The Doctrine of Repentance

5. Sin is a piece of desperateness. In every¹ transgression, a man runs an apparent hazard of his soul; he treads upon the brink of the bottomless pit. Foolish sinner, thou never committest a sin, but thou dost that which may undo thy soul for ever^*. He who drinks poison, it is a wonder if it doth not cost him his life. One taste of the forbidden tree lost Adam Paradise: One sin of the Angels lost them Heaven: One sin of Saul lost him his Kingdom. The next sin thou committest, God may clap thee up prisoner among the damned. Thou that gallopest on in sin, it is a question whether God will spare thy life a day longer, or give thee an heart to repent, so that thou art desperate even to frenzy.

5. Sin is a piece of desperateness. In every¹ transgression, a man runs an apparent hazard of his soul; he treads upon the brink of the bottomless pit. Foolish sinner, thou never committest a sin, but thou dost that which may undo thy soul for ever^*. He who drinks poison, it is a wonder if it doth not cost him his life. One taste of the forbidden tree lost Adam Paradise: One sin of the Angels lost them Heaven: One sin of Saul lost him his Kingdom. The next sin thou committest, God may clap thee up prisoner among the damned. Thou that gallopest on in sin, it is a question whether God will spare thy life a day longer, or give thee an heart to repent, so that thou art desperate even to phrensy.

1. 15.
2. *Quae •e dementia cep•t? Virg.