A Golden Chain

By this it may appear, that there is one manner of sinning in the godly, & another in the ungodly, though they fall both into one sin. A wicked man when he sinneth in his heart he giveth full consent to the sin: but the godly though they fall into the same sins with the wicked, yet they never give full consent: for they are in their minds, wills, and affections partly regenerate, and partly unregenerate, and therefore their wills do partly will and partly abhor that which is evil: according as Saint Paul saith of himself,^g I delight in the law of God according to the inner man, but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive, &c. And that the godly man never giveth full consent to sin, it is evident by three tokens. First before he cometh to do the sin, he hath no purpose nor desire to do it: but his purpose and desire is to do the will of God contrary to that sin. Secondly in the act or doing of the sin, his heart riseth against it, yet by the strength of temptation, and by the mighty violence of the flesh, he is haled and pulled on to do wickedness. Paul sayeth of himself, that he was sold under sin, that is, he was like a slave, who desireth to escape out of his masters hands, and yet is fain in great misery to serve him. Thirdly, after he hath sinned he is sore displeased with himself for it, and truly repenteth. As ^hPeter before the denying of his master, had no purpose to do it, but rather to die in his cause. In the act he had a striving with himself, as appeareth by this that first he answered faintly, I know not what thou sayest: and yet after when the assault of Satan more prevailed, he fell to swearing, cursing and banning. After his fall he repented himself and wept bitterly for it. All was contrary in Judas, who went to betray his master with full intent and purpose: for the devil long tempting him unto it, entered into him, that is, made him yield, and resolve himself to do it.