The divine will considered in its eternal decrees, and holy execution of them. By…

1. The Understanding doth represent Sin as a grand evil; it sets it forth as an Ataxy in man, Rebellion against God, Spears and Nails to Jesus Christ, Quench-coal to the Spirit of Grace, Blur and Stain to the Soul, groaning Burden on the back of the whole Creation, Venom and perfect Quintessence of all evils, a thing of such monstrous ⟨p. 467⟩deformities, as if it did appear in its own prodigious shape, would not be touched upon by Man, and how can the Will being a rational Appetite dote upon such a thing? Surely upon it as such it cannot; wherefore Sin (that it may be welcome to the Will) covers it self with Fig-leaves as Adam, it veils its face like Tamar, it paints and tires like Jezebel, it disguises and feigns it self to be another like Jeroboam's Wife, it courts and flatters to steal away hearts like Absalom, it comes like Agrippa and Bernice with great pomp in fancy of some apparent goodness; offering it self to our Saviour it wrapped up it self in all the glories of the World, nay, in the Mantle of Scripture and Angelical protection; coming to Adam, it held forth an Apple, and promised no less than a God-head; ever it hath a lye and a cheat in it. Hence it is called a false way, Psal. 119. 104. and [Greek or Hebrew] the work of a lye, Prov. 11. 18. there is in it [Greek or Hebrew], a sleight, as in cogging Dice, Eph. 4. 14. it makes every sinner believe that he shall have the cast of happiness, but cogs away his Soul. This is that deceitfulness of sin, by which it insinuates it self into the Will; but this right Understanding hath a counter-work, it unleaves ⟨p. 468⟩and unveils Sin, it unpaints & undresses it, it plucks off it false appearances and disguises, it disrobes it of all its pomps and fancy, it discovers the lye and cheat in it, and makes it appear in its own ugly hue and shameful nakedness; Achan's Sin was wrapped up in a Baby lonish Garment, but unclothe it, and it was an accursed thing; Saul's Sin was covered over with Sacrifices, but unveil it, and 'twas witchcraft-like rebellion; Judas his Sin about the precious Ointment was painted over with Charity, but unpaint it and 'twas arrant thievery; Paul's Sin wore a Cloak of Zeal, but undress it, and 'twas bloody persecution. This right Understanding plucks the lye out of Sins mouth, and the paint off from its face, and all the Robes of apparent Goodness off from its back;