The particular then here is, indi(/natiun and hatred. ' What have I now any more to do with idols ?' So that the proper affection in God's chil- di-en, which should be conversant about that which is ill, and sinfully ill, is hatred and indignation. Here is hatred with indignation, the extent of the affection.
Beas. 1. The reason whereof is, when God's children are once con- verted, then have a new nature put into them, like unto Christ, whose Spirit they have. What he hates, they hate. He hates all sin, and nothing but sin. He hates the devil himself for sin, and no further.
2. Then, again, when once they are God's children, they have a ne^v life put into them, which hath antipathy to all that is contrary to it. Every life in any creature hath antipathy to every enemy thereof. There is anti- pathy in doves to birds of prey ; and in the lamb to the wolf, because they are enemies to the life and being of them. So in the soul of a Christian, so far as grace is renewed, there is an antipathy, aversation, and abhorring (_)f that which is contrary-. WTiat have I to do with sin in any kind ? When grace hath altered the disposition of a man's heart, then sin and he are two ; two indeed, in the most opposite terms that may be. What have I any more to do with my former delightful sins ? We are two now, for we were before nothing but sin. And, indeed, where this hatred is not, there men may leave sin, because sin leaves them ; but this is not enough, God would have us to hate it with indignation. * "WTiat have I now any more to do with it '?'
Quest. But how should we come to have this true hatred of sin, as Ephraim should have ?
Ans. 1. Amongst those helps formerly named, this is a main one, to represent to the soul (as the soul is quick and nimble in such apprehensions) the odiousness of sin, that it is a truly hateful thing; and therefore, that our affection of hatred cannot be better set nor employed upon any object than that of sin. For let us consider that it is not only ill in itself, defiling the soul and hindering communion with God ; but it is also the cause of all ills, being the ill of ills, as God is the good of goods. For our troubles and terrors of conscience, we may thank sin, and for all that we suffer every day in our conditions of life. What is all, but the fruit of our own ways ? ' Wherefoi'e suffereth living man ? ' saith the proi^het ; ' man suffereth for his sin,' Lam. iii. 39. ' Thine own inventions have brought these things upon thee ; therefore they are bitter unto thee, they shall pierce thy bowels,' Jer. iv. 18. Shall we not, therefore, hate that which is the cause of all mischief to us ? If we had an enemy, especially if he were a soothing false enemy, that under pretence of love should seek our bane and ruin, and join with our worst enemies, would we not hate such an enemy ? Sin is the greatest enemy which we have in the world, and doth us more hann than the devil himself ; for it betrays us to the devil, and, under pretence of favouring and pleasing our nature, betrays us. It is a false, deceitful enemy, which
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Cometh not in an ugly shape, but closes with the soul in a kind of conjugal love, Delilah-like enticing and alluring us, whereby it hath the more advan- tage and strength, in that it appears in a lovely, pleasing, and not in an imperious, commanding manner. Therefore, it should be the more hateful to us. Shall we not hate such an enemy as always dogs us, and hinders us ? hinders us from doing anything well, and puts us on to all that is ill. It is such an enemy, that we cannot go about to pray, or do any good thing, but it hangs upon us, and clogs us in all our performances. If a man knew that such an one as made love to him and all his were his gi'eat grand enemy, aiming at his destruction, would a man ever love such a man ? Thy base, false, revengeful, covetous, worldly heart, it joins with Satan, without which he could not hurt thee. Shall a man cherish that which betrays him to his worst enemy, the devil ? and then, should he cherish that which makes a breach betwixt him and his best friend ? If a man saw one so maliciously evil towards him, as to sow dissension by all means he could betwixt him and his best honourable friend, by whom he was maintained in all things, would not a man hate such a one ? What doth sin else but breed division and enmity betwixt God and us ? And fiu-ther, when it hath moved us to do ill, it crieth for vengeance against us at God's hands. Con- science, soundly awakened, is always clamorous to pull somewhat from God against us. Are not sinners • justly called fools ? Either men must be atheists to deny all, or else, if they cherish sin, they must needs be fools, and stark mad, if they confess this, that they join with that which is their chief enemy. Therefore, learn to be wise to salvation ; make not with Solomon's fool a sport of sin, Prov. x. 23, of swearing, of defiling ourselves and others, seeing God threateneth damnation unto such.