A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…

By this it may appear, that there is one manner of sinning in the godly, and 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 ⟨p. 79⟩give full consent, for they are in their minds, wills, and affections partly regenerate, and partly unregenerate, and therefore their wills will partly abhor that which is evil: according as saint Paul saith of himself ^qI delight in the law of God according to the inner man, but I see an other 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 his flesh, he is haled and pulled on to do wickedness. Paul saith 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 ^rPeter before the denying of his Master, had no purpose to do it, ⟨p. 80⟩