This was a most abominable sin of the Priests, Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himself that Heathen,1 inveighing against the absurdity and ridiculousness of peoples offering sacrifice thinking thereby to pacify their gods and then take liberty to sin again, Even Plato thought it an abuse of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer sacrifice. And yet is not this the distemper of the hearts of many people amongst us, that they commit sin and take liberty to themselves ⟨p. 111⟩to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, and what will they do? They will pray to God to forgive them, and some go so far that they will fast, and then sin again, and then pray and fast again, and then to it again, thinking to put off God with such kind of sacrifices as these are; It is true, we are all liners and we must repent, and so tin, and repent, and sin and repent again, and so make repentance that should be the death of their sins a means to nourish their sins. The Priests here did abuse the type, the sacrifices, they lighten the hearts of people by telling them that there was a sacrifice to expiate their sin, and have you not at this day many that abuse the Antitype as much, that tell the people with such kind of expressions as there, Sin at fast as you can, there is a sufficient sacrifice for sin, it is but to believe in Christ, Christ hath shed his blood for the greatest sins of all, and sin as fast as you can yet there is a price paid for sin. It is true there may be some truth in the words some matter in them without clothing them with such absurdities, that is, that there is a sacrifice for the greatest sin, but now to speak to people upon this in such a manner, sin as fast as you can there is a sacrifice for sin, for it is the manner, the Modus, that doth either encourage or keep back people from sin. I appeal unto you, whether have you not many that do reveal Christ in such a way and manner and open the rich and glorious free grace of God in Christ as is an encouragement to people unto sin. It is true when they come to be examined they deny it, no God forbid, they do not encourage men to sin, they only tell them of Gods free grace: Yea but they tell them of it in such a manner without such cautions as prudent wise conscionable Ministers use to do;
This was a most abominable sin of the Priests, Calvin upon this place brings in Plato himself that Heathen,1 inveighing against the absurdity and ridiculousness of peoples offering sacrifice thinking thereby to pacifie their gods and then take liberty to sin again, Even Plato thought it an abuse of an Heathen god for people to think it enough to offer sacrifice. And yet is not this the distemper of the hearts of many people amongst us, that they commit sin and take liberty to themselves ⟨p. 111⟩to satisfie the lusts of the flesh, and what will they do? They will pray to God to forgive them, and some go so far that they will fast, and then sin again, and then pray and fast again, and then to it again, thinking to put off God with such kind of sacrifices as these are; It is true, we are all linners and we must repent, and so tin, and repent, and sin and repent again, and so make repentance that should be the death of their sins a means to nourish their sins. The Priests here did abuse the type, the sacrifices, they lighten the hearts of people by telling them that there was a sacrifice to expiate their sin, and have you not at this day many that abuse the Antitype as much, that tell the people with such kind of expressions as there, Sin at fast as you can, there is a sufficient sacrifice for sin, it is but to beleeve in Christ, Christ hath shed his blood for the greatest sins of all, and sin as fast as you can yet there is a price paid for sin. It is true there may be some truth in the words some matter in them without cloathing them with such absurdities, that is, that there is a sacrifice for the greatest sin, but now to speak to people upon this in such a manner, sin as fast as you can there is a sacrifice for sin, for it is the manner, the Modus, that doth either encourage or keep back people from sin. I appeal unto you, whether have you not many that do reveal Christ in such a way and manner and open the rich and glorious free grace of God in Christ as is an encouragement to people unto sin. It is true when they come to be examined they deny it, no God forbid, they do not encourage men to sin, they only tel them of Gods free grace: Yea but they tell them of it in such a manner without such cautions as prudent wise conscionable Ministers use to do;
- 1Calvin. Plato.
