The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

The second kind of sins of Infirmity are, The smaller sort of sins which we may forbear if we will; that is, If we be actually, though not perfectly, yet prevalently Willing; or if our Wills be determined to forbear them: or if the chief part of the Will actually be for such forbearance. The first sort are called sins of Infirmity in an Absolute sense. These last I call sins of Infirmity in both an Absolute and Comparative sense: that is, both as they proceed from our inward corruption, which through the weakness of the soul having but little grace, is not fully restrained, and also as it is compared with gross sins: And so we may call idle words, and rash expressions in our hast, and such like, Sins of Infirmity, in comparison of Murder, Perjury, or the like gross, sins; which we commonly call Crimes, or Wickedness, when the former we use to call but Faults. These Infirmities are they which the Papists (and some Learned Divines of our own; as Rob. Baronius in his excellent Tractate ⟨p. 263⟩de Peccat. Mortali & Veniali) do call Venial sins: Some of them in a fair and honest sense, viz. Because they are such sins as a true Christian may live and die in, though not unrepented or unresisted, yet not subdued so far as to forsake or cease from the practice of them; and yet they are pardoned. But other Papists call them Venial sins in a wicked sense, as if they needed no pardon, or deserved not eternal punishment. (And why should they call them Venial if they need not pardon?) A justified man liveth in the daily practice of some vain thoughts, or the frequent commission of some other sins, which by his utmost diligence he might restrain: But he liveth not in the frequent practice of Adultery, Drunkenness, False-witnessing, Slandering, Hating his Brother, &c.

The second kinde of sinnes of Infirmity are, The smaller sort of sinnes which we may forbear if we will; that is, If we be actually, though not perfectly, yet prevalently Willing; or if our Wils be determined to forbear them: or if the chief part of the Will actually be for such forbearance. The first sort are called sinnes of Infirmity in an Absolute sense. These last I call sinnes of Infirmity in both an Absolute and Comparative sense: that is, both as they proceed from our inward corruption, which through the weakness of the soul having but little grace, is not fully restrained, and also as it is compared with gross sinnes: And so we may call idle words, and rash expressions in our hast, and such like, Sins of Infirmity, in comparison of Murder, Perjury, or the like gross, sinnes; which we commonly call Crimes, or Wickedness, when the former we use to call but Faults. These Infirmities are they which the Papists (and some Learned Divines of our own; as Rob. Baronius in his excellent Tractate