A second volume of discourses or sermons on several scriptures

Thirdly, Consider this, their sins were fewer then ours are. We cannot exactly determine what their sins were, only the Apostle gives us a hint, that it was Pride gave them their fall, 1 Tim. 3.6. Not a Novice, lest being lifted up with pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. Whether it was Pride, in that they affected to be God, or in that they scorned to be Guardians and Ministering Spirits unto Man, or in that they refused to become subject unto the Son of God, who was shortly to become Man, the Schools boldly enough dispute, but no Man can determine: but whatever it was, this is certain, God was speedy in the execution of wrath upon them, tumbling them all down headlong into Hell upon their first Rebellion: The time of their standing in their Primitive State, is conceived to be very short; for their Creation, (though the Socinians hold, it was long before) must fall within the compass of six Days, for in that space the Scripture tells us, God made Heaven and Earth, and all things therein: and therefore within the space of six Days, he created the ⟨p. 30⟩Angels also. Some refer their Creation to the first Days Work, others to th• fourth Day: and it's probably though• That Adam's continuance in Innocency was not much above one Day, and ye• even then there were fallen Angels t• tempt him: so that their glorious an• blessed State could not, according to th• Computation, last above six or seven Days, such a speedy issue did God make with them upon their very first sin But now how is his Patience and Forbearance extended towards sinful Man He drives Adam out of Paradise, but i• was free Grace he did not drive him into Hell, where he had but a little before plunged far more excellent Creature than Adam was; his Patience is prolonged to impenitent unbelieving Sinners, he bears with their proud Affronts waits their returns, and with a Miracle of Mercy reprieves them for a much longer date than he did the Angels themselves. How much more then ought free Grace to be extolled by us, which did not so much as Reprieve the Angel• for one sin, and yet every moment grants out a free and absolute Pardon to his Servants, not for one sin, but for reiterated