A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

In the Prosecution of this Doctrine, I shall endeavour to show you, when it is that a Man is guilty of presumptuous Sins, and wherein the Nature of such Sins consists.

In the Prosecution of this Doctrine, I shall endeavour to shew you, when it is that a Man is guilty of presumptuous Sins, and wherein the Nature of such Sins consists.

First, Then a Sin is presumptuous, when it is committed against the powerful Dictates of a Man's own Conscience, and against the clear Convictions of the Holy Ghost. When Conscience is awakened in Conviction, and rings aloud in Men's Ears, the ways thou livest in are grossly sinful, the end of them is Hell and Death; thou wadest through the dearest Blood of thine own Soul if thou goest on; seest thou not how Guilt dismally stares thee in the Face? Seest thou not how the Mouth of Hell belches out Fire, and Flames, and Brimstone against thee? stop therefore, I here, as God's Officer, arrest thee. If now, when Conscience thus calls, and cries, and threatens, Men will yet venture on, this is most bold and daring Presumption: To disobey the Arrest but of the King's Officer, is a most presumptuous Crime; how much more therefore to disobey the Arrest of Conscience, which is the chief and supreme Officer of God, and who commands in the name, yea, in the stead of God, as it were, in the Soul; and yet truly, who among us is not in some kind or other guilty of this Presumption? Why, Sirs, if God should now come down ⟨p. 160⟩in terrible Majesty in the midst of us, and if he should ask every man's Conscience here, one by one, Conscience, wert thou ever resisted? wert thou ever opposed in executing thine Office to this and to that Soul? Why, where sits the Person whose Conscience must not answer, Yes, Lord, I accuse him, I testify to his very face, I have often warned and admonished him, O do not venture upon this or that Action; there's Sin, there's Guilt lies under it; there's Wrath and Vengeance that will follow it; Oh pity, oh spare thine own Soul; this Sin will everlastingly ruin thee if thou committest it: And what didst thou commit it notwithstanding all this? Yes, Lord, while I was laying before him all the arguments that the thoughts of Heaven and Hell, of thy Glory and his own Happiness, could administer, yet so presumptuous was he, as to fall upon me thine Officer; and these Stabs, these Gashes and Wounds I received while I was admonishing him, and warning him in thy Name. O Sirs, a thousand times better were it for us that we never had Consciences, better that our Consciences were utterly seared, and become insensible; better that they were struck for ever