The Return of Prayers

This Text and admonition here gives a just occasion to consider a little of that so often questioned case of Conscience concerning relapses of Gods Children into the same sins and folly again,¹ and whether after peace spoken, Gods people may return again to folly. Some have held, that a man after a second repentance could not fall into the same sin again: others if he did, it excluded him from mercy for time to come. For the ⟨p. 325⟩comfort of some poor souls whose case and tentation this may be, I will speak somewhat though sparingly and with caution.

THis Text and admonition here gives a ust occasion to consider a little of that so often questioned case of Conscience concerning relapses of Gods Children into the same sinnes and folly againe,¹ and whether after peace spoken, Gods people may returne againe to folly. Some have held, that a man after a second repentance could not fall into the same sinne again: others if he did, it excluded him from mercy for time to come. For the ⟨p. 325⟩comfort of some poore soules whose case and tentation this may be, I will speake somewhat though sparingly and with caution.

1. 1The case of relapsing into the same sin after peace spoken, resolved.The case of relapsing into the same sinne after peace spoken, resolved.

1. The Scripture no where excludeth those from the state of grace, or bars mercy from those, that have relapsed into the same sin, especially so long as in regard of the manner of their sinning it be but folly, not wickedness or wilful sinning, that is, rather proceeding out of error of understanding, and heat, and impetuousness of foolish affections, then obstinacy and malice in the will, and with despite of the Spirit