(2.) Again, For the doctrine (f Christian lihert;/. God having given ua lawful recreations and plentiful use of his creatures, they turn all into licentiousness ; and instead of moderate refreshment, they make a daily occupation of sports and games ; instead of a lawful use of the creatures, they run into all excess of riot, in meat, drink, apparel, buildings, and delights.
(3.) And for the doctrine of moralitij, how do wicked men abuse it, say- ing, * Let us eat, drink, and bo merry, for to-morrow we shall die,' Luke XV. 23. That which should put them in mind of spending of their time well, increaseth their sin.
(4.) Whereas the longsufj'erimj of God should lead men to repentance, the wicked by mrans of God's i^alicnce run more securely on in sin, ' treasuring up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and the declaration of God's just judgment,' Rom. ii. 5, which one day shall cease* upon them. ' Because he doth not speedily execute his displeasure,' Eccles. viii. 11, therefore thoy grow worse and worse, those never considering the lamentable con- dition that sin brings them into ; which did they thoroughly weigh, they would give the whole world if they were possessors of it, to have their spirits at freedom from this bondage and fear. God will take a course that his grace shall not be turned into wantonness. First or last, thou shalt find, whoever thou art, at what rate thou buyest the pleasure of sin. Those that have enjoyed long the sweet of sin may expect the bitterest sorrow and heart-breaking for it.
Nay, the greater good things they have, the greater evil they receive thereby by abuse of the same.
5, The more they are illuminated by the word, their hearts become more rebellious against it ; and the greater authority, wealth, and health they enjoy, the more mischief they do with them. Those heavenly doctrines which should build up a good heart unto holiness, do they abuse to bring their souls deeper into wickedness ; shewing themselves like to their father the devil, whose children they indeed are. God hath said, ' He would give his angels charge over thee,' Ps. xci. 11, which is a most comfortable place to a good heart. But how doth Satan abuse this to Christ ? That he should lling himself headlong from the pinnacle of the temple ; and as the devil, so every wicked man, by all his instructions of the word, takes occa- sion to tempt God the more ; turning both grace itself, and the doctrine of grace, into wantonness.
Are there not many that hear the word and know God's mind, who yet profit nothing to amendment of life ? Were it not better for these never to enjoy such means of heavenl}' wisdom, than now having the light still to live in darkness. Their knowledge only makes their damnation the greater if they continue in sin. What a lamentable condition is that man in, whose knowledge is only sufiicient to damn his own soul ! But let us see further how all evil things work together for the worst to ungodly persons.
(1.) And to begin with spiritual ill things, as heresies and errors. They serve but to ensnare the wicked ; for instead of making them cautelousf and diligent to search out the truth, they are carried away ' with every wind of doctrine.'
* Qu. ' come ' ? — Ed. t That is, ' cautious.' — G.
THE PKIVILEGES OF THE FAITHFUL. 269
So for the ill oi good men, their falls and sins. The -vNiclced of the world reap no benefit thereby, but encourage and hearten themselves the more in a sinful ■s\-ay, rejoicing thereat and making it their daily talk; neither do their own daily sinnings any whit better them, but are as so many punish- ments of their former transgressions : God in his justice suflering them still to run on to the fulfilling of the measure of their iniquities.
(2.) And for outward evih in this life, those that do turn to a good man's happiness fall out continually to their destruction. Pharaoh's ten plagues, which might have humbled his soul, made him but worse and worse. Therefore saith God, ' Why should I smite you any more ?' for even since I punished you * ye revolted still,' Isa. i. 5. The wicked are like to the smith's anvil, which by often beating is made harder and harder. So the more they are corrected, the stubborner and stifler in sin they grow. Their crosses are laid upon them from an angry God, and are forerunners of his eternal wrath, which shall seize upon their souls in hell, where the more they are tormented the more they shall blaspheme, and the more they shall blaspheme the more they shall be tormented without cessation.
Causes. The cause of all this evil upon the wicked is, first, God's infinite justice, which will not be unsatisfied ; secondly, their oivn rile hearts, which, like a sick man having an ill stomach, digests nothing, but turns all to poison. Therefore saith the apostle, ' To the unclean all things are unclean,' Titus i. 15. As poisonsome plants put into a fertile place do envenom the ground whereinto they are removed ; so the same crosses that turn unto a good man's welfare prove a bad man's ruin, by reason of the corruption within him. Another cause is, the deviVs mcdicious ivorl-inr/ by it. He makes wicked men abuse all their parts, both inward and outward, to God's dishonour and their own confusion, endeavouring to conform them to himself. None hath greater knowledge and understanding in the word of God than the devil. Yet he turns all his knowledge unto the sin against the Holy Ghost. But yet the devil cannot force men to wickedness. It is their own sinful hearts which betray them into his hands.