A01980:259
A recovery from apostasy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepney Church near…A recovery from apostacy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepny Church neere…
A recovery from apostasy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepney Church near London at the receiving of a penitent renegado into the Church, Octob. 21. 1638. By William Gouge D.D. and min. in Black-Friars London Herein is the history of the surprisal and admirable escape of the said penitent.A recovery from apostacy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepny Church neere London at the receiving of a penitent renegado into the Church, Octob. 21. 1638. By William Gouge D.D. and min. in Black-Friers London Herein is the history of the surprizall and admirable escape of the said penitent.
London: printed by George Miller for Joshua Kirton, 1639London: printed by George Miller for Ioshua Kirton, 1639
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Such as had implunged themselves by Apostasy ⟨p. 67⟩into the state of perdition, it brings into the state of salvation.
Such as had implunged themselves by Apostacy ⟨p. 67⟩into the state of perdition, it brings into the state of salvation.
In this doctrine ye are distinctly to observe, first the sure Ground-work or Foundation, Penitency: and then the fair structure of building reared thereupon, A restoring to Salvation.
In this doctrine ye are distinctly to observe, first the sure Ground-worke or Foundation, Penitency: and then the faire structure of building reared thereupon, A restoring to Salvation.
The former is taken pro concesso: as a point in no case to be questioned,1 but to be granted as an undeniable principle. For to proclaim pardon to an impenitent, or to put an Apostate into the state of salvation without true, sound, evident repentance, is to play the part of a foolish builder, that without a foundation builds an house on the earth: against which the stream did beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the rain of that house was great, Luk. 6.49. If the stream of temptation do in any kind vehemently beat against the conscience of such a deceitful convert, his vain hope of salvation is like to turn into a certain fearful looking for of judgement. By experience we find that a deep wound hastily skinned over before it be throughly searched and cleansed, is like to fester, and to prove incurable: So Apostasy or any other like scandalous and notorious sin, being soothed, and smoothed over with undue hope of mercy and pardon, before through humiliation of the soul, great contrition of the heart, free confession of the mouth, and due satisfaction to the Church, which are all branches of true penitency, may prove unpardonable.