Chap. 36 XIII. sin is the Seed of Eternal Evil, therefore more hurtful to man than affliction.
woman, before common to Lust and sin, is now come to be separated from al these things and to be consecrated and given up to God himself, that's Holiness.
Now sin must needs be contrary unto holiness. As holiness is a separation of the creature from other things, and a consecration of it unto God; so sin is a separation of the creature from God and all good, and devoting of it up unto wrath, and misery, and a curse, and al evil whatsoever in its own nature; it is not in the desert only.
Many men think sin in its desert deserves a Curse, but they understand not how sin in its own nature separates the heart from God, and so gives it up to al evil, and all misery, as grace does to all good. This is the evil of sin, and therefore another manner of evil than there is in affliction.
CHAP. XXXVI.
XIII. Sin is the Seed of Eternal Evil, therefore More Hurtful to Man than Affliction.
An Use thereof, Then see that those men are deceived that think to provide well for themselves by sin. Use. 2. The Ministry of the Word is for our good, as well as God's glory.
XIII. Further, sin it is a principal evil; so I call it, because it is a principal of Eternal evil to the creature, (I beseech you observe what
I mean) I do not mean that it deserves eternal evil only, but of it self it is eternal evil. As thus, Grace does not only deserve eternal happiness, but it is the seed of eternal happiness, it is that principle, that if let alone will grow to eternal happiness.
So sin does not only deserve eternal misery, but it is the seed of eternal evil, and sin it self will be executioner upon the soul, and will prove an intolerable misery to the soul. Though sin be the very element in which many men and women live and so delight themselves: yet be it known, That this sin does not only deserve that God should bring his wrath upon thee for it, but that sin will prove eternal torment to thee.
As thus, The Fish that plays and leaps in the water, the water is the element to the Fish that it delights in; but if you put fire under this water if in a vessel, then that water that was the element in which the Fish skipped, and played, and delighted it self, that water will be torture and torment to the Fish boiling hot.
So sin is the element where men play, and delight in sinful ways, as the Fish in the water, but when God comes and mingles wrath with sin, then that very sin which was thy delight, shall be torture and torment, and so a principle of eternal evil it shall be to you. Thus sin is another manner of evil than affliction.
As thus, afflictions though in Diseases they bring pains and sorrows to the Body, the matter of this will wear out in time, and so the Disease will fall; but sin is such a principal evil and misery to the creature, as it will never go out, but continues a principal of eternal misery. Thus you have seen how sin is against our own good.
Somewhat I would fain say by way of APPLICATION in this work.
Use 1. sin is against our own good: Hence all those promises that any sinful way has to you, to provide for your own selves in, and your own good, they be all deceitful, and will deceive you The way of the wicked deceives them. Certainly thou art mistaken, if thou thinkest to make any provision for thy self in sinful ways. And the best way for any man or woman to provide for themselves, is to abandon sin: Wouldest thou provide for thy self, for thy own good, and be a true self-lover, abandon sin, for sin is against thy own good.
Use 2. Again, Hence you see, That the Ministry of the Word is that that is for our good, and that that makes for your good, as well as for God's glory. God in sending the Ministry of the Word, sends it for your own good as well as his own glory. Why what does it do? Only seeks to get away your sins, and make them bitter and grievous unto you.
I have in many particulars opened the nature of sin, and how grievous and evil tis: now what is the intendment of this, but to get the Serpent out of your bosoms, that which will do you mischief, and all for your own good.
Certainly if ever God open your eyes, you will then desire, with your faces upon the ground, to bless God that ever he sent his Ministers to shew you what sin is. Many times mens spirits rise against the Word, and they take the Ministers as enemies, Oh he speaks against me.
No it is not against any ones person, but against thy sin, man or woman, that which will do thee mischief, and undo thee.
Again, many cry out against the Minister as that man against Christ, He comes to torment us before the time. No it is against thy sin man, it is to take away that which will undo thee. Many are ready to say of the Minister as he to the Prophet Elijah, What hast thou met me, Oh my enemy! But as the Prophet said, does not my words do you good?
Certainly that which makes sin grievous to you, does you as much good as creatures can be done to for the present. Many have sin in their stomachs, that rise against the Minister and the Word, as the sick mans stomach against the glass or the pot in which the Physic is, but when for that evil grief within, he takes a vomit, it makes him sick it may be for a while, and the man casts up many filthy things and nauseating stuff; and then he cries out, Oh! blessed be God,
though I had pain, yet this takes away a great deal of that bad stuff that would have bred Diseases.
So though our Ministry may put you to pain, yet you will bless God when that is cast out that it has to deal withal. Many when they hear the Word, their spirits rise against it; but when it has pleased God to get away their sins, though upon hard terms, they have blest God that ever they heard the Word that did trouble them, or ever saw such a mans face.
I remember an expression of one to my self, That when he sate and heard me, he was persuaded every thing I spoke was against himself, though a stranger whom I never knew, and he professed his spirit rose both against the Word and the Speaker, going home, and the Word working, and working out sin, he comes not long after and blessed God that ever he heard that Sermon: And so certainly it will be.
I have shewed you in these thirteen Particulars how evil sin is against your own souls; know then, if the Minister by the Word can but get away your sin, Oh you will see it above the greatest good and happiness that ever you had in all your lives, that ever you did understand that which would do you so much hurt: Alas you will say, I did not see sin would do me so much hurt; woe to me if I had not heard the evil of sin; if I had known the evil of sin by feeling, what had become of me?
You have heard and read much of the evil of sin; now think, if these things be so grievous in the hearing or reading, what a woeful condition will that soul be in that must feel it? that must have every one of these Particulars made good to the full? Certainly such a soul must needs be in a woeful condition.
Now the Lord so sanctify and bless unto you the reading or hearing of all these evils, that none of your souls may ever come to feel them.