1 Labour to follow this pattern that is here propounded in the Gospel, and in this doctrine. Labour to proportion your graces now that you are converted, to the number and greatness of your sins before conversion. As you have been violent in sin formerly, so see that now you be as violent after the things of heaven. So did Manasseh, he was a great sinner, he filled Jerusalem with blood, he was a gross Idolater, a destroyer of Gods worship, ⟨p. 59⟩2 Chron. 33. 12. And therefore he humbled 1himself greatly before the God of his fathers. So Paul, because he was a greater sinner then the rest of the Apostles; therefore he laboured more abundantly then they all. If therefore sin hath abounded, see that grace doth abound also. As you have formerly added iniquity unto iniquity, so now see that you add grace to grace. As you have with much eagerness given up the members of your bodies, as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin and uncleanness; so see that you give them up as instruments of righteousness unto holiness. Particularly, see that you do abound, 1 In the grace of humiliation. 2 In the grace of love. 1 In the grace of humiliation; little humiliation is not suitable to great sins. That garment that hath most spots in it, must have most rinsing; that which hath most dust in it, needs the most beating. There must be a sicut, not onely qualitatis, but aequalitatis also, if possibly it can be. There should be some equality between the strength that was put forth in the service of sin, and that we now put forth in the service of God. It is very observable, Levit. 11. 24, 25. He that toucheth an unclean thing, shall be 2unclean till even; but he that beareth an unclean thing, shall wash his clothes, and be unclean till even. Though a man be but defiled a little with sin, if he doth but touch a sin as ⟨p. 60⟩it were, commit a little sin, he had need be humbled; but those that wallow in sinful courses, and bear sin about them, they must look to be more humbled then others were.
1 Labour to follow this pattern that is here propounded in the Gospel, and in this doctrine. Labour to proportion your graces now that you are converted, to the number and greatnesse of your sins before conversion. As you have been violent in sin formerly, so see that now you be as violent after the things of heaven. So did Manasses, he was a great sinner, he filled Jerusasalem with blood, he was a grosse Idolater, a destroyer of Gods worship, ⟨p. 59⟩2 Chron. 33. 12. And therefore he humbled 1himself greatly before the God of his fathers. So Paul, because he was a greater sinner then the rest of the Apostles; therefore he laboured more abundantly then they all. If therefore sin hath abounded, see that grace doth abound also. As you have formerly added iniquity unto iniquity, so now see that you adde grace to grace. As you have with much eagernesse given up the members of your bodies, as instruments of unrighteousnesse unto sin and uncleannesse; so see that you give them up as instruments of righteousnesse unto holinesse. Particularly, see that you do abound, 1 In the grace of humiliation. 2 In the grace of love. 1 In the grace of humiliation; little humiliation is not suitable to great sins. That garment that hath most spots in it, must have most rinsing; that which hath most dust in it, needs the most beating. There must be a sicut, not onely qualitatis, but aequalitatis also, if possibly it can be. There should be some equality between the strength that was put forth in the service of sin, and that we now put forth in the service of God. It is very observable, Levit. 11. 24, 25. He that toucheth an unclean thing, shall be 2unclean till even; but he that beareth an unclean thing, shall wash his cloathes, and be unclean till even. Though a man be but defiled a little with sin, if he doth but touch a sin as ⟨p. 60⟩it were, commit a little sin, he had need be humbled; but those that wallow in sinfull courses, and bear sin about them, they must look to be more humbled then otherswere.
- 12 Chron. 33. 12.
- 2Levit. 11 24, 25.
