CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

And First, Because an Affliction is but a particular temporal Evil, but Sin is an infinite, universal Evil: Sickness depriveth of Health, Poverty of Wealth, and thus every Strait doth but oppose some temporal particular Good, that is the Creatures Good; But Sin is an Universal Evil, it depriveth of God, and it divesteth of all Glory and Happiness, so that as Anselm said, It ought to be our Resolution, That if Hell were on one side, and Sin on the other, we ought rather to choose Hell-Torments then Sin, and the Reason is because Sin is an Offence and a Dishonour against God; God is infinitely more then the Creature, and his Glory and Honour is more worthy then all we are: It's better the whole World should be annihilated, and destroyed, and come to nothing in all its Comforts then that the least glimpse of the Glory of God should be Eclipsed: Oh then whosoever had rather sin then be afflicted, he preferreth himself above God, he preferreth himself above Christ, and he sets up his own particular Safety and Security above Gods Glory: Oh then that we could be more afraid of Sin then we are of Troubles; This is but the deprivation of some limited comfort or particular advantage, but sin depriveth of God the Fountain of all comfort.

And First, Because an Affliction is but a particular temporall Evil, but Sinne is an infinite, universall Evil: Sicknesse depriveth of Health, Poverty of Wealth, and thus every Streight doth but oppose some temporall particular Good, that is the Creatures Good; But Sinne is an Universall Evil, it depriveth of God, and it divesteth of all Glory and Happinesse, so that as Anselme said, It ought to be our Resolution, That if Hell were on one side, and Sinne on the other, we ought rather to choose Hell-Torments then Sinne, and the Reason is because Sinne is an Offence and a Dishonour against God; God is infinitely more then the Creature, and his Glory and Honour is more worthy then all we are: It's better the whole World should be annihilated, and destroyed, and come to nothing in all its Comforts then that the least glimpse of the Glory of God should be Eclipsed: Oh then whosoever had rather sinne then be afflicted, he preferreth himself above God, he preferreth himself above Christ, and he sets up his own particular Safety and Security above Gods Glory: Oh then that we could be more afraid of Sinne then we are of Troubles; This is but the deprivation of some limited comfort or particular advantage, but sinne depriveth of God the Fountain of all comfort.