N00731:34
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.
All these things Considered, surely sin is an Evil not to be mocked at, not to be made light of. Before I proceed to the remaining Propositions for opening the Doctrine before us, we shall conclude at present with a word of Application. It is this, Oh Repent of Sin. This is that which all men are concerned to hear. Do you think that in such an Assembly as is here this day, I will say nothing but what concerns a poor Condemned prisoner? Nay, but let me speak that which concerns us all. The Exhortation unto Repentance doth so. Act. 17.30. God Commands all men every where to repent. For all men have sinned. If there is a man in this Congregation that never sinned, Let not that man repent; but such an one there is not, nor in the whole world, nor ever was there since Adam, except only the Man Christ Jesus. As for […] that have repented truly and sincerely, ⟨p. 34⟩yet they are to renew their Repentance. Especially, if they have been guilty of backslidings from God, or have through Temptation fallen into any known Sin, it concerns them Solemnly to renew their Repentance for that particular Sin. When the Churches in Asia were like the Churches in New-England, very much degenerated, Christ from Heaven called upon them to Repent, notwithstanding they had repented many years before that. Yea, though a man should walk with never such exactness before the Lord, so as not to fall into any Sin against his Conscience for many years together; for all that he must continue repenting all his days. Let ungodly Antinomians upon whom God ha's sent strong Delusion, say and think what they please, a Christian must never cease repenting of Sin. That man who pretends to Peace & Assurance of his Justification without this, does but deceive his own Soul. He does but walk in the light of a fire which himself ha's kindled, and continuing so to die, he shall lye down in Sorrow when repentance will be too late. Shall a man have the guilt of heinous sins upon his Soul, and shall he not carry […] ⟨p. 35⟩with him a Spirit of Mourning all his days! There is no man here, but the guilt of heinous Sins have been upon his Soul▪ Adams Sin, Original Sin, the Sin of unbelief are exceeding great Sins. Nevertheless, every one of us ha's been guilty of them all. They that never repented of these or any other Sin, how are they concerned Now to repent?