N00731:75
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 3: PROPOSITION. III.
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.
4. It is the property of a fool to make an ill choice: Not only to refuse a good offer when he may have it, but to take a bad one. It has been the manner in Civil Courts, when any person has been impleaded for a fool to try him by offering a piece of Gold and a Counter, something of great value, or an apple; if he chooseth the Counter rather than the Gold, the Apple rather than the Jewel, then he is cast for a fool, and his Estate taken from him, ⟨p. 81⟩•nd given to a wiser person. But thus it […] with Sinners, they choose trifles rather ••an treasures, pebbles, (all the things of […] world are no better when compared with spiritual and eternal good things) •ather than the pearl of great price. They •hat choose Earth rather than Heaven, make • bad choice; yet this is the Sinners choice. When Christ said to the young man in the Gospel, Mat. 19.22. Go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me; when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. When it was put to his choice, we would part with Christ and Heaven, rather than forgo his worldly Interests. A rich Cardinal was not ashamed to profess that he would not part with his Estate in Paris, for a portion in Paradise. There is not an ungodly man in the world, but if God should say to him, thou shalt have thy choice, either to live upon this Earth for ever, and there to enjoy all sensual delights, or go to Heaven, and there enjoy the pleasures which are at Gods Right hand for evermore; he would choose Earthly rather than Heavenly Pleasures. But what a […] choice ⟨p. 82⟩do they make, who choose Hell rather than Heaven! This Sinners do. They love death. When life and death, heaven and hell are set before them, they choose death and hell. Ezek. 33.11. Why will you die. They will, they choose death in the causes of it: The things which will certainly end in death, are the things which they choose. For a man to choose Eternal rather than a Temporal Death, is a very unwise choice. It was well & wisely said by one of our English Martyrs when one tempted him to Conform against the light of his Conscience, to the Superstition of the Times; because he would loose his life if he did not, and (said the Tempter) death is bitter, and life is sweet: To whom the Martyr replied, but Death Eternal is more bitter, and Life Eternal is more sweet.