Chap. 5 There is more Evil in the least sin, than in the greatest affliction
have, if evil, it must be rejected without deliberation what we must have in the stead. Indeed if it were good we might deliberate, but if be it evil and a sin, it must be cast off without deliberation.
Brethren, it is of great use this I speak of, because that strength sin has usually got, is from deliberation about it.
I beseech you observe this; Take heed for ever of reasoning with Temptation, of consulting and casting about in your thoughts, what will become of it? what trouble may come by this if I hearken not to this?
Take heed of reasoning, if the Devil do but get you to reason about it, he has got it half granted already: you need not reason with any temptation, but cast it off presently, because sin has no good in it.
Oh that God would convince al our hearts of these things.
CHAP. V.
There is more Evil in the least sin, than in the greatest affliction, Opened in six Particulars, being the General Scope of the whole
Treatise.
TO go on to that which remains. I am yet further to make out to you, That sin is worse than affliction. First I have shewed, that there is no good at all in sin; and there is good in affliction.
Now Secondly, There is more Evil in the least sin, than there is in the greatest affliction.
This I am now to make out unto you in these Six Particulars.
First, sin is most opposite unto God himself, the chief Good.
Secondly, sin is most opposite unto Mans good: affliction is not so opposite to the good of the creature as sin is.
Thirdly, sin is opposite unto all Good in General; and so will be discovered to be an universal Evil.
Fourthly, sin, it is the Evil of all other Evils; it is that which is the very venom and poison of all other Evils whatsoever, therefore greatest.
Fifthly, There is a kind of Infiniteness in sin, though not properly Infinite, it cannot be so, yet in the Nature of it, it has a kind of infiniteness.
Sixthly, The Evil of it is discovered, In the conformity sin has with the Devil; there is no creature that conspires against God, but only Devils and sinful Men.
These be the six things to be opened, for the discovery of the evil of sin: And I beseech you seriously attend to what shall be delivered in these, for I hope before I have done to make it appear to every ones conscience that shall vouchsafe to read, attend, and consider what I say, that sin is another manner of business than the world thinks it to be. Oh that your hearts might come to see yourselves to be as you are, in an ill Case, in a worse condition than you imagine: and I beseech you give way to this, and be willing to hear it, for though it seem a hard Doctrine, yet it is a Soul saving Doctrine; and for want of this, many thousand thousands of Souls perish, because they never understood what sin meant.
Many thousands in hell if they had known what sin had been, it might have delivered them from everlasting flames. God has reserved you alive, and who knows but for this end, To understand what sin is, that so your hearts may be humbled, and so everlastingly saved through Christ. Brethren, but that the way to understand sin, is the way to be humbled for sin; and to be humbled for sin, is the way to have sin pardoned, and the Soul saved, I should never treat upon such a Doctrine as this is: therefore I beseech you