Chap. 21 A Seventh Corollary. If sin has done thus much against God, then all that are now converted
said, there was a wise man in the city and not regarded, though he delivered the city; to see but one man of wisdom that has but any excellency in his Spirit to be wronged, it should trouble any ingenious heart. But then I reason thus, if it would be, and should be such a trouble to any ingenious heart to see any one man of a gracious Spirit wronged and abused, then how should it trouble any ingenious, any gracious heart in the world to see the infinite blessed glorious God to be wronged in the world by sin, as I have already shewed he is in every sin, when I discovered to you how sin is against God that I might possess your hearts with this principle, for I know no principle of greater power through the strength of Christ to do good upon your spirits than this.
CHAP. XXI.
A Seventh Corollary.
If sin has done thus much against God, then all that are now converted had need do much for God.
Seventhly, Another is this, If sin have done so much against God, and so much wronged God, hence it follows, That all those that have heretofore lived in a sinful way, and God has now been pleased to enlighten them, and work upon their hearts, had need now do much for God: This follows clearly, thou didst heretofore live in ways of sin, and what didst thou do in all this? Nothing but strike at God, and wrong God all that time of thy Natural Estate, till God opened thine eyes, and awakened thy conscience.
Oh think now what a deal of wrong have I done to God all my life, if I have done nothing else?
Well, now God opens thine eyes, Oh now thou hadst need to do much for God. If God have shewed himself, and given hopes of mercy, and that he has pardoned me; this will certainly prevail with any heart that God has turned.
What! have I done so much against God heretofore! Oh I have cause to seek the honor of God upon my hands and feet all my days, that if I can do any thing for God: What! I such a vile wretch, and yet out of Hell! yea, and hope to be pardoned! Oh any thing I can do for him, though to creep upon my hands and feet all my days in this world, to suffer all the hardships in the world, shame, loss of estate, any thing in the world; no matter how great and hard the suffering be that God calls for. There is infinite Reason I should do and suffer all for God, for I have wronged God by sin.
This is how we shall turn sin to grace as it were, and of poison make an antidote against poison, by taking advantage by sin to be more obedient unto God.
You that have been swearers and wronged God that way, now sanctify God's Name the other way: You that have broken so many
Sabbaths, now sanctify Sabbaths: true, all that you can do cannot make up the wrong, but that will shew thy good will, that thou wilt do what thou canst, and manifest to God and all the world, That if thou hadst ten thousand times more strength than thou hast thou couldest lay it out for God; and certainly any man or woman that have been great sinners, if God have humbled them and pardoned them, they will be great Saints for the time to come.
Carry this home with you, any that have been vile, perhaps you think you have grace because you are not so vile as heretofore you have been; but certainly if you have grace, there will be a proportionableness between the holiness of your lives now, and your wicked life before; you will take advantage, I have wronged
God so before, now I must live thus and thus.