CHAP. 55. Use 4. If there be so much Evil in sin, this justifies the strictness and care of God's Pe
Therefore you that come to have some enlightenings to shew you the evil of sin, and you be about that work of getting pardon; Oh you had need intend it; and work mightily and strongly indeed; for know this, you are about the greatest business, the greatest work that ever creature was about in the world; there is no creature in all the world was ever about so great a work as thou art about; when thou art about the getting pardon of sin, thou hadst need mind it, and follow it, and not have thy heart taken up about other things, for it is the great work of the Lord, that infinitely concerns thee.
Oh that men and women had clear apprehensions about the sweetness of this work; 'tis true, God's mercy is above all our sins, and he is ready to pardon, and to forgive; but the Lord will have his creatures know, that it is the greatest work that ever he did: yea, and take altogether Justification of a sinner, is as great a work as ever
God did; the means that tend to it, and the work of a soul about procuring pardon, is the greatest work that ever soul was about: so you must understand it; and you cannot but understand it, if you understand what has been delivered. This is the Third Use.
CHAP. LV.
Use 4. If there be so much evil in sin, this justifies the strictness and care of God's
People against sin.
Two Directions to those that make conscience of small sins. First, Be even in your ways, strict against all sin. Secondly, Be very yielding in all Lawful things.
Use IV. IF there be so much evil in sin, Hence then is justified the strictness and care of the People of God against sin. They be afraid
of every sin, they dare not be so bold in the ways of sin as others are, but they tremble; when any sin is presented to them, they be afraid, and tremble; others go on boldly, and presumptuously, and laugh at such as be afraid; Oh such scrupulous consciences! Oh they dare not do such a thing because 'tis a sin they say! Oh they dare not by any means because they dare not sin.
Thus others laugh at them, because they think they be more scrupulous than they need be, that should be afraid to do things so little as they think these are.
I beseech you observe the perverseness of mens hearts; you shall have them if men offend the Law of man, them that are in Authority, the Commands of men, in things that they themselves will profess to be very little, and small, then they will cry out of such its Rebellion, and Rebels against authority, and they are not worthy to live, and they would have the severest punishments that can be, against them that will not obey mans authority in little things: but mark, these men that will so urge small things, and where they be small, the worse the disobedience (say they) in disobeying in small things. Yet these men that seem very
Conscientious in such things, when they see men afraid to offend God, that dare not do little things if sinful, dare not speak an idle word, and be sinfully merry as others are, that are afraid of intemperance, and every small thing, (as they think) these men will jeer such.
What a horrible sin is this?
What! urge mans Authority in small things, and jeer those that be Conscientious to God's Authority in small things! What shall the Authority of man put weight upon small things, and not the Authority of the Almighty put weight in small things?
Well, whatsoever they think, brethren go on, and make conscience of small things, and never call any sin little, because you have heard
of so much evil in it, go away with this impression of the Evil of sin on your hearts; Well, by this I have heard of the Evil of sin, I have learned to account no sin small, though never so little in the eye of the world.
Is it a sin? If so, do thou never admit of it; if it be a sin, abhorred it: let this temptation never prevail with thee; What? will you not do this, you may do worse? This I would advise those gracious and godly, that do indeed make conscience of small sins, and do well in making conscience of small things; I give you these Two
Instructions to carry along with you, as you do make conscience of small things, and you do well in it, because there is so much Evil in sin. So, The First Instruction, Be sure your Course be even this way, that as you seem to make conscience of some things small; so make conscience of all: Let not men of the world, that observe your ways, find you tripping, and have just cause to say, These men seem scrupulous in small things, but in other ways, they give liberty enough to themselves. And (say they) though they will not swear, they will lie.
And such like aspersions, sometimes through malice, the men of the world cast upon Profession. But I speak to you in the name of the Lord, take heed you give not occasion to the men of the world to say so; to say, I, these be so scrupulous in Ceremonies, and so nice in these things; though certainly we are bound to be so, for God is a jealous God, and if in any thing we be Conscientious, we must in his
Worship be Conscientious there; but then you had need be so much the more careful, that they find you exact in every thing that you do.
You servants, perhaps you inquire after the Worship of God, you young people; and it is a great mercy of God, that God stirs up young ones to inquire after the true worship of God, and not to worship God in that ignorance that your fore-fathers did; that took up every thing upon custom, or the use of the Parish they lived in;
for certainly it is not the practise of many; nor the command of Authority can make it lawful, if not warranted by the Word: Well, perhaps many young ones now begin to inquire after the way of God's Worship; and perhaps your Masters, or Parents, or may be
Husbands be angry, and vexed, and wonder what is come to you; because grown so scrupulous of these things.
Now I say, you had need be very exact in your Masters family, that you may not be found tripping in other things; and you Wives had need be very exact, that your Husbands find you not faulty in other things; and you Children had need be very respectful to your
Parents, and careful of your Duties to them, because they be more apprehensive of any failings in that which is due to them, then they are of any thing in the Worship of God; and they know God ties you to the practice of those duties.
Now if you cannot join in their practice, and such Superstition as your Masters do. Now if these Servants be unfaithful in Service, and careless, and stubborn, and stout in answering again: how does this harden their Masters against this way of Worship; and harden their hearts against them? What? You make conscience of Superstition because sinful, and is not this sin, as well as that? to be unfaithful, and stubborn, and stout; if you make conscience of one sin, why not of another? therefore all you that seem to have more tender consciences than others, and more afraid of the least sin than others; be sure you walk exactly, and especially have a care of your duty towards men, with whom you walk; for they can spy you presently, if you trip.
A Second Instruction I commend to those that make conscience of little, of the least sin; is this, Be sure you be as yielding and tractable in all other things as possible you may, in all things lawful: I ground it upon this, Because those whose consciences be tender, and dare not commit the least sin, for any seeming good; they cannot but stand out rather than commit some evils, some things that they be required to do they dare not do, because sinful, it cannot be but in
some things they must stand out, because they be convinced that it is a sin.
Now this the world judges stoutness, and pride, you make conscience of it, but they think it pride, and stoutness of spirit, why?
Cannot you do this as well as others? when alas God knows, and your consciences tells you, that you would with all your hearts, but cannot; you should sin against, and wound your own con¦sciences, therefore let them do what they will, you cannot do what is required; let masters rage, and be angry, and husbands be displeased, you cannot yield, your consciences will not suffer you.
Now that you may convince them, that it is conscience, and not stubbornness, how shall this be known, that it is consciousness, and not stubbornness? for we cannot see into your consciences? I give you this Note to discover it, to them; be more pliable and yielding in all other things, and there, to go beyond all other women, or children, or servants. As now, if there be a woman whose conscience cannot yield to some things, and her husband is displeased because he believes it is stoutness, now that her husband may believe it conscience and not stoutness, it concerns that woman to observe whatsoever gives content to her husband in every thing else; & to be more yielding, and pliable, and tractable, and herein denying her own will, to give content to her husband in other things, and hereby he will be convinced, sure she is not stout and stubborn in other things; why? because in this I find her more pliable, and yielding, and willing, than before. So for Servants, if you cannot yield in that your Masters would have you; strive to give him the more content in other things: Children to your Parents, in other things be more dutiful, and one neighbor to another; if neighbors would have you do that which is against your conscience, when you cannot do that, yet in other things yield to your own prejudice, to convince them, that in what you do not yield, it is merely out of conscience, and not stubbornness. This is the Fourth Use