Chap. 2 The Servants of God, have Chose the most dreadful afflictions, rather than the least
should be, we would rather be willing to endure al these torments, than commit the least sin.
And Brethren do not think this is a high strain, for that come to speak in the Name of God come not to speak Hyperbolically, to raise expressions higher than the things are in their reality; no, I come not for that end, and I should take the Name of God in vain if I should do so, therefore I dare not raise things beyond that which they are in reality in themselves: Therefore know, whatsoever I shall say unto you in this thing, that they are not words or expressions, but I speak as in the name of God as I would take it upon mine own conscience, having to deal between God and you in this great work, and in this place to deliver this truth, That there is more evil in the least sin, than in al the miseries that possible a creature is capable of, either here or in Hell besides: I hope if I shall make out this to you, you will then believe that sure you have not yet understood the sinfulness of sin, that yet the burden of sin has not lain upon you to be felt as the burden of sin▪ Now then that I may fully convince you, That there is more Evil in the least sin, than in any affliction.
CHAP. II.
The Servants of God, have Chose the most dreadful afflictions rather than the least sin.
First, Those servants of God that have been guided by the wisdom of God, to make their choice, they have rather chose the sorest and most dreadful afflictions in this world than willingly to commit the least sin: as now, if you would but turn your thoughts to what you have read or heard of the martyrs, what hideous, and grievous
torments did they suffer; the boiling of their bodies in scalding Lead, laying of their naked backs upon hot Gridirons, rending and tearing their members a pieces with horses, the pulling of their flesh off from their bodies with pinchers, and others by red hot burning tongs, their enduring their flesh to be scorched with broiling of it, first on the one side, and afterward on the other side;
Yea, weak Women have endured this, To have their flesh harrowed with stones and sharp irons, to have their bodies flayed, and then thrown into rivers of cold ice; and a thousand more whatsoever Hell and wicked men could devise: they were content to endure al this, and certainly could they have devised ten thousand times more exquisite torments then they did, they would have been content to have endured that, and whatsoever else, rather than to act against their consciences the least sin, and they accounted this to be a good choice, when as they saw sin against their consciences on the one hand, and al their torments on the other, they did rather embrace these tortures, then embrace that sin.
For this their choice they are renowned in the hearts of the saints to all generations: yea, the Holy Ghost does witness, That they have a good report, Heb. 11. Those that suffered sawing asunder, and scourging, and went up and down in sheepskins and Goats skins, in leather breeches and doublets, and suffered the spoiling of their goods and of al that they had, these had a good report, and the Holy
Ghost commends them for their choice.
Many of you when it comes to it will be more loathe to loose a groat than commit a sin, more loathe to endure the least shame or a nickname, than to commit a sin: Are there not many servants here, or children, will tell a lie (when they have done an evil) rather than suffer a little shame in the Family from their parents, or masters, or fellow servants, and children. What a difference is there between thy heart, and the heart of the martyrs?
They could endure al tortures on their bodies that could be devised, rather than to commit any known sin against their consciences; and
thou wilt venture to commit a known sin against thy conscience, rather than to be found out in some fault, and have an angry word, or a little shame: If it be but to gain two pence they will tell a lie, and are willing to choose sin rather than endure the least trouble; a mighty difference between thee and them.
You know how it was with Paul, when he speaks of afflictions these be his expressions, but light and momentary, but for a moment, but they work an exceeding weight of glory: (mark) light afflictions, what were they? you would account them heavier if they were upon you. blessed Paul (that great vessel to bear the name of God as great an instrument of God's glory as any in the world except Christ himself, and yet this Paul) was whipped up & down as if he had been a rogue, put into the stocks, had not clothes to cover his nakedness, had not bread to eat, and was accounted the off scouring of the world; and yet he accounts all this but light.
But when he comes to sin, that is heavy, Oh wretched man that I am! Thus he gives a dreadful shriek at sin; see what a difference he makes between affliction and sin, and accounts it abundantly more evil to be in sin, than in affliction. And so Christ himself▪ that is the wisdom of the Father, and therefore could not choose but judge right, and yet he was content for the sake of poor souls, to come and under go al kind of affliction, and pain, and sorrow, so as to be made a man of sorrows, according as the Scripture speaks; How was he content to have his body whipped and scourged, was laughed at and scorned, and though he was possessor of heaven and earth, yet had not a house to put his head in; yea, to bear the wrath of God for the sin of man, to be made a curse for man, under the curse of the law, and to be under that pain & extremity through the wrath of his
Father, when he sweat great drops of blood?
All this Christ would endure: But now if it had been to have committed the least sin to have saved al the world, Christ would never have done it: though Christ could be content to suffer all kind of miseries, yea, the wrath of his Father; yet had it been to have