliverance, as the worth of the perſon for whom this price is laid down; becauſe the perſon is worthy, not from the miſerableneſs of the bondage, but the greatneſs of the perſon: But it is not ſo here, the reaſon of the greatneſs of the price for your ranſom, is not from the worthineſs of the perſon, we be poor, vile, dirt, and droſs, and filthy before God: what if you were all buried to all eternity, what great matter were it? But God hath paid a great price to note the greatneſs of your miſery, and evil you have brought upon your ſelves by reaſon of ſin, and therefore this is the price of our ranſom. This is the third thing wherein the infiniteneſs of ſin appears.
A Fourth thing to diſcover a kind of infiniteneſs of evil in Sin is this, That Sin, it is ſo evil, that let there be never ſo much hatred againſt it in thy ſoul, let there be as much hatred againſt it as poſſibly can be; yet there is enough evil in ſin to raiſe this hatred higher and higher, if it were poſſible to an infinite hatred: therefore there is a kind of infiniteneſs in it. If Sin were but a meer finite Evil, then there might be ſome bounds and limits ſet to the hatred of our ſin; but that cannot be, there can be no bounds nor limits ſet to the hatred of our ſin, but we are to hate it more and more ſtill, and if we could, grow to an infinite hatred: therefore there muſt be ſome kind of infinite Evil in it. Other things be not ſo; we may ſet bounds to our hatred in other things: but when it comes to ſin, there is no limits to be ſet to the hatred of it. As Brethren thus, It doth note the infiniteneſs of goodneſs that there is in God, why? Becauſe we are to love God, and our love to God muſt be without any bounds at all: we love him thus much, and ſtill our love is to go further, and higher and higher, and if poſſible to raiſe our love to be infinite, becauſe he is an infinite good who is the object of our loves. So hatred on the other ſide; we are to hate ſin, we are to hate it more and more, and ſtill grow up in hatred, and never ſet bounds to our hatred: why doth not this as well argue a kind of infinitneſs in fin? And here then Brethren by the way you may have a note of your true love to God, and true hatred againſt Sin, whether it be right or no: as now, If you will know if you love God truly, then you ſet no bounds to your love, not only to your love to him, but to your love to his waies, and your love to Grace, and Chriſt, and the like, you ſet no bounds: That man or woman that would be Religious but ſo far, and ſaith, why will you be ſo ſtrict, and ſo hot? and ſets bounds to the working of their hearts in Religious waies; let ſuch men and women know, their Religion is in vain, it is but meerly a Natural one. I remember a Speech Seneca a Heathen hath, though he applies it another way, yet he makes it appear, he had ſome underſtanding of this Truth, ſaith he, Would you know when deſires be Natural, and when not Natural? If they be Natural, then they be in bounds, and you ſet limits to them; but when they break bounds, then they be no more Natural: But he applies it to ſinful deſires (for he knew no better than deſires at the higheſt, as they had ſome Naturalneſs in them) and ſaith he, ſpeaking of ſinful deſires ſo long as you keep your deſires in certain bounds, they be Natural and good, but when once you let them out beyond bounds, they be no more Natural. We may very well applie it to ſpeak of the Work of Nature, and the Work of Grace: Would you know whether the ground of your deſires, or work, be Natural, or Supernatural? You may know them by this, If you propound limits, thus far you will go; this certainlie is a Natural work: But when the heart lets out it ſelf to God without any limits or bounds; this is a Supernatural work. So you diſlike ſin, and Oh you would not commit it; but this is the Queſtion, Whether your diſlike or hatred be Natural or Supernatural? If Natural, then there be ſome limits and bounds you propound, that is, you will not commit ſuch groſs ſins, and live in ſuch open ſins; and upon ſuch and ſuch grounds, you will abſtain from ſuch and ſuch Sins: But if there be a Supernatural work, your hearts are ſet againſt all ſins with a kind of infiniteneſs, without anie bounds or terms, you will ſet no bounds to your hatred of anie Sin: that man or woman that ſo hates Sin, as to ſet no bounds at all unto their hatred, and will admit it upon no terms; this is a Supernatural hatred. Manie are againſt Sin Naturally; but in that true hatred, it is ſo boundleſs, that there muſt be no bounds ſet to your hatred: it evidentlie ſhews Sin to have a kind of infinitneſs of evil in it.
Fifthly, Sin hath a kind of infiniteneſs in it in that it is the Ʋniverſal Cauſe of all Evil: As God appears to be an infinite good, becauſe he is the univerſal cauſe of all good; this doth much ſet out the infiniteneſs of Gods goodneſs in that he is the univerſal cauſe of all good So it doth ſet out the infiniteneſs of Sin, in that Sin is the univerſal cauſe of all evil, all evils flow from it. This is the Fifth Thing.
Sixthly, There is an infiniteneſs of Evil in Sin; it appeareth thus, That as the infiniteneſs of good in God is ſhaddowed out unto us by all good things, and in as much as we and the Scripture makes uſe of all good things to ſhaddow out the goodneſs of God, this manifeſts an infiniteneſs of good in him: So in as much as the Scripture mak…s uſe of all kind of Evil things, only to ſet and ſhaddow out the evil in ſin; this makes it appear there is a kind of infiniteneſs of Evil in it: As thus, That all thoſe Creatures, Vipers, Serpents, Dogs, Cockatrices, Dragons, Wolves: all deadly Creatures the Scripture makes uſe of but to ſhaddow out the evil in Sin. As if the Holy Ghoſt ſhould ſay, do you ſee any evil in ſuch Creatures that you account the worſt: put them all together, and that is in Sin and more. So take all kinds of uncleanneſs, the vomit of a dog menſtruous Cloaths, all this doth but ſhaddow out the evil in Sin. Look at ſickneſſes, leproſies, plague, and death it ſelf, and darkneſs, any hidious evil, all theſe do but ſhaddow out the evil of Sin. We might mention many more to ſhew you the evil of Sin. And in that the Scripture makes uſe of ſo many evil things to ſhew the evill of Sin. This ſhews Sin hath a kind of infiniteneſs in it.
Seventhly, As Gods infinite goodneſs is ſet out thus, that he is his own Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs; in this God doth appear to be infinitely good, becauſe he is his own good and happineſs, there is no higher good to be the goodneſs of God; no higher bleſſedneſs to be the bleſſedneſs of God but himſelf; becauſe he is infinitly good and bleſſed. So the Scripture ſets out to us the Evil of Sin by it ſelf, becauſe there is no greater evil to ſet Sin out by, but by it ſelf: Therfore this ſhews there is a kind of infiniteneſs of evil in Sin. And therefore you have that of Rom. 7. 13. Was that then that was good made death to me? God forbid, but Sin that it might appear ſin working death in me by that which was good: that Sin by the Commandement might become EXCEEDING SINFƲL. He doth not ſay that ſin might appear to be Exceeding miſerable: but that it might become Exceeding Sinful: So that the ſinfulneſs of Sin is that which ſets out the evil of Sin more than any other thing doth. It was the Speech of the Heathen Seneca, It is the puniſhment of Sin, to have Sin: So it is the reward of Vertues to have them. Godlineſs in it ſelf is the Excellency of a man; and Sin in it ſelf is the miſery of a man: and this is a Proof of this, That there is a kind of infiniteneſs of evil in Sin.
Now then by all theſe Seven Diſcoveries of the evil in Sin, having a kind of infiniteneſs in it, this one thing comes fully and powerfully from them; That for to fall into ſin again, and for to be prevailed withal by any ſuch temptation as this, Oh it is no great matter, if I do no worſe than this, I hope it is well, and others do worſe: I ſay, to yield again to the commiſſion of any ſin upon ſuch a temptation, is a great wickedneſs. What doſt thou make any compariſon in ſin, and uſe any ſuch words, when thou haſt heard it, or read it proved to thee, that Sin hath a kind of infiniteneſs of evil in it. Nay, which I thought to have finiſhed here, but cannot now come to it, but ſhal in the next Chapter ſhew the reference Sin hath to the Devil; this ſhews the greatneſs of Sin above all Evils: Sin is that which makes the Soul conformable to the Devil. Afflictions doth not, they make the ſoul conformable to Jeſus Chriſt: I ſuppoſe you know that place, Phil. 3. 10. mark there the difference between Sin and Affliction, Paul there accounted all things dung and droſs for the Excellency of the knowledg of Chriſt: and what more? That he might be found in him, and that he might know him, and the power of his reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his ſufferings being made conformable unto his death. He did deſire above all things to have the fellowſhip of his ſufferings, and to be conformable to his death: he accounts all the world as dung and droſs to be conformable to Chriſt by Afflictions, or ſufferings. It is true, it may be many account all the world to be nothing, to be conformable to Chriſt in Glory in Heaven. But here is the work of Grace (and I beſeech you obſerve this in the concluſion, and carry it away) That a gracious heart accounts all the world dung and droſs to be conformable to Jeſus Chriſt in his ſufferings; there is ſo much excellencie and glorie in the Sufferings of Jeſus Chriſt. Now you ſee the wide difference between Afflictions and Sin: Sin makes a man conformable to the Devil; Afflictions make a man conformable to Jeſus Chriſt. I would have ſhewed wherein, in ſeveral Particulars, how ſin makes us conformable to the Devil: I will but name this one now, and that which might be enough to make every ſoul out of love with Sin, in that by Sin thou joyneſt with the Devil, and conſpireſt with the Devil againſt God himſelf. There is no Creature that is againſt God, but Men and Devils: The Devil was Gods firſt Enemie, and now man comes in and conſpires with the Devil. Now we account it a great evil if you had a Child; and if there were but one Traitor in the Common wealth, and you hear, Oh my Child is joyned with this Traitor, and conſpireth againſt me and the State. Before ſinful Man, there was but one ſort of ſinful Creatures in the world, the Devils: now by Sin, Man comes in, and joyns in conſpiracie againſt the bleſſed God; and ſo one Generation after another: perhaps the Father comes and conſpires with the Devil, and then the Child; and ſo along in a Succeſſion. And this ſhould come neer our hearts to humble us for our ſins and wickedneſs, that in this we be thoſe that of all Creatures that ever God hath made, conſpire with the Devil againſt the bleſſed God, the Fountain of all Good.