122 Peter's denial sf his Mailer, S E R M. has brought himfelf under: This is a way V. of thinking and praEtical reafoning, which fcarcely can a fincere chriftian at any time be capable of it; it is fo wretchedly difinge- nuous, and, one would think, muff pro- ceed only from an habitually depraved heart, and loft to all fenfe of true piety. " I have " been thro' the general courfe of my con- " verfation innocent, and made it my Rudy " to pleafe God, I may, therefore for this " once, allow myfelf to tranfgrefs, and hope " hewillnot be greatly offended." Or, " other " good men have aced in this manner, and " I may take the liberty to follow the ex- " ample." Such thoughts, we may be affured, were far from St. Peter's heart, as they are far from every religious perfon's, in the worft ftate of mind we can reafonably fuppofe him in. And the molt wilful fins they commit at any time are to be attributed, rather to the prefent power of temptations, and pallions ftupifying their minds, and in a great degree fufpending the exercife of their reafoning powers, than to fuch deliberation, and meditated pretences for juftifying them- felves. Let it be obferved, that the cafe of the text, and others like it, recorded in fcripture,' were fingle offences, not repeated ; and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=