N00731:19
The folly of sinning, opened & applied, in two sermons, occasioned by the condemnation…The folly of sinning, opened & applyed, in two sermons, occasioned by the condemnation…
The folly of sinning, opened & applied, in two sermons, occasioned by the condemnation of one that was executed at Boston in New-England, on November 17th. 1698. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College, in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel at Boston in N.E. ; [Two lines from Romans]The folly of sinning, opened & applyed, in two sermons, occasioned by the condemnation of one that was executed at Boston in New-England, on November 17th. 1698. / By Increase Mather, praesident of Harvard Colledge, in Cambridge, and preacher of the Gospel at Boston in N.E. ; [Two lines from Romans]
Boston: printed by B Green for Michael Perry over against the Town House, 1699
THE FOLLY OF Sinning. › Sermon 1 › Proposition 1: PROPOSITION I.
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.
but they chose rather to die than to sin: Some of the Blessed Martyrs chose to be tortured to death, rather than to commit a seemingly little sin. Ecclesiastical Story informs of one that had his life offered to him on condition that he would contribute but so much as one half penny to encourage the Building of an Idolatrous Temple; but he chose rather to die by most Exquisite Torments. And the Scripture speaks of them who were tortured not accepting deliverance. Heb. 11.35. When that bloody Tyrant Antiochus told those Martyrs he would spare their lives if they would but eat one mouthful of Swines […] they chose rather to be tortured to ⟨p. 12⟩death, than to transgress the Law of God, although it were but in a Ceremony. Sin is a greater evil than Hell it self. Yea, there is more evil in one sin, then in all the Everlasting Burnings of the bottomless pit. The Holy God has made Hell to punish Sinners. He has ordained Tophet of old, He has made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone does kindle it. Isa. 30.33. But God is not the Author of Sin. He is the punisher of it, has made a strict Law against it; bu• never was or can be the Author of it. Now if Sin be the greatest Evil, more evil than Affliction, then Death, then Hell it self, it ought not to be made light of.
but they chose rather to dy than to sin: Some of the Blessed Martyrs chose to be tortured to death, rather than to commit a seemingly little sin. Ecclesiastical Story informs of one that had his life offered to him on condition that he would contribute but so much as one half penny to encourage the Building of an Idolatrous Temple; but he chose rather to dy by most Exquisite Torments. And the Scripture speaks of them who were tortured not accepting deliverance. Heb. 11.35. When that bloody Tyrant Antiochus told those Martyrs he would spare their lives if they would but eat one mouthful of Swines 〈…〉 they chose rather to be tortured to ⟨p. 12⟩