2. In a Moral Sense

1 Sin has degraded man by defiling him, and tantum non almost unmanned him; for as our text speaks of sin as a man, so the holy Scripture speaks of man as if he were sin, and every man were a man of sin (made up of sin) whether we consider the outer or inner man. Man was a very noble thing, made little lower than the angels (Psalm 8). But alas by sin he is made almost as low as devils: man was once a companion for God himself, but sin has separated between God and him, sin has robbed man of his primitive excellence; of a lord he is become a servant, indeed a slave to creatures, to devils, and lusts of all sorts. Now this debasement came by defilement, which defilement cleaves.

1 To his body; for the flesh is filthy (2 Corinthians 7:1), and the body needs sanctifying and cleansing (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The body is a body of sin, the members are servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity (Romans 6:19). Take him from head to foot, from the crown of that to the sole of this, there's no whole (because not holy) part in him, but all filthy and full of putrefactions and sores. If we dissect and anatomize man, we shall find this but too true, for not to name every sin that cleaves to the whole or every part, but in a more general way, it is thus said of sinful men: their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, with their tongues they use deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips, their throat is an open sepulcher (Romans 3:13-14); eyes full of adultery (2 Peter 2:14); the eyelids haughty (Proverbs 30:13); ears dull of hearing (Hebrews 5:11); indeed deaf as the adder (Psalm 58:4-5); the forehead is impudent as a brow of brass (Isaiah 48:4); both hands are employed to work iniquity (Micah 7:3); the belly an idol-god (Philippians 3:19); the feet are swift to shed blood (Romans 3:15). And if we look within, their inward part is very wickedness (Hebrew: wickednesses) (Psalm 5:9). The gall is a gall of bitterness, in a moral as in a natural sense; the spleen is affected, indeed infected with envy and malice; what part is there which is not the seat of one or other evil? Indeed this defilement cleaves.

2 To the soul, which is the principal subject of it; it is not only flesh but spirit that is filthy (2 Corinthians 7:1). God's image was more in and on the soul than the body of man, and sin's ambition and envy is to deprive the soul of this image; righteousness and holiness were stamped on man's soul, but sin has blotted this image and superscription, which once told from where it came, and to whom it belonged, so that man is fallen short of the glory of God, and the glory of being God's. It must be new created or renewed till God will own it for his, because till then his image is not legible, if it (in this sense) be at all, for there is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10).

It is not any one faculty only that sin has defiled, but like a strong poison, it soaks and eats through all; that whereas all was holy, and holiness to the Lord, it is now evil, and evil against the Lord (Genesis 6:5). Every imagination (figment or creature) of the heart is only evil continually; indeed, the flood, which washed away so many sinners, could not wash away sin; the same heart remains after the flood, as before (Genesis 8:21). And as it was with the heart of man from his youth, it has continued to be to this old and decrepit age of the world; for to this day there proceeds out of the heart the same evil thoughts, words and deeds, that then did (Matthew 15:20). And from this unclean fountain issues forth all that defiles the man.

Sin has made the heart of man deceitful, and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), and it is hardened in impenitency through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:12-13). Indeed, though thereby man does nothing but undo himself, and treasure up wrath against the day of wrath (Romans 2:5), it makes man obstinate, that he will not be saved, but will be damned. "You will not come to me that you may have life" (John 5:40). "As for the word of the Lord, we will not hearken, but we will certainly do whatever thing goes forth out of our own mouth" (Jeremiah 44:16-17). And it is out of the abundance of folly and madness that is in men's hearts (and bound up there) that they thus speak, not only vain thoughts and words, but villainous ones bubble and break forth from this corrupt fountain, which sets the tongue on fire of hell, that the devil could not broach and belch out more horrid blasphemies against God, than the tongues and hearts of sinful men. It has defiled and spoiled man's memory and conscience also; his memory, how treacherous is it as to good, but alas too tenacious as to evil! The conscience is become an evil conscience, and in many a seared conscience. Thus all over, without and within is man defiled and polluted, of which I may speak yet more in another place, only at present a little more largely, to show how sin has almost put out man's eyes, and even extinguished the candle of the Lord; how it has dimmed and benighted man's leading faculty, the understanding, which should show a man the difference between good and evil, and guide him in the way wherein he should walk, but is now too often an ignis fatuus, that leads men into bogs and ditches, into errors and immoralities.

Sin has: 1. Blinded man's understanding, and made him ignorant. 2. Depraved his understanding, and made him a fool.

1 Sin has darkened man's understanding: poor man is wise to do evil, but to do good has no knowledge (Jeremiah 4:22); indeed there is none that understands (namely, as, and what he ought) (Romans 3:11). All the workers of iniquity have no knowledge (Psalm 14:4). Poor man is covered with Egyptian thick darkness, indeed said to be not only dark, but darkness (in the abstract) (Ephesians 5:8); and (which is sad) is in love with darkness (John 8:19), and his light is darkness (Matthew 6:23). That man is in darkness by sin, is clear as the light of the sun by the light of Scripture truth, beside that of sad experience; for in general when men are converted, they are called out of, and turned from darkness to light (Acts 26:18; 1 Peter 2:9). And our Lord Jesus came to be, and give light to them that sat in darkness (Luke 1:76-79). And indeed none but he can open the eyes of them that are born blind (John 9). He was the light of the world, which without him is a dark dungeon.

More particularly it appears that man is dark: 1 By his groping, which is constantly attributed to blindness and darkness in the Scripture: Be pleased to peruse (Deuteronomy 28:29, Job 5:14, and 12:25, Isaiah 59:10). Man had (like Solomon's wise man) his eyes in his head, and clearly saw his way before him; the door and way of peace and happiness lay wide open to him; but now (like the blind Sodomites) he gropes to find the door of hope, and wearies himself in vain pursuits: Man has lost his way, since he lost his eyes. Poor man catches at every straw, grasps every trifle, if he can but find out what's good for him! Oh how did Solomon seek and search this and that, to the tiring and vexing of himself, till the true light guided him into the true way? How did he grope after happiness, but felt none, till he came to fear God, etc. (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

2 Man's darkness is evident by this, That though the light shine, yet his darkness comprehends it not (John 1:5). Ah how blind is that man, who at mid-day (when the Sun shines in full strength) sees it not! It was no great wonder that the Law was darkness to man, for Moses had a veil on his face; but that the Gospel, the clearest light that ever shone in the world; that Christ himself, the brightness of his Father's glory, should not be comprehended — Oh marvellous darkness! In the innocent Golden Age man could have comprehended the least hint that came from God, and have seen day at a little hole or crevice; he could have looked on the Sun, and his eye not twinkle; but now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit, nor can he discern them. No, the Wisdom of God, the preaching of the Gospel is foolishness to him (1 Corinthians 2:14). This Gospel (while revealed) continues a hidden thing to this blinded world (2 Corinthians 4:3-4), and to know Christ Jesus requires as great a power as was in the Creation, when God commanded light to shine out of darkness, as the Apostle tells us in the same place (2 Corinthians 4:6-7). Again:

3 Man's darkness is apparent, by his walking in all manner of wickedness, which are called the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Good and holy works are of the light (and give light, for they shine (Matthew 5:20)) but wicked works are from darkness; who but blind men would walk in dirt up to the ears, indeed over head and ears? Solomon speaking of wicked men (Proverbs 2:13) says, that they leave the paths of uprightness, and walk in the ways of darkness; which is a clear argument of their darkness, especially if we add this consideration to it, the boldness of men in sinning (who more bold than the blind?) that they rush like horses into the battle, without fear or wit. Did men see the danger that attends sin and wickedness; would they follow it to [reconstructed: destruction]? Oh no; he goes after her as a [reconstructed: fool] to the Stocks, till a Dart strikes through [reconstructed: his] Liver; as a Bird hastens to the snare, and knows not, or sees not, that 'tis for his life (Proverbs 7:22-23). For in vain is the Net spread in the sight of any [reconstructed: Bird] (Proverbs 1:17), or of a seeing man.

4 It appears that sin has blinded man, for he knows not where he goes (John 12:35, 1 John 2:11). Men are busy in this world (like a company of Ants) creeping up and down from one Mole-hill to another, but are not so wise, for the Ants know, but poor blind men know not where they go, whether forward or backward, from home, or to home, they are in a maze, and bewildered; they think they are going to pleasure and profit, honor and happiness, but alas they are mistaken, and are going to pain and loss, to disgrace and death. Like the Syrians, who thought they had been going to [reconstructed: Dothan] as conquerors, but were found in Samaria, at the mercy of their enemies; they were hoodwinked with blindness (2 Kings 6). So men think they are going heaven-ward, when alas sin leads them to hell, while their eyes are shut, and they know not where they go.

5 Man's darkness is seen by this; That he stumbles, and knows not at what (John 11:9-10, Proverbs 4:19). Sinners are ever and anon stumbling at Christ Jesus, they are offended at him, but cannot tell for what; something they would complain of, and find fault with, if they knew what; but they seek a knot in a rush — they seek faults where none are to be found. Yet rather than not be offended, this shall be his crime, that he is guilty of none; and the reason why they find so much fault with God, is, because he finds out the faults, and finds fault with them. Man's waspishness and touchiness, his being so captious and ready to take offense at God and godliness, are clear discoveries of his darkness; for did they know him, they would never crucify, nor be offended with the Lord of Life, light and glory. Blessed is he that is not offended with Christ.

6 It is evident that man (ever since the fall) has [reconstructed: bruised his intellect] (damaged his chief faculties) for he knows not his time, nor how to order (his thoughts, words and actions) any of his affairs in season, which is the beauty of all. He could have said as Job (Job 29:3-4): His candle shined upon my head, by his light I walked through darkness, the secret of God was upon my Tabernacle. But alas now he must say, as (Ecclesiastes 8:6-7): because to every purpose there is a time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him, for he knows not what shall be, and who can tell him, when or how it shall be? And (Ecclesiastes 9:12): Man knows not his time. 'Tis not in man to direct his way (Jeremiah 10:23). We cannot order our speech by reason of darkness (Job 37:19). We know not what to pray for as we ought (Romans 8:26). Ah! What a poor sorry silly thing has sin made man!

7 And lastly, it is evident that sin has blinded man, that he can be content to be led, though but by a dog: Inter Caecos Inscus regnare potest, A half-eyed man may reign among the blind: Would a man be led by a dog if he were not blind? He would scorn it: Our Saviour tells us, that the blind lead the blind (Matthew 15:14), and surely if men were not blind, they would never be led by blind guides; but now being in the dark, suitable guides please them best; like people, like Priest, as God complains (Jeremiah 3:31). The Prophets prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so; falsehood and [reconstructed: flattery] was their business, and the people's choice and pleasure: God and godliness, righteousness and holiness were troublesome and tedious, they must have smooth things, and soft pillows, and alas they were fitted to a hair, this suited their tooth, and pleased their palate well: but all this while, it argues undeniably that men are dark and blind, who can be content with such dogs to lead them, yes not only dumb dogs, but blind guides, yes and false Prophets too, who lead them into the ditch of sin, and dungeon of Hell! What does all this argue but man's darkness? And what does that infer but sin's sinfulness in darkening the understanding of man? Is not light good? God that made it saw it so; but now, that the soul is without knowledge, it is not good (Proverbs 19:2). So that sin is against the good of man, in putting out the sight of his eyes, which is worse (in a spiritual sense) than if it had put out the eyes of his body. Man's eyes are very dear to him, God expresses the tenderness he has for his people by this, that they are to him as the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8). And the Apostle sets out the love of the Galatians by this, that they would have pulled out their eyes for him (Galatians 4:15). And to show love to God, we are to pull out our right eye, if it does offend (Matthew 5:29). Israel took great indignation at Naash the Ammonite, that he would have put out their eyes (1 Samuel 11). Herein then lies the malignity of sin, that it has so darkened the eyes of man's understanding, and left it for a reproach. Yet this is not all, but

2 Sin has depraved man's understanding, and made him a fool, a sot, a very brute; ignorant, foolish, and beast, are joined together (Psalm 73:22). Folly is the common name of sin, and so is fools of sinners in the Scripture (Psalm 94:8). O you fools, when will you be wise, that is, O you sinners when will you fear God, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, yes it is wisdom (Job 28:28), yes the top of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Till a man fears God, he does but play the fool, he is indeed unmanned, and beside himself: for of the Prodigal, (the Representative of Sinners and Converts) when he repented and was converted, it is said that he came to himself, and then quickly went to his Father. And in the recovery of man, our Lord Jesus Christ is made of God to us, not only righteousness, but light and wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). We were without that ourselves, which Christ is made to us.

That this is the common case of Jew and Gentile, that is, all men, the Apostle assures us (Romans 3:9-11). Yes, men themselves declare it; and I may say of man, as Solomon does of the fool (Ecclesiastes 10:3), when he walks by the way, he says to every one, that he is a fool; the way and course he takes, his carriage and behavior shows him to be a fool; as a child (so a man) is known by his doings (Proverbs 20:11). As he that does righteousness is righteous, so he that does folly is a fool. And

His folly appears to be very great: 1 With respect and relation to his end or happiness. 2 With respect to the means which relate to the end. 3 By non or ill-improvement of means in relation to the end.

1 Man's folly is but too apparent in relation to his chief and ultimate end, the summum bonum; Man is exceedingly to seek for happiness, where to place it, as how to obtain it. Oh the variety of opinions that men have had about happiness! Varro tells us of a great many, but who can tell us of all? So many men, so many minds; for when man goes from unity, he falls into multitude; he has found out many inventions. Time was when man had light and wisdom enough to know that God was the [illegible], the Supreme and chief good, and that his happiness lay in knowing and enjoying God; but since sin man has become such a fool, as to say in his heart there is no God, at least no happiness in knowing God; for if sin makes not men such atheists as to believe there is no God, yet it makes them such as to wish that there were no God, and to say that it is no happiness to know him, or profit to serve him. Let us eat and drink, and so on, is the voice of more men, than let us seek and serve God. Who will show us any good, namely, corn, wine, and oil, is the voice of many (Psalm 4), yes of all till regenerate. Man has become so sottish and brutish, that he lives by sense: now sense will never look to God who is invisible (that is for faith) but to the creatures which are visible, and the objects of sense. How did Solomon set this out to the life, in his Ecclesiastes, namely, that sense seeks for happiness below God; that man is fond of toys and trifles, and seeks contentment where there is nothing but vexation, as if he could find ease in the place, and element of torment, namely, in hell; he sets his eyes and heart upon that which is not (Proverbs 23:5). The lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life is (the Trinity) the God of this world, and excludes the love of God (1 John 2:15-16).

All things of sense are but for the one (and the worse) half of man, namely the body; and when all a man's labor is for this, with neglect of the soul (which is the principal man of the man) what folly is it? To mind the less, and neglect the greater; to be troubled about these many things, and neglect the one thing necessary, is folly with a witness, and will be followed with a vengeance! What is it to labor for the back and belly (as if it were God) to mind earthly things, and neglect, indeed despise heavenly, but folly in extremity! 'Tis to glory in shame (Philippians 3:19). He that bid his soul take ease, in eating, drinking, and being merry, was called fool; and so (that is, such another fool) is every one that lays up treasure for himself, (his sensual self) and is not rich toward God, as our Savior tells us (Luke 12:16-21), on which text to show the folly of such men. I have discoursed elsewhere (which if God please may in due time come to view) and therefore I shall wholly waive and omit to speak to it here, though I did treat of it when I preached these sermons on the sinfulness of sin. Only —

Before I proceed to the other discoveries of man's folly, in relation to the way and means that lead to happiness, let me briefly prove by three things (among many others that might be named) that man's happiness cannot be made up of any, or all creature enjoyments, of having (though all) the world for a portion. For beside what's newly said:

1 It was not so when man was in Paradise, when not only man but all the creatures were in a better condition than, and not subject to vanity as now they are: All that God made was very good, and Adam had all that God made, and yet that was not his happiness. Now, if the creatures in their best estate were not man's happiness, much less are they so in this their worse estate; so that our sin in placing happiness in creature enjoyment now, is worse than Adam's sin was, for the creatures were then far more alluring, attractive and taking, than now they are. For (as a worthy person expresses it) though the old walls and ruinous palace of the world stands to this day, yet the beauty, gloss and glory of the hangings is soiled and marred with many imperfections cast on every creature. What's without us only cannot be our happiness.

2 That cannot be our happiness which is below us; the design of God's making the creatures was, that they should serve us, and not be served by us. God put Adam (colere) to till the earth, not (colere) to worship the earth, and make a God of it, as earthly-minded men do, for covetousness is [reconstructed: idolatry]. Not only God placed them, but man reckons them below himself; below man; for skin for skin, or skin after skin, and all that a man has will he give for his life; (a great truth, though spoken by the father of lies) by which it's evident, that man reckons all below himself. And though old Jacob's life were bound up in the life of young Benjamin, yet he would part with him rather than starve. Now (without further enlargement) 'tis clear as the sun, that what's inferior to us, cannot be our happiness.

3 That cannot be our happiness, which is not so much as a token of the love of God: If you had all the cattle on a thousand hills, and never so many thousand bags of gold in your chest, though all the beauty and honor in the world centered in you, yet I must tell you what a very wise man has told me (Ecclesiastes 9:1): Man knows not love by prosperity, no more than hatred by adversity. Indeed the world is not (as great and good as 'tis, or 'twas) 'tis not good enough for a love-token. God sent his Son (and never anything but him, and what's in him) for a love-token. Well then, upon the whole we conclude, that seeing happiness is of a higher nature than the creation, and is not in less than God himself, that man is a fool in seeking it elsewhere, and that sin is very pernicious to man, in making him such a fool. But —

2 Man's folly appears to be great, not only in relation to his end and happiness, in his mistaking that, but in relation to the means and way leading to happiness, in mistaking this also. The enjoyment of God is our happiness; religion, namely right worshipping and serving God is the means of enjoying God, that is, of our happiness. Alas! here man is a very fool! Though in the general men acknowledge that there is a God, and that God is to be worshipped and obeyed, yet who this God is, and how to be worshipped, man is full of darkness, doubt and perplexity about it. From where it is that we have such expressions in the Scripture concerning sinners: 'you worship you know not what' (John 4:22). Surely they that worship they know not what, do worship also they know not how; as it there follows. The Athenian altar had this inscription: 'To the unknown God' (Acts 17:23). And the world by wisdom knew not God, namely manifest in the flesh (1 Corinthians 1:21). Though there be nothing more knowable, yet nothing more unknown than God. 'Tis visible to all the creation, by the creation, that there is a God (Romans 1:22); but who, and what he is, and what his will is, who has known the mind of God? (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Sin has made men worship either 1 A false God, and that's idolatry: Or, 2 God falsely, and that's superstition.

Man is become such a fool, that his worship (till enlightened and converted) is either a breach of the first or second commandment, and he fails as to the object or manner of worship, and both speak man's folly, that his religion is either idolatry or superstition.

1 Idolatry is man's folly, to worship no God, or that which is not a God, but an idol, is folly; and therefore the Gentiles are called not only atheists, but a foolish people; and with this the Apostle upbraids them (Galatians 4:8; [reconstructed: Romans 1:21-25]). Man is such a fool, that he neglects to serve the God that made him, and serves gods of his own making, though that making proves that they are not as their name is, but gods (like their knowledge) falsely so called, as it is at large imputed to them of old (Isaiah 44:14-16). The world has been guilty of most abominable idolatry; the Romans made diseases gods, as the fever, etc., and sinners make not only creatures, as gold and their belly their God, but among the fore-mentioned Romans (theft and murder) sins were reputed and called gods; indeed, the Devil himself has been made a God, and sacrificed to; he is called the God of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and says the Apostle, they sacrifice to devils (1 Corinthians 10:20; Deuteronomy 32:17), and sacrificed not only their children (Psalm 106:37), but their souls; for in all services the soul is the sacrifice. Oh sinful sin! But yet again;

2 Superstition is man's folly, as to religion, and this is younger brother to idolatry, it is of the same (venter) womb with idolatry: Superstition is not worshipping a false God, but the true God falsely, in a way that God commands not; but it teaches and practices for doctrines the devices and commandments of men; or worships not according to the will of God, but the will of man: This also is called the sacrifice of fools (Ecclesiastes 5:1). They mind the matter more than the manner, and take up with the work done, though it be not well done, and mind the outside more than the inside; indeed, and worship God more because they fear, than because they love him.

And this shall briefly suffice for the evincing of man's folly, or how sin has befooled man as to his end, happiness, and the means to it, religion. I proceed.

3 To show man's folly, as to non- or ill-improvement of means, when made known in truth and clearness; though the will of God as to worship be revealed, yet sin makes men fools still, either in this that they use not, or in this, that they make an ill use of the revelations of God; a treasure is put into their hand, but they are such fools as know not how to use it (Proverbs 17:16).

God has been pleased in and by Christ Jesus to declare his mind to us (1 Corinthians 2:16). His Gospel and grace has appeared teaching us (Titus 2:11-12). But alas! how do men pervert the Gospel, turn grace into wantonness (Jude 4), and sin abundantly, because grace abounds? What strivings and struggles, reluctances and oppositions against the Gospel? How do men stumble, and kick at, and against Christ Jesus, instead of building on him as the cornerstone, as a rock and sure foundation? How angry are they when Jesus Christ comes by his Word and Spirit to bless them, in turning them away from their iniquity? When God comes in Christ Jesus, and the ministry of his Gospel to reconcile them, and make them happy, they take up arms, and make war against him! When the Gospel comes with the weapons of its warfare, to pull down the strongholds, and to reduce men to obedience, how do they fortify themselves? When God stands at the door and knocks, and woos men for entertainment, how do they lock themselves up, bar and bolt up their hearts against him, that the King of Grace and Glory may not enter in? It is no less a power than that which raised Christ from the dead, that makes men willing to believe and obey the Gospel (Psalm 110:3; Ephesians 1:19).

Christ's messengers make glorious reports, but who believes it (Romans 10:16)? They stretch out their hands, but to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? They beseech and entreat, but men harden their hearts: and among the many that seem to profess the Gospel, how few practice it; in words they confess God, but in works deny him; they are lovers of pleasures, and themselves, more than of God; and though they have a form of godliness, deny the power thereof. All these their ways of not, or of misimproving the means of God's provision, I say, all these their ways are their folly.

It were next to endless (if it were possible) to enumerate the follies of man: He thinks, like a fool, unsteadily and rolling, independently and broken; inconsistently, and to no purpose, at random and rovers, many run waste (like water beside the mill). He builds castles in the air, his imaginations are like vagabonds, his contrivances romantic: not to mention the more wicked and sinful thoughts, which if they were but known, would make one man ashamed and afraid to converse with another; for not only vain, but vile, injurious, adulterous, and murderous thoughts lodge in the hearts of men, that when any comes to be awakened, and to be made sensible of the sinfulness of his heart, it makes him say as Saint Paul of himself, I am the chief of sinners. Never was any heart such a shop of vanity, such a den of thieves, such a cage of unclean birds, such a Newgate of murderers, such an inn and thoroughfare of travelling lusts, such a court of flattery, ambition, pride and envy, etc., such a sink and common draught of filthiness, such a hell of blasphemy as mine is!

As man thinks he often speaks quicquid in buccam, foolishly, idly, proudly, etc., and as he speaks he acts; out of the abundance or fullness of the heart the mouth speaks, and out of the heart are all the issues of life: All the follies of his life are but the untying and letting loose of that folly which is bound and bundled up in his heart, they are there in gross, and are retailed out (as he meets with customers, occasions and opportunities) in the course of his life and conversation.

Let us view some instances (and but some) of man's folly; which appears.

1 In man's being so heady, hasty and rash in his undertakings: There is nothing more becoming a man than deliberation and consideration, it being his preeminence above the beasts; beasts do act, but consider not. And herein is a great part of man's foolishness, that he considers not the end of his actions: Oh that they were wise and would consider their end (Deuteronomy 32:28-29). People often say, I never thought of this, and (insipientis est dicere non putarem) it is the property of a fool to say, I had not thought of this, which it may be most concerned him to think upon. The simple believes every word (which he would not do but that he is simple, a very fool) but the prudent man looks well to his goings. The wise man fears, and departs from evil, but the fool rages, and is confident (Proverbs 14:15-16). Did men consider what it is they do when they sin, they would abhor it: who would run on his ruin? Who would drink his bane? None but fools or madmen, did men consider that the wages of sin is death, that wrath and hell attended sin, surely they would be more wary. Men go on and on, and never think what will the end of these things be; will it not be bitterness in the latter end? Non-consideration is an argument as great as it is clear, that man is foolish.

2 Man's folly appears in this, that he laughs at, and sports himself in his sin and misery: It is a sport to a fool to do evil (Proverbs 10:23), and this sporting and jesting at sin, shows him to be a fool in earnest. Fools use to laugh at the shrewd turns and mischiefs which they do. Sinners are such fools, that they make sin their trade (they do [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], and are sin-makers) and make it their recreation too; it is their pastime (fools that they are!) to pass away, to spend and lose their time and souls in sinning. Fools make a mock at sin (Proverbs 14:9) when they have cheated others, they laugh at them for fools, though themselves are the more truly the fools for cheating others. They sport themselves in their own deceivings (2 Peter 2:13), indeed, though they know that they who do such things are liable to the judgment of God, yet not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them (Romans 1:32). But they are fools for so doing; for verse 22, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools; and verse 31, they were without understanding. But oh! when God shall laugh and mock at these mockers, [reconstructed: then] it will appear what fools they were, who sported at that which should have been their greatest sorrow and grief!

3 Sinful man's folly appears in this, that [reconstructed: he] says it is in vain to serve God. What greater folly than to call religion and the wisdom of God foolishness, vanity and unprofitableness, beside which, there is no profit under the sun. This is the whole of man, all the rest is vanity and vexation of spirit. The author of Psalm 73, for having but almost said this, concluded himself a fool, indeed so foolish, ignorant, and as a beast (verse 22), so much a fool that he could not express it enough; what fools are they then that say it with an open mouth? Because Job had but glanced at such a thing, Elihu reckons him among the foolish (Job 34:7-11). Hearken to me, [reconstructed: O] men of understanding, for fools will not; far [reconstructed: be] it from God that he should do wickedly; indeed, the work of man will he render to him. There is a day coming in which there will be a difference put between them that fear God, and those that fear him not (which is spoken on this very occasion, Malachi 3), and then it shall appear that no man's labor is in vain in the Lord. I speak to wise men, let them judge what I say, and I know they will conclude that it is notorious and egregious folly to say, that it is in vain to serve God.

4 Herein and hereby appears man's folly, that he is so disingenuous and ungrateful to God, who has so infinitely obliged him. Do a fool never so many courtesies, and it is but as throwing pearls before swine, who return evil for all the good turns are done to them (with this Moses upbraids Israel, Deuteronomy 32:5-6, do you thus requite the Lord? O foolish people and unwise! Indeed, none but fools would do so). And once more are men like swine in this, that they gather up the fruit that falls, and never look up. Were there not ten cleansed, where are the nine, said our Savior? Scarce one of ten proves thankful. Alas! men take God's corn, and wine, and oil, to make a feast for Baal, for their Bel and the Dragon, for their belly and lusts, and instead of giving God thanks and glory, they return him sins; they kick with the heel when fat and full, indeed, and say, who is the Lord? As if they were not beholden to him, nor did owe him any acknowledgments: Oh fools!

5 Herein also is evident the folly of (by sin's defiled and depraved) man, that if God correct him, or afflict him for his sin and folly, he presently grows angry with God. Such is the nature of fools, that they cannot endure them that chastise them. Though man be punished but for his iniquities yet he complains (Lamentations 3:[illegible]). Though God's judgment be just, yet the foolishness of man perverts his way, and he frets against the Lord (Proverbs 19:3). Man's sin brings God's judgment, and then when God hedges up his way with (or teaches him by) such thorns which prick him, then he [reconstructed: frets and flames], when Job was sorely afflicted, said his wife, Curse God and die (oh cursed speech!) but says Job, you speak like one of the foolish women. Men or women never speak more foolishly, than when they speak against God. They are fools who quarrel with God, and charge him with folly.

6 Man's folly is apparent in and by this, that he is so unteachable; one may better treat with seven men of reason, than with one fool, who is not only ignorant, but conceited and stubborn: Fools despise wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:7). They scorn to be instructed, they are in love with folly: How long you simple ones will you love simplicity? (Proverbs 1:22). A fool will not hearken to counsel (Proverbs 12:15). Indeed though instruction come from a father, yet a fool despises it (Proverbs 15:5). Though you add correction to instruction, yet one reproof enters more into a wise man, than a hundred stripes into a fool (Proverbs 17:10). Indeed though you bray a fool in a mortar, yet will not his foolishness depart from him (Proverbs 27:22). From where is it, that though Christ's messengers labor so much, yet profit so little, but from hence, that sin has made men fools, and they will not receive instruction. Yet

7 After some men have received the truth, and have gone far in the profession of it, yet they are such fools as to apostatize, which is no small folly: As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool to his folly (Proverbs 26:11), compared with (2 Peter 2:20-21). The Word of God works on some men like physic, it gives them a vomit, makes them confess their sin (which one of the ancients calls vomitus animae) as if it lay hard and heavy on their stomachs, and they were sick of it, but after a while they lick it up again; they repent and sin again, as if they repented of their repentance. On this account the Apostle calls the Galatians fools (Galatians 3:1-3): O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, that you should not obey, that is, go on to obey the truth, for they had begun to obey; and therefore he adds, are you so foolish, having begun in the spirit, to think of perfection by the flesh? This is folly with a witness! An apostate is a double fool, a tree twice dead, and his latter end worse than his beginning. And thus alas! we see how sin has befooled men! But yet

This is not all; sin has degraded man, and made him a beast; it is true, he has the shape of a man, but alas! is degenerated into a bestial and beastly nature! I may begin, as Ovid did his Metamorphoses, in nova fert animus, [illegible] must show you a monster, indeed many monsters in one; a dog-man, a goat-man, a wolf-man, a fox-man, etc. It were better to be a beast, than to be like a beast (so living, and so dying); it were better to be Balaam's Ass, than such an ass as Balaam himself was. But to set this degeneration and degradation of man by sin before you the more clearly and fully, I shall speak to these three heads.

Sin has made man: 1 Like a beast. 2 Like the worst of beasts. 3 Worse than the beasts.

1 Sin has made man like a beast, indeed not only like to, but a beast: The Man of Sin, the great Antichrist, is called a beast; and the great ones that Daniel saw in his vision, are called beasts; and sinners are ten or eleven times in Scripture called brutish; and what some men are, all would be, if left to themselves, if common or special, if restraining or renewing grace did not interpose and prevent.

Three things will evince this likeness.

1 Sinful man is like the beast in ignorance and stupidity (Psalm 73:22). So foolish was I and ignorant, as a beast before you (Psalm 49:20). Man (though a man in honor) that understands not, is like the beast that perishes, of no more value nor honor, though he sit at the upper end of the world, as the Antichristian Beast does (Psalm 94:3). O you brutish, when will you understand? O you fools, when will you be wise? Brutish and foolish are synonymous and parallel expressions, as was hinted before; a heart void of understanding, is the heart of a beast, as is clear (Daniel 4:16, 34-36).

2 Sinful man is like the beast in sensuality, as if he were only belly-wise, and had no soul to mind, or a soul only to mind his body; he places his happiness in sensual and corporal enjoyments and satisfactions; and in this sense some understand that saying (Ecclesiastes 3:18): I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that (oh that) God would manifest them, [reconstructed: and] that they might see (what they are, namely) that they are but beasts. Solomon uses not a gentle or courtly complement, but calls them (in downright and plain English) beasts; they live and die like beasts, make no provision for eternity, mind not the world to come, which is the world of eternal good or evil.

3 Sinful man's likeness to the beast is and appears much by this: his unfitness and unsuitableness for society and communion with God and men. Sinners' society is but [reconstructed: societas belluana], the society of beasts, and good men are as shy of it, as of conversing with beasts. In the state of innocency, among all the beasts, there was not found a meet help, any one for man to associate himself to, and keep company with; and since, sinful man is as unfit for pleasing and profitable converse, as beasts were then. Job's friends took it in great scorn and disdain, that they should be counted as beasts, and reputed vile in his sight, that is, not fit for, nor worthy of his conversation. God and sinful men walk not together, they are not agreed; and good men are joined by God himself not to be unequally yoked, for what communion? etc. (2 Corinthians 6). Thus by their ignorance, sensuality, and sociability, are sinful men become like the beast; indeed and more.

2 Sinners are not only like to beasts in the general, but they are like the worst of beasts, such as in Scripture are called evil and hurtful beasts: sinners are not likened to the dove or the sheep, the harmless creatures, but to lions, tigers, boars and bears, etc. the ill-natured and ill-conditioned creatures. If he be at any time likened to a creature that is harmless, yet it is not for that good quality, but for some bad one which is in that creature; as Ephraim is likened to a dove (Hosea 7:11) not for innocency, but silliness. So when sinners are likened to serpents, it is not for their wisdom, but their venomous and poisonous nature, or the enmity that is in them against mankind; but usually sinners are set and painted out like the worst of beasts, like a dog, an angry dog, a creeping dog, a howling dog, a back-biting dog, a greedy dog, a dumb dog; by lions, devouring lions, roaring lions; by a raging bear; by a deceitful fox, etc. So that man is like the evil and hurtful beasts, for as one lion will devour many beasts, one wolf devour many sheep, so one sinner destroys much good (Ecclesiastes 9:18) and his tender mercies are cruel (Proverbs 12:10).

3 Sin has made men worse than beasts, more beast-like than the beasts, and worse than the worst of beasts: sinful man is not only ignorant as, but more ignorant than the beast, more sensual and more unsociable than the sensual and unsociable beasts. This appears

1 By this, that the beasts transgress not the law of their nature, but man has done, and does do it over and over: the instinct of these creatures is their law, and they constantly observe it. The quality of a beast, which is condemnable in man, is not condemnable in the beast; ignorance and stupidity is no crime in an ox or an ass, but it is in man. It is no fault in a lion to be devouring, but it is sin in man to be like a lion in devouring; the beasts fulfill, but men transgress the law of their nature, when they act like beasts: so that sinful man is worse than the beast. Indeed

2 Sinful man is worse than beasts in the very quality for which he is likened to the beast: the ox and the ass which have no understanding, and to which sinful man is compared for ignorance and stupidity, is yet more knowing than sinful man; as it is (Isaiah 1:3). And the like is spoken of the stork, crane, and swallow, by way of upbraiding to man (Jeremiah 8:7). These foolish creatures have more understanding than sinful man; so as to sensuality, man is worse than the beast; for things of sense are the proper objects of a beast's appetite, but not of the natural appetite and inclination of man. It is no sin in the beast to be sensual, but it is so in a man, who (though created to higher ends and purposes) is yet so degenerated, as to be in many things more sensual and carnal than the beasts are. Sin has made man so unsociable and cruel too, that bears are more kind to one another than men are, saevis inter se convenit ursis, and it were better for a man (safer) to meet a bear in her rage, when robbed of her whelps, than to meet a fool in his folly (Proverbs 17:12). Man is more hurtful to man, than beasts are to man. I might now instance in a long list or catalogue, what beasts sinners are likened to, and wherein the parallel or similitude holds, namely the wicked tyrannical rulers of the world are compared to a roaring lion, and ranging bear (Proverbs 28:15). They have no pity, but make a prey of all they come near to: hypocrites are like to vipers (Matthew 23:23). Herod was called a fox, not only for his craft and cunning, but for hunting after the life of the Lamb, Christ Jesus. Thus some sinners are like to some beasts, and some to others; but there are two beasts that all sinners are likened to; the goat, and the dog.

1 Sinners are called goats (Matthew 25:32-33). He shall set the sheep, that is, the godly on his right hand, and the goats, that is, the wicked on the left. And there are two or three things which naturalists observe concerning goats, in which the wicked are like them.

As 1. Goats are very lascivious, wanton and lustful; sinners are so too, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, are the things they are taken with (1 John 2:16). To these they give up themselves, says the Apostle, among whom we all had our conversation in the lusts of the flesh (Ephesians 2:3), and served various lusts (Titus 3:3). Thus are they like goats.

And 2. Goats are stinking beasts, a goatish smell is a stinking smell, (Gorgonius Hircum) to smell of, or like to the goat, is a very strong unsavory and stinking scent; and in a resembling sense, the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, a very stink in his nostrils.

3. Goats are very bold and adventurous beasts, they climb rocks and precipices to browse and feed on what they can get with hazard; and in this sinners are like them too in running hazards, and many dangerous adventures for a little, indeed no satisfaction; they venture peace, conscience, life, soul and all, to get that which is not bread (Isaiah 55:2).

2 Sinners are likened to dogs: I shall not run division in this, nor persecute the metaphor in prosecuting the particulars, of which there was something said a little before, but only to show, that though it were most usual with the Jews to call the Gentiles dogs, (and our Savior speaks in their dialect and language, when he told the woman, that it was not meet to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs (Matthew 15:26)) yet it is a common name to sinners, whether Jews or Gentiles, to all without God and Christ, for without are dogs (Revelation 22:15).

Upon the whole then it is but too clear and evident, what mischief sin has done man in thus degrading him, by making him a fool, a beast, a monster; and yet this is not all, but

2 Sin has not only degraded man, but has also separated man from God in a moral sense; for though by nature ([illegible]) we are his offspring, and in him we live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28); yet morally and spiritually sinners are separated from God, and are without God. This is a great injury, and I may call it the greatest, seeing God is man's chief good, to be separated from him must be his greatest evil and loss. There was ever a very great disproportion and distance between God and Man; God the Creator, and man the creature, God [reconstructed: Infinite], and man finite, etc. But this was no misery to man; it is sin, only sin that has made a difference and separation between God and man; and therefore sinners are said to be far off (Ephesians [reconstructed: 2:13]), for they depart from God, and like the Prodigal, go into a far country (Luke 15:13).