tide to carry them, but have nothinjj^ to pull them back from sin ; but a child of God hath a principle of grace to give check to sin; he hath the impulses of (iod's Spi- rit dissuading him from evil ; therefore, for him to commit sin, is far worse than for others, — this is to sin more desperately, — it is, as if a woman should go about to kill the babe in her womb. Christian, this thou art to do, when thou sinnest presumptuous- ly, thou dost what in thee lies to kill the babe of grace in thy soul.
2. The sins of God's people are greater than others, because they sin against more mercy. This is like a weight put in a scale, it makes sin weigh heavier. God hath given Christ to a believer ; he hath cut him off from the wild stock of nature, and graf- ted him into the true olive ; and for him to abuse all this mercy, it is to out-do the wicked, and to sin with an higher aggrava- tion, because it is to sin against greater love. How was Peter's sin enhanced and accent- ed, that when Christ had done more for him than others, — had dropjied some of the holy oil upon him, — had taken him into the number of the apostles, — had carried him up into the mount of transfiguration, and shewn him the glory of heaven in a vision, — that Peter should deny Christ after all this mercy, this was heinous, and could not be forgiven but by a miracle and prodigy of love.
3. The sins of the godly are worse, and have this aggravation in them that they sin against more clear illumination than the wicked, Job xxiv. 13., " They are of those that rebel against the light :" light is here taken figuratively for knowledge. It can- not be denied, but the wicked sin knowing- ly ; but the godly have a light beyond them, — such a divine penetrating light, as no hypocrite can attain unto ; they have better eyes to see sin than others; and for them to meddle with sin, and embrace this dunghill, how must this needs provoke God, and make the fury rise uj) in his face ! Oh therefore, you that are the people of God, flei! from sin ; your sins are more enhanced, and have worse aggravations in them than the sins of the unregcnerate !
4. The sins of the godly are worse than the sins of the unregcnerate, for, when they
sin, it is against great experiences. Tliey have felt the bitterness of sin in the pangs of the new-birth, and afterwards God hath spoken peace, and they have had an experi- mental taste how ' sweet the Lord is ;' and yet, after these experiences, that they should touch the forbidden fruit, — venture upon a / presumptuous sin, — how doth this enhance and aggravate their guilt ; it is like putting a weight more in the scale to make their sin weigh heavier. The wicked, when they sin, never tasted the sweetness of an heavenly life, — they never knew what it was to have any smiles from God, — they never tasted any thing sweeter tlian corn and wine, therefore no wonder if they sin : but for a child of God, who hath had such love-to- kens from heaven, and signal ex})eriences from God, — for him to gratify a lust, ho%v horrid is this ! It was an aggravation of So- lomon's sin, that ' his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which bad appeared to him twice,' 1 Kings xi. 9.
5. The sins of the godly are greater than others, because they sin against their son- ship. \^Tien wicked men sin, they sin a- gainst the command ; but when the godly sin, they sin against a privilege, they abuse their sonship. The godly are adopted into the family of heaven, they have a new name. Is it a light thing said David to be son-in- law to a king ? So, to be called the sons of God, to be heirs of the promises, is no small honour ; now, for such to run into an open offence, it is a sinning against their adop- tion ; they hereby make themselves vile, as if a king' s son should be tumbling* in the mire, or lie among swine.
6. The sins of the godly are worse than others, because they are committed against more vows and engagements. They have giA-en up their names to God ; they have bound themselves solemnly to God by oath, Ps. cxix. 106., " I have sworn that I will keep thy righteous judgments." And in the supper of the Lord they have renewed tliis sacred vow ; and, after this, to run in- to a ])resumptuous sin, — it is a breacli ol vow, a kind of perjury, which dies the sin of a crimson colour.
7. Tiie sins of the godly are worse than others, because they bring a greater re- proach upon religion For the wicked to
OF THE SIXTH PETITION IN THE LORDS PRAYER.
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