Reason 2. Again, sins against the greatest light are most siifid. What makes sin out of measure sinful, but this, when it is committed against a great measure of light ? What makes a man fall foul ? It is not when he falls in a mist, or in a dark night, every one will pity him then ; alas, he wanted light ; but when he falls at noon-day. Beloved, had we lived in former times, when the light was not poured forth so abundantly as now it is, our sin had been the loss ; but now in this clear sunshine of the gospel, for us to live in sins condemned by so great a light, either in our judgment or practice, it must needs make our sin the gi-eater. ' If I had not come
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and spoken to them,' saith our Saviour, * they had had some pretence for their sins,' John xv. 22 ; but when Christ had once poken, all excuse waa taken away ; they could not then say they knew not the will of God ; and. this is the reason of that speech of the apostle, ' Now you are in the hght, walk as children of light,' Eph. v. 8. ' And this is the condemnation, that men hate light (not that men for want of hght stumble, but), that men love darkness more than light,' John iii. 19. It is not the sin itself, but the love and liking of sin which aggravates men's wickedness, whenas the malice and poison of their hearts rebel against the discovery of God's good pleasure in Christ.
Ner/ative infidelity is a lesser sin than disobedience to the gospel. No people out of the chm'ch are capable of this sin ; for how can they sin by infidelity and unthankfulness for the gospel that never had it ? And therefore nega- tive infidelity is, as it were, no sin in comparison, ' If I had not come among them, they had had no sin,' saith Christ, John xv. 22. Negative I call that, whenas men believe not, having no means, as infidels and heathens, &c. And therefore as they sin without the gospel, so they shall be damned without the gospel. The rule of their damnation shall be the law of nature written in their hearts ; for this is an undoubted truth, no man ever lived answerable to his rule ; and therefore God hath just ground of damnation to any man, even fi-om this, that he hath not lived answerable to the rule of his o^^^l conscience. So that we need not fly to reprobation, &c.
Reason 3. Again, another aggravation of sins against the gospel is, that they sin against the better covenant. The tu'st covenant was, Do tJiis and live, against which we all sinned, and ivere under the curse. But now w'e are under a more gracious covenant, a covenant of mercy, ' Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and we shall be saved.' Therefore sin now must needs be more heinous ; for if we sin against the gospel, either by presumption or despau', or else by profaneness, professing the gospel but denying the power of it, &c., 2 Tim. iii. 5, there is no remedy left for us. If a man sin against the law, against moral honesty and civil righteousness, there is a remedy in the gospel for him ; but when a man sins against the sweet love and goodness of God, in rejecting the gospel of his dear Son, mercy itself shall not save such an one. That must needs be a strange sin that makes a man worse than a Sodomite, yet we read it ' shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in that day,' Mat. x. 15, than for those that hear the gospel, the. blessed allurements and invitations to believe, and to lead an holy hfe answerable to our faith and calhng, and yet live in sins against conscience, despising the precious blood of Christ.
Herod was a wTetched man, yet notwithstanding it was said, he added this to all, ' he put John in prison, a preacher of the gospel,' Luke ii. 20. Sins against the gospel in a loose malignant professor, are many times worse than all the rest. Oh therefore take heed of sinning against the favour and good- ness of God ; for this will confound us at the day of judgment, when we shall think, What ! was so gi-eat mercy oflered me, and did I slight it in this manner ? Have I lost the favom* of God, eternal life, and the glorious com- pany of the saints in heaven, for a base pleasure of sin for a season? to gra- tify a brutish lust ? Have I lost Christ and all the good by him for ever, only to satisfy my sinful disposition ? to please a carnal friend ? &c. Oh, how win this lie heavy upon the soul another day ! We shall not need accusers. Our own hearts shall justify the sentence of God against us, be it never so sharp, that we have refused mercy, so often tendered to us in the blood of Chi-ist. Mark what St Paul saith, ' The Lord Jesus shall be
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revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance upon those that know not God, and obey not his glorious gospel,' 2 Thess. i. 7, 8. He saith not only on those that are swearers and profane persons, but ignorant sots that care not to know God, though they be not open sinners. He saith not, those that persecute the gospel or oppose it, shall be punished with eternal destruction from the presence of God, which is true ; but those that sin in a less degree, * such as obey not the gospel, 2 Thess. i. 8 ; that value not this inestimable jewel ; that sell not all to buy this pearl. Mat. xiii. 46 ; unto whom all the world is not dross and dung, Philip, iii. 8, in respect of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus. How shall they escape 'which neglect so great salvation ?' Heb. ii. 3.