The Evil of Evils

but now when God suffers a wicked man to go on smoothly without any affliction in his way of Sin, and so take liberty in Sin, this mans Sin it is to be feared is grown to the height, that it comes to the very hatred of God, not only to displeasure. I remember Barnard in another place calls this kind of mercy in God, to deliver men from affliction in a sinful way, he calls it a mercy more cruel than all anger, and prays God to deliver him from that mercy. That is, That he should go on Prosperously in a wicked way. And if you knew all, it would be one Petition to God (you in a Prosperous way, it would be one Petition you would put up to God) every day, Oh Lord, never let me prosper in a sinful way and course, Oh Lord, rather let any Affliction be upon me, than that my smoothness in my way should make my sin more smooth and delightful. I appeal to you Mariners, suppose you were sailing near Rocks or sands, and were becalmed, till you come just there where they are, and then you should have a wind come full upon you, and fill your sails to the full, your sails perhaps are all up, and a wind comes that fills them to the full with wind, I but this wind carries you directly upon the sands, or rocks, would you not rather have the wind a little more still? would you not rather have a half wind? or a side wind? would you not rather ⟨p. 440⟩have your sails down? or not half so much filled as they are, when they carry you upon the rocks and sands? So here, it is just as if you should see a man rejoice that his sails be filled with wind, and all his sails up, when another that stands by knows, it carries him upon the sands that will undo him. So it is with a man that rejoiceth in Prosperity, that carries him with full sail to wickedness. God fills their sails, their hearts be filled to the full, with all that their hearts can desire, and they be filled with all their bravery, but this (as the sail) carries them on further to Sin and wickedness; upon the rocks and sands to eternal destruction: It were better for these men, that their sails were down, and all under the hatches, a thousand times better than to have all the liberty to Sin. I beseech you brethren, observe the difference between Gods dispensations and his dealings with the wicked, and his dispensations and dealings with his Children, in this one thing it is very observable;

but now when God suffers a wicked man to go on smoothlie without anie affliction in his way of Sin, and so take libertie in Sin, this mans Sin it is to be feared is grown to the height, that it comes to the verie hatred of God, not onlie to displeasure. I remember Barnard in another place calls this kind of mercie in God, to deliver men from affliction in a sinful way, he cals it a mercie more cruel than all anger, and praies God to deliver him from that mercie. That is, That he should go on Prosperously in a wicked way. And if you knew all, it would be one Petition to God (you in a Prosperous way, it would be one Petition you would put up to God) everie day, Oh Lord, never let me prosper in a sinful way and course, Oh Lord, rather let any Affliction be upon me, than that my smoothness in my way should make my sin more smooth and delightful. I appeal to you Marriners, suppose you were sailing neer Rocks or sands, and were becalmed, till you come just there where they are, and then you should have a wind come full upon you, and fill your sails to the full, your sails perhaps are all up, and a wind comes that fills them to the full with wind, I but this wind carries you directlie upon the sands, or rocks, would you not rather have the wind a little more still? would you not rather have a half wind? or a side wind? would you not rather