Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

(3.) Sin is an extreme vilifying of God's Goodness, in preferring Carnal Pleasures to his Favour, and Communion with him, wherein the Life, the Felicity, the Heaven of the reasonable Creature consists. God is Infinite in all possible Perfections, All sufficient to make us completely and eternally happy: he disdains to have any Competitor, and requires to be supreme in our Esteem and Affections: the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural Light, that 'tis needless to spend many words about it. 'Tis an Observation of St. Austin^*, That it was a Rule amongst the Heathens, that a wise Man should worship all their Deities. The Romans were so insatiable in Idolatry, that they sent to ⟨p. 29⟩Foreign Countries to bring the Gods of several Nations: an unpolished Stone, a tame Serpent, that were reputed Deities, they received with great Solemnity and Reverence. But the true God had no Temple, no Worship in Rome, where there was a Pantheon dedicated to the Honour of all the false Gods. The Reason he gives of it is, that the true God, who alone has Divine Excellencies, and Divine Empire, will be worshipped alone, and strictly forbids the Assumption of any into his Throne. To adore any besides him is infinitely debasing, and provoking to his dread Majesty. Now Sin in its Nature is a Conversion from God to the Creature; and whatever the Temptation be, in yielding to it, there is signified, that we choose something before his Favour. Sin is founded in bono jucundo, something that is delectable to the Carnal Nature: 'tis ⟨p. 30⟩the universal Character of Carnal Men, They are Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God. To some, Riches are the most alluring Object. The young Man in the Gospel, when our Saviour commanded him to give his Estate to the Poor, and he should have Treasure in Heaven, went away sorrowful, as if he had been offered to his loss. To others, the Pleasures that in strict Propriety are sensual, are most charming. Love is the Weight of the Soul that turns it, not like a dead Weight of the Scales, but with Election freely to its Object: in the carnal Balance the present Things of the World are of conspicuous Moment, and out-weigh Spiritual and Eternal Blessings. Although the Favour of God be eminently all that can be desired, under the Notion of Riches, or Honour, or Pleasure, and every Atom of our Affection is due to him;