A62053:594
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission wherein is discovered, the nature, causes, and cure of those sins / by Geo. Swinnock.
London: printed for Geo. Swinnock, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Chapter 46: A third excuse for sins of Omission. It is but one sin, with the answer to it.
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.
3. This one Sin will not go alone; thou mayst hope when thou hast opened the door for this one Sin to enter, that thou canst presently shut, and keep out its associates, but it is impossible. Sins are sociable, and ever go in company. First, one evil Spirit takes possession of the man, and then seven more worse than himself. As there is a concatenation of Graces, where one goeth all the rest follow, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8. so there is a ⟨p. 460⟩concatenation of Sins, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. They are so linked one in another, that as in a Chain, the drawing of one link brings with that a second, and that a third, and that a fourth, and all are drawn to the very end of the Chain. When Delilah had enticed and prevailed with Sampson, then come the Lords of the Philistines and bind him, and put out his eyes, and set him to grind at the Mill, and to make them sport. When one sin by its flatteries hath deceived and possessed thy Soul, then come others more potent and lordly to strengthen Satan's hold, and make way for others. Any one sin allowed is a great-bellied Monster, who hath a numerous brood in the Womb of it. It doth insensibly harden the heart, and strongly disposeth it for other Sins; as one wedge makes way for another. Who could have thought that David's idleness should be accompanied with so great and cursed a crew.
3. This one Sin will not go alone; thou mayst hope when thou hast opened the door for this one Sin to enter, that thou canst presently shut, and keep out its associates, but it is impossible. Sins are sociable, and ever go in company. First, one evil Spirit takes possession of the man, and then seven more worse than himself. As there is a concatenation of Graces, where one goeth all the rest follow, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7, 8. so there is a ⟨p. 460⟩concatenation of Sins, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4, 5. They are so linkt one in another, that as in a Chain, the drawing of one link brings with that a second, and that a third, and that a fourth, and all are drawn to the very end of the Chain. When Dalilah had enticed and prevailed with Sampson, then come the Lords of the Philistines and bind him, and put out his eyes, and set him to grind at the Mill, and to make them sport. When one sin by its flatteries hath deceived and possessed thy Soul, then come others more potent and lordly to strengthen Satans hold, and make way for others. Any one sin allowed is a great-bellied Monster, who hath a numerous brood in the Womb of it. It doth insensibly harden the heart, and strongly disposeth it for other Sins; as one wedge makes way for another. Who could have thought that David's idleness should be accompanied with so great and cursed a crew.