Part III
PART III.
For we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities, but was in all things tempted like as we are, yet without sin. HEB. IV. 15.
Some generals to clear how this is to be understood, that Christ s heart is
touched with the feeling of our infirmities, together with the way how our
infirmities come to be feelingly let into his heart.
I. HAVING thus given such full and ample demonstrations of the tenderness and sameness of Christ s heart unto us now he is in heaven, with that which
it was whilst he was here on earth ; and those, both extrinsical (in the first
part) and intrinsical (in the second) ; I now come to the last head which I
propounded in the opening of these words, namely, the way and manner of
Christ s being affected with pity unto us ; both how it is to be understood
by us, and also how such affections come to be let into his heart, and
therein to work these bowels of compassion unto us. This in the begin ning of the second part I propounded to be handled, as being necessary both
for the opening and clearing the words of the text, which mainly holds forth
this, as also for the clearing of the thing itself, the point in hand. For, as
I there shewed, these words come in by way of preoccupation or prevention of an objection, as if his state now in heaven were not capable of such
affection as should tenderly move him to pity and commiseration, he being now glorified both in soul and body. Which thought, because it was apt to arise in all men s minds, the apostle therefore forestalls it, both by
affirming the contrary, We have not an high priest that cannot be touched,
&c., that is, he both can be, or is capable of it, and likewise is touched,
notwithstanding all his glory, as also by his annexing the reason of it, or
* in all points he was tempted like as we are.
shewing the way how it comes to pass, in that
Now in handling and opening these, which is* a matter full of difficulty, I shall, with all wariness, proceed to the discovery of what manner of
affection in Christ this is, and that by these steps and degrees. 1. This affection of compassion, or his being touched with the feeling of our infirmities, is not w
holly to be understood in a metaphorical or a
similitudinary sense, as those speeches used of God in the Old Testament
are to be understood, when bowels of compassion are attributed unto him, and his bowels are said to be rolled together, or as whenas it is said of God, that he repented, and was afflicted in all his people s afflictions. All which expressions were of God (as we all know) but merely xatf &v6gwru*afaait after the manner of men ; so to convey and represent to our apprehensions, by what affections use to be in parents or friends in such and such cases
(what provoke them unto such and such actions), which like effects proceed
PART III.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 130
from God towards us when he sees us in distress. And so they are spoken rather per modum effectus, than affectus, rather by way of like effect, which God produceth, than by way of such affection in God s heart, which is not
capable of any such passions as these are. Now towards the right under
standing of this, the first thing which I affirm is, that barely in such a
sense as this, that which is here spoken of Christ, is not to be understood, and my reason for it is grounded upon these two things put together. First, that this affection of his towards us here spoken of, is manifestly meant
of his human nature, and not of his Godhead only, for it is spoken of that
nature wherein he once was tempted as we now are. So expressly in the next words, which can be meant of no other than his human nature.
And secondly, that those kind of expressions which were used of God
before the assumption of our nature, only in a way of metaphor and
similitude, after the manner of men, should in no further or more real and proper sense be spoken of Christ and his human nature now assumed, and when he is a man as truly and properly as we are, I cannot imagine ; when I consider and remember that which I last insisted on, that one end
of Christ s taking a human nature, was that he might be a merciful high
priest for ever, in such a way as, he being God alone, could not have
been. I confess I have often wondered at that expression there used, He took the seed of Abraham, that he might be made a merciful high priest, Heb. ii., which at the first reading sounded as if God had been made more merciful by taking our nature. But this solved the wonder, that this
assumption added a new way of God s being merciful, by means of which
it may now be said, for the comfort and relief of our faith, that God is
truly and really merciful, as a man. And the consideration of this con
tributes this to the clearing of the thing in hand, that whereas God of himself was so blessed and perfect, that his blessedness could not have been touched with the least feeling of our infirmities, neither was he in himself capable of any such affection of pity or compassion
* He is not as
a man, that he should pity or repent, &c. He can indeed do that for us
in our distress, which a man that pities us useth to do ; but the affections and bowels themselves he is not capable of. Hence, therefore, amongst other ends of assuming man s nature, this fell in before God as one, that God might thereby become loving and merciful unto men, as one man is to another. And so, that what before was but improperly spoken, and by way of metaphor and similitude, in the Old Testament, so to convey it to our apprehensions, might now be truly attributed unto him in the reality ; that God might be for ever said to be compassionate as a man, and to be touched with a feeling of our infirmities as a man. And thus by this
happy union of both natures, the language of the Old Testament, uttered
only in a figure, becomes verified and fulfilled in the truth of it, as in all
other things the shadows of it were in Christ fulfilled. And this is the
first step towards the understanding of what is here said of Christ, taken from this comparison with the like attributed unto God himself.
2. A second and further step to let in our understanding to the appre hension of this, is by the like further comparison to be made with the
angels, and those affections of love and pity that are certainly found in them. In comparison of which, these affections in Christ s human nature, though glorified, must needs be far more like to ours, even more tender, and more human ; for in that Heb. ii. it is expressly said, He therefore took not the nature of Ce angels, that he might be a merciful high priest. Part of the intendnient of those words is to shew and give the reason, not
140 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
only why lie took our nature under frail flesh, though that the apostle mentions, ver. 14, but why a human nature for the substance of it, and not the nature of angels ; because in his affections of mercy he would for
ever come nearer to us, and have such affections, and of the same kind with ours. Whereas otherwise, in other respects, an angel would have been a higher and more glorious high priest than a man.
Now the angels being fellowservants with us, as the angel called him
self, Rev. xxii. 9, they have affections towards us more assimilated unto
ours than God hath, and so are more capable of such impressions from our miseries than God is. Although they be spirits, yet they partake of
something analogical, or resembling and answering to those affections of
pity, grief, &c., which are in us. And indeed, so far as these affections
are seated in our souls, and not drenched in the passions of the body, unto which our souls are united, they are the very same kind of affections in us
that are in them. Hence the same lusts that are in men are said to be in
devils, John viii. 44, and therefore the devils also are said to fear and
tremble, &c. And so, oppositely, the same affections that are in men, so
far as they are spiritual, and the spirit or soul is the seat of them, they must needs be found in the good angels. But Christ having a human
nature, the same for substance that ours is, consisting both of soul and
body, although through glory made spiritual, yet not become a spirit ; A
spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have, says Christ of himself,
after his resurrection, Luke xxiv. 39 ; therefore he must needs have affec
tions towards us, yet more like to those of ours than those are which the
angels have. So then by these two steps we have gained these two things, that even in Christ s human nature, though glorified, affections of pity and
compassion are true and real, and not metaphorically attributed to him as
they are unto God ; and also more near and like unto ours here than those
in the angels are ; even affections proper to man s nature, and truly human. And these he should have had, although this human nature had, from the
very first assumption of it, been as glorious as it is now in heaven.
3. But now, thirdly, add this further, that God so ordered it, that
before Christ should clothe this his human nature with that glory he hath
in heaven, and put this glory upon it, he should take it as clothed with all our infirmities, even the very same that doth cleave unto us, and should
live in this world, as we do, for many years. And during that time God
prepared for him all sorts of afflictions and miseries to run through, which we ourselves do here meet withal ; and all that time he was acquainted with, and inured unto, all the like sorrows that we are ; and God left him
to that infirmity and tenderness of spirit, to take in all distresses as deeply as any of us (without sin), and to exercise the very same affections under
all these distresses that we at any time do find stirring in our hearts. And
this God thus ordered, on purpose thereby to fit him and to frame his
heart, when he should be in glory, unto such affections as these spoken of
in the text. And this both this text suggests to be God s end in it, as also
< Forasmuch as we, namely, his
that fore-mentioned place, Heb. ii. 13,
* are partakers of flesh and blood, which phrase doth ever note
members,
out the frailties of man s nature, as 1 Cor. xv. 50, &c., he himself took
part of the same, .... that he might be a merciful high priest, &c., verse 17. And then the apostle gives this reason for it, verse 18,
* For in
that himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able this ability is, as was
before interpreted, the having an heart fitted and enabled, out of experience, to pity and to succour them that are tempted. The meaning of which
PART III.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 141
is, that it is not the bare taking of a human nature, if glorious from the
first, that would thus fully have fitted him to be affectionately pitiful out of
experience, though, as was said, the knowledge of our miseries taken in
thereby would have made him truly and really affectionate towards us, with affections human and proper to a man, and so much nearer and liker ours than what are in the angels themselves, or than are attributed to God, when he is said to pity us ; but further, his taking our nature at first
clothed with frailties, and living in this world as we, this hath for ever
fitted his heart by experience to be in our very hearts and bosoms ; and not
only or barely to know the distress, and as a man to be affected with a human affection to one of his kind, but experimentally remembering the
like in himself once. And this likewise the text suggests as the way where
by our distresses are let into his heart the more feelingly, now he is in heaven. We have not an high priest that cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. And the more to comfort us herein, observe how fully and
universally the apostle speaks of Christ s having been tempted here below.
First, for the matter of them, or the several sorts of temptations, he says he was tempted Kara, navra, in all points, or things of any kind, where with we are exercised. Secondly, for the manner, he adds that too, na$
opoiorqra, like as we are. His heart having been just so affected, so wounded, pierced, and distressed, in all such trials as ours use to be, only without sin, God, on purpose, left all his affections to their full tender
ness, and quickness of sense of evil. So that Christ took to heart all that
befell him as deeply as might be ; he slighted no cross, either from God or men, but had and felt the utmost load of it. Yea, his heart was made more tender in all sorts of affections than any of ours, even as it was in love and pity; and this made him a man of sorrows, and that more than any other man was or shall be.
Now therefore, to explicate the way how our miseries are let into his
heart, and come to stir up such kindly affections of pity and compassion in
him, it is not hard to conceive from what hath now been said, and from what the text doth further hint unto us.
(1.) The understanding and knowledge of that human nature hath notice and cognisance of all the occurrences that befall his members here. And
for this the text is clear ; for the apostle speaks this for our encouragement, that
* Christ is touched with the feeling of our infirmities ; which could not be a relief unto us, if it supposed not this, that he particularly and dis
tinctly knew them ; and if not all as well as some, we should want relief in
all, as not knowing which he knew, and which not. And the apostle affirms
this of his human nature, as was said, for he speaks of that nature that was
tempted here below. And, therefore, the Lamb that was slain, and so
c seven eyes, as well as seven horns, which seven eyes are the seven spirits sent forth into all
1 the man Chri&t Jesus is, Rev. v. 6, said to have
the earth. His eyes of providence, through his anointing with the Holy Ghost, are in all corners of the world, and view all the things that are done under the sun. In like manner he is there said to have seven horns for
power, as seven eyes for knowledge ; and both are defined to be seven, to shew the perfection of both, in their extent reaching unto all things. So
that, as all power in heaven and earth is committed unto him as Son of man, as the Scripture speaks, so all knowledge is given him of all
things done in heaven and earth, and this as Son of man too ; his know
ledge and power being of equal extent. He is the Sun as well in respect
142 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
of knowledge as of righteousness, and there is nothing hid from his light and beams, which do pierce the darkest corners of the hearts of the sons
of men. He knows the sores, as Solomon expresseth it, and distresses of
their hearts. Like as a looking-glass made into the form of a round glohe, and hung in the midst of a room, takes in all the species of things done or
that are therein at once, so doth the enlarged understanding of Christ s human nature take in the affairs of this world, which he is appointed to
govern, especially the miseries of his members, and this at once.
* I know thy works, thy labour, and thy patience, &c., Kev. ii. 2 he therewithal hath an act of memory, and recalls how himself was once affected, and how distressed whilst on
(2.) His human nature thus knowing all
earth, under the same or the like miseries. For the memory of things here below remains still with him, as with all spirits in either of those two
* Son, remember thou in thy lifetime receivedst
other worlds, heaven or hell.
thy good things, and Lazarus evil, &c., says Abraham to the soul of Dives
* Kemember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, said the good thief to Christ ; and, Rev. i., I am he, says Christ, that was dead, and am alive. He remembers his death still, and the sufferings of it ; and as he remembers it, to put his Father in mind thereof, so he remembers it also, to affect his own heart with what we feel. And his memory presenting the impression of the like now afresh unto him, how
in hell, Luke xv. 25.
it was once with him ; hence he comes feelingly and experimentally to know how it is now with us, and so affects himself therewith ; as Dido in
Virgil Hand ignara mali, miseris succurrere disco.
Having experience of the like miseries, though a queen now, I know how
to succour those that are therein. As God said to the Israelites when they should be possessed of Canaan their own land, Exod. xxiii. 9, Ye know
the hearts of strangers, seeing ye were strangers, &c., and therefore doth command them to pity strangers, and to use them well upon that motive, so may it be said of Christ, that he doth know the hearts of his children
in misery, seeing himself was once under the like. Or, as the apostle exhorts the Hebrews, Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with
them, and them that suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body, Heb. xiii. 8, and so ere you die, may come to suffer the like. So Christ, the head of the body, which is the fountain of all sense and feeling in the
body, doth remember them that are bound and in adversity, having himself been once in the body, and so he experimentally compassionates them. And this is a further thing than the former. We have gained this further, that Christ hath not only such affections as are real and proper to a human
nature, but such affections as are stirred up in him, from experience of the
like by himself once tasted in a frail nature like unto ours. And thus much
for the way of letting in all our miseries into Christ s heart now, so as to
strike and affect it with them.
A more particular disquisition, what manner of affection this is; the seat
thereof, whether in his spirit or soul only, or the whole human nature. Some cautions added.
II. But concerning this affection itself of pity and compassion, fellow-
feeling and sympathy, or suffering with (as the text calls it), which is the
product, result, or thing produced in his heart by these, there still remains
PART III.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 143
another thing more particularly to be inquired into, namely, what manner
of affection this is ; for that such an affection is stirred up in him, besides and beyond a bare act of knowledge or remembrance how once it was with
himself, is evident by what we find in the text. The apostle says, not only that he remembers how himself was tempted with the like infirmities that we are, though thatpbe necessarily supposed, but that he is struck and touched
with the feeling of our infirmities ; to the producing of which this act of remembrance doth but subserve. And he tells us, Christ is able, and his
heart is capable of thus being touched. And the word Gu/AiraQqffou is a
deep word, signifying to suffer with us until we are relieved. And this
affection, thus stirred up, is it which moveth him so cordially to help us. Now, concerning this affection, as here thus expressed, how far it extends, and how deep it may reach, I think no man in this life can fathom. If
car regis, the heart of a king, be inscrutable, as Solomon speaks, the heart
of the King of kings now in glory is much more. I will not take upon me to intrude into things which I have not seen, but shall endeavour to
speak safely, and therefore warily, so far as the light of Scripture and right reason shall warrant my way.
I shall set it forth three ways
1. Negatively; 2. positively; 3. privatively. 1. Negatively. It is certain that this affection of sympathy or fellow-feel
ing in Christ is not in all things such a kind of affection as was in him in
the days of his flesh. Which is clear, by what the apostle speaks of him and of his affections then, Heb. v. 7, Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cryings and tears, was heard in that which he feared. Where we see his converse and state
of life here below, to be called by way of difference and distinction from what is now in heaven, the days of his flesh : lay flesh, meaning not the
substance of the human nature, for he retains that still, but the frail quality of subjection to mortality, or possibility.* So flesh is usually taken, as when
all flesh is said to be grass ; it is spoken of man s nature, in respect to its
being subject to a fading, wearing, and decay, by outward casualties, or inward passions. So in this epistle, chap ii. 14, Forasmuch as the chil
dren, we his brethren, did partake of flesh and blood, that is, the frailties
* he himself also took part of the same. And accordingly the apostle instanceth in the following words of that 14th verse, as in death, which in the days of his flesh Christ was subject to, so also in such frail
of man s nature,
passions and affections as did work a suffering in him, and a wearing and
wasting of his spirits ; such as passionate sorrow, joined with strong cries and tears, both which he mentioneth, and also fear, in these words, He was heard in that which he feared. Now these days of his flesh being over and past, for this was only, as says the apostle, in the days of his flesh, hence therefore all such concomitant passionate overflowing of sorrow, fear,
&c., are ceased therewith, and he is now no way capable of them, or sub
jected to them. Yet ; 2. Positively. Why may it not be affirmed that for substance the same kind of affection of pity and compassion, that wrought in his whole man, both body and soul, when he was here, works still in him now he is in heaven ? if this position be allayed with those due cautions and considera
tions which presently I shall annex. For, if for substance the same flesh and blood and animal spirits remain and have their use, for though Christ, in Luke xxiv. 29, mentio^d only his having flesh and bones after his resur-
* Qu. passibility ?- ED.
144 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
rection, unto Thomas and the other disciples, because these two alone were to be the object of his touch and feeling ; yet blood and spirits are included in that flesh, for it is caro vitalis, living flesh, and therefore hath blood and
spirits that flow and move in it ; then why not the same affections also ? And those not stirring only and merely in the soul, but working in the body
also, unto which that soul is joined, and so remaining really human affec
tions. The use of blood and spirits is, as to nourish (which end is now
ceased) so to affect the heart and bowels by their motion to and fro, when the soul is affected. And why this use of them should not remain (and if not this, we can conceive no other) I know not. Neither why this affection should be only restrained to his spirit or soul, and his corporeal powers not be supposed to communicate and partake in them. That so as he is a
true man, and the same man that he was, both in body as well as in soul, for else it had not been a true resurrection, so he hath still the very same
true human affections in them both ; and such as whereof the body is the seat and instrument, as well as the soul. And seeing this whole man, both body and soul, was tempted, and that (as the text says) he is touched with a feel
ing in that nature which is tempted, it must therefore be in the whole man, both body and soul. Therefore, whenas we read of the wrath of the Lamb, as Rev. vi. 16, namely, against his enemies, as here of his pity and com
passion towards his friends and members, why should this be attributed only to his deity, which is not capable of wrath, or to his soul and spirit only ? And why may it not be thought he is truly angry as a man, in his whole man, and so with such a wrath as his body is affected with, as well as that he is wrathful in his soul only, seeing he hath taken up our whole nature, on purpose to subserve his divine nature in all the executions of it ?
But now, how far, in our apprehensions of this, we are to cut off the weakness and frailty of such affections as in the days of his flesh was in
them, and how exactly to difference those which Christ had here, and those which he hath in heaven, therein lies the difficulty ; and I can speak but
little unto it.
Yet, first y this we may lay down as an undoubted maxim, that so far, or
in what sense his body itself is made spiritual (as it is called, 1 Cor. xv. 44), so far, and in that sense, all such affections as thus working in his body are made spiritual, and that in an opposition to that fleshly and frail way of their
working here. But then, as his body is made spiritual, not spirit (spiritual in respect of power, and likeness to a spirit, not in respect of substance or
nature), so these affections of pity and compassion do work not only in his
spirit or soul, but in his body too, as their seat and instrument, though in
a more spiritual way of working, and more like to that of spirits, than those
in a fleshly frail body are. They are not wholly spiritual in this sense, that the soul is the sole subject of them, and that it draws up all such
workings into itself, so that that should be the difference between his affec
tions now and in the days of his flesh. Men are not to conceive as if his
body were turned into such a substance as the sun is of, for the soul, as
through a case of glass, to shine gloriously in only ; but further it is united
to the soul, to be acted by it, though immediately, for the soul to produce
operations in it. And it is called spiritual, not that it remains not a body, but because it remains not such a body, but is so framed to the soul that
both itself and all the operations of all the powers in it are immediately and
entirely at the arbitrary imperium and dominion of the soul ; and that as
the soul is pleased to use it, and to sway it and move it, even as imme
diately and as nimbly, and without any clog or impediment, as an angel
PAKT III.l UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 145
moves itself, or as the soul acteth itself. So that this may perhaps be one
difference, that these affections, so far as in the body of Christ, do not affect
his soul, as here they did, though as then under the command of grace and
reason, to keep their motions from being inordinate or sinful ; but further, the soul being now too strong for them, doth at its own arbitrement raise
them, and as entirely and immediately stir them as it doth itself.
Hence, secondly, these affections of pity and sympathy so stirred up by
himself, though they move his bowels and affect his bodily heart as they did here, yet they do not afflict and perturb him in the least, nor become
a burden and a load unto his Spirit, so as to make him sorrowful or heavy, as in this life here his pity unto Lazarus made him, and as his distresses
at last, that made him sorrowful unto death. So that as in their rise, so
in their effect, they utterly differ from what they were here below. And
the reason of this is, because his body, and the blood and spirits thereof, the instruments of affecting him, are now altogether impassible, namely, in
this sense, that they are not capable of the least alteration tending to any hurt whatever. And so, his body is not subject to any grief, nor his spirits to any waste, decay, or expense. They may and do subserve the soul in
its affections, as they did whilst he was here ; but this merely by a local
motion, moving to and fro in the veins and arteries, to affect the heart and
bowels, without the least diminution or impair to themselves, or detriment
to him. And thus it comes to pass, that though this blood and spirits do
stir up the same affections in his heart and bowels which here they did,
yet not, as then, with the least perturbation in himself, or inconvenience unto himself. But as in this life he was troubled and grieved
* without
sin or inordinacy ; so now when he is in heaven he pities and compas sionates without the least mixture or tang of disquietrnent and perturbation, which yet necessarily accompanied his affections whilst he was here, because
of the frailty in which his body and spifits were framed. His perfection
destroys not his affections, but only corrects and amends the imperfection of them. Passiones perfectivas to be now in him, the best of schoolmen do acknowledge.
Thirdly, All natural affections that have not in them indecentiam status,
something unbefitting that state and condition of glory wherein Christ now
is, both schoolmen and other divines do acknowledge to be in him, humanee
affectiones qucc naturales sunt, neque cum j^robro vel peccato conjunct^, sed omni ex parte rationi subduntur ; denique ab us conditionibus liberantur qiue vel animo, vel corpori aliquo modo officiunt, beatis ncquaquam repugnare cen-
semlce sunt. Those affections which are natural to man, and have no adhesion of sin or shame unto them, but are wholly governed by reason, and lastly are exempt from such effects as may any way hurt either the
soul or the body, there is no ground to think that such affections may not
well stand with the state of souls in bliss, says Justinian upon this place. Now if we consider it, Christ his very state in glory is such, as it becomes him to have such human affections of pity and compassion in his whole man, so far as to quicken and provoke him to our help and succour : not such as to make him a man of sorrows in himself again (that were uncomely, nay, incompatible to him), but such as should make him a man of succours unto us, which is his office. To this end it is to be remembered that Christ in heaven is to be considered, not personally only as in himself made happy in his Father, but withal in his relations and in his offices as an head unto
us; and in that relation row he sits there, asEph. i. 21, 22 (and the head
is the seat of all the senses for the good of the body), and therefore most VOL. rv. K
146 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
sensible of any other part. Wherefore because his members, unto whom he bears this relation, are still under sin and misery, therefore it is no way uncomely for him in that estate to have affections suitable to this his rela
tion. If his state of glory had been wholly ordained for his own personal happiness, then indeed there had been no use of such affections to remain
in him ; but his relation to us being one part and ingredient of his glory, therefore they are most proper for him, yea, it were uncomely if he had them not. Neither are they a weakness in him, as so considered, but
rather part of his strength, as the apostle calls them, dumpis. And although such affections might in one respect be thought an imperfection, yet in another respect, namely, his relation to us and office for us, they are his
perfection. As he is our head, which he is as he is a man, it is his glory to be truly and really, even as a man, sensible of all our miseries, yea, it were his imperfection if he were not.
And, fourthly, let me add this for our comfort, that though all such affec
tions as are any way a burden to his spirit, or noxious to his body, be not now compatible to him ; and though that passionate frailty and infirmity which did help him here to pity and relieve men in misery, out of a suffering hurtful to himself ; though these be cut off, yet in those workings of affections and bowels which he hath now, which for substance are the same, there is, instead of that passionate frailty, a greater capaciousness, vastness, and also
quickness in his affections now in heaven, so to make up a compensation, and so no less effectually to stir and quicken him to relieve us, than those former affections did. For it is certain that as his knowledge was enlarged upon his entering into glory, so his human affections of love and pity are
enlarged in solidity, strength, and reality, as true conjugal love useth to be, though more passionate haply at first. They are not less now, but are
only made more spiritual. And as Solomon s heart was as large in bounty and royalty as in knowledge, so Christ s affections of love are as large as
his knowledge or his power. They are all of a like extent and measure. So far as God s intention to shew mercy doth reach (and who knows the end of those riches ?), so far doth Christ s disposition to bestow it. Eph.
* passeth knowledge. It hath not
iii. 19, The love of Christ, God-man,
lost or been diminished by his going to heaven. Though God in his nature be more merciful than Christ s human nature, yet the act and exercise of
Christ s affections is as large as God s purposes and decrees of mercy are. And all those large affections and mercies are become human mercies, the mercies of a man unto men.
3. Privatively. If these affections of Christ s heart be not suffering and
afflicting affections, yet we may, by way of privation, express this of them, that there is a less fulness of joy and comfort in Christ s heart, whilst he
sees us in misery and under infirmities, comparatively to what will be when we are presented to him free of them all. To clear this I must recall, and I shall but recall, that distinction I made
(in the fourth demonstration, sect. 2, part II.) of a double capacity of glory, or a double fulness of joy which Christ is ordained to have : the one natural, and so due unto his person as in himself alone considered ; the other addi
tional, and arising from the completed happiness and glory of his whole
church, wherewith mystically he is one. So in Eph. i. 23, although he by reason of his personal fulness is there said to fill all in all, yet as he is an head in relation to his church as his body, as in the verses before he is
spoken of, thus the perfection of this his body s beatitude, it is reciprocally called his fulness ; and therefore, until he hath filled them with all happi-
PAET III.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 147
ness, and delivered them from all misery, himself remains under some kind
of imperfection, and answerably his affections also, which are suited to this
his relation, have some want of imperfection in them, whilst they lie under
misery, in comparison of what his heart shall have when they receive this
fulness. We may warrantably say Christ shall be more glad then, and is
now, as his children are grown up from under their infirmities, and as they do become more obedient and comfortable in their spirits, so John xv. 10, 11.
I shall add some illustration to this by this similitude (which though it hold not in all things, yet it will hold forth some shadow of it). The spirits of just men departed are said to be perfect, Heb. xii., yet because they have bodies unto which they have a relation, and unto which they are or dained to be united, they in this respect may be said to be imperfect, till these bodies be reunited and glorified with them, which will add a further
fulness to them. Thus in some analogy it stands between Christ personal and Christ mystically considered. Although Christ in his own person be
complete in happiness, yet in relation to his members he is imperfect, .and
so accordingly hath affections suited unto this his relation, which is no
derogation from him at all. The Scripture therefore attributes some affec
tions to him which have an imperfection joined with them, and those to be
in him until the day of judgment. Thus expectation and desire, which are but imperfect affections in comparison to that joy which is in the full
fruition of what was expected or desired, are attributed to him, as he is man, until the day of judgment. Thus, Heb. x. 12, 13, he is said to sit
l expecting till his enemies be made his footstool ; the destruc
in heaven,
tion of which enemies will add to the manifestative glory of his kingdom. Now, as that will add to the fulness of his greatness, so the complete sal vation of his members will add to the completeness of his glory. And as
the expectation of his enemies ruin may be said to be an imperfect affec
tion, in comparison of the triumph that one day he shall have over them,
so his joy which he now hath in his spouse is but imperfect, in comparison of that which shall fill his heart at the great day of marriage. And accord
ingly, the Scripture calls the accomplishment of these his desires a satis
faction ; so Isa. liii. 11, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be
satisfied, which argues desires to be in him, lying under a want of some
thing in the end to be obtained. Only we must take in this withal, that Jesus Christ indeed knows and sees the very time when this his fulness,
through the exaltation of his members up to himself, shall be completed, and when he shall trample upon the necks of all his and their enemies ; he
sees their day a-coming, as the Psalmist hath it, which alleviates and
detracts something from this imperfection, that he should thus expect or
tarry.
This scruple satisfied, how his heart can be feelingly touched with our sins
(our greatest infirmities), seeing he was tempted without sin.
III. There remains one great unsatisfaction to be removed, which cannot but of itself arise in every good heart. You told us, may they say, that by
infirmities sins were meant, and that the apostle s scope was to encourage us against them also ; and they are indeed the greatest discomforts and
discouragements of all other. Now, against them this which the apostle here
speaks affordeth us but lit^c, seeing Christ knows not how experimentally to pity us therein, for he knew no sin. Yea, the apostle himself doth
148 THE HEART OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN [PART III.
here except it, He was tempted in all things, yet without sin. It may comfort us, indeed, that Christ doth and will pity us in all other infir
mities, because he himself was subject to the like, but he never knew what
it was to be under sin and vexed with lust, as I am ; and how shall I re
lieve myself against that by what the apostle here speaks of him ? I shall endeavour to give some satisfaction and relief in this by these following considerations.
* he was tempted, yet without
First, The apostle puts it, indeed, that
sin. And it was well for us that he was thus without sin, for he had not been a fit priest to have saved us else ; so Heb. vii. 26, Such an High Priest became us as was separate from sinners, innocent, &c. Yet for
your relief withal, consider that he came as near in that point as might be.
He was tempted in all things, so says the text, though without sin on
his part ; yet tempted to all sin so far as to be afflicted in those temptations, and to see the misery of those that are tempted, and to know how to pity them in all such temptations. Even as in taking our nature in his birth he came as near as could be, without being tainted with original sin, as,
namely, by taking the very same matter to have his body made of that all
ours are made of, &c., so in the point of actual sin, also, he suffered him
self to be tempted as far as might be, so as to keep himself pure. He
suffered all experiments to be tried upon him by Satan, even as a man who hath taken a strong antidote suffers conclusions to be tried on him by a mountebank. And, indeed, because he was thus tempted by Satan unto
sin, therefore it is on purpose added, yet without sin ; and it is as if he had said sin never stained him, though he was outwardly tempted to it. He was tempted to all sorts of sins by Satan, for those three temptations in the wilderness were the heads of all sorts of temptations, as interpreters upon the gospels do shew.
Then, secondly, to fit him to pity us in case of sin, he was vexed with the filth and power of sin in others whom he conversed with, more than
* righteous soul was vexed with it, as Lot s righteous soul is said to have been with the impure conversation of the Sodomites. He endured the contradiction of sinners against him
any of us with sin in ourselves. His
self, Heb. xii. 3. The reproaches of them that reproached thee, that is, upon his God, fell upon me, Rom. xv. 3. It was spoken by the Psalmist
of Christ, and so is quoted of him by the apostle ; that is, every sin went
to his heart. So as in this there is but this difference betwixt him and
us, that the regenerate part in us is vexed with sin in ourselves, and that
as our own sin, but his heart with sin in others only, yet so as his vexation was the greater by how much his soul was more righteous than ours, which makes it up ; yea, in that he sustained the persons of the elect, the sins which he saw them commit troubled him as if they had been his own. The word here translated tempted is read by some crg^g/ga/Aevov, that is, vexed.
Yea, and thirdly; to help this also, it may be said of Christ whilst he was here below, that in the same sense or manner wherein he bore our
sickness, Mat. viii. 17, who yet was never personally tainted with any disease, in the same sense or manner he may be said to have borne our
sins, namely, thus : Christ, when he came to an elect child of his that was
sick, whom he healed, his manner was, first by a sympathy and pity to
afflict himself with their sickness, as if it had been his own. Thus at his
raising of Lazarus, it is said that he groaned in spirit, &c. ; and so by the merit of taking the disease upon himself, through a fellow-feeling of it, he took it off from them, being for them afflicted, as if he himself had
PART III.] UNTO SINNERS ON EARTH. 149
been sick. And this seems to be the best interpretation that I have met with of that difficult place in Mat. viii. 16, 17, where it is said, he healed
all that were sick : that it might be fulflled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sickness. Now, in the like way or manner unto this, of bearing our sicknesses, he
might bear our sins too ; for he being one with us, and to answer for all our sins, therefore when he saw any of his own to sin, he was affected with it, as if it had been his own. And thus is that about the power of sin made up and satisfied.
A&d. fourthly, as for the guilt of sin, and the temptations from it, he knows more of that than any one of us. He tasted the bitterness of that, in the imputation of it, more deeply than we can, and of the cup of his Father s wrath for it, and so is able experimentally to pity a heart wounded with it, and struggling under such temptations. He knows full well the heart of one in his own sense forsaken by God, seeing himself felt it when he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?
Uses of all.
Use 1. Thus that which hatli been said may afford us the strongest con
solations and encouragements against our sins of any other consideration
whatsoever, and may give us the greatest assurance of their being removed
off from us that may be ; for,
First, Christ himself suffers (as it were), at least is affected under them, as his enemies, which therefore he will be sure to remove for his own quiet sake. His heart would not be quiet, but that he knows they shall be re moved. As God says in the prophet, so may Christ say much more, My bowels are troubled for him, I remember him still, Jer. xxxi. 20.
Secondly, There is comfort concerning such infirmities, in that your very sins move him to pity more than to anger. This text is plain for it, for he suffers with us under our infirmities, and by infirmities are meant sins, as well as other miseries, as was proved ; whilst therefore you look on them as infirmities, as God here looks upon them, and speaks of them in
his own, and as your disease, and complain to Christ of them, and do cry
out, miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me ? so long fear
not. Christ he takes part with you, and is so far from being provoked
against you, as all his anger is turned upon your sin to ruin it ; yea, his
pity is increased the more towards you, even as the heart of a father is to
a child that hath some loathsome disease, or as one is to a member of his
body that hath the leprosy, he hates not the member, for it is his flesh, but the disease, and that provokes him to pity the part affected the more. What shall not make for us, when our sins, that are both against Christ and us, shall be turned as motives to him to pity us the more ? The object of pity is one in misery whom we love ; and the greater the misery is, the more is the pity when the party is beloved. Now of all miseries, sin is the
greatest ; and whilst yourselves look at it as such, Christ will look upon it
as such only also in you. And he, loving your persons, and hating only the sin, his hatred shall all fall, and that only upon the sin, to free you of
it by its ruin and destruction, but his bowels shall be the more drawn out to
you; and this as much when you lie under sin as under any other affliction.
* What shall separate us from Christ s love?
Therefore fear not,
, Use 2. Whatever trial, or temptation, or misery we are under, we may
150 THE HEAET OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN TO SINNERS ON EARTH. [PART III.
comfort ourselves with this, that Christ was once under the same, or some one like unto it, which may comfort us in these three differing respects that
follow, by considering
First, That we are thereby but conformed to his example, for he was
tempted in all, and this may be no small comfort to us.
Secondly, We may look to that particular instance of Christ s being under
the like, as a meriting cause to procure and purchase succour for us under
the same now ; and so in that respect may yet further comfort ourselves. And,
Thirdly, His having once borne the like, may relieve us in this, that there
fore he experimentally knows the misery and distress of such a condition, and so is yet further moved and quickened thereby to help us.
Use 3. As the doctrine delivered is a comfort, so the greatest motive
against sin and persuasive unto obedience, to consider that Christ s heart,
if it be not afflicted with and how far it may suffer with us we know not
yet for certain hath less joy in us, as we are more or less sinful, or obedient. You know not by sin what blows you give the heart of Christ. If no more but that his joy is the less in you, it should move you, as it useth to do those that are ingenuous. And take this as one incentive to obedience, that if he retained the same heart and mind for mercy towards you which he had here on earth, then to answer his love, endeavour you to have the same heart towards him on earth which you hope to have in heaven ; and
as you daily pray, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Use 4. In all miseries and distresses you may be sure to know where to have a friend to help and pity you, even in heaven, Christ ; one whose
nature, office, interest, relation, all, do engage him to your succour ; you will find men, even friends, to be oftentimes unto }
rou unreasonable, and
their bowels in many cases shut up towards you. Well, say to them all, If you will not pity me, choose, I know one that will, one in heaven, whose heart is touched with the feeling of all my infirmities, and I will go and beinoan myself to him. Come boldly (says the text), ^tra ^as^ing, even with open mouth, to lay open your complaints, and you shall find grace and mercy to help in time of need. Men love to see themselves pitied by
friends, though they cannot help them ; Christ can and will do both.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
[ORIGINAL TITLE.]
AGGRAVATION
( SINNE:
\ AND (SINNING
(KNOWLEDGE. Against 4
(MERCIE.
Delivered in severall SERMONS
upon divers occasions.
THO : GOODWIN, B. D.
LONDON.
Printed by J. G. for R. DAWLMAN.
M. D C. L.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
Was that then which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin,
that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good ; that
sin by the commandment might become exceeding sin/id. ROM. VII. 13.
WE find our apostle in the 9th verse to have been alive, but struck upon the sudden dead, by an apparition presented to him in the glass of the law,
of the sinfulness of sin. Sin revived, says the 9th verse, appeared to
be sin, says the 13th verse, looks but like itself, above measure sinful ; and he falls down dead at the very sight of it ; I died, says he in the 9th ;
it wrought death in me, says the 13th, that is, an apprehension of death and hell, as due to that estate I was then in. But yet as the life of sin was the death of Paul, so this death of his was but a preparation to a new
life, I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live to God, Gal.
ii. 19. And here he likewise speaks of God s work upon him at his first
conversion ; for then it was that he relates how sin became in his esteem,
so above measure sinful. The subject then to be insisted on is the sinfulness of sin, a subject therefore as necessary as any other, because if ever we be saved, sin must
* above measure sinful. And first, because all knowledge begins at the effects, which are obvious
first appear to us all, as it did here to him,
to sense, and interpreters of the nature of things, therefore we will begin this demonstration of the evil of sin, from the mischievous effects it hath
filled the world withal, it having done nothing but wrought mischief since it came into the world, and all the mischief that hath been done, it alone hath
done, but especially towards the poor soul of man, the miserable subject of it.
Which, first, it hath debased the soul of man, the noblest creature under
heaven, and highest allied, made to be a companion fit for God himself, but
sin hath striptit of its first native excellency, as it did Reuben, Gen. xlix. 4, debased the soul more worth than all the world, as Christ himself saith, that only went to the price of it ; yet sin hath made it a drudge and slave
to every creature it was made to rule ; therefore the prodigal as a type is
said to serve swine, and feed on husks, so as every vanity masters it.
* servants to wine, Titus ii. 3, servants to riches, and divers lusts, &c. And hence it is that shame attends upon it, Rom. vi. 21. Now shame
Therefore we find in Scripture, that men are said to be
154 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
ariseth out of an apprehension of some excellency debased ; and by how much the excellency is greater, by so much is the shame the greater ; and
therefore unutterable confusion will one day befall sinners, because sin is the debasement of an invaluable excellency.
Secondly, It not only debaseth it, but denies it also ; and indeed there was nothing else that could defile it, Mat. xv. 20, for the soul is a most
pure beam, bearing the image of the Father of lights, as far surpassing the sun in pureness as the sun doth a clod of earth ; and yet all the dirt in the world cannot defile the sun, all the clouds that seek to muffle it, it
scatters them all ; but sin hath defiled the soul, yea, one sin, the least, defiles it in an instant, totally, eternally.
(First.) One sin did it in the fall of Adam, Kom. v. 17, one offence
polluted him, and all the world. Now suppose you should see one drop of darkness seizing on the sun, and putting out that light and eye of heaven, and to loosen it out of the orb it moves in, and cause it to drop down a lump of darkness, you would say it were a strange darkness ; this sin did then in the soul, to which yet the sun is but as a taper.
(Secondly.) It defiles it thus in an instant. Take the most glorious angel in heaven, and let one of the least sins seize upon his heart, he would in an
instant fall down from heaven, stript of all his glory, the ugliest creature
that ever was beheld. You would count that the strongest of all poisons, that would poison in an instant ; as Nero* boiled a poison to that height, that it killed Germanicus as soon as he received it ; now such an one is
sin.
(Thirdly.) Sin defiles it totally. It rests not in one member only, but
beginning at the understanding, eats into the will and affections, soaks
through all. Those diseases we account strongest, which seize not on a
joint or a member only, but strike rottenness through the whole body.
(Fourthly.) It defiles eternally, it being cBterna macula, a stain which no
* wash out, Jer. ii. 22. There was once let in a deluge of water, and the world was all overflowed with it ; it washed away sinners indeed, but not one sin. And the world shall be
nitre or soap or any creature can
afire again at the latter day, and all that fire, and those flames in hell that
follow, shall not purge out one sin.
Thirdly, It hath robbed the soul of the image of God, deprived us of
the glory of God, Kom. iii. 33, the image of God s holiness, which is his
beauty and ours. We were beautiful and all glorious once within, which
though but an accident is more worth than all men s souls devoid of it,
* a divine nature, without which no man shall
it being a likeness unto God,
see God. Though man in innocency had all perfections united in him via
eminentid, that are to be found in other creatures, yet this was more worth than all ; for all the rest made him not like to God, as this did ; without which all paradise could not make Adam happy, which when he had lost, he was left naked, though those his other perfections remained with him, which is profitable for all things, as the apostle says. The least dram of
which, the whole world embalanced with, would be found too light, without which the glorious angels would be damned devils, the saints in heaven damned ghosts, this it hath robbed man of.
* Your sins sepa
Fourthly, It hath robbed man even of God himself.
rate, says God, betwixt you and me ; and therefore they are said to
* live
* That is, Tiberius Nero. Suetonius only says, that Germanicus died at Antioch, not without suspicion of poison ; and again, that the common belief was that he died
through the treachery of Tiberius, by the agency of C. Piso. ED.
AGGRAVATION OF SIN. 155
without God in the world ; and in robbing a man of God, it robs him of
all things, for all things are ours, but so far as God is ours, of God whose
face makes heaven, he is all in all, his lovingkindness is better than life, and containeth beauty, honours, riches, all, yea, they are but a drop to him.
But its mischief hath not stayed here, but as the leprosy of the lepers in
the old law sometimes infected their houses, garments, so it hath hurled confusion over all the world, brought a vanity on the creature, Rom. viii. 20, and a curse ; and had not Christ undertook the shattered condition of the world to uphold it, Heb. i. 3, it had fallen about Adam s ears. And though the old walls and ruinous palace of the world stands to this
r of the hangings is soiled and marred with many imperfections cast upon every creature.
day, yet the beauty, the gloss, and glor}
But as the house of the leper was to be pulled down, and traitors houses use to be made Jakes, so the world (if Christ had not stepped [in) had shrunk into its first nothing ; and you will say, that is a strong carrion that
retains not only infection in itself, but infects all the air about ; so this, that not the soul the subject of it only, but all the world.
Lastly, It was the first founder of hell, and laid the first corner-stone
thereof. Sin alone brought in and filled that bottomless gulf with all the
fire, and brimstone, and treasures of wrath, which shall never be burnt and consumed. And this crucified and pierced Christ himself, poured on him
his Father s wrath, the enduring of which for sin was such as that all the
angels in heaven had cracked and sunk under it.
But yet this estimate is but taken from the effects of it ; the essence of
it, which is the cause of all these evils, must needs have much more mischief
in it. Shall I speak the least evil I can say of it ? It contains all evils
* filthiness, and abun dance of superfluity, or excrement, as it were, of naughtiness, Kzoi66=ia.
else in it ; therefore, James i. 21, the apostle calls it
T%$ Hazing. As if so transcendent, that if all evils were to have an excre
ment, a scum, a superfluity, sin is it, as being the abstracted quintessence of all evil an evil which, in nature and essence of it, virtually and emi
nently contains all evils of what kind soever that are in the world, insomuch
as in the Scriptures you shall find that all the evils in the world serve but
to answer for it, and to give names to it. Hence sin, it is called poison, and sinners serpents ; sin is called a vomit, sinners dogs ; sin the stench of graves, and they rotten sepulchres ; sin mire, sinners sows ; and
sin darkness, blindness, shame, nakedness, folly, madness, death, whatso ever is filthy, defective, infective, painful. Now as the Holy Ghost says of
Nabal, as is his name, so is he ; so may we say of sin : for if Adam gave names to all things according to their nature, much more God, who calls
things as they are. Surely God would not slander sin, though it be his
only enemy. And besides, there is reason for this, for it is the cause of
all evils. God sowed nothing but good seed in the world ; He beheld, and saw all things were very good. It is sin hath sown the tares, all those evils that have come up, sorrows and diseases, both unto men and
beasts. Now whatsoever is in the eflect, is via eminentia in the cause.
Surely therefore it is to the soul of man, the miserable vessel and subject of it, all that which poison, death, and sickness is unto the other creatures, and to the body ; and in that it is all these to the soul, it is therefore more than all these to it, for corruptio optimi pessima ; by how much the soul exceeds all other creatures, by so much must sin, which is the cor
ruption, poison, death, and sickness of it, exceed all other evils.
150 AGGRAVATION OF SIN.
But jei this is the least ill that can be said of it. There is, secondly, some further transcendent peculiar mischief in it, that is not to be found
in all other evils, as will appear in many instances.
For, first, all other evils God proclaims himself the author of, and owns them all ; though sin be the meritorious cause of all, yet God the efficient and disposing cause.
* There is no evil in the city, but I have done it. He only disclaimeth this, James i. 13, as a bastard of some other s breed
ing, for he is the Father of lights, verse 17.
Secondly, The utmost extremity of the evil of punishment God the Son
underwent, had a cup mingled him of his Father, more bitter than if all the evils in the world had been strained in, and he drank it off heartily to the bottom ; but not a drop of sin, though sweetened with the offer of all
the world, would go down with him.
Thirdly, Other evils the saints have chosen and embraced as good, and refused the greatest good things the world had as evil, when they came in
competition with sin. So Moses chose rather te suffer, much rather than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin, Heb. xi. 24-28. So Chrysostom, when Eudoxia the empress threatened him, Go tell her, says he, Nil nisi peccatum
timeo, I fear nothing but sin.
Fourthly, Take the devil himself, whom you all conceive to be more full
of mischief than all the evils in the world, called therefore in the abstract
spiritual wickedness, Eph. vi. 12, yet it was but sin that first spoiled him, and it is sin that possesseth the very devils ; he was a glorious angel
till he was acquainted with it, and could there be a separation made between him and sin, he would be again of as good, sweet, and amiable a nature as
any creature in earth or heaven.
Fifthly, Though other things are evil, yet nothing makes the creature accursed but sin ; as all good things in the world do not make a man a blessed man, so nor all the evils accursed. God says not, Blessed are the honour
able, and the rich, nor that accursed are the poor ; but Cursed is the man
that continues not in all things, Gal. iii. 10, a curse to the least sin; and, on the contrary, Blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven, &c., Rom. iv. 7.
Sixthly, God hates nothing but sin. Were all evils swept down into one man, God hates him not simply for them, not because thou art poor and
disgraced, but only because sinful. It is sin he hates, Rev. ii. 15, Isa.
xxvii. 11, yea, it alone; and whereas other attributes are diversely commu
nicated in their effects to several things, as his love and goodness, himself, his Son, his children, have all a share in, yet all the hatred, which is as
large as his love, is solely poured out upon, and wholly, and limited only unto sin.
All the question will be, What transcendency of evil is in the essence of it, that makes it above all other evils, and hated, and it only, by God, Christ, the saints, &c., more than any other evil?
Why ? It is enmity with God, Rom. viii. 7. Abstracts, we know, speak essences ; the meaning is, it is directly contrary to God, as any thing could
be, for contrary it is to God, and all that is his.
As, 1. Contrary to his essence, to his existence, and being God; for it makes man hate him, Rom. i. 30, and as he that hateth his brother is a
murderer, 1 John iii. 15, so he that hateth God may be said to be
a murderer of him, and wisheth that he were not. Peccatum est Dei-
cidium.
2. Contrary it is to all his attributes, which are his name. Men are jealous
AGGRAVATION OF SIN. 157
of their names. God s name is himself; as (1.) it makes a man slight God s goodness, and to seek happiness in the creature, as if he were able
to be happy without him ; and (2.), it deposeth his sovereignty, and sets
up other gods before his face ; (8.) it contemns his truth, power, and jus
tice ; and (4.), turns his grace into wantonness. And as to himself, so to whatever is his, or dear to him. Besides, a
king hath three things in an especial manner dear to him : his laws, his
favourites, his image stamped upon his coin ; and so hath God.
First, His laws and ordinances : God never gave law, but it hath been broken by sin ; avo/^/a is the definition of it,
* the transgression of the law, 1 John iii. 4 ; yea, it is called
* destroying the law, Ps. cxix. 126. And know that God s law, the least tittle of it, is more dear to him than all the
world. For, ere the least tittle of it shall be broken, heaven and earth
shall pass. The least sin, therefore, which is a breach of the least law, is worse than the destruction of the world ; and for his worship (as envying God should have any) it turns his ordinances into sin.
Secondly, For his favourites, God hath but a few poor ones ; upon whom because God hath set his love, sin hath set his hatred, h Lastly, For his image, even in a man s own breast; the law of the members
fights against the law of the mind, and endeavoureth to expel it, though a man should be damned for it, Gal. v. 17. The flesh, namely, sin,
* lust-
eth against the spirit, for they are contraries. Contrary, indeed, for methinks though it hates that image in others, that yet it should spare it in a man s self, out of self love ; but yet, though a man should be damned, if
this image be expelled, it yet laboureth to do this, so deadly is that hatred, a man hates himself as hoty, so far as he is sinful.