CHAP. 56. Use 5. If there be so much Evil in sin, hence then is justified the dreadful things spoken
I might here have gone further, and (if there be so much evil in sin, I would) have labored with men and women to come to be sensible of all the evil of sin, and to have stopped sinners in their sinful ways, and courses; and likewise to have drawn sinners to Christ, and to have made men and women to prize Jesus Christ, by whom all their sins may possibly come to be forgiven; who is the only
Ransom & Propitiation for sin: for this brethren, is the ground of all I have said, that we might be made to esteem Christ, and prize
Christ. And in this regard, though what I have said, seems legal, yet certainly it is a fond mistake in people that think Christ is not preached, except the word Christ be named.
But know all that has been said about the sinful ness of sin, has been a Preaching of Christ, for it has been in way and order to bring
Souls to Christ, that I might cause Souls to fly to Christ, and go to him that is the only propitiation for sin, and the only Ransom for Souls.
And certainly brethren, if once these things I have delivered concerning the Evil of sin, come to be apprehended, and the Soul made sensible of them; Oh! how sweet, and precious, and dear will
Christ be to such a Soul? and the Name of that great God will be honored in such a Soul: But I shall prosecute this in the following
Discourse.
CHAP. LVI.
Use 5. If there be such Evil in sin, hence then is justified the dreadful things spoken in the Word against sinners.
There is more Evil in sin, than in all affliction: That's the Argument we have been long upon; and have made some good entrance into the Application of it, there has been Four Uses made of this Point already, that has flowed naturally from the Evil of sin. There are yet divers more Uses which are of great Concernment: wherefore we proceed to it.
Use V. If there be such dreadful Evil in sin, Hence then the Word of God that speaks such dreadful things against sinners, cannot but be justified of all those that know what sin is. There are very severe and fearful things, revealed in the Word against sin. Now, such as understand not what the Evil of sin is, are ready to think them very hard. For indeed, it is only by the word, we come to understand, wherein the true Evil of sin lies. Paul to the Romans tells us, That before the Law came, he knew not sin: And had I Preached these
Sermons concerning the Evil of sin before the Athenians, the wisest of Philosophers, they would have said as they did concerning Paul,
What new? What strange Doctrine is this?
And so it is like it has been unto all those who have no other rule to judge of things by, than carnal Reason and Hence. Those who are not acquainted with the mind of God, revealed in his Word; they perhaps have strange thoughts concerning all that has been delivered; and think I have been but an hyperboler al this while: but certainly those that judge of things according to the word, they see that there is a realty in all that has been delivered, and they justify the Word in all; yea, they justify the severity of the word against sin, when they see it even against themselves, for their own sins; that's a good sign, when the heart of a man or woman, does not only justify the word in general, but when the word comes most powerfully, and sharply against his own sins; yet he lies under the power of the Word, and said, It is good, and holy, and righteous, the word of the Lord; though it speaks bitter things against his own sins.
There are many men and women that have some seeming good affections, and some tenderness of spirit, and would seem to melt at a Sermon, when some truths be delivered to them: but when the severity and strictness of God's Justice, in the word is presented before them, their hearts fly off, and they seem to be very hard things.
We have a notable example for this in Luke 20. if you read in the story before, you shall find the people spoken of, were much stirred, with many things they heard of in the Word: but in the 16. verse, when Christ told them he would come and destroy those husbandmen that had used the messengers so ill that were sent for fruit, and the Kings only Son too: He shall come and destroy those
Husbandmen, and give the Vineyard unto others; and when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
Oh God forbid that there should be so much severity: those people, in this particular, discovering a slightness of spirit; that though they were people that seemed to have tender hearts, and were much stirred, and their hearts melted at some truths delivered: well, but yet when they heard of the severe Judgments against evil men; Oh they had more compassion in them than God had, & said, God forbid that things should be so hard; What? is not God a merciful
God? and we hear of nothing but severity; that there should be such severity in God, utterly to destroy, God forbid.
Thus people now a days, when they hear Arguments of God's goodness, and mercy, their hearts be ready to melt and yield, and they be affected, and stirred; but when they hear the severity of God's Justice against sin, Oh then God forbid that there should be such hard things, God forbid these things should be true.
Certainly Brethren, you cannot have any true meltings of Spirit wrought in you, nor work of God's Sanctifying Spirit, unless you find such a principle in your hearts, as should cause you to fall down and tremble, and yield unto the Justice of God, and the