N00731:51
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 2 › Proposition 2: PROPOSITION. II.
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.
That which we commonly (from Austin who first and fitly gave it that Name) call Original Sin, or (as the Apostle expresseth it) the Sin which dwells in us, is no little evil. That corruption of nature which men bring into the world with them, is evil beyond all expression. The Apostle says that Sin taking Occasion by the Commandment wrought in him all manner of Concupiscence. Rom. 7.8. Such wickedness is there in the nature of men, that because the Commandment says, you shall not do such a thing, they are the more set upon doing it. Actual sins are only the filthy streams which proceed from that […] fountain of Original Sin. The ⟨p. 52⟩Scripture speaks of the Exceeding Sinfulness of that sin. Rom. 7.13. It is Sinful Sin▪ It is impossible to call it by a worse name than it self, or to give it a worse Epithet, than that of Sinful. Yet how do men make light of this sin? Jews and Papists in their writings will hardly own it to be a sin. And there are many who never did shed one tear, or send one sigh up to Heaven, because of the guiltiness of their Souls before the Lord, by their Original Corruption. The sin of unbelief or disobedience to the Gospel is a great sin. The Spirit of God will one day Convince the world of Sin, that is to say, Convince them that they have been guilty of a great and heinous sin, because they have not believed on Christ. Joh. 16.9. Disobedience to the Gospel is a greater evil than disobedience to the Law, and will be followed with a severer Judgment at last. Heb 12.28, 29. He that despised Moses Law dyed without Mercy: of how much sorer punishment suppose you, he shall be thought worthy that has trampled under foot the Son of God. The unbeliever has done so. A vile Lust has been more esteemed by him, than the Son of God himself. Yet how few are there, that have bewailed their guilti•••• ⟨p. 53⟩before the Lord by reason of this sin? There is no man that has not been guilty of numberless Actual Sins. David was sensible of this: he saw his sins were like a mighty Army which he could not see to the end of them, and his heart failed him, he was ready to die away at the sight of them. Psal 40.12. To the same purpose Ezra, and others of the Lords Servants.