Tropes and Figures, Treatise 1 · Head 10 · Part 7
Sin compared to Poyſon.
Rom. 3.13. The Poyſon of Aſps is under their Tongues.
POyſon of Aſps denotes, 1. Sometimes great Puniſhments. Job 6.4. & 20.16. He ſhall ſuck the Poyſon of Aſps, &c. 2. Sometimes corrupt Doctrine, and Hereſies, wherewith Men poyſon themſelves and Followers. Deut. 32.33. Their Wine is the Poyſon of Dragons, i. e. their Doctrine; So Ainſworth, Rev. 17.2. With the Wine of her Fornication: Which intends Venom and Poyſon of the Devil, the old Dragon; or the deteſtable Superſtition and Idolatry of Antichriſt, and Church of Rome. 3. It ſignifies the cruel Malice and Rage of Men.
Note. Sin is the Venom or Poyſon of the Serpent, or the old Dragon.
Parallels.
POyſon inflames, heats, and (as it were) ſets the Body on fire: So Sin inflames, heats, and ſets (as it were) a Man's Spirit on fire. What a Heat doth the Devil put ſome Men in, by ſtirring up their Wrath, Rage, and Malice againſt their Neighbours!
II. Poyſon cauſeth a great and extreme Thirſt. Groſs or dreggiſh Liquor will not quench the fiery Thirſt of Poyſon;Caryl. it drinks (ſaith one) nothing but pure Spirits: So Sin ſtirs up an inſatiable Deſire or Thirſt after Revenge, as alſo after the Pleaſures, Profits, and Honours of this World, which nothing can allay, but the Water of Life, which Jeſus Chriſt gives; John 4.14.
III. Poyſon gets quickly (ſaith one) to the Spirit, 'tis ſubtil and ſpiritful,Plutarch. and in a very little time will corrupt the whole Maſs of Blood, &c. So Sin in a little time corrupted the whole Lump of Mankind. Adam had no ſooner ſinned againſt God, but the ſpiritual Poyſon and Venom thereof ſtruck to his Heart, corrupting every Faculty of his Soul, and not only ſo, but alſo the Souls of all his Poſterity. [See Wounds.]
IV. 'Tis noted by Plutarch, that when an Aſp ſtings a Man, it doth firſt tickle him, and makes him laugh, till the Poyſon by little and little gets to the Heart, and then it pains and torments him, more than ever it delighted him before: So doth Sin, it may pleaſe a little at firſt: Though Wickedneſs be ſweet in his Mouth, Job. 20 12tho he hide it under his Tongue, though he ſpare it, and forſake it not, but keepeth it ſtill within his Mouth: Yet his Meat in his Bowels is turned, it is the Gall of Aſps within him. Forbidden Profits and Pleaſures are very delightful to carnal Men, and many love to be medling with theſe poyſoning Morſels of Sin. Many eat that on Earth, which they digeſt in Hell. Men muſt not think to dine and dance with the Devil, and then to ſup with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, in God's Kingdom.
V. Poyſon in a Toad or Serpent, ſuits and agrees well with their Nature; but Poyſon in a Man's Stomach makes fearful Work, it being of a contrary Nature: So Sin in a wicked Man, one that hath no ſpark of true Grace in him▪ ſeems to be ſuitable, and agree well with him, his whole Nature being ſo grievouſly corrupted, and changed into the evil Nature thereof, he having uſed himſelf ſo long in ſinful Ways, that Sin, (viz. open Prophaneneſs, Superſtition, and Error) is habitual, and become natural to him, as Poyſon to a Toad. Naturaliſts ſay, That if a Man take a little quantity of Poyſon at a time, and ſo accuſtom himſelf to it,☜ it will at length become ſo natural to him, that he may take it as Food: Even ſo wicked Men, by a continual Courſe and evil Cuſtom in Sin, drink it down as pleaſant Liquor, (like as the Fiſh drinks Water.) But now Sin to a true Chriſtian, is like much Poyſon in a Man's Stomach: 'tis contrary to that new Nature, and divine Principle, which is wrought in him by the Spirit of God; he cannot bear nor endure it, he hates every falſe Way:Rom. 7. That which I hate, that do I.
VI. Poyſon is deadly in its own Nature, and of a killing and deſtroying Quality, if not timely vomited up, by taking ſome fit and proper Antidote, &c. So Sin, (whether fleſhly or ſpiritual, viz. ſenſual Debauchery, or Hereſy) will kill and deſtroy all where-ever it is, both Body and Soul, eternally, except by true Repentance it be vomited up. Tho Men take it down as ſweet Wine,Prov. 23.31. and are not preſently ſenſible of any harm; yet at laſt it will bite like a Serpent, and ſting like an Adder.
VII. Oil will expel Poyſon, and it is often given to Perſons who have taken it, to cauſe them to vomit it up: So the Oil of Gladneſs, viz. the Spirit of God, is the beſt Antidote in the World, to expel and work out the Poyſon of Sin in the Soul. [See Oil of Gladneſs, in the Firſt Volume, Book 2.]
Inferences.
WHat do Sinners mean? will they poyſon themſelves? are they void of Underſtanding, to take down the Poyſon of Dragons? Will they wilfully murther themſelves? What Blindneſs and Folly is in their Hearts!
II. O how ſhould this ſtir up the Godly to pity wicked Men, and to ſtrive, as much as lieth in their Power, to prevent their ſinning, and endeavour to turn away their Wrath!
III. It may alſo caution Believers to take heed of Sin, and of the Venom of an evil Tongue, as alſo of the Poyſon of Hereſy and Error.
IV. Let Sinners alſo learn from hence timely to look out for Help. O get a fit Antidote to ſave you from this Poyſon!
Ah! what is Sin? 'tis Poyſon in a Cup,
That's gilt without, and Men do drink it up,
Moſt earneſtly, with joy and much delight,
Being pleaſant to the carnal Appetite.
Sin's ſweet to him whoſe Soul is out of taſte,
But long (alas!) its Sweetneſs will not laſt.
Sin's ſweet to th' Fleſh, that does it dearly love;
But to the Soul it doth rank Poyſon prove.
Haſt thou ſuck'd this moſt deadly Venome in?
And doſt not ſee thy vital Parts begin
To ſwell? Art poyſon'd, Soul? Look, look about,
To get an Antidote to work it out,
Before it be too late, the Poyſon's ſtrong,
Don't ſtay a Week, twelve Hours is too long.
One drachm of Grace, mix'd with repenting Tears,
The Grace of perfect Love, that caſts out Fears,
Mix'd with that Faith which kills all Unbelief,
Took down with ſpeed, will eaſe thee of thy Grief;
'Twill purge the Soul, and work by Vomit well,
And all vile Dregs of Venome 'twill expell.
Unleſs thou vomit up each Dreg, be ſure
No hope of Life; one Sin will Death procure,
Eternal Death: Repentance is not right,
'Till Sin, nay, every Sin's forſaken quite.
Not only left, but as a poyſonous Cup,
Thou muſt it loath, 'tis hateful, ſpue it up.