others are, therefore they muft needs be more hainous, as the Blafphemy against the Holy Ghoft, Matth. 12. 31. (3) Becaufe fome Sins have a greater Degree of Punishment than others, Matth. 23. 14. 24. Te shall receive greater Damnation. Shall not the Fudge of all the Earth do right? God would not punifh one more than another, but that his Sin is greater. It is true, all Sins are equally bainous in respect of the Object, or the Perfon against whom Sin is committed, viz. the Infinite God: But, in another fenfe, all Sins are not alike hainous; Some Sins have more bloody Circumstances in them, which are like the Dye to the Wool, to give it a deeper Colour.

Quelt. What Sins may be faid to be more bainous than others?

Refp. 1. Such Sins as are committed without any Occafion offered: A Man fwears, or is angry, and hath no Provocation. The lefs the Occafion of Sin is, the greater is the Sin. 2. Such Sins are more hainous, that are committed prefumptuously. Under the Law there was no Sacrifice for prefumptuous Sins, Numb. 1513004

Queft. What is it to Sin prefumptucully, which doth heighten and aggravate Sin, and

make it more bainous?

Quelt. How many Ways doth a Man Sin against Illuminations and Convictions?:

Anfw. 1. When he lives in the total Neglect of Duty. He is not ignorant that it is a Duty to read the Word, yet he lets the Bible ly by as a rufty Armour, that he feldom makes ule of: He is convinced that it is a Duty to pray in his Family, yet he can go Days and Months, and God never hear of him: He calls God Fa ther, but never asks him Bleffing. Neglect of Family-Prayer doth, as it were, uncover the Roof of Mens Houfes, and make way for a Curfe to be rained down upon their Table. 2. When a Man lives in the fame Sins he condemns in others, Rom. 2. 1. Thou that judget another, doft the fame Thing. As Austin faith of Seneca, He wrote against Superftitions, yet he worshipped thofe Images which he reproved. One Man condemns a nother for rafh cenfuring, yet lives in the fame Sin himself; A Mafter reproves his Apprentice for fwearing, yet he himfelt fwears. The Snuffers of the Tabernacle were of pure Gold: They who reprove and fnuff the Vices of others, had need themfelves to be free from thofe Sins, The Snuffers must be of Gold&a

3. When a Man Sins after Vows, Pfalm 56. 12. Thy Vows, O God, are upon me. A Vow is a religious Promife made to God, to dedicate ourfelves to him. A Vow is not only a Purpose, but a Promife. Every Votary makes himfelf a Debtor, he binds himself to God in a folemn Manner. Now to Sin after

Vow to vow himself to God, and give his Soul to the Devil, must needs be against the higeft Convictions.

Anfw. To Sin prefumptuoufly, is to Sin against Convictions and Illuminations, or an enlightned Confcience, Job 24. 13. They are of those that rebel against the Light. Confcience, like the Cherubim, ftands with a flaming Sword in its Hand, to deter the Sinner; yet he will Sin. Did not Pilate Sin against Conviction, and with an high Hand, in condemning Chrift? He knew that of Envy the Jews had delivered him, Matth. 27. 18. he confeffed, he found no fault with him, Luke 23 14 and his own Wife fent to him, faying, have nothing to do with that just Man, Matth. 27. 19. Yet, for all this, he gave the Sentence of Death againft Chrift. Here he Sinned prefumptuously, against an enlightned Confcience. To Sin ignorantly, doth fomething extenuate and pare off the Guilt, John 15. 24. If I bad not come, ye had had no Sin; that is, your Sin had been lefs: But to Sin against Illuminations and Convictions, doth enhance and accent Mens Sins. Thefe Sins make deep Wounds in the Soul; Other Sins. When a Man Sins against express Commitetch Blood, thefe are a ftab at the Heart.

.

}

4. When a Man Sins after Counfels, Admo-. nitions, Warnings, he cannot plead Ignorance: The Trumpet of the Gofpel hath been blown in his Ears, and founded a Retreat to call him off from his Sins; he hath been told of his Injuftice, living in Malice, keeping bad Compa ny, yet he would venture upon Sin: This is to fin against Conviction; it aggravates the Sin and is like a Weight put in the Scale, to make his Sin weigh the heavier. If a Seasmark be fet up to give Warning, that there are Shelves and Rocks in that Place, yet, if the Mariner will fail there, and fplit his Ship, it is Pre fumption; and, if he be caft away, who will pity him?

nations

nations and Threatnings. God hath thunder- enlightned Sinner knows, that by his Sin he ed out Threatnings against fuch Sins, Pfalm difobligeth and angers God; but he cares not 65. 21. God ball wound the hairy fcalp of whether God be pleafed or no, he will have Such an one as goes on ftill in his Trefpaffes. his Sin: Therefore fuch an one is faid to reYet, tho' God let the Point of his Sword to proach God, Numb. 15. 30. The Soul that the Breaft of a Sinner, yet he will commit Sin. doth ought presumptuously, the fame reproachThe Pleasure of Sin doth more delight him, eth the Lord. Every Sin difpleafeth God, but than the Threatnings affright him: He, like Sins against an enlightned Confcience reproach the Leviathan, laughs at the baking of a the Lord. To contemn the Authority of a Spear, Job 41: 29. Nay, he derides God's Prince, is a Reproach done to him. Threatnings, Ifa. 5. 19. Let him make speed, and haften bis Work, that we may fee it; We have heard much what God intends to do, and of Judgment approaching, we would fain fee it. For Men to fee the flaming Sword of God's Threatnings brandifhed, yet to ftrengthen themfelves in fin, is in an high manner to Sin against Illumination and Conviction.

6. When a Man Sins under Affliction. God doth not only thunder by Threatning, but hath let his Thunder-bolt fall; he hath inflicted Judgments on a Perfon; he may read his Sin in bis Punishment, yet he Sins. His fin was Uncleanness; he hath wafted his Strength, as well as his Eftate. He hath had a Fit of Apoplexy; yet, tho' he feels the fmart of Sin, he retains the Love of Sin. This is to Sin against Conviction, 2 Chron. 28, 22, In his Distress did be trefpafs yet more: This is that KingAhaz. This doth enhanfe and make the Sin greater than other Sins: For finning against an enlightned Confcience:

(1) Is full of Obftinacy and Pertinacioufnefs, Men can give no Reafon, make no Defence for their Sins, yet they are refolved to hold faft Iniquity. This is defperate Wilfulness: And, Voluntas eft regula & menfura actionis, the more of the Will in a Sin, the greater the Sin, Fer, 18. 12. We will walk after our own Devices. Tho' there be Death and Hell every Step, we will march on under Satan's Colours. This made the Sin of the apoftate Angels fo great, becaufe it was wilful, they had no Ignorance in their Mind, po Paffion to ftir them up; there was no Tempter to deceive them, but they Sinned obftinately, and out of Choice

(2) To Sin against Convictions and Illuminations, is join'd with flighting and Contempt of God. It is bad for a Sinner to forget God, but it is worfe to contemn him, Prov. 10. 13. Ilkerefore do the wicked contemn God? An

(3) It is accompanied with Impudency. Fear and Shame are banifhed, the Vail of Modefty is laid afide, Zeph. 3. 5. The Unjust knoweth no shame. Fudas knew Chrift was the Meffiah; he was convinced of it by an Oracle from Heaven, and by the Miracles he wrought, and yet he impudently goes on in his Treafon; nay, when Chrift faid, He that dips, his Hand with me in the Dish, he shall betray me: And Judas knew Chrift meant him. And when Judas was going about his Treafon, Chrift pronounced a Wo to him, Luke 22. 22, yet, for all that, he proceeded in his Treafon, Thus to Sin prefumptuoufly, against an enlightned Confcience, dyes the Sin of a Crimfon Colour, and makes it greater than other Sins.

3. Such Sins are more hainous than others, which are fins of Continuance. The continuing of fin is the enhanfing of fin. He who plots Treafon, makes himself a greater Offender. Some Mens Heads are the Devil's Mint-houfe, they are minting of Mifchief, Rom. 1.30. Inventers of evil Things. Some invent new Oaths, others new Snares; fuch were thofe Prefidents that invented a Decree against Daniel, and got the King to fign it, Dan. 6. 9.

4. Thofe Sins are greater, which proceed from a Spirit of Malignity. To malign Holinefs is diabolical. 'Tis a Sin to want Grace, 'tis worfe to hate it. In Nature there are Antipathies, as between the Vine and Laurel, Some have an Antipathy against God, because of his Purity, Ifa. 30. 11. Caufe the holy One of Ifrael to cease from before us. Sinners, if it lay in their Power, would not only unthrone God, but unbe God; if they could help it, God fhould no longer be God. This Sin is boil'd up to a greater Height.

5. Thofe Sins are of a greater Magnitude, which are mixed with Ingratitude. God cannot endure, of all Things, to have his Kind

nefa

nels flighted. God's Mercy is feen, in repriev on a Preface to Adultery, Luke 20. 47. Who irg Men fo long, in wooing them by his Spirit devour Widow's Houses, and for a Pretence and Minifters to be reconciled, in crowning make long Prayers. This Sin was not in makthem with so many temporal Bleffings Now, ing long Prayers; (for Chrift was a whole to abufe all this Love, when God hath been Night in Prayer) but to make long Prayers, filling up the Measure of his Mercy, that Men that they might do unrighteous Actions, did fhould fill up the Measure of their Sias; this make their Sin more horrid. is high Ingratitude, and doth make their Sins of a deeper Crimfon. Some are worle for Mercy. The Vulture (faith Alian) draws Sicknets from Perfumes. So the Sinner contracts Evil from the fweet Perfumes of God's Mercy. The English Chronicle reports of one Parry, who being condemned to die, Queen Elifabeth fent him his Pardon; and, after he was par doned, he confpired and plotted the Queen's Death; Juft fo fome deal with God; he beflows Mercy, and they plot Treafon against him, Ifa. 1. 2. I have nourished and brought up Children, and they have rebelled against me. The Athenians, in lieu of the good Service Themistocles had done them, banished him their City. The Snake, in the Fable, being frozen, fting him that gave him Warmth. Certainly Sins against Mercy are far more hai

nous.

8. Sins of Apoftary are more hainous than other. Demas forlook the Truth, 2 Tim. 4. 10. and afterwards became a Prieft in an Idoltemple, faith Drotheus. To fall, is Sin; but to fall away, is a greater Sin. Apoftates caft a Difgrace upon Religion. The Apoftate, (faith Tertullian) feems to put God and Satan in the Balance, and, having weighed both their Services, prefers the Devil's Service, and proclaims him to be the best Mafter. In which refpect, the Apoftate is faid to put Chrift to open Shame, Heb. 6. 6. This dyes a Sin ingrain, and makes it greater. It is a Sin not to profefs Chrift, but it is a greater to deny him: Not to wear Chrift's Colours, is a Sin; but to run from his Colours, is a greater Sin. A Pagan fins leis than a baptized Renegado.

9. To perfecute Religion, makes Sin greater, Acts 7. 22. To have no Religion, is a Sin;' but to endeavour to destroy Religion, is a greater. Antiochus Epiphanes took more tedious Journey, and run more Hazards to vex and opprefs the Feres, than all his Predeceffors had done in obtaining Victories. Herod added this above all, that he put fohn in Prifon, Luke 3. 20. He finned before by Inceft; but, by imprisoning the Prophet, this added to his Sin, and made it greater. Perfecution fills up the Measure of Sin, Matth. 23.32. Fill you up the Measure of your Fathers. If you four in a Porringer of Water into a Cistern, that adds fomething to it: but pour in a Bucket-full of two, and that fills up the Measure of the Ciftern: So Perfecution fills the Measure of Sin, and makes it greater.

6. Thofe Sins are more hainous than others, which are committed with Delectation. A Child of God may fin through a Surprizal, or against his Will, Rom. 7. 19. The Evil which I would not, that do 1. Like one that is carried down the Stream involuntarily. But, to fin with Delight, doth heighten and greaten the Sin: A Sign the Heart is in the Sin, Hof. 48. They fet their Heart or their Iniquity, as a Man follows his Gain with Delight, Rev. 22. 15. Without are Dogs, and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie. To tell a Lie, is a Sin; but to love to tell a Lie, is a greater Sin. 1. Thofe Sins are more hainous than others, which are committed under a Pretence of Religion. To cozen and defraud is a Sin; but to do it with a Bible in one's Hand, is a 10. To fin malicioufly, makes Sin greater. double Sin; to be unchaft, is a Sin; but to Aquinas, and other of the Schoolmen, place put on a Mask of Religion to play the Whore, the Sin against the Holy Ghoft in Malice. makes the Sin greater, Prov. 7. 14. I have The Sinner doth all he can to vex God, and Peace-offerings with me; this Day have I defpite the Spirit of Grace, Heb. io. 29. Thus paid my Vows: Corne let us take our Fill of Fulian, who threw up his Dagger in the Air, Love. She fpeaks as if fhe had been at Church, as if he would have been revenged upon God. and had been faving her Prayers: Who would This twells Sin to its full Bignefs, it cannot ever have fufpected her of Difhonefty? But, be greater. When a Man is once come to this, behold her Hypocrify; fhe makes her Devoti- blafphemoufly to defpite the Spirit, there is

but

What Sin deferveth.

QUESTION.

fhall be tormented to remember what Means of Grace have been abufed. 2. The Confcience. fhall be tormented with Self-Accufations: The Sinner fhall accufe himfelf for prefumptuous Sins, for miffpending his precious Hours, for refifting the Holy Ghoft.

(2.) The Wrath of God is without Inters miffion. Hell is an abiding Place, but no refting Place; there's not a Minut's Reft. Outs ward Pain hath fome Abatement; If it be the Stone or Cholick, the Patient hath fometimes Eafe: But the Torments of the Damned have no Intermiffion; he that feels God's Wrath, ever faith, I have Eafe.

painted. We are apt to have flight Thoughts of God's Wrath, but it is very tremendous and difmal, as if fcalding Lead fhould be dropt in one's Eye. The Hebrew Word for Wrath, fignifies Heat. To fhow that the Wrath of God is hot, therefore it is compared to Fire in the Text: Fire, when it is in its Rage, is dreadful (as we faw in the Flames of this City,) So the Wrath of God is like Fire, it is the Terrible of Terribles. Other Fire is but painted to this: If, when God's Wrath is kindled but a little, and a Spark of it flies into a wicked Man's Confcience in this Life, it is fo terrible; what will it be when God firs up all bis Wrath? Pfalm 78. 38. How fad is it (3.) The Wrath of God is Eternal. So with a Soul in Defertion! Now God dips his faith the Text, Everlafting Fire. No Teares Pen in Gall, and writes bitter Things: now can quench the Flame of God's Anger; notho his poifoned Arrow sticks faft in the Heart, we could fhed Rivers of Tears. In all Pains Pfalm 88.15. 16. While I fuffer thy Terrors, of this Life, Men hope for a Ceflation, the I am diftracted, thy fierce Wrath goeth over fufferings will not continue long; either the Luther, in Defertion, was in fuch Tormentor dies, or the tormented; but the Horror of Mind, that, Nec calor, nec fanguis, Wrath of God is always feeding upon a Sinfupereffet; he had no Blood feen in his Face, ner. The Terror of natural Fire is, that it but he lay as one dead. Now, if God's Wrath confumes what it burns: But this makes the be fuch towards them whom he loves, what Fire of God's Wrath terrible, that it doth not will it be towards them whom he hates? If confume what it burns. Sic morientur damthey who fip of the Cup find it fo bitter, what nati ut femper vivunt, Bern. The Sinner will they do who drink the Dregs of the Cup? fhall ever be in the Furnace; after innumerPlelm 75. 8. Solomon faith, The Wrath of a able Millions of Years the Wrath of God is Prince is as the Roaring of a Lion, Prov. as far from Ending, as it was at the Begin 19. 12. What then is God's Wrath? When ning. If all the Earth and Sea were fand, and God mufters up all his Forces, and fets himself in Battalia againft a Sinner, how can his Heart endure? Ezek. 22. 14. Who is able to ly under Mountains of Wrath? God is the Tweetest Friend, but the foreft Enemy. To fet forth the Fearfulness of this Wrath.:

(1.) The Wrath of God fhall feize upon every Part of a Sinner: 1. Upon the Body: The Body, which was fo tender, it could not bear Heat or Cold, fhall be tormented in the Wine-prefs of God's Wrath; Thofe Eyes, which before could only behold amorous Objects, fhall be tormented with the fight of Devils; the Ears, which before were delighted with Mufick, fhall be tormented with the hideous fhrieks of the Damned. 2. The Wrath of God fhall feize upon the Soul of a Reprobate. Ordinary Fire cannot touch the Soul; When the Martyrs Bodies were confuming, their Souls did triumph in the Flames; but God's Wrath burns the Soul. 1. The Memory [VOL. II.];

every thousand Years a Bird fhould come and take away one Grain of this fand, it would be a long while ere that vaft Heap of fand were emptied; but if after all that time the Damned might come out of Hell, there were fome Hope: But this Word Ever breaks the Heart.

Queft, But how doth it feem to confift with God's Justice to punish Sin ( which perhaps was committed in a Moment) with Eternal Fire?

Anfer. In refpe&t of the hainous Nature of Sin. Confider the Perfon offended; tis Crimen Lafe-maieftatis: Sin is committed against an infinit Majefty; therefore the Sin is infinite, and fo the Punishment must be infinite. Now, because the Nature of Man is but finite, and a Sinner cannot at once bear infinite Wrath, therefore he muft in Eternity of Time be fatisfying what he cannot fatisfy at once.

(4) While the Wicked ly fcorching in the Flames of Wrath, they have none to commife

X x

rate