A49255:460
The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin…
The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin and the privilege of the pardon of sin : together with a discourse of Christs ascension into heaven and of his coming again from heaven : wherein the opinion of the Chiliasts is considered and solidly confuted / being the sum and substance of several sermons preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love ...The penitent pardoned a treatise wherein is handled the duty of confession of sin and the priviledge of the pardon of sin : together with a discourse of Christs ascension into heaven and of his coming again from heaven : wherein the opinion of the Chiliasts is considered and solidly confuted / being the sum and substance of several sermons preached by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr. Christopher Love ...
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1657
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, Take this caution, that you might not be emboldened to run often into the same sin; if a man doth often commit the same gross sin, it argues a greater strength and prevalency that sin hath over him then all other sins. Physicians say, that a disease that a man doth often relapse into, argues the strength of these peccant humours that feed the disease; if thou often fallest into lusts, it argues the prevalency of a lustful temper.
Secondly, Take this caution, that you might not bee emboldned to run often into the same sin; if a man doth often commit the same grosse sin, it argues a greater strength and prevalency that sin hath over him then all other sins. Physitians say, that a disease that a man doth often relaspe into, argues the strength of these peccant humours that feed the disease; if thou often fallest into lusts, it argues the prevalency of a lustfull temper.
In the third place, Relapses into the same gross sin, are very dangerous and deadly symptoms of a man in a lost condition, I do not say, they are such symptoms that infallibly conclude a man to be an unpardonable man; I may say as Physicians say of a relapse into the same disease; the second time is more dangerous then the first; the reason is, because the first sickness feeds on the ill humours, but relapse into the same sickness feeds on the vital spirits: Beloved, the falling and relapsing into the same sin is a dangerous symptom, it is a clear symptom of the prevalency of that sin. It is worth your notice what symptoms, the Lord doth give of the plague of leprosy ⟨p. 106⟩for the Priest to judge that disease by, Levit. 13. the first symptom was when the hair was turned white in the fore; Divines accommodate that to a continuance in sin to old age, that argues you are unclean Lepers. Another symptom was, when there was raw flesh in the scab; Divines accommodate that unto a man being adventurous to sin against a raw, a troubled and a wounded Conscience. A third sign of the plague of leprosy was, when after the sore was healed, there should a new scab arise in the place thereof: thus when after thou hast healed a sin, by vows, by fasting and prayer, by holy purposes in Christs strength, and after the healing the same sore breaks out, and the same lust breaks in upon thee, this is a dangerous symptom.