VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (31) to VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (33)

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (31)

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

think 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[gap]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. [gap], 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

is 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. [gap], 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.

22. 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 onely 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 [gap]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?

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (32)

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.

3. 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 onely 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 onely 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

occasion 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 [gap], 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; [gap], 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[gap]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[gap] 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

frequently 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: [gap]· 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

the 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.

VSE V. Comfort to the people of God. (33)

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[gap] 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 onely 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 onely 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

take 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; 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

sweeter 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 onely 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.

First, From the Evil of our Heart. It is call'd [gap], an Evil Heart, Hebr. 3.12.

Secondly, From the Evil of Satan. He is call'd [gap], 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 [gap] 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.