N00731:55
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.
3. They that justify them selves or others in sin, make too light of it. To justify and patronize evil deeds, or evil persons, is worse then only to extenuate what has been amiss. It is therefore said, that he that justifies the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 17.15. If a man knows another to be wicked, and shall then and therefore justify him, he is an abomination to the Lord. Nevertheless, a good man being under temptation may justify himself when he has erred greatly. So did Jonah; when it was said to him, dost ⟨p. 58⟩thou do well to be angry? He replied, I do well to be angry even unto death. Whereas he had no just reason at all to be angry, much less even unto death, that is as long as he lived. But they are ill men who will justify themselves or others in scandalous sins. Isa. 5.20 We unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. They that stand to vindicate scandalous evils against the express Word of God, do so. Thus did Saul, for which cause Samuel charged him with Rebellion and Stubbornness. 1 Sam. 15.23. He sinned against the express Commandment of God, and that was Rebellion. He stood to justify himself, saying, he had not sinned, but done as he ought to do; and this was Stubbornness. The like Stubbornness we see in Dathan and Abiram, of whom it is recorded that they came out and stood at the door of their tents. Numb. 16.27 which was boldly to declare that they would stand to what they had done. They had sinned and provoked the Lord exceedingly, by abusing the two best men in the world. They had reviled Moses and Aaron, and now would impudently come […] ⟨p. 59⟩and stand at their doors, to signify that they would stand to what they had done in vilifying those Eminent Servants of God; so light did they make of that their sin. There are those that will plead for Baal. There are none so bad, but some or other will plead for them; yea, tho' they have been guilty of Murder it self. There are those that are not afraid nor ashamed openly to avow the vilest Opinions, and the lewdest practices: The Church of Rome does so. And therefore 'tis said, that on her forehead is a name written, The Mother of Harlots.