The Application and Improvement of the Doctrine of Sin's Sinfulness

1. By way of inference for our information in several things; as first in general, that sin is the worst of evils, the evil of evils, and indeed the only evil; nothing is so evil as, or rather, nothing is evil (properly) but sin, nor in comparison of it. As the sufferings of this present time (of our life which are upon us) are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us; so neither the sufferings of this life or that to come, are worthy to be compared (for evil) with the evil of sin: No evil is displeasing to God or destructive to man, but the evil of sin. It is worse than affliction, than death, than Devil, than Hell; affliction is not so afflictive, death is not so deadly, the Devil not so devilish, Hell not so hellish as sin is; and this will help to fill up the charge against its sinfulness, especially as it is contrary to and against the good of man.

These four evils that I have named are terrible indeed, and from all which every one is ready to say, Good Lord deliver us; yet none of these are, all of these are not so bad as sin, and therefore our prayers should be more to be delivered from sin; and if God hear no prayer else, yet as to this we should say, We beseech you to hear us, good Lord!

1. It is worse than any evil of affliction; there are afflictions of several sorts, and they are all called evils: is there any evil (of what sort, or kind, or quality soever) in the City, and I have not done it? (Amos 3:6). (God, you see, will own himself the Author of it, but not of sin, that's a bastard of [reconstructed: someone else's] begetting and breeding, the evil of plagues and afflictions are of God's bringing, though of sin's deserving) now indeed no affliction seems to be (or is) joyous for the present (Hebrews 12:11), but though they are not to be desired, yet they may be endured but sin is neither to be desired nor endured: any sin is worse than any suffering, one sin than [illegible] suffering, the least sin than the greatest suffering. What (you will say) is it worse than to be whipped, to be burnt, to be sawn asunder, etc. yes, by a great deal, as appears by what our Saviour says (Matthew 10:28): fear not them that can kill, but fear him that can damn, that is to say, it is better to be killed than to be damned. We may more easily suffer from men, than sin against God. One may suffer and not sin, but it is impossible to sin and not suffer. They that avoid suffering by sinning, sin themselves into worse suffering. This seems to be clear enough; yet because truths are seldom well improved till they be believed and are seldom believed till they are well proved, I shall therefore make this out more fully, that sin is worse than suffering, first by this argument in general: because sin is all evil, only evil, and always evil, which no affliction is nor can be; in my flesh, says the Apostle, there dwells no good, no not the least, and this is ever present with me; this cannot be said of afflictions, that there is no good in them, that they dwell in and are always present with us: there are some lucida intervalla, sun-shines in winter. One may say, it was good that I was afflicted (Psalm 119:71), it is good to bear the yoke in one's youth (Lamentations 3:23), but one can never say, it was good that I sinned, no, though it were but in my youth (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1). All things may be corrected and made to work for our good, and we can say, not only God that afflicted me was good, but the affliction worked for good (2 Corinthians 4:17), but we can never justly say, that sin did us good. Many can say (periissem nisi periissem) I had been undone had I not suffered; but none can say (periissem nisi peccassem) I had perished if I had not sinned; no, no, it is by sin we perish and are undone: many have thanked God for affliction, but never any for sin. Some indeed mistake that place (Romans 6:17), as if the Apostle thanked God that they were sinners, no by no means; but he thanks God that they who once were sinners, were become obedient to the Gospel: and the proper sense and reading is, Thanks be to God, though you were the servants of sin (in time past) yet (now) you have obeyed the form of Doctrine which was delivered to you, or (as the [reconstructed: Margin and] Greek) to which you were delivered. Sin of itself is neither good before nor after its commission, it is not good to be committed, nor good after it is committed, nor does it do us any good, but hurt all our days; but other evils, though we cannot call them good before, and so desire them; yet we can call them good after, and so thank God for them.

More particularly. 1. Suffering may be the object of our choice, which sin cannot be; for that which is evil, and can be no other (and so is sin) cannot be the object of our volition and choice, it is contra-natural. If men did not call evil good, and good evil, they could never love the evil, nor hate the good: nor can sin be chosen as a means to a good; for as it is evil and nothing else, so it does evil and nothing else. But now affliction, though not chosen for itself, yet for an end (a good end and effect of it) may be chosen, indeed, and rather than sin; it may be chosen, though no other good thing should follow than this, that one did no evil. Instances we have of this, as the three young Worthies (Daniel 3:17), whose gallantry of spirit was such, that though they should not be delivered by their God, yet they would not (they were holily willful) they would not sin against their God, nor so much as demur, deliberate, or take time to consider, whether they should suffer or sin, it was past dispute with them, brave and noble souls that they were. The like we have of Daniel himself, Chapter 6, and of Saint Paul in Chapter 20-21 of Acts, of which I spoke before; I shall therefore only add this to it, which is observable, that when he speaks of his afflictions, he calls them light (2 Corinthians 4:17), but when of sin, he speaks of it as a burden that pressed him down, and made him cry out, Wretch that I am! And again, we groan being burdened (2 Corinthians 5). Moses his choice is famous and celebrated all the world over; for it was not made when he was a child, but when he came to (forty) years of age: and he preferred suffering, not only before sinning, but before honors, riches, and pleasures, accounting the worst of Christ (Reproaches) better than the best of the world. There is one instance more which is more than all the rest, and that is of our blessed Savior, who had the greatest offer made him that ever was made, and though tempted, and suffered by being tempted; yet he scorned and abhorred to sin (Matthew 4). Indeed, he endured the Cross, and despised the shame (Hebrews 12:1-4). He met the Cross, shame, and pain, and as an addition, the contradiction of sinners; yet all this he endured, rather than he would sin, for verse 4, it was striving against sin. And when Saint Peter would have him decline suffering, he calls him Satan, and said as to him, Get behind me, Satan: teaching us this, that it is better to suffer than to sin.

2. We may and ought to (not only choose suffering, and not sin, but) rejoice in suffering, and that with all joy, and (in the highest degree) glory in tribulation; but sin is matter of shame and grief, not of joy. Account it all joy — not simply joy, or a little joy, but all joy, matter of glory — when you fall into various trials (James 1:2), that is, tribulations, as Saint Paul speaks (Romans 5:3); they were trials for testing of faith, and the testing thereof is the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10) with (1 Peter 1:6-7). Now if any glory in their sin, and pride themselves in that as a glory, they glory in their shame (Philippians 3:19). Indeed, if we do but fall into sin, it is matter of grief and shame: so that suffering is as far to be preferred before sin, as joy is before grief, and glory is beyond shame. To which this also may be added, that God himself takes pleasure, joy and delight in the trials of good men; for though he delights not to grieve the children of men, yet (Job 9:23) he laughs at the trial of the innocent; and in this sense many understand that text. God laughs not at them as at the wicked, by way of derision and scorn, but by way of pleasure: just as a Commander in War rejoices when he puts a party, of whose valor and skill he is confident, upon some dangerous service: though he knows that some of them must bleed, and perhaps die for it, yet it pleases him to see such engaged in it. Thus God laughs at the trial of the innocent, for he sees they are men that will endure a trial; as the excellent expositor on the Book of Job expresses it, with much more to this effect. God took pleasure in the sufferings of Christ (as Christ himself also did) and so he does in the sufferings of his people, as he did in Job's, of whom God makes his boast to the Devil's face, that he still held fast his integrity, though he were afflicted by the Devil, who moved God against him to destroy him without a cause (Job 2:3). Upon which an ingenious and eloquent person speaks thus: Surely one may call him more than happy Job, since if, as David tells us, the man is happy whose sins God is pleased to cover; what may that man be accounted, whose graces he vouchsafes to proclaim? God then (we see) takes pleasure in and laughs at the trial of such his champions and heroes. The Heathen Moralist (Seneca) ventured to say, that if there were any spectacle here below noble enough, and worthy to entertain the eyes of God, it was that of a good man generously contending with ill fortune (as they used to phrase) afflictions and sufferings. But now, when men sin, he laughs them to scorn; if his sons and daughters sin, it provokes him to grieve and be angry; but the sins of others provoke him to laugh at and to hate them (Psalm 2:4-5; Psalm 37:13). And which is better — to suffer and please, or to sin and grieve God? To undergo that which by patient suffering of it, will rejoice and glorify God, and give him occasion to magnify us too? Or to do that which will provoke him to be angry with us till we be consumed, and then laugh at our calamity (Proverbs 1:26-27)?

3. There are many blessed encouragements given us to suffering, none to sin, but all manner of discouragements against sinning: all encouragement and no discouragement to suffering; all discouragement and no encouragement to sin. As, when we suffer for God, God suffers with us; but when we sin, God suffers by us. In all their (his people's) afflictions he was afflicted, he sympathized with them (Isaiah 63:9; Hebrews 4:15). But when he speaks of sin, it is Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? Saul's sin persecuted Christ Jesus (Acts 9:4). God complains of their iniquity, as a burden, as if they made a cart of God, and loaded him with sins as with sheaves (Amos 2:13).

Again, when we suffer for God, he has promised to help and assist us with counsel and comfort, with succor and support; but when we sin, God leaves us and withdraws his presence and consolations; if Jacob be in the fire or water, God will be with him (Isaiah 43:1-2) but, says God, if you forsake me, I will forsake you (1 Chronicles 18:9 and 2 Chronicles 15:2). Sin is a forsaking of God, and sin makes God forsake us: now which is better, to have God with and for, or against us? If God be for us, it matters not who be against us (Romans 8:31), but if God be against us, and depart from us, all is Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21-22; Job 34:29).

Yet once more, sufferings for God are evidences and tokens of his love, and that we are his children and darlings (Hebrews 12:6-8), but sin is a proof that we are not born of God (1 John 5:18-19), but are children of wrath, and heirs of the Devil and Hell. Thus the encouragement to suffering, and discouragements to sinning speak sin the worst evil.

4. Suffering, though for sin, is designed to cure us, and kill sin; surely the remedy is better than the disease; but sin kills us, and does strengthen sin: they that add sin to sin, feed it, give it nourishment, and new life, and strength — it is adding fuel to the fire, which sufferings are to quench and put out.

(Psalm 119:71) It was good for me that I was afflicted, why? Because before I was afflicted I went astray; affliction is better than going astray: the fruit is the taking away of sin (Isaiah 27:9), indeed, to make us partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10), which is the end of the greatest promises (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1). So that God aims at the same thing in bringing threatened evils on us, as in making good promises, and making them good to us: is not this better than sin, did that ever do such kindnesses for us? Alas, its mercies are cruelties, its courtesies are injuries, its kindnesses are killing [illegible] — it never did (nor meant) us any good, unless men be so mad to think that it is good to be defiled, dishonored, and damned!

5. Sufferings tend to make us perfect, but sin makes us more and more imperfect. The second Adam was perfected by suffering (Hebrews 2:10), but the first Adam was made imperfect by sinning; and thus it fares with both their seeds and children as it did with them — a sinner and without strength (Romans 5:6), a sinner and without God, without Christ, without hope, etc. (Ephesians 2:12). But a sufferer after a while shall be perfected by the same God of all grace, who has called him into eternal glory by Christ Jesus (and after his example) (1 Peter 5:10), but the more a sinner, the more imperfect, and fitter for Hell.

6. Suffering for God glorifies God (1 Peter 4:14), and calls on us to thank and glorify God for it (verse 16), but sin dishonors God: by suffering the saints are happy (verse 14), being God's martyrs; but by sinning sinners are miserable, as the Devil's martyrs (verse 15), and which (I pray you) is better, to suffer for God, or for the Devil? To be suffering saints, or sinners?

7. Sufferings for God, Christ, and righteousness, add to our glory (as well as they glorify God) but sinning adds to our torment: that suffering adds to our glory, see Matthew 5:10-12; 2 Corinthians 4:17. Light afflictions work an exceeding weight of glory; but sin (which is exceeding sinful) works an exceeding weight of wrath and torment (Romans 2:5). It heaps heap upon heap, load upon load, to make up a treasury of wrath: which then is the greatest evil (I speak to wise men, judge you what I say) light affliction, or heavy sin? Which is better, treasures of glory or treasures of wrath? Or which is all one, to suffer, or to sin?

Thus far I have evinced that sin is worse than affliction: yes, but it may be said, if we suffer not to death, it is no great suffering — skin for skin and all a man has will he give for his life, but to die is dreadful; it is worse to sin: I shall therefore prove,

2. That sin is worse than death: we use to say, of two evils choose the least — now to die is more cheap and easy than to sin: as God's lovingkindness is better than life, we had better part with this than that; so sin is worse than death, we had better undergo this, than do that, better submit to death, than commit sin, as I hinted before from Matthew 10:28. But let us compare them.

Sin is more deadly than death, namely, the separation of soul and body, the dissolution of nature's frame and the union thereof: this (which we call death) is apprehended as a great evil, as appears by man's unwillingness to die; men will live in sickness and pain, they will be in deaths often rather than die once: and it is not only an evil in apprehension, but it is really so to human nature, for it is called an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). It is true, death is a friend to grace; but it is as true that death is an enemy to nature; and there are four things in which death is evil, and an enemy to man, and in all these respects, sin is more an enemy to man than death.

1. Death is separating; it separates the nearest and dearest relations, yes, that which God has joined together, man and wife, soul and body: it separates from estates, ordinances, etc., as I showed before; thus death is a great evil and enemy; true, but sin is worse, for it brought death, and all the evils that come by death, and separates man (while alive) from God, who is the light and life of our lives. Death separates not from the love of God, that sin does (Romans 8:38-39; Isaiah 59:2).

2. Death is terrifying — it is the King of Terrors (Job 18:14) — it is a grim thing, a very sour and tetrical thing: it is ghastly and frightful, for men are not only unwilling but afraid to die; but all the terror that is in death, sin puts there, it is the sting of death (1 Corinthians 15:56), without which, though it kill, it cannot curse, nor hurt any man: so that sin is more terrible than death, for without sin either there had been no death, or (to be sure) no terror in death; when the sting is taken away by the death of Christ, there is no danger nor cause of fear (Hebrews 2:14-15), and the Apostle looking on the Prince of Peace, was not afraid of the King of Terrors, but could challenge and upbraid it (1 Corinthians 15:55).

3. Death is killing, but sin much more; death deprives of natural and temporal, but sin deprives of spiritual and eternal life; death kills but the body, sin kills the soul, and brings it under a worse death than the first, namely, the second: Men may kill us, but only God can destroy us, that is, damn us, and that he never does but for sin; so that sin is more killing than death is.

4. Death is corrupting, it brings the body to corruption, and makes it so loathsome, that we say of our dearest relations (as Abraham of Sarah when she was dead) bury her out of my sight; death makes every man say to the worm, you are my mother, and to corruption and putrefaction, you are my sister (Job 17:14). But sin corrupts us more than death (for he that died without sin, saw no corruption) it defiles us, and makes us a stink in the nostrils of God and men (Genesis 34:30). The old man and its lusts are corrupt and do corrupt us (Ephesians 4:22). They corrupt our souls, and that which corrupts souls (the principal man of the man) is much worse than that which corrupts the body only; but sin corrupts the body too while alive, intemperance, uncleanness corrupts soul and body; so that sin is even in this worse than death. Our Savior tells the Jews, that their great misery was not that they should die, but that they should die in their sins (John 8:21), intimating that sin was worse than death, and that which made death a misery; better die in a hospital or a ditch than in sin; it is better to die any how, than sin, and die in sin, and therefore the Father told Eudoxia the Empress, when she threatened him, Nil nisi peccatum timeo, I fear nothing but to sin. And it was a princely speech of a Queen, who said, she had rather hear of her children's death, than that they had sinned. And they of whom the world was not worthy, being too good to live long, chose rather to die than sin (Hebrews 11), and many a good man (like St. Paul) desires to die, because this dying will prove the death of sin. Sin is worse than death, indeed, and,

3. Sin is worse than the Devil: the Devil is indeed a terrible enemy, the evil and envious one, the hater of mankind, but he knows he can neither damn nor hurt men without sin: Sin can do that without the Devil, which the Devil cannot do without sin, and that is, undo men. God and the Devil are not so contrary as God and sin; for the Devil has something left, namely, a being which was of God: but sin never was nor can be of God, he is neither author of, nor tempter to it (James 1:13). Sin made the Devil what he is (as a Devil) the Devil was not made so of God: as to man, the Devil (it is true) does now seek to devour him, but he cannot do it without sin, nor can he compel any man to sin. But,

1. Though the Devil tempt, it is man that sins. Temptations from Satan to sin, are not sins nor the way to Hell; but the very temptations of sin are sins, the way to more sins, and so to Hell. A man's own lusts are more and worse tempters than the Devil, and the Scripture speaks as if a man were not tempted (nor indeed is effectually) till his lust does it (James 1:14). If a man were tempted by the Devil forty days, and yet without sin as Christ was; indeed, tempted all his days, yet if a man yield not, but the grace of God be sufficient for him, he may as St. Paul, glory in his infirmities, and triumph over the messenger of Satan (2 Corinthians 12). The Devil gives over for a season, which sinful lusts scarce ever do; they haunt men more than the Devil does. There is a scum of filthiness boiling or bubbling up, when the Devil does not meddle with us. Libera me à male homine meipso, was St. Austin's prayer, and should be ours; for indeed, no man nor Devil is so bad to us, as evil-self is to us. The Serpent beguiled me, and I did eat, was no excuse; the Devil owed me a spite, and paid it, will not apologize; it is man that sins, and sin that damns, either of which the Devil cannot force upon man.

2. As sin is worse than the Devil as a tempter, and a worse tempter; so sin is worse than the Devil as a tormentor, and a worse tormentor. The Devil is cruel enough, a roaring lion, and many times takes possession of men, and handles them most unmercifully, and will much more torment men in Hell (as I have shown above) but all this while the Devil is without the spirit of a man; but sin is there, takes possession of, and torments: that it is a grief to be tempted to sin, but it is a torment to be a sinner; and God does more when he pardons us, and more to our ease and refreshment, than if he did cast as many Devils out of us, as he did out of Mary Magdalene, or a whole legion, as he did (Mark 5:9). Indeed, in Hell, the gnawing worm of a guilty and upbraiding conscience does more torment men than Devils do: it would be a relief to a man in Hell, if he could but have peace in his conscience; or if he could say, that he were there without his demerit, and that his perdition were not of himself. But to eke out this a little further, I say:

4. That sin is worse than Hell; Hell is but a punishment, sin is a crime, which has more evil than the punishment, and is that which made Hell the punishment thereof; indeed, the greatness of this punishment argues the greatness of the crime, and the sinfulness of sin; God's being glorified upon men in such a way is a clear and full proof what an evil thing it is to sin against and dishonor a God, and consequently that Hell itself does not so much hurt (no, not to man) as sin does. Hell indeed is a dismal place of horror and torment, the extremity of suffering, but never had an existence till sin had; nor never could admit of such names as it does, and such torments, if sin were not there. It is storied as a saying of Anselm's, that if sin and Hell were set before him, and he must go through one of them, he would rather choose to go through Hell than sin: it is sin, it is sin, that's the worst of Hell, and worse than Hell: it is that which makes sinners cry out of the uninhabitableness of devouring fire, and everlasting burnings, which are no terror to righteous and upright souls, as it is (Isaiah 33:14-15). It is sin that makes Hell to be Hell; God was never angry, till sin made him so, his wrath was never kindled but by sin; now as sin made Hell, so the more sin, the more Hell, as Tyre and Sidon feel beyond Sodom and Gomorrah. If there were no Hell but such as Cain and Judas felt within them, it were yet a great one; and they would tell you it were damnation enough to be a sinner, and to feel the horrors of a guilty and accusing conscience.

Yet a little more to show, that sin is the worst of evils.

1. There is more evil in it than good in all the creation, that is, it does us more hurt than all the creation can do us good; when we are sick or wounded, there are many medicinal creatures that can help to recover and cure us; but of this evil of sin there is no cure by any or all the creatures: it was too hard for that good wherein we were created, and all created good ever since has not been able to recover us from it: no, it is not but by God that we can be either pardoned or purged of it; all the angels in Heaven could neither pay our debt for us, nor cleanse our hearts for us; and God himself does new-make us, for mending would not serve our turn, and therefore man's recovery is called a new creation, and the man, a new man, created, etc. (Ephesians 4), and it was David's prayer, create in me a clean heart (Psalm 51). Sin is an evil past the skill and power of all the creation to cure and cleanse.

2. There is no evil but this to be repented of: God allows us to sigh and groan, to mourn and lament at other evils; but for this he calls for and requires repentance, which is a severe thing, full of rebuke and disgrace to man, though it be a grace. How great is that evil for which a man must cry Peccavi, and to bring him to the confession of it, and repentance for and from it, other evils are inflicted!

3. They are the greatest punishments, which are made up of sins: it is worse to be let alone and given up, than if men were sent quick to Hell; for they live but as reserved to fill up their measure brimful, and to undergo the more of Hell, to grow rich in wrath, having treasured it up against that day. As it is the best of comforts to have assurance of the love of God, and to be sealed to the day of redemption; so it is the saddest of judgments to be given up (as it is three times in one place, Romans 1) to their lusts, to a hardened heart, a seared conscience, a reprobate mind; when God shall say, let him that's filthy be filthy still (Revelation 22:11), and they shall not see nor understand, lest they should be converted (Isaiah 6:9-10), a dreadful place, which is six times quoted in the New Testament, as you may see in the margin.

4. Sin is the worst of evils, as appears by this, that God hates men for it; it is not only sin (Proverbs 6:16-19), but sinners that God hates, and that for sin: (Psalm 5:5) it is said of God, that he hates the workers of iniquity, not only the works of iniquity, but the workers of it: hatred is not known by judgments, the evil of suffering, but it is known by the evil of sin which is before us (Ecclesiastes 9:1-2); it is for this that the merciful God says, he that made them will not have mercy on them, nor show them any favor (Isaiah 27:11). And as a learned person expresses it, this is the highest that can be spoken of the venom of sin, that in a sort, and to speak after the manner of men, it has put hatred into God himself — it made the Lord hate and destroy his own workmanship. God is love, and judgment his strange work; yet sin makes him out of love with men, and in love with their destruction at last; so though he delights not in the death of a repenting, yet he does in the death of an impenitent sinner.

5. It proves sin the worst and greatest of evils, that Christ is the best and greatest of Saviors, and his salvation the best and greatest salvation: he came to save sinners, and to save them, not from the petty evils of sickness, affliction, and persecution, but from sin, the greatest of all evils (Matthew 1:21; 1 Timothy 1:15). To be saved from Egypt was of old reckoned great; but being delivered out of the north was a greater salvation (Jeremiah 23:8); but salvation from sin is the greatest salvation, and therefore sin the worst and greatest of evils.

Having thus proved sin to be the worst of evils, the evil of evils, none to be compared to it for evil; I shall now apply it more distinctly, and show what we are to infer from the sinfulness of sin, as it is: 1. Against God. 2. Against Man.

As sin is considered against God, I infer:

1. That the patience of God with, and the long-suffering of God towards sinners, is wonderful; if sin be so exceeding sinful, that is, contrary to and displeasing to God, then surely his patience is exceeding great, his goodness exceeding rich, his long-suffering exceeding marvelous, even to wonder! That God should entreat sinners his enemies to be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:20), that God should stand at a sinner's door and knock (Revelation 3:20), that God should wait on sinners to be gracious to them (Isaiah 30:18), is not after the manner of men, but of God; indeed, the God of grace and patience is to be admired forever! That at first God should think thoughts of good, and not of evil, of peace, and not of wrath, but visit us in the cool of the day, was a wonder; but that after he had imparted and commended his heart-love to us in and by his Son (Romans 5:8), and both were rejected, that he should yet continue to offer, and call, and wait, it is a miracle of miracles. What shall we say? It is God, who is (as his name is (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 10:18; Psalm 86:15), and as he was yesterday, he is today) the God of grace and patience (Romans 15:5), and rich in it (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:13-16). Indeed, we are all living monuments and instances of his goodness and patience: it is of the Lord's mercies that we all are not altogether and utterly consumed, indeed, and that in hell (Lamentations 3:22).

Sin is so sinful, so contrary, and displeasing to God, and has made man so much God's enemy, that it is a miracle he should find his enemies (any of them) and let them go well away. That God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, should look on the sins of men, that his eye should so affect his heart, as to grieve him, indeed, that it tempts and provokes him to anger, wrath, and hatred, and that God should keep in anger (which is like burning coals in our bosom) and not let out all his wrath, and ease himself of his burden by avenging himself of his adversaries, but woo and wait on sinners, oh the power of his patience! Oh the infiniteness of his mercy and compassions! Oh the riches of unsearchable grace! God sees it, is not ignorant, God is sensible of it, and concerned; for it grieves and vexes him: God is able to right himself when he pleases, and yet forbears, and is patient, oh wonder!

Consider yet again:

1. The multitude of sinners that are in the world, if it were but one or two, they might be winked at, and passed by; but when all the world lies in wickedness, as it does (1 John 5:19), when there is none righteous, no not one (if there had been but ten, God would have spared Sodom, etc., though ten thousand sinners might be there) but when there is not a man to be found that sins not, but all have sinned, Jew and Gentile, high and low, etc., oh what grace, what patience is this!

2. Consider the multitude of sins, and the multitude of sins in and by every sinner; the sins are more numerous than sinners: if all men had sinned, and but once, it would have mitigated the matter; but sin has grown up with men, that were not only conceived and born in sin, but went astray before they could go, even from the womb; not a good thought to be found in their heart (Genesis 6:5), it grows up faster than men do, they are old in sin, when young in years, they are adding iniquity to iniquity, and drawing it on with cords and ropes, committing it with both hands greedily, as if they could not sin enough; they dare God himself to judge them; they drink down iniquity like water, as if it were their element, and nourishment, and pleasure also. Indeed, and among the rest his sons and daughters provoke him with their sins, which go very near his heart (Deuteronomy 32:19), and yet, behold, how miraculously patient and long-suffering God is!

3. Consider the length of time in which these multitude of sinners have committed these multitudes of sins; from the beginning even till now, generation after generation: if all the world had sinned and committed all manner of sins, if it had been but for an hour or a day, it had not been so provoking: but as length of time aggravates misery, so it does sin. God reckons up 120 years patience (after many before that) as to the old world (Genesis 6:3), and to Israel, forty years (Hebrews 3:17). He came to the fig tree of the Jewish nation, three years in person, seeking fruit before he cut it down, or so much as gave order for it (Luke 13:6-7). He had waited longer on all these, but these were over time (such as landlords allow their tenants after quarter-day) space given before distraint or ejectment. We were old enough to be damned when we were young; but God has given us an overplus of time, space for repentance, and has not yet cut us down as cumber-grounds: oh patience!

4. Consider that sins cry to God against us; and the devil to be sure is a constant solicitor against us. The cry of Cain's sin went up (Genesis 4:10), the cry of Sodom's sin was great (Genesis 18:20-21; Genesis 19:13), the detaining of laborers' wages cries (James 5:4), and indeed all oppression cries (Habakkuk 2:8-12). And yet God (as if he were loath to judge us, or take up reports against us) comes down to see if these things be so, and does as it were put Abraham and his friends upon interceding, by telling them what he is about to do (Amos 3:7). Oh the goodness of God!

5. There are many aggravating circumstances attending the sins of men (beside the greatness of its own nature) which do exceedingly provoke God: men's sins are not only many and great, but are both multiplied and magnified, they are heightened by many circumstances: men increase and heighten their sin by not repenting of it, and increase their impenitence by despising the goodness of God which should lead them to repentance (Romans 2), which makes them inexcusable, and incapable to escape the judgment of God. Men sin against deliverances, as if they were delivered to do all manner of abominations, and to sin more than before (Jeremiah 7:8-10). Men sin against their purposes and promises, vows, and protestations made at sea or land, on sick-beds, or any times of danger, and return like the dog to the vomit: they compound with God in time of fear and danger, but put him off with nothing, when the danger is (the more, yet as they think) over. [reconstructed: Men] sin against means and means of grace, they have precept on precept, line on line, yet sin still and more: whatever way God takes with them, yet nothing takes with them, as (Amos 4:6-11) this and this have I done, yet and yet you have not returned; mourn or pipe to them, it is all alike, they will not hearken; in fact, alas, men sin against knowledge and conscience; though they know God, they glorify him not as God; they know their Master's will, but do it not (Romans 1:21; Luke 12:47; James 4:17). It were in vain to attempt it, because impossible to attain it, namely, to reckon up all the aggravating circumstances of men's sins, which make them more sins, for degree, multitude, and magnitude; and yet God waits to be gracious with a notwithstanding! Oh grace, grace to it! is it not a wonder that men are spared, especially considering what quick dispatch God made with angels that sinned! Wonder of Grace!

But though God be so patient beyond what we could ask or think, yet he does sometimes, and will for ever punish sinners that repent not.

2. Therefore I infer, that sin being so contrary to God, and against his will and glory, the judgments of God (great, though they be) on sinners (whether here or hereafter) are just: God often punishes less, never more than iniquity deserves; the greatest sufferings are no more nor less than sin deserves, the worst on this side Hell is mercy, the worst of and in Hell is but justice. For,

1. If we consider the nature of God that judges, he is and cannot but be just, shall not the God and Judge of all the earth do right? Can he do, or will he do wrong? Oh no; he lays on man no more than is meet, that man might not enter into judgment with God (Job 34:23). Cain could say, his punishment was intolerable, but could not say, it was unjust; though greater than he could bear, yet not greater than he did deserve. God will not argue the case with men merely as a sovereign, but as a judge, who proceeds not by will only, but by rule: many times over when the judgments of God are spoken of in Revelation, as (Revelation 15:3; 16:7), it is still just, and true, and righteous, though his ways unsearchable, yet true, and just, and righteous; he makes war in righteousness. Death is but sin's due wages (Romans 6:27), therefore it is said, their damnation is just (Romans 3:8), and every sin has a just recompense of reward (Hebrews 2:2), guilt stops men's mouths under their suffering the judgment of God (Lamentations 3:39; Romans 3:19; Psalm 51:4; Romans 3:4). If God judge man, God is found true; but if man judge God, man is found a liar.

Would man complain of the Devil? (as Eve did) it is true, he is to blame, but is not so much the cause of man's sin, as man himself is; the Devil might tempt indeed, but could not compel; so that it is man that sins, though tempted to sin, and though man could not prevent being tempted, yet he might have forborne to have sinned. Would man complain of God? what action would he enter, what would he lay to his charge? Did not God make him in the best of creature-state? Did not God tell him what was evil, and the danger of sinning? What (may God say as of Israel) what could I have done more that I have not done? So that man must say, that he has rewarded evil to himself by doing evil, and that his perdition is of himself (Hosea 13:9). Sinners have their option and choice, why then do they complain?

2. The severest judgment of God on sinners is just, if we consider the nature of sin; it is Deicidium — God-murder, and it is just with God to do by sinners what they would have unjustly done by him, namely, take away from them all good and glory, displease and destroy them, because they would him: if we consider the person sinned against, and the aim of sin to ungod God, what punishment can be thought bad enough? The schools tell us, and truly that objectively sin is infinite; oh what punishment can be too great for so great an evil! If its deed could have answered its intention and will, God had been no more, oh what a horrid thing is this! As none but infinite power can pardon it, so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently: as its aim is infinite, so is its desert, and therefore though its punishment be so, it is but just. Seeing sin contains all evil, it is not strange that its punishment should be answerable and proportionate: that all sin should undergo all misery, is not unjust; God renders sufferings to man but according to his doings (Jeremiah 17:10).

3. The judgment of God is just, if we consider the state of sinners wherein they die, which is a state of impenitency, and they have thereby treasured up this wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:5). They that die impenitent, continue as they die, and so consequently do sin, and are impenitent for ever, and is it (or shall it seem) unreasonable that everlasting sinning should be everlastingly punished? It is no severity in God to damn such men for ever; let man repair the injury he has done, and pay the debt he owes God to the utmost farthing, and he shall go free: if he say he cannot, that is his crime as well as misery, for he might have chosen whether he would have done the injury, and run into this debt. Besides, he cannot plead satisfaction made by Christ, for he made none for final unbelief and impenitency, and this man never accepting Christ on Gospel-terms, cannot plead his name or righteousness to God, and there is not salvation in any other; so that upon all accounts sin's sinfulness clears the justice and judgments of God.

But though God's judgment be just, however great on sinners; yet he is pleased to pardon and forgive some sinners, and therefore I shall thirdly show how precious a mercy forgiveness of sin is, and that 'tis a wonder that any is pardoned. The preciousness of this mercy, namely forgiveness of sins, appears in this:

That 'tis (1) new covenant-mercy; the new covenant is called a better covenant, and its promises, better promises (Hebrews 8:6); the old covenant, that of works, vouchsafed no pardon; but this is the mercy of the new covenant, namely that of grace (Hebrews 8:12).

Forgiveness of sins is (2) the fruit of the precious blood of Christ, which was shed to this end: that must needs be precious that cost so great a price (1 Peter 1:18); we were redeemed with no less than blood, and no worse blood than that of the Lamb and Son of God, which redemption is called forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).

Indeed, (3) by forgiveness of sins we have the knowledge of salvation (pardoned and saved) (Luke 1:77); they that have their sins remitted are blessed, and shall be blessed (Romans 4:8).

And then, (4) by this mercy of sins' forgiveness, we have ease and rest for our souls, and cause to be of good cheer; the sense of pardon will take away the sense of pain (Isaiah 33:24). What, sick when pardoned? No, I am no more sick; when sin is taken away, the abiding of sickness is as nothing: the sense of sin makes us sick, but the sense of pardon makes us well; so that we can say, as in Psalm 116:7, "Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." A man sensible of sin, and not of pardon, can hardly sleep or take any rest; but when the joyful sound of a pardon is proclaimed and received, the soul justified by faith has peace with God and within himself, and is at rest. Though the sick of the palsy was not cured, yet he had cause to be of good cheer, because his sins were forgiven him (Matthew 9:2). This is called speaking comfortably (or to the heart) (Isaiah 40:1-2): "Comfort, comfort my people, speak comfortably to Jerusalem, tell her that her warfare is accomplished" — is that all? No, but which is more, tell her that her iniquity is pardoned. 'Tis a greater comfort to hear that our sins are pardoned than that our afflictions are at an end: it makes us able as well as willing to undergo affliction, sufferings, and persecutions.

Now if we consider what a sinful thing sin is against God, how displeasing to him, 'tis a wonderful thing that God should pardon any man's sin! God does more than man can do for himself, or expect that God should do for him; indeed, it costs God more (witness the blood of Christ) and requires more of his power, than to heal all our diseases, and bestow all the good of this world upon us. Our Saviour tells us, 'tis easier to say to an impotent man, "Arise, take up your bed and walk," than to say, "Your sins are forgiven you": and 'tis a declaration of his power (Matthew 9:5). And when Moses prays for pardon of Israel's sin, says he, let the power of the Lord be great (Numbers 14:17-19). 'Tis called riches of mercy (Ephesians 2:4), and great love, and such power as by which Christ was, and we are raised from the dead (Colossians 2:13 and Ephesians 1:7). Oh who is a God like to you that pardons iniquity! (Micah 7:18). This is the mystery that angels pry into and admire (1 Peter 1:12). God does as 'twere act against his own word (Genesis 2:17); he revokes his threatening: 'tis more than we could ask or think, 'tis beyond our reach, as 'tis expressed (Isaiah 55:7-9). Men (when sensible of sin) can hardly believe that God will or can do it, but are apt to say (as Cain) our iniquity is greater than can be forgiven. Man's mercy is large when it reaches to seven times — what is God, then, that reaches to more than seventy times seven in a day! (Matthew 18:21). When good men have prayed, "Lord, forgive them not" (Isaiah 2:9; Jeremiah 18:23), yet God has pardoned: and when himself was so put to it, as to say, "How shall I pardon you for this?" (Jeremiah 5:3), yet God offers it, and teaches men what to say to him in such cases (Hosea 14:1-4), that it may be done.

4. I infer from here, that no sin is to be committed on any terms, or on any account or reason whatever, because it is contrary to God, against his will and glory; this reason overbalances and outweighs any reason that can be given for sinning; let sin and sinners plead never so plausibly, how gainful or pleasureful sin is, yet (as it was said of a Roman Ambassador, Romanus tamen) it is a sin, that is, it is against God, which is a greater reason why it should not, than any can be alleged, why it should be committed, or so much as debated, whether it should or not: for no reason can equal this, that it is against God. It is a common saying by which persons excuse their own and other men's sins, that they are no man's foes but their own, they wrong none but themselves; if that were as true as it is false, yet therefore sin should not be committed; but sinners are God's foes, they are injurious to God, which is more than being so to any other or themselves: as we should do good, not only because it is good for us, but because it will glorify God, which is a higher end (and so much higher as God is above us) so we should forbear to do evil, not only because it is against us, but because it is against God, who is more to be beloved by us than ourselves. To sin against God admits of many aggravations, for it is against God that made us, indeed, fighting against God that made us; we are all the offspring of God, the children of God by the first nature, though children of wrath by corrupt nature: it is observable how the genealogy runs (Luke 3:39), which was the son of Adam, which was the Son of God. Adam was, and so were we the children of God by creation, God was our Father, who made us, and woe to him that strives with (and fights against) his Maker (Isaiah 43:9); it is woeful sinning against God as a Maker; Oh how unnatural it is to sin against our parents! So heinous was it, that (Exodus 21:15) he that strikes father or mother shall die. Oh what is it then to strike the Father of our spirits, the Father of our father and mother! If the ravens of the valley shall pick out the eyes of them that curse father and mother (Proverbs 30:17), what is likely to come on them that make nothing of cursing God himself!

It is against God in whose hand our breath is, and whose are all our ways, on which account we should glorify him (Daniel 5:23); he has our being and well-being at his dispose, he can crush us as the moth, and turn us not only to the dust, but to the hell of death: what he does for us, and what he can do against us, do hugely and strongly oblige us not to sin against him. We are beholden to him for all the good we have: that nakedness which had once a reverence, paid it from the creatures, would now be a scorn to them, if God did not clothe it: the creatures would not serve us, nor be serviceable to us, if God did not command and bless them; for bread we should have none, or no good by it, if he did not provide and bless it: what could weak things do to strengthen? Or dead things do to keep us alive, did not his Word do more than they? We live not by bread, but by his Word. If God should deny us bread by day, or sleep by night, what would become of us? Oh how can we find it in our heart to sin against God! There are two great wonders; the one, that God should be so good to man, who is, and does evil against him: the other, that man should do evil against so good a God! O foolish people, and unwise, thus to requite the Lord!

It is God that preserves our going out and coming in; and keeps us from infinite, invisible, as well as many visible dangers abroad and at home: if we did but know our dangers, we should go in fear of our lives every moment; the Earth would swallow us up, the fire would burn us, the water would drown us, if God were not with us to preserve us; he could have sent us down to Hell long ago, and yet gives space for repentance, and waits to be gracious. It is true, he will at last judge us, and what shall we do? How shall we stand, if found sinners when he rises up to judge terribly the Earth? What sanctuary or city of refuge shall we fly to, that we may be secure? Alas! there will be no [reconstructed: escaping], his vengeance in that day will overtake and ruin us. Think of this, and think whether you can find it in your heart to sin, or to think it a little or light thing to sin against God, such a God, whatever may be pretended for it; yet let me say this further, that if God had not laid so many obligations on us, yet were we bound not to sin against his sovereignty, and the authority he has over us; but when he humbles himself, and vouchsafes so many kindnesses to us, it were a monstrous ingratitude and rebellion to sin against him, whatever profit or pleasure might come to us thereby, or whatever reason may be alleged or pretended for our so doing.

5. I might from here infer the beauty, the transcendent and incomparable beauty of holiness, how lovely a thing it is in the eyes of God, and ought to be in the eyes of men: this is the thing that is so agreeable and pleasing to God, so adorning and beneficial to man. The black spot of sin sets off the beauty of holiness (contraria juxta se posita magis elucescunt). But having in a discourse by itself (and which I have published in print) — I say, having already spoken to it, I refer you to that Sermon, and shall add no more to this head here.

Secondly, I shall draw some inferences from the consideration of sin, as it is contrary to the good of man.

1. Then I infer, that they are miserably mistaken that seek for any good in sin; as sin is, so its effects are, all evil to man: there are (woe to them) that call evil good, or as 'tis in the margin (Isaiah 5:20), that say concerning evil, it is good; they think (and stick not to say as they think) that evil is good, and place their chief happiness in the chiefest evil, that is, in sin, and (as 'tis said of Doeg, and such as he (Psalm 52:3)) they love evil more than good. Alas, how many do not only undo themselves, but take pains and pleasure to do and in doing of it; yes, that think it strange, that others are not so mad as they, and run not with them to the same excess of riot (1 Peter 4:4), all which proceeds from this mistake, that evil is good, namely to them, as bringing profit, honor, or pleasure to them, which is called the lust of the eye, flesh, and pride of life (1 John 2:16), from where came the first sin (Genesis 3:6). But, alas, (as the event proved then, 'twill always) they gather no grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles, they seek the living among the dead, and may as well find ease in and from Hell, as good in or from sin: the morsels of sin are deceitful, though called dainties; sin is a mere cheat, with (not so much fair as) false shows it deceives the heart of the simple: the stolen waters of sin (however sweet they seem to be in the mouth and to the taste) will be gall and wormwood in the belly; bitterness in the latter end. All the corruption that is in the world, came in by lust (2 Peter 1:4), and all lust is deceitful (Ephesians 4:22), and thus the woman was first deceived, and by her the man (1 Timothy 2:14), and instead of being as God, which they thought was promised, they became as the Devil, which was the thing intended and designed by him; and sin first deceived, and then slew Saint Paul, as he speaks (Romans 7:11). It pretends as Jael did to Sisera, to bring milk and butter in a lordly dish, but the hammer and nail is in its heart and hand: they that serve various lusts are deceived, as the Apostle speaks (Titus 3:3). All the servants of sin are deceived, not of sin's wages, but of sin's promises; and though they sport themselves (while they play and nibble at the bait, like silly fishes) 'tis but in their own deceiving, for an evil heart has deceived them (2 Peter 2:13), and therefore the Apostle exhorts to take heed lest we be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). Sin's first work is to deceive us, and when it has thereby drawn us in, then it hardens, and so destroys us. But more particularly,

1. I shall evince that there is not, nor can be any profit to man by sin: can that be profitable that wrongs his soul? Alas, what does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his soul? Sin costs dear, but profits nothing; they make an ill purchase that buy their damnation: what got Cain by killing Christ in his type Abel, or Judas by selling his person? Surely he bought damnation dear, though he sold his Saviour cheap: take your money, says he, I have sinned; that I have sinned, made him weary of his gain and life; he got Hell, or (as the saying is) Devil and all. What profit have any by that of which they are ashamed (Romans 6:21)? All the works of darkness are unfruitful (as to any good) (Ephesians 5:11), but good works are profitable (Titus 3:8). Sin is a very chargeable thing, it cannot be maintained without great cost. Men might build hospitals at cheaper rates, than they can maintain their lusts: some men's sins cost them more in a day, than their families do in a week, perhaps in a year. Some starve their families to feed their lusts, which has turned many a house out of door, and brought great estates to a morsel of bread, beside what comes hereafter. Lusts consume health and wealth (Proverbs 5). Gluttony, drunkenness, and uncleanness are costly and chargeable sins.

Object. But it may be said, true, these are (as you say) costly sins indeed; but what say you to covetousness, that frugal and thrifty, that saving and getting sin? I answer,

That covetousness and all its gets or saves is unprofitable: for I pray consider.

1. All is not gain that's gotten; I will tell you what a wise man saw and said (Ecclesiastes 5:13): there is a sore evil under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt; here are riches and riches kept, but, alas, 'tis for the owner's hurt and detriment; better he had not had them, or had not kept them: did these profit him? Yes, if hurt be profit, not else: where is the profit? He can show you his hurt, but not his profit. They perish by evil travel, and he begets a son, but can leave him nothing, for 'tis not in his hand (verse 14); while he had them, he could not sleep for them (verse 12), and his abundance made him poor; perhaps 'twas his crime that he was rich, and some Vespasian or other mightier than he, finding this sponge swelled and full, would needs squeeze him, and leave him hollow and empty. Stories tell us of times, when estates have been the greatest crimes persons have been guilty of, though charged with malignancy or treason. Or,

2. Consider, covetousness itself may be a thief, and rob men of the use and comfort of their own possessions: the covetous man does always need, and is indeed the poorest man in the world (Ecclesiastes 4:8). There is one alone, there is not a second (he is a single man unmarried, without a second-self) yet there is no end of his labor, yet, says he not, for whom do I bereave myself of good; observe it, while he gets goods, he bereaves himself of good, yes, of the good of his goods. Is this profitable? No, 'tis a sore travail, for he has not power to eat thereof (Ecclesiastes 6:2). To fill his purse he starves his belly, and grudges himself victuals.

3. Consider, that though you have much, and use it much, yet it will never satisfy, and therefore must needs vex: no satisfaction, no profit. A man's aim is satisfaction (Luke 12:19), but the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing (Ecclesiastes 1:8). Now if they cannot satisfy the senses, much less the souls of men (Ecclesiastes 6:7), and which adds to the vexation, the love of money increases faster than the money; so that (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11) he that loves silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loves [reconstructed: abundance] with increase. Well, it may be you [reconstructed: may] say, none of these are my cases; if not, [reconstructed: consider the next].

4. Consider that which must be your case, you [reconstructed: can] not carry away one penny of your estate with you; and where's the profit then? What you leave behind you is none of yours, but you die the poorer for leaving your riches behind you, and having not laid up your treasures in Heaven (1 Timothy 6). The rich man said to his soul, you have goods; but you fool, says our Savior, you must die tonight, and whose shall they be? Not yours. What do you get by all your gettings, to leave them all behind you? And it may be to them whom of all men you were most unwilling should enjoy them (Psalms 39:6, Ecclesiastes 2:18-21). To go naked out of the world is a sore evil, and no profit (Ecclesiastes 5:15-16). If you enjoy all to your dying day, yet then you lose all, and it may be do not only lose it, but lose by it; riches profit not in the day of wrath, and surely that cannot be worth much while we live, that will be worth nothing when we die. Beside, there is no man in more danger to lose by getting than the covetous man, who is in the ready way to lose his soul; for the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some have coveted after, they have gotten nothing by it but the loss of their souls, being drowned in perdition (1 Timothy 6:9-10). And truly, take it here for the present, while it is in its best; the pains of getting, the cares of keeping, and fear of losing, eat out the comfort of having; so that all must subscribe to what our Savior said (Luke 12:15), a man's life (neither the length, health, or comfort, much less the happiness of a man's life) consists in the things he enjoys in this world; life needs more and better things. Oh what silly foolish things are sinners! To place the good of profit in that which is not only unprofitable, but chargeable, to pay so dear a price for so vile a commodity, to pay after the rate of Heaven, and be put off with Hell! We laugh at the simplicity and childishness of little ones that will part with gold for a toy, for a new-nothing: but how ridiculous are they, and worse than childish, that venture precious souls for that which does not profit! As God upbraids Israel of old, that they changed their glory for that which did not profit, and (worse than that great King who sold his Kingdom for a draught of water) they leave and part with a fountain of living waters, for a cistern, an empty cistern that has none, yes, for a broken cistern that can hold no water, no not a drop (Jeremiah 2:21). Sinners are often asking this question, What profit is there if we serve God? (Job 21:15). Oh, godliness is profitable for all times, for here and hereafter, it has the promise of both lives, this and that to come (1 Timothy 4:8). But let me ask them (and I wish they would often ask themselves) What profit is there if we sin? As Judah asked his brothers, What profit is there if we slay our brother (Genesis 37:26). Surely none but shame and sorrow, you may put your gains in your eyes, and weep it out; if not, a greater loss will come to you. Thus then we have seen that no good of profit comes by sin, no not by that which is called the most profitable sin, Covetousness; so that our inference holds good, they are mistaken that seek good in evil.

2. As there is no good called Profit, so none of that called Honor to be had by sin, it is not a creditable thing: there are that glory in, and make boast of their sin, but they glory in their shame (Philippians 3:19), and surely sooner or later, they will be ashamed of their glory. Sin is not a thing of good report, it does (malè audire) hear ill, and has an ill name all the world over. Can that be honorable which is unreasonable? Can that be an honor to man which debases and degrades him? The unreasonableness of sin appears by the reasonableness of the law, sin has no reason for it; for the law (which has all reason in it) is against it: that sin degrades men, I showed above. Take the fine and brave things of this world, wherein men pride themselves, and these cannot cover the nakedness of sinners, much less be an ornament or honor to them, for that can never be an honor or grace to the body, which is a disgrace to the soul. That cannot be an honor to men, which they are generally ashamed to own, at least under its own name. But though all the world should admire and celebrate the grandeur of sinners, yet God accounts them vile, though they sit at the upper end of the world, and God is, doubtless, the best judge of honor; that cannot be honorable to man, that is abominable to God: (Luke 16:15), even appearing righteousness, which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination in the sight of God, much more than is sin itself. Again,

3. There is none of the good called Pleasure to be had from or by sin: it is true indeed, the pleasures of sin are much talked of, and we read of some that take pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12), and of some (impudent and brazen-faced that they were) who though they knew the judgment of God, yet took pleasure to do, and in them that did, such things as were worthy of death (Romans 1:32), and there were that lived in pleasure on the earth (and seemed to grow fat by it) nourishing themselves, but it was for the day of slaughter (James 5:5). Notwithstanding all this, we doubt not to make it evident, that there is no such thing (as they talked of or dreamt of) pleasure in, from, or by sin. Pleasure is the contentment and satisfaction of a man's mind in what he does or has; but sinners have none of this from sin. For,

1. The God that searches their hearts, and knows what's there, tells us that there is no peace to the wicked (Isaiah 57:21). The Septuagint reads it, there is no joy, nor peace, nor pleasure, no serenity, nor one halcyon day, for they are like the raging sea, casting up mire and dirt, by reason of its rolling and disquietment. Men (to our appearance) seem to laugh, and be merry, but God sees that they have no peace within; and I had rather believe the God of Truth than lying men, for lie they do when they say, they have peace or pleasure in sin. Solomon said of laughter, it was mad, and of mirth, what does it? Indeed, in the midst (or heart of laughter) the heart is sad.

2. The nature of the thing, namely sin, cannot afford pleasure, it being contrary to the nature of man. Therefore the heathen philosophers could say, that punishment succeeds guilt at the heels; like that (Genesis 4:7): if you do evil, sin lies (dogging) at the door. Another says more expressly, that punishment does not only succeed sin, but they are born together, and are twins. For they that deserve punishment, expect it, and whoever expects it, suffers it in a degree; so that the sinner is his own tormenter, and sin his torment. Our knowledge of having miscarried will return and complain of the abuse, and the impressions of the fault will bring fear, which fear has torment, if there were no more to come. The upbraidings of conscience mar the mirth, and make the pleasure very displeasing. What pleasure can it be to feel the upbraidings of meat, though it tastes pleasantly? Poison itself is sweet to the taste, but not therefore pleasant; regrets and ill-savoring belchings do not speak pleasure. Whatever crosses and thwarts nature is a punishment, not a pleasure, and so is sin to primitive and created nature. If custom and a seared conscience seem to deny the sense of such regrets, yet that argues the case the worse; for what pleasure can that be that benumbs a man, and makes him not only stupid, but dead? And they that live in such pleasures are (by the infallible truth declared to be) dead while they live (1 Timothy 5:6). When stupidity may pass for pleasure, and death for life, or dreams for enjoyments, these then may have a large share. But,

3. There can be no satisfaction, but of necessity much vexation, because of the boundless and infinite desire in the heart of man, which this cannot fill up, but disappoints. Lusts are like the horseleech and the grave which have never enough, but cry, give, give; the desire argues want, and to desire again, argues the continuance of want. Hence it is, that sinners shift so often, or (as the Apostle speaks) serve various lusts; which changes and varieties clearly show the poverty of their entertainments, and emptiness of their pleasure. While men seek to quench the thirst of sin by giving it salt water to drink, they do but increase it; and indeed every man may find it much more easy, pleasant, and satisfactory to mortify than to gratify sin, to deny than to fulfill the desires of the flesh. For men to be ever contradicting and swimming against the stream of their conscience, which tells them they ought not to sin, and if they do, chides them for it, must necessarily be uneasy and unpleasant. Men's sins make them sick (as Amnon's did) so far are they from being pleasures. To desire the presence of what's absent, or the absence of what's present, or the continuance of what cannot be kept, or the continuance and keeping of which would surfeit them (as the constancy of drunkenness and intemperance does do) must unavoidably be very tedious. And such men, even in the fullness of their sufficiency (to allude to that in Job) cannot but be in straits. If they gratify one, they displease another of their lusts; as, if they gratify pride and prodigality, they displease covetousness, and so are still far from pleasure, being even distracted and slain by one or other of their lusts all the day long. They have fightings without and within, and good men are not more persecuted by the Devil and wicked world, than these men are tormented by their irregular and inordinate fleshly appetites, and carnal inclinations.

But yet for all this, men are loath to believe this, which (say they) crosses Scripture expression and their experience: the Scripture mentions the pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25), and we find the pleasure of it. Thus men are apt to plead for sin, and be its advocate, and can hug any Scripture that does but speak of (though it disowns and disallows) any such thing as sinful pleasures. As to that misunderstood text, let me say this, that Moses cannot be charged with any sin from which he drew pleasure, and therefore by the pleasures of sin are not meant such as flow from, but such as lead to sin; he declined the pleasures which would have inclined him to sin. Pleasures are allurements and baits to draw to sin, as it was to Eve — the tree was pleasant to the eyes, and inviting; but the taste and digestion found no pleasure, but bitterness from the fruit. Thus Moses lived where pleasures were, and such as tended or were abused to sin, indeed, such as he could not have enjoyed without committing the great sin (which the Egyptians did), namely, afflicting the people of God, and being cruel to them, instead of delivering them. So that this Scripture speaks nothing in favor of sin, or that there are any pleasures to be had by or from it.

Yet if we should take the text as interpreted by them, all that can be said of it, is but this, that it speaks as they think, not that there are (but there are thought to be) pleasures of sin. It is an ordinary thing for the Scripture to speak of such a thing, as if it were, and to say it is, which is but supposed to be by others. As for instance (1 Corinthians 8:4-6): there are gods many, and lords many, not that really there was any such, but by others they were reckoned such. So in this text he speaks (after the manner of men) concerning the pleasures of sin, as they are reputed; and this is confirmed by a passage of the Apostle (2 Peter 2:13): they count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. It is no pleasure, but they accounted it a pleasure; it was none, for they did enjoy but a mock sport or pleasure, while they sported themselves in their own deceivings. So that in counting it pleasure to riot, they deceive themselves; they suppose it a sport and pleasure, but it is not so. Yet again,

If there be any pleasure, it can be but to the body and sensual part of man, which is a pleasure to the beast, not to the man: the body is but the case of man (a mud-wall cottage thatched over with hair) — it is the soul that is the excellency and glory of man, the [reconstructed: true inner self], the man of the man, and whoever will take [reconstructed: a] right measure of what's good or evil to man must take it especially with respect and relation to the soul. He much mistook the nature [reconstructed: of] his soul, who bid it take ease in eating and drinking; alas, the soul cannot feed on flesh — it is a spirit, and must have a diet peculiar and proper, that is, spiritual. Very usually the pleasure of the body proves the soul's pain; to eat and drink is the body's pleasure, but gluttony and drunkenness (which are the sins of eating and drinking) are the soul's pain, and many times the body's too. To take rest when weary is the body's pleasure, but to be idle (which is the sin of rest and ease) is an affliction and trouble to the soul.

Yet further, that which men call the pleasure of sin is both their dying and punishment: many laugh and are merry from the sickliness and distemper they are under, as they say of them that are bitten by the Tarantula, they laugh themselves to death. Some are such ticklish things that they will laugh at the wagging of a feather; but this is an argument of their weakness and folly, two ill diseases. Many persons take pleasure in eating lime, mortar, coals, and such like trash, but it is from a disease which vitiates and corrupts their palate, else they would not feed on ashes, had they not the greensickness disease. So whoever pretends to find pleasure in sin proves himself distempered and diseased, and under the old rooted disease of being in sins, yes, dead in them.

It is as a disease, so a punishment, because it is false pleasure, and what truer misery than false joy? It is like his pleasure who receives much money, but it is all false coin; or his who dreams of a feast, and awakes so hungry and vexed that he could eat his dream. And on this account sin should be doubly hated, because ugly, and because false, because it defiles, and because it mocks us. But,

Yet again, if there be any pleasure, it is but for a season, a very little while — it is soon over and gone, like the crackling of thorns under a pot. The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment (Job 20:5). But the miseries of sin may be — yes, without repentance, will be — eternal. So that as the sufferings of this present life (to the godly) are not worthy to be compared with the future glory, so the pleasures of the wicked are as nothing (take the best of them) not to be compared with the future misery. Certainly they are woeful and rueful pleasures that men must repent of, or be damned for to all eternity.

Upon the whole then, the inference is undeniable, that there is no good (of profit, honor, or pleasure) to be had by sin, and that they who seek for all or any of them there do as they that would seek ease in Hell, the very place and element of torment. If good be not good when better is expected, how miserably vexatious must the disappointment be? When men look for good and peace, but behold evil and trouble (yes, and nothing else) comes upon them: when they bless themselves and say (as in Deuteronomy 29:19), we shall have peace, though we walk in the imaginations of our heart, to add drunkenness to thirst — the Lord will not spare them, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against them. And when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come upon them (as travail upon a woman with child) and there will be no escaping (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

There are some other inferences yet to be spoken to, and of them I shall say but a few things in brief. Sin being so sinful,

2. I infer, that time spent in sin is worse than lost. Most of the pastime in the world is lost time, but sinning time, or time spent in sin, is worse than lost: it must be accounted for, and who can give a good account of evil doing? While men live in sin, they do nothing but undo themselves. Man was not sent into this world only to eat, drink, sleep, and play (much less to sin, yes, that he might not sin) but as into a great workshop, to work for the glory of God (John 17:4), and so to work out his own salvation, and that with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). But they that live in sin work out their damnation, and many times without fear or trembling; of which they will have great store when they come to receive their just doom and damnation. Time is a most precious commodity, for on this moment depends eternity, and as men sow in this seed-time, they will reap in that harvest. Time is a prophet for eternity, as men live here, they are like to live forever: they that sow sin must reap death (Galatians 6:8). Time is to be redeemed (Ephesians 5:16), and every day to be numbered, greatly valued and improved, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom (Psalms 90:12). And this is wisdom, the fear of the Lord, and this understanding, to depart from evil (Job 28:28). This is wisdom, to know and do what is the acceptable will of God (Matthew 7:24; Ephesians 5:15-17). We may be said to be, but not to live, if we live not to God, and all time that is not so spent is but misspent, and worse than lost. Poor distracted persons that have lost their understanding wear out their days to less loss and disadvantage than sinners do.

3. Then they that make a mock at sin, are worse than fools and madmen: fools make a mock at sin (Proverbs 14:9). Tell them (as Lot did his sons-in-law) the danger they are in, the judgments that hang over their head, and our warning to them (as Lot was to them) is as one that mocks (Genesis 19:14). They laugh at it, as if God were not in earnest when he threatens sinners, and as if they that preach against sin were but ridiculous persons. It is a sport to fools to do mischief (Proverbs 10:23), and there are those that sport themselves in their way to Hell, as if it were but a recreation! Oh what fools are they that laugh at their own folly and destruction too! It is a devilish nature in us to mock at the calamity of others, but to laugh at our own seems to be worse than devilish! There are many, too many, that mourn under affliction, yet laugh over their sins; that sigh and weep when they feel any burden on their bodies, but make merry at that which destroys their soul! Can anything be more mad than these, that laugh, mock, and make sport at that which is a burden and weariness to God (Isaiah 1:14; Amos 2:13), which is the wounding, piercing, and crucifying of Christ Jesus (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 6:6), which is a grief to the Spirit of Consolation (Ephesians 4:30), which is a trouble to holy Angels (Luke 15), which is a wrong to, and the undoing of their own souls (Proverbs 8:36)? And such is sin.

4. Sin being so sinful, infectious, and pernicious, it can never be well with a man (however well he may be) while he is in his sins. Was it well with Dives, though he fared deliciously every day? No, it was better with Lazarus that lay at his gate full of sores; for that is well that ends well, which it never does with sinners: if judgment be not executed speedily, it will surely come, for they are condemned already, being sons of death and perdition. No man has cause to envy the prosperity of sinners; it is not good enough to be envied, but it is bad enough to be pitied; they are but fattened, and thereby fitted to destruction (Proverbs 1:32). The prosperity of fools shall destroy them; their folly alone does it, but their prosperity does double it, and does it with a vengeance; the prosperous sinner is in the worst case of all sinners, they are set in slippery places, and shall be cast down from their height, to the depth of destruction (Psalms 73:18).

5. Sin being so sinful, it greatly concerns persons, and hugely obliges them to be religious in good time, that they may prevent a great deal of sin, which without being early religious (and strictly so) they cannot possibly do: how precious and dear should that be to us, which prevents the being of what is so pernicious and destructive? How industriously careful should we be to keep ourselves from that, which will keep us from happiness? And how ambitious to enjoy that, which enables us for the enjoying of God for ever, and gives us the first fruits of it here? We cannot be too soon nor too much religious, but the sooner (and more) the better. If ever you mean to be religious, there is no time more proper than now, the present now, no day like today (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Remember now your Creator (as the word is, namely, God in Christ, for he created all things by Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:16)). Remember now, in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, when you will say, I have no pleasure in them: not only no pleasure in the evil days (of sickness, death, and judgment, that evil day, which I put far from me) but I have none in the remembrance of my youthful days. Youth is the most proper season of all our days, and now is the most proper season of all our youth to remember God in. If you say, we will do that when we are old, it is now springtime with us (and no month like May), we will think of religion in a winter's night: Oh do not boast of tomorrow, as young as you are, you are old enough to die, this night your soul may be taken from you, and be in Hell tomorrow!

Take the wise man's counsel (Ecclesiastes 11:9): Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes. Yes, sir, with all our heart, we will take this counsel, we like it well, this is pleasing doctrine; we had rather mind this, than to be holy, we will be debonair and jovial, we care not for severe preachers of strictness and devotion, we will laugh and sing, drink and dance away our time, while we have it, etc. But mistake not, Solomon speaks ironically, and has something else to say; take all, and then if you rejoice, it will be with trembling; rejoice — but; let your heart cheer you — but; walk in the ways of your heart and eyes — but; but what? Know that for all these things you must come to judgment: and how will you answer for your vanities and follies, your pride and wantonness, your drunkenness and debauchery then? Oh, remember your Creator, before that evil day come, and prevent a life of sin, which is the most miserable life in the world! And God has promised, that if you seek him early, you shall find him, and in finding him, you find all (Proverbs 8:17-21).

Remember him in your youth, for memory is then in its prime and most flourishing; shall he that gave you your being and memory be forgotten by you? If God should not remember you, what would become of you? And see what is like to become of you, if you forget God (Psalm 50:22). However good and excellent your memory may be, I am sure you have a very bad one, if you forget and do not remember your Creator in the days of your youth. The young man's glory is his strength (whether of memory, etc.) and will you give your strength to sin, which is due to God? (Mark 12:30). God's sacrifices were to be young, the first ripe fruits, and the first-born (which is the strength, Genesis 49:3) were to be dedicated to God, and he will not be put off with less now. God's chiefest worthies have been and are his young men (1 John 2:13-14). God's men of valor are young men: the princes of this world (like the Romans of old) make up their armies of young men, the flower of their army is (Romana juventus) of young and strong men; and shall the King of Kings be put off with what is decrepit and worn out? No, he will not (Malachi 1:8, 13-14). Go offer it to your Governor — will he be pleased with, or accept such persons? No; nor will God, who is a great King, the Lord of Hosts, whose name is dreadful.

They that have been religious early are greatly famed and honored in and by the Scripture records: God is taken with, and remembers the kindness of their youth (Jeremiah 2:2). Abel, though dead, is yet spoken of with an honorable testimony, even that of God himself, for serving God so young and so well (Hebrews 11:4). Joseph was very early religious; so was Samuel: Jeroboam's little son is not to be forgotten, for God has honored him. King Josiah, Daniel, and the three children (or young men of Israel) are all enrolled in the court of honor and Heaven: and in the New Testament, Saint John is called the disciple whom Jesus loved, his bosom-favorite and darling, and the reason usually given is, because he came to Christ, and became his disciple, while yet very young. It is the commendation of Timothy, that he knew the Scriptures from a child (2 Timothy 3:15). Many parents are afraid to have serious and divine things taught their children, lest it make them melancholy and dispirit them; but is there anything better to fit them for service to God or man, than religion? Or any spirit comparable to that true greatness and gallantry of spirit which is in being afraid to sin? We should teach children moral and religious courage and bravery, which is more in fearing to sin than to die; and to make Moses's choice, to prefer the reproaches of Christ before the treasures and pleasures of this world: and this way they are like to attain better names and greater estates, to enjoy more pleasure and preferment, than any this world can confer upon them. They are best bred, who are taught to love and serve God best; and they attain most honor, who honor God, for them will God himself honor. I speak not in derogation of anything that is civil, handsome, and genteel, but would press to more, to what is commendable to God, and in his sight of great price, to remember him in the days of youth. For evil days are coming, sickness, old age, death is approaching, the Judge is at the door; and certainly that is best while we are young, that will be best when we are old and die; and that can be worth very little at the beginning, which will be worth nothing at the end of our days. The sins of youth will lie heavy upon an old age; indeed, if God gives repentance to you when you are old, it will cost you the dearer, that you did repent no sooner; and you will regret it, that you have been so long in sin, and are now to live but a little while to testify your conversion. It was sad with Job to possess the sins of his youth (Job 13:23-24). Youthful sweets do often prove old age's bitterness; and the pleasures while young, cost pains when old: which made King David pray to God, that he would not remember against him the sins of his youth (Psalm 25:7). I suppose, this may suffice (though much more might be added) to show how much persons are concerned to be religious early, seeing sin is a thing so dangerous and destructive.

6. Sin being so pernicious, how welcome should the Gospel be, which brings the good and happy news of a Savior, and how to be saved from sin the cause of wrath, and wrath the effect of sin? How beautiful should their feet be that bring this blessed remedy to us (Romans 10:15)? Had we the gout or stone, what would we not give for a recipe, an infallible medicine to cure us? We use to welcome surgeons, though they put us to pain, and apothecaries, though they bring us loathsome drugs; indeed, so dear is health, that we not only thank, but reward them too. Oh, what a welcome then should Christ and his Gospel have, who come with saving health, to cure us of the worst of diseases and plagues, namely, that of sin? It seems to me we should press with violence, and be so violent, as to besiege Heaven, and take it by force; and we should no less hasten to receive the Gospel, and take into us the wine and milk thereof, and the waters of life, seeing we may have them so freely for coming for. Indeed our salvation cost Christ Jesus dear, but he offers it to us at a cheap rate, and it seems to me we should not let Heaven be so thinly, and Hell so popularly inhabited, when salvation may be had at an easier rate, than going beyond sea for it (Romans 10:6-10, with Deuteronomy 30:12-14). Oh, seeing it is so faithful a saying, and worthy to be received, be not so unworthy as to refuse it, and with that to refuse your own salvation. But,

I shall take an occasion from hence to pass to exhortation and counsel: for it may be some poor soul or other may be pricked at heart, and cry out, as they did (Acts 2:37), or as the jailor in (Acts 17:30), "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Is there any hope for poor sinners? Is there any balm in Gilead, or Physician there? (Jeremiah 8:22). Yes, surely there is: God would never (as a learned person expresses it) have suffered so potent and malicious an enemy to have set foot in his dominions, but that he knew how to conquer it, and that not only by punishing it in hell, but by destroying it. He will not only pardon, but subdue your sin. If you will hear him, hear then, that your soul may live, hear the call of Christ Jesus, behold, he calls you — come to me, you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11). All that were in debt and distress came to David; you are such a one, come to this David (for so Christ is called) take his counsel, and you shall do well, you shall live, and sin shall die. What is that counsel?