Serm.LXVII. The danger ofApo/lacy fromChri¡iianity. 493 fifrent withChriflianity thefe Crimes, and othersof the like degree ofheinoufnefs, were in thofe days thought to be. They did not indeed, as Tertallian tells us, think fuch Perlons abfolutely incapable of the Mercyof God ; but after fuch a fall, fo notorious a Contradiction to their Chriftian Profeffion, they thought it unfit afterwards that they fhould ever bereckon'd in the number of Chriffians. 5thly. It may be ufeful for us upon this Occafion to reflect a little upon the anci- ent Difciplineof the Church, which in fome places (as I have told you) was fo fevere, as in cafeof fome great Crimes after Baptifm, as Apoftacy to the Heathen Idolatry, Murder, and Adultery, never toadmit thofe that were guilty of them, to thePeace and Communion of theChurch; but all Churches was fo ftrict,as not to admit thofe who fell after Baptifm into great and notorious Crimes, to Recon- diiation with the Church, but after a long and tedious courfe of Penance, after the greateft and molt publickTeflimonies of Sorrow and Repentance, after long Falling and Tears, and thegreateft figns of Humiliation that can be imagined. In cafe of the greateft Offences they were feldom reconciled, till they came to lye upon their Death-beds: And in cafe ofother fcandalous Sins, not 'till after the Humiliation of many years. This perhaps may be thought too great Severity ; but I am fure we are as much too remifs now, as they were over rigourous then : but were the Ancient Difcipline of theChurch in any degree put in practice now, what cafe would the generality of Chriftians be in ? In what Herds and Shoals would Men be driven out of the Communion of the Church ? 'Tis true, the pro- digious Degeneracy and Corruption of Chriftians hath long lince broke thefe Bounds, and'tis morally impoible to revive the firictnefs of the Ancient Dili cipline in any meafure, till the World grow better : but yet we ought to reflect, with fhame and conflation of Face, upon the purer Ages of the Church, and fadly to confider, how few among us would in thofe Days have been accounted Chri- ftians; and upon thisConfideration to be provoked to an Emulation of thofe Better Times, and to a Reformationof thofe Faults andMifcarriages, which in the belt days of Chriftianity were reckon'd inconfiftent with the Chriflian Profeffi- on ; and to remember that though the Difcipline of the Church be not now the fame it was then, yet the Judgment and Severity of God is ; and that thofe who live in any vicious courfe of Life, though they continue in the Communion of the Church, yet they (hall be Eliot out of the Kingdomof God. We are fare that the Judgment of God will be according toTruth, againfi them which commit filch things. 6thly, And laflly, The Confiderationof what bath been faid, fhould confirm and ettablifh us in theProfeflion of our Holy Religion. 'Tis true, we are not now indanger of apoftatizing fromChrifl:ianity to the Heathen Idolatry ; but we have too many fadExamples of thofe who apoftatize from the Profeffionof the Gofpel, which they have taken upon them in Baptifm, to Atheifm and Infidelity, to all manner of Impiety and Lewdnefs. There are many who daily fall off from the Profeffion of the Reformed Religion, to thegrofs Errors and Superftitions of the Roman Church, which inmany things does too nearly relemble the old Pagan I- dolatry. Aud what the Apoftle here Pays of the Apoflates of his time, is propor- tionably true of thofe of our days, that they who thur fall away, it is extreamly dif- ficult to renew them again to Repentance. And it ought to be remembred, that the guilt of this kind of Apoftacy bath driven force to Defpair; as in the Cafe of Spira, who, for refitting the Light and Convictions of his Mind, was call into thofe Agonies, and fill'd with fuch Terrors, as if the very pains of Hellhad taken hold on him; and in that fearful Defpair, and in the midtt of thofe Horrors; he breathed out his Soul. Let or then hold fafi the Profeffion of our Faith withost wavering; and let us take heed how we contradift the Profeffion of our Faith, by any Impiety and Wicked - nefs in our Lives; remembring that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. I will conclude with the words of the Apoftle immediately after the Text, The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringetb forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dreffed, receivethbleng fromGod. But that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejecled, and is nighaiuto curling, whofe end is to be. burned. And howgladly would I add the next words! But, beloved, we are perfma- ded better things of you, and things that accompany falvation, though we thus(peal¿. S EK-
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