XXVIII sermons preached at Golden Grove being for the summer half-year, beginning on Whit-Sunday, and ending on the xxv Sunday after Trinity, together with A discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness, and separation of the office ministeriall / by Jer. Taylor.

Sermon. XVII.* 1.1 [ A] The severall states and degrees of Sinners, [ B] WITH The manner how they are to be treated. (Book 17)

Part II. [ C] (Book 17)

4. THe last sort of them that sin, and yet are to be treated with compassion, is of them that interrupt the course of an honest life with single acts of sin, stepping aside and starting like a broken bowe; whose resolution stands fair, and their hearts are towards God, and they sojourn in religion, or ra∣ther, dwell there; but that like evil husbands they go abroad, and enter into places of dishonour and unthriftinesse. Such as these, all stories remember with a sad character; and every narrative [ D] concerning David which would end in honour and fair report, is sullied with the remembrances of Bathsheba: and the Holy Ghost hath called him a man after Gods own heart, save in the matter of Vriah; there indeed he was a man after his own heart; even then when his reason was stolne from him by passion, and his religion was sullied by the beauties of a fair woman. I wish we lived in an age in which the people were to be treated with, concerning renouncing the single actions of sin, and the seldome interruptions of piety: Men are taught to say, that every man sins in every acti∣on he does; and this is one of the doctrines, for the beleeving of [ E] which he shall be accounted a good man; and upon this ground it is easie for men to allow themselves some sins, when in all cases, and in every action it is unavoidable. I shall say nothing of the [ 1] Question, save that the Scripture reckons otherwise, * and in the [ 2] accounts of Davids life reckon but one great sin, * and in Zachary and Elizabeth gave a testimony of an unblameable conversation;

[ A] * and Hezekiah did not make his confession when he prayed to God in his sicknesse and said he had walked uprightly before God, * and [ 3] therefore Saint Paul after his conversion designed and laboured [ 4] hard, & therefore certainly with hopes to accomplish it, that he might keep his conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man, * and one of Christs great purposes is to present his whole [ 5] Church pure and spotlesse to the throne of grace, and * Saint John the [ 6] Baptist offended none but Herod, * and no pious Christian brought [ 7] a bill of accusation against the holy Virgin Mother; * certain it is, [ 8] that God hath given us precepts of such a holinesse and such a [ B] purity, such a meeknesse and such humility as hath no pattern but Christ, no precedent but the purities of God: and therefore it is intended we should live with a life whose actions are not check∣er'd with white and black, half sin and half vertue: Gods sheep are not like Jacobs flock streaked and spotted: it is an intire ho∣linesse that God requires, and will not endure to have a holy course interrupted by the dishonour of a base and ignoble action. I do not mean that a mans life can be as pure as the Sun or the rayes of celestial Jerusalem; but like the Moon in which there are spots; [ C] but they are no deformity; a lessening onely and an abatement of light, no cloud to hinder and draw a vail before its face; but sometimes it is not so serene and bright as at other times. Every man hath his indiscretions and infirmities, his arrests and sudden incursions, his neighbourhoods and semblances of sin, his little vidences to reason and peevish melancholy▪ and humorous Phantastick discourses; unaptnesses to a d••••out prayer, his fond∣nesses to judge favourably in his own cases▪ little deceptions, and voluntary and involuntary cousena••es, ignorances and inadverten∣cies, carelesse hours, and unwatchful ••easons, but no good man ever [ D] commits one act of adultery; no godly man wil at any time be drunk or if he be, he ceases to be a godly man, and is run into the con∣fines of death, and is sick at he••••t, and may die of the sicknesse, die eternally. This happens more frequently in persons of an infant piety, when the vertue is not corroborated by a long abode and a confirmed resolution, and an usual victory and a triumphant grace, and the longer we are accustomed to piety the more in∣frequent will be the little breaches of folly, and a returning sin. But as the needle of a compasse, when it is directed to its be∣loved star, at the first addresses waves on either side, and seems [ E] indifferent in his courtship of the rising or declining sun, and when it seems first determined to the North, stands a while trembling, as if it suffered inconvenience in the first fruition of its desires and stands not still in a full enjoyment till after, first, a great variety of motion, and then an undisturbed posture: so is the piety, and so is the conversion of a man; wrought by degrees and several steps of imperfection; and at first our choices are wavering, con∣vinced

by the grace of God and yet not perswaded, and then per∣swaded [ A] but not resolved, and then resolved but deferring to be∣gin, and then beginning, but (as all beginnings are) in weak∣nesse and uncertainty, and we flie out often into huge indiscretions and look back to Sodom and long to return to Egypt; and when the storm is quite over we finde little bublings and unevennesses upon the face of the waters, we often weaken our own purposes by the returns of sin, and we do not call our selves conquerours till by the long possession of vertues it is a strange and unusual, and therefore an uneasy and unpleasant thing to act a crime. When Polemon of Athens by chance coming into the schools of Xeno∣crates [ B] was reformed upon the hearing of that one lecture, some wise men gave this censure of him; peregrinatus est hujus animus in nequitiâ, non habitavit, his minde wandred in wickednesse and travelled in it, but never dwelt there; the same is the case of some men; they make inroads into the enemies countrey, not like ene∣mies to spoil, but like Dinah to be satisfied with the stranger beau∣ties of the land, till their vertues are defloured and they enter in∣to tragedies, and are possessed by death, and intolerable sorrows; but because this is like the fate of Jacobs daughter and happens not by designe, but folly, not by malice, but surprise, not by the [ C] strength of will, but by the weaknesse of grace, and yet car∣ries a man to the same place whether a great vice usually does, it is hugely pitiable, and the persons are to be treated with compassion and to be assisted by the following considerations and exercises.

First let us consider, that for a good man to be overtake in a single crime is the greatest dishonour and unthriftinesse in the whole world. As a fly in a box of ointment, so is a little folly to him who is accounted wise, said the Son of Sirach: No man chides a fool for his weaknesses, or scorns a childe for playing with flies and pre∣ferring [ D] the present appetite, before all the possibilities of to mor∣rows event: But men wondered when they saw Socrates ride upon a cane; and when Solomon laid his wisdom at the foot of Pharaohs daughter, and changed his glory for the interest of wan∣ton sleep, he became the discourse of heaven and earth: and men think themselves abused, and their expectation cousened when they see a wise man do the actions of a fool, and a good man seized up∣on by the dishonours of a crime. But the losse of his reputation is the least of his evil. It is the greatest improvidence in the world to let a healthful constitution be destroyed in the surfet of one night. [ E] For although, when a man by the grace of God and a long endea∣vour hath obtained the habit of Christian graces, every single sin does not spoil the habit of vertue, because that cannot be lost but as it was gotten, that is, by parts, and succession, yet eve∣ry crime interrupts the acceptation of the grace, and makes the man

[ A] to enter into the state of enmity, and displeasure with God. The habit is onely lessened naturally, but the value of it is wholly taken away: and in this sence is that of Josephus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which Saint James well renders.* 1.2 He that keeps the whole law and offends in one point is guilty of all; that is, if he prevaricates in any commandment, the transgression of which by the law was capital, shall as certainly die as if he broke the whole law; and the same is the case of those single actions which the school calls deadly sins, that is, actions of choice in any sin that hath a name, and makes a Kinde & hath a distinct matter. And sins [ B] once pardoned return again to al the purposes of mischief. If we by a new sin forfeit Gods former loving kindnesse. When the righteous man turneth from his righteousnesse and commiteth iniquity,* 1.3 all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred, in the tres∣passe that he hath trespassed, and in the sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Now then consider how great a fool he is who when he hath with much labour & by suffering violence contradict∣ed his first desires; when his spirit hath been in agony and care, and with much uneasinesse hath denied to please the lower man, [ C] when with many prayers and groans and innumerable sighs and strong cryings to God with sharp sufferances and a long severity, he hath obtained of God to begin his pardon and restitution, and that he is in some hopes to return to Gods favour, and that he shall become an heire of heaven▪ when some of his amazing fears and distracting cares begin to be taken off, when he begins to think, that now it is not certain he shall perish in a sad eternity, but he hopes to be saved and he considers how excellent a con∣dition that is, he hopes when he dies to go to God, and that he shall never enter into the possession of Devils; and this state, which [ D] is but the twilight of a glorious felicity, he hath obtained with great labour and much care, and infinite danger; that this man should throw all this structure down, and then when he is ready to reap the fruits of his labours, by one indiscreet action, to set fire upon his corn fields, and destroy all his dearly earned hopes, for the madnesse and loose wandrings of an hour; This man is an indiscreet gamester; who doubles his stake as he thrives, and at one throw is dispossessed of all the prosperities of a luckie hand.

[ E] They that are poor (as Plutarch observes) are carelesse of lit∣tle things, because by saving them, they think no great moments can accrue to their estates, and they despairing to be rich, think such frugality impertinent: But they that feele their banks swell, and are within the possibilities of wealth, think it useful if they reserve the smaller minuts of expence, knowing that every thing will adde to their heap; but then after long sparing, in one night to throw away the wealth of a long purchase, is an imprudence

becoming none but such persons who are to be kept under Tu∣tors [ A] and Guardians, and such as are to be chastised by their servants, and to be punished by them whom they clothe and feed.

—〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.* 1.4

These men sowe much, and gather little, stay long and return empty, and after a long voyage they are dashed in pieces when their vessels are laden with the spoils of provinces. Every [ B] deadly sin destroyes the rewards of a seven years piety; I adde to this, that God is more impatient at a sin committed by his servants then at many by persons that are his enemies; and an uncivil an∣swer from a son to a Father, from an obliged person to a bene∣factor is a greater undecency, then if an enemy should storm his house or revile him to his head. Augustus Caesar taxed all the world and God took no publick notices of it; but when David taxed and numbered a petty province it was not to be expiated without a plague; because such persons, besides the direct sin, [ C] adde the circumstance of ingratitude to God, who hath redeemed them from their vain conversation and from death, and from hell, and consigned them to the inheritance of sons and given them his grace and his spirit, and many periods of comfort▪ and a certain hope and visible earnests of immortality; nothing is baser then that such a person against his reason, against his interest, against his God, against so many obligations, against his custome, against his very habits and acquired inclinations should do an action.

Quam nisi Seductis nequeas committere Divis [ D]

Which a man must for ever be ashamed of, and like Adam must run from God himself to do it, and depart from the state in which he had placed all his hopes, and to which he had designed all his labours. The consideration is effective enough, if we sum up the particulars; for he that hath lived well and then falls into a deli∣berate sin, is infinitely dishonoured, is most imprudent, most un∣safe, and most unthankful.

2. Let persons tempted to the single instances of sin in the midst [ E] of a laudable life, be very careful that they suffer not themselves to be drawn aside by the eminency of great examples. For some think drunkennesse hath a little honesty derived unto it by the exam∣ples of Noah, and Adultery is not so scandalous and intolerably dis∣honorable, since Bathsheba bathed, and David was defiled and

[ A] men think a flight is no cowardise, if a General turns his head and runs.

Pompeio fugiente timent

Well might all the gowned Romans fear when Pompey fled, and who is there that can hope to be more righteous then David, or stronger then Samson, or have lesse hypocrisy then Saint Pe∣ter, or be more temperate then Noah? These great examples bear men of weak discourses and weaker resolutions from the severity [ B] of vertues. But as Diagoras to them that shewed to him the votive garments of those that had escaped shipwrack upon their prayers and vows to Neptune answered, that they kept no account of those that prayed and vowed, and yet were drowned: So do these men keep catalogues of those few persons who broke the third of a fair life in sunder with the violence of a great crime, and by the grace of God recovered and repented and lived; But they consider not concerning those infinite numbers of men, who died in their first fit of sicknesse, who after a fair voyage have thrown themselves o∣ver [ C] boord, and perished in a sudden wildnesse, One said well, Si quid Socrates, aut Aristippus contra morem et consuetudinem fecerunt, idem sibi ne arbitretur licere. Magnis enim illi & divinis bonis hanc licenti∣am assequebantur. If Socrates did any unusual thing, it is not for thee who art of an ordinary vertue to assume the same licence; For he by a divine and excellent life hath obtained leave or pardon re∣spectively, for what thou must never hope for, till thou hast arri∣ved to the same glories. First be as devout as David, as good a Christi∣an as Saint Peter, and then thou wilt not dare with designe to act that, which they fell into by surprize; and if thou doest fall as [ D] they did, by that time thou hast also repented like them, it may be said concerning thee, that thou dist fall and break thy bones, but God did heal thee and pardon thee, Remember that all the damned soules shall bear an eternity of torments for the pleasures of a short sinfulnesse; but for a single trasient action, to die for ever, is an intolerable exchange and the effect of so great a folly, that whosoever falls into and then considers it, it will make him mad and distracted for ever.

3. Remember, that since no man can please God or bE par∣takers of any promises, or reap the reward of any actions in the [ E] returnes of eternity, unlesse he performs to God an intir duty, according to the capacities of a man so taught, and so tempted, and so assisted, such a person must be curious that he be not cozened with the duties and performances of any one relation, 1. Some there are that think all our religion consists in prayers and pub∣lick or private offices of devotion, and not in moral actions or entercourses of justice and temperance, of kindnesse and friendships

of sincerity and liberality, of chastity and humility, of repen∣tance [ A] and obedience: indeed no humour is so easie to be coun∣terfeited as devotion, and yet no hypocrisy is more common a∣mong men, nor any so uselesse as to God; for it being an addresse to him alone who knows the heart and all the secret purposes, it can do no service in order to heaven, so long as it is without the power of Godlinesse, and the energy and vivacity of a holy life. God will not suffer us to commute a duty, because all is his due; and religion shall not pay for the want of temperance: if the de∣voutest Hermit be proud, or he that fasts thrice in the week be un∣charitable once; or he that gives much to the poor, gives also too [ B] much liberty to himself, he hath planted a fair garden, and invi∣ted a wilde boar to refresh himself under the shade of the fruit trees, and his guest being something rude hath disordered his para∣dise, and made it become a wildernesse, 2. Others there are that judge themselves by the censures that Kings and Princes give con∣cerning them, or as they are spoken of by their betters, and so make false judgements concerning their condition. For our bet∣ters to whom we show our best parts, to whom we speak with caution and consider what we represent, they see our arts and our dressings, but nothing of our nature and deformities; Trust not [ C] their censures concerning thee, but to thy own opinion of thy self, whom thou knowest in thy retirements and natural peevishnesse and unhandsome inclinations, and secret basenesse, 3. Some men have been admired abroad, in whom the wife and the servant never saw any thing excellent: a rare judge and a good common-wealths man in the streets, and publick meetings, and a just man to his neigh∣bour, and charitable to the poor; for in all these places the man is ob∣served and kept in awe by the Sun, by light and by voices; But this man is a Tyrant at home, an unkinde husband & ill Father, an impe∣rious Master,* 1.5 and such men are like prophets in their own countreys, [ D] not honoured at home and can never be honoured by God, who will not endure that many vertues should excuse a few vices,* 1.6 Or that any of his servants shall take pensions of the De∣vil, and in the profession of his service do his enemy single ad∣vantages.* 1.7

4. He that hath past many stages of a good life to prevent his be∣ing tempted to a single sin must be very careful that he never enter∣tain his spirit with the remembrances of his past sin,* 1.8 nor amuse it with the phantastick apprehensions of the present. When the Israelites fancied the sapidnesse and relish of the flesh pots they longed to [ E] tast and to return.

So when a Libian Tiger drawn from his wilder forragings is shut up and taught to eat civil meat and suffer the authority of a man, he sits down tamely in his prison and payes to his keeper fear and reverence for his meat: But if he chance to come again

[ A] and taste a draught of warm blood, he presently leaps into his na∣turall cruelty.

Admonitae tument gustato sanguine fauces, Feruet & à trepido vix abstinet ira Magistro.

He scarce abstains from eating those hands that brought him di∣scipline and food: so is the nature of a man made tame and gentle by the grace of God, and reduced to reason, and kept in awe by re∣ligion and lawes and by an awfull vertue is taught to forget those alluring and sottish relishes of sin: but if he diverts from his path, and snatches handfuls from the wanton vineyards, and remembers [ B] the lasciviousnesse of his unwholesome food that pleased his child∣ish palate, then he grows sick again, and hungry after unwhole∣some diet, and longs for the apples of Sodom. A man must walk thorow the world without eyes, or ears, fancy, or appetite, but such as are created and sanctified by the grace of God; and being once made a new man, he must serve all the needs of nature by the appetites and faculties of grace: nature must be wholly a servant, and we must so look towards the deliciousnesse of our religion, and the rayishments of heaven, that our memory must be for ever uselesse to the affairs and perceptions of sin: we cannot stand, wee [ C] cannot live, unlesse we be curious and watchfull in this particular.

By these and all other arts of the Spirit, if we stand upon our guard, never indulging to our selves one sin, because it is but o••e; as knowing that one sin brought in death upon all the world, and one sin brought slavery upon the posterity of Cham: and alwa••es fearing lest death surprize us in that one sin; we shall by the gr••••e of God, either not need, or else easily perceive the effects and bles∣sings of that compassion which God reserves in the secrets of his mercy, for such persons whom his grace hath ordained and dis∣posed with excellent dispositions unto life eternall.

[ D] These are the sorts of men which are to be used with compassi∣on; concerning whom we are to make a difference, making a dif∣ference] so sayes the Text, and it is of high concernment that we should do so, that we may relieve the infirmities of the men, and relieve their sicknesses, and transcribe the copy of the Di••••ne mer∣cy, who loves not to quench the smoaking flax, nor break 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bruised reed. For although all sins are against Gods Commandements, di∣rectly, or by certain consequents, by line, or by analogy, yet they are not all of the same tincture and mortality.

[ E] Nec vincit ratio tantundem ut peccet idemque, Qui teneros caules alieni fregerit horti Vt qui nocturnus Diuûm sacra legerit.

He that robs a garden of Coleworts, and carries away an arm∣full of Spinage, does not deserve hell as he that steals the Chalice from the Church, or betrayes a Prince; and therefore men are di∣stinguished accordingly:

Est inter Tanaim quiddam socerumque Viselli. [ A]

The Poet that Sejanus condemned for dishonouring the memory of Agamemnon, was not an equall criminall with Cataline, or Grac∣chus: and Simon Magus and the Nicolaitans committed crimes which God hated, more then the complying of S. Barnabas, or the dissimulation of S. Peter; and therefore God does treat these persons severally: Some of these are restrained with a fit of sicknesse, some with a great losse; and in these there are degrees, and some ar∣rive at death. And in this manner God scourged the Corinthians for their irreverent and disorderly receiving the Holy Sacrament. [ B] For although even the least of the sins that I have discoursed of, will lead to death eternall, if their course be not interrupted, and the disorder chastised, yet because we do not stop their progresse instantly, God many times does, and visits us with proportionable judgements, and so not onely checks the rivulet from swelling in∣to rivers and a vastnesse, but plainly tells us, that although smaller crimes shall not be punished with equall severity as the greatest, yet even in hell there are eternal rods as well as eternal scorpions; and the smallest crime that we act with an infant-malice, and man∣ly [ C] deliberation, shall be revenged with the lesser stroaks of wrath; but yet with the infliction of a sad eternity. But then that we also should make a difference, is a precept concerning Church discipline, and therefore not here proper to be considered, but onely as it may concern our own particulars in the actions of repentance; and our brethren in internal correction:

—assit Regula quae poenas peccatis irroget aequas, Nec seuticà dignum horribili sectere flagello. [ D]

Let us be sure that we neglect no sin, but repent for every one, and judge our selves for every one, according to the proportion of the malice, or the scandall, or the danger. And although in this there is no fear that we would be excessive; yet when we are to reprove a brother we are sharp enough, and either by pride, or by animosity, by the itch of government, or the indignation of an angry minde, we run beyond the gentlenesse of a Christian Moni∣tor; we must remember that by Christs law some are to be admo∣nished privately, some to be shamed and corrected publikely, and beyond these, there is an abscission, or a cutting off from the com∣munion [ E] of faithfull people, A delivering over to Sathan. And to this purpose is that old reading of the words of my Text, which is still in some Copies, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Reprove them sharply, when they are convinced, or separate by sentence. But be∣cause this also is a designe of mercy, acted with an instance of di∣scipline, it is a punishment of the flesh, that the soul may be saved

[ A] in the day of the Lord, it means the same with the usuall reading, and with the last words of the Text, and teaches us our usage to∣wards the worst of recoverable sinners.

Others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.] Some sins there are, which in their own nature are damnable, and some are such as will certainly bring a man to damnation; the first are cura∣ble, but with much danger; the second are desperate and irrecover∣able; when a man is violently tempted, and allured with an ob∣ject that is proportionable and pleasant to his vigorous appetite, and his unabated, unmortified nature, this man falls into death, [ B] but yet we pity him as we pity a thief that robs for his necessity: this man did not tempt himself, but his spirit suffers violence, and his reason is invaded, and his infirmities are mighty, and his aids not yet prevailing: But when this single temptation hath prevai∣led for a single instance, and leaves a relish upon the palate, and this produces another, and that also is fruitfull and swels into a family and kinred of sin, that is, it grows first into approbation then to a clear assent, and an untroubled conscience, thence into frequency, from thence unto a custome, and easinesse, and a habit, this man is fallen into the fire. There are also some single [ C] acts of so great a malice that they must suppose a man habitually sinfull before he could arrive at that height of wickednesse. No man begins his sinfull course with killing of his Father or his Prince; and Simon Magus had preambulatory impieties; he was covetous and ambitious, long before he offered to buy the Holy Ghost.

Nemo repente fuit turpissimus—and although such actions may have in them the malice and the mischief, the disorder and the wrong, the principle and the permanent ef∣fect, of a habit and a long course of sin, yet because they never or [ D] very seldom go alone, but after the praedisposition of other h••••sher∣ing crimes, we shall not amisse comprise them under the name of habituall sins. For such they are, either formally or equivalently: and if any man hath fallen into a sinfull habit, into a course and order of sinning, his case is little lesser then desperate; but that little hope that is remanent hath its degree according to the infan∣cy or the growth of the habit. 1. For all sins lesse then habitual, it is certain, a pardon is ready to penitent persons: that is, to all that sin in ignorance, or in infirmity, by surprize, or inadvertency, in smaller instances, or infrequent returns, with involuntary acti∣ons, [ E] or imperfect resolutions, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, said Clemens in his Epistles: Lift up your hands to Almighty God, and pray him to be mercifull to you in all things when you sin unwillingly; that is, in which you sin with an imperfect choice: for no man sins against his will directly, but when his understanding is abused by an in∣evitable,

or an intolerable weaknesse, our wills follow their blind [ A] guide, and are not the perfect mistresses of their own actions, and therefore leave a way and easinesse to repent, and be ashamed of it; and therefore a possibility and readinesse for pardon. And these are the sins that we are taught to pray to God that he would pardon, as he gives us our bread, that is, every day. For in many things we offend all, said Saint James, that is, in many smaller matters, in matters of surprize, or inevitable infirmity: And therefore Posi∣dices said, that Saint Austin was used to say, That he would not have even good and holy Priests go from this world without the sus∣ception of equall and worthy penances: and the most innocent life [ B] in our account is not a competent instrument of a peremptory confidence, and of justifying our selves: I am guilty of nothing, (said Saint Paul) that is, of no ill intent, or negligence in preach∣ing the Gospel, yet I am not hereby justified, for God it may bee knows many little irregularities, and insinuations of sin: In this case we are to make a difference; but humility, and prayer, and watchfulnesse, are the direct instruments of the expiation of such sinnes.

But then secondly, whosoever sins without these abating circum∣stances, [ C] that is, in great instances, in which a mans understanding cannot be cozened; as in drunkennesse, murder, adultery, and in the frequent repetitions of any sort of sin whatsoever, in which a mans choice cannot be surprized, and in which it is certain there is a love of the sin, and a delight in it, and a power over a mans resolutions; in these cases it is a miraculous grace, and an extra∣ordinary change, that must turn the current and the stream of the iniquity: and when it is begun, the pardon is more uncertain, and the repentance more difficult, and the effect much abated, and the man must be made miserable that he may be accursed for ever. [ D]

1. I say his pardon is uncertain, because there are some sins which are unpardonable, (as I shall shew) and they are not all named in particular, and the degrees of malice being uncertain, the salvation of that man is to be wrought with infinite fear and trembling.* 1.9 It was the case of Simon Magus, Repent and ask pardon for thy sin, if peradventure the thought of thy heart may be forgi∣ven thee. If peradventure;] it was a new crime, and concerning its possibility of pardon no revelation had been made, and by ana∣logy to other crimes it was very like an unpardonable sin; for it was a thinking a thought against the Holy Ghost, and that was next [ E] to speaking a word against him. Cains sin was of the same nature; It is greater then it can be forgiven, his passion and his fear was too severe and decretory: it was pardonable, but truly we never finde that God did pardon it.

[ 2] 2. But besides this, it is uncertain in the pardon, because it may be the time of pardon is passed, and though God hath par∣doned

[ A] to other people the same sins, and to thee too sometimes be∣fore, yet it may be he will not now: he hath not promised par∣don so often as we sin, and in all the returns of impudence, aposta∣cy, and ingratitude; and it may be thy day is past, as was Jerusalems in the day that they crucified the Saviour of the world.

3. Pardon of such habitual sins is uncertain, because life is un∣certain; [ 3] and such sins require much time for their abolition and ex∣piation. And therefore although these sins are not necessariò morti∣fera, that is, unpardonable, yet by consequence they become dead∣ly, because our life may be cut off before we have finished or per∣formed those necessary parts of repentance, which are the severe [ B] and yet the onely condition of getting pardon. So that you may perceive, that not onely every great single crime, but the habit of any sin is dangerous; and therefore these persons are to be snatched from the fire, if you mean to rescue them, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 if you stay a day, it may be you stay too long.

4. To which I adde this fourth consideration, that every de∣lay [ 4] of return is in the case of habitual sins an approach to desperati∣on because the nature of habits is like that of Crocodiles they grow as long as they live; and if they come to obstinacy, or confirmation, they are in hell already, and can never return back. For so the Pan∣nonian [ C] Bears, when they have clasped a dart in the region of their Liver, wheel themselves upon the wound and with anger and ma∣licious revenge strike the deadly barbe deeper, and cannot be quit from that fatal steel, but in flying bear along that which them∣selves make the instrument of a more hasty death: So is every vi∣tious person struck with a deadly wound, and his own hands forced it into the entertainments of his heart. And because it is pain∣full to draw it forth by a sharp and salutary repentance he still rouls and turns upon his wound, and carries his death in his bowels, where it first entered by choice, and then dwelt by love, and at last shall finish the tragedy by divine judgements, and an unalterable decree.

But as the pardon of these sins is uncertain, so the conditions of restitution are hard, even to them who shall be pardoned: their par∣don and themselves too, must be fetched from the fire; water will not do it, tears and ineffective sorrow cannot take off a habit, or a great crime.

O nimium faciles, qui tristia crimina cadis, Tolli flumineâ posse putatis aquâ.

[ E] Bion seeing a Prince weep and tearing his hair for sorrow, asked if baldnesse would cure his grief? such pompous sorrows may bee good indices,* 1.10 but no perfect instruments of restitution. Saint James plainly declares the possibilities of pardon to great sins, in the cases of contention, adultery, lust, and envy, which are the four great in∣decencies that are most contrary to Christianity; and in the 5. Chap.

he implies also a possibility of pardon to an habitual sinner, whom [ A] he calls, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one that erres from the truth, that is, from the life of a Christian, the life of the Spirit of truth: and he addes, that such a person may be reduced and so be pardo∣ned, * 1.11 though he have sinned long; he that converts such a one, shall hide a multitude of sins: But then the way that he appoints for the restitution of such persons is humilty, and humiliation, penances. and sharp penitentiall sorrows, and afflictions, resisting the Devil, re∣turning to God, weeping and mourning, confessions and prayers, as you may read at large in the 4. and 5. Chapters; and there it is, that you shall finde it a duty, that such persons should be afflicted, and [ B] should confesse to their brethren; and these are harder conditions then God requires in the former cases; these are a kinde of fiery tryall.

I have now done with my Text, and should adde no more but that the nature of these sins is such that they may increase in their weight, and duration, and malice, and then they increase in mischief, and fatality, and so go beyond the Text. Cicero said well, Ipsa consuetudo assentiendi periculosa esse videtur & lubrica. l. 4. Acad. Qu. The very custome of consenting in the matters of civility is dangerous and slippery, and will quickly ingage us in er∣rour, and then we think we are bound to defend them, or else we [ C] are made flatterers by it, and so become vitious; and we love our own vices that we are used to, and keep them till they are incurable, that is, till we will never repent of them; and some men resolve ne∣ver to repent, that is, they resolve they will not be saved, they tread under foot the blood of the everlasting covenant; those persons are in the fire too, but they will not be pulled out: concerning whom Gods Prophets must say as once concerning Babylon, Curavimus & non est sanata, derelinquamus eam, We would have healed them, but they would not be healed, let us leave them in their sins, and they shall have enough of it; Onely this, those that put themselves [ D] out of the condition of mercy are not to be endured in Christian societies; they deserve it not, and it is not safe that they should be suffered.

But besides all this, I shall name one thing more unto you; for

—nunquam adeò foedis adeoquè pudendis, Vtimur exemplis, ut non pejora supersint.

There are some single actions of sin of so great a malice, that in their own nature they are beyond the limit of Gospel pardon: they are not such things for the pardon of which God entered into cove∣nant; because they are such sins which put a man into perfect indispo∣tisions, [ E] and incapacities of entring into, or being in the covenant. In the first ages of the world, Atheisme was of that nature; it was against their whole religion; and the sin is worse now, against the whole religion still, and against a brighter light. In the ages after the flood idolatry was also just such another: for as God was known first one∣ly

[ A] as the creator, then he began to manifest himself in special con∣tracts with men, and he quickly was declared the God of Israel and idolatry perfectly destroyed all that religion, and therefore was ne∣ver pardoned intirely; but God did visit it upon them that sin∣ned; and when he pardoned it in some degrees yet he also punish∣ed it in some; and yet rebellion against the supreme power of Mo∣ses and Aaron was worse; for that also is a perfect destruction of the whole religion, because it refused to submit to those hands upon which God had placed all the religion, and all the government. And now if we would know in the Gospel what answers these precedent [ B] sins? I answer, first the same sins acted by a resolute hand and heart are worse now then ever they were: and a third or fourth is also to be added; and that is Apostacy or or a voluntary malicious renoun∣cing the faith: The Church hath often declared that sin to be unpar∣donable: witchcraft or final impenitence, and obstinacy in any sin are infallibly desperate: and in general, and by a certain parity of reason, whatsoever does destroy charity or the good life of a Christi∣an with the same general venom and deletery as Apostacy de∣stroyes faith; and he that is a Renegado from charity, is as unpar∣donable as he that returns to solemn Atheisme or infidelity: for all [ C] that, is directly the sin against the holy Ghost, that is a throwing that away wherby onely we can be Christians, wherby onely we can hope to be saved; to speak a word against the holy Ghost in the Pha∣risees, was declared unpardonable, because it was such a word which if it had been true, or believed, would have destroyed the whole re∣ligion; for they said that Christ wrought by Beelzebub, and by con∣sequence did not come from God: He that destroyes al the whole order of Priesthood, destroyes one of the greatest parts of the religi∣on, & one of the greatest effects of the holy Ghost: He that destroyes government destroyes another part; but that we may come neerer [ D] to our selves; to quench the spirit of God is worse then to speak some words against him; to grieve the spirit of God is a part of the same im∣piety, to resist the holy Ghost is another part; and if we consider, that every great sin does this in its proportion, it wo••••d concern us to be careful, lest we fal into presumptuous sins, lest they get the domini•••• o∣ver us; out of this that I have spoken you may easily gather what sort of men those are, who cannot be snatched from the fire; for whom as S. John saies, we are not to pray, and how neer men come to it that continue in any known sin; if I should descend to particulars, I might [ E] lay a snare to scrupulous and nice consciences. This onely every con∣firmed habitual sinner does manifest the divine justice in punishing the sins of a short life with a never dying worm, and a never quench∣ed flame, because we have an affection to sin that no time will dimi∣nish, but such as would increase to eternal ages; and accordingly as a∣ny man hath a degree of love, so he hath lodged in his soul a spark which unless it be speedily & effectively quenched will break forth into unquenchable fire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  SER. XVII.
• * 1.2

  2 Chap. 11.
• * 1.3

  Ezek. 18. 24.
• * 1.4

  Hom. Ili. ••
• * 1.5

  Hic ubi dissuetae sylvis in carcere clausae
• * 1.6

  Mansue vere serae, & vul∣tus posuêre mi∣naces
• * 1.7

  Atque homi∣nem didicere pati si torrida parvus
• * 1.8

  Venit in ora cruor, redeunt rabies{que}, fu∣ror{que}.
• * 1.9

  Acts 7. 22.
• * 1.10

  Chap. 4. 1, 3.
• * 1.11

  Cha. 4. ver. ult.