Serm.CIX. The Shamefalnefr of Sins &c. upon the head, and covered over withfilth anddurt, with duff andafher, in tokenof our (name and confufion of Face for all our Iniquities and Tranfgreflìons. Hence arethofe Expreflìons in Scriptureof Repenting in Sackcloth and Afhes, of lying down in our fhame, andbeing cover'd with confufion, in token of their great forrow and Ihame fer themanifoldandheinous Sins, which they had been guilty of. Of the formerof thefe, viz. Trouble and Sorrow for our Sins, I have very lately * treated ; and of the latter, I intend now byGod's afiillance to fpeak, *Ser. 1076 viz. Shame for our Sins, and that from thefe Words which I have recited to you ; What fruit had ye then in thofe things? &c. In which Words the Apoftle makes a comparifon between an Holy and Virtuous, and a Sinful and Vicious courfeof Life, and lets before us a perfect enumeration of the manifeft "Inconve- niences of the one, and the manifold Advantages of the other. Firfi, The manifeft Inconveniencesof a Vicious andSinful courfe ; and the A- poftle mentions thefe three. . L It is unprofitable, it brings no manner ofprefent Benefit and Advantage to us, if all things be rightly calculated and confider'd. What fruit had ye then in thofe things ? Then (i. e.) at the time when you committed thofe Sins, had you any prefent Advantage by them? No, certainly ; but quite contrary. II. The reflection upon our Sins afterwards is caufe of Shame and confufion to us ; What fruit hadyou then in thole things, whereofye are now afhamed? III. The final iffue andconfequence of thefe things is very difmal andmifeha- ble ; The end of thofe things is death. Let us put thefei things together, and fee what they amount to : No Fruit then when ye did thefe things, and (harm now when ye come afterwards to reflect upon them, anddeath and miferyat thelaft. Secondly, Here is likewife on the other hand reprefented to us themanifold Be- nefits of anHoly and Virtuous Life. And that upon thefe two accounts. I. Ofthe prefent Benefit of it, which the Apoftle calls here, fruit ; Te have yourfruit unto Holinefr. II. In refpe&ofthe future Reward of it ; And the end Everlafling Life. Here is a confiderable Earneftin hand, and a mighty Recompence afterwards, infinite- ly beyond the proportion of our heft A&ions and Services, both in refpe&of.the greatnefs and the durationof it, Everlafling Life; fora few tranfient and very imperfect actions ofobedience, a perfect and immutable and endlefs (lateof Hap- pinefs. I (hall begin with the Firfi of the two general Heads, viz. Themanifeft Inconveniences of a Sinful andVicious courfe ; and the Apoftle I told you in the Text takes noticeof three. I. It is unprofitable, and if all things be rightly calculated and confider'd, it brings no mannerof prefent Advantage and Benefit to us. Whatfruit hadye then in thofe things ? Then (i. e.) When ye committed thofe Sins, had you any pre- fent Advantage by them ? No certainly, quite contrary ; as if the Apoftle had faid, if you ferioufly reflecthpoti your formercourfe of Impiety and Sin, wherein you have continued fo long, you cannot butacknowledge that it brought no man- ner of advantage toyou; and when all accounts are truly caft up, you mutt, if you will confefs the Truth, own that you were in no fort gainers by it : For the Words are a and the Apofle plainly intends more than he expreffeth, Whatfruit hadyou then in thofe things ? (i. e.) The wicked courfe which ye for- merly lived in, was fo far from being any ways' Beneficial to you, that it was on the contrary upon all accounts extreamly to your prejudice and difadvantage. And this is notonly true in refpe&of the final Itfue and Confequence ofa Sinful and Vicious courfe of Life, thatno Man is a gainer by it at the long run; and if wetake into our confiderationanother World, and the dreadful and endlefs mifery which a wicked and impenitent Life will then plunge Men into, (which in the farther handlingof this Text will at large be fpoken to, being the laft of the three Particulars under this Firfi general Head :) But it is true likewife, even in refpeec of this World, and with regard only to this prefent and temporal Life, without looking fo far as thefuture Recompence and Punifhment ofSin inanother World. And this would plainly appear, by an Induction ofthefe three Particulars. F a, it 33
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=