An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

The Apostle puts the question to sinners (Rom: 6.21.) What fruit had ye then, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Cast up your account, and tell us what you find at the foot of it. Possibly some may say, we have gotten hundreds and thousands, we have gotten houses and lands, our barns are full of corn, our fields of cattle, and our bags are full of treasure. But is it profit to have house and land, gold and silver come in by sin? Let that Scripture answer (Math: 16.26.) What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and loose his own soul? But some may say, they that are in Christ cannot loose their souls by sin. I answer; First, though they that are in Christ cannot be such sinful souls, as to sin away their souls, though they cannot sin at such a rate, nor in such a height as to loose their souls who have indeed found Christ, or rather who are found of him, and planted in him; yet the damage which every sin unrepented of and unpardoned puts man to is the loss of his soul. Secondly, suppose a sinner repenteth, what hath he got by sin, but the sorrows of repentance. And though no man shall have cause to repent of true repentance for sin, yet no man shall have cause to boast of the penny-worth he hath had by sin which hath occasioned the sorrows of that repentance. One hours communion with God in ways of holiness is better then all the profits and pleasures which any man hath got while he was committing that sin, or running any course of sin, whereof he now repenteth. At the best sin dishonours God, troubles our consciences, and breaks our peace; at the best nothing is got by sin which is worth the having, at worst the soul is lost by it, which of all things we have is most worth the having.

The Apostle puts the question to sinners (Rom: 6.21.) What fruit had ye then, in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? Cast up your account, and tell us what you find at the foot of it. Possibly some may say, we have gotten hundreds and thousands, we have gotten houses and lands, our barnes are full of corne, our fields of cattel, and our bags are full of treasure. But is it profit to have house and land, gold and silver come in by sin? Let that Scripture answer (Math: 16.26.) What is a man profited if he shall gaine the whole world and loose his own soule? But some may say, they that are in Christ cannot loose their soules by sin. I answer; First, though they that are in Christ cannot be such sinfull soules, as to sin away their soules, though they cannot sin at such a rate, nor in such a height as to loose their soules who have indeed found Christ, or rather who are found of him, and planted in him; yet the dammage which every sin unrepented of and unpardoned puts man to is the losse of his soule. Secondly, suppose a sinner repenteth, what hath he got by sin, but the sorrows of repentance. And though no man shall have cause to repent of true repentance for sin, yet no man shall have cause to boast of the penny-worth he hath had by sin which hath occasion'd the sorrows of that repentance. One houres communion with God in wayes of holiness is better then all the profits and pleasures which any man hath got while he was committing that sin, or running any course of sin, whereof he now repenteth. At the best sin dishonours God, troubles our consciences, and breakes our peace; at the best nothing is got by sin which is worth the having, at worst the soule is lost by it, which of all things we have is most worth the having.