After sin there is hope, it is true, because "there is
forgiveness with him," but after forgiveness, there must be fear to offend
his goodness, for there is forgiveness with him, that he may be feared,
Psal. cxxx. 4 And this is the situation I would desire my soul in,--to be
placed between hope of his mercy and fear of sin, the faith of his favour
and the hatred of sin, which he will not favour, and how happy were a soul
to be confined within these, and kept captive to its true liberty.

I spake a little before, how those fundamental truths that are set down
before, do all aim at this one mark, "that we sin not," now I proceed.
That declaration what God is, verse 5, is expressly directed to this
purpose and applied, verse 6--"God is light," and therefore "sin not," for
sin is darkness, "he is light," for purity and beauty of holiness, and
perfection of knowledge,--that true light in which is no darkness,--that
unmixed light, all homogeneous to itself,--therefore "sin not," for that is
a work of the night, and of the darkness, that proceeds from the blindness
and estrangement of your minds, and ignorance of your hearts, and it
cannot but prepare and fit you for those everlasting chains of darkness.
Call God what you will, name all his names, styles, and titles, spell all
the characters of it, and still you may find it written at every one of
them, "sin not." Is he light? Then sin not. Is he life? Then sin not, for
sin will separate you from his light and life, sin will darken your souls
and kill them. Is he love? Then sin not. "God is love," saith John, O then
sin not against love! Hatred of any good thing is deformed; but the hatred
of the beautiful image of the original love, that is monstrous. "God is
love," and in his love is your life and light, then to sin against him is
not simple disobedience, nor is it only grosser rebellion, but it hath
that abominable stain of ingratitude in it. Do you read, that it is
written, "he is holy?" Then sin not, for this is most repugnant to his
holiness,--"his holy eyes cannot see it." Therefore, if thou wouldst have
him look upon thee with favour, thou must not look upon sin with favour,
or entertain it with delight. Is it written, that he is great and
powerful?--Then sin not--that were madness. Is it written, that he is good
and gracious? Then it is written, that ye sin not, for that were
wickedness, it were an unspeakable folly and madness, to offend so great a
God, that can so ea