The truly blessed man

1. Learn hence the great folly of those who make no great matter of sinning against God. The generality of mankind have low and slighty thoughts of sin, and therein discover themselves to be egregious fools: nor are the Children of God free from the remainder of this folly; but we have a clear evidence of the madness of it, in that hereby they lay themselves open to the anger of God, and provoke him to lay his hand heavy upon them, and this is the very consequent upon such an esteem of Sin; it is a weighty question the Psalmist propounds, Psal. 90.11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Surely there are very few that believe it, they would else alter their principles and practices; The burnt Child will dread the fire, but Sinners have not felt the scaldings of Gods anger, the weight of his hand; and so they despise, otherwise they would think it a more dangerous thing to sin than they do. Sinners! did you but know what some have felt, you would ⟨p. 184⟩seal to the truth of that, Psal. 76.7. Who can stand when once thou art angry? Well look to it, if you do not know, you shall know, and you are in the ready way to bring it upon your selves. When once you come to feel how heavy his hand is, you will wish you had believed it, and sought to avoid it.

2. Learn hence how vain it is for any to live quiet and secure under the Guilt of any sin. This is it that procures the heavy displeasure of God, and as long as the Guilt remains, the reason of it abideth in us. Unless we can escape the hand of God, there is no ground for this security: as long as you have to do with God, you have no safety; if the•e lie on you Guilt unpardoned, be sure it will bring his hand on you unavoidably, Psal. 21.8. Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies; and though you are never so jocund and full of ease for the present, and feel no hand upon you, yet if God lay it on, your mirth is gone in that moment: he needs do no more but give a touch on your Consciences, and that will make them to roar upon you like so many ravening evening Wolves, and to rend you in pieces like Lions; this is the warning God giveth to all secure ones, Psal. 52.22. Though you have health, and ease, and outward peace, and prosperity, and enjoy of the World more than heart can wish, yet a Finger of God laid on you will do this, and bring you into unconceivable distress. Beware then how you live a day under the Guilt of one sin, lest in a moment this Wrath fall upon you and consume you.