CHAP. 54. Use 3. If there be so much Evil in sin, then it's a mighty mercy to get the pardon of sin.
indignation: This is the most extreme of God's anger, when thus he speaks.
And so Luther has such an expression, Woe to those men at whose sins God does wink and connive, and that have not afflictions as other men.
And so Jerome, in writing to a friend that prospered in wicked ways, said he, I judge thee miserable, because thou art not miserable:
So certainly, those men are therefore miserable, because they be not miserable; and it were a thousand times better for these men, to lie under some heavy and dreadful affliction in this world.
And this is the Second Use, If there be so much evil in sin, then a man may be a miserable man, though he be not an afflicted man, because there is evil enough in sin alone to make a man miserable without affliction.
CHAP. LIV.
Use 3. If there be so much evil in sin, then it's a mighty mercy to get the pardon of sin.
Use III. IF there be so much evil in sin as you have heard of, then certainly this must needs follow, That to get pardon of sin is a mighty mercy. It must needs be a wonderful thing to have the pardon of sin, to get to be delivered from that which has so much evil, that is so dreadful, it must needs be very hard to be obtained; grievous diseases be very hardly cured.
Certainly Brethren, those men and women that do think, that to get pardon of, and power against sin, is a little or light matter, I dare charge them as in the presence of God, they never yet knew what sin meant; and all that I have delivered about the evil of sin, has been but as the beating of the air to them, to no purpose, that yet make but light of the great work of procuring pardon for sin, and making peace with God for their sin.
If all the world were in a confusion, turned into a Chaos, we should think it a great work of God to bring all in frame and o•der again:
Certainly it is a greater work of God, for to deliver the soul from the evil of sin, and free the soul of it, than it would be for to raise up the frame of Heaven and Earth again, if all were turned into a Chaos.
Therefore Numbers, 14. 17, 19. verses, where Moses speaks of pardon of sin; see how Moses speaks of it there: And now I beseech thee (said he) let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying. What was this concerning which God had spoken, that he would shew his great power in? See the 19. verse,
Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of thy mercy: (Mark) let the power of my Lord be great, and then pardon the iniquity of thy people: as if Moses should say;
Oh Lord, this requires great power, the Almighty power of God is required for pardoning of iniquity, as well as the infinite mercy of God.
Oh consider this, you that think lightly of getting pardon of sin, this is the greatest business in the world, and certainly that soul that God does set in good earnest about this work, to get the pardon of sin, that soul is the most busy creature in all the world: never was the soul taken up about a more blessed work, since it had a being, than this is; if it understand what it is about, it takes up the whole strength of soul and body, when the soul is about so great a work.