3. Sin is a leprous spot. It makes every thing we touch unclean:§3 We read, when the Leprosy did spread in the walls of the house, the Priests commanded them to take ⟨p. 72⟩away the stones in the wall, in which the Plague was, and take other stones, and put in the place of those stones, and take other mortar, Levit. 14.42. *But when the Plague spread again in the wall, then he must break down the house with the stones and timber thereof, Vers. 45. *Thus in every man naturally, there is a fretting leprosy of sin, pride, impenitency, &c. These are leprous spots: now in conversion, here God doth, as it were, take away the old stones and timber, and put new in the room; he makes a change in the heart of a sinner*, but still the leprosy of sin spreads; then at last, death comes and pulls down the stones and timber of the house, and the soul is quite freed from the leprosy. Sin is a defiling thing, it makes us red with guilt, and black with filth*; 'Tis compared to a menstruous cloth*; we need ⟨p. 73⟩carry it no higher. Pliny tells us that the Trees with touching of it, would become barren*; and Hierom saith, Nihil in lege menstruato immundius; there was nothing in the Law more unclean, then the menstruous cloth; this is sin. Sin draws the Devils picture in a man; malice, is the Devils eye; oppression, is his hand; hypocrisy, is his cloven foot; but behold, death will give us our discharge, death is the last and best Physician*; which cures all diseases; the aching head, and the unbelieving heart. Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis, & mors erit sepulchrum peccati. Sin was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World, and Death shall be the Grave to bury Sin; O the Privilege of a Believer! he is not taken away in his sins; but he is taken away from his sins. The Persians had a certain day in the year, which they ⟨p. 74⟩called vitiorum interitum, wherein they used to kill all Serpents and venomous creatures: *Such a day as that will the day of death be to a man in Christ. This day the old Serpent dies in a Believer, that hath so often stung him with his temptations: this day the sins of the godly, these venomous creatures shall all be destroyed; they shall never be proud more, they shall never grieve the Spirit of God more; the Death of the body shall quite destroy the Body of death.
3. Sin is a leprous spot. It makes every thing we touch uncleane:§3 We reade, when the Leprosie did spread in the walls of the house, the Priests commanded them to take ⟨p. 72⟩away the stones in the wall, in which the Plague was, and take other stones, and put in the place of those stones, and take other morter, Levit. 14.42. *But when the Plague spread againe in the wall, then he must break downe the house with the stones and timber thereof, Vers. 45. *Thus in every man naturally, there is a fretting leprosie of sinne, pride, impenitency, &c. These are leprous spots: now in conversion, here God doth, as it were, take away the old stones and timber, and put new in the roome; he makes a change in the heart of a sinner*, but still the leprousie of sinne spreads; then at last, death comes and pulls down the stones and timber of the house, and the soule is quite freed from the leprousie. Sinne is a defiling thing, it makes us red with guilt, and black with filth*; 'Tis compared to a menstruous cloath*; we need ⟨p. 73⟩carry it no higher. Pliny tells us that the Trees with touching of it, would become barren*; and Hierom saith, Nihil in lege menstruato immundius; there was nothing in the Law more uncleane, then the menstruous cloath; this is sinne. Sinne drawes the Devils picture in a man; malice, is the Devils eye; oppression, is his hand; hypocrisie, is his cloven foot; but behold, death will give us our discharge, death is the last and best Physician*; which cures all diseases; the aking head, and the unbelieving heart. Peccatum erat obstetrix mortis, & mors erit sepulchrum peccati. Sinne was the Mid-wife that brought Death into the World, and Death shall be the Grave to bury Sinne; O the Priviledge of a Beleever! he is not taken away in his sinnes; but he is taken away from his sinnes. The Persians had a certaine day in the yeare, which they
- *Lev. 14.42.
- *Ver. 45.
- *Ezek. 36.26.
- *Quanta foeditas vitiosae mentis. Tull.
- *Is. 30.22
- *Ejus tactu sterilescunt f•uges, ejus gustu in rabiem adiguntur canes. Plin.
- *Ultimus morborum medicus mors.
- *Brisson. de reg. persi. lib. 2.
