A44439:347
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.
Secondly, As the exercise of Faith, so the sprightly and vigorous exercise of Divine Love is an excellent Preservative against Sin. Love will not willingly do any thing that may offend and grieve the Object loved. Love, it is an assimilating Affection, it is the very Cement that joins God and the Soul together in the same Spirit, and makes them to be of one heart, and of one mind; it is the Load-stone of the Soul, that toucheth all other Affections, and makes them stand heaven-ward: When once God hath wrought the Love of himself in our hearts, this will constrain us to love what ⟨p. 308⟩he loves, and to hate what he hates; Sin is the only thing that God hates, and those that love him will not, cannot but hate Sin; their love to God will constrain them to do it, Psalm 97 7. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. And certainly the hatred of evil is the best security against the committing of it; will any one take a Toad or Serpent into his bosom to lodge it there? Truly as utterly impossible it is while the Exciting Grace of God, stirs up and quickens our Love to him, that we should ever embrace a vile lust and lodge it in our hearts since our sight of the beauty of Holiness hath made it ugly, and our love to God hath made it hateful.
Secondly, As the exercise of Faith, so the sprightly and vigorous exercise of Divine Love is an excellent Preservative against Sin. Love will not willingly do any thing that may offend and grieve the Object loved. Love, it is an assimilating Affection, it is the very Cement that joyns God and the Soul together in the same Spirit, and makes them to be of one heart, and of one mind; it is the Load-stone of the Soul, that toucheth all other Affections, and makes them stand heaven-ward: When once God hath wrought the Love of himself in our hearts, this will constrain us to love what ⟨p. 308⟩he loves, and to hate what he hates; Sin is the only thing that God hates, and those that love him will not, cannot but hate Sin; their love to God will constrain them to do it, Psalm 97 7. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. And certainly the hatred of evil is the best security against the committing of it; will any one take a Toad or Serpent into his bosome to lodge it there? Truly as utterly impossible it is while the Exciting Grace of God, stirs up and quickens our Love to him, that we should ever embrace a vile lust and lodge it in our hearts since our sight of the beauty of Holiness hath made it ugly, and our love to God hath made it hateful.