The Gofpel of the Leprofy. 3ar Reaf. 3. From the ftrange impenitenay and hardnefs of-Heart that . is in fcandalous Sinners. To instance in the fiin of Uncleannefs,_ which is the Cafe that now lies before us,it is a very blinding harden- ing Sin. Prov. 9. 18. But be knows not that the dead are there ; and that her Guefts are in the depths of Hell. It is the Fruit of a feared Cond- fcience, a Confcience paft feeling. Ephef 4. 19. Who beingpaff have given themflees over unto lafciviou(nefs to work Vncleannefs. This meets with that Objeaion : Should the Church cenfure a repenting Sinner? I will not now difpute that Queftion, whether Repentance be al ways enough to prevent Church,Cenfures. Some think it is not; for doubtlefs Aaron and Miriam repented. Numb. 12. i r, 12. See hoc* Aaron there confelI'eth and bewails the Sin ; and he (peaks in the plu- ral Number for them both. But here was a very fcandälous Sin, in folent and feditious Speeches againft the chief Magiftrate and Prophet ofGod, who was exceeding faithful in his Place, for which God fmites her with Leprofy ; and notwithftanding their own Confeffions, and Moles's Intercefïions for them, the Lord would have her Phut out. Verfe 14. And the LordPaid unto Mofes, ifher Father had (pit in her Face, fhouldfhe not be afhamed fèven Days ? Let her be Phut out from the Camp fever Days. So we may fay of Fornicators, or of any other fiagittous Sinner c If his Father had but fpit in his Face, Ihould he not be afhanied fevea Days ? And (hall he not be that out of the Church at all for Forni- cation ? But there is no need to debate that ;.for all feandalous Sinners are impenitent Perfons, and are fo to be accounted by all that fear God, till full Proof and Evidence do appear, that they have forfaken thofe fcandalous and wicked Ways. And this neither doth nor can.appear ordinarily, till after there hath been a fufficient Space and Time, and Tryal and Experience how they walk. Confefllon of a publick Scandal when the Evidence of the Fa& is undeniable, is no fuflicient Evidence of Repentance; for Pharaoh and Saul and gudas did this. And no Man that hath the ufe of his Rea- fon, can or will do otherwife; for to what purpofe is it to deny that which all Men know ? Or to feek to conceal that which cannot be hid? In the Confefliüns of filch Perfons it is obferveable,a That they are either meetly forced and extorted by the Hand of God upon them,; as Pharaohs was when he confe(lèd the Lord is Righteous, bat I and my people are Wicked ; and 7 'ßs his, by the horror of his Confcience,, Matth
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