Man ashiv le-Yahoweh, or, A serious enquiry for a suitable return for continued life, in and after a time of great mortality, by a wasting plague (anno 1665) answered in XIII directions / by Tho. Doolitel.

SECT. III.

Secondly, ARguments drawn from Reason do evidence this, that wicked men are apt to grow in sin; I will take up with three only, least I be too large in this Direction. And they are taken,

First, A natura peccati, From the Nature of sin.

* 1.1Secondly, Ab impulsu Diaboli, From the In∣stigation of the Divell.

Thirdly, Ab absentia contrarii, From the ab∣sence of that which should keep them from sin∣ning more and more. Removetur prohibens.

I. * 1.2This appears from the Nature of sin that is predominant in ungodly men, that swayes, and Byasseth them in all their actions, and ruleth in them and exerciseth authority o∣ver them.

1. * 1.3One sin doth incline and dispose the heart to sin again: The first sin inclined all men to com∣mit more, where grace is predominant, the heart is inclined to love God, and to obey God, the generall scope of such a mans life, and the bent and inclination of his heart is towards God and duty, to grow in grace, and become better and better. Now Contrariorum contra∣ria est ratio & natura. Sin doth dispose the heart to sin, and to depart from God more and more, Heb. 3.12. It makes the bent of the heart to Backslide further and further from God, Hos. 11.7. It makes the heart set to do evill, Eccles. 8.11. The heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. As is the tide to the boate, so is sin to mans heart.

2. * 1.4Sin is of a multiplying nature, as sin commit∣ted inclineth the heart to the iteration of the same sin, so one sin begets another, of another kind, as drunkenness and gluttony, begets lust: and malice, revenge; as one circle in the wa∣ter multiplies to twenty, out of one root of a tree grow many armes, out of one arme, many

branches, out of every branch many twigs. From the same fountain proceed many streames, from the same body of the Sun, many Beames. So from one sin are many multiplied. So Adams first sin hath multiplied Innumerably.

3.* 1.5 In wicked men there is a complication and a connexion of sins, Sins thus multiplied are linked one to another; and are twisted together, as there is a chaine of graces in a godly man, that if you draw one link you move the whole chaine; when you exercise Faith upon a promise, (sup∣pose) of eternall Life, this sets all his graces on exercise, as one wheele in a Watch moveth all the rest: Faith applying this promise, stir∣reth up love to God that made the promise, and hath prepared the thing promised, it inflames ho∣ly desires after it, & desires put on to diligent in∣deavours to obtain it; it begets a lively hope, which earnestly, yet patiently waiteth for the possession of it. So there is a concatenation of sin, therefore sin is compared to a body, in which all the mem∣bers by sinewes and ligaments are knit together;* 1.6 that though all the members do not grow, to an equall quantity, but some are bigger, some lesse; yet all do proportionably grow; so though all sins in a wicked man are not of the same magnitude, but in some drunkenness is greatest, in some pride, in some covetousness, yet all sin is growing in them, and therefore must necessarily be worse and worse: as unbelief makes a sinner fearless of Gods threatnings, and fearlesness makes him secure, and security hardneth his heart, and when his heart is hard, and his

Conscience seared, he will be very bad.

4. * 1.7Sin is of an infectious nature, an infectious disease doth not only spread unto others, as one man sick of the Plague may infect a whole Pa∣rish, but getteth nearer and nearer to his heart, and seizeth upon his very vitals, that he waxeth sicker and sicker, and at last brings him to his grave: So one sin doth not only infect others, as one drunkard inticeth another to the same sin, but sin encroacheth more into the sinners heart and affections, and brings him more and more into bondage to it, and so makes him worse and worse, as a man that was wont to take a cup too much, at length is brought to fre∣quent drunkenness, till at last it brings him to Hell and to damnation irrecoverably, where he is as bad as he can be.

5. * 1.8Sin is of a craving and unsatiable nature, therefore those that would satisfie their Lusts, must needs in length of time be very bad. There are four things which are never satisfied, and never say, It is enough, Prov. 30.15, 16. and sin may make a fifth: For though a man drudge under sin all his dayes, yet it thinks the Sinner hath not done enough for it. The Horse-leech hath two daughters, crying, Give, give: such a thing is sin, that never leaves sucking the heart-blood of the Sinner, till it hath sucked him to death. Sin cannot cease to ask, and sinners know not how to deny; and they must be wicked indeed, that will be as wicked as sin can make them.

I might run through the several kinds of sin, and shew how they are never satisfied: The

Egyptians thought that the Israelites never made brick enough: and sin thinks the sinner never is enslaved enough, that he never doth obey enough; but I will briefly instance but in three.

First, Covetousness is unsatiable: it never saith, It is enough: It is not satisfied with having, nor in seeing what it hath, Eccles. 4.8. and 5.10. and therefore puts the Worldling to go drudge again. Crescit amor nummi, &c.

Secondly, Revenge is unsatiable. Malice ne∣ver thinks it hath done enough, and therefore puts on the malicious to consult, to contrive, and never to be at rest till he hath been more injurious to the person that is the object of his malice.

Thirdly, Lust and uncleanness is unsatiable, and therefore such as are addicted to it, and would have it satisfied, must be very wicked,* 1.9 for they never do it. 2 Pet. 2.14 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, having eyes full of the Adulteress, the very looks of their eye be∣trayes the lust of their heart; and it follows, And cannot cease from sin,* 1.10 therefore will pro∣ceed to great Impiety.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Argu∣ments proving wicked men wax worse.
• * 1.2

  From sin.
• * 1.3

  Sin dispos∣eth the heart to sin.
• * 1.4

  Sin begets sin.
• * 1.5

  Sin is link∣ed to sin.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 6.6.
• * 1.7

  Sin infects the sinner.
• * 1.8

  Sin is un∣satiable.
• * 1.9

  Oculi sunt in amore duces.
• * 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.