A64834:430
Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins trial and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...Sin, the plague of plagues, or, Sinful sin the worst of evils a treatise of sins tryal and arraignment, wherein sin is accused for being, proved to be, and condemned for being exceeding sinful : and that 1. as against God, his nature, attributes, works, will, law, image, people, glory and existence, 2. as against man, his good and welfare of body and soul, in this life, and that to come : with the use and improvement to be made of this doctrine, that men may not be damned, but saved, &c. : being the substance of many sermons preached many years ago in Southwark / by Ralph Venning ...
London: printed for John Hancock, 1669
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. How it increaseth in our selves. Sometimes the same sin increaseth from little to great, it grows from an infant to a man: 'tis as a snowball, that (like same crescit eundo) grows bigger by rolling it in the snow: the little grain of mustard grows to a great tree; a little seed of sin becomes a great tree: Adams sin was but one, but 'twas a breeding and big-bellied sin, the mother of all abominations. One sin transgresseth the whole Law, James 2.10. when lust hath conceived, it hastens to bring forth, and when it hath brought forth, it brings it up till it come to its full stature, James 1.14, 15. 'tis at first but a Lust, an appetite, inclination, or motion, thence it proceeds to Enticement, by that to draw us aside, and then to tempt and impregnate us, by this temptation it conceives, and there's an Embryo; this grows in the womb, and when 'tis brought forth, 'tis a sin; and this being finished or perfected, it proves deadly. So James 3.5, 6. the tongue is a little member, but as a little spark of fire, but it being kindled (becomes a world of iniquity, and) defiles the whole body, ⟨p. 201⟩and sets on fire the whole course of Nature; a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump, and sometimes one sin begets many more sins, not only of the same kind, but others also. Josh. 7.11. God had forbidden them to take the accursed thing; but when they had taken, they dissembled also, and put it among their own stuff; and when Achan confesseth his sin, you may see how one drew on another, vers. 19.20, 21. saith he, when I saw, I converted, and when I coveted, I took, and when I had taken, I hid them; thus one begat another. Sin degrees it self into a greatness, and multiplies into a number: If we abhor not the garment, we may be (as it) spotted with the flesh: if we withdraw not from occasions of evil, we may by the occasions be drawn to evil; and in not abstaining from appearances of evil, be brought to apparent evil. There is one Chapter that gives us two sad Instances of this thing, Gen. 34. Dinah, out of curiosity, will needs make a visit to the Daughters of the Land; while she goes to see the daughters, the son saw her, (visamque cupit) having seen her, he took her, having taken her, he lay with her, and by lying with her, defiled her.
1. How it increaseth in our selves. Sometimes the same sin increaseth from little to great, it grows from an inf•nt to a man: 'tis as a snowball, that (like same crescit eundo) grows bigger by rolling it in the snow: the little grain of mustard grows to a great tree; a little seed of sin becomes a great tree: Adams sin was but one, but 'twas a breeding and big-bellied sin, the mother of all abominations. One sin transgresseth the whole Law, James 2.10. when lust hath conceiv'd, it hastens to bring forth, and when it hath brought forth, it brings it up till it come to its full stature, James 1.14, 15. 'tis at first but a Lust, an appetite, inclination, or motion, thence it proceeds to Inticement, by that to draw us aside, and then to tempt and impregnate us, by this temptation it conceives, and there's an Embryo; this grows in the womb, and when 'tis brought forth, 'tis a sin; and this being finished or perfected, it proves deadly. So James 3.5, 6. the tongue is a little member, but as a little spark of fire, but it being kindled (becomes a world of iniquity, and) defiles the whole body, ⟨p. 201⟩and sets on fire the whole course of Nature; a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump, and sometimes one sin begets many more sins, not only of the same kind, but others also. Josh. 7.11. God had forbidden them to take the accursed thing; but when they had taken, they dissembled also, and put it among their own stuff; and when Achan confesseth his sin, you may see how one drew on another, vers. 19.20, 21. saith he, when I saw, I coverted, and when I coveted, I took, and when I had taken, I hid them; thus one begat another. Sin degrees it self into a greatness, and multiplies into a number: If we abhor not the garment, we may be (as it) spotted with the flesh: if we withdraw not from occasions of evil, we may by the occasions be drawn to evil; and in not abstaining from appearances of evil, be brought to apparent evil. There is one Chapter that gives us two sad Instances of this thing, Gen. 34. Dinah, out of curiosity, will needs make a visit to the Daughters of the Land; while she goes to see the daughters, the son saw her, (visamque cupit) having seen her, he took her, having taken her, he lay with her, and by lying with her, defiled her.
The report whereof coming to Jacobs sons, they were grieved, being grieved, they were wroth, being wroth, they meditate revenge, meditating revenge, they spake deceitfully, having deceived, they slew, and having slain, they fall upon the spoil: How hard it is to sin once and but once! sin grows upon us Let us see,
The report whereof coming to Jacobs sons, they were griev'd, being griev'd, they were wroth, being wroth, they meditate revenge, meditating revenge, they spake deceitfully, having deceiv'd, they slew, and having slain, they fall upon the spoil: How hard it is to sin once and but once! sin grows upon us Let us see,
2. How sin increaseth in others, and infects others; it went from one man to every man: ⟨p. 202⟩how soon had the world got the name of ungodly world, or world of ungodly? 2 Pet. 2.5. and after the flood, how soon was the world overspread with sin from seven or eight persons? one root of bitterness defiles many, Heb. 12.15. Mens ill examples are very pestilential and pernicious, a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump, as our Country Proverb hath it, one scabbed sheep infects a whole flock. The world grows worse and worse, the latter days most peril us because most sinful; and as if there had not been sin enough, some set up projects and trades of new sins, being inventors of evil things, Rom. 1.30. Oh how diffusive and catching is this infection, for others will quickly be in these new-invented fashions of sin and sinning! Yet again,
2. How sin increaseth in others, and infects others; it went from one man to every man: ⟨p. 202⟩how soon had the world got the name of ungodly world, or world of ungodly? 2 Pet. 2.5. and after the flood, how soon was the world overspread with sin from seven or eight persons? one root of bitterness defiles many, Heb. 12.15. Mens ill examples are very pestilential and pernicious, a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump, as our Country Proverb hath it, one scabbed sheep infects a whole flock. The world grows worse and worse, the latter days most perill us because most sinful; and as if there had not been sin enough, some set up projects and trades of new sins, being inventors of evil things, Rom. 1.30. Oh how diffusive and catching is this infection, for others will quickly be in these new-invented fashions of sin and sinning! Yet again,
3. The infection of sin is (tantum non) almost incurable ('tis to us impossible, and only possible with God, and that at a costly rate, by the blood of Christ, to cure this plague, and cleanse us of it) 'tis very hard to be cured, because 'tis within us, and dwelleth in us, Rom. 7.17.20. an ulcer in the flesh is more easily cured then one in the lungs; a disease that's inward cannot be so well reached; yea, 'tis not only in us, but 'tis riveted in us, 'tis gotten into the flesh and spirit, as if it were one with us, as the Leopards spots and the Ethiopians blackness. There was a leprosy so inveterate, that though they scraped the house round about and within, and threw out the dust, though they took other stones and mortar, yet it returned again, Levit. 14. When distempers become as it were natural, and are in the constitution, they are hard to be cured; 'tis ⟨p. 203⟩not easy obliterating that which is written with a pen of Iron, and the point of a Diamond; 'tis difficult to soften an heart of stone. Beside, this filthiness hath had long possession, even time out of mind: it pleads prescription, so long a Custom is become a Law, and as another Nature, Jer. 13.23. yea, to show how hard 'tis to be cured and rooted out, we may observe, that very forcible means have bin used for the cleansing of it, yet it hath not been done: God poured out a whole flood of water, which washed away most sinners; yet sin (as I may say) kept above water, and was found alive and strong after the flood. When God sent fire and brimstone (Hell, as an Ancient calls it) from Heaven on that Centre of sin, Sodom, &c. yet sin got out with Lot and his daughters. Fire and water are very cleansing and purifying things; yet these you see have not done it. When others sinned, the Earth swallowed them up, yet sin remained, it did not dye; the same sins are still in the world after all these judgments. Even in the Saints themselves, with all the forces that Faith can make, 'tis very hardly kept under, but the flesh will be lusting against the spirit, and when their affections do not cleave to sin; yet sin will cleave to their affection, and it makes them cry out as burdened with St. Paul, Wretch that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! the victory is by Christ Jesus; 'tis death kills sin. And yet,
4. It lives in its effects when we are dead and gone; for it follows us to our grave, and there it rots our bodies; when it can no longer reach ⟨p. 204⟩our souls to make them vile, it yet forbears not to make our bodies putrid and vile. He that sinned not saw no corruption, but we that sinned do, and stink within a few days, as Lazarus did. Oh sinful and infectious sin!
Thus far of the names of sin, and how they witness against sin; there remains only one thing more to witness against it, and that is the second thing I mentioned as to sin witnessing against it self. Viz.
2. The Arts or Artifices that sin useth to disguise it self: if sin were not an ugly thing, would it wear a visor? or if it had not evil designs, would it walk disguised and change its name? truth is not ashamed of its name or nakedness, it can walk openly and boldly; but sin is a cheat, a lye, and therefore lurks privily, and puts on false names and colours; for if it should appear like it self (as it sooner or later will to all, for conversion or confusion) it would fright men into dying fits, as it did the Apostle, and when they come to themselves, engage men to abhor and hate it, as he and the Prodigal did. Men would never be so hardy as they are to sin, but that sin hardens them, and hardens them by deceiving them, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 3.13. take heed lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin: Sin useth all manner of Arts, Methods, and Devices (as Satan doth) to draw us in, to inveigle us; it puts many tricks upon us, and hath all the faculties and knacks of deceiving and cheating us. I may truly say, that sin hath not learnt, but taught all the deceits, the dissimulations, flatteries, and false policies ⟨p. 205⟩that are found in Courts; the Stratagems of War, the Sophisms and fallacies of the Schools, the Frauds of Tradesmen, whether in City or Country, the Tricks of Cheaters and Jugglers, the Ambuscadoes of Thieves, the Pretensions of false Friends, the several Methods of false Teachers, and whatever else there is of Cozenage in the World, and practiseth them all upon us to make us sin.
2. The Arts or Artifices that sin useth to disguise it self: if sin were not an ugly thing, would it wear a vizard? or if it had not evil designs, would it walk disguised and change its name? truth is not ashamed of its name or nakedness, it can walk openly and boldly; but sin is a cheat, a lye, and therefore lurks privily, and puts on false names and colours; for if it should appear like it self (as it sooner or later will to all, for conversion or confusion) it would fright men into dying fits, as it did the Apostle, and when they come to themselves, ingage men to abhor and hate it, as he and the Prodigal did. Men would never be so hardy as they are to sin, but that sin hardens them, and hardens them by deceiving them, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 3.13. take heed lest any be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin: Sin useth all manner of Arts, Methods, and Devices (as Satan doth) to draw us in, to inveigle us; it puts many tricks upon us, and hath all the faculties and knacks of deceiving and cheating us. I may truly say, that sin hath not learnt, but taught all the deceits, the dissimulations, flatteries, and false policies
And though it be impossible to reckon up all the particular ways whereby the deceitful hearts and sins of men abuse them; yet I will instance in a few, that it may be for a warning to sinners, and a witness against sin; and then conclude this part of our Discourse.
1. Sometimes sin persuades us that such or such a thing is no sin, though it look like a sin, as the Devil dealt by Eve at first, and so deceived her: she was a little jealous and shy, that what the Serpent put her upon was evil, but he cunningly insinuates, that however it seemed to her, yet that it was not so: This way is the pride and wantonness of persons upheld, that though these things are appearances of evil, yet they are not evil: but, alas, 'tis next to being a sinner to look like a sinner; appearance in good is too little, in evil 'tis too much: 'tis a very hard thing to look like a sinner, to talk and garb it like a sinner, and not to be one; and which is the worst on't, 'tis more then likely, that what the Devil grants to be like a sin is a sin; and they that are persuaded otherwise, are deceived by him, as Eve was: 'tis great odds, but if we do like the picture, we shall like the thing: though an Idol be no God, nor like him; yet God hath ⟨p. 206⟩utterly forbidden graven images, for they are of the Devils carving.
1. Sometimes sin perswades us that such or such a thing is no sin, though it look like a sin, as the Devil dealt by Eve at first, and so deceiv'd her: she was a little jealous and shy, that what the Serpent put her upon was evil, but he cunningly insinuates, that however it seem'd to her, yet that it was not so: This way is the pride and wantonness of persons upheld, that though these things are appearances of evil, yet they are not evil: but, alas, 'tis next to being a sinner to look like a sinner; appearance in good is too little, in evil 'tis too much: 'tis a very hard thing to look like a sinner, to talk and garb it like a sinner, and not to be one; and which is the worst on't, 'tis more then likely, that what the Devil grants to be like a sin is a sin; and they that are perswaded otherwise, are deceived by him, as Eve was: 'tis great odds, but if we do like the picture, we shall like the thing: though an Idol be no God, nor like him; yet God hath ⟨p. 206⟩utterly forbidden graven images, for they are of the Devils carving.
If this prevails not, then (2) It would persuade, that though it may be a sin in another; yet (rebus sic stantibus) all things considered, it can be none in thee, because thou art necessitated, as for a poor man to steal; but no man is necessitated to sin, though under necessity, sin is sin in any, in all: for though temptations may mitigare and excuse à tanto, yet they do not excuse à toto, from its being a sin, or make it no sin.
If this prevails not, then (2) It would perswade, that though it may be a sin in another; yet (rebus sic stantibus) all things consider'd, it can be none in thee, because thou art necessitated, as for a poor man to steal; but no man is necessitated to sin, though under necessity, sin is sin in any, in all: for though temptations may mitigare and e•cuse à tanto, yet they do not excuse à toto, from its being a sin, or make it no sin.
3 'Tis but one, and but this once. If sin be good, why but once? if evil, why once? one sin though but once, is one and once too much: Beside, when the Serpents head is in, 'tis hard keeping out the whole body; one makes way for another, 'tis almost impossible to sin once and but once. Yet then fourthly, saith sin, 'tis but a little one; that cannot be a little sin which is against a great God, and deserves so great a punishment as death, for the wages of sin (of every single sin) is death, Rom. 6.23. I but saith sin, (5) 'tis in secret, none will see it; but this is a cheat, for 'tis impossible to sin so secretly but there will be two Witnesses, God and Conscience know all the sins that men commit. I but, saith sin, (6) thou wilt hate it and dread it ever after; as some go to Mass that they may distaste it, and to Plays to see the folly of them: but who would be a burnt child to dread the fir•• 'tis bad making such costly experiments as may cost us the loss of our souls, 'tis dangerous meddling with that which is an appearance, and may be an occasion of evil, much more to parley and ⟨p. 207⟩tamper with sin it self. But then (7) saith sin, I promise thee thou shalt get by it; so much profit, so much pleasure, so much honour shalt thou have by it; but sins gain is loss, he that gets the world by a sin, pays too dear for it, for 'tis the loss, at least the hazard of his soul; the pleasures of sin are grievous; its honours, disgraces and shame. Did not our first Parents find it so, and do not we? the Apostle appeals, Rom. 6.21. the precious substance promised, ends in a pernicious shadow, and the spoils we get by sin do but spoil us. Sin promiseth like a God, but pays like a Devil; sin tells us we shall not dye, but live like Gods, but we find nothing but death and such a life as they have in Hell. Sins performances are contrary to its promises: it promiseth gold, and […] dross: If any man have a mind to true mise••es, let him take sins fall promiset. Well but then, (8) saith sin, others do it, and why mayest not thou? 'Tis not what others do, but what they ought to do that we are to follow; we must not follow any man, nor a multitude of men to do evil: if others will venture their damnation, what's that to us? 'twill be no (solamen miseris socios habuisse) no comfort to have had companions in sin, and to meet them again in Hell.
I but, saith sin (9) 'tis but repent, and God will forgive thee: to this we have to say, that he who promised forgiveness to them that repent, hath not promised repentance to them that sin; beside, if sin were to cost no more but repentance, one in his wits would be loth to buy repentance at so dear a rate; Repentance (though it may free from greater, yet it) puts ⟨p. 208⟩men to more grief and pain, then ever sin could afford them pleasure. I but, saith sin (10) thou hast scaped well enough hitherto, no evil hath yet befallen thee: to this say, it may be 'tis so much the worse, and not to be punished may be the worst punishment, Isa. 1.5. Hos. 4.14 17. but what will it cost if God do awaken me? if not that, what will it cost when God shall damn me? But then saith sin (11) 'tis but thine infirmity, thou canst not help it: this is a thing (tell sin) that none but fools and children can pretend to; beside, to plead for infirmities, is more then an infirmity, and that which is but an infirmity to day, may become a disease to morrow, if not prevented; when once the will is engaged, 'tis past an infirmity, and is become a sin. If these (or other like) do not prevail, then it speaks more openly; Sin, (saith Sin) either there's no such thing, there's no difference between good and evil; as all things come alike to all, so all things are alike; or saith Sin, evil is good in Gods sight, else he would judge it, Mal. 2.17. his silence bids thee think that he is such an one as thy self, Psal. 50. but here tell sin, that this defeats and confutes it self, and proves nothing more clear then that sin is exceeding sinful: if there be no sin, or no difference between good and evil, to what purpose are these different words used by sin to prove that there is no difference? to say 'tis only in imagination and not real, is to deny that there is any such thing as sense and conscience, which every man owns, and cannot deny without denying himself and God to be. Between good and evil, there is ⟨p. 209⟩more difference then between light and darkness, life and death, ease and pain, food and poison; and yet these are real, and not the differences of our fancy only. That all things come alike to all, is not always true, there are contrary Instances; and to say, That all things are alike, is never true, but is a manifest contradiction.
To say that evil is good in Gods sight, and that he is such an one as a sinner, is to deny God to be; for if he be not good and just, he is not God: but this speaks men wilfully ignorant; for the flood that drowned the old World, and the fire that fell from Heaven on Sodom; the Judgments which God executes in the Earth continually (of which before) do all witness that God is displeased with, and the avenger of sin: as his giving us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, are witnesses that he is good and doth good; and that his Sun shines and his rain falls on the unjust as well as just, is a greater argument of his goodness, which calls for repentance, and that also doth witness that sin is evil. And indeed over and above,
To say that evil is good in Gods sight, and that he is such an one as a sinner, is to deny God to be; for if he be not good and just, he is not God: but this speaks men willfully ignorant; for the flood that drowned the old World, and the fire that fell from Heaven on Sodom; the Judgments which God executes in the Earth continually (of which before) do all witness that God is displeased with, and the avenger of sin: as his giving us rain from Heaven, and fruitful seasons, are witnesses that he is good and doth good; and that his Sun shines and his rain falls on the unjust as well as just, is a greater argument of his goodness, which calls for repentance, and that also doth witness that sin is evil. And indeed over and above,
If sin were not exceeding sinful, what need it use all these tricks and subterfuges? if it were not, and its deeds were not evil, why doth it avoid the light? Why (like a false Coiner) doth it put the King of Heavens stamp on its base metal? Why doth Jacob call himself Esau, and counterfeit his Brother, if sin were not abominable? Why do the Gibeonites pretend to come from far, if they had not a mind to be unknown? if it were not false and a Robber, why doth it creep in privily, climb up another way, ⟨p. 210⟩and avoid the door? Why doth it flatter and deceive? Why doth it never keep promise, but breaks all that it ever made? 'tis because it is sinful sin.
If sin were not exceeding sinful, what need it use all these tricks and subterfuges? if it were not, and its deeds were not evil, why doth it avoid the light? Why (like a false Coyner) doth it put the King of Heavens stamp on its base metal? Why doth Jacob call himself Esau, and counterfeit his Brother, if sin were not abominable? Why do the Gibeonites pretend to come from far, if they had not a mind to be unknown? if it were not false and a Robber, why doth it creep in privily, climb up another way, ⟨p. 210⟩and avoid the door? Why doth it flatter and deceive? Why doth it never keep promise, but breaks all that it ever made? 'tis because it is sinful sin.
Having shown what sin is, wherein its sinfulness consists, and proved it by many witnesses (even it self being one) before I come to the fourth thing, viz. the application and improvement of this Doctrine; I shall in brief sum up the charge against sin. That which sin is accused for, and proved to be guilty of, is High treason against God, and that it attempts no less then the dethroning and ungoding of God himself; that it hath unmanned man, made him a fool, a beast, a Devil, and subjected him to the wrath of God, and made him liable to eternal damnation. It hath made men deny God to be, or affirm him to be like themselves. It hath put the Lord of Life to death, and shamefully crucified the Lord of G•ory: It is always resisting the Holy Ghost: it's continually practising the defilement, the dishonour, the deceiving, and the destruction of all men. Ob what a prodigious, monstrous, devilish thing is sin! 'tis impossible to speak worse of it then, or so bad of it as it is, for 'tis hyperbolically sinful! there's want in the words that are, and need of more and worse words then there are any to speak its vileness! to say 'tis worse then death and devil, the very Hell of Hell, is not to rail at it, but to tell it its own; for 'tis the Quintessence of evil, which hath made all the evils that are, and is worse then all the evils it hath made; 'tis so evil, that 'tis impossible to make it good, or lovely by all the Arts that can ⟨p. 211⟩be used; poison may be corrected and made medicinal, if not nutritive; but sin is sin, and can be no other, its nature cannot be changed, no not by a pardon. To speak as the thing is, 'tis not only ugly, but ugliness, not only filthy, but filthiness, not only abominable but abomination: there is not a worse thing in Hell it self, it hath not its fellow there. All this and much more may be said of and against sin; and having laid this ground-work, I shall now build upon it the fourth thing, viz.1
Having shewn what sin is, wherein its sinfulness consuts, and proved it by many witnesses (even it self being one) before I come to the fourth thing, viz. the application and improvement of this Doctrine; I shall in brief sum up the charge against sin. That which sin is accuse•d for, and proved to be guilty of, is High treason against God, and that it attempts no less then the dethroning and ungoding of God himself; that it hath unman'd man, made him a fool, a beast, a Devil, and subjected him to the wrath of God, and made him lyable to eternal damnation. It hath made men deny God to be, or affirm him to be like themselves. It hath put the Lord of Life to death, and shamefully crucified the Lord of Gory: It is always resisting the Holy Ghost: it's continually practising the defilement, the dishonour, the deceiving, and the destruction of all men. Ob what a prodigious, monstrous, devillsh thing is sin! 'tis impossible to speak worse of it then, or so bad of it as it is, for 'tis hyberbolically sinful! there's want in the words that are, and need of more and worse words then there are any to speak its vileness! to say 'tis worse then death and devil, the very Hell of Hell, is not to rail at it, but to tell it its own; for 'tis the Quinitessence of evil, which hath made all the evils that are, and is worse then all the evils it hath made; 'tis so evil, that 'tis impossible to make it good, or lovely by all the Arts that can
3. The infection of sin is (tantum non) almost incurable ('tis to us impossible, and only possible with God, and that at a costly rate, by the blood of Christ, to cure this plague, and cleanse us of it) 'tis very hard to be cured, because 'tis within us, and dwelleth in us, Rom. 7.17.20. an ulcer in the flesh is more easily cured then one in the lungs; a disease that's inward cannot be so well reacht; yea, 'tis not only in us, but 'tis rivetted in us, 'tis gotten into the flesh and spirit, as if it were one with us, as the Leopards spots and the Aethiopians blackness. There was a leprosie so inveterate, that though they scrapt the house round about and within, and threw out the dust, though they took other stones and mortar, yet it return'd again, Levit. 14. When distempers become as it were natural, and are in the constitution, they are hard to be cured; 'tis ⟨p. 203⟩not easie obliterating that which is written with a pen of Iron, and the point of a Diamond; 'tis difficult to soften an heart of stone. Beside, this filthiness hath had long possession, even time out of mind: it pleads prescription, so long a Custom is become a Law, and as another Nature, Jer. 13.23. yea, to shew how hard 'tis to be cured and rooted out, we may observe, that very forceable means have bin used for the cleansing of it, yet it hath not been done: God poured out a whole flood of water, which washt away most sinners; yet sin (as I may say) kept above water, and was found alive and strong after the flood. When God sent fire and brimstone (Hell, as an Ancient calls it) from Heaven on that Center of sin, Sodom, &c. yet sin got out with Lot and his daughters. Fire and water are very cleansing and purifying things; yet these you see have not done it. When others sinned, the Earth swallowed them up, yet sin remained, it did not dye; the same sins are still in the world after all these judgments. Even in the Saints themselves, with all the forces that Faith can make, 'tis very hardly kept under, but the flesh will be lusting against the spirit, and when their affections do not cleave to sin; yet sin will cleave to their affection, and it makes them cry out as burthen'd with St. Paul, Wretch that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! the victory is by Christ Iesus; 'tis death kills sin. And yet,
3 'Tis but one, and but this once. If sin be good, why but once? if evil, why once? one sin though but once, is one and once too much: Beside, when the Serpents head is in, 'tis hard keeping out the whole body; one makes way for another, 'tis almost impossible to sin once and but once. Yet then fourthly, saith sin, 'tis but a little one; that cannot be a little sin which is against a great God, and deserves so great a punishment as death, for the wages of sin (of every single sin) is death, Rom. 6.23. I but saith sin, (5) 'tis in secret, none will see it; but this is a cheat, for 'tis impossble to sin so secretly but there will be two Witnesses, God and Conscience know all the sins that men commit. I but, saith sin, (6) thou wilt hate it and dread it ever after; as some go to Mass that they may distasie it, and to Plays to see the folly of them: but who would be a burnt child to dread the fir•• 'tis bad making such costly experiments as may cost us the loss of our souls, 'tis dangerous medling with that which is an appearance, and may be an occasion of evil, much more to parley and ⟨p. 207⟩tamper with sin it self. But then (7) saith sin, I promise thee thou shalt get by it; so much profit, so much pleasure, so much honour shalt thou have by it; but sins gain is loss, he that gets the world by a sin, pays too dear for it, for 'tis the loss, at least the hazard of his soul; the pleasures of sin are grievous; its honours, disgraces and shame. Did not our first Parents sind it so, and do not we? the Apostle appeals, Rom. 6.21. the precious substance promised, ends in a pernicious shadow, and the spoils we get by sin do but spoil us. Sin promiseth like a God, but pays like a Devil; sin tells us we shall not dye, but live like Gods, but we find nothing but death and such a life as they have in Hell. Sins performances are contrary to its promises: it promiseth gold, and 〈…〉 dross: If any man have a mind to true mise••es, let him take sins falle promiset. Well but then, (8) saith sin, others do it, and why mayest not thou? 'Tis not what others do, but what they ought to do that we are to follow; we must not follow any man, nor a multitude of men to do evil: if others will venture their damnation, what's that to us? 'twill be no (solamen miseris socios habuisse) no comfort to have had companions in sin, and to meet them again in Hell.
I but, saith sin (9) 'tis but repent, and God will forgive thee: to this we have to say, that he who promised forgiveness to them that repent, hath not promised repentance to them that sin; beside, if sin were to cost no more but repentance, one in his wits would be loth to buy repentance at so dear a rate; Repentance (though it may free from greater, yet it) puts ⟨p. 208⟩men to more grief and pain, then ever sin could afford them pleasure. I but, saith sin (10) thou hast scapt well enough hitherto, no evil hath yet befallen thee: to this say, it may be 'tis so much the worse, and not to be punished may be the worst punishment, Isa. 1.5. Hos. 4.14 17. but what will it cost if God do awaken me? if not that, what will it cost when God shall damn me? But then saith sin (11) 'tis but thine infirmity, thou canst not help it: this is a thing (tell sin) that none but fools and children can pretend to; beside, to plead for infirmities, is more then an infirmity, and that which is but an infirmity to day, may become a disease to morrow, if not prevented; when once the will is ingaged, 'tis past an infirmity, and is become a sin. If these (or other like) do not prevail, then it speaks more openly; Sin, (saith Sin) either there's no such thing, there's no difference between good and evil; as all things come alike to all, so all things are alike; or saith Sin, evil is good in Gods sight, else he would judge it, Mal. 2.17. his silence bids thee think that he is such an one as thy self, Psal. 50. but here tell sin, that this defeats and confutes it self, and proves nothing more clear then that sin is exceeding sinful: if there be no sin, or no difference between good and evil, to what purpose are these different words used by sin to prove that there is no difference? to say 'tis only in imagination and not real, is to deny that there is any such thing as sense and conscience, which every man ownes, and cannot deny without denying himself and God to be. Between good and evil, there is ⟨p. 209⟩more difference then between light and darkness, life and death, ease and pain, food and poyson; and yet these are real, and not the differences of our fancy only. That all things come alike to all, is not always true, there are contrary Instances; and to say, That all things are alike, is never true, but is a manifest contradiction.
