IF we compare Lukes Gospel with that written by Matthew, we shall find that our Lord Jesus Christ signified to His Disciples that the Temple should be subverted, the Jewish Nation made the subject of Divine Vengeance, and that this world should come to an End. They privately enqui­red of Him, what should be the fore-run­ning sign of His coming to accomplish the things which He had thus Predicted. In answer to that Enq [...]iry, Christ men­tions several Signs of His coming.

[Page 4]1. One is the rising of False Chri [...]ts, in the Eighth Verse of this Chapter. The Jews rejected the true Messiah, for which cause they were punished and plagued with False Christs, which proved a sore Judg­ment to that sinful People.

2. Another Sign mentioned is that of Commotions, in the Ninth Verse; by which intestine Seditions may be meant. The Histories of those Times, inform us that the Galileans took up Arms against the Samaritans, in which Mutiny no less than Twenty Thousand men were Slain. This Commotion caused a great Consterna­tion throughout the Land.

3. The Lord tells them, that Nati­ons and Kingdoms should rise up one a­gainst another, Verse the Tenth. The Jewish Nation rose up against the Roman Nation. Distinct Provinces are called Kingdoms. Those in Syria and in Judea rose up one against another. These were Signs of fatal Calamities hastening, on the Jews, and did indeed make way for it.

4. A Fourth Sign of the Lords Coming is that in the words before us to consider of, viz. Great Earthquakes, and this in diverse Places.

[Page 5]Wherefore the DOCTRINE now to be Discoursed on, is,

That Earthquakes are Signal Works of GOD, of which there will be Great Ones, and this in diverse Places before the Lords Coming.

The Doctrine may be Opened and Con­firmed in several Propositions.

THIS Chapter contains the most Heavenly Prayer that ever was made upon Earth. And it was the last Prayer which Christ made with His Apostles. From the Fifth to the Twen­tieth Verse, we hear Him interce [...]ding for those Eleven whom God had given to him. There are diverse Arguments with which our Saviour urgeth his Requests on their behalf. In special, in that He was now leaving them in an Evil World, and in that the World did hate them for His sake, and because they were not of the [Page 38] World; but did Preach & Practise things very contrary to the course of the world, and were therefore the greater Objects of the Compassion and Favour of God: In this Verse there are two particulars Expressed.

1. Christ declares what He did not Pray for with respect to his Disciples. He did not Pray that God would take them out of the world; that is to say, not that he would do it as yet. Altho' Christ lo­ved them and desired their Company in Heaven, nevertheless, He would not have them removed thither before their work on Earth was finished. As long as God might have more Glory by their living, than by their dying, He would not Pray them out of the world.

2. The Lord declares positively what was the special thing which he requested for them, viz. That they might be kept from the Evil. There is the Evil One, and the Evil Thing. The Evil One, is the Devil. The Evil thing, is Sin: And that is here intended. Christ does not Pray that His Disciples should be kept from the Evil of Affliction, or that the should be wholly preserved from Satan [...] Temptations. Only that those Temp­tation [Page 39] might not prevail over them, so as to cause them to Sin in such sort, as to loose their Interest in Him. Sin is said to be not only An Evil, but The Evil. It is the Evil of Evils; the worst Evil that can be mentioned, or that can be Prayed against.

Wherefore the DOCTRINE to be insisted on, is,

That Sin is the Greatest Evil.

There are Two things before us to be Enquired into.

I. How it does appear that Sin is the Greatest Evil?

II. What Sin is so?

Quest. I. How does it appear that Sin is the Greatest Evil?

Answ. I. In that it is most contrary to the Blessed God. It is an Evil committed against Him; I [...]a. 42. 24. The Lord He against whom we have Sinned. It is true, that some Sins are in a more especial manner against Him. Sins against the First Table of the Moral Law have God for their Object, who is peculiarly wrong'd by them; and Sins against the Second Table have Men for their Object. The Scripture [Page 40] makes a difference of sins, according to that distinction, 1 Sam. 2. 25. If one man sin against another, the Judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him? Therefore the Prodigal confessed, that he had sinned a­gainst Heaven, and against his Father too, Luk. 15. 18. Nevertheless, all sin is against God. A man cannot sin against his Neighbour, but he does at the same time sin against God. When Joseph was Tempted to wrong his Master, he said, How can I do this great Wickedness, and Sin against God? Gen. 39. 9. David sinned greatly against Vriah, & against Bathsheba, & against his own Soul, and yet he said in his Con [...]e [...]ion to God, Against thee, Th [...] Only have I Sinned; h. e. against thee Chiefly, Psal. 51. 4.

For,

1. Sin is a violation of Gods Holy Law. The Scripture giveth us that description of sin, 1 Joh. 3. 4. Whosoever commits Sin transgresseth the Law, for Sin is a trans­gression of the Law. Men by sin transgress every Precept of the Divine Law: Jam [...] 2. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all. In a Chain that has many Links, if [Page 41] one of them is broken, the Chain is bro­ken: So if one Commandment of the Law is transgressed, the whole Law is broken. Besides, It is truly asserted, that God never gave any Law, or esta­blished any Ordinance or Precept what­soever, but it has been broken by Sin. Yet it may be truly affirmed, that the le [...]st tittle of Gods Law, is more dear to Him than all the World. Christ there­fore said, Till Heaven and Earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled, Mat. 5. 18. So then the least [...]in is worse than the destruction of the world. If Heaven & Earth should Perish, there would not be so much Evil in it, as there is in the least Sin▪ The Law of God which is so dear to him, and so much valued by Him, sin is a Despising of it. It is said of sinners, that they cast His Law behind their backs; as a man does a thing which he greatly despi [...]eth, Neh. 9. 26. What does sin say? It sayes that which is very bl [...]phemous. It sayes, that GOD has not Power to make such Laws. It makes His Com­mandments to be of none Effect, Mat. [...]5. 6. Sinners take away the Authority of the Law, and Jurisdiction of the Law-giver. [Page 42] They will be their own Law­givers, and not have God to appoint what Laws He pleases to keep them in subjection. They say, We are Lords, we will come no more at thee, Jer. 2. 31. Yea, Sin sayes, that the Laws which God has made, are not Good Laws. Sinners by not keeping them, say they are not worth keeping. That they are Bad Laws, better broken than kept. Should men in Express words speak thus, they were guilty of high Blasphemy; yet im­plicitly they say as much when they sin against God. They speak Evil of the Law, and Judge the Law to be not as it should be, Jam. 4. 11. And therefore sin is an exceeding Dishonour to the Name of God. For thus to despise the Law, is to reflect on the Law-giver; Rom. 2. 23. By breaking the Law thou dishonourest God. That Glory which is due to God, men by sin give it to another, and His Praise to graven Images. Yea, (which is a dreadful thought) they give that Honour to the Devil, which is due to God alone. For when a man is tempted to sin, God sayes, Do it not, O do not that abominable thing which I hate. But the Devil sayes, Do it. So that the [Page 43] Question then is, who is most worthy to be honoured with Obedience, God or the Devil? Now as the Jews said, Not Jesus, but Barabbas; so Sin sayes, not God, but the Devil. So it was in the first sin that ever man was guilty of: God said, Do not Eat of the forbidden Fruit, the Devil said, Do Eat of it; so that when man sinned, he hearkened to the Devil rather than unto God. What hideous Blasphemy is it, to say, God is not to be Obeyed, or to say, the Devil is to be Obeyed? Yet this is the Cursed Language of Sin. And when men give way to Sin and Satan, they practically say as bad as all this.

2. Sin is injurious to the Blessed God, in that it has defaced and spoiled His Works. They were all Good and Beautiful as they came out of his Hands, but sin has brought a Curse and a Blast upon many of them. Yea, such a Curse as the whole Creation groans to be delivered from it. Sin has put all out of Order, and has brought Confusion and Desolation on the works of God. If a man shall shew his Art in framing an excll [...]nt piece of Workman­ [...]hip, and another shall come and break it and trample it under foot, the skil [...]ull [Page 44] Artificer looks on himself as abused: so it is here. God has shewed His infinite Wisdom in framing the world, but Sin has undone the world, so that there needs a Restitution of all things.

3. Sin strikes at the very Being of God. Men by sin deny the God that is above. They say that there is no such God in Heaven, as his Word and Works declare that there is; Psal. 14. 1. The Fool has said in his Heart that there is no God. Sin­ners are fighters against God, and haters of Him. They are called, the Haters of the Lord, Psal. 81. 15. He that hates a­nother, wi [...]heth him out of the world. Sin is a Practical denial of the Essential Attributes of God. It denies the Om­nipresence, and so the Omniscience of God, without which He could not be God. Sinners are apt to think, that if there is a God, that He is afar off in Heaven, and not on the Earth. As I re­member Calvin on Psal. 115. 16. speaks of one, who in an Athei [...]tical way, would recite that Scripture, which sayes, The Heaven of Heavens are the Lords, but the Earth has He given to the Children of men. God keeps Himself in Heaven said he, but he is not concerned what men do on [Page 45] the Earth; immediately he was smitten with horrible Torment in his bowels, & then he Cried out, O God have Mercy on me! O God have Mercy on me! One pre­sent upbraided him, saying, But now thou saydst God did not know what is done on the Earth, why then do [...]t thou in thy misery, Cry to Him for help and mercy! But what does the Lord say to such A­thei [...]tical men? Jer. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, sayes the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places, that I should not see him? Do not I fill Heaven and Earth; sayes the Lord? The Lord complains of the Jews, that they said, the Lord sees us not, the Lord has forsaken the Earth, Ezek 8. 12. Not that they said so in words. If any one had asked them, Do you not think that the Lord seeth you? They would cer­tainly have said, Yes, we do believe it. But the Language of their sinful actions was, The Lord seeth us not. A sinner denies and desies the Almighty Power of God; Job 15. 25. He stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty. Hence sinners are said to Tempt God, and to speak against Him, Psal. 78. 18, 19. They Tempted God, [Page 46] yea, they spake against Him, they said, Can God prepare a Table in the wilderness? Yea, they Reproach Him. The Soul that does ought Presumptuously, the same Reproaches the Lord, Numb. 15. 30. He does in Effect say, that the Lord is either an Ignorant or an Impotent God, that either does not know how He has been abused, or is not able to avenge it. The Blessed God is the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts. The Father is Holy, the Son is Holy, the Eternal Spirit is Holy. God is and can­not but be Holy. Holiness is Essential to his Nature. He is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil, He cannot look on Ini­quity. But Sin stands in the greatest Op­position to the Holiness of God. And men by giving way to sin, practically say, that he is not so Holy and so Just to Punish sin as he has declared concerning Himself. God hates Sin with an Infinite and Eternal hatred. But sinners think that he hates sin no more than they them­selves do, Psal. 50. 21. Thou thoughtest that I was such an one as thy self. Thus we see how Sin is against God; and in that Chiefly does the Evil of it appear. For God is the Chief Good: And that which [Page 47] is most contrary to the Greatest Good, must needs be the Greatest Evil.

II. Sin is Exceeding Hurtful to the pre­cious and immortal Souls of Men. Other Evils may hurt us as to our Estates, or Names, or Bodies, but not as to our Souls without Sin. A Philosopher could say, that his Enemies could only destroy the Case, but not the Jewel which was is it; meaning that they could only hurt his Body, which is like the Case, in which the Precious Jewel, viz. the Soul is con­tained. A great Truth this is. Our Lord himself has declared no lets, Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul. Then that which hurts the Soul is a greater Evil than that which hurts the Body. Who can declare the worth of a Soul? What shall a man give in Exchange for that Soul which is more worth than all the World, That then which is injurious to a Soul, that is more worth than all the World, how Exceeding Evil is it? But this is true of Sin; Prov. 8. 36. He that Sins against me wrongs his own Soul. Sin Robs the Soul of that which is its chief Glory, viz. the Image of God; Rom. 3. 23. All [Page 48] have Sinned, and come short of the Glory of God. Man in his first Estate had all the Perfections united in him, which are to be found in other-Creatures; but the chiefe [...]t of all was that of Holiness, with­out which (as one sayes truly,) the An­gels in Heaven would be Damned Devils and the Saints in Glory Damned Ghosts. But this Sin has utterly Deprived men of Look all the world over, you will not find one Unregenerate man that has the least spark of Grace, or Holiness in his heart, Rom. 3. 10. There is none Righteous, no not me Sin deba [...]eth the Soul: it causet [...] it to become a slave to the vilest Master that can be; Tit. 3. 3. Serving diverse Lusts. A more ignoble Servitude there cannot possibly be. Sin makes the Ra­tional Soul to become a slave to the Sen­sual Soul in men. The rich Fool in the Gospel, said to his Soul, Soul, take thing Ease, Eat and Drink. One of the An­cients observes, that if he had the soul of a Swine in him, he could not have spoken more Brutishly. Sin turns Men into Beasts. It makes those that in their first Creation were a little lower than the Angels, to become like the Beasts that perish. Hazael said to the Prophet, [Page 49] Is thy Servant a Dog, that he should do this? 2 King. 8. 13. As if he had said, he must be a Dog and not a Man, that shall do such things as thou saye [...]t I shall do. And yet afterwards he proved himself to be as savage a Beast, as the Prophet told him he would be. The Scripture would not call wicked Men Dogs and Swine, if sin had not debased their very souls, and made them vile. Nay, that which is worse must be said, Sin has turned the Soul into a Devil. Christ sayes of Judas, He is a De [...]il, Joh. 6. 70. Because he had a false Heart in him, and was such another Hypocrite as the Devil. In the Scrip­ture, Sinners are called the Devils Chil­dren, because their Souls resemble him. The poyson of Sin which the Devil has infused into them, makes them like him. If a man is bitten with a Serpent, he will presently be like that Serpent; his Body will be of the colour of the Serpent that has bitten him. Thus the Old Serpent having poy [...]on [...]d the Souls of men, they are in quality very like unto him. The Devil is the vilest and most accursed Creature in the whole world. What an Evil is Sin then, which has made the Souls of men so like unto him? Moreover, Sin [Page 50] wounds the Soul. It makes the Soul sick, and to need healing. Hence is that Prayer, Psal. 41 4. Heal my Soul, for I have Sinned. So then sin is the Souls sickness. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, (faith David) who heals all thy Diseases. Every sinful Lust is a Disease of the Soul. Sin is the Souls mortal Enemy; and therefore is said to War against it; 1 Pet. 2. 11. Ab­stain from Fleshly Lusts which War against the Soul. It strikes and wounds the pre­cious Soul. It makes a sad wound in the Conscience. What is Conscience, but the Soul reflecting on it self? It leaveth a sting behind it: So that in Laughter the Heart is Sorrowful, the end of that Mirth is Heaviness, Prov. 14. [...]3. Sinners in the midst of their mirth, have inward wounds and bleeding of Conscience; and after­wards they are in heaviness. When their pleasure is over their pain begins. Indeed, this wound is not alwayes felt when it is first made, but it is not less dan­gerous to the Soul for that. But in the latter end, sin will be sharper than a two edged Sword. Prov. 5. 4. At last it will bite like a Serpent, and sting like an Ad­der. It may be many Years after the sin has been committed, Conscience will fall [Page 51] a bleeding [...] it. As it was with Josephs Brethren, Twenty Years after they had sinned against him, they Cried out, We [...] verily Guilty concerning our Brother, Gen. 42. [...]. It may be the wounds which sin has giv [...] to the Conscience, will be felt on a Death-bed; or if not, to be sure immediately after Death it will be [...]o. For the Soul of a sinner is no sooner out of his Body, but he has a sad remem­brance of all the sins of his life pa [...]t. Therefore when [...]ives was Dead, and his [...]ul in Hell, it was said to him, Remem­ber that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things, Luk. 16. 25. He remembred it, and how he abused those good things in sinning against God, instead of serving and glorifying God, who had bo [...]ntifully bestowed those good things on him. This di [...]mal remembrance will never be worn out of the soul of the sinner. Cain re­members to this Day how he Murdered his Brother Abel, altho' that sin was com­mitted above five Thousand Years ago. The Sodomites remember how wicked they had been, altho' they have been suffer­ing the Vengeance of Eternal Fire these three Thousand Years and more. All the Fire of Hell can never fetch out the [Page 52] Guilt of sin, nor the tormenting remem­brance of it. Judas remembers how he betrayed his Master, altho' that Treason was committed above sixteen Hundred Years ago. The Guilty remembrance of sin is written on the Table of the Heart with a Pen of Iron, and with the Point of a Diamond, Jer. 17. 1. These wounding Reflections of Conscience are the Work that dies not; and sin is the Corruption which breeds that Worm. A most pain­ful and incurable Wound in the soul with this be to the sinner that shall dye in his sins. The Body which receives a wound from a poysoned Arrow, is in intollerabl [...] pain: But thats nothing to the pain and aug [...]i [...]h which the poysonful: Arrows of sin cause in the soul. It is therefore said, a wounded Spirit who can bear? Prov. 18. 14. Horror of Conscience in the Extremi­ty of it, is Hell upon Earth. I knew one many years ago, in the City of Glocester in England, who being in horror of Con­science for a great sin committed, Cried out, I am in Hell, I feel the Flames of Hell scorching my Soul. In a word, Sin is the mortal Poyson of an immortal soul. It had poysoned the souls of all the men in the world to Death, if it had not been for [Page 53] one Antidote, namely the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. No other Remedy in the world can fetch the Venom of Sin out of the Soul. As when the Children of Israel were bitten with the Fiery Serpent, if they looked not on the Brazen Serpent they were sure to Dye, there was no o­ther Remedy for them. Sin is that Ser­pent which has bitten and poysoned the immortal Souls of men, if they look not with an Eye of with on the Blood of Je­sus Christ, they will most certainly Dye of that wound. We see then that Sin de [...]troyes the Soul. As it is said of one particular sin, it is true of every sin not Pardoned in the Blood of Christ, He that does it destroyes his own Soul, Prov. 6. 32. A sinner, what is he? He is a Murderer of his own Soul. He layeth violent hands on his own Soul; thats implied when tis said, that he Wrongs his own Soul, Prov. 8. 36. The import of the Hebrew word there used is, that the sinner is a Vultur to his own Soul. He does by sinning as it were prey upon, and tear his own Soul to pieces.

You will say, But are not the Souls of men Immortal? How then can Sin Destroy them?

[Page 54]I Answer. The Soul is not subject to a Natural, only to a Spiritual Death. There is a Three-fold misery which sin brings upon the Souls of men, which are the Souls Death.

1. It causeth a separation to be made between the Blessed GOD and the Soul. That's the greatest Misery that possibly can be, and the saddest Death. For in Gods Favour and Friendship there is Life; yea, His loving Kindness is better than Life, Psal. 63. 3. Therefore to be cast out of His Favour is the greatest Death. If the Con­ [...] Pipes are removed from the Foun­ [...]in, from whence they receive all the water that is in them, no water can flow into them. God is the Fountain of living Water. The Soul that is separated from Him has no Life in it. Now Sin and that only, is the Evil that separates the Soul from God: I [...]a. 59. 2. Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your Sins have hid His Face from you. Sin dissolves the league of Amity between God and the souls of men; Jer▪ 6. 8. Be instructed O. Jerusalem, lest my Soul de­part from thee. My Soul, sayes the Lord is united to you, (viz. in respect of the Covenant between God & them) but if you [Page 55] sin I'll be your Friend no longer. Men by their sins bid God depart from them, Job 21. 14. They say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. Therefore He does depart from them, and then their Life, yea the Life of their soul is gone.

2. Sin keeps the Soul out of Heaven. It caused the Apo [...]ate Angels to be de­truded and excluded thence, altho' that was their native Countr [...]y. They have suffered an Eternal Banishment never to come within the Palace of the Great King any more. Adam was Ejected Paradise for one sin, and a flaming sword [...] him from entring there any more. Thus does sin cause the soul that shall Dye un­der the guilt of it, to be forever Excluded Heaven, Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defiles. The man that indulgeth himself in the wil­ful breach of one Commandment, will find the Gate of Heaven shut against his soul; Mat. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one if these least Commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the King­dom of Heaven. He shall never come there. The Souls life is in its happi­ness. In Heaven there is fu [...]ess of Joy, [Page 56] and Pleasures for evermore; but sin de­p [...]ives the Soul of all that Happiness. Banishment is a kind of Death. It is Death to an immortal soul to be Bani [...]h­ed from the presence of God in Heaven for ever.

3. Sin causeth the Soul to be cast into Hell. There are but those two places for the souls of men to be disposed in to all Eternity. Either they must be in Heaven, or in Hell world without ends. Now thats the destruction of the immor­tal Soul: When it is cast into Hell it is destroyed; Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell. The soul that is Damned is Killed. This does Sin bring an undone soul unto at last. It brings it down to the Chambers of Death. The Dead are there, and her Guests are in the depth of Hell. This is called the Second Death. The first Death is of the Body, the second Death is of the Body and Soul too. The thought of that Death may strike Terror into the Heart of the [...]toutest Sinner living. There was a very Couragious man, who said to a Minister that put him in mind of the [Page 57] Second Death, I (said he) have been a­mong drawn Swords, and in the midst of t [...]undring Canon, and I never knew what Fear meant, but now you tell me of a Second Death, it makes my Heart to quiver within me. The Horrors and Terrors of that Death, no Heart is able to con­ [...]ive, nor any Tongue to express. The pangs of it are Eternal, as well as Intol­ [...]rable. The things which are seen are Temporal, the things which are not seen are Eternal. As the Life, so the Death which is not seen is Eternal. It is therefore called the Wrath to come, I Thes. 1. 10 It shall last as long as an immortal soul shall live. After it has continued for Millions of Ages, there is as much to Come as ever there was. This Second and Eternal Death consists chiefly, in the immediate impressions of the Wrath of God on the soul. If but a spark or one [...]ealding drop of that wrath fall on the soul, it cannot be endured: As we see in such men as Francis Spira; and in those who in horror of Conscience do madly destroy themselves. But what will it be when that Sea of Fire shall be let in upon the soul, or when the soul shall be cast into it, to float forever amidst those [Page 58] waves of Death? The Infinite Wrath of God is the Lake of Fire, in which the Devil and his Angels, and the miserable souls which go out of the world Christ­less, must burn and roar in throughout Eternal Ages. This is the Second De­monstration of the Doctrine before us, That Sin is the Greatest Evil.

III. If we compare Sin with other Evils we shall see that is the Worst and Greatest Evil that can be mentioned. There are Four things which men esteem as Evils, Sin is worse than any of them, or than all of them put together.

1. It is a greater Evil than Affliction. There is more of Evil in one sin, than in all the Afflictions in the world. For sin makes those over whom it reigns to be Evil. It makes the man to be an E­vil man; Mat. 12. 35. An Evil man out of the Evil treasure of his Heart brings forth Evil things. Sinners are called by the Name of Evil: Psal. 5. 4. Neither shall Evil, that is the sinner dwell with thee. But Affliction does not make an Evil man. No man is the worse meerly for his being Afflicted. He may be the most Afflicted, and yet the Best man in the [Page 59] world. Holy Job was so. God gave him that Character, There is none like him on the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth Evil, Job 1. 8. Yet was he the most Afflicted man on the Earth. JESUS CHRIST the Son of God was a man of sorrows. By reason of Afflictions His Visage was warred more than any mans, and His Form more than the sons of men. Yet never was there Man in the world to be compared with Him for Holiness & Good­ [...]s. And our Afflictions are some part of our Conformity to Christ. But sin does the contrary, it makes us unlike to Christ. In some cases it is a Duty to chose Affliction. Moses chose to suffer Affliction, rather than to enjoy the Plea­ [...]es of sin. The case may be so cir­ [...]m [...]tanced with a man as that he must of necessity either sin or suffer: Then it his Duty to chuse to suffer rather than to sin. When Job under his unparalleld Afflictions uttered some impatient words, Elihu reproved him, saying, Take heed, regard not Iniquity, for this thou hast cho­ [...]n rather than Affliction, Job 36. 21. In­ [...]mating that men ought to chuse any Affliction, yea, the greatest that can be, [Page 60] rather than the least sin. Sin may not be chosen in any case. Altho' a man could escape never so great Evils by chu [...]ing to sin, he might not do it. Or, if he could obtain never so great Good by committing a sin, he might not do it. When Austin was asked whether a man might not tell a Lye to save his Friend, No (sayes he) thou may [...]t not do it to save his Life, nay, if thou couldest save his Soul by telling a Lye thou may [...]t not do it. The Honour of God is to be va­lued and preferred above any mans Life in the world. And this is according to the Scripture, which sayes, that we may not do Evil that Good may come, Rom. 3. 8.

2. Men look upon Death as a greater Evil than Affliction. All that a man has will he give for his Life. Death is called the King of Terrors, Job 18. 14. It does as much exceed other Evils, as a King d [...]th excel other Men. But sin is more Evil than Death. Solomon found it more bitter than Death, Eccle [...]. 7. 26. A Chri­stian▪ should say, rather let me dye than sin. For a man may Glorify God by dying, Job. 21. 19. but he cannot Glorify God by sinning. And therefore he ought [Page 61] to Embrace the most terrible Death that men can inflict upon him, then to commit the least Sin. The Hebrew Martyrs did so. They were tortured, not accepting deliverance, Heb. 11. 35. The Tyrant Antiochus told them that if they would but eat one mouthful of Swines flesh which then was forbidden by the Ceremonial Law, their lives should be spared; but they chose rather to be tortured to death than to Sin a­ [...]inst their Consciences although it were but in a Ceremony. We have [...]ewed that Sin separates the Soul from God; but Death does not so. I am persw [...]ded (says the Apostle) that Death cannot separate us from the love of God, Rom. 8. 38. Nay, Death brings the Soul of the true Believer unto a full Enjoyment of God: Being absent from the Body, they are present with the Lord.

3. Sin is a greater Evil than Hell. For Hell is only against the benefit & happiness of the Creature, but Sin is (as has been shewed) contrary to the honour of the Creator. For Him to be dishonour [...]d is incomparably a gr [...]ter evil, than for all the Repr [...] ­bate [Page 62] Creatures in the World to be de­stroyed. Hell has something that is good in it, namely, considered as that which is the punishment due fo [...] Sin. The punishment of Sin is good, but Sin is in no respect good. It is only E­vil, and has no good in it. Hence God neither is nor can be the A [...]thor of Sin. He cannot be tempted with Evil, neither tempteth he any man. But He has [...] made Hell to be a place of [...]orment for Sinners, that so the glory of his Justice and Holiness may be manifested to men and Angels for e­ver. Isai. 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of [...]ld, He has made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brim­st [...]ne does kindle it. Nor would there have been such [...] place as Tophet, that is Hell, if it had not been for Sin. It [...] Sin that has kindled the fire that is [...]nquenchable. Sin has filled the Bot­ [...]mle [...]s Pit with all the fire and brim­ [...]one which is there. It is Sin that has filled it with those Treasures of [...]rath which can never be consumed. And therefore sin is to be more drea­ [...]d than Hell it self. It was a great [Page 63] Expression of a Great man, who said, He had rather be thrown alive into the Flames of Hell, than to do a thing which be knew was a Sin against God.

4. Sin is worse than the Devil. This Evil thing is worse than the Evil One. For it is Sin that has made the Devil to be so Evil as he is. He was once among the Morning Stars, the Sons of God shouting for joy: But Sin has made him that was once a glorious Angel, to become the most accursed Creature in the whole Universe. Sin has done more mischief than ever the Devil did. It has been by the hand of Sin that he has done all the mis­chief that ever he did to any. Sin has ruined the World. Sin has brought a Curse on this Visible Creation un­der which it has been sighing and groaning for almost these six thousand years. And sin has turned millions of glorious Angels into damned De­vils; it is then more Evil than the Devil himself. A man had better have his Body possessed with a Legi­on of Devils, than that his Soul should be under the dominion of one sin.

[Page 64]We proceed to the Second Enquiry, viz. What Sin is it that is so Great an Evil?

For Answer. In the First place let me say, That Original Sin is the Great­est Sin. Sin is the Greatest Evil, and Original Sin is the worst of Sins. This is often in the Scripture by way of Em­phasis, called Sin. It is the most Sinful Sin. It is impossible to call it by a worse Name than it self. Therefore the Apostle speaks, as in Rom. 7. 13. That Sin might appear Sin, working Death in me by that which is Good, that Sin by the Commandment might become exceeding Sin­ful. If men see another fall into some grievous Actual Sin, they esteem him a very Guilty person, and so he is. But their own Original Sin makes them more Guilty before God, than any Actu­al Sin. For there is in this Sin the most prodigious and astonishing En­mity against the Blessed God. It is an universal Contrariety to the Will of God in every thing. This Sin is al­wayes opposing what God would have to be done. The Flesh is Lusting a­gainst the Spirit, and those two are [Page 65] contrary, Gal. 5. 17. The Carnal mind is Enmity against God, not subject to His Law, nor indeed can be, Rom, 8. 7. The Carnal Mind is not only Inimicous, but Enmity it self against God. This is that Sin which has filled the woful Souls of men with hatred of God, Rom. 1. 30. The Truth is, (and a dreadful Truth it is) that Sinners have the greatest Enmity against God of any thing in the world. For they dislike nothing so much as Holiness. Hence as long as they continue in a state of Sin, they cannot but hate God, who is Holiness it self, more than any thing. This Sin is an Enemy to whatever God [...]pproveth of. And whatever God is against, this Sin is for it; and there­fore for it because God is against it. Thats the consideration from whence the Apostle inferrs the exceeding Sinful­ness of this Sin. It takes occasion by the Commandment to provoke men to Sin. The Law which was given to prevent Sin, is through the horrible Corruption of Nature, an occasion of mens Sinning. If a Torrent of water a dammed up, it swells the higher. Such Torrent of Sin is Original Corrup­tion. [Page 66] Hence it is that Sinners are the worse for those things that should make them the better. They are the worse for Mercies. The more Kindness the Lord shows to them, the more do they abuse and dishonour His Name, Deut. 32. 15. Rom. 2. 4. They fight against God with the Blessings He bestows on them. The Means of Grace which He favours them with, the Gospel it self is an occasion of Sin to them, Act. 13. 45. God visits them with Afflictions, to humble them and to prevent sin in them, but they are the worse for them, 2 Chron. 28. 22. Hos. 7. 1. It argues a man to be exceeding sick, when he is the worse for the Medicine that should heal him. This discovers the malig­nity of the Disease. Thus, inasmuch as the Law, the Gospel, Mercies, A [...] ­ [...]ictions do occasion men to sin against God more, that manifests the exceed­ing Sinfulness of their Natures. This sin of Nature is vertually all Sin. It contains in the bowels of it, the Cursed spawn of every sin, Rom. 7. 8. Eph. 4. 19. There is no sin, great or compa­r [...]tively small, against either the First or the Second Table of the Moral Law [Page 67] but it is contained in this Sin, Mat. 15. 19. There is no sin that ever was committed in the world, but that sinful Heart which is in every man, would cause him to commit that sin, if God should give him up to be as bad as that sin which is in him would have him to be. We see that some men are meer Devils Incarnate. Some of the Roman Emperors, Nero, Caligula and others, were so wicked as that if Devils were cloathed in Flesh, they could hardly be more Wicked. Now Original Sin is the same in other men that it was in them. It is owing to the Re­straining Grace and Providence of God, that all men are not so bad outward­ly as some are. For the Heart of man is a sink of Sin, an hell of Abomi­nations. Nor is there any abomina­tion on Earth or in Hell, but it is in the Corrupt Nature of man to become Guilty of it. It cannot be Expressed, what an abounding Iniquity Original Sin is. It is a Fountain of Sin. It wa [...] said of sinful Jerusalem, As a Foun­tain casts out her Waters, so she casteth out her Wickedness, Jer. 6. 7. The same is to be said of the Heart of the sinner: It [Page 68] is a Sea of wickedness which is alway [...] working up Corruption, Isa. 57. 20. The Wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up Mire and Dirt. This Sin is never idle, but is always working, Rom 7. 5. It is the Author of of all Actual Sins, Jam. 1. 15. It has been the Mother of Millions of Millions of Actual sins. It is the Sin­ning Sin. Now as it is true, that this is the Greatest Sin, we must moreover say, that Sin in General is the Greatest Evil. There is no Sin that can be men­tioned, but it is a Greater Evil than any thing else which is not Sin. Altho' some Sins compared with others are small. Ne­vertheless, there is no Sin which is in it self a little Evil. The Sins which men may think are small, if duely con­sidered will appear to be no small E­vils.

Several things may be mentioned, which Confirm the Truth before us.

1. The Holy God has Punished seem­ingly little Sins after a terrible manner Adams Sin in Eating the forbidden Fruit was indeed an heinous Trans­gression, yet Carnal Hearts are apt to think it was a small Offence. For him [Page 69] to steal an Apple, or a Grape, or what­ever the forbidden Fruit might be, was that any great Evil? It was. And as small an Evil as men imagine it to be, he & all his Children must Dye for that one Offence, altho' but once committed. That one Sin as light as men make of it, has brought Death upon all the men in the world, Rom. 5. 12. And there are awful Instances Recorded in the Scripture, of Gods Punishing seeming­ly little Sins after a Dreadful manner. The man that gathered Sticks on the Sabbath Day, God commanded that he should be stoned to Death for it. Uzzah did but touch the Ark, and that with a Pious intention, yet because in so do­ing he transgressed the Law, he Dyed before the Lord. When the People in Bethshemeth did but look into the Ark, probably to see whether the Philistins in whose hands it had been, had ta­ken nothing out of it, a small transgres­sion men would think; but the Lord smote them with a great slaughter, that Fifty Thousand and Threescore and Ten men Dyed, so that the men of Bethshemeth Cried out, Who is able to stand before this Holy Lord God? 1 Sam. 6. 19. 20. [Page 70] The Angels that Sinned, what was their sin? Was it not the entertaining a proud thought in their hearts, and for this no man knows how many millions of them were cast down to Hell, and are reserved in Everlasting Chains of Darkness, for the Judgment of the Great Day.

2. It is the Character of a Child of God, that he would rather chuse any evil than the least sin. He had rather suffer any thing, than comply with that which he believeth is sin, 1 Job 3. 9. He that is born of God cannot sin So far as he is born of God, of as things in the world, he cannot end [...] sin; some persons have in their nature an Antipathy against certain things, & if those things are forced upon them they will oppose and strive to the [...] most of their life. Such an Antipathy there is in the heart of a true Child of God against Sin. Not but that the holiest Saints on earth do often sin, but then it is either thro' ignorance; they do not know that what they do is sin A sincere Christian sometimes does that which is sinful, which if he did but see the sin in that thing, he would [Page 71] sooner dy, than do as he doth.; or else it is because they are under the present power of temptation: When they come out of that temptation, they will abhor themselves for what they have done, & do so no more, Job 40. 4. & 42. 6. When a Child of God is himself, he will rather submit to the most tor­ [...]enting death, then consent to the least sin, as you heard but now the Hebrew Martyrs did. And if we read Martyrologies, we shall meet with many Instances confirming the Truth before us. One had his life offered to him, on condition that he would give [...]at one halfpenny towards the building of an Idolatrous Temple, but he chose rather to suffer the most cruel death that his Enemies could in­ [...]ict upon him. Others have been pro­ [...]ed life if they would be present at in Idolatrous Worship, though but for the time; they would rather dy than commit that sin.

3. There is not the least sin that can be committed, but if it is pardoned, it as cost the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, to obtain the forgiveness of it. Not only the greatest, but the least [Page 72] sins must be expiated with that preci­ous Blood. No less a Sacrifice was necessary, Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of blood is no remission. And no other Blood, but the Blood of the Son of God, could ever obtain the remission of any one sin. The Law denoun­ceth Eternal Death for the least sin, Rom. 6. 23. Gal. 3. 10. So great is the Demerit of the least sin, as that nothing less then what is infinitely Meritorious, could make satisfaction for it. There is not an idle word which any man has spoken, nor a vain thought which has at any time been entertained in his heart, but he must lye and dy for ever in unquenchable fire, because of that sin, except Jesus Christ the Son of God has shed his Blood to purchase a pardon for it.

Notwithstanding the hour is spent, Let me inlarge a little further in some Application of this Doctrine. It is this very day Forty four years since I began to Preach the Gospel in this place. The first Subjects I then insist­ed on, were concerning the Evil of Sin, and concerning the Excellency of Christ. The Lord grant (if it be [Page 73] His will) that I may leave you, and finish my Course, insisting on the same Subjects with which I began my Pub­lick Ministry among you. And the Providence of God does oftentimes or­der it to be so.

We proceed then to Apply the Do­ctrine. First, by way of Instruction, & several things are to be Inferred.

Inf. I. If Sin is the Greatest Evil, then to be kept and delivered from Sin is a great happiness. A man had better fall into many Afflictions, than into one Sin. It is therefore a very great mercy to be kept from falling into scandalous sins, such as Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Thefts, and the like Crimes. There have been some whom God has kept all their dayes, that they never fell in­to any sin which the World looks on as shameful & scandalous. Yea, some who are Unregenerate, and in a State of Sin, yet are they civil moral men: They have Externally kept the Com­mandments from their Youth up, Mat. 19. 20. Paul before his Conversion was touching the righteousness of the Law blame­less, Phil. 3. 5. It must be acknowledg­ed [Page 74] that Re [...]training Grace is not so great a mercy as Converting Saving Grace, never­theless a great mercy it is. God said to Abi­melech I with held thee from [...]i [...]ning against me, Gen. 20. 6. This was a mercy to him▪ for if he had committed the sin he intended, he had been a dead man. God sometimes layeth the restrai [...]ts of his Providence on Sinners, that they cannot do the evil they would do; He hedgeth their way with thorns. When Balaam was going on a wicked design of mi [...]che [...] to the Lords People, the Lord stopped him in the way, which was a present mercy to him; for had he gone on, his ruin had been sooner. Suppose men should dy and perish in their Unregeneracy, yet their being restrained from vicious courses is a mercy to them, for that such sins leave an eternal blot of In [...]amy on the names of those that have been guilty of them; A wound and dishon [...]ur do they get, and a [...]proach which shall not be wiped away, Prov. 6. 32. Nor will their damnation [...]n Hell be so great as it would have been, if they had dyed under the guilt of abominable crimes: But then to be delivered from the guilt of all sin, is an i [...]exp [...]ible mercy and happine [...] ▪ [Page 75] A man that is greatly in debt, would count himself happy, if another would pay his debts and save him from the rigour of the Law. Our Sins are our greatest debts: As for Believers Christ has paid their debts, and procured an acquittance for them: Therefore hap­py are they. The guilt of one sin is able to sink a Soul into Hell: There is no standing under the weight of the Curse. Now it is written, Cursed is e­very one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them. How great then is their happiness, who, altho' they have been guilty of many and great sins, are delivered from the curse due on that account; and to be delivered from the dominion of sin, is no less an happiness, then to be delivered from the damnation of it: For there cannot be a greater misery, than for a man to be a Slave to sin. There was nothing more to be trem­bled at, in the curse of the Law, than this, that the Sinner should be under the dominion of his sins: Therefore no greater happiness than to be deli­vered from that misery. Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you [Page 76] are not under the law but under Grace. Men that have been Slaves in the hands of Turks or of Indians who have dealt cruelly with them, if they are set at liberty, do they not count that delive­rance an happiness? But what then is it to have their Souls set at liberty from the cruel and cursed bondage of Sin?

Inf. II. The patience of God towards the world, and his mercy towards his People is wonderfully great, yea, infinite. How wonderful is his patience towards a sinful sinning world. The Name of Long suffering may well be given to him, Exod. 34. 6. Sin is an infinite wrong to his Divine Majesty: It strikes at his Crown and Dignity. Yet there is not a day, nor a minute of a day, but in­numerable millions of sins are com­mitted against him: And there are many thousands in the world who are denying and defying of him continu­ally. There are a great many Atheists and Blasphemers on the Earth; They set their mouth against Heaven, Psal. 73. 9. A late Writer speaks of one City, in which there were fifty thousand A­theists [Page 77] How many then are there in the World? And thus have men been provoking the Eyes of his Glory from one age to another for many genera­tions: And for all this, God does not as yet set the world on fire: None but a God of infinite patience could bears with such Indignities. But as for his people he doth not only forbear them; but forgive them upon their repenting and believing in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ: He then forgives their sins freely, fully, and for ever. Some of his Elect have been as great sinners as ever lived on the face of the earth. What a Sinner had Paul been before his Conversion! How injurious to God & to His People! He was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and Injurious, but (said he) I obtained mercy; 1 Tim. 1. 13. If the mercy of God had not been Infinite, he had never found mercy: The grace of the Lord was exceeding abundant towards him: For God did not only pardon him, but made a spe­cial favourite of him: He made him to be an Ambassador of Heaven, and accepted of great Services from him. If we had done a million part of that [Page 78] wrong to men, which we have done to God, they could never forgive us. Wherefore the Lord says, let the wick­ed turn unto the Lord and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For faith the Lord, My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways; as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts, Isa. 55. 8, 9. The mercies of God are infinitely above the mercies of man. Nothing less then infinite mercy could pardon one sin, no, not the least sin. For there is high Treason in it against the In [...]i­nite Majesty. But God pardons thou­sands of millions of Traitors, and this too such Traytors as have renewed their Treasons and Rebellions millions of times over. It may astonish us to think of it. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the trans­gression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because He delighte [...] in mercy, Mic. 7. 18. All the mercy and goodness which is in Crea­tures, in all good men and Angels, put it all together, is less then a drop to [Page 79] the Ocean, compared with the mercy of God. For his mercy is as He Him­self is, infinite and eternal, Psal. 103. 17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlast­ing to everlasting upon them that fear Him.

Inf. III. If Sin is the Greatest Evil, then what a Great and a Glorious Saviour is JESUS CHRIST? For He [...]aveth men from the greatest Evil, even from Sin, both as to the Dominion and the Damnation of it; Mat. 1. 21. You shall call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His People from their Sins. None but Jesus Christ could ever make satisfaction for so much as one Sin. It would break and beggar all the Angels in Heaven to pay for one Sin. But Jesus Christ has purchased a Pardon for many Sins. It was said of one who had been a great sinner, Her sins which are many are for­given, Luk. 7. 47. Not one of those many sins was forgiven, nor ever had been for­given, but by means of Jesus Christ. Oh! the infinite Merit of the Blood of Christ. For it is that which has purchased our Salvation. We are Redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Well may it be called Precious Blood, since by the Merit thereof, we are saved from all [Page 80] our sins. There is more Merit in the Blood of Christ, than there is Demerit in all the Sins of all the Elect of God. Christs Righteousness exceeds all their Unrighteousness; Rom. 5. 17. Much more they shall receive abundance of Grace, and of the gift of Righteousness, by Jesus Christ. It must needs be so, because Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Obedience of Christ is the Obedience of God. The Blood of Christ is the Blood of God, & therefore Infinitely Meritorious & Sa­tisfactory to Divine Justice. How many are the Sins Christ has purchased a Pardon for? How great was the Debt which He has payed? David con­ [...]esseth that innumerable Evils had taken hold on him, and that his Iniquities were more than the hairs of his Head, Psal. 40. 12. If the sins of one man are so many, what are all the Sins of all the Elect of God? They are more in num­ber than there are Drops of water in the Sea, Ezr. 9. 6. Our Iniquities are in­creased ever our heads. In a deep River which is over a mans head, how many Drops are there? And faith he, Our Trespasses are grown up unto the Heavens How many Sands are there in a pile [Page 81] that should reach up unto the Heavens? More Sins than this have men been guilty of. If the World were turned into Dust, the Sins of men are more than those Atoms would be. How Precious then is that Blood which has made A­tonement for such an Infinite Number of Sins? Yea, and for the greatest Sins and Sinners. This is a Faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Je­sus Christ saveth the Chief of Sinners. And He has made Atonement for a World of Sinners too: 1 Job. 2. 2. He is the Pr [...]pitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World. Oh! Most Glorious Saviour. Well might the Prophet call Him, A Saviour and a Great One, Isa. 19. 20.

The Last USE is for Exbortation; If Sin is the Greatest Evil in the world, then above all things in the world, let Sin­ners endeavour after the Pardon of Sin.

THIS Epistle of Paul to the C [...]los­s [...]ans, is much the same with that to the Eph [...]sians; [...] being a con­traction of that. The [...] method ob­served by the Apostle [...] Discourse first Doctrinally, and then Practically. So he does in all his Epistles to the Churches, and particularly in this. The two first Chapters in it are Doctrinal, the two last are Practical. There are many Christian [Page 89] Duties Exhorted unto, one of which is in the words before us. In which we may observe;

1. The Duty, namely, To walk in Wis­dom. Christians meet with difficult Temp­tations in their way, on which account great Caution and Wisdom is necessary.

2. Here is the Object with respect whereunto this Wisdom is to be Exerci­sed, Toward them that are without. That is to such as were without the Pale of the Visible Church. The Church is a Sacred House: Believers are within that House; Unbelievers are out of Doors; they are not admitted into the Temple.

3. The Apostle [...]hews how this Wisdom is to be Manifested, viz. By Redeeming the Time. That's the work of Wisdom, and an Evidence of Christian Wisdom.

Wherefore the DOCTRINE to be in­ [...]i [...]ted on, [...]

That it is [...] Wisdom to Redeem the Time [...]

For the C [...]ing of the Truth before us, there are Two things to be Enquired into.

I. Who are they that Redeem Time is they ought to do?

[Page 90]II. How it does appear that it is Great Wisdom to do so?

Quest. I. Who are they that Redeem Time? Or, when may a man be said to do so?

Answ. I. They that are duely careful to improve Seasons of Grace in order to their own Spiritual and Eternal advantage, may truly be said to Redeem the Time. God is pleased to give unto men a Day of Grace: A Day wherein He offer Grace and Mer­cy, and Heaven to them; 2 Cor 6. 2. Be­hold now is the accepted Time, behold now is the day of Salvation. If before that Day is done, sinners will seek unto the Lord for that Grace without which they must Eternally perish, they may obtain it. The Prophet therefore said, Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is [...]ea; Isa. 55. 6. While the Day of Grace continues He may be found: He is with­in call; but when that day is [...] is gone, & no more within call. And [...] are many sinners whom He favours [...] a Day, so with special means of Grace. The Word & Ordinances of God are so To improve them accordingly, is to Redeem the Time. When the Gospel is Preached to men, it is Day with them. This Day will not last alwayes Joh. 12. 35. Yet a little while is the Light with you, walk while you have [Page 91] the Light lest Darkness come upon you. Where­fore men are concerned to improve this day well in order to obtain Grace & Salvation; and if they do so, they Redeem the Time. Moreover, the Lord vouchs [...]fes means of Grace, not only that so sinners may get Grace, but that Saints may grow in Grace. And if they do under the dispensation of the Gospel grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savi [...]ur Je­sus Christ, they then Redeem the Time. When an Edifying Sermon is Preached, that's a time for Christians to gain good to their own Souls. Now to lay hold on it, and improve it for that end is a R [...] ­deeming of Time. It is recorded concern­ing Mary, that she sat at Jesus feet▪ & heard His Word, Luk. 10. 39. She would by no means be diverted from hearing Christ Preach, altho' for that season she neg­lected her, worldly concerns: In doing this, she Red [...]emed Time. Diligently to attend u [...]to [...] word Preached, is to grow in Grace. Christ therefore said to the Disciples, Take [...]eed how you hear, for who­soever has to him shall be given, Luk. 8. 18 If Christians that have Grace take heed how they hear, if they duely improve ad­vantageous seasons for hearing the Word, [Page 92] they shall have more Grace given to them. The like is to be said with re­spect unto Sabbaths & Sacraments; when Christians improve them unto Soul­advantage, they Redeem the Time. And so they likewise do when they are much in Prayer to God. The man that Redeems his Time, will have his constant times for Prayer. Such an one was Cornelius, of whom it is said, that he Prayed to God al­way, Act. 10. 2. Because he kept up his constant daily seasons for Prayer, & would not omit them. The Time that is spent with God, is Time well spent.

II. They that are duely careful to improve opportunities to Glorify God, and do Good to Men, Redeem the Time. The Greek word KAIROS, which is here translated Time, signifies Opportunity, or seasonable Time. That article of time which is fit for do­ing such a thing. Sometimes the Provi­dence of God puts into the hands of men a great Opportunity or Advantage to pro­mote the Glory of His Name. So it is with those who are in a Publick Capa­city; They have greater opportunities than others to promote the Glory of God in the world. Magistrates have so by be­ing a Terror to Evil-doers, & a Praise to, [Page 93] them that do Well. And the Ministers of the Gospel in a singular manner, are advantaged with opportunities to Glorify God by promoting the Good and Salva­tion of the Souls of men, whereby God will be Glorified throughout Everlasting Ages. Yea, all Christians have Opportu­nities more or less to Glorify God, by en­deavouring the good of men, especially of His People. To do good to men is to glorify God: As we have therefore oppor­tunity, let us do good to all men, especially to the Houshold of Faith, Gal. 6. 10. To do thus is to Redeem the Time. Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, Redeeming the Time; h. e. Do all the good you can for those poor Unbelievers: Cain them to Christ if you can possibly, by a wise & holy Behaviour towards them. To do that is wisdom. He that winneth Souls is wise. The man that is duely careful to improve whatever Talents God has trusted him with for the good of others, is that wise man that Redeems Time. God distributes Talents to men according as it plea [...]eth Him. They that improve them as they should do, are wise Redeemers of their Time. To one the Lord commits a Talent of Riches: he is blessed with a [Page 94] greater Estate than others. The Provi­dence of God sets before him Objects in respect whereof he has an opportunity to do good, by using that Talent. It may be there is some poor body to be relieved, or some pious work to be promoted; now to take hold on this occasion, & not to let it slip is to Redeem the Time. Ano­ther has a Talent of Knowledge commit­ted to him. The Divine Providence gi­veth him an opportunity to Instruct and Enlighten and Edify those that need Illu­mination. To improve his Talent accor­dingly, is a Redeeming of the Time. When men are careful not to let slip opportuni­ties of doing good, so far as they are c [...] ­pable, and God shall call them to it, they Redeem the Time. They know not how soon their opportunies may be taken from them, and therefore are concerned to im­prove them well; which to do is to Re­deem the Time, and to do like Wise men. Wherefore the Apostle said to the Ephe­sians, See that you walk Circumspectly, not as Fools, but as Wise, Redeeming the Time, b [...] ­cause the dayes are Evil, Eph. 5. 15, 16. It was then a time of Persecution; they had reason to expect that their Persecu­tors would take from them their Estates, [Page 95] and all their opportunities of either get­ting or doing Good, and therefore were to use their present Advantages. A Christian that is desirous to do all, the Good he can, and does embrace all Op­p [...]rtunities accordingly, is one that Re­deems the Time.

III. They that Deny themselves out of respect to the Glory of God and the Good of Men, are such as Redeem the Time. The Original runs thus, Buying out the Opportunity. When a man b [...]yeth a Commodity, he parts with something for it. Thus he that is willing to forego his Carnal Interest out of respect to Gods Interest, and His Peoples good, buyes an Opportunity. Such an one was Abraham; who out of respect to Religion, and lest the Name of God should suffer, refused great Riches when offered to him by the King of Sodom, Gen. 14. 23. And thus did Nehemiah part with that Salary which of right belonged to him, because of the Fear of God, Neh. 5. 15. And thus did the Apostle Paul, who could say, I sought not my own profit, but the profit of many that they might be Saved, 1 Cor. 10. 33. The words before us are a Metaphor alluding to Merchants, who will deny themselves of Pleasure out of respect to Gain. Such [Page 96] Christians as deny themselves as to their own Ease and outward Advantage, that so they may be the more serviceable to God and to His People, are they that Redeem the Time.

IV. They that ende [...]v [...]ur to recover Lost Time by a double Diligence, may be said to Redeem it. It is impossible for a man to Redeem or Recover lost Time in a Phy­sical or Proper sense, but in a Moral sense, namely, when the consideration of his ha­ving lost so much of his Time formerly, makes him the more diligent for the fu­ture. Thus it was with the Blessed A­postle; he considered sadly that he had lost a great deal of Time whil [...]t in his Unregenerate Estate, being Converted to Christ after the other Apostles; 1 Cor. 15. 8. Last of all He was seen of one, as one born out of due time. And then how did he be­ [...]ir himself? He laboured more abun­da [...]ly than they all. Altho' he did not Out­live all the other Apostles, yet he Out-did them all. It is supposed that he was Con­ver [...]ed when Twenty Five, and Martyred when he was Sixty One Years old. It may be questioned whether there was e­ver a man in the world that did so much service for Christ as Paul did, in the [Page 97] space of Four & Thirty Years. The Chil­dren of Israel dispatched more way to­wards Canaan in the last year of their be­ing in the Wilderness, than in almost Forty years before. Thus when Christians shall do more good in one year, than in many years before, they may be said to Redeem the Time. Men that are in a Journey, if they have loytered away some part of their time, will mend their pace that so they may come to the end of their Jour­ney before Night overtakes them. Thus when Christians mend their pace, when they become more active for God, & more [...]seful & fruitful than formerly, & ripen for Heaven going thither with a great & a swift pace, they Redeem the Time. It was said of the Angel in the Church of Thyatira, that his last works were more than his first, Rev. 2. 19. When it is thus with Chri­ [...]ians, that their last works are their best works, and their last dayes are their best dayes, they are the men that will be found Redeeming the Time.

Quest. II. How does it appear that it is great Wisdom for men thus to Redeem the Time?

For Answer; I shall mention some plain known Truths, which we can never hear too often, nor think too much of.

[Page 98]I. We may reason from the Preciousness of Time. When men have a precious Com­modity, they are choice of it: They are loth to loose it. And they would not act like rational Creatures if they should wa [...]t or mi [...]pend it. That would argue great folly and want of judgment. Now Time is the most precious Commodity which men in this world are possessed of. The wise man say [...]s concerning those brutish men who spend their time in D [...]bauch [...] ­ries, that their Precious Life is hunted after Prov. 6. 26. If Life is Precious, then Time is Precious And therefore it has the name of a Price given to it, because it is of Ex­ceeding great worth, & highly to be va­lued▪ Prov. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a Price in the hand of a Fool to get wisdom, who has no heart unto it? When a sinner has Time allowed him to get saving Knowledge, but improveth it not, then there is a Price in the hand of a Fool that wants wisdom to use it. Men say of some Jewels that they are invaluable, because the worth of them is not known, and therefore cannot be Expressed. Truly, such a Jewel is Precious Time. We may say of it, as it is said of Wisdom, it is more precious than Rubies; all the things thou canst de­sire [Page 99] are not to be compared, with it. We may judge of the worth of Time by these two Considerations.

1. All the things which this world can afford, are worth nothing when once Time is gone. The world passeth away and the lusts thereof. The things of the world all of them, the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, Earthly Pleasures, Profits, Honours, they all End with Time. The things which we see signify nothing to men, when their Time is swallowed up with an Endless E­ternity. The things which are Seen are Temporal; they do not out-last Time: As for the things which are Eternal, they are Invisible, they are things not Seen, 2 Cor. 4. 18. If then a man should gain as much of this world as ever any one did; yea, if he should gain the whole world, (which is more than ever any one man since Adam had the sole possession of) what would it signify to him, when his Time is gone? Christ said, What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul? So what will the World profit a man when his Time is Ended, and his Soul gone into Eternity? What will the World be to him tho' he has gained ne­ver [Page 100] so much of it, when God shall take a­way his Soul? Then Time is Precious.

2. We may judge of the worth of Time by the Price which they whose Eyes have been opened to see the worth of it, have set upon it. As to in [...]nce in Dying Persons. When Death comes to shut the Eyes of the Body, it opens the Eyes of the Soul. It is often with a Dying man as it was with Bala [...]m. He is the man whose Eyes are [...]; he forth things which be­fore he did not see. Mens [...]. He can see the worth of Time then. A great Person on a Death-bed Cryed out, I would give a world of Wealth for an inch of Time. I have heard of ano­ther being at the point of Death, uttered such words as these, If I had ten Thousand Worlds, I would give them all on condition might live but One Day longer in this world. And most certainly it is so with Millions in Hell. They would give worlds, if they had them to give, for one of those Dayes of which they have mi [...]pent many thousands. But will Time be Precious then, and is not so now? It is therefore great Wisdom now to Redeem it. Tha'ts the First Demonstration of the Truth be­fore us.

[Page 101]II. When Time is past and gone it can ne­ver be Recalled again. And therefore it is Wisdom to make a good improve­ment of the present Time. Yesterday will never be here again. Other things a man may loose and find them again. If [...]e has Silver or Gold or precious Jewels, [...]e may loose them and find them again. But there are Two precious things which if they be lost can never be recovered a­gain, one is a Precious Soul, if that be lost it can never be recovered; and the other is Precious Time: There's no regaining that. Some have lost their Names and recovered them again. All innocent men that have done so shall recover them again, in the world to come if not in this world. Some have lost their Places & Dig­nity, & been re [...]tored to it again. As Pha­raohs Cup-bearer after he had been a while degraded and impri [...]oned was exalted and re [...]tored to his place, and delivered the Cu [...] into the Kings hand after the former manner, Gen. 40 13. But the Time which a man has lost will never be restored to him again. For Death puts an End to his Time forever. As it is said with respect [...]nto the Roman Monarchy, as under its [...]st head Antichrist, when the Time [Page 102] allotted to him is once Expired, when the Seventh Trumpet shall sound, there shall be Time no longer, Rev. 10. 7. So it may be said concerning Men, when once Death has overtaken them, Time shall be no longer. For men do not Dy; and after that Live again in this world. It is appointed for them Once to Dy, and then they go hence and are no more. If a man Dye shall be Live again? No; He lyeth down and ri­seth not until the Heavens be no more. As the Cloud is consumed and vani [...]heth away, so he that goes down to the Grave shall come up no more, he shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more for ever: The Eye that has seen him shall see him no more, Job 7. 8, 9, 10. No more! No more! No more! must he have Time allowed him on the Earth. If men after they have mispent all their Days, might live again, and have more Time allowed them, their Folly in not Redeeming the present Time would not be so great as now it is. But Tem­poral Life is not like the Sun, that sets & ri [...]eth again the next day. No: This Sun when once it is sett ri [...]eth no more; but then the Days of Darkness are many, in­numerable many. Nor is there any thought [Page 103] that does sting and torment the misera­ble Souls in Hell like this, we had Time given us to Repent, and Pray, & make sure of an Interest in Christ, and to Serve and Glorify God, but we lost and let slip that Time, and now must never see those days again, which like Fools we spent in the service of Sin and Satan, with the neglect of God, and Christ, and our [...] own Salva­tion. The terror and torment of this Thought will be inexpressible. Like a gnawing Worm that dies not, and like a fire that never can be quenched.

III. It is but a short-Time that men have to be in this world. The Time that is past can not be r [...]called, & that which remains will soon be gone: And therefore it is great Wisdom to Redeem it, to improve it so as to answer the End for which God has given it to us. The Apostle to take men off from being overmuch concerned about tem­poral things, [...]ayes, The time is short, 1 Cor. 7. 29. The time is Contracted, or Furled as the Original word there imports. Mariners when they come into the Harbour, Furl their Sails; and then they quickly Land. Thus it won't be long before we come to an End of our Voyage. A short Time will Land us all in Eternity, Job sayes, Man [Page 104] that is born of a Woman is of few Dayes▪ Job 14. 1. He that is born of a Woman brings Sin, and therefore brings Death into the world with him, which in a while will put an End to his Time in this world. David sayes, that his Dayes were but an hands breadth; but a span long, Psal. 39. 5. A span was the shortest measure in use a­mong the Hebrews; wherefore that is made use of to denote the brevity of mans life. And the Apostle sayes, What is your Life? It is a Vapour which appeareth a little time, and then vanisheth away, Jam. 4. 14. How soon does a vapour or a little smoke in the Air vanish? Hence our time on the Earth is called a Pilgrimage. Here we are Stran­gers and Travellers. Travellers don't use to abide long in a place. They are here to day and gone to morrow. An Inn is not an home to dwell in, but to sojourn in for a short time. This world is only an Inn. Strangers should be care­ful what they do, and how they behave themselves. So should Christians while [...] in this world: [...]. Pet. 1. 17. Pass the time of your sojourning here in Fear. Nothing can be more Foolish than for men to dream of Immortality in this world. It was a vain boast of Paracelsus, that he could by [Page 105] certain Medicaments cause a man to be immortal. And yet he could not prolong his own life so as to live to old Age, for he dyed before Fifty. There have been Alchymists in the world who have made the like pretence: And in the last Age, those that passed under the Name of Ro­facrucians. A late Learned writer has discovered who was the Founder of that Society, a Libertine who formed an impi­ous design of putting a Cheat on the world. A way with such Impostors. The Scripture tells us, and the Experience of every Age proveth it, that men have but a short time to be on the Earth. The longest liver has but a short time of it, compared with Eternity. Yea, his Age is as nothing before the Eternal; as David confe [...]eth, Psal. 39. 5. Eternity is a Day that has no Sun-setting. It is (as one well Express [...]th,) A Time that can never be Measured: A Sum that can never be Numbred. Let a man think of a Thou­sand Years, nay of Millions of Millions of Ages, all is nothing to Eternity. It is a Sea without either bottom or banks. Time is a spot on this side Eternity. And what a little of that spot is mans Life? All Time is but a Moment to Eternity, and mans [Page 106] Life is but a Moment of Time. Besides, there are many who do not live so long as according to the ordinary course of Nature they might. Some that, God takes them out of the world betimes, because the world is not worthy of them. And there are many who by their Sins provoke the Lord to shorten their Dayes Because they have been wicked overmuch, they Dy before their time. Solomon [...]ayes that the Dayes of the Wicked shall be shortned, Prov. 10. 27. David tells how much; more than half, Psal. 55. 23. They shall not live out half their Dayes. There are some Sins which have a Natural tendency to shorten life. Intemperance does so. Debauched persons seldom live long. It is said of the young. Adulterer, Prov. 7. 23. A dart strikes through his Liver. Oftentimes such Persons are struck with a Consumption of the Liver, which in a little time kills them. They that have been Prodigals of their Time, have no reason to expect God will trust them with it long.

IV. The Time which remains is very un­certain. Therefore it is Wisdom to Re­deem what is present, lest it be gone sud­denly. No man knows how soon his Time may End. The wise man tells us, Man [Page 107] knows not his Time, Eccle [...]. 9. 12. Whether he shall have any Time or no for the fu­ture he knows not. Indeed Hezek [...]ah knew that he had Fifteen Years time to be on the Earth: But that was by an Extraordinary Revelation. There is not a particular man in the world that knows he has so long to live. Altho' there are many that shall live a longer time than that, but it is not known who they are that shall do so. Who is there but may say as Isaac did, in Gen. 27. 2. I know not the day of my Death. Young men are apt to say, Isaac was an Old man, and might well think that he had not long to live, but we have a long time before us. It may be not. Is it not said, They Dy in Youth, Job 36. 14. Most of those that come into the world, go out of it again before Old Age. Nor does any Young man know at what Age he shall Dy; whether in his Youth, or in his Middle Age, or in his Old Age. For this reason it is Wisdom to be always Watching; that is to be always Re­deeming the Time: Mark 13. 35, 36. Watch ye therefore, for you know not when the Master of the House cometh, at Evening, or at Mid­night▪ or at the Cock-crowing, or in the Morn­ing; lest coming suddenly He find you Sleeping. [Page 108] The Children of men are always in dan­ger of Death. The Water may Drown them; or the Fire may Burn them; or the Air may [...]oy [...]on them: For (as one ob­serves) Every pore in the Body is a door at which Death may Enter in. It may be Death will come and put an End to thy Time without giving thee any warning by Sickness. And therefore it is Wisdom whil [...]t men have Health, to improve the [...] short Time in preparations for Eternity. A thousand Accidents not thought of may put an End to their time in one moment▪ The Scripture tells of Seven and Twenty Thousand men, who lo [...]t their lives at once in a moment, by the falling of a Wall which crushed them to Death. A thing which they little dream'd of, 1 King. 20. 30. Little did they in Sod [...]m & Gomorr [...] when they saw it was a fair Sun-shining Morning, imagine that e [...]re Night an hor­rible Tempe [...]t would carry them out of the world. Have we not known some, and some Godly persons too, that the Fire of God from Heaven, that is Thunder and Lightning has in less than a minute struck them Dead? And have there not in our Days been Earthquakes, by means whereof Thousands have Perished, who [Page 109] had not a quarter of an Hours warning to prepare for Death and Eternity? There are many that if they did but know how little Time they have to be in the world, would not spend it so unprofitably as they do. Wherefore Christ sayes, But know this, if the Good man of the House had known in what hour the Thief would come, he would have matched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up: therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. Many there are that if they knew that they had but one Year to live, they would improve their short time otherwise than they do. When­as it may be they have not one Month, nor one Day to continue on this side of Eter­ [...]ty. We read of one that said to his Soul, Thou ha [...]t Goods laid up for many Years. But God said unto him, Thou Fool, this Night thy Soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall these things be which thou ha [...]t provided? Luk. 12. 20. Well might he be called a Fool, since he vainly presumed upon a long time to come, and had spent his past time only in providing for this world, and not for another which is E­ [...]ernal, and into which he was immediat [...] [...]o go. Now I [...] it is Folly for men con­sidering [Page 110] the uncertainty of their Lives to neglect the present opportunity, then to redeem it is Wisdom. None of us know, but that this Week may be our last Week, this Day our last Day, and therefore it is Wis­dom for us to Redem our Time every Week, and every Day.

V. Men must be accountable for their Time. Therefore it is wisdom to Redeem it, that so they may be able to give a good Ac­count. Thus the Apostle, 1 Pet. 1. 17. If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work, pass the Time of your sojourning here in Fear. Christians have reason to be afraid of mis­pending their Time, lest when the Judge calls them to an account, they should not be able to give a good account. The Day will certainly come when Time shall be no longer, and then every man must give an account how he has spent his Time, Luk. 16 2. Give an account of thy Steward­ship, for thou must be no longer Steward. So the Lord will say, Give an account of thy Time, for thou must have Time no longer. All Talents must be accounted for. A reckoning Day will come; as in the Pa­ [...]able of the Talents is Expressed, Mat. 25. [...]9. Therefore Time which is a great Ta­lent, [Page 111] men must be accountable for to Him that has trusted them with it, who keeps an Exact account what time every one has had: Not only of what Years, but of what Hours men have Enjoyed. Christ said to the Disciples, The very Hairs on your Heads are all numbred. Then we may be sure that the Hours of our Life are all numbred. And if it be true, (as it can­not but be true, because He who is Truth it self has spoken it,) that every Idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment, Mat. 12. 36. Much more shall they give an account of every Idle hour. And as men shall be called to an account concerning what time they have Enjoyed, so concerning, what opportunities and advantages they have had for the Improvement of their time: what means of Grace they have Enjoyed, what Ministry they have lived under and how long. The Lord caused it to be r [...] ­corded that the Jems had lived Twenty Three Years under the Prophet Jeremiahs Awakening and Soul melting Ministry, Jer. 25. 3. In that Day the Lord will say to a man, Thou did [...]t live in such a Count [...]ey so long: but how did [...] thou spend thy Time there? To another, Thou did [...] go [Page 112] so many Voyages to Sea; but how did [...]t thou spend thy Time when at Sea? To another, Thou didst sojourn in such a Fa­mily for so many Dayes; but how did [...]t thou spend thy Time there? To another the Lord will say, I favour [...]d thee with singular means of Grace: Thou did [...]t hear above a Thousand Sermo [...]s, and good Books were put into thy hands to Read, but what improvement didst thou make of them all? Now that man that shall be able to give a good account of his Time, the Day of Judgment will be a most Joy­ful Day to him. If Christ shall then say to him as He did to Nathaniel, Joh. 1. 48. When thou wast under the Fig-tree, I saw thee. I saw thee often Praying to God, and Praising of Him, and Mourning for Sin. I know thou didst spend thy Time well: Thou wast alwayes doing something or other that was pleasing to me: Thou did [...] husband thy time and talents well; and now I will reward thee for it. Here's a Crown of Eternal Life and Glory for thee. But on the other hand, as for those that will be able to give no good account of their Time, the Day of Judgment will be a Dismal Day to them. Yea, it will be so not only to those that lived long un­profitably [Page 113] in the world, but, to Young men also, who have consumed their Time in the Vanities of Youth: Eccl. 11. 9, Rejoyce O Young man in thy Youth. Walk in the wayes of thy Heart, & in the sight of thine Eyes; But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment. For spending thy time in these things God will bring thee to a terrible Judgment. The Lord said concerning Jezabei, I gave her space to Repent, and she Repented not; I will cast her into great tribulation, Rev. 2. 21, 22. When Jesus Christ the Son of God, shall at the Day of Judgment say to a Young man, I gave thee a space of Twenty years to Repent, and thou Repentedst not. And shall say to another, I gave thee a space of Forty years to Repent, and thou Re­pentedst not. And to another, I gave thee Fifty years time, and yet thou Re­pentedst not. Will He not say, Cast the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness.

VI. It will be with men to all Eternity, ac­cording as they improve or neglect their Time. It is therefore great Wisdom for them to Redeem Time, and infinite Folly for them not to do it. They are wise that are wise for Eternity. They that in Time seek the face of God so as to obtain. [Page 114] His favour thro' Jesus Christ, are happy to Eternity. This one thing was the substance of the Sermons Preached by the Holy Prophets of old, Hos. 10. 12. It is time to seek the Lord, until He come and rain Righteousness upon you. The more Time we have, the greater will be our Glory in the Eternal Kingdom, if Time has been spent and improved as it ought to have been. But they that neglect their Time until time shall be no longer afforded to them, will be miserable to Eternity. A late Writer speaks of a wanton Lady who Dyed not long since, that had by the Ex­ample of her Ungodly Unhappy Mother, spent her Time in vicious Courses: but when she was Dying, her Mother [...]and­ing by her Bed-side, she uttered such dis­mal words as these: It is now too late for you to speak to me of God; You have undone me. I am going to Hell before, and you will follow after me. Oh, remember that as Time leaveth a man or Woman, so Eter­nity will find them. The world to come is no Seed time, only an Harvest in which men shall Reap the fruit of what they were doing in Time, whether it were Good or Evil. None shall be Prebationers in the other World. For there they are [Page 115] fixed down in an Unchangeable E [...]ate. The Great Gulf of Eternity is then fixed, which there is no passing through. So that a man by loosing his Time may be Eternally undone. By loosing his Time, he may loose his immortal Soul, so as that the Redemption of his Soul shall cease for ever. He that shall spend away his whole Life-time in the service of Sin, or in a careless neglect of God, and of his own Soul, and Salvation by Christ, will be a miserable Creature throughout the never Ending Ages of Eternity. It is then the greatest Wisdom, and of infinite Concern­ment for them that have mi [...]pent the Time past of their Life, to do so no longer, but now to Redeem the Time.

We proceed now to some APPLICA­TION of the Doctrine which has been [...]h [...]s Opened and Confirmed.