1. The Infinite Demerit of Sin. Which is not enough known or considered by the miserable Subjects thereof; because indeed God himself, in his Holiness, and in his Greatness, is not known by them. Now because Men will not otherwise know, nor be sensible of Sin, in the Spiritual evil of it, against God; therefore it is that God is put upon it, thus to make Men know it; and what God himself is, for Men to sin against him, by such dreadful Effects, as in Justice shall hold proportion with their Sin, and the Desert thereof. And God professeth, he will herein be exact, Heb. 2. 2. So, As every Transgression shall receive [a just Recompense] of Reward. Not such or such Sins, some few more eminent Sins only, but [every Transgression] shall have a Reward proportionate. He that is the Judg of all the World, shall not he be exact? as Abraham in another case, Gen. 17. Yes, in this ultimate Punishment he will be sure to be, as Isaiah ⟨p. 158⟩speaks, Chap. 28. vers. 17. To lay Judgment to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet. As Carpenters do, when they would fit things one to another, and make things uniform and correspondent, and square them adequately, to an hairs breadth, as we say. And thus will God do in Judging. He will bring his Line and his Plummet, take measure of the heinousness of every Sin, and mete a Punishment adequate thereto. And if so, then this Punishment how dreadful will it be? If thou wilt be severe to mark what is done amiss, who will be able to stand? says the Psalmist. The 1Heinousness of Sin is measured by the Greatness of that Glory whereof it is the debasement; and that Debasement done to him, further measured by this, that it is, by so mean things, as we Creatures are to God. And so is estimated by the worth of that Person against whom it it is committed, which therefore could by no other means be expiated, but by the debasement and emptying of as great a Glory, due to the Person of the Son of God, appearing in our Nature, as one Person therewith. Sin, the Apostle tells us, Rom. 7. 13. is above measure sinful. And hence accordingly this Punishment is estimated to be above ⟨p. 159⟩measure fearful. Thus Jer. 30. 11. and Isa. 27. 7, 8. God putting this very difference between his punishing godly Men, his own Children, and his punishing wicked Men: Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? No; for he puts this difference in the 8th ver.
1. The Infinite Demerit of Sin. Which is not enough known or considered by the miserable Subjects thereof; because indeed God himself, in his Holiness, and in his Greatness, is not known by them. Now because Men will not otherwise know, nor be sensible of Sin, in the Spiritual evil of it, against God; therefore it is that God is put upon it, thus to make Men know it; and what God himself is, for Men to sin against him, by such dreadful Effects, as in Justice shall hold proportion with their Sin, and the Desert thereof. And God professeth, he will herein be exact, Heb. 2. 2. So, As every Transgression shall receive [a just Recompence] of Reward. Not such or such Sins, some few more eminent Sins only, but [every Transgression] shall have a Reward proportionate. He that is the Judg of all the World, shall not he be exact? as Abraham in another case, Gen. 17. Yes, in this ultimate Punishment he will be sure to be, as Isaiah ⟨p. 158⟩speaks, Chap. 28. vers. 17. To lay Judgment to the Line, and Righteousness to the Plummet. As Carpenters do, when they would fit things one to another, and make things uniform and correspondent, and square them adequately, to an hairs breadth, as we say. And thus will God do in Judging. He will bring his Line and his Plummet, take measure of the hainousness of every Sin, and mete a Punishment adequate thereto. And if so, then this Punishment how dreadful will it be? If thou wilt be severe to mark what is done amiss, who will be able to stand? says the Psalmist. The 1Hainousness of Sin is measured by the Greatness of that Glory whereof it is the debasement; and that Debasement done to him, further measured by this, that it is, by so mean things, as we Creatures are to God. And so is estimated by the worth of that Person against whom it it is committed, which therefore could by no other means be expiated, but by the debasement and emptying of as great a Glory, due to the Person of the Son of God, appearing in our Nature, as one Person therewith. Sin, the Apostle tells us, Rom. 7. 13. is above measure sinful. And hence accordingly this Punishment is estimated to be above ⟨p. 159⟩measure fearful. Thus Jer. 30. 11. and Isa. 27. 7, 8
- 1Psal. 130. 3.
