Remains of that reverend and learned divine, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in…Remaines of that reverend and learned divine, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in…

Thirdly, the third pretence is this, they say, it is ¹their nature to be thus and thus; they have a natural inclination unto some particular sin, and therefore they think that God will be merciful unto them in that thing, and they need not to be humbled.

Thirdly, the third pretence is this, they say, it is ¹their nature to bee thus and thus; they haue a naturall inclination vnto some particular sinne, and therefore they thinke that God will bee mercifull unto them in that thing, and they neede not to be humbled.

1. 13. Deceit. Object.

To this I answer, that this pretence of yours aggravates ¹your sin the more, for the more inclination that there is in your nature unto any particular sin, the greater is the sin; for inclination with consent, is more odious unto God then a violent lust not consented unto, which may sometimes break out in a regenerate man without full consent: the more inclination, the more cause of ⟨p. 223⟩humiliation; this did David, he adds unto his sins his inclination to sin, to aggravate them the more, and to humble him the more, as if the inclination gave a greater stroke upon his conscience, then the action it self, as in Psal. 51. I was borne in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me, that ²is, that which makes my sin the more heinous and offensive unto God, is this, because it proceeds from a natural inclination of my corrupt nature, it was borne with him, and it grew up with him, and this was that that troubled him, and thus it is with every regenerate man.