THE COVENANT OF GRACE

4. Sin is an act of disingenuity and unkindness: God feeds the sinner, keeps off evils from him, bemiracles him with mercy; but the sinner not only forgets God’s mercies, but abuseth them: he is the worse for mercy; like Absalom, who, as soon as David had kissed him, and took him into favour, plotted treason against him, 2 Sam. 15:10. Like the mule, who kicks the dam after she hath given it milk, 2 Sam. 16:17. Is this thy kindness to thy Friend? God may upbraid the sinner: I have given thee (may God say) thy health, strength and estate; thou requitest me evil for good, thou woundest me with my own mercies; is this thy kindness to thy Friend? Did I give thee life to sin? Did I give thee wages to serve the devil?

5. Sin is a disease, Isa. 1:5, “The whole head is sick.” Some are sick of pride, others of lust, others of envy. Sin hath distempered the intellectual part, it is a leprosy in the head, it hath poisoned the vitals, Titus 2:16, “Their conscience is defiled.” It is with a sinner as with a sick patient, his palate is distempered, the sweetest things taste bitter to him. The Word which is sweeter than the honey-comb, tastes bitter to him, Isa. 5:20; they put sweet for bitter. This is a disease, and nothing can cure this disease but the blood of the physician.

6. Sin is an irrational thing; it makes a man act not only wickedly but foolishly. It is absurd and irrational to prefer the lesser before the greater, the pleasures of life, before the rivers of pleasures at God’s right-hand for evermore. Is it not irrational to lose heaven, for the satisfying or indulging of lust? As Lysimachus, who, for a draught of water lost a kingdom. Is it not irrational to gratify an enemy? In sin we do so. When lust or rash anger burn in the soul, Satan warms himself at that fire. Men’s sins feast the Devil.

7. Sin is a painful thing; it costs men much labour in pursuing their sins. How do men tire themselves in doing the devil’s drudgery? Jer. 9:5, “They weary themselves to commit iniquity.” What pains did Judas take to bring about his treason? He goes to the high priest, and then after to the band of soldiers, and then back again to the garden. St. Chrysostom saith, “Virtue is easier than vice.” It is more pains to some to follow their sins, than to others to worship their God. While the sinner travels with his sin, in sorrow he brings forth; it is called, “serving divers lusts,” Titus 3:2. Not enjoy, but SERVE: Why so? because not only of the slavery in sin, but the hard labour; it is serving divers lusts. Many a man goes to hell in the sweat of his brows.

8. Sin is the only thing God hath an antipathy against: (antipathy means a natural aversion; an instinctive dislike). God does not hate a man because he is poor, or despised in the world; you do not hate your friend because he is sick, but that which draws forth the keeness of God’s hatred, is SIN, Jer. 44:4, O do not this abominable thing which I hate. And sure, if the sinner dies under God’s hatred, he cannot be admitted into the celestial mansions: will God let him live with him whom he hates? God will never lay a viper in his bosom. The feathers of the eagle will not mix with the feathers of other fowls; God will not mix and incorporate with a sinner. Therefore, till sin be removed, there is no coming where God is.

(To be continued)

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