The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

Direct. 13. Remember that you must neither think that every sin which is a cause of Repentance, is a sufficient reason for you to doubt of your present state of Justification; nor yet that no sin can be so great as to be a necessary cause of doubting.

If every sin should make us doubt of our Justification, then all men must always doubt: And then it must be because no sin is consistent with sincerity, and the knowledge of sincerity; which is apparently false.

If every sin should make us doubt of our Justification, then all men must alwaies doubt: And then it must be because no sin is consistent with sincerity, and the knowledge of sincerity; which is apparently false.

If no sin should cause our doubting, then there is no sin which is not consistent both with sincerity, and with the knowledge of it; which is as false, and much more dangerous to hold. 1. There are many sins that are utterly inconsistent with true godliness; otherwise the godly were ungodly, and as bad as others: And if you say that no godly man commiteth these, it is true; and therefore it is true that he that committeth them, is not a godly man, or justified. And how shall a man know his godliness, but by his life as the product of his inward graces? It is arguing from an uncertainty against a certainty, to say, I am justified and godly, and therefore my wilful sins of drunkenness, fornication, oppression, lying, malice, &c. are consistent with Justification: and it is arguing from a certain truth, against a doubted falsehood, to say, I live in ordinary, wilful, heinous sin; therefore I am not justified or sincere, Ephes. 5.5, 6. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ, and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience,