686 SERMON Ill. ~'fnJf ~~ri~~~J~at the fi rl\ Tal\e of it fhed a deadly Taint and Malignity into the Veins \ Sin is fuch an exceeding Evil, that :tis the feverel\ Punifhment Divine Jul\ice icflicts on Smners on thiS lideHell. The g!Vmg Men over to tbe Power of their L~Pr,isthemofi fearful J,udgment, not only With relpect to the Caufe, God's unrelen ting and unquench. able Anger, and the Hfue, everlafimg Defiructwn, but m the quality of the Judgment Nay, did Sin appear as odious in our Eyes as it does in God's, we fhould account it rh~ i~~~~~;: fu~~=~ld~[~~·tl~~~~ollutwns of the Damned to be an Evil exceeding the Sin is pregnant with all kinds of Evils, the Seeds of it are big with Judgments. The Evils that arc obvious to Senfe, or that are Spiritual and Inward, Temporal and Eter. nal Ev1ls, all proceed from Sm, often as the Natural Caufe, and always as the Meritorious.. And many times the fame Punifhmenr is produc'd by the Efficiency of Sin, as well as mflu~led for 1ts Gmlt. Thus Uncl eannefs, without the miraculous Waters of Jealoufy, rots the Body, and the Pleafure of Sin is revenged by a loathfom confuming. Difeafe, the natural Confequence of it. Thus Intemperance and Luxury iliorten the Lives of Men, and accelerate Damnation. Fierce Defires, and wild Rage are Fewel for the everlafting Fire in He)!. The fame Evils conlidered Phylically, are from the Efficiency of Sin; confider'd legally, are from the Guilt of Sin, and the Jufiice of God, This being a Point of great Ufefulnefs, that I may be more inftruchve, I will confider the Evils that are confcquential to Sin, under thefe two Head.. Firf/, Such as proceed immediately from it b)' Emanati~n. Secondly, Thofc Evils, and all other as the Effects of God's Jul\ice and Sentence. Firf/, The Evils that proceed immediately by Emanation from it: and tho' Come of them are not refented with fee ling Apprchenfions by Sinners, yet they are of a fearful Nature. Sin has deprived Man of the Purity,Nobility, and Peace of his innocent State. 1. It has ftain'd and tainted him with an uuiverfal,intimate and permanent Pollution. Man in his fir!t Creation was holy and righteous : a Beam of Ileauty derived from Heaven was ilJed upon his Soul, in comparifon of which, fenfitive Beauty is but as the Clearnefs of Glafs, to the Lufter of a D1amond. His Underfianding tva< Light in the Lord, his Will and Affectwns were regular and pure, the Divine Image was impreft upon all his Faculties, that attraCled the Love and Complacency of God himfelf. Sin has blotted out all his amiable Excellencies, and fuperinduc'd the moll foul Deformity, the Original of which was fetch'd from Hell. Smners are the natural Children of Sa· tan, of a near Refemblance to him. The Scripture borrows Comparifons to reprefent the defiling Quality of Sin, from Pollutions that are mof\ loathfom to our Senfes: from pef/ilential Ulcers , putrijjing Sores, filthy Vomit, and defiling Mire. This Pollution is univerfal through the whole Man, Spirit, Soul andBody. It darkens the Mind, our fupream Faculty, with a Cloud of Corruption ; it depraves the Will, and vitiates the Affections. 'Tis a Pollution fo deep and permanent, tlm the Deluge that fwept away a World of Sinners, did not wail1 away their Sins : and the Fire at the lafi Day, that fl1all devour the Drofs of the viGble World, and renew the Heavehs and the Earth, fl1all not purge away the Sins of the guilty Inhabitants. This Pollution hath fo defil'd and disfigur'd Man, who was a fair and lovely Type, wherein the Skill and Perfections of the Creator was confpicuous, that it repented God that he made Man. As an Artificer having form'd a furprizing Piece, either a Statue or Picture, wherein Art almof\ equal'd the Life and Lufter of Nature; if it be torn or broken, throws it froin his Gght With forrow, impatient to fee it fo rudely defaced : Thus God i,s f:iid to hide his Face from SinnerS, to exprels his Difpleafure, as unwilling to behG!d the Difparagement of h!s Ma!ter-piece, the excellent Product of Ius Wtfaom and Power. . 2 • Sin has degraded Man from his native State and Dignity. Man by his Extratlwn and Defceot was tbe Son of God, a little loJVer than the A11geis, confecrated and crowned, as a Prieft for the Service and Communion with his glorious Maker, and as King over the World. But being in Honour, he tmderf/ood not his Dignity, his Duty aNd Felicity, and became like tbe Beaj/s that perifh. By his Rebellion againft his Creator, he made a Forfeitu re of his Dominion, and loft the Obedience of fenGble Creatures,. and the Semce of Infcnfibl e; which I only mention, and {hall refiram my ConGderatwn, to fhew how he is become like the Bea!ts, as an Effect refulnng from Ius Sm. He IS devefied ~f his white Robe of Innocence, and his noble{\ Perfechons, Reafon and Rehgto~ . Senfe and Imagination, the leading Faculties in Bru~es, are hiS Rulers : The ratwnal governing Powers of Man, have Jolt their fupenor Sway1 and ;he Carnal Pa!lions. ro~e without Reins to forbidden Objects. T he lower Appetlles are predommant, wh1ch !S ' the moft ignominious and cruel Seryitude !fherein Human Liberty can be inrang1~~
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