CHAP. 1 That it's a very Evil choice, To Choose sin, rather than affliction.
being one of those things which can never be punished enough, which appears in that all those unspeakable, insufferable torments inflicted upon the damned through all eternity, is but a continual paying this sad debt, and giving satisfaction to Divine justice for the wrong which sin has done, in regard Divine justice shall not otherwise sufficiently in time have taken it's due out of the sinner.
Now the Judge of all the world who is the standard of justice it self, neither can, nor will do any wrong to his creature in punishing it more than it's iniquity deserves.
Reader, I shall say no more now, but beseech the Lord to carry home these truths by his Spirit into thy bosom, that there may be a Divine impression made upon thy heart in reading, suitable to the authors in preaching, and that thou mayest (out of love to Holiness) so fear and hate sin now, that thou mayest never suffer the vengeance of eternal fire (the wages of sin) hereafter: Which is the unfeigned and earnest desire of Thy souls well-wisher in Christ Jesus, John Yates.
THE EVIL of EVILS: OR, The Exceeding sinfulness OF sin.
JOB. 36. 21. later part.
—For this hast thou Chosen rather than affliction.
CHAP. I.
That it's a very evil choice, to choose sin rather than affliction.
IN these words is drawn up Elihu's false Charge against holy Job wherein he did shamefully scandalized this man of God, concerning whom the Lord himself gives in this letter testimonial That he was perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil, Job 1. 1.
And yet Elihu's speaks here to this effect against him, That he chose Iniquity rather than affliction; that he should see less Evil in sin, then he did in affliction: that for his affliction he was troubled but for his sin he was not Afflicted; that the burden of his affliction lay heavy as a talent of lead upon him, but his sin was lighter than a Feather. Or thus, Thou hast Chosen Iniquity, rather than affliction; whereas God requires of thee to give him glory in thy humble submission unto him in thy Patience, under his mighty hand, thou hast behaved thy self stubbornly and stoutly, and hast denied to give
God the glory of his Sovereignty, Majesty, Holiness, Justice, and Purity; and this thou hast Chosen rather than to be content to lie under the Afflicting hand of God: which way so ever it be taken, it was a heavy Charge had it been true; So for it to be alleged against any Souls, That they Choose Iniquity rather than affliction, is a great and heavy Charge.
The Doctrinal truth which arises from the words thus opened, is this, That it is a very evil choice for any soul under heaven, to choose the least sin, rather then the greatest affliction.
Better be under the greatest affliction then be under the guilt or power of any sin: it is true, that neither sin, nor affliction is to be chosen: affliction in it self is an Evil, and sin is an Evil, but the object of the Will is good, and choice is of the Will, therefore neither
(barely considered as in themselves) can be chosen; but because of some evils, the less in comparison of the greater, may come under a notion of good, and so may be sometimes chosen the will cannot choose any thing but under the notion of good, either real, or in appearance: and though affliction be in it self an evil, yet in regard
of sin, it may come under the notion of good, and that's to be chosen rather than sin: Now this is the work I have to do, to make out this Conclusion to you, That any affliction is to be chosen rather than any sin; that there is more evil in any sin, the least sin, than in the greatest affliction.
My principal business is, To charge mens consciences with the evil of their sin, and shew to them how much evil there is in sin: all men are a raid of afflictions, and troubled at affliction, but where's the man or woman that fears sin, and flies from it as from a Serpent, and is troubled at sin more then any affliction? That there is more evil in sin than in affliction, in the general (I sup¦pose is granted of all, none dare deny it; but because they do not see how this is, they have not convincing arguments to bring this truth with power unto their souls: but I hope before I have done with this Point, that I shall make it clear to every ones conscience, That there is more evil in sin, than in affliction; not only more evil in sin, than in outward trouble in the world but more evil in sin, than in al the miseries and torments of Hell itself.
Suppose that God should bring any of you to the very brink of that bottomless gulf and open it to you, and there you should see those damned creatures lie sweltering under the wrath of the infinite God, and there you should hear the dreadful and hideous cries and shrieks of those that are under such soul amazing, and soul-sinking torments through the wrath of the Almighty; yet I say there is more evil in one sinful thought, than there is in all these everlasting burnings: and that is that which I shall endeavor to clear and prove to every mans conscience, that we shall not only see it an ill choice that we choose sin rather than affliction, but (if it come in competition) to choose sin rather than al the tortures and torments of Hell, howsoever many of you admit of sin upon very easy terms; yet the truth is, that if it should come into competition whether we would endure al the torments that there are in Hell to all eternity rather than to commit one sin, I say, if our spirits were as they