To sin habitually, wilfully, indulgently, with full consent and greediness is not compatible with the hope and profession of a Christian: This spot is not the spot of Gods children: 1but they have their blemishes, they sin of infirmity, though not of wilfulness. Sin in it own nature is opposite to grace: but all sins are not altogether incompatible with grace, that is, they hinder not the graceful operation of faith, hope, and love. The remainders of Original corruption, under which the regenerate must labour so long as they live: sins of simple ignorance, and of unavoidable infirmity, which through weakness the faithful run into every day: these do not stop the lively work of faith in receiving the promises of mercy, but even at the very instant, when these have abode in the soul, faith can and doth make faithful plea for mercy, or otherwise none could plead for mercy before the throne of Grace: For in many things we sin all. 2Sins of forgetfulness, inconsideration, and passion, whereunto there is not advised consent, these are as moats in the eye, which do somewhat trouble the clear sight of faith, but notwithstanding them, the heart principally adhereth unto God: and though now and then through infirmity a Christian be overtaken with them, yet may he upon good grounds be assured of Gods love. Anger, pettishness, impatience, inordinate fear are sins which the godly ought and do watch against, and for which they ought and must judge themselves: but if through infirmity they be over-taken to speak an hasty or unadvised word, they must not therefore cast off their confidence: notwithstanding such slips, they may cry in faith, and be heard in their supplications. If any man sin, 3(to wit of infirmity, as they do who walk in the light, and addict themselves to the serious study of holiness) we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous, ⟨p. 122⟩and he is the propitiation for our sins. What answer the Lord gave to Paul touching his temptations, My grace is sufficient for thee: 4that may be said of the infirmities of the Saints, such sins as be mere and absolute infirmities, God of his Grace, revealed in the covenant of grace, is pleased to grant unto them a pardon of course.
To sinne habitually, wilfully, indulgently, with full consent and greedinesse is not compatible with the hope and profession of a Christian: This spot is not the spot of Gods children: 1but they haue their blemishes, they sinne of infirmitie, though not of wilfulnesse. Sinne in it owne nature is opposite to grace: but all sinnes are not altogether incompatible with grace, that is, they hinder not the gracefull operation of faith, hope, and loue. The remainders of Originall corruption, vnder which the regenerate must labour so long as they liue: sinnes of simple ignorance, and of vnauoidable infirmitie, which through weaknesse the faithfull runne into euery day: these doe not stop the liuely worke of faith in receiuing the promises of mercie, but euen at the very instant, when these haue abode in the soule, faith can and doth make faithfull plea for mercie, or otherwise none could plead for mercie before the throne of Grace: For in many things we sinne all. 2Sinnes of forgetfulnesse, inconsideration, and passion, whereunto there is not aduised consent, these are as moates in the eye, which doe somewhat trouble the cleare sight of faith, but notwithstanding them, the heart principally adheareth vnto God: and though now and then through infirmitie a Christian bee ouertaken with them, yet may hee vpon good grounds be assured of Gods loue. Anger, pettishnesse, impatience, inordinate feare are sinnes which the godly ought and doe watch against, and for which they ought and must iudge themselues: but if through infirmitie they be ouer-taken to speake an hastie or vnaduised word, they must not therefore cast off their confidence: notwithstanding such slips, they may cry in faith, and be heard in their supplications. If any man sinne, 3(to wit of infirmitie, as they doe who walke in the light, and addict themselues to the serious studie of holinesse) wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous, ⟨p. 122⟩and he is the propitiation for our sinnes. What answere the Lord gaue to Paul touching his temptations, My grace is sufficient for thee: 4that may be said of the infirmities of the Saints, such sinnes as be meere and absolute infirmities, God of his Grace, reuealed in the couenant of grace, is pleased to grant vnto them a pardon of course.
- 1Deut. 32.5.
- 2James 3.2.Iames 3.2.
- 31. John 2.1, 2.1. Iohn 2.1, 2.
- 42. Cor. 12.7, 8.
