The Evil of Evils

First, God tells you this; That if you had been born to do mischief, you could not do a greater mischief than this is; if you had been the means to undo men and women in their outward Estate, it had been nothing so much; but thou hast what in thee lies, been a means to undo an immortal soul; yea; and to cause them to sin against the infinite God; so that thou art guilty of every sin thou hast been a means to draw others to, and thou art worse than those that have sinned; for thy act in drawing them to it, is a dreadful evil, and then that which they have done is thine too: Hast not thou sins of thine own enough to answer for before the Lord, but thou must have the sins of another also? Dost thou know what thou hast done, in enticing others to sin? either to uncleanness, drunkenness, to company keeping, and breach of the Sabbath, and other sins: Perhaps thou hast brought them to pilfering and purloining, and many other particulars, and other ways that might he named; for indeed if we should enlarge our selves in this Point, it ⟨p. 494⟩might well require a whole Treatise, but we must contract our thoughts. It may be there are some in this Congregation, that have been a means to draw others to sin, and they be now in Hell at this instant for that sin thou wert a cause of. What a sad thing is this for any man or woman, to have this to lay to heart; I know I have drawn such and such to sin, I have been a means (at least) to further sin in them; well, they be dead and gone, and they manifested no repentance before they died, and therefore for ought I know, yea, it is much to be feared that they be now in Hell, and now a tormenting for that very sin I was the cause of, and if the Lord gives me wages according to my works, I must thither to them: What? shall they be in▪ Hell for the sins I brought them to, and shall I escape? is it any way likely and probable, but that I must follow, when as they be there for the sins I brought them to? what shall the Accessory be condemned and executed, and shall not the Principal? I am the Principal, and the other is but the Accessory. Certainly there had need be a mighty work of humiliation, for thou art in exceeding danger that art the cause of bringing any other to sin, for it is that must needs lie exceeding heavy upon the soul of any man and woman; if God never give you a sight of this great evil; certainly you perish:

First, God tells you this; That if you had been born to do mischief, you could not do a greater mischief than this is; if you had been the means to undo men and women in their outward Estate, it had been nothing so much; but thou hast what in thee lies, been a means to undo an immortal soul; yea; and to cause them to sin against the infinite God; so that thou art guiltie of everie sin thou hast been a means to draw others to, and thou art worse than those that have sinned; for thy act in drawing them to it, is a dreadful evil, and then that which they have done is thine too: Hast not thou sins of thine own enough to answer for before the Lord, but thou must have the sins of another also? Dost thou know what thou hast done, in enticing others to sin? either to uncleanness, drunkenness, to companie keeping, and breach of the Sabbath, and other sins: Perhaps thou hast brought them to pilfering and purloining, and many other particulars, and other waies that might he named; for indeed if we should enlarge our selves in this Point, it