Secondly, if there be such a glorious reward, consider1, that this is a mighty aggravation of the evil of sin, that when God hath revealed himself so gracious, as to lay up such glorious things for those that walk in the way of obedience, for any after this yet to embrace the ways of sin, must needs aggravate the horrid and desperate wickedness of mans heart: There is evil enough in sin, though we should lose nothing by it, that it is a disobedience to God, a breach of the Law, and going against the mind of God; but for men to venture upon the ways of sin, although they know they shall lose such an infinite good as this is, here is not only desperate wickedness, but desperate folly; it is a sign that mans heart is desperately set upon sin, that he will go on in sin, though it be with the loss of all this glory, and these blessed things. I remember Ambrose reports of one Theotimus, ⟨p. 626⟩that having a disease upon his body, and the Physician told him, Except he did abstain from intemperance, drunkenness or uncleanness, he was like to lose his eyes; his heart was desperately set upon his sin, that he said, Farewell sweet light then; as if he should say, 2I must have my pleasure in that sin, if I must lose my eyes, then farewell eyes, farewell the light. I suppose there is none of you dare reason thus desperately, when we come to you in the name of God, and speak of some particular sin that your consciences tell you you are guilty of, and profess unto you as in the name of God, that that way you take cannot stand with eternal life, that you must eternally perish, and lose all that happiness that God hath prepared for the Saints, perhaps none dare say, Farewell God, and Christ, and eternal life, and all, I must have my sin: Though you do not say so directly, yet if after you have heard all this, you go on in a sinful way, you do in effect say so; for the Scripture says, Know you not that no drunkard, nor whoremonger, nor covetous, nor unclean person, nor extortioner, and the like, shall enter into the Kingdom of God: You know this, it is not possible that any should be so ignorant, but he knows such shall never enter into the Kingdom of God; you going on then in such a way, you do as it were say, Farewell God, and heaven, and farewell all that Christ hath purchased by his blood, rather then I will lose my sin: How will this confound you another day?
Secondly, if there be such a glorious reward, consider1, that this is a mighty aggravation of the evil of sin, that when God hath revealed himself so gracious, as to lay up such glorious things for those that walk in the way of obedience, for any after this yet to embrace the ways of sin, must needs aggravate the horrid and desperate wickedness of mans heart: There is evil enough in sin, though we should lose nothing by it, that it is a disobedience to God, a breach of the Law, and going against the minde of God; but for men to venture upon the ways of sin, although they know they shall lose such an infinite good as this is, here is not onely desperate wickedness, but desperate folly; it is a sign that mans heart is desperately set upon sin, that he wil go on in sin, though it be with the loss of all this glory, and these blessed things. I remember Ambrose reports of one Theotimus, ⟨p. 626⟩that having a disease upon his body, and the Physitian told him, Except he did abstain from intemperance, drunkenness or uncleanness, he was like to lose his eyes; his heart was desperately fet upon his sin, that he said, Farewel sweet light then; as if he should say, 2I must have my pleasure in that sin, if I must lose my eyes, then farewel eyes, farewel the light. I suppose there is none of you dare reason thus desperately, when we come to you in the name of God, and speak of some particular sin that your consciences tell you you are guilty of, and profess unto you as in the name of God, that that way you take cannot stand with eternal life, that you must eternally perish, and lose all that happiness that God hath prepared for the Saints, perhaps none dare say, Farewel God, and Christ, and eternal life, and all, I must have my sin: Though you do not say so directly, yet if after you have heard all this, you go on in a sinful way, you do in effect say so; for the Scripture says, Know you not that no drunkard, nor whoremonger, nor covetous, nor unclean person, nor extortioner, and the like, shall enter into the Kingdom of God: You know this, it is not possible that any should be so ignorant, but he knows such shall never enter into the Kingdom of God; you going on then in such a way, you do as it were say, Farewel God, and heaven, and farewel all that Christ hath purchased by his blood, rather then I will lose my sin: How will this confound you another day?
- 1Use 2.
- 2Vale lumen amicum
