The Works of Jeremiah Burroughs 8, Part · Chapter 67
CHAP. LXVII.
Uſe 17 Being of Reprehenſion to ſix ſorts of people. Firſt, It reprehends thoſe that are more afraid of Affliction than Sin. Secondly, It reprehendeth thoſe that are careful to keep themſelves from ſin, but it's meerly for fear of affliction. For 1 This may be without change of Nature. 2 Thy obedience is forced. 3 Thou art not unbottomed from thy ſelf. 4 Thou art not like to hold out. Alſo two Anſwers to an Objection of thoſe that think they avoid ſin for fear of Hell: 1. Thy Senſitive part may be moſt ſtirr'd by fear; but yet thy rational part may be moſt carried againſt ſin as ſin. 2. Thoſe that avoid ſin meerly for fear, never come to love the Command that forbid the ſin. 3 They are willingly ignorant of many ſins. 4. Thoſe that avoid ſin, and not out of fear; even when they fear, God will deſtroy them; then they deſire God may be glorified. 5. Thoſe that avoid ſin out of fear, do not ſee the excellency of Godlineſs, ſo as to be inamored with it. Thirdly, It reprehends thoſe that will ſin to avoid affliction. Fourthly, It rebukes ſuch, as when they are under affliction, they be more ſenſible of affliction than of ſin. Alſo there is five Diſcoveries whether mens affliction or ſin trouble them. Fifthly, It reprehends thoſe that get out of Affliction by ſinful courſes, and yet think they do well. Sixthly, It reprehends thoſe that after deliverance from affliction, can bleſs themſelves in their ſins.
Uſe XVII. COme we now to the laſt thing. The laſt Uſe is this (I wil but ſhew what might have been ſaid, and ſo wind up all) There are ſix ſorts of People, that from this Point are reprehended. You ſhall ſee all Naturally follow from the Point in hand, that there is greater Evil in Sin than in Affliction.
Firſt, Such kind of people as be more afraid of Affliction than of ſin. There be many people very …hy of Affliction and ſolicitous to prevent Affliction, but not to prevent Sin. Many reaſon thus, I had need be a good Huſband, and lay up ſomwhat, I know not what I may meet withal before I die, I may want before I die: many are penurious and covetous, and will not enlarge themſelves to good uſes when God calls, becauſe they be afraid they and their Children may want before they die; who knows what we may meet withal? and thus they are careful to prevent Affliction. But for Sin, they do not lay up to prevent that; whereas we ſhould be very ſolicitous, leaſt we ſhould be drawn into temptation, and therefore we are taught to pray, Lead us not into temptation, as well as, Forgive us our treſpaſſes: True, God keeps me from ſuch and ſuch ſins, but what if God ſhould leave me to temptation? what a wretched Creature ſhould I be if ever this corrupt heart of mine ſhould prevail againſt me? as I have cauſe to fear, I find ſuch wickedneſs boyling and bubling up, and ſuch proneneſſe to ſuch and ſuch ſin; if the Lord be not infinitely merciful to me I ſhall break out to the diſhonor of his Name, ſcandal of Religion, and wounding of my Conſcience; and this God knows cauſes the moſt ſolicitous care that I ever had, leaſt my heart ſhould break out againſt God, to the ſcandal of that holy Profeſſion I have taken upon me. Oh is it thus with you? Oh this were a happy thing indeed As when men hear of one that is broke, they wil inquire what is the reaſon; he had ſuch an Eſtate, what is the reaſon he broke? One (may be) ſaith, he truſted Servants too much, and that cauſed him to break; Oh this will cauſe him to look ſo to it, that he will never truſt his Servants too much: Another (may be) ſaith, Becauſe he lived above his means; and this makes him that he will not live above his means: And another, He will have his Country Houſe, and his Servants riot at home when he is abroad: And another, He truſted too much, and ſuch like Reaſons: Now we will be wiſe to take heed of that which brings others to afflictions. So it ſhould be with us when we ſee any fall into ſin; Profeſſors that made a ſhew of Religion, and afterwards fall foully, inquire now, what is the matter this man broke? he broke his Conſcience, what is the matter? one that had ſuch admirable gifts, and made ſuch a Profeſſion; Oh may be all the time he had a proud heart; therefore I will keep my heart humble: Oh he had Excellent Gifts, and enlargements in Prayer; but he had a ſlight vain Spirit; Oh let me take heed of this root of bit terneſſe in my Soul: He is broke now, but what is the matter? Oh he began to be ſluggiſh and cold in Cloſet work, and ſuch duties in his Family; Oh let me take heed, and keep up communion with God in ſecret in my Cloſet, and in my Family: He broke indeed, but how? Oh ſome ſecret ſin he kept in his boſom, there was ſome ſecret ſin he let his heart hanker after, and now God hath left him to it; now by Gods grace I will look to my ſelf, I will by the grace of God take heed of ſecret ſins. Thus Brethren, if we were ſenſible of the evil of Sin, we would be thus careful to prevent the evil of ſin, as well as the evil of affliction. And ſo many, for their Children, Oh they will be providing for their Children, that they may live like men, and have ſomwhat to take to: but if you were apprehenſive of the evil of ſin, you would provid for their Souls as well as their Bodies; and therefore, Oh let me put him in a good Family, and there he may learn to prevent ſin. This is the Firſt, To reprove thoſe that labor to prevent Affliction, but not Sin.
Secondly, It ſerves to reprove thoſe that be careful to keep themſelves from ſin, but 'tis meerly for fear of affliction, only upon that ground: as if there were not evil enough in ſin it ſelf, but all the evil were in affliction. Certainly theſe men and women underſtand not this, That there is more evil in Sin, than in Affliction; if thou dideſt underſtand, and wert ſenſible of this Point I have treated upon, thou wouldeſt find Arguments enough from ſin it ſelf to keep thee from ſin, though no affliction ſhould follow. Thou abſtaineſt from ſin, what is the reaſon? not becauſe of any great evil thou ſeeſt in ſin, but becauſe of affliction; thy Conſcience tells thee it will bring thee to trouble, and into affliction, and this keeps away ſin: 'Tis true, it is good for men and women to avoid ſin upon any terms, and this is one motive God propounds to avoid ſin by, but this is not all or the chief motive; becauſe of affliction, and trouble, Conſcience tells thee, God will be even with thee, and the wrath of God purſues thee: very few come ſo far, to have ſuch apprehenſions of the evil conſequences of ſin, and to avoid ſin upon them grounds: But you ſhould labor, not only to avoid ſin from the evil conſequences of ſin, but for the evil of ſin it ſelf; for if thou avoid ſin only from the evil conſequences of ſin: Know,
1 This may be without change of Nature; a man or a woman may be in ſuch an eſtate, as they may not dare to commit ſome ſin out of fear of trouble that may follow, and yet not his Nature changed: as a Wolf chained up, may be the ſame that he was before he was chained up; his nature is not changed.
2 If meerly for fear of trouble thou forbeareſt ſin; then know, thy ſervice and obedience is forced ſervice and obedience, and ſo not accepted when meerly forced.
3 If thou avoid ſin meerly for fear of affliction, then thou art not yet unbottomed off from thy ſelf, not quite taken off from thy ſelf.
4 If thou avoid ſin meerly to prevent affliction, then thou art not like to hold out; that is a principle in Nature, nothing is perpetual that is violent; and this is violent, to avoid ſin meerly for fear of affliction: ſuch men and women will not hold out, if there be no other principle than this, they will fall off at laſt, they will abate at laſt, and ſo they will come to fall off.
But you will ſay, Oh Lord, this is my condition; I am afraid. There are I ſuppoſe many in this Congregation may, and do apply theſe things, and it ſtrikes to their hearts to think, Lord, then I am afraid I have no grace at all; for it is true, I have avoided ſin, and have not gone on in the ſame ſins others have done; but for my own part, for ought I know, meerly out of fear of Hell and Affliction, and trouble that will follow, rather than from any other evil in ſin: What is there no grace in me that avoid ſin for fear of affliction?
For the helping of them that apply it otherwiſe than it ſhould be, to conclude there is no grace at all. Therefore,
1 Know, That though the Senſitive part may not be ſo much ſtirred from the beholding the evil of ſin, as of affliction, yet the Rational part may more work againſt ſin as ſin, than from affliction that follows. How will this follow (will you ſay) that the Rational part is not ordered by the Senſitive? Thus: If I put my finger in the fire, there will be more pain to Sence, than if I endured that which is a hundred times worſe: as, ſuppoſe a Prince ſhould loſe his Kingdom, that is a greater evil than to have his finger a little burnt; yet there would be more to ſence for the inſtant, than can be in the other: But if he come to the Rational part, to chuſe which he will take, he will rather take that which is moſt painful for the preſent. So the troubled ſoul, though to ſence it find more from the fear of evil; but if it were put to its choice, he will chuſe any affliction rather than ſin; ſo that the Rational part fears its ſin more than its affliction: For if it were thus, that it might have its choice, that it might commit ſuch a ſin without any affliction, or ſuch an affliction without ſin; which will you take? Certainly that ſoul in the rational part, will chuſe the affliction without ſin, rather than the ſin without the affliction.
But yet I have here more to ſay to ſuch, to ſatisfie the Conſciences of thoſe that are troubled, and that ſay they be afraid that they avoid ſin from fear of affliction: To ſee if there may not yet be grace.
2 Know therefore, That man or woman that avoids ſin meerly from fear of affliction, though he avoids the ſin, he never comes to love the command that forbids that ſin; but is weary of Gods Command: But now a ſoul that doth not only avoid ſin through fear, but withal hath a love to that command that binds his Spirit alſo: if thou find it thus, that thou haſt a love to that command that forbids that ſin that thou doeſt avoid; certainly thou doeſt not avoid it meerly from fear of affliction. Thoſe that avoid ſin meerly from fear of affliction, they do not commit ſin becauſe they dare not; but in the mean time would be glad if there were no command againſt it. As it was the Speech of one that cried out, Oh that God had never made the ſeventh Commandement: He had an inlightened conſcience, but a filthy heart; but conſcience now ſtood in his way, he hates therefore the Command that forbid that ſin; Oh that that Command had never been made, ſaith he. So thoſe that meerly refrain ſin from fear of trouble and Hell, though they keep from the ſin, yet they never love the Command that forbids ſin: But if thy heartcloſe with the Command, and ſaith it is good, holy, and righteous, and bleſſed be God for this holy Law; peace be to thy ſoul: it is not thy caſe to avoid ſin for fear of affliction, but for ſin it ſelf.
3 To ſatisfie thoſe Conſciences: Thoſe that avoid ſin meerly from fear of affliction, they are willingly ignorant of many ſins; they do willingly turn their eyes from the Law of God that forbids ſin: True, they dare not go on in the commiſſion of thoſe ſins directly againſt Conſcience, Conſcience will not ſuffer them: now becauſe they have a mind to ſin, they wink with their eyes, and be loth to be convinced that it is a ſin, becauſe that they have a heart delighting to cloſe with the ſin: there is a great deal of deceit this way. But now when a mans or a womans Conſcience tels them this; It is the deſire of my ſoul to know any ſin, and if I find there be a ſin that I am ignorant of in the way I walk, I could ſpend night and day till I come to know it; and when I have found it out, I hope my Soul ſhould come to rejoyce that God hath revealed that to be ſin, that before I knew not to be ſin. But now one that avoids ſin for fear of affliction, if he know it not, he can go on quietly, and therefore is willing to go on in that ignorance, and therefore is loth to take pains to know a ſin to be ſin; if he have any fear of, or ſuſpition that ſuch a gainful way, or pleaſant way be ſin, if he fear it, ſaith he, give me time to examin whether it be ſin or no, & he is willing to paſs over examinatiō, that ſo he may go on & injoy his luſt without fear. But now wher the heart is right, if there come to be ſuſpition that ſuch a way is ſinful, though I have got never ſo much by it, yet it muſt be left off; I muſt, if this be ſin, come to live lower than I have done; yea, my conſcience tells me, if this be found to be ſin, I muſt come down; yet my heart tells me, I would with all my heart know it, and aſk counſel of them that know the mind of God, and beg of God that he would diſcover to me whether this be a ſin or no. But now thoſe that avoid ſin for fear, they when they aſk counſel, will be ſure to aſk their advice (whether ſuch a ſin be a ſin or no) that be of their mind.
4 Thoſe men that are willing to avoid ſin, not out of fear, but becauſe of the evil of ſin it ſelf, they ſhall find this diſpoſition in their ſouls; At ſuch a time as they be even afraid God will deſtroy them for ſin, they even then deſire God may be glorified; though I periſh, let God be glorified. But thoſe that avoid ſin out of fear, when they apprehend there is no hope, they be ready to fly in Gods face: nay, if I muſt be damned, I will be damned for ſomwhat; if I muſt periſh, I will periſh for ſomwhat: But that ſoul that fears ſin for the evil of it, it ſaith, well, though I periſh, and am damned, yet let God be glorified, though I periſh: Certainly thou avoideſt not ſin meerly out of fear.
5 Again, Thoſe that avoid ſin out of fear, they do not ſee the beauty and excellency of godlineſs in others, ſo as to be enamored with it. Some avoid ſin out of diſlike and hatred of ſin; and doeſt thou ſee a beauty in theſe, and doeſt thou ſay, Oh that I were in ſuch a condition. Thoſe that can ſee the excellency of grace in others, and priſe and love it in others; certainly there is ſome Seed of that grace in their ſouls. So now, they that have no grace, envy others that have grace: but they that have grace rejoyce in thoſe that they ſee have any grace. This is the ſecond Particular, rebuking thoſe that avoid ſin meerly out of fear of affliction, together with ſatisfaction to that caſe of Conſcience, becauſe I know it lies heavy upon men and womens Souls
Thirdly, The Conſideration of this Point, doth rebuke ſuch as are ſo ſhy of affliction as that they will fall into ſin to prevent affliction. Certainly this is a fooliſh choiſe, for any to be ſo afraid of affliction, as to prevent affliction, rather venture upon ſin. As if a man ſhould ſee a Craggy way, and he will rather turn into a puddlely way, one all mire and dirt, than endure one hard and craggy: Thou ſeeſt the waies of God hard and craggy, and thou turneſt into the puddlely and dirty waies of ſin to avoid that hard craggy way: well, if God have a love to thee, he will bring thee back again, and thou muſt go that way that thou wilt not now. Auguſtine hath this Expreſſion in his Confeſſions, ſaith he, When God firſt convinced me, I was convinced of the rightneſs of Gods way, but I ſaw the trouble in it, and I cried out, it pleaſeth not me well to go in ſuch troubleſom waies. So many men and women, be convinced of Gods waies, but they ſhall ſuffer ſuch trouble in them, and they muſt go through ſuch traits; and to prevent this, they will chuſe ſin. Certainly Brethren, it was not long, ſince there was a time, that thoſe that made conſcience of ſin, were ſubject to many troubles, and ſuffered much; when (we know) if a man departed from evil, it was enough to make him a prey: I beſeech you, ſee if you did not (to prevent ſome ſuffering) commit ſome ſin: Some of you when brought to be ſworn Vaſſals to thoſe Courts, that never were by Gods Inſtitution; had you not ſome remorſe in conſcience? (I mean the Church-Wardens, as they ſtiled them) and when you were put to ſuch Oaths, had you never inward regreet in your Conſciences? but yet you muſt be excommunicated if you did not take the Oath; and if you did, then you bound your ſelves, not only to be their Vaſſals (which were not of God) but beſides, you bound your ſelves to be Perſecutors of the Saints by it: for certainly, the fulfilling of all their Cannons, it was meerly perſecution, and yet you were their ſworn Vaſſals; and yet becauſe you were afraid of trouble, you ventured and made bold with your Conſcience; Oh look back to theſe things. If you will ſay, now Miniſters ſpeak againſt ſuch things; you ſhould have done ſo two or three yeers ago. For my own part, I did then, two, three, four, or five yeers ago, and was of the ſame mind I am now; and through the ſtrength of Chriſt and Gods mercy to me, I ventured ſomwhat, and therefore I may the more freely and boldly ſpeak now; not becauſe it was meerly to keep from danger that I have ſpoke no more, for I did ſpeak it hertofore. But now look back what regreet of conſcience you had; and yet meerly for fear of affliction, thou paſedſt through that regreet of Conſcience: It were juſt with God to make affliction more ſore and heavy; and thoſe that will avoid the affliction by ſin, God may juſtly bring back that affliction: But this would be a large Argument, to ſpeak to thoſe that will not venture upon ſuffering, but run upon ſin.
Fourthly, This rebukes ſuch, that when they be under affliction, yet they be a great deal more ſenſible of affliction than of ſin. This is againſt the Point, that ſaith there is more evil in ſin than in affliction; and yet when you be under affliction, you be more ſenſible of the evil of affliction than of ſin. There be divers ſorts of theſe, and divers things to be ſaid to theſe.
1 As ſome prophane wicked men that commit horrible wickedneſſe, that it is a wonder their Conſcience flies not in their faces, and tears not their hearts out of their boſom, for the woful guilt upon them; and yet they are never ſtirred: But when Gods hand is upon them, in ſome grievous Sickneſſe, they cry out for pain, but not one whit ſenſible of ſin, that never comes in their minds; but their pains and diſeaſe: and when their friends come, they complain of grievous nights, and what heat they be in with their Feaver, and how they burn, and have been tormented, but not a word of ſin; all their guilt, the Sabbath breaking, oaths, company keeping, oppoſition of goodneſſe, this lies not upon their Conſcience at all: Oh! theſe be wretched creatures, beſotted, guilty, hard hearted, left of God to the day of His Righteous Judgement.
2 Others, when they be under Gods hand, they lie fretting, and vexing, and murmuring, and repining: As Solomon ſaith, Prov. 19. 3. Man perverts his way, and his heart frets againſt God: Firſt perverts his way, and yet when Gods hand is upon them, fret againſt Gods way; thou ſhouldſt fret againſt thine own heart for Sin; but thou freteſt againſt God for Affliction.
3 A Third ſort, and theſe principally I intend, and they be ſuch that when they be in Affliction, will complain much of ſin, and ſeem to put all the trouble upon Sin; but in truth their trouble is more for affliction than ſin. Now I would find out theſe (it will require time) I ſuppoſe I might cull out a great many that it may be make a great complaint of ſin, and yet the truth is, that which lies at the heart and pincheth there, is Affliction rather than ſin. How do you know this? If a man come and complain, Oh this wretched heart of mine, and pray help me againſt it; how can you tell it is for Affliction and not for ſin? Perhaps they have had great loſſe by Sea; brought their names into diſgrace, loſt ſuch a friend, are pincht with poverty; and then come and lay all upon ſin: whereas it is the affliction that lies in the heart, this pincheth them moſt. Many men and women, account it a kind of ſhame to complain of Affliction, this they think a diſgrace, and therefore that they might not have the diſgrace of complaining of Affliction, they turn all upon ſin; and tis ſin troubles them. Now I would find them out thus.
1 You ſhal find many that come and complain of Sin: who do they complain to? to ſtrangers, that know little of them and their condition, rather than to others that are acquainted with al their wayes, and their whole-courſes, though able to help them: for there is a great deal of Suſpition in that; for certainly if your heart be right, you will make complaint to thoſe that know moſt of your waies and courſes; but thoſe that be ſtrangers, you can go and complain to in ſome general way; and perhaps to ſome that may be ſome way able to help and relieve you in Affliction; but wil not complain to thoſe that may help you againſt Sin, if they be not able to help otherwiſe.
2 Another is this, Thoſe that make complaint of Sin (and indeed not true) it is affliction, not Sin; you may know it by this, Though they complain of Sin, it is in general terms, Oh! they be vile ſinful Creatures, but never come to rip up the ſecrets of their hearts to thoſe that they complain unto: But now any ſecret ſins that might cauſe ſhame, they be kept in, and never opened. But that is their general complaint, That they be vile ſinful Creatures; whereas if it were ſin that lay upon thy heart, thou wouldeſt come and open all thy ſecret ſins to thoſe that are faithful and willing and able to help thee, if thou judgeſt them faithful, if thou doſt not judge them ſo, why complaineſt thou, to them? if thou thinkeſt they be, thou wilt be willing to open all thy ſins to them. But if thou art all upon general terms, it is a dangerous ſign, it is Affliction, and not Sin.
3 Again, Many complain to others, but very little between God and their own Souls in ſecret; their complaints be more large, when they come to them than when they are between God and their own ſouls in their Cloſſets: now if it be for thy ſin thou complaineſt, then though thou doſt complain to them that through Gods bleſſing may help, yet thy chief complaint will be to God at the throne of grace, and there thou wilt pour forth thy ſoul in the bitterneſſe of thy heart. Many come to the Miniſter and complain That they be wretched ſinners, but ſcarce go to God in ſecret: or content themſelves with ſome Prayers, juſt as they are in the Book, or the like, but never pour forth their ſouls in ſecret for ſin. This is another Note that it is rather for Affliction, than for ſin.
4 Another Note is this, If it be for Affliction more than for ſin, any one that hath grief upon them, according to that grief that is upon them, they be ready to aggravate that grief: As thus, ſuppoſe a man or a woman troubled for the death of their Father, or Husband, or Wife, Oh ſuch a ones dear friend is dead, father dead, or husband, or wife is dead; well, they be mightily troubled and perplexed for this: Now if any come and ſpeak any thing to aggravate their ſorrow, they cloſe with it preſently; as thus, You complain of ſorrow for your father; I he was a loving father, and they preſently cloſe with it, and this aggravates their ſorrow; and ſo you have loſt your husband; Oh! never woman loſt ſo precious a husband as I! ſo that which is ſpoken to aggravate that which lies upon the ſpirits of men and women they be ready to cloſe withal. So now, if you would know what lies upon your ſpirits, when men and women be troubled, for tryal, what they be troubled for, here is the art of a Miniſter, or a Chriſtian to find out what lies upon the ſpirits of men or women; ſome ſay ſin; well, but it may be its not that; how ſhall we find it out? Thus, Whatſoever lies upon the heart that troubles them, they will be very willing to acknowledge any thing ſaid to agravate it that lies upon their Spirits moſt. If any come and tell them of the Evil of Sin, and agrravate it, and ſay, This is an evil condition, and you muſt be humbled for it, and throughly apply the Word of God to them, to ſhew how deeply they are to be humbled, and lay ſin before them in its right colours: if ſin trouble them, they joyn with it, and ſay, It is evil indeed, the Lord humble me, and ſhew me more of this Evil of Sin, and they like that Word of God that layes home the Evil of Sin moſt. But if it be not Sin that they are troubled for, by theſe ſpeakings againſt Sin their hearts be hardened, and their hearts riſe againſt the aggravation of ſin; but if it be Affliction, come and pitty and condole them, and ſay, Alas! you have ſuch ſorrows, and troubles, and Oh! poor Creatures it is pitty but ſome others ſhould help you; I, they take this, and this aggravates their ſorrow. 'Tis obſervable in David when he fled from Abſalom, how ready he was to entertain any thing that might aggravate his ſorrow. When Ziba came and accuſed Mephiboſheth, though it were very unlikely, he preſently embraceth it. So when a man is under Affliction, he will readily hear, and embrace what may aggravate it, and a man under trouble for Sin, will readily embrace that which will aggravate his Sin; this is an excellent Note to come to know where the burthen pincheth, whether it be Sin, or Affliction.
5 The laſt Note to try whether Sin or Affliction trouble thee, is this, There is according to the trouble of the heart for ſin, a favorineſſe of Spirit to the contrary good: thy heart will in ſome meaſure have a love to, and a favor and reliſh of that ſpiritual grace contrary to that ſin of thine that thou complaineſt of. But now you have many that complain of ſin, they ſay, but yet their hearts be ſtill as unſavory, and they do no more reliſh ſpiritual and heavenly things, contrary to that ſin that they complain of, than ever they did before. Therefore the burthen and weight lies not upon ſin, but affliction. Take heed, examine thine own heart, there is much deceitfulneſſe in the ſpirits of men and women. Thou takeſt the name of God in vain, when thou comeſt and complaineſt of ſin, and the truth is, thine affliction is upon thee, and if thine affliction were gone, thou wert well enough: perhaps thou art croſt in thy family, if that were taken away thou wert well enough for all ſin. Therfore be ſure thou beeſt faithful with God, and thine own Soul.
A Fift ſort of people to be reprehended are ſuch that get out of Affliction by ſinful wayes, and think they do well. But if there be more Evil in Sin than in Affliction, Then it muſt be a woful getting out if by way of Sin. Many people in ſtraits, if they can get out any way, by hook or by crook, ſo they get out, they care not how: What! haſt thou gotten out of priſon by ſin? thou haſt broke priſon: Juſt like a Malefactor that hath broke priſon, but then there is Hue and Cry ſent after him, and the Conſtable purſues him, and if he be taken, he is laid in the Dungeon, and Bolts put upon him, and is uſed more hardly. So I ſay, if thou art in any Affliction, thou ſhouldeſt lie there till God let thee out; but if you break out before God let you out, Hue and Cry follows you▪ and you will be certainly …ver taken; the Remedy is worſe than the Diſeaſe: this is to ſkip out of the Frying-pan into the Fire. Like a man in a burning Feaver, ſhould he drink a pint of cold water to eaſe himſelf, this may eaſe him a while, but he is ſcorched and parched with heat afterward. This is like as if a man ſhould run from a little Cur that barks at him, and he runs into the mouth of a Lyon. Are you in Affliction, and to prevent it run to Sin? This is juſt as if ſome little Whelp ſhould come at thee, and thou runneſt from it to a Lyon. So much difference there is between Sin and Affliction: Juſt as if you ſhould ſay, God will not, and therefore the Devil ſhall: every man that takes ſin to help him, doth as much as if he ſhould ſay, well, I ſee God will not help, therefore the Devil muſt: For what God doth, he doth by Lawful means, and if thou muſt not have it by Lawful means, thou muſt ſay, well, this way I ſhall not have help, and yet thou wilt have it, and therefore thou wilt to the Devil for it. Certainly if thou kneweſt all, thou wouldeſt have little comfort in this. Wilt thou break thy bounds in ſinful waies to get out of affliction? As many Apprentiſes, becauſe their Maſters chaſtiſe them, run away into many hardſhips: So many men and women, becauſe they have croſſes in their yoke-fellows, break away, and will not live together; and a hundred other particulars I might ſhew how men break from affliction by ſinful waies: but I muſt haſten, only take that place for this in Jeremiah, 28. 13. Go tell Hananiah, ſaying, thus ſaith the Lord, Thou haſt broken the yokes of Wood, but thou ſhalt make for them, yokes of Iron: When God ſent a yoke of Wood to declare what affliction the people ſhould bear, Hananiah breaks it; yea ſaith God, hath he broke them? go tell him, he ſhall have a yoke of Iron. Thou breakeſt off the yoke of affliction; know from God, thou ſhalt have a yoke of Iron.
Sixtly, This reprehends thoſe, that after deliverance from affliction, can bleſs themſelves in their ſin, though they be not delivered from that. There was ſuch a ſickneſs thou hadeſt, and there thou laieſt in anguiſh of Spirit, and every one thought thou wouldeſt die, then thou thoughteſt thou ſhouldeſt to Hell; well, thou art delivered, and art as bad as ever, as unclean as ever, as covetous as ever, as malicious and prophane as ever; Oh know thy condition is woful. I remember Auſtine hath this Speech of one, Thou haſt loſt the benefit of affliction as well as thou haſt loſt the affliction: Oh it is a heavy loſs, to loſe affliction without profit, for this is the laſt means God uſually uſeth, and therefore thou art worſe than before thou wert: it may be thou wert troubled with the ſtone, and thou art cut of the ſtone, but haſt as hard a heart as ever; What is the ſtone gone from the bladder, and the ſtone in the heart ſtill? Oh! God it may be ſent this to cure thy heart, and thou art delivered from the one, and thou art glad of that; Oh know, that thou art in a woful caſe, for ſin by this means hath gotten firmer root, becauſe it hath withſtood affliction; as if the Arrow were taken out, and the venom ſtill remains. Now all I ſhall ſay is this, The Lord ſeal all theſe Truths about the Evil of Sin upon your hearts, all I have ſaid of the Evil of Sin. I muſt be brought at the day of Judgment to avouch and juſtifie what I have delivered: and know every one of you here, at that great Audit Day, muſt be brought to anſwer, what, and how you have heard, and what effect it hath had upon you all. Conſider what hath been ſaid, and the Lord give you underſtanding in all things.
FINIS.