Husbandry spiritualized, or, The heavenly use of earthly things consisting of many pleasant observations, pertinent applications, and serious reflections and each chapter concluded with a divine and suitable poem : directing husband-men to the most excellent improvements of their common imployments : whereunto is added ... several choice occasional meditations / by John Flavell.

Six signs of the maturity of Sin.

WHen ••inners are even dead ripe for hell, these ••igns appear upon them, or by these at least, you may con∣clude those souls not to be far from wrath, upon whom they appear.

[ 1] When conscience is wafted and grown past feeling, having no remorse for ••in; when it ceases to check, reprove and smite for sin any more, the day of that sinner is at hand, his harvest is even come. The greatest violation of conscience is the greatest of sins; this was the case of the forlorn Gen∣tiles, among whom Satan had such a plentiful harvest; the patience of God suffered them to grow till their consciences were grown seared and past feeling, Eph. 4. 19. When a member is so mortified, that if you lan••e and cut it never so much, no fresh blood, or quick flesh appears, nor doth the man feel any pain in all this, then it's time to cut it off.

When men give themselves over to the satisfaction of their lusts, to commit sin with greediness, then are they grown to a maturity of sin; when men have slipt the reins of conscience and rush headlong into all impiety, then the last sands of Gods patience are running down. Thus Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them in like manner gave themselves over to wickedness and strange sins; and then justice quickly truss'd them up for an example, suffering the vengeance of e∣ternal fire.

[ 3] That man is even ripe for hell, that is become a contriver

of ••in, a designer, a studentin wickedness; one would think it strange, that any man should set his invention on work, upon such a subject as sin is; that any should study to be∣come a dexterous artist this way, and yet the Scripture fre∣quently speaks of such, whose bellies prepare deceit, Iob 15. 35. who travel in pain to bring forth, this deformed birth, ver. 20. who wink with their eyes, whilst plodding wickedness, as men use to do when they are most intent upon the study of any knotty problem, Prov. 6. 13. These have so much of hell already in them, that they are more than half in hell alrea∣dy.

He that of a forward Professor, is turn'd a bitter perse∣cutor, [ 4] is also within a few rounds of the top of the ladder; the contempt of their light, the Lord hath already punished upon them, in their obduracy and madness against the light. Reader, if thou be gone thus far, thou art almost gone be∣yond all hope of recovery. Towards other sinners, God usually exercises more patience, but with such he makes short work. When Iudas turns Traitor to his Lord, he is quickly sent to his own place. Such as are again intangled and overcome of those lusts they once seemed to have clean escaped, these bring upon themselves swift damnation, and their Iudgment lingers not, 2 Pet. 2. 3, 20.

He that can endure no reproof or controul in the way of [ 5] his sin, but derides all counsel, and like a strong current, rages at, and sweeps away all obstacles in his way, will quick∣ly fall into the dead lake, Prov. 29. 1. He that being often re∣proved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. This is a death spot, a hell spot, where ever it appears. From this very sypmtom the Prophet plainly predicted the approaching ruine of Amaziah, 2 Chron. 25. 16. I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened to my voice. He that will not be timely counselled, shall be quickly destroyed.

Lastly, when a man comes to glory in his sin, and boast [ 6] of his wickedness, then its time to cut him down; whose end is destruction, whose glory is in their shame, Phil. 3. 16. This is a braving, a daring of God to his face, and with whom∣soever

he bears long, to be sure, these are none of them.

You see now, what are the signs of a full ripe sinner; and when it comes to this, either with a Nation, or with a single person, then ruine is near, Ioel. 3. 13. Gen. 15. 16. It is in the filling up of the measure of sin, as in the filling of a vessel cast into the Sea, which rowls from side to side, taking in the water by litle and litle, till it be full, and then down it sinks to the bottom. Mean while, admirable is divine pati∣ence, which bears with these vessels of wrath, whilst fitting for destruction.