100 ; 1· It is acontcmp_t ofall the means of Grace, whid\ 1 are all to bring us to obedience, and keep us or c.:!.ll us frOm our-- lms ; Puyer, S~cr,amcnts &c. 32•.lt is acontempt of the Lovt• and Labours of the Minifiers ofChrifi; a difobeying them grieving them, and fruftrating their hopes and the labours of their lives. ' . 33· It is a debafing_ef Rea[o11, the fup<riour faculty of the foul, and a fetting up of'the fiefh or mfcnour facultteJ; like {etung-dogs to Govern men., or the horfe to rule the llder• . ..; body, 34· It is a blindi>tg of rcafon, and a mifufing the nobldl_ faculties ?f the foul, and frufirating only fufK r ill, the:m of the ufe aTtd end's whtch they were made for ·: And fo It15 the dHordcr, monftrofity) ficknefs, bur !ick fouls or death of the foul. both !iofloo· i:J, 3>5· h is• ( in its \neaftU;e )> the Image of the Devil. up0Q the foul, who is the Father of fin: all!l ~~~,;;~:;1 M,.. therefore the moll odious deformity of the foul: And rhis where the Holy Ghofl !hould dwell, and p. 3 , 4 . the•l~a,g,e and dehr,br.pl God, !hould be. 36. lt is the moral dellruCtion not only of the foul, but of the whole Creation, fo farr as the Crea– tmesar.eappointtd as the,Meaus.to brin!l or·keepus.unto Go.d: F~r the ~•nj, as a Means is dellroyed when 1t" nor u!cd to tts End : A !h1p 1s ufelds1f no one be earned m 1t : ·A watch ~s fuch is ufelefs when nQt ufcd to !hew the hour of the da.y. All the wodd as it is the Book that !hould [each us th~ will of God, is call by, when that ufe is cafi by. Nay fin ufeth the Creatuu againll God wbich flilluid.ltave hem ufed.for·him• 37· 1t is a contradiCting of our own Confellions and Profellions: a wronging of our Confcie~ces: a viol.ltion of oUr Covenants, and [elf obligations to Gqd. 38. It is a prefCrringof7ime before Erernity, and regarding things of a tranfitory nature, and 1 mometHS pleature, i>(fo~ that wrhich ne,ver fhdl ha.V 1 1! end.· 1hepcae:-t- · 39· It is a making a breach in the harmonic and·order of the world : As the dHlocarlon or defor– ~:*~~~ff~~- mity of a particular member., is the trouble and defor~fY,qf all lhe Body, becaufe tbe comlim!fs and welfare of the whole, containerh the comlinefs, proportion and wclfue- of all the pa~:rs; And as rhe . dillocitloo. or breaking of one par-t in a Watch. or 6:\oo:k, is again.fi the ufe of all the engine; fo cie:i~~. every man being a part of the Kingdom of God, <loth by fin make a breach in theorder of the whole ; and alfo gjveth an ill c><;~mple to ,91};\er !1artS, and makes himfelf uo(efviceable ro \he body : and di01ononreth the whole liody with the blot of Rebellion; and lets in judgement on the world; and k;ndlerh at confu<Wng fire in the place ;vl)ere he li•~th";, :Uld.is c.ruel and injurious to o.thqs. 40• Sin is not only a,prekrring the Bo<)'L before the Soul, but it is a,lfo.an VJJmer<iful~eji, or Crt~· elty againll our felvcs, both foul and body, and fo ,_is cant;rarY.to ttie'tme ufe of the ~nd.ekble p•in· ci,ple of feJf-love: For it is a woundi1)g and abuli~jg the So)ll, and defiling the Body in this lil<, and a cafiin~ both on the wxath of God ; an.d mto the flilm.es of Hell hereafter, m: a dang~mus venturin~ them 1n<o the way of e.ndlefs damnauon and defpatr : an<\ a contempt o.f thofc mfi1tferable tor· ments. All thefe parts of!Jialignity awl poyfon are inJ<injical tofi~ an<) fouQd in rhe_very }(otMreQfit• . 9- •:7· The comll\Qn AggravatiQIIS 9f fin beiug wri!ten of by many, and calily gathqr~d frQtn what is faid.of the nature of it, I {h.aU briefly name only a few• . r. 'Fhe Infinite ptHecl:jon of Gqd in all thofe blefkd 4ttr\butes an~ ~clatians, which fin i• aga.iofi, is the Greatefi Aggravation of fin. 2 , The uneouceivable Glory of H,taven which is defpifed is a gr~ aggravation of Go. 3 , So j• the greatnefs of th.e J'ormen\s of Hell, which finners cjefeife and venture on. • 4 • So is the great Oppo!ition that God hath made againll fin, having bid and done fo much againtl it, and dcclar.ed. himlelf to hate nothing elfe immediately in the.world. S· The tlearnefs of evidence againll it, the nothingnefs of all that can be faid for it, is alfo a grea\ aggravation of it. . . 6. So is the fullncfs, and fitnefs, and power of all the Means mCreatures, providences, and S"i· piuies' that is·vouchfafed the world ag1in(l il· . 7 . So is the experience and warning of all ages, the repentings o( th~ c~nvmed, and tl)~ di[ol}'n· ing it by ~!moll all whtn they co,mc to-die. wonderf~l! thjll the ex~riq~ce of the 'Vflrld for above five thoufand years, will teach them no more effectually tQ avoid fq mortal pernicious a thipg. 8.,The neerncfs to u.o allo ·is an Aggrilvation : It is !JP(~ dillant ev)l, but in our bowels; in our very hearts : we arc bound fo llrictly to love our felves, that it is agreat ~ggr0vation, to do our [elves fo great a mifchief; . 9· The confiant inhzfion of Gn is a great aggravation : that it is ever with us, lying dpwn and tt· fing up, at h9me and abroad ; we are never free f~om it. . . . 1 o. That it !houldpoyfon all our common merCies, and ~:orrupt al\ 90~ duues, IS an aggravation. But we !hall take up fome of thefe anon_. . See•he A.f9· t8. The fpecial Aggravations of the fins of Gods own Children are thcfe. l· They Gn agamll femblles he· a neerer Relation than others do; even againfi that God that is their father by the new b1rth, whtcb f!.tr G.techifm is more heynous than jf a firanger did it. . . :~bo_ur :tgg;:afi2. They are Chrifis own mtmbtr.J ~ and it is rnofl 11nnatural for ha M~mb1r1 to rebel agam!\ htm, or vanons o. m. do himwrong. . . . 3· They fin againll more rxcel'en1 operation! of tb~ JPirit, than others do, and agamfi a pttnC!ple ·of Life within them. · 4· They fin againll the differencing gracr, which appeared in their converlion. God took them out of a world of linnets, whom he pall by when he could as well have fanchheJ them>And fhould iileytG quickly thus requite him? 5· They
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