A26955:657
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at…
The mischiefs of self-ignorance and the benefits of self-acquaintance opened in divers sermons at Dunstan's-West and published in answer to the accusations of some and the desires of others / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R. White for F. Tyton, 1662
THE Mischief of Self-ignorance, AND Benefit of Self-acquaintance. › Part
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. There is no man on earth that is perfectly free from sin: and therefore it is no good consequence, that sin reigneth unto death, because it is not perfectly extinguished, or because it is sometime committed, unless in the cases after expressed.
2. No sin that is truly Mortified and Repented of, shall condemn the sinner: For pardon is promised to the truly penitent.
3. Whatever sin the Will, accordingly to its Habitual inclination, had rather leave then keep, is truly Repented of and mortified. ⟨p. 491⟩For the Will is the principal seat of sin; and there is no mere sinfulness, then there is Wilfulness, Rom. 7.15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22.
4. There are some sins which cannot be frequently committed in consistency with true grace, or sincere repentance: and some which may be frequently committed in consistency with these. As where sins are known and great, or such as are easily subject to the power of a sanctified will, so that he that will reject them, may: As one such sin must have actual Repentance, if actually known; so the frequent committing of such will not consist with Habitual Repentance. Whereas those sins, that are so small as upright persons perhaps may not be sufficiently excited to resistance; or such as upon the sincere use of means are still unknown, or such as a truly sanctified Will may not subdue, are all of them consistent with repentance and a justified state; And in this sense we reject not that distinction betwixt Mortal and Venial sin; that is, between sin inconsistent with a state of spiritual life, and sin consistent with it, and consequently pardoned. He that had rather leave the former sort (the mortal sins) will leave them; and he that