Yea, there is no child of God but by experience shall one day feel that howsoever God by his wisdom and mercy can turn every sin to our good, yet it will prove bitter as wormwood in the end ; the pleasure will never answer the smart and vexation that attends it. The contrition and break- ing of thy heart for thy sins committed, if thou be God's, will more dis- quiet and trouble thee than possibly it can be a trouble to resist and for- sake sin.
Nay, oftentimes God doth punish the very want of reverence in his servants to him, as also their slackness and unfitnesss in good duties, so as they may easily discern he is offended w'ith them for the same. As we may see by the example of the Corinthians, who coming unpreparedly to the Lord's supper, for this very cause were so punished, * that some of them ■were sick, and some weak, and some were struck by death,' 1 Cor. xi. 30. , David's numbering of the people, and Hezekiah's shewing of his treasures That is, scandalise. — G. f That is, sadden, — G.
THE PRIVILEGES OF TUE FAITHFUL. 2G7
to ihc princes of Babel, howsoever by some they may be thought small sins, yet God scourged them for the same very sharply. And it is good that God's servants should a little know what it is to oflend their Maker, for if they will be so negligent and careless in walking with him, it is fit they should reap the fruit of their own devices. It causeth much relapsing and backsliding from God, when men have never truly smarted for their sin. Having had knocks in our own ways, it establisheth us in God's ways. For we love to wander from ourselves, and bite* strangers at home, till God by one cross or other brings us to himself, and then we think of returning to him. Nay, it is better for them a thousand-fold, that God should so school them, than that they should be let alone, and so go on without controlment from sin to sin till they come to desperation.
Howsoever therefore that God can and will turn the sins of his servants to the best advantage, yet better it were for them they had never sinned at all. Do we not think that David wished he had never fallen into that sin of adultery ? And would not Peter have been glad that he had never denied his Master ? The sin of David cost him many a cry for pardon : • Mercy, Lord, mercy; ' ' against thee have I sinned, forgive me this heinous crime ;' and it cost Peter many a bitter salt tear, too, howsoever both David and Peter, after their recovery by repentance, were the better for it to their dying day.
As for all such as persist in sin, that God may turn all things to their best, let them know that all things shall work together for their bane and utter destruction for ever, which I now come to shew.
1. First of all, God himself and his blessed angels are at enmity with them. And therefore,
2. All the creatures, both in heaven and earth, are a(jainst them. In Pharaoh's ten plagues we see the creatures were all ready to execute the pleasure of the Almighty against him. And the ' bears out of the forest' were armed by God to devour those scoffing children, 2 Kings ii. 24. This is one part of the burden under which the creatures of God do groan, that they serve God against wicked men, and are his armies to punish the rebellious world.
3. Even the f/ood gifts of God are turned to the bane of the icicked. Ab- salom's glory, ills goodly long locks, were his haUer to hang him up by. Ahithophel's witf and policy brought him to that fearful end of being his own hangman. Haman's honour, what good did it to him, but only brought him to greater shame ? His greatness made him swell in pride, and his pride had a sudden f;ill. What became of Herod's high mind in taking to himself the glory of God ? which when foolish people ascribed it to him, was he not presently smitten, so as the ' worms consumed him,' Acts xii. 23, and he died a loathsome death ? ^Yhat became of Dives his riches ? Did not his abuse thereof plunge him deeper into hell ? Wicked, men, though they abound in this world, yet not being in covenant with God, they have nothing with a blessing. The wicked are but as traitors before God ; and oft it is seen that great traitors, who are by the prince kept in prison, are nourished very liberally until their time of execution come. So it is with all graceless persons. However for the present they have great allowances, yet as traitors, in the conclusion, they shall have an hard account to make unto God for all those things they have sinfully enjoyed. And not only so, but they abuse the very truth of God, as shall appear in divers particulars.
* Qu. 'bide '?— Ed. t That is, ' wisdom.'— G.
203 TlIK PRIVILEGES OF THE FAITUFUL.
(1.) First, For the comfortable doctrine of jiislificalionhij faith alone: they pervert the same to their own destruction, saying. We are justified by faith only, what need we then care for doing of good works ? Alas ! they profit us nothing to our salvation. Therefore it is to no end to strive to do good.