Eliphaz doth well to put Job upon that enquiry, Is not thy wickedness Great? Though he did ill so groundlessly to suspect, much more to conclude that it was so. When Moses (Exod. 32.31.) interceded for the people, after they had made the golden Calf, he makes report of their sin to God in the fullest aggravation of it; O, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them Gods of Gold; he doth not only confess in their behalf, that they had sinned, but they had sinned greatly, They have (saith he) sinned a sin, that's more then to do a thing that is sinful, and which is yet more, They have sinned a great sin, and which is most of all, they (though they have been taught and have professed that God made them) have made them gods of Gold. David makes this the ground why he did beg pardon of his sin (Psal. 25.11.) Pardon mine iniquity for it is great. As we are to look upon the greatness of sin, to humble our souls with godly sorrow, so we are to look upon the greatness of sin when we sue to the Lord for pardon; pardon my sin for it is great; our very sensibleness that our sin is great, is a prevailing argument with God to pardon it; and our insensibleness that our sins are great, gives the greatest stop to the pardon of them. And as every sin hath the more need of pardon, by how much the greater it is, so God will have the more glory in pardoning it, by how much the greater it is. The great wounds, and sicknesses of the Patient have the more need of curing, and if a Physician cure a great wound, or sickness, he hath the more honour by the cure. Now that we may take the truest measure of our sins, we must look upon them, first in their nature and kind, of what sort they are, and to what they relate in their commission; secondly, in their circumstances, when, how, and in ⟨p. 38⟩what manner they have been committed. That sin which is but little in the nature of it, may be a very great one in the circumstances of it. As there are some mercies which we receive from God, little in their kind, yet great in their circumstances, and very obliging; so are our sins. Some fins are very horrid in their own nature, they lay the conscience wast, and eat out the very principles of Godliness, such are Atheism, Blasphemy, and Idolatry. The sin of the people of Israel in making Gods of Gold, how detestable was it?
Eliphaz doth well to put Job upon that enquirie, Is not thy wickednesse Great? Though he did ill so groundlesly to suspect, much more to conclude that it was so. When Moses (Exod. 32.31.) interceded for the people, after they had made the golden Calfe, he makes report of their sin to God in the fullest aggravation of it; O, this people have sinned a great sinne, and have made them Gods of Gold; he doth not onely confesse in their behalfe, that they had sinned, but they had sinned greatly, They have (sayth he) sinned a sin, that's more then to doe a thing that is sinfull, and which is yet more, They have sinned a great sin, and which is most of all, they (though they have been taught and have professed that God made them) have made them gods of Gold. David makes this the ground why he did beg pardon of his sin (Psal. 25.11.) Pardon mine iniquitie for it is great. As we are to looke upon the greatnesse of sinne, to humble our soules with godly sorrow, so we are to looke upon the greatnesse of sinne when wee sue to the Lord for pardon; pardon my sinne for it is great; our very senciblenesse that our sinne is great, is a prevayling argument with God to pardon it; and our insenciblenesse that our sinnes are great, gives the greatest stop to the pardon of them. And as every sinne hath the more need of pardon, by how much the greater it is, so God will have the more glory in pardoning it, by how much the greater it is. The great wounds, and sicknesses of the Patient have the more need of curing, and if a Phycitian cure a great wound, or sicknesse, he hath the more honour by the cure. Now that we may take the truest measure of our sinnes, we must looke upon them, first in their nature and kinde, of what sort they are, and to what they relate in their commission; secondly, in their circumstances, when, how, and in ⟨p. 38⟩what manner they have been committed. That sinne which is but little in the nature of it, may be a very great one in the circumstances of it. As there are some mercies which we receive from God, little in their kinde, yet great in their circumstances, and very obligeing; so are our sinnes. Some finnes are very horrid in their owne nature, they lay the conscience wast, and eate out the very principles of Godlinesse, such are Atheisme, Blasphemy, and Idolatry. The sinne of the people of Israel in making Gods of Gold, how detestable was it?