Secondly, another reason why we see not the vileness of sin, is, because we judge the nature of sin according to Gods patience towards us, as thus, a man commits a sin & is not plagued for it, and therefore he thinks God will not execute judgements upon him at all, all things continue a like, (saith the wicked man) as if he had said, you talk of the wrath of God that shall be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, & where is the promise of his coming? do you not see that such a man is an oppressor, & a profane person? yet grows rich and thrives in the world; and because God spares a wicked man still for the present, therefore he thinks all are but words, he shall be free from the punishment to come (as the Prophet saith in the name of the Lord) These things hast thou done and I kept silence, 1when thou wast upon thy Ale-bench, and there thou didst speak against holiness and purity, and because I did bear yet, and say nothing, therefore thou speakest wickedly that I was even such a one as thy self; The wicked man takes Gods patience to be a kind of allowance to him in his sin, (as the wise man saith) because sentence against an evil work is not speedily executed, 2therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in them to do mischief, & as the Prophet saith, they call the proud ⟨p. 22⟩happy,3 ye that work wickedness are set to do evil, & they that tempt God are delivered. As who should say, you say that the wrath of God is incensed against swearers, and drunkards, and the like; but we see them prosper, and because they do prosper thus, their hearts are set to work wickedness, but howsoever, it is true the Lord doth sometime bear with wicked men; the longer God stays, the greater account they shall make, and the heavier judgements they shall receive from God; See what Job saith, thou sealest up my transgressions in a bag, 4and thou sowest up mine iniquities; Wicked men do treasure up vengeance against the day of the Lord, the profane person treasures up wrath, and in the eighteenth verse he saith: The mountains falling come to nothing: as if he had said, good Lord, who can bear all those sins, that I have committed? Are they all sealed up, and shall all the judgements due unto them fall upon me heavier then the mountains?
Secondly, another reason why we see not the vilenesse of sinne, is, because we judge the nature of sinne according to Gods patience towards us, as thus, a man commits a sin & is not plagued for it, and therefore he thinkes God will not execute judgements upon him at all, all things continue a like, (saith the wicked man) as if he had said, you talke of the wrath of God that shall be revealed frō heaven against all ungodlines, & where is the promise of his comming? doe you not see that such a man is an oppressor, & a prophane persō? yet growes rich and thrives in the world; and because God spares a wicked man still for the present, therefore he thinkes all are but words, he shall be free from the punishment to come (as the Prophet saith in the name of the Lord) These things hast thou done and I kept silence, 1when thou wast upon thy Ale-bench, and there thou didst speake against holinesse and purity, and because I did beare yet, and say nothing, therfore thou speakest wickedly that I was even such a one as thy selfe; The wicked man takes Gods patience to be a kinde of allowance to him in his sinne, (as the wise man saith) because sentence against an evill worke is not speedily executed, 2therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men are wholy set in them to doe mischiefe, & as the Prophet saith, they call the proud ⟨p. 22⟩happy,3 ye that worke wickednesse are set to doe evill, & they that tempt God are delivered. As who should say, you say that the wrath of God is incensed against swearers, and drunkards, and the like; but we see them prosper, and because they doe prosper thus, their hearts are set to worke wickednes, but howsoever, it is true the Lord doth sometime beare with wicked men; the longer God staies, the greater account they shall make, and the heavier judgements they shall receive from God; See what Iob saith, thou sealest up my transgressions in a bagge, 4and thou sowest up mine iniquities; Wicked men doe treasure up vengeance against the day of the Lord, the profane person treasures up wrath, and in the eighteenth verse he saith: The mountaines falling come to nothing: as if he had said, good Lord, who can beare all those sinnes, that I have committed? Are they all sealed up, and shall all the judgements due unto them fall upon me heavier then the mountaines?
- 1Psalm. 50.2.
- 2Eccles. 8.11.
- 3Mat. 3.45.
- 4Job. 14.17.Iob. 14.17.
