The Return of Prayers

3. He may more easily fall into a gross sin of another kind, then into the same after special repentance for it, and peace spoken in the pardon of it. Because true repentance especially fortifies the heart against that sin which a man hath most repented him of; and sincerity lies more in watching over that sin then any other: so says David, Psal. 18. I was upright, and kept my self from mine iniquity, that especial sin which was eminently his sin. A mans arm that hath been broke, will, if well set, rather break in some other place then where it was broke at the ⟨p. 370⟩first. Hence sometimes it falls out, that that which was a godly mans bosom sin before conversion, continues not to be so after: but, another steps up in the room of it, by reason that he then endeavoureth to wash out that great stain, most; and spendeth the most of the Fullers soap, to purge himself from it; and so becomes, ever after, most watchful over it; and sets in this his weakest place, the strongest garrison, and a watch, to prevent the enemy. And, as an act of some presumptuous sin, though it inclines the heart more to all sin, then before, yet, especially, ⟨p. 371⟩to commit that kind of sin again, rather then any other: so on the contrary, is it in a sound and solemn repentance, for some especial sin; and in the endeavouring, to mortify some especial member of the body of sin: (to mortify which, not only in the bulk and general, but also particularly and apart in the several members of it, the Holy Ghost exhorts, Colos. 3. 5.) though thereby, the whole habit of the body of sin is purged and weakened, yet that particular sin which we aim especially to have mortified, is through Gods blessing more subdued then ⟨p. 372⟩any other. We see Idolatry, was the sin which the people of Israel relapsed into, again and again; yet when they were once throughly humbled by the Captivity for it, they never returned to it, of all sins else, not to this day: so as it may be said, as was foretold, haply in an other case, Ezek. 16. 43. Thou shalt not commit this lewdness of all thy abominations: Jonah, though he would haply never run away from God again, after his Gaole delivery out of the Whales belly; yet, immediately, after peace spoken to his heart he falls into a sin of another