...__-___ 140 SERMONS upon ,Therm. XXI. 2. A lively fenfe and *talk of Gods Mercy and Goodnefs , ofhis forbearing Mercy, that he did not ftrike affoon as the offence was co mitted , Rom. 2.4. The goodvefd of God teacloth thee to repentance : Redeeming Mercy by Chrilt, r yob. 3. 5. Te know that he was manifefled to take away our fins; Covenanting Mercy, or the offers of Pardon and Life in the new Covenant, Ails 17. 3o. The time of this ignorance God winked at , but now he comtnandetb all men every where to repent : His healing Mercy, Tit. 3.5. According to his mercy he faved us by the waffling of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft. To offend fo good a God, or 1m againit the Lord of Love and Mercy is a great crime. 3. The new Nature, which is contrary to Sin, Pfal. 97. 10. Te that love the Lord hate evil ; there is Odium offnfionis, & odium inimicitiai, a hatred of offence, and a ha- tred of enmity. 4. Their ferioufnefs : before the deluded Soul is fo taken up with flefhly Pleafures, and deludin g Obje &s, that they had no time nor room to confider of their ways, what with bufnelsand fenfual delights, and the crowd of worldly cares , and the noife of foolilh (ports, and fenfual paffions, their hearts were diverted from ob(erving things of the greateft and everlafting confequence,. they did in effect forget they had Souls to Cave or lofe, or a God to ferve, or a Glory to look after : but now they remember, and loath themfelves. V/c r.'To thew how much they differ front the People of God that wallow in all manner of filthinefs, and know no fhame ; Impudency is a great note of Obftivacy and Impenitency, Zeph. 3. 5. The unjufi knoweth no fhaine. By long cuftom in finning they lofe the fenfe of the filthinefs and odioufnefs of it, and fo outgrow all feelings of Con - fcience. 2. To ftir up in the People of God this holy flume, by reafon of fin palt and pre- rent. It is a great help to the fpiritual Life; for when we make light of fin, we are in danger of being overcome by it. Therefore route up your felves, Is the offending of the eternal God a flight thing ? Surely God doth not make his Laws for nought , nor doth he make filch a ftir by his Word and Providence againit a tame and harmlefs thing, nor threaten men to Hell for fmall indifferent matters, neither needed Chrift to have dy- ed , and done all that he bath done to cure a fmall and little difeafe. More particu- larly, r. Sin is the Creatures Rebellion and Difobedience to the Law of the abfolutely uni- verfal Soveraign, r Job. 3. 4. Whofoever committetb fin tranfgreffth the Law 5 for fin is the tranfgrefin of the Law. 2. The Deformity of the nobleft Creature upon earth, Rem. 3. 23. For all have fin- ned,, and come Port of the glory of God. 3. A (tain fo deep, that nothing could wath it away but the Blood of Chrift, Rev. r. 5, 6. To him that loved us., and wajhed our (ins with his own blood, &c. 4. It bath yielded a flood that drowned the World of Sinners, yet it did not walk away their fins, 2 Pet. 2. 9. Bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. 5. Hell it felfcan never do it, nor purge but the malignity of it, therefore it bath no end, Marl¿ 9. 44. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 6. God himfelf doth loath the Cteature for fin, and nothing elfe but fin, Zech. 11.8. Three fhepberds alfa I cut off in one month, and my foul loathed them. Deut. 32. rg., When the Lord few it he abhorred them, becaufe of the provoking of his fons and of his daughters.. Pfal. 78. 59. When God fan: this be was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael. If. As it fets forth the evil and the odioufnefs of Sin; -fbame dogs Sin at the heels. Do &rive. That Sin is really the matter. of Shame. r, It is fo for the pre£ent, it will make you loathfom to your (elves, infamous to o- thers , odious to God. r. Loathfom to our felves; therefore a wicked man dareth not to converfe with his own Heart, but doth what he can to fty from himfelf, to divert his thoughts from the fight of his own Soul, or the view of his own natural face in the Glafs of the Word , Job. 3. 20. Every one that doth evil hated the light , neither cometh he to the light, left his deeds fhould be reproved. There is a fecret bofom-witnefs which they fear,, Job 27. 6. My. righteoufitefs 1 hold fall, and will not let it go, my heart (hall not reproach me fo long as I live. There needeth, a great deal of do to being a man and his Confcience together. 2. Infamous to others: he briugeth a blot upon himfelf, Prev. 13.5. A righteoxs maw hateth lying,, tut a.wicked man isloathfom, and cómeth to fhame. They are a difgrace to the
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