A44439:230
A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures
A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures by Ezekiel Hopkins ...
London: printed by E.H. for Nathanael Ranew, 1693
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Sermon 4: The Nature, Danger, Aggravations, and Cure of Presumptuous Sinning, &c. ON
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.
have you not dealt very injuriously with God and Christ, and set them at nought for a little gain, for some vanishing delight, for compliance sake, for the fickle favour of Men; yea very Feathers, and ⟨p. 177⟩empty Nothings, have weighed down the Scales with you against God. The Devil's first and greatest sin was Pride, and Contempt of God, and how much is he pleased and humoured to see the same Contempt of God riveted in the Hearts of Men, and to see him so much slighted in the World, that he can scarce bid low enough when he Tempts, but whatever he offers is greedily snatched at, and preferred before God and Heaven, though it be but a very Toy and Trifle. This certainly must needs be a very heinous Contempt of the great Majesty of Heaven, and must needs argue most desperate boldness, and presumptuous sinning.
have you not dealt very injuriously with God and Christ, and set them at nought for a little gain, for some vanishing delight, for compliance sake, for the fickle favour of Men; yea very Feathers, and ⟨p. 177⟩empty Nothings, have weighed down the Scales with you against God. The Devil's first and greatest sin was Pride, and Contempt of God, and how much is he pleased and humoured to see the same Contempt of God rivetted in the Hearts of Men, and to see him so much slighted in the World, that he can scarce bid low enough when he Tempts, but whatever he offers is greedily snatch'd at, and preferred before God and Heaven, though it be but a very Toy and Trifle. This certainly must needs be a very heinous Contempt of the great Majesty of Heaven, and must needs argue most desperate boldness, and presumptuous sinning.
Secondly, When Men sin upon small or no temptations, they declare plainly a wretched neglect of their precious Souls, and therefore they sin presumptuously. I have Read of a Soldier who being with Two others for some Crime Condemned, drew Lots for his Life, and having drawn one Lot that saved and pardoned him, seeing one of his Companions come shivering and quaking to draw, told him, that for Two Shillings, or thereabouts,