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called, "The sin unto death," because it binds man over to eternal death, without any possibility of recovery. Now, some there are, that ⟨hop⟩ on from one degree of sin to another; they ⟨heighten⟩ and aggravate their sin more and more, ⟨until⟩ they are brought to that height at last, as ⟨to⟩ commit that sin for which there is no forgiveness.
There is no mere man since the fall, can ⟨live⟩ without sin, for all are sinners: But yet there ⟨are⟩ degrees of sin; some sins, in their own ⟨nature⟩, are small; others are more great and ⟨heinious⟩. Many sins there are that are great, ⟨but⟩ pardonable; and one sin there is, unpardonable: And whosoever commits that one sin, ⟨shall⟩ have no foregiveness, but must forever bear ⟨the⟩ weight and punishment both of that and of ⟨all⟩ his other sins. There is such a sin as St. John ⟨speaks⟩ of here in my text, that is, "A sin unto ⟨death.⟩" And now I come to the explication of ⟨the⟩ words; from whence I shall raise this point ⟨of⟩ doctrine.
Doct. "That amongst all the sins committed by fallen mankind, there is only one sin, that is 'A sin unto death; and whosoever committeth that, he hath no forgiveness, neither in this world, nor in the world to come,"
Now, for my further proceeding on this ⟨subject⟩, I shall lay open to you.
What "The sin unto death," is.