SER M. are fo many talents committed to our truft, of the CXXI. neglect whereof a fevere account will be taken at the day of judgment. If we be wilful offenders, there is no excufe for us, and little hopes of pardon. "If we fin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth," (fays the apoftle in this epiftle)" there remains no more facrifice for fin." I know the apoftle fpeaks this particularly of the fin of apoftafy from christianity; but it is in proportion true of all other fins, which those wha have received the knowledge of the truth are guilty of. They, who after they have entertained chriftianity, and made fome progress in it, and been in fome measure reformed by it, do again relapfe into any vicious course, do thereby render their condition very dangerous. So St. Peter tells us, 2 Pet, ii. 20, 21. "If after they have escaped the pollu tions of the world through the knowledge of the "LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, "they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worfe with them than the begin ning. For it had been better for them, not to "have known the way of righteoufnefs, than after "they have known it, to turn from the holy com"mandment delivered unto them." Therefore we may do well to confider feriously what we do, when under the means and opportunities of knowledge which the gospel affords us, and the ineftimable bleffings and favours which it confers upon us, we live in any wicked and vicious courfe. Our fins are not of a common rate, when they have fo much of wilfulness and unworthinefs in them. If men fhall be feverely punifh'd for living against the light of nature; what vengeance fhall be poured on thofe who who offend against the glorious light of the gofpel?SERM"this is the condemnation, that light is come," &c. 3dly, The confideration of what hath been faid is matter of comfort to thofe, who upon every failing and infirmity are afraid they have committed the "unpardonable fin," and that it is impoffible for them to be restor'd by repentance. There are many who being of a dark and melancholy temper, are apt to represent things worfe to themfelves than there is reafon for, and do many times fancy themfelves guilty of great crimes, in the doing or neglecting of thofe things which in their nature are indifferent, and are apt to aggravate and blow up every little infirmity into an unpardonable fin. Most men are apt to extenuate their fins, and not to be fenfible enough of the evil and heinoufnefs of them; but it is the peculiar infelicity of melancholy perfons to look upon their faults as blacker and greater than in truth they are; and whatfoever they hear and read in fcripture, that is spoken against the groffeft and most enormous offenders, they apply to themselves; and when they hear of thefin against the HOLY GHOST," and "the "fin unto death," or read this text which I am now treating of, they prefently conclude that they are guilty of these fins, and that this is a defcription of their cafe. Whereas "the fin against the "HOLY GHOST" is of that nature, that probably none but those that faw our SAVIOUR'S miracles are capable of committing it; and excepting that, there is no fin whatfoever that is unpardonable. As for "the fin unto death," and that here fpoken of in the text, I have fhew that they are a total apoftafy from the chriftian religion, more especially to CXXI. CXXI, SER M. to the heathen idolatry; which thefe perfons I am fpeaking of, have no reafon to imagine themselves guilty of. And though great and notorious crimes committed by chriftians may come near to this, and it may be very hard for those who are guilty of them, to recover themselves again to repentance; yet to be fure, for the common frailties and infirmities of human nature, there is an open way of pardon in the gospel, and they are many times forgiven to us upon a general repentance; fo that upon account of these, which is commonly the cafe of the perfons I am fpeaking of, there is not the leaft ground of despair; and though it be hard many times for fuch perfons to receive comfort, yet it is eafy to give it, and that upon fure grounds, and as clear evidence of fcripture, as there is for any thing; fo that the first thing that such persons, who are so apt to judge thus hardly of themfelves, are to be convinced of (if poffible) is this, that they ought rather to trust the judgment of others concerning themfelves, than their own imagination, which is fo diflemper'd, that it cannot make a true reprefentation of things. I know that where melancholy does mightily prevail, it is hard to perfuade people of this: but till they be perfuaded of it, I am fure all the reafon in the world will fignify nothing to them. 4thly, This fhould make men afraid of great and prefumptuous fins, which come near apoitafy from christianity; fuch as deliberate murder, adultery, grofs fraud and oppreffion, or notorious and habitual intemperance. For what great difference is there, whether men renounce chriftianity; or profeffing to believe it, " do in their works deny it?" Some of thefe fins which I have mention'd, particu larly CXXI. larly murder and adultery, were ranked in the fame SERM. degree with apoftafy by the ancient church; and fo fevere was the difcipline of many churches, that perfons guilty of these crimes were never admitted to the peace and communion of the church again, whatever teftimony they gave of their repentance. I will not fay but this was too rigorous; but this fhews how inconfiftent with chriftianity thefe crimes, and others of the like degree of heinoufnefs, were in thofe days thought to be. They did not indeed, as Tertullian tells us, think fuch perfons abfolutely incapable of the mercy of GOD; but after fuch a fall, fo notorious a contradiction to their chriftian profeffion, they thought it unfit afterwards that they fhould ever be reckon'd in the number of chriftians. 5thly, It may be useful for us upon this occafion to reflect a little upon the ancient difcipline of the church, which in fome places (as I have told you) was fo fevere, as in cafe of fome great crimes after baptifm, as apoftafy to the heathen idolatry, murder, and adultery, never to admit thofe that were guilty of them, to the peace and communion of the church; but all churches were fo ftrict, as not to admit those who fell after baptifm into great and notorious crimes, to reconciliation with the church, but after a long and tedious courfe of penance, after the greatest and most publick teftimonies of forrow and repentance, after long fafting and tears, and the greateft figns of humiliation that can be imagined. In cafe of the greatefl offences they were feldom reconciled, till they came to lie upon their death-beds: and in cafe of other fcandalous fins, not 'till after the humiliation of many years. This perhaps may be thought too great feverity; but I am fure we are as much SER M. much too remifs now, as they were over-rigorous in any degree put in practice now, what cafe would 6thly, and lastly, The confideration of what hath been faid, fhould confirm and establish us in the profeffion of our holy religion. 'Tis true, we are not now in danger of apoftatizing from christianity to the heathen idolatry; but we have too many fad examples of those who apoftatize from the profeffion of the gospel, which they have taken upon them in baptifm, to atheism and infidelity, to all manner of impiety |
