DOCTRINE.
The great EVIL of every SIN consists in this, that it is committed against GOD.

Of every Sin—not only of those which immediately re­spect God; as Blasphemy, Idolatry, Sabbath-breaking, and the like; but also of those which immediately respect and injure our selves, or Neighbours; as in this Case of David.

Their great Evil—their great Aggravation, that which above all Things renders us to blame, and deserving of Pu­nishment for our Sins, is, that they are against God.—They may be against our own Interest and Honour in this World; and we may be to blame on that Account. They may be against our Welfare in the World to come; and we may be to blame on that Account. They may be against our Neigh­bour's Good, for Time, or for Eternity, or both; and we may be to blame in that Respect. But this is the great Evil of Sin, that it is against God.

Some assert, that our great Obligation to Virtue arises from its Tendency to our own particular Happiness: and that therefore the great Evil of Sin consists in its Tendency to our own particular Misery. — Others maintain, that our great Obligation to Virtue arises from its Tendency to pro­mote the publick Good: and consequently the great Evil of Sin must consist in its Tendency to injure the Publick.— But the Scripture-Scheme is different from both: for ac­cording to that, it seems, our great Obligations to Virtue must arise from GOD; because, 'tis plain, in Scripture-Ac­count, the great Evil of Sin consists in its being against GOD. Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned.

[Page 7] Here I will attempt to shew,

• I. How, and in what Respects, Sin is against GOD.
• II. How great an Evil it is on that Account.
• III. That this is the great Evil of Sin.

Which Heads being gone through, I shall offer some Re­marks, and then apply the whole to our own Use.

I am to shew,

I. How, and in what Respects, Sin is against GOD.

And here,

1. Sin is contrary to the Nature of God.—A sinful Nature and a holy Nature are in direct Opposition; they are a per­fect Contrariety to each other. The carnal Mind is Enmity against God. ^‖ And Sin is that abominable Thing which God's Soul abbors. ^† The holy one of Irael is a Being of infinite Understanding, and of perfect Rectitude; and has a compleat and comprehensive View of all Things; and in all Cases sees what is right & sit & beautiful to be done—how the DEITY should be loved and honoured in the World which he has made—and how his Creatures and Subjects should live to­gether in mutual Love and Benevolence, and not an unjust or cruel Act be ever done thro' out all his Dominions. And as God sees what is right and fit and beautiful, and what is contrary; so he is accordingly affected towards Things. He loves Righteousness, and hates Iniquity. ^* — Let God be esteemed, reverenced, honoured and obeyed—Let Love and Good-will prevail and be established among his Subjects— Let every Thing of a contrary Savour be eternally banish'd his Dominions; and God will be well pleased: But if any Dishonour is done to the DEITY, or Injury to our Fellow­Subjects, nothing can displease him more: for there is no­thing he hates like Sin: It is the abominable Thing which his Soul hates. Sin is more odious and detestable to him, than the most abominable Thing on Earth is to us. His Aversion to it is vehement beyond the Conception of any finite Mind. [Page 8]His Aversion to it is absolutely infinite.—In this Respect therefore Sin is against God. It is a going directly contrary to his Nature; and that in the most tender Point; in a Thing which comes nearest his Heart. Nothing is so cross to him, nothing can disoblige him so much, or displease him, or grieve his Heart, like this.—As when a Man's Wife de­parts from him, and commits Whoredom with another Man, and breaks his Heart by her ill Carriage: So, says God, I am broken with their whorish Heart. ^* And therefore, says he, to his beloved People, It ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but WALK CONTRARY unto me; then, such a Conduct would be so intolerably provoking, I will not, I cannot bear it, but I will WALK CONTRARY unto you also in FURY. ^† But a sinful Conduct is called a walking con­trary to God, in Scripture, not only because it is thus in di­rect Contrariety to the divine Nature: but also because

2. Sin is against the Law, Authority and Government of Almighty GOD — For, as God hates Sin with an infinite hatred; so he has with the utmost Engagedness forbidden it: saying, Cursed is every one, that continues not in ALL Things written in the Book of the Law, to do them. ^‖—As Go­vernour of the World He sets up himself against Sin; for­bidding it with all his Authority, and standing ready to pu­nish it with all his Power: and it is even one main End of his universal Government, to discountenance and suppress it, throughout all his Dominions.

No doubt, Almighty GOD has Right to govern the World: for originally He is absolute LORD of it; and by [Page 9]NATURE he is GOD MOST HIGH: and his GOD­HEAD and his LORDSHIP give him an undoubted Right of Government. And accordingly He has taken the Throne, set Himself up at the Head of the Universe, and undertaken the Government of all Things, and especially of the whole System of Intelligences.—And,

No doubt, his Government is WORTHY to be univer­sally submitted unto: for it is all perfect and glorious. His Laws and his Dispensations are perfect in Wisdom, Recti­tude and Goodness: and even as He himself is infinitely worthy of all Love and Veneration, so that his very Being affords infinite Ground of Joy among his Creatures; even so his Government is just like himself, and exhibits his very Image, and is WORTHY universally to be rejoyced in. As it is written, The Lord reigneth; let the Earth rejoyce. ^*

Wherefore it is the fittest and happiest Thing in the World, to be, and do, just what he requires: And in his Favour, and under the Protection of his almighty Arm, there must be the most absolute Safety and Security.—So that it might reasonably have been expected, that all his Subjects, thro'out all his Dominions, would join to say, LET GOD REIGN FOR EVER; and that they would all, with one Heart, have exulted at the Thought of being in Subjection to such a KING.

But the Sinner comes in, and dissents from his whole Constitution, and that both in Heart and Life. ‘As for his Law, says he, I do not like it, and will not obey it. As for his Authority, I do not own it, and will not regard it. As for his universal Government and glorious Kingdom, it is not to my Mind—I revolt—I will not have him to reign over me. ^‖ I can prescribe better Rules to live by. I will not be dependent on him, nor in sub­jection to him.’ Thus the Sinner revolts from his Govern­ment, casts off his Authority, breaks his Law, and in the Language of Scripture, rebels against the Lord. For, in Scrip­ture, THIS is always considered as GOD's WORLD, He [Page 10]our rightful LORD and KING; and all our Duty is en­joined, and all Sin is forbidden, by his AUTHORITY; and therefore every Act of Sin is considered as an Act of Rebellion against the Lord, and Sinners have the Character of Rebels. ^*

Now, in as much as God stands ready, at the Head of the Universe, to employ his infinite Wisdom & almighty Power, to discountenance all Rebellions, and suppress and crush all obstinate Rebels, and maintain good Government thro'out his Dominions; so that, Things being thus, there is no Way for the obstinate Rebel to escape an eternal Overthrow, and everlasting Shame and Contempt: it is therefore in his Heart, to wish the ALMIGHTY dethroned, his whole Go­vernment overturned, and the Sword of Justice wrested from Him. And had he sufficient Power on his Side, the latent Temper of his Heart would soon form into the terrible Re­solution; nor would he delay venturing on the dreadful Attempt.—Thus, Sin is against the Law, Authority, and universal Government of Almighty GOD. Hence, God esteems the Sinner as his Enemy: and accordingly, Sinners are called Enemies to God, in Scripture. ^‖ And are said to be even Enmity against him. ^† And they are not, says the Apostle, subject to the divine Law, neither indeed can be.

And this leads me to add, that

3. Sin is against the Being of God.—For, since God is at the Head of the Universe (as was before said) and unchan­geably determined to maintain good Government through­out [Page 11]all his Dominions, and possessed of an almighty, irresisti­ble Power; there is no hope, that the obstinate Rebel should escape Punishment, so long as God lives: for so long as God lives, God will reign: and so long as God reigns supreme, obstinate Rebels cannot escape: for God's Determination to punish Sin is immutable as his very Being: and there­fore if God lives, the impenitent Sinner must die.—But those, who are Enemies to God, had rather there should be no God, than that themselves should be punished.

When once a Creature has become so vile and impious, as to revolt from the Government of the MOST HIGH, and begin Rebellion, and enter the Lists against the ALMIGH­TY; if left to himself, without any Restraint, or hope of Mercy, (and we know, God was not obliged, to open a Door of Hope, to any Rebel in his Dominions,) and if armed with sufficient Power to bear down all before Him; we may easily guess, to what Length he would carry Things. The same Disposition, which moved him to begin Rebellion, would naturally excite him to go on. By his first Act of Rebellion his Life and Soul are for ever fórfeited, according to Law, and might justly have remained so. To repent, and undo what he had done, and humble himself, and sue for Mercy, is what a Sinner, in such a Case, would never do. And as to the threatned Punishment, he could never think of bearing that. He would venture upon the boldest and the most DREADFUL Deeds, but that he would carry his Point: Deeds, almost too dreadful to think of, and hardly fit to hint at.— Whosoever hateth his Brother, is a Murderer, ^* as it is written; and would therefore murder his Brother, if left to his own Heart, without any Restraint, and having sufficient Ability and Opportunity in his Hands: What then would the Wretch do, who hates his Maker, is an Enemy to his God, and even Enmity against him!— We see how a guilty World has treated the SON of God—We see how they have treated the Prophets, & Apostles. ^† And we may easily guess what dreadful Work there would be, were the Sinner an over-match for OMNIPOTENCY. Such is the inexpressible Malignity of Sin.

[Page 12] 4. Sin is against the Honour of God. 'Tis even a despi­sing the Lord, and a treating the MOST HIGH with Con­tempt.—All his Perfections are despised; and consider'd as our Creator, Preserver, Governour, Redeemer, and the Foun­tain of all Good, he is despised by Sin.

Hear the contemptuous Language of the Sinner's Conduct.— "God sees you, O Sinner! and will you dare to transgress?" Yes, his all-seeing Eye shall not terrify me— ‘God is near at Hand! you are in his very Presence! O Sinner, will you venture to offend?’ Yes, God's Presence shall not re­strain me: I don't regard him so much.— ‘But he is girt with Strength, and hath an almighty Arm; and you are but a Worm, without Strength, and can make no Resistance! will you dare to provoke him to Jealousy?’ Yes, I will do as I please, let him do his worst.— ‘But remember, he is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity! Oh, there­fore do not that abominable Thing, which his Soul hates!’ I care not what he loves, nor what he hates: I will please my self, let him take it as he will.— ‘But consider, he is un­changeably determin'd to render to every one according to their Deeds, to him that doth Evil, Tribulation and Wrath! and who can stand before him, when once he is angry! for our God is a consuming Fire! Therefore, O Sinner, forbear.’ No, I'll not be restrained: I'll gratify my Lusts, at all Adventures. For I regard not his Threats.— ‘But he is a Being of infinite Goodness and Mercy, Pati­ence and Forbearance; and this should lead you to a bet­ter Mind, O Sinner!’ No, no, I despise his Goodness, Long-suffering and Forbearance; and I can be hard-hearted enough to go on, in spite of all his tender Mercies.— ‘But, O Sinner, infinite Wisdom pronounces, that this your Way is your Folly! and cries, Turn, O Turn at my Re­proof! lest otherwise, ere long, I laugh at your Calamity, and mock when your Fear comes! and will you not be dictated by the infinitely wise God?’— No, no, I know what is best for my self, and that better than be does; and I chuse to be my own Director, and to walk in my own Ways." ‘But is he not the God that made you? Have not his [Page 13]Hands formed you? Are you then your own? Are you not the Lord's? And ought you not therefore to be for him?’ I renounce the God that made me: I disown his Right to me: I will not be for him, but for my self; for I will please my self, altho' he is grieved.— ‘But consider, He has nourished and bro't you up tenderly, as his own Child; & fed & cloath­ed you all your Life long! and will you be more sottish than the Ox and the Ass?’ Yes, Yes, after all, I will rebel against Him.— ‘But how can you answer it? for He is your sovereign LORD and KING, you are under his Autho­rity, bound by his Law, and accountable at his Tribunal: and you know what Threatnings he has given out. And now, if you have any Regard for him, in any Respect, how dare you go on?’ These Things move me not. I will walk in the Ways of my own Heart: nor will I be controuled. I know not the Lord, nor will I obey him. And in the midst of all his Thunders, I can be at Ease in Zion, and chant to the sound of the Viol.— ‘But if you go on thus to despise the Lord, and to despise his Law, Authority & Government; what will be your End, O Sinner! will not his Wrath wax hot, and smoke against you, & consume you? Con­sider, therefore, how that after all this Wickedness he offers to be reconciled thro' Jesus Christ; and invites you to Repentance! TURN YE, TURN YE, WHY WILL YE DIE! and offers to be your God, and Fa­ther, and Portion. And now, what Answer do you make, O Sinner!’ Why, look on us, and observe our Conduct, and you and all the World may see, that we make light of it, and go our Ways, one to his Farm, and another to his Mer­chandize: whereby we plainly declare, that we despise the Grace of the Gospel, and had rather have the World for our Portion than God himself.—Thus God, in every Point of Light, is disesteemed, disrespected, despised, and even treated with Contempt in the common Conduct of the Sinner.

Any vile Lust is preferred before all the Fulness of God. Those Things and Ways which please the Devil, God's in­veterate Enemy, and the most malicious and hateful Being in the Universe, are chosen, before those Things and Ways [Page 14]which please Jehovah, the greatest and best of Beings. His Authority is trampled on, at whose Presence the Mountains melt and the Earth trembles. A Worm of the Dust sets up himself above the most high GOD, and his Will above God's, and his Interest above God's Glory. If God offers Heaven, Sin despises it: if he threatens Hell, Sin disregards it: If he pleads the dying Love of his SON, and the Riches of his Grace, and beseeches the Sinner to be reconciled, Sin slights it all: or if he commands Men to do their Duty to one another, Sin regards it not: and that notwithstanding his Right to us as his Creatures, and Authority over us as his Subjects, and our Obligations to him as the LORD OUR GOD. And thus the MOST HIGH is by Worms of the Dust treated with Disrespect and Contempt, and that to his Face, and in the Sight of the Sun, in his own World, before his Creatures, before his Friends & Enemies; tending to bring a public Odium upon him & his Ways, and to counte­nance and encourage Rebellion throughout all his Domini­ons, and sink him and his Government into universal Dis­credit, and bring an everlasting Reproach upon his great Name: Thus Sin is against the Honour of God—And up­on this View of Things, may it not, in the

5th and last Place, justly be Enquired, Whether Sin be not against the Happiness of GOD, and whether it does not open such a Scene to his view, as naturally tends to grieve & distress such a Being as God is.

To look down from Heaven, the Throne of his Holiness and Glory, upon this World, which he has made for him­self; and survey all Mankind, by Nature his Creatures, by Right his Subjects. designed to shew forth his Praise; and behold and see how they are revolted from his Government, turned Enemies to his Majesty, and combined together in Rebellion against his Crown and Dignity.—They are set in a Way which is not good, a Way most contrary to his Heart, full of Impiety towards God, and Injustice and Cruelty to­wards one another.—They disregard his Laws, trample un­der Foot his Authority, despise his Goodness, and bid Defi­ance to his Vengeance.— And they are so much against [Page 15]him, that were their Influence and Power sufficient to carry the Point, they would soon take the Field.—The Tendency of their common Conduct is, to dethrone his Majesty, to overturn his Government of the Universe, to bring him into the deepest Contempt, and every Thing that is Right and Good into the utmost Disgrace, and to introduce Dis­order, Confusion and Misery into his Dominions, and Re­bellion which should spread like a contagious Pestilence throughout all his Kingdoms, until all his Subjects should revolt, and all join to treat him with Hatred & Contempt, and even wish him not to be.

And if the Sun in the natural System should be extinct, and all the Light turned into Darkness, and the whole natural World flung into the utmost Confusion, every Orb displaced, every Thing turned upside down, it would not represent half so dreadful and distressing a Scene; as would im­mediately be opened to View, could Sin, without Controul, and with Power irresistible, bear down all Good and Right be­fore it, and rise up to all to that Height of Wickedness and Ruin, to which it naturally tends.— And would not such a moral System of Intelligences exhibit to view a Sight infi­nitely distressing to such a Being as God is, were it beyond his Power and Wisdom ever to regulate Things? But to such a Pass Sin tends to bring the moral World.

So far as we are able to conceive, it seems essential to every intelligent Being, to be liable to mental Pain and Distress, when they are crossed in the most tender Point; when their Nature and Will, Interest and Honour, and every Thing that is dear to them, is counteracted and despised, and, as it were, trampled under Foot: and they in the mean Time unable ever to regulate Things.—So it is evidently with Mankind; with bad and good.— Ahab took to his Bed, and refused to eat; because Naboth denied him his Vineyard. ^* Haman was grieved to the Heart, because Mordecai would not how to him. ^† The chief Priests were in Anguish, be­cause the Apostles preached Jesus and the Resurrection, and filled Jerusalem with their Doctrine. ^‡ And Rivers of Waters [Page 16]ran down David's Eyes, because Men kept not God's Law; for that was a tender Point with him. ^‖ And Jeremiah was ready to be so afflicted, if the Jews would not hearken to their Duty, as in secret Places to weep for their Pride. ^‡— And so it was with the Man Christ Jesus: He was grieved and distressed at the Hardness of Men's Hearts, ^* and wept over the obstinate Jews. ^**

And it is remarkable, that, in Scripture, God is con­stantly represented, as being affected in the same Manner as Men are; and such Words and Phrases are used, as denote painful and distressing Sensations, in order to set forth how he is affected with the vile Conduct of his Creatures. He is said to be grieved, wearied, to be made angry, to be provoked to Wrath, to be vexed; ^† forty Years long was I grieved with this Generation, says God, referring to the perverse Conduct of the Israelites in the Wilderness unto whom, says he, I sware in my Wrath, that they should not enter into my Rest. ^†† And again, I am broken with their whorish Heart. ^{{inverted †}} And I am pressed under you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of Sheaves. ^‖ All which are strong Expressions, as used among Men, to denote and set forth Pain and Distress of Heart, at the Sight of something exceeding grievous.

Not that we are to suppose, that He, who is over all God blessed for ever, is indeed really pained and distressed at the Sight of the shocking Conduct of his rebellious Creatures. For, altho' he nas a full comprehensive View of the whole of it; yet, at the same Time, he as plainly foresees to what a Result and Issue all Things will finally be brought, by his infinite Wisdom and almighty Power: whereby his Authority and Government will be but the more established throughout all his Dominions, and his Name and his Law but the more revered. And altho' a Number of obstinate rebels will be eternally miserable, under the Punishment they justly deserve; yet, in the whole, God will be more glorious, and perhaps the System more happy too, than if Sin had ne­ver [Page 17]been permitted, and Misery had been for ever unknown. Such Power and Authority has he over all Things to order and over-rule, and such is his Wisdom, and such his Holi­ness, Justice and Goodness, that he both knows he can, and knows he will, finally bring Good out of Evil, Light out of Darkness, Order out of Disorder, and Holiness, Harmony and Peace, out of all the Sin, Confusion and Uproar; and all that has happened shall, thro' a long Eternity, serve as a Means, in the Sight of all Worlds, to establish his Throne, confirm his Government, make his Law honourable, his Justice appear tremendous, his Grace glorious, and Sin an exceeding great and dreadful Evil. Therefore he enjoys a perfect Tranquility and an undisturbed Felicity, altho' a World of Wickedness lies open to his View, and Millions of Things are transacted, which have a natural tendency to grieve him (and that not merely forty Years long, but from Age to Age ever since the World began)—to weary him— to vex his holy Spirit—to break his Heart—to press him as a Cart is pressed, that is full of Sheaves.

But no Thanks to the Sinner, that God is happy. He is no Friend to God's Felicity. His Ways tend to grieve and distress the HOLY ONE of Israel; and that which is God's Comfort, is a Terror to the Sinner. He dreads the Day when all Things shall be set to rights: and when the AL­MIGHTY will ease himself of his Adversaries, and avenge himself of his Enemies. ^* Thus we see how Sin. is against GOD: it is against his Nature,—Law, Authority, Govern­ment,—Being,—Honour,—Happiness.

And now,

II. I am to shew how GREAT the Evil of Sin is on this Account.—The Evil of Sin, as has been observed, arises from our Obligations to do otherwise. And therefore the greater our Obligations are to God, the greater is the Evil of sinning against him. Our Obligations to love, honour & obey God, originally arise from his Worthiness to be loved, honoured and obeyed by us: But he is infinitely worthy to be loved, honoured & obeyed by us: therefore our Obligations to do so, are infinite: and so, to sin against him must be esteemed an infinite Evil.

[Page 18] But it is quite beyond our Capacity to comprehend the Vileness there is in treating God, as the Sinner does; unless we could, as he can, comprehend all his Greatness & Glory, and fully see all the Grounds and Reasons there are for us to Love, Reverence and Obey him, and feel all their binding Force.—God is fully conscious to himself, that he is infi­nitely worthy of all Love, Honour and Obedience, for what he is in Himself: besides that he is the Maker and Lord of the Universe; the Maintainer & Upholder of the World, and rightful King and Sovereign over all. He is fully con­scious, there is infinite Reason for us to rejoyce in him, exult in his Government, and be glad in his Service; and that the contrary Temper and Conduct of his Creatures, is infi­nitely unreasonable and wicked. And altho' we can't com­prehend the exceeding Vileness of rising in Rebellion against the MOST HIGH; yet we may be easily convinced, that it is an infinite Evil. Yea, if we are but really convinced that God is infinitely great and glorious, it will be to us self­evident, that he is infinitely worthy of all Love, Honour and Obedience: and that, consequently, to disesteem, despise and disobey him, is infinitely vile. — 'Tis low and mean Thoughts of God, which causes secure Sinners to be insen­sible of the great Evil of Sin.— Those Hereticks who deny the infinite Evil of Sin, do but, by the Means, proclaim to the World their Ignorance of the DEITY.—Had not God known Sin to be an infinite Evil, he would never have threat­ned an infinite Punishment; even, the eternal Pains of Hell, where the Worm shall never die, and the Fire shall never be quenched. ^*—And were not Christ, our compassionate Redeem­er, sensible of the infinite Evil of Sin, he could never find it in his Heart, at the Day of Judgment, to say to the Wicked on his left Hand, Depart ye Cursed, into EVERLASTING Fire. ^†—And were not all the Hosts of Heaven in the same Sentiment, they would never join to say, Hallelujah, Salva­tion and Glory, and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his Judgments—Hallelujah, for the Lord God omnipotent Reigneth— when they see the Smoke of their Torments ascending for ever and ever. ^‖ Yea, were not [Page 19]the Punishment apprehended to be justly deserved, it could not answer any of the good Ends of Punishment in the mo­ral World: but would for ever appear a great and dreadful Blemish in the divine Conduct, in the Sight of all intelligent Beings: God himself could not approve of it, and would never do it.—And therefore, notwithstanding it is so con­trary to the natural Sentiment of a Heart secure in Sin, yet we have sufficient Matter of Conviction, that there is really an infinite Evil in Sin, as it is against God.—And when these Heavens and this Earth, which are now kept in Store, and reserved unto Fire, against the Day of Judgment, and Per­dition of ungodly Men, shall all be in a Flame and melt with fervent Heat, and the whole material System be dissolved, and wrapt together, hurled into one general Heap (perhaps) to be everlastingly a Lake of Fire and Brimstone for the Punish­ment of the Ungodly: ^* I say, when God comes thus to shew his Wrath, and make his Power known, in the Destruc­tion of the Wicked; ^‖ It will make all intelligent Creatures, in Earth and Hell, effectually sensible, what an Evil Sin is, and how God stands affected towards it. ^† This visible Emblem of his Wrath, this immense Lake of Fire & Brim­stone, will give an exact and infallible Comment upon God's Law, and shew, beyond Dispute, what the Threatning means: ^‡ nor will it any more, throughout eternal Ages, at all be doubted, whether Sin be an infinite Evil.

And thus we have taken a brief and general View, of the Evil of Sin, as it is against God.—We might indeed here enter into a great variety of Particulars, and largely shew, how Sin, as it is against God, is aggravated on many Ac­counts; not only considering merely what he is in himself, but the Relations he stands in to us, and we to him, our De­pendance on him, his Right to us, his Authority over us, the greatness of redeeming Love, the freeness of Gospel-Grace, &c. And it might be distinctly considered, how amazingly vile it is, for such as we be, to treat such a one as God is, in such Sort, under such Circumstances, and notwithstanding such additional Bonds and Obligations lying upon us.—But I must omit this, and pass on

[Page 20] III. To prove, that the GREAT EVIL of Sin consists in THIS, that it is against GOD.—And this may easily appear.— For a few Words may soon make it evident, that, altho' Sin may really be a very great Evil, as it is injurious to our Fel­low-Men, or to our Selves; yet it is not so aggravated and heinous, by infinite Odds, in these Respects, as on Account of its being against GOD.—To injure our Fellow Creatures, is wrong, very wrong; but what is a Worm of the Dust, compared to the LIVING GOD? If one Man sin against another, the Judge shall judge him; (and some Recompence may be made,) but if a Man sin against the Lord, who will in­treat for him? (or make any Atonement for his Crime?) ^* Yea, if by some Act of Sin we could do the greatest Injury to the whole Creation; yet what is the whole Creation com­pared with GOD, the ALMIGHTY CREATOR? It is all but as a Dust of the Ballance, or a Drop of the Bucket. ^† We may ruin our selves by Sin; we may plunge our selves headlong into Destruction: but what are we, compared with the GREAT JEHOVAH? Less than nothing and vanity. ^‖ And what is a guilty Rebel worth, compared with the MAJESTY of HEAVEN? To rise up in Rebellion a­gainst the GREAT GOD, go contrary to him, affront him, and treat him with Contempt, is evidently the most wicked and heinous Thing that possibly can be done. For here the GREATEST and BEST of Beings is insulted: yea, a BEING who is infinitely better than all other Beings put to­gether. This is therefore the greatest Evil there is in Sin, by infinite Odds.

And accordingly thus we find the Matter stands in Scrip ture-Account. When Men are guilty of such wicked Deeds, as are injurious to Themselves, or to their Fellow-Creatures, yet by God, the righteous Judge, they are blamed and pu­nished for these Sins, principally and chiefly, under the No­tion of their being committed against the LORD.—Thus, when the Israelites were disheartned by the evil Report of the Spies, and refused to go up against the Canaanites, and talked of making Captains, and returning to Egypt; altho' [Page 21]this Conduct tended to disinherit themselves and their Poste­rity of the Land of Canaan for ever, yet it is not on this Account, chiefly, that they were blamed, and so dreadfully punished (Nay, it is not so much as once mentioned, to ag­gravate their Crime, or to shew the Justice of their Punish­ment) But it was all because they had finned against the LORD.—God had said, that he would drive out the Nati­ons before them: but they would not believe him. God had commanded them to go up & take Possession: but they would not obey him. They did not believe he would be as good as his Word; they were afraid to run such a Venture, as to trust his Fi­delity; they had rather rebel against his Command, return to Egypt. Wherefore God is represented as being greatly affront­ed & provoked, and as swearing in his Wrath, that they should ne­ver enter into his Rest. ^* As truly as I live, saith the Lord, your Carcases shall fall in this Wilderness. ^† But why was God so angry? Because they had rebelled against the Lord, ^‖ would not believe him, ^† nor bearken to his Voice: ^† i.e. Not because their Conduct was to their own Damage, but because it offered an Affront to God. Altho' it does not appear, that they had acted with a Design to affront the ALMIGHTY; but rather from a Principle of Self Preservation. Just as Sin­ners now a-days do, who turn their Backs upon the hea­venly Canaan, and lust after the Leeks and Onions of Egypt, the Pleasures of Sin, not with any Design to affront God; but from Self-Love, and to gratify the Desires of their Hearts, all in pursuit of Happiness. But yet really in Fact they turn their Backs upon the ALMIGHTY, and despise his Com­mands; and for their offering this Affront to the DEITY, Damnation is threatned; and not so much because they go contrary to their own Interest.—And so again, there is the Instance of David, who, it is plain, had no Design to affront the MOST HIGH: but first he meant to gratify his Lust with Uriah's Wife; & afterwards contrived to save his Credit by taking away Uriah's Life: yet observe his Charge and his Doom from the Mouth of the Lord— Because thou hast despised the Lord, & despised the Commandment of the Lord, and given the Enemies of the Lord occasion to blaspheme; therefore so and so will I punish you. ^** Therefore says David to God, Against [Page 22]Thee, Thee only, have I sinned.—See also that Confession in Daniel ix. 9—12. And that large Representation of the Nature of what passed between God and his People of old, and the Reasons and Grounds of the Judgments inflicted upon them, in Ezek. xx.throughout.—The Scripture ever supposes, that all Manner of Sin, of what Kind soever, is committed against the Lord, who is constantly considered as GOVERNOUR of the World; and therefore the Sinner is viewed as a Rebel.—But to rebel against the Lord, is to despise him, and to despise his Commands, in Scripture-Ac­count.—But to despise GOD MOST HIGH, is infinitely more vile, than to injure such Worms of the Dust, as we Mortals; because God is infinitely greater and better. ^* This therefore is the great Evil in Sin, which is respected, when temporal Judgments are threatned in the old Testament, and when eter­nal Damnation is threatened in the NEW: so that it is evi­dently a Point, every where in the BIBLE, taken for granted, that the great EVIL of Sin consists in its being committed against GOD.

[Page 23] Having thus gone thro' with what was proposed, some Remarks may be made, and then the whole be applied to our own Use.

REMARK I. How different a Thing is SIN from what an apostate rebellious World naturally imagine!—How blind are we naturally to the infinite Greatness, Majesty and Glory of GOD! How insensible of the Honourableness of the almighty Lord of Heaven and Earth, and of his Worthiness to be loved, honoured and obeyed!—If any of our Fellow-Mor­tals despise, affront or injure us, they touch, as it were, the Apple of our Eye: but God may be abused, and we take little or no Notice of it. A thousand Times Men break his Laws, and a thousand Times they despise & affront him by their sinful Doings; while they are possessed of such a pro­digious Degree of Stupidity, as not to pass a single Tho't upon it. And should any charge them with despising the Lord, there are many would be ready to say (with those Mal. 1.6.) Wherein have we despised him? ‘You despise God in your Closets, in your Family Worship, in your publick Worship, and at the Lord's Table: and yet, O secure Sinner, will you still say, Wherein do I despise him? You give your choicest Affections to Idols, and offer the Blind and the Sick to the Lord: yea, a blind and a dead Heart.—Is it not burdensome to maintain secret Prayer? and more tedious to spend an Hour alone with God, than a whole Day with vain Company? And is not this to despise the Lord? Offer such Treatment to your Compa­nions? Let them see that you are weary of their Com­pany; even then, when you are waiting upon them with [Page 24]Pretences of the greatest Respect: and will they accept it at your Hands? or be pleased with your Conduct? Be­sides, you are continually despising God in your daily Course, by a Disposition to take greater Delight in the Things of the World, and in the Way of Sin, than in the ever blessed God: and by a Disposition to love your self more than Him; and be more concerned for your Ho­nour and Interest in the World, than for God's Glory, and the Interest of his SON's Kingdom.—And you des­pise the Lord, and despise the Commandments of the Lord, in every of your Thoughts, Words and Actions, that are in any Measure injurious to your Fellow-Crea­tures.’—But such is the Sottishness of a secure Sinner, that he scarce passes a single Thought upon it, for Days and Weeks and Months and Years, how the infinitely glorious and ever-blessed GOD, is by him continually affronted and despised.

But, turn the Tables—Let the secure Sinner meet with Abuses from his Neighbours: let him be despised: let him be scorned: let even his Inferiours treat him with Contempt: let his Name be cast out as evil, by all Men: let every Man's Hand be against him, to defraud him in their Dealing with him, to disappoint him and vex him: And now he will feel it; it will reach his Heart; he will think of it Night and Day; aggravate it continually; and be ready to cry out, ‘Never was Mortal abused as I am! Never were there such wicked Doings in the World before!’

If GOD is despised, affronted, and abused; the Sinner's Heart is a Heart of Stone: he can't feel it: for he does not care for God.—But let it come to his own Case; and his Heart is a Heart of Flesh, very tender; as tender as the Ap­ple of one's Eye: every T [...] touches him to the quick: for he loves himself dearly.—If God is abused and injured, an apostate World care little about it: but if themselves are wronged, it is highly resented.—Hence, this is the Doctrine of ungodly selfish Hearts, viz. THE GREAT EVIL OF SIN CONSISTS IN ITS BEING AN INJURIOUS THING TO US. Nor, indeed, is it very strange, that a rebellious World care [Page 25]so little for God's Honour. For this is the Nature & Way of Rebels in earthly Kingdoms; when they have cast off their rightful Sovereign, and turned Enemies to him, they care not what becomes of him, nor how he is treated. Their only Concern is about themselves, and to secure their own Welfare. In order to which, they may do many toilsom and heroic Deeds, and call them by the Name of VIRTUE, ^* which Virtue of theirs they may honour and reward, and [Page 26]labour to countenance & promote it; but it is all the while only to serve their own Ends. And they are nevertheless a Company of Rebels, in the Estimation of their rightful Sove­reign.—The Application is easy.

REM. 2. How amazing is the Patience of God, towards a rebellious guilty World! and how astonishing the divine Goodness, which sends Rain and fruitful Seasons, filling their Hearts with Food and Gladness; when Hell is their proper Place, and the Pains of the Damned their just Desert!—God looks down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, and beholds the Work of his Hands combin'd in Rebellion a­gainst him, their rightful Sovereign: contemning his Nature and Will, despising his Law and Authority, and of a Tem­per bad enough to dethrone him, and overturn his univer­sal Government, had they sufficient Power on their Side: and conscious to his own infinite Glory, and to the Reasona­bleness and Excellency of his Government, and the infinite Obligations his Creatures are under to him; he has an ade­quate Idea of the infinite Vileness of their Temper & Con­duct, and of the infinite Provocation they give him, imme­diately to come out against them: yet he stays his Hand: ^‖ He holds back Destruction: He waits upon a guilty World from Age to Age; and feeds and cloaths the Wretches that aftront him to his Face. But

[Page 27] REM. 3. How dreadful will the Day of Wrath be! and how miserable the State of the obstinate Sinner! when God's Patience shall be at an End, and his Hand shall take hold on Ven­geance, and render a Recompence to the Wicked, equal to the infinite Evil of their Sins.—If one Sin, and the least Sin, has so great an Evil in it, and deserves so great a Punishment; how dreadful must their State be, who have committed Hun­dreds and Thousands and Millions of Sins, and Sins of the largest Size, wherein they have cast the greatest Contempt on the MOST HIGH, Millions of Times over! Their Tor­ments must be, not only eternal, but exceeding intense and very dreadful. The least Sin deserves eternal Damnation; ^* every Degree of Guilt deserves a proportionable Degree of Punishment; the more guilty, the more miserable: ^† the Torments of the Damned will therefore be not only eternal in Duration, but most dreadful in Degree. Hence it is written, that God will shew his Wrath and make his Power known in their Destruction. ^‖ His Power was made known in creating the Heavens and the Earth: and by the same Power these Heavens and Earth, which are now kept in Store, reserved unto Fire, against the Day of Judgment, and Perdition of ungodly Men; I say, by the same Power, which first created them, they shall at last be dissolved, burnt up, melted; and so be turned into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone: and when the Heavens shall pass away with a great Noise, all in a Flame, and the whole material Universe be hurled together to one general Heap, then his Power will be made known. ^† — And then he will shew his Wrath. Now God is insulted and despised by Worms of the Dust; and yet is very bountiful to his Enemies, and seems to take no Notice of their Affronts. As it is written, These Things hast thou done, and I kept Silence. ^{{inverted †}} For now is the Time for Patience to reign: But when the Day of Wrath comes, ^** God will let all the World see and know, how infinitely vile it is, for Worms to rise in Rebel­lion against the MOST HIGH. When the Heavens begin to be on Fire, and the Elements to melt with fervent Heat, a guilty World will begin effectually to be roused to a Sense of what they have done. Now God will shew his Wrath; and now a rebellious World will feel their Guilt.

[Page 28] REM. 4. How far beyond the Capacity of any finite Crea­ture is it, to make Amends to God for the least Sin, which casts such an infinite Contempt upon the Most High!—A Worm may rise in Rebellion against the great Jehovah, and may despise God, & despise the Commandments of God, and make a light Matter of it: But if he would give Thousands of Rams, and ten Thousands of Rivers of Oil, to make Amends for his Crime, it would not answer. Yea, if he would give his First-born for his Transgression, and the Fruit of his Body for the Sin of his Soul, it would not avail. ^* It is easy, for a haughty Worm to despise the Majesty of Heaven: but it is beyond the Reach of all created Nature, to make a proper Amends to God for such an Injury. It is, even between Man & Man, easier to do Wrong, than to undo it: but it is clean beyond the whole Creation, to make Amends to God for the least Sin. For it requires an infinite Atonement: but if all finite Creatures in Heaven and Earth should join together to do & suffer their utmost, it would not amount to any Thing infinite. — And besides, What can a Creature do towards making the least Degree of Atonement for Sin? For, what he does, must either be, what God requires, or what God does not require. If it be what God does not require, God will not accept of it; for there is no Virtue in it: And if it be no more than what God requires, it is no more than his Duty. And his paying a present Debt, can't atone for a Fault that is past. The Creature is not his own, he wholly belongs to God, and all that he hath; he has nothing therefore to give to God, but what is his own already. If he gives himself to God, wholly to God, it is the most that he can do: and yet he was wholly the Lord's before. It is beyond the Capacity of the Creature, therefore, to make the least Degree of Atone­ment for Sin. He may justly lie under the whole Guilt, and be exposed to the whole Punishment of it, notwithstanding the utmost he can do: If ever he is saved, therefore, it must be by free Grace thro' Jesus Christ.

REM. 5. How absolutely necessary was it, that our RE­DEEMER should be GOD!—For otherwise, he could have nothing properly his own; and so nothing to offer, for to [Page 29]make Atonement. But being by Nature GOD, he is now naturally his own; and so may offer to God, that which is his own, and that which is of infinite Worth too. A Be­ing of infinite Dignity can make an infinite Atonement. And such an Atonement it was, that we needed. Without such an Atonement, we must have perished. Therefore, God purchased his Church with his own Blood. ^*

REM. 6. How great is the Goodness of God, that he could find it in his Heart, to give his only begotten SON to die for such an apostate, rebellious, guilty Race! A Race, which had treated him so vilely, that in Honour he could not pardon them,—the Honour of himself, of his Holiness and Justice, of his Law and Government, and sacred Authority, would not allow of their being pardoned, — unless his own Son, equal to himself in Power and Glory, were set forth to be a Propitiation for Sin. ^† A Race, that are habitually inclined to despise him, cast off his Government, walk contrary to him; and who, were they able, would soon join in the most impious Attempt against his Crown and glorious Dignity.— O! that he could find in his Heart, to love and pity them; and this, to so great a Degree, as to give his only begotten SON to die in their Stead; and now, thro' him, offer to be reconciled, and invite them to return, and tender them Pardon, Peace and eternal Life;—This is the most astonish­ing Goodness!