Chap. 29 Sixthly, sin is more opposite to mans good than affliction, because sin is the object of Go
So I dare say there is never a Soul here before the Lord, but has, or had a worm in their breasts, I say, There was a time you had this worm in your breasts, that without it were cured, would lie gnawing to all eternity, it is that which breeds of the filth and corruption of your hearts.
Suppose a man had a little dirt on his face, this endangers not the life of the body, but when there is corruption within, and defilement of the Body within, that breeds diseases, and will breed worms, it may be it will breed the wolf that lies gnawing at their breasts.
Many women have had it in their breasts that lies gnawing upon their flesh: but know, your sins breed another manner of worm or wolf that will gnaw worse than ever that did.
And this is the evil of sin, it is not only the defilement of the soul, but such a defilement that breeds such a worm that will gnaw upon conscience to all eternity.
CHAP. XXIX.
Sixthly, sin is more opposite to mans good than affliction, because sin is the object of God's hatred; but God hateth not any for affliction.
Sixthly, sin is the only object of the hatred of God, nothing is the object of God's hatred but sin: God does not hate a man or a woman because they are poor, God may love them as well as any Monarch or Prince in the world, though they be poor: God hates not a man because he is sick, you hate not your Children because they be sick or weak: all the afflictions in the world make not a man an object of
God's hatred, but sin does: mark that expression in Scripture, Psalm, 5. 5. The Fool shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity; so that sin makes the creature the object of God's hatred.
God said not (mark) he hates the work of iniquity only; but the worker of iniquity: God hates not the creature as he made them, but through sin the creature come• to be hated; even the workers of iniquity.
Now observe the strength of the Reason, That which makes a man the object of God's hatred, must needs be a greater evil than that which can stand with God's everlasting love: for afflictions in the strength of them, and bitterness of them, may stand with God's eternal love; nay observe, they may stand with the same love wherewithal God the Father loved his Son Jesus Christ; for so in the 17. of John, latter end; there Christ prays to the Father, that thou may love them with the very same love with which thou lovest me.
Now God the Father loved Christ, and yet God the Father afflicted Christ, and Christ was under sore afflictions, and yet at that very time God the Father loved him.
So a man or a woman afflicted, notwithstanding all their afflictions, they may have the very same love of God the Father that Jesus
Christ himself had, in a manner the very same: And my thinks this might be a mighty encouragement to afflicted souls.
Are you afflicted with poverty, bodily sickness, persecution, any thing? Know, for all this affliction, God may love you with the same love he loved his Son: but sin makes the creature the object of the hatred of God.
But you will say, God's Children have sin.
Of its own nature, it would make them objects of God's hatred, but there comes in the blood of Christ, and the purchase of his blood
procures peace between God and man; but I speak of it in its own Nature; and those that God looks upon in a sinful condition, he cannot look upon them but he hates them.
Now that which makes a man the object of God's hatred, must needs be very evil; as thus, when any affection runs in one Current, it must needs run very strongly. As in the Sea, suppose there were many Arms and Rivers to break the strength of the Current, it would not run so powerfully; but when there is but one Current, the Current of the Ocean there runs very strongly.
So in the Affections, when the Affections be only set upon one object, then they be strong: when Love is scattered upon this and the other thing, then 'tis not strong, but when it is upon one, then it is strong. When Parents have many Children, and they love this, and this, then it may be they love not any so strongly; but when they have but one there is great love. So in hatred, where there is a hatred of many, there is not so much hatred against one; but where it runs in one Current only, there it is strong. So here, there is no object that God's hatred runs out against but only sin, therefore the hatred must needs be very powerful.
Oh for a man or woman to live to be the object of the hatred of the eternal God, how dreadful an evil is this! We desire to be beloved where we are, of every one; what a sad thing is it to live in a Family, or a Town, and no body love them: men desire to be beloved though it be of a dog, and they will boast sometimes, such a dog, or a horse loved such an one, loved his Master; when he does but come home, they will leap, and skip, and faun on him.
Do we take delight to have our neighbors, or the family love us? nay, for the dog to love us? Oh what is the love of an infinite, eternal, glorious God!
A man accounts it an evil if the dog only snarl and bark at him, this we account an evil: Oh what an evil is it then, to have the infinite,